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but the details； was even more disturbingyet vaguely consoling。 The
consolatory element in the situation was somehow connected with the lady；
his friend from Silliston； to whom he had introduced her and whose image
now came before her the more vividly； perhaps； in contrast with that of
Mrs。 Brocklehurst。 Mrs。 Maturincould Janet have so expressed her
thought！ had appeared as an extension of Insall's own personality。 She
was a strong； tall； vital woman with a sweet irregularity of feature；
with a heavy crown of chestnut hair turning slightly grey； quaintly
braided； becomingly framing her face。 Her colour was high。 The
impression she conveyed of having suffered was emphasized by the simple
mourning gown she wore； but the dominant note she had struck was one of
dependability。 It was； after all； Insall's dominant； too。 Insall had
asked her to call again； and the reflection that she might do so was
curiously comforting。 The soup kitchen in the loft； with these two
presiding over it； took on something of the aspect of a sanctuary。。。。
Insall； in some odd manner； and through the medium of that frivolous
lady； had managed to reenforce certain doubts that had been stirring in
Janetdoubts of Rolfe； of the verity of the doctrine which with such
abandon she had embraced。 It was Insall who； though remaining silent；
just by being there seemed to have suggested her manner of dealing with
Mrs。 Brocklehurst。 It had； indeed； been his manner of dealing with Mrs。
Brocklehurst。 Janet had somehow been using his words； his method； and
thus for the first time had been compelled to look objectively on what
she had deemed a part of herself。 We never know what we are； he had
said； until we become something else！ He had forced her to use an
argument that failed to harmonize； somehow； with Rolfe's poetical
apologetics。 Stripped of the glamour of these； was not Rolfe's doctrine
just one of taking； taking？ And when the workers were in possession of
all； would not they be as badly off as Mrs。 Brocklehurst or Ditmar？
Rolfe； despite the inspiring intellectual creed he professed； lacked the
poise and unity that go with happiness。 He wanted things； for himself：
whereas she beheld in Insall one who seemed emancipated from possessions；
whose life was so organized as to make them secondary affairs。 And she
began to wonder what Insall would think of Ditmar。
These sudden flashes of tenderness for Ditmar startled and angered her。
She had experienced them before； and always had failed to account for
their intrusion into a hatred she cherished。 Often； at her desk in the
bibliotheque； she had surprised herself speculating upon what Ditmar
might be doing at that moment； and it seemed curious； living in the same
city with him； that she had not caught a glimpse of him during the
strike。 More than once； moved by a perverse impulse； she had ventured of
an evening down West Street toward the guard of soldiers in the hope of
catching sight of him。 He had possessed her； and the memory of the wild
joy of that possession； of that surrender to great strength； refused to
perish。 Why； at such moments； should she glory in a strength that had
destroyed her and why； when she heard him cursed as the man who stood；
more than any other； in the way of the strikers victory； should she
paradoxically and fiercely rejoice？ why should she feel pride when she
was told of the fearlessness with which he went about the streets； and
her heart stop beating when she thought of the possibility of his being
shot？ For these unwelcome phenomena within herself Janet could not
account。 When they disturbed and frightened her； she plunged into her
work with the greater zeal。。。。
As the weeks went by； the strain of the strike began to tell on the weak；
the unprepared； on those who had many mouths to feed。 Shivering with the
cold of that hardest of winters； these unfortunates flocked to the
Franco…Belgian Hall； where a little food or money in proportion to the
size of their families was doled out to them。 In spite of the
contributions received by mail； of the soup kitchens and relief stations
set up by various organizations in various parts of the city； the supply
little more than sufficed to keep alive the more needy portion of the
five and twenty thousand who now lacked all other means of support。
Janet's heart was wrung as she gazed at the gaunt； bewildered faces
growing daily more tragic； more bewildered and gaunt； she marvelled at
the animal…like patience of these Europeans； at the dumb submission of
most of them to privations that struck her as appalling。 Some indeed
complained； but the majority recited in monotonous； unimpassioned tones
their stories of suffering； or of ill treatment by the 〃Cossacks〃 or the
police。 The stipends were doled out by Czernowitz； but all through the
week there were special appeals。 Once it was a Polish woman； wan and
white； who carried her baby wrapped in a frayed shawl。
〃Wahna littel money for milk；〃 she said； when at length their attention
was drawn to her。
〃But you get your money； every Saturday；〃 the secretary informed her
kindly。
She shook her head。
〃Baby die； 'less I have littel milkI show you。〃
Janet drew back before the sight of the child with its sunken cheeks and
ghastly blue lips 。。。。 And she herself went out with the woman to buy
the milk； and afterwards to the dive in Kendall Street which she called
homein one of those 〃rear〃 tenements separated from the front buildings
by a narrow court reeking with refuse。 The place was dank and cold；
malodorous。 The man of the family； the lodgers who lived in the other
room of the kennel； were out on the streets。 But when her eyes grew used
to the darkness she perceived three silent children huddled in the bed in
the corner。。。。
On another occasion a man came running up the stairs of the Hall and
thrust his way into a meeting of the Committeeone of those normally
happy； irresponsible Syrians who； because of a love for holidays； are the
despair of mill overseers。 Now he was dazed； breathless； his great eyes
grief…stricken like a wounded animal's。
〃She is killidd； my wifede polees； dey killidd her！〃
It was Anna Mower who investigated the case。 〃The girl wasn't doing
nothing but walk along Hudson Street when one of those hirelings set on
her and beat her。 She put out her hand because she thought he'd hit her…
…and he gave her three or four with his billy and left her in the gutter。
If you'd see her you'd know she wouldn't hurt a fly； she's that gentle
looking； like all the Syrian women。 She had a ‘Don't be a scab' ribbon
onthat's all she done！ Somebody'll shoot that guy； and I wouldn't
blame 'em。〃 Anna stood beside Janet's typewriter； her face red with
anger as she told the story。
〃And how is the woman now？〃 asked Janet。
〃In bed； with two ribs broken and a bruise on her back and a cut on her
head。 I got a doctor。 He could hardly see her in that black place they
live。〃。。。
Such were the incidents that fanned the hatred into hotter and hotter
flame。 Daily reports were brought in of arrests； of fines and
imprisonments for picketing； or sometimes merely for booing at the
remnant of those who still clung to their employment。 One magistrate in
particular； a Judge Hennessy； was hated above all others for giving the
extreme penalty of the law； and even stretching it。 〃Minions； slaves of
the capitalists； of the masters；〃 the courts were called； and Janet
subscribed to these epithets； beheld the judges as willing agents of a
tyranny from which she； too； had suffered。 There arrived at Headquarters
frenzied bearers of rumours such as that of the reported intention of
landlords to remove the windows from the tenements if the rents were not
paid。 Antonelli himself calmed these。 〃Let the landlords try it！〃 he
said phlegmatically。。。。
After a while； as the deadlock showed no signs of breaking； the siege of
privation began to tell； ominous signs of discontent became apparent。
Chief among the waverers were those who had come to America with visions
of a fortune； who had practised a repulsive thrift in order to acquire
real estate； who carried in their pockets dog…eared bank books recording
payments already made。 These had consented to the strike reluctantly；
through fear； or had been carried away by the eloquence and enthusiasm of
the leaders； by the expectation that the mill owners would yield at once。
Some went back to work； only to be 〃seen〃 by the militant； watchful
picketsgenerally in their rooms； at night。 One evening； as Janet was
walking home； she chanced to overhear a conversation taking place in the
dark vestibule of a tenement。
〃Working to…day？〃
〃Yah。〃
〃Work to…morrow？〃
Hesitation。 〃I d'no。〃
〃You work； I cut your throat。〃 A significant noise。 〃Naw； I no work。〃
〃Shake！〃
She hurried on trembling； not with fear； but exultingly。 Nor did she
reflect that only a month ago such an occurrence would have shocked and
terrified her。 This was war。。。。 On her way to Fillmore Street she
passed； at every street corner in this district； a pacing sentry； muffled
in greatcoat and woollen cap； alert and watchful； the ugly knife on the
end