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in greatcoat and woollen cap； alert and watchful； the ugly knife on the
end of his gun gleaming in the blue light of the arc。 It did not occur
to her； despite the uniform； that the souls of many of these men were
divided also； that their voices and actions； when she saw them
threatening with their bayonets； were often inspired by that inner
desperation characteristic of men who find themselves unexpectedly in
false situations。 Once she heard a woman shriek as the sharp knife
grazed her skirt： at another time a man whose steps had been considerably
hurried turned； at a safe distance； and shouted defiantly：
〃Say； who are you working for？ Me or the Wool Trust？〃
〃Aw； get along；〃 retorted the soldier； 〃or I'll give you yours。〃
The man caught sight of Janet's button as she overtook him。 He was
walking backward。
〃That feller has a job in a machine shop over in Barrington； I seen him
there when I was in the mills。 And here he is tryin' to put us out
ain't that the limit？〃
The thud of horses' feet in the snow prevented her reply。 The
silhouettes of the approaching squad of cavalry were seen down the
street； and the man fled precipitately into an alleyway。。。。
There were ludicrous incidents； too； though never lacking in a certain
pathos。 The wife of a Russian striker had her husband arrested because
he had burned her clothes in order to prevent her returning to the mill。
From the police station he sent a compatriot with a message to
Headquarters。 〃Oye； he fix her！ She no get her jawb nowshe gotta stay
in bed！〃 this one cried triumphantly。
〃She was like to tear me in pieces when I brought her the clothes；〃 said
Anna Mower； who related her experience with mingled feelings。 〃I
couldn't blame her。 You see； it was the kids crying with cold and
starvation； and she got so she just couldn't stand it。 I couldn't stand
it； neither。〃
Day by day the element who wished to compromise and end the strike grew
stronger； brought more and more pressure on the leaders。 These people
were subsidized； Antonelli declared； by the capitalists。。。。
CHAPTER XVIII
A more serious atmosphere pervaded Headquarters； where it was realized
that the issue hung in the balance。 And more proclamations； a la
Napoleon； were issued to sustain and hearten those who were finding bread
and onions meagre fare； to shame the hesitating； the wavering。 As has
been said； it was Rolfe who； because of his popular literary gift；
composed these appeals for the consideration of the Committee； dictating
them to Janet as he paced up and down the bibliotheque； inhaling
innumerable cigarettes and flinging down the ends on the floor。 A famous
one was headed 〃Shall Wool and Cotton Kings Rule the Nation？〃 〃We are
winning〃 it declared。 〃The World is with us！ Forced by the unshaken
solidarity of tens of thousands； the manufacturers offer bribes to end
the reign of terror they have inaugurated。。。。 Inhuman treatment and
oppressive toil have brought all nationalities together into one great
army to fight against a brutal system of exploitation。 In years and
years of excessive labour we have produced millions for a class of idle
parasites； who enjoy all the luxuries of life while our wives have to
leave their firesides and our children their schools to eke out a
miserable existence。〃 And this for the militia： 〃The lowest aim of life
is to be a soldier！ The ‘good' soldier never tries to distinguish right
from wrong； he never thinks； he never reasons； he only obeys〃
〃But；〃 Janet was tempted to say； 〃your syndicalism declares that none of
us should think or reason。 We should only feel。〃 She was beginning to
detect Rolfe's inconsistencies； yet she refrained from interrupting the
inspirational flow。
〃The soldier is a blind； heartless； soulless； murderous machine。〃 Rolfe
was fond of adjectives。 〃All that is human in him； all that is divine
has been sworn away when he took the enlistment oath。 No man can fall
lower than a soldier。 It is a depth beyond which we cannot go。〃
〃All that is human； all that is divine；〃 wrote Janet； and thrilled a
little at the words。 Why was it that mere words； and their arrangement
in certain sequences； gave one a delicious； creepy feeling up and down
the spine？ Her attitude toward him had become more and more critical；
she had avoided him when she could； but when he was in this ecstatic mood
she responded； forgot his red lips； his contradictions； lost herself in a
medium she did not comprehend。 Perhaps it was because； in his absorption
in the task； he forgot her； forgot himself。 She； too； despised the
soldiers； fervently believed they had sold themselves to the oppressors
of mankind。 And Rolfe； when in the throes of creation； had the manner of
speaking to the soldiers themselves； as though these were present in the
lane just below the window； as though he were on the tribune。 At such
times he spoke with such rapidity that； quick though she was； she could
scarcely keep up with him。 〃Most of you； Soldiers； are workingmen！〃 he
cried。 〃Yesterday you were slaving in the mills yourselves。 You will
profit by our victory。 Why should you wish to crush us？ Be human！〃
Pale； excited； he sank down into the chair by her side and lit another
cigarette。
〃They ought to listen to that！〃 he exclaimed。 〃It's the best one I've
done yet。〃
Night had come。 Czernowitz sat in the other room； talking to Jastro； a
buzz of voices came from the hall through the thin pine panels of the
door。 All day long a sixty…mile gale had twisted the snow of the lane
into whirling； fantastic columns and rattled the windows of Franco…
Belgian Hall。 But now the wind had fallen。。。。 Presently； as his self…
made music ceased to vibrate within him； Rolfe began to watch the girl as
she sat motionless； with parted lips and eyes alight； staring at the
reflection of the lamp in the blue…black window。
〃Is that the end？〃 she asked； at length。
〃Yes；〃 he replied sensitively。 〃Can't you see it's a climax？ Don't you
think it's a good one？〃
She looked at him； puzzled。
〃Why； yes；〃 she said； 〃I think it's fine。 You see； I have to take it
down so fast I can't always follow it as I'd like to。〃
〃When you feel； you can do anything；〃 he exclaimed。 〃It is necessary to
feel。〃
〃It is necessary to know；〃 she told him。
〃I do not understand you；〃 he cried； leaning toward her。 〃Sometimes you
are a flamea wonderful； scarlet flame I can express it in no other way。
Or again； you are like the Madonna of our new faith； and I wish I were a
del Sarto to paint you。 And then again you seem as cold as your New
England snow； you have no feeling； you are an Anglo…Saxona Puritan。〃
She smiled； though she felt a pang of reminiscence at the word。 Ditmar
had called her so； too。
〃I can't help what I am；〃 she said。
〃It is that which inhibits you；〃 he declared。 〃That Puritanism。 It must
be eradicated before you can develop； and thenand then you will be
completely wonderful。 When this strike is over； when we have time； I
will teach you many thingsdevelop you。 We will read Sorel together he
is beautiful； like poetryand the great poets； Dante and Petrarch and
Tassoyes； and d'Annunzio。 We shall live。〃
〃We are living； now；〃 she answered。 The look with which she surveyed him
he found enigmatic。 And then； abruptly； she rose and went to her
typewriter。
〃You don't believe what I say！〃 he reproached her。
But she was cool。 〃I'm not sure that I believe all of it。 I want to
think it out for myselfto talk to others； too。〃
〃What others？〃
〃Nobody in particulareverybody；〃 she replied； as she set her notebook
on the rack。
〃There is some one else！〃 he exclaimed； rising。
〃There is every one else；〃 she said。
As was his habit when agitated； he began to smoke feverishly； glancing at
her from time to time as she fingered the keys。 Experience had led him
to believe that he who finds a woman in revolt and gives her a religion
inevitably becomes her possessor。 But more than a month had passed； he
had not become her possessorand now for the first time there entered
his mind a doubt as to having given her a religion！ The obvious
inference was that of another man； of another influence in opposition to
his own； characteristically； however； he shrank from accepting this；
since he was of those who believe what they wish to believe。 The sudden
fear of losing herintruding itself immediately upon an ecstatic；
creative moodunnerved him； yet he strove to appear confident as he
stood over her。
〃When you've finished typewriting that； we'll go out to supper；〃 he told
her。
But she shook her head。
〃Why not？〃
〃I don't want to；〃 she repliedand then； to soften her refusal； she
added； 〃I can't； to…night。〃
〃But you never will come with me anymore。 Why is it？〃
〃I'm very tired at night。 I don't feel like going out。〃 She sought to
temporize。
〃You've changed！〃 he accused her。 〃You're not the same as you were at
firstyou avoid me。〃
The swift gesture with which she flung over the carriage of her machine
might have warned him。
〃I don't like that Hampton Hotel；〃 she flashed back。 〃I'mI'm not a
vagabondyet。〃
〃A vagabond！〃 he repeated。