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When she saw the waifs trooping after him down the stairs； Mrs。 Maturin
called him the Pied Piper of Hampton。
As time went on； Janet sometimes wondered over the quiet manner in which
these two people； Insall and Mrs。 Maturin； took her visits as though they
were matters of course； and gave her their friendship。 There was；
really； no obvious excuse for her coming； not even that of the waifs for
foodand yet she came to be fed。 The sustenance they gave her would
have been hard to define； it flowed not so much from what they said； as
from what they were； it was in the atmosphere surrounding them。
Sometimes she looked at Mrs。 Maturin to ask herself what this lady would
say if she knew her history； her relationship with Ditmarwhich had been
her real reason for entering the ranks of the strikers。 And was it fair
for her； Janet； to permit Mrs。 Maturin to bestow her friendship without
revealing this？ She could not make up her mind as to what this lady
would say。 Janet had had no difficulty in placing Ditmar； not much
trouble； after her first surprise was over； in classifying Rolfe and the
itinerant band of syndiealists who had descended upon her restricted
world。 But Insall and Mrs。 Maturin were not to be ticketed。 What
chiefly surprised her； in addition to their kindliness； to their taking
her on faith without the formality of any recommendation or introduction；
was their lack of intellectual narrowness。 She did not； of course； so
express it。 But she sensed； in their presence； from references casually
let fall in their conversation； a wider culture of which they were in
possession； a culture at once puzzling and exciting； one that she
despaired of acquiring for herself。 Though it came from reading； it did
not seem 〃literary；〃 according to the notion she had conceived of the
term。 Her speculations concerning it must be focussed and interpreted。
It was a culture； in the first place； not harnessed to an obvious Cause：
something like that struck her。 It was a culture that contained
tolerance and charity； that did not label a portion of mankind as its
enemy； but seemed； by understanding all； to forgive all。 It had no
prejudices； nor did it boast； as the Syndicalists boasted； of its absence
of convention。 And little by little Janet connected it with Silliston。
〃It must be wonderful to live in such a place as that；〃 she exclaimed；
when the Academy was mentioned。 On this occasion Insall had left for a
moment； and she was in the little room he called his 〃store；〃 alone with
Mrs。 Maturin； helping to sort out a batch of garments just received。
〃It was there you first met Brooks； wasn't it？〃 She always spoke of him
as Brooks。 〃He told me about it； how you walked out there and asked him
about a place to lunch。〃 Mrs。 Maturin laughed。 〃You didn't know what to
make of him； did you？〃
〃I thought he was a carpenter！〃 said Janet。 〃II never should have
taken him for an author。 But of course I don't know any other authors。〃
〃Well； he's not like any of them； he's just like himself。 You can't put
a tag on people who are really big。〃
Janet considered this。 〃I never thought of that。 I suppose not；〃 she
agreed。
Mrs。 Maturin glanced at her。 〃So you liked Sflliston；〃 she said。
〃I liked it better than any place I ever saw。 I haven't seen many
places； but I'm sure that few can be nicer。〃
〃What did you like about it； Janet？〃 Mrs。 Maturin was interested。
〃It's hard to say；〃 Janet replied； after a moment。 〃It gave me such a
feeling of peaceof having come home； although I lived in Hampton。 I
can't express it。〃
〃I think you're expressing it rather well；〃 said Mrs。 Maturin。
〃It was so beautiful in the spring；〃 Janet continued； dropping the coat
she held into the drawer。 〃And it wasn't just the trees and the grass
with the yellow dandelions； it was the houses； tooI've often wondered
why those houses pleased me so much。 I wanted to live in every one of
them。 Do you know that feeling？〃 Mrs。 Maturin nodded。 〃They didn't
hurt your eyes when you looked at them； and they seemed to be so much at
home there； even the new ones。 The new ones were like the children of
the old。〃
〃I'll tell the architect。 He'll be pleased；〃 said Mrs。 Maturin。
Janet flushed。
〃Am I being silly？〃 she asked。
〃No； my dear；〃 Mrs。 Maturin replied。 〃You've expressed what I feel about
Silliston。 What do you intend to do when the strike is over？〃
〃I hadn't thought。〃 Janet started at the question； but Mrs。 Maturin did
not seem to notice the dismay in her tone。 〃You don't intend toto
travel around with the I。 W。 W。 people； do you？〃
〃II hadn't thought；〃 Janet faltered。 It was the first time Mrs。
Maturin had spoken of her connection with Syndicalism。 And she surprised
herself by adding： 〃I don't see how I could。 They can get stenographers
anywhere； and that's all I'm good for。〃 And the question occurred to
herdid she really wish to？
〃What I was going to suggest；〃 continued Mrs。 Maturin； quietly； 〃was that
you might try Silliston。 There's a chance for a good stenographer there；
and I'm sure you are a good one。 So many of the professors send to
Boston。〃
Janet stood stock still。 Then she said： 〃But you don't know anything
about me； Mrs。 Maturin。〃
Kindliness burned in the lady's eyes as she replied： 〃I know more now
since you've told me I know nothing。 Of course there's much I don't
know； how you； a stenographer； became involved in this strike and joined
the I。 W。 W。 But you shall tell me or not； as you wish； when we become
better friends。〃
Janet felt the blood beating in her throat； and an impulse to confess
everything almost mastered her。 From the first she had felt drawn toward
Mrs。 Maturin； who seemed to hold out to her the promise of a woman's
friendshipfor which she had felt a life…long need： a woman friend who
would understand the insatiate yearning in her that gave her no rest in
her search for a glittering essence never found； that had led her only to
new depths of bitterness and despair。 It would destroy her； if indeed it
had not already done so。 Mrs。 Maturin； Insall； seemed to possess the
secret that would bring her peaceand yet； in spite of something urging
her to speak； she feared the risk of losing them。 Perhaps； after all；
they would not understand！ perhaps it was too late！
〃You do not believe in the Industrial Workers of the World；〃 was what she
said。
Mrs。 Maturin herself； who had been moved and excited as she gazed at
Janet； was taken by surprise。 A few moments elapsed before she could
gather herself to reply； and then she managed to smile。
〃I do not believe that wisdom will die with them； my dear。 Theirtheir
doctrine is too simple； it does not seem as if life； the social order is
to be so easily solved。〃
〃But you must sympathize with them； with the strikers。〃 Janet's gesture
implied that the soup kitchen was proof of this。
〃Ah；〃 replied Mrs。 Maturin； gently； 〃that is different to understand
them。 There is one philosophy for the lamb； and another for the wolf。〃
〃You mean；〃 said Janet； trembling； 〃that what happens to us makes us
inclined to believe certain things？〃
〃Precisely；〃 agreed Mrs。 Maturin； in admiration。 〃But I must be honest
with you； it was Brooks who made me see it。〃
〃Buthe never said that to me。 And I asked him once； almost the same
question。〃
〃He never said it to me； either；〃 Mrs。 Maturin confessed。 〃He doesn't
tell you what he believes； I simply gathered that this is his idea。 And
apparently the workers can only improve their condition by strikes； by
sufferingit seems to be the only manner in which they can convince the
employers that the conditions are bad。 It isn't the employers' fault。〃
〃Not their fault！〃 Janet repeated。
〃Not in a large sense；〃 said Mrs。 Maturin。 〃When people grow up to look
at life in a certain way； from a certain viewpoint； it is difficult；
almost impossible to change them。 It'sit's their religion。 They are
convinced that if the world doesn't go on in their way； according to
their principles； everything will be destroyed。 They aren't inhuman。
Within limits everybody is more than willing to help the world along； if
only they can be convinced that what they are asked to do will help。〃
Janet breathed deeply。 She was thinking of Ditmar。
And Mrs。 Maturin； regarding her； tactfully changed the subject。
〃I didn't intend to give you a lecture on sociology or psychology； my
dear；〃 she said。 〃I know nothing about them； although we have a
professor who does。 Think over what I've said about coming to Silliston。
It will do you goodyou are working too hard here。 I know you would
enjoy Silliston。 And Brooks takes such an interest in you；〃 she added
impulsively。 〃It is quite a compliment。〃
〃But why？〃 Janet demanded； bewildered。
〃Perhaps it's because you havepossibilities。 You may be typewriting
his manuscripts。 And then； I am a widow； and often rather lonelyyou
could come in and read to me occasionally。〃
〃ButI've never read anything。〃
〃How fortunate！〃 said Insall； who had entered the doorway in time to hear
Janet's exclamation。 〃More than half of modern culture depends on what
one shouldn't read。〃