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little stage； smoking his cigars and reading his newspapers。
Janet's nerves were taut。 There had been times during the past weeks
when she had been aware of new and vaguely disquieting portents。
Inexperience had led her to belittle them； and the absorbing nature of
her work； the excitement due to the strange life of conflict； of new
ideas； into which she had so unreservedly flung herself； the resentment
that galvanized herall these had diverted her from worry。 At night；
hers had been the oblivious slumber of the weary。。。。 And then； as a
desperate wayfarer； pressing on； feels a heavy drop of rain and glances
up to perceive the clouds that have long been gathering； she awoke in the
black morning hours； and fear descended upon her。 Suddenly her brain
became hideously active as she lay； dry…upped； staring into the darkness；
striving to convince herself that it could not be。 But the thing had its
advocate； also； to summon ingeniously； in cumulative array； those omens
she had ignored： to cause her to piece together； in this moment of
torture； portions of the knowledge of sexual facts that prudery banishes
from education； a smattering of which reaches the ears of such young
women as Janet in devious； roundabout ways。 Several times； in the month
just past； she had had unwonted attacks of dizziness； of faintness； and
on one occasion Anna Mower； alarmed； had opened the window of the
bibliotheque and thrust her into the cold air。 Now； with a pang of fear
she recalled what Anna had said：
〃You're working too hardyou hadn't ought to stay here nights。 If it
was some girls I've met； I'd know what to think。〃
Strange that the significance of this sentence had failed to penetrate
her consciousness until now！ 〃If it was some girls I've met； I'd know
what to think！〃 It had come into her mind abruptly； and always； when she
sought to reassure herself； to declare her terror absurd； it returned to
confront her。 Heat waves pulsed through her； she grew intolerably warm；
perspiration started from her pores； and she flung off the blankets。 The
rain from the roofs was splashing on the bricks of the passage。。。。 What
would Mr。 Insall say； if he knew？ and Mrs。 Maturin？ She could never see
them again。 Now there was no one to whom to turn； she was cut off；
utterly； from humanity； an outcast。 Like Lise！ And only a little while
ago she and Lise had lain in that bed together！ Was there not somebody …
…God？ Other people believed in God； prayed to him。 She tried to say；
〃Oh God； deliver me from this thing！。〃 but the words seemed a mockery。
After all； it was mechanical； it had either happened or it hadn't
happened。 A life…long experience in an environment where only unpleasant
things occurred； where miracles were unknown； had effaced a fleeting；
childhood belief in miracles。 Cause and effect were the rule。 And if
there were a God who did interfere； why hadn't he interfered before this
thing happened？ Then would have been the logical time。 Why hadn't he
informed her that in attempting to escape from the treadmill in which he
had placed her； in seeking happiness； she had been courting destruction？
Why had he destroyed Lise？ And if there were a God； would he comfort her
now； convey to her some message of his sympathy and love？ No such
message； alas； seemed to come to her through the darkness。
After a whilea seemingly interminable whilethe siren shrieked； the
bells jangled loudly in the wet air； another day had come。 Could she
face iteven the murky grey light of this that revealed the ashes and
litter of the back yard under the downpour？ The act of dressing brought
a slight relief； and then； at breakfast； a numbness stole over her
suggested and conveyed； perchance； by the apathy of her mother。
Something had killed suffering in Hannah； perhaps she herself would
mercifully lose the power to suffer！ But the thought made her shudder。
She could not； like her mother； find a silly refuge in shining dishes； in
cleaning pots and pans； or sit idle； vacant…minded； for long hours in a
spotless kitchen。 What would happen to her？。。。 Howbeit； the ache that
had tortured her became a dull； leaden pain； like that she had known at
another time …how long agowhen the suffering caused by Ditmar's
deception had dulled； when she had sat in the train on her way back to
Hampton from Boston； after seeing Lise。 The pain would throb again；
unsupportably； and she would wake； and this time it would drive hershe
knew not where。
She was certain； now； that the presage of the night was true。。。。
She reached Franco…Belgian Hall to find it in an uproar。 Anna Mower ran
up to her with the news that dynamite had been discovered by the police
in certain tenements of the Syrian quarter； that the tenants had been
arrested and taken to the police station where； bewildered and terrified；
they had denied any knowledge of the explosive。 Dynamite had also been
found under the power house； and in the millsthe sources of Hampton's
prosperity。 And Hampton believed； of course； that this was the
inevitable result of the anarchistic preaching of such enemies of society
as Jastro and Antonelli if these； indeed； had not incited the Syrians to
the deed。 But it was a plot of the mill…owners； Anna insistedthey
themselves had planted the explosive； adroitly started the rumours； told
the police where the dynamite was to be found。 Such was the view that
prevailed at Headquarters； pervaded the angrily buzzing crowd that stood
outsideheedless of the rainand animated the stormy conferences in the
Salle de Reunion。
The day wore on。 In the middle of the afternoon； as she was staring out
of the window； Anna Mower returned with more news。 Dynamite had been
discovered in Hawthorne Street； and it was rumoured that Antonelli and
Jastro were to be arrested。
〃You ought to go home and rest； Janet；〃 she said kindly。
Janet shook her head。
〃Rolfe's back；〃 Anna informed her； after a moment。 〃He's talking to
Antonelli about another proclamation to let people know who's to blame
for this dynamite business。 I guess he'll be in here in a minute to
dictate the draft。 Say； hadn't you better let Minnie take it； and go
home？〃
〃I'm not sick；〃 Janet repeated； and Anna reluctantly left her。
Rolfe had been absent for a week； in New York； consulting with some of
the I。W。W。 leaders； with Lockhart； the chief protagonist of Syndicalism
in America； just returned from Colorado； to whom he had given a detailed
account of the Hampton strike。 And Lockhart； next week； was coming to
Hampton to make a great speech and look over the ground for himself。 All
this Rolfe told Janet eagerly when he entered the bibliotheque。 He was
glad to get back； he had missed her。
〃But you are pale！〃 he exclaimed； as he seized her hand； 〃and how your
eyes burn！ You do not take care of yourself when I am not here to watch
you。〃 His air of solicitude； his assumption of a peculiar right to ask；
might formerly have troubled and offended her。 Now she was scarcely
aware of his presence。 〃You feel too muchthat is it you are like a
torch that consumes itself in burning。 But this will soon be over； we
shall have them on their knees； the capitalists； before very long； when
it is known what they have done to…day。 It is too muchthey have
overreached themselves with this plot of the dynamite。
You have missed me； a little？〃
〃I have been busy；〃 she said； releasing her hand and sitting down at her
desk and taking up her notebook。
〃You are not well；〃 he insisted。
〃I'm all right；〃 she replied。
He lit a cigarette and began to pace the roomhis customary manner of
preparing himself for the creative mood。 After a while he began to
dictatebut haltingly。 He had come here from Antonelli all primed with
fervour and indignation； but it was evident that this feeling had ebbed；
that his mind refused to concentrate on what he was saying。 Despite the
magnificent opportunity to flay the capitalists which their most recent
tactics afforded him； he paused； repeated himself； and began again；
glancing from time to time reproachfully； almost resentfully at Janet。
Usually； on these occasions； he was transported； almost inebriated by his
own eloquence； but now he chafed at her listlessness； he was at a loss to
account for the withdrawal of the enthusiasm he had formerly been able to
arouse。 Lacking the feminine stimulus； his genius limped。 For Rolfe
there had been a woman in every strikesometimes two。 What had
happened； during his absence； to alienate the most promising of all
neophytes he had ever encountered？
〃The eyes of the world are fixed on the workers of Hampton！ They must be
true to the trust their fellows have placed in them！ To…day the mill…
owners； the masters； are at the end of their tether。 Always
unscrupulous； they have descended to the most despicable of tactics in
order to deceive the public。 But truth will prevail！。。。〃 Rolfe lit
another cigarette； began a new sentence and broke it off。 Suddenly he
stood over her。 〃It's you！〃 he said。 〃You don't feel it； you don't help
me； you're not in sympathy。〃
He bent over her； his red lips gleaming through his beard； a terrible
hunger in his lustro