按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
because they had been accused of instigating the murder of a woman who
was shot by a striker aiming at a policeman。 It seems that she had seen
that！ She told me so quite casually。 But she was interested； and I went
on to mention how greatly the strikers were stirred by the arrests； how
they paraded in front of the jail； singing； and how the feeling was
mostly directed against Mr。 Ditmar； because he was accused of instigating
the placing of dynamite in the tenements。〃
〃And you spoke of Mr。 Ditmar's death？〃 Insall inquired。
〃Why yes； I told her how he had been shot in Dover Street by a demented
Italian； and if it hadn't been proved that the Italian was insane and not
a mill worker； the result of the strike might have been different。〃
〃How did she take it？〃
〃Well； she was shocked； of course。 She sat up in bed； staring at me； and
then leaned back on the pillows again。 I pretended not to notice itbut
I was sorry I'd said anything about it。〃
〃She didn't say anything？〃
〃Not a word。〃
〃Didn't you know that； before the strike； she was Ditmar's private
stenographer？〃
〃No！〃 Augusta Maturin exclaimed。 〃Why didn't you tell me？〃
〃It never occurred to me to tell you；〃 Insall replied。
〃That must have something to do with it！〃 said Mrs。 Maturin。
Insall got up and walked to the end of the terrace； gazing at a bluebird
on the edge of the lawn。
〃Well； not necessarily；〃 he said； after a while。 〃Did you ever find out
anything about her family？〃
〃Oh； yes； I met the father once； he's been out two or three times； on
Sunday； and came over here to thank me for what I'd done。 The mother
doesn't comeshe has some trouble； I don't know exactly what。 Brooks； I
wish you could see the father； he's so typically uniqueif one may use
the expression。 A gatekeeper at the Chipperiug Mills！〃
〃A gatekeeper？〃
〃Yes； and I'm quite sure he doesn't understand to this day how he became
one； or why。 He's delightfully naive on the subject of genealogy； and I
had the Bumpus family by heart before he left。 That's the form his
remnant of the intellectual curiosity of his ancestors takes。 He was
born in Dolton； which was settled by the original Bumpus； back in the
Plymouth Colony days； and if he were rich he'd have a library stuffed
with gritty； yellow…backed books and be a leading light in the Historical
Society。 He speaks with that nicety of pronunciation of the old New
Englander； never slurring his syllables； and he has a really fine face；
the kind of face one doesn't often see nowadays。 I kept looking at it；
wondering what was the matter with it； and at last I realized what it
lackedwill； desire； ambition；it was what a second…rate sculptor might
have made of Bradford； for instance。 But there is a remnant of fire in
him。 Once； when he spoke of the strike； of the foreigners； he grew quite
indignant。〃
〃He didn't tell you why his daughter had joined the strikers？〃 Insall
asked。
〃He was just as much at sea about that as you and I are。 Of course I
didn't ask himhe asked me if I knew。 It's only another proof of her
amazing reticence。 And I can imagine an utter absence of sympathy
between them。 He accounts for her； of course； he's probably the
unconscious transmitter of qualities the Puritans possessed and tried to
smother。 Certainly the fires are alight in her； and yet it's almost
incredible that he should have conveyed them。 Of course I haven't seen
the mother。〃
〃It's curious he didn't mention her having been Ditmar's stenographer；〃
Insall put in。 〃Was that reticence？〃
〃I hardly think so；〃 Augusta Maturin replied。 〃It may have been； but the
impression I got was of an incapacity to feel the present。 All his
emotions are in the past； most of his conversation was about Bumpuses who
are dead and buried； and his pride in Janetfor he has a prideseems to
exist because she is their representative。 It's extraordinary； but he
sees her present situation； her future； with extraordinary optimism； he
apparently regards her coming to Silliston； even in the condition in
which we found her； as a piece of deserved fortune for which she has to
thank some virtue inherited from her ancestors！ Well； perhaps he's
right。 If she were not unique； I shouldn't want to keep her here。 It's
pure selfishness。 I told Mr。 Bumpus I expected to find work for her。〃
Mrs。 Maturin returned Insall's smile。 〃I suppose you're too polite to
say that I'm carried away by my enthusiasms。 But you will at least do me
the justice to admit that they are rare anddiscriminating； as a
connoisseur's should be。 I think even you will approve of her。〃
〃Oh； I have approved of herthat's the trouble。〃
Mrs。 Maturin regarded him for a moment in silence。
〃I wish you could have seen her when I began to read those verses of
Stevenson's。 It was an inspirations your thinking of them。〃
〃Did I think of them？〃
〃You know you did。 You can't escape your responsibility。 Well； I felt
likelike a gambler； as though I were staking everything on a throw。
And； after I began； as if I were playing on some rare instrument。 She
lay there； listening； without uttering a word； but somehow she seemed to
be interpreting them for me； giving them a meaning and a beauty I hadn't
imagined。 Another time I told her about Silliston； and how this little
community for over a century and a half had tried to keep its standard
flying； to carry on the work begun by old Andrew； and I thought of those
lines；
〃Other little children
Shall bring my boats ashore。'
That particular application just suddenly； occurred to me； but she
inspired it。〃
〃You're a born schoolma'am；〃 Insall laughed。
〃I'm much too radical for a schoohna'am；〃 she declared。 〃No board of
trustees would put up with menot even Silliston's！ We've kept the
faith； but we do move slowly； Brooks。 Even tradition grows； and
sometimes our blindness here to changes； to modern； scientific facts；
fairly maddens me。 I read her that poem of Moody'syou know it：
‘Here； where the moors stretch free
In the high blue afternoon；
Are the marching sun and the talking sea。'
and those last lines：
‘But thou； vast outbound ship of souls；
What harbour town for thee？
What shapes； when thy arriving tolls；
Shall crowd the banks to see？
Shall all the happy shipmates then
Stand singing brotherly？
Or shall a haggard； ruthless few
Warp her over and bring her to；
While the many broken souls of me
Fester down in the slaver's pen；
And nothing to say or do？'
I was sorry afterwards； I could see that she was tremendously excited。
And she made me feel as if I； too； had been battened down in that hold
and bruised and almost strangled。 I often wonder whether she has got out
of it into the lightwhether we can rescue her。〃 Mrs。 Maturin paused。
〃What do you mean？〃 Insall asked。
〃Well； it's difficult to describe； what I feelshe's such a perplexing
mixture of old New England and modernity； of a fatalism； and an aliveness
that fairly vibrates。 At first； when she began to recover； I was
conscious only of the vitalitybut lately I feel the other quality。 It
isn't exactly the old Puritan fatalism； or even the Greek； it's oddly
modern； too； almost agnostic； I should say；a calm acceptance of the
hazards of life； of nature； of sun and rain and storm alikevery
different from the cheap optimism one finds everywhere now。 She isn't
exactly resignedI don't say thatI know she can be rebellious。 And
she's grateful for the sun； yet she seems to have a conviction that the
clouds will gather again。。。。 The doctor says she may leave the hospital
on Monday； and I'm going to bring her over here for awhile。 Then；〃 she
added insinuatingly； 〃we can collaborate。〃
〃I think I'll go back to Maine；〃 Insall exclaimed。
〃If you desert me； I shall never speak to you again；〃 said Mrs。 Maturin。
〃Janet；〃 said Mrs。 Maturin the next day； as she laid down the book from
which she was reading； 〃do you remember that I spoke to you once in
Hampton of coming here to Silliston？ Well； now we've got you here； we
don't want to lose you。 I've been making inquiries； quite a number of
the professors have typewriting to be done； and they will be glad to give
their manuscripts to you instead of sending them to Boston。 And there's
Brooks Insall tooif he ever takes it into his head to write another
book。 You wouldn't have any trouble reading his manuscript； it's like
script。 Of course it has to be copied。 You can board with Mrs。 Case
I've arranged that； too。 But on Monday I'm going to take you to my
house； and keep you until you're strong enough to walk。〃
Janet's eyes were suddenly bright with tears。
〃You'll stay？〃
〃I can't；〃 answered Janet。 〃I couldn't。〃
〃But why not？ Have you any other plans？〃
〃No； I haven't any plans； butI haven't the right to stay here。〃
Presently she raised her face to her friend。 〃Oh Mrs。 Maturin； I'm so
sorry！ I didn't want to bring any sadness hereit's all so bright and
beautiful！ And