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！
brilliant company of personages who stood so haughtily or walked so
indifferently across the ephemeral brightness of the screen。
By virtue of these marvels of the movies Hampton ugly and sordid Hampton！
actually began for Janet to take on a romantic tinge。 Were not the strange
peoples of the earth flocking to Hampton？ She saw them arriving
at the station； straight from Ellis Island； bewildered； ticketed like dumb
animals； the women draped in the soft； exotic colours many of them were
presently to exchange for the cheap and gaudy apparel of Faber Street。 She
sought to summon up in her mind the glimpses she had had of the wonderful lands
from which they had come； to imagine their lives in that earlier environment。
Sometimes she wandered； alone or with Eda； through the various quarters of the
city。 Each quarter had a flavour of its own； a synthetic flavour belonging
neither to the old nor to the new； yet partaking of both： a difference in
atmosphere to which Janet was keenly sensitive。 In the German quarter； to the
north； one felt a sort of ornamental bleaknessif the expression may be
permitted： the tenements here were clean and not too crowded； the scroll…work
on their superimposed porches； like that decorating the Turnverein and the stem
Lutheran Church； was eloquent of a Teutonic inheritance： The Belgians were to
the west； beyond the base…ball park and the car barns； their grey houses
scattered among new streets beside the scarred and frowning face of Torrey's
hill。 Almost under the hill itself； which threatened to roll down on it； and
facing a bottomless； muddy street； was the quaint little building giving the
note of foreign thrift； of socialism and shrewdness； of joie de vivre to the
settlement； the FrancoBelgian co…operative store； with its salle de reunion
above and a stage for amateur theatricals。 Standing in the mud outside； Janet
would gaze through the tiny windows in the stucco wall at the baskets prepared
for each household laid in neat rows beside the counter； at the old man with
the watery blue eyes and lacing of red in his withered cheeks who spoke no
English； whose duty it was to distribute the baskets to the women and children
as they called。
Turning eastward again； one came to Dey Street； in the heart of Hampton； where
Hibernian Hall stood alone and grim； sole testimony of the departed Hibernian
glories of a district where the present Irish rulers of the city had once lived
and gossiped and fought in the days when the mill bells had roused the
boarding…house keepers at half past four of a winter morning。 Beside the hall
was a corner lot； heaped high with hills of ashes and rubbish like the
vomitings of some filthy volcano； the unsightliness of which was half concealed
by huge signs announcing the merits of chewing gums； tobaccos； and cereals。
But why had the departure of the Irish； the coming of the Syrians made Dey
Street dark； narrow； mysterious； oriental？ changed the very aspect of its
architecture？ Was it the coffee…houses？ One of these； in front of which Janet
liked to linger； was set weirdly into an old New England cottage； and had；
apparently； fathomless depths。 In summer the whole front of it lay open to the
street； and here all day long； beside the table where the charcoal squares were
set to dry； could be seen saffron…coloured Armenians absorbed in a Turkish game
played on a backgammon board； their gentleness and that of the loiterers
looking on in strange contrast with their hawk…like profiles and burning eyes。
Behind this group； in the half light of the middle interior； could be discerned
an American soda…water fountain of a bygone fashion； on its marble counter
oddly shaped bottles containing rose and violet syrups； there was a bottle…
shaped stove； and on the walls； in gilt frames； pictures evidently dating from
the period in American art that flourished when Franklin Pierce was President；
and there was an array of marble topped tables extending far back into the
shadows。 Behind the fountain was a sort of cupboardsuggestive of the Arabian
Nights； which Janet had never readfrom which； occasionally； the fat
proprietor emerged bearing Turkish coffee or long Turkish pipes。
When not thus occupied the proprietor carried a baby。 The street swarmed with
babies； and mothers nursed them on the door…steps。 And in this teeming；
prolific street one could scarcely move without stepping on a fat； almond eyed
child； though some； indeed； were wheeled； wheeled in all sorts of queer
contrivances by one another； by fathers with ragged black moustaches and eagle
noses who； to the despair of mill superintendents； had decided in the morning
that three days' wages would since to support their families for the week 。。。。
In the midst of the throng might be seen occasionally the stout and comfortable
and not too immaculate figure of a shovel bearded Syrian priest； in a frock
coat and square…topped 〃Derby〃 hat； sailing along serenely； heedless of the
children who scattered out of his path。
Nearby was the quarter of the Canadian French； scarcely now to be called
foreigners； though still somewhat reminiscent of the cramped little towns in
the northern wilderness of water and forest。 On one corner stood almost
invariably a 〃Pharmacie Francaise〃； the signs were in French； and the elders
spoke the patois。 These； despite the mill pallor； retained in their faces； in
their eyes； a suggestion of the outdoor look of their ancestors； the coureurs
des bois； but the children spoke English； and the young men； as they played
baseball in the street or in the corner lots might be heard shouting out
derisively the cry of the section hands so familiar in mill cities； 〃Doff； you
beggars you； doff！〃
Occasionally the two girls strayed into that wide thoroughfare not far from the
canal； known by the classic name of Hawthorne； which the Italians had
appropriated to themselves。 This street； too； in spite of the telegraph poles
flaunting crude arms in front of its windows； in spite of the trolley running
down its middle； had acquired a character； a unity all its own； a warmth and
picturesqueness that in the lingering light of summer evenings assumed an
indefinable significance。 It was not Italy； but it was somethingsomething
proclaimed in the ornate； leaning lines of the pillared balconies of the yellow
tenement on the second block； in the stone…vaulted entrance of the low house
next door； in fantastically coloured walls； in curtained windows out of which
leaned swarthy； earringed women。 Blocking the end of the street； in stern
contrast； was the huge Clarendon Mill with its sinister brick pillars running
up the six stories between the glass。 Here likewise the sidewalks overflowed
with children； large…headed； with great； lustrous eyes； mute； appealing； the
eyes of cattle。 Unlike American children； they never seemed to be playing。
Among the groups of elders gathered for gossip were piratical Calabrians in
sombre clothes； descended from Greek ancestors； once the terrors of the
Adriatic Sea。 The women； lingering in the doorways； hemmed in by more
children； were for the most part squat and plump； but once in a while Janet's
glance was caught and held by a strange； sharp beauty worthy of a cameo。
Opposite the Clarendon Mill on the corner of East Street was a provision store
with stands of fruit and vegetables encroaching on the pavement。 Janet's eye
was attracted by a box of olives。
〃Oh Eda；〃 she cried； 〃do you remember； we saw them being pickedin the movies？
All those old trees on the side of a hill？〃
〃Why； that's so；〃 said Eda。 〃You never would have thought anything'd grow on
those trees。〃
The young Italian who kept the store gave them a friendly grin。
〃You lika the olives？〃 he asked； putting some of the shining black fruit into
their hands。 Eda bit one dubiously with her long； white teeth； and giggled。
〃Don't they taste funny！〃 she exclaimed。
〃Goodvery good；〃 he asserted gravely； and it was to Janet he turned； as
though recognizing a discrimination not to be found in her companion。 She
nodded affirmatively。 The strange taste of the fruit enhanced her sense of
adventure； she tried to imagine herself among the gatherers in the grove； she
glanced at the young man to perceive that he was tall and well formed； with
remarkably expressive eyes almost the colour of the olives themselves。 It
surprised her that she liked him； though he was an Italian and a foreigner： a
certain debonnair dignity in him appealed to hera quality lacking in many of
her own countrymen。
And she wanted to talk to him about Italy；only she did not know how to
begin；when a customer appeared； an Italian woman who conversed with him in
soft； liquid tones that moved her 。。。。
Sometimes on these walksespecially if the day were grey and sombreJanet's
sense of romance and adventure deepened； became more poignant； charged with
presage。 These feelings； vague and unaccountable； she was utterly unable to
confide to Eda； yet the very fear they inspired was fascinating； a fear and a
hope that some day； in all this Babel of peoples； something would happen！ It
was as though the conflicting soul of the city and her own soul were one。。。。