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〃How many generations？〃
〃Seven；〃 said Edward； promptly； emphasizing the last syllable。
Janet was quick at figures。 She made a mental calculation。
〃Well； you've got one hundred and twenty…seven other ancestors of Ebenezer's
time； haven't you？〃
Edward was a little surprised。 He had never thought of this； but his ardour
for Ebenezer remained undampened。 Genealogyhis ownhad become his religion；
and instead of going to church he spent his Sunday mornings poring over papers
of various degrees of discolouration； making careful notes on the ruled block。
This consciousness of his descent from good American stock that had somehow
been deprived of its heritage； while a grievance to him； was also a comfort。
It had a compensating side； in spite of the lack of sympathy of his daughters
and his wife。 Hannah Bumpus took the situation more grimly： she was a logical
projection in a new environment of the religious fatalism of ancestors whose
God was a God of vengeance。 She did not concern herself as to what all this
vengeance was about； life was a trap into which all mortals walked sooner or
later； and her particular trap had a treadmill；a round of household duties
she kept whirling with an energy that might have made their fortunes if she had
been the head of the family。 It is bad to be a fatalist unless one has an
incontrovertible belief in one's destiny；which Hannah had not。 But she kept
the little flat with its worn furniture；which had known so many journeysas
clean as a merchant ship of old Salem； and when it was scoured and dusted to
her satisfaction she would sally forth to Bonnaccossi's grocery and provision
store on the corner to do her bargaining in competition with the Italian
housewives of the neighborhood。 She was wont； indeed； to pause outside for a
moment； her quick eye encompassing the coloured prints of red and yellow
jellies cast in rounded moulds； decked with slices of orange； the gaudy boxes
of cereals and buckwheat flour； the 〃Brookfield〃 eggs in packages。
Significant； this modern package system； of an era of flats with little storage
space。 She took in at a glance the blue lettered placard announcing the
current price of butterine； and walked around to the other side of the store；
on Holmes Street； where the beef and bacon hung； where the sidewalk stands were
filled； in the autumn； with cranberries； apples； cabbages； and spinach。
With little outer complaint she had adapted herself to the constantly lowering
levels to which her husband had dropped； and if she hoped that in Fillmore
Street they had reached bottom； she did not say so。 Her unbetrayed regret was
for the loss of what she would have called 〃respectability〃； and the giving up；
long ago； in the little city which had been their home； of the servant girl had
been the first wrench。 Until they came to Hampton they had always lived in
houses； and her adaptation to a flat had been harda flat without a parlour。
Hannah Bumpus regarded a parlour as necessary to a respectable family as a
wedding ring to a virtuous woman。 Janet and Lise would be growing up； there
would be young men； and no place to see them save the sidewalks。 The fear that
haunted her came true； and she never was reconciled。 The two girls went to the
public schools； and afterwards； inevitably； to work； and it seemed to be a part
of her punishment for the sins of her forefathers that she had no more control
over them than if they had been boarders； while she looked on helplessly； they
did what they pleased； Janet； whom she never understood； was almost as much a
source of apprehension as Lise； who became part and parcel of all Hannah deemed
reprehensible in this new America which she refused to recognize and
acknowledge as her own country。
To send them through the public schools had been a struggle。 Hannah used to
lie awake nights wondering what would happen if Edward became sick。 It worried
her that they never saved any money： try as she would to cut the expenses down；
there was a limit of decency； New England thrift； hitherto justly celebrated；
was put to shame by that which the foreigners displayed； and which would have
delighted the souls of gentlemen of the Manchester school。 Every once in a
while there rose up before her fabulous instances of this thrift； of Italians
and Jews who； ignorant emigrants； had entered the mills only a few years before
they； the Bumpuses； had come to Hampton； and were now independent property
owners。 Still rankling in Hannah's memory was a day when Lise had returned
from school； dark and mutinous； with a tale of such a family。 One of the
younger children was a classmate。
〃They live on Jordan Street in a house； and Laura has roller skates。 I don't
see why I can't。〃
This was one of the occasions on which Hannah had given vent to her
indignation。 Lise was fourteen。 Her open rebellion was less annoying than
Janet's silent reproach； but at least she had something to take hold of。
〃Well； Lise；〃 she said； shifting the saucepan to another part of the stove； 〃I
guess if your father and I had put both you girls in the mills and crowded into
one room and cooked in a corner； and lived on onions and macaroni； and put four
boarders each in the other rooms； I guess we could have had a house； too。 We
can start in right now； if you're willing。〃
But Lise had only looked darker。
〃I don't see why father can't make moneyother men do。〃
〃Isn't he working as hard as he can to send you to school； and give you a
chance？〃
〃I don't want that kind of a chance。 There's Sadie Howard at schoolshe don't
have to work。 She liked me before she found out where I lived。。。〃
There was an element of selfishness in Hannah's mania for keeping busy； for
doing all their housework and cooking herself。 She could not bear to have her
daughters interfere； perhaps she did not want to give herself time to think。
Her affection for Edward； such as it was； her loyalty to him； was the logical
result of a conviction ingrained in early youth that marriage was an
indissoluble bond； a point of views once having a religious sanction； no less
powerful now thatall unconsciouslyit had deteriorated into a superstition。
Hannah； being a fatalist； was not religious。 The beliefs of other days； when
she had donned her best dress and gone to church on Sundays； had simply lapsed
and lefthabits。 No new beliefs had taken their place。。。。
Even after Janet and Lise had gone to work the household never seemed to gain
that margin of safety for which Hannah yearned。 Always； when they were on the
verge of putting something by； some untoward need or accident seemed to arise
on purpose to swallow it up： Edward； for instance； had been forced to buy a new
overcoat； the linoleum on the dining…room floor must be renewed； and Lise had
had a spell of sickness； losing her position in a flower shop。 Afterwards；
when she became a saleslady in the Bagatelle； that flamboyant department store
in Faber Street； she earned four dollars and a half a week。 Two of these were
supposed to go into the common fund； but there were clothes to buy； Lise loved
finery； and Hannah had not every week the heart to insist。 Even whe