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！
him！ A good time's a good time； and no harm in it。 But the point is 〃 and
here he cocked his nose〃the point is； where is he？ Where will he be
tonight？〃
All at once Lise grew vehement； almost tearful。
〃I don't knowhonest to God； I don't。 If I did I'd tell you。 Last night he
said he might be out of town。 He didn't say where he was going。〃 She fumbled
in her bag； drawing out an imitation lace handkerchief and pressing it to her
eyes。
〃There now！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Tiernan； soothingly。 〃How would you know？ And he
deceivin' you like he did the company〃
〃He didn't deceive me；〃 cried Lise。
〃Listen；〃 said Mr。 Tiernan； who had risen and laid his hand on her arm。 〃It's
not young ladies like you that works and are self…respecting that any one would
be troublin'； and you the daughter of such a fine man as your father。 Run
along； now； I won't be detaining you； Miss Bumpus； and you'll accept my
apology。 I guess we'll never see him in Hampton again。。。。〃
Some twenty minutes later he sauntered down the street； saluting acquaintances；
and threading his way across the Common entered a grimy brick building where a
huge policeman with an insignia on his arm was seated behind a desk。 Mr。
Tiernan leaned on the desk； and reflectively lighted a Thomas…Jefferson…Five…
Cent Cigar； Union Label； the excellencies of which were set forth on large
signs above the 〃ten foot〃 buildings on Faber Street。
〃She don't know nothing； Mike；〃 he remarked。 〃I guess he got wise this
morning。〃
The sergeant nodded。。。。
CHAPTER V
To feel potential within one's self the capacity to live and yet to have no
means of realizing this capacity is doubtless one of the least comfortable and
agreeable of human experiences。 Such； as summer came on； was Janet's case。
The memory of that visit to Silliston lingered in her mind； sometimes to flare
up so vividly as to make her existence seem unbearable。 How wonderful； she
thought； to be able to dwell in such a beautiful place； to have as friends and
companions such amusing and intelligent people as the stranger with whom she
had talked！ Were all the inhabitants of Silliston like him？ They must be；
since it was a seat of learning。 Lise's cry； 〃I've just got to go away；
anywhere；〃 found an echo in Janet's soul。 Why shouldn't she go away？ She was
capable of taking care of herself； she was a good stenographer； her salary had
been raised twice in two years；why should she allow consideration for her
family to stand in the way of what she felt would be self realization？
Unconsciously she was a true modern in that the virtues known as duty and self
sacrifice did not appeal to her；she got from them neither benefit nor
satisfaction； she understood instinctively that they were impeding to
growth。 Unlike Lise； she was able to see life as it is； she did not expect of
it miracles； economic or matrimonial。 Nothing would happen unless she made it
happen。 She was twenty…one； earning nine dollars a week； of which she now
contributed five to the household；her father； with characteristic
incompetence； having taken out a larger insurance policy than he could
reasonably carry。 Of the remaining four dollars she spent more than one on
lunches； there were dresses and underclothing； shoes and stockings to buy； in
spite of darning and mending； little treats with Eda that mounted up； and
occasionally the dentistfor Janet would not neglect her teeth as Lise
neglected hers。 She managed to save something； but it was very little。 And
she was desperately unhappy when she contemplated the grey and monotonous vista
of the years ahead； saw herself growing older and older； driven always by the
stern necessity of accumulating a margin against possible disasters； little by
little drying up； losing； by withering disuse； those rich faculties of
enjoyment with which she was endowed； and which at once fascinated and
frightened her。 Marriage； in such an environment； offered no solution；
marriage meant dependence； from which her very nature revolted： and in her
existence； drab and necessitous though it were； was still a remnant of freedom
that marriage would compel her to surrender。。。。
One warm evening； oppressed by such reflections； she had started home when she
remembered having left her bag in the office； and retraced her steps。 As she
turned the corner of West Street； she saw； beside the canal and directly in
front of the bridge； a new and smart…looking automobile； painted crimson and
black； of the type known as a runabout； which she recognized as belonging to
Mr。 Ditmar。 Indeed； at that moment Mr。 Ditmar himself was stepping off the end
of the bridge and about to start the engine when； dropping the crank； he walked
to the dashboard and apparently became absorbed in some mechanisms there。 Was
it the glance cast in her direction that had caused him to delay his departure？
Janet was seized by a sudden and rather absurd desire to retreat； but Canal
Street being empty； such an action would appear eccentric； and she came slowly
forward； pretending not to see her employer； ridiculing to herself the idea
that he had noticed her。 Much to her annoyance； however； her embarrassment
persisted； and she knew it was due to the memory of certain incidents； each in
itself almost negligible； but cumulatively amounting to a suspicion that for
some months he had been aware of her： many times when he had passed through the
outer office she had felt his eyes upon her； had been impelled to look up from
her work to surprise in them a certain glow to make her bow her head again in
warm confusion。 Now； as she approached him； she was pleasantly but rather
guiltily conscious of the more rapid beating of the blood that precedes an
adventure； yet sufficiently self…possessed to note the becoming nature of the
light flannel suit axed rather rakish Panama he had pushed back from his
forehead。 It was not until she had almost passed him that he straightened up；
lifted the Panama； tentatively； and not too far； startling her。
〃Good afternoon； Miss Bumpus；〃 he said。 〃I thought you had gone。〃
〃I left my bag in the office；〃 she replied； with the outward calmness that
rarely deserted herthe calmness； indeed； that had piqued him and was leading
him on to rashness。
〃Oh；〃 he said。 〃Simmons will get it for you。〃 Simmons was the watchman who
stood in the vestibule of the office entrance。
〃Thanks。 I can get it myself；〃 she told him； and would have gone on had he not
addressed her again。 〃I was just starting out for a spin。 What do you think
of the car？ It's good looking； isn't it？〃 He stood off and surveyed it；
laughing a little； and in his laugh she detected a note apologetic； at variance
with the conception she had formed of his character； though not alien； indeed；
to the dust…coloured vigour of the man。 She scarcely recognized Ditmar as he
stood there； yet he excited her； she felt from him an undercurrent of something
that caused her inwardly to tremble。 〃See how the lines are carried through。〃
He indicated this by a wave of his hand； but his eyes were now on her。
〃It is pretty；〃 she agreed。
In contrast to the defensive tactics which other ladies of