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flaunts itself in the face of an outraged public。 For there were women
in the band。 All this； and more； the invaders suggestedatheism；
unfamiliarity with soap and water； and； more vaguely； an exotic poetry
and art that to the virile of American descent is saturated with
something indefinable yet abhorrent。 Such things are felt。 Few of the
older citizens of Hampton were able to explain why something rose in
their gorges； why they experienced a new and clammy quality of fear and
repulsion when； on the day following Antonelli's advent； these strangers
arrived from nowhere to install themselveswith no baggage to speak of
in Hampton's more modest but hitherto respectable hostelries。 And no
sooner had the city been rudely awakened to the perilous presence； in
overwhelming numbers； of ignorant and inflammable foreigners than these
turned up and presumed to lead the revolt； to make capital out of it； to
interpret it in terms of an exotic and degenerate creed。 Hampton would
take care of itselfor else the sovereign state within whose borders it
was would take care of it。 And his Honour the Mayor； who had proclamed
his faith in the reasonableness of the strikers； who had scorned the
suggestions of indignant inhabitants that the Governor be asked for
soldiers； twenty…four hours too late arranged for the assembly of three
companies of local militia in the armory； and swore in a hundred extra
police。
The hideous stillness of Fillmore Street was driving Janet mad。 What she
burned to do was to go to Boston and take a train for somewhere in the
West； to lose herself； never to see Hampton again。 Butthere was her
mother。 She could not leave Hannah in these empty rooms； alone； and
Edward was to remain at the mill； to eat and sleep there； until the
danger of the strike had passed。 A messenger had come to fetch his
clothes。 After leaving Ditmar in the office of the mill； Janet crept up
the dark stairs to the flat and halted in the hallway。 Through the open
doorway of the dining…room she saw Hannah seated on the horsehair sofa
for the first time within memory idle at this hour of the day。 Nothing
else could have brought home to her like this the sheer tragedy of their
plight。 Until then Janet had been sustained by anger and excitement； by
physical action。 She thought Hannah was staring at her； after a moment
it seemed that the widened pupils were fixed in fascination on something
beyond； on the Thing that had come to dwell here with them forever。
Janet entered the room。 She sat down on the sofa and took her mother's
hand in hers。 And Hannah submitted passively。 Janet could not speak。 A
minute might have passed； and the silence； which neither had broken；
acquired an intensity that to Janet became unbearable。 Never had the
room been so still！ Her glance； raised instinctively to the face of the
picture…clock； saw the hands pointing to ten。 Every Monday morning； as
far back as she could recall； her father had wound it before going to
workand to…day he had forgotten。 Getting up； she opened the glass
door； and stood trying to estimate the hour： it must be； she thought；
about six。 She set the hands； took the key from the nail above the
shelf； wound up the weight； and started the pendulum。 And the sound of
familiar ticking was a relief； releasing at last her inhibited powers of
speech。
〃Mother；〃 she said； 〃I'll get some supper for you。〃
On Hannah； these simple words had a seemingly magical effect。 Habit
reasserted itself。 She started； and rose almost briskly。
〃No you won't；〃 she said； 〃I'll get it。 I'd ought to have thought of it
before。 You must be tired and hungry。〃
Her voice was odd and thin。 Janet hesitated a moment； and ceded。
〃Well； I'll set the dishes on the table； anyway。〃
Janet had sought refuge； wistfully； in the commonplace。 And when the
meal was ready she strove to eat； though food had become repulsive。
〃You must take something； mother；〃 she said。
〃I don't feel as if I ever wanted to eat anything again；〃 she replied。
〃I know；〃 said Janet； 〃but you've got to。〃 And she put some of the cold
meat； left over from Sunday's dinner； on Hannah's plate。 Hannah took up
a fork； and laid it down again。 Suddenly she said：
〃You saw Lise？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Janet。
〃Where is she？〃
〃In a housein Boston。〃
〃One ofthose houses？〃
〃II don't know；〃 said Janet。 〃I think so。〃
〃You went there？〃
〃Mr。 Tiernan went with me。〃
〃She wouldn't come home？〃
〃Notnot just now； mother。〃
〃You left her there； in that place？ You didn't make her come home？〃
The sudden vehemence of this question； the shrill note of reproach in
Hannah's voice that revealed； even more than the terrible inertia from
which she had emerged； the extent of her suffering； for the instant left
Janet utterly dismayed。 〃Oh mother！〃 she exclaimed。 〃I triedII
couldn't。〃
Hannah pushed back her chair。
〃I'll go to her； I'll make her come。 She's disgraced us； but I'll make
her。 Where is she？ Where is the house？〃
Janet； terrified； seized her mother's arm。 Then she said：
〃Lise isn't there any moreshe's gone away。〃
〃Away and you let her go away？ You let your sister go away and be aa
woman of the town？ You never loved heryou never had any pity for her。〃
Tears sprang into Janet's eyestears of pity mingled with anger。 The
situation had grown intolerable！ Yet how could she tell Hannah where
Lise was！
〃You haven't any right to say that； mother！〃 she cried。 〃I did my best。
She wouldn't come。 II can't tell you where she's gone； but she
promised to write； to send me her address。〃
〃Lise〃 Hannah's cry seemed like the uncomprehending whimper of a stricken
child； and then a hidden cadence made itself felt； a cadence revealing to
Janet with an eloquence never before achieved the mystery of mother love；
and by some magic of tone was evoked a new image of Liseof Lise as she
must be to Hannah。 No waywardness； no degradation or disgrace could
efface it。 The infant whom Hannah had clutched to her breast； the woman；
her sister； whom Janet had seen that day were oneimmutably one。 This；
then； was what it meant to be a mother！ All the years of deadening hope
had not availed to kill the cravingeven in this withered body it was
still alive and quick。 The agony of that revelation was scarcely to be
borne。 And it seemed that Lise； even in the place where she was； must
have heard that cry and heeded it。 And yetthe revelation of Lise's
whereabouts； of Lise's contemplated act Janet had nearly been goaded into
making； died on her lips。 She could not tell Hannah！ And Lise's child
must not come into a world like this。 Even now the conviction remained；
fierce； exultant； final。 But if Janet had spoken now Hannah would not
have heard her。 Under the storm she had begun to rock； weeping
convulsively。。。。 But gradually her weeping ceased。 And to Janet；
helplessly watching； this process of congealment was more terrible even
than the release that only an unmitigated violence of grief had been able
to produce。 In silence Hannah resumed her shrunken duties； and when
these were finished sat awhile； before going to bed； her hands lying
listles