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！
aroused himself from his lethargy to rise up and come into his
inheritance。〃 He seemed to detach himself from her； his eyes became more
luminous。
〃‘Like unseen music in the night；'so Sorel writes about it。 They may
scoff at it； the wise ones； but it will come。 ‘Like music in the night！'
You respond to that！〃
Again she was silent。 They had walked on； through familiar streets that
now seemed strange。
〃You respondI can tell；〃 he said。 〃And yet； you are not like these
others； like me； even。 You are an American。 And yet you are not like
most of your countrywomen。〃
〃Why do you say that？〃
〃I will tell you。 Because they are cold； most of them； and trivial； they
do not feel。 But youyou can feel； you can love and hate。 You look
calm and cold； but you are notI knew it when I looked at you； when you
came up to me。〃
She did not know whether to resent or welcome his clairvoyance； his
assumption of intimacy； his air of appropriation。 But her curiosity was
tingling。
〃And you？〃 she asked。 〃Your name is Rolfe； isn't it？〃
He assented。 〃And yours？〃
She told him。
〃You have been in America longyour family？〃
〃Very long；〃 she said。 〃But you speak Italian； and Rolfe isn't an
Italian name。〃
〃My father was an Englishman； an artist； who lived in Italymy mother a
peasant woman from Lombardy； such as these who come to work in the mills。
When she was young she was beautifullike a Madonna by an old master。〃
〃An old master？〃
〃The old masters are the great painters who lived in Italy four hundred
years ago。 I was named after one of themthe greatest。 I am called
Leonard。 He was Leonardo da Vinci。〃
The name； as Rolfe pronounced it； stirred her。 And art； painting！ It
was a realm unknown to her； and yet the very suggestion of it evoked
yearnings。 And she recalled a picture in the window of Hartmann's book…
store； a coloured print before which she used to stop on her way to and
from the office； the copy of a landscape by a California artist。 The
steep hillside in the foreground was spread with the misty green of olive
trees； and beyondfar beyonda snow…covered peak； like some high altar；
flamed red in the sunset。 She had not been able to express her feeling
for this picture； it had filled her with joy and sadness。 Once she had
ventured to enter and ask its priceten dollars。 And then came a
morning when she had looked for it； and it was gone。
〃And your fatherdid he paint beautiful pictures； too？〃
〃Ah； he was too much of a socialist。 He was always away whey I was a
child； and after my mother's death he used to take me with him。 When I
was seventeen we went to Milan to take part in the great strike； and
there I saw the soldiers shooting down the workers by the hundreds；
putting them in prison by the thousands。 Then I went to live in England；
among the socialists there； and I learned the printer's trade。 When I
first came to this country I was on a labour paper in New York； I set up
type； I wrote articles； and once in a while I addressed meetings on the
East Side。 But even before I left London I had read a book on
Syndicalism by one of the great Frenchmen； and after a while I began to
realize that the proletariat would never get anywhere through socialism。〃
〃The proletariat？〃 The word was new to Janet's ear。
〃The great mass of the workers； the oppressed； the people you saw here
to…day。 Socialism is not for them。 Socialismpolitical socialism
betrays them into the hands of the master class。 Direct action is the
thing； the general strike； war；the new creed； the new religion that
will bring salvation。 I joined the Industrial Workers of the World that
is the American organization of Syndicalism。 I went west； to Colorado
and California and Oregon； I preached to the workers wherever there was
an uprising； I met the leaders； Ritter and Borkum and Antonelli and
Jastro and Nellie Bond； I was useful to them； I understand Syndicalism as
they do not。 And now we are here； to sow the seed in the East。 Come；〃
he said； slipping his arm through hers； 〃I will take you to Headquarters；
I will enlist you； you shall be my recruit。 I will give you the cause；
the religion you need。〃
She longed to go； and yet she drew back； puzzled。 The man fired and
fascinated her； but there were reservations； apprehensions concerning
him； felt rather than reasoned。 Because of her state of rebellion； of
her intense desire to satisfy in action the emotion aroused by a sense of
wrong； his creed had made a violent appeal； but in his voice； in his
eyes； in his manner she had been quick to detect a personal； sexual note
that disturbed and alarmed her； that implied in him a lack of unity。
〃I can't； to…night；〃 she said。 〃I must go homemy mother is all alone。
But I want to help； I want to do something。〃
They were standing on a corner； under a street lamp。 And she averted her
eyes from his glance。
〃Then come to…morrow；〃 he said eagerly。 〃You know where Headquarters is；
in the Franco…Belgian Hall？〃
〃What could I do？〃 she asked。
〃You？ You could help in many waysamong the women。 Do you know what
picketing is？〃
〃You mean keeping the operatives out of the mills？〃
〃Yes； in the morning； when they go to work。 And out of the Chippering
Mill； especially。 Ditmar； the agent of that mill； is the ablest of the
lot； I'm told。 He's the man we want to cripple。〃
〃Cripple！〃 exclaimed Janet。
〃Oh； I don't mean to harm him personally。〃 Rolfe did not seem to notice
her tone。 〃But he intends to crush the strike； and I understand he's
importing scabs here to finish out an ordera big order。 If it weren't
for him； we'd have an easier fight； he stiffens up the others。 There's
always one man like that； in every place。 And what we want to do is to
make him shut down； especially。〃
〃I see；〃 said Janet。
〃You'll come to Headquarters？〃 Rolfe repeated。
〃Yes； I'll come； to…morrow；〃 she promised。
After she had left him she walked rapidly through several streets； not
heeding her directionsuch was the driving power of the new ideas he had
given her。 Certain words and phrases he had spoken rang in her head； and
like martial music kept pace with her steps。 She strove to remember all
that he had said； to grasp its purport； and because it seemed recondite；
cosmic； it appealed to her and excited her the more。 And he； the man
himself； had exerted a kind of hypnotic force that partially had
paralyzed her faculties and aroused her fears while still in his
presence： her first feeling in escaping had been one of reliefand then
she began to regret not having gone to Headquarters。 Hadn't she been
foolish？ In the retrospect； the elements in him that had disturbed her
were less disquieting； his intellectual fascination was enhanced： and in
that very emancipation from cant and convention； characteristic of the
Order to which he belonged； had lain much of his charm。 She had
attracted him as a woman； there was no denying that。 He； who had studied
and travelled and known life in many lands； had discerned in her； Janet
Bumpus； some quality to make him desire her； acknowledge her as a
comrade！ Tremblingly she exulted in the possession of that