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cried。 〃Yesterday you were slaving in the mills yourselves。 You will
profit by our victory。 Why should you wish to crush us？ Be human！〃
Pale； excited； he sank down into the chair by her side and lit another
cigarette。
〃They ought to listen to that！〃 he exclaimed。 〃It's the best one I've
done yet。〃
Night had come。 Czernowitz sat in the other room； talking to Jastro； a
buzz of voices came from the hall through the thin pine panels of the
door。 All day long a sixty…mile gale had twisted the snow of the lane
into whirling； fantastic columns and rattled the windows of Franco…
Belgian Hall。 But now the wind had fallen。。。。 Presently； as his self…
made music ceased to vibrate within him； Rolfe began to watch the girl as
she sat motionless； with parted lips and eyes alight； staring at the
reflection of the lamp in the blue…black window。
〃Is that the end？〃 she asked； at length。
〃Yes；〃 he replied sensitively。 〃Can't you see it's a climax？ Don't you
think it's a good one？〃
She looked at him； puzzled。
〃Why； yes；〃 she said； 〃I think it's fine。 You see； I have to take it
down so fast I can't always follow it as I'd like to。〃
〃When you feel； you can do anything；〃 he exclaimed。 〃It is necessary to
feel。〃
〃It is necessary to know；〃 she told him。
〃I do not understand you；〃 he cried； leaning toward her。 〃Sometimes you
are a flamea wonderful； scarlet flame I can express it in no other way。
Or again； you are like the Madonna of our new faith； and I wish I were a
del Sarto to paint you。 And then again you seem as cold as your New
England snow； you have no feeling； you are an Anglo…Saxona Puritan。〃
She smiled； though she felt a pang of reminiscence at the word。 Ditmar
had called her so； too。
〃I can't help what I am；〃 she said。
〃It is that which inhibits you；〃 he declared。 〃That Puritanism。 It must
be eradicated before you can develop； and thenand then you will be
completely wonderful。 When this strike is over； when we have time； I
will teach you many thingsdevelop you。 We will read Sorel together he
is beautiful； like poetryand the great poets； Dante and Petrarch and
Tassoyes； and d'Annunzio。 We shall live。〃
〃We are living； now；〃 she answered。 The look with which she surveyed him
he found enigmatic。 And then； abruptly； she rose and went to her
typewriter。
〃You don't believe what I say！〃 he reproached her。
But she was cool。 〃I'm not sure that I believe all of it。 I want to
think it out for myselfto talk to others； too。〃
〃What others？〃
〃Nobody in particulareverybody；〃 she replied； as she set her notebook
on the rack。
〃There is some one else！〃 he exclaimed； rising。
〃There is every one else；〃 she said。
As was his habit when agitated； he began to smoke feverishly； glancing at
her from time to time as she fingered the keys。 Experience had led him
to believe that he who finds a woman in revolt and gives her a religion
inevitably becomes her possessor。 But more than a month had passed； he
had not become her possessorand now for the first time there entered
his mind a doubt as to having given her a religion！ The obvious
inference was that of another man； of another influence in opposition to
his own； characteristically； however； he shrank from accepting this；
since he was of those who believe what they wish to believe。 The sudden
fear of losing herintruding itself immediately upon an ecstatic；
creative moodunnerved him； yet he strove to appear confident as he
stood over her。
〃When you've finished typewriting that； we'll go out to supper；〃 he told
her。
But she shook her head。
〃Why not？〃
〃I don't want to；〃 she repliedand then； to soften her refusal； she
added； 〃I can't； to…night。〃
〃But you never will come with me anymore。 Why is it？〃
〃I'm very tired at night。 I don't feel like going out。〃 She sought to
temporize。
〃You've changed！〃 he accused her。 〃You're not the same as you were at
firstyou avoid me。〃
The swift gesture with which she flung over the carriage of her machine
might have warned him。
〃I don't like that Hampton Hotel；〃 she flashed back。 〃I'mI'm not a
vagabondyet。〃
〃A vagabond！〃 he repeated。
She went on savagely with her work。。
〃You have two natures；〃 he exclaimed。 〃You are still a bourgeoise； a
Puritan。 You will not be yourself； you will not be free until you get
over that。〃
〃I'm not sure I want to get over it。〃
He leaned nearer to her。
〃But now that I have found you； Janet； I will not let you go。〃
〃You've no rights over me；〃 she cried； in sudden alarm and anger。 〃I'm
not doing this work； I'm not wearing myself out here for you。〃
〃Thenwhy are you doing it？〃 His suspicions rose again； and made him
reckless。
〃To help the strikers；〃 she said。。。。 He could get no more out of her；
and presently； when Anna Mower entered the room； he left it。。。。
More than once since her first visit to the soup kitchen in Dey Street
Janet had returned to it。 The universe rocked； but here was equilibrium。
The streets were filled with soldiers； with marching strikers； terrible
things were constantly happening； the tension at Headquarters never
seemed to relax。 Out in the world and within her own soul were strife
and suffering； and sometimes fear； the work in which she sought to lose
herself no longer sufficed to keep her from thinking； and the spectacle
when she returned homeof her mother's increasing apathy grew more and
more appalling。 But in Dey Street she gained calmness； was able to renew
something of that sense of proportion the lack of which； in the chaos in
which she was engulfed； often brought her to the verge of madness。 At
first she had had a certain hesitation about going back； and on the
occasion of her second visit had walked twice around the block before
venturing to enter。 She had no claim on this man。 He was merely a
chance acquaintance； a strangerand yet he seemed nearer to her； to
understand her better than any one else she knew in the world。 This was
queer； because she had not explained herself； nor had he asked her for
any confidences。 She would have liked to confide in himsome things： he
gave her the impression of comprehending life； of having； as his
specialty； humanity itself； he should； she reflected； have been a
minister； and smiled at the thought： ministers； at any rate； ought to be
like him； and then one might embrace Christianitythe religion of her
forefathers that Rolfe ridiculed。 But there was about Insall nothing of
religion as she had grown up to apprehend the term。
Now that she had taken her courage in her hands and renewed her visits；
they seemed to be the most natural proceedings in the world。 On that
second occasion； when she had opened the door and palpitatingly climbed
to the loft； the second batch of children were finishing their midday
meal；rather more joyously； she thought； than before；and Insall
himself was stooping over a small boy whom he had taken away from the
table。 He did not notice her at once； and Janet watched them。 The child
had a cough； his extreme thinness was emphasized by the coat he wore；
several sizes too large for him。
〃Yon come along with me； Marcus； I guess I can fit y