have known it； he hadn't realized what he was saying。 But marriage！
Literally it had never occurred to him to image her in a relation he
himself associated with shackles。 One of the unconscious causes of his
fascination was just her emancipation from and innocence of that herd…
convention to which most womeneven those who lack wedding ringsare
slaves。 The force of such an appeal to a man of Ditmar's type must not
be underestimated。 And the idea that she； too； might prefer the sanction
of the law； the gilded cage as a popular song which once had taken his
fancy illuminatingly expressed itseemed utterly incongruous with the
freedom and daring of her spirit； was a sobering shock。 Was he prepared
to marry her； if he could obtain her in no other way？ The question
demanded a survey of his actual position of which he was at the moment
incapable。 There were his children！ He had never sought to arrive at
even an approximate estimate of the boy and girl as factors in his life；
to consider his feelings toward them； but now； though he believed himself
a man who gave no weight to social considerationshe had scorned this
tendency in his wifehe was to realize the presence of ambitions for
them。 He was young； he was astonishingly successful； he had reason to
think； with his opportunities and the investments he already had made；
that he might some day be moderately rich； and he had at times even
imagined himself in later life as the possessor of one of those elaborate
country places to be glimpsed from the high roads in certain localities；
which the sophisticated are able to recognize as the seats of the
socially ineligible； but which to Ditmar were outward and visible emblems
of success。 He liked to think of George as the inheritor of such a
place； as the son of a millionaire； as a 〃college graduate；〃 as an
influential man of affairs； he liked to imagine Amy as the wife of such
another。 In short； Ditmar's wife had left him； as an unconscious legacy；
her aspirations for their children's social prestige。。。。
The polished oak grandfather's clock in the hall had struck one before he
went to bed； mentally wearied by an unwonted problem involving； in
addition to self…interest； an element of ethics； of affection not wholly
compounded of desire。
He slept soundly； however。 He was one of those fortunate beings who come
into the world with digestive organs and thyroid glands in that condition
whichso physiologists tell usmakes for a sanguine temperament。 And
his course of action； though not decided upon； no longer appeared as a
problem； it differed from a business matter in that it could wait。 As
sufficient proof of his liver having rescued him from doubts and qualms
he was able to whistle； as he dressed； and without a tremor of agitation；
the forgotten tune suggested to his consciousness during the unpleasant
reverie of the night before；〃Only a Bird in a Gilded Cage！〃 It was
Saturday。 He ate a hearty breakfast； joked with George and Amy； and
refreshed； glowing with an expectation mingled with just the right amount
of delightful uncertainty that made the great affairs of life a gamble；
yet with the confidence of the conqueror； he walked in sunlight to the
mill。 In view of this firm and hopeful tone of his being he found it all
the more surprising； as he reached the canal； to be seized by a
trepidation strong enough to bring perspiration to his forehead。 What if
she had gone！ He had never thought of that； and he had to admit it would
be just like her。 You never could tell what she would do。
Nodding at Simmons； the watchman； he hurried up the iron…shod stairs；
gained the outer once； and instantly perceived that her chair beside the
window was empty！ Caldwell and Mr。 Price stood with their heads together
bending over a sheet on which Mr。 Price was making calculations。
〃Hasn't Miss Bumpus come yet？〃 Ditmar demanded。 He tried to speak
naturally； casually； but his own voice sounded strange； seemed to strike
the exact note of sickening apprehension that suddenly possessed him。
Both men turned and looked at him in some surprise。
〃Good…morning； Mr。 Ditmar；〃 Caldwell said。 〃Why； yes； she's in your
room。〃
〃Oh！〃 said Ditmar。
〃The Boston office has just been calling youthey want to know if you
can't take the nine twenty…two；〃 Caldwell went on。 〃It's about that
lawsuit。 It comes into court Monday morning； and Mr。 Sprole is there；
and they say they have to see you。 Miss Bumpus has the memorandum。〃
Ditmar looked at his watch。
〃Damn it； why didn't they let me know yesterday？〃 he exclaimed。 〃I won't
see anybody； Caldwellnot even Orcuttjust now。 You understand。 I've
got to have a little time to do some letters。 I won't be disturbedby
any onefor half an hour。〃
Caldwell nodded。
〃All right； Mr。 Ditmar。〃
Ditmar went into his office； closing the door behind him。 She was
occupied as usual； cutting open the letters and laying them in a pile
with the deftness and rapidity that characterized all she did。
〃Janet！〃 he exclaimed。
〃There's a message for you from Boston。 I've made a note of it；〃 she
replied。
〃I knowCaldwell told me。 But I wanted to see you before I wentI had
to see you。 I sat up half the night thinking of you； I woke up thinking
of you。 Aren't you glad to see me？〃
She dropped the letter opener and stood silent； motionless； awaiting his
approacha pose so eloquent of the sense of fatality strong in her as to
strike him with apprehension； unused though he was to the appraisal of
inner values。 He read； darkly； something of this mystery in her eyes as
they were slowly raised to his； he felt afraid； he was swept again by
those unwonted emotions of pity and tendernessbut when she turned away
her head and he saw the bright spot of colour growing in her cheek；
spreading to her temple； suffusing her throat； when he touched the soft
contour of her arm； his passion conquered。。。。 Still he was acutely
conscious of a resistance within hernot as before； physically directed
against him； but repudiating her own desire。 She became limp in his
arms； though making no attempt to escape； and he knew that the essential
self of her he craved still evaded and defied him。 And he clung to her
the more desperatelyas though by crushing her peradventure he might
capture it。
〃You're hurting me；〃 she said at last； and he let her go； standing by
helplessly while she went through the movements of readjustment
instinctive to women。 Even in these he read the existence of the
reservation he was loth to acknowledge。
〃Don't you love me？〃 he said。
〃I don't know。〃
〃You do！〃 he said。 〃Youyou proved itI know it。〃
She went a little away from him； picking up the paper cutter； but it lay
idle in her hand。
〃For God's sake； tell me what's the matter！〃 he exclaimed。 〃I can't
stand this。 Janet； aren't you happy？〃
She shook her head。
〃Why not？ I love you。 II've never been so happy in my life as I was
this morning。 Why aren't you happywhen we love each other？〃
〃Because I'm not。〃
〃Why not？ There's nothing I wouldn't do to make you happyyou know
that。 Tell me！〃
〃You wouldn't understand。 I couldn't make you understand。〃
〃Is it something I've done？〃
〃You don't love me；〃 she said。 〃You only want me。 I'm not made that
way； I'm not generous enough； I guess。 I've got to have work to do。〃
〃Work to do！ But you'll share my workit's nothing without you。〃
She shook her head。 〃I knew you couldn't understand。 You don't realize
how impossible it is。 I don't blame youI suppose a man can't。〃
She was not upbraiding him； she spoke quietly； in a tone almost lifeless；
yet the emotional effect of it was tremendous。
〃But；〃 he began； and stopped； and was swept on again by an impulse that
drowned all caution； all reason。 〃But you can help mewhen we are
married。〃
〃Married！〃 she repeated。 〃You want to marry me？〃
〃Yes； yesI need you。〃 He took her hands； he felt them tremble in his；
her breath came quickly； but her gaze was so intent as seemingly to
penetrate to the depths of him。 And despite his man's amazement at her
hesitation now that he had offered her his all； he was moved； disturbed；
ashamed as he had never been in his life。 At length； when he could stand
no longer the suspense of this inquisition； he stammered out： 〃I want you
to be my wife。〃
〃You've wanted to marry me all along？〃 she asked。
〃I didn't think； Janet。 I was mad about you。 I didn't know you。〃
〃Do you know me now？〃
〃That's just it；〃 he cried； with a flash of clairvoyance； 〃I never will
know youit's what makes you different from any woman I've ever seen。
You'll marry me？〃
〃I'm afraid；〃 she said。 〃Oh； I've thought over it； and you haven't。 A
woman has to think； a man doesn't； so much。 And now you're willing to
marry me； if you can't get me any other way。〃 Her hand touched his coat；
checking his protest。 〃It isn't that I want marriagewhat you can give
meI'm not like that； I've told you so before。 But I couldn't live as
yourmistress。〃
The word on her lips shocked him a littlebut her courage and candour
thrilled him。
〃If I stayed here； it would be found out。 I wouldn't let you keep me。
I'd have to have work； you see； or I'd lose my self…respectit's all
I've gotI'd kill myself。〃 She spoke as calmly as though she were
reviewing the situation objectively。 〃And then； I've thought that you
might come to believe you really wanted to marry meyou wouldn't realize
what you were doing； or what might happen if we were married。 I've tried
to tell you that； too； only you didn't seem to understand what I was
saying。 My father's only a gatekeeper； we're poorpoorer than some of
the operatives in the mill； and the people you know here in Hampton
wouldn't understand。 Perhaps you think you wouldn't care； but〃 she
spoke with more effort； 〃there are your children。 When I've thought of
them； it all seems impossible。 I'd make you unhappyI couldn't bear it；
I wouldn't stay with you。 You see； I ought to have gone away long ago。〃
Believing； as he did； that marriage was the goal of all women； even of
the best； the immediate capitulation he had expected would have made
matters far less difficult。 But these s