where I was？ What business have you got sleuthing 'round after me like
this？〃
For a moment Janet was speechless once more； astounded that Lise could
preserve her effrontery in such an atmosphere； could be insensible to the
evils lurking in this houseevils so real to Janet that she seemed
actually to feel them brushing against her。
〃Lise； come away from here；〃 she pleaded； 〃come home with me！〃
〃Home！〃 said Lise； defiantly； and laughed。 〃What do you take me for？
Why would I be going home when I've been trying to break away for two
years？ I ain't so dippy as thatnot me！ Go home like a good little
girl and march back to the Bagatelle and ask 'em to give me another show
standing behind a counter all day。 Nix！ No home sweet home for me！ I'm
all for easy street when it comes to a home like that。〃
Heartless； terrific as the repudiation was； it struck a self…convicting；
almost sympathetic note in Janet。 She herself had revolted against the
monotony and sordidness of that existence She herself ！ She dared not
complete the thought； now。
〃But this！〃 she exclaimed。
〃What's the matter with it？〃 Lise demanded。 〃It ain't Commonwealth
Avenue； but it's got Fillmore Street beat a mile。 There ain't no
whistles hereto get you out of bed at six a。m。； for one thing。 There
ain't no geezers； like Walters； to nag you 'round all day long。 What's
the matter with it？〃
Something in Lise's voice roused Janet's spirit to battle。
〃What's the matter with it？〃 she cried。 〃It's hellthat's the matter
with it。 Can't you see it？ Can't you feel it？ You don't know what it
means； or you'd come home with me。〃
〃I guess I know what it means as well as you do；〃 said Lise； sullenly。
〃We've all got to croak sometime； and I'd rather croak this way than be
smothered up in Hampton。 I'll get a run for my money； anyway。〃
〃No； you don't know what it means；〃 Janet repeated； 〃or you wouldn't talk
like that。 Do you think this man will support you； stick to you？ He
won't； he'll desert you； and you'll have to go on the streets。〃
A dangerous light grew in Lise's eyes。
〃He's as good as any other man； he's as good as Ditmar；〃 she said。
〃They're all the same； to girls like us。〃
Janet's heart caught； it seemed to stop beating。 Was this a hazard on
Lise's part； or did she speak from knowledge？ And yet what did it matter
whether Lise knew or only suspected； if her words were true； if men were
all alike？ Had she been a dupe as well as Lise？ and was the only
difference between them now the fact that Lise was able； without
illusion； to see things as they were； to accept the consequences； while
she； Janet； had beheld visions and dreamed dreams？ was there any real
choice between the luxurious hotel to which Ditmar had taken her and this
detestable house？ Suddenly； seemingly by chance； her eyes fell on the
box of drug…store candy from which the cheap red ribbon had been torn；
and by some odd association of ideas it suggested and epitomized Lise's
Sunday excursion with a mama hideous travesty on the journey of wonders
she herself had taken。 Had that been heaven； and this of Lise's；
hell？。。。 And was。 Lise's ambition to be supported in idleness and
luxury to be condemned because she had believed her own to be higher？
Did not both lead to destruction？ The weight that had lain on her breast
since the siren had awakened her that morning and she had reached out and
touched the chilled； empty sheets now grew almost unsupportable。
〃It's true；〃 said Janet； 〃all men are the same。〃
Lise was staring at her。
〃My God！〃 she exclaimed。 〃You？〃
〃Yes…me；〃 cried Janet。〃And what are you going to do about it？ Stay
here with him in this filthy place until he gets tired of you and throws
you out on the street？ Before I'd let any man do that to me I'd kill
him。〃
Lise began to whimper； and suddenly buried her face in the pillow。 But a
new emotion had begun to take possession of Janetan emotion so strong
as to give her an unlookedfor sense of detachment。 And the words Lise
had spoken between her sobs at first conveyed no meaning。
〃I'm going to have a baby。。。。〃
Lise was going to have a child！ Why hadn't she guessed it？ A child！
Perhaps she； Janet； would have a child！ This enlightenment as to Lise's
condition and the possibility it suggested in regard to herself brought
with it an overwhelming sympathy which at first she fiercely resented
then yielded to。 The bond between them； instead of snapping； had
inexplicably strengthened。 And Lise； despite her degradation； was more
than ever her sister！ Forgetting her repugnance to the bed； Janet sat
down beside Lise and put an arm around her。
〃He said he'd marry me； he swore he was richand he was a spender all
right。 And then some guy came up to me one night at Gruber's and told me
he was married already。〃
〃What？〃 Janet exclaimed。
〃Sure！ He's got a wife and two kids here in Boston。 That was a twenty…
one round knockout！ Maybe I didn't have something to tell him when he
blew into Hampton last Friday！ But he said he couldn't help ithe loved
me。〃 Lise sat up； seemingly finding relief in the relation of her
wrongs； dabbing her eyes with a cheap lace handkerchief。 〃Well； while
he'd been awaythis thing came。 I didn't know what was the matter at
first； and when I found out I was scared to death； I was ready to kill
myself。 When I told him he was scared too； and then he said he'd fix it。
Say； I was a goat to think he'd marry me！〃 Lise laughed hysterically。
〃And then〃 Janet spoke with difficulty； 〃and then you came down here？〃
〃I told him he'd have to see me through； I'd start something if he
didn't。 Say； he almost got down on his knees； right there in Gruber's！
But he came back inside of ten secondshe's a jollier； for sure； he was
right there with the goods； it was because he loved me； he couldn't help
himself； I was his cutie； and all that kind of baby talk。〃
Lise's objective manner of speaking about her seducer amazed Janet。
〃Do you love him？〃 she asked。
〃Say； what is love？〃 Lise demanded。 〃Do you ever run into it outside of
the movies？ Do I love him？ Well； he's a good looker and a fancy
dresser； he ain't a tight wad； and he can start a laugh every minute。 If
he hadn't put it over on me I wouldn't have been so sore。 I don't know
he ain't so bad。 He's weak； that's the trouble with him。〃
This was the climax！ Lise's mental processes； her tendency to pass from
wild despair to impersonal comment； her inability； her courtesan's
temperament that prevented her from realizing tragedy for more than a
moment at a timeeven though the tragedy were her ownwere
incomprehensible to Janet。
〃Get on to this；〃 Lise adjured her。 〃When I first was acquainted with
him he handed me a fairy tale that he was taking five thousand a year
from Humphrey and Gillmount； he was going into the firm。 He had me
razzle…dazzled。 He's some hypnotizes as a salesman； too； they say。
Nothing was too good for me； I saw myself with a house on the avenue
shopping in a limousine。 Well； he blew up； but I can't help liking him。〃
〃Liking him！〃 cried Janet passionately。 〃I'd kill him that's what I'd
do。〃
Lise regarded her with unwilling admiration。
〃That's where you and me is different；〃 she declared。 〃I wish I was like
that； but I ain't。 And where would I come in？ Now you're wise why I
can't go back to Hampton。 Even if I was stuck on the burg and cryin' my
eyes out for the Bagatelle I couldn't go back。〃
〃What are you going to do？〃 Janet demanded。
〃Well；〃 said Lise； 〃he's come acrossI'll say that for him。 Maybe it's
because he's scared； but he's stuck on me； too。 When you dropped in I
was just going down town to get a pair of patent leathers； these are all
wore out；〃 she explained； twisting her foot； 〃they ain't fit for Boston。
And I thought of lookin' at blousesthere's a sale on I was reading
about in the paper。 Say； it's great to be on easy street； to be able to
stay in bed until you're good and ready to get up and go shopping； to
gaze at the girls behind the counter and ask the price of things。 I'm
going to Walling's and give the salesladies the ha…hathat's what I'm
going to do。〃
〃But？〃 Janet found words inadequate。
Lise understood her。
〃Oh； I'm due at the doctor's this afternoon。〃
〃Where？〃
〃The doctor's。 Don't you get me？it's a private hospital。〃 Lise gave a
slight shudder at the word； but instantly recovered her sang…froid。
〃Howard fixed it up yesterdayand they say it ain't very bad if you take
it early。〃
For a space Janet was too profoundly shocked to reply。
〃Lise！ That's a crime！〃 she cried。
〃Crime； nothing！〃 retorted Lise； and immediately became indignant。
〃Say； I sometimes wonder how you could have lived all these years without
catching on to a few things！ What do you take me for！ What'd I do with
a baby？〃
What indeed！ The thought came like an avalanche； stripping away the
veneer of beauty from the face of the world； revealing the scarred rock
and crushed soil beneath。 This was reality！ What right had society to
compel a child to be born to degradation and prostitution？ to beget；
perhaps； other children of suffering？ Were not she and Lise of the
exploited； of those duped and tempted by the fair things the more
fortunate enjoyed unscathed？ And now； for their natural cravings； their
family must be disgraced； they must pay the penalty of outcasts！ Neither
Lise nor she had had a chance。 She saw that； now。 The scorching
revelation of life's injustice lighted within her the fires of anarchy
and revenge。 Lise； other women might submit tamely to be crushed； might
be lulled and drugged by bribes： she would not。 A wild desire seized her
to get back to Hampton。
〃Give me the address of the hospital；〃 she said。
〃Come off！〃 cried Lise； in angry bravado。 〃Do you think I'm going to let
you butt into this？ I guess you've got enough to do to look out for your
own business。〃
Janet produced a pencil from her bag； and going to the table tore off a
piece of the paper in which had been wrapped the candy box。
〃Give me the address；〃 she insisted。
〃Say； what are you going to do？〃
〃I want to know where you are； in case anything