up with his hands folded across his shins。
〃Nam fuit ante Helenam〃as Darwin quotes。 Toward all the masculine residents
of Fillmore Street； save one； the barber's attitude was one of unconcealed
scorn for an inability to recognize female perfidy。 With Johnny Tiernan alone
he refused to enter the lists。 When the popular proprietor of the tin shop
came sauntering along the sidewalk with nose uptilted； waving genial greetings
to the various groups on the steps； Chris Auermann's expression would suddenly
change to one of fatuous playfulness。
〃What's this I hear about giving the girls the vote； Chris？〃 Johnny would
innocently inquire； winking at Janet； invariably running his hand through the
wiry red hair that resumed its corkscrew twist as soon as he released it。 And
Chris would as invariably reply：
〃You have the dandruffsyes？ You come to my shop； I give you somethings。。。。〃
Sometimes the barber； in search of a more aggressive adversary than Edward；
would pay visits； when as likely as not another neighbour with profound
convictions and a craving for proselytes would swoop down on the defenceless
Bumpuses： Joe Shivers； for instance； who lived in one of the tenements above
the cleaning and dyeing establishment kept by the Pappas Bros。； and known as
〃The Gentleman。〃 In the daytime Mr。 Shivers was a model of acquiescence in a
system he would have designated as one of industrial feudalism； his duty being
to examine the rolls of cloth as they came from the looms of the Arundel Mill；
in case of imperfections handing them over to the women menders： at night； to
borrow a vivid expression from Lise； he was 〃batty in the belfry〃 on the
subject of socialism。 Unlike the barber； whom he could not abide； for him the
cleavage of the world was between labour and capital instead of man and woman；
his philosophy was stern and naturalistic； the universethe origin of which he
did not discussjust an accidental assemblage of capricious forces over which
human intelligence was one day to triumph。 Squatting on the lowest step； his
face upturned； by the light of the arc sputtering above the street he looked
like a yellow frog； his eager eyes directed toward Janet； whom he suspected of
intelligence。
〃If there was a God； a nice； kind； all…powerful God； would he permit what
happened in one of the loom…rooms last week？ A Polak girl gets her hair caught
in the belt pfff！〃 He had a marvellously realistic gift when it came to
horrors： Janet felt her hair coming out by the roots。 Although she never went
to church； she did not like to think that no God existed。 Of this Mr。 Shivers
was very positive。 Edward； too； listened uneasily； hemmed and hawed； making
ineffectual attempts to combat Mr。 Shivers's socialism with a deeply…rooted
native individualism that Shivers declared as defunct as Christianity。
〃If it is possible for the workingman to rise under a capitalistic system； why
do you not rise； then？ Why do I not rise？ I'm as good as Ditmar； I'm better
educated； but we're all slaves。 What right has a man to make you and me work
for him just because he has capital？〃
〃Why； the right of capital；〃 Edward would reply。
Mr。 Shivers； with the manner of one dealing with an incurable romanticism and
sentimentality； would lift his hands in despair。 And in spite of the fact that
Janet detested him； he sometimes exercised over her a paradoxical fascination；
suggesting as he did unexplored intellectual realms。 She despised her father
for not being able to crush the little man。 Edward would make pathetic
attempts to capture the role Shivers had appropriated； to be the practical
party himself； to convict Shivers of idealism。 Socialism scandalized him；
outraged； even more than atheism； something within him he held sacred； and he
was greatly annoyed because he was unable adequately to express this feeling。
〃You can't change human nature； Mr。 Shivers；〃 Edward would insist in his
precise but ineffectual manner。 〃We all want property； you would accept a
fortune if it was offered to you； and so should I。 Americans will never become
socialists。〃
〃But look at me； wasn't I born in Meriden； Connecticut？ Ain't that Yankee
enough for you？〃 Thus Mr。 Shivers sought blandly to confound him。
A Yankee Shades of the Pilgrim fathers； of seven； generations of Bumpuses！ A
Yankee who used his hands in that way； a Yankee with a nose like that； a Yankee
with a bald swathe down the middle of his crown and bunches of black； moth…
eaten hair on either side！ But Edward； too polite to descend to personalities；
was silent。。。。
In brief； this very politeness of Edward's； which his ancestors would have
scorned； this consideration and lack of self…assertion made him the favourite
prey of the many 〃characters〃 in Fillmore Street whose sanity had been
disturbed by pressure from above； in whose systems had lodged the germs of
those exotic social doctrines floating so freely in the air of our modern
industrial communities 。。。。 Chester Glenn remains for a passing mention。 A
Yankee of Yankees； this； born on a New Hampshire farm； and to the ordinary
traveller on the Wigmore branch of the railroad just a good…natured； round…
faced； tobacco…chewing brakeman who would take a seat beside ladies of his
acquaintance aid make himself agreeable until it was time to rise and bawl out；
in the approved manner of his profession； the name of the next station。
Fillmore Street knew that the flat visored cap which his corporation compelled
him to wear covered a brain into which had penetrated the maggot of the Single
Tax。 When he encountered Mr。 Shivers or Auermann the talk became coruscating。。
Eda Rawle； Janet's solitary friend of these days； must also be mentioned；
though the friendship was merely an episode in Janet's life。 Their first
meeting was at Grady's quick…lunch counter in Faber Street； which they both
frequented at one time； and the fact that each had ordered a ham sandwich； a
cup of coffee； and a confectionnew to Grady'sknown as a Napoleon had led to
conversation。
Eda； of course； was the aggressor； she was irresistibly drawn； she would not be
repulsed。 A stenographer in the Wessex National Bank； she boarded with a Welsh
family in Spruce Street； matter…of…fact； plodding； commonplace； resemblingas
Janet thoughta horse； possessing； indeed many of the noble qualities of that
animal； she might have been thought the last person in the world to discern and
appreciate in Janet the hidden elements of a mysterious fire。 In appearance
Miss Rawle was of a type not infrequent in Anglo…Saxon lands； strikingly
blonde； with high malar bones； white eyelashes； and eyes of a metallic blue；
cheeks of an amazing elasticity that worked rather painfully as she talked or
smiled； drawing back inadequate lips； revealing long； white teeth and vivid
gums。 It was the craving in her for romance Janet assuaged； Eda's was the love
content to pour out； that demands little。 She was capable of immolation。
Janet was by no means ungrateful for the warmth of such affection； though in
moments conscious of a certain perplexity and sadness because she was able to
give such a meagre return for the wealth of its offering。
In other moments； when the world seemed all disorder and chaos；as Mr。 Shivers
described it；or when she felt within her； like demons； those inexpressible
longings and desires； leaping and straining； pulling her； almost irresistibly；
she knew not whither； Eda shone forth like a light in the darkness； like the
beacon of a refuge and a shelter。 Eda had faith in her； even when Janet had
lost faith in herself： she went to Eda in the same spirit that Marguerite went
to church； though she； Janet； more resembled Faust； beingsave in these hours
of lowered vitalityof the forth…faring kind 。。。。 Unable to confess the need
that drove her； she arrived in Eda's little bedroom to be taken into Eda's
arms。 Janet was immeasurably the stronger of the two； but Eda possessed the
masculine trait of protectiveness； the universe never bothered her； she was one
of those personscalled fortunateto whom the orthodox Christian virtues come
as naturally as sun or air。 Passion； when sanctified by matrimony； was her
ideal； and now it was always in terms of Janet she dreamed of it； having read
about it in volumes her friend would not touch； and never
having experienced deeply its discomforts。 Sanctified or unsanctified； Janet
regarded it with terror； and whenever Eda innocently broached the subject she
recoiled。 Once Eda exclaimed：
〃When you do fall in love； Janet； you must tell me all about it； every word！〃
Janet blushed hotly； and was silent。 In Eda's mind such an affair was a kind
of glorified fireworks ending in a cluster of stars； in Janet's a volcanic
eruption to turn the world red。 Such was the difference between them。
Their dissipations together consisted of 〃sundaes〃 at a drug…store； or
sometimes of movie shows at the Star or the Alhambra。 Stereotyped on Eda's
face during the legitimately tender passages of these dramas was an expression
of rapture； a smile made peculiarly infatuate by that vertical line in her
cheeks； that inadequacy of lip and preponderance of white teeth and red gums。
It irritated； almost infuriated Janet； to whom it appeared as the logical
reflection of what was passing on the screen； she averted her glance from both；
staring into her lap； filled with shame that the relation between the sexes
should be thus exposed to public gaze； parodied； sentimentalized； degraded。。。。
There were； however； marvels to stir her； strange landscapes； cities； seas； and
ships；once a fire in the forest of a western reserve with gigantic tongues of
orange flame leaping from tree to tree。 The movies brought the world to
Hampton； the great world into which she longed to fare； brought the world to
her！ Remote mountain hamlets from Japan； minarets and muezzins from the
Orient； pyramids from Egypt； domes from Moscow resembling gilded beets turned
upside down； grey houses of parliament by the Thames； the Tower of London； the
Palaces of Potsdam； the Tai Mahal。 Strange lands indeed； and stranger peoples！
booted Russians in blouses； naked Equatorial savages tattooed and amazingly
ador