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！
face； was quick to divine the presage in it and gave voice to the
foreboding that had weighed on her for many weeks。
〃Where's Lise？〃
And Janet could not answer。 She shook her head。 Hannah dropped the
fork； the handle of the frying pan and crossed the room swiftly； seizing
Janet by the shoulders。
〃Is she gone？ I knew it； I felt it all along。 I thought she'd done
something she was afraid to tell aboutI tried to ask her； but I
couldn'tI couldn't！ And now she's gone。 Oh； my God； I'll never
forgive myself！〃
The unaccustomed sight of her mother's grief was terrible。 For an
instant only she clung to Janet； then becoming mute； she sat down in the
kitchen chair and stared with dry； unseeing eyes at the wall。 Her face
twitched。 Janet could not bear to look at it； to see the torture in her
mother's eyes。 She； Janet； seemed suddenly to have grown old herself； to
have lived through ages of misery and tragedy。。。。 She was aware of a
pungent odour； went to the stove； picked up the fork； and turned the
steak。 Now and then she glanced at Hannah。 Grief seemed to have frozen
her。 Then； from the dining…room she heard footsteps； and Edward stood in
the doorway。
〃Well； what's the matter with breakfast？〃 he asked。 From where he stood
he could not see Hannah's face； but gradually his eyes were drawn to her
figure。 His intuition was not quick； and some moments passed before the
rigidity of the pose impressed itself upon him。
〃Is mother sick？〃 he asked falteringly。
Janet went to him。 But it was Hannah who spoke。
〃Lise has gone；〃 she said。
〃Lisegone；〃 Edward repeated。 〃Gone where？〃
〃She's run awayshe's disgraced us；〃 Hannah replied； in a monotonous；
dulled voice。
Edward did not seem to understand； and presently Janet felt impelled to
break the silence。
〃She didn't come home last night； father。〃
〃Didn't come home？ Mebbe she spent the night with a friend；〃 he said。
It seemed incredible； at such a moment； that he could still be hopeful。
〃No； she's gone； I tell you； she's lost； we'll never lay eyes on her
again。 My God； I never thought she'd come to this； but I might have
guessed it。 Lise！ Lise！ To think it's my Lise！〃
Hannah's voice echoed pitifully through the silence of the flat。 So
appealing； so heartbroken was the cry one might have thought that Lise；
wherever she was； would have heard it。 Edward was dazed by the shock；
his lower lip quivered and fell。 He walked over to Hannah's chair and
put his hand on her shoulder。
〃There； there； mother；〃 he pleaded。 〃If she's gone； we'll find her；
we'll bring her back to you。〃
Hannah shook her head。 She pushed back her chair abruptly and going over
to the stove took the fork from Janet's hand and put the steak on the
dish。
〃Go in there and set down； Edward；〃 she said。 〃I guess we've got to have
breakfast just the same； whether she's gone or not。〃
It was terrible to see Hannah； with that look on her face； going about
her tasks automatically。 And Edward； too； seemed suddenly to have become
aged and broken； his trust in the world； so amazingly preserved through
many vicissitudes； shattered at last。 He spilled his coffee when he
tried to drink； and presently he got up and wandered about the room；
searching for his overcoat。 It was Janet who found it and helped him on
with it。 He tried to say something； but failing； departed heavily for
the mill。 Janet began to remove the dishes from the table。
〃You've got to eat something； too； before you go to work；〃 said Hannah。
〃I've had all I want；〃 Janet replied。
Hannah followed her into the kitchen。 The scarcely touched food was laid
aside； the coffee…pot emptied； Hannah put the cups in the basin in the
sink and let the water run。 She turned to Janet and seized her hands
convulsively。
〃Let me do this； mother；〃 said Janet。 She knew her mother was thinking
of the newly…found joy that Lise's disgrace had marred； but she released
her hands； gently； and took the mop from the nail on which it hung。
〃You sit down； mother；〃 she said。
Hannah would not。 They finished the dishes together in silence while the
light of the new day stole in through the windows。 Janet went into her
room； set it in order； made up the bed； put on her coat and hat and
rubbers。 Then she returned to Hannah； who seized her。
〃It ain't going to spoil your happiness？〃
But Janet could not answer。 She kissed her mother； and went out； down
the stairs into the street。 The day was sharp and cold and bracing； and
out of an azure sky the sun shone with dazzling brightness on the snow；
which the west wind was whirling into little eddies of white smoke；
leaving on the drifts delicate scalloped designs like those printed by
waves on the sands of the sea。 They seemed to Janet that morning
hatefully beautiful。 In front of his tin shop； whistling cheerfully and
labouring energetically with a shovel to clean his sidewalk； was Johnny
Tiernan； the tip of his pointed nose made very red by the wind。
〃Good morning； Miss Bumpus；〃 he said。 〃Now； if you'd only waited awhile；
I'd have had it as clean as a parlour。 It's fine weather for coal
bills。〃
She halted。
〃Can I see you a moment； Mr。 Tiernan？〃
Johnny looked at her。
〃Why sure；〃 he said。 Leaning his shovel against the wall； he gallantly
opened the door that she might pass in before him and then led the way to
the back of the shop where the stove was glowing hospitably。 He placed a
chair for her。 〃Now what can I be doing to serve you？〃 he asked。
〃It's about my sister；〃 said Janet。
〃Miss Lise？〃
〃I thought you might know what man she's been going with lately；〃 said
Janet。
Mr。 Tiernan had often wondered how much Janet knew about her sister。 In
spite of a momentary embarrassment most unusual in him； the courage of
her question made a strong appeal； and his quick sympathies suspected the
tragedy behind her apparent calmness。 He met her magnificently。
〃Why；〃 he said； 〃I have seen Miss Lise with a fellow named DuvalHoward
Duvalwhen he's been in town。 He travels for a Boston shoe house；
Humphrey and Gillmount。〃
〃I'm afraid Lise has gone away with him；〃 said Janet。 〃I thought you
might be able to find out something about him； andwhether any one had
seen them。 She left home yesterday morning。〃
For an instant Mr。 Tiernan stood silent before her； his legs apart； his
fingers running through his bristly hair。
〃Well； ye did right to come straight to me； Miss Janet。 It's me that can
find out； if anybody can； and it's glad I am to help you。 Just you stay
heremake yourself at home while I run down and see some of the boys。
I'll not be longand don't be afraid I'll let on about it。〃
He seized his overcoat and departed。 Presently the sun； glinting on the
sheets of tin； started Janet's glance straying around the shop； noting
its disorderly details； the heaped…up stovepipes； the littered work…bench
with the shears lying across the vise。 Once she thought of Ditmar
arriving at the office and wondering what had happened to her。。。。 The
sound of a bell made her jump。 Mr。 Tiernan had returned。
〃She's gone with him；〃 said Janet； not as a question； but as one stating