puddles　of　water　shone　under　the　street　lamps　on　Main　Street。　　In　the　woods　in　the　darkness　beyond　the　Fair　Ground　water　dripped　from　the　black　trees。　　Beneath　the　trees　wet　leaves　were　pasted　against　tree　roots　that　protruded　from　the　ground。　　In　gardens　back　of　houses　in　Winesburg　dry　shriveled　potato　vines　lay　sprawling　on　the　ground。　　Men　who　had　finished　the　evening　meal　and　who　had　planned　to　go　uptown　to　talk　the　eve…　ning　away　with　other　men　at　the　back　of　some　store　changed　their　minds。　　George　Willard　tramped　about　in　the　rain　and　was　glad　that　it　rained。　　He　felt　that　way。　　He　was　like　Enoch　Robinson　on　the　evenings　when　the　old　man　came　down　out　of　his　room　and　wandered　alone　in　the　streets。　　He　was　like　that　only　that　George　Willard　had　become　a　tall　young　man　and　did　not　think　it　manly　to　weep　and　carry　on。　For　a　month　his　mother　had　been　very　ill　and　that　had　something　to　do　with　his　sadness；　but　not　much。　　He　thought　about　himself　and　to　the　young　that　always　brings　sadness。
  Enoch　Robinson　and　George　Willard　met　beneath　a　wooden　awning　that　extended　out　over　the　side…　walk　before　Voight's　wagon　shop　on　Maumee　Street　just　off　the　main　street　of　Winesburg。　　They　went　together　from　there　through　the　rain…washed　streets　to　the　older　man's　room　on　the　third　floor　of　the　Heffner　Block。　　The　young　reporter　went　willingly　enough。　　Enoch　Robinson　asked　him　to　go　after　the　two　had　talked　for　ten　minutes。　　The　boy　was　a　little　afraid　but　had　never　been　more　curious　in　his　life。　A　hundred　times　he　had　heard　the　old　man　spoken　of　as　a　little　off　his　head　and　he　thought　himself　rather　brave　and　manly　to　go　at　all。　　From　the　very　beginning；　in　the　street　in　the　rain；　the　old　man　talked　in　a　queer　way；　trying　to　tell　the　story　of　the　room　in　Washington　Square　and　of　his　life　in　the　room。　　〃You'll　understand　if　you　try　hard　enough；〃　he　said　conclusively。　　〃I　have　looked　at　you　when　you　went　past　me　on　the　street　and　I　think　you　can　understand。　　It　isn't　hard。　　All　you　have　to　do　is　to　believe　what　I　say；　just　listen　and　believe；　that's　all　there　is　to　it。〃
  It　was　past　eleven　o'clock　that　evening　when　old　Enoch；　talking　to　George　Willard　in　the　room　in　the　Heffner　Block；　came　to　the　vital　thing；　the　story　of　the　woman　and　of　what　drove　him　out　of　the　city　to　live　out　his　life　alone　and　defeated　in　Winesburg。　He　sat　on　a　cot　by　the　window　with　his　head　in　his　hand　and　George　Willard　was　in　a　chair　by　a　table。　A　kerosene　lamp　sat　on　the　table　and　the　room；　although　almost　bare　of　furniture；　was　scrupulously　clean。　　As　the　man　talked　George　Willard　began　to　feel　that　he　would　like　to　get　out　of　the　chair　and　sit　on　the　cot　also。　　He　wanted　to　put　his　arms　about　the　little　old　man。　　In　the　half　darkness　the　man　talked　and　the　boy　listened；　filled　with　sadness。
  〃She　got　to　coming　in　there　after　there　hadn't　been　anyone　in　the　room　for　years；〃　said　Enoch　Robinson。　　〃She　saw　me　in　the　hallway　of　the　house　and　we　got　acquainted。　　I　don't　know　just　what　she　did　in　her　own　room。　　I　never　went　there。　　I　think　she　was　a　musician　and　played　a　violin。　　Every　now　and　then　she　came　and　knocked　at　the　door　and　I　opened　it。　　In　she　came　and　sat　down　beside　me；　just　sat　and　looked　about　and　said　nothing。　　Anyway；　she　said　nothing　that　mattered。〃
  The　old　man　arose　from　the　cot　and　moved　about　the　room。　　The　overcoat　he　wore　was　wet　from　the　rain　and　drops　of　water　kept　falling　with　a　soft　thump　on　the　floor。　　When　he　again　sat　upon　the　cot　George　Willard　got　out　of　the　chair　and　sat　beside　him。
  〃I　had　a　feeling　about　her。　　She　sat　there　in　the　room　with　me　and　she　was　too　big　for　the　room。　　I　felt　that　she　was　driving　everything　else　away。　　We　just　talked　of　little　things；　but　I　couldn't　sit　still。　　I　wanted　to　touch　her　with　my　fingers　and　to　kiss　her。　　Her　hands　were　so　strong　and　her　face　was　so　good　and　she　looked　at　me　all　the　time。〃
  The　trembling　voice　of　the　old　man　became　silent　and　his　body　shook　as　from　a　chill。　　〃I　was　afraid；〃　he　whispered。　　〃I　was　terribly　afraid。　　I　didn't　want　to　let　her　come　in　when　she　knocked　at　the　door　but　I　couldn't　sit　still。　　'No；　no；'　I　said　to　myself；　but　I　got　up　and　opened　the　door　just　the　same。　　She　was　so　grown　up；　you　see。　　She　was　a　woman。　　I　thought　she　would　be　bigger　than　I　was　there　in　that　room。〃
  Enoch　Robinson　stared　at　George　Willard；　his　childlike　blue　eyes　shining　in　the　lamplight。　　Again　he　shivered。　　〃I　wanted　her　and　all　the　time　I　didn't　want　her；〃　he　explained。　　〃Then　I　began　to　tell　her　about　my　people；　about　everything　that　meant　any…　thing　to　me。　　I　tried　to　keep　quiet；　to　keep　myself　to　myself；　but　I　couldn't。　　I　felt　just　as　I　did　about　open…　ing　the　door。　　Sometimes　I　ached　to　have　her　go　away　and　never　come　back　any　more。〃
  The　old　man　sprang　to　his　feet　and　his　voice　shook　with　excitement。　　〃One　night　something　hap…　pened。　　I　became　mad　to　make　her　understand　me　and　to　know　what　a　big　thing　I　was　in　that　room。　　I　wanted　her　to　see　how　important　I　was。　　I　told　her　over　and　over。　　When　she　tried　to　go　away；　I　ran　and　locked　the　door。　　I　followed　her　about。　　I　talked　and　talked　and　then　all　of　a　sudden　things　went　to　smash。　　A　look　came　into　her　eyes　and　I　knew　she　did　understand。　　Maybe　she　had　understood　all　the　time。　　I　was　furious。　　I　couldn't　stand　it。　　I　wanted　her　to　understand　but；　don't　you　see；　I　couldn't　let　her　understand。　　I　felt　that　then　she　would　know　every…　thing；　that　I　would　be　submerged；　drowned　out；　you　see。　　That's　how　it　is。　　I　don't　know　why。〃
  The　old　man　dropped　into　a　chair　by　the　lamp　and　the　boy　listened；　filled　with　awe。　　〃Go　away；　boy；〃　said　the　man。　　〃Don't　stay　here　with　me　any　more。　　I　thought　it　might　be　a　good　thing　to　tell　you　but　it　isn't。　　I　don't　want　to　talk　any　more。　　Go　away。〃
  George　Willard　shook　his　head　and　a　note　of　com…　mand　came　into　his　voice。　　〃Don't　stop　now。　　Tell　me　the　rest　of　it；〃　he　commanded　sharply。　　〃What　happened？　Tell　me　the　rest　of　the　story。〃
  Enoch　Robinson　sprang　to　his　feet　and　ran　to　the　window　that　looked　down　into　the　deserted　main　street　of　Winesburg。　　George　Willard　followed。　　By　the　window　the　two　stood；　the　tall　awkward　boy…　man　and　the　little　wrinkled　man…boy。　　The　childish；　eager　voice　carried　forward　the　tale。　　〃I　swore　at　her；〃　he　explained。　　〃I　said　vile　words。　　I　ordered　her　to　go　away　and　not　to　come　back。　　Oh；　I　said　terrible　things。　　At　first　she　pretended　not　to　understand　but　I　kept　at　it。　　I　screamed　and　stamped　on　the　floor。　　I　made　the　house　ring　with　my　curses。　　I　didn't　want　ever　to　see　her　again　and　I　knew；　after　some　of　the　things　I　said；　that　I　never　would　see　her　again。〃
  The　old　man's　voice　broke　and　he　shook　his　head。　〃Things　went　to　smash；〃　he　said　quietly　and　sadly。　〃Out　she　went　through　the　door　and　all　the　life　there　had　been　in　the　room　followed　her　out。　　She　took　all　of　my　people　away。　　They　all　went　out　through　the　door　after　her。　　That's　the　way　it　was。〃
  George　Willard　turned　and　went　out　of　Enoch　Robinson's　room。　　In　the　darkness　by　the　window；　as　he　went　through　the　door；　he　could　hear　the　thin　old　voice　whimpering　and　complaining。　　〃I'm　alone；　all　alone　here；〃　said　the　voice。　　〃It　was　warm　and　friendly　in　my　room　but　now　I'm　all　alone。〃
  AN　AWAKENING
  BELLE　CARPENTER　had　a　dark　skin；　grey　eyes；　and　thick　lips。　　She　was　tall　and　strong。　　When　black　thoughts　visited　her　she　grew　angry　and　wished　she　were　a　man　and　could　fight　someone　with　her　fists。　She　worked　in　the　millinery　shop　kept　by　Mrs。　Kate　McHugh　and　during　the　day　sat　trimming　hats　by　a　window　at　the　rear　of　the　store。　　She　was　the　daugh…　ter　of　Henry　Carpenter；　bookkeeper　in　the　First　Na…　tional　Bank　of　Winesburg；　and　lived　with　him　in　a　gloomy　old　house　far　out　at　the　end　of　Buckeye　Street。　　The　house　was　surrounded　by　pine　trees　and　there　was　no　grass　beneath　the　trees。　　A　rusty　tin　eaves…trough　had　slipped　from　its　fastenings　at　the　back　of　the　house　and　when　the　wind　blew　it　beat　against　the　roof　of　a　small　shed；　making　a　dismal　drumming　noise　that　sometimes　persisted　all　through　the　night。
  When　she　was　a　young　girl　Henry　Carpenter　made　life　almost　unbearable　for　Belle；　but　as　she　emerged　from　girlhood　into　womanhood　he　lost　his　power　over　her。　　The　bookkeeper's　life　was　made　up　of　innumerable　little　pettinesses。　　When　he　went　to　the　bank　in　the　morning　he　stepped　into　a　closet　and　put　on　a　black　alpaca　coat　that　had　become　shabby　with　age。　　At　night　when　he　returned　to　his　home　he　donned　another　black　alpaca　coat。　　Every　evening　he　pressed　the　clothes　worn　in　the　streets。　He　had　invented　an　arrangement　of　boards　for　the　purpose。　　The　trousers　to　his　street　suit　were　placed　between　the　boards　and　the　boards　were　clamped　together　with　heavy　screws。　　In　the　morning　he　wiped　the　boards　with　a　damp　cloth　and　stood　them　upright　behind　the　dining　room　door。　　If　they　were　moved　during　the　day　he　was　speechless　with　anger　and　did　not　recover　his　equilibrium　for　a　week。
  The　bank　cashier　was　a　little　bully　and　was　afraid　of　his　daughter。　　She；　he　realized；　knew　the　story　of　his　brutal　treatment　of　her　mother　and　hated　him　for　it。　　One　day　she　went　home　at　noon　and　carried　a　handful　of　soft　mud；　taken　from　the　road；　into　the　house。　　With　the　mud　she　smeared　the　face　of　the　boards　used