the titan-第26章
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votion to him in those dark days of his degradation and punishment； that he would really turn on her。 No； he might stray momentarily； but if she protested enough； made a scene； perhaps； he would not feel so free to injure herhe would remember and be loving and devoted again。 After seeing him； or imagining she had seen him； in the carriage； she thought at first that she would question him； but later decided that she would wait and watch more closely。 Perhaps he was beginning to run around with other women。 There was safety in numbersthat she knew。 Her heart； her pride； was hurt； but not broken。
Chapter XVIII
The Clash
The peculiar personality of Rita Sohlberg was such that by her very action she ordinarily allayed suspicion； or rather distracted it。 Although a novice； she had a strange ease； courage； or balance of soul which kept her whole and self…possessed under the most trying of circumstances。 She might have been overtaken in the most compromising of positions； but her manner would always have indicated ease； a sense of innocence； nothing unusual； for she had no sense of moral degradation in this matterno troublesome emotion as to what was to flow from a relationship of this kind； no worry as to her own soul； sin； social opinion； or the like。 She was really interested in art and lifea pagan； in fact。 Some people are thus hardily equipped。 It is the most notable attribute of the hardier type of personalitiesnot necessarily the most brilliant or successful。 You might have said that her soul was naively unconscious of the agony of others in loss。 She would have taken any loss to herself with an amazing equablenesssome qualms； of course； but not manybecause her vanity and sense of charm would have made her look forward to something better or as good。
She had called on Aileen quite regularly in the past； with or without Harold； and had frequently driven with the Cowperwoods or joined them at the theater or elsewhere。 She had decided； after becoming intimate with Cowperwood； to study art again； which was a charming blind； for it called for attendance at afternoon or evening classes which she frequently skipped。 Besides； since Harold had more money he was becoming gayer； more reckless and enthusiastic over women； and Cowperwood deliberately advised her to encourage him in some liaison which； in case exposure should subsequently come to them； would effectually tie his hands。
〃Let him get in some affair；〃 Cowperwood told Rita。 〃We'll put detectives on his trail and get evidence。 He won't have a word to say。〃
〃We don't really need to do that；〃 she protested sweetly； naively。 〃He's been in enough scrapes as it is。 He's given me some of the letters〃（she pronounced it 〃lettahs〃）〃written him。〃
〃But we'll need actual witnesses if we ever need anything at all。 Just tell me when he's in love again； and I'll do the rest。〃
〃You know I think；〃 she drawled； amusingly； 〃that he is now。 I saw him on the street the other day with one of his studentsrather a pretty girl； too。〃
Cowperwood was pleased。 Under the circumstances he would almost have been willingnot quitefor Aileen to succumb to Sohlberg in order to entrap her and make his situation secure。 Yet he really did not wish it in the last analysiswould have been grieved temporarily if she had deserted him。 However； in the case of Sohlberg； detectives were employed； the new affair with the flighty pupil was unearthed and sworn to by witnesses； and this； combined with the 〃lettahs〃 held by Rita； constituted ample material wherewith to 〃hush up〃 the musician if ever he became unduly obstreperous。 So Cowperwood and Rita's state was quite comfortable。
But Aileen； meditating over Antoinette Nowak； was beside herself with curiosity； doubt； worry。 She did not want to injure Cowperwood in any way after his bitter Philadelphia experience； and yet when she thought of his deserting her in this way she fell into a great rage。 Her vanity； as much as her love； was hurt。 What could she do to justify or set at rest her suspicions？ Watch him personally？ She was too dignified and vain to lurk about street…corners or offices or hotels。 Never！ Start a quarrel without additional evidencethat would be silly。 He was too shrewd to give her further evidence once she spoke。 He would merely deny it。 She brooded irritably； recalling after a time； and with an aching heart； that her father had put detectives on her track once ten years before； and had actually discovered her relations with Cowperwood and their rendezvous。 Bitter as that memory was torturingyet now the same means seemed not too abhorrent to employ under the circumstances。 No harm had come to Cowperwood in the former instance； she reasoned to herselfno especial harm from that discovery （this was not true）； and none would come to him now。 （This also was not true。） But one must forgive a fiery； passionate soul； wounded to the quick； some errors of judgment。 Her thought was that she would first be sure just what it was her beloved was doing； and then decide what course to take。 But she knew that she was treading on dangerous ground； and mentally she recoiled from the consequences which might follow。 He might leave her if she fought him too bitterly。 He might treat her as he had treated his first wife； Lillian。
She studied her liege lord curiously these days； wondering if it were true that he had deserted her already； as he had deserted his first wife thirteen years before； wondering if he could really take up with a girl as common as Antoinette Nowakwondering； wondering； wonderinghalf afraid and yet courageous。 What could be done with him？ If only he still loved her all would be well yetbut oh！
The detective agency to which she finally applied； after weeks of soul…racking suspense； was one of those disturbingly human implements which many are not opposed to using on occasion； when it is the only means of solving a troublous problem of wounded feelings or jeopardized interests。 Aileen； being obviously rich； was forthwith shamefully overcharged； but the services agreed upon were well performed。 To her amazement； chagrin； and distress； after a few weeks of observation Cowperwood was reported to have affairs not only with Antoinette Nowak； whom she did suspect； but also with Mrs。 Sohlberg。 And these two affairs at one and the same time。 For the moment it left Aileen actually stunned and breathless。
The significance of Rita Sohlberg to her in this hour was greater than that of any woman before or after。 Of all living things； women dread women most of all； and of all women the clever and beautiful。 Rita Sohlberg had been growing on Aileen as a personage； for she had obviously been prospering during this past year； and her beauty had been amazingly enhanced thereby。 Once Aileen had encountered Rita in a light trap on the Avenue； very handsome and very new； and she had commented on it to Cowperwood； whose reply had been： 〃Her father must be making some money。 Sohlberg could never earn it for her。〃
Aileen sympathized with Harold because of his temperament； but she knew that what Cowperwood said was true。
Another time； at a box…party at the theater； she had noted the rich elaborateness of Mrs。 Sohlberg's dainty frock； the endless pleatings of pale silk； the startling charm of the needlework and the ribbonscountless； rosetted； smallthat meant hard work on the part of some one。
〃How lovely this is；〃 she had commented。
〃Yes；〃 Rita had replied； airily； 〃I thought； don't you know； my dressmaker would never get done working on it。〃
It had cost； all told； two hundred and twenty dollars； and Cowperwood had gladly paid the bill。
Aileen went home at the time thinking of Rita's taste and of how well she had harmonized her materials to her personality。 She was truly charming。
Now； however； when it appeared that the same charm that had appealed to her had appealed to Cowperwood； she conceived an angry； animal opposition to it all。 Rita Sohlberg！ Ha！ A lot of satisfaction she'd get knowing as she would soon； that Cowperwood was sharing his affection for her with Antoinette Nowaka mere stenographer。 And a lot of satisfaction Antoinette would getthe cheap upstart when she learned； as she would； that Cowperwood loved her so lightly that he would take an apartment for Rita Sohlberg and let a cheap hotel or an assignation…house do for her。
But in spite of this savage exultation her thoughts kept coming back to herself； to her own predicament； to torture and destroy her。 Cowperwood； the liar！ Cowperwood； the pretender！ Cowperwood； the sneak！ At one moment she conceived a kind of horror of the man because of all his protestations to her； at the next a ragebitter； swelling； at the next a pathetic realization of her own altered position。 Say what one will； to take the love of a man like Cowperwood away from a woman like Aileen was to leave her high and dry on land； as a fish out of its native element； to take all the wind out of her sailsalmost to kill her。 Whatever position she had once thought to hold through him； was now jeopardized。 Whatever joy or glory she had had in being Mrs。 Frank Algernon Cowperwood； it was now tarnished。 She sat in her room； this same day after the detectives had given their report； a tired look in her eyes； the first set lines her pretty mouth had ever known showing about it； her past and her future whirling painfully and nebulously in her brain。 Suddenly she got up； and； seeing Cowperwood's picture on her dresser； his still impressive eyes contemplating her； she seized it and threw it on the floor； stamping on his handsome face with her pretty foot； and raging at him in her heart。 The dog！ The brute！ Her brain was full of the thought of Rita's white arms about him； of his lips to hers。 The spectacle of Rita's fluffy gowns； her enticing costumes； was in her eyes。 Rita should not have him； she should not have anything connected with him； nor； for that matter； Antoinette Nowak； eitherthe wretched upstart； the hireling。 To think he should stoop to an office stenographer！ Once on that thought； she decided that he should not be allowed to have a woman as an assistant any more。 He owed it to her to love her after all she had done for him； the coward； and to let other women alone。 Her brain whirled with strange thoughts。 She was really not sane in her present state。 She was so wrought up by her prospective loss that she could only think of rash； impossible； destructive things to do。 She dressed swiftly； feverishly； and； calling a closed carriage from the coach…house； ordered herself to be driven to the New Arts Building。 She would show this rosy cat of a woman； this smiling piece of impertinence； this she…devil； whether she would lure Cowperwood away。 She meditated as she rode。 She would not sit back and be robbed as Mrs。 Cowperwood had been by her。 Never！ He could not treat her that way。 She would die first！ She would kill Rita Sohlberg and Antoinette Nowak and Cowperwood and herself first。 She would prefer to die that way rather than lose his love。 Oh yes； a thousand times！ Fortunately； Rita Sohlberg was not at the New Arts Building； or Sohlberg； either。 They had gone to a reception。 Nor was she at the apartment on the North Side； where； under the nam
