the titan-第44章

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new　the　look　well。　　It　gave　him　the　only　sense　of　triumph　he　had。

〃Stephanie；〃　he　remarked；　〃I　have　just　one　word　to　say　to　you　now。　We　will　not　meet　any　more；　of　course。　　You　are　a　good　actress。　　Stick　to　your　profession。　　You　may　shine　in　it　if　you　do　not　merge　it　too　completely　with　your　loves。　　As　for　being　a　free　lover；　it　isn't　incompatible　with　what　you　are；　perhaps；　but　it　isn't　socially　advisable　for　you。　　Good　night。〃

He　turned　and　walked　quickly　out。

〃Oh；　Frank；〃　called　Stephanie；　in　a　strange；　magnetized；　despairing　way；　even　in　the　face　of　her　astonished　lover。　　Gurney　stared　with　his　mouth　open。

Cowperwood　paid　no　heed。　　Out　he　went　through　the　dark　hall　and　down　the　stairs。　　For　once　the　lure　of　a　beautiful；　enigmatic；　immoral；　and　promiscuous　womanpoison　flower　though　she　waswas　haunting　him。　　〃D　her！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃D　the　little　beast；　anyhow！　The　！　The　！〃　He　used　terms　so　hard；　so　vile；　so　sad；　all　because　he　knew　for　once　what　it　was　to　love　and　loseto　want　ardently　in　his　way　and　not　to　havenow　or　ever　after。　　He　was　determined　that　his　path　and　that　of　Stephanie　Platow　should　never　be　allowed　to　cross　again。




Chapter　XXIX



A　Family　Quarrel

It　chanced　that　shortly　before　this　liaison　was　broken　off；　some　troubling　information　was　quite　innocently　conveyed　to　Aileen　by　Stephanie　Platow's　own　mother。　　One　day　Mrs。　Platow；　in　calling　on　Mrs。　Cowperwood；　commented　on　the　fact　that　Stephanie　was　gradually　improving　in　her　art；　that　the　Garrick　Players　had　experienced　a　great　deal　of　trouble；　and　that　Stephanie　was　shortly　to　appear　in　a　new　rolesomething　Chinese。

〃That　was　such　a　charming　set　of　jade　you　gave　her；〃　she　volunteered；　genially。　　〃I　only　saw　it　the　other　day　for　the　first　time。　　She　never　told　me　about　it　before。　　She　prizes　it　so　very　highly；　that　I　feel　as　though　I　ought　to　thank　you　myself。〃

Aileen　opened　her　eyes。　　〃Jade！〃　she　observed；　curiously。　　〃Why；　I　don't　remember。〃　Recalling　Cowperwood's　proclivities　on　the　instant；　she　was　suspicious；　distraught。　　Her　face　showed　her　perplexity。

〃Why；　yes；〃　replied　Mrs。　Platow；　Aileen's　show　of　surprise　troubling　her。　　〃The　ear…rings　and　necklet；　you　know。　　She　said　you　gave　them　to　her。〃

〃To　be　sure；〃　answered　Aileen；　catching　herself　as　by　a　hair。　　〃I　do　recall　it　now。　　But　it　was　Frank　who　really　gave　them。　　I　hope　she　likes　them。〃

She　smiled　sweetly。

〃She　thinks　they're　beautiful；　and　they　do　become　her；〃　continued　Mrs。　Platow；　pleasantly；　understanding　it　all；　as　she　fancied。　　The　truth　was　that　Stephanie；　having　forgotten；　had　left　her　make…up　box　open　one　day　at　home；　and　her　mother；　rummaging　in　her　room　for　something；　had　discovered　them　and　genially　confronted　her　with　them；　for　she　knew　the　value　of　jade。　　Nonplussed　for　the　moment；　Stephanie　had　lost　her　mental；　though　not　her　outward；　composure　and　referred　them　back　casually　to　an　evening　at　the　Cowperwood　home　when　Aileen　had　been　present　and　the　gauds　had　been　genially　forced　upon　her。

Unfortunately　for　Aileen；　the　matter　was　not　to　be　allowed　to　rest　just　so；　for　going　one　afternoon　to　a　reception　given　by　Rhees　Crier；　a　young　sculptor　of　social　proclivities；　who　had　been　introduced　to　her　by　Taylor　Lord；　she　was　given　a　taste　of　what　it　means　to　be　a　neglected　wife　from　a　public　point　of　view。　　As　she　entered　on　this　occasion　she　happened　to　overhear　two　women　talking　in　a　corner　behind　a　screen　erected　to　conceal　wraps。　　〃Oh；　here　comes　Mrs。　Cowperwood；〃　said　one。　　〃She's　the　street…railway　magnate's　wife。　　Last　winter　and　spring　he　was　running　with　that　Platow　girlof　the　Garrick　Players；　you　know。〃

The　other　nodded；　studying　Aileen's　splendiferous　greenvelvet　gown　with　envy。

〃I　wonder　if　she's　faithful　to　him？〃　she　queried；　while　Aileen　strained　to　hear。　　〃She　looks　daring　enough。〃

Aileen　managed　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　her　observers　later；　when　they　were　not　looking；　and　her　face　showed　her　mingled　resentment　and　feeling；　but　it　did　no　good。　　The　wretched　gossipers　had　wounded　her　in　the　keenest　way。　　She　was　hurt；　angry；　nonplussed。　　To　think　that　Cowperwood　by　his　variability　should　expose　her　to　such　gossip　as　this！

One　day　not　so　long　after　her　conversation　with　Mrs。　Platow；　Aileen　happened　to　be　standing　outside　the　door　of　her　own　boudoir；　the　landing　of　which　commanded　the　lower　hall；　and　there　overheard　two　of　her　servants　discussing　the　Cowperwood　menage　in　particular　and　Chicago　life　in　general。　　One　was　a　tall；　angular　girl　of　perhaps　twenty…seven　or　eight；　a　chambermaid；　the　other　a　short；　stout　woman　of　forty　who　held　the　position　of　assistant　housekeeper。　　They　were　pretending　to　dust；　though　gossip　conducted　in　a　whisper　was　the　matter　for　which　they　were　foregathered。　　The　tall　girl　had　recently　been　employed　in　the　family　of　Aymar　Cochrane；　the　former　president　of　the　Chicago　West　Division　Railway；　and　now　a　director　of　the　new　West　Chicago　Street　Railway　Company。

〃And　I　was　that　surprised；〃　Aileen　heard　this　girl　saying；　〃to　think　I　should　be　coming　here。　　I　cud　scarcely　believe　me　ears　when　they　told　me。　　Why；　Miss　Florence　was　runnin'　out　to　meet　him　two　and　three　times　in　the　week。　　The　wonder　to　me　was　that　her　mother　never　guessed。〃

Och；〃　replied　the　other；　〃he's　the　very　divil　and　all　when　it　comes　to　the　wimmin。〃　（Aileen　did　not　see　the　upward　lift　of　the　hand　that　accompanied　this）。　　〃There　was　a　little　girl　that　used　to　come　here。　　Her　father　lives　up　the　street　here。　　Haguenin　is　his　name。　　He　owns　that　morning　paper；　the　Press；　and　has　a　fine　house　up　the　street　here　a　little　way。　　Well；　I　haven't　seen　her　very　often　of　late；　but　more　than　once　I　saw　him　kissing　her　in　this　very　room。　　Sure　his　wife　knows　all　about　it。　　Depend　on　it。　　She　had　an　awful　fight　with　some　woman　here　onct；　so　I　hear；　some　woman　that　he　was　runnin'　with　and　bringin'　here　to　the　house。　　I　hear　it's　somethin'　terrible　the　way　she　beat　her　upscreamin'　and　carryin'　on。　　Oh；　they're　the　divil；　these　men；　when　it　comes　to　the　wimmin。〃

A　slight　rustling　sound　from　somewhere　sent　the　two　gossipers　on　their　several　ways；　but　Aileen　had　heard　enough　to　understand。　　What　was　she　to　do？　How　was　she　to　learn　more　of　these　new　women；　of　whom　she　had　never　heard　at　all？　She　at　once　suspected　Florence　Cochrane；　for　she　knew　that　this　servant　had　worked　in　the　Cochrane　family。　　And　then　Cecily　Haguenin；　the　daughter　of　the　editor　with　whom　they　were　on　the　friendliest　terms！　Cowperwood　kissing　her！　Was　there　no　end　to　his　liaisonshis　infidelity？

She　returned；　fretting　and　grieving；　to　her　room；　where　she　meditated　and　meditated；　wondering　whether　she　should　leave　him；　wondering　whether　she　should　reproach　him　openly；　wondering　whether　she　should　employ　more　detectives。　　What　good　would　it　do？　She　had　employed　detectives　once。　　Had　it　prevented　the　Stephanie　Platow　incident？　Not　at　all。　　Would　it　prevent　other　liaisons　in　the　future？　Very　likely　not。　　Obviously　her　home　life　with　Cowperwood　was　coming　to　a　complete　and　disastrous　end。　　Things　could　not　go　on　in　this　way。　　She　had　done　wrong；　possibly；　in　taking　him　away　from　Mrs。　Cowperwood　number　one；　though　she　could　scarcely　believe　that；　for　Mrs。　Lillian　Cowperwood　was　so　unsuited　to　himbut　this　repayment！　If　she　had　been　at　all　superstitious　or　religious；　and　had　known　her　Bible；　which　she　didn't；　she　might　have　quoted　to　herself　that　very　fatalistic　statement　of　the　New　Testament；　〃With　what　measure　ye　mete　it　shall　be　measured　unto　you　again。〃

The　truth　was　that　Cowperwood's　continued　propensity　to　rove　at　liberty　among　the　fair　sex　could　not　in　the　long　run　fail　of　some　results　of　an　unsatisfactory　character。　　Coincident　with　the　disappearance　of　Stephanie　Platow；　he　launched　upon　a　variety　of　episodes；　the　charming　daughter　of　so　worthy　a　man　as　Editor　Haguenin；　his　sincerest　and　most　sympathetic　journalistic　supporter；　and　the　daughter　of　Aymar　Cochrane；　falling　victims；　among　others；　to　what　many　would　have　called　his　wiles。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　in　most　cases　he　was　as　much　sinned　against　as　sinning；　since　the　provocation　was　as　much　offered　as　given。

The　manner　in　which　he　came　to　get　in　with　Cecily　Haguenin　was　simple　enough。　　Being　an　old　friend　of　the　family；　and　a　frequent　visitor　at　her　father's　house；　he　found　this　particular　daughter　of　desire　an　easy　victim。　　She　was　a　vigorous　blonde　creature　of　twenty　at　this　time；　very　full　and　plump；　with　large；　violet　eyes；　and　with　considerable　alertness　of　minda　sort　of　doll　girl　with　whom　Cowperwood　found　it　pleasant　to　amuse　himself。　　A　playful　gamboling　relationship　had　existed　between　them　when　she　was　a　mere　child　attending　school；　and　had　continued　through　her　college　years　whenever　she　happened　to　be　at　home　on　a　vacation。　　In　these　very　latest　days　when　Cowperwood　on　occasion　sat　in　the　Haguenin　library　consulting　with　the　journalist…publisher　concerning　certain　moves　which　he　wished　to　have　put　right　before　the　public　he　saw　considerably　more　of　Cecily。　　One　night；　when　her　father　had　gone　out　to　look　up　the　previous　action　of　the　city　council　in　connection　with　some　matter　of　franchises；　a　series　of　more　or　less　sympathetic　and　understanding　glances　suddenly　culminated　in　Cecily's　playfully　waving　a　new　novel；　which　she　happened　to　have　in　her　hand；　in　Cowperwood's　face；　and　he；　in　reply；　laid　hold　caressingly　of　her　arms。

〃You　can't　stop　me　so　easily；〃　she　observed；　banteringly。

〃Oh　yes；　I　can；〃　he　replied。

A　slight　struggle　ensued；　in　which　he；　with　her　semiwilful　connivance；　managed　to　manoeuver　her　into　his　arms；　her　head　backward　against　his　shoulder。

〃Well；〃　she　said；　looking　up　at　him　with　a　semi…nervous；　semi…provocative　glance；　〃now　what？　You'll　just　have　to　let　me　go。〃

〃Not　very　soon；　though。〃

〃Oh　yes；　you　will。　　My　father　will　be　here　in　a　moment。〃

〃Well；　not　until　then；　anyhow。　　You're　getting　to　be　the　sweetest　girl。〃

She　did　not　resist；　but　remained　gazing　half　nervously；　half　dreamily　at　him；　whereupon　he　smoothed　her　cheek；　and　then　kissed　her。　　Her　father's　returning　step　put　an　end　to　this；　but　from　this　point　on　ascent　or　descent　to　a　perfect　understanding　was　easily　made。

In　the　matter　of　Florence　Cochrane；　the　daughter　of　Aymar　Cochrane；　the　president　of　the　Chicago　West　Division　Companya　second　affair　of　the　periodthe　approach　was　only　slightly　different；　the　result　the　same。　　This　girl；　to　furnish　only　a　brief　impression；　was　a　blonde　of　a　different　type　from　Cecilydelicate；　picturesque；　dreamy。　　She　was　mildly　intellectual　at　this　time；　engaged　in　reading　Marlowe　and　Jonson；　and　Cowperwood；　busy　in　the　matter　of　the　West　Chicago　Street　Railway；　and　conferring　with　her　father；　was　conceived　by　her　as　a　great　personage　of　the　Elizabethan　order。　In　a　tentative　way　she　was　in　revolt　against　an　apple…pie　order　of　existence　which　was　being　forced　upon　her。　　Cowperwood　recognized　the　mood；　trifled　with　her　spiritedly；　looked　into　her　eyes；　and　found　the　response　he　wanted。　　Neither　old　Aymar　Cochrane　nor　his　impeccably　respectable　wife　ever　discovered。

Subsequently　Aileen；　reflecting　upon　these　latest　developments；　was　from　one　point　of　view　actually　pleased　or　eased。　　There　is　always　safety　in　numbers；　and　she　felt　that　if　Cowperwood　were　going　to　go　on　like　this　it　wou