the titan-第63章

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rce。　　Mr。　Tucker　Tanner　did　not　appear　to　claim　his　damaged　love；　but　the　aforementioned　Ira　George　Carter；　a　penniless　never…do…well　of　the　same　generation　and　social　standing；　offered　himself　and　was　accepted。　　By　the　first　marriage　there　had　been　one　child；　a　girl。　　By　the　second　there　was　another　child；　a　boy。　　Ira　George　Carter；　before　the　children　were　old　enough　to　impress　Mrs。　Carter　with　the　importance　of　their　needs　or　her　own　affection　for　them；　had　squandered；　in　one　ridiculous　venture　after　another；　the　bulk　of　the　property　willed　to　her　by　her　father；　Major　Wickham　Hedden。　　Ultimately；　after　drunkenness　and　dissipation　on　the　husband's　side；　and　finally　his　death；　came　the　approach　of　poverty。　　Mrs。　Carter　was　not　practical；　and　still　passionate　and　inclined　to　dissipation。　However；　the　aimless；　fatuous　going　to　pieces　of　Ira　George　Carter；　the　looming　pathos　of　the　future　of　the　children；　and　a　growing　sense　of　affection　and　responsibility　had　finally　sobered　her。　The　lure　of　love　and　life　had　not　entirely　disappeared；　but　her　chance　of　sipping　at　those　crystal　founts　had　grown　sadly　slender。　A　woman　of　thirty…eight　and　still　possessing　some　beauty；　she　was　not　content　to　eat　the　husks　provided　for　the　unworthy。　　Her　gorge　rose　at　the　thought　of　that　neglected　state　into　which　the　pariahs　of　society　fall　and　on　which　the　inexperienced　so　cheerfully　comment。　　Neglected　by　her　own　set；　shunned　by　the　respectable；　her　fortune　quite　gone；　she　was　nevertheless　determined　that　she　would　not　be　a　back…street　seamstress　or　a　pensioner　upon　the　bounty　of　quondam　friends。　　By　insensible　degrees　came　first　unhallowed　relationships　through　friendship　and　passing　passion；　then　a　curious　intermediate　state　between　the　high　world　of　fashion　and　the　half　world　of　harlotry；　until；　finally；　in　Louisville；　she　had　become；　not　openly；　but　actually；　the　mistress　of　a　house　of　ill　repute。　　Men　who　knew　how　these　things　were　done；　and　who　were　consulting　their　own　convenience　far　more　than　her　welfare；　suggested　the　advisability　of　it。　　Three　or　four　friends　like　Colonel　Gillis　wished　roomsconvenient　place　in　which　to　loaf；　gamble；　and　bring　their　women。　　Hattie　Starr　was　her　name　now；　and　as　such　she　had　even　become　known　in　a　vague　way　to　the　policebut　only　vaguely　as　a　woman　whose　home　was　suspiciously　gay　on　occasions。

Cowperwood；　with　his　appetite　for　the　wonders　of　life；　his　appreciation　of　the　dramas　which　produce　either　failure　or　success；　could　not　help　being　interested　in　this　spoiled　woman　who　was　sailing　so　vaguely　the　seas　of　chance。　　Colonel　Gillis　once　said　that　with　some　strong　man　to　back　her；　Nannie　Fleming　could　be　put　back　into　society。　　She　had　a　pleasant　appealshe　and　her　two　children；　of　whom　she　never　spoke。　　After　a　few　visits　to　her　home　Cowperwood　spent　hours　talking　with　Mrs。　Carter　whenever　he　was　in　Louisville。　　On　one　occasion；　as　they　were　entering　her　boudoir；　she　picked　up　a　photograph　of　her　daughter　from　the　dresser　and　dropped　it　into　a　drawer。　　Cowperwood　had　never　seen　this　picture　before。　　It　was　that　of　a　girl　of　fifteen　or　sixteen；　of　whom　he　obtained　but　the　most　fleeting　glance。　　Yet；　with　that　instinct　for　the　essential　and　vital　which　invariably　possessed　him；　he　gained　a　keen　impression　of　it。　　It　was　of　a　delicately　haggard　child　with　a　marvelously　agreeable　smile；　a　fine；　high…poised　head　upon　a　thin　neck；　and　an　air　of　bored　superiority。　　Combined　with　this　was　a　touch　of　weariness　about　the　eyelids　which　drooped　in　a　lofty　way。　　Cowperwood　was　fascinated。　　Because　of　the　daughter　he　professed　an　interest　in　the　mother；　which　he　really　did　not　feel。

A　little　later　Cowperwood　was　moved　to　definite　action　by　the　discovery　in　a　photographer's　window　in　Louisville　of　a　second　picture　of　Berenicea　rather　large　affair　which　Mrs。　Carter　had　had　enlarged　from　a　print　sent　her　by　her　daughter　some　time　before。　Berenice　was　standing　rather　indifferently　posed　at　the　corner　of　a　colonial　mantel；　a　soft　straw　outing…hat　held　negligently　in　one　hand；　one　hip　sunk　lower　than　the　other；　a　faint；　elusive　smile　playing　dimly　around　her　mouth。　　The　smile　was　really　not　a　smile；　but　only　the　wraith　of　one；　and　the　eyes　were　wide；　disingenuous；　mock…simple。　　The　picture　because　of　its　simplicity；　appealed　to　him。　　He　did　not　know　that　Mrs。　Carter　had　never　sanctioned　its　display。　　〃A　personage；〃　was　Cowperwood's　comment　to　himself；　and　he　walked　into　the　photographer's　office　to　see　what　could　be　done　about　its　removal　and　the　destruction　of　the　plates。　　A　half…hundred　dollars；　he　found；　would　arrange　it　allplates；　prints；　everything。　Since　by　this　ruse　he　secured　a　picture　for　himself；　he　promptly　had　it　framed　and　hung　in　his　Chicago　rooms；　where　sometimes　of　an　afternoon　when　he　was　hurrying　to　change　his　clothes　he　stopped　to　look　at　it。　　With　each　succeeding　examination　his　admiration　and　curiosity　grew。　　Here　was　perhaps；　he　thought；　the　true　society　woman；　the　high…born　lady；　the　realization　of　that　ideal　which　Mrs。　Merrill　and　many　another　grande　dame　had　suggested。

It　was　not　so　long　after　this　again　that；　chancing　to　be　in　Louisville；　he　discovered　Mrs。　Carter　in　a　very　troubled　social　condition。　　Her　affairs　had　received　a　severe　setback。　　A　certain　Major　Hagenback；　a　citizen　of　considerable　prominence；　had　died　in　her　home　under　peculiar　circumstances。　　He　was　a　man　of　wealth；　married；　and　nominally　living　with　his　wife　in　Lexington。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　he　spent　very　little　time　there；　and　at　the　time　of　his　death　of　heart　failure　was　leading　a　pleasurable　existence　with　a　Miss　Trent；　an　actress；　whom　he　had　introduced　to　Mrs。　Carter　as　his　friend。　　The　police；　through　a　talkative　deputy　coroner；　were　made　aware　of　all　the　facts。　　Pictures　of　Miss　Trent；　Mrs。　Carter；　Major　Hagenback；　his　wife；　and　many　curious　details　concerning　Mrs。　Carter's　home　were　about　to　appear　in　the　papers　when　Colonel　Gillis　and　others　who　were　powerful　socially　and　politically　interfered；　the　affair　was　hushed　up；　but　Mrs。　Carter　was　in　distress。　　This　was　more　than　she　had　bargained　for。

Her　quondam　friends　were　frightened　away　for　the　nonce。　　She　herself　had　lost　courage。　　When　Cowperwood　saw　her　she　had　been　in　the　very　human　act　of　crying；　and　her　eyes　were　red。

〃Well；　well；〃　he　commented；　on　seeing　hershe　was　in　moody　gray　in　the　bargain〃you　don't　mean　to　tell　me　you're　worrying　about　anything；　are　you？〃

〃Oh；　Mr。　Cowperwood；〃　she　explained；　pathetically；　〃I　have　had　so　much　trouble　since　I　saw　you。　　You　heard　of　Major　Hagenback's　death；　didn't　you？〃　Cowperwood；　who　had　heard　something　of　the　story　from　Colonel　Gillis；　nodded。　　〃Well；　I　have　just　been　notified　by　the　police　that　I　will　have　to　move；　and　the　landlord　has　given　me　notice；　too。　　If　it　just　weren't　for　my　two　children〃

She　dabbed　at　her　eyes　pathetically。

Cowperwood　meditated　interestedly。

〃Haven't　you　any　place　you　can　go？〃　he　asked。

〃I　have　a　summer　place　in　Pennsylvania；〃　she　confessed；　〃but　I　can't　go　there　very　well　in　February。　　Besides；　it's　my　living　I'm　worrying　about。　　I　have　only　this　to　depend　on。〃

She　waved　her　hand　inclusively　toward　the　various　rooms。　　〃Don't　you　own　that　place　in　Pennsylvania？〃　he　inquired。

〃Yes；　but　it　isn't　worth　much；　and　I　couldn't　sell　it。　　I've　been　trying　to　do　that　anyhow　for　some　time；　because　Berenice　is　getting　tired　of　it。〃

〃And　haven't　you　any　money　laid　away？〃

〃It's　taken　all　I　have　to　run　this　place　and　keep　the　children　in　school。　　I've　been　trying　to　give　Berenice　and　Rolfe　a　chance　to　do　something　for　themselves。〃

At　the　repetition　of　Berenice's　name　Cowperwood　consulted　his　own　interest　or　mood　in　the　matter。　　A　little　assistance　for　her　would　not　bother　him　much。　　Besides；　it　would　probably　eventually　bring　about　a　meeting　with　the　daughter。

〃Why　don't　you　clear　out　of　this？〃　he　observed；　finally。　　〃It's　no　business　to　be　in；　anyhow；　if　you　have　any　regard　for　your　children。　　They　can't　survive　anything　like　this。　　You　want　to　put　your　daughter　back　in　society；　don't　you？〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　almost　pleaded　Mrs。　Carter。

〃Precisely；〃　commented　Cowperwood；　who；　when　he　was　thinking；　almost　invariably　dropped　into　a　short；　cold；　curt；　business　manner。　Yet　he　was　humanely　inclined　in　this　instance。

〃Well；　then；　why　not　live　in　your　Pennsylvania　place　for　the　present；　or；　if　not　that；　go　to　New　York？　You　can't　stay　here。　　Ship　or　sell　these　things。〃　He　waved　a　hand　toward　the　rooms。

〃I　would　only　too　gladly；〃　replied　Mrs。　Carter；　〃if　I　knew　what　to　do。〃

〃Take　my　advice　and　go　to　New　York　for　the　present。　　You　will　get　rid　of　your　expenses　here；　and　I　will　help　you　with　the　restfor　the　present；　anyhow。　　You　can　get　a　start　again。　　It　is　too　bad　about　these　children　of　yours。　　I　will　take　care　of　the　boy　as　soon　as　he　is　old　enough。　　As　for　Berenice〃he　used　her　name　softly〃if　she　can　stay　in　her　school　until　she　is　nineteen　or　twenty　the　chances　are　that　she　will　make　social　connections　which　will　save　her　nicely。　　The　thing　for　you　to　do　is　to　avoid　meeting　any　of　this　old　crowd　out　here　in　the　future　if　you　can。　　It　might　be　advisable　to　take　her　abroad　for　a　time　after　she　leaves　school。〃

〃Yes；　if　I　just　could；〃　sighed　Mrs。　Carter；　rather　lamely。

〃Well；　do　what　I　suggest　now；　and　we　will　see；〃　observed　Cowperwood。　〃It　would　be　a　pity　if　your　two　children　were　to　have　their　lives　ruined　by　such　an　accident　as　this。〃

Mrs。　Carter；　realizing　that　here；　in　the　shape　of　Cowperwood；　if　he　chose　to　be　generous；　was　the　open　way　out　of　a　lowering　dungeon　of　misery；　was　inclined　to　give　vent　to　a　bit　of　grateful　emotion；　but；　finding　him　subtly　remote；　restrained　herself。　　His　manner；　while　warmly　generous　at　times；　was　also　easily　distant；　except　when　he　wished　it　to　be　otherwise。　　Just　now　he　was　thinking　of　the　high　soul　of　Berenice　Fleming　and　of　its　possible　value　to　him。




Chapter　XLI



The　Daughter　of　Mrs。　Fleming

Berenice　Fleming；　at　the　time　Cowperwood　first　encountered　her　mother；　was　an　inmate　of　the　Misses　Brewster's　School　for　Girls；　then　on　Riverside　Drive；　New　York；　and　one　of　the　most　exclusive　establishments　of　its　kind　in　America。　　The　social　prestige　and　connections　of　the　Heddens；　Flemings；　and　Carters　were　sufficient　to　gain　her　this　introduction；　though　the　social　fortunes　of　her　mother　were　already　at　this　time　on　the　down　grade。　　A　tall　girl；　delicately　haggard；　as　he　had　imagined　her；　with　reddish…bronze　hair　of　a　tinge　but　distantly　allied　to　that　of　Aileen's；　she　was　unlike　any　woman　Cowperwood　had　ever　known。　　Even　at　seventeen　she　stood　up　and　out　with　an　inexplicable　superiority　which　brought　her　the　feverish　and　exotic　attention　of　lesser　personalities　whose　emotional　animality　found　an　outlet　in　swinging　a　censer　at　her　shrine。

A　strange　maiden；　decidedly！　Even　at　this　age；　when　she　was；　as　one　might　suppose；　a　mere　slip　of　a　girl；　she　was　deeply　conscious　of　herself；　her　sex；　her　significance；　her　possible　social　import。　Armed　with　a　fair　skin；　a　few　freckles；　an　almost　too　high　color　at　times；　strange；　deep；　night…blue；　cat…like　eyes；　a　long　nose；　a　rather　pleasant　mouth；　perfect　teeth；　and　a　really　good　chin；　she　moved　always　with　a　feline　grace　that　was　careless；　superior；　sinuous；　and　yet　the　acme　of　harmony　and　a