the titan-第85章

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or　being　so　close　to　you　when　I　could　not　be。　　At　the　same　time　I　have　wanted　you　to　have　everything　that　would　help　you　in　any　way。　　I　did　not　want　to　interfere　with　you　in　case　you　found　some　one　whom　you　could　truly　love　if　I　knew　that　you　could　not　love　me。　　There　is　the　whole　story　outside　of　anything　you　may　know。　　But　it　is　not　because　of　this　that　I　came　to…day。　　Not　to　tell　you　this。〃

He　paused；　as　if　expecting　her　to　say　something；　though　she　made　no　comment　beyond　a　questioning　〃Yes？〃

〃The　thing　that　I　have　come　to　say　is　that　I　want　you　to　go　on　as　you　were　before。　　Whatever　you　may　think　of　me　or　of　what　I　have　just　told　you；　I　want　you　to　believe　that　I　am　sincere　and　disinterested　in　what　I　am　telling　you　now。　　My　dream　in　connection　with　you　is　not　quite　over。　　Chance　might　make　me　eligible　if　you　should　happen　to　care。　　But　I　want　you　to　go　on　and　be　happy；　regardless　of　me。　　I　have　dreamed；　but　I　dare　say　it　has　been　a　mistake。　　Hold　your　head　highyou　have　a　right　to。　　Be　a　lady。　　Marry　any　one　you　really　love。　　I　will　see　that　you　have　a　suitable　marriage　portion。　　I　love　you；　Berenice；　but　I　will　make　it　a　fatherly　affection　from　now　on。　　When　I　die　I　will　put　you　in　my　will。　　But　go　on　now　in　the　spirit　you　were　going　before。　　I　really　can't　be　happy　unless　I　think　you　are　going　to　be。〃

He　paused；　still　looking　at　her；　believing　for　the　time　being　what　he　said。　　If　he　should　die　she　would　find　herself　in　his　will。　　If　she　were　to　go　on　and　socialize　and　seek　she　might　find　some　one　to　love；　but　also　she　might　think　of　him　more　kindly　before　she　did　so。　　What　would　be　the　cost　of　her　as　a　ward　compared　to　his　satisfaction　and　delight　in　having　her　at　least　friendly　and　sympathetic　and　being　in　her　good　graces　and　confidence？

Berenice；　who　had　always　been　more　or　less　interested　in　him；　temperamentally　biased；　indeed；　in　his　direction　because　of　his　efficiency；　simplicity；　directness；　and　force；　was　especially　touched　in　this　instance　by　his　utter　frankness　and　generosity。　　She　might　question　his　temperamental　control　over　his　own　sincerity　in　the　future；　but　she　could　scarcely　question　that　at　present　he　was　sincere。　　Moreover；　his　long　period　of　secret　love　and　admiration；　the　thought　of　so　powerful　a　man　dreaming　of　her　in　this　fashion；　was　so　flattering。　　It　soothed　her　troubled　vanity　and　shame　in　what　had　gone　before。　　His　straightforward　confession　had　a　kind　of　nobility　which　was　electric；　moving。　　She　looked　at　him　as　he　stood　there；　a　little　gray　about　the　templesthe　most　appealing　ornament　of　some　men　to　some　womenand　for　the　life　of　her　she　could　not　help　being　moved　by　a　kind　of　tenderness；　sympathy；　mothering　affection。　　Obviously　he　did　need　the　woman　his　attitude　seemed　to　show　that　he　needed；　some　woman　of　culture；　spirit；　taste；　amorousness；　or；　at　least；　he　was　entitled　to　dream　of　her。　As　he　stood　before　her　he　seemed　a　kind　of　superman；　and　yet　also　a　bad　boyhandsome；　powerful；　hopeful；　not　so　very　much　older　than　herself　now；　impelled　by　some　blazing　internal　force　which　harried　him　on　and　on。　　How　much　did　he　really　care　for　her？　How　much　could　he？　How　much　could　he　care　for　any　one？　Yet　see　all　he　had　done　to　interest　her。　　What　did　that　mean？　To　say　all　this？　To　do　all　this？　Outside　was　his　car　brown　and　radiant　in　the　snow。　He　was　the　great　Frank　Algernon　Cowperwood；　of　Chicago；　and　he　was　pleading　with　her；　a　mere　chit　of　a　girl；　to　be　kind　to　him；　not　to　put　him　out　of　her　life　entirely。　　It　touched　her　intellect；　her　pride；　her　fancy。

Aloud　she　said：　〃I　like　you　better　now。　　I　really　believe　in　you。　I　never　did；　quite；　before。　　Not　that　I　think　I　ought　to　let　you　spend　your　money　on　me　or　motherI　don't。　　But　I　admire　you。　　You　make　me。　　I　understand　how　it　is；　I　think。　　I　know　what　your　ambitions　are。　　I　have　always　felt　that　I　did；　in　part。　　But　you　mustn't　talk　to　me　any　more　now。　　I　want　to　think。　　I　want　to　think　over　what　you　have　said。　　I　don't　know　whether　I　can　bring　myself　to　it　or　not。〃　（She　noticed　that　his　eyes　seemed　to　move　somehow　in　their　deepest　depths　again。）　〃But　we　won't　talk　about　it　any　more　at　present。〃

〃But；　Berenice；〃　he　added；　with　a　real　plea　in　his　voice；　〃I　wonder　if　you　do　understand。　　I　have　been　so　lonelyI　am〃

〃Yes；　I　do；〃　she　replied；　holding　out　her　hand。　　〃We　are　going　to　be　friends；　whatever　happens；　from　now　on；　because　I　really　like　you。　　You　mustn't　ask　me　to　decide　about　the　other；　though；　to…day。　I　can't　do　it。　　I　don't　want　to。　　I　don't　care　to。〃

〃Not　when　I　would　so　gladly　give　you　everythingwhen　I　need　it　so　little？〃

〃Not　until　I　think　it　out　for　myself。　　I　don't　think　so；　though。　　No；〃　she　replied；　with　an　air。　　〃There；　Mr。　Guardian　Father；〃　she　laughed；　pushing　his　hand　away。

Cowperwood's　heart　bounded。　　He　would　have　given　millions　to　take　her　close　in　his　arms。　　As　it　was　he　smiled　appealingly。

〃Don't　you　want　to　jump　in　and　come　to　New　York　with　me？　If　your　mother　isn't　at　the　apartment　you　could　stop　at　the　Netherland。〃

〃No；　not　to…day。　　I　expect　to　be　in　soon。　　I　will　let　you　know；　or　mother　will。〃

He　bustled　out　and　into　the　machine　after　a　moment　of　parley；　waving　to　her　over　the　purpling　snow　of　the　evening　as　his　machine　tore　eastward；　planning　to　make　New　York　by　dinner…time。　　If　he　could　just　keep　her　in　this　friendly；　sympathetic　attitude。　　If　he　only　could！




Chapter　LIV



WantedFifty…year　Franchises

Whatever　his　momentary　satisfaction　in　her　friendly　acceptance　of　his　confession；　the　uncertain　attitude　of　Berenice　left　Cowperwood　about　where　he　was　before。　　By　a　strange　stroke　of　fate　Braxmar；　his　young　rival；　had　been　eliminated；　and　Berenice　had　been　made　to　see　him；　Cowperwood；　in　his　true　colors　of　love　and　of　service　for　her。　　Yet　plainly　she　did　not　accept　them　at　his　own　valuation。　More　than　ever　was　he　conscious　of　the　fact　that　he　had　fallen　in　tow　of　an　amazing　individual；　one　who　saw　life　from　a　distinct　and　peculiar　point　of　view　and　who　was　not　to　be　bent　to　his　will。　That　fact　more　than　anything　elsefor　her　grace　and　beauty　merely　emblazoned　itcaused　him　to　fall　into　a　hopeless　infatuation。

He　said　to　himself　over　and　over；　〃Well；　I　can　live　without　her　if　I　must；〃　but　at　this　stage　the　mere　thought　was　an　actual　stab　in　his　vitals。　　What；　after　all；　was　life；　wealth；　fame；　if　you　couldn't　have　the　woman　you　wantedlove；　that　indefinable；　unnamable　coddling　of　the　spirit　which　the　strongest　almost　more　than　the　weakest　crave？　At　last　he　saw　clearly；　as　within　a　chalice…like　nimbus；　that　the　ultimate　end　of　fame；　power；　vigor　was　beauty；　and　that　beauty　was　a　compound　of　the　taste；　the　emotion；　the　innate　culture；　passion；　and　dreams　of　a　woman　like　Berenice　Fleming。　　That　was　it：　that　was　it。　　And　beyond　was　nothing　save　crumbling　age；　darkness；　silence。

In　the　mean　time；　owing　to　the　preliminary　activity　and　tact　of　his　agents　and　advisers；　the　Sunday　newspapers　were　vying　with　one　another　in　describing　the　wonders　of　his　new　house　in　New　Yorkits　cost；　the　value　of　its　ground；　the　wealthy　citizens　with　whom　the　Cowperwoods　would　now　be　neighbors。　　There　were　double…column　pictures　of　Aileen　and　Cowperwood；　with　articles　indicating　them　as　prospective　entertainers　on　a　grand　scale　who　would　unquestionably　be　received　because　of　their　tremendous　wealth。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　this　was　purely　newspaper　gossip　and　speculation。　　While　the　general　columns　made　news　and　capital　of　his　wealth；　special　society　columns；　which　dealt　with　the　ultra…fashionable；　ignored　him　entirely。　　Already　the　machination　of　certain　Chicago　social　figures　in　distributing　information　as　to　his　past　was　discernible　in　the　attitude　of　those　clubs；　organizations；　and　even　churches；　membership　in　which　constitutes　a　form　of　social　passport　to　better　and　higher　earthly；　if　not　spiritual；　realms。　　His　emissaries　were　active　enough；　but　soon　found　that　their　end　was　not　to　be　gained　in　a　day。　　Many　were　waiting　locally；　anxious　enough　to　get　in；　and　with　social　equipments　which　the　Cowperwoods　could　scarcely　boast。　After　being　blackballed　by　one　or　two　exclusive　clubs；　seeing　his　application　for　a　pew　at　St。　Thomas's　quietly　pigeon…holed　for　the　present；　and　his　invitations　declined　by　several　multimillionaires　whom　he　met　in　the　course　of　commercial　transactions；　he　began　to　feel　that　his　splendid　home；　aside　from　its　final　purpose　as　an　art…museum；　could　be　of　little　value。

At　the　same　time　Cowperwood's　financial　genius　was　constantly　being　rewarded　by　many　new　phases　of　materiality　chiefly　by　an　offensive　and　defensive　alliance　he　was　now　able　to　engineer　between　himself　and　the　house　of　Haeckelheimer；　Gotloeb　&　Co。　　Seeing　the　iron　manner　in　which　he　had　managed　to　wrest　victory　out　of　defeat　after　the　first　seriously　contested　election；　these　gentlemen　had　experienced　a　change　of　heart　and　announced　that　they　would　now　gladly　help　finance　any　new　enterprise　which　Cowperwood　might　undertake。　　Among　many　other　financiers；　they　had　heard　of　his　triumph　in　connection　with　the　failure　of　American　Match。

〃Dot　must　be　a　right　cleffer　man；　dot　Cowperwood；〃　Mr。　Gotloeb　told　several　of　his　partners；　rubbing　his　hands　and　smiling。　　〃I　shouldt　like　to　meet　him。〃

And　so　Cowperwood　was　manoeuvered　into　the　giant　banking　office；　where　Mr。　Gotloeb　extended　a　genial　hand。

〃I　hear　much　of　Chicawkgo；〃　he　explained；　in　his　semi…German；　semi…Hebraic　dialect；　〃but　almozd　more　uff　you。　　Are　you　goink　to　swallow　up　all　de　street…railwaiss　unt　elefated　roats　out　dere？〃

Cowperwood　smiled　his　most　ingenuous　smile。

〃Why？　Would　you　like　me　to　leave　a　few　for　you？〃

〃Not　dot　exzagly；　but　I　might　not　mint　sharink　in　some　uff　dem　wit　you。〃

〃You　can　join　with　me　at　any　time；　Mr。　Gotloeb；　as　you　must　know。　The　door　is　always　very；　very　wide　open　for　you。〃

〃I　musd　look　into　dot　some　more。　　It　loogs　very　promising　to　me。　　I　am　gladt　to　meet　you。〃

The　great　external　element　in　Cowperwood's　financial　successand　one　which　he　himself　had　foreseen　from　the　very　beginningwas　the　fact　that　Chicago　was　developing　constantly。　　What　had　been　when　he　arrived　a　soggy；　messy　plain　strewn　with　shanties；　ragged　sidewalks；　a　higgledy…piggledy　business　heart；　was　now　truly　an　astounding　metropolis　which　had　passed　the　million　mark　in　population　and　which　stretched　proud　and　strong　over　the　greater　part　of　Cook　County。　　Where　once　had　been　a　meager；　makeshift　financial　section；　with　here　and　there　only　a　splendid　business　building　or　hotel　or　a　public　office　of　some　kind；　there　were　now　canon…like　streets　lined　with　fifteen　and　even　eighteen　story　office　buildings；　from　the　upper　stories　of　which；　as　from　watch…towers；　might　be　surveyed　the　vast　expanding　regions　of　simple　home　life　below。　　Farther　out　were　districts　of　mansions；　parks；　pleasure　resorts；　great　worlds　of　train…yards　and　manufacturing　areas。　　In　the　commercial　heart　of　this　world　Frank　Algernon　Cowperwood　had　truly　become　a　figure　of　giant　significance。　　How　wonderful　it　is　that　men　grow　until；　like　colossi；　they　bestride　the　world；　or；　like　banyan…trees；　they　drop　roots　from　every　branch　and　are　themselves　a　foresta　forest　of　intricate　commercial　life；　of　which　a　thousand　material　aspects　are　the　evidence。　　His　street…railway　properties　were　like　a　netthe　p