the titan-第93章

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g　here　and　there；　until　he　came　to　the　sunrise　room。　　She　must　be　there；　for　the　door　was　shut。　　He　tried　itit　was　locked。

〃Aileen；〃　he　called。　　〃Aileen！　Are　you　in　there？〃　No　answer。　　He　listened。　　Still　no　answer。　　〃Aileen！〃　he　repeated。　　〃Are　you　in　there？　What　damned　nonsense　is　this；　anyhow？〃

〃George！〃　he　thought　to　himself；　stepping　back；　〃she　might　do　it；　tooperhaps　she　has。〃　He　could　not　hear　anything　save　the　odd　chattering　of　a　toucan　aroused　by　the　light　she　had　switched　on。　　Perspiration　stood　out　on　his　brow。　　He　shook　the　knob；　pushed　a　bell　for　a　servant；　called　for　keys　which　had　been　made　for　every　door；　called　for　a　chisel　and　hammer。

〃Aileen；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　don't　open　the　door　this　instant　I　will　see　that　it　is　opened。　　It　can　be　opened　quick　enough。〃

Still　no　sound。

〃Damn　it！〃　he　exclaimed；　becoming　wretched；　horrified。　　A　servant　brought　the　keys。　　The　right　one　would　not　enter。　　A　second　was　on　the　other　side。　　〃There　is　a　bigger　hammer　somewhere；〃　Cowperwood　said。　　〃Get　it！　Get　me　a　chair！〃　Meantime；　with　terrific　energy；　using　a　large　chisel；　he　forced　the　door。

There　on　one　of　the　stone　benches　of　the　lovely　room　sat　Aileen；　the　level　pool　of　water　before　her；　the　sunrise　glow　over　every　thing；　tropic　birds　in　their　branches；　and　she；　her　hair　disheveled；　her　face　pale；　one　armher　lefthanging　down；　ripped　and　bleeding；　trickling　a　thick　stream　of　rich；　red　blood。　　On　the　floor　was　a　pool　of　blood；　fierce；　scarlet；　like　some　rich　cloth；　already　turning　darker　in　places。

Cowperwood　pausedamazed。　　He　hurried　forward；　seized　her　arm；　made　a　bandage　of　a　torn　handkerchief　above　the　wound；　sent　for　a　surgeon；　saying　the　while：　〃How　could　you；　Aileen？　How　impossible！　To　try　to　take　your　life！　This　isn't　love。　　It　isn't　even　madness。　It's　foolish　acting。〃

〃Don't　you　really　care？〃　she　asked。

〃How　can　you　ask？　How　could　you　really　do　this？〃

He　was　angry；　hurt；　glad　that　she　was　alive；　shamedmany　things。

〃Don't　you　really　care？〃　she　repeated；　wearily。

〃Aileen；　this　is　nonsense。　　I　will　not　talk　to　you　about　it　now。　　Have　you　cut　yourself　anywhere　else？〃　he　asked；　feeling　about　her　bosom　and　sides。

〃Then　why　not　let　me　die？〃　she　replied；　in　the　same　manner。　　〃I　will　some　day。　　I　want　to。〃

〃Well；　you　may；　some　day；〃　he　replied；　〃but　not　to…night。　　I　scarcely　think　you　want　to　now。　　This　is　too　much；　Aileenreally　impossible。〃

He　drew　himself　up　and　looked　at　hercool；　unbelieving；　the　light　of　control；　even　of　victory；　in　his　eyes。　　As　he　had　suspected；　it　was　not　truly　real。　　She　would　not　have　killed　herself。　　She　had　expected　him　to　cometo　make　the　old　effort。　　Very　good。　　He　would　see　her　safely　in　bed　and　in　a　nurse's　hands；　and　would　then　avoid　her　as　much　as　possible　in　the　future。　　If　her　intention　was　genuine　she　would　carry　it　out　in　his　absence；　but　he　did　not　believe　she　would。




Chapter　LVIII



A　Marauder　Upon　the　Commonwealth

The　spring　and　summer　months　of　1897　and　the　late　fall　of　1898　witnessed　the　final　closing　battle　between　Frank　Algernon　Cowperwood　and　the　forces　inimical　to　him　in　so　far　as　the　city　of　Chicago；　the　state　of　Illinois；　and　indeed　the　United　States　of　America；　were　concerned。　　When　in　1896　a　new　governor　and　a　new　group　of　state　representatives　were　installed　Cowperwood　decided　that　it　would　be　advisable　to　continue　the　struggle　at　once。　　By　the　time　this　new　legislature　should　convene　for　its　labors　a　year　would　have　passed　since　Governor　Swanson　had　vetoed　the　original　public…service…commission　bill。　　By　that　time　public　sentiment　as　aroused　by　the　newspapers　would　have　had　time　to　cool。　　Already　through　various　favorable　financial　interestsparticularly　Haeckelheimer；　Gotloeb　&　Co。　and　all　the　subsurface　forces　they　representedhe　had　attempted　to　influence　the　incoming　governor；　and　had　in　part　succeeded。

The　new　governor　in　this　instanceone　Corporal　A。　E。　Archeror　ex…Congressman　Archer；　as　he　was　sometimes　calledwas；　unlike　Swanson；　a　curious　mixture　of　the　commonplace　and　the　idealone　of　those　shiftily　loyal　and　loyally　shifty　who　make　their　upward　way　by　devious；　if　not　too　reprehensible　methods。　　He　was　a　little　man；　stocky；　brown…haired；　brown…eyed；　vigorous；　witty；　with　the　ordinary　politician's　estimate　of　public　moralitynamely；　that　there　is　no　such　thing。　　A　drummer…boy　at　fourteen　in　the　War　of　the　Rebellion；　a　private　at　sixteen　and　eighteen；　he　had　subsequently　been　breveted　for　conspicuous　military　service。　　At　this　later　time　he　was　head　of　the　Grand　Army　of　the　Republic；　and　conspicuous　in　various　stirring　eleemosynary　efforts　on　behalf　of　the　old　soldiers；　their　widows　and　orphans。　　A　fine　American；　flag…waving；　tobacco…chewing；　foul…swearing　little　man　was　thisand　one　with　noteworthy　political　ambitions。　　Other　Grand　Army　men　had　been　conspicuous　in　the　lists　for　Presidential　nominations。　　Why　not　he？　An　excellent　orator　in　a　high　falsetto　way；　and　popular　because　of　good…fellowship；　presence；　force；　he　was　by　nature　materially　and　commercially　mindedtherefore　without　basic　appeal　to　the　higher　ranks　of　intelligence。　　In　seeking　the　nomination　for　governorship　he　had　made　the　usual　overtures　and　had　in　turn　been　sounded　by　Haeckelheimer；　Gotloeb；　and　various　other　corporate　interests　who　were　in　league　with　Cowperwood　as　to　his　attitude　in　regard　to　a　proposed　public…service　commission。　　At　first　he　had　refused　to　commit　himself。　　Later；　finding　that　the　C。　W。　&　I。　and　the　Chicago　&　Pacific　（very　powerful　railroads　both）　were　interested；　and　that　other　candidates　were　running　him　a　tight　chase　in　the　gubernatorial　contest；　he　succumbed　in　a　measure；　declaring　privately　that　in　case　the　legislature　proved　to　be　strongly　in　favor　of　the　idea　and　the　newspapers　not　too　crushingly　opposed　he　might　be　willing　to　stand　as　its　advocate。　　Other　candidates　expressed　similar　views；　but　Corporal　Archer　proved　to　have　the　greater　following；　and　was　eventually　nominated　and　comfortably　elected。

Shortly　after　the　new　legislature　had　convened；　it　so　chanced　that　a　certain　A。　S。　Rotherhite；　publisher　of　the　South　Chicago　Journal；　was　one　day　accidentally　sitting　as　a　visitor　in　the　seat　of　a　state　representative　by　the　name　of　Clarence　Mulligan。　　While　so　occupied　Rotherhite　was　familiarly　slapped　on　the　back　by　a　certain　Senator　Ladrigo；　of　Menard；　and　was　invited　to　come　out　into　the　rotunda；　where；　posing　as　Representative　Mulligan；　he　was　introduced　by　Senator　Ladrigo　to　a　stranger　by　the　name　of　Gerard。　　The　latter；　with　but　few　preliminary　remarks；　began　as　follows：

〃Mr。　Mulligan；　I　want　to　fix　it　with　you　in　regard　to　this　Southack　bill　which　is　soon　to　come　up　in　the　house。　　We　have　seventy　votes；　but　we　want　ninety。　　The　fact　that　the　bill　has　gone　to　a　second　reading　in　the　senate　shows　our　strength。　　I　am　authorized　to　come　to　terms　with　you　this　morning　if　you　would　like。　　Your　vote　is　worth　two　thousand　dollars　to　you　the　moment　the　bill　is　signed。〃

Mr。　Rotherhite；　who　happened　to　be　a　newly　recruited　member　of　the　Opposition　press；　proved　very　canny　in　this　situation。

〃Excuse　me；〃　he　stammered；　〃I　did　not　understand　your　name？〃

〃Gerard。　　G…er…ard。　　Henry　A。　Gerard；〃　replied　this　other。

〃Thank　you。　　I　will　think　it　over；〃　was　the　response　of　the　presumed　Representative　Mulligan。

Strange　to　state；　at　this　very　instant　the　authentic　Mulligan　actually　appearedheralded　aloud　by　several　of　his　colleagues　who　happened　to　be　lingering　near　by　in　the　lobby。　　Whereupon　the　anomalous　Mr。　Gerard　and　the　crafty　Senator　Ladrigo　discreetly　withdrew。　　Needless　to　say　that　Mr。　Rotherhite　hurried　at　once　to　the　forces　of　righteousness。　　The　press　should　spread　this　little　story　broadcast。　　It　was　a　very　meaty　incident；　and　it　brought　the　whole　matter　once　more　into　the　fatal；　poisonous　field　of　press　discussion。

At　once　the　Chicago　papers　flew　to　arms。　　The　cry　was　raised　that　the　same　old　sinister　Cowperwoodian　forces　were　at　work。　　The　members　of　the　senate　and　the　house　were　solemnly　warned。　　The　sterling　attitude　of　ex…Governor　Swanson　was　held　up　as　an　example　to　the　present　Governor　Archer。　　〃The　whole　idea；〃　observed　an　editorial　in　Truman　Leslie　MacDonald's　Inquirer；　〃smacks　of　chicane；　political　subtlety；　and　political　jugglery。　　Well　do　the　citizens　of　Chicago　and　the　people　of　Illinois　know　who　and　what　particular　organization　would　prove　the　true　beneficiaries。　　We　do　not　want　a　public…service　commission　at　the　behest　of　a　private　street…railway　corporation。　　Are　the　tentacles　of　Frank　A。　Cowperwood　to　envelop　this　legislature　as　they　did　the　last？〃

This　broadside；　coming　in　conjunction　with　various　hostile　rumblings　in　other　papers；　aroused　Cowperwood　to　emphatic　language。

〃They　can　all　go　to　the　devil；〃　he　said　to　Addison；　one　day　at　lunch。　　〃I　have　a　right　to　an　extension　of　my　franchises　for　fifty　years；　and　I　am　going　to　get　it。　　Look　at　New　York　and　Philadelphia。　Why；　the　Eastern　houses　laugh。　　They　don't　understand　such　a　situation。　　It's　all　the　inside　work　of　this　Hand…Schryhart　crowd。　I　know　what　they're　doing　and　who's　pulling　the　strings。　　The　newspapers　yap…yap　every　time　they　give　an　order。　　Hyssop　waltzes　every　time　Arneel　moves。　　Little　MacDonald　is　a　stool…pigeon　for　Hand。　　It's　got　down　so　low　now　that　it's　anything　to　beat　Cowperwood。　Well；　they　won't　beat　me。　　I'll　find　a　way　out。　　The　legislature　will　pass　a　bill　allowing　for　a　fifty…year　franchise；　and　the　governor　will　sign　it。　　I'll　see　to　that　personally。　　I　have　at　least　eighteen　thousand　stockholders　who　want　a　decent　run　for　their　money；　and　I　propose　to　give　it　to　them。　　Aren't　other　men　getting　rich？　Aren't　other　corporations　earning　ten　and　twelve　per　cent？　Why　shouldn't　I？　Is　Chicago　any　the　worse？　Don't　I　employ　twenty　thousand　men　and　pay　them　well？　All　this　palaver　about　the　rights　of　the　people　and　the　duty　to　the　publicrats！　Does　Mr。　Hand　acknowledge　any　duty　to　the　public　where　his　special　interests　are　concerned？　Or　Mr。　Schryhart？　Or　Mr。　Arneel？　The　newspapers　be　damned！　I　know　my　rights。　　An　honest　legislature　will　give　me　a　decent　franchise　to　save　me　from　the　local　political　sharks。〃

By　this　time；　however；　the　newspapers　had　become　as　subtle　and　powerful　as　the　politicians　themselves。　　Under　the　great　dome　of　the　capitol　at　Springfield；　in　the　halls　and　conference　chambers　of　the　senate　and　house；　in　the　hotels；　and　in　the　rural　districts　wherever　any　least　information　was　to　be　gathered；　were　their　representativesto　see；　to　listen；　to　pry。　　Out　of　this　contest　they　were　gaining　prestige　and　cash。　　By　them　were　the　reform　aldermen　persuaded　to　call　mass…meetings　in　their　respective　districts。　　Property…owners　were　urged　to　organize；　a　committee　of　one　hundred　prominent　citizens　led　by　Hand　and　Schryhart　was　formed。　　It　was　not　long　before　the　halls；　chambers；　and　committee…rooms　of　the　capitol　at　Springfield　and　the　corridors　of　the　one　principal　hotel　were　being　tramped　over　almost　daily　by　rampant　delegations　of　ministers；　reform　aldermen；　and　civil　committeemen；　who　arrived　speechifying；　threatening；　and　haranguing；　and　departed；　only　to　make　room　for　another　relay。

〃Say；　what　do　you　think　of　these　delegations；　Senator？〃　inquired　a　certain　Representative　Greenough　of　Senator　George　Christian；　of