the financier-第97节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


eam　of　lavender　and　violet　was　showing　over　the　cold　white　snow　of　the　roadway。　　The　house　of　gray…green　stone；　with　its　lighted　windows；　and　cream…colored　lace　curtains；　had　looked　especially　attractive。　　He　had　thought　for　the　moment　of　the　pride　he　had　taken　in　putting　all　this　here；　decorating　and　ornamenting　it；　and　whether；　ever；　he　could　secure　it　for　himself　again。　　〃Where　is　your　mistress？〃　he　added　to　Wash；　when　he　bethought　himself。

〃In　the　sitting…room；　Mr。　Coppahwood；　ah　think。〃

Cowperwood　ascended　the　stairs；　thinking　curiously　that　Wash　would　soon　be　out　of　a　job　now；　unless　Mrs。　Cowperwood；　out　of　all　the　wreck　of　other　things；　chose　to　retain　him；　which　was　not　likely。　He　entered　the　sitting…room；　and　there　sat　his　wife　by　the　oblong　center…table；　sewing　a　hook　and　eye　on　one　of　Lillian；　second's；　petticoats。　　She　looked　up；　at　his　step；　with　the　peculiarly　uncertain　smile　she　used　these　daysindication　of　her　pain；　fear；　suspicionand　inquired；　〃Well；　what　is　new　with　you；　Frank？〃　Her　smile　was　something　like　a　hat　or　belt　or　ornament　which　one　puts　on　or　off　at　will。

〃Nothing　in　particular；〃　he　replied；　in　his　offhand　way；　〃except　that　I　understand　I　have　lost　that　appeal　of　mine。　　Steger　is　coming　here　in　a　little　while　to　let　me　know。　　I　had　a　note　from　him；　and　I　fancy　it's　about　that。〃

He　did　not　care　to　say　squarely　that　he　had　lost。　　He　knew　that　she　was　sufficiently　distressed　as　it　was；　and　he　did　not　care　to　be　too　abrupt　just　now。

〃You　don't　say！〃　replied　Lillian；　with　surprise　and　fright　in　her　voice；　and　getting　up。

She　had　been　so　used　to　a　world　where　prisons　were　scarcely　thought　of；　where　things　went　on　smoothly　from　day　to　day　without　any　noticeable　intrusion　of　such　distressing　things　as　courts；　jails；　and　the　like；　that　these　last　few　months　had　driven　her　nearly　mad。　Cowperwood　had　so　definitely　insisted　on　her　keeping　in　the　backgroundhe　had　told　her　so　very　little　that　she　was　all　at　sea　anyhow　in　regard　to　the　whole　procedure。　　Nearly　all　that　she　had　had　in　the　way　of　intelligence　had　been　from　his　father　and　mother　and　Anna；　and　from　a　close　and　almost　secret　scrutiny　of　the　newspapers。

At　the　time　he　had　gone　to　the　county　jail　she　did　not　even　know　anything　about　it　until　his　father　had　come　back　from　the　court…room　and　the　jail　and　had　broken　the　news　to　her。　　It　had　been　a　terrific　blow　to　her。　　Now　to　have　this　thing　suddenly　broken　to　her　in　this　offhand　way；　even　though　she　had　been　expecting　and　dreading　it　hourly；　was　too　much。

She　was　still　a　decidedly　charming…looking　woman　as　she　stood　holding　her　daughter's　garment　in　her　hand；　even　if　she　was　forty　years　old　to　Cowperwood's　thirty…five。　　She　was　robed　in　one　of　the　creations　of　their　late　prosperity；　a　cream…colored　gown　of　rich　silk；　with　dark　brown　trimmingsa　fetching　combination　for　her。　　Her　eyes　were　a　little　hollow；　and　reddish　about　the　rims；　but　otherwise　she　showed　no　sign　of　her　keen　mental　distress。　There　was　considerable　evidence　of　the　former　tranquil　sweetness　that　had　so　fascinated　him　ten　years　before。

〃Isn't　that　terrible？〃　she　said；　weakly；　her　hands　trembling　in　a　nervous　way。　　〃Isn't　it　dreadful？　Isn't　there　anything　more　you　can　do；　truly？〃　You　won't　really　have　to　go　to　prison；　will　you？〃　He　objected　to　her　distress　and　her　nervous　fears。　　He　preferred　a　stronger；　more　self…reliant　type　of　woman；　but　still　she　was　his　wife；　and　in　his　day　he　had　loved　her　much。

〃It　looks　that　way；　Lillian；〃　he　said；　with　the　first　note　of　real　sympathy　he　had　used　in　a　long　while；　for　he　felt　sorry　for　her　now。　　At　the　same　time　he　was　afraid　to　go　any　further　along　that　line；　for　fear　it　might　give　her　a　false　sense　as　to　his　present　attitude　toward　her　which　was　one　essentially　of　indifference。　But　she　was　not　so　dull　but　what　she　could　see　that　the　consideration　in　his　voice　had　been　brought　about　by　his　defeat；　which　meant　hers　also。　　She　choked　a　littleand　even　so　was　touched。　　The　bare　suggestion　of　sympathy　brought　back　the　old　days　so　definitely　gone　forever。　　If　only　they　could　be　brought　back！

〃I　don't　want　you　to　feel　distressed　about　me；　though；〃　he　went　on；　before　she　could　say　anything　to　him。　　〃I'm　not　through　with　my　fighting。　　I'll　get　out　of　this。　　I　have　to　go　to　prison；　it　seems；　in　order　to　get　things　straightened　out　properly。　　What　I　would　like　you　to　do　is　to　keep　up　a　cheerful　appearance　in　front　of　the　rest　of　the　familyfather　and　mother　particularly。　　They　need　to　be　cheered　up。〃　　He　thought　once　of　taking　her　hand；　then　decided　not。　　She　noted　mentally　his　hesitation；　the　great　difference　between　his　attitude　now　and　that　of　ten　or　twelve　years　before。　It　did　not　hurt　her　now　as　much　as　she　once　would　have　thought。　　She　looked　at　him；　scarcely　knowing　what　to　say。　　There　was　really　not　so　much　to　say。

〃Will　you　have　to　go　soon；　if　you　do　have　to　go？〃　she　ventured；　wearily。

〃I　can't　tell　yet。　　Possibly　to…night。　　Possibly　Friday。　　Possibly　not　until　Monday。　　I'm　waiting　to　hear　from　Steger。　　I　expect　him　here　any　minute。〃

To　prison！　To　prison！　Her　Frank　Cowperwood；　her　husbandthe　substance　of　their　home　hereand　all　their　soul　destruction　going　to　prison。　　And　even　now　she　scarcely　grasped　why！　She　stood　there　wondering　what　she　could　do

〃Is　there　anything　I　can　get　for　you？〃　she　asked；　starting　forward　as　if　out　of　a　dream。　　〃Do　you　want　me　to　do　anything？　Don't　you　think　perhaps　you　had　better　leave　Philadelphia；　Frank？　You　needn't　go　to　prison　unless　you　want　to。〃

She　was　a　little　beside　herself；　for　the　first　time　in　her　life　shocked　out　of　a　deadly　calm。

He　paused　and　looked　at　her　for　a　moment　in　his　direct；　examining　way；　his　hard　commercial　business　judgment　restored　on　the　instant。

〃That　would　be　a　confession　of　guilt；　Lillian；　and　I'm　not　guilty；〃　he　replied；　almost　coldly。　　〃I　haven't　done　anything　that　warrants　my　running　away　or　going　to　prison；　either。　　I'm　merely　going　there　to　save　time　at　present。　　I　can't　be　litigating　this　thing　forever。　　I'll　get　outbe　pardoned　out　or　sued　out　in　a　reasonable　length　of　time。　　Just　now　it's　better　to　go；　I　think。　　I　wouldn't　think　of　running　away　from　Philadelphia。　　Two　of　five　judges　found　for　me　in　the　decision。　　That's　pretty　fair　evidence　that　the　State　has　no　case　against　me。〃

His　wife　saw　she　had　made　a　mistake。　　It　clarified　her　judgment　on　the　instant。　　〃I　didn't　mean　in　that　way；　Frank；〃　she　replied；　apologetically。　　〃You　know　I　didn't。　　Of　course　I　know　you're　not　guilty。　　Why　should　I　think　you　were；　of　all　people？〃

She　paused；　expecting　some　retort；　some　further　argumenta　kind　word　maybe。　　A　trace　of　the　older；　baffling　love；　but　he　had　quietly　turned　to　his　desk　and　was　thinking　of　other　things。

At　this　point　the　anomaly　of　her　own　state　came　over　her　again。　It　was　all　so　sad　and　so　hopeless。　　And　what　was　she　to　do　in　the　future？　And　what　was　he　likely　to　do？　She　paused　half　trembling　and　yet　decided；　because　of　her　peculiarly　nonresisting　nature　why　trespass　on　his　time？　Why　bother？　No　good　would　really　come　of　it。　　He　really　did　not　care　for　her　any　morethat　was　it。　Nothing　could　make　him；　nothing　could　bring　them　together　again；　not　even　this　tragedy。　　He　was　interested　in　another　womanAileen　and　so　her　foolish　thoughts　and　explanations；　her　fear；　sorrow；　distress；　were　not　important　to　him。　　He　could　take　her　agonized　wish　for　his　freedom　as　a　comment　on　his　probable　guilt；　a　doubt　of　his　innocence；　a　criticism　of　him！　She　turned　away　for　a　minute；　and　he　started　to　leave　the　room。

〃I'll　be　back　again　in　a　few　moments；〃　he　volunteered。　　〃Are　the　children　here？〃

〃Yes；　they're　up　in　the　play…room；〃　she　answered；　sadly；　utterly　nonplussed　and　distraught。

〃Oh；　Frank！〃　she　had　it　on　her　lips　to　cry；　but　before　she　could　utter　it　he　had　bustled　down　the　steps　and　was　gone。　　She　turned　back　to　the　table；　her　left　hand　to　her　mouth；　her　eyes　in　a　queer；　hazy；　melancholy　mist。　　Could　it　be；　she　thought；　that　life　could　really　come　to　thisthat　love　could　so　utterly；　so　thoroughly　die？　Ten　years　beforebut；　oh；　why　go　back　to　that？　Obviously　it　could；　and　thoughts　concerning　that　would　not　help　now。　　Twice　now　in　her　life　her　affairs　had　seemed　to　go　to　piecesonce　when　her　first　husband　had　died；　and　now　when　her　second　had　failed　her；　had　fallen　in　love　with　another　and　was　going　to　be　sent　off　to　prison。　What　was　it　about　her　that　caused　such　things？　Was　there　anything　wrong　with　her？　What　was　she　going　to　do？　Where　go？　She　had　no　idea；　of　course；　for　how　long　a　term　of　years　he　would　be　sent　away。　It　might　be　one　year　or　it　might　be　five　years；　as　the　papers　had　said。　　Good　heavens！　The　children　could　almost　come　to　forget　him　in　five　years。　　She　put　her　other　hand　to　her　mouth；　also；　and　then　to　her　forehead；　where　there　was　a　dull　ache。　　She　tried　to　think　further　than　this；　but　somehow；　just　now；　there　was　no　further　thought。　　Suddenly　quite　outside　of　her　own　volition；　with　no　thought　that　she　was　going　to　do　such　a　thing；　her　bosom　began　to　heave；　her　throat　contracted　in　four　or　five　short；　sharp；　aching　spasms；　her　eyes　burned；　and　she　shook　in　a　vigorous；　anguished；　desperate；　almost　one　might　have　said　dry…eyed；　cry；　so　hot　and　few　were　the　tears。　　She　could　not