the titan-第16节

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en　her　look　more　beautiful。　　After　all；　contrasted　with　some　of　the　stuffy　creatures　who　moved　about　in　society；　shrewd；　hard；　bony；　calculating；　trading　on　their　assured　position；　she　was　admirable。　　It　was　a　pity　she　did　not　have　more　poise；　she　ought　to　be　a　little　harder　not　quite　so　genial。　　Still；　with　Cowperwood　at　her　side；　she　might　go　far。

〃Really；　Mrs。　Cowperwood；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　all　most　charming。　　I　was　just　telling　Mr。　Lord　here　that　I　consider　the　house　a　triumph。〃

From　McKibben；　who　was　in　society；　and　with　Lord；　another　〃in〃　standing　by；　this　was　like　wine　to　Aileen。　　She　beamed　joyously。

Among　the　first　arrivals　were　Mrs。　Webster　Israels；　Mrs。　Bradford　Canda；　and　Mrs。　Walter　Rysam　Cotton；　who　were　to　assist　in　receiving。　These　ladies　did　not　know　that　they　were　taking　their　future　reputations　for　sagacity　and　discrimination　in　their　hands；　they　had　been　carried　away　by　the　show　of　luxury　of　Aileen；　the　growing　financial　repute　of　Cowperwood；　and　the　artistic　qualities　of　the　new　house。　　Mrs。　Webster　Israels's　mouth　was　of　such　a　peculiar　shape　that　Aileen　was　always　reminded　of　a　fish；　but　she　was　not　utterly　homely；　and　to…day　she　looked　brisk　and　attractive。　　Mrs。　Bradford　Canda；　whose　old　rose　and　silver…gray　dress　made　up　in　part　for　an　amazing　angularity；　but　who　was　charming　withal；　was　the　soul　of　interest；　for　she　believed　this　to　be　a　very　significant　affair。　　Mrs。　Walter　Rysam　Cotton；　a　younger　woman　than　either　of　the　others；　had　the　polish　of　Vassar　life　about　her；　and　was　〃above〃　many　things。　　Somehow　she　half　suspected　the　Cowperwoods　might　not　do；　but　they　were　making　strides；　and　might　possibly　surpass　all　other　aspirants。　　It　behooved　her　to　be　pleasant。

Life　passes　from　individuality　and　separateness　at　times　to　a　sort　of　Monticelliesque　mood　of　color；　where　individuality　is　nothing；　the　glittering　totality　all。　　The　new　house；　with　its　charming　French　windows　on　the　ground　floor；　its　heavy　bands　of　stone　flowers　and　deep…sunk　florated　door；　was　soon　crowded　with　a　moving；　colorful　flow　of　people。

Many　whom　Aileen　and　Cowperwood　did　not　know　at　all　had　been　invited　by　McKibben　and　Lord；　they　came；　and　were　now　introduced。　　The　adjacent　side　streets　and　the　open　space　in　front　of　the　house　were　crowded　with　champing　horses　and　smartly　veneered　carriages。　All　with　whom　the　Cowperwoods　had　been　the　least　intimate　came　early；　and；　finding　the　scene　colorful　and　interesting；　they　remained　for　some　time。　　The　caterer；　Kinsley；　had　supplied　a　small　army　of　trained　servants　who　were　posted　like　soldiers；　and　carefully　supervised　by　the　Cowperwood　butler。　　The　new　dining…room；　rich　with　a　Pompeian　scheme　of　color；　was　aglow　with　a　wealth　of　glass　and　an　artistic　arrangement　of　delicacies。　　The　afternoon　costumes　of　the　women；　ranging　through　autumnal　grays；　purples；　browns；　and　greens；　blended　effectively　with　the　brown…tinted　walls　of　the　entry…hall；　the　deep　gray　and　gold　of　the　general　living…room；　the　old…Roman　red　of　the　dining…room；　the　white…and…gold　of　the　music…room；　and　the　neutral　sepia　of　the　art…gallery。

Aileen；　backed　by　the　courageous　presence　of　Cowperwood；　who；　in　the　dining…room；　the　library；　and　the　art…gallery；　was　holding　a　private　levee　of　men；　stood　up　in　her　vain　beauty；　a　thing　to　seealmost　to　weep　over；　embodying　the　vanity　of　all　seeming　things；　the　mockery　of　having　and　yet　not　having。　　This　parading　throng　that　was　more　curious　than　interested；　more　jealous　than　sympathetic；　more　critical　than　kind；　was　coming　almost　solely　to　observe。

〃Do　you　know；　Mrs。　Cowperwood；〃　Mrs。　Simms　remarked；　lightly；　〃your　house　reminds　me　of　an　art　exhibit　to…day。　　I　hardly　know　why。〃

Aileen；　who　caught　the　implied　slur；　had　no　clever　words　wherewith　to　reply。　　She　was　not　gifted　in　that　way；　but　she　flared　with　resentment。

〃Do　you　think　so？〃　she　replied；　caustically。

Mrs。　Simms；　not　all　dissatisfied　with　the　effect　she　had　produced；　passed　on　with　a　gay　air；　attended　by　a　young　artist　who　followed　amorously　in　her　train。

Aileen　saw　from　this　and　other　things　like　it　how　little　she　was　really　〃in。〃　The　exclusive　set　did　not　take　either　her　or　Cowperwood　seriously　as　yet。　　She　almost　hated　the　comparatively　dull　Mrs。　Israels；　who　had　been　standing　beside　her　at　the　time；　and　who　had　heard　the　remark；　and　yet　Mrs。　Israels　was　much　better　than　nothing。　Mrs。　Simms　had　condescended　a　mild　〃how'd　do〃　to　the　latter。

It　was　in　vain　that　the　Addisons；　Sledds；　Kingslands；　Hoecksemas；　and　others　made　their　appearance；　Aileen　was　not　reassured。　　However；　after　dinner　the　younger　set；　influenced　by　McKibben；　came　to　dance；　and　Aileen　was　at　her　best　in　spite　of　her　doubts。　She　was　gay；　bold；　attractive。　　Kent　McKibben；　a　past　master　in　the　mazes　and　mysteries　of　the　grand　march；　had　the　pleasure　of　leading　her　in　that　airy；　fairy　procession；　followed　by　Cowperwood；　who　gave　his　arm　to　Mrs。　Simms。　　Aileen；　in　white　satin　with　a　touch　of　silver　here　and　there　and　necklet；　bracelet；　ear…rings；　and　hair…ornament　of　diamonds；　glittered　in　almost　an　exotic　way。　She　was　positively　radiant。　　McKibben；　almost　smitten；　was　most　attentive。

〃This　is　such　a　pleasure；〃　he　whispered；　intimately。　　〃You　are　very　beautifula　dream！〃

〃You　would　find　me　a　very　substantial　one；〃　returned　Aileen。　〃Would　that　I　might　find；〃　he　laughed；　gaily；　and　Aileen；　gathering　the　hidden　significance；　showed　her　teeth　teasingly。　　Mrs。　Simms；　engrossed　by　Cowperwood；　could　not　hear　as　she　would　have　liked。

After　the　march　Aileen；　surrounded　by　a　half…dozen　of　gay；　rudely　thoughtless　young　bloods；　escorted　them　all　to　see　her　portrait。　　The　conservative　commented　on　the　flow　of　wine；　the　intensely　nude　Gerome　at　one　end　of　the　gallery；　and　the　sparkling　portrait　of　Aileen　at　the　other；　the　enthusiasm　of　some　of　the　young　men　for　her　company。　　Mrs。　Rambaud；　pleasant　and　kindly；　remarked　to　her　husband　that　Aileen　was　〃very　eager　for　life；〃　she　thought。　　Mrs。　Addison；　astonished　at　the　material　flare　of　the　Cowperwoods；　quite　transcending　in　glitter　if　not　in　size　and　solidity　anything　she　and　Addison　had　ever　achieved；　remarked　to　her　husband　that　〃he　must　be　making　money　very　fast。〃

〃The　man's　a　born　financier；　Ella；〃　Addison　explained；　sententiously。　〃He's　a　manipulator；　and　he's　sure　to　make　money。　　Whether　they　can　get　into　society　I　don't　know。　　He　could　if　he　were　alone；　that's　sure。　　She's　beautiful；　but　he　needs　another　kind　of　woman；　I'm　afraid。　　She's　almost　too　good…looking。〃

〃That's　what　I　think；　too。　　I　like　her；　but　I'm　afraid　she's　not　going　to　play　her　cards　right。　　It's　too　bad；　too。〃

Just　then　Aileen　came　by；　a　smiling　youth　on　either　side；　her　own　face　glowing　with　a　warmth　of　joy　engendered　by　much　flattery。　　The　ball…room；　which　was　composed　of　the　music　and　drawing　rooms　thrown　into　one；　was　now　the　objective。　　It　glittered　before　her　with　a　moving　throng；　the　air　was　full　of　the　odor　of　flowers；　and　the　sound　of　music　and　voices。

〃Mrs。　Cowperwood；〃　observed　Bradford　Canda　to　Horton　Biggers；　the　society　editor；　〃is　one　of　the　prettiest　women　I　have　seen　in　a　long　time。　　She's　almost　too　pretty。〃

〃How　do　you　think　she's　taking？〃　queried　the　cautious　Biggers。　〃Charming；　but　she's　hardly　cold　enough；　I'm　afraid；　hardly　clever　enough。　　It　takes　a　more　serious　type。　　She's　a　little　too　high…spirited。　　These　old　women　would　never　want　to　get　near　her；　she　makes　them　look　too　old。　　She'd　do　better　if　she　were　not　so　young　and　so　pretty。〃

〃That's　what　I　think　exactly；〃　said　Biggers。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　he　did　not　think　so　at　all；　he　had　no　power　of　drawing　any　such　accurate　conclusions。　　But　he　believed　it　now；　because　Bradford　Canda　had　said　it。




Chapter　XI



The　Fruits　of　Daring

Next　morning；　over　the　breakfast　cups　at　the　Norrie　Simmses'　and　elsewhere；　the　import　of　the　Cowperwoods'　social　efforts　was　discussed　and　the　problem　of　their　eventual　acceptance　or　non…acceptance　carefully　weighed。

〃The　trouble　with　Mrs。　Cowperwood；〃　observed　Mrs。　Simms；　〃is　that　she　is　too　gauche。　　The　whole　thing　was　much　too　showy。　　The　idea　of　her　portrait　at　one　end　of　the　gallery　and　that　Gerome　at　the　other！　And　then　this　item　in　the　Press　this　morning！　Why；　you'd　really　think　they　were　in　society。〃　Mrs。　Simms　was　already　a　little　angry　at　having　let　herself　be　used；　as　she　now　fancied　she　had　been；　by　Taylor　Lord　and　Kent　McKibben；　both　friends　of　hers。

What　did　you　think　of　the　crowd？〃　asked　Norrie；　buttering　a　roll。

〃Why；　it　wasn't　representative　at　all；　of　course。　　We　were　the　most　important　people　they　had　there；　and　I'm　sorry　now　that　we　went。　　Who　are　the　Israelses　and　the　Hoecksemas；　anyhow？　That　dreadful　woman！〃　（She　was　referring　to　Mrs。　Hoecksema。）　〃I　never　listened　to　duller　remarks　in　my　life。〃

〃I　was　talking　to　Haguenin　of　the　Press　in　the　afternoon；〃　observed　Norrie。　　〃He　says　that　Cowperwood　failed　in　Philadelphia　before　he　came　here；　and　that　there　were　a　lot　of　lawsuits。　　Did　you　ever　hear　that？〃

〃No。　　But　she　says　she　knows　the　Drakes　and　the　Walkers　there。　　I've　been　intending　to　ask　Nellie　about　that。　　I　have　often　wondered　why　he　should　leave　Philadelphia　if　he　was　getting　along　so　well。　People　don't　usually　do　that。〃

Simms　was　envious