the titan-第35节

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He　eyed　her　thoughtfully；　tenderly；　hoping　to　move　her　through　her　love　for　him。

〃Sympathy！　Sympathy！〃　She　turned　on　him　blazing。　　〃A　lot　you　know　about　sympathy！　I　suppose　I　didn't　give　you　any　sympathy　when　you　were　in　the　penitentiary　in　Philadelphia；　did　I？　A　lot　of　good　it　did　medidn't　it？　Sympathy！　Bah！　To　have　you　come　out　here　to　Chicago　and　take　up　with　a　lot　of　prostitutescheap　stenographers　and　wives　of　musicians！　You　have　given　me　a　lot　of　sympathy；　haven't　you？with　that　woman　lying　in　the　next　room　to　prove　it！〃

She　smoothed　her　lithe　waist　and　shook　her　shoulders　preparatory　to　putting　on　a　hat　and　adjusting　her　wrap。　　She　proposed　to　go　just　as　she　was；　and　send　Fadette　back　for　all　her　belongings。

〃Aileen；〃　he　pleaded；　determined　to　have　his　way；　〃I　think　you're　very　foolish。　　Really　I　do。　　There　is　no　occasion　for　all　thisnone　in　the　world。　　Here　you　are　talking　at　the　top　of　your　voice；　scandalizing　the　whole　neighborhood；　fighting；　leaving　the　house。　It's　abominable。　　I　don't　want　you　to　do　it。　　You　love　me　yet；　don't　you？　You　know　you　do。　　I　know　you　don't　mean　all　you　say。　　You　can't。　　You　really　don't　believe　that　I　have　ceased　to　love　you；　do　you；　Aileen？〃

〃Love！〃　fired　Aileen。　　〃A　lot　you　know　about　love！　A　lot　you　have　ever　loved　anybody；　you　brute！　I　know　how　you　love。　　I　thought　you　loved　me　once。　　Humph！　I　see　how　you　loved　mejust　as　you've　loved　fifty　other　women；　as　you　love　that　snippy　little　Rita　Sohlberg　in　the　next　roomthe　cat！the　dirty　little　beast！the　way　you　love　Antoinette　Nowaka　cheap　stenographer！　Bah！　You　don't　know　what　the　word　means。〃　And　yet　her　voice　trailed　off　into　a　kind　of　sob　and　her　eyes　filled　with　tears；　hot；　angry；　aching。　　Cowperwood　saw　them　and　came　over；　hoping　in　some　way　to　take　advantage　of　them。　　He　was　truly　sorry　nowanxious　to　make　her　feel　tender　toward　him　once　more。

〃Aileen；〃　he　pleaded；　〃please　don't　be　so　bitter。　　You　shouldn't　be　so　hard　on　me。　　I'm　not　so　bad。　　Aren't　you　going　to　be　reasonable？〃　He　put　out　a　smoothing　hand；　but　she　jumped　away。

〃Don't　you　touch　me；　you　brute！〃　she　exclaimed；　angrily。　　〃Don't　you　lay　a　hand　on　me。　　I　don't　want　you　to　come　near　me。　　I'll　not　live　with　you。　　I'll　not　stay　in　the　same　house　with　you　and　your　mistresses。　　Go　and　live　with　your　dear；　darling　Rita　on　the　North　Side　if　you　want　to。　　I　don't　care。　　I　suppose　you've　been　in　the　next　room　comforting　herthe　beast！　I　wish　I　had　killed　herOh；　God！〃　She　tore　at　her　throat　in　a　violent　rage；　trying　to　adjust　a　button。

Cowperwood　was　literally　astonished。　　Never　had　he　seen　such　an　outburst　as　this。　　He　had　not　believed　Aileen　to　be　capable　of　it。　He　could　not　help　admiring　her。　　Nevertheless　he　resented　the　brutality　of　her　assault　on　Rita　and　on　his　own　promiscuous　tendency；　and　this　feeling　vented　itself　in　one　last　unfortunate　remark。

〃I　wouldn't　be　so　hard　on　mistresses　if　I　were　you；　Aileen；〃　he　ventured；　pleadingly。　　〃I　should　have　thought　your　own　experience　would　have〃

He　paused；　for　he　saw　on　the　instant　that　he　was　making　a　grave　mistake。　　This　reference　to　her　past　as　a　mistress　was　crucial。　　On　the　instant　she　straightened　up；　and　her　eyes　filled　with　a　great　pain。　　〃So　that's　the　way　you　talk　to　me；　is　it？〃　she　asked。　〃I　knew　it！　I　knew　it！　I　knew　it　would　come！〃

She　turned　to　a　tall　chest　of　drawers　as　high　as　her　breasts；　laden　with　silverware；　jewel…boxes；　brushes　and　combs；　and；　putting　her　arms　down；　she　laid　her　head　upon　them　and　began　to　cry。　　This　was　the　last　straw。　　He　was　throwing　up　her　lawless　girlhood　love　to　her　as　an　offense。

〃Oh！〃　she　sobbed；　and　shook　in　a　hopeless；　wretched　paroxysm。　Cowperwood　came　over　quickly。　　He　was　distressed；　pained。　　〃I　didn't　mean　that；　Aileen；〃　he　explained。　　〃I　didn't　mean　it　in　that　waynot　at　all。　　You　rather　drew　that　out　of　me；　but　I　didn't　mean　it　as　a　reproach。　　You　were　my　mistress；　but　good　Lord；　I　never　loved　you　any　the　less　for　thatrather　more。　　You　know　I　did。　　I　want　you　to　believe　that；　it's　true。　　These　other　matters　haven't　been　so　important　to　methey　really　haven't〃

He　looked　at　her　helplessly　as　she　moved　away　to　avoid　him；　he　was　distressed；　nonplussed；　immensely　sorry。　　As　he　walked　to　the　center　of　the　room　again　she　suddenly　suffered　a　great　revulsion　of　feeling；　but　only　in　the　direction　of　more　wrath。　　This　was　too　much。

〃So　this　is　the　way　you　talk　to　me；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃after　all　I　have　done　for　you！　You　say　that　to　me　after　I　waited　for　you　and　cried　over　you　when　you　were　in　prison　for　nearly　two　years？　Your　mistress！　That's　my　reward；　is　it？　Oh！〃

Suddenly　she　observed　her　jewel…case；　and；　resenting　all　the　gifts　he　had　given　her　in　Philadelphia；　in　Paris；　in　Rome；　here　in　Chicago；　she　suddenly　threw　open　the　lid　and；　grabbing　the　contents　by　handfuls；　began　to　toss　them　toward　himto　actually　throw　them　in　his　face。　　Out　they　came；　handfuls　of　gauds　that　he　had　given　her　in　real　affection：　a　jade　necklace　and　bracelet　of　pale　apple…green　set　in　spun　gold；　with　clasps　of　white　ivory；　a　necklace　of　pearls；　assorted　as　to　size　and　matched　in　color；　that　shone　with　a　tinted；　pearly　flame　in　the　evening　light；　a　handful　of　rings　and　brooches；　diamonds；　rubies；　opals；　amethysts；　a　dog…collar　of　emeralds；　and　a　diamond　hair…ornament。　　She　flung　them　at　him　excitedly；　strewing　the　floor；　striking　him　on　the　neck；　the　face；　the　hands。　　〃Take　that！　and　that！　and　that！　There　they　are！　I　don't　want　anything　more　of　yours。　　I　don't　want　anything　more　to　do　with　you。　　I　don't　want　anything　that　belongs　to　you。　　Thank　God；　I　have　money　enough　of　my　own　to　live　on！　I　hate　youI　despise　youI　never　want　to　see　you　any　more。　　Oh〃　And；　trying　to　think　of　something　more；　but　failing；　she　dashed　swiftly　down　the　hall　and　down　the　stairs；　while　he　stood　for　just　one　moment　overwhelmed。　Then　he　hurried　after。

〃Aileen！〃　he　called。　　〃Aileen；　come　back　here！　Don't　go；　Aileen！〃　But　she　only　hurried　faster；　she　opened　and　closed　the　door；　and　actually　ran　out　in　the　dark；　her　eyes　wet；　her　heart　bursting。　　So　this　was　the　end　of　that　youthful　dream　that　had　begun　so　beautifully。　　She　was　no　better　than　the　othersjust　one　of　his　mistresses。　　To　have　her　past　thrown　up　to　her　as　a　defense　for　the　others！　To　be　told　that　she　was　no　better　than　they！　This　was　the　last　straw。　　She　choked　and　sobbed　as　she　walked；　vowing　never　to　return；　never　to　see　him　any　more。　　But　as　she　did　so　Cowperwood　came　running　after；　determined　for　once；　as　lawless　as　he　was；　that　this　should　not　be　the　end　of　it　all。　　She　had　loved　him；　he　reflected。　　She　had　laid　every　gift　of　passion　and　affection　on　the　altar　of　her　love。　　It　wasn't　fair；　really。　　She　must　be　made　to　stay。　　He　caught　up　at　last；　reaching　her　under　the　dark　of　the　November　trees。

〃Aileen；〃　he　said；　laying　hold　of　her　and　putting　his　arms　around　her　waist。　　〃Aileen；　dearest；　this　is　plain　madness。　　It　is　insanity。　You're　not　in　your　right　mind。　　Don't　go！　Don't　leave　me！　I　love　you！　Don't　you　know　I　do？　Can't　you　really　see　that？　Don't　run　away　like　this；　and　don't　cry。　　I　do　love　you；　and　you　know　it。　　I　always　shall。　　Come　back　now。　　Kiss　me。　　I'll　do　better。　　Really　I　will。　　Give　me　another　chance。　　Wait　and　see。　　Come　nowwon't　you？　That's　my　girl；　my　Aileen。　　Do　come。　　Please！〃

She　pulled　on；　but　he　held　her；　smoothing　her　arms；　her　neck；　her　face。

〃Aileen！〃　he　entreated。

She　tugged　so　that　he　was　finally　compelled　to　work　her　about　into　his　arms；　then；　sobbing；　she　stood　there　agonized　but　happy　once　more；　in　a　way。

〃But　I　don't　want　to；〃　she　protested。　　〃You　don't　love　me　any　more。　Let　me　go。〃

But　he　kept　hold　of　her；　urging；　and　finally　she　said；　her　head　upon　his　shoulder　as　of　old；　〃Don't　make　me　come　back　to…night。　　I　don't　want　to。　　I　can't。　　Let　me　go　down…town。　　I'll　come　back　later；　maybe。〃

〃Then　I'll　go　with　you；〃　he　said；　endearingly。　　〃It　isn't　right。　　There　are　a　lot　of　things　I　should　be　doing　to　stop　this　scandal；　but　I'll　go。〃

And　together　they　sought　a　street…car。




Chapter　XX



〃Man　and　Superman〃

It　is　a　sad　commentary　on　all　save　the　most　chemic　unionsthose　dark　red　flowers　of　romance　that　bloom　most　often　only　for　a　tragic　endthat　they　cannot　endure　the　storms　of　disaster　that　are　wont　to　overtake　them。　　A　woman　like　Rita　Sohlberg；　with　a　seemingly　urgent　feeling　for　Cowperwood；　was　yet　not　so　charmed　by　him　but　that　this　shock　to　her　pride　was　a　marked　sedative。　　The　crushing　weight　of　such　an　exposure　as　this；　the　Homeric　laughter　inherent；　if　not　indicated　in　the　faulty　planning；　the　failure　to　take　into　account　beforehand　all　the　possibilities　which　might　lead　to　such　a　disaster；　was　too　much　for　her　to　endure。　　She　was　stung　almost　to　desperation；　maddened；　at　the　thought　of　the　gay；　idle　way　in　which　she　had　walked　into　Mrs。　Cowperwood's　clutches　and　been　made　into　a　spectacle　and　a　laughing…stock　by　her。　　What　a　brute　she　waswhat　a　demon！　Her　own　physical　weakness　under　the　circumstances　was　no　grief　to　herrather　a　salve　to　her　superior　disposition；　but　just　the　same　she　had　been　badly　beaten；　her　beauty　turned　into　a　ragamuffin　show；　and　that　was　enough。　　This　evening；　in　the　Lake　Shore　Sanitarium；　where　she　had　been　taken；　she　had　but　one　thoughtto　get　away　when　i