the titan-第36节

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t　one　thoughtto　get　away　when　it　should　all　be　over　and　rest　her　wearied　brain。　　She　did　not　want　to　see　Sohlberg　any　more；　she　did　not　want　to　see　Cowperwood　any　more。　　Already　Harold；　suspicious　and　determined　to　get　at　the　truth；　was　beginning　to　question　her　as　to　the　strangeness　of　Aileen's　attackher　probable　reason。　　When　Cowperwood　was　announced；　Sohlberg's　manner　modified　somewhat；　for　whatever　his　suspicions　were；　he　was　not　prepared　to　quarrel　with　this　singular　man　as　yet。

〃I　am　so　sorry　about　this　unfortunate　business；〃　said　Cowperwood；　coming　in　with　brisk　assurance。　　〃I　never　knew　my　wife　to　become　so　strangely　unbalanced　before。　　It　was　most　fortunate　that　I　arrived　when　I　did。　　I　certainly　owe　you　both　every　amend　that　can　be　made。　　I　sincerely　hope；　Mrs。　Sohlberg；　that　you　are　not　seriously　injured。　　If　there　is　anything　I　can　possibly　doanything　either　of　you　can　suggest〃he　looked　around　solicitously　at　Sohlberg〃I　shall　only　be　too　glad　to　do　it。　　How　would　it　do　for　you　to　take　Mrs。　Sohlberg　away　for　a　little　while　for　a　rest？　I　shall　so　gladly　pay　all　expenses　in　connection　with　her　recovery。〃

Sohlberg；　brooding　and　heavy；　remained　unresponsive；　smoldering；　Rita；　cheered　by　Cowperwood's　presence；　but　not　wholly　relieved　by　any　means；　was　questioning　and　disturbed。　　She　was　afraid　there　was　to　be　a　terrific　scene　between　them。　　She　declared　she　was　better　and　would　be　all　rightthat　she　did　not　need　to　go　away；　but　that　she　preferred　to　be　alone。

〃It's　very　strange；〃　said　Sohlberg；　sullenly；　after　a　little　while。　〃I　daunt　onderstand　it！　I　daunt　onderstand　it　at　all。　　Why　should　she　do　soach　a　thing？　Why　should　she　say　soach　things？　Here　we　have　been　the　best　of　friends　opp　to　now。　　Then　suddenly　she　attacks　my　wife　and　sais　all　these　strange　things。〃

〃But　I　have　assured　you；　my　dear　Mr。　Sohlberg；　that　my　wife　was　not　in　her　right　mind。　　She　has　been　subject　to　spells　of　this　kind　in　the　past；　though　never　to　anything　so　violent　as　this　to…night。　　Already　she　has　recovered　her　normal　state；　and　she　does　not　remember。　　But；　perhaps；　if　we　are　going　to　discuss　things　now　we　had　better　go　out　in　the　hall。　　Your　wife　will　need　all　the　rest　she　can　get。〃

Once　outside；　Cowperwood　continued　with　brilliant　assurance：　〃Now；　my　dear　Sohlberg；　what　is　it　I　can　say？　What　is　it　you　wish　me　to　do？　My　wife　has　made　a　lot　of　groundless　charges；　to　say　nothing　of　injuring　your　wife　most　seriously　and　shamefully。　　I　cannot　tell　you；　as　I　have　said；　how　sorry　I　am。　　I　assure　you　Mrs。　Cowperwood　is　suffering　from　a　gross　illusion。　　There　is　absolutely　nothing　to　do；　nothing　to　say；　so　far　as　I　can　see；　but　to　let　the　whole　matter　drop。　　Don't　you　agree　with　me？〃

Harold　was　twisting　mentally　in　the　coils　of　a　trying　situation。　His　own　position；　as　he　knew；　was　not　formidable。　　Rita　had　reproached　him　over　and　over　for　infidelity。　　He　began　to　swell　and　bluster　at　once。

〃That　is　all　very　well　for　you　to　say；　Mr。　Cowperwood；〃　he　commented；　defiantly；　〃but　how　about　me？　Where　do　I　come　in？　I　daunt　know　what　to　theenk　yet。　　It　ees　very　strange。　　Supposing　what　your　wife　sais　was　true？　Supposing　my　wife　has　been　going　around　weeth　some　one？　That　ees　what　I　want　to　find　out。　　Eef　she　has！　Eef　eet　is　what　I　theenk　it　ees　I　shallI　shallI　daunt　know　what　I　shall　do。　　I　am　a　very　violent　man。〃

Cowperwood　almost　smiled；　concerned　as　he　was　over　avoiding　publicity；　he　had　no　fear　of　Sohlberg　physically。

〃See　here；〃　he　exclaimed；　suddenly；　looking　sharply　at　the　musician　and　deciding　to　take　the　bull　by　the　horns；　〃you　are　in　quite　as　delicate　a　situation　as　I　am；　if　you　only　stop　to　think。　　This　affair；　if　it　gets　out；　will　involve　not　only　me　and　Mrs。　Cowperwood；　but　yourself　and　your　wife；　and　if　I　am　not　mistaken；　I　think　your　own　affairs　are　not　in　any　too　good　shape。　　You　cannot　blacken　your　wife　without　blackening　yourselfthat　is　inevitable。　　None　of　us　is　exactly　perfect。　　For　myself　I　shall　be　compelled　to　prove　insanity；　and　I　can　do　this　easily。　　If　there　is　anything　in　your　past　which　is　not　precisely　what　it　should　be　it　could　not　long　be　kept　a　secret。　　If　you　are　willing　to　let　the　matter　drop　I　will　make　handsome　provision　for　you　both；　if；　instead；　you　choose　to　make　trouble；　to　force　this　matter　into　the　daylight；　I　shall　leave　no　stone　unturned　to　protect　myself；　to　put　as　good　a　face　on　this　matter　as　I　can。〃

〃What！〃　exclaimed　Sohlberg。　　〃You　threaten　me？　You　try　to　frighten　me　after　your　wife　charges　that　you　have　been　running　around　weeth　my　wife？　You　talk　about　my　past！　I　like　that。　　Haw！　We　shall　see　about　dis！　What　is　it　you　knaw　about　me？〃

〃Well；　Mr。　Sohlberg；〃　rejoined　Cowperwood；　calmly；　〃I　know；　for　instance；　that　for　a　long　while　your　wife　has　not　loved　you；　that　you　have　been　living　on　her　as　any　pensioner　might；　that　you　have　been　running　around　with　as　many　as　six　or　seven　women　in　as　many　years　or　less。　　For　months　I　have　been　acting　as　your　wife's　financial　adviser；　and　in　that　time；　with　the　aid　of　detectives；　I　have　learned　of　Anna　Stelmak；　Jessie　Laska；　Bertha　Reese；　Georgia　Du　Coindo　I　need　to　say　any　more？　As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　have　a　number　of　your　letters　in　my　possession。〃

〃Saw　that　ees　it！〃　exclaimed　Sohlberg；　while　Cowperwood　eyed　him　fixedly。　　〃You　have　been　running　around　weeth　my　wife？　Eet　ees　true；　then。　　A　fine　situation！　And　you　come　here　now　weeth　these　threats；　these　lies　to　booldoze　me。　　Haw！　We　weel　see　about　them。　We　weel　see　what　I　can　do。　　Wait　teel　I　can　consult　a　lawyer　first。　Then　we　weel　see！〃

Cowperwood　surveyed　him　coldly；　angrily。　　〃What　an　ass！〃　he　thought。

〃See　here；〃　he　said；　urging　Sohlberg；　for　privacy's　sake；　to　come　down　into　the　lower　hall；　and　then　into　the　street　before　the　sanitarium；　where　two　gas…lamps　were　fluttering　fitfully　in　the　dark　and　wind；　〃I　see　very　plainly　that　you　are　bent　on　making　trouble。　　It　is　not　enough　that　I　have　assured　you　that　there　is　nothing　in　thisthat　I　have　given　you　my　word。　　You　insist　on　going　further。　　Very　well；　then。　　Supposing　for　argument's　sake　that　Mrs。　Cowperwood　was　not　insane；　that　every　word　she　said　was　true；　that　I　had　been　misconducting　myself　with　your　wife？　What　of　it？　What　will　you　do？〃

He　looked　at　Sohlberg　smoothly；　ironically；　while　the　latter　flared　up。

〃Haw！〃　he　shouted；　melodramatically。　　〃Why；　I　would　keel　you；　that's　what　I　would　do。　　I　would　keel　her。　　I　weel　make　a　terrible　scene。　　Just　let　me　knaw　that　this　is　so；　and　then　see！〃

〃Exactly；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　grimly。　　〃I　thought　so。　　I　believe　you。　　For　that　reason　I　have　come　prepared　to　serve　you　in　just　the　way　you　wish。〃　He　reached　in　his　coat　and　took　out　two　small　revolvers；　which　he　had　taken　from　a　drawer　at　home　for　this　very　purpose。　　They　gleamed　in　the　dark。　　〃Do　you　see　these？〃　he　continued。　　〃I　am　going　to　save　you　the　trouble　of　further　investigation；　Mr。　Sohlberg。　　Every　word　that　Mrs。　Cowperwood　said　to…nightand　I　am　saying　this　with　a　full　understanding　of　what　this　means　to　you　and　to　meis　true。　　She　is　no　more　insane　than　I　am。　　Your　wife　has　been　living　in　an　apartment　with　me　on　the　North　Side　for　months；　though　you　cannot　prove　that。　　She　does　not　love　you；　but　me。　　Now　if　you　want　to　kill　me　here　is　a　gun。〃　He　extended　his　hand。　　〃Take　your　choice。　　If　I　am　to　die　you　might　as　well　die　with　me。〃

He　said　it　so　coolly；　so　firmly；　that　Sohlberg；　who　was　an　innate　coward；　and　who　had　no　more　desire　to　die　than　any　other　healthy　animal；　paled。　　The　look　of　cold　steel　was　too　much。　　The　hand　that　pressed　them　on　him　was　hard　and　firm。　　He　took　hold　of　one；　but　his　fingers　trembled。　　The　steely；　metallic　voice　in　his　ear　was　undermining　the　little　courage　that　he　had。　　Cowperwood　by　now　had　taken　on　the　proportions　of　a　dangerous　manthe　lineaments　of　a　demon。　　He　turned　away　mortally　terrified。

〃My　God！〃　he　exclaimed；　shaking　like　a　leaf。　　〃You　want　to　keel　me；　do　you？　I　weel　not　have　anything　to　do　with　you！　I　weel　not　talk　to　you！　I　weel　see　my　lawyer。　　I　weel　talk　to　my　wife　first。〃

〃Oh；　no　you　won't；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　intercepting　him　as　he　turned　to　go　and　seizing　him　firmly　by　the　arm。　　〃I　am　not　going　to　have　you　do　anything　of　the　sort。　　I　am　not　going　to　kill　you　if　you　are　not　going　to　kill　me；　but　I　am　going　to　make　you　listen　to　reason　for　once。　　Now　here　is　what　else　I　have　to　say；　and　then　I　am　through。　　I　am　not　unfriendly　to　you。　　I　want　to　do　you　a　good　turn；　little　as　I　care　for　you。　　To　begin　with；　there　is　nothing　in　those　charges　my　wife　made；　not　a　thing。　　I　merely　said　what　I　did　just　now　to　see　if　you　were　in　earnest。　　You　do　not　love　your　wife　any　more。　　She　doesn't　love　you。　　You　are　no　good　to　her。　　Now；　I　have　a　very　friendly　proposition　to　make　to　you。　　If　you　want　to　leave　Chicago　and　stay　away　three　years　or　more；　I　will　see　that　you　are　paid　five　thousand　dollars　every　year　on　January　firston　the　nailfive　thousand　dollars！　Do　you　hear？　Or　you　can　stay　here　in　Chicago　and　hold　your　tongue　and　I　will　make　it　three　thousandmonthly　or　yearly；　just　as　you　please。　　Butand　this　is　what　I　want　you　to　rememberif　you　don't　get　out　of　town　or　hold　your　tongue；　if　you　make　one　single　rash　move　against　me；　I　will　kill　you；　and　I　will　kill　you　on　sight。　　Now；　I　want　you　to