the titan-第4节

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that　country。　　How'd　you　like　to　live　in　a　board　shanty；　Aileen；〃　he　asked；　banteringly；　〃with　nothing　but　fried　rattlesnakes　and　prairie…dogs　for　breakfast？　Do　you　think　you　could　stand　that？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　replied；　gaily；　hugging　his　arm；　for　they　had　entered　a　closed　carriage；　〃I　could　stand　it　if　you　could。　　I'd　go　anywhere　with　you；　Frank。　　I'd　get　me　a　nice　Indian　dress　with　leather　and　beads　all　over　it　and　a　feather　hat　like　they　wear；　and〃

〃There　you　go！　Certainly！　Pretty　clothes　first　of　all　in　a　miner's　shack。　　That's　the　way。〃

〃You　wouldn't　love　me　long　if　I　didn't　put　pretty　clothes　first；〃　she　replied；　spiritedly。　　〃Oh；　I'm　so　glad　to　get　you　back！〃

〃The　trouble　is；〃　he　went　on；　〃that　that　country　up　there　isn't　as　promising　as　Chicago。　　I　think　we're　destined　to　live　in　Chicago。　I　made　an　investment　in　Fargo；　and　we'll　have　to　go　up　there　from　time　to　time；　but　we'll　eventually　locate　in　Chicago。　　I　don't　want　to　go　out　there　alone　again。　　It　isn't　pleasant　for　me。〃　He　squeezed　her　hand。　　〃If　we　can't　arrange　this　thing　at　once　I'll　just　have　to　introduce　you　as　my　wife　for　the　present。〃

〃You　haven't　heard　anything　more　from　Mr。　Steger？〃　she　put　in。　She　was　thinking　of　Steger's　efforts　to　get　Mrs。　Cowperwood　to　grant　him　a　divorce。

〃Not　a　word。〃

〃Isn't　it　too　bad？〃　she　sighed。

〃Well；　don't　grieve。　　Things　might　be　worse。〃

He　was　thinking　of　his　days　in　the　penitentiary；　and　so　was　she。　　After　commenting　on　the　character　of　Chicago　he　decided　with　her　that　so　soon　as　conditions　permitted　they　would　remove　themselves　to　the　Western　city。

It　would　be　pointless　to　do　more　than　roughly　sketch　the　period　of　three　years　during　which　the　various　changes　which　saw　the　complete　elimination　of　Cowperwood　from　Philadelphia　and　his　introduction　into　Chicago　took　place。　　For　a　time　there　were　merely　journeys　to　and　fro；　at　first　more　especially　to　Chicago；　then　to　Fargo；　where　his　transported　secretary；　Walter　Whelpley；　was　managing　under　his　direction　the　construction　of　Fargo　business　blocks；　a　short　street…car　line；　and　a　fair…ground。　　This　interesting　venture　bore　the　title　of　the　Fargo　Construction　and　Transportation　Company；　of　which　Frank　A。　Cowperwood　was　president。　　His　Philadelphia　lawyer；　Mr。　Harper　Steger；　was　for　the　time　being　general　master　of　contracts。

For　another　short　period　he　might　have　been　found　living　at　the　Tremont　in　Chicago；　avoiding　for　the　time　being；　because　of　Aileen's　company；　anything　more　than　a　nodding　contact　with　the　important　men　he　had　first　met；　while　he　looked　quietly　into　the　matter　of　a　Chicago　brokerage　arrangementa　partnership　with　some　established　broker　who；　without　too　much　personal　ambition；　would　bring　him　a　knowledge　of　Chicago　Stock　Exchange　affairs；　personages；　and　Chicago　ventures。　　On　one　occasion　he　took　Aileen　with　him　to　Fargo；　where　with　a　haughty；　bored　insouciance　she　surveyed　the　state　of　the　growing　city。

〃Oh；　Frank！〃　she　exclaimed；　when　she　saw　the　plain；　wooden；　four…story　hotel；　the　long；　unpleasing　business　street；　with　its　motley　collection　of　frame　and　brick　stores；　the　gaping　stretches　of　houses；　facing　in　most　directions　unpaved　streets。　　Aileen　in　her　tailored　spick…and…spanness；　her　self…conscious　vigor；　vanity；　and　tendency　to　over…ornament；　was　a　strange　contrast　to　the　rugged　self…effacement　and　indifference　to　personal　charm　which　characterized　most　of　the　men　and　women　of　this　new　metropolis。　　〃You　didn't　seriously　think　of　coming　out　here　to　live；　did　you？〃

She　was　wondering　where　her　chance　for　social　exchange　would　come　inher　opportunity　to　shine。　　Suppose　her　Frank　were　to　be　very　rich；　suppose　he　did　make　very　much　moneymuch　more　than　he　had　ever　had　even　in　the　pastwhat　good　would　it　do　her　here？　In　Philadelphia；　before　his　failure；　before　she　had　been　suspected　of　the　secret　liaison　with　him；　he　had　been　beginning　（at　least）　to　entertain　in　a　very　pretentious　way。　　If　she　had　been　his　wife　then　she　might　have　stepped　smartly　into　Philadelphia　society。　　Out　here；　good　gracious！　She　turned　up　her　pretty　nose　in　disgust。　〃What　an　awful　place！〃　was　her　one　comment　at　this　most　stirring　of　Western　boom　towns。

When　it　came　to　Chicago；　however；　and　its　swirling；　increasing　life；　Aileen　was　much　interested。　　Between　attending　to　many　financial　matters　Cowperwood　saw　to　it　that　she　was　not　left　alone。　He　asked　her　to　shop　in　the　local　stores　and　tell　him　about　them；　and　this　she　did；　driving　around　in　an　open　carriage；　attractively　arrayed；　a　great　brown　hat　emphasizing　her　pink…and…white　complexion　and　red…gold　hair。　　On　different　afternoons　of　their　stay　he　took　her　to　drive　over　the　principal　streets。　　When　Aileen　was　permitted　for　the　first　time　to　see　the　spacious　beauty　and　richness　of　Prairie　Avenue；　the　North　Shore　Drive；　Michigan　Avenue；　and　the　new　mansions　on　Ashland　Boulevard；　set　in　their　grassy　spaces；　the　spirit；　aspirations；　hope；　tang　of　the　future　Chicago　began　to　work　in　her　blood　as　it　had　in　Cowperwood's。　　All　of　these　rich　homes　were　so　very　new。　　The　great　people　of　Chicago　were　all　newly　rich　like　themselves。　　She　forgot　that　as　yet　she　was　not　Cowperwood's　wife；　she　felt　herself　truly　to　be　so。　　The　streets；　set　in　most　instances　with　a　pleasing　creamish…brown　flagging；　lined　with　young；　newly　planted　trees；　the　lawns　sown　to　smooth　green　grass；　the　windows　of　the　houses　trimmed　with　bright　awnings　and　hung　with　intricate　lace；　blowing　in　a　June　breeze；　the　roadways　a　gray；　gritty　macadamall　these　things　touched　her　fancy。　　On　one　drive　they　skirted　the　lake　on　the　North　Shore；　and　Aileen；　contemplating　the　chalky；　bluish…green　waters；　the　distant　sails；　the　gulls；　and　then　the　new　bright　homes；　reflected　that　in　all　certitude　she　would　some　day　be　the　mistress　of　one　of　these　splendid　mansions。　How　haughtily　she　would　carry　herself；　how　she　would　dress！　They　would　have　a　splendid　house；　much　finer；　no　doubt；　than　Frank's　old　one　in　Philadelphia；　with　a　great　ball…room　and　dining…room　where　she　could　give　dances　and　dinners；　and　where　Frank　and　she　would　receive　as　the　peers　of　these　Chicago　rich　people。

〃Do　you　suppose　we　will　ever　have　a　house　as　fine　as　one　of　these；　Frank？〃　she　asked　him；　longingly。

〃I'll　tell　you　what　my　plan　is；〃　he　said。　　〃If　you　like　this　Michigan　Avenue　section　we'll　buy　a　piece　of　property　out　here　now　and　hold　it。　　Just　as　soon　as　I　make　the　right　connections　here　and　see　what　I　am　going　to　do　we'll　build　a　housesomething　really　nicedon't　worry。　　I　want　to　get　this　divorce　matter　settled；　and　then　we'll　begin。　　Meanwhile；　if　we　have　to　come　here；　we'd　better　live　rather　quietly。　　Don't　you　think　so？〃

It　was　now　between　five　and　six；　that　richest　portion　of　a　summer　day。　　It　had　been　very　warm；　but　was　now　cooling；　the　shade　of　the　western　building…line　shadowing　the　roadway；　a　moted；　wine…like　air　filling　the　street。　　As　far　as　the　eye　could　see　were　carriages；　the　one　great　social　diversion　of　Chicago；　because　there　was　otherwise　so　little　opportunity　for　many　to　show　that　they　had　means。　　The　social　forces　were　not　as　yet　clear　or　harmonious。　　Jingling　harnesses　of　nickel；　silver；　and　even　plated　gold　were　the　sign　manual　of　social　hope；　if　not　of　achievement。　　Here　sped　homeward　from　the　cityfrom　office　and　manufactoryalong　this　one　exceptional　southern　highway；　the　Via　Appia　of　the　South　Side；　all　the　urgent　aspirants　to　notable　fortunes。　　Men　of　wealth　who　had　met　only　casually　in　trade　here　nodded　to　each　other。　　Smart　daughters；　society…bred　sons；　handsome　wives　came　down…town　in　traps；　Victorias；　carriages；　and　vehicles　of　the　latest　design　to　drive　home　their　trade…weary　fathers　or　brothers；　relatives　or　friends。　　The　air　was　gay　with　a　social　hope；　a　promise　of　youth　and　affection；　and　that　fine　flush　of　material　life　that　recreates　itself　in　delight。　　Lithe；　handsome；　well…bred　animals；　singly　and　in　jingling　pairs；　paced　each　other　down　the　long；　wide；　grass…lined　street；　its　fine　homes　agleam　with　a　rich；　complaisant　materiality。

〃Oh！〃　exclaimed　Aileen；　all　at　once；　seeing　the　vigorous；　forceful　men；　the　handsome　matrons；　and　young　women　and　boys；　the　nodding　and　the　bowing；　feeling　a　touch　of　the　romance　and　wonder　of　it　all。　　〃I　should　like　to　live　in　Chicago。　　I　believe　it's　nicer　than　Philadelphia。〃

Cowperwood；　who　had　fallen　so　low　there；　despite　his　immense　capacity；　set　his　teeth　in　two　even　rows。　　His　handsome　mustache　seemed　at　this　moment　to　have　an　especially　defiant　curl。　　The　pair　he　was　driving　was　physically　perfect；　lean　and　nervous；　with　spoiled；　petted　faces。　　He　could　not　endure　poor　horse…flesh。　　He　drove　as　only　a　horse…lover　can；　his　body　bolt　upright；　his　own　energy　and　temperament　animating　his　animals。　　Aileen　sat　beside　him；　very　proud；　consciously　erect。

〃Isn't　she　beautiful？〃　some　of　the　women　observed；　as　they　passed；　going　north。　　〃What　a　stunning　young　woman！〃　thought　or　said　the　men。

〃Did　you　see　her？〃　asked　a　young　brother　of　his　sister。　　〃Never　mind；　Aileen；〃　commented　Cowperwood；　with　that　iron　determination　that　brooks　no　defeat。　　〃We　will　be　a　part　of　this。　　Don't　fret。　　You　will　have　everything　you　want　in　Chicago；　and　more　besides。〃

There　was　tingling　over　his　fingers；　into　the　reins；　into　the　hors