the titan-第47节

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Cowperwood　studied　the　handwriting；　the　paper；　the　phraseology。　　For　a　girl　of　only　a　little　over　twenty　this　was　wise　and　reserved　and　tactful。　　She　might　have　written　to　him　at　his　residence。　　He　gave　her　the　benefit　of　a　week's　time；　and　then　found　her　in　his　own　home　one　Sunday　afternoon。　　Aileen　had　gone　calling；　and　Stephanie　was　pretending　to　await　her　return。

〃It's　nice　to　see　you　there　in　that　window；〃　he　said。　　〃You　fit　your　background　perfectly。〃

〃Do　I？〃　The　black…brown　eyes　burned　soulfully。　　The　panneling　back　of　her　was　of　dark　oak；　burnished　by　the　rays　of　an　afternoon　winter　sun。

Stephanie　Platow　had　dressed　for　this　opportunity。　　Her　full；　rich；　short　black　hair　was　caught　by　a　childish　band　of　blood…red　ribbon；　holding　it　low　over　her　temples　and　ears。　　Her　lithe　body；　so　harmonious　in　its　graven　roundness；　was　clad　in　an　apple…green　bodice；　and　a　black　skirt　with　gussets　of　red　about　the　hem；　her　smooth　arms；　from　the　elbows　down；　were　bare。　　On　one　wrist　was　the　jade　bracelet　he　had　given　her。　　Her　stockings　were　apple…green　silk；　and；　despite　the　chill　of　the　day；　her　feet　were　shod　in　enticingly　low　slippers　with　brass　buckles。

Cowperwood　retired　to　the　hall　to　hang　up　his　overcoat　and　came　back　smiling。

〃Isn't　Mrs。　Cowperwood　about？〃

〃The　butler　says　she's　out　calling；　but　I　thought　I'd　wait　a　little　while；　anyhow。　　She　may　come　back。〃

She　turned　up　a　dark；　smiling　face　to　him；　with　languishing；　inscrutable　eyes；　and　he　recognized　the　artist　at　last；　full　and　clear。

〃I　see　you　like　my　bracelet；　don't　you？〃

〃It's　beautiful；〃　she　replied；　looking　down　and　surveying　it　dreamily。　　〃I　don't　always　wear　it。　　I　carry　it　in　my　muff。　　I've　just　put　it　on　for　a　little　while。　　I　carry　them　all　with　me　always。　I　love　them　so。　　I　like　to　feel　them。〃

She　opened　a　small　chamois　bag　beside　herlying　with　her　handkerchief　and　a　sketch…book　which　she　always　carriedand　took　out　the　ear…rings　and　brooch。

Cowperwood　glowed　with　a　strange　feeling　of　approval　and　enthusiasm　at　this　manifestation　of　real　interest。　　He　liked　jade　himself　very　much；　but　more　than　that　the　feeling　that　prompted　this　expression　in　another。　　Roughly　speaking；　it　might　have　been　said　of　him　that　youth　and　hope　in　womenparticularly　youth　when　combined　with　beauty　and　ambition　in　a　girltouched　him。　　He　responded　keenly　to　her　impulse　to　do　or　be　something　in　this　world；　whatever　it　might　be；　and　he　looked　on　the　smart；　egoistic　vanity　of　so　many　with　a　kindly；　tolerant；　almost　parental　eye。　　Poor　little　organisms　growing　on　the　tree　of　lifethey　would　burn　out　and　fade　soon　enough。　　He　did　not　know　the　ballad　of　the　roses　of　yesteryear；　but　if　he　had　it　would　have　appealed　to　him。　　He　did　not　care　to　rifle　them；　willy…nilly；　but　should　their　temperaments　or　tastes　incline　them　in　his　direction；　they　would　not　suffer　vastly　in　their　lives　because　of　him。　　The　fact　was；　the　man　was　essentially　generous　where　women　were　concerned。

〃How　nice　of　you！〃　he　commented；　smiling。　　〃I　like　that。〃　And　then；　seeing　a　note…book　and　pencil　beside　her；　he　asked；　〃What　are　you　doing？〃

〃Just　sketching。〃

〃Let　me　see？〃

〃It's　nothing　much；〃　she　replied；　deprecatingly。　　〃I　don't　draw　very　well。〃

〃Gifted　girl！〃　he　replied；　picking　it　up。　　〃Paints；　draws；　carves　on　wood；　plays；　sings；　acts。〃

〃All　rather　badly；〃　she　sighed；　turning　her　head　languidly　and　looking　away。　　In　her　sketch…book　she　had　put　all　of　her　best　drawings；　there　were　sketches　of　nude　women；　dancers；　torsos；　bits　of　running　figures；　sad；　heavy；　sensuous　heads　and　necks　of　sleeping　girls；　chins　up；　eyelids　down；　studies　of　her　brothers　and　sister；　and　of　her　father　and　mother。

〃Delightful！〃　exclaimed　Cowperwood；　keenly　alive　to　a　new　treasure。　Good　heavens；　where　had　been　his　eyes　all　this　while？　Here　was　a　jewel　lying　at　his　doorstepinnocent；　untarnisheda　real　jewel。　　These　drawings　suggested　a　fire　of　perception；　smoldering　and　somber；　which　thrilled　him。

〃These　are　beautiful　to　me；　Stephanie；〃　he　said；　simply；　a　strange；　uncertain　feeling　of　real　affection　creeping　over　him。　　The　man's　greatest　love　was　for　art。　　It　was　hypnotic　to　him。　　〃Did　you　ever　study　art？〃　he　asked。

〃No。〃

〃And　you　never　studied　acting？〃

〃No。〃

She　shook　her　head　in　a　slow；　sad；　enticing　way。　　The　black　hair　concealing　her　ears　moved　him　strangely。

〃I　know　the　art　of　your　stage　work　is　real；　and　you　have　a　natural　art　which　I　just　seem　to　see。　　What　has　been　the　matter　with　me；　anyhow？〃

〃Oh　no；〃　she　sighed。　　〃It　seems　to　me　that　I　merely　play　at　everything。　　I　could　cry　sometimes　when　I　think　how　I　go　on。〃

〃At　twenty？〃

〃That　is　old　enough；〃　she　smiled；　archly。

〃Stephanie；〃　he　asked；　cautiously；　〃how　old　are　you；　exactly？〃

〃I　will　be　twenty…one　in　April；〃　she　answered。

〃Have　your　parents　been　very　strict　with　you？〃

She　shook　her　head　dreamily。　　〃No；　what　makes　you　ask？　They　haven't　paid　very　much　attention　to　me。　　They've　always　liked　Lucille　and　Gilbert　and　Ormond　best。〃　Her　voice　had　a　plaintive；　neglected　ring。　　It　was　the　voice　she　used　in　her　best　scenes　on　the　stage。

〃Don't　they　realize　that　you　are　very　talented？〃

〃I　think　perhaps　my　mother　feels　that　I　may　have　some　ability。　　My　father　doesn't；　I'm　sure。　　Why？〃

She　lifted　those　languorous；　plaintive　eyes。

〃Why；　Stephanie；　if　you　want　to　know；　I　think　you're　wonderful。　　I　thought　so　the　other　night　when　you　were　looking　at　those　jades。　It　all　came　over　me。　　You　are　an　artist；　truly；　and　I　have　been　so　busy　I　have　scarcely　seen　it。　　Tell　me　one　thing。〃

〃Yes。〃

She　drew　in　a　soft　breath；　filling　her　chest　and　expanding　her　bosom；　while　she　looked　at　him　from　under　her　black　hair。　　Her　hands　were　crossed　idly　in　her　lap。　　Then　she　looked　demurely　down。

〃Look；　Stephanie！　Look　up！　I　want　to　ask　you　something。　　You　have　known　something　of　me　for　over　a　year。　　Do　you　like　me？〃

〃I　think　you're　very　wonderful；〃　she　murmured。

〃Is　that　all？〃

〃Isn't　that　much？〃　she　smiled；　shooting　a　dull；　black…opal　look　in　his　direction。

〃You　wore　my　bracelet　to…day。　　Were　you　very　glad　to　get　it？〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　she　sighed；　with　aspirated　breath；　pretending　a　kind　of　suffocation。

〃How　beautiful　you　really　are！〃　he　said；　rising　and　looking　down　at　her。

She　shook　her　head。

〃No。〃

〃Yes！〃

〃No。〃

〃Come；　Stephanie！　Stand　by　me　and　look　at　me。　　You　are　so　tall　and　slender　and　graceful。　　You　are　like　something　out　of　Asia。〃

She　sighed；　turning　in　a　sinuous　way；　as　he　slipped　his　arm　her。　〃I　don't　think　we　should；　should　we？〃　she　asked；　naively；　after　a　moment；　pulling　away　from　him。

〃Stephanie！〃

〃I　think　I'd　better　go；　now；　please。〃




Chapter　XXVI



Love　and　War

It　was　during　the　earlier　phases　of　his　connection　with　Chicago　street…railways　that　Cowperwood；　ardently　interesting　himself　in　Stephanie　Platow；　developed　as　serious　a　sex　affair　as　any　that　had　yet　held　him。　　At　once；　after　a　few　secret　interviews　with　her；　he　adopted　his　favorite　ruse　in　such　matters　and　established　bachelor　quarters　in　the　down…town　section　as　a　convenient　meeting…ground。　　Several　conversations　with　Stephanie　were　not　quite　as　illuminating　as　they　might　have　been；　for；　wonderful　as　she　wasa　kind　of　artistic　godsend　in　this　dull　Western　atmosphere　she　was　also　enigmatic　and　elusive；　very。　　He　learned　speedily；　in　talking　with　her　on　several　days　when　they　met　for　lunch；　of　her　dramatic　ambitions；　and　of　the　seeming　spiritual　and　artistic　support　she　required　from　some　one　who　would　have　faith　in　her　and　inspire　her　by　his　or　her　confidence。　　He　learned　all　about　the　Garrick　Players；　her　home　intimacies　and　friends；　the　growing　quarrels　in　the　dramatic　organization。　　He　asked　her；　as　they　sat　in　a　favorite　and　inconspicuous　resort　of　his　finding；　during　one　of　those　moments　when　blood　and　not　intellect　was　ruling　between　them；　whether　she　had　ever

〃Once；〃　she　naively　admitted。

It　was　a　great　shock　to　Cowperwood。　　He　had　fancied　her　refreshingly　innocent。　　But　she　explained　it　was　all　so　accidental；　so　unintentional　on　her　part；　very。　　She　described　it　all　so　gravely；　soulfully；　pathetically；　with　such　a　brooding；　contemplative　backward　searching　of　the　mind；　that　he　was　astonished　and　in　a　way　touched。　　What　a　pity！　It　was　Gardner　Knowles　who　had　done　this；　she　admitted。　　But　he　was　not　very　much　to　blame；　either。　　It　just　happened。　　She　had　tried　to　protest；　but　Wasn't　she　angry？　Yes；　but　then　she　was　sorry　to　do　anything　to　hurt　Gardner　Knowles。　　He　was　such　a　charming　boy；　and　he　had　such　a　lovely　mother　and　sister；　and　the　like。

Cowperwood　was　astonished。　　He　had　reached　that　point　in　life　where　the　absence　of　primal　innocence　in　a　woman　was　not　very　significant；　but　in　Stephanie；　seeing　that　she　was　so　utterly　charming；　it　was　almost　too　bad。　　He　thought　what　fools　the　Platows　must　be　to　tolerate　this　art　atmosphere　for　Stephanie　without　keeping　a　sharp　watch　over　it。　　Nevertheless；　he　was　inclined　to　believe　from　observation　thus　far　that　Stephanie　might　be　hard　to　watch。　　She　was　ingrainedly　irresponsible；　apparentlyso　artistically　nebulous；　so　non…self…protective。　　To　go　on　and　be　friends　with　this　scamp！　And　yet　she　protested　that　never　after　that　had　there　been　the　leas