the titan-第48节
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st thing between them。 Cowperwood could scarcely believe it。 She must be lying； and yet he liked her so。 The very romantic； inconsequential way in which she narrated all this staggered； amused； and even fascinated him。
〃But； Stephanie；〃 he argued； curiously； 〃there must been some aftermath to all this。 What happened？ What did you do？〃
〃Nothing。〃 She shook her head。
He had to smile。
〃But oh； don't let's talk about it！〃 she pleaded。 〃I don't want to。 It hurts me。 There was nothing more。〃
She sighed； and Cowperwood meditated。 The evil was now done； and the best that he could do； if he cared for her at alland he didwas to overlook it。 He surveyed her oddly； wonderingly。 What a charming soul she was； anyhow！ How naivehow brooding！ She had artlots of it。 Did he want to give her up？
As he might have known； it was dangerous to trifle with a type of this kind； particularly once awakened to the significance of promiscuity； and unless mastered by some absorbing passion。 Stephanie had had too much flattery and affection heaped upon her in the past two years to be easily absorbed。 Nevertheless； for the time being； anyhow； she was fascinated by the significance of Cowperwood。 It was wonderful to have so fine； so powerful a man care for her。 She conceived of him as a very great artist in his realm rather than as a business man； and he grasped this fact after a very little while and appreciated it。 To his delight； she was even more beautiful physically than he had anticipateda smoldering； passionate girl who met him with a fire which； though somber； quite rivaled his own。 She was different； too； in her languorous acceptance of all that he bestowed from any one he had ever known。 She was as tactful as Rita Sohlbergmore sobut so preternaturally silent at times。
〃Stephanie；〃 he would exclaim； 〃do talk。 What are you thinking of？ You dream like an African native。〃
She merely sat and smiled in a dark way or sketched or modeled him。 She was constantly penciling something； until moved by the fever of her blood； when she would sit and look at him or brood silently； eyes down。 Then； when he would reach for her with seeking hands； she would sigh； 〃Oh yes； oh yes！〃
Those were delightful days with Stephanie。
In the matter of young MacDonald's request for fifty thousand dollars in securities； as well as the attitude of the other editorsHyssop； Braxton； Ricketts； and so onwho had proved subtly critical； Cowperwood conferred with Addison and McKenty。
〃A likely lad； that；〃 commented McKenty； succintly； when he heard it。 〃He'll do better than his father in one way； anyhow。 He'll probably make more money。〃
McKenty had seen old General MacDonald just once in his life； and liked him。
〃I should like to know what the General would think of that if he knew；〃 commented Addison； who admired the old editor greatly。 〃I'm afraid he wouldn't sleep very well。〃
〃There is just one thing；〃 observed Cowperwood； thoughtfully。 〃This young man will certainly come into control of the Inquirer sometime。 He looks to me like some one who would not readily forget an injury。〃 He smiled sardonically。 So did McKenty and Addison。
〃Be that as it may；〃 suggested the latter； 〃he isn't editor yet。〃 McKenty； who never revealed his true views to any one but Cowperwood； waited until he had the latter alone to observe：
What can they do？ Your request is a reasonable one。 Why shouldn't the city give you the tunnel？ It's no good to anyone as it is。 And the loop is no more than the other roads have now。 I'm thinking it's the Chicago City Railway and that silk…stocking crowd on State Street or that gas crowd that's talking against you。 I've heard them before。 Give them what they want； and it's a fine moral cause。 Give it to anyone else； and there's something wrong with it。 It's little attention I pay to them。 We have the council； let it pass the ordinances。 It can't be proved that they don't do it willingly。 The mayor is a sensible man。 He'll sign them。 Let young MacDonald talk if he wants to。 If he says too much you can talk to his father。 As for Hyssop； he's an old grandmother anyhow。 I've never known him to be for a public improvement yet that was really good for Chicago unless Schryhart or Merrill or Arneel or someone else of that crowd wanted it。 I know them of old。 My advice is to go ahead and never mind them。 To hell with them！ Things will be sweet enough； once you are as powerful as they are。 They'll get nothing in the future without paying for it。 It's little enough they've ever done to further anything that I wanted。
Cowperwood； however； remained cool and thoughtful。 Should he pay young MacDonald？ he asked himself。 Addison knew of no influence that he could bring to bear。 Finally； after much thought； he decided to proceed as he had planned。 Consequently； the reporters around the City Hall and the council…chamber； who were in touch with Alderman Thomas Dowling； McKenty's leader on the floor of council； and those who called occasionallyquite regularly； in factat the offices of the North Chicago Street Railway Company； Cowperwood's comfortable new offices in the North Side； were now given to understand that two ordinancesone granting the free use of the La Salle Street tunnel for an unlimited period （practically a gift of it）； and another granting a right of way in La Salle； Munroe； Dearborn； and Randolph streets for the proposed loopwould be introduced in council very shortly。 Cowperwood granted a very flowery interview； in which he explained quite enthusiastically all that the North Chicago company was doing and proposed to do； and made clear what a splendid development it would assure to the North Side and to the business center。
At once Schryhart； Merrill； and some individuals connected with the Chicago West Division Company； began to complain in the newspaper offices and at the clubs to Ricketts； Braxton； young MacDonald； and the other editors。 Envy of the pyrotechnic progress of the man was as much a factor in this as anything else。 It did not make the slightest difference； as Cowperwood had sarcastically pointed out； that every other corporation of any significance in Chicago had asked and received without money and without price。 Somehow his career in connection with Chicago gas； his venturesome； if unsuccessful effort to enter Chicago society； his self…acknowledged Philadelphia record； rendered the sensitive cohorts of the ultra…conservative exceedingly fearful。 In Schryhart's Chronicle appeared a news column which was headed； 〃Plain Grab of City Tunnel Proposed。〃 It was a very truculent statement； and irritated Cowperwood greatly。 The Press （Mr。 Haguenin's paper）； on the other hand； was most cordial to the idea of the loop； while appearing to be a little uncertain as to whether the tunnel should be granted without compensation or not。 Editor Hyssop felt called upon to insist that something more than merely nominal compensation should be made for the tunnel； and that 〃riders〃 should be inserted in the loop ordinance making it incumbent upon the North Chicago company to keep those thoroughfares in full repair and well lighted。 The Inquirer； under Mr。 MacDonald； junior； and Mr。 Du Bois； was in rumbling opposition。 No free tunnels； it cried； no free ordinances for privileges in the down…town heart。 It had nothing to say about Cowperwood personally。 The Globe； Mr。 Braxton's paper； was certain that no free rights to the tunnel should be given； and that a much better route for the loop could be foundone larger and more serviceable to the public； one that might be made to include State Street or Wabash Avenue； or both； where Mr。 Merrill's store was located。 So it went； and one could see quite clearly to what extent the interests of the public figured in the majority of these particular viewpoints。
Cowperwood； individual； reliant； utterly indifferent to opposition of any kind； was somewhat angered by the manner in which his overtures had been received； but still felt that the best way out of his troubles was to follow McKenty's advice and get power first。 Once he had his cable…conduit down； his new cars running； the tunnel rebuilt； brilliantly lighted； and the bridge crush disposed of； the public would see what a vast change for the better had been made and would support him。 Finally all things were in readiness and the ordinance jammed through。 McKenty； being a little dubious of the outcome； had a rocking…chair brought into the council…chamber itself during the hours when the ordinances were up for consideration。 In this he sat； presumably as a curious spectator； actually as a master dictating the course of liquidation in hand。 Neither Cowperwood nor any one else knew of McKenty's action until too late to interfere with it。 Addison and Videra； when they read about it as sneeringly set forth in the news columns of the papers； lifted and then wrinkled their eyebrows。
〃That looks like pretty rough work to me；〃 commented Addison。 〃I thought McKenty had more tact。 That's his early Irish training。〃
Alexander Rambaud； who was an admirer and follower of Cowperwood's； wondered whether the papers were lying； whether it really could be true that Cowperwood had a serious political compact
