the titan-第51节
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s brain he did not believe Stephanie at all； he did not trust her。 Yet he was intensely fond of herthe more so； perhaps； because of this。
〃Tell me truly； Stephanie；〃 he said to her one day； urgently； and yet very diplomatically。 〃I don't care at all； so far as your past is concerned。 You and I are close enough to reach a perfect understanding。 But you didn't tell me the whole truth about you and Knowles； did you？ Tell me truly now。 I sha'n't mind。 I can understand well enough how it could have happened。 It doesn't make the least bit of difference to me； really。
Stephanie was off her guard for once； in no truly fencing mood。 She was troubled at times about her various relations； anxious to put herself straight with Cowperwood or with any one whom she truly liked。 Compared to Cowperwood and his affairs； Cross and Knowles were trivial； and yet Knowles was interesting to her。 Compared to Cowperwood； Forbes Gurney was a stripling beggar； and yet Gurney had what Cowperwood did not havea sad； poetic lure。 He awakened her sympathies。 He was such a lonely boy。 Cowperwood was so strong； brilliant； magnetic。
Perhaps it was with some idea of clearing up her moral status generally that she finally said： 〃Well； I didn't tell you the exact truth about it； either。 I was a little ashamed to。〃
At the close of her confession； which involved only Knowles； and was incomplete at that； Cowperwood burned with a kind of angry resentment。 Why trifle with a lying prostitute？ That she was an inconsequential free lover at twenty…one was quite plain。 And yet there was something so strangely large about the girl； so magnetic； and she was so beautiful after her kind； that he could not think of giving her up。 She reminded him of himself。
〃Well； Stephanie；〃 he said； trampling under foot an impulse to insult or rebuke and dismiss her； 〃you are strange。 Why didn't you tell me this before？ I have asked and asked。 Do you really mean to say that you care for me at all？〃
〃How can you ask that？〃 she demanded； reproachfully； feeling that she had been rather foolish in confessing。 Perhaps she would lose him now； and she did not want to do that。 Because his eyes blazed with a jealous hardness she burst into tears。 〃Oh； I wish I had never told you！ There is nothing to tell； anyhow。 I never wanted to。〃
Cowperwood was nonplussed。 He knew human nature pretty well； and woman nature； his common sense told him that this girl was not to be trusted； and yet he was drawn to her。 Perhaps she was not lying； and these tears were real。
〃And you positively assure me that this was allthat there wasn't any one else before； and no one since？〃
Stephanie dried her eyes。 They were in his private rooms in Randolph Street； the bachelor rooms he had fitted for himself as a changing place for various affairs。
〃I don't believe you care for me at all；〃 she observed； dolefully； reproachfully。 〃I don't believe you understand me。 I don't think you believe me。 When I tell you how things are you don't understand。 I don't lie。 I can't。 If you are so doubting now； perhaps you had better not see me any more。 I want to be frank with you； but if you won't let me〃
She paused heavily； gloomily； very sorrowfully； and Cowperwood surveyed her with a kind of yearning。 What an unreasoning pull she had for him！ He did not believe her； and yet he could not let her go。
〃Oh； I don't know what to think；〃 he commented； morosely。 〃I certainly don't want to quarrel with you； Stephanie； for telling me the truth。 Please don't deceive me。 You are a remarkable girl。 I can do so much for you if you will let me。 You ought to see that。〃
〃But I'm not deceiving you；〃 she repeated； wearily。 〃I should think you could see。〃
〃I believe you；〃 he went on； trying to deceive himself against his better judgment。 〃But you lead such a free； unconventional life。〃
〃Ah；〃 thought Stephanie； 〃perhaps I talk too much。〃
〃I am very fond of you。 You appeal to me so much。 〃I love you； really。 Don't deceive me。 Don't run with all these silly simpletons。 They are really not worthy of you。 I shall be able to get a divorce one of these days； and then I would be glad to marry you。
〃But I'm not running with them in the sense that you think。 They're not anything to me beyond mere entertainment。 Oh； I like them； of course。 Lane Cross is a dear in his way； and so is Gardner Knowles。 They have all been nice to me。
Cowperwood's gorge rose at her calling Lane Cross dear。 It incensed him； and yet he held his peace。
〃Do give me your word that there will never be anything between you and any of these men so long as you are friendly with me？〃 he almost pleadeda strange role for him。 〃I don't care to share you with any one else。 I won't。 I don't mind what you have done in the past； but I don't want you to be unfaithful in the future。〃
〃What a question！ Of course I won't。 But if you don't believe me oh； dear〃
Stephanie sighed painfully； and Cowperwood's face clouded with angry though well…concealed suspicion and jealousy。
〃Well； I'll tell you； Stephanie； I believe you now。 I'm going to take your word。 But if you do deceive me； and I should find it out； I will quit you the same day。 I do not care to share you with any one else。 What I can't understand； if you care for me； is how you can take so much interest in all these affairs？ It certainly isn't devotion to your art that's impelling you； is it？〃
〃Oh； are you going to go on quarreling with me？〃 asked Stephanie； naively。 〃Won't you believe me when I say that I love you？ Perhaps〃 But here her histrionic ability came to her aid； and she sobbed violently。
Cowperwood took her in his arms。 〃Never mind；〃 he soothed。 〃I do believe you。 I do think you care for me。 Only I wish you weren't such a butterfly temperament； Stephanie。〃
So this particular lesion for the time being was healed。
Chapter XXVIII
The Exposure of Stephanie
At the same time the thought of readjusting her relations so that they would avoid disloyalty to Cowperwood was never further from Stephanie's mind。 Let no one quarrel with Stephanie Platow。 She was an unstable chemical compound； artistic to her finger…tips； not understood or properly guarded by her family。 Her interest in Cowperwood； his force and ability； was intense。 So was her interest in Forbes Gurneythe atmosphere of poetry that enveloped him。 She studied him curiously on the various occasions when they met； and； finding him bashful and recessive； set out to lure him。 She felt that he was lonely and depressed and poor； and her womanly capacity for sympathy naturally bade her be tender。
Her end was easily achieved。 One night； when they were all out in Bliss Bridge's single…stickera fast…sailing saucerStephanie and Forbes Gurney sat forward of the mast looking at the silver moon track which was directly ahead。 The rest were in the cockpit 〃cutting up〃laughing and singing。 It was very plain to all that Stephanie was becoming interested in Forbes Gurney； and since he was charming and she wilful； nothing was done to interfere with them； except to throw an occasional jest their way。 Gurney； new to love and romance； scarcely knew how to take his good fortune； how to begin。 He told Stephanie of his home life in the wheat…fields of the Northwest； how his family had moved from Ohio when he was three； and how difficult were the labors he had always undergone。 He had stopped in his plowing many a day to stand under a tree and write a poemsuch as it wasor to watch the birds or to wish he could go to college or to Chicago。 She looked at him with dreamy eyes； her dark skin turned a copper bronze in the moonlight； her black hair irradiated with a strange； luminous grayish blue。 Forbes Gurney； alive to beauty in all its forms； ventured finally to touch her handshe of Knowles； Cross； and Cowperwoodand she thrilled from head to toe。 This boy was so sweet。 His curly brown hair gave him a kind of Greek innocence and aspect。 She did not move； but waited； hoping he would do more。
〃I wish I might talk to you as I feel；〃 he finally said； hoarsely； a catch in his throat。
She laid one hand on his。
〃You dear！〃 she said。
He realized now that he might。 A great ecstasy fell upon him。 He smoothed her hand； then slipped his arm about her waist； then ventured to kiss the dark cheek turned dreamily from him。 Artfully her head sunk to his shoulder； and he murmured wild nothingshow divine she was； how artistic； how wonderful！ With her view of things； it could only end one way。 She manoeuvered him into calling on her at her home； into studying her books and plays on the top…floor sitting…room； into hearing her sing。 Once fully in his arms； the rest was easy by suggestion。 He learned she was no longer innocent； and then In the mean time Cowperwood mingled his speculations concerning large power…houses； immense reciprocating engines； the problem of a wage scale for his now two thousand employees； some of whom were threatening to strike； the problem of securing； bonding； and equipping the La Salle Street tunnel and a down…town loop in La Salle； Munroe； Dearborn； and Randolph streets； with mental inquiries and pictures as to what possibly Stephanie Platow might be
