the titan-第97节

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eful　for　his　courage　even　though　to…morrow　he　and　they　must　part　with　millions　to　protect　themselves　and　the　banks。　　For　the　first　time　Merrill　concluded　that　he　would　have　to　fight　Cowperwood　openly　from　now　on；　though　even　yet　he　admired　his　courage。　　〃But　he　is　too　defiant；　too　cavalier！　A　very　lion　of　a　man；〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃A　man　with　the　heart　of　a　Numidian　lion。〃

It　was　true。

From　this　day　on　for　a　little　while；　and　because　there　was　no　immediate　political　contest　in　sight；　there　was　comparative　peace　in　Chicago；　although　it　more　resembled　an　armed　camp　operating　under　the　terms　of　some　agreed　neutrality　than　it　did　anything　else。　　Schryhart；　Hand；　Arneel；　and　Merrill　were　quietly　watchful。　Cowperwood's　chief　concern　was　lest　his　enemies　might　succeed　in　their　project　of　worsting　him　politically　in　one　or　all　three　of　the　succeeding　elections　which　were　due　to　occur　every　two　years　between　now　and　1903；　at　which　time　his　franchises　would　have　to　be　renewed。　　As　in　the　past　they　had　made　it　necessary　for　him　to　work　against　them　through　bribery　and　perjury；　so　in　ensuing　struggles　they　might　render　it　more　and　more　difficult　for　him　or　his　agents　to　suborn　the　men　elected　to　office。　　The　subservient　and　venal　councilmen　whom　he　now　controlled　might　be　replaced　by　men　who；　if　no　more　honest；　would　be　more　loyal　to　the　enemy；　thus　blocking　the　extension　of　his　franchises。　　Yet　upon　a　renewal　period　of　at　least　twenty　and　preferably　fifty　years　depended　the　fulfilment　of　all　the　colossal　things　he　had　begunhis　art…collection；　his　new　mansion；　his　growing　prestige　as　a　financier；　his　rehabilitation　socially；　and　the　celebration　of　his　triumph　by　a　union；　morganatic　or　otherwise；　with　some　one　who　would　be　worthy　to　share　his　throne。

It　is　curious　how　that　first　and　most　potent　tendency　of　the　human　mind；　ambition；　becomes　finally　dominating。　　Here　was　Cowperwood　at　fifty…seven；　rich　beyond　the　wildest　dream　of　the　average　man；　celebrated　in　a　local　and　in　some　respects　in　a　national　way；　who　was　nevertheless　feeling　that　by　no　means　had　his　true　aims　been　achieved。　　He　was　not　yet　all…powerful　as　were　divers　Eastern　magnates；　or　even　these　four　or　five　magnificently　moneyed　men　here　in　Chicago　who；　by　plodding　thought　and　labor　in　many　dreary　fields　such　as　Cowperwood　himself　frequently　scorned；　had　reaped　tremendous　and　uncontended　profits。　　How　was　it；　he　asked　himself；　that　his　path　had　almost　constantly　been　strewn　with　stormy　opposition　and　threatened　calamity？　Was　it　due　to　his　private　immorality？　Other　men　were　immoral；　the　mass；　despite　religious　dogma　and　fol…de…rol　theory　imposed　from　the　top；　was　generally　so。　　Was　it　not　rather　due　to　his　inability　to　control　without　dominating　personallywithout　standing　out　fully　and　clearly　in　the　sight　of　all　men？　Sometimes　he　thought　so。　　The　humdrum　conventional　world　could　not　brook　his　daring；　his　insouciance；　his　constant　desire　to　call　a　spade　a　spade。　　His　genial　sufficiency　was　a　taunt　and　a　mockery　to　many。　　The　hard　implication　of　his　eye　was　dreaded　by　the　weaker　as　fire　is　feared　by　a　burnt　child。　Dissembling　enough；　he　was　not　sufficiently　oily　and　make…believe。

Well；　come　what　might；　he　did　not　need　to　be　or　mean　to　be　so；　and　there　the　game　must　lie；　but　he　had　not　by　any　means　attained　the　height　of　his　ambition。　　He　was　not　yet　looked　upon　as　a　money　prince。　　He　could　not　rank　as　yet　with　the　magnates　of　the　East　the　serried　Sequoias　of　Wall　Street。　　Until　he　could　stand　with　these　men；　until　he　could　have　a　magnificent　mansion；　acknowledged　as　such　by　all；　until　he　could　have　a　world…famous　gallery；　Berenice；　millionswhat　did　it　avail？

The　character　of　Cowperwood's　New　York　house；　which　proved　one　of　the　central　achievements　of　his　later　years；　was　one　of　those　floweringsout　of　disposition　which　eventuate　in　the　case　of　men　quite　as　in　that　of　plants。　　After　the　passing　of　the　years　neither　a　modified　Gothic　（such　as　his　Philadelphia　house　had　been）；　nor　a　conventionalized　Norman…French；　after　the　style　of　his　Michigan　Avenue　home；　seemed　suitable　to　him。　　Only　the　Italian　palaces　of　medieval　or　Renaissance　origin　which　he　had　seen　abroad　now　appealed　to　him　as　examples　of　what　a　stately　residence　should　be。　　He　was　really　seeking　something　which　should　not　only　reflect　his　private　tastes　as　to　a　home；　but　should　have　the　more　enduring　qualities　of　a　palace　or　even　a　museum；　which　might　stand　as　a　monument　to　his　memory。　　After　much　searching　Cowperwood　had　found　an　architect　in　New　York　who　suited　him　entirelyone　Raymond　Pyne；　rake；　raconteur；　man…about…townwho　was　still　first　and　foremost　an　artist；　with　an　eye　for　the　exceptional　and　the　perfect。　　These　two　spent　days　and　days　together　meditating　on　the　details　of　this　home　museum。　　An　immense　gallery　was　to　occupy　the　west　wing　of　the　house　and　be　devoted　to　pictures；　a　second　gallery　should　occupy　the　south　wing　and　be　given　over　to　sculpture　and　large　whorls　of　art；　and　these　two　wings　were　to　swing　as　an　L　around　the　house　proper；　the　latter　standing　in　the　angle　between　them。　　The　whole　structure　was　to　be　of　a　rich　brownstone；　heavily　carved。　For　its　interior　decoration　the　richest　woods；　silks；　tapestries；　glass；　and　marbles　were　canvassed。　　The　main　rooms　were　to　surround　a　great　central　court　with　a　colonnade　of　pink…veined　alabaster；　and　in　the　center　there　would　be　an　electrically　lighted　fountain　of　alabaster　and　silver。　　Occupying　the　east　wall　a　series　of　hanging　baskets　of　orchids；　or　of　other　fresh　flowers；　were　to　give　a　splendid　glow　of　color；　a　morning…sun　effect；　to　this　richly　artificial　realm。　　One　chambera　lounge　on　the　second　floorwas　to　be　entirely　lined　with　thin…cut　transparent　marble　of　a　peach…blow　hue；　the　lighting　coming　only　through　these　walls　and　from　without。　Here　in　a　perpetual　atmosphere　of　sunrise　were　to　be　racks　for　exotic　birds；　a　trellis　of　vines；　stone　benches；　a　central　pool　of　glistening　water；　and　an　echo　of　music。　　Pyne　assured　him　that　after　his　death　this　room　would　make　an　excellent　chamber　in　which　to　exhibit　porcelains；　jades；　ivories；　and　other　small　objects　of　value。

Cowperwood　was　now　actually　transferring　his　possessions　to　New　York；　and　had　persuaded　Aileen　to　accompany　him。　　Fine　compound　of　tact　and　chicane　that　he　was；　he　had　the　effrontery　to　assure　her　that　they　could　here　create　a　happier　social　life。　　His　present　plan　was　to　pretend　a　marital　contentment　which　had　no　basis　solely　in　order　to　make　this　transition　period　as　undisturbed　as　possible。　Subsequently　he　might　get　a　divorce；　or　he　might　make　an　arrangement　whereby　his　life　would　be　rendered　happy　outside　the　social　pale。

Of　all　this　Berenice　Fleming　knew　nothing　at　all。　　At　the　same　time　the　building　of　this　splendid　mansion　eventually　awakened　her　to　an　understanding　of　the　spirit　of　art　that　occupied　the　center　of　Cowperwood's　iron　personality　and　caused　her　to　take　a　real　interest　in　him。　　Before　this　she　had　looked　on　him　as　a　kind　of　Western　interloper　coming　East　and　taking　advantage　of　her　mother's　good　nature　to　scrape　a　little　social　courtesy。　　Now；　however；　all　that　Mrs。　Carter　had　been　telling　her　of　his　personality　and　achievements　was　becoming　crystallized　into　a　glittering　chain　of　facts。　　This　house；　the　papers　were　fond　of　repeating；　would　be　a　jewel　of　rare　workmanship。　　Obviously　the　Cowperwoods　were　going　to　try　to　enter　society。　　〃What　a　pity　it　is；〃　Mrs。　Carter　once　said　to　Berenice；　〃that　he　couldn't　have　gotten　a　divorce　from　his　wife　before　he　began　all　this。　　I　am　so　afraid　they　will　never　be　received。　　He　would　be　if　he　only　had　the　right　woman；　but　she〃　Mrs。　Carter；　who　had　once　seen　Aileen　in　Chicago；　shook　her　head　doubtfully。　　〃She　is　not　the　type；〃　was　her　comment。　　〃She　has　neither　the　air　nor　the　understanding。〃

〃If　he　is　so　unhappy　with　her；〃　observed　Berenice；　thoughtfully；　〃why　doesn't　he　leave　her？　She　can　be　happy　without　him。　　It　is　so　sillythis　cat…and…dog　existence。　　Still　I　suppose　she　values　the　position　he　gives　her；〃　she　added；　〃since　she　isn't　so　interesting　herself。〃

〃I　suppose；〃　said　Mrs。　Carter；　〃that　he　married　her　twenty　years　ago；　when　he　was　a　very　different　man　from　what　he　is　to…day。　　She　is　not　exactly　coarse；　but　not　clever　enough。　　She　cannot　do　what　he　would　like　to　see　done。　　I　hate　to　see　mismatings　of　this　kind；　and　yet　they　are　so　common。　　I　do　hope；　Bevy；　that　when　you　marry　it　will　be　some　one　with　whom　you　can　get　along；　though　I　do　believe　I　would　rather　see　you　unhappy　than　poor。〃

This　was　delivered　as　an　early　breakfast　peroration　in　Central　Park　South；　with　the　morning　sun　glittering　on　one　of　the　nearest　park　lakes。　　Bevy；　in　spring…green　and　old…gold；　was　studying　the　social　notes　in　one　of　the　morning　papers。

〃I　think　I　should　prefer　to　be　unhappy　with　wealth　than　to　be　without　it；〃　she　said；　idly；　without　looking　up。

Her　mother　surveyed　her　admiringly；　conscious　of　her　imperious　mood。　　What　was　to　become　of　her？　Would　she　marry　well？　Would　she　marry　in　time？　Thus　far　no　breath　of　the　wretched　days　in　Louisville　had　affected　Berenice。　　Most　of　those　with　whom　Mrs。　Carter　had　found　herself　compelled　to　deal　would　be　kind　enough　to　keep　her　secret。　　But　there　were　others。　　How　near　she