the financier-第66部分

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〃Very　well；　then；〃　he　said　at　last　and　sadly；　oh；　so　sadly；　as　Aileen　turned　away。　　〃Have　it　yer　own　way；　if　ye　will。　　Ye　must　go；　though；　willy…nilly。　　It　can't　be　any　other　way。　　I　wish　to　God　it　could。〃

Aileen　went　out；　very　solemn；　and　Butler　went　over　to　his　desk　and　sat　down。　　〃Such　a　situation！〃　he　said　to　himself。　　Such　a　complication！〃





Chapter　XXXVIII




The　situation　which　confronted　Aileen　was　really　a　trying　one。　　A　girl　of　less　innate　courage　and　determination　would　have　weakened　and　yielded。　　For　in　spite　of　her　various　social　connections　and　acquaintances；　the　people　to　whom　Aileen　could　run　in　an　emergency　of　the　present　kind　were　not　numerous。　　She　could　scarcely　think　of　any　one　who　would　be　likely　to　take　her　in　for　any　lengthy　period；　without　question。　　There　were　a　number　of　young　women　of　her　own　age；　married　and　unmarried；　who　were　very　friendly　to　her；　but　there　were　few　with　whom　she　was　really　intimate。　　The　only　person　who　stood　out　in　her　mind；　as　having　any　real　possibility　of　refuge　for　a　period；　was　a　certain　Mary　Calligan；　better　known　as　〃Mamie〃　among　her　friends；　who　had　attended　school　with　Aileen　in　former　years　and　was　now　a　teacher　in　one　of　the　local　schools。

The　Calligan　family　consisted　of　Mrs。　Katharine　Calligan；　the　mother；　a　dressmaker　by　profession　and　a　widowher　husband；　a　house…mover　by　trade；　having　been　killed　by　a　falling　wall　some　ten　years　beforeand　Mamie；　her　twenty…three…year…old　daughter。　They　lived　in　a　small　two…story　brick　house　in　Cherry　Street；　near　Fifteenth。　　Mrs。　Calligan　was　not　a　very　good　dressmaker；　not　good　enough；　at　least；　for　the　Butler　family　to　patronize　in　their　present　exalted　state。　　Aileen　went　there　occasionally　for　gingham　house…dresses；　underwear；　pretty　dressing…gowns；　and　alterations　on　some　of　her　more　important　clothing　which　was　made　by　a　very　superior　modiste　in　Chestnut　Street。　　She　visited　the　house　largely　because　she　had　gone　to　school　with　Mamie　at　St。　Agatha's；　when　the　outlook　of　the　Calligan　family　was　much　more　promising。　　Mamie　was　earning　forty　dollars　a　month　as　the　teacher　of　a　sixth…grade　room　in　one　of　the　nearby　public　schools；　and　Mrs。　Calligan　averaged　on　the　whole　about　two　dollars　a　daysometimes　not　so　much。　　The　house　they　occupied　was　their　own；　free　and　clear；　and　the　furniture　which　it　contained　suggested　the　size　of　their　joint　income；　which　was　somewhere　near　eighty　dollars　a　month。

Mamie　Calligan　was　not　good…looking；　not　nearly　as　good…looking　as　her　mother　had　been　before　her。　　Mrs。　Calligan　was　still　plump；　bright；　and　cheerful　at　fifty；　with　a　fund　of　good　humor。　　Mamie　was　somewhat　duller　mentally　and　emotionally。　　She　was　serious…minded　made　so；　perhaps；　as　much　by　circumstances　as　by　anything　else；　for　she　was　not　at　all　vivid；　and　had　little　sex　magnetism。　　Yet　she　was　kindly；　honest；　earnest；　a　good　Catholic；　and　possessed　of　that　strangely　excessive　ingrowing　virtue　which　shuts　so　many　people　off　from　the　worlda　sense　of　duty。　　To　Mamie　Calligan　duty　（a　routine　conformity　to　such　theories　and　precepts　as　she　had　heard　and　worked　by　since　her　childhood）　was　the　all…important　thing；　her　principal　source　of　comfort　and　relief；　her　props　in　a　queer　and　uncertain　world　being　her　duty　to　her　Church；　her　duty　to　her　school；　her　duty　to　her　mother；　her　duty　to　her　friends；　etc。　　Her　mother　often　wished　for　Mamie's　sake　that　she　was　less　dutiful　and　more　charming　physically；　so　that　the　men　would　like　her。

In　spite　of　the　fact　that　her　mother　was　a　dressmaker；　Mamie's　clothes　never　looked　smart　or　attractiveshe　would　have　felt　out　of　keeping　with　herself　if　they　had。　　Her　shoes　were　rather　large；　and　ill…fitting；　her　skirt　hung　in　lifeless　lines　from　her　hips　to　her　feet；　of　good　material　but　seemingly　bad　design。　　At　that　time　the　colored　〃jersey；〃　so…called；　was　just　coming　into　popular　wear；　and；　being　close…fitting；　looked　well　on　those　of　good　form。　Alas　for　Mamie　Calligan！　The　mode　of　the　time　compelled　her　to　wear　one；　but　she　had　neither　the　arms　nor　the　chest　development　which　made　this　garment　admirable。　　Her　hat；　by　choice；　was　usually　a　pancake　affair　with　a　long；　single　feather；　which　somehow　never　seemed　to　be　in　exactly　the　right　position；　either　to　her　hair　or　her　face。　　At　most　times　she　looked　a　little　weary；　but　she　was　not　physically　weary　so　much　as　she　was　bored。　　Her　life　held　so　little　of　real　charm；　and　Aileen　Butler　was　unquestionably　the　most　significant　element　of　romance　in　it。

Mamie's　mother's　very　pleasant　social　disposition；　the　fact　that　they　had　a　very　cleanly；　if　poor　little　home；　that　she　could　entertain　them　by　playing　on　their　piano；　and　that　Mrs。　Calligan　took　an　adoring　interest　in　the　work　she　did　for　her；　made　up　the　sum　and　substance　of　the　attraction　of　the　Calligan　home　for　Aileen。　She　went　there　occasionally　as　a　relief　from　other　things；　and　because　Mamie　Calligan　had　a　compatible　and　very　understanding　interest　in　literature。　　Curiously；　the　books　Aileen　liked　she　likedJane　Eyre；　Kenelm　Chillingly；　Tricotrin；　and　A　Bow　of　Orange　Ribbon。　　Mamie　occasionally　recommended　to　Aileen　some　latest　effusion　of　this　character；　and　Aileen；　finding　her　judgment　good；　was　constrained　to　admire　her。

In　this　crisis　it　was　to　the　home　of　the　Calligans　that　Aileen　turned　in　thought。　　If　her　father　really　was　not　nice　to　her；　and　she　had　to　leave　home　for　a　time；　she　could　go　to　the　Calligans。　They　would　receive　her　and　say　nothing。　　They　were　not　sufficiently　well　known　to　the　other　members　of　the　Butler　family　to　have　the　latter　suspect　that　she　had　gone　there。　　She　might　readily　disappear　into　the　privacy　of　Cherry　Street　and　not　be　seen　or　heard　of　for　weeks。　　It　is　an　interesting　fact　to　contemplate　that　the　Calligans；　like　the　various　members　of　the　Butler　family；　never　suspected　Aileen　of　the　least　tendency　toward　a　wayward　existence。　　Hence　her　flight　from　her　own　family；　if　it　ever　came；　would　be　laid　more　to　the　door　of　a　temperamental　pettishness　than　anything　else。

On　the　other　hand；　in　so　far　as　the　Butler　family　as　a　unit　was　concerned；　it　needed　Aileen　more　than　she　needed　it。　　It　needed　the　light　of　her　countenance　to　keep　it　appropriately　cheerful；　and　if　she　went　away　there　would　be　a　distinct　gulf　that　would　not　soon　be　overcome。

Butler；　senior；　for　instance；　had　seen　his　little　daughter　grow　into　radiantly　beautiful　womanhood。　　He　had　seen　her　go　to　school　and　convent　and　learn　to　play　the　pianoto　him　a　great　accomplishment。　　Also　he　had　seen　her　manner　change　and　become　very　showy　and　her　knowledge　of　life　broaden；　apparently；　and　become　to　him；　at　least；　impressive。　　Her　smart；　dogmatic　views　about　most　things　were；　to　him；　at　least；　well　worth　listening　to。　She　knew　more　about　books　and　art　than　Owen　or　Callum；　and　her　sense　of　social　manners　was　perfect。　　When　she　came　to　the　table　breakfast；　luncheon；　or　dinnershe　was　to　him　always　a　charming　object　to　see。　　He　had　produced　Aileenhe　congratulated　himself。　He　had　furnished　her　the　money　to　be　so　fine。　　He　would　continue　to　do　so。　　No　second…rate　upstart　of　a　man　should　be　allowed　to　ruin　her　life。　　He　proposed　to　take　care　of　her　alwaysto　leave　her　so　much　money　in　a　legally　involved　way　that　a　failure　of　a　husband　could　not　possibly　affect　her。　　〃You're　the　charming　lady　this　evenin'；　I'm　thinkin'；〃　was　one　of　his　pet　remarks；　and　also；　〃My；　but　we're　that　fine！〃　At　table　almost　invariably　she　sat　beside　him　and　looked　out　for　him。　　That　was　what　he　wanted。　　He　had　put　her　there　beside　him　at　his　meals　years　before　when　she　was　a　child。

Her　mother；　too；　was　inordinately　fond　of　her；　and　Callum　and　Owen　appropriately　brotherly。　　So　Aileen　had　thus　far　at　least　paid　back　with　beauty　and　interest　quite　as　much　as　she　received；　and　all　the　family　felt　it　to　be　so。　　When　she　was　away　for　a　day　or　two　the　house　seemed　glumthe　meals　less　appetizing。　　When　she　returned；　all　were　happy　and　gay　again。

Aileen　understood　this　clearly　enough　in　a　way。　　Now；　when　it　came　to　thinking　of　leaving　and　shifting　for　herself；　in　order　to　avoid　a　trip　which　she　did　not　care　to　be　forced　into；　her　courage　was　based　largely　on　this　keen　sense　of　her　own　significance　to　the　family。　　She　thought　over　what　her　father　had　said；　and　decided　she　must　act　at　once。　　She　dressed　for　the　street　the　next　morning；　after　her　father　had　gone；　and　decided　to　step　in　at　the　Calligans'　about　noon；　when　Mamie　would　be　at　home　for　luncheon。　　Then　she　would　take　up　the　matter　casually。　　If　they　had　no　objection；　she　would　go　there。　　She　sometimes　wondered　why　Cowperwood　did　not　suggest；　in　his　great　stress；　that　they　leave　for　some　parts　unknown；　but　she　also　felt　that　he　must　know　best　what　he　could　do。　　His　increasing　troubles　depressed　her。

Mrs。　Calligan　was　alone　when　she　arrived　and　was　delighted　to　see　her。　　After　exchanging　the　gossip　of　the　day；　and　not　knowing　quite　how　to　proceed　in　connection　with　the　errand　which　had　brought　her；　she　went　to　the　piano　and　played　a　melancholy　air。

〃Sure；　it's　lovely　the　way　you　play；　Aileen；〃　observed　Mrs。　Calligan　who　was　unduly　sentimental　herself。　　〃I　love　to　hear　you。　　I　wish　you'd　come　oftener　to　see　us。　　You're　so　rarely　here　nowadays。〃

〃Oh；　I've　been　so　busy；　Mrs。　Calligan；〃　replied　Aileen。　　〃I've　had　so　much　to　do　this　fall；　I　just　couldn't。　　They　wanted　me　to　go　to　Europe；　but　I　didn't　care　to。　　Oh；　dear！〃　she　sighed；　and　in　her　playing　swept　off　with　a　movement　of　sad；　romantic　significance。　The　door　opened　and　Mamie　came　in。　　Her　commonplace　face　brightened　at　the　sight　of　Aileen。

〃Well；　Aileen　Butler！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃Where　did　you　come　from？　Where　have　you　been　keeping　yourself　so　long？〃

Aileen　rose　to　exchange　kisses。　　〃Oh；　I've　been　very　busy；　Mamie。　I've　just　been　telling　your　mother。　　How　are　you；　anyway？　How　are　you　getting　along　in　your　work？〃

Mamie　recounted　at　once　some　school　difficulties　which　were　puzzling　herthe　growing　size　of　classes　and　the　amount　of　work　expected。　While　Mrs。　Calligan　was　setting　the　table　Mamie　went　to　her　room　and　Aileen　followed　her。

As　she　stood　before　her　mirror　arranging　her　hair　Aileen　looked　at　her　meditatively。

〃What's　the　matter　with　you；　Aileen；　to…day？〃　Mamie　asked。　　〃You　look　so〃　She　stopped　to　g