the financier-第87部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！




〃Oh；　I　know；　Sheriff；〃　interrupted　Steger；　blandly；　〃but　this　isn't　an　ordinary　case　in　any　way；　as　you　can　see　for　yourself。　　Mr。　Cowperwood　is　a　very　important　man；　and　he　has　a　great　many　things　to　attend　to。　　Now　if　it　were　only　a　mere　matter　of　seventy…five　or　a　hundred　dollars　to　satisfy　some　court　clerk　with；　or　to　pay　a　fine；　it　would　be　easy　enough；　but〃　He　paused　and　looked　wisely　away；　and　Mr。　Jaspers's　face　began　to　relax　at　once。　　The　law　against　which　it　was　ordinarily　so　hard　to　offend　was　not　now　so　important。　　Steger　saw　that　it　was　needless　to　introduce　any　additional　arguments。

〃It's　a　very　ticklish　business；　this；　Mr。　Steger；〃　put　in　the　sheriff；　yieldingly；　and　yet　with　a　slight　whimper　in　his　voice。　〃If　anything　were　to　happen；　it　would　cost　me　my　place　all　right。　I　don't　like　to　do　it　under　any　circumstances；　and　I　wouldn't；　only　I　happen　to　know　both　Mr。　Cowperwood　and　Mr。　Stener；　and　I　like　'em　both。　　I　don'　think　they　got　their　rights　in　this　matter；　either。　　I　don't　mind　making　an　exception　in　this　case　if　Mr。　Cowperwood　don't　go　about　too　publicly。　　I　wouldn't　want　any　of　the　men　in　the　district　attorney's　office　to　know　this。　　I　don't　suppose　he'll　mind　if　I　keep　a　deputy　somewhere　near　all　the　time　for　looks'　sake。　　I　have　to；　you　know；　really；　under　the　law。　　He　won't　bother　him　any。　　Just　keep　on　guard　like。〃　　Jaspers　looked　at　Mr。　Steger　very　flatly　and　wiselyalmost　placatingly　under　the　circumstancesand　Steger　nodded。

〃Quite　right；　Sheriff；　quite　right。　　You're　quite　right；〃　and　he　drew　out　his　purse　while　the　sheriff　led　the　way　very　cautiously　back　into　his　library。

〃I'd　like　to　show　you　the　line　of　law…books　I'm　fixing　up　for　myself　in　here；　Mr。　Steger；〃　he　observed；　genially；　but　meanwhile　closing　his　fingers　gently　on　the　small　roll　of　ten…dollar　bills　Steger　was　handing　him。　　〃We　have　occasional　use　for　books　of　that　kind　here；　as　you　see。　　I　thought　it　a　good　sort　of　thing　to　have　them　around。〃　　He　waved　one　arm　comprehensively　at　the　line　of　State　reports；　revised　statutes；　prison　regulations；　etc。；　the　while　he　put　the　money　in　his　pocket　and　Steger　pretended　to　look。

〃A　good　idea；　I　think；　Sheriff。　　Very　good；　indeed。　　So　you　think　if　Mr。　Cowperwood　gets　around　here　very　early　Monday　morning；　say　eight　or　eight…thirty；　that　it　will　be　all　right？〃

〃I　think　so；〃　replied　the　sheriff；　curiously　nervous；　but　agreeable；　anxious　to　please。　　〃I　don't　think　that　anything　will　come　up　that　will　make　me　want　him　earlier。　　If　it　does　I'll　let　you　know；　and　you　can　produce　him。　　I　don't　think　so；　though；　Mr。　Steger；　I　think　everything　will　be　all　right。〃　　They　were　once　more　in　the　main　hall　now。　　〃Glad　to　have　seen　you　again；　Mr。　Stegervery　glad；〃　he　added。　　〃Call　again　some　day。〃

Waving　the　sheriff　a　pleasant　farewell；　he　hurried　on　his　way　to　Cowperwood's　house。

You　would　not　have　thought；　seeing　Cowperwood　mount　the　front　steps　of　his　handsome　residence　in　his　neat　gray　suit　and　well…cut　overcoat　on　his　return　from　his　office　that　evening；　that　he　was　thinking　that　this　might　be　his　last　night　here。　　His　air　and　walk　indicated　no　weakening　of　spirit。　　He　entered　the　hall；　where　an　early　lamp　was　aglow；　and　encountered　〃Wash〃　Sims；　an　old　negro　factotum；　who　was　just　coming　up　from　the　basement；　carrying　a　bucket　of　coal　for　one　of　the　fireplaces。

〃Mahty　cold　out；　dis　evenin'；　Mistah　Coppahwood；〃　said　Wash；　to　whom　anything　less　than　sixty　degrees　was　very　cold。　　His　one　regret　was　that　Philadelphia　was　not　located　in　North　Carolina；　from　whence　he　came。

〃'Tis　sharp；　Wash；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　absentmindedly。　　He　was　thinking　for　the　moment　of　the　house　and　how　it　had　looked；　as　he　came　toward　it　west　along　Girard　Avenuewhat　the　neighbors　were　thinking　of　him；　too；　observing　him　from　time　to　time　out　of　their　windows。　　It　was　clear　and　cold。　　The　lamps　in　the　reception…hall　and　sitting…room　had　been　lit；　for　he　had　permitted　no　air　of　funereal　gloom　to　settle　down　over　this　place　since　his　troubles　had　begun。　　In　the　far　west　of　the　street　a　last　tingling　gleam　of　lavender　and　violet　was　showing　over　the　cold　white　snow　of　the　roadway。　　The　house　of　gray…green　stone；　with　its　lighted　windows；　and　cream…colored　lace　curtains；　had　looked　especially　attractive。　　He　had　thought　for　the　moment　of　the　pride　he　had　taken　in　putting　all　this　here；　decorating　and　ornamenting　it；　and　whether；　ever；　he　could　secure　it　for　himself　again。　　〃Where　is　your　mistress？〃　he　added　to　Wash；　when　he　bethought　himself。

〃In　the　sitting…room；　Mr。　Coppahwood；　ah　think。〃

Cowperwood　ascended　the　stairs；　thinking　curiously　that　Wash　would　soon　be　out　of　a　job　now；　unless　Mrs。　Cowperwood；　out　of　all　the　wreck　of　other　things；　chose　to　retain　him；　which　was　not　likely。　He　entered　the　sitting…room；　and　there　sat　his　wife　by　the　oblong　center…table；　sewing　a　hook　and　eye　on　one　of　Lillian；　second's；　petticoats。　　She　looked　up；　at　his　step；　with　the　peculiarly　uncertain　smile　she　used　these　daysindication　of　her　pain；　fear；　suspicionand　inquired；　〃Well；　what　is　new　with　you；　Frank？〃　Her　smile　was　something　like　a　hat　or　belt　or　ornament　which　one　puts　on　or　off　at　will。

〃Nothing　in　particular；〃　he　replied；　in　his　offhand　way；　〃except　that　I　understand　I　have　lost　that　appeal　of　mine。　　Steger　is　coming　here　in　a　little　while　to　let　me　know。　　I　had　a　note　from　him；　and　I　fancy　it's　about　that。〃

He　did　not　care　to　say　squarely　that　he　had　lost。　　He　knew　that　she　was　sufficiently　distressed　as　it　was；　and　he　did　not　care　to　be　too　abrupt　just　now。

〃You　don't　say！〃　replied　Lillian；　with　surprise　and　fright　in　her　voice；　and　getting　up。

She　had　been　so　used　to　a　world　where　prisons　were　scarcely　thought　of；　where　things　went　on　smoothly　from　day　to　day　without　any　noticeable　intrusion　of　such　distressing　things　as　courts；　jails；　and　the　like；　that　these　last　few　months　had　driven　her　nearly　mad。　Cowperwood　had　so　definitely　insisted　on　her　keeping　in　the　backgroundhe　had　told　her　so　very　little　that　she　was　all　at　sea　anyhow　in　regard　to　the　whole　procedure。　　Nearly　all　that　she　had　had　in　the　way　of　intelligence　had　been　from　his　father　and　mother　and　Anna；　and　from　a　close　and　almost　secret　scrutiny　of　the　newspapers。

At　the　time　he　had　gone　to　the　county　jail　she　did　not　even　know　anything　about　it　until　his　father　had　come　back　from　the　court…room　and　the　jail　and　had　broken　the　news　to　her。　　It　had　been　a　terrific　blow　to　her。　　Now　to　have　this　thing　suddenly　broken　to　her　in　this　offhand　way；　even　though　she　had　been　expecting　and　dreading　it　hourly；　was　too　much。

She　was　still　a　decidedly　charming…looking　woman　as　she　stood　holding　her　daughter's　garment　in　her　hand；　even　if　she　was　forty　years　old　to　Cowperwood's　thirty…five。　　She　was　robed　in　one　of　the　creations　of　their　late　prosperity；　a　cream…colored　gown　of　rich　silk；　with　dark　brown　trimmingsa　fetching　combination　for　her。　　Her　eyes　were　a　little　hollow；　and　reddish　about　the　rims；　but　otherwise　she　showed　no　sign　of　her　keen　mental　distress。　There　was　considerable　evidence　of　the　former　tranquil　sweetness　that　had　so　fascinated　him　ten　years　before。

〃Isn't　that　terrible？〃　she　said；　weakly；　her　hands　trembling　in　a　nervous　way。　　〃Isn't　it　dreadful？　Isn't　there　anything　more　you　can　do；　truly？〃　You　won't　really　have　to　go　to　prison；　will　you？〃　He　objected　to　her　distress　and　her　nervous　fears。　　He　preferred　a　stronger；　more　self…reliant　type　of　woman；　but　still　she　was　his　wife；　and　in　his　day　he　had　loved　her　much。

〃It　looks　that　way；　Lillian；〃　he　said；　with　the　first　note　of　real　sympathy　he　had　used　in　a　long　while；　for　he　felt　sorry　for　her　now。　　At　the　same　time　he　was　afraid　to　go　any　further　along　that　line；　for　fear　it　might　give　her　a　false　sense　as　to　his　present　attitude　toward　her　which　was　one　essentially　of　indifference。　But　she　was　not　so　dull　but　what　she　could　see　that　the　consideration　in　his　voice　had　been　brought　about　by　his　defeat；　which　meant　hers　also。　　She　choked　a　littleand　even　so　was　touched。　　The　bare　suggestion　of　sympathy　brought　back　the　old　days　so　definitely　gone　forever。　　If　only　they　could　be　brought　back！

〃I　don't　want　you　to　feel　distressed　about　me；　though；〃　he　went　on；　before　she　could　say　anything　to　him。　　〃I'm　not　through　with　my　fighting。　　I'll　get　out　of　this。　　I　have　to　go　to　prison；　it　seems；　in　order　to　get　things　straightened　out　properly。　　What　I　would　like　you　to　do　is　to　keep　up　a　cheerful　appearance　in　front　of　the　rest　of　the　familyfather　and　mother　particularly。　　They　need　to　be　cheered　up。〃　　He　thought　once　of　taking　her　hand；　then　decided　not。　　She　noted　mentally　his　hesitation；　the　great　difference　between　his　attitude　now　and　that　of　ten　or　twelve　years　before。　It　did　not　hurt　her　now　as　much　as　she　once　would　have　thought。　　She　looked　at　him；　scarcely　knowing　what　to　say。　　There　was　really　not　so　much　to　say。

〃Will　you　have　to　go　soon；　if　you　do　have　to　go？〃　she　ventured；　wearily。

〃I　can't　tell　yet。　　Possibly　to…night。　　Possibly　Friday。　　Possibly　not　until　Monday。　　I'm　waiting　to　hear　from　Steger。　　I　expect　him　here　any　minute。〃

To　prison！　To　prison！　Her　Frank　Cowperwood；　her　husbandthe　substance　of　their　home　hereand　all　their　soul　destruction　going　to　prison。　　And　even　now　she　scarcely　grasped　why！　She　stood　there　wondering　what　she　could　do

〃Is　there　anything　I　can　get　for　you？〃　she　asked；　starting　forward　as　if　out　of　a　dream。　　〃Do　you　want　me　to　do　anything？　Don't　you　think　perhaps　you　had　better　leave　Philadelphia；　Frank？　You　needn't　go　to　prison　unless　you　want　to。〃

She　was　a　little　beside　herself；　for　the　first　time　in　her　life　shocked　out　of　a　deadly　calm。

He　paused　and　looked　at　her　for　a　moment　in　his　direct；　examining　way；　his　hard　commercial　business　judgment　restored　on　the　instant。

〃That　would　be　a　confession　of　guilt；　Lillian；　and　I'm　not　guilty；〃　he　replied；　almost　coldly。　　〃I　haven't　done　anything　that　warrants　my　running　away　or　going　to　prison；　either。　　I'm　merely　going　there　to　save　time　at　present。　　I　can't　be　litigating　this　thing　forever。　　I'll　get　outbe　pardoned　out　or　sued　out　in　a　reasonable　length　of　time。　　Just　now　it's　better　to　go；　I　think。　　I　wouldn't　think　of　running　away　from　Philadelphia。　　Two　of　five　judges　f