the financier-第97部分

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re；　if　there　are　any　empty〃　The　warden　cocked　his　eye　wisely；　and　Cowperwood　saw　that　his　tot　was　not　to　be　as　bad　as　he　had　anticipatedthough　bad　enough。　　The　warden　spoke　to　him　about　the　different　trades　he　might　follow；　and　asked　him　to　think　about　the　one　he　would　prefer。　　〃You　want　to　have　something　to　keep　your　hands　busy；　whatever　else　you　want。　　You'll　find　you'll　need　that。　　Everybody　here　wants　to　work　after　a　time。　　I　notice　that。〃

Cowperwood　understood　and　thanked　Desmas　profusely。　　The　horror　of　idleness　in　silence　and　in　a　cell　scarcely　large　enough　to　turn　around　in　comfortably　had　already　begun　to　creep　over　him；　and　the　thought　of　being　able　to　see　Wingate　and　Steger　frequently；　and　to　have　his　mail　reach　him；　after　a　time；　untampered　with；　was　a　great　relief。　　He　was　to　have　his　own　underwear；　silk　and　wool　thank　God！and　perhaps　they　would　let　him　take　off　these　shoes　after　a　while。　　With　these　modifications　and　a　trade；　and　perhaps　the　little　yard　which　Desmas　had　referred　to；　his　life　would　be；　if　not　ideal；　at　least　tolerable。　　The　prison　was　still　a　prison；　but　it　looked　as　though　it　might　not　be　so　much　of　a　terror　to　him　as　obviously　it　must　be　to　many。

During　the　two　weeks　in　which　Cowperwood　was　in　the　〃manners　squad；〃　in　care　of　Chapin；　he　learned　nearly　as　much　as　he　ever　learned　of　the　general　nature　of　prison　life；　for　this　was　not　an　ordinary　penitentiary　in　the　sense　that　the　prison　yard；　the　prison　squad；　the　prison　lock…step；　the　prison　dining…room；　and　prison　associated　labor　make　the　ordinary　penitentiary。　　There　was；　for　him　and　for　most　of　those　confined　there；　no　general　prison　life　whatsoever。　The　large　majority　were　supposed　to　work　silently　in　their　cells　at　the　particular　tasks　assigned　them；　and　not　to　know　anything　of　the　remainder　of　the　life　which　went　on　around　them；　the　rule　of　this　prison　being　solitary　confinement；　and　few　being　permitted　to　work　at　the　limited　number　of　outside　menial　tasks　provided。　Indeed；　as　he　sensed　and　as　old　Chapin　soon　informed　him；　not　more　than　seventy…five　of　the　four　hundred　prisoners　confined　here　were　so　employed；　and　not　all　of　these　regularlycooking；　gardening　in　season；　milling；　and　general　cleaning　being　the　only　avenues　of　escape　from　solitude。　　Even　those　who　so　worked　were　strictly　forbidden　to　talk；　and　although　they　did　not　have　to　wear　the　objectionable　hood　when　actually　employed；　they　were　supposed　to　wear　it　in　going　to　and　from　their　work。　　Cowperwood　saw　them　occasionally　tramping　by　his　cell　door；　and　it　struck　him　as　strange；　uncanny；　grim。　　He　wished　sincerely　at　times　since　old　Chapin　was　so　genial　and　talkative　that　he　were　to　be　under　him　permanently；　but　it　was　not　to　be。

His　two　weeks　soon　passeddrearily　enough　in　all　conscience　but　they　passed；　interlaced　with　his　few　commonplace　tasks　of　bed…making；　floor…sweeping；　dressing；　eating；　undressing；　rising　at　five…thirty；　and　retiring　at　nine；　washing　his　several　dishes　after　each　meal；　etc。　　He　thought　he　would　never　get　used　to　the　food。　　Breakfast；　as　has　been　said；　was　at　six…thirty；　and　consisted　of　coarse　black　bread　made　of　bran　and　some　white　flour；　and　served　with　black　coffee。　　Dinner　was　at　eleven…thirty；　and　consisted　of　bean　or　vegetable　soup；　with　some　coarse　meat　in　it；　and　the　same　bread。　Supper　was　at　six；　of　tea　and　bread；　very　strong　tea　and　the　same　breadno　butter；　no　milk；　no　sugar。　　Cowperwood　did　not　smoke；　so　the　small　allowance　of　tobacco　which　was　permitted　was　without　value　to　him。　　Steger　called　in　every　day　for　two　or　three　weeks；　and　after　the　second　day；　Stephen　Wingate；　as　his　new　business　associate；　was　permitted　to　see　him　alsoonce　every　day；　if　he　wished；　Desmas　stated；　though　the　latter　felt　he　was　stretching　a　point　in　permitting　this　so　soon。　　Both　of　these　visits　rarely　occupied　more　than　an　hour；　or　an　hour　and　a　half；　and　after　that　the　day　was　long。　　He　was　taken　out　on　several　days　on　a　court　order；　between　nine　and　five；　to　testify　in　the　bankruptcy　proceedings　against　him；　which　caused　the　time　in　the　beginning　to　pass　quickly。

It　was　curious；　once　he　was　in　prison；　safely　shut　from　the　world　for　a　period　of　years　apparently；　how　quickly　all　thought　of　assisting　him　departed　from　the　minds　of　those　who　had　been　most　friendly。　　He　was　done；　so　most　of　them　thought。　　The　only　thing　they　could　do　now　would　be　to　use　their　influence　to　get　him　out　some　time；　how　soon；　they　could　not　guess。　　Beyond　that　there　was　nothing。　　He　would　really　never　be　of　any　great　importance　to　any　one　any　more；　or　so　they　thought。　　It　was　very　sad；　very　tragic；　but　he　was　gonehis　place　knew　him　not。

〃A　bright　young　man；　that；〃　observed　President　Davison　of　the　Girard　National；　on　reading　of　Cowperwood's　sentence　and　incarceration。　〃Too　bad！　Too　bad！　He　made　a　great　mistake。〃

Only　his　parents；　Aileen；　and　his　wifethe　latter　with　mingled　feelings　of　resentment　and　sorrowreally　missed　him。　　Aileen；　because　of　her　great　passion　for　him；　was　suffering　most　of　all。　Four　years　and　three　months；　she　thought。　　If　he　did　not　get　out　before　then　she　would　be　nearing　twenty…nine　and　he　would　be　nearing　forty。　　Would　he　want　her　then？　Would　she　be　so　attractive？　And　would　nearly　five　years　change　his　point　of　view？　He　would　have　to　wear　a　convict　suit　all　that　time；　and　be　known　as　a　convict　forever　after。　　It　was　hard　to　think　about；　but　only　made　her　more　than　ever　determined　to　cling　to　him；　whatever　happened；　and　to　help　him　all　she　could。

Indeed　the　day　after　his　incarceration　she　drove　out　and　looked　at　the　grim；　gray　walls　of　the　penitentiary。　　Knowing　nothing　absolutely　of　the　vast　and　complicated　processes　of　law　and　penal　servitude；　it　seemed　especially　terrible　to　her。　　What　might　not　they　be　doing　to　her　Frank？　Was　he　suffering　much？　Was　he　thinking　of　her　as　she　was　of　him？　Oh；　the　pity　of　it　all！　The　pity！　The　pity　of　herselfher　great　love　for　him！　She　drove　home；　determined　to　see　him；　but　as　he　had　originally　told　her　that　visiting　days　were　only　once　in　three　months；　and　that　he　would　have　to　write　her　when　the　next　one　was；　or　when　she　could　come；　or　when　he　could　see　her　on　the　outside；　she　scarcely　knew　what　to　do。　　Secrecy　was　the　thing。

The　next　day；　however；　she　wrote　him　just　the　same；　describing　the　drive　she　had　taken　on　the　stormy　afternoon　beforethe　terror　of　the　thought　that　he　was　behind　those　grim　gray　wallsand　declaring　her　determination　to　see　him　soon。　　And　this　letter；　under　the　new　arrangement；　he　received　at　once。　　He　wrote　her　in　reply；　giving　the　letter　to　Wingate　to　mail。　　It　ran：

　　My　sweet　girl：I　fancy　you　are　a　little　downhearted　to　think　　　I　cannot　be　with　you　any　more　soon；　but　you　mustn't　be。　　I　　　suppose　you　read　all　about　the　sentence　in　the　paper。　　I　came　　　out　here　the　same　morningnearly　noon。　　If　I　had　time；　dearest；　　　I'd　write　you　a　long　letter　describing　the　situation　so　as　to　　　ease　your　mind；　but　I　haven't。　　It's　against　the　rules；　and　I　　　am　really　doing　this　secretly。　　I'm　here；　though；　safe　enough；　　　and　wish　I　were　out；　of　course。　　Sweetest；　you　must　be　careful　　　how　you　try　to　see　me　at　first。　　You　can't　do　me　much　service　　　outside　of　cheering　me　up；　and　you　may　do　yourself　great　harm。　　　Besides；　I　think　I　have　done　you　far　more　harm　than　I　can　ever　　　make　up　to　you　and　that　you　had　best　give　me　up；　although　I　know　　　you　do　not　think　so；　and　I　would　be　sad；　if　you　did。　　I　am　to　be　　　in　the　Court　of　Special　Pleas；　Sixth　and　Chestnut；　on　Friday　at　　　two　o'clock；　but　you　cannot　see　me　there。　　I'll　be　out　in　charge　　　of　my　counsel。　　You　must　be　careful。　　Perhaps　you'll　think　　　better；　and　not　come　here。

This　last　touch　was　one　of　pure　gloom；　the　first　Cowperwood　had　ever　introduced　into　their　relationship　but　conditions　had　changed　him。　　Hitherto　he　had　been　in　the　position　of　the　superior　being；　the　one　who　was　being　soughtalthough　Aileen　was　and　had　been　well　worth　seekingand　he　had　thought　that　he　might　escape　unscathed；　and　so　grow　in　dignity　and　power　until　she　might　not　possibly　be　worthy　of　him　any　longer。　　He　had　had　that　thought。　　But　here；　in　stripes；　it　was　a　different　matter。　　Aileen's　position；　reduced　in　value　as　it　was　by　her　long；　ardent　relationship　with　him；　was　now；　nevertheless；　superior　to　hisapparently　so。　　For　after　all；　was　she　not　Edward　Butler's　daughter；　and　might　she；　after　she　had　been　away　from　him　a　while；　wish　to　become　a　convict's　bride。　　She　ought　not　to　want　to；　and　she　might　not　want　to；　for　all　he　knew；　she　might　change　her　mind。　　She　ought　not　to　wait　for　him。　　Her　life　was　not　yet　ruined。　　The　public　did　not　know；　so　he　thought　not　generally　anyhowthat　she　had　been　his　mistress。　　She　might　marry。　　Why　not；　and　so　pass　out　of　his　life　forever。　　And　would　not　that　be　sad　for　him？　And　yet　did　he　not　owe　it　to　her；　to　a　sense　of　fair　play　in　himself　to　ask　her　to　give　him　up；　or　at　least　think　over　the　wisdom　of　doing　so？

He　did　her　the　justice　to　believe　that　she　would　not　want　to　give　him　up；　and　in　his　position；　however　harmful　it　might　be　to　her；　it　was　an　advantage；　a　connecting　link　with　the　finest　period　of　his　past　life；　to　have　her　continue　to　love　him。　　He　could　not；　however；　scribbling　this　note　in　his　cell　in　Wingate's　presence；　and　giving　it　to　him　to　mail　（Overseer　Chapin　was　kindly　keeping　a　respectful　distance；　though　he　was　supposed　to　be　present）；　refrain　from　adding；　at　the　last　moment；　this　little　touch　of　doubt　which；　when　she　read　it；　struck　Aileen　to　the　heart。　　She　read　it　as　gloom　on　his　partas　great　depression。　　Perhaps；　after　all；　the　penitentiary　and　so　soon；　was　really　breaking　his　spirit；　and　he　had　held　up　so　courageously　so　long。　　Because　of　this；　now　she　was　madly　eager　to　get　to　him；　to　console　him；　even　though　it　was　difficult；　perilous。　　She　must；　she　said。

In　regard　to　visits　from　the　various　members　of　his　familyhis　mother　and　father；　his　brother；　his　wife；　and　his　sisterCowperwood　made　it　plain　to　them　on　one　of　the　days　on　which　he　was　out　attending　a　bankruptcy　hearing；　that　even　providing　it　could　be　arranged　he　did　not　think　they　should　come　oftener　than　once　in　three　months；　unless　he　wrote　them　or　sent　word　by　Steger。　　The　truth　was　that　he　really　did　not　care　to　see　much　of　any　of　them　at　present。　　He　was　sick　o