the titan-第102部分

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　turn　only　on　itself。　　What　a　hell　life　was；　she　told　herself。　　How　it　slipped　away　and　left　one　aging；　horribly　alone！　Love　was　nothing；　faith　nothingnothing；　nothing！

A　fine　light　of　conviction；　intensity；　intention　lit　her　eye　for　the　moment。　　〃Very　well；　then；〃　she　said；　coolly；　tensely。　　〃I　know　what　I'll　do。　　I'll　not　live　this　way。　　I'll　not　live　beyond　to…night。　　I　want　to　die；　anyhow；　and　I　will。〃

It　was　by　no　means　a　cry；　this　last；　but　a　calm　statement。　　It　should　prove　her　love。　　To　Cowperwood　it　seemed　unreal；　bravado；　a　momentary　rage　intended　to　frighten　him。　　She　turned　and　walked　up　the　grand　staircase；　which　was　neara　splendid　piece　of　marble　and　bronze　fifteen　feet　wide；　with　marble　nereids　for　newel…posts；　and　dancing　figures　worked　into　the　stone。　　She　went　into　her　room　quite　calmly　and　took　up　a　steel　paper…cutter　of　dagger　designa　knife　with　a　handle　of　bronze　and　a　point　of　great　sharpness。　Coming　out　and　going　along　the　balcony　over　the　court　of　orchids；　where　Cowperwood　still　was　seated；　she　entered　the　sunrise　room　with　its　pool　of　water；　its　birds；　its　benches；　its　vines。　　Locking　the　door；　she　sat　down　and　then；　suddenly　baring　an　arm；　jabbed　a　veinripped　it　for　inchesand　sat　there　to　bleed。　　Now　she　would　see　whether　she　could　die；　whether　he　would　let　her。

Uncertain；　astonished；　not　able　to　believe　that　she　could　be　so　rash；　not　believing　that　her　feeling　could　be　so　great；　Cowperwood　still　remained　where　she　had　left　him　wondering。　　He　had　not　been　so　greatly　movedthe　tantrums　of　women　were　commonand　yet　Could　she　really　be　contemplating　death？　How　could　she？　How　ridiculous！　Life　was　so　strange；　so　mad。　　But　this　was　Aileen　who　had　just　made　this　threat；　and　she　had　gone　up　the　stairs　to　carry　it　out；　perhaps。　　Impossible！　How　could　it　be？　Yet　back　of　all　his　doubts　there　was　a　kind　of　sickening　feeling；　a　dread。　　He　recalled　how　she　had　assaulted　Rita　Sohlberg。

He　hurried　up　the　steps　now　and　into　her　room。　　She　was　not　there。　He　went　quickly　along　the　balcony；　looking　here　and　there；　until　he　came　to　the　sunrise　room。　　She　must　be　there；　for　the　door　was　shut。　　He　tried　itit　was　locked。

〃Aileen；〃　he　called。　　〃Aileen！　Are　you　in　there？〃　No　answer。　　He　listened。　　Still　no　answer。　　〃Aileen！〃　he　repeated。　　〃Are　you　in　there？　What　damned　nonsense　is　this；　anyhow？〃

〃George！〃　he　thought　to　himself；　stepping　back；　〃she　might　do　it；　tooperhaps　she　has。〃　He　could　not　hear　anything　save　the　odd　chattering　of　a　toucan　aroused　by　the　light　she　had　switched　on。　　Perspiration　stood　out　on　his　brow。　　He　shook　the　knob；　pushed　a　bell　for　a　servant；　called　for　keys　which　had　been　made　for　every　door；　called　for　a　chisel　and　hammer。

〃Aileen；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　don't　open　the　door　this　instant　I　will　see　that　it　is　opened。　　It　can　be　opened　quick　enough。〃

Still　no　sound。

〃Damn　it！〃　he　exclaimed；　becoming　wretched；　horrified。　　A　servant　brought　the　keys。　　The　right　one　would　not　enter。　　A　second　was　on　the　other　side。　　〃There　is　a　bigger　hammer　somewhere；〃　Cowperwood　said。　　〃Get　it！　Get　me　a　chair！〃　Meantime；　with　terrific　energy；　using　a　large　chisel；　he　forced　the　door。

There　on　one　of　the　stone　benches　of　the　lovely　room　sat　Aileen；　the　level　pool　of　water　before　her；　the　sunrise　glow　over　every　thing；　tropic　birds　in　their　branches；　and　she；　her　hair　disheveled；　her　face　pale；　one　armher　lefthanging　down；　ripped　and　bleeding；　trickling　a　thick　stream　of　rich；　red　blood。　　On　the　floor　was　a　pool　of　blood；　fierce；　scarlet；　like　some　rich　cloth；　already　turning　darker　in　places。

Cowperwood　pausedamazed。　　He　hurried　forward；　seized　her　arm；　made　a　bandage　of　a　torn　handkerchief　above　the　wound；　sent　for　a　surgeon；　saying　the　while：　〃How　could　you；　Aileen？　How　impossible！　To　try　to　take　your　life！　This　isn't　love。　　It　isn't　even　madness。　It's　foolish　acting。〃

〃Don't　you　really　care？〃　she　asked。

〃How　can　you　ask？　How　could　you　really　do　this？〃

He　was　angry；　hurt；　glad　that　she　was　alive；　shamedmany　things。

〃Don't　you　really　care？〃　she　repeated；　wearily。

〃Aileen；　this　is　nonsense。　　I　will　not　talk　to　you　about　it　now。　　Have　you　cut　yourself　anywhere　else？〃　he　asked；　feeling　about　her　bosom　and　sides。

〃Then　why　not　let　me　die？〃　she　replied；　in　the　same　manner。　　〃I　will　some　day。　　I　want　to。〃

〃Well；　you　may；　some　day；〃　he　replied；　〃but　not　to…night。　　I　scarcely　think　you　want　to　now。　　This　is　too　much；　Aileenreally　impossible。〃

He　drew　himself　up　and　looked　at　hercool；　unbelieving；　the　light　of　control；　even　of　victory；　in　his　eyes。　　As　he　had　suspected；　it　was　not　truly　real。　　She　would　not　have　killed　herself。　　She　had　expected　him　to　cometo　make　the　old　effort。　　Very　good。　　He　would　see　her　safely　in　bed　and　in　a　nurse's　hands；　and　would　then　avoid　her　as　much　as　possible　in　the　future。　　If　her　intention　was　genuine　she　would　carry　it　out　in　his　absence；　but　he　did　not　believe　she　would。




Chapter　LVIII



A　Marauder　Upon　the　Commonwealth

The　spring　and　summer　months　of　1897　and　the　late　fall　of　1898　witnessed　the　final　closing　battle　between　Frank　Algernon　Cowperwood　and　the　forces　inimical　to　him　in　so　far　as　the　city　of　Chicago；　the　state　of　Illinois；　and　indeed　the　United　States　of　America；　were　concerned。　　When　in　1896　a　new　governor　and　a　new　group　of　state　representatives　were　installed　Cowperwood　decided　that　it　would　be　advisable　to　continue　the　struggle　at　once。　　By　the　time　this　new　legislature　should　convene　for　its　labors　a　year　would　have　passed　since　Governor　Swanson　had　vetoed　the　original　public…service…commission　bill。　　By　that　time　public　sentiment　as　aroused　by　the　newspapers　would　have　had　time　to　cool。　　Already　through　various　favorable　financial　interestsparticularly　Haeckelheimer；　Gotloeb　&　Co。　and　all　the　subsurface　forces　they　representedhe　had　attempted　to　influence　the　incoming　governor；　and　had　in　part　succeeded。

The　new　governor　in　this　instanceone　Corporal　A。　E。　Archeror　ex…Congressman　Archer；　as　he　was　sometimes　calledwas；　unlike　Swanson；　a　curious　mixture　of　the　commonplace　and　the　idealone　of　those　shiftily　loyal　and　loyally　shifty　who　make　their　upward　way　by　devious；　if　not　too　reprehensible　methods。　　He　was　a　little　man；　stocky；　brown…haired；　brown…eyed；　vigorous；　witty；　with　the　ordinary　politician's　estimate　of　public　moralitynamely；　that　there　is　no　such　thing。　　A　drummer…boy　at　fourteen　in　the　War　of　the　Rebellion；　a　private　at　sixteen　and　eighteen；　he　had　subsequently　been　breveted　for　conspicuous　military　service。　　At　this　later　time　he　was　head　of　the　Grand　Army　of　the　Republic；　and　conspicuous　in　various　stirring　eleemosynary　efforts　on　behalf　of　the　old　soldiers；　their　widows　and　orphans。　　A　fine　American；　flag…waving；　tobacco…chewing；　foul…swearing　little　man　was　thisand　one　with　noteworthy　political　ambitions。　　Other　Grand　Army　men　had　been　conspicuous　in　the　lists　for　Presidential　nominations。　　Why　not　he？　An　excellent　orator　in　a　high　falsetto　way；　and　popular　because　of　good…fellowship；　presence；　force；　he　was　by　nature　materially　and　commercially　mindedtherefore　without　basic　appeal　to　the　higher　ranks　of　intelligence。　　In　seeking　the　nomination　for　governorship　he　had　made　the　usual　overtures　and　had　in　turn　been　sounded　by　Haeckelheimer；　Gotloeb；　and　various　other　corporate　interests　who　were　in　league　with　Cowperwood　as　to　his　attitude　in　regard　to　a　proposed　public…service　commission。　　At　first　he　had　refused　to　commit　himself。　　Later；　finding　that　the　C。　W。　&　I。　and　the　Chicago　&　Pacific　（very　powerful　railroads　both）　were　interested；　and　that　other　candidates　were　running　him　a　tight　chase　in　the　gubernatorial　contest；　he　succumbed　in　a　measure；　declaring　privately　that　in　case　the　legislature　proved　to　be　strongly　in　favor　of　the　idea　and　the　newspapers　not　too　crushingly　opposed　he　might　be　willing　to　stand　as　its　advocate。　　Other　candidates　expressed　similar　views；　but　Corporal　Archer　proved　to　have　the　greater　following；　and　was　eventually　nominated　and　comfortably　elected。

Shortly　after　the　new　legislature　had　convened；　it　so　chanced　that　a　certain　A。　S。　Rotherhite；　publisher　of　the　South　Chicago　Journal；　was　one　day　accidentally　sitting　as　a　visitor　in　the　seat　of　a　state　representative　by　the　name　of　Clarence　Mulligan。　　While　so　occupied　Rotherhite　was　familiarly　slapped　on　the　back　by　a　certain　Senator　Ladrigo；　of　Menard；　and　was　invited　to　come　out　into　the　rotunda；　where；　posing　as　Representative　Mulligan；　he　was　introduced　by　Senator　Ladrigo　to　a　stranger　by　the　name　of　Gerard。　　The　latter；　with　but　few　preliminary　remarks；　began　as　follows：

〃Mr。　Mulligan；　I　want　to　fix　it　with　you　in　regard　to　this　Southack　bill　which　is　soon　to　come　up　in　the　house。　　We　have　seventy　votes；　but　we　want　ninety。　　The　fact　that　the　bill　has　gone　to　a　second　reading　in　the　senate　shows　our　strength。　　I　am　authorized　to　come　to　terms　with　you　this　morning　if　you　would　like。　　Your　vote　is　worth　two　thousand　dollars　to　you　the　moment　the　bill　is　signed。〃

Mr。　Rotherhite；　who　happened　to　be　a　newly　recruited　member　of　the　Opposition　press；　proved　very　canny　in　this　situation。

〃Excuse　me；〃　he　stammered；　〃I　did　not　understand　your　name？〃

〃Gerard。　　G…er…ard。　　Henry　A。　Gerard；〃　replied　this　other。

〃Thank　you。　　I　will　think　it　over；〃　was　the　response　of　the　presumed　Representative　Mulligan。

Strange　to　state；　at　this　very　instant　the　authentic　Mulligan　actually　appearedheralded　aloud　by　several　of　his　colleagues　who　happened　to　be　lingering　near　by　in　the　lobby。　　Whereupon　the　anomalous　Mr。　Gerard　and　the　crafty　Senator　Ladrigo　discreetly　withdrew。　　Needless　to　say　that　Mr。　Rotherhite　hurried　at　once　to　the　forces　of　righteousness。　　The　press　should　spread　this　little　story　broadcast。　　It　was　a　very　meaty　incident；　and　it　brought　the　whole　matter　once　more　into　the　fatal；　poisonous　field　of　press　discussion。

At　once　the　Chicago　papers　flew　to　arms。　　The　cry　was　raised　that　the　same　old　sinister　Cowperwoodian　forces　were　at　work。　　The　members　of　the　senate　and　the　house　were　solemnly　warned。　　The　sterling　attitude　of　ex…Governor　Swanson　was　held　up　as　an　example　to　the　present　Governor　Archer。　　〃The　whole　idea；〃　observed　an　editorial　in　Truman　Leslie　MacDonald's　Inquirer；　〃smacks　of　chicane；　politic