the titan-第41部分

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ied　Susetta　Osborn；　a　Texas　girl　who　was　once　his　bookkeeper。　　Mrs。　Platow　was　lithe；　amiable；　subtle；　with　an　eye　always　to　the　main　social　chancein　other　words；　a　climber。　　She　was　shrewd　enough　to　realize　that　a　knowledge　of　books　and　art　and　current　events　was　essential；　and　so　she　〃went　in〃　for　these　things。

It　is　curious　how　the　temperaments　of　parents　blend　and　revivify　in　their　children。　　As　Stephanie　grew　up　she　had　repeated　in　her　very　differing　body　some　of　her　father's　and　mother's　characteristics　an　interesting　variability　of　soul。　　She　was　tall；　dark；　sallow；　lithe；　with　a　strange　moodiness　of　heart　and　a　recessive；　fulgurous　gleam　in　her　chestnut…brown；　almost　brownish…black　eyes。　　She　had　a　full；　sensuous；　Cupid's　mouth；　a　dreamy　and　even　languishing　expression；　a　graceful　neck；　and　a　heavy；　dark；　and　yet　pleasingly　modeled　face。　　From　both　her　father　and　mother　she　had　inherited　a　penchant　for　art；　literature；　philosophy；　and　music。　　Already　at　eighteen　she　was　dreaming　of　painting；　singing；　writing　poetry；　writing　books；　actinganything　and　everything。　　Serene　in　her　own　judgment　of　what　was　worth　while；　she　was　like　to　lay　stress　on　any　silly　mood　or　fad；　thinking　it　exquisitethe　last　word。　Finally；　she　was　a　rank　voluptuary；　dreaming　dreams　of　passionate　union　with　first　one　and　then　another　type　of　artist；　poet；　musicianthe　whole　gamut　of　the　artistic　and　emotional　world。

Cowperwood　first　saw　her　on　board　the　Centurion　one　June　morning；　as　the　ship　lay　at　dock　in　New　York。　　He　and　Aileen　were　en　route　for　Norway；　she　and　her　father　and　mother　for　Denmark　and　Switzerland。　She　was　hanging　over　the　starboard　rail　looking　at　a　flock　of　wide…winged　gulls　which　were　besieging　the　port　of　the　cook's　galley。　　She　was　musing　soulfullyconscious　（fully）　that　she　was　musing　soulfully。　　He　paid　very　little　attention　to　her；　except　to　note　that　she　was　tall；　rhythmic；　and　that　a　dark…gray　plaid　dress；　and　an　immense　veil　of　gray　silk　wound　about　her　shoulders　and　waist　and　over　one　arm；　after　the　manner　of　a　Hindu　shawl；　appeared　to　become　her　much。　　Her　face　seemed　very　sallow；　and　her　eyes　ringed　as　if　indicating　dyspepsia。　　Her　black　hair　under　a　chic　hat　did　not　escape　his　critical　eye。　　Later　she　and　her　father　appeared　at　the　captain's　table；　to　which　the　Cowperwoods　had　also　been　invited。

Cowperwood　and　Aileen　did　not　know　how　to　take　this　girl；　though　she　interested　them　both。　　They　little　suspected　the　chameleon　character　of　her　soul。　　She　was　an　artist；　and　as　formless　and　unstable　as　water。　　It　was　a　mere　passing　gloom　that　possessed　her。　　Cowperwood　liked　the　semi…Jewish　cast　of　her　face；　a　certain　fullness　of　the　neck；　her　dark；　sleepy　eyes。　　But　she　was　much　too　young　and　nebulous；　he　thought；　and　he　let　her　pass。　　On　this　trip；　which　endured　for　ten　days；　he　saw　much　of　her；　in　different　moods；　walking　with　a　young　Jew　in　whom　she　seemed　greatly　interested；　playing　at　shuffleboard；　reading　solemnly　in　a　corner　out　of　the　reach　of　the　wind　or　spray；　and　usually　looking　naive；　preternaturally　innocent；　remote；　dreamy。　　At　other　times　she　seemed　possessed　of　a　wild　animation；　her　eyes　alight；　her　expression　vigorous；　an　intense　glow　in　her　soul。　　Once　he　saw　her　bent　over　a　small　wood　block；　cutting　a　book…plate　with　a　thin　steel　graving　tool。

Because　of　Stephanie's　youth　and　seeming　unimportance；　her　lack　of　what　might　be　called　compelling　rosy　charm；　Aileen　had　become　reasonably　friendly　with　the　girl。　　Far　subtler；　even　at　her　years；　than　Aileen；　Stephanie　gathered　a　very　good　impression　of　the　former；　of　her　mental　girth；　and　how　to　take　her。　　She　made　friends　with　her；　made　a　book…plate　for　her；　made　a　sketch　of　her。　　She　confided　to　Aileen　that　in　her　own　mind　she　was　destined　for　the　stage；　if　her　parents　would　permit；　and　Aileen　invited　her　to　see　her　husband's　pictures　on　their　return。　　She　little　knew　how　much　of　a　part　Stephanie　would　play　in　Cowperwood's　life。

The　Cowperwoods；　having　been　put　down　at　Goteborg；　saw　no　more　of　the　Platows　until　late　October。　　Then　Aileen；　being　lonely；　called　to　see　Stephanie；　and　occasionally　thereafter　Stephanie　came　over　to　the　South　Side　to　see　the　Cowperwoods。　　She　liked　to　roam　about　their　house；　to　dream　meditatively　in　some　nook　of　the　rich　interior；　with　a　book　for　company。　　She　liked　Cowperwood's　pictures；　his　jades；　his　missals；　his　ancient　radiant　glass。　　From　talking　with　Aileen　she　realized　that　the　latter　had　no　real　love　for　these　things；　that　her　expressions　of　interest　and　pleasure　were　pure　make…believe；　based　on　their　value　as　possessions。　　For　Stephanie　herself　certain　of　the　illuminated　books　and　bits　of　glass　had　a　heavy；　sensuous　appeal；　which　only　the　truly　artistic　can　understand。　They　unlocked　dark　dream　moods　and　pageants　for　her。　　She　responded　to　them；　lingered　over　them；　experienced　strange　moods　from　them　as　from　the　orchestrated　richness　of　music。

And　in　doing　so　she　thought　of　Cowperwood　often。　　Did　he　really　like　these　things；　or　was　he　just　buying　them　to　be　buying　them？　She　had　heard　much　of　the　pseudo　artisticthe　people　who　made　a　show　of　art。　　She　recalled　Cowperwood　as　he　walked　the　deck　of　the　Centurion。　　She　remembered　his　large；　comprehensive；　embracing　blue…gray　eyes　that　seemed　to　blaze　with　intelligence。　　He　seemed　to　her　quite　obviously　a　more　forceful　and　significant　man　than　her　father；　and　yet　she　could　not　have　said　why。　　He　always　seemed　so　trigly　dressed；　so　well　put　together。　　There　was　a　friendly　warmth　about　all　that　he　said　or　did；　though　he　said　or　did　little。　She　felt　that　his　eyes　were　mocking；　that　back　in　his　soul　there　was　some　kind　of　humor　over　something　which　she　did　not　understand　quite。

After　Stephanie　had　been　back　in　Chicago　six　months；　during　which　time　she　saw　very　little　of　Cowperwood；　who　was　busy　with　his　street…railway　programme；　she　was　swept　into　the　net　of　another　interest　which　carried　her　away　from　him　and　Aileen　for　the　time　being。　　On　the　West　Side；　among　a　circle　of　her　mother's　friends；　had　been　organized　an　Amateur　Dramatic　League；　with　no　less　object　than　to　elevate　the　stage。　　That　world…old　problem　never　fails　to　interest　the　new　and　the　inexperienced。　　It　all　began　in　the　home　of　one　of　the　new　rich　of　the　West　Sidethe　Timberlakes。　　They；　in　their　large　house　on　Ashland　Avenue；　had　a　stage；　and　Georgia　Timberlake；　a　romantic…minded　girl　of　twenty　with　flaxen　hair；　imagined　she　could　act。　　Mrs。　Timberlake；　a　fat；　indulgent　mother；　rather　agreed　with　her。　　The　whole　idea；　after　a　few　discursive　performances　of　Milton's　〃The　Masque　of　Comus；〃　〃Pyramus　and　Thisbe；〃　and　an　improved　Harlequin　and　Columbine；　written　by　one　of　the　members；　was　transferred　to　the　realm　of　the　studios；　then　quartered　in　the　New　Arts　Building。　　An　artist　by　the　name　of　Lane　Cross；　a　portrait…painter；　who　was　much　less　of　an　artist　than　he　was　a　stage　director；　and　not　much　of　either；　but　who　made　his　living　by　hornswaggling　society　into　the　belief　that　he　could　paint；　was　induced　to　take　charge　of　these　stage　performances。

By　degrees　the　〃Garrick　Players；〃　as　they　chose　to　call　themselves；　developed　no　little　skill　and　craftsmanship　in　presenting　one　form　and　another　of　classic　and　semi…classic　play。　　〃Romeo　and　Juliet；〃　with　few　properties　of　any　kind；　〃The　Learned　Ladies〃　of　Moliere；　Sheridan's　〃The　Rivals；〃　and　the　〃Elektra〃　of　Sophocles　were　all　given。　　Considerable　ability　of　one　kind　and　another　was　developed；　the　group　including　two　actresses　of　subsequent　repute　on　the　American　stage；　one　of　whom　was　Stephanie　Platow。　　There　were　some　ten　girls　and　women　among　the　active　members；　and　almost　as　many　mena　variety　of　characters　much　too　extended　to　discuss　here。　There　was　a　dramatic　critic　by　the　name　of　Gardner　Knowles；　a　young　man；　very　smug　and　handsome；　who　was　connected　with　the　Chicago　Press。　　Whipping　his　neatly　trousered　legs　with　his　bright　little　cane；　he　used　to　appear　at　the　rooms　of　the　players　at　the　Tuesday；　Thursday；　and　Saturday　teas　which　they　inaugurated；　and　discuss　the　merits　of　the　venture。　　Thus　the　Garrick　Players　were　gradually　introduced　into　the　newspapers。　　Lane　Cross；　the　smooth…faced；　pasty…souled　artist　who　had　charge；　was　a　rake　at　heart；　a　subtle　seducer　of　women；　who；　however；　escaped　detection　by　a　smooth；　conventional　bearing。　　He　was　interested　in　such　girls　as　Georgia　Timberlake；　Irma　Ottley；　a　rosy；　aggressive　maiden　who　essayed　comic　roles；　and　Stephanie　Platow。　　These；　with　another　girl；　Ethel　Tuckerman；　very　emotional　and　romantic；　who　could　dance　charmingly　and　sing；　made　up　a　group　of　friends　which　became　very　close。　Presently　intimacies　sprang　up；　only　in　this　realm；　instead　of　ending　in　marriage；　they　merely　resulted　in　sex　liberty。　　Thus　Ethel　Tuckerman　became　the　mistress　of　Lane　Cross；　an　illicit　attachment　grew　up　between　Irma　Ottley　and　a　young　society　idler　by　the　name　of　Bliss　Bridge；　and　Gardner　Knowles；　ardently　admiring　Stephanie　Platow　literally　seized　upon　her　one　afternoon　in　her　own　home；　when　he　went　ostensibly　to　interview　her；　and　overpersuaded　her。　　She　was　only　reasonably　fond　of　him；　not　in　love；　but；　being　generous；　nebulous；　passionate；　emotional；　inexperienced；　voiceless；　and　vainly　curious；　without　any　sense　of　the　meums　and　teums　that　govern　society　in　such　matters；　she　allowed　this　rather　brutal　thing　to　happen。　　She　was　not　a　cowardwas　too　nebulous　and　yet　forceful　to　be　such。　　Her　parents　never　knew。　　And　once　so　launched；　another　worldthat　of　sex　satisfactionbegan　to　dawn　on　her。

Were　these　young　people　evil？　Let　the　social　philosopher　answer。　　One　thing　is　certain：　They　did　not　establish　homes　and　raise　children。　　On　the　contrary；　they　led　a　gay；　butterfly　existence　for　nearly　two　years；　then　came　a　gift　in　the　lute。　　Quarrels　developed　over　parts；　respective　degrees　of　ability；　and　leadership。　Ethel　Tuckerman　fell　out　with　Lane　Cross；　because　she　discovered　him　making　love　to　Irma　Ottley。　　Irma　and　Bliss　Bridge　released　each　other；　the　latter　transferring　his　affections　to　Georgia　Timberlake。　　Stephanie　Platow；　by　far　the　most　individual　of　them　all；　developed　a　strange　inconsequence　as　to　her　deeds。　　It　was　when　she　was　drawing　near　the　age　of　twenty　that　the　affair　with　Gardner　Knowles　began。　　After　a　time　Lane