the titan-第43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　yes；〃　she　sighed；　with　aspirated　breath；　pretending　a　kind　of　suffocation。

〃How　beautiful　you　really　are！〃　he　said；　rising　and　looking　down　at　her。

She　shook　her　head。

〃No。〃

〃Yes！〃

〃No。〃

〃Come；　Stephanie！　Stand　by　me　and　look　at　me。　　You　are　so　tall　and　slender　and　graceful。　　You　are　like　something　out　of　Asia。〃

She　sighed；　turning　in　a　sinuous　way；　as　he　slipped　his　arm　her。　〃I　don't　think　we　should；　should　we？〃　she　asked；　naively；　after　a　moment；　pulling　away　from　him。

〃Stephanie！〃

〃I　think　I'd　better　go；　now；　please。〃




Chapter　XXVI



Love　and　War

It　was　during　the　earlier　phases　of　his　connection　with　Chicago　street…railways　that　Cowperwood；　ardently　interesting　himself　in　Stephanie　Platow；　developed　as　serious　a　sex　affair　as　any　that　had　yet　held　him。　　At　once；　after　a　few　secret　interviews　with　her；　he　adopted　his　favorite　ruse　in　such　matters　and　established　bachelor　quarters　in　the　down…town　section　as　a　convenient　meeting…ground。　　Several　conversations　with　Stephanie　were　not　quite　as　illuminating　as　they　might　have　been；　for；　wonderful　as　she　wasa　kind　of　artistic　godsend　in　this　dull　Western　atmosphere　she　was　also　enigmatic　and　elusive；　very。　　He　learned　speedily；　in　talking　with　her　on　several　days　when　they　met　for　lunch；　of　her　dramatic　ambitions；　and　of　the　seeming　spiritual　and　artistic　support　she　required　from　some　one　who　would　have　faith　in　her　and　inspire　her　by　his　or　her　confidence。　　He　learned　all　about　the　Garrick　Players；　her　home　intimacies　and　friends；　the　growing　quarrels　in　the　dramatic　organization。　　He　asked　her；　as　they　sat　in　a　favorite　and　inconspicuous　resort　of　his　finding；　during　one　of　those　moments　when　blood　and　not　intellect　was　ruling　between　them；　whether　she　had　ever

〃Once；〃　she　naively　admitted。

It　was　a　great　shock　to　Cowperwood。　　He　had　fancied　her　refreshingly　innocent。　　But　she　explained　it　was　all　so　accidental；　so　unintentional　on　her　part；　very。　　She　described　it　all　so　gravely；　soulfully；　pathetically；　with　such　a　brooding；　contemplative　backward　searching　of　the　mind；　that　he　was　astonished　and　in　a　way　touched。　　What　a　pity！　It　was　Gardner　Knowles　who　had　done　this；　she　admitted。　　But　he　was　not　very　much　to　blame；　either。　　It　just　happened。　　She　had　tried　to　protest；　but　Wasn't　she　angry？　Yes；　but　then　she　was　sorry　to　do　anything　to　hurt　Gardner　Knowles。　　He　was　such　a　charming　boy；　and　he　had　such　a　lovely　mother　and　sister；　and　the　like。

Cowperwood　was　astonished。　　He　had　reached　that　point　in　life　where　the　absence　of　primal　innocence　in　a　woman　was　not　very　significant；　but　in　Stephanie；　seeing　that　she　was　so　utterly　charming；　it　was　almost　too　bad。　　He　thought　what　fools　the　Platows　must　be　to　tolerate　this　art　atmosphere　for　Stephanie　without　keeping　a　sharp　watch　over　it。　　Nevertheless；　he　was　inclined　to　believe　from　observation　thus　far　that　Stephanie　might　be　hard　to　watch。　　She　was　ingrainedly　irresponsible；　apparentlyso　artistically　nebulous；　so　non…self…protective。　　To　go　on　and　be　friends　with　this　scamp！　And　yet　she　protested　that　never　after　that　had　there　been　the　least　thing　between　them。　　Cowperwood　could　scarcely　believe　it。　　She　must　be　lying；　and　yet　he　liked　her　so。　　The　very　romantic；　inconsequential　way　in　which　she　narrated　all　this　staggered；　amused；　and　even　fascinated　him。

〃But；　Stephanie；〃　he　argued；　curiously；　〃there　must　been　some　aftermath　to　all　this。　　What　happened？　What　did　you　do？〃

〃Nothing。〃　She　shook　her　head。

He　had　to　smile。

〃But　oh；　don't　let's　talk　about　it！〃　she　pleaded。　　〃I　don't　want　to。　　It　hurts　me。　　There　was　nothing　more。〃

She　sighed；　and　Cowperwood　meditated。　　The　evil　was　now　done；　and　the　best　that　he　could　do；　if　he　cared　for　her　at　alland　he　didwas　to　overlook　it。　　He　surveyed　her　oddly；　wonderingly。　　What　a　charming　soul　she　was；　anyhow！　How　naivehow　brooding！　She　had　artlots　of　it。　　Did　he　want　to　give　her　up？

As　he　might　have　known；　it　was　dangerous　to　trifle　with　a　type　of　this　kind；　particularly　once　awakened　to　the　significance　of　promiscuity；　and　unless　mastered　by　some　absorbing　passion。　　Stephanie　had　had　too　much　flattery　and　affection　heaped　upon　her　in　the　past　two　years　to　be　easily　absorbed。　　Nevertheless；　for　the　time　being；　anyhow；　she　was　fascinated　by　the　significance　of　Cowperwood。　　It　was　wonderful　to　have　so　fine；　so　powerful　a　man　care　for　her。　　She　conceived　of　him　as　a　very　great　artist　in　his　realm　rather　than　as　a　business　man；　and　he　grasped　this　fact　after　a　very　little　while　and　appreciated　it。　　To　his　delight；　she　was　even　more　beautiful　physically　than　he　had　anticipateda　smoldering；　passionate　girl　who　met　him　with　a　fire　which；　though　somber；　quite　rivaled　his　own。　　She　was　different；　too；　in　her　languorous　acceptance　of　all　that　he　bestowed　from　any　one　he　had　ever　known。　　She　was　as　tactful　as　Rita　Sohlbergmore　sobut　so　preternaturally　silent　at　times。

〃Stephanie；〃　he　would　exclaim；　〃do　talk。　　What　are　you　thinking　of？　You　dream　like　an　African　native。〃

She　merely　sat　and　smiled　in　a　dark　way　or　sketched　or　modeled　him。　　She　was　constantly　penciling　something；　until　moved　by　the　fever　of　her　blood；　when　she　would　sit　and　look　at　him　or　brood　silently；　eyes　down。　　Then；　when　he　would　reach　for　her　with　seeking　hands；　she　would　sigh；　〃Oh　yes；　oh　yes！〃

Those　were　delightful　days　with　Stephanie。

In　the　matter　of　young　MacDonald's　request　for　fifty　thousand　dollars　in　securities；　as　well　as　the　attitude　of　the　other　editorsHyssop；　Braxton；　Ricketts；　and　so　onwho　had　proved　subtly　critical；　Cowperwood　conferred　with　Addison　and　McKenty。

〃A　likely　lad；　that；〃　commented　McKenty；　succintly；　when　he　heard　it。　　〃He'll　do　better　than　his　father　in　one　way；　anyhow。　　He'll　probably　make　more　money。〃

McKenty　had　seen　old　General　MacDonald　just　once　in　his　life；　and　liked　him。

〃I　should　like　to　know　what　the　General　would　think　of　that　if　he　knew；〃　commented　Addison；　who　admired　the　old　editor　greatly。　〃I'm　afraid　he　wouldn't　sleep　very　well。〃

〃There　is　just　one　thing；〃　observed　Cowperwood；　thoughtfully。　　〃This　young　man　will　certainly　come　into　control　of　the　Inquirer　sometime。　　He　looks　to　me　like　some　one　who　would　not　readily　forget　an　injury。〃　He　smiled　sardonically。　　So　did　McKenty　and　Addison。

〃Be　that　as　it　may；〃　suggested　the　latter；　〃he　isn't　editor　yet。〃　McKenty；　who　never　revealed　his　true　views　to　any　one　but　Cowperwood；　waited　until　he　had　the　latter　alone　to　observe：

What　can　they　do？　Your　request　is　a　reasonable　one。　　Why　shouldn't　the　city　give　you　the　tunnel？　It's　no　good　to　anyone　as　it　is。　　And　the　loop　is　no　more　than　the　other　roads　have　now。　　I'm　thinking　it's　the　Chicago　City　Railway　and　that　silk…stocking　crowd　on　State　Street　or　that　gas　crowd　that's　talking　against　you。　　I've　heard　them　before。　　Give　them　what　they　want；　and　it's　a　fine　moral　cause。　　Give　it　to　anyone　else；　and　there's　something　wrong　with　it。　　It's　little　attention　I　pay　to　them。　　We　have　the　council；　let　it　pass　the　ordinances。　　It　can't　be　proved　that　they　don't　do　it　willingly。　　The　mayor　is　a　sensible　man。　　He'll　sign　them。　　Let　young　MacDonald　talk　if　he　wants　to。　　If　he　says　too　much　you　can　talk　to　his　father。　　As　for　Hyssop；　he's　an　old　grandmother　anyhow。　　I've　never　known　him　to　be　for　a　public　improvement　yet　that　was　really　good　for　Chicago　unless　Schryhart　or　Merrill　or　Arneel　or　someone　else　of　that　crowd　wanted　it。　　I　know　them　of　old。　　My　advice　is　to　go　ahead　and　never　mind　them。　　To　hell　with　them！　Things　will　be　sweet　enough；　once　you　are　as　powerful　as　they　are。　　They'll　get　nothing　in　the　future　without　paying　for　it。　　It's　little　enough　they've　ever　done　to　further　anything　that　I　wanted。

Cowperwood；　however；　remained　cool　and　thoughtful。　　Should　he　pay　young　MacDonald？　he　asked　himself。　　Addison　knew　of　no　influence　that　he　could　bring　to　bear。　　Finally；　after　much　thought；　he　decided　to　proceed　as　he　had　planned。　　Consequently；　the　reporters　around　the　City　Hall　and　the　council…chamber；　who　were　in　touch　with　Alderman　Thomas　Dowling；　McKenty's　leader　on　the　floor　of　council；　and　those　who　called　occasionallyquite　regularly；　in　factat　the　offices　of　the　North　Chicago　Street　Railway　Company；　Cowperwood's　comfortable　new　offices　in　the　North　Side；　were　now　given　to　understand　that　two　ordinancesone　granting　the　free　use　of　the　La　Salle　Street　tunnel　for　an　unlimited　period　（practically　a　gift　of　it）；　and　another　granting　a　right　of　way　in　La　Salle；　Munroe；　Dearborn；　and　Randolph　streets　for　the　proposed　loopwould　be　introduced　in　council　very　shortly。　　Cowperwood　granted　a　very　flowery　interview；　in　which　he　explained　quite　enthusiastically　all　that　the　North　Chicago　company　was　doing　and　proposed　to　do；　and　made　clear　what　a　splendid　development　it　would　assure　to　the　North　Side　and　to　the　business　center。

At　once　Schryhart；　Merrill；　and　some　individuals　connected　with　the　Chicago　West　Division　Company；　began　to　complain　in　the　newspaper　offices　and　at　the　clubs　to　Ricketts；　Braxton；　young　MacDonald；　and　the　other　editors。　　Envy　of　the　pyrotechnic　progress　of　the　man　was　as　much　a　factor　in　this　as　anything　else。　　It　did　not　make　the　slightest　difference；　as　Cowperwood　had　sarcastically　pointed　out；　that　every　other　corporation　of　any　significance　in　Chicago　had　asked　and　received　without　money　and　without　price。　　Somehow　his　career　in　connection　with　Chicago　gas；　his　venturesome；　if　unsuccessful　effort　to　enter　Chicago　society；　his　self…acknowledged　Philadelphia　record；　rendered　the　sensitive　cohorts　of　the　ultra…conservative　exceedingly　fearful。　　In　Schryhart's　Chronicle　appeared　a　news　column　which　was　headed；　〃Plain　Grab　of　City　Tunnel　Proposed。〃　It　was　a　very　truculent　statement；　and　irritated　Cowperwood　greatly。　　The　Press　（Mr。　Haguenin's　paper）；　on　the　other　hand；　was　most　cordial　to　the　idea　of　the　loop；　while　appearing　to　be　a　little　uncertain　as　to　whether　the　tunnel　should　be　granted　without　compensation　or　not。　　Editor　Hyssop　felt　called　upon　to　insist　that　something　more　than　merely　nominal　compensation　should　be　made　for　the　tunnel；　and　that　〃riders〃　should　be　inserted　in　the　loop　ordinance　making　it　incumbent　upon　the　North　Chicago　company　to　keep　those　thoroughfares　in