the titan-第46部分

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s　brain　he　did　not　believe　Stephanie　at　all；　he　did　not　trust　her。　　Yet　he　was　intensely　fond　of　herthe　more　so；　perhaps；　because　of　this。

〃Tell　me　truly；　Stephanie；〃　he　said　to　her　one　day；　urgently；　and　yet　very　diplomatically。　　〃I　don't　care　at　all；　so　far　as　your　past　is　concerned。　　You　and　I　are　close　enough　to　reach　a　perfect　understanding。　　But　you　didn't　tell　me　the　whole　truth　about　you　and　Knowles；　did　you？　Tell　me　truly　now。　　I　sha'n't　mind。　　I　can　understand　well　enough　how　it　could　have　happened。　　It　doesn't　make　the　least　bit　of　difference　to　me；　really。

Stephanie　was　off　her　guard　for　once；　in　no　truly　fencing　mood。　　She　was　troubled　at　times　about　her　various　relations；　anxious　to　put　herself　straight　with　Cowperwood　or　with　any　one　whom　she　truly　liked。　　Compared　to　Cowperwood　and　his　affairs；　Cross　and　Knowles　were　trivial；　and　yet　Knowles　was　interesting　to　her。　　Compared　to　Cowperwood；　Forbes　Gurney　was　a　stripling　beggar；　and　yet　Gurney　had　what　Cowperwood　did　not　havea　sad；　poetic　lure。　　He　awakened　her　sympathies。　　He　was　such　a　lonely　boy。　　Cowperwood　was　so　strong；　brilliant；　magnetic。

Perhaps　it　was　with　some　idea　of　clearing　up　her　moral　status　generally　that　she　finally　said：　〃Well；　I　didn't　tell　you　the　exact　truth　about　it；　either。　　I　was　a　little　ashamed　to。〃

At　the　close　of　her　confession；　which　involved　only　Knowles；　and　was　incomplete　at　that；　Cowperwood　burned　with　a　kind　of　angry　resentment。　　Why　trifle　with　a　lying　prostitute？　That　she　was　an　inconsequential　free　lover　at　twenty…one　was　quite　plain。　　And　yet　there　was　something　so　strangely　large　about　the　girl；　so　magnetic；　and　she　was　so　beautiful　after　her　kind；　that　he　could　not　think　of　giving　her　up。　　She　reminded　him　of　himself。

〃Well；　Stephanie；〃　he　said；　trampling　under　foot　an　impulse　to　insult　or　rebuke　and　dismiss　her；　〃you　are　strange。　　Why　didn't　you　tell　me　this　before？　I　have　asked　and　asked。　　Do　you　really　mean　to　say　that　you　care　for　me　at　all？〃

〃How　can　you　ask　that？〃　she　demanded；　reproachfully；　feeling　that　she　had　been　rather　foolish　in　confessing。　　Perhaps　she　would　lose　him　now；　and　she　did　not　want　to　do　that。　　Because　his　eyes　blazed　with　a　jealous　hardness　she　burst　into　tears。　　〃Oh；　I　wish　I　had　never　told　you！　There　is　nothing　to　tell；　anyhow。　　I　never　wanted　to。〃

Cowperwood　was　nonplussed。　　He　knew　human　nature　pretty　well；　and　woman　nature；　his　common　sense　told　him　that　this　girl　was　not　to　be　trusted；　and　yet　he　was　drawn　to　her。　　Perhaps　she　was　not　lying；　and　these　tears　were　real。

〃And　you　positively　assure　me　that　this　was　allthat　there　wasn't　any　one　else　before；　and　no　one　since？〃

Stephanie　dried　her　eyes。　　They　were　in　his　private　rooms　in　Randolph　Street；　the　bachelor　rooms　he　had　fitted　for　himself　as　a　changing　place　for　various　affairs。

〃I　don't　believe　you　care　for　me　at　all；〃　she　observed；　dolefully；　reproachfully。　　〃I　don't　believe　you　understand　me。　　I　don't　think　you　believe　me。　　When　I　tell　you　how　things　are　you　don't　understand。　I　don't　lie。　　I　can't。　　If　you　are　so　doubting　now；　perhaps　you　had　better　not　see　me　any　more。　　I　want　to　be　frank　with　you；　but　if　you　won't　let　me〃

She　paused　heavily；　gloomily；　very　sorrowfully；　and　Cowperwood　surveyed　her　with　a　kind　of　yearning。　　What　an　unreasoning　pull　she　had　for　him！　He　did　not　believe　her；　and　yet　he　could　not　let　her　go。

〃Oh；　I　don't　know　what　to　think；〃　he　commented；　morosely。　　〃I　certainly　don't　want　to　quarrel　with　you；　Stephanie；　for　telling　me　the　truth。　　Please　don't　deceive　me。　　You　are　a　remarkable　girl。　I　can　do　so　much　for　you　if　you　will　let　me。　　You　ought　to　see　that。〃

〃But　I'm　not　deceiving　you；〃　she　repeated；　wearily。　　〃I　should　think　you　could　see。〃

〃I　believe　you；〃　he　went　on；　trying　to　deceive　himself　against　his　better　judgment。　　〃But　you　lead　such　a　free；　unconventional　life。〃

〃Ah；〃　thought　Stephanie；　〃perhaps　I　talk　too　much。〃

〃I　am　very　fond　of　you。　　You　appeal　to　me　so　much。　　〃I　love　you；　really。　　Don't　deceive　me。　　Don't　run　with　all　these　silly　simpletons。　They　are　really　not　worthy　of　you。　　I　shall　be　able　to　get　a　divorce　one　of　these　days；　and　then　I　would　be　glad　to　marry　you。

〃But　I'm　not　running　with　them　in　the　sense　that　you　think。　　They're　not　anything　to　me　beyond　mere　entertainment。　　Oh；　I　like　them；　of　course。　　Lane　Cross　is　a　dear　in　his　way；　and　so　is　Gardner　Knowles。　　They　have　all　been　nice　to　me。

Cowperwood's　gorge　rose　at　her　calling　Lane　Cross　dear。　　It　incensed　him；　and　yet　he　held　his　peace。

〃Do　give　me　your　word　that　there　will　never　be　anything　between　you　and　any　of　these　men　so　long　as　you　are　friendly　with　me？〃　he　almost　pleadeda　strange　role　for　him。　　〃I　don't　care　to　share　you　with　any　one　else。　　I　won't。　　I　don't　mind　what　you　have　done　in　the　past；　but　I　don't　want　you　to　be　unfaithful　in　the　future。〃

〃What　a　question！　Of　course　I　won't。　　But　if　you　don't　believe　me　oh；　dear〃

Stephanie　sighed　painfully；　and　Cowperwood's　face　clouded　with　angry　though　well…concealed　suspicion　and　jealousy。

〃Well；　I'll　tell　you；　Stephanie；　I　believe　you　now。　　I'm　going　to　take　your　word。　　But　if　you　do　deceive　me；　and　I　should　find　it　out；　I　will　quit　you　the　same　day。　　I　do　not　care　to　share　you　with　any　one　else。　　What　I　can't　understand；　if　you　care　for　me；　is　how　you　can　take　so　much　interest　in　all　these　affairs？　It　certainly　isn't　devotion　to　your　art　that's　impelling　you；　is　it？〃

〃Oh；　are　you　going　to　go　on　quarreling　with　me？〃　asked　Stephanie；　naively。　　〃Won't　you　believe　me　when　I　say　that　I　love　you？　Perhaps〃　But　here　her　histrionic　ability　came　to　her　aid；　and　she　sobbed　violently。

Cowperwood　took　her　in　his　arms。　　〃Never　mind；〃　he　soothed。　　〃I　do　believe　you。　　I　do　think　you　care　for　me。　　Only　I　wish　you　weren't　such　a　butterfly　temperament；　Stephanie。〃

So　this　particular　lesion　for　the　time　being　was　healed。




Chapter　XXVIII



The　Exposure　of　Stephanie

At　the　same　time　the　thought　of　readjusting　her　relations　so　that　they　would　avoid　disloyalty　to　Cowperwood　was　never　further　from　Stephanie's　mind。　　Let　no　one　quarrel　with　Stephanie　Platow。　　She　was　an　unstable　chemical　compound；　artistic　to　her　finger…tips；　not　understood　or　properly　guarded　by　her　family。　　Her　interest　in　Cowperwood；　his　force　and　ability；　was　intense。　　So　was　her　interest　in　Forbes　Gurneythe　atmosphere　of　poetry　that　enveloped　him。　　She　studied　him　curiously　on　the　various　occasions　when　they　met；　and；　finding　him　bashful　and　recessive；　set　out　to　lure　him。　She　felt　that　he　was　lonely　and　depressed　and　poor；　and　her　womanly　capacity　for　sympathy　naturally　bade　her　be　tender。

Her　end　was　easily　achieved。　　One　night；　when　they　were　all　out　in　Bliss　Bridge's　single…stickera　fast…sailing　saucerStephanie　and　Forbes　Gurney　sat　forward　of　the　mast　looking　at　the　silver　moon　track　which　was　directly　ahead。　　The　rest　were　in　the　cockpit　〃cutting　up〃laughing　and　singing。　　It　was　very　plain　to　all　that　Stephanie　was　becoming　interested　in　Forbes　Gurney；　and　since　he　was　charming　and　she　wilful；　nothing　was　done　to　interfere　with　them；　except　to　throw　an　occasional　jest　their　way。　　Gurney；　new　to　love　and　romance；　scarcely　knew　how　to　take　his　good　fortune；　how　to　begin。　　He　told　Stephanie　of　his　home　life　in　the　wheat…fields　of　the　Northwest；　how　his　family　had　moved　from　Ohio　when　he　was　three；　and　how　difficult　were　the　labors　he　had　always　undergone。　He　had　stopped　in　his　plowing　many　a　day　to　stand　under　a　tree　and　write　a　poemsuch　as　it　wasor　to　watch　the　birds　or　to　wish　he　could　go　to　college　or　to　Chicago。　　She　looked　at　him　with　dreamy　eyes；　her　dark　skin　turned　a　copper　bronze　in　the　moonlight；　her　black　hair　irradiated　with　a　strange；　luminous　grayish　blue。　Forbes　Gurney；　alive　to　beauty　in　all　its　forms；　ventured　finally　to　touch　her　handshe　of　Knowles；　Cross；　and　Cowperwoodand　she　thrilled　from　head　to　toe。　　This　boy　was　so　sweet。　　His　curly　brown　hair　gave　him　a　kind　of　Greek　innocence　and　aspect。　　She　did　not　move；　but　waited；　hoping　he　would　do　more。

〃I　wish　I　might　talk　to　you　as　I　feel；〃　he　finally　said；　hoarsely；　a　catch　in　his　throat。

She　laid　one　hand　on　his。

〃You　dear！〃　she　said。

He　realized　now　that　he　might。　　A　great　ecstasy　fell　upon　him。　　He　smoothed　her　hand；　then　slipped　his　arm　about　her　waist；　then　ventured　to　kiss　the　dark　cheek　turned　dreamily　from　him。　　Artfully　her　head　sunk　to　his　shoulder；　and　he　murmured　wild　nothingshow　divine　she　was；　how　artistic；　how　wonderful！　With　her　view　of　things；　it　could　only　end　one　way。　　She　manoeuvered　him　into　calling　on　her　at　her　home；　into　studying　her　books　and　plays　on　the　top…floor　sitting…room；　into　hearing　her　sing。　　Once　fully　in　his　arms；　the　rest　was　easy　by　suggestion。　　He　learned　she　was　no　longer　innocent；　and　then　In　the　mean　time　Cowperwood　mingled　his　speculations　concerning　large　power…houses；　immense　reciprocating　engines；　the　problem　of　a　wage　scale　for　his　now　two　thousand　employees；　some　of　whom　were　threatening　to　strike；　the　problem　of　securing；　bonding；　and　equipping　the　La　Salle　Street　tunnel　and　a　down…town　loop　in　La　Salle；　Munroe；　Dearborn；　and　Randolph　streets；　with　mental　inquiries　and　pictures　as　to　what　possibly　Stephanie　Platow　might　be　doing。　　He　could　only　make　appointments　with　her　from　time　to　time。　　He　did　not　fail　to　note　that；　after　he　began　to　make　use　of　information　she　let　drop　as　to　her　whereabouts　from　day　to　day　and　her　free　companionship；　he　heard　less　of　Gardner　Knowles；　Lane　Cross；　and　Forbes　Gurney；　and　more　of　Georgia　Timberlake　and　Ethel　Tuckerman。　　Why　this　sudden　reticence？　On　one　occasion　she　did　say　of　Forbes　Gurney　〃that　he　was　having　such　a　hard　time；　and　that　his　clothes　weren't　as　nice　as　they　should　be；　poor　dear！〃　Stephanie　herself；　owing　to　gifts　made　to　her　by　Cowperwood；　was　resplendent　these　days。　　She　took　just　enough　to　complete　her　wardrobe　according　to　her　taste。

〃Why　not　send　him　to　me？〃　Cowperwood　asked。　　〃I　might　find　something　to　do　for　him。〃　He　would　have　been　perfectly　willing　to　put　him　in　some　position　where　he　could　keep　track　of　his　time。　　However；　Mr。　Gurney　never　sought　him　for　a　position；　and　Stephanie　ceased　to　speak　of　his　poverty。　　A　gift　of　two　hundred　dollars；　which　Cowperwood　made　he