the titan-第50部分

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　Mrs。　Platow　to　come　and　ask　me　why　you　had　given　her　daughter　a　set　of　jade。　　I　know　why　you　lie；　you　want　to　hush　me　up　and　keep　quiet。　　You're　afraid　I'll　go　to　Mr。　Haguenin　or　Mr。　Cochrane　or　Mr。　Platow；　or　to　all　three。　　Well；　you　can　rest　your　soul　on　that　score。　　I　won't。　　I'm　sick　of　you　and　your　lies。　　Stephanie　Platowthe　thin　stick！　Cecily　Hagueninthe　little　piece　of　gum！　And　Florence　Cochraneshe　looks　like　a　dead　fish！〃　（Aileen　had　a　genius　for　characterization　at　times。）　〃If　it　just　weren't　for　the　way　I　acted　toward　my　family　in　Philadelphia；　and　the　talk　it　would　create；　and　the　injury　it　would　do　you　financially；　I'd　act　to…morrow。　　I'd　leave　youthat's　what　I'd　do。　　And　to　think　that　I　should　ever　have　believed　that　you　really　loved　me；　or　could　care　for　any　woman　permanently。　　Bosh！　But　I　don't　care。　　Go　on！　Only　I'll　tell　you　one　thing。　　You　needn't　think　I'm　going　to　go　on　enduring　all　this　as　I　have　in　the　past。　　I'm　not。　　You're　not　going　to　deceive　me　always。　　I'm　not　going　to　stand　it。　　I'm　not　so　old　yet。　　There　are　plenty　of　men　who　will　be　glad　to　pay　me　attention　if　you　won't。　　I　told　you　once　that　I　wouldn't　be　faithful　to　you　if　you　weren't　to　me；　and　I　won't　be。　　I'll　show　you。　　I'll　go　with　other　men。　　I　will！　I　will！　I　swear　it。〃

〃Aileen；〃　he　asked；　softly；　pleadingly；　realizing　the　futility　of　additional　lies　under　such　circumstances；　〃won't　you　forgive　me　this　time？　Bear　with　me　for　the　present。　　I　scarcely　understand　myself　at　times。　　I　am　not　like　other　men。　　You　and　I　have　run　together　a　long　time　now。　　Why　not　wait　awhile？　Give　me　a　chance！　See　if　I　do　not　change。　　I　may。〃

〃Oh　yes；　wait！　Change。　　You　may　change。　　Haven't　I　waited？　Haven't　I　walked　the　floor　night　after　night！　when　you　haven't　been　here？　Bear　with　youyes；　yes！　Who's　to　bear　with　me　when　my　heart　is　breaking？　Oh；　God！〃　she　suddenly　added；　with　passionate　vigor；　〃I'm　miserable！　I'm　miserable！　My　heart　aches！　It　aches！〃

She　clutched　her　breast　and　swung　from　the　room；　moving　with　that　vigorous　stride　that　had　once　appealed　to　him　so；　and　still　did。　　Alas；　alas！　it　touched　him　now；　but　only　as　a　part　of　a　very　shifty　and　cruel　world。　　He　hurried　out　of　the　room　after　her；　and　（as　at　the　time　of　the　Rita　Sohlberg　incident）　slipped　his　arm　about　her　waist；　but　she　pulled　away　irritably。　　〃No；　no！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃Let　me　alone。　　I'm　tired　of　that。〃

〃You're　really　not　fair　to　me；　Aileen；〃　with　a　great　show　of　feeling　and　sincerity。　　〃You're　letting　one　affair　that　came　between　us　blind　your　whole　point　of　view。　　I　give　you　my　word　I　haven't　been　unfaithful　to　you　with　Stephanie　Platow　or　any　other　woman。　　I　may　have　flirted　with　them　a　little；　but　that　is　really　nothing。　　Why　not　be　sensible？　I'm　not　as　black　as　you　paint　me。　　I'm　moving　in　big　matters　that　are　as　much　for　your　concern　and　future　as　for　mine。　　Be　sensible；　be　liberal。〃

There　was　much　argumentthe　usual　charges　and　counterchargesbut；　finally；　because　of　her　weariness　of　heart；　his　petting；　the　unsolvability　of　it　all；　she　permitted　him　for　the　time　being　to　persuade　her　that　there　were　still　some　crumbs　of　affection　left。　She　was　soul…sick；　heartsick。　　Even　he；　as　he　attempted　to　soothe　her；　realized　clearly　that　to　establish　the　reality　of　his　love　in　her　belief　he　would　have　to　make　some　much　greater　effort　to　entertain　and　comfort　her；　and　that　this；　in　his　present　mood；　and　with　his　leaning　toward　promiscuity；　was　practically　impossible。　　For　the　time　being　a　peace　might　be　patched　up；　but　in　view　of　what　she　expected　of　himher　passion　and　selfish　individuality　it　could　not　be。　　He　would　have　to　go　on；　and　she　would　have　to　leave　him；　if　needs　be；　but　he　could　not　cease　or　go　back。　　He　was　too　passionate；　too　radiant；　too　individual　and　complex　to　belong　to　any　one　single　individual　alone。




Chapter　XXX



Obstacles

The　impediments　that　can　arise　to　baffle　a　great　and　swelling　career　are　strange　and　various。　　In　some　instances　all　the　cross…waves　of　life　must　be　cut　by　the　strong　swimmer。　　With　other　personalities　there　is　a　chance；　or　force；　that　happily　allies　itself　with　them；　or　they　quite　unconsciously　ally　themselves　with　it；　and　find　that　there　is　a　tide　that　bears　them　on。　　Divine　will？　Not　necessarily。　　There　is　no　understanding　of　it。　　Guardian　spirits？　There　are　many　who　so　believe；　to　their　utter　undoing。　（Witness　Macbeth）。　　An　unconscious　drift　in　the　direction　of　right；　virtue；　duty？　These　are　banners　of　mortal　manufacture。　　Nothing　is　proved；　all　is　permitted。

Not　long　after　Cowperwood's　accession　to　control　on　the　West　Side；　for　instance；　a　contest　took　place　between　his　corporation　and　a　citizen　by　the　name　of　Redmond　Purdyreal…estate　investor；　property…trader；　and　money…lenderwhich　set　Chicago　by　the　ears。　The　La　Salle　and　Washington　Street　tunnels　were　now　in　active　service；　but　because　of　the　great　north　and　south　area　of　the　West　Side；　necessitating　the　cabling　of　Van　Buren　Street　and　Blue　Island　Avenue；　there　was　need　of　a　third　tunnel　somewhere　south　of　Washington　Street；　preferably　at　Van　Buren　Street；　because　the　business　heart　was　thus　more　directly　reached。　　Cowperwood　was　willing　and　anxious　to　build　this　tunnel；　though　he　was　puzzled　how　to　secure　from　the　city　a　right　of　way　under　Van　Buren　Street；　where　a　bridge　loaded　with　heavy　traffic　now　swung。　　There　were　all　sorts　of　complications。　　In　the　first　place；　the　consent　of　the　War　Department　at　Washington　had　to　be　secured　in　order　to　tunnel　under　the　river　at　all。　　Secondly；　the　excavation；　if　directly　under　the　bridge；　might　prove　an　intolerable　nuisance；　necessitating　the　closing　or　removal　of　the　bridge。　　Owing　to　the　critical；　not　to　say　hostile；　attitude　of　the　newspapers　which；　since　the　La　Salle　and　Washington　tunnel　grants；　were　following　his　every　move　with　a　searchlight；　Cowperwood　decided　not　to　petition　the　city　for　privileges　in　this　case；　but　instead　to　buy　the　property　rights　of　sufficient　land　just　north　of　the　bridge；　where　the　digging　of　the　tunnel　could　proceed　without　interference。

The　piece　of　land　most　suitable　for　this　purpose；　a　lot　150　x　150；　lying　a　little　way　from　the　river…bank；　and　occupied　by　a　seven…story　loft…building；　was　owned　by　the　previously　mentioned　Redmond　Purdy；　a　long；　thin；　angular；　dirty　person；　who　wore　celluloid　collars　and　cuffs　and　spoke　with　a　nasal　intonation。

Cowperwood　had　the　customary　overtures　made　by　seemingly　disinterested　parties　endeavoring　to　secure　the　land　at　a　fair　price。　　But　Purdy；　who　was　as　stingy　as　a　miser　and　as　incisive　as　a　rat…trap；　had　caught　wind　of　the　proposed　tunnel　scheme。　　He　was　all　alive　for　a　fine　profit。　　〃No；　no；　no；〃　he　declared；　over　and　over；　when　approached　by　the　representatives　of　Mr。　Sylvester　Toomey；　Cowperwood's　ubiquitous　land…agent。　　〃I　don't　want　to　sell。　　Go　away。〃

Mr。　Sylvester　Toomey　was　finally　at　his　wit's　end；　and　complained　to　Cowperwood；　who　at　once　sent　for　those　noble　beacons　of　dark　and　stormy　waters；　General　Van　Sickle　and　the　Hon。　Kent　Barrows　McKibben。　　The　General　was　now　becoming　a　little　dolty；　and　Cowperwood　was　thinking　of　pensioning　him；　but　McKibben　was　in　his　primesmug；　handsome；　deadly；　smooth。　　After　talking　it　over　with　Mr。　Toomey　they　returned　to　Cowperwood's　office　with　a　promising　scheme。　　The　Hon。　Nahum　Dickensheets；　one　of　the　judges　of　the　State　Court　of　Appeals；　and　a　man　long　since　attached；　by　methods　which　need　not　here　be　described；　to　Cowperwood's　star；　had　been　persuaded　to　bring　his　extensive　technical　knowledge　to　bear　on　the　emergency。　　At　his　suggestion　the　work　of　digging　the　tunnel　was　at　once　begunfirst　at　the　east　or　Franklin　Street　end；　then；　after　eight　months'　digging；　at　the　west　or　Canal　Street　end。　　A　shaft　was　actually　sunk　some　thirty　feet　back　of　Mr。　Purdy's　buildingbetween　it　and　the　riverwhile　that　gentleman　watched　with　a　quizzical　gleam　in　his　eye　this　defiant　procedure。　　He　was　sure　that　when　it　came　to　the　necessity　of　annexing　his　property　the　North　and　West　Chicago　Street　Railways　would　be　obliged　to　pay　through　the　nose。

〃Well；　I'll　be　cussed；〃　be　frequently　observed　to　himself；　for　he　could　not　see　how　his　exaction　of　a　pound　of　flesh　was　to　be　evaded；　and　yet　he　felt　strangely　restless　at　times。　　Finally；　when　it　became　absolutely　necessary　for　Cowperwood　to　secure　without　further　delay　this　coveted　strip；　he　sent　for　its　occupant；　who　called　in　pleasant　anticipation　of　a　profitable　conversation；　this　should　be　worth　a　small　fortune　to　him。

〃Mr。　Purdy；〃　observed　Cowperwood；　glibly；　〃you　have　a　piece　of　land　on　the　other　side　of　the　river　that　I　need。　　Why　don't　you　sell　it　to　me？　Can't　we　fix　this　up　now　in　some　amicable　way？〃

He　smiled　while　Purdy　cast　shrewd；　wolfish　glances　about　the　place；　wondering　how　much　he　could　really　hope　to　exact。　　The　building；　with　all　its　interior　equipment；　land；　and　all；　was　worth　in　the　neighborhood　of　two　hundred　thousand　dollars。

〃Why　should　I　sell？　The　building　is　a　good　building。　　It's　as　useful　to　me　as　it　would　be　to　you。　　I'm　making　money　out　of　it。〃

〃Quite　true；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　〃but　I　am　willing　to　pay　you　a　fair　price　for　it。　　A　public　utility　is　involved。　　This　tunnel　will　be　a　good　thing　for　the　West　Side　and　any　other　land　you　may　own　over　there。　　With　what　I　will　pay　you　you　can　buy　more　land　in　that　neighborhood　or　elsewhere；　and　make　a　good　thing　out　of　it。　　We　need　to　put　this　tunnel　just　where　it　is；　or　I　wouldn't　trouble　to　argue　with　you。

〃That's　just　it；〃　replied　Purdy；　fixedly。　　〃You've　gone　ahead　and　dug　your　tunnel　without　consulting　me；　and　now　you　expect　me　to　get　out　of　the　way。　　Well；　I　don't　see　that　I'm　called　on　to　get　out　of　there　just　to　please　you。〃

〃But　I'll　pay　you　a　fair　price。〃

〃How　much　will　you　pay　me？〃

〃How　much　do　you　want？〃

Mr。　Purdy　scratched　a　fox…like　ear。　　〃One　million　dollars。〃

〃One　million　dollars！〃　exclaimed　Cowperwood。　　〃Don't　you　think　that's　a　little　steep；　Mr。　Purdy？〃

〃No；〃　replied　Purdy；　sagely。　　〃It's　not　any　more　than　it's　worth。〃

Cowperwood　sighed。

〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　replied；　meditatively；　〃but　this　is　really　too　much。　　Wouldn't　you　take　three　hundred　thousand　dollars　in　cash　now　and　consider　this　thing　closed？〃

〃One　million；〃　replied　Purdy；　looking　sternly　at　t