the titan-第7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！


only　as　a　minor　figure。

Trust　Cowperwood　to　do　the　thing　as　it　should　be　done。　　The　place　they　had　leased　was　a　charming　little　gray…stone　house；　with　a　neat　flight　of　granite；　balustraded　steps　leading　up　to　its　wide…arched　door；　and　a　judicious　use　of　stained　glass　to　give　its　interior　an　artistically　subdued　atmosphere。　　Fortunately；　it　was　furnished　in　good　taste。　　Cowperwood　turned　over　the　matter　of　the　dinner　to　a　caterer　and　decorator。　　Aileen　had　nothing　to　do　but　dress；　and　wait；　and　look　her　best。

〃I　needn't　tell　you；〃　he　said；　in　the　morning；　on　leaving；　〃that　I　want　you　to　look　nice　to…night；　pet。　　I　want　the　Addisons　and　Mr。　Rambaud　to　like　you。〃

A　hint　was　more　than　sufficient　for　Aileen；　though　really　it　was　not　needed。　　On　arriving　at　Chicago　she　had　sought　and　discovered　a　French　maid。　　Although　she　had　brought　plenty　of　dresses　from　Philadelphia；　she　had　been　having　additional　winter　costumes　prepared　by　the　best　and　most　expensive　mistress　of　the　art　in　ChicagoTheresa　Donovan。　　Only　the　day　before　she　had　welcomed　home　a　golden…yellow　silk　under　heavy　green　lace；　which；　with　her　reddish…gold　hair　and　her　white　arms　and　neck；　seemed　to　constitute　an　unusual　harmony。　　Her　boudoir　on　the　night　of　the　dinner　presented　a　veritable　riot　of　silks；　satins；　laces；　lingerie；　hair　ornaments；　perfumes；　jewelsanything　and　everything　which　might　contribute　to　the　feminine　art　of　being　beautiful。　　Once　in　the　throes　of　a　toilet　composition；　Aileen　invariably　became　restless　and　energetic；　almost　fidgety；　and　her　maid；　Fadette；　was　compelled　to　move　quickly。　Fresh　from　her　bath；　a　smooth；　ivory　Venus；　she　worked　quickly　through　silken　lingerie；　stockings　and　shoes；　to　her　hair。　　Fadette　had　an　idea　to　suggest　for　the　hair。　　Would　Madame　let　her　try　a　new　swirl　she　had　seen？　Madame　wouldyes。　　So　there　were　movings　of　her　mass　of　rich　glinting　tresses　this　way　and　that。　　Somehow　it　would　not　do。　　A　braided　effect　was　then　tried；　and　instantly　discarded；　finally　a　double　looping；　without　braids；　low　over　the　forehead；　caught　back　with　two　dark…green　bands；　crossing　like　an　X　above　the　center　of　her　forehead　and　fastened　with　a　diamond　sunburst；　served　admirably。　　In　her　filmy；　lacy　boudoir　costumeof　pink　silk　Aileen　stood　up　and　surveyed　herself　in　the　full…length　mirror。

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　turning　her　head　this　way　and　that。

Then　came　the　dress　from　Donovan's；　rustling　and　crisping。　　She　slipped　into　it　wonderingly；　critically；　while　Fadette　worked　at　the　back；　the　arms；　about　her　knees；　doing　one　little　essential　thing　after　another。

〃Oh；　Madame！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃Oh；　charmant！　Ze　hair；　it　go　weeth　it　perfect。　　It　ees　so　full；　so　beyutiful　here〃she　pointed　to　the　hips；　where　the　lace　formed　a　clinging　basque。　　〃Oh；　tees　varee；　varee　nize。〃

Aileen　glowed；　but　with　scarcely　a　smile。　　She　was　concerned。　　It　wasn't　so　much　her　toilet；　which　must　be　everything　that　it　should　bebut　this　Mr。　Addison；　who　was　so　rich　and　in　society；　and　Mr。　Rambaud；　who　was　very　powerful；　Frank　said；　must　like　her。　　It　was　the　necessity　to　put　her　best　foot　forward　now　that　was　really　troubling　her。　　She　must　interest　these　men　mentally；　perhaps；　as　well　as　physically；　and　with　social　graces；　and　that　was　not　so　easy。　　For　all　her　money　and　comfort　in　Philadelphia　she　had　never　been　in　society　in　its　best　aspects；　had　never　done　social　entertaining　of　any　real　importance。　　Frank　was　the　most　important　man　who　had　ever　crossed　her　path。　　No　doubt　Mr。　Rambaud　had　a　severe；　old…fashioned　wife。　　How　would　she　talk　to　her？　And　Mrs。　Addison！　She　would　know　and　see　everything。　　Aileen　almost　talked　out　loud　to　herself　in　a　consoling　way　as　she　dressed；　so　strenuous　were　her　thoughts；　but　she　went　on；　adding　the　last　touches　to　her　physical　graces。

When　she　finally　went　down…stairs　to　see　how　the　dining　and　reception　rooms　looked；　and　Fadette　began　putting　away　the　welter　of　discarded　garmentsshe　was　a　radiant　visiona　splendid　greenish…gold　figure；　with　gorgeous　hair；　smooth；　soft；　shapely　ivory　arms；　a　splendid　neck　and　bust；　and　a　swelling　form。　　She　felt　beautiful；　and　yet　she　was　a　little　nervoustruly。　　Frank　himself　would　be　critical。　She　went　about　looking　into　the　dining…room；　which；　by　the　caterer's　art；　had　been　transformed　into　a　kind　of　jewel…box　glowing　with　flowers；　silver；　gold；　tinted　glass；　and　the　snowy　whiteness　of　linen。　　It　reminded　her　of　an　opal　flashing　all　its　soft　fires。　　She　went　into　the　general　reception…room；　where　was　a　grand　piano　finished　in　pink　and　gold；　upon　which；　with　due　thought　to　her　one　accomplishmenther　playingshe　had　arranged　the　songs　and　instrumental　pieces　she　did　best。　　Aileen　was　really　not　a　brilliant　musician。　　For　the　first　time　in　her　life　she　felt　matronlyas　if　now　she　were　not　a　girl　any　more；　but　a　woman　grown；　with　some　serious　responsibilities；　and　yet　she　was　not　really　suited　to　the　role。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　her　thoughts　were　always　fixed　on　the　artistic；　social；　and　dramatic　aspects　of　life；　with　unfortunately　a　kind　of　nebulosity　of　conception　which　permitted　no　condensation　into　anything　definite　or　concrete。　　She　could　only　be　wildly　and　feverishly　interested。　　Just　then　the　door　clicked　to　Frank's　keyit　was　nearing　sixand　in　he　came；　smiling；　confident；　a　perfect　atmosphere　of　assurance。

〃Well！〃　he　observed；　surveying　her　in　the　soft　glow　of　the　reception…room　lighted　by　wall　candles　judiciously　arranged。　〃Who's　the　vision　floating　around　here？　I'm　almost　afraid　to　touch　you。　　Much　powder　on　those　arms？〃

He　drew　her　into　his　arms；　and　she　put　up　her　mouth　with　a　sense　of　relief。　　Obviously；　he　must　think　that　she　looked　charming。

〃I　am　chalky；　I　guess。　　You'll　just　have　to　stand　it；　though。　　You're　going　to　dress；　anyhow。〃

She　put　her　smooth；　plump　arms　about　his　neck；　and　he　felt　pleased。　This　was　the　kind　of　a　woman　to　havea　beauty。　　Her　neck　was　resplendent　with　a　string　of　turquoise；　her　fingers　too　heavily　jeweled；　but　still　beautiful。　　She　was　faintly　redolent　of　hyacinth　or　lavender。　　Her　hair　appealed　to　him；　and；　above　all；　the　rich　yellow　silk　of　her　dress；　flashing　fulgurously　through　the　closely　netted　green。

〃Charming；　girlie。　　You've　outdone　yourself。　　I　haven't　seen　this　dress　before。　　Where　did　you　get　it？〃

〃Here　in　Chicago。〃

He　lifted　her　warm　fingers；　surveying　her　train；　and　turned　her　about。

〃You　don't　need　any　advice。　　You　ought　to　start　a　school。〃

〃Am　I　all　right？〃　she　queried；　smartly；　but　with　a　sense　of　self…distrust　for　the　moment；　and　all　because　of　him。

〃You're　perfect。　　Couldn't　be　nicer。　　Splendid！〃

She　took　heart。

〃I　wish　your　friends　would　think　so。　　You'd　better　hurry。〃

He　went　up…stairs；　and　she　followed；　looking　first　into　the　dining…room　again。　　At　least　that　was　right。　　Surely　Frank　was　a　master。

At　seven　the　plop　of　the　feet　of　carriage…horses　was　heard；　and　a　moment　later　Louis；　the　butler；　was　opening　the　door。　　Aileen　went　down；　a　little　nervous；　a　little　frigid；　trying　to　think　of　many　pleasant　things；　and　wondering　whether　she　would　really　succeed　in　being　entertaining。　　Cowperwood　accompanied　her；　a　very　different　person　in　so　far　as　mood　and　self…poise　were　concerned。　　To　himself　his　own　future　was　always　secure；　and　that　of　Aileen's　if　he　wished　to　make　it　so。　　The　arduous；　upward…ascending　rungs　of　the　social　ladder　that　were　troubling　her　had　no　such　significance　to　him。

The　dinner；　as　such　simple　things　go；　was　a　success　from　what　might　be　called　a　managerial　and　pictorial　point　of　view。　　Cowperwood；　because　of　his　varied　tastes　and　interests；　could　discuss　railroading　with　Mr。　Rambaud　in　a　very　definite　and　illuminating　way；　could　talk　architecture　with　Mr。　Lord　as　a　student；　for　instance；　of　rare　promise　would　talk　with　a　master；　and　with　a　woman　like　Mrs。　Addison　or　Mrs。　Rambaud　he　could　suggest　or　follow　appropriate　leads。　　Aileen；　unfortunately；　was　not　so　much　at　home；　for　her　natural　state　and　mood　were　remote　not　so　much　from　a　serious　as　from　an　accurate　conception　of　life。　　So　many　things；　except　in　a　very　nebulous　and　suggestive　way；　were　sealed　books　to　Aileenmerely　faint；　distant　tinklings。　　She　knew　nothing　of　literature　except　certain　authors　who　to　the　truly　cultured　might　seem　banal。　　As　for　art；　it　was　merely　a　jingle　of　names　gathered　from　Cowperwood's　private　comments。　　Her　one　redeeming　feature　was　that　she　was　truly　beautiful　herselfa　radiant；　vibrating　objet　d'art。　　A　man　like　Rambaud；　remote；　conservative；　constructive；　saw　the　place　of　a　woman　like　Aileen　in　the　life　of　a　man　like　Cowperwood　on　the　instant。　　She　was　such　a　woman　as　he　would　have　prized　himself　in　a　certain　capacity。

Sex　interest　in　all　strong　men　usually　endures　unto　the　end；　governed　sometimes　by　a　stoic　resignation。　　The　experiment　of　such　attraction　can；　as　they　well　know；　be　made　over　and　over；　but　to　what　end？　For　many　it　becomes　too　troublesome。　　Yet　the　presence　of　so　glittering　a　spectacle　as　Aileen　on　this　night　touched　Mr。　Rambaud　with　an　ancient　ambition。　　He　looked　at　her　almost　sadly。　Once　he　was　much　younger。　　But　alas；　he　had　never　attracted　the　flaming　interest　of　any　such　woman。　　As　he　studied　her　now　he　wished　that　he　might　have　enjoyed　such　good　fortune。

In　contrast　with　Aileen's　orchid　glow　and　tinted　richness　Mrs。　Rambaud's　simple　gray　silk；　the　collar　of　which　came　almost　to　her　ears；　was　disturbingalmost　reprovingbut　Mrs。　Rambaud's　ladylike　courtesy　and　generosity　made　everything　all　right。　　She　came　out　of　intellectual　New　Englandthe　Emerson…Thoreau…Channing　Phillips　school　of　philosophyand　was　broadly　tolerant。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　she　liked　Aileen　and　all　the　Orient　richness　she　represented。　〃Such　a　sweet　little　house　this　is；〃　she　said；　smilingly。　　〃We've　noticed　it　often。　　We're　not　so　far　removed　from　you　but　what　we　might　be　called　neighbors。〃

Aileen's　eyes　spoke　appreciation。　　Although　she　could　not　fully　grasp　Mrs。　Rambaud；　she　understood　her；　in　a　way；　and　liked　her。　　She　was　probably　something　like　her　own　mother　would　have　been　if　the　latter　had　been　highly　educated。　　While　they　were　moving　into　the　reception…room　Taylor　Lord　was　announced。　　Cowperwood　took　his　hand　and　brought　him　forward　to　the　others。

〃Mrs。　Cowperwood；〃　said　Lord；　admiringlya　tall；　rug