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hings　against　Cowperwood　were　permanently　silenced。




Chapter　XLV



Changing　Horizons

The　effect　of　all　this　was　to　arouse　in　Cowperwood　the　keenest　feelings　of　superiority　he　had　ever　yet　enjoyed。　　Hitherto　he　had　fancied　that　his　enemies　might　worst　him；　but　at　last　his　path　seemed　clear。　　He　was　now　worth；　all　in　all；　the　round　sum　of　twenty　million　dollars。　　His　art…collection　had　become　the　most　important　in　the　Westperhaps　in　the　nation；　public　collections　excluded。　　He　began　to　envision　himself　as　a　national　figure；　possibly　even　an　international　one。　　And　yet　he　was　coming　to　feel　that；　no　matter　how　complete　his　financial　victory　might　ultimately　be；　the　chances　were　that　he　and　Aileen　would　never　be　socially　accepted　here　in　Chicago。　　He　had　done　too　many　boisterous　things　alienated　too　many　people。　　He　was　as　determined　as　ever　to　retain　a　firm　grip　on　the　Chicago　street…railway　situation。　　But　he　was　disturbed　for　a　second　time　in　his　life　by　the　thought　that；　owing　to　the　complexities　of　his　own　temperament；　he　had　married　unhappily　and　would　find　the　situation　difficult　of　adjustment。　　Aileen；　whatever　might　be　said　of　her　deficiencies；　was　by　no　means　as　tractable　or　acquiescent　as　his　first　wife。　　And；　besides；　he　felt　that　he　owed　her　a　better　turn。　　By　no　means　did　he　actually　dislike　her　as　yet；　though　she　was　no　longer　soothing；　stimulating；　or　suggestive　to　him　as　she　had　formerly　been。　　Her　woes；　because　of　him；　were　too　many；　her　attitude　toward　him　too　censorious。　　He　was　perfectly　willing　to　sympathize　with　her；　to　regret　his　own　change　of　feeling；　but　what　would　you？　He　could　not　control　his　own　temperament　any　more　than　Aileen　could　control　hers。

The　worst　of　this　situation　was　that　it　was　now　becoming　complicated　on　Cowperwood's　part　with　the　most　disturbing　thoughts　concerning　Berenice　Fleming。　　Ever　since　the　days　when　he　had　first　met　her　mother　he　had　been　coming　more　and　more　to　feel　for　the　young　girl　a　soul…stirring　passionand　that　without　a　single　look　exchanged　or　a　single　word　spoken。　　There　is　a　static　something　which　is　beauty；　and　this　may　be　clothed　in　the　habiliments　of　a　ragged　philosopher　or　in　the　silks　and　satins　of　pampered　coquetry。　　It　was　a　suggestion　of　this　beauty　which　is　above　sex　and　above　age　and　above　wealth　that　shone　in　the　blowing　hair　and　night…blue　eyes　of　Berenice　Fleming。　　His　visit　to　the　Carter　family　at　Pocono　had　been　a　disappointment　to　him；　because　of　the　apparent　hopelessness　of　arousing　Berenice's　interest；　and　since　that　time；　and　during　their　casual　encounters；　she　had　remained　politely　indifferent。　Nevertheless；　he　remained　true　to　his　persistence　in　the　pursuit　of　any　game　he　had　fixed　upon。　　　　Mrs。　Carter；　whose　relations　with　Cowperwood　had　in　the　past　been　not　wholly　platonic；　nevertheless　attributed　much　of　his　interest　in　her　to　her　children　and　their　vital　chance。　　Berenice　and　Rolfe　themselves　knew　nothing　concerning　the　nature　of　their　mother's　arrangements　with　Cowperwood。　　True　to　his　promise　of　protectorship　and　assistance；　he　had　established　her　in　a　New　York　apartment　adjacent　to　her　daughter's　school；　and　where　he　fancied　that　he　himself　might　spend　many　happy　hours　were　Berenice　but　near。　　Proximity　to　Berenice！　The　desire　to　arouse　her　interest　and　command　her　favor！　Cowperwood　would　scarcely　have　cared　to　admit　to　himself　how　great　a　part　this　played　in　a　thought　which　had　recently　been　creeping　into　his　mind。　　It　was　that　of　erecting　a　splendid　house　in　New　York。

By　degrees　this　idea　of　building　a　New　York　house　had　grown　upon　him。　　His　Chicago　mansion　was　a　costly　sepulcher　in　which　Aileen　sat　brooding　over　the　woes　which　had　befallen　her。　　Moreover；　aside　from　the　social　defeat　which　it　represented；　it　was　becoming　merely　as　a　structure；　but　poorly　typical　of　the　splendor　and　ability　of　his　imaginations。　　This　second　dwelling；　if　he　ever　achieved　it；　should　be　resplendent；　a　monument　to　himself。　　In　his　speculative　wanderings　abroad　he　had　seen　many　such　great　palaces；　designed　with　the　utmost　care；　which　had　housed　the　taste　and　culture　of　generations　of　men。　　His　art…collection；　in　which　he　took　an　immense　pride；　had　been　growing；　until　it　was　the　basis　if　not　the　completed　substance　for　a　very　splendid　memorial。　　Already　in　it　were　gathered　paintings　of　all　the　important　schools；　to　say　nothing　of　collections　of　jade；　illumined　missals；　porcelains；　rugs；　draperies；　mirror　frames；　and　a　beginning　at　rare　originals　of　sculpture。　　The　beauty　of　these　strange　things；　the　patient　laborings　of　inspired　souls　of　various　times　and　places；　moved　him；　on　occasion；　to　a　gentle　awe。　　Of　all　individuals　he　respected；　indeed　revered；　the　sincere　artist。　　Existence　was　a　mystery；　but　these　souls　who　set　themselves　to　quiet　tasks　of　beauty　had　caught　something　of　which　he　was　dimly　conscious。　　Life　had　touched　them　with　a　vision；　their　hearts　and　souls　were　attuned　to　sweet　harmonies　of　which　the　common　world　knew　nothing。　　Sometimes；　when　he　was　weary　after　a　strenuous　day；　he　would　enterlate　in　the　night　his　now　silent　gallery；　and　turning　on　the　lights　so　that　the　whole　sweet　room　stood　revealed；　he　would　seat　himself　before　some　treasure；　reflecting　on　the　nature；　the　mood；　the　time；　and　the　man　that　had　produced　it。　　Sometimes　it　would　be　one　of　Rembrandt's　melancholy　headsthe　sad　〃Portrait　of　a　Rabbi〃or　the　sweet　introspection　of　a　Rousseau　stream。　　A　solemn　Dutch　housewife；　rendered　with　the　bold　fidelity　and　resonant　enameled　surfaces　of　a　Hals　or　the　cold　elegance　of　an　Ingres；　commanded　his　utmost　enthusiasm。　　So　he　would　sit　and　wonder　at　the　vision　and　skill　of　the　original　dreamer；　exclaiming　at　times：　〃A　marvel！　A　marvel！〃

At　the　same　time；　so　far　as　Aileen　was　concerned　things　were　obviously　shaping　up　for　additional　changes。　　She　was　in　that　peculiar　state　which　has　befallen　many　a　womantrying　to　substitute　a　lesser　ideal　for　a　greater；　and　finding　that　the　effort　is　useless　or　nearly　so。　　In　regard　to　her　affair　with　Lynde；　aside　from　the　temporary　relief　and　diversion　it　had　afforded　her；　she　was　beginning　to　feel　that　she　had　made　a　serious　mistake。　　Lynde　was　delightful；　after　his　fashion。　　He　could　amuse　her　with　a　different　type　of　experience　from　any　that　Cowperwood　had　to　relate。　　Once　they　were　intimate　he　had；　with　an　easy；　genial　air；　confessed　to　all　sorts　of　liaisons　in　Europe　and　America。　　He　was　utterly　pagana　faun　and　at　the　same　time　he　was　truly　of　the　smart　world。　　His　open　contempt　of　all　but　one　or　two　of　the　people　in　Chicago　whom　Aileen　had　secretly　admired　and　wished　to　associate　with；　and　his　easy　references　to　figures　of　importance　in　the　East　and　in　Paris　and　London；　raised　him　amazingly　in　her　estimation；　it　made　her　feel；　sad　to　relate；　that　she　had　by　no　means　lowered　herself　in　succumbing　so　readily　to　his　forceful　charms。

Nevertheless；　because　he　was　what　he　wasgenial；　complimentary；　affectionate；　but　a　playboy；　merely；　and　a　soldier　of　fortune；　with　no　desire　to　make　over　her　life　for　her　on　any　new　basisshe　was　now　grieving　over　the　futility　of　this　romance　which　had　got　her　nowhere；　and　which；　in　all　probability；　had　alienated　Cowperwood　for　good。　　He　was　still　outwardly　genial　and　friendly；　but　their　relationship　was　now　colored　by　a　sense　of　mistake　and　uncertainty　which　existed　on　both　sides；　but　which；　in　Aileen's　case；　amounted　to　a　subtle　species　of　soul…torture。　　Hitherto　she　had　been　the　aggrieved　one；　the　one　whose　loyalty　had　never　been　in　question；　and　whose　persistent　affection　and　faith　had　been　greatly　sinned　against。　　Now　all　this　was　changed。　　The　manner　in　which　he　had　sinned　against　her　was　plain　enough；　but　the　way　in　which；　out　of　pique；　she　had　forsaken　him　was　in　the　other　balance。　　Say　what　one　will；　the　loyalty　of　woman；　whether　a　condition　in　nature　or　an　evolved　accident　of　sociology；　persists　as　a　dominating　thought　in　at　least　a　section　of　the　race；　and　women　themselves；　be　it　said；　are　the　ones　who　most　loudly　and　openly　subscribe　to　it。　　Cowperwood　himself　was　fully　aware　that　Aileen　had　deserted　him；　not　because　she　loved　him　less　or　Lynde　more；　but　because　she　was　hurtand　deeply　so。　　Aileen　knew　that　he　knew　this。　　From　one　point　of　view　it　enraged　her　and　made　her　defiant；　from　another　it　grieved　her　to　think　she　had　uselessly　sinned　against　his　faith　in　her。　　Now　he　had　ample　excuse　to　do　anything　he　chose。　　Her　best　claim　on　himher　woundsshe　had　thrown　away　as　one　throws　away　a　weapon。　　Her　pride　would　not　let　her　talk　to　him　about　this；　and　at　the　same　time　she　could　not　endure　the　easy；　tolerant　manner　with　which　he　took　it。　　His　smiles；　his　forgiveness；　his　sometimes　pleasant　jesting　were　all　a　horrible　offense。

To　complete　her　mental　quandary；　she　was　already　beginning　to　quarrel　with　Lynde　over　this　matter　of　her　unbreakable　regard　for　Cowperwood。　　With　the　sufficiency　of　a　man　of　the　world　Lynde　intended　that　she　should　succumb　to　him　completely　and　forget　her　wonderful　husband。　　When　with　him　she　was　apparently　charmed　and　interested；　yielding　herself　freely；　but　this　was　more　out　of　pique　at　Cowperwood's　neglect　than　from　any　genuine　passion　for　Lynde。　　In　spite　of　her　pretensions　of　anger；　her　sneers；　and　criticisms　whenever　Cowperwood's　name　came　up；　she　was；　nevertheless；　hopelessly　fond　of　him　and　identified　with　him　spiritually；　and　it　was　not　long　before　Lynde　began　to　suspect　this。　　Such　a　discovery　is　a　sad　one　for　any　master　of　women　to　make。　　It　jolted　his　pride　severely。

〃You　care　for　him　still；　don't　you？〃　he　asked；　with　a　wry　smile；　upon　one　occasion。　　They　were　sitting　at　dinner　in　a　private　room　at　Kinsley's；　and　Aileen；　whose　color　was　high；　and　who　was　becomingly　garbed　in　metallic…green　silk；　was　looking　especially　handsome。　　Lynde　had　been　proposing　that　she　should　make　special　arrangements　to　depart　with　him　for　a　three…months'　stay　in　Europe；　but　she　would　have　nothing　to　do　with　the　project。　　She　did　not　dare。　　Such　a　move　would　make　Cowperwood　feel　that　she　was　alienating　herself　forever；　it　would　give　him　an　excellent　excuse　to　leave　her。

〃Oh；　it　isn't　that；〃　she　had　declared；　in　reply　to　Lynde's　query。　〃I　just　don't　want　to　go。　　I　can't。　　I'm　not　prepared。　　It's　nothing　but　a　notion　of　yours；　anyhow。　　You're