the financier-第111节
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er ardent sympathy that he was afraid of。 He was so glad that Bonhag had suggested that she might enter the cell； for it would be a grim procedure talking to her through a barred door。
When Aileen arrived she asked for Mr。 Bonhag； and was permitted to go to the central rotunda； where he was sent for。 When he came she murmured： 〃I wish to see Mr。 Cowperwood； if you please〃； and he exclaimed； 〃Oh； yes； just come with me。〃 As he came across the rotunda floor from his corridor he was struck by the evident youth of Aileen； even though he could not see her face。 This now was something in accordance with what he had expected of Cowperwood。 A man who could steal five hundred thousand dollars and set a whole city by the ears must have wonderful adventures of all kinds； and Aileen looked like a true adventure。 He led her to the little room where he kept his desk and detained visitors； and then bustled down to Cowperwood's cell； where the financier was working on one of his chairs and scratching on the door with his key； called： 〃There's a young lady here to see you。 Do you want to let her come inside？〃
〃Thank you； yes；〃 replied Cowperwood； and Bonhag hurried away； unintentionally forgetting； in his boorish incivility； to unlock the cell door； so that he had to open it in Aileen's presence。 The long corridor； with its thick doors； mathematically spaced gratings and gray…stone pavement； caused Aileen to feel faint at heart。 A prison； iron cells！ And he was in one of them。 It chilled her usually courageous spirit。 What a terrible place for her Frank to be！ What a horrible thing to have put him here！ Judges； juries； courts； laws； jails seemed like so many foaming ogres ranged about the world； glaring down upon her and her love…affair。 The clank of the key in the lock； and the heavy outward swinging of the door； completed her sense of the untoward。 And then she saw Cowperwood。
Because of the price he was to receive； Bonhag； after admitting her； strolled discreetly away。 Aileen looked at Cowperwood from behind her veil； afraid to speak until she was sure Bonhag had gone。 And Cowperwood； who was retaining his self…possession by an effort； signaled her but with difficulty after a moment or two。 〃It's all right；〃 he said。 〃He's gone away。〃 She lifted her veil； removed her cloak； and took in； without seeming to； the stuffy； narrow thickness of the room； his wretched shoes； the cheap； misshapen suit； the iron door behind him leading out into the little yard attached to his cell。 Against such a background； with his partially caned chairs visible at the end of the bed； he seemed unnatural； weird even。 Her Frank！ And in this condition。 She trembled and it was useless for her to try to speak。 She could only put her arms around him and stroke his head； murmuring： 〃My poor boymy darling。 Is this what they have done to you？ Oh； my poor darling。〃 She held his head while Cowperwood； anxious to retain his composure； winced and trembled； too。 Her love was so fullso genuine。 It was so soothing at the same time that it was unmanning； as now he could see； making of him a child again。 And for the first time in his life； some inexplicable trick of chemistry that chemistry of the body； of blind forces which so readily supersedes reason at timeshe lost his self…control。 The depth of Aileen's feelings； the cooing sound of her voice； the velvety tenderness of her hands； that beauty that had drawn him all the timemore radiant here perhaps within these hard walls； and in the face of his physical misery； than it had ever been before completely unmanned him。 He did not understand how it could； he tried to defy the moods； but he could not。 When she held his head close and caressed it； of a sudden； in spite of himself； his breast felt thick and stuffy； and his throat hurt him。 He felt； for him； an astonishingly strange feeling； a desire to cry； which he did his best to overcome； it shocked him so。 There then combined and conspired to defeat him a strange； rich picture of the great world he had so recently lost； of the lovely； magnificent world which he hoped some day to regain。 He felt more poignantly at this moment than ever he had before the degradation of the clog shoes； the cotton shirt； the striped suit； the reputation of a convict； permanent and not to be laid aside。 He drew himself quickly away from her； turned his back； clinched his hands； drew his muscles taut； but it was too late。 He was crying； and he could not stop。
〃Oh； damn it！〃 he exclaimed； half angrily； half self…commiseratingly； in combined rage and shame。 〃Why should I cry？ What the devil's the matter with me； anyhow？〃
Aileen saw it。 She fairly flung herself in front of him； seized his head with one hand； his shabby waist with the other； and held him tight in a grip that he could not have readily released。
〃Oh； honey； honey； honey！〃 she exclaimed； pityingly feverishly。 〃I love you； I adore you。 They could cut my body into bits if it would do you any good。 To think that they should make you cry！ Oh； my sweet； my sweet； my darling boy！〃
She pulled his still shaking body tighter； and with her free hand caressed his head。 She kissed his eyes； his hair； his cheeks。 He pulled himself loose again after a moment； exclaiming； 〃What the devil's got into me？〃 but she drew him back。
〃Never mind； honey darling； don't you be ashamed to cry。 Cry here on my shoulder。 Cry here with me。 My babymy honey pet！〃
He quieted down after a few moments； cautioning her against Bonhag； and regaining his former composure； which he was so ashamed to have lost。
〃You're a great girl； pet；〃 he said； with a tender and yet apologetic smile。 〃You're all rightall that I needa great help to me； but don't worry any longer about me； dear。 I'm all right。 It isn't as bad as you think。 How are you？〃
Aileen on her part was not to be soothed so easily。 His many woes； including his wretched position here； outraged her sense of justice and decency。 To think her fine； wonderful Frank should be compelled to come to thisto cry。 She stroked his head； tenderly； while wild； deadly； unreasoning opposition to life and chance and untoward opposition surged in her brain。 Her fatherdamn him！ Her family pooh！ What did she care？ Her Frankher Frank。 How little all else mattered where he was concerned。 Never； never； never would she desert himnevercome what might。 And now she clung to him in silence while she fought in her brain an awful battle with life and law and fate and circumstance。 Lawnonsense！ People they were brutes； devils； enemies； hounds！ She was delighted； eager； crazy to make a sacrifice of herself。 She would go anywhere for or with her Frank now。 She would do anything for him。 Her family was nothinglife nothing； nothing； nothing。 She would do anything he wished； nothing more； nothing less； anything she could do to save him； to make his life happier； but nothing for any one else。
Chapter LVI
The days passed。 Once the understanding with Bonhag was reached； Cowperwood's wife； mother and sister were allowed to appear on occasions。 His wife and the children were now settled in the little home for which he was paying； and his financial obligations to her were satisfied by Wingate； who paid her one hundred and twenty five dollars a month for him。 He realized that he owed her more； but he was sailing rather close to the wind financially； these days。 The final collapse of his old interests had come in March； when he had been legally declared a bankrupt； and all his properties forfeited to satisfy the claims against him。 The city's claim of five hundred thousand dollars would have eaten up more than could have been realized at the time； had not a pro rata payment of thirty cents on the dollar been declared。 Even then the city never received its due； for by some hocus…pocus it was declared to have forfeited its rights。 Its claims had not been made at the proper time in the proper way。 This left larger portions of real money for the others。
Fortunately by now Cowperwood had begun to see that by a little experimenting his business relations with Wingate were likely to prove profitable。 The broker had made it clear that he intended to be perfectly straight with him。 He had employed Cowperwood's two brothers； at very moderate salariesone to take care of the books and look after the office； and the other to act on 'change with him； for their seats in that organization had never been sold。 And also； by considerable effort； he had succeeded in securing Cowperwood； Sr。； a place as a clerk in a bank。 For the latter； since the day of his resignation from the Third National had been in a deep； sad quandary as to what further to do with his life。 His son's disgrace！ The horror of his trial and incarceration。 Since the day of Frank's indictment and more so； since his sentence and commitment to the Eastern Penitentiary； he was as one who walked in a dream。 That trial！ That charge against Frank！ His own son； a convict in stripesand after he and Frank had walked so proudly in the front rank of the successful and respected here。 Like so many others in his hour of distress； he had taken to reading the Bible； looking into its pages for something of that mind consolation t
