the financier-第114节

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Chapter　LVII




The　time　that　Cowperwood　spent　in　the　Eastern　Penitentiary　of　Pennsylvania　was　exactly　thirteen　months　from　the　day　of　his　entry　to　his　discharge。　　The　influences　which　brought　about　this　result　were　partly　of　his　willing；　and　partly　not。　　For　one　thing；　some　six　months　after　his　incarceration；　Edward　Malia　Butler　died；　expired　sitting　in　his　chair　in　his　private　office　at　his　home。　The　conduct　of　Aileen　had　been　a　great　strain　on　him。　　From　the　time　Cowperwood　had　been　sentenced；　and　more　particularly　after　the　time　he　had　cried　on　Aileen's　shoulder　in　prison；　she　had　turned　on　her　father　in　an　almost　brutal　way。　　Her　attitude；　unnatural　for　a　child；　was　quite　explicable　as　that　of　a　tortured　sweetheart。　　Cowperwood　had　told　her　that　he　thought　Butler　was　using　his　influence　to　withhold　a　pardon　for　him；　even　though　one　were　granted　to　Stener；　whose　life　in　prison　he　had　been　following　with　considerable　interest；　and　this　had　enraged　her　beyond　measure。　She　lost　no　chance　of　being　practically　insulting　to　her　father；　ignoring　him　on　every　occasion；　refusing　as　often　as　possible　to　eat　at　the　same　table；　and　when　she　did；　sitting　next　her　mother　in　the　place　of　Norah；　with　whom　she　managed　to　exchange。　　She　refused　to　sing　or　play　any　more　when　he　was　present；　and　persistently　ignored　the　large　number　of　young　political　aspirants　who　came　to　the　house；　and　whose　presence　in　a　way　had　been　encouraged　for　her　benefit。　　Old　Butler　realized；　of　course；　what　it　was　all　about。　He　said　nothing。　　He　could　not　placate　her。

Her　mother　and　brothers　did　not　understand　it　at　all　at　first。　（Mrs。　Butler　never　understood。）　　But　not　long　after　Cowperwood's　incarceration　Callum　and　Owen　became　aware　of　what　the　trouble　was。　Once；　when　Owen　was　coming　away　from　a　reception　at　one　of　the　houses　where　his　growing　financial　importance　made　him　welcome；　he　heard　one　of　two　men　whom　he　knew　casually；　say　to　the　other；　as　they　stood　at　the　door　adjusting　their　coats；　〃You　saw　where　this　fellow　Cowperwood　got　four　years；　didn't　you？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　the　other。　　〃A　clever　devil　thatwasn't　he？　I　knew　that　girl　he　was　in　with；　tooyou　know　who　I　mean。　　Miss　Butlerwasn't　that　her　name？〃

Owen　was　not　sure　that　he　had　heard　right。　　He　did　not　get　the　connection　until　the　other　guest；　opening　the　door　and　stepping　out；　remarked：　〃Well；　old　Butler　got　even；　apparently。　　They　say　he　sent　him　up。〃

Owen's　brow　clouded。　　A　hard；　contentious　look　came　into　his　eyes。　He　had　much　of　his　father's　force。　　What　in　the　devil　were　they　talking　about？　What　Miss　Butler　did　they　have　in　mind？　Could　this　be　Aileen　or　Norah；　and　how　could　Cowperwood　come　to　be　in　with　either　of　them？　It　could　not　possibly　be　Norah；　he　reflected；　she　was　very　much　infatuated　with　a　young　man　whom　he　knew；　and　was　going　to　marry　him。　　Aileen　had　been　most　friendly　with　the　Cowperwoods；　and　had　often　spoken　well　of　the　financier。　　Could　it　be　she？　He　could　not　believe　it。　　He　thought　once　of　overtaking　the　two　acquaintances　and　demanding　to　know　what　they　meant；　but　when　he　came　out　on　the　step　they　were　already　some　distance　down　the　street　and　in　the　opposite　direction　from　that　in　which　he　wished　to　go。　　He　decided　to　ask　his　father　about　this。

On　demand；　old　Butler　confessed　at　once；　but　insisted　that　his　son　keep　silent　about　it。

〃I　wish　I'd　have　known；〃　said　Owen；　grimly。　　〃I'd　have　shot　the　dirty　dog。〃

〃Aisy；　aisy；〃　said　Butler。　　〃Yer　own　life's　worth　more　than　his；　and　ye'd　only　be　draggin'　the　rest　of　yer　family　in　the　dirt　with　him。　　He's　had　somethin'　to　pay　him　for　his　dirty　trick；　and　he'll　have　more。　　Just　ye　say　nothin'　to　no　one。　　Wait。　　He'll　be　wantin'　to　get　out　in　a　year　or　two。　　Say　nothin'　to　her　aither。　　Talkin'　won't　help　there。　　She'll　come　to　her　sinses　when　he's　been　away　long　enough；　I'm　thinkin'。〃　　Owen　had　tried　to　be　civil　to　his　sister　after　that；　but　since　he　was　a　stickler　for　social　perfection　and　advancement；　and　so　eager　to　get　up　in　the　world　himself；　he　could　not　understand　how　she　could　possibly　have　done　any　such　thing。　　He　resented　bitterly　the　stumbling…block　she　had　put　in　his　path。　　Now；　among　other　things；　his　enemies　would　have　this　to　throw　in　his　face　if　they　wanted　toand　they　would　want　to；　trust　life　for　that。

Callum　reached　his　knowledge　of　the　matter　in　quite　another　manner；　but　at　about　the　same　time。　　He　was　a　member　of　an　athletic　club　which　had　an　attractive　building　in　the　city；　and　a　fine　country　club；　where　he　went　occasionally　to　enjoy　the　swimming…pool　and　the　Turkish　bath　connected　with　it。　　One　of　his　friends　approached　him　there　in　the　billiard…room　one　evening　and　said；　〃Say；　Butler；　you　know　I'm　a　good　friend　of　yours；　don't　you？〃

〃Why；　certainly；　I　know　it；〃　replied　Callum。　　〃What's　the　matter？〃

〃Well；　you　know；〃　said　the　young　individual；　whose　name　was　Richard　Pethick；　looking　at　Callum　with　a　look　of　almost　strained　affection；　〃I　wouldn't　come　to　you　with　any　story　that　I　thought　would　hurt　your　feelings　or　that　you　oughtn't　to　know　about；　but　I　do　think　you　ought　to　know　about　this。〃　　He　pulled　at　a　high　white　collar　which　was　choking　his　neck。

〃I　know　you　wouldn't；　Pethick；〃　replied　Callum；　very　much　interested。　〃What　is　it？　What's　the　point？〃

〃Well；　I　don't　like　to　say　anything；〃　replied　Pethick；　〃but　that　fellow　Hibbs　is　saying　things　around　here　about　your　sister。〃

〃What's　that？〃　exclaimed　Callum；　straightening　up　in　the　most　dynamic　way　and　bethinking　him　of　the　approved　social　procedure　in　all　such　cases。　　He　should　be　very　angry。　　He　should　demand　and　exact　proper　satisfaction　in　some　form　or　otherby　blows　very　likely　if　his　honor　had　been　in　any　way　impugned。　　〃What　is　it　he　says　about　my　sister？　What　right　has　he　to　mention　her　name　here；　anyhow？　He　doesn't　know　her。〃

Pethick　affected　to　be　greatly　concerned　lest　he　cause　trouble　between　Callum　and　Hibbs。　　He　protested　that　he　did　not　want　to；　when；　in　reality；　he　was　dying　to　tell。　　At　last　he　came　out　with；　〃Why；　he's　circulated　the　yarn　that　your　sister　had　something　to　do　with　this　man　Cowperwood；　who　was　tried　here　recently；　and　that　that's　why　he's　just　gone　to　prison。〃

〃What's　that？〃　exclaimed　Callum；　losing　the　make…believe　of　the　unimportant；　and　taking　on　the　serious　mien　of　some　one　who　feels　desperately。　　〃He　says　that；　does　he？　Where　is　he？　I　want　to　see　if　he'll　say　that　to　me。〃

Some　of　the　stern　fighting　ability　of　his　father　showed　in　his　slender；　rather　refined　young　face。

〃Now；　Callum；〃　insisted　Pethick；　realizing　the　genuine　storm　he　had　raised；　and　being　a　little　fearful　of　the　result；　〃do　be　careful　what　you　say。　　You　mustn't　have　a　row　in　here。　　You　know　it's　against　the　rules。　　Besides　he　may　be　drunk。　　It's　just　some　foolish　talk　he's　heard；　I'm　sure。　　Now；　for　goodness'　sake；　don't　get　so　excited。〃　　Pethick；　having　evoked　the　storm；　was　not　a　little　nervous　as　to　its　results　in　his　own　case。　　He；　too；　as　well　as　Callum；　himself　as　the　tale…bearer；　might　now　be　involved。

But　Callum　by　now　was　not　so　easily　restrained。　　His　face　was　quite　pale；　and　he　was　moving　toward　the　old　English　grill…room；　where　Hibbs　happened　to　be；　consuming　a　brandy…and…soda　with　a　friend　of　about　his　own　age。　　Callum　entered　and　called　him。

〃Oh；　Hibbs！〃　he　said。

Hibbs；　hearing　his　voice　and　seeing　him　in　the　door；　arose　and　came　over。　　He　was　an　interesting　youth　of　the　collegiate　type；　educated　at　Princeton。　　He　had　heard　the　rumor　concerning　Aileen　from　various　sourcesother　members　of　the　club；　for　oneand　had　ventured　to　repeat　it　in　Pethick's　presence。

〃What's　that　you　were　just　saying　about　my　sister？〃　asked　Callum；　grimly；　looking　Hibbs　in　the　eye。

〃WhyI〃　hesitated　Hibbs；　who　sensed　trouble　and　was　eager　to　avoid　it。　　He　was　not　exceptionally　brave　and　looked　it。　　His　hair　was　straw…colored；　his　eyes　blue；　and　his　cheeks　pink。　　〃Why　nothing　in　particular。　　Who　said　I　was　talking　about　her？〃　He　looked　at　Pethick；　whom　he　knew　to　be　the　tale…bearer；　and　the　latter　exclaimed；　excitedly：

〃Now　don't　you　try　to　deny　it；　Hibbs。　　You　know　I　heard　you？〃

〃Well；　what　did　I　say？〃　asked　Hibbs；　defiantly。

〃Well；　what　did　you　say？〃　interrupted　Callum；　　grimly；　transferring　the　conversation　to　himself。　　〃That's　just　what　I　want　to　know。〃

〃Why；〃　stammered　Hibbs；　nervously；　〃I　don't　think　I've　said　anything　that　anybody　else　hasn't　said。　　I　just　repeated　that　some　one　said　that　your　sister　had　been　very　friendly　with　Mr。　Cowperwood。　　I　didn't　say　any　more　than　I　have　heard　other　people　say　around　here。〃

〃Oh；　you　didn't；　did　you？〃　exclaimed　Callum；　withdrawing　his　hand　from　his　pocket　and　slapping　Hibbs　in　the　face。　　He　repeated　the　blow　with　his　left　hand；　fiercely。　　〃Perhaps　that'll　teach　you　to　keep　my　sister's　name　out　of　your　mouth；　you　pup！〃

Hibbs's　arms　flew　up。　　He　was　not　without　pugilistic　training；　and　he　struck　back　vigorously；　striking　Callum　once　in　the　chest　and　once　in　the　neck。　　In　an　instant　the　two　rooms　of　this　suite　were　in　an　uproar。　　Tables　and　chairs　were　overturned　by　the　energy　of　men　attempting　to　get　to　the　scene　of　action。　　The　two　combatants　were　quickly　separated；　sides　were　taken　by　the　friends　of　each；　excited　explanations　attempted　and　defied。