the financier-第20节

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ntees　of　a　constitution　formulated　to　prevent　it。　　There　was　mental　slavery；　the　slavery　of　the　weak　mind　and　the　weak　body。　　He　followed　the　contentions　of　such　men　as　Sumner；　Garrison；　Phillips；　and　Beecher；　with　considerable　interest；　but　at　no　time　could　he　see　that　the　problem　was　a　vital　one　for　him。　　He　did　not　care　to　be　a　soldier　or　an　officer　of　soldiers；　he　had　no　gift　for　polemics；　his　mind　was　not　of　the　disputatious　ordernot　even　in　the　realm　of　finance。　He　was　concerned　only　to　see　what　was　of　vast　advantage　to　him；　and　to　devote　all　his　attention　to　that。　　This　fratricidal　war　in　the　nation　could　not　help　him。　　It　really　delayed；　he　thought；　the　true　commercial　and　financial　adjustment　of　the　country；　and　he　hoped　that　it　would　soon　end。　　He　was　not　of　those　who　complained　bitterly　of　the　excessive　war　taxes；　though　he　knew　them　to　be　trying　to　many。　　Some　of　the　stories　of　death　and　disaster　moved　him　greatly；　but；　alas；　they　were　among　the　unaccountable　fortunes　of　life；　and　could　not　be　remedied　by　him。　　So　he　had　gone　his　way　day　by　day；　watching　the　coming　in　and　the　departing　of　troops；　seeing　the　bands　of　dirty；　disheveled；　gaunt；　sickly　men　returning　from　the　fields　and　hospitals；　and　all　he　could　do　was　to　feel　sorry。　　This　war　was　not　for　him。　　He　had　taken　no　part　in　it；　and　he　felt　sure　that　he　could　only　rejoice　in　its　conclusionnot　as　a　patriot；　but　as　a　financier。　　It　was　wasteful；　pathetic；　unfortunate。

The　months　proceeded　apace。　　A　local　election　intervened　and　there　was　a　new　city　treasurer；　a　new　assessor　of　taxes；　and　a　new　mayor；　but　Edward　Malia　Butler　continued　to　have　apparently　the　same　influence　as　before。　　The　Butlers　and　the　Cowperwoods　had　become　quite　friendly。　　Mrs。　Butler　rather　liked　Lillian；　though　they　were　of　different　religious　beliefs；　and　they　went　driving　or　shopping　together；　the　younger　woman　a　little　critical　and　ashamed　of　the　elder　because　of　her　poor　grammar；　her　Irish　accent；　her　plebeian　tastesas　though　the　Wiggins　had　not　been　as　plebeian　as　any。　　On　the　other　hand　the　old　lady；　as　she　was　compelled　to　admit；　was　good…natured　and　good…hearted。　　She　loved　to　give；　since　she　had　plenty；　and　sent　presents　here　and　there　to　Lillian；　the　children；　and　others。　　〃Now　youse　must　come　over　and　take　dinner　with　us〃the　Butlers　had　arrived　at　the　evening…dinner　periodor　〃Youse　must　come　drive　with　me　to…morrow。〃

〃Aileen；　God　bless　her；　is　such　a　foine　girl；〃　or　〃Norah；　the　darlin'；　is　sick　the　day。〃

But　Aileen；　her　airs；　her　aggressive　disposition；　her　love　of　attention；　her　vanity；　irritated　and　at　times　disgusted　Mrs。　Cowperwood。　　She　was　eighteen　now；　with　a　figure　which　was　subtly　provocative。　　Her　manner　was　boyish；　hoydenish　at　times；　and　although　convent…trained；　she　was　inclined　to　balk　at　restraint　in　any　form。　　But　there　was　a　softness　lurking　in　her　blue　eyes　that　was　most　sympathetic　and　human。

St。　Timothy's　and　the　convent　school　in　Germantown　had　been　the　choice　of　her　parents　for　her　educationwhat　they　called　a　good　Catholic　education。　　She　had　learned　a　great　deal　about　the　theory　and　forms　of　the　Catholic　ritual；　but　she　could　not　understand　them。　　The　church；　with　its　tall；　dimly　radiant　windows；　its　high；　white　altar；　its　figure　of　St。　Joseph　on　one　side　and　the　Virgin　Mary　on　the　other；　clothed　in　golden…starred　robes　of　blue；　wearing　haloes　and　carrying　scepters；　had　impressed　her　greatly。　　The　church　as　a　wholeany　Catholic　churchwas　beautiful　to　look　at　soothing。　　The　altar；　during　high　mass；　lit　with　a　half…hundred　or　more　candles；　and　dignified　and　made　impressive　by　the　rich；　lacy　vestments　of　the　priests　and　the　acolytes；　the　impressive　needlework　and　gorgeous　colorings　of　the　amice；　chasuble；　cope；　stole；　and　maniple；　took　her　fancy　and　held　her　eye。　　Let　us　say　there　was　always　lurking　in　her　a　sense　of　grandeur　coupled　with　a　love　of　color　and　a　love　of　love。　　From　the　first　she　was　somewhat　sex…conscious。　　She　had　no　desire　for　accuracy；　no　desire　for　precise　information。　　Innate　sensuousness　rarely　has。　　It　basks　in　sunshine；　bathes　in　color；　dwells　in　a　sense　of　the　impressive　and　the　gorgeous；　and　rests　there。　　Accuracy　is　not　necessary　except　in　the　case　of　aggressive；　acquisitive　natures；　when　it　manifests　itself　in　a　desire　to　seize。　　True　controlling　sensuousness　cannot　be　manifested　in　the　most　active　dispositions；　nor　again　in　the　most　accurate。

There　is　need　of　defining　these　statements　in　so　far　as　they　apply　to　Aileen。　　It　would　scarcely　be　fair　to　describe　her　nature　as　being　definitely　sensual　at　this　time。　　It　was　too　rudimentary。　Any　harvest　is　of　long　growth。　　The　confessional；　dim　on　Friday　and　Saturday　evenings；　when　the　church　was　lighted　by　but　a　few　lamps；　and　the　priest's　warnings；　penances；　and　ecclesiastical　forgiveness　whispered　through　the　narrow　lattice；　moved　her　as　something　subtly　pleasing。　　She　was　not　afraid　of　her　sins。　　Hell；　so　definitely　set　forth；　did　not　frighten　her。　　Really；　it　had　not　laid　hold　on　her　conscience。　　The　old　women　and　old　men　hobbling　into　church；　bowed　in　prayer；　murmuring　over　their　beads；　were　objects　of　curious　interest　like　the　wood…carvings　in　the　peculiar　array　of　wood…reliefs　emphasizing　the　Stations　of　the　Cross。　　She　herself　had　liked　to　confess；　particularly　when　she　was　fourteen　and　fifteen；　and　to　listen　to　the　priest's　voice　as　he　admonished　her　with；　〃Now；　my　dear　child。〃　　A　particularly　old　priest；　a　French　father；　who　came　to　hear　their　confessions　at　school；　interested　her　as　being　kind　and　sweet。　　His　forgiveness　and　blessing　seemed　sincerebetter　than　her　prayers；　which　she　went　through　perfunctorily。　　And　then　there　was　a　young　priest　at　St。　Timothy's；　Father　David；　hale　and　rosy；　with　a　curl　of　black　hair　over　his　forehead；　and　an　almost　jaunty　way　of　wearing　his　priestly　hat；　who　came　down　the　aisle　Sundays　sprinkling　holy　water　with　a　definite；　distinguished　sweep　of　the　hand；　who　took　her　fancy。　　He　heard　confessions　and　now　and　then　she　liked　to　whisper　her　strange　thoughts　to　him　while　she　actually　speculated　on　what　he　might　privately　be　thinking。　　She　could　not；　if　she　tried；　associate　him　with　any　divine　authority。　　He　was　too　young；　too　human。　　There　was　something　a　little　malicious；　teasing；　in　the　way　she　delighted　to　tell　him　about　herself；　and　then　walk　demurely；　repentantly　out。　　At　St。　Agatha's　she　had　been　rather　a　difficult　person　to　deal　with。　　She　was；　as　the　good　sisters　of　the　school　had　readily　perceived；　too　full　of　life；　too　active；　to　be　easily　controlled。　　〃That　Miss　Butler；〃　once　observed　Sister　Constantia；　the　Mother　Superior；　to　Sister　Sempronia；　Aileen's　immediate　mentor；　〃is　a　very　spirited　girl；　you　may　have　a　great　deal　of　trouble　with　her　unless　you　use　a　good　deal　of　tact。　　You　may　have　to　coax　her　with　little　gifts。　　You　will　get　on　better。〃　So　Sister　Sempronia　had　sought　to　find　what　Aileen　was　most　interested　in；　and　bribe　her　therewith。　　Being　intensely　conscious　of　her　father's　competence；　and　vain　of　her　personal　superiority；　it　was　not　so　easy　to　do。　　She　had　wanted　to　go　home　occasionally；　though；　she　had　wanted　to　be　allowed　to　wear　the　sister's　rosary　of　large　beads　with　its　pendent　cross　of　ebony　and　its　silver　Christ；　and　this　was　held　up　as　a　great　privilege。　　For　keeping　quiet　in　class；　walking　softly；　and　speaking　softlyas　much　as　it　was　in　her　to　dofor　not　stealing　into　other　girl's　rooms　after　lights　were　out；　and　for　abandoning　crushes　on　this　and　that　sympathetic　sister；　these　awards　and　others；　such　as　walking　out　in　the　grounds　on　Saturday　afternoons；　being　allowed　to　have　all　the　flowers　she　wanted；　some　extra　dresses；　jewels；　etc。；　were　offered。　　She　liked　music　and　the　idea　of　painting；　though　she　had　no　talent　in　that　direction；　and　books；　novels；　interested　her；　but　she　could　not　get　them。　　The　restgrammar；　spelling；　sewing；　church　and　general　historyshe　loathed。　　Deportmentwell；　there　was　something　in　that。　　She　had　liked　the　rather　exaggerated　curtsies　they　taught　her；　and　she　had　often　reflected　on　how　she　would　use　them　when　she　reached　home。

When　she　came　out　into　life　the　little　social　distinctions　which　have　been　indicated　began　to　impress　themselves　on　her；　and　she　wished　sincerely　that　her　father　would　build　a　better　homea　mansionsuch　as　those　she　saw　elsewhere；　and　launch　her　properly　in　society。　　Failing　in　that；　she　could　think　of　nothing　save　clothes；　jewels；　riding…horses；　carriages；　and　the　appropriate　changes　of　costume　which　were　allowed　her　for　these。　　Her　family　could　not　entertain　in　any　distinguished　way　where　they　were；　and　so　already；　at　eighteen；　she　was　beginning　to　feel　the　sting　of　a　blighted　ambition。　　She　was　eager　for　life。　　How　was　she　to　get　it？

Her　room　was　a　study　in　the　foibles　of　an　eager　and　ambitious　mind。　It　was　full　of　clothes；　beautiful　things　for　all　occasions　jewelrywhich　she　had　small　opportunity　to　wearshoes；　stockings；　lingerie；　laces。　　In　a　crude　way　she　had　made　a　study　of　perfumes　and　cosmetics；　though　she　needed　the　latter　not　at　all；　and　these　were　present　in　abundance。　　She　was　not　very　orderly；　and　she　loved　lavishness　of　display；　and　her　curtains；　hangings；　table　ornaments；　and　pictures　inclined　to　gorgeousness；　which　did　not　go　well　with　the　rest