the financier-第28节

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　was　unquestionably　a　dozen　times　as　wealthy。　　But　no；　her　father；　whom　she　loved　dearly；　was　of　the　old　school。　　He　was　just　what　people　charged　him　with　being；　a　rough　Irish　contractor。　　He　might　be　rich。　　She　flared　up　at　the　injustice　of　thingswhy　couldn't　he　have　been　rich　and　refined；　too？　Then　they　could　havebut；　oh；　what　was　the　use　of　complaining？　They　would　never　get　anywhere　with　her　father　and　mother　in　charge。　　She　would　just　have　to　wait。　　Marriage　was　the　answerthe　right　marriage。　　But　whom　was　she　to　marry？

〃You　surely　are　not　going　to　go　on　fighting　about　that　now；〃　pleaded　Mrs。　Butler；　as　strong　and　patient　as　fate　itself。　　She　knew　where　Aileen's　trouble　lay。

〃But　we　might　have　a　decent　house；〃　insisted　Aileen。　　〃Or　this　one　done　over；〃　whispered　Norah　to　her　mother。

〃Hush　now！　In　good　time；〃　replied　Mrs。　Butler　to　Norah。　　〃Wait。　We'll　fix　it　all　up　some　day；　sure。　　You　run　to　your　lessons　now。　You've　had　enough。〃

Norah　arose　and　left。　　Aileen　subsided。　　Her　father　was　simply　stubborn　and　impossible。　　And　yet　he　was　sweet；　too。　　She　pouted　in　order　to　compel　him　to　apologize。

〃Come　now；〃　he　said；　after　they　had　left　the　table；　and　conscious　of　the　fact　that　his　daughter　was　dissatisfied　with　him。　　He　must　do　something　to　placate　her。　　〃Play　me　somethin'　on　the　piano；　somethin'　nice。〃　　He　preferred　showy；　clattery　things　which　exhibited　her　skill　and　muscular　ability　and　left　him　wondering　how　she　did　it。　　That　was　what　education　was　forto　enable　her　to　play　these　very　difficult　things　quickly　and　forcefully。　　〃And　you　can　have　a　new　piano　any　time　you　like。　　Go　and　see　about　it。　This　looks　pretty　good　to　me；　but　if　you　don't　want　it；　all　right。〃　Aileen　squeezed　his　arm。　　What　was　the　use　of　arguing　with　her　father？　What　good　would　a　lone　piano　do；　when　the　whole　house　and　the　whole　family　atmosphere　were　at　fault？　But　she　played　Schumann；　Schubert；　Offenbach；　Chopin；　and　the　old　gentleman　strolled　to　and　fro　and　mused；　smiling。　　There　was　real　feeling　and　a　thoughtful　interpretation　given　to　some　of　these　things；　for　Aileen　was　not　without　sentiment；　though　she　was　so　strong；　vigorous；　and　withal　so　defiant；　but　it　was　all　lost　on　him。　　He　looked　on　her；　his　bright；　healthy；　enticingly　beautiful　daughter；　and　wondered　what　was　going　to　become　of　her。　　Some　rich　man　was　going　to　many　hersome　fine；　rich　young　man　with　good　business　instinctsand　he；　her　father；　would　leave　her　a　lot　of　money。

There　was　a　reception　and　a　dance　to　be　given　to　celebrate　the　opening　of　the　two　Cowperwood　homesthe　reception　to　be　held　in　Frank　Cowperwood's　residence；　and　the　dance　later　at　his　father's。　The　Henry　Cowperwood　domicile　was　much　more　pretentious；　the　reception…room；　parlor；　music…room；　and　conservatory　being　in　this　case　all　on　the　ground　floor　and　much　larger。　　Ellsworth　had　arranged　it　so　that　those　rooms；　on　occasion；　could　be　thrown　into　one；　leaving　excellent　space　for　promenade；　auditorium；　dancing　anything；　in　fact；　that　a　large　company　might　require。　　It　had　been　the　intention　all　along　of　the　two　men　to　use　these　houses　jointly。　　There　was；　to　begin　with；　a　combination　use　of　the　various　servants；　the　butler；　gardener；　laundress；　and　maids。　Frank　Cowperwood　employed　a　governess　for　his　children。　　The　butler　was　really　not　a　butler　in　the　best　sense。　　He　was　Henry　Cowperwood's　private　servitor。　　But　he　could　carve　and　preside；　and　he　could　be　used　in　either　house　as　occasion　warranted。　　There　was　also　a　hostler　and　a　coachman　for　the　joint　stable。　　When　two　carriages　were　required　at　once；　both　drove。　　It　made　a　very　agreeable　and　satisfactory　working　arrangement。

The　preparation　of　this　reception　had　been　quite　a　matter　of　importance；　for　it　was　necessary　for　financial　reasons　to　make　it　as　extensive　as　possible；　and　for　social　reasons　as　exclusive。　It　was　therefore　decided　that　the　afternoon　reception　at　Frank's　house；　with　its　natural　overflow　into　Henry　W。's；　was　to　be　for　allthe　Tighes；　Steners；　Butlers；　Mollenhauers；　as　well　as　the　more　select　groups　to　which；　for　instance；　belonged　Arthur　Rivers；　Mrs。　Seneca　Davis；　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Trenor　Drake；　and　some　of　the　younger　Drexels　and　Clarks；　whom　Frank　had　met。　　It　was　not　likely　that　the　latter　would　condescend；　but　cards　had　to　be　sent。　　Later　in　the　evening　a　less　democratic　group　if　possible　was　to　be　entertained；　albeit　it　would　have　to　be　extended　to　include　the　friends　of　Anna；　Mrs。　Cowperwood；　Edward；　and　Joseph；　and　any　list　which　Frank　might　personally　have　in　mind。　　This　was　to　be　the　list。　　The　best　that　could　be　persuaded；　commanded；　or　influenced　of　the　young　and　socially　elect　were　to　be　invited　here。

It　was　not　possible；　however；　not　to　invite　the　Butlers；　parents　and　children；　particularly　the　children；　for　both　afternoon　and　evening；　since　Cowperwood　was　personally　attracted　to　Aileen　and　despite　the　fact　that　the　presence　of　the　parents　would　be　most　unsatisfactory。　　Even　Aileen　as　he　knew　was　a　little　unsatisfactory　to　Anna　and　Mrs。　Frank　Cowperwood；　and　these　two；　when　they　were　together　supervising　the　list　of　invitations；　often　talked　about　it。

〃She's　so　hoidenish；〃　observed　Anna；　to　her　sister…in…law；　when　they　came　to　the　name　of　Aileen。　　〃She　thinks　she　knows　so　much；　and　she　isn't　a　bit　refined。　　Her　father！　Well；　if　I　had　her　father　I　wouldn't　talk　so　smart。〃

Mrs。　Cowperwood；　who　was　before　her　secretaire　in　her　new　boudoir；　lifted　her　eyebrows。

〃You　know；　Anna；　I　sometimes　wish　that　Frank's　business　did　not　compel　me　to　have　anything　to　do　with　them。　　Mrs。　Butler　is　such　a　bore。　　She　means　well　enough；　but　she　doesn't　know　anything。　And　Aileen　is　too　rough。　　She's　too　forward；　I　think。　　She　comes　over　here　and　plays　upon　the　piano；　particularly　when　Frank's　here。　　I　wouldn't　mind　so　much　for　myself；　but　I　know　it　must　annoy　him。　　All　her　pieces　are　so　noisy。　　She　never　plays　anything　really　delicate　and　refined。〃

〃I　don't　like　the　way　she　dresses；〃　observed　Anna；　sympathetically。　〃She　gets　herself　up　too　conspicuously。　　Now；　the　other　day　I　saw　her　out　driving；　and　oh；　dear！　you　should　have　seen　her！　She　had　on　a　crimson　Zouave　jacket　heavily　braided　with　black　about　the　edges；　and　a　turban　with　a　huge　crimson　feather；　and　crimson　ribbons　reaching　nearly　to　her　waist。　　Imagine　that　kind　of　a　hat　to　drive　in。　　And　her　hands！　You　should　have　seen　the　way　she　held　her　handsohjust　soself…consciously。　　They　were　curved　just　so〃and　she　showed　how。　　〃She　had　on　yellow　gauntlets；　and　she　held　the　reins　in　one　hand　and　the　whip　in　the　other。　　She　drives　just　like　mad　when　she　drives；　anyhow；　and　William；　the　footman；　was　up　behind　her。　　You　should　just　have　seen　her。　　Oh；　dear！　oh；　dear！　she　does　think　she　is　so　much！〃　And　Anna　giggled；　half　in　reproach；　half　in　amusement。

〃I　suppose　we'll　have　to　invite　her；　I　don't　see　how　we　can　get　out　of　it。　　I　know　just　how　she'll　do；　though。　　She'll　walk　about　and　pose　and　hold　her　nose　up。〃

〃Really；　I　don't　see　how　she　can；〃　commented　Anna。　　〃Now；　I　like　Norah。　　She's　much　nicer。　　She　doesn't　think　she's　so　much。〃

〃I　like　Norah；　too；〃　added　Mrs。　Cowperwood。　　〃She's　really　very　sweet；　and　to　me　she's　prettier。〃

〃Oh；　indeed；　I　think　so；　too。〃

It　was　curious；　though；　that　it　was　Aileen　who　commanded　nearly　all　their　attention　and　fixed　their　minds　on　her　so…called　idiosyncrasies。　　All　they　said　was　in　its　peculiar　way　true；　but　in　addition　the　girl　was　really　beautiful　and　much　above　the　average　intelligence　and　force。　　She　was　running　deep　with　ambition；　and　she　was　all　the　more　conspicuous；　and　in　a　way　irritating　to　some；　because　she　reflected　in　her　own　consciousness　her　social　defects；　against　which　she　was　inwardly　fighting。　　She　resented　the　fact　that　people　could　justly　consider　her　parents　ineligible；　and　for　that　reason　her　also。　　She　was　intrinsically　as　worth　while　as　any　one。　　Cowperwood；　so　able；　and　rapidly　becoming　so　distinguished；　seemed　to　realize　it。　　The　days　that　had　been　passing　had　brought　them　somewhat　closer　together　in　spirit。　　He　was　nice　to　her　and　liked　to　talk　to　her。　　Whenever　he　was　at　her　home　now；　or　she　was　at　his　and　he　was　present；　he　managed　somehow　to　say　a　word。　　He　would　come　over　quite　near　and　look　at　her　in　a　warm　friendly　fashion。

〃Well；　Aileen〃she　could　see　his　genial　eyes〃how　is　it　with　you？　How　are　your　father　and　mother？　Been　out　driving？　That's　fine。　　I　saw　you　to…day。　　You　looked　beautiful。〃

〃Oh；　Mr。　Cowperwood！〃

〃You　did。　　You　looked　stunning。　　A　black　riding…habit　becomes　you。　I　can　tell　your　gold　hair　a　long　way　off。〃

〃Oh；　now；　you　mustn't　say　that　to　me。　　You'll　make　me　vain。　　My　mother　and　father　tell　me　I'm　too　vain　as　it　is。〃

〃Never　mind　your　mother　and　father。　　I　say　you　looked　stunning；　and　you　did。　　You　always　do。〃

〃Oh！〃

She　gave　a　little　gasp　of　delight。　　The　color　mounted　to　her　cheeks　and　temples。　　Mr。　Cowperwood　knew　of　course。　　He　was　so　informed　and　intensely　forceful。　　And　already　he　was　so　much　admired　by　so　many；　her　own　father　and　mother　included；　and　by　Mr。　Mollenhauer　and　Mr。　Simpson；　so　she　heard。　　And　his　own　home　and　office　were　so　beautiful。　　Besides；　his　quiet　intensity　matched　her　restless　force。

Aileen　and　her　sister　were　accordingly　invited　to　the　reception　but