the financier-第31节

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　silk　of　her　closely　fitting　dress；　her　neck；　her　glowing；　radiant　hair；　all　combined　to　provoke　a　slight　intellectual　intoxication。　　She　was　so　vigorously　young；　so；　to　him；　truly　beautiful。

〃But　you　didn't　answer；〃　he　continued。

〃Isn't　this　lovely　music？〃

He　pressed　her　fingers。

She　lifted　shy　eyes　to　him　now；　for；　in　spite　of　her　gay；　aggressive　force；　she　was　afraid　of　him。　　His　personality　was　obviously　so　dominating。　　Now　that　he　was　so　close　to　her；　dancing；　she　conceived　of　him　as　something　quite　wonderful；　and　yet　she　experienced　a　nervous　reactiona　momentary　desire　to　run　away。

〃Very　well；　if　you　won't　tell　me；〃　he　smiled；　mockingly。

He　thought　she　wanted　him　to　talk　to　her　so；　to　tease　her　with　suggestions　of　this　concealed　feeling　of　histhis　strong　liking。　He　wondered　what　could　come　of　any　such　understanding　as　this；　anyhow？

〃Oh；　I　just　wanted　to　see　how　you　danced；〃　she　said；　tamely；　the　force　of　her　original　feeling　having　been　weakened　by　a　thought　of　what　she　was　doing。　　He　noted　the　change　and　smiled。　　It　was　lovely　to　be　dancing　with　her。　　He　had　not　thought　mere　dancing　could　hold　such　charm。

〃You　like　me？〃　he　said；　suddenly；　as　the　music　drew　to　its　close。

She　thrilled　from　head　to　toe　at　the　question。　　A　piece　of　ice　dropped　down　her　back　could　not　have　startled　her　more。　　It　was　apparently　tactless；　and　yet　it　was　anything　but　tactless。　　She　looked　up　quickly；　directly；　but　his　strong　eyes　were　too　much　for　her。

〃Why；　yes；〃　she　answered；　as　the　music　stopped；　trying　to　keep　an　even　tone　to　her　voice。　　She　was　glad　they　were　walking　toward　a　chair。

〃I　like　you　so　much；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　have　been　wondering　if　you　really　like　me。〃　　There　was　an　appeal　in　his　voice；　soft　and　gentle。　His　manner　was　almost　sad。

〃Why；　yes；〃　she　replied；　instantly；　returning　to　her　earlier　mood　toward　him。　　〃You　know　I　do。〃

〃I　need　some　one　like　you　to　like　me；〃　he　continued；　in　the　same　vein。　　〃I　need　some　one　like　you　to　talk　to。　　I　didn't　think　so　beforebut　now　I　do。　　You　are　beautifulwonderful。〃

〃We　mustn't；〃　she　said。　　〃I　mustn't。　　I　don't　know　what　I'm　doing。〃　She　looked　at　a　young　man　strolling　toward　her；　and　asked：　〃I　have　to　explain　to　him。　　He's　the　one　I　had　this　dance　with。〃

Cowperwood　understood。　　He　walked　away。　　He　was　quite　warm　and　tense　nowalmost　nervous。　　It　was　quite　clear　to　him　that　he　had　done　or　was　contemplating　perhaps　a　very　treacherous　thing。　　Under　the　current　code　of　society　he　had　no　right　to　do　it。　　It　was　against　the　rules；　as　they　were　understood　by　everybody。　　Her　father；　for　instancehis　fatherevery　one　in　this　particular　walk　of　life。　　However；　much　breaking　of　the　rules　under　the　surface　of　things　there　might　be；　the　rules　were　still　there。　　As　he　had　heard　one　young　man　remark　once　at　school；　when　some　story　had　been　told　of　a　boy　leading　a　girl　astray　and　to　a　disastrous　end；　〃That　isn't　the　way　at　all。〃

Still；　now　that　he　had　said　this；　strong　thoughts　of　her　were　in　his　mind。　　And　despite　his　involved　social　and　financial　position；　which　he　now　recalled；　it　was　interesting　to　him　to　see　how　deliberately　and　even　calculatinglyand　worse；　enthusiastically　he　was　pumping　the　bellows　that　tended　only　to　heighten　the　flames　of　his　desire　for　this　girl；　to　feed　a　fire　that　might　ultimately　consume　himand　how　deliberately　and　resourcefully！

Aileen　toyed　aimlessly　with　her　fan　as　a　black…haired；　thin…faced　young　law　student　talked　to　her；　and　seeing　Norah　in　the　distance　she　asked　to　be　allowed　to　run　over　to　her。

〃Oh；　Aileen；〃　called　Norah；　〃I've　been　looking　for　you　everywhere。　Where　have　you　been？〃

〃Dancing；　of　course。　　Where　do　you　suppose　I've　been？　Didn't　you　see　me　on　the　floor？〃

〃No；　I　didn't；〃　complained　Norah；　as　though　it　were　most　essential　that　she　should。　　〃How　late　are　you　going　to　stay？〃

〃Until　it's　over；　I　suppose。　　I　don't　know。〃

〃Owen　says　he's　going　at　twelve。〃

〃Well；　that　doesn't　matter。　　Some　one　will　take　me　home。　　Are　you　having　a　good　time？〃

〃Fine。　　Oh；　let　me　tell　you。　　I　stepped　on　a　lady's　dress　over　there；　last　dance。　　She　was　terribly　angry。　　She　gave　me　such　a　look。〃

〃Well；　never　mind；　honey。　　She　won't　hurt　you。　　Where　are　you　going　now？〃

Aileen　always　maintained　a　most　guardian…like　attitude　toward　her　sister。

〃I　want　to　find　Callum。　　He　has　to　dance　with　me　next　time。　　I　know　what　he's　trying　to　do。　　He's　trying　to　get　away　from　me。　But　he　won't。〃

Aileen　smiled。　　Norah　looked　very　sweet。　　And　she　was　so　bright。　What　would　she　think　of　her　if　she　knew？　She　turned　back；　and　her　fourth　partner　sought　her。　　She　began　talking　gayly；　for　she　felt　that　she　had　to　make　a　show　of　composure；　but　all　the　while　there　was　ringing　in　her　ears　that　definite　question　of　his；　〃You　like　me；　don't　you？〃　and　her　later　uncertain　but　not　less　truthful　answer；　〃Yes；　of　course　I　do。〃





Chapter　XIX




The　growth　of　a　passion　is　a　very　peculiar　thing。　　In　highly　organized　intellectual　and　artistic　types　it　is　so　often　apt　to　begin　with　keen　appreciation　of　certain　qualities；　modified　by　many；　many　mental　reservations。　　The　egoist；　the　intellectual；　gives　but　little　of　himself　and　asks　much。　　Nevertheless；　the　lover　of　life；　male　or　female；　finding　himself　or　herself　in　sympathetic　accord　with　such　a　nature；　is　apt　to　gain　much。

Cowperwood　was　innately　and　primarily　an　egoist　and　intellectual；　though　blended　strongly　therewith；　was　a　humane　and　democratic　spirit。　　We　think　of　egoism　and　intellectualism　as　closely　confined　to　the　arts。　　Finance　is　an　art。　　And　it　presents　the　operations　of　the　subtlest　of　the　intellectuals　and　of　the　egoists。　　Cowperwood　was　a　financier。　　Instead　of　dwelling　on　the　works　of　nature；　its　beauty　and　subtlety；　to　his　material　disadvantage；　he　found　a　happy　mean；　owing　to　the　swiftness　of　his　intellectual　operations；　whereby　he　could；　intellectually　and　emotionally；　rejoice　in　the　beauty　of　life　without　interfering　with　his　perpetual　material　and　financial　calculations。　　And　when　it　came　to　women　and　morals；　which　involved　so　much　relating　to　beauty；　happiness；　a　sense　of　distinction　and　variety　in　living；　he　was　but　now　beginning　to　suspect　for　himself　at　least　that　apart　from　maintaining　organized　society　in　its　present　form　there　was　no　basis　for　this　one…life；　one…love　idea。　　How　had　it　come　about　that　so　many　people　agreed　on　this　single　point；　that　it　was　good　and　necessary　to　marry　one　woman　and　cleave　to　her　until　death？　He　did　not　know。　　It　was　not　for　him　to　bother　about　the　subtleties　of　evolution；　which　even　then　was　being　noised　abroad；　or　to　ferret　out　the　curiosities　of　history　in　connection　with　this　matter。　　He　had　no　time。　　Suffice　it　that　the　vagaries　of　temperament　and　conditions　with　which　he　came　into　immediate　contact　proved　to　him　that　there　was　great　dissatisfaction　with　that　idea。　　People　did　not　cleave　to　each　other　until　death；　and　in　thousands　of　cases　where　they　did；　they　did　not　want　to。　　Quickness　of　mind；　subtlety　of　idea；　fortuitousness　of　opportunity；　made　it　possible　for　some　people　to　right　their　matrimonial　and　social　infelicities；　whereas　for　others；　because　of　dullness　of　wit；　thickness　of　comprehension；　poverty；　and　lack　of　charm；　there　was　no　escape　from　the　slough　of　their　despond。　　They　were　compelled　by　some　devilish　accident　of　birth　or　lack　of　force　or　resourcefulness　to　stew　in　their　own　juice　of　wretchedness；　or　to　shuffle　off　this　mortal　coilwhich　under　other　circumstances　had　such　glittering　possibilitiesvia　the　rope；　the　knife；　the　bullet；　or　the　cup　of　poison。

〃I　would　die；　too；〃　he　thought　to　himself；　one　day；　reading　of　a　man　who；　confined　by　disease　and　poverty；　had　lived　for　twelve　years　alone　in　a　back　bedroom　attended　by　an　old　and　probably　decrepit　housekeeper。　　A　darning…needle　forced　into　his　heart　had　ended　his　earthly　woes。　　〃To　the　devil　with　such　a　life！　Why　twelve　years？　Why　not　at　the　end　of　the　second　or　third？〃

Again；　it　was　so　very　evident；　in　so　many　ways；　that　force　was　the　answergreat　mental　and　physical　force。　　Why；　these　giants　of　commerce　and　money　could　do　as　they　pleased　in　this　life；　and　did。　He　had　already　had　ample　local　evidence　of　it　in　more　than　one　direction。　　Worsethe　little　guardians　of　so…called　law　and　morality；　the　newspapers；　the　preachers；　the　police；　and　the　public　moralists　generally；　so　loud　in　their　denunciation　of　evil　in　humble　places；　were　cowards　all　when　it　came　to　corruption　in　high　ones。　　They　did　not　dare　to　utter　a　feeble　squeak　until　some　giant　had　accidentally　fallen　and　they　could　do　so　without　danger　to　themselves。　　Then；　O　Heavens；　the　palaver！　What　beatings　of　tom…toms！　What　mouthings　of　pharisaical　moralitiesplatitudes！　Run　now；　good　people；　for　you　may　see　clearly　how　evil　is　dealt　with　in　high　places！　It　made　him　smile。　　Such　hypocrisy！　Such　cant！　Still；　so　the　world　was　organized；　and　it　was　not　for　him　to　set　it　right。　　Let　it　wag　as　it　would。　The　thing　for　him　to　do　was　to　get　rich　and　hold　his　ownto　build　up　a　seeming　of　virtue　and　dignity　which　would　pass　muster　for　the　genuine　thing。　　Force　would　do　that。　　Quickness　of　wit。　　And　he　had　these。　　〃I　satisfy　myself；〃　was　his　motto；　and　it　might　well　have　been　emblazoned　upon　any　coat　of　arms　which　he　c