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isfy　myself；〃　was　his　motto；　and　it　might　well　have　been　emblazoned　upon　any　coat　of　arms　which　he　could　have　contrived　to　set　forth　his　claim　to　intellectual　and　social　nobility。

But　this　matter　of　Aileen　was　up　for　consideration　and　solution　at　this　present　moment；　and　because　of　his　forceful；　determined　character　he　was　presently　not　at　all　disturbed　by　the　problem　it　presented。　　It　was　a　problem；　like　some　of　those　knotty　financial　complications　which　presented　themselves　daily；　but　it　was　not　insoluble。　　What　did　he　want　to　do？　He　couldn't　leave　his　wife　and　fly　with　Aileen；　that　was　certain。　　He　had　too　many　connections。　He　had　too　many　social；　and　thinking　of　his　children　and　parents；　emotional　as　well　as　financial　ties　to　bind　him。　　Besides；　he　was　not　at　all　sure　that　he　wanted　to。　　He　did　not　intend　to　leave　his　growing　interests；　and　at　the　same　time　he　did　not　intend　to　give　up　Aileen　immediately。　　The　unheralded　manifestation　of　interest　on　her　part　was　too　attractive。　　Mrs。　Cowperwood　was　no　longer　what　she　should　be　physically　and　mentally；　and　that　in　itself　to　him　was　sufficient　to　justify　his　present　interest　in　this　girl。　Why　fear　anything；　if　only　he　could　figure　out　a　way　to　achieve　it　without　harm　to　himself？　At　the　same　time　he　thought　it　might　never　be　possible　for　him　to　figure　out　any　practical　or　protective　program　for　either　himself　or　Aileen；　and　that　made　him　silent　and　reflective。　　For　by　now　he　was　intensely　drawn　to　her；　as　he　could　feelsomething　chemic　and　hence　dynamic　was　uppermost　in　him　now　and　clamoring　for　expression。

At　the　same　time；　in　contemplating　his　wife　in　connection　with　all　this；　he　had　many　qualms；　some　emotional；　some　financial。　While　she　had　yielded　to　his　youthful　enthusiasm　for　her　after　her　husband's　death；　he　had　only　since　learned　that　she　was　a　natural　conservator　of　public　moralsthe　cold　purity　of　the　snowdrift　in　so　far　as　the　world　might　see；　combined　at　times　with　the　murky　mood　of　the　wanton。　　And　yet；　as　he　had　also　learned；　she　was　ashamed　of　the　passion　that　at　times　swept　and　dominated　her。　　This　irritated　Cowperwood；　as　it　would　always　irritate　any　strong；　acquisitive；　direct…seeing　temperament。　While　he　had　no　desire　to　acquaint　the　whole　world　with　his　feelings；　why　should　there　be　concealment　between　them；　or　at　least　mental　evasion　of　a　fact　which　physically　she　subscribed　to？　Why　do　one　thing　and　think　another？　To　be　sure；　she　was　devoted　to　him　in　her　quiet　way；　not　passionately　（as　he　looked　back　he　could　not　say　that　she　had　ever　been　that）；　but　intellectually。　Duty；　as　she　understood　it；　played　a　great　part　in　this。　　She　was　dutiful。　　And　then　what　people　thought；　what　the　time…spirit　demandedthese　were　the　great　things。　　Aileen；　on　the　contrary；　was　probably　not　dutiful；　and　it　was　obvious　that　she　had　no　temperamental　connection　with　current　convention。　　No　doubt　she　had　been　as　well　instructed　as　many　another　girl；　but　look　at　her。　She　was　not　obeying　her　instructions。

In　the　next　three　months　this　relationship　took　on　a　more　flagrant　form。　　Aileen；　knowing　full　well　what　her　parents　would　think；　how　unspeakable　in　the　mind　of　the　current　world　were　the　thoughts　she　was　thinking；　persisted；　nevertheless；　in　so　thinking　and　longing。　　Cowperwood；　now　that　she　had　gone　thus　far　and　compromised　herself　in　intention；　if　not　in　deed；　took　on　a　peculiar　charm　for　her。　　It　was　not　his　bodygreat　passion　is　never　that；　exactly。　The　flavor　of　his　spirit　was　what　attracted　and　compelled；　like　the　glow　of　a　flame　to　a　moth。　　There　was　a　light　of　romance　in　his　eyes；　which；　however　governed　and　controlledwas　directive　and　almost　all…powerful　to　her。

When　he　touched　her　hand　at　parting；　it　was　as　though　she　had　received　an　electric　shock；　and　she　recalled　that　it　was　very　difficult　for　her　to　look　directly　into　his　eyes。　　Something　akin　to　a　destructive　force　seemed　to　issue　from　them　at　times。　　Other　people；　men　particularly；　found　it　difficult　to　face　Cowperwood's　glazed　stare。　　It　was　as　though　there　were　another　pair　of　eyes　behind　those　they　saw；　watching　through　thin；　obscuring　curtains。　You　could　not　tell　what　he　was　thinking。

And　during　the　next　few　months　she　found　herself　coming　closer　and　closer　to　Cowperwood。　　At　his　home　one　evening；　seated　at　the　piano；　no　one　else　being　present　at　the　moment；　he　leaned　over　and　kissed　her。　　There　was　a　cold；　snowy　street　visible　through　the　interstices　of　the　hangings　of　the　windows；　and　gas…lamps　flickering　outside。　　He　had　come　in　early；　and　hearing　Aileen；　he　came　to　where　she　was　seated　at　the　piano。　　She　was　wearing　a　rough；　gray　wool　cloth　dress；　ornately　banded　with　fringed　Oriental　embroidery　in　blue　and　burnt…orange；　and　her　beauty　was　further　enhanced　by　a　gray　hat　planned　to　match　her　dress；　with　a　plume　of　shaded　orange　and　blue。　　On　her　fingers　were　four　or　five　rings；　far　too　manyan　opal；　an　emerald；　a　ruby；　and　a　diamondflashing　visibly　as　she　played。

She　knew　it　was　he；　without　turning。　　He　came　beside　her；　and　she　looked　up　smiling；　the　reverie　evoked　by　Schubert　partly　vanishing　or　melting　into　another　mood。　　Suddenly　he　bent　over　and　pressed　his　lips　firmly　to　hers。　　His　mustache　thrilled　her　with　its　silky　touch。　　She　stopped　playing　and　tried　to　catch　her　breath；　for；　strong　as　she　was；　it　affected　her　breathing。　　Her　heart　was　beating　like　a　triphammer。　　She　did　not　say；　〃Oh；〃　or；　〃You　mustn't；〃　but　rose　and　walked　over　to　a　window；　where　she　lifted　a　curtain；　pretending　to　look　out。　　She　felt　as　though　she　might　faint；　so　intensely　happy　was　she。

Cowperwood　followed　her　quickly。　　Slipping　his　arms　about　her　waist；　he　looked　at　her　flushed　cheeks；　her　clear；　moist　eyes　and　red　mouth。

〃You　love　me？〃　he　whispered；　stern　and　compelling　because　of　his　desire。

〃Yes！　Yes！　You　know　I　do。〃

He　crushed　her　face　to　his；　and　she　put　up　her　hands　and　stroked　his　hair。

A　thrilling　sense　of　possession；　mastery；　happiness　and　understanding；　love　of　her　and　of　her　body；　suddenly　overwhelmed　him。

〃I　love　you；〃　he　said；　as　though　he　were　surprised　to　hear　himself　say　it。　　〃I　didn't　think　I　did；　but　I　do。　　You're　beautiful。　　I'm　wild　about　you。〃

〃And　I　love　you〃　she　answered。　　〃I　can't　help　it。　　I　know　I　shouldn't；　butoh〃　Her　hands　closed　tight　over　his　ears　and　temples。　　She　put　her　lips　to　his　and　dreamed　into　his　eyes。　　Then　she　stepped　away　quickly；　looking　out　into　the　street；　and　he　walked　back　into　the　living…room。　　They　were　quite　alone。　　He　was　debating　whether　he　should　risk　anything　further　when　Norah；　having　been　in　to　see　Anna　next　door；　appeared　and　not　long　afterward　Mrs。　Cowperwood。　Then　Aileen　and　Norah　left。





Chapter　XX




This　definite　and　final　understanding　having　been　reached；　it　was　but　natural　that　this　liaison　should　proceed　to　a　closer　and　closer　relationship。　　Despite　her　religious　upbringing；　Aileen　was　decidedly　a　victim　of　her　temperament。　　Current　religious　feeling　and　belief　could　not　control　her。　　For　the　past　nine　or　ten　years　there　had　been　slowly　forming　in　her　mind　a　notion　of　what　her　lover　should　be　like。　　He　should　be　strong；　handsome；　direct；　successful；　with　clear　eyes；　a　ruddy　glow　of　health；　and　a　certain　native　understanding　and　sympathya　love　of　life　which　matched　her　own。　　Many　young　men　had　approached　her。　　Perhaps　the　nearest　realization　of　her　ideal　was　Father　David；　of　St。　Timothy's；　and　he　was；　of　course；　a　priest　and　sworn　to　celibacy。　　No　word　had　ever　passed　between　them　but　he　had　been　as　conscious　of　her　as　she　of　him。　　Then　came　Frank　Cowperwood；　and　by　degrees；　because　of　his　presence　and　contact；　he　had　been　slowly　built　up　in　her　mind　as　the　ideal　person。　　She　was　drawn　as　planets　are　drawn　to　their　sun。

It　is　a　question　as　to　what　would　have　happened　if　antagonistic　forces　could　have　been　introduced　just　at　this　time。　　Emotions　and　liaisons　of　this　character　can；　of　course；　occasionally　be　broken　up　and　destroyed。　　The　characters　of　the　individuals　can　be　modified　or　changed　to　a　certain　extent；　but　the　force　must　be　quite　sufficient。　　Fear　is　a　great　deterrentfear　of　material　loss　where　there　is　no　spiritual　dreadbut　wealth　and　position　so　often　tend　to　destroy　this　dread。　　It　is　so　easy　to　scheme　with　means。　　Aileen　had　no　spiritual　dread　whatever。　　Cowperwood　was　without　spiritual　or　religious　feeling。　　He　looked　at　this　girl；　and　his　one　thought　was　how　could　he　so　deceive　the　world　that　he　could　enjoy　her　love　and　leave　his　present　state　undisturbed。　　Love　her　he　did　surely。

Business　necessitated　his　calling　at　the　Butlers'　quite　frequently；　and　on　each　occasion　he　saw　Aileen。　　She　managed　to　slip　forward　and　squeeze　his　hand　the　first　time　he　cameto　steal　a　quick；　vivid　kiss；　and　another　time；　as　he　was　going　out；　she　suddenly　appeared　from　behind　the　curtains　hanging　at　the　parlor　door。

〃Honey！〃

The　voice　was　soft　and　coaxing。　　He　turned；　giving　her　a　warning　nod　in　the　direction　of　her　father's　room　upstairs。

She　stood　there；　holding　out　one　hand；　and　he　stepped　forward　for　a　second。　　Instantly　her　arms　were　about　his　neck；　as　he　slipped　his　about　her　waist。

〃I　long　to　see　you　so。〃

〃I；　too。　　I'll　fix　some　way。　　I'm　thinking。〃

He　released　her　arms；　and　went　out；　and　she　ran　to　t