the financier-第33节

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〃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　the　window　and　looked　out　after　him。　　He　was　walking　west　on　the　street；　for　his　house　was　only　a　few　blocks　away；　and　she　looked　at　the　breadth　of　his　shoulders；　the　balance　of　his　form。　　He　stepped　so　briskly；　so　incisively。　　Ah；　this　was　a　man！　He　was　her　Frank。　　She　thought　of　him　in　that　light　already。　　Then　she　sat　down　at　the　piano　and　played　pensively　until　dinner。

And　it　was　so　easy　for　the　resourceful　mind　of　Frank　Cowperwood；　wealthy　as　he　was；　to　suggest　ways　and　means。　　In　his　younger　gallivantings　about　places　of　ill　repute；　and　his　subsequent　occasional　variations　from　the　straight　and　narrow　path；　he　had　learned　much　of　the　curious　resources　of　immorality。　　Being　a　city　of　five　hundred　thousand　and　more　at　this　time；　Philadelphia　had　its　nondescript　hotels；　where　one　might　go；　cautiously　and　fairly　protected　from　observation；　and　there　were　houses　of　a　conservative；　residential　character；　where　appointments　might　be　made；　for　a　consideration。　　And　as　for　safeguards　against　the　production　of　new　lifethey　were　not　mysteries　to　him　any　longer。　　He　knew　all　about　them。　　Care　was　the　point　of　caution。　　He　had　to　be　cautious；　for　he　was　so　rapidly　coming　to　be　an　influential　and　a　distinguished　man。　　Aileen；　of　course；　was　not　conscious；　except　in　a　vague　way；　of　the　drift　of　her　passion；　the　ultimate　destiny　to　which　this　affection　might　lead　was　not　clear　to　her。　　Her　craving　was　for　loveto　be　fondled　and　caressedand　she　really　did　not　think　so　much　further。　　Further　thoughts　along　this　line　were　like　rats　that　showed　their　heads　out　of　dark　holes　in　shadowy　corners　and　scuttled　back　at　the　least　sound。　　And；　anyhow；　all　that　was　to　be　connected　with　Cowperwood　would　be　beautiful。　　She　really　did　not　think　that　he　loved　her　yet　as　he　should；　but　he　would。　　She　did　not　know　that　she　wanted　to　interfere　with　the　claims　of　his　wife。　　She　did　not　think　she　did。　　But　it　would　not　hurt　Mrs。　Cowperwood　if　Frank　loved　herAileenalso。

How　shall　we　explain　these　subtleties　of　temperament　and　desire？　Life　has　to　deal　with　them　at　every　turn。　　They　will　not　down；　and　the　large；　placid　movements　of　nature　outside　of　man's　little　organisms　would　indicate　that　she　is　not　greatly　concerned。　　We　see　much　punishment　in　the　form　of　jails；　diseases；　failures；　and　wrecks；　but　we　also　see　that　the　old　tendency　is　not　visibly　lessened。　　Is　there　no　law　outside　of　the　subtle　will　and　power　of　the　individual　to　achieve？　If　not；　it　is　surely　high　time　that　we　knew　itone　and　all。　　We　might　then　agree　to　do　as　we　do；　but　there　would　be　no　silly　illusion　as　to　divine　regulation。　　Vox　populi；　vox　Dei。

So　there　were　other　meetings；　lovely　hours　which　they　soon　began　to　spend　the　moment　her　passion　waxed　warm　enough　to　assure　compliance；　without　great　fear　and　without　thought　of　the　deadly　risk　involved。　　From　odd　moments　in　his　own　home；　stolen　when　there　was　no　one　about　to　see；　they　advanced　to　clandestine　meetings　beyond　the　confines　of　the　city。　　Cowperwood　was　not　one　who　was　temperamentally　inclined　to　lose　his　head　and　neglect　his　business。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　the　more　he　thought　of　this　rather　unexpected　affectional　development；　the　more　certain　he　was　that　he　must　not　let　it　interfere　with　his　business　time　and　judgment。　His　office　required　his　full　attention　from　nine　until　three；　anyhow。　　He　could　give　it　until　five…thirty　with　profit；　but　he　could　take　several　afternoons　off；　from　three…thirty　until　five…thirty　or　six；　and　no　one　would　be　the　wiser。　　It　was　customary　for　Aileen　to　drive　alone　almost　every　afternoon　a　spirited　pair　of　bays；　or　to　ride　a　mount；　bought　by　her　father　for　her　from　a　noted　horse…dealer　in　Baltimore。　　Since　Cowperwood　also　drove　and　rode；　it　was　not　difficult　to　arrange　meeting…places　far　out　on　the　Wissahickon　or　the　Schuylkill　road。　　There　were　many　spots　in　the　newly　laid…out　park；　which　were　as　free　from　interruption　as　the　depths　of　a　forest。　　It　was　always　possible　that　they　might　encounter　some　one；　but　it　was　also　always　possible　to　make　a　rather　plausible　explanation；　or　none　at　all；　since　even　in　case　of　such　an　encounter　nothing；　ordinarily；　would　be　suspected。

So；　for　the　time　being　there　was　love…making；　the　usual　billing　and　cooing　of　lovers　in　a　simple　and　much　less　than　final　fashion；　and　the　lovely　horseback　rides　together　under　the　green　trees　of　the　approaching　spring　were　idyllic。　　Cowperwood　awakened　to　a　sense　of　joy　in　life　such　as　he　fancied；　in　the　blush　of　this　new　desire；　he　had　never　experienced　before。　　Lillian　had　been　lovely　in　those　early　days　in　which　he　had　first　called　on　her　in　North　Front　Street；　and　he　had　fancied　himself　unspeakably　happy　at　that　time；　but　that　was　nearly　ten　years　since；　and　he　had　forgotten。　　Since　then　he　had　had　no　great　passion；　no　notable　liaison；　and　then；　all　at　once；　in　the　midst　of　his　new；　great　business　prosperity；　Aileen。　　Her　young　body　and　soul；　her　passionate　illusions。　　He　could　see　always；　for　all　her　daring；　that　she　knew　so　little　of　the　calculating；　brutal　world　with　which　he　was　connected。　　Her　father　had　given　her　all　the　toys　she　wanted　without　stint；　her　mother　and　brothers　had　coddled　her；　particularly　her　mother。　　Her　young　sister　thought　she　was　adorable。　No　one　imagined　for　one　moment　that　Aileen　would　ever　do　anything　wrong。　　She　was　too　sensible；　after　all；　too　eager　to　get　up　in　the　world。　　Why　should　she；　when　her　life　lay　open　and　happy　before　hera　delightful　love…match；　some　day　soon；　with　some　very　eligible　and　satisfactory　lover？

〃When　you　marry；　Aileen；〃　her　mother　used　to　say　to　her；　〃we'll　have　a　grand　time　here。　　Sure　we'll　do　the　house　over　then；　if　we　don't　do　it　before。　　Eddie　will　have　to　fix　it　up；　or　I'll　do　it　meself。　　Never　fear。〃

〃Yeswell；　I'd　rather　you'd　fix　it　now；〃　was　her　reply。

Butler　himself　used　to　strike　her　jovially　on　the　shoulder　in　a　rough；　loving　way；　and　ask；　〃Well；　have　you　found　him　yet？〃　or　〃Is　he　hanging　around　the　outside　watchin'　for　ye？〃

If　she　said；　〃No；〃　he　would　reply：　〃Well；　he　will　be；　never　fearworse　luck。　　I'll　hate　to　see　ye　go；　girlie！　You　can　stay　here　as　long　as　ye　want　to；　and　ye　want　to　remember　that　you　can　always　come　back。〃

Aileen　paid　very　little　attention　to　this　bantering。　　She　loved　her　father；　but　it　was　all　such　a　matter　of　course。　　It　was　the　commonplace　of　her　existence；　and　not　so　very　significant；　though　delightful　enough。

But　how　eagerly　she　yielded　herself　to　Cowperwood　under　the　spring　trees　these　days！　She　had　no　sense　of　that　ultimate　yielding　that　was　coming；　for　now　he　merely　caressed　and　talked　to　her。　　He　was　a　little　doubtful　about　himself。　　His　growing　liberties　for　himself　seemed　natural　enough；　but　in　a　sense　of　fairness　to　her　he　began　to　talk　to　her　about　what　their　love　might　involve。　　Would　she？　Did　she　understand？　This　phase　of　it　puzzled　and　frightened　Aileen　a　little　at　first。　　She　stood　before　him　one　afternoon　in　her　black　riding…habit　and　high　silk　riding…hat　perched　jauntily　on　her　red…gold　hair；　and　striking　her　riding…skirt　with　her　short　whip；　pondering　doubtfully　as　she　listened。　　He　had　asked　her　whether　she　knew　what　she　was　doing？　Whither　they　were　drifting？　If　she　loved　him　truly　enough？　The　two　horses　were　tethered　in　a　thicket　a　score　of　yards　away　from　the　main　road　and　from　the　bank　of　a　tumbling　stream；　which　they　had　approached。　　She　was　trying　to　discover　if　she　could　see　them。　　It　was　pretense。　　There　was　no　interest　in　her　glance。　　She　was　thinking　of　him　and　the　smartness　of　his　habit；　and　the　exquisiteness　of　this　moment。　　He　had　such　a　charming　calico　pony。　　The　leaves　were　just　enough　developed　to　make　a　diaphanous　lacework　of　green。　　It　was　like　looking　through　a　green…spangled　arras　to　peer　into　the　woods　beyond　or　behind。　The　gray　stones　were　already　faintly　messy　where　the　water　rippled　and　sparkled；　and　early　birds　were　callingrobins　and　blackbirds　and　wrens。

〃Baby　mine；〃　he　said；　〃do　you　understand　all　about　this？　Do　you　know　exactly　what　you're　doing　when　you　come　with　me　this　way？〃

〃I　think　I　do。〃

She　struck　her　boot　and　looked　at　the　ground；　and　then　up　through　the　trees　at　the　blue　sky。

〃Look　at　me；　honey。〃

〃I　don't　want　to。〃

〃But　look　at　me；　sweet。　　I　want　to　ask　you　something。〃

〃Don't　make　me；　Frank；　please。　　I　can't。〃

〃Oh　yes；　you　can　look　at　me。〃

〃No。〃

She　backed　away　as　he　took　her　hands；　but　came　forward　again；　easily　enough。

〃Now　look　in　my　eyes。〃

〃I　can't。〃

〃See　here。〃

〃I　can't。　　Don't　ask　me。　　I'll　answer　you；　but　don't　make　me　look　at　you。〃

His　hand　stole　to　her　cheek　and　fondled　it。　　He　petted　her　shoulder；　and　she　leaned　her　head　against　him。

〃Sweet；　you're　so　beautiful；〃　he　said　finally；　〃I　can't　give　you　up。　　I　know　what　I　ought　to　do。　　You　know；　too；　I　suppose；　but　I　can't。　　I　must　have　you。　　If　this　should　end　in　exposure；　it　would　be　quite　bad　for　you　and　me。　　Do　you　understand？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃I　don't　know　your　brothers　very　well；　but　from　looking　at　them　I　judge　they're　pretty　determined　people。　　They　think　a　great　deal　of　you。〃

〃Indeed；　they　do。〃　　Her　vanity　prinked　slightly　at　this。

〃T