the financier-第50节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


eeks；　lo；　these　thousands　of　times。　　Aileen；　his　lovely；　dashing　daughter　of　twenty…three！　He　was　lost　in　dark；　strange；　unhappy　speculations；　without　any　present　ability　to　think　or　say　or　do　the　right　thing。　　He　did　not　know　what　the　right　thing　was；　he　finally　confessed　to　himself。　　Aileen！　Aileen！　His　Aileen！　If　her　mother　knew　this　it　would　break　her　heart。　　She　mustn't！　She　mustn't！　And　yet　mustn't　she？

The　heart　of　a　father！　The　world　wanders　into　many　strange　by…paths　of　affection。　　The　love　of　a　mother　for　her　children　is　dominant；　leonine；　selfish；　and　unselfish。　　It　is　concentric。　　The　love　of　a　husband　for　his　wife；　or　of　a　lover　for　his　sweetheart；　is　a　sweet　bond　of　agreement　and　exchange　trade　in　a　lovely　contest。　The　love　of　a　father　for　his　son　or　daughter；　where　it　is　love　at　all；　is　a　broad；　generous；　sad；　contemplative　giving　without　thought　of　return；　a　hail　and　farewell　to　a　troubled　traveler　whom　he　would　do　much　to　guard；　a　balanced　judgment　of　weakness　and　strength；　with　pity　for　failure　and　pride　in　achievement。　　It　is　a　lovely；　generous；　philosophic　blossom　which　rarely　asks　too　much；　and　seeks　only　to　give　wisely　and　plentifully。　　〃That　my　boy　may　succeed！　That　my　daughter　may　be　happy！〃　Who　has　not　heard　and　dwelt　upon　these　twin　fervors　of　fatherly　wisdom　and　tenderness？

As　Butler　drove　downtown　his　huge；　slow…moving；　in　some　respects　chaotic　mind　turned　over　as　rapidly　as　he　could　all　of　the　possibilities　in　connection　with　this　unexpected；　sad；　and　disturbing　revelation。　　Why　had　Cowperwood　not　been　satisfied　with　his　wife？　Why　should　he　enter　into　his　（Butler's）　home；　of　all　places；　to　establish　a　clandestine　relationship　of　this　character？　Was　Aileen　in　any　way　to　blame？　She　was　not　without　mental　resources　of　her　own。　　She　must　have　known　what　she　was　doing。　　She　was　a　good　Catholic；　or；　at　least；　had　been　raised　so。　　All　these　years　she　had　been　going　regularly　to　confession　and　communion。　　True；　of　late　Butler　had　noticed　that　she　did　not　care　so　much　about　going　to　church；　would　sometimes　make　excuses　and　stay　at　home　on　Sundays；　but　she　had　gone；　as　a　rule。　　And　now；　nowhis　thoughts　would　come　to　the　end　of　a　blind　alley；　and　then　he　would　start　back；　as　it　were；　mentally；　to　the　center　of　things；　and　begin　all　over　again。

He　went　up　the　stairs　to　his　own　office　slowly。　　He　went　in　and　sat　down；　and　thought　and　thought。　　Ten　o'clock　came；　and　eleven。　His　son　bothered　him　with　an　occasional　matter　of　interest；　but；　finding　him　moody；　finally　abandoned　him　to　his　own　speculations。　It　was　twelve；　and　then　one；　and　he　was　still　sitting　there　thinking；　when　the　presence　of　Cowperwood　was　announced。

Cowperwood；　on　finding　Butler　not　at　home；　and　not　encountering　Aileen；　had　hurried　up　to　the　office　of　the　Edward　Butler　Contracting　Company；　which　was　also　the　center　of　some　of　Butler's　street…railway　interests。　　The　floor　space　controlled　by　the　company　was　divided　into　the　usual　official　compartments；　with　sections　for　the　bookkeepers；　the　road…managers；　the　treasurer；　and　so　on。　　Owen　Butler；　and　his　father　had　small　but　attractively　furnished　offices　in　the　rear；　where　they　transacted　all　the　important　business　of　the　company。

During　this　drive；　curiously；　by　reason　of　one　of　those　strange　psychologic　intuitions　which　so　often　precede　a　human　difficulty　of　one　sort　or　another；　he　had　been　thinking　of　Aileen。　　He　was　thinking　of　the　peculiarity　of　his　relationship　with　her；　and　of　the　fact　that　now　he　was　running　to　her　father　for　assistance。　　As　he　mounted　the　stairs　he　had　a　peculiar　sense　of　the　untoward；　but　he　could　not；　in　his　view　of　life；　give　it　countenance。　　One　glance　at　Butler　showed　him　that　something　had　gone　amiss。　　He　was　not　so　friendly；　his　glance　was　dark；　and　there　was　a　certain　sternness　to　his　countenance　which　had　never　previously　been　manifested　there　in　Cowperwood's　memory。　　He　perceived　at　once　that　here　was　something　different　from　a　mere　intention　to　refuse　him　aid　and　call　his　loan。　　What　was　it？　Aileen？　It　must　be　that。　　Somebody　had　suggested　something。　　They　had　been　seen　together。　　Well；　even　so；　nothing　could　be　proved。　　Butler　would　obtain　no　sign　from　him。　But　his　loanthat　was　to　be　called；　surely。　　And　as　for　an　additional　loan；　he　could　see　now；　before　a　word　had　been　said；　that　that　thought　was　useless。

〃I　came　to　see　you　about　that　loan　of　yours；　Mr。　Butler；〃　he　observed；　briskly；　with　an　old…time；　jaunty　air。　　You　could　not　have　told　from　his　manner　or　his　face　that　he　had　observed　anything　out　of　the　ordinary。

Butler；　who　was　alone　in　the　roomOwen　having　gone　into　an　adjoining　roommerely　stared　at　him　from　under　his　shaggy　brows。

〃I'll　have　to　have　that　money；〃　he　said；　brusquely；　darkly。

An　old…time　Irish　rage　suddenly　welled　up　in　his　bosom　as　he　contemplated　this　jaunty；　sophisticated　undoer　of　his　daughter's　virtue。　　He　fairly　glared　at　him　as　he　thought　of　him　and　her。

〃I　judged　from　the　way　things　were　going　this　morning　that　you　might　want　it；〃　Cowperwood　replied；　quietly；　without　sign　of　tremor。　〃The　bottom's　out；　I　see。〃

〃The　bottom's　out；　and　it'll　not　be　put　back　soon；　I'm　thinkin'。　I'll　have　to　have　what's　belongin'　to　me　to…day。　　I　haven't　any　time　to　spare。〃

〃Very　well；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　who　saw　clearly　how　treacherous　the　situation　was。　　The　old　man　was　in　a　dour　mood。　　His　presence　was　an　irritation　to　him；　for　some　reasona　deadly　provocation。　Cowperwood　felt　clearly　that　it　must　be　Aileen；　that　he　must　know　or　suspect　something。

He　must　pretend　business　hurry　and　end　this。　　〃I'm　sorry。　　I　thought　I　might　get　an　extension；　but　that's　all　right。　　I　can　get　the　money；　though。　　I'll　send　it　right　over。〃

He　turned　and　walked　quickly　to　the　door。

Butler　got　up。　　He　had　thought　to　manage　this　differently。

He　had　thought　to　denounce　or　even　assault　this　man。　　He　was　about　to　make　some　insinuating　remark　which　would　compel　an　answer；　some　direct　charge；　but　Cowperwood　was　out　and　away　as　jaunty　as　ever。

The　old　man　was　flustered；　enraged；　disappointed。　　He　opened　the　small　office　door　which　led　into　the　adjoining　room；　and　called；　〃Owen！〃

〃Yes；　father。〃

〃Send　over　to　Cowperwood's　office　and　get　that　money。〃

〃You　decided　to　call　it；　eh？〃

〃I　have。〃

Owen　was　puzzled　by　the　old　man's　angry　mood。　　He　wondered　what　it　all　meant；　but　thought　he　and　Cowperwood　might　have　had　a　few　words。　　He　went　out　to　his　desk　to　write　a　note　and　call　a　clerk。　Butler　went　to　the　window　and　stared　out。　　He　was　angry；　bitter；　brutal　in　his　vein。

〃The　dirty　dog！〃　he　suddenly　exclaimed　to　himself；　in　a　low　voice。　〃I'll　take　every　dollar　he's　got　before　I'm　through　with　him。　I'll　send　him　to　jail；　I　will。　　I'll　break　him；　I　will。　　Wait！〃

He　clinched　his　big　fists　and　his　teeth。

〃I'll　fix　him。　　I'll　show　him。　　The　dog！　The　damned　scoundrel！〃

Never　in　his　life　before　had　he　been　so　bitter；　so　cruel；　so　relentless　in　his　mood。

He　walked　his　office　floor　thinking　what　he　could　do。　　Question　Aileenthat　was　what　he　would　do。　　If　her　face；　or　her　lips；　told　him　that　his　suspicion　was　true；　he　would　deal　with　Cowperwood　later。　　This　city　treasurer　business；　now。　　It　was　not　a　crime　in　so　far　as　Cowperwood　was　concerned；　but　it　might　be　made　to　be。

So　now；　telling　the　clerk　to　say　to　Owen　that　he　had　gone　down　the　street　for　a　few　moments；　he　boarded　a　street…car　and　rode　out　to　his　home；　where　he　found　his　elder　daughter　just　getting　ready　to　go　out。　　She　wore　a　purple…velvet　street　dress　edged　with　narrow；　flat　gilt　braid；　and　a　striking　gold…and…purple　turban。　She　had　on　dainty　new　boots　of　bronze　kid　and　long　gloves　of　lavender　suede。　　In　her　ears　was　one　of　her　latest　affectations；　a　pair　of　long　jet　earrings。　　The　old　Irishman　realized　on　this　occasion；　when　he　saw　her；　perhaps　more　clearly　than　he　ever　had　in　his　life；　that　he　had　grown　a　bird　of　rare　plumage。

〃Where　are　you　going；　daughter？〃　he　asked；　with　a　rather　unsuccessful　attempt　to　conceal　his　fear；　distress；　and　smoldering　anger。

〃To　the　library；〃　she　said　easily；　and　yet　with　a　sudden　realization　that　all　was　not　right　with　her　father。　　His　face　was　too　heavy　and　gray。　　He　looked　tired　and　gloomy。

〃Come　up　to　my　office　a　minute；〃　he　said。　　〃I　want　to　see　you　before　you　go。〃

Aileen　heard　this　with　a　strange　feeling　of　curiosity　and　wonder。　It　was　not　customary　for　her　father　to　want　to　see　her　in　his　office　just　when　she　was　going　out；　and　his　manner　indicated；　in　this　instance；　that　the　exceptional　procedure　portended　a　strange　revelation　of　some　kind。　　Aileen；　like　every　other　person　who　offends　against　a　rigid　convention　of　the　time；　was　conscious　of　and　sensitive　to　the　possible　disastrous　results　which　would　follow　exposure。　　She　had　often　thought　about　what　her　family　would　think　if　they　knew　what　she　was　doing；　she　had　never　been　able　to　satisfy　herself　in　her　mind　as　to　what　they　would　do。　　Her　father　was　a　very　vigorous　man。　　But　she　had　never　known　him　to　be　cruel　or　cold　in　his　attitude　toward　her　or　any　other　member　of　the　family；　and　especially　not　toward　her。　　Always　he　seemed　too　fond　of　her　to　be　completely　alienated　by　anything　that　might　happen；　yet　she　could　not　be　sure。

Butler　led　the　way；　planting　his　big