the financier-第66节

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ds　he　decided　that　that　would　not　do。　　He　was　not　really　positive　as　yet　that　Aileen　was　secretly　meeting　Cowperwood；　and；　besides；　Mrs。　Cowperwood　might　not　know　of　her　husband's　duplicity。　　He　thought　also　of　going　to　Cowperwood　personally　and　threatening　him；　but　that　would　be　a　severe　measure；　and　again；　as　in　the　other　case；　he　lacked　proof。　　He　hesitated　to　appeal　to　a　detective　agency；　and　he　did　not　care　to　take　the　other　members　of　the　family　into　his　confidence。　　He　did　go　out　and　scan　the　neighborhood　of　931　North　Tenth　Street　once；　looking　at　the　house；　but　that　helped　him　little。　　The　place　was　for　rent；　Cowperwood　having　already　abandoned　his　connection　with　it。

Finally　he　hit　upon　the　plan　of　having　Aileen　invited　to　go　somewhere　some　distance　offBoston　or　New　Orleans；　where　a　sister　of　his　wife　lived。　　It　was　a　delicate　matter　to　engineer；　and　in　such　matters　he　was　not　exactly　the　soul　of　tact；　but　he　undertook　it。　He　wrote　personally　to　his　wife's　sister　at　New　Orleans；　and　asked　her　if　she　would；　without　indicating　in　any　way　that　she　had　heard　from　him；　write　his　wife　and　ask　if　she　would　not　permit　Aileen　to　come　and　visit　her；　writing　Aileen　an　invitation　at　the　same　time；　but　he　tore　the　letter　up。　　A　little　later　he　learned　accidentally　that　Mrs。　Mollenhauer　and　her　three　daughters；　Caroline；　Felicia；　and　Alta；　were　going　to　Europe　early　in　December　to　visit　Paris；　the　Riviera；　and　Rome；　and　he　decided　to　ask　Mollenhauer　to　persuade　his　wife　to　invite　Norah　and　Aileen；　or　Aileen　only；　to　go　along；　giving　as　an　excuse　that　his　own　wife　would　not　leave　him；　and　that　the　girls　ought　to　go。　　It　would　be　a　fine　way　of　disposing　of　Aileen　for　the　present。　　The　party　was　to　be　gone　six　months。　　Mollenhauer　was　glad　to　do　so；　of　course。　　The　two　families　were　fairly　intimate。　　Mrs。　Mollenhauer　was　willing　delighted　from　a　politic　point　of　viewand　the　invitation　was　extended。　　Norah　was　overjoyed。　　She　wanted　to　see　something　of　Europe；　and　had　always　been　hoping　for　some　such　opportunity。　Aileen　was　pleased　from　the　point　of　view　that　Mrs。　Mollenhauer　should　invite　her。　　Years　before　she　would　have　accepted　in　a　flash。　　But　now　she　felt　that　it　only　came　as　a　puzzling　interruption；　one　more　of　the　minor　difficulties　that　were　tending　to　interrupt　her　relations　with　Cowperwood。　　She　immediately　threw　cold　water　on　the　proposition；　which　was　made　one　evening　at　dinner　by　Mrs。　Butler；　who　did　not　know　of　her　husband's　share　in　the　matter；　but　had　received　a　call　that　afternoon　from　Mrs。　Mollenhauer；　when　the　invitation　had　been　extended。

〃She's　very　anxious　to　have　you　two　come　along；　if　your　father　don't　mind；〃　volunteered　the　mother；　〃and　I　should　think　ye'd　have　a　fine　time。　　They're　going　to　Paris　and　the　Riveera。〃

〃Oh；　fine！〃　exclaimed　Norah。　　〃I've　always　wanted　to　go　to　Paris。　Haven't　you；　Ai？　Oh；　wouldn't　that　be　fine？〃

〃I　don't　know　that　I　want　to　go；〃　replied　Aileen。　　She　did　not　care　to　compromise　herself　by　showing　any　interest　at　the　start。　　〃It's　coming　on　winter；　and　I　haven't　any　clothes。　　I'd　rather　wait　and　go　some　other　time。〃

〃Oh；　Aileen　Butler！〃　exclaimed　Norah。　　〃How　you　talk！　I've　heard　you　say　a　dozen　times　you'd　like　to　go　abroad　some　winter。　　Now　when　the　chance　comesbesides　you　can　get　your　clothes　made　over　there。〃

〃Couldn't　you　get　somethin'　over　there？〃　inquired　Mrs。　Butler。　〃Besides；　you've　got　two　or　three　weeks　here　yet。〃

〃They　wouldn't　want　a　man　around　as　a　sort　of　guide　and　adviser；　would　they；　mother？〃　put　in　Callum。

〃I　might　offer　my　services　in　that　capacity　myself；〃　observed　Owen；　reservedly。

〃I'm　sure　I　don't　know；〃　returned　Mrs。　Butler；　smiling；　and　at　the　same　time　chewing　a　lusty　mouthful。　　〃You'll　have　to　ast　'em；　my　sons。〃

Aileen　still　persisted。　　She　did　not　want　to　go。　　It　was　too　sudden。　It　was　this。　　It　was　that。　　Just　then　old　Butler　came　in　and　took　his　seat　at　the　head　of　the　table。　　Knowing　all　about　it；　he　was　most　anxious　to　appear　not　to。

〃You　wouldn't　object；　Edward；　would　you？〃　queried　his　wife；　explaining　the　proposition　in　general。

〃Object！〃　he　echoed；　with　a　well　simulated　but　rough　attempt　at　gayety。　　〃A　fine　thing　I'd　be　doing　for　meselfobjectin'。　　I'd　be　glad　if　I　could　get　shut　of　the　whole　pack　of　ye　for　a　time。〃

〃What　talk　ye　have！〃　said　his　wife。　　〃A　fine　mess　you'd　make　of　it　livin'　alone。〃

〃I'd　not　be　alone；　belave　me；〃　replied　Butler。　　〃There's　many　a　place　I'd　be　welcome　in　this　townno　thanks　to　ye。〃

〃And　there's　many　a　place　ye　wouldn't　have　been　if　it　hadn't　been　for　me。　　I'm　tellin'　ye　that；〃　retorted　Mrs。　Butler；　genially。

〃And　that's　not　stretchin'　the　troot　much；　aither；〃　he　answered；　fondly。

Aileen　was　adamant。　　No　amount　of　argument　both　on　the　part　of　Norah　and　her　mother　had　any　effect　whatever。　　Butler　witnessed　the　failure　of　his　plan　with　considerable　dissatisfaction；　but　he　was　not　through。　　When　he　was　finally　convinced　that　there　was　no　hope　of　persuading　her　to　accept　the　Mollenhauer　proposition；　he　decided；　after　a　while；　to　employ　a　detective。

At　that　time；　the　reputation　of　William　A。　Pinkerton；　of　detective　fame；　and　of　his　agency　was　great。　　The　man　had　come　up　from　poverty　through　a　series　of　vicissitudes　to　a　high　standing　in　his　peculiar　and；　to　many；　distasteful　profession；　but　to　any　one　in　need　of　such　in　themselves　calamitous　services；　his　very　famous　and　decidedly　patriotic　connection　with　the　Civil　War　and　Abraham　Lincoln　was　a　recommendation。　　He；　or　rather　his　service；　had　guarded　the　latter　all　his　stormy　incumbency　at　the　executive　mansion。　　There　were　offices　for　the　management　of　the　company's　business　in　Philadelphia；　Washington；　and　New　York；　to　say　nothing　of　other　places。　　Butler　was　familiar　with　the　Philadelphia　sign；　but　did　not　care　to　go　to　the　office　there。　　He　decided；　once　his　mind　was　made　up　on　this　score；　that　he　would　go　over　to　New　York；　where　he　was　told　the　principal　offices　were。

He　made　the　simple　excuse　one　day　of　business；　which　was　common　enough　in　his　case；　and　journeyed　to　New　Yorknearly　five　hours　away　as　the　trains　ran　thenarriving　at　two　o'clock。　　At　the　offices　on　lower　Broadway；　he　asked　to　see　the　manager；　whom　he　found　to　be　a　large；　gross…featured；　heavy…bodied　man　of　fifty；　gray…eyed；　gray…haired；　puffily　outlined　as　to　countenance；　but　keen　and　shrewd；　and　with　short；　fat…fingered　hands；　which　drummed　idly　on　his　desk　as　he　talked。　　He　was　dressed　in　a　suit　of　dark…brown　wool　cloth；　which　struck　Butler　as　peculiarly　showy；　and　wore　a　large　horseshoe　diamond　pin。　　The　old　man　himself　invariably　wore　conservative　gray。

〃How　do　you　do？〃　said　Butler；　when　a　boy　ushered　him　into　the　presence　of　this　worthy；　whose　name　was　MartinsonGilbert　Martinson；　of　American　and　Irish　extraction。　　The　latter　nodded　and　looked　at　Butler　shrewdly；　recognizing　him　at　once　as　a　man　of　force　and　probably　of　position。　　He　therefore　rose　and　offered　him　a　chair。

〃Sit　down；〃　he　said；　studying　the　old　Irishman　from　under　thick；　bushy　eyebrows。　　〃What　can　I　do　for　you？〃

〃You're　the　manager；　are　you？〃　asked　Butler；　solemnly；　eyeing　the　man　with　a　shrewd；　inquiring　eye。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　replied　Martinson；　simply。　　〃That's　my　position　here。〃

〃This　Mr。　Pinkerton　that　runs　this　agencyhe　wouldn't　be　about　this　place；　now；　would　he？〃　asked　Butler；　carefully。　　〃I'd　like　to　talk　to　him　personally；　if　I　might；　meaning　no　offense　to　you。〃

〃Mr。　Pinkerton　is　in　Chicago　at　present；〃　replied　Mr。　Martinson。　〃I　don't　expect　him　back　for　a　week　or　ten　days。　　You　can　talk　to　me；　though；　with　the　same　confidence　that　you　could　to　him。　　I'm　the　responsible　head　here。　　However；　you're　the　best　judge　of　that。〃

Butler　debated　with　himself　in　silence　for　a　few　moments；　estimating　the　man　before　him。　　〃Are　you　a　family　man　yourself？〃　he　asked；　oddly。

〃Yes；　sir；　I'm　married；〃　replied　Martinson；　solemnly。　　〃I　have　a　wife　and　two　children。〃

Martinson；　from　long　experience　conceived　that　this　must　be　a　matter　of　family　misconducta　son；　daughter；　wife。　　Such　cases　were　not　infrequent。

〃I　thought　I　would　like　to　talk　to　Mr。　Pinkerton　himself；　but　if　you're　the　responsible　head〃　Butler　paused。

〃I　am；〃　replied　Martinson。　　〃You　can　talk　to　me　with　the　same　freedom　that　you　could　to　Mr。　Pinkerton。　　Won't　you　come　into　my　private　office？　We　can　talk　more　at　ease　in　there。〃

He　led　the　way　into　an　adjoining　room　which　had　two　windows　looking　down　into　Broadway；　an　oblong　table；　heavy；　brown；　smoothly　polished；　four　leather…backed　chairs；　and　some　pictures　of　the　Civil　War　battles　in　which　the　North　had　been　victorious。　　Butler　followed　doubtfully。　　He　hated　very　much　to　take　any　one　into　his　confidence　in　regard　to　Aileen。　　He　was　not　sure　that　he　would；　even　now。　He　wanted　to　〃look　these　fellys　over；〃　as　he　said　in　his　mind。　　He　would　decide　then　what　he　wanted　to　do。　　He　went　to　one　of　the　windows　and　looked　down　into　the　street；　where　there　was　a　perfect　swirl　of　omnibuses　and　vehicles　of　all　sorts。　　Mr。　Martinson　quietly　closed　the　door。

〃Now　then；　if　there's　anything　I　can　do　for　you；〃　Mr。　Martinson　paused。　　He　thought　by　this　little　trick　to　elicit　Buder's　real　nameit　often　〃worked〃　but　in　this　instance　the　name　was　not　forthcoming。　　Butler　was　too　shrew