the financier-第89节

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〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Let　me　have　it。〃

John　disappeared　and　returned；　while　Steger　explained　to　Cowperwood　that　anything　he　wanted　in　the　way　of　clothing；　etc。；　could　be　brought　in。　　Steger　himself　would　stop　round　next　morning　and　confer　with　him；　as　would　any　of　the　members　of　Cowperwood's　family　whom　he　wished　to　see。　　Cowperwood　immediately　explained　to　his　father　his　desire　for　as　little　of　this　as　possible。　　Joseph　or　Edward　might　come　in　the　morning　and　bring　a　grip　full　of　underwear；　etc。；　but　as　for　the　others；　let　them　wait　until　he　got　out　or　had　to　remain　permanently。　　He　did　think　of　writing　Aileen；　cautioning　her　to　do　nothing；　but　the　sheriff　now　beckoned；　and　he　quietly　followed。　　Accompanied　by　his　father　and　Steger；　he　ascended　to　his　new　room。

It　was　a　simple；　white…walled　chamber　fifteen　by　twenty　feet　in　size；　rather　high…ceiled；　supplied　with　a　high…backed；　yellow　wooden　bed；　a　yellow　bureau；　a　small　imitation…cherry　table；　three　very　ordinary　cane…seated　chairs　with　carved　hickory…rod　backs；　cherry…stained　also；　and　a　wash…stand　of　yellow…stained　wood　to　match　the　bed；　containing　a　washbasin；　a　pitcher；　a　soap…dish；　uncovered；　and　a　small；　cheap；　pink…flowered　tooth　and　shaving　brush　mug；　which　did　not　match　the　other　ware　and　which　probably　cost　ten　cents。　　The　value　of　this　room　to　Sheriff　Jaspers　was　what　he　could　get　for　it　in　cases　like　thistwenty…five　to　thirty…five　dollars　a　week。　　Cowperwood　would　pay　thirty…five。

Cowperwood　walked　briskly　to　the　window；　which　gave　out　on　the　lawn　in　front；　now　embedded　in　snow；　and　said　he　thought　this　was　all　right。　　Both　his　father　and　Steger　were　willing　and　anxious　to　confer　with　him　for　hours；　if　he　wished；　but　there　was　nothing　to　say。　　He　did　not　wish　to　talk。

〃Let　Ed　bring　in　some　fresh　linen　in　the　morning　and　a　couple　of　suits　of　clothes；　and　I　will　be　all　right。　　George　can　get　my　things　together。〃　　He　was　referring　to　a　family　servant　who　acted　as　valet　and　in　other　capacities。　　〃Tell　Lillian　not　to　worry。　I'm　all　right。　　I'd　rather　she　would　not　come　here　so　long　as　I'm　going　to　be　out　in　five　days。　　If　I'm　not；　it　will　be　time　enough　then。　　Kiss　the　kids　for　me。〃　　And　he　smiled　good…naturedly。

After　his　unfulfilled　predictions　in　regard　to　the　result　of　this　preliminary　trial　Steger　was　almost　afraid　to　suggest　confidently　what　the　State　Supreme　Court　would　or　would　not　do；　but　he　had　to　say　something。

〃I　don't　think　you　need　worry　about　what　the　outcome　of　my　appeal　will　be；　Frank。　　I'll　get　a　certificate　of　reasonable　doubt；　and　that's　as　good　as　a　stay　of　two　months；　perhaps　longer。　　I　don't　suppose　the　bail　will　be　more　than　thirty　thousand　dollars　at　the　outside。　　You'll　be　out　again　in　five　or　six　days；　whatever　happens。〃

Cowperwood　said　that　he　hoped　so；　and　suggested　that　they　drop　matters　for　the　night。　　After　a　few　fruitless　parleys　his　father　and　Steger　finally　said　good　night；　leaving　him　to　his　own　private　reflections。　　He　was　tired；　however；　and　throwing　off　his　clothes；　tucked　himself　in　his　mediocre　bed；　and　was　soon　fast　asleep。





Chapter　XLV




Say　what　one　will　about　prison　life　in　general；　modify　it　ever　so　much　by　special　chambers；　obsequious　turnkeys；　a　general　tendency　to　make　one　as　comfortable　as　possible；　a　jail　is　a　jail；　and　there　is　no　getting　away　from　that。　　Cowperwood；　in　a　room　which　was　not　in　any　way　inferior　to　that　of　the　ordinary　boarding…house；　was　nevertheless　conscious　of　the　character　of　that　section　of　this　real　prison　which　was　not　yet　his　portion。　　He　knew　that　there　were　cells　there；　probably　greasy　and　smelly　and　vermin…infested；　and　that　they　were　enclosed　by　heavy　iron　bars；　which　would　have　as　readily　clanked　on　him　as　on　those　who　were　now　therein　incarcerated　if　he　had　not　had　the　price　to　pay　for　something　better。　　So　much　for　the　alleged　equality　of　man；　he　thought；　which　gave　to　one　man；　even　within　the　grim　confines　of　the　machinery　of　justice；　such　personal　liberty　as　he　himself　was　now　enjoying；　and　to　another；　because　he　chanced　to　lack　wit　or　presence　or　friends　or　wealth；　denied　the　more　comfortable　things　which　money　would　buy。

The　morning　after　the　trial；　on　waking；　he　stirred　curiously；　and　then　it　suddenly　came　to　him　that　he　was　no　longer　in　the　free　and　comfortable　atmosphere　of　his　own　bedroom；　but　in　a　jail…cell；　or　rather　its　very　comfortable　substitute；　a　sheriff's　rented　bedroom。　He　got　up　and　looked　out　the　window。　　The　ground　outside　and　Passayunk　Avenue　were　white　with　snow。　　Some　wagons　were　silently　lumbering　by。　　A　few　Philadelphians　were　visible　here　and　there；　going　to　and　fro　on　morning　errands。　　He　began　to　think　at　once　what　he　must　do；　how　he　must　act　to　carry　on　his　buiness；　to　rehabilitate　himself；　and　as　he　did　so　he　dressed　and　pulled　the　bell…cord；　which　had　been　indicated　to　him；　and　which　would　bring　him　an　attendant　who　would　build　him　a　fire　and　later　bring　him　something　to　eat。　　A　shabby　prison　attendant　in　a　blue　uniform；　conscious　of　Cowperwood's　superiority　because　of　the　room　he　occupied；　laid　wood　and　coal　in　the　grate　and　started　a　fire；　and　later　brought　him　his　breakfast；　which　was　anything　but　prison　fare；　though　poor　enough　at　that。

After　that　he　was　compelled　to　wait　in　patience　several　hours；　in　spite　of　the　sheriff's　assumption　of　solicitous　interest；　before　his　brother　Edward　was　admitted　with　his　clothes。　　An　attendant；　for　a　consideration；　brought　him　the　morning　papers；　and　these；　except　for　the　financial　news；　he　read　indifferently。　　Late　in　the　afternoon　Steger　arrived；　saying　he　had　been　busy　having　certain　proceedings　postponed；　but　that　he　had　arranged　with　the　sheriff　for　Cowperwood　to　be　permitted　to　see　such　of　those　as　had　important　business　with　him。

By　this　time；　Cowperwood　had　written　Aileen　under　no　circumstances　to　try　to　see　him；　as　he　would　be　out　by　the　tenth；　and　that　either　that　day；　or　shortly　after；　they　would　meet。　　As　he　knew；　she　wanted　greatly　to　see　him；　but　he　had　reason　to　believe　she　was　under　surveillance　by　detectives　employed　by　her　father。　　This　was　not　true；　but　it　was　preying　on　her　fancy；　and　combined　with　some　derogatory　remarks　dropped　by　Owen　and　Callum　at　the　dinner　table　recently；　had　proved　almost　too　much　for　her　fiery　disposition。　But；　because　of　Cowperwood's　letter　reaching　her　at　the　Calligans'；　she　made　no　move　until　she　read　on　the　morning　of　the　tenth　that　Cowperwood's　plea　for　a　certificate　of　reasonable　doubt　had　been　granted；　and　that　he　would　once　more；　for　the　time　being　at　least；　be　a　free　man。　　This　gave　her　courage　to　do　what　she　had　long　wanted　to　do；　and　that　was　to　teach　her　father　that　she　could　get　along　without　him　and　that　he　could　not　make　her　do　anything　she　did　not　want　to　do。　　She　still　had　the　two　hundred　dollars　Cowperwood　had　given　her　and　some　additional　cash　of　her　ownperhaps　three　hundred　and　fifty　dollars　in　all。　　This　she　thought　would　be　sufficient　to　see　her　to　the　end　of　her　adventure；　or　at　least　until　she　could　make　some　other　arrangement　for　her　personal　well…being。　　From　what　she　knew　of　the　feeling　of　her　family　for　her；　she　felt　that　the　agony　would　all　be　on　their　side；　not　hers。　Perhaps　when　her　father　saw　how　determined　she　was　he　would　decide　to　let　her　alone　and　make　peace　with　her。　　She　was　determined　to　try　it；　anyhow；　and　immediately　sent　word　to　Cowperwood　that　she　was　going　to　the　Calligans　and　would　welcome　him　to　freedom。

In　a　way；　Cowperwood　was　rather　gratified　by　Aileen's　message；　for　he　felt　that　his　present　plight；　bitter　as　it　was；　was　largely　due　to　Butler's　opposition　and　he　felt　no　compunction　in　striking　him　through　his　daughter。　　His　former　feeling　as　to　the　wisdom　of　not　enraging　Butler　had　proved　rather　futile；　he　thought；　and　since　the　old　man　could　not　be　placated　it　might　be　just　as　well　to　have　Aileen　demonstrate　to　him　that　she　was　not　without　resources　of　her　own　and　could　live　without　him。　　She　might　force　him　to　change　his　attitude　toward　her　and　possibly　even　to　modify　some　of　his　political　machinations　against　him；　Cowperwood。　　Any　port　in　a　stormand　besides；　he　had　now　really　nothing　to　lose；　and　instinct　told　him　that　her　move　was　likely　to　prove　more　favorable　than　otherwiseso　he　did　nothing　to　prevent　it。

She　took　her　jewels；　some　underwear；　a　couple　of　dresses　which　she　thought　would　be　serviceable；　and　a　few　other　things；　and　packed　them　in　the　most　capacious　portmanteau　she　had。　　Shoes　and　stockings　came　into　consideration；　and；　despite　her　efforts；　she　found　that　she　could　not　get　in　all　that　she　wished。　　Her　nicest　hat；　which　she　was　determined　to　take；　had　to　be　carried　outside。　She　made　a　separate　bundle　of　it；　which　was　not　pleasant　to　contemplate。　　Still　she　decided　to　take　it。　　She　rummaged　in　a　little　drawer　where　she　kept　her　money　and　jewels；　and　found　the　three　hundred　and　fifty　dollars　and　put　it　in　her　purse。　　It　wasn't　much；　as　Aileen　could　herself　see；　but　Cowperwood　would　help　her。　If　he　did　not　arrange　to　take　care　of　her；　and　her　father　would　not　relent；　she　would　have　to　get　something　to　do。　　Little　she　knew　of　the　steely　face　the　world　presents　to　those　who　have　not　been　practically　trained　and　are　not　economically　efficient。　　She　did　not　understand　the　bitter