the financier-第98节

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　desperate；　almost　one　might　have　said　dry…eyed；　cry；　so　hot　and　few　were　the　tears。　　She　could　not　stop　for　the　moment；　just　stood　there　and　shook；　and　then　after　a　while　a　dull　ache　succeeded；　and　she　was　quite　as　she　had　been　before。

〃Why　cry？〃　she　suddenly　asked　herself；　fiercelyfor　her。　　〃Why　break　down　in　this　stormy；　useless　way？　Would　it　help？〃

But；　in　spite　of　her　speculative；　philosophic　observations　to　herself；　she　still　felt　the　echo；　the　distant　rumble；　as　it　were；　of　the　storm　in　her　own　soul。　　〃Why　cry？　Why　not　cry？〃　She　might　have　saidbut　wouldn't；　and　in　spite　of　herself　and　all　her　logic；　she　knew　that　this　tempest　which　had　so　recently　raged　over　her　was　now　merely　circling　around　her　soul's　horizon　and　would　return　to　break　again。





Chapter　L




The　arrival　of　Steger　with　the　information　that　no　move　of　any　kind　would　be　made　by　the　sheriff　until　Monday　morning；　when　Cowperwood　could　present　himself；　eased　matters。　　This　gave　him　time　to　thinkto　adjust　home　details　at　his　leisure。　　He　broke　the　news　to　his　father　and　mother　in　a　consoling　way　and　talked　with　his　brothers　and　father　about　getting　matters　immediately　adjusted　in　connection　with　the　smaller　houses　to　which　they　were　now　shortly　to　be　compelled　to　move。　　There　was　much　conferring　among　the　different　members　of　this　collapsing　organization　in　regard　to　the　minor　details；　and　what　with　his　conferences　with　Steger；　his　seeing　personally　Davison；　Leigh；　Avery　Stone；　of　Jay　Cooke　&　Co。；　George　Waterman　（his　old…time　employer　Henry　was　dead）；　ex…State　Treasurer　Van　Nostrand；　who　had　gone　out　with　the　last　State　administration；　and　others；　he　was　very　busy。　　Now　that　he　was　really　going　into　prison；　he　wanted　his　financial　friends　to　get　together　and　see　if　they　could　get　him　out　by　appealing　to　the　Governor。　　The　division　of　opinion　among　the　judges　of　the　State　Supreme　Court　was　his　excuse　and　strong　point。　　He　wanted　Steger　to　follow　this　up；　and　he　spared　no　pains　in　trying　to　see　all　and　sundry　who　might　be　of　use　to　himEdward　Tighe；　of　Tighe　&　Co。；　who　was　still　in　business　in　Third　Street；　Newton　Targool；　Arthur　Rivers；　Joseph　Zimmerman；　the　dry…goods　prince；　now　a　millionaire；　Judge　Kitchen；　Terrence　Relihan；　the　former　representative　of　the　money　element　at　Harrisburg；　and　many　others。

Cowperwood　wanted　Relihan　to　approach　the　newspapers　and　see　if　he　could　not　readjust　their　attitude　so　as　to　work　to　get　him　out；　and　he　wanted　Walter　Leigh　to　head　the　movement　of　getting　up　a　signed　petition　which　should　contain　all　the　important　names　of　moneyed　people　and　others；　asking　the　Governor　to　release　him。　Leigh　agreed　to　this　heartily；　as　did　Relihan；　and　many　others。

And；　afterwards　there　was　really　nothing　else　to　do；　unless　it　was　to　see　Aileen　once　more；　and　this；　in　the　midst　of　his　other　complications　and　obligations；　seemed　all　but　impossible　at　times　and　yet　he　did　achieve　that；　tooso　eager　was　he　to　be　soothed　and　comforted　by　the　ignorant　and　yet　all　embracing　volume　of　her　love。　　Her　eyes　these　days！　The　eager；　burning　quest　of　him　and　his　happiness　that　blazed　in　them。　　To　think　that　he　should　be　tortured　soher　Frank！　Oh；　she　knewwhatever　he　said；　and　however　bravely　and　jauntily　he　talked。　　To　think　that　her　love　for　him　should　have　been　the　principal　cause　of　his　being　sent　to　jail；　as　she　now　believed。　　And　the　cruelty　of　her　father！　And　the　smallness　of　his　enemiesthat　fool　Stener；　for　instance；　whose　pictures　she　had　seen　in　the　papers。　　Actually；　whenever　in　the　presence　of　her　Frank；　she　fairly　seethed　in　a　chemic　agony　for　himher　strong；　handsome　loverthe　strongest；　bravest；　wisest；　kindest；　handsomest　man　in　the　world。　　Oh；　didn't　she　know！　And　Cowperwood；　looking　in　her　eyes　and　realizing　this　reasonless；　if　so　comforting　fever　for　him；　smiled　and　was　touched。　　Such　love！　That　of　a　dog　for　a　master；　that　of　a　mother　for　a　child。　　And　how　had　he　come　to　evoke　it？　He　could　not　say；　but　it　was　beautiful。

And　so；　now；　in　these　last　trying　hours；　he　wished　to　see　her　much　and　didmeeting　her　at　least　four　times　in　the　month　in　which　he　had　been　free；　between　his　conviction　and　the　final　dismissal　of　his　appeal。　　He　had　one　last　opportunity　of　seeing　herand　she　himjust　before　his　entrance　into　prison　this　last　timeon　the　Saturday　before　the　Monday　of　his　sentence。　　He　had　not　come　in　contact　with　her　since　the　decision　of　the　Supreme　Court　had　been　rendered；　but　he　had　had　a　letter　from　her　sent　to　a　private　mail…box；　and　had　made　an　appointment　for　Saturday　at　a　small　hotel　in　Camden；　which；　being　across　the　river；　was　safer；　in　his　judgment；　than　anything　in　Philadelphia。　　He　was　a　little　uncertain　as　to　how　she　would　take　the　possibility　of　not　seeing　him　soon　again　after　Monday；　and　how　she　would　act　generally　once　he　was　where　she　could　not　confer　with　him　as　often　as　she　chose。　　And　in　consequence；　he　was　anxious　to　talk　to　her。　　But　on　this　occasion；　as　he　anticipated；　and　even　feared；　so　sorry　for　her　was　he；　she　was　not　less　emphatic　in　her　protestations　than　she　had　ever　been；　in　fact；　much　more　so。　When　she　saw　him　approaching　in　the　distance；　she　went　forward　to　meet　him　in　that　direct；　forceful　way　which　only　she　could　attempt　with　him；　a　sort　of　mannish　impetuosity　which　he　both　enjoyed　and　admired；　and　slipping　her　arms　around　his　neck；　said：　〃Honey；　you　needn't　tell　me。　　I　saw　it　in　the　papers　the　other　morning。　　Don't　you　mind；　honey。　　I　love　you。　　I'll　wait　for　you。　　I'll　be　with　you　yet；　if　it　takes　a　dozen　years　of　waiting。　　It　doesn't　make　any　difference　to　me　if　it　takes　a　hundred；　only　I'm　so　sorry　for　you；　sweetheart。　　I'll　be　with　you　every　day　through　this；　darling；　loving　you　with　all　my　might。〃

She　caressed　him　while　he　looked　at　her　in　that　quiet　way　which　betokened　at　once　his　self…poise　and　yet　his　interest　and　satisfaction　in　her。　　He　couldn't　help　loving　Aileen；　he　thought　who　could？　She　was　so　passionate；　vibrant；　desireful。　　He　couldn't　help　admiring　her　tremendously；　now　more　than　ever；　because　literally；　in　spite　of　all　his　intellectual　strength；　he　really　could　not　rule　her。　She　went　at　him；　even　when　he　stood　off　in　a　calm；　critical　way；　as　if　he　were　her　special　property；　her　toy。　　She　would　talk　to　him　always；　and　particularly　when　she　was　excited；　as　if　he　were　just　a　baby；　her　pet；　and　sometimes　he　felt　as　though　she　would　really　overcome　him　mentally；　make　him　subservient　to　her；　she　was　so　individual；　so　sure　of　her　importance　as　a　woman。

Now　on　this　occasion　she　went　babbling　on　as　if　he　were　broken…hearted；　in　need　of　her　greatest　care　and　tenderness；　although　he　really　wasn't　at　all；　and　for　the　moment　she　actually　made　him　feel　as　though　he　was。

〃It　isn't　as　bad　as　that；　Aileen；〃　he　ventured　to　say；　eventually；　and　with　a　softness　and　tenderness　almost　unusual　for　him；　even　where　she　was　concerned；　but　she　went　on　forcefully；　paying　no　heed　to　him。

〃Oh；　yes；　it　is；　too；　honey。　　I　know。　　Oh；　my　poor　Frank！　But　I'll　see　you。　　I　know　how　to　manage；　whatever　happens。　　How　often　do　they　let　visitors　come　out　to　see　the　prisoners　there？〃

〃Only　once　in　three　months；　pet；　so　they　say；　but　I　think　we　can　fix　that　after　I　get　there；　only　do　you　think　you　had　better　try　to　come　right　away；　Aileen？　You　know　what　the　feeling　now　is。　Hadn't　you　better　wait　a　while？　Aren't　you　in　danger　of　stirring　up　your　father？　He　might　cause　a　lot　of　trouble　out　there　if　he　were　so　minded。〃

〃Only　once　in　three　months！〃　she　exclaimed；　with　rising　emphasis；　as　he　began　this　explanation。　　〃Oh；　Frank；　no！　Surely　not！　Once　in　three　months！　Oh；　I　can't　stand　that！　I　won't！　I'll　go　and　see　the　warden　myself。　　He'll　let　me　see　you。　　　I'm　sure　he　will；　if　I　talk　to　him。〃

She　fairly　gasped　in　her　excitement；　not　willing　to　pause　in　her　tirade；　but　Cowperwood　interposed　with　her；　〃You're　not　thinking　what　you're　saying；　Aileen。　　You're　not　thinking。　　Remember　your　father！　Remember　your　family！　Your　father　may　know　the　warden　out　there。　　You　don't　want　it　to　get　all　over　town　that　you're　running　out　there　to　see　me；　do　you？　Your　father　might　cause　you　trouble。　Besides　you　don't　know　the　small　party　politicians　as　I　do。　　They　gossip　like　a　lot　of　old　women。　　You'll　have　to　be　very　careful　what　you　do　and　how　you　do　it。　　I　don't　want　to　lose　you。　　I　want　to　see　you。　　But　you'll　have　to　mind　what　you're　doing。　　Don't　try　to　see　me　at　once。　　I　want　you　to；　but　I　want　to　find　out　how　the　land　lies；　and　I　want　you　to　find　out　too。　　You　won't　lose　me。　I'll　be　there；　well　enough。〃

He　paused　as　he　thought　of　the　long　tier　of　iron　cells　which　must　be　there；　one　of　which　would　be　hisfor　how　long？and　of　Aileen　seeing　him　through　the　door　of　it　or　in　it。　　At　the　same　time　he　was　thinking；　in　spite　of　all　his　other　calculations；　how　charming　she　was　looking　to…day。　　How　young　she　kept；　and　how　forceful！　While　he　was　nearing　his　full　maturity　she　was　a　comparatively　young　girl；　and　as　beautiful　as　ever。　　She　was　wearing　a　black…and…white…striped　silk　in　the　curious　bustle　style　of　the　times；　and　a　set　of　sealskin　furs；　including　a　little　sealskin　cap　set　jauntily　on　top　her　red…gold　hair。

〃I　know；　I　know；〃　replied　Aileen；　firmly。　　〃But　think　of　three　months！　Honey；　I　can't！　I　won't！　It's　nonse