the titan-第100节

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erally。

〃It　is　very　beautiful；〃　she　said；　〃I　do　not　know　what　to　say。　　People　are　like　that；　of　course。　　It　is　so　much　better　than　just　dull　comfort。　　Life　is　really　finest　when　it's　tragic；　anyhow。〃

She　looked　at　Cowperwood；　who　was　studying　her；　then　at　Braxmar；　who　saw　himself　for　the　moment　on　the　captain's　bridge　of　a　battle…ship　commanding　in　time　of　action。　　To　Cowperwood　came　back　many　of　his　principal　moments　of　difficulty。　　Surely　his　life　had　been　sufficiently　dramatic　to　satisfy　her。

〃I　don't　think　I　care　so　much　for　it；〃　interposed　Mrs。　Carter。　　〃One　gets　tired　of　sad　happenings。　　We　have　enough　drama　in　real　life。〃

Cowperwood　and　Braxmar　smiled　faintly。　　Berenice　looked　contemplatively　away。　　The　crush　of　diners；　the　clink　of　china　and　glass；　the　bustling　to　and　fro　of　waiters；　and　the　strumming　of　the　orchestra　diverted　her　somewhat；　as　did　the　nods　and　smiles　of　some　entering　guests　who　recognized　Braxmar　and　herself；　hut　not　Cowperwood。

Suddenly　from　a　neighboring　door；　opening　from　the　men's　cafe　and　grill；　there　appeared　the　semi…intoxicated　figure　of　an　ostensibly　swagger　society　man；　his　clothing　somewhat　awry；　an　opera…coat　hanging　loosely　from　one　shoulder；　a　crush…opera…hat　dangling　in　one　hand；　his　eyes　a　little　bloodshot；　his　under　lip　protruding　slightly　and　defiantly；　and　his　whole　visage　proclaiming　that　devil…may…care；　superior；　and　malicious　aspect　which　the　drunken　rake　does　not　so　much　assume　as　achieve。　　He　looked　sullenly；　uncertainly　about；　then；　perceiving　Cowperwood　and　his　party；　made　his　way　thither　in　the　half…determined；　half…inconsequential　fashion　of　one　not　quite　sound　after　his　cups。　　When　he　was　directly　opposite　Cowperwood's　tablethe　cynosure　of　a　number　of　eyeshe　suddenly　paused　as　if　in　recognition；　and；　coming　over；　laid　a　genial　and　yet　condescending　hand　on　Mrs。　Carter's　bare　shoulder。

〃Why；　hello；　Hattie！〃　he　called；　leeringly　and　jeeringly。　　〃What　are　you　doing　down　here　in　New　York？　You　haven't　given　up　your　business　in　Louisville；　have　you；　eh；　old　sport？　Say；　lemme　tell　you　something。　　I　haven't　had　a　single　decent　girl　since　you　leftnot　one。　　If　you　open　a　house　down　here；　let　me　know；　will　you？〃

He　bent　over　her　smirkingly　and　patronizingly　the　while　he　made　as　if　to　rummage　in　his　white　waistcoat　pocket　for　a　card。　　At　the　same　moment　Cowperwood　and　Braxmar；　realizing　quite　clearly　the　import　of　his　words；　were　on　their　feet。　　While　Mrs。　Carter　was　pulling　and　struggling　back　from　the　stranger；　Braxmar's　hand　（he　being　the　nearest）　was　on　him；　and　the　head　waiter　and　two　assistants　had　appeared。

〃What　is　the　trouble　here？　What　has　he　done？〃　they　demanded。

Meanwhile　the　intruder；　leering　contentiously　at　them　all；　was　exclaiming　in　very　audible　tones：　〃Take　your　hands　off。　　Who　are　you？　What　the　devil　have　you　got　to　do　with　this？　Don't　you　think　I　know　what　I'm　about？　She　knows　medon't　you；　Hattie？　That's　Hattie　Starr；　of　Louisvilleask　her！　She　kept　one　of　the　swellest　ever　run　in　Louisville。　　What　do　you　people　want　to　be　so　upset　about？　I　know　what　I'm　doing。　　She　knows　me。〃

He　not　only　protested；　but　contested；　and　with　some　vehemence。　　Cowperwood；　Braxmar；　and　the　waiters　forming　a　cordon；　he　was　shoved　and　hustled　out　into　the　lobby　and　the　outer　entranceway；　and　an　officer　was　called。

〃This　man　should　be　arrested；〃　Cowperwood　protested；　vigorously；　when　the　latter　appeared。　　〃He　has　grossly　insulted　lady　guests　of　mine。　　He　is　drunk　and　disorderly；　and　I　wish　to　make　that　charge。　　Here　is　my　card。　　Will　you　let　me　know　where　to　come？〃　He　handed　it　over；　while　Braxmar；　scrutinizing　the　stranger　with　military　care；　added：　〃I　should　like　to　thrash　you　within　an　inch　of　your　life。　　If　you　weren't　drunk　I　would。　　If　you　are　a　gentleman　and　have　a　card　I　want　you　to　give　it　to　me。　　I　want　to　talk　to　you　later。〃　He　leaned　over　and　presented　a　cold；　hard　face　to　that　of　Mr。　Beales　Chadsey；　of　Louisville；　Kentucky。

〃Tha's　all　right；　Captain；〃　leered　Chadsey；　mockingly。　　〃I　got　a　card。　　No　harm　done。　　Here　you　are。　　You　c'n　see　me　any　time　you　wantHotel　Buckingham；　Fifth　Avenue　and　Fiftieth　Street。　　I　got　a　right　to　speak　to　anybody　I　please；　where　I　please；　when　I　please。　See？〃

He　fumbled　and　protested　while　the　officer　stood　by　read　to　take　him　in　charge。　　Not　finding　a　card；　he　added：　〃Tha's　all　right。　　Write　it　down。　　Beales　Chadsey；　Hotel　Buckingham；　or　Louisville；　Kentucky。　　See　me　any　time　you　want　to。　　Tha's　Hattie　Starr。　　She　knows　me。　　I　couldn't　make　a　mistake　about　hernot　once　in　a　million。　　Many's　the　night　I　spent　in　her　house。〃

Braxmar　was　quite　ready　to　lunge　at　him　had　not　the　officer　intervened。

Back　in　the　dining…room　Berenice　and　her　mother　were　sitting；　the　latter　quite　flustered；　pale；　distrait；　horribly　taken　abackby　far　too　much　distressed　for　any　convincing　measure　of　deception。

〃Why；　the　very　idea！〃　she　was　saying。　　〃That　dreadful　man！　How　terrible！　I　never　saw　him　before　in　my　life。〃

Berenice；　disturbed　and　nonplussed；　was　thinking　of　the　familiar　and　lecherous　leer　with　which　the　stranger　had　addressed　her　motherthe　horror；　the　shame　of　it。　　Could　even　a　drunken　man；　if　utterly　mistaken；　be　so　defiant；　so　persistent；　so　willing　to　explain？　What　shameful　things　had　she　been　hearing？

〃Come；　mother；〃　she　said；　gently；　and　with　dignity；　〃never　mind；　it　is　all　right。　　We　can　go　home　at　once。　　You　will　feel　better　when　you　are　out　of　here。〃

She　called　a　waiter　and　asked　him　to　say　to　the　gentlemen　that　they　had　gone　to　the　women's　dressing…room。　　She　pushed　an　intervening　chair　out　of　the　way　and　gave　her　mother　her　arm。

〃To　think　I　should　be　so　insulted；〃　Mrs。　Carter　mumbled　on；　〃here　in　a　great　hotel；　in　the　presence　of　Lieutenant　Braxmar　and　Mr。　Cowperwood！　This　is　too　dreadful。　　Well；　I　never。〃

She　half　whimpered　as　she　walked；　and　Berenice；　surveying　the　room　with　dignity；　a　lofty　superiority　in　her　face；　led　solemnly　forth；　a　strange；　lacerating　pain　about　her　heart。　　What　was　at　the　bottom　of　these　shameful　statements？　Why　should　this　drunken　roisterer　have　selected　her　mother；　of　all　other　women　in　the　dining…room；　for　the　object　of　these　outrageous　remarks？　Why　should　her　mother　be　stricken；　so　utterly　collapsed；　if　there　were　not　some　truth　in　what　he　had　said？　It　was　very　strange；　very　sad；　very　grim；　very　horrible。　　What　would　that　gossiping；　scandal…loving　world　of　which　she　knew　so　much　say　to　a　scene　like　this？　For　the　first　time　in　her　life　the　import　and　horror　of　social　ostracism　flashed　upon　her。

The　following　morning；　owing　to　a　visit　paid　to　the　Jefferson　Market　Police　Court　by　Lieutenant　Braxmar；　where　he　proposed；　if　satisfaction　were　not　immediately　guaranteed；　to　empty　cold　lead　into　Mr。　Beales　Chadsey's　stomach；　the　following　letter　on　Buckingham　stationery　was　written　and　sent　to　Mrs。　Ira　George　Carter36　Central　Park　South：

DEAR　MADAM：

Last　evening；　owing　to　a　drunken　debauch；　for　which　I　have　no　satisfactory　or　suitable　explanation　to　make；　I　was　the　unfortunate　occasion　of　an　outrage　upon　your　feelings　and　those　of　your　daughter　and　friends；　for　which　I　wish　most　humbly　to　apologize。　　I　cannot　tell　you　how　sincerely　I　regret　whatever　I　said　or　did；　which　I　cannot　now　clearly　recall。　　My　mental　attitude　when　drinking　is　both　contentious　and　malicious；　and　while　in　this　mood　and　state　I　was　the　author　of　statements　which　I　know　to　be　wholly　unfounded。　In　my　drunken　stupor　I　mistook　you　for　a　certain　notorious　woman　of　Louisvillewhy；　I　have　not　the　slightest　idea。　　For　this　wholly　shameful　and　outrageous　conduct　I　sincerely　ask　your　pardonbeg　your　forgiveness。　　I　do　not　know　what　amends　I　can　make；　but　anything　you　may　wish　to　suggest　I　shall　gladly　do。　　In　the　mean　while　I　hope　you　will　accept　this　letter　in　the　spirit　in　which　it　is　written　and　as　a　slight　attempt　at　recompense　which　I　know　can　never　fully　be　made。　　

Very　sincerely；

BEALES　CHADSEY。

At　the　same　time　Lieutenant　Braxmar　was　fully　aware　before　this　letter　was　written　or　sent　that　the　charges　implied　against　Mrs。　Carter　were　only　too　well　founded。　　Beales　Chadsey　had　said　drunk　what　twenty　men　in　all　sobriety　and　even　the　police　at　Louisville　would　corroborate。　　Chadsey　had　insisted　on　making　this　clear　to　Braxmar　before　writing　the　letter。




Chapter　LII



Behind　the　Arras

Berenice；　perusing　the　apology　from　Beales　Chadsey；　which　her　mothervery　much　fagged　and　wearyhanded　her　the　next　morning；　thought　that　it　read　like　the　overnight　gallantry　of　some　one　who　was　seeking　to　make　amends　without　changing　his　point　of　view。　　Mrs。　Carter　was　too　obviously　self…conscious。　　She　protested　too　much。　　Berenice　knew　that　she　could　find　out　for　herself　if　she　chose；　but　would　she　choose？　The　thought　sickened　her；　and　yet　who　was　she　to　judge　too　severely？

Cowperwood　came　in　bright　and　early　to　put　as　good　a　face　on　the　matter　as　he　could。　　He　explained　how　he　and　Braxmar　had　gone　to　the　police　station　to　make　a　charge；　how　Chadsey；　sobered　by　arrest；　had　abandoned　his　bravado　and　humbly　apologized。　　When　viewing　the　letter　handed　him　by　Mrs。　Carter　he　exclaimed：

〃Oh　yes。　　He　was　very　glad　to　promise　to　write　that　if　we　would　let　him　off。　　Braxmar　seemed　to　think　it　was　necessary　that