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icant；　however　dull　that　might　be。　　When　he　had　first　attempted　to　introduce　Aileen　into　society　it　was　his　idea　that；　however　tame　they　might　chance　to　find　it　to　begin　with；　they　themselves；　once　admitted；　could　make　it　into　something　very　interesting　and　even　brilliant。　　Since　the　time　the　Cowperwoods　had　been　repudiated；　however；　they　had　found　it　necessary；　if　they　wished　any　social　diversion　at　all；　to　fall　back　upon　such　various　minor　elements　as　they　could　scrape　an　acquaintance　withpassing　actors　and　actresses；　to　whom　occasionally　they　could　give　a　dinner；　artists　and　singers　whom　they　could　invite　to　the　house　upon　gaining　an　introduction；　and；　of　course；　a　number　of　the　socially　unimportant；　such　as　the　Haatstaedts；　Hoecksemas；　Videras；　Baileys；　and　others　still　friendly　and　willing　to　come　in　a　casual　way。　　Cowperwood　found　it　interesting　from　time　to　time　to　invite　a　business　friend；　a　lover　of　pictures；　or　some　young　artist　to　the　house　to　dinner　or　for　the　evening；　and　on　these　occasions　Aileen　was　always　present。　　The　Addisons　called　or　invited　them　occasionally。　　But　it　was　a　dull　game；　the　more　so　since　their　complete　defeat　was　thus　all　the　more　plainly　indicated。

This　defeat；　as　Cowperwood　kept　reflecting；　was　really　not　his　fault　at　all。　　He　had　been　getting　along　well　enough　personally。　　If　Aileen　had　only　been　a　somewhat　different　type　of　woman！　Nevertheless；　he　was　in　no　way　prepared　to　desert　or　reproach　her。　She　had　clung　to　him　through　his　stormy　prison　days。　　She　had　encouraged　him　when　he　needed　encouragement。　　He　would　stand　by　her　and　see　what　could　be　done　a　little　later；　but　this　ostracism　was　a　rather　dreary　thing　to　endure。　　Besides；　personally；　he　appeared　to　be　becoming　more　and　more　interesting　to　men　and　to　women。　　The　men　friends　he　had　made　he　retainedAddison；　Bailey；　Videra；　McKibben；　Rambaud；　and　others。　　There　were　women　in　society；　a　number　of　them；　who　regretted　his　disappearance　if　not　that　of　Aileen。　　Occasionally　the　experiment　would　be　tried　of　inviting　him　without　his　wife。　　At　first　he　refused　invariably；　later　he　went　alone　occasionally　to　a　dinner…party　without　her　knowledge。

It　was　during　this　interregnum　that　Cowperwood　for　the　first　time　clearly　began　to　get　the　idea　that　there　was　a　marked　difference　between　him　and　Aileen　intellectually　and　spiritually；　and　that　while　he　might　be　in　accord　withher　in　many　waysemotionally；　physically；　idylliclythere　were；　nevertheless；　many　things　which　he　could　do　alone　which　she　could　not　doheights　to　which　he　could　rise　where　she　could　not　possibly　follow。　　Chicago　society　might　be　a　negligible　quantity；　but　he　was　now　to　contrast　her　sharply　with　the　best　of　what　the　Old　World　had　to　offer　in　the　matter　of　femininity；　for　following　their　social　expulsion　in　Chicago　and　his　financial　victory；　he　once　more　decided　to　go　abroad。　　In　Rome；　at　the　Japanese　and　Brazilian　embassies　（where；　because　of　his　wealth；　he　gained　introduction）；　and　at　the　newly　established　Italian　Court；　he　encountered　at　a　distance　charming　social　figures　of　considerable　significanceItalian　countesses；　English　ladies　of　high　degree；　talented　American　women　of　strong　artistic　and　social　proclivities。　　As　a　rule　they　were　quick　to　recognize　the　charm　of　his　manner；　the　incisiveness　and　grip　of　his　mind；　and　to　estimate　at　all　its　worth　the　high　individuality　of　his　soul；　but　he　could　also　always　see　that　Aileen　was　not　so　acceptable。　　She　was　too　rich　in　her　entourage；　too　showy。　　Her　glowing　health　and　beauty　was　a　species　of　affront　to　the　paler；　more　sublimated　souls　of　many　who　were　not　in　themselves　unattractive。

〃Isn't　that　the　typical　American　for　you；〃　he　heard　a　woman　remark；　at　one　of　those　large；　very　general　court　receptions　to　which　so　many　are　freely　admitted；　and　to　which　Aileen　had　been　determined　to　go。　　He　was　standing　aside　talking　to　an　acquaintance　he　had　madean　English…speaking　Greek　banker　stopping　at　the　Grand　Hotel　while　Aileen　promenaded　with　the　banker's　wife。　　The　speaker　was　an　Englishwoman。　　〃So　gaudy；　so　self…conscious；　and　so　naive！〃

Cowperwood　turned　to　look。　　It　was　Aileen；　and　the　lady　speaking　was　undoubtedly　well　bred；　thoughtful；　good…looking。　　He　had　to　admit　that　much　that　she　said　was　true；　but　how　were　you　to　gage　a　woman　like　Aileen；　anyhow？　She　was　not　reprehensible　in　any　wayjust　a　full…blooded　animal　glowing　with　a　love　of　life。　　She　was　attractive　to　him。　　It　was　too　bad　that　people　of　obviously　more　conservative　tendencies　were　so　opposed　to　her。　　Why　could　they　not　see　what　he　sawa　kind　of　childish　enthusiasm　for　luxury　and　show　which　sprang；　perhaps；　from　the　fact　that　in　her　youth　she　had　not　enjoyed　the　social　opportunities　which　she　needed　and　longed　for。　　He　felt　sorry　for　her。　　At　the　same　time　he　was　inclined　to　feel　that　perhaps　now　another　type　of　woman　would　be　better　for　him　socially。　　If　he　had　a　harder　type；　one　with　keener　artistic　perceptions　and　a　penchant　for　just　the　right　social　touch　or　note；　how　much　better　he　would　do！　He　came　home　bringing　a　Perugino；　brilliant　examples　of　Luini；　Previtali；　and　Pinturrichio　（this　last　a　portrait　of　Caesar　Borgia）；　which　he　picked　up　in　Italy；　to　say　nothing　of　two　red　African　vases　of　great　size　that　he　found　in　Cairo；　a　tall　gilt　Louis　Fifteenth　standard　of　carved　wood　that　he　discovered　in　Rome；　two　ornate　candelabra　from　Venice　for　his　walls；　and　a　pair　of　Italian　torcheras　from　Naples　to　decorate　the　corners　of　his　library。　　It　was　thus　by　degrees　that　his　art　collection　was　growing。

At　the　same　time　it　should　be　said；　in　the　matter　of　women　and　the　sex　question；　his　judgment　and　views　had　begun　to　change　tremendously。　When　he　had　first　met　Aileen　he　had　many　keen　intuitions　regarding　life　and　sex；　and　above　all　clear　faith　that　he　had　a　right　to　do　as　he　pleased。　　Since　he　had　been　out　of　prison　and　once　more　on　his　upward　way　there　had　been　many　a　stray　glance　cast　in　his　direction；　he　had　so　often　had　it　clearly　forced　upon　him　that　he　was　fascinating　to　women。　　Although　he　had　only　so　recently　acquired　Aileen　legally；　yet　she　was　years　old　to　him　as　a　mistress；　and　the　first　engrossingit　had　been　almost　all…engrossingenthusiasm　was　over。　　He　loved　her　not　only　for　her　beauty；　but　for　her　faithful　enthusiasm；　but　the　power　of　others　to　provoke　in　him　a　momentary　interest；　and　passion　even；　was　something　which　he　did　not　pretend　to　understand；　explain；　or　moralize　about。　　So　it　was　and　so　he　was。　　He　did　not　want　to　hurt　Aileen's　feelings　by　letting　her　know　that　his　impulses　thus　wantonly　strayed　to　others；　but　so　it　was。

Not　long　after　he　had　returned　from　the　European　trip　he　stopped　one　afternoon　in　the　one　exclusive　drygoods　store　in　State　Street　to　purchase　a　tie。　　As　he　was　entering　a　woman　crossed　the　aisle　before　him；　from　one　counter　to　anothera　type　of　woman　which　he　was　coming　to　admire；　but　only　from　a　rather　distant　point　of　view；　seeing　them　going　here　and　there　in　the　world。　　She　was　a　dashing　type；　essentially　smart　and　trig；　with　a　neat　figure；　dark　hair　and　eyes；　an　olive　skin；　small　mouth；　quaint　noseall　in　all　quite　a　figure　for　Chicago　at　the　time。　　She　had；　furthermore；　a　curious　look　of　current　wisdom　in　her　eyes；　an　air　of　saucy　insolence　which　aroused　Cowperwood's　sense　of　mastery；　his　desire　to　dominate。　To　the　look　of　provocation　and　defiance　which　she　flung　him　for　the　fraction　of　a　second　he　returned　a　curiously　leonine　glare　which　went　over　her　like　a　dash　of　cold　water。　　It　was　not　a　hard　look；　however；　merely　urgent　and　full　of　meaning。　　She　was　the　vagrom…minded　wife　of　a　prosperous　lawyer　who　was　absorbed　in　his　business　and　in　himself。　　She　pretended　indifference　for　a　moment　after　the　first　glance；　but　paused　a　little　way　off　as　if　to　examine　some　laces。　　Cowperwood　looked　after　her　to　catch　a　second　fleeting；　attracted　look。　　He　was　on　his　way　to　several　engagements　which　he　did　not　wish　to　break；　but　he　took　out　a　note…book；　wrote　on　a　slip　of　paper　the　name　of　a　hotel；　and　underneath：　〃Parlor；　second　floor；　Tuesday；　1　P。M。〃　Passing　by　where　she　stood；　he　put　it　into　her　gloved　hand；　which　was　hanging　by　her　side。　　The　fingers　closed　over　it　automatically。　　She　had　noted　his　action。　　On　the　day　and　hour　suggested　she　was　there；　although　he　had　given　no　name。　　That　liaison；　while　delightful　to　him；　was　of　no　great　duration。　　The　lady　was　interesting；　but　too　fanciful。

Similarly；　at　the　Henry　Huddlestones'；　one　of　their　neighbors　at　the　first　Michigan　Avenue　house　they　occupied；　he　encountered　one　evening　at　a　small　dinner…party　a　girl　of　twenty…three　who　interested　him　greatlyfor　the　moment。　　Her　name　was　not　very　attractive　Ella　F。　Hubby；　as　he　eventually　learnedbut　she　was　not　unpleasing。　　Her　principal　charm　was　a　laughing；　hoydenish　countenance　and　roguish　eyes。　　She　was　the　daughter　of　a　well…to…do　commission　merchant　in　South　Water　Street。　　That　her　interest　should　have　been　aroused　by　that　of　Cowperwood　in　her　was　natural　enough。　　She　was　young；　foolish；　impressionable；　easily　struck　by　the　glitter　of　a　reputation；　and　Mrs。　Huddlestone　had　spoken　highly　of　Cowperwood　and　his　wife　and　the　great　things　he　was　doing　or　was　going　to　do。　When　Ella　saw　him；　and　saw　that　he　was　still　young…looking；　with　the