the titan-第34节
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〃Not now；〃 he replied； with a sigh of relief； still holding Aileen firmly。 〃Go out and close the door。 Call a doctor。 Wait in the hall。 When he comes； call me。〃
Aileen； conscious of things being done for Rita； of sympathy being extended to her； tried to get up； to scream again； but she couldn't； her lord and master held her in an ugly hold。 When the door was closed he said again： 〃Now； Aileen； will you hush？ Will you let me get up and talk to you； or must we stay here all night？ Do you want me to drop you forever after to…night？ I understand all about this； but I am in control now； and I am going to stay so。 You will come to your senses and be reasonable； or I will leave you to…morrow as sure as I am here。〃 His voice rang convincingly。 〃Now； shall we talk sensibly； or will you go on making a fool of yourselfdisgracing me； disgracing the house； making yourself and myself the laughing…stock of the servants； the neighborhood； the city？ This is a fine showing you've made to…day。 Good God！ A fine showing； indeed！ A brawl in this house； a fight！ I thought you had better sensemore self…respectreally I did。 You have seriously jeopardized my chances here in Chicago。 You have seriously injured and possibly killed a woman。 You could even be hanged for that。 Do you hear me？〃
〃Oh； let them hang me；〃 groaned Aileen。 〃I want to die。〃
He took away his hand from her mouth； loosened his grip upon her arms； and let her get to her feet。 She was still torrential； impetuous； ready to upbraid him； but once standing she was confronted by him； cold； commanding； fixing her with a fishy eye。 He wore a look now she had never seen on his face beforea hard； wintry； dynamic flare； which no one but his commercial enemies； and only those occasionally； had seen。
〃Now stop！〃 he exclaimed。 〃Not one more word！ Not one！ Do you hear me？〃
She wavered； quailed； gave way。 All the fury of her tempestuous soul fell； as the sea falls under a lapse of wind。 She had had it in heart； on her lips； to cry again； 〃You dog！ you brute！〃 and a hundred other terrible； useless things； but somehow； under the pressure of his gaze； the hardness of his heart； the words on her lips died away。 She looked at him uncertainly for a moment； then； turning； she threw herself on the bed near by； clutched her cheeks and mouth and eyes； and； rocking back and forth in an agony of woe； she began to sob：
〃Oh； my God！ my God！ My heart！ My life！ I want to die！ I want to die！〃
Standing there watching her； there suddenly came to Cowperwood a keen sense of her soul hurt； her heart hurt； and he was moved。
〃Aileen；〃 he said； after a moment or two； coming over and touching her quite gently； 〃Aileen！ Don't cry so。 I haven't left you yet。 Your life isn't utterly ruined。 Don't cry。 This is bad business； but perhaps it is not without remedy。 Come now； pull yourself together； Aileen！〃
For answer she merely rocked and moaned； uncontrolled and uncontrollable。
Being anxious about conditions elsewhere； he turned and stepped out into the hall。 He must make some show for the benefit of the doctor and the servants； he must look after Rita； and offer some sort of passing explanation to Sohlherg。
〃Here；〃 he called to a passing servant； 〃shut that door and watch it。 If Mrs。 Cowperwood comes out call me instantly。〃
Chapter XIX
〃Hell Hath No Fury〃
Rita was not dead by any meansonly seriously bruised； scratched； and choked。 Her scalp was cut in one place。 Aileen had repeatedly beaten her head on the floor； and this might have resulted seriously if Cowperwood had not entered as quickly as he had。 Sohlberg for the momentfor some little time； in factwas under the impression that Aileen had truly lost her mind； had suddenly gone crazy； and that those shameless charges he had heard her making were the emanations of a disordered brain。 Nevertheless the things she had said haunted him。 He was in a bad state himselfalmost a subject for the doctor。 His lips were bluish； his cheeks blanched。 Rita had been carried into an adjoining bedroom and laid upon a bed； cold water； ointments； a bottle of arnica had been procured； and when Cowperwood appeared she was conscious and somewhat better。 But she was still very weak and smarting from her wounds； both mental and physical。 When the doctor arrived he had been told that a lady； a guest； had fallen down…stairs； when Cowperwood came in the physician was dressing her wounds。
As soon as he had gone Cowperwood said to the maid in attendance； 〃Go get me some hot water。〃 As the latter disappeared he bent over and kissed Rita's bruised lips； putting his finger to his own in warning sign。
Rita；〃 he asked； softly； 〃are you fully conscious？〃
She nodded weakly。
〃Listen； then；〃 he said； bending over and speaking slowly。 〃Listen carefully。 Pay strict attention to what I'm saying。 You must understand every word； and do as I tell you。 You are not seriously injured。 You will be all right。 This will blow over。 I have sent for another doctor to call on you at your studio。 Your husband has gone for some fresh clothes。 He will come back in a little while。 My carriage will take you home when you are a little stronger。 You mustn't worry。 Everything will be all right； but you must deny everything； do you hear？ Everything！ In so far as you know； Mrs。 Cowperwood is insane。 I will talk to your husband to…morrow。 I will send you a trained nurse。 Meantime you must be careful of what you say and how you say it。 Be perfectly calm。 Don't worry。 You are perfectly safe here； and you will be there。 Mrs。 Cowperwood will not trouble you any more。 I will see to that。 I am so sorry； but I love you。 I am near you all the while。 You must not let this make any difference。 You will not see her any more。〃
Still he knew that it would make a difference。
Reassured as to Rita's condition； he went back to Aileen's room to plead with her againto soothe her if he could。 He found her up and dressing； a new thought and determination in her mind。 Since she had thrown herself on the bed sobbing and groaning； her mood had gradually changed； she began to reason that if she could not dominate him； could not make him properly sorry； she had better leave。 It was evident； she thought； that he did not love her any more； seeing that his anxiety to protect Rita had been so great； his brutality in restraining her so marked； and yet she did not want to believe that this was so。 He had been so wonderful to her in times past。 She had not given up all hope of winning a victory over him； and these other womenshe loved him too muchbut only a separation would do it。 That might bring him to his senses。 She would get up； dress； and go down…town to a hotel。 He should not see her any more unless he followed her。 She was satisfied that she had broken up the liaison with Rita Sohlberg； anyway for the present； and as for Antoinette Nowak； she would attend to her later。 Her brain and her heart ached。 She was so full of woe and rage； alternating； that she could not cry any more now。 She stood before her mirror trying with trembling fingers to do over her toilet and adjust a street…costume。 Cowperwood was disturbed； nonplussed at this unexpected sight。
〃Aileen；〃 he said； finally； coming up behind her； 〃can't you and I talk this thing over peacefully now？ You don't want to do anything that you'll be sorry for。 I don't want you to。 I'm sorry。 You don't really believe that I've ceased to love you； do you？ I haven't； you know。 This thing isn't as bad as it looks。 I should think you would have a little more sympathy with me after all we have been through together。 You haven't any real evidence of wrong…doing on which to base any such outburst as this。〃
〃Oh； haven't I？〃 she exclaimed； turning from the mirror； where； sorrowfully and bitterly； she was smoothing her red…gold hair。 Her cheeks were flushed； her eyes red。 Just now she seemed as remarkable to him as she had seemed that first day； years ago； when in a red cape he had seen her； a girl of sixteen； running up the steps of her father's house in Philadelphia。 She was so wonderful then。 It mellowed his mood toward her。
〃That's all you know about it； you liar！〃 she declared。 〃It's little you know what I know。 I haven't had detectives on your trail for weeks for nothing。 You sneak！ You'd like to smooth around now and find out what I know。 Well； I know enough； let me tell you that。 You won't fool me any longer with your Rita Sohlbergs and your Antoinette Nowaks and your apartments and your houses of assignation。 I know what you are； you brute！ And after all your protestations of love for me！ Ugh！〃
She turned fiercely to her task while Cowperwood stared at her； touched by her passion； moved by her force。 It was fine to see what a dramatic animal she wasreally worthy of him in many ways。
〃Aileen；〃 he said； softly； hoping still to ingratiate himself by degrees；〃 please don't be so bitter toward me。 Haven't you any understanding of how life worksany sympathy with it？ I thought you were more generous； more tender。 I'm not so bad。〃
He eyed her thoughtfully； tenderly； hoping to move her through her love for him。
〃Sympathy！ Sympathy！〃 She turned on him blazing。 〃A lot y
