the titan-第46节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
cthe people who made a show of art。 She recalled Cowperwood as he walked the deck of the Centurion。 She remembered his large； comprehensive； embracing blue…gray eyes that seemed to blaze with intelligence。 He seemed to her quite obviously a more forceful and significant man than her father； and yet she could not have said why。 He always seemed so trigly dressed； so well put together。 There was a friendly warmth about all that he said or did； though he said or did little。 She felt that his eyes were mocking； that back in his soul there was some kind of humor over something which she did not understand quite。
After Stephanie had been back in Chicago six months； during which time she saw very little of Cowperwood； who was busy with his street…railway programme； she was swept into the net of another interest which carried her away from him and Aileen for the time being。 On the West Side； among a circle of her mother's friends； had been organized an Amateur Dramatic League； with no less object than to elevate the stage。 That world…old problem never fails to interest the new and the inexperienced。 It all began in the home of one of the new rich of the West Sidethe Timberlakes。 They； in their large house on Ashland Avenue； had a stage； and Georgia Timberlake； a romantic…minded girl of twenty with flaxen hair； imagined she could act。 Mrs。 Timberlake； a fat； indulgent mother； rather agreed with her。 The whole idea； after a few discursive performances of Milton's 〃The Masque of Comus；〃 〃Pyramus and Thisbe；〃 and an improved Harlequin and Columbine； written by one of the members； was transferred to the realm of the studios； then quartered in the New Arts Building。 An artist by the name of Lane Cross； a portrait…painter； who was much less of an artist than he was a stage director； and not much of either； but who made his living by hornswaggling society into the belief that he could paint； was induced to take charge of these stage performances。
By degrees the 〃Garrick Players；〃 as they chose to call themselves； developed no little skill and craftsmanship in presenting one form and another of classic and semi…classic play。 〃Romeo and Juliet；〃 with few properties of any kind； 〃The Learned Ladies〃 of Moliere； Sheridan's 〃The Rivals；〃 and the 〃Elektra〃 of Sophocles were all given。 Considerable ability of one kind and another was developed； the group including two actresses of subsequent repute on the American stage； one of whom was Stephanie Platow。 There were some ten girls and women among the active members； and almost as many mena variety of characters much too extended to discuss here。 There was a dramatic critic by the name of Gardner Knowles； a young man； very smug and handsome； who was connected with the Chicago Press。 Whipping his neatly trousered legs with his bright little cane； he used to appear at the rooms of the players at the Tuesday； Thursday； and Saturday teas which they inaugurated； and discuss the merits of the venture。 Thus the Garrick Players were gradually introduced into the newspapers。 Lane Cross； the smooth…faced； pasty…souled artist who had charge； was a rake at heart； a subtle seducer of women； who； however； escaped detection by a smooth； conventional bearing。 He was interested in such girls as Georgia Timberlake； Irma Ottley； a rosy； aggressive maiden who essayed comic roles； and Stephanie Platow。 These； with another girl； Ethel Tuckerman； very emotional and romantic； who could dance charmingly and sing； made up a group of friends which became very close。 Presently intimacies sprang up； only in this realm； instead of ending in marriage； they merely resulted in sex liberty。 Thus Ethel Tuckerman became the mistress of Lane Cross； an illicit attachment grew up between Irma Ottley and a young society idler by the name of Bliss Bridge； and Gardner Knowles； ardently admiring Stephanie Platow literally seized upon her one afternoon in her own home； when he went ostensibly to interview her； and overpersuaded her。 She was only reasonably fond of him； not in love； but； being generous； nebulous； passionate； emotional； inexperienced； voiceless； and vainly curious； without any sense of the meums and teums that govern society in such matters； she allowed this rather brutal thing to happen。 She was not a cowardwas too nebulous and yet forceful to be such。 Her parents never knew。 And once so launched； another worldthat of sex satisfactionbegan to dawn on her。
Were these young people evil？ Let the social philosopher answer。 One thing is certain： They did not establish homes and raise children。 On the contrary； they led a gay； butterfly existence for nearly two years； then came a gift in the lute。 Quarrels developed over parts； respective degrees of ability； and leadership。 Ethel Tuckerman fell out with Lane Cross； because she discovered him making love to Irma Ottley。 Irma and Bliss Bridge released each other； the latter transferring his affections to Georgia Timberlake。 Stephanie Platow； by far the most individual of them all； developed a strange inconsequence as to her deeds。 It was when she was drawing near the age of twenty that the affair with Gardner Knowles began。 After a time Lane Cross； with his somewhat earnest attempt at artistic interpretation and his superiority in the matter of yearshe was forty； and young Knowles only twenty…four seemed more interesting to Stephanie； and he was quick to respond。 There followed an idle； passionate union with this man； which seemed important； but was not so at all。 And then it was that Stephanie began dimly to perceive that it was on and on that the blessings lie； that somewhere there might be some man much more remarkable than either of these； but this was only a dream。 She thought of Cowperwood at times； but he seemed to her to be too wrapped up in grim tremendous things； far apart from this romantic world of amateur dramatics in which she was involved。
Chapter XXV
Airs from the Orient
Cowperwood gained his first real impression of Stephanie at the Garrick Players； where he went with Aileen once to witness a performance of 〃Elektra。〃 He liked Stephanie particularly in this part； and thought her beautiful。 One evening not long afterward he noticed her in his own home looking at his jades； particularly a row of bracelets and ear…rings。 He liked the rhythmic outline of her body； which reminded him of a letter S in motion。 Quite suddenly it came over him that she was a remarkable girlvery destined； perhaps； to some significant future。 At the same time Stephanie was thinking of him。
〃Do you find them interesting？〃 he asked； stopping beside her。
〃I think they're wonderful。 Those dark…greens； and that pale； fatty white！ I can see how beautiful they would be in a Chinese setting。 I have always wished we could find a Chinese or Japanese play to produce sometime。〃
〃Yes； with your black hair those ear…rings would look well；〃 said Cowperwood。
He had never deigned to comment on a feature of hers before。 She turned her dark； brown…black eyes on himvelvety eyes with a kind of black glow in themand now he noticed how truly fine they were； and how nice were her handsbrown almost as a Malay's。
He said nothing more； but the next day an unlabeled box was delivered to Stephanie at her home containing a pair of jade ear…rings； a bracelet； and a brooch with Chinese characters intagliated。 Stephanie was beside herself with delight。 She gathered them up in her hands and kissed them； fastening the ear…rings in her ears and adjusting the bracelet and ring。 Despite her experience with her friends and relatives； her stage associates； and her paramours； she was still a little unschooled in the world。 Her heart was essentially poetic and innocent。 No one had ever given her much of anythingnot even her parents。 Her allowance thus far in life had been a pitiful six dollars a week outside of her clothing。 As she surveyed these pretty things in the privacy of her room she wondered oddly whether Cowperwood was growing to like her。 Would such a strong； hard business man be interested in her？ She had heard her father say he was becoming very rich。 Was she a great actress； as some said she was； and would strong； able types of men like Cowperwood take to hereventually？ She had heard of Rachel； of Nell Gwynne； of the divine Sarah and her loves。 She took the precious gifts and locked them in a black…iron box which was sacred to her trinkets and her secrets。
The mere acceptance of these things in silence was sufficient indication to Cowperwood that she was of a friendly turn of mind。 He waited patiently until one day a letter came to his officenot his houseaddressed； 〃Frank Algernon Cowperwood； Personal。〃 It was written in a small； neat； careful hand； almost printed。
I don't know how to thank you for your wonderful present。 I didn't mean you should give them to me； and I know you sent them。 I shall keep them with pleasure and wear them with delight。 It was so nice of you to do this。
STEPHANIE PLATOW。
Cowperwood studied the handwriting； the paper； the phraseology。 For a girl of only a little over twenty this was wise and reserved and tactful。 She might have written to him at his residence。 He
