the titan-第112章

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〃It　is　a　problem；　isn't　it？〃　observed　Cowperwood；　calmly。　　〃Are　you　sure　she's　in　love？〃

〃Oh；　I　wouldn't　say　that；　but　such　things　so　easily　turn　into　love。　I　have　never　believed　that　Berenice　could　be　swept　off　her　feet　by　any　oneshe　is　so　thoughtfulbut　she　knows　she　has　her　own　way　to　make　in　the　world；　and　Mr。　Braxmar　is　certainly　eligible。　　I　know　his　cousins；　the　Clifford　Porters；　very　well。〃

Cowperwood　knitted　his　brows。　　He　was　sick　to　his　soul　with　this　worry　over　Berenice。　　He　felt　that　he　must　have　her；　even　at　the　cost　of　inflicting　upon　her　a　serious　social　injury。　　Better　that　she　should　surmount　it　with　him　than　escape　it　with　another。　　It　so　happened；　however；　that　the　final　grim　necessity　of　acting　on　any　such　idea　was　spared　him。

Imagine　a　dining…room　in　one　of　the　principal　hotels　of　New　York；　the　hour　midnight；　after　an　evening　at　the　opera；　to　which　Cowperwood；　as　host；　had　invited　Berenice；　Lieutenant　Braxmar；　and　Mrs。　Carter。　He　was　now　playing　the　role　of　disinterested　host　and　avuncular　mentor。

His　attitude　toward　Berenice；　meditating；　as　he　was；　a　course　which　should　be　destructive　to　Braxmar；　was　gentle；　courteous；　serenely　thoughtful。　　Like　a　true　Mephistopheles　he　was　waiting；　surveying　Mrs。　Carter　and　Berenice；　who　were　seated　in　front　chairs　clad　in　such　exotic　draperies　as　opera…goers　affectMrs。　Carter　in　pale…lemon　silk　and　diamonds；　Berenice　in　purple　and　old…rose；　with　a　jeweled　comb　in　her　hair。　　The　Lieutenant　in　his　dazzling　uniform　smiled　and　talked　blandly；　complimented　the　singers；　whispered　pleasant　nothings　to　Berenice；　descanted　at　odd　moments　to　Cowperwood　on　naval　personages　who　happened　to　be　present。　Coming　out　of　the　opera　and　driving　through　blowy；　windy　streets　to　the　Waldorf；　they　took　the　table　reserved　for　them；　and　Cowperwood；　after　consulting　with　regard　to　the　dishes　and　ordering　the　wine；　went　back　reminiscently　to　the　music；　which　had　been　〃La　Boheme。〃　The　death　of　Mimi　and　the　grief　of　Rodolph；　as　voiced　by　the　splendid　melodies　of　Puccini；　interested　him。

〃That　makeshift　studio　world　may　have　no　connection　with　the　genuine　professional　artist；　but　it's　very　representative　of　life；〃　he　remarked。

〃I　don't　know；　I'm　sure；〃　said　Braxmar；　seriously。

〃All　I　know　of　Bohemia　is　what　I　have　read　in　booksTrilby；　for　instance；　and〃　He　could　think　of　no　other；　and　stopped。　　〃I　suppose　it　is　that　way　in　Paris。〃

He　looked　at　Berenice　for　confirmation　and　to　win　a　smile。　　Owing　to　her　mobile　and　sympathetic　disposition；　she　had　during　the　opera　been　swept　from　period　to　period　by　surges　of　beauty　too　gay　or　pathetic　for　words；　but　clearly　comprehended　of　the　spirit。　　Once　when　she　had　been　lost　in　dreamy　contemplation；　her　hands　folded　on　her　knees；　her　eyes　fixed　on　the　stage；　both　Braxmar　and　Cowperwood　had　studied　her　parted　lips　and　fine　profile　with　common　impulses　of　emotion　and　enthusiasm。　　Realizing　after　the　mood　was　gone　that　they　had　been　watching　her；　Berenice　had　continued　the　pose　for　a　moment；　then　had　waked　as　from　a　dream　with　a　sigh。　　This　incident　now　came　back　to　her　as　well　as　her　feeling　in　regard　to　the　opera　generally。

〃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　addresse