the titan-第127章

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crying。　　〃I　can't　stand　it！　I　can't！　I　can't！　I　can't！　I　shall　die。〃

〃Don't　give　way　like　that；　Aileen；〃　he　pleaded。　　〃It　doesn't　do　any　good。　　I　can't　lie　to　myself。　　I　don't　want　to　lie　to　you。　　Life　is　too　short。　　Facts　are　facts。　　If　I　could　say　and　believe　that　I　loved　you　I　would　say　so　now；　but　I　can't。　　I　don't　love　you。　　Why　should　I　say　that　I　do？〃

In　the　content　of　Aileen's　nature　was　a　portion　that　was　purely　histrionic；　a　portion　that　was　childishpetted　and　spoileda　portion　that　was　sheer　unreason；　and　a　portion　that　was　splendid　emotiondeep；　dark；　involved。　　At　this　statement　of　Cowperwood's　which　seemed　to　throw　her　back　on　herself　for　ever　and　ever　to　be　alone；　she　first　pleaded　willingness　to　compromiseto　share。　　She　had　not　fought　Stephanie　Platow；　she　had　not　fought　Florence　Cochrane；　nor　Cecily　Haguenin；　nor　Mrs。　Hand；　nor；　indeed；　anybody　after　Rita；　and　she　would　fight　no　more。　　She　had　not　spied　on　him　in　connection　with　Bereniceshe　had　accidentally　met　them。　　True；　she　had　gone　with　other　men；　but？　Berenice　was　beautiful；　she　admitted　it；　but　so　was　she　in　her　way　stilla　little；　still。　Couldn't　he　find　a　place　for　her　yet　in　his　life？　Wasn't　there　room　for　both？

At　this　expression　of　humiliation　and　defeat　Cowperwood　was　sad；　sick；　almost　nauseated。　　How　could　one　argue？　How　make　her　understand？

〃I　wish　it　were　possible；　Aileen；〃　he　concluded；　finally　and　heavily；　〃but　it　isn't。〃

All　at　once　she　arose；　her　eyes　red　but　dry。

〃You　don't　love　me；　then；　at　all；　do　you？　Not　a　bit？〃

〃No；　Aileen；　I　don't。　　I　don't　mean　by　that　that　I　dislike　you。　　I　don't　mean　to　say　that　you　aren't　interesting　in　your　way　as　a　woman　and　that　I　don't　sympathize　with　you。　　I　do。　　But　I　don't　love　you　any　more。　　I　can't。　　The　thing　I　used　to　feel　I　can't　feel　any　more。〃

She　paused　for　a　moment；　uncertain　how　to　take　this；　the　while　she　whitened；　grew　more　tense；　more　spiritual　than　she　had　been　in　many　a　day。　　Now　she　felt　desperate；　angry；　sick；　but　like　the　scorpion　that　ringed　by　fire　can　turn　only　on　itself。　　What　a　hell　life　was；　she　told　herself。　　How　it　slipped　away　and　left　one　aging；　horribly　alone！　Love　was　nothing；　faith　nothingnothing；　nothing！

A　fine　light　of　conviction；　intensity；　intention　lit　her　eye　for　the　moment。　　〃Very　well；　then；〃　she　said；　coolly；　tensely。　　〃I　know　what　I'll　do。　　I'll　not　live　this　way。　　I'll　not　live　beyond　to…night。　　I　want　to　die；　anyhow；　and　I　will。〃

It　was　by　no　means　a　cry；　this　last；　but　a　calm　statement。　　It　should　prove　her　love。　　To　Cowperwood　it　seemed　unreal；　bravado；　a　momentary　rage　intended　to　frighten　him。　　She　turned　and　walked　up　the　grand　staircase；　which　was　neara　splendid　piece　of　marble　and　bronze　fifteen　feet　wide；　with　marble　nereids　for　newel…posts；　and　dancing　figures　worked　into　the　stone。　　She　went　into　her　room　quite　calmly　and　took　up　a　steel　paper…cutter　of　dagger　designa　knife　with　a　handle　of　bronze　and　a　point　of　great　sharpness。　Coming　out　and　going　along　the　balcony　over　the　court　of　orchids；　where　Cowperwood　still　was　seated；　she　entered　the　sunrise　room　with　its　pool　of　water；　its　birds；　its　benches；　its　vines。　　Locking　the　door；　she　sat　down　and　then；　suddenly　baring　an　arm；　jabbed　a　veinripped　it　for　inchesand　sat　there　to　bleed。　　Now　she　would　see　whether　she　could　die；　whether　he　would　let　her。

Uncertain；　astonished；　not　able　to　believe　that　she　could　be　so　rash；　not　believing　that　her　feeling　could　be　so　great；　Cowperwood　still　remained　where　she　had　left　him　wondering。　　He　had　not　been　so　greatly　movedthe　tantrums　of　women　were　commonand　yet　Could　she　really　be　contemplating　death？　How　could　she？　How　ridiculous！　Life　was　so　strange；　so　mad。　　But　this　was　Aileen　who　had　just　made　this　threat；　and　she　had　gone　up　the　stairs　to　carry　it　out；　perhaps。　　Impossible！　How　could　it　be？　Yet　back　of　all　his　doubts　there　was　a　kind　of　sickening　feeling；　a　dread。　　He　recalled　how　she　had　assaulted　Rita　Sohlberg。

He　hurried　up　the　steps　now　and　into　her　room。　　She　was　not　there。　He　went　quickly　along　the　balcony；　looking　here　and　there；　until　he　came　to　the　sunrise　room。　　She　must　be　there；　for　the　door　was　shut。　　He　tried　itit　was　locked。

〃Aileen；〃　he　called。　　〃Aileen！　Are　you　in　there？〃　No　answer。　　He　listened。　　Still　no　answer。　　〃Aileen！〃　he　repeated。　　〃Are　you　in　there？　What　damned　nonsense　is　this；　anyhow？〃

〃George！〃　he　thought　to　himself；　stepping　back；　〃she　might　do　it；　tooperhaps　she　has。〃　He　could　not　hear　anything　save　the　odd　chattering　of　a　toucan　aroused　by　the　light　she　had　switched　on。　　Perspiration　stood　out　on　his　brow。　　He　shook　the　knob；　pushed　a　bell　for　a　servant；　called　for　keys　which　had　been　made　for　every　door；　called　for　a　chisel　and　hammer。

〃Aileen；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　don't　open　the　door　this　instant　I　will　see　that　it　is　opened。　　It　can　be　opened　quick　enough。〃

Still　no　sound。

〃Damn　it！〃　he　exclaimed；　becoming　wretched；　horrified。　　A　servant　brought　the　keys。　　The　right　one　would　not　enter。　　A　second　was　on　the　other　side。　　〃There　is　a　bigger　hammer　somewhere；〃　Cowperwood　said。　　〃Get　it！　Get　me　a　chair！〃　Meantime；　with　terrific　energy；　using　a　large　chisel；　he　forced　the　door。

There　on　one　of　the　stone　benches　of　the　lovely　room　sat　Aileen；　the　level　pool　of　water　before　her；　the　sunrise　glow　over　every　thing；　tropic　birds　in　their　branches；　and　she；　her　hair　disheveled；　her　face　pale；　one　armher　lefthanging　down；　ripped　and　bleeding；　trickling　a　thick　stream　of　rich；　red　blood。　　On　the　floor　was　a　pool　of　blood；　fierce；　scarlet；　like　some　rich　cloth；　already　turning　darker　in　places。

Cowperwood　pausedamazed。　　He　hurried　forward；　seized　her　arm；　made　a　bandage　of　a　torn　handkerchief　above　the　wound；　sent　for　a　surgeon；　saying　the　while：　〃How　could　you；　Aileen？　How　impossible！　To　try　to　take　your　life！　This　isn't　love。　　It　isn't　even　madness。　It's　foolish　acting。〃

〃Don't　you　really　care？〃　she　asked。

〃How　can　you　ask？　How　could　you　really　do　this？〃

He　was　angry；　hurt；　glad　that　she　was　alive；　shamedmany　things。

〃Don't　you　really　care？〃　she　repeated；　wearily。

〃Aileen；　this　is　nonsense。　　I　will　not　talk　to　you　about　it　now。　　Have　you　cut　yourself　anywhere　else？〃　he　asked；　feeling　about　her　bosom　and　sides。

〃Then　why　not　let　me　die？〃　she　replied；　in　the　same　manner。　　〃I　will　some　day。　　I　want　to。〃

〃Well；　you　may；　some　day；〃　he　replied；　〃but　not　to…night。　　I　scarcely　think　you　want　to　now。　　This　is　too　much；　Aileenreally　impossible。〃

He　drew　himself　up　and　looked　at　hercool；　unbelieving；　the　light　of　control；　even　of　victory；　in　his　eyes。　　As　he　had　suspected；　it　was　not　truly　real。　　She　would　not　have　killed　herself。　　She　had　expected　him　to　cometo　make　the　old　effort。　　Very　good。　　He　would　see　her　safely　in　bed　and　in　a　nurse's　hands；　and　would　then　avoid　her　as　much　as　possible　in　the　future。　　If　her　intention　was　genuine　she　would　carry　it　out　in　his　absence；　but　he　did　not　believe　she　would。




Chapter　LVIII



A　Marauder　Upon　the　Commonwealth

The　spring　and　summer　months　of　1897　and　the　late　fall　of　1898　witnessed　the　final　closing　battle　between　Frank　Algernon　Cowperwood　and　the　forces　inimical　to　him　in　so　far　as　the　city　of　Chicago；　the　state　of　Illinois；　and　indeed　the　United　States　of　America；　were　concerned。　　When　in　1896　a　new　governor　and　a　new　group　of　state　representatives　were　installed　Cowperwood　decided　that　it　would　be　advisable　to　continue　the　struggle　at　once。　　By　the　time　this　new　legislature　should　convene　for　its　labors　a　year　would　have　passed　since　Governor　Swanson　had　vetoed　the　original　public…service…commission　bill。　　By　that　time　public　sentiment　as　aroused　by　the　newspapers　would　have　had　time　to　cool。　　Already　through　various　favorable　financial　interestsparticularly　Haeckelheimer；　Gotloeb　&　Co。　and　all　the　subsurface　forces　they　representedhe　had　attempted　to　influence　the　incoming　governor；　and　had　in　part　succeeded。

The　new　governor　in　this　instanceone　Corporal　A。　E。　Archeror　ex…Congressman　Archer；　as　he　was　sometimes　calledwas；　unlike　Swanson；　a　curious　mixture　of　the　commonplace　and　the　idealone　of　those　shiftily　loyal　and　loyally　shifty　who　make　their　upward　way　by　devious；　if　not　too　reprehensible　methods。　　He　was