the titan-第38章

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Great　was　her　provocation；　great　her　love。　　He　knew　her　disposition　well　enough　to　have　anticipated　something　of　this　sort。　　Yet　the　wretchedness；　shame；　scandal　of　the　terrible　affair　upset　his　customary　equilibrium。　　To　think　any　one　should　give　way　to　such　a　storm　as　this！　To　think　that　Aileen　should　do　it！　To　think　that　Rita　should　have　been　so　mistreated！　It　was　not　at　all　unlikely　that　she　was　seriously　injured；　marred　for　life　possibly　even　killed。　　The　horror　of　that！　The　ensuing　storm　of　public　rage！　A　trial！　His　whole　career　gone　up　in　one　terrific　explosion　of　woe；　anger；　death！　Great　God！

He　called　the　butler　to　him　by　a　nod　of　his　head；　when　the　latter；　who　had　gone　out　with　Rita；　hurried　back。

〃How　is　she？〃　he　asked；　desperately。　　〃Seriously　hurt？〃

〃No；　sir；　I　think　not。　　I　believe　she's　just　fainted。　　She'll　be　all　right　in　a　little　while；　sir。　　Can　I　be　of　any　service；　sir？〃

Ordinarily　Cowperwood　would　have　smiled　at　such　a　scene。　　Now　he　was　cold；　sober。

〃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