the titan-第40章

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ses。　　To　have　her　past　thrown　up　to　her　as　a　defense　for　the　others！　To　be　told　that　she　was　no　better　than　they！　This　was　the　last　straw。　　She　choked　and　sobbed　as　she　walked；　vowing　never　to　return；　never　to　see　him　any　more。　　But　as　she　did　so　Cowperwood　came　running　after；　determined　for　once；　as　lawless　as　he　was；　that　this　should　not　be　the　end　of　it　all。　　She　had　loved　him；　he　reflected。　　She　had　laid　every　gift　of　passion　and　affection　on　the　altar　of　her　love。　　It　wasn't　fair；　really。　　She　must　be　made　to　stay。　　He　caught　up　at　last；　reaching　her　under　the　dark　of　the　November　trees。

〃Aileen；〃　he　said；　laying　hold　of　her　and　putting　his　arms　around　her　waist。　　〃Aileen；　dearest；　this　is　plain　madness。　　It　is　insanity。　You're　not　in　your　right　mind。　　Don't　go！　Don't　leave　me！　I　love　you！　Don't　you　know　I　do？　Can't　you　really　see　that？　Don't　run　away　like　this；　and　don't　cry。　　I　do　love　you；　and　you　know　it。　　I　always　shall。　　Come　back　now。　　Kiss　me。　　I'll　do　better。　　Really　I　will。　　Give　me　another　chance。　　Wait　and　see。　　Come　nowwon't　you？　That's　my　girl；　my　Aileen。　　Do　come。　　Please！〃

She　pulled　on；　but　he　held　her；　smoothing　her　arms；　her　neck；　her　face。

〃Aileen！〃　he　entreated。

She　tugged　so　that　he　was　finally　compelled　to　work　her　about　into　his　arms；　then；　sobbing；　she　stood　there　agonized　but　happy　once　more；　in　a　way。

〃But　I　don't　want　to；〃　she　protested。　　〃You　don't　love　me　any　more。　Let　me　go。〃

But　he　kept　hold　of　her；　urging；　and　finally　she　said；　her　head　upon　his　shoulder　as　of　old；　〃Don't　make　me　come　back　to…night。　　I　don't　want　to。　　I　can't。　　Let　me　go　down…town。　　I'll　come　back　later；　maybe。〃

〃Then　I'll　go　with　you；〃　he　said；　endearingly。　　〃It　isn't　right。　　There　are　a　lot　of　things　I　should　be　doing　to　stop　this　scandal；　but　I'll　go。〃

And　together　they　sought　a　street…car。




Chapter　XX



〃Man　and　Superman〃

It　is　a　sad　commentary　on　all　save　the　most　chemic　unionsthose　dark　red　flowers　of　romance　that　bloom　most　often　only　for　a　tragic　endthat　they　cannot　endure　the　storms　of　disaster　that　are　wont　to　overtake　them。　　A　woman　like　Rita　Sohlberg；　with　a　seemingly　urgent　feeling　for　Cowperwood；　was　yet　not　so　charmed　by　him　but　that　this　shock　to　her　pride　was　a　marked　sedative。　　The　crushing　weight　of　such　an　exposure　as　this；　the　Homeric　laughter　inherent；　if　not　indicated　in　the　faulty　planning；　the　failure　to　take　into　account　beforehand　all　the　possibilities　which　might　lead　to　such　a　disaster；　was　too　much　for　her　to　endure。　　She　was　stung　almost　to　desperation；　maddened；　at　the　thought　of　the　gay；　idle　way　in　which　she　had　walked　into　Mrs。　Cowperwood's　clutches　and　been　made　into　a　spectacle　and　a　laughing…stock　by　her。　　What　a　brute　she　waswhat　a　demon！　Her　own　physical　weakness　under　the　circumstances　was　no　grief　to　herrather　a　salve　to　her　superior　disposition；　but　just　the　same　she　had　been　badly　beaten；　her　beauty　turned　into　a　ragamuffin　show；　and　that　was　enough。　　This　evening；　in　the　Lake　Shore　Sanitarium；　where　she　had　been　taken；　she　had　but　one　thoughtto　get　away　when　it　should　all　be　over　and　rest　her　wearied　brain。　　She　did　not　want　to　see　Sohlberg　any　more；　she　did　not　want　to　see　Cowperwood　any　more。　　Already　Harold；　suspicious　and　determined　to　get　at　the　truth；　was　beginning　to　question　her　as　to　the　strangeness　of　Aileen's　attackher　probable　reason。　　When　Cowperwood　was　announced；　Sohlberg's　manner　modified　somewhat；　for　whatever　his　suspicions　were；　he　was　not　prepared　to　quarrel　with　this　singular　man　as　yet。

〃I　am　so　sorry　about　this　unfortunate　business；〃　said　Cowperwood；　coming　in　with　brisk　assurance。　　〃I　never　knew　my　wife　to　become　so　strangely　unbalanced　before。　　It　was　most　fortunate　that　I　arrived　when　I　did。　　I　certainly　owe　you　both　every　amend　that　can　be　made。　　I　sincerely　hope；　Mrs。　Sohlberg；　that　you　are　not　seriously　injured。　　If　there　is　anything　I　can　possibly　doanything　either　of　you　can　suggest〃he　looked　around　solicitously　at　Sohlberg〃I　shall　only　be　too　glad　to　do　it。　　How　would　it　do　for　you　to　take　Mrs。　Sohlberg　away　for　a　little　while　for　a　rest？　I　shall　so　gladly　pay　all　expenses　in　connection　with　her　recovery。〃

Sohlberg；　brooding　and　heavy；　remained　unresponsive；　smoldering；　Rita；　cheered　by　Cowperwood's　presence；　but　not　wholly　relieved　by　any　means；　was　questioning　and　disturbed。　　She　was　afraid　there　was　to　be　a　terrific　scene　between　them。　　She　declared　she　was　better　and　would　be　all　rightthat　she　did　not　need　to　go　away；　but　that　she　preferred　to　be　alone。

〃It's　very　strange；〃　said　Sohlberg；　sullenly；　after　a　little　while。　〃I　daunt　onderstand　it！　I　daunt　onderstand　it　at　all。　　Why　should　she　do　soach　a　thing？　Why　should　she　say　soach　things？　Here　we　have　been　the　best　of　friends　opp　to　now。　　Then　suddenly　she　attacks　my　wife　and　sais　all　these　strange　things。〃

〃But　I　have　assured　you；　my　dear　Mr。　Sohlberg；　that　my　wife　was　not　in　her　right　mind。　　She　has　been　subject　to　spells　of　this　kind　in　the　past；　though　never　to　anything　so　violent　as　this　to…night。　　Already　she　has　recovered　her　normal　state；　and　she　does　not　remember。　　But；　perhaps；　if　we　are　going　to　discuss　things　now　we　had　better　go　out　in　the　hall。　　Your　wife　will　need　all　the　rest　she　can　get。〃

Once　outside；　Cowperwood　continued　with　brilliant　assurance：　〃Now；　my　dear　Sohlberg；　what　is　it　I　can　say？　What　is　it　you　wish　me　to　do？　My　wife　has　made　a　lot　of　groundless　charges；　to　say　nothing　of　injuring　your　wife　most　seriously　and　shamefully。　　I　cannot　tell　you；　as　I　have　said；　how　sorry　I　am。　　I　assure　you　Mrs。　Cowperwood　is　suffering　from　a　gross　illusion。　　There　is　absolutely　nothing　to　do；　nothing　to　say；　so　far　as　I　can　see；　but　to　let　the　whole　matter　drop。　　Don't　you　agree　with　me？〃

Harold　was　twisting　mentally　in　the　coils　of　a　trying　situation。　His　own　position；　as　he　knew；　was　not　formidable。　　Rita　had　reproached　him　over　and　over　for　infidelity。　　He　began　to　swell　and　bluster　at　once。

〃That　is　all　very　well　for　you　to　say；　Mr。　Cowperwood；〃　he　commented；　defiantly；　〃but　how　about　me？　Where　do　I　come　in？　I　daunt　know　what　to　theenk　yet。　　It　ees　very　strange。　　Supposing　what　your　wife　sais　was　true？　Supposing　my　wife　has　been　going　around　weeth　some　one？　That　ees　what　I　want　to　find　out。　　Eef　she　has！　Eef　eet　is　what　I　theenk　it　ees　I　shallI　shallI　daunt　know　what　I　shall　do。　　I　am　a　very　violent　man。〃

Cowperwood　almost　smiled；　concerned　as　he　was　over　avoiding　publicity；　he　had　no　fear　of　Sohlberg　physically。

〃See　here；〃　he　exclaimed；　suddenly；　looking　sharply　at　the　musician　and　deciding　to　take　the　bull　by　the　horns；　〃you　are　in　quite　as　delicate　a　situation　as　I　am；　if　you　only　stop　to　think。　　This　affair；　if　it　gets　out；　will　involve　not　only　me　and　Mrs。　Cowperwood；　but　yourself　and　your　wife；　and　if　I　am　not　mistaken；　I　think　your　own　affairs　are　not　in　any　too　good　shape。　　You　cannot　blacken　your　wife　without　blackening　yourselfthat　is　inevitable。　　None　of　us　is　exactly　perfect。　　For　myself　I　shall　be　compelled　to　prove　insanity；　and　I　can　do　this　easily。　　If　there　is　anything　in　your　past　which　is　not　precisely　what　it　should　be　it　could　not　long　be　kept　a　secret。　　If　you　are　willing　to　let　the　matter　drop　I　will　make　handsome　provision　for　you　both；　if；　instead；　you　choose　to　make　trouble；　to　force　this　matter　into　the　daylight；　I　shall　leave　no　stone　unturned　to　protect　myself；　to　put　as　good　a　face　on　this　matter　as　I　can。〃

〃What！〃　exclaimed　Sohlberg。　　〃You　threaten　me？　You　try　to　frighten　me　after　your　wife　charges　that　you　have　been　running　around　weeth　my　wife？　You　talk　about　my　past！　I　like　that。　　Haw！　We　shall　see　about　dis！　What　is　it　you　knaw　about　me？〃

〃Well；　Mr。　Sohlberg；〃　rejoined　Cowperwood；　calmly；　〃I　know；　for　instance；　that　for　a　long　while　your　wife　has　not　loved　you；　that　you　have　been　living　on　her　as　any　pensioner　might；　that　you　have　been　running　around　with　as　many　as　six　or　seven　women　in　as　many　years　or　less。　　For　months　I　have　been　acting　as　your　wife's　financial　adviser；　and　in　that　time；　with　the　aid　of　detectives；　I　have　learned　of　Anna　Stelmak；　Jessie　Laska；　Bertha　Reese；　Georgia　Du　Coindo　I　need　to　say　any　more？　As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　have　a　number　of　your　letters　in　my　pos