the titan-第62章
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！
She looked at her chin； and then went back to her bookrather sulkily； he thought。
〃Now； Aileen； what's the trouble？〃 he inquired。 〃Aren't you glad to have me up here？ I know you have had a pretty rough road of it of late； but aren't you willing to let bygones be bygones and trust to the future a little？〃
〃The future！ The future！ Don't talk to me about the future。 It's little enough it holds in store for me；〃 she replied。
Cowperwood saw that she was verging on an emotional storm； but he trusted to his powers of persuasion； and her basic affection for him； to soothe and quell her。
〃I wish you wouldn't act this way； pet；〃 he went on。 〃You know I have always cared for you。 You know I always shall。 I'll admit that there are a lot of little things which interfere with my being at home as much as I would like at present； but that doesn't alter the fact that my feeling is the same。 I should think you could see that。〃
〃Feeling！ Feeling！〃 taunted Aileen； suddenly。 〃Yes； I know how much feeling you have。 You have feeling enough to give other women sets of jade and jewels； and to run around with every silly little snip you meet。 You needn't come home here at ten o'clock； when you can't go anywhere else； and talk about feeling for me。 I know how much feeling you have。 Pshaw！〃
She flung herself irritably back in her chair and opened her book。 Cowperwood gazed at her solemnly； for this thrust in regard to Stephanie was a revelation。 This woman business could grow peculiarly exasperating at times。
〃What do you mean； anyhow？〃 he observed； cautiously and with much seeming candor。 〃I haven't given any jade or jewels to any one； nor have I been running around with any 'little snips；' as you call them。 I don't know what you are talking about； Aileen。〃
〃Oh； Frank；〃 commented Aileen； wearily and incredulously； 〃you lie so！ Why do you stand there and lie？ I'm so tired of it； I'm so sick of it all。 How should the servants know of so many things to talk of here if they weren't true？ I didn't invite Mrs。 Platow to come and ask me why you had given her daughter a set of jade。 I know why you lie； you want to hush me up and keep quiet。 You're afraid I'll go to Mr。 Haguenin or Mr。 Cochrane or Mr。 Platow； or to all three。 Well； you can rest your soul on that score。 I won't。 I'm sick of you and your lies。 Stephanie Platowthe thin stick！ Cecily Hagueninthe little piece of gum！ And Florence Cochraneshe looks like a dead fish！〃 （Aileen had a genius for characterization at times。） 〃If it just weren't for the way I acted toward my family in Philadelphia； and the talk it would create； and the injury it would do you financially； I'd act to…morrow。 I'd leave youthat's what I'd do。 And to think that I should ever have believed that you really loved me； or could care for any woman permanently。 Bosh！ But I don't care。 Go on！ Only I'll tell you one thing。 You needn't think I'm going to go on enduring all this as I have in the past。 I'm not。 You're not going to deceive me always。 I'm not going to stand it。 I'm not so old yet。 There are plenty of men who will be glad to pay me attention if you won't。 I told you once that I wouldn't be faithful to you if you weren't to me； and I won't be。 I'll show you。 I'll go with other men。 I will！ I will！ I swear it。〃
〃Aileen；〃 he asked； softly； pleadingly； realizing the futility of additional lies under such circumstances； 〃won't you forgive me this time？ Bear with me for the present。 I scarcely understand myself at times。 I am not like other men。 You and I have run together a long time now。 Why not wait awhile？ Give me a chance！ See if I do not change。 I may。〃
〃Oh yes； wait！ Change。 You may change。 Haven't I waited？ Haven't I walked the floor night after night！ when you haven't been here？ Bear with youyes； yes！ Who's to bear with me when my heart is breaking？ Oh； God！〃 she suddenly added； with passionate vigor； 〃I'm miserable！ I'm miserable！ My heart aches！ It aches！〃
She clutched her breast and swung from the room； moving with that vigorous stride that had once appealed to him so； and still did。 Alas； alas！ it touched him now； but only as a part of a very shifty and cruel world。 He hurried out of the room after her； and （as at the time of the Rita Sohlberg incident） slipped his arm about her waist； but she pulled away irritably。 〃No； no！〃 she exclaimed。 〃Let me alone。 I'm tired of that。〃
〃You're really not fair to me； Aileen；〃 with a great show of feeling and sincerity。 〃You're letting one affair that came between us blind your whole point of view。 I give you my word I haven't been unfaithful to you with Stephanie Platow or any other woman。 I may have flirted with them a little； but that is really nothing。 Why not be sensible？ I'm not as black as you paint me。 I'm moving in big matters that are as much for your concern and future as for mine。 Be sensible； be liberal。〃
There was much argumentthe usual charges and counterchargesbut； finally； because of her weariness of heart； his petting； the unsolvability of it all； she permitted him for the time being to persuade her that there were still some crumbs of affection left。 She was soul…sick； heartsick。 Even he； as he attempted to soothe her； realized clearly that to establish the reality of his love in her belief he would have to make some much greater effort to entertain and comfort her； and that this； in his present mood； and with his leaning toward promiscuity； was practically impossible。 For the time being a peace might be patched up； but in view of what she expected of himher passion and selfish individuality it could not be。 He would have to go on； and she would have to leave him； if needs be； but he could not cease or go back。 He was too passionate； too radiant； too individual and complex to belong to any one single individual alone。
Chapter XXX
Obstacles
The impediments that can arise to baffle a great and swelling career are strange and various。 In some instances all the cross…waves of life must be cut by the strong swimmer。 With other personalities there is a chance； or force； that happily allies itself with them； or they quite unconsciously ally themselves with it； and find that there is a tide that bears them on。 Divine will？ Not necessarily。 There is no understanding of it。 Guardian spirits？ There are many who so believe； to their utter undoing。 （Witness Macbeth）。 An unconscious drift in the direction of right； virtue； duty？ These are banners of mortal manufacture。 Nothing is proved； all is permitted。
Not long after Cowperwood's accession to control on the West Side； for instance； a contest took place between his corporation and a citizen by the name of Redmond Purdyreal…estate investor； property…trader； and money…lenderwhich set Chicago by the ears。 The La Salle and Washington Street tunnels were now in active service； but because of the great north and south area of the West Side； necessitating the cabling of Van Buren Street and Blue Island Avenue； there was need of a third tunnel somewhere south of Washington Street； preferably at Van Buren Street； because the business heart was thus more directly reached。 Cowperwood was willing and anxious to build this tunnel； though he was puzzled how to secure from the city a right of way under Van Buren Street； where a bridge loaded with heavy traffic now swung。 There were all sorts of complications。 In the first place； the consent of the War Department at Washington had to be secured in order to tunnel under the river at all。 Secondly； the excavation； if directly under the bridge； might prove an intolerable nuisance； necessitating the closing or removal of the bridge。 Owing to the critical； not to say hostile； attitude of the newspapers which； since the La Salle and Washington tunnel grants； were following his every move with a searchlight； Cowperwood decided not to petition the city for privileges in this case； but instead to buy the property rights of sufficient land just north of the bridge； where the digging of the tunnel could proceed without interference。
The piece of land most suitable for this purpose； a lot 150 x 150； lying a little way from the river…bank； and occupied by a seven…story loft…buildin
