the titan-第86章
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ue way to half the aristocracy of four or five of the surrounding states。 Now； although still a woman of brilliant parts； she was the keeper of a select house of assignation in this meager city of perhaps two hundred thousand population。 How had it happened？ How could it possibly have come about？ She had been in her day a reigning beauty。 She had been born to money and had married money。 Her first husband； John Alexander Fleming； who had inherited wealth； tastes； privileges； and vices from a long line of slave…holding； tobacco…growing Flemings； was a charming man of the Kentucky…Virginia society type。 He had been trained in the law with a view to entering the diplomatic service； but； being an idler by nature； had never done so。 Instead； horse…raising； horse…racing； philandering； dancing； hunting； and the like； had taken up his time。 When their wedding took place the Kentucky…Virginia society world considered it a great match。 There was wealth on both sides。 Then came much more of that idle social whirl which had produced the marriage。 Even philanderings of a very vital character were not barred； though deception； in some degree at least； would be necessary。 As a natural result there followed the appearance in the mountains of North Carolina during a charming autumn outing of a gay young spark by the name of Tucker Tanner； and the bestowal on him by the beautiful Nannie Flemingas she was then calledof her temporary affections。 Kind friends were quick to report what Fleming himself did not see； and Fleming； roue that he was； encountering young Mr。 Tanner on a high mountain road one evening； said to him； 〃You get out of this party by night； or I will let daylight through you in the morning。〃 Tucker Tanner； realizing that however senseless and unfair the exaggerated chivalry of the South might be； the end would be bullets just the same； departed。 Mrs。 Fleming； disturbed but unrepentant； considered herself greatly abused。 There was much scandal。 Then came quarrels； drinking on both sides； finally a divorce。 Mr。 Tucker Tanner did not appear to claim his damaged love； but the aforementioned Ira George Carter； a penniless never…do…well of the same generation and social standing； offered himself and was accepted。 By the first marriage there had been one child； a girl。 By the second there was another child； a boy。 Ira George Carter； before the children were old enough to impress Mrs。 Carter with the importance of their needs or her own affection for them； had squandered； in one ridiculous venture after another； the bulk of the property willed to her by her father； Major Wickham Hedden。 Ultimately； after drunkenness and dissipation on the husband's side； and finally his death； came the approach of poverty。 Mrs。 Carter was not practical； and still passionate and inclined to dissipation。 However； the aimless； fatuous going to pieces of Ira George Carter； the looming pathos of the future of the children； and a growing sense of affection and responsibility had finally sobered her。 The lure of love and life had not entirely disappeared； but her chance of sipping at those crystal founts had grown sadly slender。 A woman of thirty…eight and still possessing some beauty； she was not content to eat the husks provided for the unworthy。 Her gorge rose at the thought of that neglected state into which the pariahs of society fall and on which the inexperienced so cheerfully comment。 Neglected by her own set； shunned by the respectable； her fortune quite gone； she was nevertheless determined that she would not be a back…street seamstress or a pensioner upon the bounty of quondam friends。 By insensible degrees came first unhallowed relationships through friendship and passing passion； then a curious intermediate state between the high world of fashion and the half world of harlotry； until； finally； in Louisville； she had become； not openly； but actually； the mistress of a house of ill repute。 Men who knew how these things were done； and who were consulting their own convenience far more than her welfare； suggested the advisability of it。 Three or four friends like Colonel Gillis wished roomsconvenient place in which to loaf； gamble； and bring their women。 Hattie Starr was her name now； and as such she had even become known in a vague way to the policebut only vaguely as a woman whose home was suspiciously gay on occasions。
Cowperwood； with his appetite for the wonders of life； his appreciation of the dramas which produce either failure or success； could not help being interested in this spoiled woman who was sailing so vaguely the seas of chance。 Colonel Gillis once said that with some strong man to back her； Nannie Fleming could be put back into society。 She had a pleasant appealshe and her two children； of whom she never spoke。 After a few visits to her home Cowperwood spent hours talking with Mrs。 Carter whenever he was in Louisville。 On one occasion； as they were entering her boudoir； she picked up a photograph of her daughter from the dresser and dropped it into a drawer。 Cowperwood had never seen this picture before。 It was that of a girl of fifteen or sixteen； of whom he obtained but the most fleeting glance。 Yet； with that instinct for the essential and vital which invariably possessed him； he gained a keen impression of it。 It was of a delicately haggard child with a marvelously agreeable smile； a fine； high…poised head upon a thin neck； and an air of bored superiority。 Combined with this was a touch of weariness about the eyelids which drooped in a lofty way。 Cowperwood was fascinated。 Because of the daughter he professed an interest in the mother； which he really did not feel。
A little later Cowperwood was moved to definite action by the discovery in a photographer's window in Louisville of a second picture of Berenicea rather large affair which Mrs。 Carter had had enlarged from a print sent her by her daughter some time before。 Berenice was standing rather indifferently posed at the corner of a colonial mantel； a soft straw outing…hat held negligently in one hand； one hip sunk lower than the other； a faint； elusive smile playing dimly around her mouth。 The smile was really not a smile； but only the wraith of one； and the eyes were wide； disingenuous； mock…simple。 The picture because of its simplicity； appealed to him。 He did not know that Mrs。 Carter had never sanctioned its display。 〃A personage；〃 was Cowperwood's comment to himself； and he walked into the photographer's office to see what could be done about its removal and the destruction of the plates。 A half…hundred dollars； he found； would arrange it allplates； prints； everything。 Since by this ruse he secured a picture for himself； he promptly had it framed and hung in his Chicago rooms； where sometimes of an afternoon when he was hurrying to change his clothes he stopped to look at it。 With each succeeding examination his admiration and curiosity grew。 Here was perhaps； he thought； the true society woman； the high…born lady； the realization of that ideal which Mrs。 Merrill and many another grande dame had suggested。
It was not so long after this again that； chancing to be in Louisville； he discovered Mrs。 Carter in a very troubled social condition。 Her affairs had received a severe setback。 A certain Major Hagenback； a citizen of considerable prominence； had died in her home under peculiar circumstances。 He was a man of wealth； married； and nominally living with his wife in Lexington。 As a matter of fact； he spent very little time there； and at the time of his death of heart failure was leading a pleasurable existence with a Miss Trent； an actress； whom he had introduced to Mrs。 Carter as his friend。 The police； through a talkative deputy coroner； were made aware of all the facts。 Pictures of Miss Trent； Mrs。 Carter； Major Hagenback； his wife； and many curious details concerning Mrs。 Carter's home were about to appear in the papers when Colonel Gillis and others who were powerful socially and politically interfered； the affair was hushed up； but Mrs。 Carter was in distress。 This was more than she had bargained for。
Her quondam friends were frightened away for the nonce。 She herself had lost courage。 When Cowperwood saw her she
