the titan-第87章

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Her　quondam　friends　were　frightened　away　for　the　nonce。　　She　herself　had　lost　courage。　　When　Cowperwood　saw　her　she　had　been　in　the　very　human　act　of　crying；　and　her　eyes　were　red。

〃Well；　well；〃　he　commented；　on　seeing　hershe　was　in　moody　gray　in　the　bargain〃you　don't　mean　to　tell　me　you're　worrying　about　anything；　are　you？〃

〃Oh；　Mr。　Cowperwood；〃　she　explained；　pathetically；　〃I　have　had　so　much　trouble　since　I　saw　you。　　You　heard　of　Major　Hagenback's　death；　didn't　you？〃　Cowperwood；　who　had　heard　something　of　the　story　from　Colonel　Gillis；　nodded。　　〃Well；　I　have　just　been　notified　by　the　police　that　I　will　have　to　move；　and　the　landlord　has　given　me　notice；　too。　　If　it　just　weren't　for　my　two　children〃

She　dabbed　at　her　eyes　pathetically。

Cowperwood　meditated　interestedly。

〃Haven't　you　any　place　you　can　go？〃　he　asked。

〃I　have　a　summer　place　in　Pennsylvania；〃　she　confessed；　〃but　I　can't　go　there　very　well　in　February。　　Besides；　it's　my　living　I'm　worrying　about。　　I　have　only　this　to　depend　on。〃

She　waved　her　hand　inclusively　toward　the　various　rooms。　　〃Don't　you　own　that　place　in　Pennsylvania？〃　he　inquired。

〃Yes；　but　it　isn't　worth　much；　and　I　couldn't　sell　it。　　I've　been　trying　to　do　that　anyhow　for　some　time；　because　Berenice　is　getting　tired　of　it。〃

〃And　haven't　you　any　money　laid　away？〃

〃It's　taken　all　I　have　to　run　this　place　and　keep　the　children　in　school。　　I've　been　trying　to　give　Berenice　and　Rolfe　a　chance　to　do　something　for　themselves。〃

At　the　repetition　of　Berenice's　name　Cowperwood　consulted　his　own　interest　or　mood　in　the　matter。　　A　little　assistance　for　her　would　not　bother　him　much。　　Besides；　it　would　probably　eventually　bring　about　a　meeting　with　the　daughter。

〃Why　don't　you　clear　out　of　this？〃　he　observed；　finally。　　〃It's　no　business　to　be　in；　anyhow；　if　you　have　any　regard　for　your　children。　　They　can't　survive　anything　like　this。　　You　want　to　put　your　daughter　back　in　society；　don't　you？〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　almost　pleaded　Mrs。　Carter。

〃Precisely；〃　commented　Cowperwood；　who；　when　he　was　thinking；　almost　invariably　dropped　into　a　short；　cold；　curt；　business　manner。　Yet　he　was　humanely　inclined　in　this　instance。

〃Well；　then；　why　not　live　in　your　Pennsylvania　place　for　the　present；　or；　if　not　that；　go　to　New　York？　You　can't　stay　here。　　Ship　or　sell　these　things。〃　He　waved　a　hand　toward　the　rooms。

〃I　would　only　too　gladly；〃　replied　Mrs。　Carter；　〃if　I　knew　what　to　do。〃

〃Take　my　advice　and　go　to　New　York　for　the　present。　　You　will　get　rid　of　your　expenses　here；　and　I　will　help　you　with　the　restfor　the　present；　anyhow。　　You　can　get　a　start　again。　　It　is　too　bad　about　these　children　of　yours。　　I　will　take　care　of　the　boy　as　soon　as　he　is　old　enough。　　As　for　Berenice〃he　used　her　name　softly〃if　she　can　stay　in　her　school　until　she　is　nineteen　or　twenty　the　chances　are　that　she　will　make　social　connections　which　will　save　her　nicely。　　The　thing　for　you　to　do　is　to　avoid　meeting　any　of　this　old　crowd　out　here　in　the　future　if　you　can。　　It　might　be　advisable　to　take　her　abroad　for　a　time　after　she　leaves　school。〃

〃Yes；　if　I　just　could；〃　sighed　Mrs。　Carter；　rather　lamely。

〃Well；　do　what　I　suggest　now；　and　we　will　see；〃　observed　Cowperwood。　〃It　would　be　a　pity　if　your　two　children　were　to　have　their　lives　ruined　by　such　an　accident　as　this。〃

Mrs。　Carter；　realizing　that　here；　in　the　shape　of　Cowperwood；　if　he　chose　to　be　generous；　was　the　open　way　out　of　a　lowering　dungeon　of　misery；　was　inclined　to　give　vent　to　a　bit　of　grateful　emotion；　but；　finding　him　subtly　remote；　restrained　herself。　　His　manner；　while　warmly　generous　at　times；　was　also　easily　distant；　except　when　he　wished　it　to　be　otherwise。　　Just　now　he　was　thinking　of　the　high　soul　of　Berenice　Fleming　and　of　its　possible　value　to　him。




Chapter　XLI



The　Daughter　of　Mrs。　Fleming

Berenice　Fleming；　at　the　time　Cowperwood　first　encountered　her　mother；　was　an　inmate　of　the　Misses　Brewster's　School　for　Girls；　then　on　Riverside　Drive；　New　York；　and　one　of　the　most　exclusive　establishments　of　its　kind　in　America。　　The　social　prestige　and　connections　of　the　Heddens；　Flemings；　and　Carters　were　sufficient　to　gain　her　this　introduction；　though　the　social　fortunes　of　her　mother　were　already　at　this　time　on　the　down　grade。　　A　tall　girl；　delicately　haggard；　as　he　had　imagined　her；　with　reddish…bronze　hair　of　a　tinge　but　distantly　allied　to　that　of　Aileen's；　she　was　unlike　any　woman　Cowperwood　had　ever　known。　　Even　at　seventeen　she　stood　up　and　out　with　an　inexplicable　superiority　which　brought　her　the　feverish　and　exotic　attention　of　lesser　personalities　whose　emotional　animality　found　an　outlet　in　swinging　a　censer　at　her　shrine。

A　strange　maiden；　decidedly！　Even　at　this　age；　when　she　was；　as　one　might　suppose；　a　mere　slip　of　a　girl；　she　was　deeply　conscious　of　herself；　her　sex；　her　significance；　her　possible　social　import。　Armed　with　a　fair　skin；　a　few　freckles；　an　almost　too　high　color　at　times；　strange；　deep；　night…blue；　cat…like　eyes；　a　long　nose；　a　rather　pleasant　mouth；　perfect　teeth；　and　a　really　good　chin；　she　moved　always　with　a　feline　grace　that　was　careless；　superior；　sinuous；　and　yet　the　acme　of　harmony　and　a　rhythmic　flow　of　lines。　One　of　her　mess…hall　tricks；　when　unobserved　by　her　instructors；　was　to　walk　with　six　plates　and　a　water…pitcher　all　gracefully　poised　on　the　top　of　her　head　after　the　fashion　of　the　Asiatic　and　the　African；　her　hips　moving；　her　shoulders；　neck；　and　head　still。　Girls　begged　weeks　on　end　to　have　her　repeat　this　〃stunt；〃　as　they　called　it。　　Another　was　to　put　her　arms　behind　her　and　with　a　rush　imitate　the　Winged　Victory；　a　copy　of　which　graced　the　library　hall。

〃You　know；〃　one　little　rosy…cheeked　satellite　used　to　urge　on　her；　adoringly；　〃she　must　have　been　like　you。　　Her　head　must　have　been　like　yours。　　You　are　lovely　when　you　do　it。〃

For　answer　Berenice's　deep；　almost　black…blue　eyes　turned　on　her　admirer　with　solemn　unflattered　consideration。　　She　awed　always　by　the　something　that　she　did　not　say。

The　school；　for　all　the　noble　dames　who　presided　over　itsolemn；　inexperienced　owl…like　conventionalists　who　insisted　on　the　last　tittle　and　jot　of　order　and　procedurewas　a　joke　to　Berenice。　　She　recognized　the　value　of　its　social　import；　but　even　at　fifteen　and　sixteen　she　was　superior　to　it。　　She　was　superior　to　her　superiors　and　to　the　specimens　of　maidenhoodsupposed　to　be　perfect　sociallywho　gathered　about　to　hear　her　talk；　to　hear　her　sing；　declaim；　or　imitate。　　She　was　deeply；　dramatically；　urgently　conscious　of　the　value　of　her　personality　in　itself；　not　as　connected　with　any　inherited　social　standing；　but　of　its　innate　worth；　and　of　the　artistry　and　wonder　of　her　body。　　One　of　her　chief　delights　was　to　walk　alone　in　her　roomsometimes　at　night；　the　lamp　out；　the　moon　perhaps　faintly　illuminating　her　chamberand　to　pose　and　survey　her　body；　and　dance　in　some　naive；　graceful；　airy　Greek　way　a　dance　that　was　singularly　free　from　sex　consciousnessand　yet　was　it？　She　was　conscious　of　her　bodyof　every　inch　of　itunder　the　ivory…white　clothes　which　she　frequently　wore。　　Once　she　wrote　in　a　secret　diary　which　she　maintainedanother　art　impulse　or　an　affectation；　as　you　will：　〃My　skin　is　so　wonderful。　　It　tingles　so　with　rich　life。　　I　love　it　and　my　strong　muscles　underneath。　　I　love　my　hands　and　my　hair　and　my　eyes。　　My　hands　are　long　and　thin　and　delicate；　my　eyes　are　a　dark；　deep　blue；　my　hair　is　a　brown；　rusty　red；　thick　and　sleepy。　　My　long；　firm；　untired　limbs　can　dance　all　night。　　Oh；　I　love　life！　I　love　life！〃

You　would　not　have　called　Berenice　Fleming　sensuousthough　she　wasbecause　she　was　self…controlled。　　Her　eyes　lied　to　you。　　They　lied　to　all　the　world。　　They　looked　you　through　and　through　with　a　calm　savoir　faire；　a　mocking　defiance；　which　said　with　a　faint　curl　of　the　lips；　barely　suggested　to　help　them　out；　〃You　cannot　read　me；　you　cannot　read　me。〃　She　put　her　head　to　one　side；　smiled；　lied　（by　implication）；　assumed　that　there　was　nothing。　　And　there　was　nothing；　as　yet。　　Yet　there　was　something；　tooher　inmost　convictions；　and　these　she　took　good　care　to　conceal。　　The　world　how　little　it　should　ever；　ever　know！　　How　little　it　ever　could　know　truly！

The　firs