the titan-第90章

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old　rose；　expected　that　Cowperwood　would　dance　with　her。　　And　he　did；　but　all　the　time　his　eyes　were　on　Berenice；　who　was　caught　up　by　one　youth　and　another　of　dapper　mien　during　the　progress　of　the　evening　and　carried　rhythmically　by　in　the　mazes　of　the　waltz　or　schottische。　　There　was　a　new　dance　in　vogue　that　involved　a　gay；　running　stepkicking　first　one　foot　and　then　the　other　forward；　turning　and　running　backward　and　kicking　again；　and　then　swinging　with　a　smart　air；　back　to　back；　with　one's　partner。　　Berenice；　in　her　lithe；　rhythmic　way；　seemed　to　him　the　soul　of　spirited　and　gracious　easeunconscious　of　everybody　and　everything　save　the　spirit　of　the　dance　itself　as　a　medium　of　sweet　emotion；　of　some　far…off；　dreamlike　spirit　of　gaiety。　　He　wondered。　He　was　deeply　impressed。

〃Berenice；〃　observed　Mrs。　Carter；　when　in　an　intermission　she　came　forward　to　where　Cowperwood　and　she　were　sitting　in　the　moonlight　discussing　New　York　and　Kentucky　social　life；　〃haven't　you　saved　one　dance　for　Mr。　Cowperwood？〃

Cowperwood；　with　a　momentary　feeling　of　resentment；　protested　that　he　did　not　care　to　dance　any　more。　　Mrs。　Carter；　he　observed　to　himself；　was　a　fool。

〃I　believe；〃　said　her　daughter；　with　a　languid　air；　〃that　I　am　full　up。　　I　could　break　one　engagement；　though；　somewhere。〃

〃Not　for　me；　though；　please；〃　pleaded　Cowperwood。　　〃I　don't　care　to　dance　any　more；　thank　you。〃

He　almost　hated　her　at　the　moment　for　a　chilly　cat。　　And　yet　he　did　not。

〃Why；　Bevy；　how　you　talk！　I　think　you　are　acting　very　badly　this　evening。〃

〃Please；　please；〃　pleaded　Cowperwood；　quite　sharply。　　〃Not　any　more。　　I　don't　care　to　dance　any　more。〃

Bevy　looked　at　him　oddly　for　a　momenta　single　thoughtful　glance。

〃But　I　have　a　dance；　though；〃　she　pleaded；　softly。　　〃I　was　just　teasing。　　Won't　you　dance　it　with　me？

〃I　can't　refuse；　of　course；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　coldly。

〃It's　the　next　one；〃　she　replied。

They　danced；　but　he　scarcely　softened　to　her　at　first；　so　angry　was　he。　　Somehow；　because　of　all　that　had　gone　before；　he　felt　stiff　and　ungainly。　　She　had　managed　to　break　in　upon　his　natural　savoir　fairethis　chit　of　a　girl。　　But　as　they　went　on　through　a　second　half　the　spirit　of　her　dancing　soul　caught　him；　and　he　felt　more　at　ease；　quite　rhythmic。　　She　drew　close　and　swept　him　into　a　strange　unison　with　herself。

〃You　dance　beautifully；〃　he　said。

〃I　love　it；〃　she　replied。　　She　was　already　of　an　agreeable　height　for　him。

It　was　soon　over。　　〃I　wish　you　would　take　me　where　the　ices　are；〃　she　said　to　Cowperwood。

He　led　her；　half　amused；　half　disturbed　at　her　attitude　toward　him。

〃You　are　having　a　pleasant　time　teasing　me；　aren't　you？〃　he　asked。

〃I　am　only　tired；〃　she　replied。　　〃The　evening　bores　me。　　Really　it　does。　　I　wish　we　were　all　home。〃

〃We　can　go　when　you　say；　no　doubt。〃

As　they　reached　the　ices；　and　she　took　one　from　his　hand；　she　surveyed　him　with　those　cool；　dull　blue　eyes　of　herseyes　that　had　the　flat　quality　of　unglazed　Dutch　tiles。

〃I　wish　you　would　forgive　me；〃　she　said。　　〃I　was　rude。　　I　couldn't　help　it。　　I　am　all　out　of　sorts　with　myself。〃

〃I　hadn't　felt　you　were　rude；〃　he　observed；　lying　grandly；　his　mood　toward　her　changing　entirely。

〃Oh　yes　I　was；　and　I　hope　you　will　forgive　me。　　I　sincerely　wish　you　would。〃

〃I　do　with　all　my　heartthe　little　that　there　is　to　forgive。〃

He　waited　to　take　her　back；　and　yielded　her　to　a　youth　who　was　waiting。　　He　watched　her　trip　away　in　a　dance；　and　eventually　led　her　mother　to　the　trap。　　Berenice　was　not　with　them　on　the　home　drive；　some　one　else　was　bringing　her。　　Cowperwood　wondered　when　she　would　come；　and　where　was　her　room；　and　whether　she　was　really　sorry；and　As　he　fell　asleep　Berenice　Fleming　and　her　slate…blue　eyes　were　filling　his　mind　completely。




Chapter　XLIII



The　Planet　Mars

The　banking　hostility　to　Cowperwood；　which　in　its　beginning　had　made　necessary　his　trip　to　Kentucky　and　elsewhere；　finally　reached　a　climax。　　It　followed　an　attempt　on　his　part　to　furnish　funds　for　the　building　of　elevated　roads。　　The　hour　for　this　new　form　of　transit　convenience　had　struck。　　The　public　demanded　it。　　Cowperwood　saw　one　elevated　road；　the　South　Side　Alley　Line；　being　built；　and　another；　the　West　Side　Metropolitan　Line；　being　proposed；　largely；　as　he　knew；　in　order　to　create　sentiment　for　the　idea；　and　so　to　make　his　opposition　to　a　general　franchise　difficult。　　He　was　well　aware　that　if　he　did　not　choose　to　build　them　others　would。　　It　mattered　little　that　electricity　had　arrived　finally　as　a　perfected　traction　factor；　and　that　all　his　lines　would　soon　have　to　be　done　over　to　meet　that　condition；　or　that　it　was　costing　him　thousands　and　thousands　to　stay　the　threatening　aspect　of　things　politically。　In　addition　he　must　now　plunge　into　this　new　realm；　gaining　franchises　by　the　roughest　and　subtlest　forms　of　political　bribery。　The　most　serious　aspect　of　this　was　not　political；　but　rather　financial。　　Elevated　roads　in　Chicago；　owing　to　the　sparseness　of　the　population　over　large　areas；　were　a　serious　thing　to　contemplate。　The　mere　cost　of　iron；　right　of　way；　rolling…stock；　and　power…plants　was　immense。　　Being　chronically　opposed　to　investing　his　private　funds　where　stocks　could　just　as　well　be　unloaded　on　the　public；　and　the　management　and　control　retained　by　him；　Cowperwood；　for　the　time　being；　was　puzzled　as　to　where　he　should　get　credit　for　the　millions　to　be　laid　down　in　structural　steel；　engineering　fees；　labor；　and　equipment　before　ever　a　dollar　could　be　taken　out　in　passenger　fares。　　Owing　to　the　advent　of　the　World's　Fair；　the　South　Side　'L'to　which；　in　order　to　have　peace　and　quiet；　he　had　finally　conceded　a　franchisewas　doing　reasonably　well。　　Yet　it　was　not　making　any　such　return　on　the　investment　as　the　New　York　roads。　　The　new　lines　which　he　was　preparing　would　traverse　even　less　populous　sections　of　the　city；　and　would　in　all　likelihood　yield　even　a　smaller　return。　　Money　had　to　be　forthcomingsomething　between　twelve　and　fifteen　million　dollarsand　this　on　the　stocks　and　bonds　of　a　purely　paper　corporation　which　might　not　yield　paying　dividends　for　years　to　come。　　Addison；　finding　that　the　Chicago　Trust　Company　was　already　heavily　loaded；　called　upon　various　minor　but　prosperous　local　banks　to　take　over　the　new　securities　（each　in　part；　of　course）。　　He　was　astonished　and　chagrined　to　find　that　one　and　all　uniformly　refused。

〃I'll　tell　you　how　it　is；　Judah；〃　one　bank　president　confided　to　him；　in　great　secrecy。　　〃We　owe　Timothy　Arneel　at　least　three　hundred　thousand　dollars　that　we　only　have　to　pay　three　per　cent。　for。　　It's　a　call…loan。　　Besides；　the　Lake　National　is　our　main　standby　when　it　comes　to　quick　trades；　and　he's　in　on　that。　　I　understand　from　one　or　two　friends　that　he's　at　outs　with　Cowperwood；　and　we　can't　afford　to　offend　him。　　I'd　like　to；　but　no　more　for　menot　at　present；　anyhow。〃

〃Why；　Simmons；〃　replied　Addison；　〃these　fellows　are　simply　cutting　off　their　noses　to　spite　their　faces。　　These　stock　and　bond　issues　are　perfectly　good　investments；　and　no　one　knows　it　better　than　you　do。　　All　this　hue　and　cry　in　the　newspapers　against　Cowperwood　doesn't　amount　to　anything。　　He's　perfectly　solvent。　　Chicago　is　growing。　　His　lines　are　becoming　more　valuable　every　year。〃

〃I　know　that；〃　replied　Simmons。　　〃But　what　about　this　talk　of　a　rival　elevated　system？　Won't　that　injure　his　lines　for　the　time　being；　anyhow；　if　it　comes　into　the　field？〃

〃If　I　know　anything　about　Cowperwood；〃　replied　Addison；　simply；　〃there　isn't　going　to　be　any　rival　elevated　road。　　It's　true　they　got　the　city　council　to　give　them　a　franchise　for　one　line　on　the　South　Side；　but　that's　out　of　his　territory；　anyhow；　and　that　other　one　to　the　Chicago　General　Company　doesn't　amount　to　anything。　　It　will　be　years　and　years　before　it　can　be　made　to　pay　a　dollar；　and　when　the　time　comes　he　will　probably　take　it　over　if　he　wants　it。　　Another　election　will　be　held　in　two　years；　and　then　the　city　administration　may　not　be　so　unfavorable。　　As　it　is；　they　haven't　been　able　to　hurt　him　through　the　council　as　much　as　they　thought　they　would。〃

〃Yes；　but　he　lost　the　election。〃

〃True；　but　it　doesn't　follow　he's　going　to　lose　the　next　one；　or　ev