the financier-第31部分
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silk of her closely fitting dress； her neck； her glowing； radiant hair； all combined to provoke a slight intellectual intoxication。 She was so vigorously young； so； to him； truly beautiful。
〃But you didn't answer；〃 he continued。
〃Isn't this lovely music？〃
He pressed her fingers。
She lifted shy eyes to him now； for； in spite of her gay； aggressive force； she was afraid of him。 His personality was obviously so dominating。 Now that he was so close to her； dancing； she conceived of him as something quite wonderful； and yet she experienced a nervous reactiona momentary desire to run away。
〃Very well； if you won't tell me；〃 he smiled； mockingly。
He thought she wanted him to talk to her so； to tease her with suggestions of this concealed feeling of histhis strong liking。 He wondered what could come of any such understanding as this； anyhow？
〃Oh； I just wanted to see how you danced；〃 she said； tamely； the force of her original feeling having been weakened by a thought of what she was doing。 He noted the change and smiled。 It was lovely to be dancing with her。 He had not thought mere dancing could hold such charm。
〃You like me？〃 he said； suddenly； as the music drew to its close。
She thrilled from head to toe at the question。 A piece of ice dropped down her back could not have startled her more。 It was apparently tactless； and yet it was anything but tactless。 She looked up quickly； directly； but his strong eyes were too much for her。
〃Why； yes；〃 she answered； as the music stopped； trying to keep an even tone to her voice。 She was glad they were walking toward a chair。
〃I like you so much；〃 he said； 〃that I have been wondering if you really like me。〃 There was an appeal in his voice； soft and gentle。 His manner was almost sad。
〃Why； yes；〃 she replied； instantly； returning to her earlier mood toward him。 〃You know I do。〃
〃I need some one like you to like me；〃 he continued； in the same vein。 〃I need some one like you to talk to。 I didn't think so beforebut now I do。 You are beautifulwonderful。〃
〃We mustn't；〃 she said。 〃I mustn't。 I don't know what I'm doing。〃 She looked at a young man strolling toward her； and asked： 〃I have to explain to him。 He's the one I had this dance with。〃
Cowperwood understood。 He walked away。 He was quite warm and tense nowalmost nervous。 It was quite clear to him that he had done or was contemplating perhaps a very treacherous thing。 Under the current code of society he had no right to do it。 It was against the rules； as they were understood by everybody。 Her father； for instancehis fatherevery one in this particular walk of life。 However； much breaking of the rules under the surface of things there might be； the rules were still there。 As he had heard one young man remark once at school； when some story had been told of a boy leading a girl astray and to a disastrous end； 〃That isn't the way at all。〃
Still； now that he had said this； strong thoughts of her were in his mind。 And despite his involved social and financial position； which he now recalled； it was interesting to him to see how deliberately and even calculatinglyand worse； enthusiastically he was pumping the bellows that tended only to heighten the flames of his desire for this girl； to feed a fire that might ultimately consume himand how deliberately and resourcefully！
Aileen toyed aimlessly with her fan as a black…haired； thin…faced young law student talked to her； and seeing Norah in the distance she asked to be allowed to run over to her。
〃Oh； Aileen；〃 called Norah； 〃I've been looking for you everywhere。 Where have you been？〃
〃Dancing； of course。 Where do you suppose I've been？ Didn't you see me on the floor？〃
〃No； I didn't；〃 complained Norah； as though it were most essential that she should。 〃How late are you going to stay？〃
〃Until it's over； I suppose。 I don't know。〃
〃Owen says he's going at twelve。〃
〃Well； that doesn't matter。 Some one will take me home。 Are you having a good time？〃
〃Fine。 Oh； let me tell you。 I stepped on a lady's dress over there； last dance。 She was terribly angry。 She gave me such a look。〃
〃Well； never mind； honey。 She won't hurt you。 Where are you going now？〃
Aileen always maintained a most guardian…like attitude toward her sister。
〃I want to find Callum。 He has to dance with me next time。 I know what he's trying to do。 He's trying to get away from me。 But he won't。〃
Aileen smiled。 Norah looked very sweet。 And she was so bright。 What would she think of her if she knew？ She turned back； and her fourth partner sought her。 She began talking gayly； for she felt that she had to make a show of composure； but all the while there was ringing in her ears that definite question of his； 〃You like me； don't you？〃 and her later uncertain but not less truthful answer； 〃Yes； of course I do。〃
Chapter XIX
The growth of a passion is a very peculiar thing。 In highly organized intellectual and artistic types it is so often apt to begin with keen appreciation of certain qualities； modified by many； many mental reservations。 The egoist； the intellectual； gives but little of himself and asks much。 Nevertheless； the lover of life； male or female； finding himself or herself in sympathetic accord with such a nature； is apt to gain much。
Cowperwood was innately and primarily an egoist and intellectual； though blended strongly therewith； was a humane and democratic spirit。 We think of egoism and intellectualism as closely confined to the arts。 Finance is an art。 And it presents the operations of the subtlest of the intellectuals and of the egoists。 Cowperwood was a financier。 Instead of dwelling on the works of nature； its beauty and subtlety； to his material disadvantage； he found a happy mean； owing to the swiftness of his intellectual operations； whereby he could； intellectually and emotionally； rejoice in the beauty of life without interfering with his perpetual material and financial calculations。 And when it came to women and morals； which involved so much relating to beauty； happiness； a sense of distinction and variety in living； he was but now beginning to suspect for himself at least that apart from maintaining organized society in its present form there was no basis for this one…life； one…love idea。 How had it come about that so many people agreed on this single point； that it was good and necessary to marry one woman and cleave to her until death？ He did not know。 It was not for him to bother about the subtleties of evolution； which even then was being noised abroad； or to ferret out the curiosities of history in connection with this matter。 He had no time。 Suffice it that the vagaries of temperament and conditions with which he came into immediate contact proved to him that there was great dissatisfaction with that idea。 People did not cleave to each other until death； and in thousands of cases where they did； they did not want to。 Quickness of mind； subtlety of idea； fortuitousness of opportunity； made it possible for some people to right their matrimonial and social infelicities； whereas for others； because of dullness of wit； thickness of comprehension； poverty； and lack of charm； there was no escape from the slough of their despond。 They were compelled by some devilish accident of birth or lack of force or resourcefulness to stew in their own juice of wretchedness； or to shuffle off this mortal coilwhich under other circumstances had such glittering possibilitiesvia the rope； the knife； the bullet； or the cup of poison。
〃I would die； too；〃 he thought to himself； one day； reading of a man who； confined by disease and poverty； had lived for twelve years alone in a back bedroom attended by an old and probably decrepit housekeeper。 A darning…needle forced into his heart had ended his earthly woes。 〃To the devil with such a life！ Why twelve years？ Why not at the end of the second or third？〃
Again； it was so very evident； in so many ways； that force was the answergreat mental and physical force。 Why； these giants of commerce and money could do as they pleased in this life； and did。 He had already had ample local evidence of it in more than one direction。 Worsethe little guardians of so…called law and morality； the newspapers； the preachers； the police； and the public moralists generally； so loud in their denunciation of evil in humble places； were cowards all when it came to corruption in high ones。 They did not dare to utter a feeble squeak until some giant had accidentally fallen and they could do so without danger to themselves。 Then； O Heavens； the palaver！ What beatings of tom…toms！ What mouthings of pharisaical moralitiesplatitudes！ Run now； good people； for you may see clearly how evil is dealt with in high places！ It made him smile。 Such hypocrisy！ Such cant！ Still； so the world was organized； and it was not for him to set it right。 Let it wag as it would。 The thing for him to do was to get rich and hold his ownto build up a seeming of virtue and dignity which would pass muster for the genuine thing。 Force would do that。 Quickness of wit。 And he had these。 〃I satisfy myself；〃 was his motto； and it might well have been emblazoned upon any coat of arms which he c
