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！
angings； table ornaments； and pictures inclined to gorgeousness； which did not go well with the rest of the house。
Aileen always reminded Cowperwood of a high…stepping horse without a check…rein。 He met her at various times； shopping with her mother； out driving with her father； and he was always interested and amused at the affected； bored tone she assumed before himthe 〃Oh； dear！ Oh； dear！ Life is so tiresome； don't you know；〃 when； as a matter of fact； every moment of it was of thrilling interest to her。 Cowperwood took her mental measurement exactly。 A girl with a high sense of life in her； romantic； full of the thought of love and its possibilities。 As he looked at her he had the sense of seeing the best that nature can do when she attempts to produce physical perfection。 The thought came to him that some lucky young dog would marry her pretty soon and carry her away； but whoever secured her would have to hold her by affection and subtle flattery and attention if he held her at all。
〃The little snip〃she was not at all〃she thinks the sun rises and sets in her father's pocket；〃 Lillian observed one day to her husband。 〃To hear her talk； you'd think they were descended from Irish kings。 Her pretended interest in art and music amuses me。〃
〃Oh； don't be too hard on her；〃 coaxed Cowperwood diplomatically。 He already liked Aileen very much。 〃She plays very well； and she has a good voice。〃
〃Yes； I know； but she has no real refinement。 How could she have？ Look at her father and mother。〃
〃I don't see anything so very much the matter with her；〃 insisted Cowperwood。 〃She's bright and good…looking。 Of course； she's only a girl； and a little vain； but she'll come out of that。 She isn't without sense and force； at that。〃
Aileen； as he knew； was most friendly to him。 She liked him。 She made a point of playing the piano and singing for him in his home； and she sang only when he was there。 There was something about his steady； even gait； his stocky body and handsome head； which attracted her。 In spite of her vanity and egotism； she felt a little overawed before him at timeskeyed up。 She seemed to grow gayer and more brilliant in his presence。
The most futile thing in this world is any attempt； perhaps； at exact definition of character。 All individuals are a bundle of contradictionsnone more so than the most capable。
In the case of Aileen Butler it would be quite impossible to give an exact definition。 Intelligence； of a raw； crude order she had certainlyalso a native force； tamed somewhat by the doctrines and conventions of current society； still showed clear at times in an elemental and not entirely unattractive way。 At this time she was only eighteen years of agedecidedly attractive from the point of view of a man of Frank Cowperwood's temperament。 She supplied something he had not previously known or consciously craved。 Vitality and vivacity。 No other woman or girl whom he had ever known had possessed so much innate force as she。 Her red…gold hairnot so red as decidedly golden with a suggestion of red in itlooped itself in heavy folds about her forehead and sagged at the base of her neck。 She had a beautiful nose； not sensitive； but straight…cut with small nostril openings； and eyes that were big and yet noticeably sensuous。 They were； to him； a pleasing shade of blue…gray…blue； and her toilet； due to her temperament； of course； suggested almost undue luxury； the bangles； anklets； ear…rings； and breast…plates of the odalisque； and yet； of course； they were not there。 She confessed to him years afterward that she would have loved to have stained her nails and painted the palms of her hands with madder…red。 Healthy and vigorous； she was chronically interested in menwhat they would think of herand how she compared with other women。
The fact that she could ride in a carriage； live in a fine home on Girard Avenue； visit such homes as those of the Cowperwoods and others； was of great weight； and yet； even at this age； she realized that life was more than these things。 Many did not have them and lived。
But these facts of wealth and advantage gripped her； and when she sat at the piano and played or rode in her carriage or walked or stood before her mirror； she was conscious of her figure； her charms； what they meant to men； how women envied her。 Sometimes she looked at poor； hollow…chested or homely…faced girls and felt sorry for them； at other times she flared into inexplicable opposition to some handsome girl or woman who dared to brazen her socially or physically。 There were such girls of the better families who； in Chestnut Street； in the expensive shops； or on the drive； on horseback or in carriages； tossed their heads and indicated as well as human motions can that they were better…bred and knew it。 When this happened each stared defiantly at the other。 She wanted ever so much to get up in the world； and yet namby…pamby men of better social station than herself did not attract her at all。 She wanted a man。 Now and then there was one 〃something like；〃 but not entirely； who appealed to her； but most of them were politicians or legislators； acquaintances of her father； and socially nothing at alland so they wearied and disappointed her。 Her father did not know the truly elite。 But Mr。 Cowperwoodhe seemed so refined； so forceful； and so reserved。 She often looked at Mrs。 Cowperwood and thought how fortunate she was。
Chapter XIV
The development of Cowperwood as Cowperwood & Co。 following his arresting bond venture； finally brought him into relationship with one man who was to play an important part in his life； morally； financially； and in other ways。 This was George W。 Stener； the new city treasurer…elect； who； to begin with； was a puppet in the hands of other men； but who； also in spite of this fact； became a personage of considerable importance； for the simple reason that he was weak。 Stener had been engaged in the real estate and insurance business in a small way before he was made city treasurer。 He was one of those men； of whom there are so many thousands in every large community； with no breadth of vision； no real subtlety； no craft； no great skill in anything。 You would never hear a new idea emanating from Stener。 He never had one in his life。 On the other hand； he was not a bad fellow。 He had a stodgy； dusty； commonplace look to him which was more a matter of mind than of body。 His eye was of vague gray…blue； his hair a dusty light…brown and thin。 His mouththere was nothing impressive there。 He was quite tall； nearly six feet； with moderately broad shoulders； but his figure was anything but shapely。 He seemed to stoop a little； his stomach was the least bit protuberant； and he talked commonplaces the small change of newspaper and street and business gossip。 People liked him in his own neighborhood。 He was thought to be honest and kindly； and he was； as far as he knew。 His wife and four children were as average and insignificant as the wives and children of such men usually are。
Just the same； and in spite of； or perhaps； politically speaking； because of all this； George W。 Stener was brought into temporary public notice by certain political methods which had existed in Philadelphia practically unmodified for the previous half hundred years。 First； because he was of the same political faith as the dominant local political party； he had become known to the local councilman and ward…leader of his ward as a faithful soulone useful in the matter of drumming up votes。 And nextalthough absolutely without value as a speaker； for he had no ideasyou could send him from door to door； asking the grocer and the blacksmith and the butcher how he felt about things and he would make friends； and in the long run predict fairly accurately the probable vote。 Furthermore； you could dole him out a few platitudes and he would repeat them。 The Republican party； which was the new…born party then； but dominant in Philadelphia； needed your vote； it was necessary to keep the rascally Democrats outhe could scarcely have said why。 They had been for slavery。 They were for free trade。 It never once occurred to him that these things had nothing to do with the local executive and financial administration of Philadelphia。 Supposing they didn't？ What of it？
In Philadelphia at this time a certain United States Senator； one Mark Simpson； together with Edward Malia Butler and Henry A。 Mollenhauer； a rich coal dealer and investor； were supposed to； and did； control jointly the political destiny of the city。 They had representatives； benchmen； spies； toolsa great company。 Among them was this same Stenera minute cog in the silent machinery of their affairs。
In scarcely any other city save this； where the inhabitants were of a deadly average in so far as being commonplace was concerned； could such a man as Stener have been elected city treasurer。 The rank and file did not； except in rare instances； make up their political program。 An inside ring had this matter in charge。 Certain positions were allotted to such and such men or to such and such factions of the party for such and such services rendered but who does not know politics？
In due course of time； therefore； G