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！
he American and later the foreign masters exclusively。 His own and his father's house had not been furnished fully in these matters； and there was that other house in North Tenth Street； which he desired to make beautiful。 Aileen had always objected to the condition of her own home。 Love of distinguished surroundings was a basic longing with her； though she had not the gift of interpreting her longings。 But this place where they were secretly meeting must be beautiful。 She was as keen for that as he was。 So it became a veritable treasure…trove； more distinguished in furnishings than some of the rooms of his own home。 He began to gather here some rare examples of altar cloths； rugs； and tapestries of the Middle Ages。 He bought furniture after the Georgian theorya combination of Chippendale； Sheraton； and Heppelwhite modified by the Italian Renaissance and the French Louis。 He learned of handsome examples of porcelain； statuary； Greek vase forms； lovely collections of Japanese ivories and netsukes。 Fletcher Gray； a partner in Cable & Gray； a local firm of importers of art objects； called on him in connection with a tapestry of the fourteenth century weaving。 Gray was an enthusiast and almost instantly he conveyed some of his suppressed and yet fiery love of the beautiful to Cowperwood。
〃There are fifty periods of one shade of blue porcelain alone； Mr。 Cowperwood；〃 Gray informed him。 〃There are at least seven distinct schools or periods of rugsPersian； Armenian； Arabian； Flemish； Modern Polish； Hungarian； and so on。 If you ever went into that； it would be a distinguished thing to get a complete I mean a representativecollection of some one period； or of all these periods。 They are beautiful。 I have seen some of them； others I've read about。〃
〃You'll make a convert of me yet； Fletcher；〃 replied Cowperwood。 〃You or art will be the ruin of me。 I'm inclined that way temperamentally as it is； I think； and between you and Ellsworth and Gordon Strake〃another young man intensely interested in painting〃you'll complete my downfall。 Strake has a splendid idea。 He wants me to begin right nowI'm using that word 'right' in the sense of 'properly；'〃 he commented〃and get what examples I can of just the few rare things in each school or period of art which would properly illustrate each。 He tells me the great pictures are going to increase in value； and what I could get for a few hundred thousand now will be worth millions later。 He doesn't want me to bother with American art。〃
〃He's right；〃 exclaimed Gray； 〃although it isn't good business for me to praise another art man。 It would take a great deal of money； though。〃
〃Not so very much。 At least； not all at once。 It would be a matter of years； of course。 Strake thinks that some excellent examples of different periods could be picked up now and later replaced if anything better in the same held showed up。〃
His mind； in spite of his outward placidity； was tinged with a great seeking。 Wealth； in the beginning； had seemed the only goal； to which had been added the beauty of women。 And now art； for art's sakethe first faint radiance of a rosy dawnhad begun to shine in upon him； and to the beauty of womanhood he was beginning to see how necessary it was to add the beauty of life the beauty of material backgroundhow； in fact； the only background for great beauty was great art。 This girl； this Aileen Butler； her raw youth and radiance； was nevertheless creating in him a sense of the distinguished and a need for it which had never existed in him before to the same degree。 It is impossible to define these subtleties of reaction； temperament on temperament； for no one knows to what degree we are marked by the things which attract us。 A love affair such as this had proved to be was little less or more than a drop of coloring added to a glass of clear water； or a foreign chemical agent introduced into a delicate chemical formula。
In short； for all her crudeness； Aileen Butler was a definite force personally。 Her nature； in a way； a protest against the clumsy conditions by which she found herself surrounded； was almost irrationally ambitious。 To think that for so long； having been born into the Butler family； she had been the subject； as well as the victim of such commonplace and inartistic illusions and conditions； whereas now； owing to her contact with； and mental subordination to Cowperwood； she was learning so many wonderful phases of social； as well as financial； refinement of which previously she had guessed nothing。 The wonder； for instance； of a future social career as the wife of such a man as Frank Cowperwood。 The beauty and resourcefulness of his mind； which； after hours of intimate contact with her； he was pleased to reveal； and which； so definite were his comments and instructions； she could not fail to sense。 The wonder of his financial and artistic and future social dreams。 And； oh； oh； she was his； and he was hers。 She was actually beside herself at times with the glory； as well as the delight of all this。
At the same time； her father's local reputation as a quondam garbage contractor （〃slop…collector〃 was the unfeeling comment of the vulgarian cognoscenti）； her own unavailing efforts to right a condition of material vulgarity or artistic anarchy in her own home； the hopelessness of ever being admitted to those distinguished portals which she recognized afar off as the last sanctum sanctorum of established respectability and social distinction； had bred in her； even at this early age； a feeling of deadly opposition to her home conditions as they stood。 Such a house compared to Cowperwood's！ Her dear； but ignorant； father！ And this great man； her lover； had now condescended to love hersee in her his future wife。 Oh； God； that it might not fail！ Through the Cowperwoods at first she had hoped to meet a few people； young men and womenand particularly menwho were above the station in which she found herself； and to whom her beauty and prospective fortune would commend her； but this had not been the case。 The Cowperwoods themselves； in spite of Frank Cowperwood's artistic proclivities and growing wealth； had not penetrated the inner circle as yet。 In fact； aside from the subtle； preliminary consideration which they were receiving； they were a long way off。
None the less； and instinctively in Cowperwood Aileen recognized a way outa doorand by the same token a subtle； impending artistic future of great magnificence。 This man would rise beyond anything he now dreamed ofshe felt it。 There was in him； in some nebulous； unrecognizable form； a great artistic reality which was finer than anything she could plan for herself。 She wanted luxury； magnificence； social station。 Well； if she could get this man they would come to her。 There were； apparently； insuperable barriers in the way； but hers was no weakling nature； and neither was his。 They ran together temperamentally from the first like two leopards。 Her own thoughtscrude； half formulated； half spokennevertheless matched his to a degree in the equality of their force and their raw directness。
〃I don't think papa knows how to do；〃 she said to him； one day。 〃It isn't his fault。 He can't help it。 He knows that he can't。 And he knows that I know it。 For years I wanted him to move out of that old house there。 He knows that he ought to。 But even that wouldn't do much good。〃
She paused； looking at him with a straight； clear； vigorous glance。 He liked the medallion sharpness of her featurestheir smooth； Greek modeling。
〃Never mind； pet；〃 he replied。 〃We will arrange all these things later。 I don't see my way out of this just now； but I think the best thing to do is to confess to Lillian some day； and see if some other plan can't be arranged。 I want to fix it so the children won't suffer。 I can provide for them amply； and I wouldn't be at all surprised if Lillian would be willing to let me go。 She certainly wouldn't want any publicity。〃
He was counting practically； and man…fashion； on her love for her children。
Aileen looked at him with clear； questioning； uncertain eyes。 She was not wholly without sympathy； but in a way this situation did not appeal to her as needing much。 Mrs。 Cowperwood was not friendly in her mood toward her。 It was not based on anything save a difference in their point of view。 Mrs。 Cowperwood could never understand how a girl could carry her head so high and 〃put on such airs；〃 and Aileen could not understand how any one could be so lymphatic and lackadaisical as Lillian Cowperwood。 Life was made for riding； driving； dancing； going。 It was made for airs and banter and persiflage and coquetry。 To see this woman； the wife of a young； forceful man like Cowperwood； acting； even though she were five years older and the mother of two children； as though life on its romantic and enthusiastic pleasurable side were all over was too much for her。 Of course Lillian was unsuited to Frank； of course he needed a young woman like herself； and fate would surely give him to her。 Then what a delicious life they would lead！
〃Oh； Frank；〃 she exclaimed to him； over and over； 〃if we could only manage it。 Do you think we can？〃
〃Do I think we can？ Certainly I do。 It's