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He eyed her thoughtfully； tenderly； hoping to move her through her love for him。
〃Sympathy！ Sympathy！〃 She turned on him blazing。 〃A lot you know about sympathy！ I suppose I didn't give you any sympathy when you were in the penitentiary in Philadelphia； did I？ A lot of good it did medidn't it？ Sympathy！ Bah！ To have you come out here to Chicago and take up with a lot of prostitutescheap stenographers and wives of musicians！ You have given me a lot of sympathy； haven't you？with that woman lying in the next room to prove it！〃
She smoothed her lithe waist and shook her shoulders preparatory to putting on a hat and adjusting her wrap。 She proposed to go just as she was； and send Fadette back for all her belongings。
〃Aileen；〃 he pleaded； determined to have his way； 〃I think you're very foolish。 Really I do。 There is no occasion for all thisnone in the world。 Here you are talking at the top of your voice； scandalizing the whole neighborhood； fighting； leaving the house。 It's abominable。 I don't want you to do it。 You love me yet； don't you？ You know you do。 I know you don't mean all you say。 You can't。 You really don't believe that I have ceased to love you； do you； Aileen？〃
〃Love！〃 fired Aileen。 〃A lot you know about love！ A lot you have ever loved anybody； you brute！ I know how you love。 I thought you loved me once。 Humph！ I see how you loved mejust as you've loved fifty other women； as you love that snippy little Rita Sohlberg in the next roomthe cat！the dirty little beast！the way you love Antoinette Nowaka cheap stenographer！ Bah！ You don't know what the word means。〃 And yet her voice trailed off into a kind of sob and her eyes filled with tears； hot； angry； aching。 Cowperwood saw them and came over； hoping in some way to take advantage of them。 He was truly sorry nowanxious to make her feel tender toward him once more。
〃Aileen；〃 he pleaded； 〃please don't be so bitter。 You shouldn't be so hard on me。 I'm not so bad。 Aren't you going to be reasonable？〃 He put out a smoothing hand； but she jumped away。
〃Don't you touch me； you brute！〃 she exclaimed； angrily。 〃Don't you lay a hand on me。 I don't want you to come near me。 I'll not live with you。 I'll not stay in the same house with you and your mistresses。 Go and live with your dear； darling Rita on the North Side if you want to。 I don't care。 I suppose you've been in the next room comforting herthe beast！ I wish I had killed herOh； God！〃 She tore at her throat in a violent rage； trying to adjust a button。
Cowperwood was literally astonished。 Never had he seen such an outburst as this。 He had not believed Aileen to be capable of it。 He could not help admiring her。 Nevertheless he resented the brutality of her assault on Rita and on his own promiscuous tendency； and this feeling vented itself in one last unfortunate remark。
〃I wouldn't be so hard on mistresses if I were you； Aileen；〃 he ventured； pleadingly。 〃I should have thought your own experience would have〃
He paused； for he saw on the instant that he was making a grave mistake。 This reference to her past as a mistress was crucial。 On the instant she straightened up； and her eyes filled with a great pain。 〃So that's the way you talk to me； is it？〃 she asked。 〃I knew it！ I knew it！ I knew it would come！〃
She turned to a tall chest of drawers as high as her breasts； laden with silverware； jewel…boxes； brushes and combs； and； putting her arms down； she laid her head upon them and began to cry。 This was the last straw。 He was throwing up her lawless girlhood love to her as an offense。
〃Oh！〃 she sobbed； and shook in a hopeless； wretched paroxysm。 Cowperwood came over quickly。 He was distressed； pained。 〃I didn't mean that； Aileen；〃 he explained。 〃I didn't mean it in that waynot at all。 You rather drew that out of me； but I didn't mean it as a reproach。 You were my mistress； but good Lord； I never loved you any the less for thatrather more。 You know I did。 I want you to believe that； it's true。 These other matters haven't been so important to methey really haven't〃
He looked at her helplessly as she moved away to avoid him； he was distressed； nonplussed； immensely sorry。 As he walked to the center of the room again she suddenly suffered a great revulsion of feeling； but only in the direction of more wrath。 This was too much。
〃So this is the way you talk to me；〃 she exclaimed； 〃after all I have done for you！ You say that to me after I waited for you and cried over you when you were in prison for nearly two years？ Your mistress！ That's my reward； is it？ Oh！〃
Suddenly she observed her jewel…case； and； resenting all the gifts he had given her in Philadelphia； in Paris； in Rome； here in Chicago； she suddenly threw open the lid and； grabbing the contents by handfuls； began to toss them toward himto actually throw them in his face。 Out they came； handfuls of gauds that he had given her in real affection： a jade necklace and bracelet of pale apple…green set in spun gold； with clasps of white ivory； a necklace of pearls； assorted as to size and matched in color； that shone with a tinted； pearly flame in the evening light； a handful of rings and brooches； diamonds； rubies； opals； amethysts； a dog…collar of emeralds； and a diamond hair…ornament。 She flung them at him excitedly； strewing the floor； striking him on the neck； the face； the hands。 〃Take that！ and that！ and that！ There they are！ I don't want anything more of yours。 I don't want anything more to do with you。 I don't want anything that belongs to you。 Thank God； I have money enough of my own to live on！ I hate youI despise youI never want to see you any more。 Oh〃 And； trying to think of something more； but failing； she dashed swiftly down the hall and down the stairs； while he stood for just one moment overwhelmed。 Then he hurried after。
〃Aileen！〃 he called。 〃Aileen； come back here！ Don't go； Aileen！〃 But she only hurried faster； she opened and closed the door； and actually ran out in the dark； her eyes wet； her heart bursting。 So this was the end of that youthful dream that had begun so beautifully。 She was no better than the othersjust one of his mistresses。 To have her past thrown up to her as a defense for the others！ To be told that she was no better than they！ This was the last straw。 She choked and sobbed as she walked； vowing never to return； never to see him any more。 But as she did so Cowperwood came running after； determined for once； as lawless as he was； that this should not be the end of it all。 She had loved him； he reflected。 She had laid every gift of passion and affection on the altar of her love。 It wasn't fair； really。 She must be made to stay。 He caught up at last； reaching her under the dark of the November trees。
〃Aileen；〃 he said； laying hold of her and putting his arms around her waist。 〃Aileen； dearest； this is plain madness。 It is insanity。 You're not in your right mind。 Don't go！ Don't leave me！ I love you！ Don't you know I do？ Can't you really see that？ Don't run away like this； and don't cry。 I do love you； and you know it。 I always shall。 Come back now。 Kiss me。 I'll do better。 Really I will。 Give me another chance。 Wait and see。 Come nowwon't you？ That's my girl； my Aileen。 Do come。 Please！〃
She pulled on； but he held her； smoothing her arms； her neck； her face。
〃Aileen！〃 he entreated。
She tugged so that he was finally compelled to work her about into his arms； then； sobbing； she stood there agonized but happy once more； in a way。
〃But I don't want to；〃 she protested。 〃You don't love me any more。 Let me go。〃
But he kept hold of her； urging； and finally she said； her head upon his shoulder as of old； 〃Don't make me come back to…night。 I don't want to。 I can't。 Let me go down…town。 I'll come back later； maybe。〃
〃Then I'll go with you；〃 he said； endearingly。 〃It isn't right。 There are a lot of things I should be doing to stop this scandal； but I'll go。〃
And together they sought a street…car。
Chapter XX
〃Man and Superman〃
It is a sad commentary on all save the most chemic unionsthose dark red flowers of romance that bloom most often only for a tragic endthat they cannot endure the storms of disaster that are wont to overtake them。 A woman like Rita Sohlberg； with a seemingly urgent feeling for Cowperwood； was yet not so charmed by him but that this shock to her pride was a marked sedative。 The crushing weight of such an exposure as this； the Homeric laughter inherent； if not indicated in the faulty planning； the failure to take into account beforehand all the possibilities which might lead to such a disaster； was too much for her to endure。 She was stung almost to desperation； maddened； at the thought of the gay； idle way in which she had walked into Mrs。 Cowperwood's clutches and been made into a spectacle and a laughing…stock by her。 What a brute she waswhat a demon！ Her own physical weakness under the circumstances was no grief to herrather a salve to her superior disposition； but just the same she had been badly beaten； her beauty turned into a ragamuffin show； and that was enough。 This evening； in the Lake Shore Sanitarium； where she had been taken； she had but one thoughtto get away when i