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At this remark Cowperwood surveyed her coolly； critically； and yet not unsympathetically； but she swung out of the room with a defiant air before anything could be said； and went down to the music…room； from whence a few moments later there rolled up to him from the hall below the strains of the second Hungarian Rhapsodie； feelingly and for once movingly played。 Into it Aileen put some of her own wild woe and misery。 Cowperwood hated the thought for the moment that some one as smug as Lyndeso good…looking； so suave a society rakeshould interest Aileen； but if it must be； it must be。 He could have no honest reason for complaint。 At the same time a breath of real sorrow for the days that had gone swept over him。 He remembered her in Philadelphia in her red cape as a school…girl in his father's houseout horseback…riding； driving。 What a splendid； loving girl she had beensuch a sweet fool of love。 Could she really have decided not to worry about him any more？ Could it be possible that she might find some one else who would be interested in her； and in whom she would take a keen interest？ It was an odd thought for him。
He watched her as she came into the dining…room later； arrayed in green silk of the shade of copper patina； her hair done in a high coiland in spite of himself he could not help admiring her。 She looked very young in her soul； and yet moodyloving （for some one）； eager； and defiant。 He reflected for a moment what terrible things passion and love arehow they make fools of us all。 〃All of us are in the grip of a great creative impulse；〃 he said to himself。 He talked of other things for a whilethe approaching election； a poster…wagon he had seen bearing the question； 〃Shall Cowperwood own the city？〃 〃Pretty cheap politics； I call that；〃 he commented。 And then he told of stopping in a so…called Republican wigwam at State and Sixteenth streetsa great； cheaply erected； unpainted wooden shack with seats； and of hearing himself bitterly denounced by the reigning orator。 〃I was tempted once to ask that donkey a few questions；〃 he added； 〃but I decided I wouldn't。〃
Aileen had to smile。 In spite of all his faults he was such a wonderful manto set a city thus by the ears。 〃Yet； what care I how fair he be； if he be not fair to me。〃
〃Did you meet any one else besides Lynde you liked？〃 he finally asked； archly； seeking to gather further data without stirring up too much feeling。
Aileen； who had been studying him； feeling sure the subject would come up again； replied： 〃No； I haven't； but I don't need to。 One is enough。〃
〃What do you mean by that？〃 he asked； gently。
〃Oh； just what I say。 One will do。〃
〃You mean you are in love with Lynde？〃
〃I meanoh！〃 She stopped and surveyed him defiantly。 〃What difference does it make to you what I mean？ Yes； I am。 But what do you care？ Why do you sit there and question me？ It doesn't make any difference to you what I do。 You don't want me。 Why should you sit there and try to find out； or watch？ It hasn't been any consideration for you that has restrained me so far。 Suppose I am in love？ What difference would it make to you？〃
〃Oh； I care。 You know I care。 Why do you say that？〃
〃Yes； you care；〃 she flared。 〃I know how you care。 Well； I'll just tell you one thing〃rage at his indifference was driving her on〃I am in love with Lynde； and what's more； I'm his mistress。 And I'll continue to be。 But what do you care？ Pshaw！〃
Her eyes blazed hotly； her color rose high and strong。 She breathed heavily。
At this announcement； made in the heat of spite and rage generated by long indifference； Cowperwood sat up for a moment； and his eyes hardened with quite that implacable glare with which he sometimes confronted an enemy。 He felt at once there were many things he could do to make her life miserable； and to take revenge on Lynde； but he decided after a moment he would not。 It was not weakness； but a sense of superior power that was moving him。 Why should he be jealous？ Had he not been unkind enough？ In a moment his mood changed to one of sorrow for Aileen； for himself； for life； indeed its tangles of desire and necessity。 He could not blame Aileen。 Lynde was surely attractive。 He had no desire to part with her or to quarrel with himmerely to temporarily cease all intimate relations with her and allow her mood to clear itself up。 Perhaps she would want to leave him of her own accord。 Perhaps； if he ever found the right woman； this might prove good grounds for his leaving her。 The right womanwhere was she？ He had never found her yet。
〃Aileen；〃 he said； quite softly； 〃I wish you wouldn't feel so bitterly about this。 Why should you？ When did you do this？ Will you tell me that？〃
〃No； I'll not tell you that；〃 she replied； bitterly。 〃It's none of your affair； and I'll not tell you。 Why should you ask？ You don't care。〃
〃But I do care； I tell you；〃 he returned； irritably； almost roughly。 〃When did you？ You can tell me that； at least。〃 His eyes had a hard； cold look for the moment； dying away； though； into kindly inquiry。
〃Oh； not long ago。 About a week；〃 Aileen answered； as though she were compelled。
〃How long have you known him？〃 he asked； curiously。
〃Oh； four or five months； now。 I met him last winter。〃
〃And did you do this deliberatelybecause you were in love with him； or because you wanted to hurt me？〃
He could not believe from past scenes between them that she had ceased to love him。
Aileen stirred irritably。 〃I like that；〃 she flared。 〃I did it because I wanted to； and not because of any love for youI can tell you that。 I like your nerve sitting here presuming to question me after the way you have neglected me。〃 She pushed back her plate； and made as if to get up。
〃Wait a minute； Aileen；〃 he said； simply； putting down his knife and fork and looking across the handsome table where Sevres； silver； fruit； and dainty dishes were spread； and where under silk…shaded lights they sat opposite each other。 〃I wish you wouldn't talk that way to me。 You know that I am not a petty； fourth…rate fool。 You know that； whatever you do； I am not going to quarrel with you。 I know what the trouble is with you。 I know why you are acting this way； and how you will feel afterward if you go on。 It isn't anything I will do〃 He paused； caught by a wave of feeling。
〃Oh； isn't it？〃 she blazed； trying to overcome the emotion that was rising in herself。 The calmness of him stirred up memories of the past。 〃Well； you keep your sympathy for yourself。 I don't need it。 I will get along。 I wish you wouldn't talk to me。〃
She shoved her plate away with such force that she upset a glass in which was champagne； the wine making a frayed； yellowish splotch on the white linen； and； rising； hurried toward the door。 She was choking with anger； pain； shame； regret。
〃Aileen！ Aileen！〃 he called； hurrying after her； regardless of the butler； who； hearing the sound of stirring chairs； had entered。 These family woes were an old story to him。 〃It's love you want not revenge。 I knowI can tell。 You want to be loved by some one completely。 I'm sorry。 You mustn't be too hard on me。 I sha'n't be on you。〃 He seized her by the arm and detained her as they entered the next room。 By this time Aileen was too ablaze with emotion to talk sensibly or understand what he was doing。
〃Let me go！〃 she exclaimed； angrily； hot tears in her eyes。 〃Let me go！ I tell you I don't love you any more。 I tell you I hate you！〃 She flung herself loose and stood erect before him。 〃I don't want you to talk to me！ I don't want you to speak to me！ You're the cause of all my troubles。 You're the cause of whatever I do； when I do it； and don't you dare to deny it！ You'll see！ You'll see！ I'll show you what I'll do！〃
She twisted and turned； but he held her firmly until； in his strong grasp； as usual； she collapsed and began to cry。 〃Oh； I cry；〃 she declared； even in her tears； 〃but it will be just the same。 It's too late！ too late！〃
Chapter XXXVIII
An Hour of Defeat
The stoic Cowperwood； listening to the blare and excitement that went with the fall campaign； was much more pained to learn of Aileen's desertion than to know that he had arrayed a whole social element against himself in Chicago。 He could not forget the wonder of those first days when Aileen was young； and love and hope had been the substance of her being。 The thought ran through all his efforts and cogitations like a distantly orchestrated undertone。 In the main； in spite of his activity； he was an introspective man； and art； drama； and the pathos of broken ideals were not beyond him。 He harbored in no way any grudge against Aileenonly a kind of sorrow over the inevitable consequences of his own ungovernable disposition； the will to freedom within himself。 Change！ Change！ the inevitable passing of things！ Who parts with a perfect thing； even if no more than an unreasoning love； without a touch of self…pity？
But there followed swiftly the sixth of November； with its election； noisy and irrational； and the latter resulted in a resounding defeat。 Out of the thirty…two Democratic aldermen nominated only ten were elected； giving the opposition a full two…thirds majority in council