the titan- 第70部分

〃Oh　yes；〃　almost　pleaded　Mrs。　Carter。

〃Precisely；〃　commented　Cowperwood；　who；　when　he　was　thinking；　almost　invariably　dropped　into　a　short；　cold；　curt；　business　manner。　Yet　he　was　humanely　inclined　in　this　instance。

〃Well；　then；　why　not　live　in　your　Pennsylvania　place　for　the　present；　or；　if　not　that；　go　to　New　York？　You　can't　stay　here。　　Ship　or　sell　these　things。〃　He　waved　a　hand　toward　the　rooms。

〃I　would　only　too　gladly；〃　replied　Mrs。　Carter；　〃if　I　knew　what　to　do。〃

〃Take　my　advice　and　go　to　New　York　for　the　present。　　You　will　get　rid　of　your　expenses　here；　and　I　will　help　you　with　the　restfor　the　present；　anyhow。　　You　can　get　a　start　again。　　It　is　too　bad　about　these　children　of　yours。　　I　will　take　care　of　the　boy　as　soon　as　he　is　old　enough。　　As　for　Berenice〃he　used　her　name　softly〃if　she　can　stay　in　her　school　until　she　is　nineteen　or　twenty　the　chances　are　that　she　will　make　social　connections　which　will　save　her　nicely。　　The　thing　for　you　to　do　is　to　avoid　meeting　any　of　this　old　crowd　out　here　in　the　future　if　you　can。　　It　might　be　advisable　to　take　her　abroad　for　a　time　after　she　leaves　school。〃

〃Yes；　if　I　just　could；〃　sighed　Mrs。　Carter；　rather　lamely。

〃Well；　do　what　I　suggest　now；　and　we　will　see；〃　observed　Cowperwood。　〃It　would　be　a　pity　if　your　two　children　were　to　have　their　lives　ruined　by　such　an　accident　as　this。〃

Mrs。　Carter；　realizing　that　here；　in　the　shape　of　Cowperwood；　if　he　chose　to　be　generous；　was　the　open　way　out　of　a　lowering　dungeon　of　misery；　was　inclined　to　give　vent　to　a　bit　of　grateful　emotion；　but；　finding　him　subtly　remote；　restrained　herself。　　His　manner；　while　warmly　generous　at　times；　was　also　easily　distant；　except　when　he　wished　it　to　be　otherwise。　　Just　now　he　was　thinking　of　the　high　soul　of　Berenice　Fleming　and　of　its　possible　value　to　him。




Chapter　XLI



The　Daughter　of　Mrs。　Fleming

Berenice　Fleming；　at　the　time　Cowperwood　first　encountered　her　mother；　was　an　inmate　of　the　Misses　Brewster's　School　for　Girls；　then　on　Riverside　Drive；　New　York；　and　one　of　the　most　exclusive　establishments　of　its　kind　in　America。　　The　social　prestige　and　connections　of　the　Heddens；　Flemings；　and　Carters　were　sufficient　to　gain　her　this　introduction；　though　the　social　fortunes　of　her　mother　were　already　at　this　time　on　the　down　grade。　　A　tall　girl；　delicately　haggard；　as　he　had　imagined　her；　with　reddish…bronze　hair　of　a　tinge　but　distantly　allied　to　that　of　Aileen's；　she　was　unlike　any　woman　Cowperwood　had　ever　known。　　Even　at　seventeen　she　stood　up　and　out　with　an　inexplicable　superiority　which　brought　her　the　feverish　and　exotic　attention　of　lesser　personalities　whose　emotional　animality　found　an　outlet　in　swinging　a　censer　at　her　shrine。

A　strange　maiden；　decidedly！　Even　at　this　age；　when　she　was；　as　one　might　suppose；　a　mere　slip　of　a　girl；　she　was　deeply　conscious　of　herself；　her　sex；　her　significance；　her　possible　social　import。　Armed　with　a　fair　skin；　a　few　freckles；　an　almost　too　high　color　at　times；　strange；　deep；　night…blue；　cat…like　eyes；　a　long　nose；　a　rather　pleasant　mouth；　perfect　teeth；　and　a　really　good　chin；　she　moved　always　with　a　feline　grace　that　was　careless；　superior；　sinuous；　and　yet　the　acme　of　harmony　and　a　rhythmic　flow　of　lines。　One　of　her　mess…hall　tricks；　when　unobserved　by　her　instructors；　was　to　walk　with　six　plates　and　a　water…pitcher　all　gracefully　poised　on　the　top　of　her　head　after　the　fashion　of　the　Asiatic　and　the　African；　her　hips　moving；　her　shoulders；　neck；　and　head　still。　Girls　begged　weeks　on　end　to　have　her　repeat　this　〃stunt；〃　as　they　called　it。　　Another　was　to　put　her　arms　behind　her　and　with　a　rush　imitate　the　Winged　Victory；　a　copy　of　which　graced　the　library　hall。

〃You　know；〃　one　little　rosy…cheeked　satellite　used　to　urge　on　her；　adoringly；　〃she　must　have　been　like　you。　　Her　head　must　have　been　like　yours。　　You　are　lovely　when　you　do　it。〃

For　answer　Berenice's　deep；　almost　black…blue　eyes　turned　on　her　admirer　with　solemn　unflattered　consideration。　　She　awed　always　by　the　something　that　she　did　not　say。

The　school；　for　all　the　noble　dames　who　presided　over　itsolemn；　inexperienced　owl…like　conventionalists　who　insisted　on　the　last　tittle　and　jot　of　order　and　procedurewas　a　joke　to　Berenice。　　She　recognized　the　value　of　its　social　import；　but　even　at　fifteen　and　sixteen　she　was　superior　to　it。　　She　was　superior　to　her　superiors　and　to　the　specimens　of　maidenhoodsupposed　to　be　perfect　sociallywho　gathered　about　to　hear　her　talk；　to　hear　her　sing；　declaim；　or　imitate。　　She　was　deeply；　dramatically；　urgently　conscious　of　the　value　of　her　personality　in　itself；　not　as　connected　with　any　inherited　social　standing；　but　of　its　innate　worth；　and　of　the　artistry　and　wonder　of　her　body。　　One　of　her　chief　delights　was　to　walk　alone　in　her　roomsometimes　at　night；　the　lamp　out；　the　moon　perhaps　faintly　illuminating　her　chamberand　to　pose　and　survey　her　body；　and　dance　in　some　naive；　graceful；　airy　Greek　way　a　dance　that　was　singularly　free　from　sex　consciousnessand　yet　was　it？　She　was　conscious　of　her　bodyof　every　inch　of　itunder　the　ivory…white　clothes　which　she　frequently　wore。　　Once　she　wrote　in　a　secret　diary　which　she　maintainedanother　art　impulse　or　an　affectation；　as　you　will：　〃My　skin　is　so　wonderful。　　It　tingles　so　with　rich　life。　　I　love　it　and　my　strong　muscles　underneath。　　I　love　my　hands　and　my　hair　and　my　eyes。　　My　hands　are　long　and　thin　and　delicate；　my　eyes　are　a　dark；　deep　blue；　my　hair　is　a　brown；　rusty　red；　thick　and　sleepy。　　My　long；　firm；　untired　limbs　can　dance　all　night。　　Oh；　I　love　life！　I　love　life！〃

You　would　not　have　called　Berenice　Fleming　sensuousthough　she　wasbecause　she　was　self…controlled。　　Her　eyes　lied　to　you。　　They　lied　to　all　the　world。　　They　looked　you　through　and　through　with　a　calm　savoir　faire；　a　mocking　defiance；　which　said　with　a　faint　curl　of　the　lips；　barely　suggested　to　help　them　out；　〃You　cannot　read　me；　you　cannot　read　me。〃　She　put　her　head　to　one　side；　smiled；　lied　（by　implication）；　assumed　that　there　was　nothing。　　And　there　was　nothing；　as　yet。　　Yet　there　was　something；　tooher　inmost　convictions；　and　these　she　took　good　care　to　conceal。　　The　world　how　little　it　should　ever；　ever　know！　　How　little　it　ever　could　know　truly！

The　first　time　Cowperwood　encountered　this　Circe　daughter　of　so　unfortunate　a　mother　was　on　the　occasion　of　a　trip　to　New　York；　the　second　spring　following　his　introduction　to　Mrs。　Carter　in　Louisville。　　Berenice　was　taking　some　part　in　the　closing　exercises　of　the　Brewster　School；　and　Mrs。　Carter；　with　Cowperwood　for　an　escort；　decided　to　go　East。　　Cowperwood　having　located　himself　at　the　Netherlands；　and　Mrs。　Carter　at　the　much　humbler　Grenoble；　they　journeyed　together　to　visit　this　paragon　whose　picture　he　had　had　hanging　in　his　rooms　in　Chicago　for　months　past。　　When　they　were　introduced　into　the　somewhat　somber　reception　parlor　of　the　Brewster　School；　Berenice　came　slipping　in　after　a　few　moments；　a　noiseless　figure　of　a　girl；　tall　and　slim；　and　deliciously　sinuous。　Cowperwood　saw　at　first　glance　that　she　fulfilled　all　the　promise　of　her　picture；　and　was　delighted。　　She　had；　he　thought；　a　strange；　shrewd；　intelligent　smile；　which；　however；　was　girlish　and　friendly。　Without　so　much　as　a　glance　in　his　direction　she　came　forward；　extending　her　arms　and　hands　in　an　inimitable　histrionic　manner；　and　exclaimed；　with　a　practised　and　yet　natural　inflection：　〃Mother；　dear！　So　here　you　are　really！　You　know；　I've　been　thinking　of　you　all　morning。　　I　wasn't　sure　whether　you　would　come　to…day；　you　change　about　so。　　I　think　I　even　dreamed　of　you　last　night。〃

Her　skirts；　still　worn　just　below　the　shoe…tops；　had　the　richness　of　scraping　silk　then　fashionable。　　She　was　also　guilty　of　using　a　faint　perfume　of　some　kind。

Cowperwood　could　see　that　Mrs。　Carter；　despite　a　certain　nervousness　due　to　the　girl's　superior　individuality　and　his　presence；　was　very　proud　of　her。　　Berenice；　he　also　saw　quickly；　was　measuring　him　out　of　the　tail　of　her　eyea　single　sweeping　glance　which　she　vouchsafed　from　beneath　her　long　lashes　sufficing；　but　she　gathered　quite　accurately　the　totality　of　Cowperwood's　age；　force；　grace；　wealth；　and　worldly　ability。　　Without　hesitation　she　classed　him　as　a　man　of　power　in　some　field；　possibly　finance；　one　of　the　numerous　able　men　whom　her　mother　seemed　to　know。　　She　always　wondered　about　her　mother。　　His　large　gray　eyes；　that　searched　her　with　lightning　accuracy；　appealed　to　her　as　pleasant；　able　eyes。　　She　knew　on　the　instant；　young　as　she　was；　that　he　liked　women；　and　that　probably　he　would　think　her　charming；　but　as　for　giving　him　additional　attention　it　was　outside　her　code。　　She　preferred　to　be　interested　in　her　dear　mother　exclusively。

〃Berenice；〃　observed　Mrs。　Carter；　airily；　〃let　me　introduce　Mr。　Cowperwood。〃

Berenice　turned；　and　for　the　fraction　of　a　second　leveled　a　frank　and　yet　condescending　glance　from　wells　of　what　Cowperwood　considered　to　be　indigo　blue。

〃Your　mother　has　spoken　of　you　from　time　to　time；〃　he　said；　pleasantly。

She　withdrew　a　cool；　thin　hand　as　limp　and　soft　as　wax；　and　turned　to　her　mother　again　without　comment；　and　yet　without　the　least　embarrassment。　　Cowperwood　seemed　in　no　way　important　to　her。

〃What　would　you　say；　dear；〃　pursued　Mrs。　Carter；　after　a　brief　exchange　of　commonplaces；　〃if　I　were　to　spend　next　winter　in　New　York？〃

〃It　would　be　charming　if　I　could　live　at　home。　　I'm　sick　of　this　silly　boarding…school。〃

〃Why；　Berenice！　I　thought　you　liked　it。〃

〃I　hate　it；　but　only　because　it's　so　dull。　　The　girls　here　are　so　silly。〃

Mrs。　Carter　lifted　her　eyebrows　as　much　as　to　say　to　her　escort；　〃Now　what　do　you　think？〃　Cowperwood　stood　solemnly　by。　　It　was　not　for　him　to　make　a　suggestion　at　present。　　He　could　see　that　for　some　reasonprobably　because　of　her　disordered　lifeMrs。　Carter　was　playing　a　game　of　manners　with　her　daughter；　she　maintained　always　a　lofty；　romantic　air。　　With　Berenice　it　was　naturalthe　expression　of　a　vain；　self…conscious；　superior　disposition。

〃A　rather　charming　garden　here；〃　he　observed；　lifting　a　curtain　and　looking　out　into　a　blooming　plot。

〃Yes；　the　flowers　are　nice；〃　commented　Berenice。

〃Wait；　I'll　get　some　for　you。　　It's　against　the　rules；　but　they　can't