the titan-第41章
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gia Du Coindo I need to say any more？ As a matter of fact； I have a number of your letters in my possession。〃
〃Saw that ees it！〃 exclaimed Sohlberg； while Cowperwood eyed him fixedly。 〃You have been running around weeth my wife？ Eet ees true； then。 A fine situation！ And you come here now weeth these threats； these lies to booldoze me。 Haw！ We weel see about them。 We weel see what I can do。 Wait teel I can consult a lawyer first。 Then we weel see！〃
Cowperwood surveyed him coldly； angrily。 〃What an ass！〃 he thought。
〃See here；〃 he said； urging Sohlberg； for privacy's sake； to come down into the lower hall； and then into the street before the sanitarium； where two gas…lamps were fluttering fitfully in the dark and wind； 〃I see very plainly that you are bent on making trouble。 It is not enough that I have assured you that there is nothing in thisthat I have given you my word。 You insist on going further。 Very well； then。 Supposing for argument's sake that Mrs。 Cowperwood was not insane； that every word she said was true； that I had been misconducting myself with your wife？ What of it？ What will you do？〃
He looked at Sohlberg smoothly； ironically； while the latter flared up。
〃Haw！〃 he shouted； melodramatically。 〃Why； I would keel you； that's what I would do。 I would keel her。 I weel make a terrible scene。 Just let me knaw that this is so； and then see！〃
〃Exactly；〃 replied Cowperwood； grimly。 〃I thought so。 I believe you。 For that reason I have come prepared to serve you in just the way you wish。〃 He reached in his coat and took out two small revolvers； which he had taken from a drawer at home for this very purpose。 They gleamed in the dark。 〃Do you see these？〃 he continued。 〃I am going to save you the trouble of further investigation； Mr。 Sohlberg。 Every word that Mrs。 Cowperwood said to…nightand I am saying this with a full understanding of what this means to you and to meis true。 She is no more insane than I am。 Your wife has been living in an apartment with me on the North Side for months； though you cannot prove that。 She does not love you； but me。 Now if you want to kill me here is a gun。〃 He extended his hand。 〃Take your choice。 If I am to die you might as well die with me。〃
He said it so coolly； so firmly； that Sohlberg； who was an innate coward； and who had no more desire to die than any other healthy animal； paled。 The look of cold steel was too much。 The hand that pressed them on him was hard and firm。 He took hold of one； but his fingers trembled。 The steely； metallic voice in his ear was undermining the little courage that he had。 Cowperwood by now had taken on the proportions of a dangerous manthe lineaments of a demon。 He turned away mortally terrified。
〃My God！〃 he exclaimed； shaking like a leaf。 〃You want to keel me； do you？ I weel not have anything to do with you！ I weel not talk to you！ I weel see my lawyer。 I weel talk to my wife first。〃
〃Oh； no you won't；〃 replied Cowperwood； intercepting him as he turned to go and seizing him firmly by the arm。 〃I am not going to have you do anything of the sort。 I am not going to kill you if you are not going to kill me； but I am going to make you listen to reason for once。 Now here is what else I have to say； and then I am through。 I am not unfriendly to you。 I want to do you a good turn； little as I care for you。 To begin with； there is nothing in those charges my wife made； not a thing。 I merely said what I did just now to see if you were in earnest。 You do not love your wife any more。 She doesn't love you。 You are no good to her。 Now； I have a very friendly proposition to make to you。 If you want to leave Chicago and stay away three years or more； I will see that you are paid five thousand dollars every year on January firston the nailfive thousand dollars！ Do you hear？ Or you can stay here in Chicago and hold your tongue and I will make it three thousandmonthly or yearly； just as you please。 Butand this is what I want you to rememberif you don't get out of town or hold your tongue； if you make one single rash move against me； I will kill you； and I will kill you on sight。 Now； I want you to go away from here and behave yourself。 Leave your wife alone。 Come and see me in a day or twothe money is ready for you any time。 He paused while Sohlberg staredhis eyes round and glassy。 This was the most astonishing experience of his life。 This man was either devil or prince； or both。 〃Good God！〃 he thought。 〃He will do that； too。 He will really kill me。〃 Then the astounding alternativefive thousand dollars a yearcame to his mind。 Well； why not？ His silence gave consent。
〃If I were you I wouldn't go up…stairs again to…night；〃 continued Cowperwood； sternly。 〃Don't disturb her。 She needs rest。 Go on down…town and come and see me to…morrowor if you want to go back I will go with you。 I want to say to Mrs。 Sohlberg what I have said to you。 But remember what I've told you。〃
〃Nau； thank you；〃 replied Sohlberg； feebly。 〃I will go down…town。 Good night。〃 And he hurried away。
〃I'm sorry；〃 said Cowperwood to himself； defensively。 〃It is too bad； but it was the only way。〃
Chapter XXI
A Matter of Tunnels
The question of Sohlberg adjusted thus simply； if brutally； Cowperwood turned his attention to Mrs。 Sohlberg。 But there was nothing much to be done。 He explained that he had now completely subdued Aileen and Sohlberg； that the latter would make no more trouble； that he was going to pension him； that Aileen would remain permanently quiescent。 He expressed the greatest solicitude for her； but Rita was now sickened of this tangle。 She had loved him； as she thought； but through the rage of Aileen she saw him in a different light； and she wanted to get away。 His money； plentiful as it was； did not mean as much to her as it might have meant to some women； it simply spelled luxuries； without which she could exist if she must。 His charm for her had； perhaps； consisted mostly in the atmosphere of flawless security； which seemed to surround hima glittering bubble of romance。 That； by one fell attack； was now burst。 He was seen to be quite as other men； subject to the same storms； the same danger of shipwreck。 Only he was a better sailor than most。 She recuperated gradually； left for home； left for Europe； details too long to be narrated。 Sohlberg； after much meditating and fuming； finally accepted the offer of Cowperwood and returned to Denmark。 Aileen； after a few days of quarreling； in which he agreed to dispense with Antoinette Nowak； returned home。
Cowperwood was in no wise pleased by this rough denouement。 Aileen had not raised her own attractions in his estimation； and yet； strange to relate； he was not unsympathetic with her。 He had no desire to desert her as yet； though for some time he had been growing in the feeling that Rita would have been a much better type of wife for him。 But what he could not have； he could not have。 He turned his attention with renewed force to his business； but it was with many a backward glance at those radiant hours when； with Rita in his presence or enfolded by his arms； he had seen life from a new and poetic angle。 She was so charming； so naivebut what could he do？
For several years thereafter Cowperwood was busy following the Chicago street…railway situation with increasing interest。 He knew it was useless to brood over Rita Sohlbergshe would not returnand yet he could not help it； but he could work hard； and that was something。 His natural aptitude and affection for street…railway work had long since been demonstrated； and it was now making him restless。 One might have said of him quite truly that the tinkle of car…bells and the plop of plodding horses' feet was in his blood。 He surveyed these extending lines； with their jingling cars； as he went about the city； with an almost hungry eye。 Chicago was growing fast； and these little horse…cars on certain streets were crowded night and morningfairly bulging with people at the rush…hours。 If he could only secure an octopus…grip on one or all of them； if he could combine and control them all！ What a fortune！ That； if nothing else； might salve him for some of his woesa tremendous fort
