the titan-第94章
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Pity the poor earthling caught in the toils of the moral law。 In another country； perhaps； in another day； another age； such a situation would have been capable of a solution； one not utterly destructive to Mr。 Sluss； and not entirely favorable to a man like Cowperwood。 But here in the United States； here in Chicago； the ethical verities would all； as he knew； be lined up against him。 What Lake View would think； what his pastor would think； what Hand and all his moral associates would thinkah； these were the terrible； the incontrovertible consequences of his lapse from virtue。
At four o'clock； after Mr。 Sluss had wandered for hours in the snow and cold； belaboring himself for a fool and a knave； and while Cowperwood was sitting at his desk signing papers； contemplating a glowing fire； and wondering whether the mayor would deem it advisable to put in an appearance； his office door opened and one of his trim stenographers entered announcing Mr。 Chaffee Thayer Sluss。 Enter Mayor Sluss； sad； heavy； subdued； shrunken； a very different gentleman from the one who had talked so cavalierly over the wires some five and a half hours before。 Gray weather； severe cold； and much contemplation of seemingly irreconcilable facts had reduced his spirits greatly。 He was a little pale and a little restless。 Mental distress has a reducing； congealing effect； and Mayor Sluss seemed somewhat less than his usual self in height； weight； and thickness。 Cowperwood had seen him more than once on various political platforms； but he had never met him。 When the troubled mayor entered he arose courteously and waved him to a chair。
〃Sit down； Mr。 Sluss；〃 he said； genially。 〃It's a disagreeable day out； isn't it？ I suppose you have come in regard to the matter we were discussing this morning？〃
Nor was this cordiality wholly assumed。 One of the primal instincts of Cowperwood's naturefor all his chicane and subtletywas to take no rough advantage of a beaten enemy。 In the hour of victory he was always courteous； bland； gentle； and even sympathetic； he was so to…day； and quite honestly； too。
Mayor Sluss put down the high sugar…loaf hat he wore and said； grandiosely； as was his manner even in the direst extremity： 〃Well； you see； I am here； Mr。 Cowperwood。 What is it you wish me to do； exactly？〃
〃Nothing unreasonable； I assure you； Mr。 Sluss；〃 replied Cowperwood。 〃Your manner to me this morning was a little brusque； and； as I have always wanted to have a sensible private talk with you； I took this way of getting it。 I should like you to dismiss from your mind at once the thought that I am going to take an unfair advantage of you in any way。 I have no present intention of publishing your correspondence with Mrs。 Brandon。〃 （As he said this he took from his drawer a bundle of letters which Mayor Sluss recognized at once as the enthusiastic missives which he had sometime before penned to the fair Claudia。 Mr。 Sluss groaned as he beheld this incriminating evidence。） 〃I am not trying；〃 continued Cowperwood； 〃to wreck your career； nor to make you do anything which you do not feel that you can conscientiously undertake。 The letters that I have here； let me say； have come to me quite by accident。 I did not seek them。 But； since I do have them； I thought I might as well mention them as a basis for a possible talk and compromise between us。〃
Cowperwood did not smile。 He merely looked thoughtfully at Sluss； then； by way of testifying to the truthfulness of what he had been saying； thumped the letters up and down； just to show that they were real。
〃Yes；〃 said Mr。 Sluss； heavily； 〃I see。〃
He studied the bundlea small； solid affairwhile Cowperwood looked discreetly elsewhere。 He contemplated his own shoes； the floor。 He rubbed his hands and then his knees。
Cowperwood saw how completely he had collapsed。 It was ridiculous； pitiable。
〃Come； Mr。 Sluss；〃 said Cowperwood； amiably； 〃cheer up。 Things are not nearly as desperate as you think。 I give you my word right now that nothing which you yourself； on mature thought； could say was unfair will be done。 You are the mayor of Chicago。 I am a citizen。 I merely wish fair play from you。 I merely ask you to give me your word of honor that from now on you will take no part in this fight which is one of pure spite against me。 If you cannot conscientiously aid me in what I consider to be a perfectly legitimate demand for additional franchises； you will； at least； not go out of your way to publicly attack me。 I will put these letters in my safe； and there they will stay until the next campaign is over； when I will take them out and destroy them。 I have no personal feeling against younone in the world。 I do not ask you to sign any ordinance which the council may pass giving me elevated…road rights。 What I do wish you to do at this time is to refrain from stirring up public sentiment against me； especially if the council should see fit to pass an ordinance over your veto。 Is that satisfactory？〃
〃But my friends？ The public？ The Republican party？ Don't you see it is expected of me that I should wage some form of campaign against you？〃 queried Sluss； nervously。
〃No； I don't；〃 replied Cowperwood； succinctly； 〃and； anyhow； there are ways and ways of waging a public campaign。 Go through the motions； if you wish； but don't put too much heart in it。 And； anyhow； see some one of my lawyers from time to time when they call on you。 Judge Dickensheets is an able and fair man。 So is General Van Sickle。 Why not confer with them occasionally？not publicly； of course； but in some less conspicuous way。 You will find both of them most helpful。〃
Cowperwood smiled encouragingly； quite beneficently； and Chaffee Thayer Sluss； his political hopes gone glimmering； sat and mused for a few moments in a sad and helpless quandary。
〃Very well；〃 he said； at last； rubbing his hands feverishly。 〃It is what I might have expected。 I should have known。 There is no other way； but〃 Hardly able to repress the hot tears now burning beneath his eyelids； the Hon。 Mr。 Sluss picked up his hat and left the room。 Needless to add that his preachings against Cowperwood were permanently silenced。
Chapter XLV
Changing Horizons
The effect of all this was to arouse in Cowperwood the keenest feelings of superiority he had ever yet enjoyed。 Hitherto he had fancied that his enemies might worst him； but at last his path seemed clear。 He was now worth； all in all； the round sum of twenty million dollars。 His art…collection had become the most important in the Westperhaps in the nation； public collections excluded。 He began to envision himself as a national figure； possibly even an international one。 And yet he was coming to feel that； no matter how complete his financial victory might ultimately be； the chances were that he and Aileen would never be socially accepted here in Chicago。 He had done too many boisterous things alienated too many people。 He was as determined as ever to retain a firm grip on the Chicago street…railway situation。 But he was disturbed for a second time in his life by the thought that； owing to the complexities of his own temperament； he had married unhappily and would find the situation difficult of adjustment。 Aileen； whatever might be said of her deficiencies； was by no means as tractable or acquiescent as his first wife。 And； besides； he felt that he owed her a better turn。 By no means did he actually dislike her as yet； though she was no longer soothing； stimulating； or suggestive to him as she had formerly been。 Her woes； because of him； were too many； her attitude toward him too censorious。 He was perfectly willing to sympathize with her； to regret his own change of feeling； but what would you？ He could not control his own temperament any more than Aileen could control hers。
The worst of this situation was that it was now becoming complicated on Cowperwood's part with the most disturbing thoughts concerning Berenice Fleming。 Ever since the days when he had first met her mother he had been coming more and more to feel for the young girl a soul…stirring passionand that without a single look exchanged or a single word spoken。 There is a static something which is
