Titan / Титан. Книга для чтения на английском языке

He was connected with a city treasurer there who stole five hundred thousand dollars, and they both went to the penitentiary. That wasn’t the worst of it! He became intimate with some young girl – a Miss Butler, the sister of Owen Butler, by the way, who is now such a power down there, and – “ She merely lifted her eyes. “While he was in the penitentiary her father died and the family broke up. I even heard it rumored that the old gentleman killed himself.” (She was referring to Aileen’s father, Edward Malia Butler.

) “When he came out of the penitentiary Cowperwood disappeared, and I did hear someone say that he had gone West, and divorced his wife and married again. His first wife is still living in Philadelphia somewhere with his two children.”

Mrs. Merrill was properly astonished, but she did not show it. “Quite an interesting story, isn’t it?” she commented, distantly, thinking how easy it would be to adjust the Cowperwood situation, and how pleased she was that she had never shown any interest in them.

“Did you ever see her – his new wife?”

“I think so, but I forget where. I believe she used to ride and drive a great deal in Philadelphia.”

“Did she have red hair?”

“Oh yes. She was a very striking blonde.”

“I fancy it must be the same person. They have been in the papers recently in Chicago. I wanted to be sure.”

Mrs. Merrill was meditating some fine comments to be made in the future.

“I suppose now they’re trying to get into Chicago society?” Mrs. Walker smiled condescendingly and contemptuously – as much at Chicago society as at the Cowperwoods.

“It’s possible that they might attempt something like that in the East and succeed – I’m sure I don’t know,” replied Mrs. Merrill, caustically, resenting the slur, “but attempting and achieving are quite different things in Chicago.”

The answer was sufficient. It ended the discussion.

When next Mrs. Simms was rash enough to mention the Cowperwoods, or, rather, the peculiar publicity in connection with him, her future viewpoint was definitely fixed for her.

“If you take my advice,” commented Mrs. Merrill, finally, “the less you have to do with these friends of yours the better. I know all about them. You might have seen that from the first. They can never be accepted.”

Mrs. Merrill did not trouble to explain why, but Mrs.