The Stoic

THE STOIC

«Why, what the devil does this mean? I don’t understand. There’s something wrong here. They’re surely expecting us. Wait, I’ll go and see», and turning swiftly, he disappeared.

«I really can’t understand this», said Aileen. «I thought we had everything arranged». And she frowned and pouted and looked her irritated best.

«We’ve probably been shown to the wrong room», said Cowperwood.

«They do not expect, what?» the sheik was saying to Marigold, when the door of an adjoining serving room suddenly opened, and in dashed Harlequin, enormously concerned. This was Pantaloon himself, tall and gawky, his garb the usual star-and-moon sewn slip, cornucopia atop his head, his ears yellowed with grease paint, his eyesockets green, his cheeks cerise, ruffs and bangles about his wrists and neck, tufts of hair protruding from under his horn hat, immense white gloves on his hands, long, flail-like shoes on his feet. Looking about with a kind of lunatic anguish and despair, he exclaimed:

«Ah, Mon Dieu! Sacr’e-bleu! Ah, ladies and gentlemen! This is... indeed, this is... ah, no linen! No silver! No chairs! Pardon! Pardon! Something must be done about this! Pardon, mesdames and messieurs , something must have gone wrong. Something must be done! Ah!» and clapping his long hands and gazing toward the door, as though troops of servants must immediately respond to his bidding, he waited, without response. Then once more clapping, he waited, one ear cocked toward the door. After which, no sound ensuing, he turned to his audience, who, now comprehending, retreated to the walls to give Harlequin his stage.

251

THEODORE DREISER

Finger to his lips, he tiptoed to the door and listened. Still no sound. After stooping down and peering through the keyhole, his head cocked now this way, now that, he looked back at them, and, with an amazing grimace, again put his finger to his lips and glued one eye to the keyhole. Finally he jumped back, falling flat as he did so, then jumped up and backed away, while the door flew open for a half-dozen waiters bearing linen, dishes, silver, glasses, trays – an orderly and businesslike procession – who proceeded to spread the table, ignoring him completely while he leaped and clattered about, exclaiming:

«So! So! You come, do you? You pigs! You loafers! Put down the plates! Put down the plates, I say!» This to the man who was already swiftly and dexterously laying the plates. And to the waiter who was placing the silver: «Lay the silver, I tell you! And see that you make no noise! Swine!» After which he picked up a knife and re-laid it in exactly the same position. To the waiter who was arranging the glasses, he exclaimed: «No, no, no! Dunce! Will you never learn? See!» and taking up the glasses replaced them precisely as they had been. Then stepping aside to survey them, he knelt down and squinted, then moved one small liqueur glass a thousandth of an inch.

Of course, during all this folderol, everyone, with the exception of Ibrihim – who simply stared queerly at all this – smiled or laughed by turns, especially when Harlequin proceeded to follow closely upon the heels of the headwaiter, actually stepping on them at times, while the waiter pretended not to see him. As he went out, Harlequin followed him, looking back as he shouted: «Bah! Conspiracy! Bah!»

252

THE STOIC

«A good show!» remarked Cowperwood to Madame Rezstadt.

«That is Grelizan, of the Trocadero, the cleverest clown in Europe», she said.

«No!» exclaimed Marigold, whose estimate of his humor was rapidly heightened by the news of his fame.

At first fearful, but now elated by the success of this adventure, Aileen beamed with pleasure. Since Cowperwood chose to praise her ingenuity, and that of Tollifer, there was nothing Grelizan could do now that did not seem amusing to her, though he did produce a momentary chill when he stumbled and fell while bearing a large silver tureen filled with what appeared to be bright red tomato soup. The brilliant orange confetti was deftly hurled into the air and fell all over the guests, to the accompaniment of gasps, screams and laughter.

Again he hurried back to the pantry, this time to bring no more than a single croûton held in a pair of sugar tongs, and again and again to follow the incoming waiters with exaggerated supervision, while they scrupulously served the courses.

Imitation ices were served last. Beneath the surface of each was a frail inflated balloon, which, when pierced with a fork, revealed, in Cowperwood’s case, the key to the city of London; in Aileen’s, a bowing and smiling figure of Monsieur Richard, scissors in hand; for Madame Rezstadt, a small world globe, with a dotted line touching all of the places she had traveled to; for Ibrihim, a tiny horse with a sheik astride; for Tollifer, a small roulette wheel, with the indicator at zero; for Marigold, a handful of toy figures of men: a soldier, a king, a dandy, an artist, a musician. There was much laughter over

253

Chapter 39

Cowperwood concluded from all this that in Tollifer he had picked someone even more resourceful than he had hoped for. The man was gifted, decidedly. With the least encouragement, and, of course, financial aid, he could certainly make a world for Aileen with which, in the event of their separation, she might reasonably be satisfied. This was a situation requiring some thought. For, of course, if she were to find out about Berenice, she would probably turn to Tollifer for advice. And then it would be a matter of having to buy them off. A pretty kettle of fish! Also, with Aileen in a social limelight of her own, and with her husband rarely present, there would be increased speculation as to where he was, speculation which could lead but in one direction: Berenice. Best to persuade Aileen to go back to New York with him and leave Tollifer behind. It would, for the time being, modify the ascendancy which obviously he had already achieved, and prevent it from being too obvious to others.

It developed that Aileen, on her part, was entirely willing. There were various reasons. She feared that otherwise Cowperwood might take another woman along with him, or that he might meet one in New York. And there was the effect on Tollifer and his friends. For just now Cowperwood was more of

255

THEODORE DREISER

a public figure than ever, and it was among the highest of distinctions to be his acknowledged wife. Her chief curiosity was whether Tollifer would follow her or not. For this was a visit that was likely to last for six months, may be longer.

Immediately, therefore, she informed him of her forthcoming departure. His reactions were rather complicated, for in the background there was Marigold, who wanted him to cruise with her to the North Cape. By now, he had seen enough of her to feel that if he continued his suit, she might actually arrange a divorce and marry him, and she possessed considerable money of her own. He did not really love her; he was still dreaming of a romance with a younger girl. Then, there was the matter of immediate and continued income. Any interruption of that would at once end his butterfly existence. He felt that Cowperwood, though having given no hint, would prefer him to return to New York. But whether he went or stayed, it had come to the point, he felt, when continued pursuit of Aileen, without some declaration of affection, would not seem to her reasonable. He was satisfied that she would yield nothing, but it would flatter her. And this, in itself, was excuse enough for the approach.

«Pshaw!» he exclaimed, on hearing the news from her. «This throws me all out!» He paced nervously back and forth, having dropped in to see her after a luncheon with Marigold at Madame Gemy’s bar. His face simulated grave concern and disappointment.

«What’s the matter?» inquired Aileen, seriously. «What has gone wrong?» She noticed that he had been drinking,

256

THE STOIC

not enough to unbalance him in any way but sufficient to darken his mood.

«This is too bad», he said, «and just when I was thinking that something might come out of it all for both of us».

Aileen stared at him, not a little puzzled. To be sure, this more or less anomalous relationship had been growing on her. In an unformulated way, she was attracted to him more than she had acknowledged to herself. Yet having observed him with Marigold and others, she was convinced, as she had said more than once, that a woman could not trust him from one end of the room to the other.

«I don’t know whether you feel it or not», he went on, calculatingly, «but there’s a lot more than just a social acquaintance between you and me. I’ll admit that when I first met you, I didn’t think there would be. I was interested by the fact that you were Mrs. Cowperwood, part of a life that I had heard a great deal about. But after we’d had a few talks together, I began to feel something else. I’ve seen a lot of trouble in my life. I’ve had my ups and downs, and I suppose I always will. But there was something about you those first few days on the boat that made me think maybe you had, too. That’s why I wanted to be with you, although, as you saw for yourself, there were lots of other women whose company I might have had».

He lied with the air of one who had never told anything but the truth. And this bit of acting impressed her. She had suspected him of fortune-hunting, and possibly that was true. Yet if he did not really like her, why all this effort on his part to improve her appearance and reorganize her onetime power to charm? She experienced a sudden emotional glow,

257

THEODORE DREISER

perhaps half motherhood and half youth and desire. For one could not help liking this waster; he was so genial, cheering, and in a subtle way, affectionate.

«But what difference does it make about my going back to New York?» she asked wonderingly. «Can’t we be friends just the same?»

Tollifer considered. Having established this matter of his affection, now what? Always the thought of Cowperwood dominated him. What would he desire him to do?

«Just think», he said, «you’re running off in the ideal time over here, June and July. And just when we were getting into the swing of things!» He lit a cigarette and fixed himself a drink. Why hadn’t Cowperwood given him a sign as to whether he wanted him to keep Aileen in Paris or not? Perhaps he would yet, but if so, he’d better be quick about it.

«Frank has asked me to go, and I can’t do anything else», she said, calmly. «As for you, I don’t imagine you’ll be lonely».

«You don’t understand», he said. «You’ve made a kind of center for me over here. I feel happier now and more contented than I have for years. And if you go back now, it may be broken up».

«Nonsense! Please don’t be foolish. I’d like to stay here, I admit. Only I don’t know how it could be managed. When I get back to New York and see how things are, I’ll let you know. But it’s my belief we’ll be coming back soon. If not, and you still feel this way, you can come home, and I’ll be seeing you just the same way in New York».

«Aileen!» exclaimed Tollifer, affectionately, seeing his opportunity. He crossed over and took her arm. «That’s wonder-

258

Chapter 40

New York, and Cowperwood and Aileen stepping off the liner Saxonia . The usual interviewers. The newspapers, aware of his expressed intention of invading the London underground field, now wanting to know, who were to be his directors, investors, managers, also whether the sudden reported heavy buying of both the common and preferred stock of the District and the Metropolitan was not really being done by his own men. This disclaimed by him in an adroit statement, which, when published, caused many Londoners, as well as Americans, to smile.

Pictures of Aileen, her new clothes, and references to her appearance in what was hinted to be near-society on the Continent.

And, simultaneously, sailing with Marigold for the North Cape, Bruce Tollifer. But no mention of this in any paper.

And at Pryor’s Cove, Berenice was an outstanding local success. Since she so carefully concealed her shrewdness behind a veil of simplicity, innocence, and conventionality, everyone convinced that there would follow in due time, for her, a distinguished and correct marriage. For, obviously, she had the instinct for avoiding the dull, the commonplace, and the lecherous, regarding favorably only those who were conventional-

260