The Financier a novel by Theodore Dreiser

part in this. She was dutiful. And then what people thought, what the time-
spirit demanded—these were the great things. Aileen, on the contrary, was 
probably not dutiful, and it was obvious that she had no temperamental 
connection with current convention. No doubt she had been as well 
instructed as many another girl, but look at her. She was not obeying her 
instructions. 
In the next three months this relationship took on a more flagrant form. 
Aileen, knowing full well what her parents would think, how unspeakable in 
the mind of the current world were the thoughts she was thinking, 
persisted, nevertheless, in so thinking and longing. Cowperwood, now that 
she had gone thus far and compromised herself in intention, if not in deed, 
took on a peculiar charm for her. It was not his body—great passion is never 
that, exactly. The flavor of his spirit was what attracted and compelled, like 
the glow of a flame to a moth. There was a light of romance in his eyes, 
which, however governed and controlled—was directive and almost all-
powerful to her. 
When he touched her hand at parting, it was as though she had received an 
electric shock, and she recalled that it was very difficult for her to look 
directly into his eyes. Something akin to a destructive force seemed to issue 
from them at times. Other people, men particularly, found it difficult to face 
Cowperwood's glazed stare. It was as though there were another pair of eyes 
behind those they saw, watching through thin, obscuring curtains. You 
could not tell what he was thinking. 
And during the next few months she found herself coming closer and closer 
to Cowperwood. At his home one evening, seated at the piano, no one else 
being present at the moment, he leaned over and kissed her. There was a 
cold, snowy street visible through the interstices of the hangings of the 
windows, and gas-lamps flickering outside. He had come in early, and 
hearing Aileen, he came to where she was seated at the piano. She was 
wearing a rough, gray wool cloth dress, ornately banded with fringed 

---

Oriental embroidery in blue and burnt-orange, and her beauty was further 
enhanced by a gray hat planned to match her dress, with a plume of shaded 
orange and blue. On her fingers were four or five rings, far too many—an 
opal, an emerald, a ruby, and a diamond—flashing visibly as she played. 
She knew it was he, without turning. He came beside her, and she looked 
up smiling, the reverie evoked by Schubert partly vanishing—or melting into 
another mood. Suddenly he bent over and pressed his lips firmly to hers. 
His mustache thrilled her with its silky touch. She stopped playing and tried 
to catch her breath, for, strong as she was, it affected her breathing. Her 
heart was beating like a triphammer. She did not say, "Oh," or, "You 
mustn't," but rose and walked over to a window, where she lifted a curtain, 
pretending to look out. She felt as though she might faint, so intensely 
happy was she. 
Cowperwood followed her quickly. Slipping his arms about her waist, he 
looked at her flushed cheeks, her clear, moist eyes and red mouth. 
"You love me?" he whispered, stern and compelling because of his desire. 
"Yes! Yes! You know I do." 
He crushed her face to his, and she put up her hands and stroked his hair. 
A thrilling sense of possession, mastery, happiness and understanding, love 
of her and of her body, suddenly overwhelmed him. 
"I love you," he said, as though he were surprised to hear himself say it. "I 
didn't think I did, but I do. You're beautiful. I'm wild about you." 
"And I love you" she answered. "I can't help it. I know I shouldn't, but—oh—" 
Her hands closed tight over his ears and temples. She put her lips to his 
and dreamed into his eyes. Then she stepped away quickly, looking out into 
the street, and he walked back into the living-room. They were quite alone. 
He was debating whether he should risk anything further when Norah, 
having been in to see Anna next door, appeared and not long afterward Mrs. 
Cowperwood. Then Aileen and Norah left.