g
ceremony--because she wished it, but later changed to a smart business
suit for traveling. He had arranged his affairs for a two weeks' trip
to New York and Boston. They took an afternoon train for New York, which
required five hours to reach. When they were finally alone in the Astor
House, New York, after hours of make-believe and public pretense of
indifference, he gathered her in his arms.

"Oh, it's delicious," he exclaimed, "to have you all to myself."

She met his eagerness with that smiling, tantalizing passivity which
he had so much admired but which this time was tinged strongly with a
communicated desire. He thought he should never have enough of her, her
beautiful face, her lovely arms, her smooth, lymphatic body. They were
like two children, billing and cooing, driving, dining, seeing the
sights. He was curious to visit the financial sections of both cities.
New York and Boston appealed to him as commercially solid. He wondered,
as he observed the former, whether he should ever leave Philadelphia.
He was going to be very happy there now, he thought, with Lillian and
possibly a brood of young Cowperwoods. He was going to work hard and
make money. With his means and hers now at his command, he might become,
very readily, notably wealthy.

Chapter X

The home atmosphere which they established when they returned from
their honeymoon was a great improvement in taste over that which had
characterized the earlier life of Mrs. Cowperwood as Mrs. Semple. They
had decided to occupy her house, on North Front Street, for a while at
least. Cowperwood, aggressive in his current artistic mood, had objected
at once after they were engaged to the spirit of the furniture and
decorations, or lack of them, and had suggested that he be allowed to
have it brought more in keeping with his idea of what was appropriate.
During the years in which he had been growing into manhood he had come
instinctively into sound notions of what was artistic and refined. He
had seen so many homes that were more distinguished and harmonious than
his own. One could not walk or drive about Philadelphia without seeing
and being impressed with the general tendency toward a more cultivated
and selective social life. Many excellent and expensive houses were
being erected. The front lawn, with some attempt at floral gardening,
was achieving local popularity. In the homes of the Tighes, the
Leighs, Arthur Rivers, and others, he had noticed