XXIX explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Deception and Self-Justification

  Cowperwood and Aileen conspire to hide their affair, while Cowperwood rationalizes his financial maneuvers as technicalities.

• Survival and Resilience

  Cowperwood remains determined and strategic despite impending failure, planning his next moves to survive the crisis.

Characters to notice

• Frank Algernon Cowperwood

  Cowperwood is at the center of the financial crisis, making final appeals and planning for failure while managing his affair with Aileen.

• Aileen Butler

  Aileen visits Cowperwood, distressed about her father's suspicion of their affair and Cowperwood's financial troubles.

• Albert Stires

  Stires, Stener's chief clerk, demands the return of a check, fearing legal repercussions from Stener.

• Henry Worthington Cowperwood

  Cowperwood's father discusses the financial situation and the danger of hypothecated city loan certificates.

• Harper Steger

  Steger, Cowperwood's lawyer, accompanies him to appeal to Stener and offers legal advice.

Key passages

• “With the seventy-five thousand dollars his friends had extended to him, and sixty thousand dollars secured from Stires, Cowperwood met the Girard call and placed the balance, thirty-five thousand dollars, in a private safe in his own home.”

  Cowperwood used funds from friends and Stires to cover the Girard call, storing the remainder at home.

  Cowperwood's financial maneuvering to stave off failure.

• “He sent a note to his father, asking him to call for lunch. He sent a note to his lawyer, Harper Steger, a man of his own age whom he liked very much, and asked him to call also.”

  Cowperwood summoned his father and lawyer to discuss the crisis.

  Cowperwood seeks counsel from trusted allies.

• “I was so afraid that he might see you first, and that you might say something.”

  Aileen feared her father would confront Cowperwood before she could warn him.

  Aileen's anxiety about her father's knowledge of the affair.

• “I think I am going to fail, dear.”

  Cowperwood admits to Aileen that his business is about to collapse.

  Cowperwood's acknowledgment of impending failure.

• “I tell you, Frank, I wouldn't worry. We can tie this thing up legally until election and after, and that will give all this row a chance to die down.”

  Steger advises Cowperwood to use legal delays to weather the scandal.

  Steger's legal strategy to postpone the fallout.