# XXIX explained — The Financier

> Chapter companion for The Financier by Theodore Dreiser.

## What happens

Cowperwood faces imminent financial failure as he struggles to secure funds. Aileen Butler visits him, revealing her father's suspicion of their affair. Cowperwood arranges a secret meeting with her. Stener's clerk demands the return of a check, and Cowperwood's father and lawyer discuss the legal and financial crisis.

## 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.

## Character check-ins

### 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 lines

> 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._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_financier_se/chapters/xxix
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_financier_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_financier_se/chapters