the pit-第14部分

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But　no　one　in　the　room　seemed　to　pay　the　least　attention　to　the　blackboard。　　One　quotation　replaced　another；　and　the　key　and　the　chalk　clicked　and　tapped　incessantly。　　The　occupants　of　the　room；　sunk　in　their　chairs；　seemed　to　give　no　heed；　some　even　turned　their　backs；　one；　his　handkerchief　over　his　knee；　adjusted　his　spectacles；　and　opening　a　newspaper　two　days　old；　began　to　read　with　peering　deliberation；　his　lips　forming　each　word。　　These　nondescripts　gathered　there；　they　knew　not　why。　　Every　day　found　them　in　the　same　place；　always　with　the　same　fetid；　unlighted　cigars；　always　with　the　same　frayed　newspapers　two　days　old。　There　they　sat；　inert；　stupid；　their　decaying　senses　hypnotised　and　soothed　by　the　sound　of　the　distant　rumble　of　the　Pit；　that　came　through　the　ceiling　from　the　floor　of　the　Board　overhead。

One　of　these　figures；　that　of　a　very　old　man；　blear…　eyed；　decrepit；　dirty；　in　a　battered　top　hat　and　faded　frock　coat；　discoloured　and　weather…stained　at　the　shoulders；　seemed　familiar　to　Jadwin。　　It　recalled　some　ancient　association；　he　could　not　say　what。　　But　he　was　unable　to　see　the　old　man's　face　distinctly；　the　light　was　bad；　and　he　sat　with　his　face　turned　from　him；　eating　a　sandwich；　which　he　held　in　a　trembling　hand。

Jadwin；　having　noted　that　wheat　was　selling　at　94；　went　away；　glad　to　be　out　of　the　depressing　atmosphere　of　the　room。

Gretry　was　in　his　office；　and　Jadwin　was　admitted　at　once。　　He　sat　down　in　a　chair　by　the　broker's　desk；　and　for　the　moment　the　two　talked　of　trivialities。　　Gretry　was　a　large；　placid；　smooth…faced　man；　stolid　as　an　ox；　inevitably　dressed　in　blue　serge；　a　quill　tooth…pick　behind　his　ear；　a　Grand　Army　button　in　his　lapel。　　He　and　Jadwin　were　intimates。　　The　two　had　come　to　Chicago　almost　simultaneously；　and　had　risen　together　to　become　the　wealthy　men　they　were　at　the　moment。　　They　belonged　to　the　same　club；　lunched　together　every　day　at　Kinsley's；　and　took　each　other　driving　behind　their　respective　trotters　on　alternate　Saturday　afternoons。　In　the　middle　of　summer　each　stole　a　fortnight　from　his　business；　and　went　fishing　at　Geneva　Lake　in　Wisconsin。

〃I　say；〃　Jadwin　observed；　〃I　saw　an　old　fellow　outside　in　your　customers'　room　just　now　that　put　me　in　mind　of　Hargus。　　You　remember　that　deal　of　his；　the　one　he　tried　to　swing　before　he　died。　　Ohhow　long　ago　was　that？　　Bless　my　soul；　that　must　have　been　fifteen；　yes　twenty　years　ago。〃

The　deal　of　which　Jadwin　spoke　was　the　legendary　operation　of　the　Board　of　Tradea　mammoth　corner　in　September　wheat；　manipulated　by　this　same　Hargus；　a　millionaire；　who　had　tripled　his　fortune　by　the　corner；　and　had　lost　it　by　some　chicanery　on　the　part　of　his　associate　before　another　year。　　He　had　run　wheat　up　to　nearly　two　dollars；　had　been　in　his　day　a　king　all…　powerful。　　Since　then　all　deals　had　been　spoken　of　in　terms　of　the　Hargus　affair。　　Speculators　said；　〃It　was　almost　as　bad　as　the　Hargus　deal。〃　　〃It　was　like　the　Hargus　smash。〃　　〃　It　was　as　big　a　thing　as　the　Hargus　corner。〃　　Hargus　had　become　a　sort　of　creature　of　legends；　mythical；　heroic；　transfigured　in　the　glory　of　his　millions。

〃Easily　twenty　years　ago；〃　continued　Jadwin。　　〃If　Hargus　could　come　to　life　now；　he'd　be　surprised　at　the　difference　in　the　way　we　do　business　these　days。　Twenty　years。　　Yes；　it's　all　of　that。　　I　declare；　Sam；　we're　getting　old；　aren't　we？〃

〃I　guess　that　_was_　Hargus　you　saw　out　there；〃　answered　the　broker。　　〃He's　not　dead。　　Old　fellow　in　a　stove…　pipe　and　greasy　frock　coat？　　Yes；　that's　Hargus。〃

〃What！〃　exclaimed　Jadwin。　　〃_That_　Hargus？〃

〃Of　course　it　was。　　He　comes　'round　every　day。　　The　clerks　give　him　a　dollar　every　now　and　then。〃

〃And　he's　not　dead？　　And　that　was　Hargus；　that　wretched；　brokenwhew！　I　don't　want　to　think　of　it；　Sam！〃　And　Jadwin；　taken　all　aback；　sat　for　a　moment　speechless。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　muttered　the　broker　grimly；　〃that　was　Hargus。〃

There　was　a　long　silence。　　Then　at　last　Gretry　exclaimed　briskly：

〃Well；　here's　what　I　want　to　see　you　about。〃

He　lowered　his　voice：　〃　You　know　I've　got　a　correspondent　or　two　at　Parisall　the　brokers　have　and　we　make　no　secret　as　to　who　they　are。　　But　I've　had　an　extra　man　at　work　over　there　for　the　last　six　months；　very　much　on　the　quiet。　　I　don't　mind　telling　you　this　muchthat　he's　not　the　least　important　member　of　the　United　States　Legation。　　Well；　now　and　then　he　is　supposed　to　send　me　what　the　reporters　call　〃exclusive　news〃that's　what　I　feed　him　for；　and　I　could　run　a　private　steam　yacht　on　what　it　costs　me。　But　news　I　get　from　him　is　a　day　or　so　in　advance　of　everybody　else。　　He　hasn't　sent　me　anything　very　important　till　this　morning。　　This　here　just　came　in。〃

He　picked　up　a　despatch　from　his　desk　and　read：

〃'Uticaheadquartersmodificationorganic　concomitantwithin　one　month；'　which　means；〃　he　added；　〃this。　　I've　just　deciphered　it；〃　and　he　handed　Jadwin　a　slip　of　paper　on　which　was　written：

〃Bill　providing　for　heavy　import　duties　on　foreign　grains　certain　to　be　introduced　in　French　Chamber　of　Deputies　within　one　month。〃

〃Have　you　got　it？〃　he　demanded　of　Jadwin；　as　he　took　the　slip　back。　　〃Won't　forget　it？〃　He　twisted　the　paper　into　a　roll　and　burned　it　carefully　in　the　office　cuspidor。

〃Now；〃　he　remarked；　〃do　you　come　in？　　It's　just　the　two　of　us；　J。；　and　I　think　we　can　make　that　Porteous　clique　look　very　sick。〃

〃Hum！〃　murmured　Jadwin　surprised。　　〃That　_does_　give　you　a　twist　on　the　situation。　　But　to　tell　the　truth；　Sam；　I　had　sort　of　made　up　my　mind　to　keep　out　of　speculation　since　my　last　little　deal。　　A　man　gets　into　this　game；　and　into　it；　and　into　it；　and　before　you　know　he　can't　pull　outand　he　don't　want　to。　　Next　he　gets　his　nose　scratched；　and　he　hits　back　to　make　up　for　it；　and　just　hits　into　the　air　and　loses　his　balanceand　down　he　goes。　　I　don't　want　to　make　any　more　money；　Sam。　　I've　got　my　little　pile；　and　before　I　get　too　old　I　want　to　have　some　fun　out　of　it。〃

〃But　lord　love　you；　J。；〃　objected　the　other；　〃this　ain't　speculation。　　You　can　see　for　yourself　how　sure　it　is。　　I'm　not　a　baby　at　this　business；　am　I？　　You'll　let　me　know　something　of　this　game；　won't　you？　　And　I　tell　you；　J。；　it's　found　money。　　The　man　that　sells　wheat　short　on　the　strength　of　this　has　as　good　as　got　the　money　in　his　vest　pocket　already。　　Oh；　nonsense；　of　course　you'll　come　in。　　I've　been　laying　for　that　Bull　gang　since　long　before　the　Helmick　failure；　and　now　I've　got　it　right　where　I　want　it。　　Look　here；　J。；　you　aren't　the　man　to　throw　money　away。　　You'd　buy　a　business　block　if　you　knew　you　could　sell　it　over　again　at　a　profit。　　Now　here's　the　chance　to　make　really　a　fine　Bear　deal。　　Why；　as　soon　as　this　news　gets　on　the　floor　there；　the　price　will　bust　right　down；　and　down；　and　down。　　Porteous　and　his　crowd　couldn't　keep　it　up　to　save　'em　from　the　receiver's　hand　one　single　minute。〃

〃I　know；　Sam；〃　answered　Jadwin；　〃and　the　trouble　is；　not　that　I　don't　want　to　speculate；　but　that　I　_do_　too　much。　　That's　why　I　said　I'd　keep　out　of　it。　　It　isn't　so　much　the　money　as　the　fun　of　playing　the　game。　With　half　a　show；　I　would　get　in　a　little　more　and　a　little　more；　till　by　and　by　I'd　try　to　throw　a　big　thing；　and　instead；　the　big　thing　would　throw　me。　　Why；　Sam；　when　you　told　me　that　that　wreck　out　there　mumbling　a　sandwich　was　Hargus；　it　made　me　turn　cold。〃

〃Yes；　in　your　feet；〃　retorted　Gretry。　　〃I'm　not　asking　you　to　risk　all　your　money；　am　I；　or　a　fifth　of　it；　or　a　twentieth　of　it？　　Don't　be　an　ass；　J。　　Are　we　a　conservative　house；　or　aren't　we？　　Do　I　talk　like　this　when　I'm　not　sure？　　Look　here。　　Let　me　sell　a　million　bushels　for　you。　　Yes；　I　know　it's　a　bigger　order　than　I've　handled　for　you　before。　　But　_this_　time　I　want　to　go　_right　into　it；_　head　down　and　heels　up；　and　get　a　twist　on　those　Porteous　buckoes；　and　raise　'em　right　out　of　their　boots。　　We　get　a　crop　report　this　morning；　and　if　the　visible　supply　is　as　large　as　I　think　it　is；　the　price　will　go　off　and　unsettle　the　whole　market。　I'll　sell　short　for　you　at　the　best　figures　we　can　get；　and　you　can　cover　on　the　slump　any　time　between　now　and　the　end　of　May。〃

Jadwin　hesitated。　　In　spite　of　himself　he　felt　a　Chance　had　come。　　Again　that　strange　sixth　sense　of　his；　the　inexplicable　instinct；　that　only　the　born　speculator　knows；　warned　him。　　Every　now　and　then　during　the　course　of　his　business　career；　this　intuition　came　to　him；　this　_flair；_　this　intangible；　vague　premonition；　this　presentiment　that　he　must　seize　Opportunity　or　else　Fortune；　that　so　long　had　stayed　at　his　elbow；　would　desert　him。　　In　the　air　about　him　he　seemed　to　feel　an　influence；　a　sudden　new　element；　the　presence　of　a　new　force。　　It　was　Luck；　the　great　power；　the　great　goddess；　and　all　at　once　it　had　stooped　from　out　the　invisible；　and　just　over　his　head　passed　swiftly　in　a　rush　of　glittering　wings。

〃The　thing　would　have　to　be　handled　like　glass；〃　observed　the　broker　thoughtfully；　his　eyes　narrowing　〃A　tip　like　this　is　public　property　in　twenty…four　hours；　and　it　don't　give　us　any　too　much　time。　　I　don't　want　to　break　the　price　by　unloading　a　million　or　more　bushels　on　'em　all　of　a　sudden。　　I'll　scatter　the　orders　pretty　evenly。　　You　see；〃　he　added；　〃here's　a　big　point　in　our　favor。　　We'll　be　able　to　sell　on　a　strong　market。　　The　Pit　traders　have　got　some　crazy　war　rumour　going；　and　they're　as　flighty　over　it　as　a　young　ladies'　seminary　over　a　great　big　rat。　　And　even　without　that；　the　market　is　top…heavy。　　Porteous　makes　me　weary。　　He　and　his　gang　have　been　bucking　it　up　till　we've　got　an　abnormal　price。　　Ninety…four　for　May　wheat！　Why；　it's　ridiculous。　　Ought　to　be　selling　way　down　in　the　eighties。　　The　least　little　jolt　would　tip　her　over。　　Well；〃　he　said　abruptly；　squaring　himself　at　Jadwin；　〃do　we　come　in？　　If　that　same　luck　of　yours　is　still　in　working　order；　here's　your　chance；　J。；　to　make　a　killing。　　There's　just　that　gilt…edged；　full…morocco　chance　that　a　report　of　big　'visible'　would　give　us。〃

Jadwin　laughed。　　〃Sam；〃　he　said；　〃I'll　flip　a　coin　for　it。〃

〃Oh；　get　out；〃　protested　the　broker；　then　suddenlythe　gambling　instinct　that　a　lifetime　passed　in　that　place　had　cultivated　in　himexclaimed：

〃All　right。　　Flip　a　coin。　　But　give　me　your　word　you'll　stay　by　it。　　Heads　you　come　in；　tails　you　don't。　　Will　you　give