the pit-第16部分

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〃There！　What　did　I　tell　you？〃　interrupted　Rusbridge。　〃I　said　it　was　everywhere。　　There's　no　smoke　without　some　fire。　　And　I　wouldn't　be　a　bit　surprised　if　we　get　cables　before　noon　that　the　British　War　Office　had　sent　an　ultimatum。〃

And　very　naturally　a　few　minutes　later　Winston；　at　that　time　standing　on　the　steps　of　the　corn　pit；　heard　from　a　certain　broker；　who　had　it　from　a　friend　who　had　just　received　a　despatch　from　some　one　〃in　the　know；〃　that　the　British　Secretary　of　State　for　War　had　forwarded　an　ultimatum　to　the　Porte；　and　that　diplomatic　relations　between　Turkey　and　England　were　about　to　be　suspended。

All　in　a　moment　the　entire　Floor　seemed　to　be　talking　of　nothing　else；　and　on　the　outskirts　of　every　group　one　could　overhear　the　words：　〃Seizure　of　custom　house；〃　〃ultimatum；〃　〃Eastern　question；〃　〃　Higgins…　pasha　incident。〃　　It　was　the　rumour　of　the　day；　and　before　very　long　the　pit　traders　began　to　receive　a　multitude　of　despatches　countermanding　selling　orders；　and　directing　them　not　to　close　out　trades　under　certain　very　advanced　quotations。　　The　brokers　began　wiring　their　principals　that　the　market　promised　to　open　strong　and　bullish。

But　by　now　it　was　near　to　half…past　nine。　　From　the　Western　Union　desks　the　clicking　of　the　throng　of　instruments　rose　into　the　air　in　an　incessant　staccato　stridulation。　　The　messenger　boys　ran　back　and　forth　at　top　speed；　dodging　in　and　out　among　the　knots　of　clerks　and　traders；　colliding　with　one　another；　and　without　interruption　intoning　the　names　of　those　for　whom　they　had　despatches。　　The　throng　of　traders　concentrated　upon　the　pits；　and　at　every　moment　the　deep…toned　hum　of　the　murmur　of　many　voices　swelled　like　the　rising　of　a　tide。

And　at　this　moment；　as　Landry　stood　on　the　rim　of　the　wheat　pit；　looking　towards　the　telephone　booth　under　the　visitors'　gallery；　he　saw　the　osseous；　stoop…　shouldered　figure　of　Mr。　Cresslerwho；　though　he　never　speculated；　appeared　regularly　upon　the　Board　every　morningmaking　his　way　towards　one　of　the　windows　in　the　front　of　the　building。　　His　pocket　was　full　of　wheat；　taken　from　a　bag　on　one　of　the　sample　tables。　Opening　the　window；　he　scattered　the　grain　upon　the　sill；　and　stood　for　a　long　moment　absorbed　and　interested　in　the　dazzling　flutter　of　the　wings　of　innumerable　pigeons　who　came　to　settle　upon　the　ledge；　pecking　the　grain　with　little；　nervous；　fastidious　taps　of　their　yellow　beaks。

Landry　cast　a　glance　at　the　clock　beneath　the　dial　on　the　wall　behind　him。　　It　was　twenty…five　minutes　after　nine。　　He　stood　in　his　accustomed　place　on　the　north　side　of　the　Wheat　Pit；　upon　the　topmost　stair。　　The　Pit　was　full。　　Below　him　and　on　either　side　of　him　were　the　brokers；　scalpers；　and　tradersHirsch；　Semple；　Kelly；　Winston；　and　Rusbridge。　　The　redoubtable　Leaycraft；　who；　bidding　for　himself；　was　supposed　to　hold　the　longest　line　of　May　wheat　of　any　one　man　in　the　Pit；　the　insignificant　Grossmann；　a　Jew　who　wore　a　flannel　shirt；　and　to　whose　outcries　no　one　ever　paid　the　least　attention。　　Fairchild；　Paterson；　and　Goodlock；　the　inseparable　trio　who　represented　the　Porteous　gang；　silent　men；　middle…aged；　who　had　but　to　speak　in　order　to　buy　or　sell　a　million　bushels　on　the　spot。　　And　others；　and　still　others；　veterans　of　sixty…five；　recruits　just　out　of　their　teens；　men　whosome　of　themin　the　past　had　for　a　moment　dominated　the　entire　Pit；　but　who　now　were　content　to　play　the　part　of　〃eighth…chasers；〃　buying　and　selling　on　the　same　day；　content　with　a　profit　of　ten　dollars。　　Others　who　might　at　that　very　moment　be　nursing　plans　which　in　a　week's　time　would　make　them　millionaires；　still　others　who；　under　a　mask　of　nonchalance；　strove　to　hide　the　chagrin　of　yesterday's　defeat。　　And　they　were　there；　ready；　inordinately　alert；　ears　turned　to　the　faintest　sound；　eyes　searching　for　the　vaguest　trace　of　meaning　in　those　of　their　rivals；　nervous；　keyed　to　the　highest　tension；　ready　to　thrust　deep　into　the　slightest　opening；　to　spring；　mercilessly；　upon　the　smallest　undefended　spot。　　Grossmann；　the　little　Jew　of　the　grimy　flannel　shirt；　perspired　in　the　stress　of　the　suspense；　all　but　powerless　to　maintain　silence　till　the　signal　should　be　given；　drawing　trembling　fingers　across　his　mouth。　　Winston；　brawny；　solid；　unperturbed；　his　hands　behind　his　back；　waited　immovably　planted　on　his　feet　with　all　the　gravity　of　a　statue；　his　eyes　preternaturally　watchful；　keeping　Kellywhom　he　had　divined　had　some　〃funny　business〃　on　handperpetually　in　sight。　　The　Porteous　trioFairchild；　Paterson；　and　Goodlockas　if　unalarmed；　unassailable；　all　but　turned　their　backs　to　the　Pit；　laughing　among　themselves。

The　official　reporter　climbed　to　his　perch　in　the　little　cage　on　the　edge　of　the　Pit；　shutting　the　door　after　him。　　By　now　the　chanting　of　the　messenger　boys　was　an　uninterrupted　chorus。　　From　all　sides　of　the　building；　and　in　every　direction　they　crossed　and　recrossed　each　other；　always　running；　their　hands　full　of　yellow　envelopes。　　From　the　telephone　alcoves　came　the　prolonged；　musical　rasp　of　the　call　bells。　　In　the　Western　Union　booths　the　keys　of　the　multitude　of　instruments　raged　incessantly。　　Bare…headed　young　men　hurried　up　to　one　another；　conferred　an　instant　comparing　despatches；　then　separated；　darting　away　at　top　speed。　　Men　called　to　each　other　half…way　across　the　building。　　Over　by　the　bulletin　boards　clerks　and　agents　made　careful　memoranda　of　primary　receipts；　and　noted　down　the　amount　of　wheat　on　passage；　the　exports　and　the　imports　。

And　all　these　sounds；　the　chatter　of　the　telegraph；　the　intoning　of　the　messenger　boys；　the　shouts　and　cries　of　clerks　and　traders；　the　shuffle　and　trampling　of　hundreds　of　feet；　the　whirring　of　telephone　signals　rose　into　the　troubled　air；　and　mingled　overhead　to　form　a　vast　note；　prolonged；　sustained；　that　reverberated　from　vault　to　vault　of　the　airy　roof；　and　issued　from　every　doorway；　every　opened　window　in　one　long　roll　of　uninterrupted　thunder。　　In　the　Wheat　Pit　the　bids；　no　longer　obedient　of　restraint；　began　one　by　one　to　burst　out；　like　the　first　isolated　shots　of　a　skirmish　line。　　Grossmann　had　flung　out　an　arm　crying：

〃'Sell　twenty…five　May　at　ninety…five　and　an　eighth；〃　while　Kelly　and　Semple　had　almost　simultaneously　shouted；　〃'Give　seven…eighths　for　May！〃

The　official　reporter　had　been　leaning　far　over　to　catch　the　first　quotations；　one　eye　upon　the　clock　at　the　end　of　the　room。　　The　hour　and　minute　hands　were　at　right　angles。

Then　suddenly；　cutting　squarely　athwart　the　vague　crescendo　of　the　floor　came　the　single　incisive　stroke　of　a　great　gong。　　Instantly　a　tumult　was　unchained。　Arms　were　flung　upward　in　strenuous　gestures；　and　from　above　the　crowding　heads　in　the　Wheat　Pit　a　multitude　of　hands；　eager；　the　fingers　extended；　leaped　into　the　air。　　All　articulate　expression　was　lost　in　the　single　explosion　of　sound　as　the　traders　surged　downwards　to　the　centre　of　the　Pit；　grabbing　each　other；　struggling　towards　each　other；　tramping；　stamping；　charging　through　with　might　and　main。　　Promptly　the　hand　on　the　great　dial　above　the　clock　stirred　and　trembled；　and　as　though　driven　by　the　tempest　breath　of　the　Pit　moved　upward　through　the　degrees　of　its　circle。　　It　paused；　wavered；　stopped　at　length；　and　on　the　instant　the　hundreds　of　telegraph　keys　scattered　throughout　the　building　began　clicking　off　the　news　to　the　whole　country；　from　the　Atlantic　to　the　Pacific　and　from　Mackinac　to　Mexico；　that　the　Chicago　market　had　made　a　slight　advance　and　that　May　wheat；　which　had　closed　the　day　before　at　ninety…three　and　three…eighths；　had　opened　that　morning　at　ninety…four　and　a　half。

But　the　advance　brought　out　no　profit…taking　sales。　The　redoubtable　Leaycraft　and　the　Porteous　trio；　Fairchild；　Paterson；　and　Goodlock；　shook　their　heads　when　the　Pit　offered　ninety…four　for　parts　of　their　holdings。　　The　price　held　firm。　　Goodlock　even　began　to　offer　ninety…four。　　At　every　suspicion　of　a　flurry　Grossmann；　always　with　the　same　gesture　as　though　hurling　a　javelin；　always　with　the　same　lamentable　wail　of　distress；　cried　out：

〃'Sell　twenty…five　May　at　ninety…five　and　a　fourth。〃

He　held　his　five　fingers　spread　to　indicate　the　number　of　〃contracts；〃　or　lots　of　five　thousand　bushels；　which　he　wished　to　sell；　each　finger　representing　one　〃contract。〃

And　it　was　at　this　moment　that　selling　orders　began　suddenly　to　pour　in　upon　the　Gretry…Converse　traders。　Even　other　housesTeller　and　West；　Burbank　&　Co。；　Mattieson　and　Knightreceived　their　share。　　The　movement　was　inexplicable；　puzzling。　　With　a　powerful　Bull　clique　dominating　the　trading　and　every　prospect　of　a　strong　market；　who　was　it　who　ventured　to　sell　short？

Landry　among　others　found　himself　commissioned　to　sell。　His　orders　were　to　unload　three　hundred　thousand　bushels　on　any　advance　over　and　above　ninety…four。　　He　kept　his　eye　on　Leaycraft；　certain　that　he　would　force　up　the　figure。　　But；　as　it　happened；　it　was　not　Leaycraft　but　the　Porteous　trio　who　made　the　advance。　Standing　in　the　centre　of　the　Pit；　Patterson　suddenly　flung　up　his　hand　and　drew　it　towards　him；　clutching　the　airthe　conventional　gesture　of　the　buyer。

〃'Give　an　eighth　for　May。〃

Landry　was　at　him　in　a　second。　　Twenty　voices　shouted　〃sold；〃　and　as　many　traders　sprang　towards　him　with　outstretched　arms。　　Landry；　however；　was　before　them；　and　his　rush　carried　Paterson　half　way　across　the　middle　space　of　the　Pit。

〃Sold；　sold。〃

Paterson　nodded；　and　as　Landry　noted　down　the　transaction　the　hand　on　the　dial　advanced　again；　and　again　held　firm。

But　after　this　the　activity　of　the　Pit　fell　away。　　The　trading　languished。　　By　degrees　the　tension　of　the　opening　was　relaxed。　　Landry；　however；　had　refrained　from　selling　more　than　ten　〃contracts〃　to　Paterson。　　He　had　a　feeling　that　another　advance　would　come　later　on。　Rapidly　he　made　his　plans。　　He　would　sell　another　fifty　thousand　bushels　if　the　price　went　to　ninety…four　and　a　half；　and　would　then　〃feel〃　the　market；　letting　go　small　lots　here　and　there；　to　test　its　strength；　then；　the　instant　he　felt　the　market　strong　enough；　throw　a　full　hundred　thousand　upon　it　with　a　rush　before　it　had　time　to　break。　　He　could　feelalmost　at　his　very　finger　tipshow　this　market　moved；　how　it　strengthened；　how　it　weakened。　　He　knew　just　when　to　nurse　it；　to　hu