the pit-第17部分

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rket　moved；　how　it　strengthened；　how　it　weakened。　　He　knew　just　when　to　nurse　it；　to　humor　it；　to　let　it　settle；　and　when　to　crowd　it；　when　to　hustle　it；　when　it　would　stand　rough　handling。

Grossmann　still　uttered　his　plaint　from　time　to　time；　but　no　one　so　much　as　pretended　to　listen。　　The　Porteous　trio　and　Leaycraft　kept　the　price　steady　at　ninety…four　and　an　eighth；　but　showed　no　inclination　to　force　it　higher。　　For　a　full　five　minutes　not　a　trade　was　recorded。　　The　Pit　waited　for　the　Report　on　the　Visible　Supply。

And　it　was　during　this　lull　in　the　morning's　business　that　the　idiocy　of　the　English　ultimatum　to　the　Porte　melted　away。　　As　inexplicably　and　as　suddenly　as　the　rumour　had　started；　it　now　disappeared。　　Everyone；　simultaneously；　seemed　to　ridicule　it。　　England　declare　war　on　Turkey！　Where　was　the　joke？　　Who　was　the　damn　fool　to　have　started　that　old；　worn…out　war　scare？　　But；　for　all　that；　there　was　no　reaction　from　the　advance。　It　seemed　to　be　understood　that　either　Leaycraft　or　the　Porteous　crowd　stood　ready　to　support　the　market；　and　in　place　of　the　ultimatum　story　a　feeling　began　to　gain　ground　that　the　expected　report　would　indicate　a　falling　off　in　the　〃visible；〃　and　that　it　was　quite　on　the　cards　that　the　market　might　even　advance　another　point。

As　the　interest　in　the　immediate　situation　declined；　the　crowd　in　the　Pit　grew　less　dense。　　Portions　of　it　were　deserted；　even　Grossmann；　discouraged；　retired　to　a　bench　under　the　visitors'　gallery。　　And　a　spirit　of　horse…play；　sheer　foolishness；　strangely　inconsistent　with　the　hot…eyed　excitement　of　the　few　moments　after　the　opening　invaded　the　remaining　groups。　　Leaycraft；　the　formidable；　as　well　as　Paterson　of　the　Porteous　gang；　and　even　the　solemn　Winston；　found　an　apparently　inexhaustible　diversion　in　folding　their　telegrams　into　pointed　javelins　and　sending　them　sailing　across　the　room；　watching　the　course　of　the　missiles　with　profound　gravity。　　A　visitor　in　the　galleryno　doubt　a　Western　farmer　on　a　holidayhaving　put　his　feet　upon　the　rail；　the　entire　Pit　began　to　groan　〃boots；　boots；　boots。〃

A　little　later　a　certain　broker　came　scurrying　across　the　floor　from　the　direction　of　the　telephone　room。　Panting；　he　flung　himself　up　the　steps　of　the　Pit；　forced　his　way　among　the　traders　with　vigorous　workings　of　his　elbows；　and　shouted　a　bid。

〃He's　sick；〃　shouted　Hirsch。　　〃Look　out；　he's　sick。　He's　going　to　have　a　fit。〃　　He　grabbed　the　broker　by　both　arms　and　hustled　him　into　the　centre　of　the　Pit。　The　others　caught　up　the　cry；　a　score　of　hands　pushed　the　newcomer　from　man　to　man。　　The　Pit　traders　clutched　him；　pulled　his　necktie　loose；　knocked　off　his　hat；　vociferating　all　the　while　at　top　voice；　〃He's　sick！　He's　sick！〃

Other　brokers　and　traders　came　up；　and　Grossmann；　mistaking　the　commotion　for　a　flurry；　ran　into　the　Pit；　his　eyes　wide；　waving　his　arm　and　wailing：

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

But　the　victim；　good…natured；　readjusted　his　battered　hat；　and　again　repeated　his　bid。

〃Ah；　go　to　bed；〃　protested　Hirsch。

〃He's　the　man　who　struck　Billy　Paterson。〃

〃Say；　a　horse　bit　him。　　Look　out　for　him；　he's　going　to　have　a　duck…fit。〃

The　incident　appeared　to　be　the　inspiration　for　a　new　〃josh〃　that　had　a　great　success；　and　a　group　of　traders　organized　themselves　into　an　〃anti…cravat　committee；〃　and　made　the　rounds　of　the　Pit；　twitching　the　carefully　tied　scarfs　of　the　unwary　out　of　place。　　Grossman；　indignant　at　〃t'ose　monkey…doodle　pizeness；〃　withdrew　from　the　centre　of　the　Pit。　　But　while　he　stood　in　front　of　Leaycraft；　his　back　turned；　muttering　his　disgust；　the　latter；　while　carrying　on　a　grave　conversation　with　his　neighbour；　carefully　stuck　a　file　of　paper　javelins　all　around　the　Jew's　hat　band；　and　thenstill　without　mirth　and　still　continuing　to　talk　set　them　on　fire。

Landry　imagined　by　now　that　ninety…four　and　an　eighth　was　as　high　a　figure　as　he　could　reasonably　expect　that　morning；　and　so　began　to　〃work　off〃　his　selling　orders。　Little　by　little　he　sold　the　wheat　〃short；〃　till　all　but　one　large　lot　was　gone。

Then　all　at　once；　and　for　no　discoverable　immediate　reason；　wheat；　amid　an　explosion　of　shouts　and　vociferations；　jumped　to　ninety…four　and　a　quarter；　and　before　the　Pit　could　take　breath；　had　advanced　another　eighth；　broken　to　one…quarter；　then　jumped　to　the　five…　eighths　mark。

It　was　the　Report　on　the　Visible　Supply　beyond　question；　and　though　it　had　not　yet　been　posted；　this　sudden　flurry　was　a　sign　that　it　was　not　only　near　at　hand；　but　would　be　bullish。

A　few　moments　later　it　was　bulletined　in　the　gallery　beneath　the　dial；　and　proved　a　tremendous　surprise　to　nearly　every　man　upon　the　floor。　　No　one　had　imagined　the　supply　was　so　ample；　so　all…sufficient　to　meet　the　demand。　　Promptly　the　Pit　responded。　　Wheat　began　to　pour　in　heavily。　　Hirsch；　Kelly；　Grossmann；　Leaycraft；　the　stolid　Winston；　and　the　excitable　Rusbridge　were　hard　at　it。　　The　price　began　to　give。　　Suddenly　it　broke　sharply。　　The　hand　on　the　great　dial　dropped　to　ninety…three　and　seven…eighths。〃

Landry　was　beside　himself。　　He　had　not　foreseen　this　break。　　There　was　no　reckoning　on　that　cursed　〃visible；〃　and　he　still　had　50；000　bushels　to　dispose　of。　　There　was　no　telling　now　how　low　the　price　might　sink。　　He　must　act　quickly；　radically。　　He　fought　his　way　towards　the　Porteous　crowd；　reached　over　the　shoulder　of　the　little　Jew　Grossmann；　who　stood　in　his　way；　and　thrust　his　hand　almost　into　Paterson's　face；　shouting：

〃'Sell　fifty　May　at　seven…eighths。〃

It　was　the　last　one　of　his　unaccountable　selling　orders　of　the　early　morning。

The　other　shook　his　head。

〃'Sell　fifty　May　at　three…quarters。〃

Suddenly　some　instinct　warned　Landry　that　another　break　was　coming。　　It　was　in　the　very　air　around　him。　　He　could　almost　physically　feel　the　pressure　of　renewed　avalanches　of　wheat　crowding　down　the　price。　Desperate；　he　grabbed　Paterson　by　the　shoulder。

〃'Sell　fifty　May　at　five…eighths。〃

〃Take　it；〃　vociferated　the　other；　as　though　answering　a　challenge。

And　in　the　heart　of　this　confusion；　in　this　downward　rush　of　the　price；　Luck；　the　golden　goddess；　passed　with　the　flirt　and　flash　of　glittering　wings；　and　hardly　before　the　ticker　in　Gretry's　office　had　signalled　the　decline；　the　memorandum　of　the　trade　was　down　upon　Landry's　card　and　Curtis　Jadwin　stood　pledged　to　deliver；　before　noon　on　the　last　day　of　May；　one　million　bushels　of　wheat　into　the　hands　of　the　representatives　of　the　great　Bulls　of　the　Board　of　Trade。

But　by　now　the　real　business　of　the　morning　was　over。　The　Pit　knew　it。　　Grossmann；　obstinate；　hypnotized　as　it　were　by　one　idea；　still　stood　in　his　accustomed　place　on　the　upper　edge　of　the　Pit；　and　from　time　to　time；　with　the　same　despairing　gesture；　emitted　his　doleful　outcry　of　〃'Sell　twenty…five　May　at　ninety…five　and　three…quarters。〃

Nobody　listened。　　The　traders　stood　around　in　expectant　attitudes；　looking　into　one　another's　faces；　waiting　for　what　they　could　not　exactly　say；　loath　to　leave　the　Pit　lest　something　should　〃turn　up〃　the　moment　their　backs　were　turned。

By　degrees　the　clamour　died　away；　ceased；　began　again　irregularly；　then　abruptly　stilled。　　Here　and　there　a　bid　was　called；　an　offer　made；　like　the　intermittent　crack　of　small　arms　after　the　stopping　of　the　cannonade。

〃'Sell　five　May　at　one…eighth。〃

〃'Sell　twenty　at　one…quarter。〃

〃'Give　one…eighth　for　May。〃

For　an　instant　the　shoutings　were　renewed。　　Then　suddenly　the　gong　struck。　　The　traders　began　slowly　to　leave　the　Pit。　　One　of　the　floor　officers；　an　old　fellow　in　uniform　and　vizored　cap；　appeared；　gently　shouldering　towards　the　door　the　groups　wherein　the　bidding　and　offering　were　still　languidly　going　on。　His　voice　full　of　remonstration；　he　repeated　continually：

〃Time's　up；　gentlemen。　　Go　on　now　and　get　your　lunch。　Lunch　time　now。　　Go　on　now；　or　I'll　have　to　report　you。　Time's　up。〃

The　tide　set　toward　the　doorways。　　In　the　gallery　the　few　visitors　rose；　putting　on　coats　and　wraps。　　Over　by　the　check　counter；　to　the　right　of　the　south　entrance　to　the　floor；　a　throng　of　brokers　and　traders　jostled　each　other；　reaching　over　one　another's　shoulders　for　hats　and　ulsters。　　In　steadily　increasing　numbers　they　poured　out　of　the　north　and　south　entrances；　on　their　way　to　turn　in　their　trading　cards　to　the　offices。

Little　by　little　the　floor　emptied。　　The　provision　and　grain　pits　were　deserted；　and　as　the　clamour　of　the　place　lapsed　away　the　telegraph　instruments　began　to　make　themselves　heard　once　more；　together　with　the　chanting　of　the　messenger　boys。

Swept　clean　in　the　morning；　the　floor　itself；　seen　now　through　the　thinning　groups；　was　littered　from　end　to　end　with　scattered　grainoats；　wheat；　corn；　and　barley；　with　wisps　of　hay；　peanut　shells；　apple　parings；　and　orange　peel；　with　torn　newspapers；　odds　and　ends　of　memoranda；　crushed　paper　darts；　and　above　all　with　a　countless　multitude　of　yellow　telegraph　forms；　thousands　upon　thousands；　crumpled　and　muddied　under　the　trampling　of　innumerable　feet。　　It　was　the　debris　of　the　battle…field；　the　abandoned　impedimenta　and　broken　weapons　of　contending　armies；　the　detritus　of　conflict；　torn；　broken；　and　rent；　that　at　the　end　of　each　day's　combat　encumbered　the　field。

At　last　even　the　click　of　the　last　of　telegraph　keys　died　down。　　Shouldering　themselves　into　their　overcoats；　the　operators　departed；　calling　back　and　forth　to　one　another；　making　〃dates；〃　and　cracking　jokes。　　Washerwomen　appeared　with　steaming　pails；　porters　pushing　great　brooms　before　them　began　gathering　the　refuse　of　the　floor　into　heaps。

Between　the　wheat　and　corn　pits　a　band　of　young　fellows；　some　of　them　absolute　boys；　appeared。　　These　were　the　settlement　clerks。　　They　carried　long　account　books。　　It　was　their　duty　to　get　the　trades　of　the　day　into　a　〃ring〃to　trace　the　course　of　a　lot　of　wheat　which　had　changed　hands　perhaps　a　score　of　times　during　the　tradingand　their　calls　of　〃Wheat　sold　to　Teller　and　West；〃　〃May　wheat　sold　to　Burbank　&　Co。；〃　〃May　oats　sold　to　Matthewson　and　Knight；〃　〃Wheat　sold　to　Gretry；　Converse　&　Co。；〃　began　to　echo　from　wall　to　wall　of　the　almost　deserted　room。

A　cat；　grey　and　striped；　and　wearing　a　dog　collar　of　nickel　and　red　leather；　issued　from　the　coat…room　and　picke