the pit-第18部分

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A　cat；　grey　and　striped；　and　wearing　a　dog　collar　of　nickel　and　red　leather；　issued　from　the　coat…room　and　picked　her　way　across　the　floor。　　Evidently　she　was　in　a　mood　of　the　most　ingratiating　friendliness；　and　as　one　after　another　of　the　departing　traders　spoke　to　her；　raised　her　tail　in　the　air　and　arched　her　back　against　the　legs　of　the　empty　chairs。　　The　janitor　put　in　an　appearance；　lowering　the　tall　colored　windows　with　a　long　rod。　　A　noise　of　hammering　and　the　scrape　of　saws　began　to　issue　from　a　corner　where　a　couple　of　carpenters　tinkered　about　one　of　the　sample　tables。

Then　at　last　even　the　settlement　clerks　took　themselves　off。　　At　once　there　was　a　great　silence；　broken　only　by　the　harsh　rasp　of　the　carpenters'　saws　and　the　voice　of　the　janitor　exchanging　jokes　with　the　washer…women。　The　sound　of　footsteps　in　distant　quarters　re…echoed　as　if　in　a　church。

The　washerwomen　invaded　the　floor；　spreading　soapy　and　steaming　water　before　them。　　Over　by　the　sample　tables　a　negro　porter　in　shirt…sleeves　swept　entire　bushels　of　spilled　wheat；　crushed；　broken；　and　sodden；　into　his　dust　pans。

The　day's　campaign　was　over。　　It　was　past　two　o'clock。　On　the　great　dial　against　the　eastern　wall　the　indicator　stoodsentinel　fashionat　ninety…three。　Not　till　the　following　morning　would　the　whirlpool；　the　great　central　force　that　spun　the　Niagara　of　wheat　in　its　grip；　thunder　and　bellow　again。

Later　on　even　the　washerwomen；　even　the　porter　and　janitor；　departed。　　An　unbroken　silence；　the　peacefulness　of　an　untroubled　calm；　settled　over　the　place。　　The　rays　of　the　afternoon　sun　flooded　through　the　west　windows　in　long　parallel　shafts　full　of　floating　golden　motes。　　There　was　no　sound；　nothing　stirred。　　The　floor　of　the　Board　of　Trade　was　deserted。　Alone；　on　the　edge　of　the　abandoned　Wheat　Pit；　in　a　spot　where　the　sunlight　fell　warmestan　atom　of　life；　lost　in　the　immensity　of　the　empty　floorthe　grey　cat　made　her　toilet；　diligently　licking　the　fur　on　the　inside　of　her　thigh；　one　leg；　as　if　dislocated；　thrust　into　the　air　above　her　head。



IV


In　the　front　parlor　of　the　Cresslers'　house　a　little　company　was　gatheredLaura　Dearborn　and　Page；　Mrs。　Wessels；　Mrs。　Cressler；　and　young　Miss　Gretry；　an　awkward；　plain…faced　girl　of　about　nineteen；　dressed　extravagantly　in　a　decollete　gown　of　blue　silk。　　Curtis　Jadwin　and　Cressler　himself　stood　by　the　open　fireplace　smoking。　　Landry　Court　fidgeted　on　the　sofa；　pretending　to　listen　to　the　Gretry　girl；　who　told　an　interminable　story　of　a　visit　to　some　wealthy　relative　who　had　a　country　seat　in　Wisconsin　and　who　raised　fancy　poultry。　She　possessed；　it　appeared；　three　thousand　hens；　Brahma；　Faverolles；　Houdans；　Dorkings；　even　peacocks　and　tame　quails。

Sheldon　Corthell；　in　a　dinner　coat；　an　unlighted　cigarette　between　his　fingers；　discussed　the　spring　exhibit　of　water…colors　with　Laura　and　Mrs。　Cressler；　Page　listening　with　languid　interest。　　Aunt　Wess'　turned　the　leaves　of　a　family　album；　counting　the　number　of　photographs　of　Mrs。　Cressler　which　it　contained。

Black　coffee　had　just　been　served。　　It　was　the　occasion　of　the　third　rehearsal　for　the　play　which　was　to　be　given　for　the　benefit　of　the　hospital　ward　for　Jadwin's　mission　children；　and　Mrs。　Cressler　had　invited　the　members　of　the　company　for　dinner。　　Just　now　everyone　awaited　the　arrival　of　the　〃coach；〃　Monsieur　Gerardy；　who　was　always　late。

〃To　my　notion；〃　observed　Corthell；　〃the　water…color　that　pretends　to　be　anything　more　than　a　sketch　over…　steps　its　intended　limits。　　The　elaborated　water…color；　I　contend；　must　be　judged　by　the　same　standards　as　an　oil　painting。　　And　if　that　is　so；　why　not　have　the　oil　painting　at　once？〃

〃And　with　all　that；　if　you　please；　not　an　egg　on　the　place　for　breakfast；〃　declared　the　Gretry　girl　in　her　thin　voice。　　She　was　constrained；　embarrassed。　　Of　all　those　present　she　was　the　only　one　to　mistake　the　character　of　the　gathering　and　appear　in　formal　costume。　　But　one　forgave　Isabel　Gretry　such　lapses　as　these。　　Invariably　she　did　the　wrong　thing；　invariably　she　was　out　of　place　in　the　matter　of　inadvertent　speech；　an　awkward　accident；　the　wrong　toilet。　　For　all　her　nineteen　years；　she　yet　remained　the　hoyden；　young；　undeveloped；　and　clumsy。

〃Never　an　egg；　and　three　thousand　hens　in　the　runs；〃　she　continued。　　〃Think　of　that！　The　Plymouth　Rocks　had　the　pip。　　And　the　others；　my　lands！　I　don't　know。　　They　just　didn't　lay。〃

〃Ought　to　tickle　the　soles　of　their　feet；〃　declared　Landry　with　profound　gravity。

〃Tickle　their　feet！〃

〃Best　thing　in　the　world　for　hens　that　don't　lay。　　It　sort　of　stirs　them　up。　　Oh；　every　one　knows　that。〃

〃Fancy　now！　I'll　write　to　Aunt　Alice　to…morrow。〃

Cressler　clipped　the　tip　of　a　fresh　cigar；　and；　turning　to　Curtis　Jadwin；　remarked：

〃I　understand　that　Leaycraft　alone　lost　nearly　fifteen　thousand。〃

He　referred　to　Jadwin's　deal　in　May　wheat；　the　consummation　of　which　had　been　effected　the　previous　week。　　Squarely　in　the　midst　of　the　morning　session；　on　the　day　following　the　〃short〃　sale　of　Jadwin's　million　of　bushels；　had　exploded　the　news　of　the　intended　action　of　the　French　chamber。　　Amid　a　tremendous　clamour　the　price　fell。　　The　Bulls　were　panicstricken。　Leaycraft　the　redoubtable　was　overwhelmed　at　the　very　start。　　The　Porteous　trio　heroically　attempted　to　shoulder　the　wheat；　but　the　load　was　too　much。　　They　as　well　gave　ground；　and；　bereft　of　their　support；　May　wheat；　which　had　opened　at　ninety…three　and　five…　eighths　to　ninety…two　and　a　half；　broke　with　the　very　first　attack　to　ninety…two；　hung　there　a　moment；　then　dropped　again　to　ninety…one　and　a　half；　then　to　ninety…　one。　　Then；　in　a　prolonged　shudder　of　weakness；　sank　steadily　down　by　quarters　to　ninety；　to　eighty…nine；　and　at　lasta　final　collapsetouched　eighty…eight　cents。　　At　that　figure　Jadwin　began　to　cover。　　There　was　danger　that　the　buying　of　so　large　a　lot　might　bring　about　a　rally　in　the　price。　　But　Gretry；　a　consummate　master　of　Pit　tactics；　kept　his　orders　scattered　and　bought　gradually；　taking　some　two　or　three　days　to　accumulate　the　grain。　　Jadwin's　luckthe　never…failing　guardian　of　the　golden　wingsseemed　to　have　the　affair　under　immediate　supervision；　and　reports　of　timely　rains　in　the　wheat　belt　kept　the　price　inert　while　the　trade　was　being　closed。　　In　the　end　the　〃deal〃　was　brilliantly　successful；　and　Gretry　was　still　chuckling　over　the　set…back　to　the　Porteous　gang。　　Exactly　the　amount　of　his　friend's　profits　Jadwin　did　not　know。　　As　for　himself；　he　had　received　from　Gretry　a　check　for　fifty　thousand　dollars；　every　cent　of　which　was　net　profit。

〃I'm　not　going　to　congratulate　you；〃　continued　Cressler。　　〃As　far　as　that's　concerned；　I　would　rather　you　had　lost　than　wonif　it　would　have　kept　you　out　of　the　Pit　for　good。　　You're　cocky　now。　　I　knowgood　Lord；　don't　I　know。　　I　had　my　share　of　it。　　I　know　how　a　man　gets　drawn　into　this　speculating　game〃

〃Charlie；　this　wasn't　speculating；〃　interrupted　Jadwin。　〃It　was　a　certainty。　　It　was　found　money。　　If　I　had　known　a　certain　piece　of　real　estate　was　going　to　appreciate　in　value　I　would　have　bought　it；　wouldn't　I？〃

〃All　the　worse；　if　it　made　it　seem　easy　and　sure　to　you。　　Do　you　know；〃　he　added　suddenly。　　〃Do　you　know　that　Leaycraft　has　gone　to　keep　books　for　a　manufacturing　concern　out　in　Dubuque？〃

Jadwin　pulled　his　mustache。　　He　was　looking　at　Laura　Dearborn　over　the　heads　of　Landry　and　the　Gretry　girl。

〃I　didn't　suppose　he'd　be　getting　measured　for　a　private　yacht；〃　he　murmured。　　Then　he　continued；　pulling　his　mustache　vigorously：

〃Charlie；　upon　my　word；　what　a　beautifulwhat　beautiful　_hair_　that　girl　has！〃

Laura　was　wearing　it　very　high　that　evening；　the　shining　black　coils　transfixed　by　a　strange　hand…cut　ivory　comb　that　had　been　her　grandmother's。　　She　was　dressed　in　black　taffeta；　with　a　single　great　cabbage…　rose　pinned　to　her　shoulder。　　She　sat　very　straight　in　her　chair；　one　hand　upon　her　slender　hip；　her　head　a　little　to　one　side；　listening　attentively　to　Corthell。

By　this　time　the　household　of　the　former　rectory　was　running　smoothly；　everything　was　in　place；　the　Dearborns　were　〃settled；〃　and　a　routine　had　begun。　　Her　first　month　in　her　new　surroundings　had　been　to　Laura　an　unbroken　series　of　little　delights。　　For　formal　social　distractions　she　had　but　little　taste。　　She　left　those　to　Page；　who；　as　soon　as　Lent　was　over；　promptly　became　involved　in　a　bewildering　round　of　teas；　〃dancing　clubs；〃　dinners；　and　theatre　parties。　　Mrs。　Wessels　was　her　chaperone；　and　the　little　middle…aged　lady　found　the　satisfaction　of　a　belated　youth　in　conveying　her　pretty　niece　to　the　various　functions　that　occupied　her　time。　　Each　Friday　night　saw　her　in　the　gallery　of　a　certain　smart　dancing　school　of　the　south　side；　where　she　watched　Page　dance　her　way　from　the　〃first　waltz〃　to　the　last　figure　of　the　german。　She　counted　the　couples　carefully；　and　on　the　way　home　was　always　able　to　say　how　the　attendance　of　that　particular　evening　compared　with　that　of　the　former　occasion；　and　also　to　inform　Laura　how　many　times　Page　had　danced　with　the　same　young　man。

Laura　herself　was　more　serious。　　She　had　begun　a　course　of　reading；　no　novels；　but　solemn　works　full　of　allusions　to　〃Man〃　and　〃Destiny；〃　which　she　underlined　and　annotated。　　Twice　a　weekon　Mondays　and　Thursdays　she　took　a　French　lesson。　　Corthell　managed　to　enlist　the　good　services　of　Mrs。　Wessels　and　escorted　her　to　numerous　piano　and　'cello　recitals；　to　lectures；　to　concerts。　　He　even　succeeded　in　achieving　the　consecration　of　a　specified　afternoon　once　a　week；　spent　in　his　studio　in　the　Fine　Arts'　Building　on　the　Lake　Front；　where　he　read　to　them　〃Saint　Agnes　Eve；〃　〃Sordello；〃　〃　The　Light　of　Asia〃poems　which；　with　their　inversions；　obscurities；　and　astonishing　arabesques　of　rhetoric；　left　Aunt　Wess'　bewildered；　breathless；　all　but　stupefied。

Laura　found　these　readings　charming。　　The　studio　was　beautiful；　lofty；　the　light　dim；　the　sound　of　Corthell's　voice　returned　from　the　thick　hangings　of　velvet　and　tapestry　in　a　subdued　murmur。　　The　air　was　full　of　the　odor　of　pastilles。

Laura　could　not　fail　to　be　impressed　with　the　artist's　tact；　his　delicacy。　　In　words　he　never　referred　to　their　conversation　in　the　foyer　of　the　Auditorium；　only　by　some　unexplained　subtlety　of　att