the pit-第31部分
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〃Yrs。 S。 C。〃
The party； emerging from the church； hurried across the street to the Dearborns' home； where Laura and Jadwin were to get their valises and hand bags。 Jadwin's carriage was already at the door。
They all assembled in the parlor； every one talking at once； while the servants； bare…headed； carried the baggage down to the carriage。
〃Oh； waitwait a minute； I'd forgotten something；〃 cried Laura。
〃What is it？ Here； I'll get it for you；〃 cried Jadwin and Cressler as she started toward the door。 But she waved them off； crying：
〃No； no。 It's nothing。 You wouldn't know where to look。〃
Alone she ran up the stairs； and gained the second story； then paused a moment on the landing to get her breath and to listen。 The rooms near by were quiet； deserted。 From below she could hear the voices of the otherstheir laughter and gaiety。 She turned about； and went from room to room； looking long into each； first Aunt Wess's bedroom； then Page's； then the 〃front sitting…room；〃 then； lastly； her own room。 It was still in the disorder caused by that eventful morning； many of the ornamentsher own cherished knick…knacks were gone； packed and shipped to her new home the day before。 Her writing…desk and bureau were bare。 On the backs of chairs； and across the footboard of the bed； were the odds and ends of dress she was never to wear again。
For a long time Laura stood looking silently at the empty room。 Here she had lived the happiest period of her life； not an object there； however small； that was not hallowed by association。 Now she was leaving it forever。 Now the new life； the Untried； was to begin。 Forever the old days； the old life were gone。 Girlhood was gone； the Laura Dearborn that only last night had pressed the pillows of that bed； where was she now？ Where was the little black…haired girl of Barrington？
And what was this new life to which she was going forth； under these leaden skies； under this warm mist of rain？ The tearsat lastwere in her eyes； and the sob in her throat； and she found herself； as she leaned an arm upon the lintel of the door； whispering：
〃Good…by。 Good…by。 Good…by。〃
Then suddenly Laura； reckless of her wedding finery； forgetful of trivialities； crossed the room and knelt down at the side of the bed。 Her head in her folded arms； she prayedprayed in the little unstudied words of her childhood； prayed that God would take care of her and make her a good girl； prayed that she might be happy； prayed to God to help her in the new life； and that she should be a good and loyal wife。
And then as she knelt there； all at once she felt an arm； strong； heavy even； laid upon her。 She raised her head and lookedfor the first timedirect into her husband's eyes。
〃I knew〃 began Jadwin。 〃I thoughtDear； I understand； I understand。〃
He said no more than that。 But suddenly Laura knew that he； Jadwin； her husband； did 〃understand；〃 and she discovered； too； in that moment just what it meant to be completely； thoroughly understoodunderstood without chance of misapprehension； without shadow of doubt； understood to her heart's heart。 And with the knowledge a new feeling was born within her。 No woman； not her dearest friend； not even Page had ever seemed so close to her as did her husband now。 How could she be unhappy henceforward？ The future was already brightening。
Suddenly she threw both arms around his neck； and drawing his face down to her； kissed him again and again； and pressed her wet cheek to histear…stained like her own。
〃It's going to be all right； dear；〃 he said； as she stood from him； though still holding his hand。 〃It's going to be all right。〃
〃Yes； yes； all right； all right；〃 she assented。 〃I never seemed to realise it till this minute。 From the first I must have loved you without knowing it。 And I've been cold and hard to you； and now I'm sorry； sorry。 You were wrong； remember that time in the library； when you said I was undemonstrative。 I'm not。 I love you dearly； dearly； and never for once； for one little moment； am I ever going to allow you to forget it。
Suddenly； as Jadwin recalled the incident of which she spoke； an idea occurred to him。
〃Oh； our bargainremember？ You didn't forget after all。〃
〃I did。 I did；〃 she cried。 〃I did forget it。 That's the very sweetest thing about it。〃
VI
The months passed。 Soon three years had gone by； and the third winter since the ceremony in St。 James' Church drew to its close。
Since that day whenacting upon the foreknowledge of the French import dutyJadwin had sold his million of bushels short； the price of wheat had been steadily going down。 From ninety…three and ninety…four it had dropped to the eighties。 Heavy crops the world over had helped the decline。 No one was willing to buy wheat。 The Bear leaders were strong； unassailable。 Lower and lower sagged the price； now it was seventy… five； now seventy…two。 From all parts of the country in solid； waveless tides wheatthe mass of it incessantly crushing down the pricecame rolling in upon Chicago and the Board of Trade Pit。 All over the world the farmers saw season after season of good crops。 They were good in the Argentine Republic； and on the Russian steppes。 In India； on the little farms of Burmah； of Mysore； and of Sind the grain； year after year； headed out fat； heavy； and well…favoured。 In the great San Joaquin valley of California the ranches were one welter of fertility。 All over the United States； from the Dakotas； from Nebraska； Iowa； Kansas； and Illinois； from all the wheat belt came steadily the reports of good crops。
But at the same time the low price of grain kept the farmers poor。 New mortgages were added to farms already heavily 〃papered〃； even the crops were mortgaged in advance。 No new farm implements were bought。 Throughout the farming communities of the 〃Middle West there were no longer purchases of buggies and parlour organs。 Somewhere in other remoter corners of the world the cheap wheat； that meant cheap bread； made living easy and induced prosperity； but in the United States the poverty of the farmer worked upward through the cogs and wheels of the whole great machine of business。 It was as though a lubricant had dried up。 The cogs and wheels worked slowly and with dislocations。 Things were a little out of joint。 Wall Street stocks were down。 In a word； 〃times were bad。〃 Thus for three years。 It became a proverb on the Chicago Board of Trade that the quickest way to make money was to sell wheat short。 One could with almost absolute certainty be sure of buying cheaper than one had sold。 And that peculiar； indefinite thing known among the most unsentimental men in the worldas 〃sentiment；〃 prevailed more and more strongly in favour of low prices。 〃The 'sentiment；'〃 said the market reports； 〃was bearish〃； and the traders； speculators； eighth…chasers； scalpers； brokers； bucket…shop men； and the likeall the world of La Salle Streethad become so accustomed to these 〃Bear conditions；〃 that it was hard to believe that they would not continue indefinitely。
Jadwin； inevitably； had been again drawn into the troubled waters of the Pit。 Always； as from the very first； a Bear； he had once more raided the market； and had once more been succesful。 Two months after this raid he and Gretry planned still another coup； a deal of greater magnitude than any they had previously hazarded。 Laura； who knew very little of her husband's affairsto which he seldom alludedsaw by the daily papers that at one stage of the affair the 〃deal〃 trembled to its base。
But Jadwin was by now 〃blooded to the game。〃 He no longer needed Gretry's urging to spur him。 He had developed into a strategist； bold； of inconceivable effrontery； delighting in the shock of battle； never more jovial； more daring than when under stress of the most merciless attack。 On this occasion； when the 〃other side〃 resorted to the usual tactics to drive him from the Pit； he led on his enemies to make one single false step。 Instantlydisregarding Gretry's entreaties as to cautionJadwin had brought the vast bulk of his entire fortune to bear； in the manner of a general concentrating his heavy artillery； and crushed the opposition with appalling swiftness。
He issued from the grapple triumphantly； and it was not till long afterward that Laura knew how near； for a few hours； he had been to defeat。
And again the price of wheat declined。 In the first week in April； at the end of the third winter of Jadwin's married life； May wheat was selling on the floor of the Chicago Board of Trade at sixty…four； the July option at sixty…five； the September at sixty…six and an eighth。 During February of the same year Jadwin had sold short five hundred thousand bushels of May。 He believed with Gretry and with the majority of the professional traders that the price would go to sixty。
March passed without any further decline。 All through this month and through the first days of April Jadwin was unusually thoughtful。 His short wheat gave him no concern。 He was now so rich that a mere half…million bushels was not a matter for anxiety。 It was the 〃situation〃 that arrested his attention。
In some indefinable way； warned by that blessed sixth sense that had made him the successful speculator he was； he felt that somewhere； at some time during the course of the winter； a change had quietly； gradually come about； that it was even then operating。 The conditions that had prevailed so consistently for three years； were they now to be shifted a little？ He did not know； he could not say。 But in the plexus of financial affairs in which he moved and lived he felta difference。
For one thing 〃times〃 were better； business was better。 He could not fail to see that trade was picking up。 In dry goods； in hardware； in manufactures there seemed to be a different spirit； and he could imagine that it was a spirit of optimism。 There； in that great city where the Heart of the Nation beat； where the diseases of the times； or the times' healthful activities were instantly reflected； Jadwin sensed a more rapid； an easier； more untroubled run of life blood。 All through the Body of Things； money； the vital fluid； seemed to be flowing more easily。 People seemed richer； the banks we
