the pit-第43部分

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er　coat　and　patent…leather　pumps；　a　cigarette　between　his　fingers；　read　a　volume　of　Italian　verse。

〃It　was　the　confirmation　of　the　failure　of　the　Argentine　crop　that　did　it；〃　Landry　was　saying；　〃that　and　the　tremendous　foreign　demand。　　She　opened　steady　enough　at　eighty…three；　but　just　as　soon　as　the　gong　tapped　we　began　to　get　it。　　Buy；　buy；　buy。　　Everybody　is　in　it　now。　　The　public　are　speculating。　　For　one　fellow　who　wants　to　sell　there　are　a　dozen　buyers。　　We　had　one　of　the　hottest　times　I　ever　remember　in　the　Pit　this　morning〃

Laura　saw　Jadwin's　eyes　snap。

〃I　told　you　we'd　get　this；　Sam；〃　he　said；　nodding　to　the　broker。

〃Oh；　there's　plenty　of　wheat；〃　answered　Gretry；　easily。　〃Wait　till　we　get　dollar　wheatif　we　doand　see　it　come　out。　　The　farmers　haven't　sold　it　all　yet。　There's　always　an　army　of　ancient　hayseeds　who　have　the　stuff　tucked　awayin　old　stockings；　I　guessand　who'll　dump　it　on　you　all　right　if　you　pay　enough。　There's　plenty　of　wheat。　　I've　seen　it　happen　before。　Work　the　price　high　enough；　and；　Lord；　how　they'll　scrape　the　bins　to　throw　it　at　you！　You'd　never　guess　from　what　out…of…the…way　places　it　would　come。〃

〃I　tell　you；　Sam；〃　retorted　Jadwin；　〃the　surplus　of　wheat　is　going　out　of　the　countryand　it's　going　fast。　And　some　of　these　shorts　will　have　to　hustle　lively　for　it　pretty　soon。〃

〃The　Crookes　gang；　though；〃　observed　Landry；　〃seem　pretty　confident　the　market　will　break。　　I'm　sure　they　were　selling　short　this　morning。〃

〃The　idea；〃　exclaimed　Jadwin；　incredulously；　〃the　idea　of　selling　short　in　face　of　this　Argentine　collapse；　and　all　this　Bull　news　from　Europe！〃

〃Oh；　there　are　plenty　of　shorts；〃　urged　Gretry。　〃Plenty　of　them。〃

Try　as　he　would；　the　echoes　of　the　rumbling　of　the　Pit　reached　Jadwin　at　every　hour　of　the　day　and　night。　　The　maelstrom　there　at　the　foot　of　La　Salle　Street　was　swirling　now　with　a　mightier　rush　than　for　years　past。　Thundering；　its　vortex　smoking；　it　sent　its　whirling　far　out　over　the　country；　from　ocean　to　ocean；　sweeping　the　wheat　into　its　currents；　sucking　it　in；　and　spewing　it　out　again　in　the　gigantic　pulses　of　its　ebb　and　flow。

And　he；　Jadwin；　who　knew　its　every　eddy；　who　could　foretell　its　every　ripple；　was　out　of　it；　out　of　it。　Inactive；　he　sat　there　idle　while　the　clamour　of　the　Pit　swelled　daily　louder；　and　while　other　men；　men　of　little　minds；　of　narrow　imaginations；　perversely；　blindly　shut　their　eyes　to　the　swelling　of　its　waters；　neglecting　the　chances　which　he　would　have　known　how　to　use　with　such　large；　such　vast　results。　　That　mysterious　event　which　long　ago　he　felt　was　preparing；　was　not　yet　consummated。　　The　great　Fact；　the　great　Result　which　was　at　last　to　issue　forth　from　all　this　turmoil　was　not　yet　achieved。　　Would　it　refuse　to　come　until　a　master　hand；　all　powerful；　all　daring；　gripped　the　levers　of　the　sluice　gates　that　controlled　the　crashing　waters　of　the　Pit？　　He　did　not　know。　　Was　it　the　moment　for　a　chief？

Was　this　upheaval　a　revolution　that　called　aloud　for　its　Napoleon？　　Would　another；　not　himself；　at　last；　seeing　where　so　many　shut　their　eyes；　step　into　the　place　of　high　command？

Jadwin　chafed　and　fretted　in　his　inaction。　　As　the　time　when　the　house　party　should　break　up　drew　to　its　close；　his　impatience　harried　him　like　a　gadfly。　　He　took　long　drives　over　the　lonely　country　roads；　or　tramped　the　hills　or　the　frozen　lake；　thoughtful；　preoccupied。　　He　still　held　his　seat　upon　the　Board　of　Trade。　　He　still　retained　his　agents　in　Europe。　　Each　morning　brought　him　fresh　despatches；　each　evening's　paper　confirmed　his　forecasts。

〃Oh；　I'm　out　of　it　for　good　and　all；〃　he　assured　his　wife。　　〃But　I　know　the　man　who　could　take　up　the　whole　jing…bang　of　that　Crookes　crowd　in　one　hand　and〃his　large　fist　swiftly　knotted　as　he　spoke　the　words　〃scrunch　it　up　like　an　eggshell；　by　George。〃

Landry　Court　often　entertained　Page　with　accounts　of　the　doings　on　the　Board　of　Trade；　and　about　a　fortnight　after　the　Jadwins　had　returned　to　their　city　home　he　called　on　her　one　evening　and　brought　two　or　three　of　the　morning's　papers。

〃Have　you　seen　this？〃　he　asked。　　She　shook　her　head。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　compressing　his　lips；　and　narrowing　his　eyes；　〃let　me　tell　you；　we　are　having　pretty　livelytimesdown　there　on　the　Board　these　days。　　The　whole　country　is　talking　about　it。〃

He　read　her　certain　extracts　from　the　newspapers　he　had　brought。　　The　first　article　stated　that　recently　a　new　factor　had　appeared　in　the　Chicago　wheat　market。　　A　〃Bull〃　clique　had　evidently　been　formed；　presumably　of　New　York　capitalists；　who　were　ousting　the　Crookes　crowd　and　were　rapidly　coming　into　control　of　the　market。　　In　consequence　of　this　the　price　of　wheat　was　again　mounting。

Another　paper　spoke　of　a　combine　of　St。　　Louis　firms　who　were　advancing　prices；　bulling　the　market。　　Still　a　third　said；　at　the　beginning　of　a　half…column　article：

〃It　is　now　universally　conceded　that　an　Unknown　Bull　has　invaded　the　Chicago　wheat　market　since　the　beginning　of　the　month；　and　is　now　dominating　the　entire　situation。　　The　Bears　profess　to　have　no　fear　of　this　mysterious　enemy；　but　it　is　a　matter　of　fact　that　a　multitude　of　shorts　were　driven　ignominiously　to　cover　on　Tuesday　last；　when　the　Great　Bull　gathered　in　a　long　line　of　two　million　bushels　in　a　single　half　hour。　　Scalping　and　eighth…chasing　are　almost　entirely　at　an　end；　the　smaller　traders　dreading　to　be　caught　on　the　horns　of　the　Unknown。　　The　new　operator's　identity　has　been　carefully　concealed；　but　whoever　he　is；　he　is　a　wonderful　trader　and　is　possessed　of　consummate　nerve。　　It　has　been　rumoured　that　he　hails　from　New　York；　and　is　but　one　of　a　large　clique　who　are　inaugurating　a　Bull　campaign。　　But　our　New　York　advices　are　emphatic　in　denying　this　report；　and　we　can　safely　state　that　the　Unknown　Bull　is　a　native；　and　a　present　inhabitant　of　the　Windy　City。〃

Page　looked　up　at　Landry　quickly；　and　he　returned　her　glance　without　speaking。　　There　was　a　moment's　silence。

〃I　guess；〃　Landry　hazarded；　lowering　his　voice；　〃I　guess　we're　both　thinking　of　the　same　thing。〃

〃But　I　know　he　told　my　sister　that　he　was　going　to　stop　all　that　kind　of　thing。　　What　do　you　think？〃

〃I　hadn't　ought　to　think　anything。〃

〃Say　'shouldn't　think；'　Landry。〃

〃Shouldn't　think；　then；　anything　about　it。　　My　business　is　to　execute　Mr。　Gretry's　orders。〃

〃Well；　I　know　this；〃　said　Page；　〃that　Mr。　Jadwin　is　down　town　all　day　again。　　You　know　he　stayed　away　for　a　while。〃

〃Oh；　that　may　be　his　real　estate　business　that　keeps　him　down　town　so　much；〃　replied　Landry。

〃Laura　is　terribly　distressed；〃　Page　went　on。　　〃I　can　see　that。　　They　used　to　spend　all　their　evenings　together　in　the　library；　and　Laura　would　read　aloud　to　him。　　But　now　he　comes　home　so　tired　that　sometimes　he　goes　to　bed　at　nine　o'clock；　and　Laura　sits　there　alone　reading　till　eleven　and　twelve。　　But　she's　afraid；　too；　of　the　effect　upon　him。　　He's　getting　so　absorbed。　　He　don't　care　for　literature　now　as　he　did　once；　or　was　beginning　to　when　Laura　used　to　read　to　him；　and　he　never　thinks　of　his　Sunday…school。　　And　then；　too；　if　you're　to　believe　Mr。　Cressler；　there's　a　chance　that　he　may　lose　if　he　is　speculating　again。〃

But　Landry　stoutly　protested：

〃Well；　don't　think　for　one　moment　that　Mr。　Curtis　Jadwin　is　going　to　let　any　one　get　the　better　of　him。　There's　no　manno；　nor　gang　of　mencould　down　him。　He's　head　and　shoulders　above　the　biggest　of　them　down　there。　　I　tell　you　he's　Napoleonic。　　Yes；　sir；　that's　what　he　is；　Napoleonic；　to　say　the　least。　　Page；〃　he　declared；　solemnly；　〃he's　the　greatest　man　I've　ever　known。〃

Very　soon　after　this　it　was　no　longer　a　secret　to　Laura　Jadwin　that　her　husband　had　gone　back　to　the　wheat　market；　and　that；　too；　with　such　impetuosity；　such　eagerness；　that　his　rush　had　carried　him　to　the　very　heart's　heart　of　the　turmoil。

He　was　now　deeply　involved；　his　influence　began　to　be　felt。　　Not　an　important　move　on　the　part　of　the　〃Unknown　Bull；〃　the　nameless　mysterious　stranger　that　was　not　duly　noted　and　discussed　by　the　entire　world　of　La　Salle　Street。

Almost　his　very　first　move；　carefully　guarded；　executed　with　profoundest　secrecy；　had　been　to　replace　the　five　million　bushels　sold　to　Liverpool　by　five　million　more　of　the　May　option。　　This　was　in　January；　and　all　through　February　and　all　through　the　first　days　of　March；　while　the　cry　for　American　wheat　rose；　insistent　and　vehement；　from　fifty　cities　and　centres　of　eastern　Europe；　while　the　jam　of　men　in　the　Wheat　Pit　grew　ever　more　frantic；　ever　more　furious；　and　while　the　impassive　hand　on　the　great　dial　over　the　floor　of　the　Board　rose；　resistless；　till　it　stood　at　eighty…seven；　he　bought　steadily；　gathering　in　the　wheat；　calling　for　it；　welcoming　it；　receiving　full　in　the　face　and　with　opened　arms　the　cataract　that　poured　in　upon　the　Pit　from　Iowa　and　Nebraska；　Minnesota　and　Dakota；　from　the　dwindling　bins　of　Illinois　and　the　fast…emptying　elevators　of　Kansas　and　Missouri。

Then；　squarely　in　the　midst　of　the　commotion；　at　a　time　when　Curtis　Jadwin　owned　some　ten　million　bushels　of　May　wheat；　fell　the　Government　report　on　the　visible　supply。

〃Well；〃　said　Jadwin；　〃what　do　you　think　of　it？〃

He　and　Gretry　were　in　the　broker's　private　room　in　the　offices　of　Gretry；　Converse　&　Co。　　They　were　studying　the　report　of　the　Government　as　to　the　supply　of　wheat；　which　had　just　been　published　in　the　editions　of　the　evening　papers。　　It　was　very　late　in　the　afternoon　of　a　lugubrious　March　day。　　Long　since　the　gas　and　electricity　had　been　lighted　in　the　office；　while　in　the　streets　the　lamps　at　the　corners　were　reflected　downward　in　long　shafts　of　light　upon　the　drenched　pavements。　　From　the　windows　of　the　room　one　could　see　directly　up　La　Salle　Street。　　The　cable　cars；　as　they　made　the　turn　into　or　out　of　the　street　at　the　corner　of　Monroe；　threw　momentary　glares　of　red　and　green　lights　across　the　mists　of　rain；　and　filled　the　air　continually　with　the　jangle　of　their　bells。　　Further　on　one　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　Court　House　rising　from　the　pavement　like　a　rain…washed　cliff　of　black　basalt；　picked　out　with　winking　lights；　and　beyond　that；　at　the　extreme　end　of　the　vista；　the　girders　and　cables　of　the　La　Salle　Street　bridge。

The　sidewalks　on　either　hand　were　encumbered　with　t