the pit-第53部分

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ct　of　our　corner　dark　much　longer？〃

〃I　fancy　not；〃　answered　the　broker；　putting　on　his　hat　and　thrusting　his　papers　into　his　breast　pocket。　　〃If　we　bust　Crookes；　it'll　come　outand　it　won't　matter　then。　　I　think　we've　got　all　the　shorts　there　are。〃

〃I'm　laying　particularly　for　Dave　Scannel；〃　remarked　Jadwin。　　〃I　hope　he's　in　up　to　his　neck；　and　if　he　is；　by　the　Great　Horn　Spoon；　I'll　bankrupt　him；　or　my　name　is　not　Jadwin！　　I'll　wring　him　bone…dry。　　If　I　once　get　a　twist　of　that　rat；　I　won't　leave　him　hide　nor　hair　to　cover　the　wart　he　calls　his　heart。〃

〃Why；　what　all　has　Scannel　ever　done　to　you？〃　demanded　the　other；　amazed。

〃Nothing；　but　I　found　out　the　other　day　that　old　Harguspoor　old；　broken…backed；　half…starved　HargusI　found　out　that　it　was　Scannel　that　ruined　him。　　Hargus　and　he　had　a　big　deal　on；　you　knowoh；　ages　agoand　Scannel　sold　out　on　him。　　Great　God；　it　was　the　dirtiest；　damnedest　treachery　I　ever　heard　of！　　Scannel　made　his　pile；　and　what's　Hargus　now？　　Why；　he's　a　scarecrow。　　And　he　has　a　little　niece　that　he　supports；　heaven　only　knows　how。　　I've　seen　her；　and　she's　pretty　as　a　picture。　　Well；　that's　all　right；　I'm　going　to　carry　fifty　thousand　wheat　for　Hargus；　and　I've　got　another　scheme　for　him；　too。　　By　God；　the　poor　old　boy　won't　go　hungry　again　if　I　know　it！　But　if　I　lay　my　hands　on　Scannelif　we　catch　him　in　the　cornerholy；　suffering　Moses；　but　I'll　make　him　squeal！〃

Gretry　nodded；　to　say　he　understood　and　approved。

〃I　guess　you've　got　him；〃　he　remarked。　　〃Well；　I　must　get　to　bed。　　Good　night；　J。〃

〃Good　night；　Sam。　　See　you　in　the　morning。〃

And　before　the　door　of　the　room　was　closed；　Jadwin　was　back　at　the　table　again。　　Once　more；　painfully；　toilfully；　he　went　over　his　plans；　retesting；　altering；　recombining；　his　hands　full　of　lists；　of　despatches；　and　of　endless　columns　of　memoranda。　　Occasionally　he　murmured　fragments　of　sentences　to　himself。　　〃H'm　。。。　I　must　look　out　for　that。。。。　　They　can't　touch　us　there。。。。　　The　annex　of　that　Nickel　Plate　elevator　will　holdlet's　see　。。。　　half　a　million。。。。　　If　I　buy　the　grain　within　five　days　after　arrival　I've　got　to　pay　storage；　which　is；　let's　seethree…quarters　of　a　cent　times　eighty　thousand。。。。〃

An　hour　passed。　　At　length　Jadwin　pushed　back　from　the　table；　drank　a　glass　of　ice　water；　and　rose；　stretching。

〃Lord；　I　must　get　some　sleep；〃　he　muttered。

He　threw　off　his　clothes　and　went　to　bed；　but　even　as　he　composed　himself　to　sleep；　the　noises　of　the　street　in　the　awakening　city　invaded　the　room　through　the　chink　of　the　window　he　had　left　open。　　The　noises　were　vague。　　They　blended　easily　into　a　far…off　murmur；　they　came　nearer；　they　developed　into　a　cadence：

〃Wheat…wheat…wheat；　wheat…wheat…wheat。〃


Jadwin　roused　up。　　He　had　just　been　dropping　off　to　sleep。　　He　rose　and　shut　the　window；　and　again　threw　himself　down。　　He　was　weary　to　death；　not　a　nerve　of　his　body　that　did　not　droop　and　flag。　　His　eyes　closed　slowly。　　Then；　all　at　once；　his　whole　body　twitched　sharply　in　a　sudden　spasm；　a　simultaneous　recoil　of　every　muscle。　　His　heart　began　to　beat　rapidly；　his　breath　failed　him。　　Broad　awake；　he　sat　up　in　bed。

〃H'm！〃　he　muttered。　　〃That　was　a　startmust　have　been　dreaming；　surely。〃

Then　he　paused；　frowning；　his　eyes　narrowing；　he　looked　to　and　fro　about　the　room；　lit　by　the　subdued　glow　that　came　in　through　the　transom　from　a　globe　in　the　hall　outside。　　Slowly　his　hand　went　to　his　forehead。

With　almost　the　abruptness　of　a　blow；　that　strange；　indescribable　sensation　had　returned　to　his　head。　　It　was　as　though　he　were　struggling　with　a　fog　in　the　interior　of　his　brain；　or　again　it　was　a　numbness；　a　weight；　or　sometimes　it　had　more　of　the　feeling　of　a　heavy；　tight…drawn　band　across　his　temples。

〃Smoking　too　much；　I　guess；〃　murmured　Jadwin。　　But　he　knew　this　was　not　the　reason；　and　as　he　spoke；　there　smote　across　his　face　the　first　indefinite　sensation　of　an　unnamed　fear。

He　gave　a　quick；　short　breath；　and　straightened　himself；　passing　his　hands　over　his　face。

〃What　the　deuce；〃　he　muttered；　〃does　this　mean？〃

For　a　long　moment　he　remained　sitting　upright　in　bed；　looking　from　wall　to　wall　of　the　room。　　He　felt　a　little　calmer。　　He　shrugged　his　shoulders　impatiently。

〃Look　here；〃　he　said　to　the　opposite　wall；　〃I　guess　I'm　not　a　schoolgirl；　to　have　nerves　at　this　late　date。　High　time　to　get　to　sleep；　if　I'm　to　mix　things　with　Crookes　to…morrow。〃

But　he　could　not　sleep。　　While　the　city　woke　to　its　multitudinous　life　below　his　windows；　while　the　grey　light　of　morning　drowned　the　yellow　haze　from　the　gas　jet　that　came　through　the　transom；　while　the　〃early　call〃　alarms　rang　in　neighbouring　rooms；　Curtis　Jadwin　lay　awake；　staring　at　the　ceiling；　now　concentrating　his　thoughts　upon　the　vast　operation　in　which　he　found　himself　engaged；　following　out　again　all　its　complexities；　its　inconceivable　ramifications；　or　now　puzzling　over　the　inexplicable　numbness；　the　queer；　dull　weight　that　descended　upon　his　brain　so　soon　as　he　allowed　its　activity　to　relax。

By　five　o'clock　he　found　it　intolerable　to　remain　longer　in　bed；　he　rose；　bathed；　dressed；　ordered　his　breakfast；　and；　descending　to　the　office　of　the　hotel；　read　the　earliest　editions　of　the　morning　papers　for　half　an　hour。

Then；　at　last；　as　he　sat　in　the　corner　of　the　office　deep　in　an　armchair；　the　tired　shoulders　began　to　droop；　the　wearied　head　to　nod。　　The　paper　slipped　from　his　fingers；　his　chin　sank　upon　his　collar。

To　his　ears　the　early　clamour　of　the　street；　the　cries　of　newsboys；　the　rattle　of　drays　came　in　a　dull　murmur。　It　seemed　to　him　that　very　far　off　a　great　throng　was　forming。　　It　was　menacing；　shouting。　　It　stirred；　it　moved；　it　was　advancing。　　It　came　galloping　down　the　street；　shouting　with　insensate　fury；　now　it　was　at　the　corner；　now　it　burst　into　the　entrance　of　the　hotel。　Its　clamour　was　deafening；　but　intelligible。　　For　a　thousand；　a　million；　forty　million　voices　were　shouting　in　cadence：

〃Wheat…wheat…wheat；　wheat…wheat…wheat。〃

Jadwin　woke　abruptly；　half　starting　from　his　chair。　The　morning　sun　was　coming　in　through　the　windows；　the　clock　above　the　hotel　desk　was　striking　seven；　and　a　waiter　stood　at　his　elbow；　saying：

〃Your　breakfast　is　served；　Mr。　Jadwin。〃

He　had　no　appetite。　　He　could　eat　nothing　but　a　few　mouthfuls　of　toast；　and　long　before　the　appointed　hour　he　sat　in　Gretry's　office；　waiting　for　the　broker　to　appear；　drumming　on　the　arm　of　his　chair；　plucking　at　the　buttons　of　his　coat；　and　wondering　why　it　was　that　every　now　and　then　all　the　objects　in　his　range　of　vision　seemed　to　move　slowly　back　and　stand　upon　the　same　plane。

By　degrees　he　lapsed　into　a　sort　of　lethargy；　a　wretched　counterfeit　of　sleep；　his　eyes　half　closed；　his　breath　irregular。　　But；　such　as　it　was；　it　was　infinitely　grateful。　　The　little；　over…driven　cogs　and　wheels　of　the　mind；　at　least；　moved　more　slowly。　Perhaps　by　and　by　this　might　actually　develop　into　genuine；　blessed　oblivion。

But　there　was　a　quick　step　outside　the　door。　　Gretry　came　in。

〃Oh；　J。！　　Here　already；　are　you？　　Well；　Crookes　will　begin　to　sell　at　the　very　tap　of　the　bell。〃

〃He　will；　hey？〃　Jadwin　was　on　his　feet。　　Instantly　the　jaded　nerves　braced　taut　again；　instantly　the　tiny　machinery　of　the　brain　spun　again　at　its　fullest　limit。　〃He's　going　to　try　to　sell　us　out；　is　he？　　All　right。　We'll　sell；　too。　　We'll　see　who　can　sell　the　most　Crookes　or　Jadwin。〃

〃Sell！　You　mean　buy；　of　course。〃

〃No；　I　don't。　　I've　been　thinking　it　over　since　you　left　last　night。　　Wheat　is　worth　exactly　what　it　is　selling　for　this　blessed　day。　　I've　not　inflated　it　up　one　single　eighth　yet；　Crookes　thinks　I　have。　　Good　Lord；　I　can　read　him　like　a　book！　He　thinks　I've　boosted　the　stuff　above　what　it's　worth；　and　that　a　little　shove　will　send　it　down。　　He　can　send　it　down　to　ten　cents　if　he　likes；　but　it'll　jump　back　like　a　rubber　ball。　　I'll　sell　bushel　for　bushel　with　him　as　long　as　he　wants　to　keep　it　up。〃

〃Heavens　and　earth；　J。；〃　exclaimed　Gretry；　with　a　long　breath；　〃the　risk　is　about　as　big　as　holding　up　the　Bank　of　England。　　You　are　depreciating　the　value　of　about　forty　million　dollars'　worth　of　your　property　with　every　cent　she　breaks。〃

〃You　do　as　I　tell　youyou'll　see　I'm　right；〃　answered　Jadwin。　　〃Get　your　boys　in　here；　and　we'll　give　'em　the　day's　orders。〃

The　〃Crookes　affair〃as　among　themselves　the　group　of　men　who　centred　about　Jadwin　spoke　of　itwas　one　of　the　sharpest　fights　known　on　the　Board　of　Trade　for　many　a　long　day。　　It　developed　with　amazing　unexpectedness　and　was　watched　with　breathless　interest　from　every　produce　exchange　between　the　oceans。

It　occupied　every　moment　of　each　morning's　session　of　the　Board　of　Trade　for　four　furious；　never…to…be…　forgotten　days。　　Promptly　at　half…past　nine　o'clock　on　Tuesday　morning　Crookes　began　to　sell　May　wheat　short；　and　instantly；　to　the　surprise　of　every　Pit　trader　on　the　floor；　the　price　broke　with　his　very　first　attack。　In　twenty　minutes　it　was　down　half　a　cent。　　Then　came　the　really　big　surprise　of　the　day。　　Landry　Court；　the　known　representative　of　the　firm　which　all　along　had　fostered　and　encouraged　the　rise　in　the　price；　appeared　in　the　Pit；　and　instead　of　buying；　upset　all　precedent　and　all　calculation　by　selling　as　freely　as　the　Crookes　men　themselves。　　For　three　days　the　battle　went　on。　But　to　the　outside　worldeven　to　the　Pit　itselfit　seemed　less　a　battle　than　a　rout。　　The　〃Unknown　Bull〃　was　down；　was　beaten　at　last。　　He　had　inflated　the　price　of　the　wheat；　he　had　backed　a　false；　an　artificial；　and　unwarrantable　boom；　and　now　he　was　being　broken。　　Ah　Crookes　knew　when　to　strike。　　Here　was　the　great　generalthe　real　leader　who　so　long　had　held　back。

By　the　end　of　the　Friday　session；　Crookes　and　his　clique　had　sold　five　million　bushels；　〃going　short；〃　promising　to　deliver　wheat　that　they　did　not　own；　but　expected　to　buy　at　low　prices。　　The　market　that　day　closed　at　ninety…five。

Friday　night；　in　Jadwin's　room　in　the　Grand　Pacific；　a　conference　was　held　between　Gretry；　Landry　Court；　two　of　Gretry's　most　trusted　lieutenants；　and　Jadwin　himself。　　Two　results　issued　from　this　conference。　　One　took　the　form　of　a　cipher　cable　to　Jadwin's　Liverpool　agent；　which；　translated；　read：　〃Buy　all　wheat　that　is　offered　till　market　a