the pit-第56部分

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Gretry　nodded。　　〃All　right；〃　he　said；　〃it's　your　game。　Shall　I　see　you　at　lunch？〃

〃Lunch！　I　can't　eat。　　But　I'll　drop　around　and　hear　what　the　Northwestern　people　had　to　say　to　you。〃

A　few　moments　after　Gretry　had　gone　Jadwin　heard　the　ticker　on　the　other　side　of　the　room　begin　to　chatter　furiously；　and　at　the　same　time　he　could　fancy　that　the　distant　thunder　of　the　Pit　grew　suddenly　more　violent；　taking　on　a　sharper；　shriller　note。　　He　looked　at　the　tape。　　The　one…cent　rise　had　been　effected。

〃You　will　hold　out；　will　you；　you　brute？〃　muttered　Jadwin。　　〃See　how　you　like　that　now。〃　　He　took　out　his　watch。　　〃You'll　be　running　in　to　me　in　just　about　ten　minutes'　time。〃

He　turned　about；　and　calling　a　clerk；　gave　orders　to　have　Hargus　found　and　brought　to　him。

When　the　old　fellow　appeared　Jadwin　jumped　up　and　gave　him　his　hand　as　he　came　slowly　forward。

His　rusty　top　hat　was　in　his　hand；　from　the　breast　pocket　of　his　faded　and　dirty　frock　coat　a　bundle　of　ancient　newspapers　protruded。　　His　shoestring　tie　straggled　over　his　frayed　shirt　front；　while　at　his　wrist　one　of　his　crumpled　cuffs；　detached　from　the　sleeve；　showed　the　bare；　thin　wrist　between　cloth　and　linen；　and　encumbered　the　fingers　in　which　he　held　the　unlit　stump　of　a　fetid　cigar。

Evidently　bewildered　as　to　the　cause　of　this　summons；　he　looked　up　perplexed　at　Jadwin　as　he　came　up；　out　of　his　dim；　red…lidded　eyes。

〃Sit　down；　Hargus。　　Glad　to　see　you；〃　called　Jadwin。

〃Hey？〃

The　voice　was　faint　and　a　little　querulous。

〃I　say；　sit　down。　　Have　a　chair。　　I　want　to　have　a　talk　with　you。　　You　ran　a　corner　in　wheat　once　yourself。〃

〃Oh。。。。　Wheat。〃

〃Yes；　your　corner。　　You　remember？〃

〃Yes。　　Oh；　that　was　long　ago。　　In　seventy…eight　it　was　the　September　option。　　And　the　Board　made　wheat　in　the　cars　'regular。'〃

His　voice　trailed　off　into　silence；　and　he　looked　vaguely　about　on　the　floor　of　the　room；　sucking　in　his　cheeks；　and　passing　the　edge　of　one　large；　osseous　hand　across　his　lips。

〃Well；　you　lost　all　your　money　that　time；　I　believe。　Scannel；　your　partner；　sold　out　on　you。〃

〃Hey？　　It　was　in　seventy…eight。。。。　　The　secretary　of　the　Board　announced　our　suspension　at　ten　in　the　morning。　If　the　Board　had　not　voted　to　make　wheat　in　the　cars　'regular'〃

He　went　on　and　on；　in　an　impassive　monotone；　repeating；　word　for　word；　the　same　phrases　he　had　used　for　so　long　that　they　had　lost　all　significance。

〃Well；〃　broke　in　Jadwin；　at　last；　〃it　was　Scannel　your　partner；　did　for　you。　　Scannel；　I　say。　　You　know；　Dave　Scannel。〃

The　old　man　looked　at　him　confusedly。　　Then；　as　the　name　forced　itself　upon　the　atrophied　brain；　there　flashed；　for　one　instant；　into　the　pale；　blurred　eye；　a　light；　a　glint；　a　brief；　quick　spark　of　an　old；　long…　forgotten　fire。　　It　gleamed　there　an　instant；　but　the　next　sank　again。

Plaintively；　querulously　he　repeated：

〃It　was　in　seventy…eight。。。。　I　lost　three　hundred　thousand　dollars。〃

〃How's　your　little　niece　getting　on？〃　at　last　demanded　Jadwin。

〃My　little　nieceyou　mean　Lizzie？　。。。　Well　and　happy；　well　and　happy。　　II　got　〃he　drew　a　thick　bundle　of　dirty　papers　from　his　pocket；　envelopes；　newspapers；　circulars；　and　the　like〃　III　got；　I　got　her　picture　here　somewheres。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　I　know；　I　know；〃　cried　Jadwin。　　〃I've　seen　it。　　You　showed　it　to　me　yesterday；　you　remember。〃

〃II　got　it　here　somewheres　。。。　somewheres；〃　persisted　the　old　man；　fumbling　and　peering；　and　as　he　spoke　the　clerk　from　the　doorway　announced：

〃Mr。　Scannel。〃

This　latter　was　a　large；　thick　man；　red…faced；　with　white；　short　whiskers　of　an　almost　wiry　texture。　　He　had　a　small；　gimlet…like　eye；　enormous；　hairy　ears；　wore　a　〃sack〃　suit；　a　highly　polished　top　hat；　and　entered　the　office　with　a　great　flourish　of　manner　and　a　defiant　trumpeting　〃Well；　how　do；　Captain？〃

Jadwin　nodded；　glancing　up　under　his　scowl。

〃Hello！〃　he　said。

The　other　subsided　into　a　chair；　and　returned　scowl　for　scowl。

〃Oh；　well；〃　he　muttered；　〃if　that's　your　style。〃

He　had　observed　Hargus　sitting　by　the　other　side　of　the　desk；　still　fumbling　and　mumbling　in　his　dirty　memoranda；　but　he　gave　no　sign　of　recognition。　　There

was　a　moment's　silence；　then　in　a　voice　from　which　all　the　first　bluffness　was　studiously　excluded；　Scannel　said：

〃Well；　you've　rung　the　bell　on　me。　　I'm　a　sucker。　　I　know　it。　　I'm　one　of　the　few　hundred　other　God…damned　fools　that　you've　managed　to　catch　out　shooting　snipe。　Now　what　I　want　to　know　is；　how　much　is　it　going　to　cost　me　to　get　out　of　your　corner？　　What's　the　figure？　What　do　you　say？〃

〃I　got　a　good　deal　to　say；〃　remarked　Jadwin；　scowling　again。

But　Hargus　had　at　last　thrust　a　photograph　into　his　hands。

〃There　it　is；〃　he　said。　　〃That's　it。　　That's　Lizzie。〃

Jadwin　took　the　picture　without　looking　at　it；　and　as　he　continued　to　speak；　held　it　in　his　fingers；　and　occasionally　tapped　it　upon　the　desk。

〃I　know。　　I　know；　Hargus；〃　he　answered。　　〃I　got　a　good　deal　to　say；　Mr。　David　Scannel。　　Do　you　see　this　old　man　here？〃

〃Oh…h；　cut　it　out！〃　growled　the　other。

〃It's　Hargus。　　You　know　him　very　well。　　You　used　to　know　him　better。　　You　and　he　together　tried　to　swing　a　great　big　deal　in　September　wheat　once　upon　a　time。　Hargus！　I　say；　Hargus！〃

The　old　man　looked　up。

〃Here's　the　man　we　were　talking　about；　Scannel；　you　remember。　　Remember　Dave　Scannel；　who　was　your　partner　in　seventy…eight？　　Look　at　him。　　This　is　him　now。　　He's　a　rich　man　now。　　Remember　Scannel？〃

Hargus；　his　bleared　old　eyes　blinking　and　watering；　looked　across　the　desk　at　the　other。

〃Oh；　what's　the　game？〃　exclaimed　Scannel。　　〃I　ain't　here　on　exhibition；　I　guess。　　I〃

But　he　was　interrupted　by　a　sharp；　quick　gasp　that　all　at　once　issued　from　Hargus's　trembling　lips。　　The　old　man　said　no　word；　but　he　leaned　far　forward　in　his　chair；　his　eyes　fixed　upon　Scannel；　his　breath　coming　short；　his　fingers　dancing　against　his　chin。

〃Yes；　that's　him；　Hargus；〃　said　Jadwin。　　〃You　and　he　had　a　big　deal　on　your　hands　a　long　time　ago；〃　he　continued；　turning　suddenly　upon　Scannel；　a　pulse　in　his　temple　beginning　to　beat。　　〃A　big　deal；　and　you　sold　him　out〃

〃It's　a　lie！〃　cried　the　other。

Jadwin　beat　his　fist　upon　the　arm　of　his　chair。　　His　voice　was　almost　a　shout　as　he　answered：

〃_Yousoldhimout。_　　I　know　you。　　I　know　the　kind　of　bug　you　are。　　You　ruined　him　to　save　your　own　dirty　hide；　and　all　his　life　since　poor　old　Hargus　has　been　living　off　the　charity　of　the　boys　down　here；　pinched　and　hungry　and　neglected；　and　getting　on；　God　knows　how；　yes；　and　supporting　his　little　niece；　too；　while　you；　you　have　been　loafing　about　your　clubs；　and　sprawling　on　your　steam　yachts；　and　dangling　round　after　your　kept　womenon　the　money　you　stole　from　him。〃

Scannel　squared　himself　in　his　chair；　his　little　eyes　twinkling。

〃Look　here；〃　he　cried；　furiously；　〃I　don't　take　that　kind　of　talk　from　the　best　man　that　ever　wore　shoe…　leather。　　Cut　it　out；　understand？　　Cut　it　out。〃

Jadwin's　lower　jaw　set　with　a　menacing　click；　aggressive；　masterful；　he　leaned　forward。

〃You　interrupt　me　again；〃　he　declared；　〃and　you'll　go　out　of　that　door　a　bankrupt。　　You　listen　to　me　and　take　my　orders。　　That's　what　you're　here　to…day　for。　　If　you　think　you　can　get　your　wheat　somewheres　else；　suppose　you　try。〃

Scannel　sullenly　settled　himself　in　his　place。　　He　did　not　answer。　　Hargus；　his　eye　wandering　again；　looked　distressfully　from　one　to　the　other。　　Then　Jadwin；　after　shuffling　among　the　papers　of　his　desk；　fixed　a　certain　memorandum　with　his　glance。　　All　at　once；　whirling　about　and　facing　the　other；　he　said　quickly：

〃You　are　short　to　our　firm　two　million　bushels　at　a　dollar　a　bushel。〃

〃Nothing　of　the　sort；〃　cried　the　other。　　〃It's　a　million　and　a　half。〃

Jadwin　could　not　forbear　a　twinkle　of　grim　humour　as　he　saw　how　easily　Scannel　had　fallen　into　the　trap。

〃You're　short　a　million　and　a　half；　then；〃　he　repeated。　〃I'll　let　you　have　six　hundred　thousand　of　it　at　a　dollar　and　a　half　a　bushel。〃

〃A　dollar　and　a　half！　　Why；　my　God；　man！　　Oh　well〃　Scannel　spread　out　his　hands　nonchalantly〃I　shall　simply　go　into　bankruptcyjust　as　you　said。〃

〃Oh；　no；　you　won't；〃　replied　Jadwin；　pushing　back　and　crossing　his　legs。　　〃I've　had　your　financial　standing　computed　very　carefully；　Mr。　Scannel。　　You've　got　the　ready　money。　　I　know　what　you　can　stand　without　busting；　to　the　fraction　of　a　cent。〃

〃Why；　it's　ridiculous。　　That　handful　of　wheat　will　cost　me　three　hundred　thousand　dollars。〃

〃Pre…cisely。〃

And　then　all　at　once　Scannel　surrendered。　　Stony；　imperturbable；　he　drew　his　check　book　from　his　pocket。

〃Make　it　payable　to　bearer；〃　said　Jadwin。

The　other　complied；　and　Jadwin　took　the　check　and　looked　it　over　carefully。

〃Now；〃　he　said；　〃watch　here；　Dave　Scannel。　　You　see　this　check？　　And　now；〃　he　added；　thrusting　it　into　Hargus's　hands；　〃you　see　where　it　goes。　　There's　the　principal　of　your　debt　paid　off。〃

〃The　principal？〃

〃You　haven't　forgotten　the　interest；　have　you？　won't　compound　it；　because　that　_might_　bust　you。　　But　six　per　cent　interest　on　three　hundred　thousand　since　1878；　comes　tolet's　seethree　hundred　and　sixty　thousand　dollars。　　And　you　still　owe　me　nine　hundred　thousand　bushels　of　wheat。〃　　He　ciphered　a　moment　on　a　sheet　of　note　paper。　　〃If　I　charge　you　a　dollar　and　forty　a　bushel　for　that　wheat；　it　will　come　to　that　sum　exactly。。。。　　Yes；　that's　correct。　　I'll　let　you　have　the　balance　of　that　wheat　at　a　dollar　forty。　　Make　the　check　payable　to　bearer　as　before。〃

For　a　second　Scannel　hesitated；　his　face　purple；　his　teeth　grinding　together；　then　muttering　his　rage　beneath　his　breath；　opened　his　check　book　again。

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Jadwin　as　he　took　the　check。

He　touched　his　call　bell。

〃Kinzie；〃　he　said　to　the　clerk　who　answered　it；　〃after　the　close　of　the　market　to…day　send　delivery　slips　for　a　million　and　a　half　wheat　to　Mr。　Scannel。　　His　account　with　us　has　been　settled。〃

Jadwin　turned　to　the　old　man；　reaching　out　the　second　check　to　him。

〃Here　you　are；　Hargus。　　Put　it　away　carefully。　　You　see　what　it　is；　don't　you？　　Buy　your　Lizzie　a　little　gold　watch　with　a　hundred　of　it；　and　tell　her　it's　from　Curtis　Jadwin；　with　his　compliments。。。。　　What；　going；　Scannel？　　Well；　good…by　to　you；　sir；　and　hey！〃　he　called　after　him；　〃