the cost-第38节

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s　were　in　repose。

Culver　shifted　from　one　weak　leg　to　the　other；　and　the　movement　reminded　Dumont　of　his　existence。　　〃That's　all。　　Clear　out！〃　he　exclaimed；　and　fell　back　into　his　big　chair　and　closed　his　eyes。　　He　thought　he　at　last　understood　publicity。

But　he　was　mistaken。

He　finished　dressing　and　choked　down　a　little　breakfast。　　As　he　advanced　toward　the　front　door　the　servant　there　coughed　uneasily　and　said：　　〃Beg　pardon；　sir；　but　I　fear　you　won't　be　able　to　get　out。〃

〃What's　the　matter？〃　he　demanded；　his　brows　contracting　and　his　lips　beginning　to　slide　back　in　a　snarlit　promised　to　be　a　sad　morning　for　human　curs　of　all　kinds　who　did　not　scurry　out　of　the　lion's　way。

〃The　crowd；　sir；〃　said　the　servant。　　And　he　drew　aside　the　curtain　across　the　glass　in　one　of　the　inside　pair　of　great　double　doors　of　the　palace　entrance。　　〃It's　quite　safe　to　look；　sir。　　They　can't　see　through　the　outside　doors　as　far　as　this。〃

Dumont　peered　through　the　bronze　fretwork。　　A　closely　packed　mass　of　people　was　choking　the　sidewalk　and　streethis　brougham　was　like　an　island　in　a　troubled　lake。　　He　saw　several　policementhey　were　trying　to　move　the　crowd　on；　but　not　trying　sincerely。　　He　saw　three　huge　cameras；　their　operators　under　the　black　cloths；　their　lenses　pointed　at　the　doorwaiting　for　him　to　appear。　　For　the　first　time　in　his　life　he　completely　lost　his　nerve。　　Not　only　publicity；　the　papera　lifeless　sheet　of　print；　but　also　publicity；　the　publicwith　living　eyes　to　peer　and　living　voices　to　jeer。　　He　looked　helplessly；　appealingly　at　the　〃cur〃　he　had　itched　to　kick　the　moment　before。

〃What　the　devil　shall　I　do？〃　he　asked　in　a　voice　without　a　trace　of　courage。

〃I　don't　know；　sir；〃　replied　the　servant。　　〃The　basement　door　wouldn't　help　very　much；　would　it？〃

The　basement　door　was　in　front　also。　　〃Idiot！　　Is　there　no　way　out　at　the　rear？〃　he　asked。

〃Only　over　the　fences；　sir；〃　said　the　servant；　perfectly　matter…of…fact。　　Having　no　imagination；　his　mind　made　no　picture　of　the　great　captain　of　industry　scrambling　over　back　fences　like　a　stray　cat　flying　from　a　brick。

Dumont　turned　back　and　into　his　first…floor　sitting…room。　　He　unlocked　his　stand　of　brandy　bottles；　poured　out　an　enormous　drink　and　gulped　it　down。　　His　stomach　reeled；　then　his　head。　　He　went　to　the　window　and　looked　outthere　must　have　been　five　hundred　people　in　the　street；　and　vehicles　were　making　their　way　slowly　and　with　difficulty；　drivers　gaping　at　the　house　and　joking　with　the　crowd；　newsboys；　bent　sidewise　to　balance　their　huge　bundles　of　papers；　were　darting　in　and　out；　and　even　through　the　thick　plate　glass　he　could　hear：　　〃All　about　Millionaire　Dumont's　disgrace！〃

He　went　through　to　a　rear　window。　　No；　there　was　a　continuous　wall；　a　high　brick　wall。　　A　servant　came　and　told　him　he　was　wanted　at　the　telephone。　　It　was　Giddings；　who　said　in　a　voice　that　was　striving　in　vain　to　be　calm　against　the　pressure　of　some　intense　excitement：　　〃You　are　coming　down　to…day；　Mr。　Dumont？〃

〃Why？〃　asked　Dumont；　snapping　the　word　out　as　short　and　savage　as　the　crack　of　a　lash。

〃There　are　disquieting　rumors　of　a　raid　on　us。〃

〃Who's　to　do　the　raiding？〃

〃They　say　it's　Patterson　and　Fanning…Smith　and　Cassell　and　Herron。　　It's　a　raid　for　control。〃

Dumont　snorted　scornfully。　　〃Don't　fret。　　We're　all　right。　　I'll　be　down　soon。〃　　And　he　hung　up　the　receiver；　muttering：　　〃The　ass！　　I　must　kick　him　out！　　He's　an　old　woman　the　instant　I　turn　my　back。〃

He　had　intended　not　to　go　down；　but　to　shut　himself　in　with　the　brandy　bottle　until　nightfall。　　This　news　made　his　presence　in　the　Street　imperative。　　〃They　couldn't　have　sprung　at　me　at　a　worse　time；〃　he　muttered。　　〃But　I　can　take　care　of　'em！〃

He　returned　to　the　library；　took　another　drink；　larger　than　the　first。　　His　blood　began　to　pound　through　his　veins　and　to　rush　along　under　the　surface　of　his　skin　like　a　sheet　of　fire。　　Waves　of　fury　surged　into　his　brain；　making　him　dizzy；　confusing　his　sighthe　could　scarcely　refrain　from　grinding　his　teeth。　　He　descended　to　the　basement；　his　step　unsteady。

〃A　ladder；〃　he　ordered　in　a　thick　voice。

He　led　the　way　to　the　rear　wall。　　A　dozen　men…servants　swarming　about；　tried　to　assist　him。　　He　ordered　them　aside　and　began　to　climb。　　As　the　upper　part　of　his　body　rose　above　the　wall…line　he　heard　a　triumphant　shout；　many　voices　crying：　　〃There　he　is！　　There　he　is！〃

The　lot　round　the　corner　from　his　place　was　not　built　upon；　and　there；　in　the　side　street；　was　a　rapidly　swelling　crowd；　the　camera…bearers　　hastily　putting　their　instruments　in　position；　the　black　cloths　fluttering　like　palls　or　pirate　flags。　　With　a　roaring　howl　he　released　his　hold　upon　the　ladder　and　shook　both　fists；　his　swollen　face　blazing　between　them。　　He　tottered；　fell　backward；　crashed　upon　the　stone　flooring　of　the　area。　　His　head　struck　with　a　crack　that　made　the　women…servants　scream。　　The　men　lifted　him　and　carried　him　into　the　house。　　He　was　not　stunned；　he　tried　to　stand。　　But　he　staggered　back　into　the　arms　of　his　valet　and　his　butler。

〃Brandy！〃　he　gasped。

He　took　a　third　drinkand　became　unconscious。　　When　the　doctor　arrived　he　was　raving　in　a　high　fever。　　For　years　he　had　drunk　to　excessbut　theretofore　only　when　HE　chose；　never　when　his　appetite　chose；　never　when　his　affairs　needed　a　clear　brain。　　Now　appetite；　long　lying　in　wait　for　him；　had　found　him　helpless　in　the　clutches　of　rage　and　fear；　and　had　stolen　away　his　mind。

The　news　was　telephoned　to　the　office　at　half…past　eleven　o'clock。　　〃It　doesn't　matter；〃　said　Giddings。　　〃He'd　only　make　things　worse　if　he　were　to　come　now。〃

Giddings　was　apparently　right。　　From　a　tower　of　strength；　supporting　alone；　yet　with　ease；　National　Woolens；　and　the　vast　structure　based　upon　it；　Dumont　had　crumbled　into　an　obstruction　and　a　weakness。　　There　is　an　abysmal　difference　between　everybody　knowing　a　thing　privately　and　everybody　knowing　precisely　the　same　thing　publicly。　　In　that　newspaper　exposure　there　was　no　fact　of　importance　that　was　not　known　to　the　entire　Street；　to　his　chief　supporters　in　his　great　syndicate　of　ranches；　railroads；　factories；　steamship　lines　and　selling　agencies。　　But　the　tremendous　blare　of　publicity　acted　like　Joshua's　horns　at　Jericho。　　The　solid　walls　of　his　public　reputation　tottered；　toppled；　fell　flat。

There　had　been　a　tight　money…market　for　two　weeks。　　Though　there　had　been　uneasiness　as　to　all　the　small　and　many　of　the　large　〃industrials；〃　belief　in　National　Woolens　and　in　the　stability　of　John　Dumont　had　remained　strong。　　But　of　all　the　cowards　that　stand　sentinel　for　capital；　the　most　craven　is　Confidence。　　At　the　deafening　crash　of　the　fall　of　Dumont's　private　character；　Confidence　girded　its　loins　and　tightened　its　vocal　cords　to　be　in　readiness　for　a　shrieking　flight。

Dumont　ruled；　through　a　parent　and　central　corporation；　the　National　Woolens　Company；　which　held　a　majority　of　the　stock　in　each　of　the　seventeen　corporations　constituting　the　trust。　　His　control　was　in　part　through　ownership　of　Woolens　stock　but　chiefly　through　proxies　sent　him　by　thousands　of　small　stock…holders　because　they　had　confidence　in　his　abilities。　　To　wrest　control　from　him　it　was　necessary　for　the　raiders　both　to　make　him　〃unload〃　his　own　holdings　of　stock　and　to　impair　his　reputation　so　that　his　supporters　would　desert　him　or　stand　aloof。

On　the　previous　day　National　Woolens　closed　at　eighty…two　for　the　preferred　and　thirty…nine　for　the　common。　　In　the　first　hour　of　the　day　of　the　raid　Giddings　and　the　other　members　of　Dumont's　supporting　group　of　financiers　were　able　to　keep　it　fairly　steady　at　about　five　points　below　the　closing　price　of　the　previous　day；　by　buying　all　that　was　offeredthe　early　offerings　were　large；　but　not　overwhelming。　　The　supporters　of　other　industrials　saw　that　the　assault　on　Woolens　was　a　menace　to　their　stocksif　a　strong　industrial　weakened；　the　weaker　ones　would　inevitably　suffer　disaster　in　the　frightened　market　that　would　surely　result。　　They　showed　a　disposition　to　rally　to　the　support　of　the　Dumont　stocks。

At　eleven　o'clock　Giddings　began　to　hope　that　the　raid　was　a　failure；　if　indeed　it　had　been　a　real　raid。　　At　eleven…twenty　Herron　played　his　trump　card。

The　National　Industrial　Bank　is　the　huge　barometer　to　which　both　speculative　and　investing　Wall　Street　looks　for　guidance。　　Whom　that　bank　protects　is　as　safe　as　was　the　medieval　fugitive　who　laid　hold　of　the　altar　in　the　sanctuary；　whom　that　bank　frowns　upon　in　the　hour　of　stress　is　lost　indeed　if　he　have　so　much　as　a　pin's…point　area　of　heel　that　is　vulnerable。　　Melville；　president　of　the　National　Industrial；　was　a　fanatically　religious　man；　with　as　keen　a　nose　for　heretics　as　for　rotten　spots　in　collateral。　　He　was　peculiarly　savage　in　his　hatred　of　all　matrimonial　deviations。　　He　was　a　brother　of　Fanshaw's　mother；　and　she　and　Herron　had　been　working　upon　him。　　But　so　long　as　Dumont's　share　in　the　scandal　was　not　publicly　attributed　he　remained　obduratehe　never　permitted　his　up…town　creed　or　code　to　interfere　with　his　down…town　doings　unless　it　became　necessarythat　is；　unless　it　could　be　done　without　money　loss。　　For　up…town　or　down…town；　to　make　money　was　always　and　in　all　circumstances　the　highest　morality；　to　l