the cost-第41节

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dly；　and　the　Thing　faded；　vanished。　　He　drew　a　deep　breath　of　relief。

He　went　to　a　case　of　drawers　and　stood　before　it；　supporting　himself　by　the　handles　of　the　second　drawer。　　〃Yes；〃　he　reflected；　〃the　revolver's　in　that　drawer。〃　　He　released　the　handles　and　staggered　back　to　his　chair。　　〃I'm　crazy；〃　he　muttered；　〃crazy　as　a　loon。　　I　ought　to　ring　for　the　doctor。〃

In　a　moment　he　was　up　again；　but　instead　of　going　toward　the　bell　he　went　to　the　drawers　and　opened　the　second　one。　　In　a　compartment　lay　a　pearl…handled；　self…cocking　revolver。　　He　put　his　hand　on　it；　shivered；　drew　his　hand　awaythe　steel　and　the　pearl　were　cold。　　He　closed　the　drawer　with　a　quick　push；　opened　it　again　slowly；　took　up　the　revolver；　staggered　over　to　his　desk　and　laid　it　there。　　His　face　was　chalk…white　in　spots　and　his　eyes　were　stiff　in　their　sockets。　　He　rested　his　aching；　burning；　reeling　head　on　his　hands　and　stared　at　the　revolver。

〃But；〃　he　said　aloud；　as　if　contemptuously　dismissing　a　suggestion；　〃why　should　I　shoot　myself？　　I　can　smash　'em　allto　powdergrind　'em　into　the　dirt。〃

He　took　up　the　revolver。　　〃What'd　be　the　use　of　smashing　'em？〃　he　said　wearily。　　He　felt　tired　and　sick；　horribly　sick。

He　laid　it　down。　　〃I'd　better　be　careful；〃　he　thought。　　〃I'm　not　in　my　right　mind。　　I　might〃

He　took　it　in　his　hand　and　went　to　the　mirror　and　put　the　muzzle　against　his　temple。　　He　laughed　crazily。　　〃A　little　pressure　on　that　trigger　andbang！　　I'd　be　in　kingdom　come　and　shouldn't　give　a　damn　for　anybody。〃　　He　caught　sight　of　his　eyes　in　the　mirror　and　hastily　dropped　his　arm　to　his　side。　　〃No；　I'd　never　shoot　myself　in　the　temple。　　The　heart'd　be　better。　　Just

here〃and　he　pressed　the　muzzle　into　the　soft　material　of　his　coat〃if　I　touched　the　trigger〃

And　his　finger　did　touch　the　trigger。　　Pains　shot　through　his　chest　like　cracks　radiating　in　glass　when　a　stone　strikes　it。　　He　looked　at　his　facewhite；　with　wild　eyes；　with　lips　blue　and　ajar；　the　sweat　streaming　from　his　forehead。

〃What　have　I　done？〃　he　shrieked；　mad　with　the　dread　of　death。　　〃I　must　call　for　help。〃　　He　turned　toward　the　door；　plunged　forward；　fell　unconscious；　the　revolver　flung　half…way　across　the　room。


When　he　came　to　his　senses　he　was　in　his　bedcomfortable；　weak；　lazy。　　With　a　slight　effort　he　caught　the　thread　of　events。　　He　turned　his　eyes　and　saw　a　nurse；　seated　at　the　head　of　his　bed；　reading。　　〃Am　I　going　to　die？〃　he　askedhis　voice　was　thin　and　came　in　faint　gusts。

〃Certainly　not；〃　replied　the　nurse；　putting　down　her　book　and　standing　over　him；　her　face　showing　genuine　reassurance　and　cheerfulness。

〃You'll　be　well　very　soon。　　But　you　must　lie　quiet　and　not　talk。〃

〃Was　it　a　bad　wound？〃

〃The　fever　was　the　worst。　　The　bullet　glanced　round　just　under　the　surface。〃

〃It　was　an　accident；〃　he　said；　after　a　moment's　thought。　　〃I　suppose　everybody　is　saying　I　tried　to　kill　myself。〃

〃‘Everybody'　doesn't　know　anything　about　it。　　Almost　nobody　knows。　　Even　the　servants　don't　know。　　Your　secretary　sent　them　away；　broke　in　and　found　you。〃

He　closed　his　eyes　and　slept。

When　he　awoke　again　he　felt　that　a　long　time　had　passed；　that　he　was　much　better；　that　he　was　hungry。　　〃Nurse！〃　he　called。

The　woman　at　the　head　of　the　bed　rose　and　laid　a　cool　hand　upon　his　forehead。　　〃How　good　that　feels；〃　he　mumbled　gratefully。　　〃What　nice　hands　you　have；　nurse；〃　and　he　lifted　his　glance　to　her　face。　　He　stared　wonderingly；　confusedly。　　〃I　thought　I　was　awake　and　almost　well；〃　he　murmured。　　〃And　instead；　I'm　out　of　my　head。〃

〃Can　I　do　anything　for　you？〃　It　certainly　was　HER　voice。

〃Is　it　you；　Pauline？〃　he　asked；　as　if　he　feared　a　negative　answer。

〃YesJohn。〃

A　long　silence；　then　he　said：　　〃Why　did　you　come？〃

〃The　doctor　wrote　me　thatwrote　me　the　truth。〃

〃But　haven't　you　heard？　　Haven't　you　seen　the　papers？　　Don't　they　say　I'm　ruined？〃

〃Yes；　John。〃

He　lay　silent　for　several　minutes。　　Then　he　asked　hesitatingly：　　〃Andwhendo　yougo　backWest？〃

〃I　have　come　to　stay；〃　she　replied。　　Neither　in　her　voice　nor　in　her　face　was　there　a　hint　of　what　those　five　words　meant　to　her。

He　closed　his　eyes　again。　　Presently　a　tear　slid　from　under　each　lid　and　stood　in　the　deep；　wasted　hollows　of　his　eye…sockets。



XXVI。

A　DESPERATE　RALLY。


When　he　awoke　again　he　felt　that　he　should　get　well　rapidly。　　He　was　weak；　but　it　seemed　the　weakness　of　hunger　rather　than　of　illness。　　His　head　was　clear；　his　nerves　tranquil；　his　mind　was　as　hungry　for　action　as　his　body　was　for　food。

〃As　soon　as　I've　had　something　to　eat；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃I'll　be　better　than　for　years。　　I　needed　this。〃　　And　straightway　he　began　to　take　hold　of　the　outside　world。

〃Are　you　there；　Pauline？〃　he　asked；　after　perhaps　half　an　hour　during　which　his　mind　had　swiftly　swept　the　whole　surface　of　his　affairs。

The　nurse　rose　from　the　lounge　across　the　foot　of　the　bed。　　〃Your　wife　was　worn　out；　Mr。　Dumont；〃　she　began。　　〃She　has〃

〃What　day　is　it？〃　he　interrupted。

〃Thursday。〃

〃Of　the　month；　I　mean。〃

〃The　seventeenth；〃　she　answered；　smiling　in　anticipation　of　his　astonishment。

But　he　said　without　change　of　expression；

〃Then　I've　been　ill　three　weeks　and　three　days。　　Tell　Mr。　Culver　I　wish　to　see　him　at　once。〃

〃But　the　doctor〃

〃Damn　the　doctor；〃　replied　Dumont；　good…naturedly。　　〃Don't　irritate　me　by　opposing。　　I　shan't　talk　with　Culver　a　minute　by　the　clock。　　What　I　say　will　put　my　mind　at　rest。　　Then　I'll　eat　something　and　sleep　for　a　day　at　least。〃

The　nurse　hesitated；　but　his　eyes　fairly　forced　her　out　of　the　room　to　fetch　Culver。　　〃Now　remember；　Mr。　Dumontless　than　a　minute；〃　she　said。　　〃I'll　come　back　in　just　sixty　seconds。〃

〃Come　in　forty；〃　he　replied。　　When　she　had　closed　the　door　he　said　to　Culver：　　〃What　are　the　quotations　on　Woolens？〃

〃Preferred　twenty…eight；　Common　seven；〃　answered　Culver。　　〃They've　been　about　steady　for　two　weeks。〃

〃Good。　　And　what's　Great　Lakes　and　Gulf？〃

Culver　showed　his　surprise。　　〃I'll　have　to　consult　the　paper；〃　he　said。　　〃You　never　asked　me　for　that　quotation　before。　　I'd　no　idea　you'd　want　it。〃　　He　went　to　the　next　room　and　immediately　returned。　　〃G。　L。　and　G。　one　hundred　and　two。〃

Dumont　smiled　with　a　satisfied　expression。

〃Nowgo　down…townwhat　time　is　it？〃

〃Eight　o'clock。〃

〃Morning？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　morning。〃

〃Go　down…town　at　once　and　set　expert　accountantsget　Evarts　and　Schumanset　them　at　work　on　my　personal　accounts　with　the　Woolens　Company。　　Tell　everybody　I'm　expected　to　die；　and　know　it；　and　am　getting　facts　for　making　my　will。　　And　stay　down…town　yourself　all　dayfind　out　everything　you　can　about　National　Woolens　and　that　raiding　crowd　and　about　Great　Lakes　and　Gulf。　　The　better　you　succeed　in　this　mission　the　better　it'll　be　for　you。　　Thank　you；　by　the　way；　for　keeping　my　accident　quiet。　　Find　out　how　the　Fanning…Smiths　are　carrying　National　Woolens。　　Find　out〃

The　door　opened　and　the　plain；　clean　figure　of　the　nurse　appeared。　　〃The　minute's　up；〃　she　said。

〃One　second　more；　please。　　Close　the　door。〃　　When　she　had　obeyed　he　went　on：　　〃See　Tavistockyou　know　you　must　be　careful　not　to　let　any　one　at　his　office　know　that　you're　connected　with　me。　　See　himask　himno；　telephone　Tavistock　to　come　at　onceand　you　find　out　all　you　can　independentlyespecially　about　the　Fanning…Smiths　and　Great　Lakes　and　Gulf。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Culver。

〃A　great　deal　depends　on　your　success；〃　continued　Dumont〃a　great　deal　for　me；　a　great　deala　VERY　great　deal　for　you。〃

His　look　met　Culver's　and　each　seemed　satisfied　with　what　he　saw。　　Then　Culver　went；　saying　to　himself：　　〃What　makes　him　think　the　Fanning…Smiths　were　mixed　up　in　the　raid？　　And　what　on　earth　has　G。　L。　and　G。　　got　to　do　with　it？　　Gad；　he's　a　WONDER！〃　　The　longer　Culver　lived　in　intimacy　with　Dumont　the　greater　became　to　him　the　mystery　of　his　combination　of　bigness　and　littleness；　audacity　and　caution；　devil　and　man。　　〃It　gets　me；〃　he　often　reflected；　〃how　a　man　can　plot　to　rob　millions　of　people　in　one　hour　and　in　the　next　plan　endowments　for　hospitals　and　colleges；　despise　public　opinion　one　minute　and　the　next　be　courting　it　like　an　actor。　　But　that's　the　way　with　all　these　big　fellows。　　And　I'll　know　how　to　do　it　when　I　get　to　be　one　of　'em。〃

As　the　nurse　reentered　Dumont's　bedroom　he　called　out；　lively　as　a　boy：　　〃SOMETHING　to　eat！　　ANYthing　to　eat！　　EVERYthing　to　eat！〃


The　nurse　at　first　flatly　refused　to　admit　Tavistock。　　But　at　half…past　nine　he　entered；　tall；　lean；　lithe；　sharp　of　face；　shrewd　of　eye；　rakish　of　mustache；　by　Dumont's　direction　he　closed　and　locked　the　door。　　〃Why！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃you　don't　look　much　of　a　sick　man。　　You're　thin；　but　your　color's　not　bad　and　your　eyes　are　clear。　　And　down…town　they　have　you　dying。〃

Dumont　laughed。　　Tavistock　instantly　recognized　in　laugh　and　look　Dumont's　battle　expression。　　〃Dyingyes。　　Dying　to　get　at　'em。　　Tavistock；　we'll　kick　those　fellows　out　of　Wall　Street　before　the　middle　of　next　week。　　How　much　Great　Lakes　is　there　floating　on　the　market？〃

Tavistock　looked　puzzled。　　He　had　expected　to　talk　National　Woolens；　and　this　man　did　not　even　speak　of　it；　seemed　absorbed　in　a　stock　in　which　Tavistock　did　not　know　he　had　any　interest　whatever。　　〃G。　L。　and　G。？〃　he