the financier-第119节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Bank； and other institutions； immense crowds were beginning to form。 They were hurrying here to learn the trouble； to withdraw their deposits； to protect their interests generally。 A policeman arrested a boy for calling out the failure of Jay Cooke & Co。； but nevertheless the news of the great disaster was spreading like wild…fire。
Among these panic…struck men Cowperwood was perfectly calm； deadly cold； the same Cowperwood who had pegged solemnly at his ten chairs each day in prison； who had baited his traps for rats； and worked in the little garden allotted him in utter silence and loneliness。 Now he was vigorous and energetic。 He had been just sufficiently about this exchange floor once more to have made his personality impressive and distinguished。 He forced his way into the center of swirling crowds of men already shouting themselves hoarse； offering whatever was being offered in quantities which were astonishing； and at prices which allured the few who were anxious to make money out of the tumbling prices to buy。 New York Central had been standing at 104 7/8 when the failure was announced； Rhode Island at 108 7/8； Western Union at 92 1/2； Wabash at 70 1/4； Panama at 117 3/8； Central Pacific at 99 5/8； St。 Paul at 51； Hannibal & St。 Joseph at 48； Northwestern at 63； Union Pacific at 26 3/4； Ohio and Mississippi at 38 3/4。 Cowperwood's house had scarcely any of the stocks on hand。 They were not carrying them for any customers； and yet he sold； sold； sold； to whoever would take； at prices which he felt sure would inspire them。
〃Five thousand of New York Central at ninety…nine； ninety…eight； ninety…seven； ninety…six； ninety…five； ninety…four； ninety…three； ninety…two； ninety…one； ninety； eighty…nine；〃 you might have heard him call； and when his sales were not sufficiently brisk he would turn to something elseRock Island； Panama； Central Pacific； Western Union； Northwestern； Union Pacific。 He saw his brother and Wingate hurrying in； and stopped in his work long enough to instruct them。 〃Sell everything you can；〃 he cautioned them quietly； 〃at fifteen points off if you have tono lower than that nowand buy all you can below it。 Ed； you see if you cannot buy up some local street…railways at fifteen off。 Joe； you stay near me and buy when I tell you。〃
The secretary of the board appeared on his little platform。
〃E。 W。 Clark & Company；〃 he announced； at one…thirty； 〃have just closed their doors。〃
〃Tighe & Company；〃 he called at one…forty…five； 〃announce that they are compelled to suspend。〃
〃The First National Bank of Philadelphia；〃 he called； at two o'clock； 〃begs to state that it cannot at present meet its obligations。〃
After each announcement； always； as in the past； when the gong had compelled silence； the crowd broke into an ominous 〃Aw； aw； aw。〃
〃Tighe & Company；〃 thought Cowperwood； for a single second； when he heard it。 〃There's an end of him。〃 And then he returned to his task。
When the time for closing came； his coat torn； his collar twisted loose； his necktie ripped； his hat lost； he emerged sane； quiet； steady…mannered。
〃Well； Ed；〃 he inquired； meeting his brother； 〃how'd you make out？〃 The latter was equally torn； scratched； exhausted。
〃Christ；〃 he replied； tugging at his sleeves； 〃I never saw such a place as this。 They almost tore my clothes off。〃
〃Buy any local street…railways？〃
〃About five thousand shares。〃
〃We'd better go down to Green's；〃 Frank observed； referring to the lobby of the principal hotel。 〃We're not through yet。 There'll be more trading there。〃
He led the way to find Wingate and his brother Joe； and together they were off； figuring up some of the larger phases of their purchases and sales as they went。
And； as he predicted； the excitement did not end with the coming of the night。 The crowd lingered in front of Jay Cooke & Co。's on Third Street and in front of other institutions； waiting apparently for some development which would be favorable to them。 For the initiated the center of debate and agitation was Green's Hotel； where on the evening of the eighteenth the lobby and corridors were crowded with bankers； brokers； and speculators。 The stock exchange had practically adjourned to that hotel en masse。 What of the morrow？ Who would be the next to fail？ From whence would money be forthcoming？ These were the topics from each mind and upon each tongue。 From New York was coming momentarily more news of disaster。 Over there banks and trust companies were falling like trees in a hurricane。 Cowperwood in his perambulations； seeing what he could see and hearing what he could hear； reaching understandings which were against the rules of the exchange； but which were nevertheless in accord with what every other person was doing； saw about him men known to him as agents of Mollenhauer and Simpson； and congratulated himself that he would have something to collect from them before the week was over。 He might not own a street…railway； but he would have the means to。 He learned from hearsay； and information which had been received from New York and elsewhere； that things were as bad as they could be； and that there was no hope for those who expected a speedy return of normal conditions。 No thought of retiring for the night entered until the last man was gone。 It was then practically morning。
The next day was Friday； and suggested many ominous things。 Would it be another Black Friday？ Cowperwood was at his office before the street was fairly awake。 He figured out his program for the day to a nicety； feeling strangely different from the way he had felt two years before when the conditions were not dissimilar。 Yesterday； in spite of the sudden onslaught； he had made one hundred and fifty thousand dollars； and he expected to make as much； if not more； to…day。 There was no telling what he could make； he thought； if he could only keep his small organization in perfect trim and get his assistants to follow his orders exactly。 Ruin for others began early with the suspension of Fisk & Hatch； Jay Cooke's faithful lieutenants during the Civil War。 They had calls upon them for one million five hundred thousand dollars in the first fifteen minutes after opening the doors； and at once closed them again； the failure being ascribed to Collis P。 Huntington's Central Pacific Railroad and the Chesapeake & Ohio。 There was a long…continued run on the Fidelity Trust Company。 News of these facts； and of failures in New York posted on 'change； strengthened the cause Cowperwood was so much interested in； for he was selling as high as he could and buying as low as he could on a constantly sinking scale。 By twelve o'clock he figured with his assistants that he had cleared one hundred thousand dollars； and by three o'clock he had two hundred thousand dollars more。 That afternoon between three and seven he spent adjusting his trades； and between seven and one in the morning； without anything to eat； in gathering as much additional information as he could and laying his plans for the future。 Saturday morning came； and he repeated his performance of the day before； following it up with adjustments on Sunday and heavy trading on Monday。 By Monday afternoon at three o'clock he figured that； all losses and uncertainties to one side； he was once more a millionaire； and that now his future lay clear and straight before him。
As he sat at his desk late that afternoon in his office looking out into Third Street； where a hurrying of brokers； messengers； and anxious depositors still maintained； he had the feeling that so far as Philadelphia and the life here was concerned； his day and its day with him was over。 He did not care anything about the brokerage business here any more or anywhere。 Failures such as this； and disasters such as the Chicago fire； that had overtaken him two years before； had cured him of all love of the stock exchange and all feeling for Philadelphia。 He had been very unhappy here in spite of all his previous happiness； and his experience as a convict had made； him； he could see quite plainly； unacceptable to the element with whom he had once hoped to associate。 There was nothing else to do； now that he had reestablished himself as a Philadelphia business man and been pardoned for an offense which he hoped to make people believe he had never committed； but to leave Philadelphia to seek a new world。
〃If I get out of this safely；〃 he said to himself； 〃this is the end。 I am going West； and going into some other line of business。〃 He thought of street…railways； land speculation； some great manufacturing project of some kind； even mining； on a legitimate basis。
〃I have had my lesson；〃 he said to himself； finally getting up and preparing to leave。 〃I am as rich as I was； and only a little older。 They caught me once； but they will not catch me again。〃 He talked to Wingate about following up the campaign on the lines in which he had started； and he himself intended to follow it up with great energy； but all the while his mind was running with this one rich thought： 〃I am a millionaire。 I am a free man。 I am only thirty…six； and my future is all before me。〃
It was with this thought that he went to visit Aileen； and to plan for the future。
It was only
