the financier-第12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！


　to　protect　his　private　holdings。　　He　mortgaged　his　house；　his　land　holdingseverything；　and　in　many　instances　young　Cowperwood　was　his　intermediary；　carrying　blocks　of　shares　to　different　banks　to　get　what　he　could　on　them。

〃See　if　your　father's　bank　won't　loan　me　fifteen　thousand　on　these；〃　he　said　to　Frank；　one　day；　producing　a　bundle　of　Philadelphia　&　Wilmington　shares。　　Frank　had　heard　his　father　speak　of　them　in　times　past　as　excellent。

〃They　ought　to　be　good；〃　the　elder　Cowperwood　said；　dubiously；　when　shown　the　package　of　securities。　　〃At　any　other　time　they　would　be。　　But　money　is　so　tight。　　We　find　it　awfully　hard　these　days　to　meet　our　own　obligations。　　I'll　talk　to　Mr。　Kugel。〃　　Mr。　Kugel　was　the　president。

There　was　a　long　conversationa　long　wait。　　His　father　came　back　to　say　it　was　doubtful　whether　they　could　make　the　loan。　　Eight　per　cent。；　then　being　secured　for　money；　was　a　small　rate　of　interest；　considering　its　need。　　For　ten　per　cent。　Mr。　Kugel　might　make　a　call…loan。　　Frank　went　back　to　his　employer；　whose　commercial　choler　rose　at　the　report。

〃For　Heaven's　sake；　is　there　no　money　at　all　in　the　town？〃　he　demanded；　contentiously。　　〃Why；　the　interest　they　want　is　ruinous！　I　can't　stand　that。　　Well；　take　'em　back　and　bring　me　the　money。　Good　God；　this'll　never　do　at　all；　at　all！〃

Frank　went　back。　　〃He'll　pay　ten　per　cent。；〃　he　said；　quietly。

Tighe　was　credited　with　a　deposit　of　fifteen　thousand　dollars；　with　privilege　to　draw　against　it　at　once。　　He　made　out　a　check　for　the　total　fifteen　thousand　at　once　to　the　Girard　National　Bank　to　cover　a　shrinkage　there。　　So　it　went。

During　all　these　days　young　Cowperwood　was　following　these　financial　complications　with　interest。　　He　was　not　disturbed　by　the　cause　of　slavery；　or　the　talk　of　secession；　or　the　general　progress　or　decline　of　the　country；　except　in　so　far　as　it　affected　his　immediate　interests。　　He　longed　to　become　a　stable　financier；　but；　now　that　he　saw　the　inside　of　the　brokerage　business；　he　was　not　so　sure　that　he　wanted　to　stay　in　it。　　Gambling　in　stocks；　according　to　conditions　produced　by　this　panic；　seemed　very　hazardous。　　A　number　of　brokers　failed。　　He　saw　them　rush　in　to　Tighe　with　anguished　faces　and　ask　that　certain　trades　be　canceled。　　Their　very　homes　were　in　danger；　they　said。　　They　would　be　wiped　out；　their　wives　and　children　put　out　on　the　street。

This　panic；　incidentally；　only　made　Frank　more　certain　as　to　what　he　really　wanted　to　donow　that　he　had　this　free　money；　he　would　go　into　business　for　himself。　　Even　Tighe's　offer　of　a　minor　partnership　failed　to　tempt　him。

〃I　think　you　have　a　nice　business；〃　he　explained；　in　refusing；　〃but　I　want　to　get　in　the　note…brokerage　business　for　myself。　　I　don't　trust　this　stock　game。　　I'd　rather　have　a　little　business　of　my　own　than　all　the　floor　work　in　this　world。〃

〃But　you're　pretty　young；　Frank；〃　argued　his　employer。　　〃You　have　lots　of　time　to　work　for　yourself。〃　　In　the　end　he　parted　friends　with　both　Tighe　and　Rivers。　　〃That's　a　smart　young　fellow；〃　observed　Tighe；　ruefully。

〃He'll　make　his　mark；〃　rejoined　Rivers。　　〃He's　the　shrewdest　boy　of　his　age　I　ever　saw。〃





Chapter　VIII




Cowperwood's　world　at　this　time　was　of　roseate　hue。　　He　was　in　love　and　had　money　of　his　own　to　start　his　new　business　venture。　　He　could　take　his　street…car　stocks；　which　were　steadily　increasing　in　value；　and　raise　seventy　per　cent。　of　their　market　value。　　He　could　put　a　mortgage　on　his　lots　and　get　money　there；　if　necessary。　He　had　established　financial　relations　with　the　Girard　National　BankPresident　Davison　there　having　taken　a　fancy　to　himand　he　proposed　to　borrow　from　that　institution　some　day。　　All　he　wanted　was　suitable　investmentsthings　in　which　he　could　realize　surely；　quickly。　　He　saw　fine　prospective　profits　in　the　street…car　lines；　which　were　rapidly　developing　into　local　ramifications。

He　purchased　a　horse　and　buggy　about　this　timethe　most　attractive…looking　animal　and　vehicle　he　could　findthe　combination　cost　him　five　hundred　dollarsand　invited　Mrs。　Semple　to　drive　with　him。　　She　refused　at　first；　but　later　consented。　　He　had　told　her　of　his　success；　his　prospects；　his　windfall　of　fifteen　thousand　dollars；　his　intention　of　going　into　the　note…brokerage　business。　She　knew　his　father　was　likely　to　succeed　to　the　position　of　vice…president　in　the　Third　National　Bank；　and　she　liked　the　Cowperwoods。　　Now　she　began　to　realize　that　there　was　something　more　than　mere　friendship　here。　　This　erstwhile　boy　was　a　man；　and　he　was　calling　on　her。　　It　was　almost　ridiculous　in　the　face　of　thingsher　seniority；　her　widowhood；　her　placid；　retiring　dispositionbut　the　sheer；　quiet；　determined　force　of　this　young　man　made　it　plain　that　he　was　not　to　be　balked　by　her　sense　of　convention。

Cowperwood　did　not　delude　himself　with　any　noble　theories　of　conduct　in　regard　to　her。　　She　was　beautiful；　with　a　mental　and　physical　lure　for　him　that　was　irresistible；　and　that　was　all　he　desired　to　know。　　No　other　woman　was　holding　him　like　that。　　It　never　occurred　to　him　that　he　could　not　or　should　not　like　other　women　at　the　same　time。　　There　was　a　great　deal　of　palaver　about　the　sanctity　of　the　home。　　It　rolled　off　his　mental　sphere　like　water　off　the　feathers　of　a　duck。　　He　was　not　eager　for　her　money；　though　he　was　well　aware　of　it。　　He　felt　that　he　could　use　it　to　her　advantage。　　He　wanted　her　physically。　　He　felt　a　keen；　primitive　interest　in　the　children　they　would　have。　　He　wanted　to　find　out　if　he　could　make　her　love　him　vigorously　and　could　rout　out　the　memory　of　her　former　life。　Strange　ambition。　　Strange　perversion；　one　might　almost　say。

In　spite　of　her　fears　and　her　uncertainty；　Lillian　Semple　accepted　his　attentions　and　interest　because；　equally　in　spite　of　herself；　she　was　drawn　to　him。　　One　night；　when　she　was　going　to　bed；　she　stopped　in　front　of　her　dressing　table　and　looked　at　her　face　and　her　bare　neck　and　arms。　　They　were　very　pretty。　　A　subtle　something　came　over　her　as　she　surveyed　her　long；　peculiarly　shaded　hair。　She　thought　of　young　Cowperwood；　and　then　was　chilled　and　shamed　by　the　vision　of　the　late　Mr。　Semple　and　the　force　and　quality　of　public　opinion。

〃Why　do　you　come　to　see　me　so　often？〃　she　asked　him　when　he　called　the　following　evening。

〃Oh；　don't　you　know？〃　he　replied；　looking　at　her　in　an　interpretive　way。

〃No。〃

〃Sure　you　don't？〃

〃Well；　I　know　you　liked　Mr。　Semple；　and　I　always　thought　you　liked　me　as　his　wife。　　He's　gone；　though；　now。〃

〃And　you're　here；〃　he　replied。

〃And　I'm　here？〃

〃Yes。　　I　like　you。　　I　like　to　be　with　you。　　Don't　you　like　me　that　way？〃

〃Why；　I've　never　thought　of　it。　　You're　so　much　younger。　　I'm　five　years　older　than　you　are。〃

〃In　years；〃　he　said；　〃certainly。　　That's　nothing。　　I'm　fifteen　years　older　than　you　are　in　other　ways。　　I　know　more　about　life　in　some　ways　than　you　can　ever　hope　to　learndon't　you　think　so？〃　he　added；　softly；　persuasively。

〃Well；　that's　true。　　But　I　know　a　lot　of　things　you　don't　know。〃　She　laughed　softly；　showing　her　pretty　teeth。

It　was　evening。　　They　were　on　the　side　porch。　　The　river　was　before　them。

〃Yes；　but　that's　only　because　you're　a　woman。　　A　man　can't　hope　to　get　a　woman's　point　of　view　exactly。　　But　I'm　talking　about　practical　affairs　of　this　world。　　You're　not　as　old　that　way　as　I　am。〃

〃Well；　what　of　it？〃

〃Nothing。　　You　asked　why　I　came　to　see　you。　　That's　why。　　Partly。〃

He　relapsed　into　silence　and　stared　at　the　water。

She　looked　at　him。　　His　handsome　body；　slowly　broadening；　was　nearly　full　grown。　　His　face；　because　of　its　full；　clear；　big；　inscrutable　eyes；　had　an　expression　which　was　almost　babyish。　　She　could　not　have　guessed　the　depths　it　veiled。　　His　cheeks　were　pink；　his　hands　not　large；　but　sinewy　and　strong。　　Her　pale；　uncertain；　lymphatic　body　extracted　a　form　of　dynamic　energy　from　him　even　at　this　range。

〃I　don't　think　you　ought　to　come　to　see　me　so　often。　　People　won't　think　well　of　it。〃　　She　ventured　to　take　a　distant；　matronly　air　the　air　she　had　originally　held　toward　him。

〃People；〃　he　said；　〃don't　worry　about　people。　　People　think　what　you　want　them　to　think。　　I　wish　you　wouldn't　take　that　distant　air　toward　me。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because　I　like　you。〃

〃But　you　mustn't　like　me。　　It's　wrong。　　I　can't　ever　marry　you。　You're　too　young。　　I'm　too　old。〃

〃Don't　say　that！〃　he　said；　imperiously。　　〃There's　nothing　to　it。　I　want　you　to　marry　me。　　You　know　I　do。　　Now；　when　will　it　be？〃

〃Why；　how　silly！　I　never　heard　of　such　a　thing！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃It　will　never　be；　Frank。　　It　can't　be！〃

〃Why　can't　it？〃　he　asked。

〃Becausewell；　because　I'm　older。　　People　would　think　it　strange。　I'm　not　long　enough　free。〃

〃Oh；　long　enough　nothing！〃　he　exclaimed；　irritably。　　〃That's　the　one　thing　I　have　against　youyou　are　so　worried　about　what　people　think。　They　don't　make　your　life。　　They　certainly　don't　make　mine。　　Think　of　yourself　first。　　You　have　your　own　life　to　make。　　Are　you　going　to　let　what　other　people　think　stand　in　the　way　of　what　you　want　to　do？〃

〃But　I　don't　want　to；〃　she　smiled。

He　arose　and　came　over　to　her；　looking　into　her　eyes。

〃Well？〃　she　asked；　nervously；　quizzically。

He　merely　looked　at　her。

〃Well？〃　she　queried；　m