the financier-第17节

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e；　who　would　work　under　his　direction　and　do　what　he　said。　　Then　he　learned　of　Cowperwood；　and　one　day　sent　for　him　and　asked　him　to　call　at　his　house。

Cowperwood　responded　quickly；　for　he　knew　of　Butler；　his　rise；　his　connections；　his　force。　　He　called　at　the　house　as　directed；　one　cold；　crisp　February　morning。　　He　remembered　the　appearance　of　the　street　afterwardbroad；　brick…paved　sidewalks；　macadamized　roadway；　powdered　over　with　a　light　snow　and　set　with　young；　leafless；　scrubby　trees　and　lamp…posts。　　Butler's　house　was　not　newhe　had　bought　and　repaired　itbut　it　was　not　an　unsatisfactory　specimen　of　the　architecture　of　the　time。　　It　was　fifty　feet　wide；　four　stories　tall；　of　graystone　and　with　four　wide；　white　stone　steps　leading　up　to　the　door。　　The　window　arches；　framed　in　white；　had　U…shaped　keystones。　　There　were　curtains　of　lace　and　a　glimpse　of　red　plush　through　the　windows；　which　gleamed　warm　against　the　cold　and　snow　outside。　　A　trim　Irish　maid　came　to　the　door　and　he　gave　her　his　card　and　was　invited　into　the　house。

〃Is　Mr。　Butler　home？〃

〃I'm　not　sure；　sir。　　I'll　find　out。　He　may　have　gone　out。〃

In　a　little　while　he　was　asked　to　come　upstairs；　where　he　found　Butler　in　a　somewhat　commercial…looking　room。　　It　had　a　desk；　an　office　chair；　some　leather　furnishings；　and　a　bookcase；　but　no　completeness　or　symmetry　as　either　an　office　or　a　living　room。　There　were　several　pictures　on　the　wallan　impossible　oil　painting；　for　one　thing；　dark　and　gloomy；　a　canal　and　barge　scene　in　pink　and　nile　green　for　another；　some　daguerreotypes　of　relatives　and　friends　which　were　not　half　bad。　　Cowperwood　noticed　one　of　two　girls；　one　with　reddish…gold　hair；　another　with　what　appeared　to　be　silky　brown。　　The　beautiful　silver　effect　of　the　daguerreotype　had　been　tinted。　　They　were　pretty　girls；　healthy；　smiling；　Celtic；　their　heads　close　together；　their　eyes　looking　straight　out　at　you。　He　admired　them　casually；　and　fancied　they　must　be　Butler's　daughters。

〃Mr。　Cowperwood？〃　inquired　Butler；　uttering　the　name　fully　with　a　peculiar　accent　on　the　vowels。　　（He　was　a　slow…moving　man；　solemn　and　deliberate。）　　Cowperwood　noticed　that　his　body　was　hale　and　strong　like　seasoned　hickory；　tanned　by　wind　and　rain。　　The　flesh　of　his　cheeks　was　pulled　taut　and　there　was　nothing　soft　or　flabby　about　him。

〃I'm　that　man。〃

〃I　have　a　little　matter　of　stocks　to　talk　over　with　you〃　（〃matter〃　almost　sounded　like　〃mather〃）；　〃and　I　thought　you'd　better　come　here　rather　than　that　I　should　come　down　to　your　office。　　We　can　be　more　private…like；　and；　besides；　I'm　not　as　young　as　I　used　to　be。〃

He　allowed　a　semi…twinkle　to　rest　in　his　eye　as　he　looked　his　visitor　over。

Cowperwood　smiled。

〃Well；　I　hope　I　can　be　of　service　to　you；〃　he　said；　genially。

〃I　happen　to　be　interested　just　at　present　in　pickin'　up　certain　street…railway　stocks　on　'change。　　I'll　tell　you　about　them　later。　　Won't　you　have　somethin'　to　drink？　It's　a　cold　morning。〃

〃No；　thanks；　I　never　drink。〃

〃Never？　That's　a　hard　word　when　it　comes　to　whisky。　　Well；　no　matter。　　It's　a　good　rule。　　My　boys　don't　touch　anything；　and　I'm　glad　of　it。　　As　I　say；　I'm　interested　in　pickin'　up　a　few　stocks　on　'change；　but；　to　tell　you　the　truth；　I'm　more　interested　in　findin'　some　clever　young　felly　like　yourself　through　whom　I　can　work。　　One　thing　leads　to　another；　you　know；　in　this　world。〃　　And　he　looked　at　his　visitor　non…committally；　and　yet　with　a　genial　show　of　interest。

〃Quite　so；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　with　a　friendly　gleam　in　return。

〃Well；〃　Butler　meditated；　half　to　himself；　half　to　Cowperwood；　〃there　are　a　number　of　things　that　a　bright　young　man　could　do　for　me　in　the　street　if　he　were　so　minded。　　I　have　two　bright　boys　of　my　own；　but　I　don't　want　them　to　become　stock…gamblers；　and　I　don't　know　that　they　would　or　could　if　I　wanted　them　to。　But　this　isn't　a　matter　of　stock…gambling。　　I'm　pretty　busy　as　it　is；　and；　as　I　said　awhile　ago；　I'm　getting　along。　　I'm　not　as　light　on　my　toes　as　I　once　was。　　But　if　I　had　the　right　sort　of　a　young　manI've　been　looking　into　your　record；　by　the　way；　never　fearhe　might　handle　a　number　of　little　thingsinvestments　and　loanswhich　might　bring　us　each　a　little　somethin'。　　Sometimes　the　young　men　around　town　ask　advice　of　me　in　one　way　and　another　they　have　a　little　somethin'　to　invest；　and　so〃

He　paused　and　looked　tantalizingly　out　of　the　window；　knowing　full　well　Cowperwood　was　greatly　interested；　and　that　this　talk　of　political　influence　and　connections　could　only　whet　his　appetite。　Butler　wanted　him　to　see　clearly　that　fidelity　was　the　point　in　this　casefidelity；　tact；　subtlety；　and　concealment。

〃Well；　if　you　have　been　looking　into　my　record；〃　observed　Cowperwood；　with　his　own　elusive　smile；　leaving　the　thought　suspended。

Butler　felt　the　force　of　the　temperament　and　the　argument。　　He　liked　the　young　man's　poise　and　balance。　　A　number　of　people　had　spoken　of　Cowperwood　to　him。　　（It　was　now　Cowperwood　&　Co。　　The　company　was　fiction　purely。）　　He　asked　him　something　about　the　street；　how　the　market　was　running；　what　he　knew　about　street…railways。　　Finally　he　outlined　his　plan　of　buying　all　he　could　of　the　stock　of　two　given　linesthe　Ninth　and　Tenth　and　the　Fifteenth　and　Sixteenthwithout　attracting　any　attention；　if　possible。　　It　was　to　be　done　slowly；　part　on　'change；　part　from　individual　holders。　　He　did　not　tell　him　that　there　was　a　certain　amount　of　legislative　pressure　he　hoped　to　bring　to　bear　to　get　him　franchises　for　extensions　in　the　regions　beyond　where　the　lines　now　ended；　in　order　that　when　the　time　came　for　them　to　extend　their　facilities　they　would　have　to　see　him　or　his　sons；　who　might　be　large　minority　stockholders　in　these　very　concerns。　It　was　a　far…sighted　plan；　and　meant　that　the　lines　would　eventually　drop　into　his　or　his　sons'　basket。

〃I'll　be　delighted　to　work　with　you；　Mr。　Butler；　in　any　way　that　you　may　suggest；〃　observed　Cowperwood。　　〃I　can't　say　that　I　have　so　much　of　a　business　as　yetmerely　prospects。　　But　my　connections　are　good。　　I　am　now　a　member　of　the　New　York　and　Philadelphia　exchanges。　　Those　who　have　dealt　with　me　seem　to　like　the　results　I　get。〃

〃I　know　a　little　something　about　your　work　already；〃　reiterated　Butler；　wisely。

〃Very　well；　then；　whenever　you　have　a　commission　you　can　call　at　my　office；　or　write；　or　I　will　call　here。　　I　will　give　you　my　secret　operating　code；　so　that　anything　you　say　will　be　strictly　confidential。〃

〃Well；　we'll　not　say　anything　more　now。　　In　a　few　days　I'll　have　somethin'　for　you。　　When　I　do；　you　can　draw　on　my　bank　for　what　you　need；　up　to　a　certain　amount。〃　　He　got　up　and　looked　out　into　the　street；　and　Cowperwood　also　arose。

〃It's　a　fine　day　now；　isn't　it？〃

〃It　surely　is。〃

〃Well；　we'll　get　to　know　each　other　better；　I'm　sure。〃

He　held　out　his　hand。

〃I　hope　so。〃

Cowperwood　went　out；　Butler　accompanying　him　to　the　door。　　As　he　did　so　a　young　girl　bounded　in　from　the　street；　red…cheeked；　blue…eyed；　wearing　a　scarlet　cape　with　the　peaked　hood　thrown　over　her　red…gold　hair。

〃Oh；　daddy；　I　almost　knocked　you　down。〃

She　gave　her　father；　and　incidentally　Cowperwood；　a　gleaming；　radiant；　inclusive　smile。　　Her　teeth　were　bright　and　small；　and　her　lips　bud…red。

〃You're　home　early。　　I　thought　you　were　going　to　stay　all　day？〃

〃I　was；　but　I　changed　my　mind。〃

She　passed　on　in；　swinging　her　arms。

〃Yes；　well〃　Butler　continued；　when　she　had　gone。　　〃Then　well　leave　it　for　a　day　or　two。　　Good　day。〃

〃Good　day。〃

Cowperwood；　warm　with　this　enhancing　of　his　financial　prospects；　went　down　the　steps；　but　incidentally　he　spared　a　passing　thought　for　the　gay　spirit　of　youth　that　had　manifested　itself　in　this　red…cheeked　maiden。　　What　a　bright；　healthy；　bounding　girl！　Her　voice　had　the　subtle；　vigorous　ring　of　fifteen　or　sixteen。　　She　was　all　vitality。　　What　a　fine　catch　for　some　young　fellow　some　day；　and　her　father　would　make　him　rich；　no　doubt；　or　help　to。





Chapter　XII




It　was　to　Edward　Malia　Butler　that　Cowperwood　turned　now；　some　nineteen　months　later　when　he　was　thinking　of　the　influence　that　might　bring　him　an　award　of　a　portion　of　the　State　issue　of　bonds。　Butler　could　probably　be　interested　to　take　some　of　them　himself；　or　could　help　him　place　some。　　He　had　come　to　like　Cowperwood　very　much　and　was　now　being　carried　on　the　latter's　books　as　a　prospective　purchaser　of　large　blocks　of　stocks。　　And　Cowperwood　liked　this　great　solid　Irishman。　　He　liked　his　history。　　He　had　met　Mrs。　Butler；　a　rather　fat　and　phlegmatic　Irish　woman　with　a　world　of　hard　sense　who　cared　nothing　at　all　for　show　and　who　still　liked　to　go　into　the　kitchen　and　superintend　the　cooking。　　He　had　met　Owen　and　Callum　Butler；　the　boys；　and　Aileen　and　Norah；　the　girls。　　Aileen　was　the　one　who　had　bounded　up　the　steps　the　first　day　he　had　called　at　the　Butler　house　several　seasons　before。

There　was　a　cozy　grate…fire　burning　in　Butler's　improvised　private　office　when　Cowperwood　called。　　Spring　was　coming　on；　but　the　evenings　were　cool。　　The　older　man　invited　Cowperwood　to　make　himself　comfortable　in　one　of　the　large　leather　chairs　before　the　fire　and　then　proceeded　to　listen　to　his　recital　of　what　he　hoped　to　accomplish。

〃Well；　now；　that　isn't　so　easy；〃　h