the financier-第41节

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Voices　could　be　heard　faintly　in　the　distance；　far　off　toward　the　thicker　residential　sections。

〃Extra！　Extra！　All　about　the　big　Chicago　fire！　Chicago　burning　down！〃

〃Just　that；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　hearkening　to　them。　　〃Have　you　heard　the　news？〃

〃No。　　What's　that　they're　calling？〃

〃It's　a　big　fire　out　in　Chicago。〃

〃Oh；〃　replied　Butler；　still　not　gathering　the　significance　of　it。

〃It's　burning　down　the　business　section　there；　Mr。　Butler；〃　went　on　Cowperwood　ominously；　〃and　I　fancy　it's　going　to　disturb　financial　conditions　here　to…morrow。　　That　is　what　I　have　come　to　see　you　about。　　How　are　your　investments？　Pretty　well　drawn　in？〃

Butler　suddenly　gathered　from　Cowperwood's　expression　that　there　was　something　very　wrong。　　He　put　up　his　large　hand　as　he　leaned　back　in　his　big　leather　chair；　and　covered　his　mouth　and　chin　with　it。　　Over　those　big　knuckles；　and　bigger　nose；　thick　and　cartilaginous；　his　large；　shaggy…eyebrowed　eyes　gleamed。　　His　gray；　bristly　hair　stood　up　stiffly　in　a　short；　even　growth　all　over　his　head。

〃So　that's　it；〃　he　said。　　〃You're　expectin'　trouble　to…morrow。　How　are　your　own　affairs？〃

〃I'm　in　pretty　good　shape；　I　think；　all　told；　if　the　money　element　of　this　town　doesn't　lose　its　head　and　go　wild。　　There　has　to　be　a　lot　of　common　sense　exercised　to…morrow；　or　to…night；　even。　　You　know　we　are　facing　a　real　panic。　　Mr。　Butler；　you　may　as　well　know　that。　　It　may　not　last　long；　but　while　it　does　it　will　be　bad。　Stocks　are　going　to　drop　to…morrow　ten　or　fifteen　points　on　the　opening。　　The　banks　are　going　to　call　their　loans　unless　some　arrangement　can　be　made　to　prevent　them。　　No　one　man　can　do　that。　It　will　have　to　be　a　combination　of　men。　　You　and　Mr。　Simpson　and　Mr。　Mollenhauer　might　do　itthat　is；　you　could　if　you　could　persuade　the　big　banking　people　to　combine　to　back　the　market。　There　is　going　to　be　a　raid　on　local　street…railwaysall　of　them。　Unless　they　are　sustained　the　bottom　is　going　to　drop　out。　　I　have　always　known　that　you　were　long　on　those。　　I　thought　you　and　Mr。　Mollenhauer　and　some　of　the　others　might　want　to　act。　　If　you　don't　I　might　as　well　confess　that　it　is　going　to　go　rather　hard　with　me。　I　am　not　strong　enough　to　face　this　thing　alone。〃

He　was　meditating　on　how　he　should　tell　the　whole　truth　in　regard　to　Stener。

〃Well；　now；　that's　pretty　bad；〃　said　Butler；　calmly　and　meditatively。　He　was　thinking　of　his　own　affairs。　　A　panic　was　not　good　for　him　either；　but　he　was　not　in　a　desperate　state。　　He　could　not　fail。　He　might　lose　some　money；　but　not　a　vast　amountbefore　he　could　adjust　things。　　Still　he　did　not　care　to　lose　any　money。

〃How　is　it　you're　so　bad　off？〃　he　asked；　curiously。　　He　was　wondering　how　the　fact　that　the　bottom　was　going　to　drop　out　of　local　street…railways　would　affect　Cowperwood　so　seriously。　　〃You're　not　carryin'　any　of　them　things；　are　you？〃　he　added。

It　was　now　a　question　of　lying　or　telling　the　truth；　and　Cowperwood　was　literally　afraid　to　risk　lying　in　this　dilemma。　　If　he　did　not　gain　Butler's　comprehending　support　he　might　fail；　and　if　he　failed　the　truth　would　come　out；　anyhow。

〃I　might　as　well　make　a　clean　breast　of　this；　Mr。　Butler；〃　he　said；　throwing　himself　on　the　old　man's　sympathies　and　looking　at　him　with　that　brisk　assurance　which　Butler　so　greatly　admired。　　He　felt　as　proud　of　Cowperwood　at　times　as　he　did　of　his　own　sons。　He　felt　that　he　had　helped　to　put　him　where　he　was。

〃The　fact　is　that　I　have　been　buying　street…railway　stocks；　but　not　for　myself　exactly。　　I　am　going　to　do　something　now　which　I　think　I　ought　not　to　do；　but　I　cannot　help　myself。　　If　I　don't　do　it；　it　will　injure　you　and　a　lot　of　people　whom　I　do　not　wish　to　injure。　　I　know　you　are　naturally　interested　in　the　outcome　of　the　fall　election。　　The　truth　is　I　have　been　carrying　a　lot　of　stocks　for　Mr。　Stener　and　some　of　his　friends。　　I　do　not　know　that　all　the　money　has　come　from　the　city　treasury；　but　I　think　that　most　of　it　has。　　I　know　what　that　means　to　Mr。　Stener　and　the　Republican　party　and　your　interests　in　case　I　fail。　　I　don't　think　Mr。　Stener　started　this　of　his　own　accord　in　the　first　placeI　think　I　am　as　much　to　blame　as　anybodybut　it　grew　out　of　other　things。　　As　you　know；　I　handled　that　matter　of　city　loan　for　him　and　then　some　of　his　friends　wanted　me　to　invest　in　street…railways　for　them。　　I　have　been　doing　that　ever　since。　Personally　I　have　borrowed　considerable　money　from　Mr。　Stener　at　two　per　cent。　　In　fact；　originally　the　transactions　were　covered　in　that　way。　　Now　I　don't　want　to　shift　the　blame　on　any　one。　　It　comes　back　to　me　and　I　am　willing　to　let　it　stay　there；　except　that　if　I　fail　Mr。　Stener　will　be　blamed　and　that　will　reflect　on　the　administration。　　Naturally；　I　don't　want　to　fail。　　There　is　no　excuse　for　my　doing　so。　　Aside　from　this　panic　I　have　never　been　in　a　better　position　in　my　life。　　But　I　cannot　weather　this　storm　without　assistance；　and　I　want　to　know　if　you　won't　help　me。　　If　I　pull　through　I　will　give　you　my　word　that　I　will　see　that　the　money　which　has　been　taken　from　the　treasury　is　put　back　there。　Mr。　Stener　is　out　of　town　or　I　would　have　brought　him　here　with　me。〃

Cowperwood　was　lying　out　of　the　whole　cloth　in　regard　to　bringing　Stener　with　him；　and　he　had　no　intention　of　putting　the　money　back　in　the　city　treasury　except　by　degrees　and　in　such　manner　as　suited　his　convenience；　but　what　he　had　said　sounded　well　and　created　a　great　seeming　of　fairness。

〃How　much　money　is　it　Stener　has　invested　with　you？〃　asked　Butler。　He　was　a　little　confused　by　this　curious　development。　　It　put　Cowperwood　and　Stener　in　an　odd　light。

〃About　five　hundred　thousand　dollars；〃　replied　Cowperwood。

The　old　man　straightened　up。　　〃Is　it　as　much　as　that？〃　he　said。

〃Just　abouta　little　more　or　a　little　less；　I'm　not　sure　which。〃

The　old　contractor　listened　solemnly　to　all　Cowperwood　had　to　say　on　this　score；　thinking　of　the　effect　on　the　Republican　party　and　his　own　contracting　interests。　　He　liked　Cowperwood；　but　this　was　a　rough　thing　the　latter　was　telling　himrough；　and　a　great　deal　to　ask。　　He　was　a　slow…thinking　and　a　slow…moving　man；　but　he　did　well　enough　when　he　did　think。　　He　had　considerable　money　invested　in　Philadelphia　street…railway　stocksperhaps　as　much　as　eight　hundred　thousand　dollars。　　Mollenhauer　had　perhaps　as　much　more。　Whether　Senator　Simpson　had　much　or　little　he　could　not　tell。　Cowperwood　had　told　him　in　the　past　that　he　thought　the　Senator　had　a　good　deal。　　Most　of　their　holdings；　as　in　the　case　of　Cowperwood's；　were　hypothecated　at　the　various　banks　for　loans　and　these　loans　invested　in　other　ways。　　It　was　not　advisable　or　comfortable　to　have　these　loans　called；　though　the　condition　of　no　one　of　the　triumvirate　was　anything　like　as　bad　as　that　of　Cowperwood。　　They　could　see　themselves　through　without　much　trouble；　though　not　without　probable　loss　unless　they　took　hurried　action　to　protect　themselves。

He　would　not　have　thought　so　much　of　it　if　Cowperwood　had　told　him　that　Stener　was　involved；　say；　to　the　extent　of　seventy…five　or　a　hundred　thousand　dollars。　　That　might　be　adjusted。　　But　five　hundred　thousand　dollars！

〃That's　a　lot　of　money；〃　said　Butler；　thinking　of　the　amazing　audacity　of　Stener；　but　failing　at　the　moment　to　identify　it　with　the　astute　machinations　of　Cowperwood。　　〃That's　something　to　think　about。　　There's　no　time　to　lose　if　there's　going　to　be　a　panic　in　the　morning。　　How　much　good　will　it　do　ye　if　we　do　support　the　market？〃

〃A　great　deal；〃　returned　Cowperwood；　〃although　of　course　I　have　to　raise　money　in　other　ways。　　I　have　that　one　hundred　thousand　dollars　of　yours　on　deposit。　　Is　it　likely　that　you'll　want　that　right　away？〃

〃It　may　be；〃　said　Butler。

〃It's　just　as　likely　that　I'll　need　it　so　badly　that　I　can't　give　it　up　without　seriously　injuring　myself；〃　added　Cowperwood。　　〃That's　just　one　of　a　lot　of　things。　　If　you　and　Senator　Simpson　and　Mr。　Mollenhauer　were　to　get　togetheryou're　the　largest　holders　of　street…railway　stocksand　were　to　see　Mr。　Drexel　and　Mr。　Cooke；　you　could　fix　things　so　that　matters　would　be　considerably　easier。　I　will　be　all　right　if　my　loans　are　not　called；　and　my　loans　will　not　be　called　if　the　market　does　not　slump　too　heavily。　　If　it　does；　all　my　securities　are　depreciated；　and　I　can't　hold　out。〃

Old　Butler　got　up。　　〃This　is　serious　business；〃　he　said。　　〃I　wish　you'd　never　gone　in　with　Stener　in　that　way。　　It　don't　look　quite　right　and　it　can't　be　made　to。　　It's　bad；　bad　business；〃　he　added　dourly。　　〃Still；　I'll　do　what　I　can。　　I　can't　promise　much；　but　I've　always　liked　ye　and　I'll　not　be　turning　on　ye　now　unless　I　have　to。　　But　I'm　sorryvery。　　And　I'm　not　the　only　one　that　has　a　hand　in　things　in　this　town。〃　　At　the　same　time　he　was　thinking　it　was　right　decent　of　Cowperwood　to　forewarn　him　this　way　in　regard　to　his　own　affairs　and　the　city　election；　even　though　he　was　saving　his　own　neck　by　so　doing。　　He　meant　to　do　what　he　could。

〃I　don't　suppose　you　could　keep　this　matter　of　Stener　and　the　city　treasury　quiet　for　a　day　or　two　until　I　see　how　I　come　out？〃　suggested　Cowperwood　warily。

〃I　can't　promise　that；〃　replied　Butler。　　〃I'll　have　to　do　the　best　I　can。　　I　won't　lave　it　go　any　further　than　I　can　helpyou　can　depend　on　th