the financier-第56节

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〃Well；　no；　not　exactly。　　I　didn't　think　that。　　I　don't　know　what　I　thought。　　Oh；　honey；　I've　been　so　worried。　　You　know；　I　didn't　sleep　at　all。　　I　thought　I　was　stronger　than　that；　but　I　was　so　worried　about　you。　　You　know；　he　put　me　in　a　strong　light　by　his　desk；　where　he　could　see　my　face；　and　then　he　showed　me　the　letter。　I　was　so　astonished　for　a　moment　I　hardly　know　what　I　said　or　how　I　looked。〃

〃What　did　you　say？〃

〃Why；　I　said：　'What　a　shame！　It　isn't　so！'　But　I　didn't　say　it　right　away。　　My　heart　was　going　like　a　trip…hammer。　　　I'm　afraid　he　must　have　been　able　to　tell　something　from　my　face。　　I　could　hardly　get　my　breath。〃

〃He's　a　shrewd　man；　your　father；〃　he　commented。　　〃He　knows　something　about　life。　　Now　you　see　how　difficult　these　situations　are。　　It's　a　blessing　he　decided　to　show　you　the　letter　instead　of　watching　the　house。　　I　suppose　he　felt　too　bad　to　do　that。　　He　can't　prove　anything　now。　　But　he　knows。　　You　can't　deceive　him。〃

〃How　do　you　know　he　knows？〃

〃I　saw　him　yesterday。〃

〃Did　he　talk　to　you　about　it？〃

〃No；　I　saw　his　face。　　He　simply　looked　at　me。〃

〃Honey！　I'm　so　sorry　for　him！〃

〃I　know　you　are。　　So　am　I。　　But　it　can't　be　helped　now。　　We　should　have　thought　of　that　in　the　first　place。〃

〃But　I　love　you　so。　　Oh；　honey；　he　will　never　forgive　me。　　He　loves　me　so。　　He　mustn't　know。　　I　won't　admit　anything。　　But；　oh；　dear！〃

She　put　her　hands　tightly　together　on　his　bosom；　and　he　looked　consolingly　into　her　eyes。　　Her　eyelids；　were　trembling；　and　her　lips。　　She　was　sorry　for　her　father；　herself；　Cowperwood。　　Through　her　he　could　sense　the　force　of　Butler's　parental　affection；　the　volume　and　danger　of　his　rage。　　There　were　so　many；　many　things　as　he　saw　it　now　converging　to　make　a　dramatic　denouement。

〃Never　mind；〃　he　replied；　〃it　can't　be　helped　now。　　Where　is　my　strong；　determined　Aileen？　I　thought　you　were　going　to　be　so　brave？　Aren't　you　going　to　be？　I　need　to　have　you　that　way　now。〃

〃Do　you？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Are　you　in　trouble？〃

〃I　think　I　am　going　to　fail；　dear。〃

〃Oh；　no！〃

〃Yes；　honey。　　I'm　at　the　end　of　my　rope。　　I　don't　see　any　way　out　just　at　present。　　I've　sent　for　my　father　and　my　lawyer。　　You　mustn't　stay　here；　sweet。　　Your　father　may　come　in　here　at　any　time。　We　must　meet　somewhereto…morrow；　sayto…morrow　afternoon。　　You　remember　Indian　Rock；　out　on　the　Wissahickon？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Could　you　be　there　at　four？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Look　out　for　who's　following。　　If　I'm　not　there　by　four…thirty；　don't　wait。　　You　know　why。　　It　will　be　because　I　think　some　one　is　watching。　　There　won't　be；　though；　if　we　work　it　right。　　And　now　you　must　run；　sweet。　　We　can't　use　Nine…thirty…one　any　more。　I'll　have　to　rent　another　place　somewhere　else。〃

〃Oh；　honey；　I'm　so　sorry。〃

〃Aren't　you　going　to　be　strong　and　brave？　You　see；　I　need　you　to　be。〃

He　was　almost；　for　the　first　time；　a　little　sad　in　his　mood。

〃Yes；　dear；　yes；〃　she　declared；　slipping　her　arms　under　his　and　pulling　him　tight。　　〃Oh；　yes！　You　can　depend　on　me。　　Oh；　Frank；　I　love　you　so！　I'm　so　sorry。　　Oh；　I　do　hope　you　don't　fail！　But　it　doesn't　make　any　difference；　dear；　between　you　and　me；　whatever　happens；　does　it？　We　will　love　each　other　just　the　same。　　I'll　do　anything　for　you；　honey！　I'll　do　anything　you　say。　　You　can　trust　me。　　They　sha'n't　know　anything　from　me。〃

She　looked　at　his　still；　pale　face；　and　a　sudden　strong　determination　to　fight　for　him　welled　up　in　her　heart。　　Her　love　was　unjust；　illegal；　outlawed；　but　it　was　love；　just　the　same；　and　had　much　of　the　fiery　daring　of　the　outcast　from　justice。

〃I　love　you！　I　love　you！　I　love　you；　Frank！〃　she　declared。　　He　unloosed　her　hands。

〃Run；　sweet。　　To…morrow　at　four。　　Don't　fail。　　And　don't　talk。　And　don't　admit　anything；　whatever　you　do。〃

〃I　won't。〃

〃And　don't　worry　about　me。　　I'll　be　all　right。〃

He　barely　had　time　to　straighten　his　tie；　to　assume　a　nonchalant　attitude　by　the　window；　when　in　hurried　Stener's　chief　clerkpale；　disturbed；　obviously　out　of　key　with　himself。

〃Mr。　Cowperwood！　You　know　that　check　I　gave　you　last　night？　Mr。　Stener　says　it's　illegal；　that　I　shouldn't　have　given　it　to　you；　that　he　will　hold　me　responsible。　　He　says　I　can　be　arrested　for　compounding　a　felony；　and　that　he　will　discharge　me　and　have　me　sent　to　prison　if　I　don't　get　it　back。　　Oh；　Mr。　Cowperwood；　I　am　only　a　young　man！　I'm　just　really　starting　out　in　life。　　I've　got　my　wife　and　little　boy　to　look　after。　　You　won't　let　him　do　that　to　me？　You'll　give　me　that　check　back；　won't　you？　I　can't　go　back　to　the　office　without　it。　　He　says　you're　going　to　fail；　and　that　you　knew　it；　and　that　you　haven't　any　right　to　it。〃

Cowperwood　looked　at　him　curiously。　　He　was　surprised　at　the　variety　and　character　of　these　emissaries　of　disaster。　　Surely；　when　troubles　chose　to　multiply　they　had　great　skill　in　presenting　themselves　in　rapid　order。　　Stener　had　no　right　to　make　any　such　statement。　　The　transaction　was　not　illegal。　　The　man　had　gone　wild。　True；　he；　Cowperwood；　had　received　an　order　after　these　securities　were　bought　not　to　buy　or　sell　any　more　city　loan；　but　that　did　not　invalidate　previous　purchases。　　Stener　was　browbeating　and　frightening　his　poor　underling；　a　better　man　than　himself；　in　order　to　get　back　this　sixty…thousand…dollar　check。　　What　a　petty　creature　he　was！　How　true　it　was；　as　somebody　had　remarked；　that　you　could　not　possibly　measure　the　petty　meannesses　to　which　a　fool　could　stoop！

〃You　go　back　to　Mr。　Stener；　Albert；　and　tell　him　that　it　can't　be　done。　　The　certificates　of　loan　were　purchased　before　his　order　arrived；　and　the　records　of　the　exchange　will　prove　it。　　There　is　no　illegality　here。　　I　am　entitled　to　that　check　and　could　have　collected　it　in　any　qualified　court　of　law。　　The　man　has　gone　out　of　his　head。　　I　haven't　failed　yet。　　You　are　not　in　any　danger　of　any　legal　proceedings；　and　if　you　are；　I'll　help　defend　you。　　I　can't　give　you　the　check　back　because　I　haven't　it　to　give；　and　if　I　had；　I　wouldn't。　　That　would　be　allowing　a　fool　to　make　a　fool　of　me。　　I'm　sorry；　very；　but　I　can't　do　anything　for　you。〃

〃Oh；　Mr。　Cowperwood！〃　Tears　were　in　Stires's　eyes。　　〃He'll　discharge　me！　He'll　forfeit　my　sureties。　　I'll　be　turned　out　into　the　street。　I　have　only　a　little　property　of　my　ownoutside　of　my　salary！〃

He　wrung　his　hands；　and　Cowperwood　shook　his　head　sadly。

〃This　isn't　as　bad　as　you　think；　Albert。　　He　won't　do　what　he　says。　　He　can't。　　It's　unfair　and　illegal。　　You　can　bring　suit　and　recover　your　salary。　　I'll　help　you　in　that　as　much　as　I'm　able。　　But　I　can't　give　you　back　this　sixty…thousand…dollar　check；　because　I　haven't　it　to　give。　　I　couldn't　if　I　wanted　to。　　It　isn't　here　any　more。　　I've　paid　for　the　securities　I　bought　with　it。　The　securities　are　not　here。　　They're　in　the　sinking…fund；　or　will　be。〃

He　paused；　wishing　he　had　not　mentioned　that　fact。　　It　was　a　slip　of　the　tongue；　one　of　the　few　he　ever　made；　due　to　the　peculiar　pressure　of　the　situation。　　Stires　pleaded　longer。　　It　was　no　use；　Cowperwood　told　him。　　Finally　he　went　away；　crestfallen；　fearsome；　broken。　　There　were　tears　of　suffering　in　his　eyes。　　Cowperwood　was　very　sorry。　　And　then　his　father　was　announced。

The　elder　Cowperwood　brought　a　haggard　face。　　He　and　Frank　had　had　a　long　conversation　the　evening　before；　lasting　until　early　morning；　but　it　had　not　been　productive　of　much　save　uncertainty。

〃Hello；　father！〃　exclaimed　Cowperwood；　cheerfully；　noting　his　father's　gloom。　　He　was　satisfied　that　there　was　scarcely　a　coal　of　hope　to　be　raked　out　of　these　ashes　of　despair；　but　there　was　no　use　admitting　it。

〃Well？〃　said　his　father；　lifting　his　sad　eyes　in　a　peculiar　way。

〃Well；　it　looks　like　stormy　weather；　doesn't　it？　I've　decided　to　call　a　meeting　of　my　creditors；　father；　and　ask　for　time。　　There　isn't　anything　else　to　do。　　I　can't　realize　enough　on　anything　to　make　it　worth　while　talking　about。　　I　thought　Stener　might　change　his　mind；　but　he's　worse　rather　than　better。　　His　head　bookkeeper　just　went　out　of　here。〃

〃What　did　he　want？〃　asked　Henry　Cowperwood。

〃He　wanted　me　to　give　him　back　a　check　for　sixty　thousand　that　he　paid　me　for　some　city　loan　I　bought　yesterday　morning。〃　　Frank　did　not　explain　to　his　father；　however；　that　he　had　hypothecated　the　certificates　this　check　had　paid　for；　and　used　the　check　itself　to　raise　money　enough　to　pay　the　Girard　National　Bank　and　to　give　himself　thirty…five　thousand　in　cash　besides。

〃Well；　I　declare！〃　replied　the　old　man。　　〃You'd　think　he'd　have　better　sense　than　that。　　That's　a　perfectly　legitimate　transaction。　When　did　you　say　he　notified　you　not　to　buy　city　loan？〃

〃Yesterday　noon。〃

〃He's　out　of　his　mind；〃　Cowperwood；　Sr。；　commented；　laconically。

〃It's　Mollenhauer　and　Simpson　and　Butler；　I　know。　　They　want　my　street…railway　lines。　　Well；　they　won't　get　them。　　They'll　get　them　through　a　receivership；　and　after　the　panic's　all　over。　　Our　creditors　will　have　first　chance　at　these。　　If　they　buy；　they'll　buy　from　them。　　If　it　weren't　for　that　five…hundred…thousand…dollar　loan　I　wouldn't　think　a　thing　of　this。　　My　creditors　would　sustain　me　nicely。　　But　the　moment　that　gets　noised　around！。。。　And　this　election！　I　hypothecated　those　city　loan　certificates　because　I　didn't　want　to　get