the financier-第6节

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　foresaw　this；　was　grieved；　and　was　hoping　some　young　man　would　eventually　appear　who　would　be　interested　in　the　business；　handle　it　in　the　same　spirit　in　which　it　had　been　handled；　and　who　would　not　crowd　his　son　out。

Then　came　young　Cowperwood；　spoken　of　to　him　by　Seneca　Davis。　　He　looked　him　over　critically。　　Yes；　this　boy　might　do；　he　thought。　There　was　something　easy　and　sufficient　about　him。　　He　did　not　appear　to　be　in　the　least　flustered　or　disturbed。　　He　knew　how　to　keep　books；　he　said；　though　he　knew　nothing　of　the　details　of　the　grain　and　commission　business。　　It　was　interesting　to　him。　　He　would　like　to　try　it。

〃I　like　that　fellow；〃　Henry　Waterman　confided　to　his　brother　the　moment　Frank　had　gone　with　instructions　to　report　the　following　morning。　　〃There's　something　to　him。　　He's　the　cleanest；　briskest；　most　alive　thing　that's　walked　in　here　in　many　a　day。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　George；　a　much　leaner　and　slightly　taller　man；　with　dark；　blurry；　reflective　eyes　and　a　thin；　largely　vanished　growth　of　brownish…black　hair　which　contrasted　strangely　with　the　egg…shaped　whiteness　of　his　bald　head。　　〃Yes；　he's　a　nice　young　man。　　It's　a　wonder　his　father　don't　take　him　in　his　bank。〃

〃Well；　he　may　not　be　able　to；〃　said　his　brother。　　〃He's　only　the　cashier　there。〃

〃That's　right。〃

〃Well；　we'll　give　him　a　trial。　　I　bet　anything　he　makes　good。　　He's　a　likely…looking　youth。〃

Henry　got　up　and　walked　out　into　the　main　entrance　looking　into　Second　Street。　　The　cool　cobble　pavements；　shaded　from　the　eastern　sun　by　the　wall　of　buildings　on　the　eastof　which　his　was　a　part　the　noisy　trucks　and　drays；　the　busy　crowds　hurrying　to　and　fro；　pleased　him。　　He　looked　at　the　buildings　over　the　wayall　three　and　four　stories；　and　largely　of　gray　stone　and　crowded　with　life　and　thanked　his　stars　that　he　had　originally　located　in　so　prosperous　a　neighborhood。　　If　he　had　only　brought　more　property　at　the　time　he　bought　this！

〃I　wish　that　Cowperwood　boy　would　turn　out　to　be　the　kind　of　man　I　want；〃　he　observed　to　himself；　meditatively。　　〃He　could　save　me　a　lot　of　running　these　days。〃

Curiously；　after　only　three　or　four　minutes　of　conversation　with　the　boy；　he　sensed　this　marked　quality　of　efficiency。　　Something　told　him　he　would　do　well。





Chapter　IV




The　appearance　of　Frank　Cowperwood　at　this　time　was；　to　say　the　least；　prepossessing　and　satisfactory。　　Nature　had　destined　him　to　be　about　five　feet　ten　inches　tall。　　His　head　was　large；　shapely；　notably　commercial　in　aspect；　thickly　covered　with　crisp；　dark…brown　hair　and　fixed　on　a　pair　of　square　shoulders　and　a　stocky　body。　Already　his　eyes　had　the　look　that　subtle　years　of　thought　bring。　They　were　inscrutable。　　You　could　tell　nothing　by　his　eyes。　　He　walked　with　a　light；　confident；　springy　step。　　Life　had　given　him　no　severe　shocks　nor　rude　awakenings。　　He　had　not　been　compelled　to　suffer　illness　or　pain　or　deprivation　of　any　kind。　　He　saw　people　richer　than　himself；　but　he　hoped　to　be　rich。　　His　family　was　respected；　his　father　well　placed。　　He　owed　no　man　anything。　Once　he　had　let　a　small　note　of　his　become　overdue　at　the　bank；　but　his　father　raised　such　a　row　that　he　never　forgot　it。　　〃I　would　rather　crawl　on　my　hands　and　knees　than　let　my　paper　go　to　protest；〃　the　old　gentleman　observed；　and　this　fixed　in　his　mind　what　scarcely　needed　to　be　so　sharply　emphasizedthe　significance　of　credit。　　No　paper　of　his　ever　went　to　protest　or　became　overdue　after　that　through　any　negligence　of　his。

He　turned　out　to　be　the　most　efficient　clerk　that　the　house　of　Waterman　&　Co。　had　ever　known。　　They　put　him　on　the　books　at　first　as　assistant　bookkeeper；　vice　Mr。　Thomas　Trixler；　dismissed；　and　in　two　weeks　George　said：　〃Why　don't　we　make　Cowperwood　head　bookkeeper？　He　knows　more　in　a　minute　than　that　fellow　Sampson　will　ever　know。〃

〃All　right；　make　the　transfer；　George；　but　don't　fuss　so。　　〃He　won't　be　a　bookkeeper　long；　though。　　I　want　to　see　if　he　can't　handle　some　of　these　transfers　for　me　after　a　bit。〃

The　books　of　Messrs。　Waterman　&　Co。；　though　fairly　complicated；　were　child's　play　to　Frank。　　He　went　through　them　with　an　ease　and　rapidity　which　surprised　his　erstwhile　superior；　Mr。　Sampson。

〃Why；　that　fellow；〃　Sampson　told　another　clerk　on　the　first　day　he　had　seen　Cowperwood　work；　〃he's　too　brisk。　　He's　going　to　make　a　bad　break。　　I　know　that　kind。　　Wait　a　little　bit　until　we　get　one　of　those　rush　credit　and　transfer　days。〃　　But　the　bad　break　Mr。　Sampson　anticipated　did　not　materialize。　　In　less　than　a　week　Cowperwood　knew　the　financial　condition　of　the　Messrs。　Waterman　as　well　as　they　didbetterto　a　dollar。　　He　knew　how　their　accounts　were　distributed；　from　what　section　they　drew　the　most　business；　who　sent　poor　produce　and　goodthe　varying　prices　for　a　year　told　that。　　To　satisfy　himself　he　ran　back　over　certain　accounts　in　the　ledger；　verifying　his　suspicions。　　Bookkeeping　did　not　interest　him　except　as　a　record；　a　demonstration　of　a　firm's　life。　　He　knew　he　would　not　do　this　long。　　Something　else　would　happen；　but　he　saw　instantly　what　the　grain　and　commission　business　wasevery　detail　of　it。　　He　saw　where；　for　want　of　greater　activity　in　offering　the　goods　consignedquicker　communication　with　shippers　and　buyers；　a　better　working　agreement　with　surrounding　commission　menthis　house；　or；　rather；　its　customers；　for　it　had　nothing；　endured　severe　losses。　　A　man　would　ship　a　tow…boat　or　a　car…load　of　fruit　or　vegetables　against　a　supposedly　rising　or　stable　market；　but　if　ten　other　men　did　the　same　thing　at　the　same　time；　or　other　commission　men　were　flooded　with　fruit　or　vegetables；　and　there　was　no　way　of　disposing　of　them　within　a　reasonable　time；　the　price　had　to　fall。　　Every　day　was　bringing　its　special　consignments。　　It　instantly　occurred　to　him　that　he　would　be　of　much　more　use　to　the　house　as　an　outside　man　disposing　of　heavy　shipments；　but　he　hesitated　to　say　anything　so　soon。　　More　than　likely；　things　would　adjust　themselves　shortly。

The　Watermans；　Henry　and　George；　were　greatly　pleased　with　the　way　he　handled　their　accounts。　　There　was　a　sense　of　security　in　his　very　presence。　　He　soon　began　to　call　Brother　George's　attention　to　the　condition　of　certain　accounts；　making　suggestions　as　to　their　possible　liquidation　or　discontinuance；　which　pleased　that　individual　greatly。　　He　saw　a　way　of　lightening　his　own　labors　through　the　intelligence　of　this　youth；　while　at　the　same　time　developing　a　sense　of　pleasant　companionship　with　him。

Brother　Henry　was　for　trying　him　on　the　outside。　　It　was　not　always　possible　to　fill　the　orders　with　the　stock　on　hand；　and　somebody　had　to　go　into　the　street　or　the　Exchange　to　buy　and　usually　he　did　this。　　One　morning；　when　way…bills　indicated　a　probable　glut　of　flour　and　a　shortage　of　grainFrank　saw　it　firstthe　elder　Waterman　called　him　into　his　office　and　said：

〃Frank；　I　wish　you　would　see　what　you　can　do　with　this　condition　that　confronts　us　on　the　street。　　By　to…morrow　we're　going　to　be　overcrowded　with　flour。　　We　can't　be　paying　storage　charges；　and　our　orders　won't　eat　it　up。　　We're　short　on　grain。　　Maybe　you　could　trade　out　the　flour　to　some　of　those　brokers　and　get　me　enough　grain　to　fill　these　orders。〃

〃I'd　like　to　try；〃　said　his　employee。

He　knew　from　his　books　where　the　various　commission…houses　were。　He　knew　what　the　local　merchants'　exchange；　and　the　various　commission…merchants　who　dealt　in　these　things；　had　to　offer。　This　was　the　thing　he　liked　to　doadjust　a　trade　difficulty　of　this　nature。　　It　was　pleasant　to　be　out　in　the　air　again；　to　be　going　from　door　to　door。　　He　objected　to　desk　work　and　pen　work　and　poring　over　books。　　As　he　said　in　later　years；　his　brain　was　his　office。　　He　hurried　to　the　principal　commission…merchants；　learning　what　the　state　of　the　flour　market　was；　and　offering　his　surplus　at　the　very　rate　he　would　have　expected　to　get　for　it　if　there　had　been　no　prospective　glut。　　Did　they　want　to　buy　for　immediate　delivery　（forty…eight　hours　being　immediate）　six　hundred　barrels　of　prime　flour？　　He　would　offer　it　at　nine　dollars　straight；　in　the　barrel。　　They　did　not。　　He　offered　it　in　fractions；　and　some　agreed　to　take　one　portion；　and　some　another。　　In　about　an　hour　he　was　all　secure　on　this　save　one　lot　of　two　hundred　barrels；　which　he　decided　to　offer　in　one　lump　to　a　famous　operator　named　Genderman　with　whom　his　firm　did　no　business。　　The　latter；　a　big　man　with　curly　gray　hair；　a　gnarled　and　yet　pudgy　face；　and　little　eyes　that　peeked　out　shrewdly　through　fat　eyelids；　looked　at　Cowperwood　curiously　when　he　came　in。

〃What's　your　name；　young　man？〃　he　asked；　leaning　back　in　his　wooden　chair。

〃Cowperwood。〃

〃So　you　work　for　Waterman　&　Company？　　You　want　to　make　a　record；　no　doubt。　　That's　why　you　came　to　me？〃

Cowperwood　merely　smiled。

〃Well；　I'll　take　your　flour。　　I　need　it。　　Bill　it　to　me。〃

Cowperwood　hurried　out。　　He　went　direct　to　a　firm　of　brokers　in　Walnut　Street；　with　whom　his　firm　dealt；　and　had　them　bid　in　the　grain　he　needed　at　prevailing　rates。　　Then　he　returned　to　the　office。

〃Well；〃　said　Henry　Waterman；　when　he　reported；　〃you　did　that　quick。　Sold　old　Genderman　two　hundred　barrels　direct；　did　you？　That's　doing　pretty　well。　　He　isn't　on　our　books；　is　he？〃

〃No；　sir。