the financier-第86节

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les　of　　　Dun　&　Company　for　that　year。　　Now　you　can　see　how　rapidly　our　　　Caesar　has　grown　in　wealth　since　then。　　You　can　see　how　profitable　　　　these　few　short　years　have　been　to　him。　　Was　George　W。　Stener　　　worth　any　such　sum　up　to　the　time　he　was　removed　from　his　office　　　and　indicted　for　embezzlement？　Was　he？　I　have　here　a　schedule　of　　　his　liabilities　and　assets　made　out　at　the　time。　　You　can　see　it　　　for　yourselves；　gentlemen。　　Just　two　hundred　and　twenty　thousand　　　dollars　measured　the　sum　of　all　his　property　three　weeks　ago；　　　and　it　is　an　accurate　estimate；　as　I　have　reason　to　know。　　Why　　　was　it；　do　you　suppose；　that　Mr。　Cowperwood　grew　so　fast　in　　　　wealth　and　Mr。　Stener　so　slowly？　They　were　partners　in　crime。　　　Mr。　Stener　was　loaning　Mr。　Cowperwood　vast　sums　of　the　city's　　　money　at　two　per　cent。　when　call…rates　for　money　in　Third　Street　　　were　sometimes　as　high　as　sixteen　and　seventeen　per　cent。　　Don't　　　you　suppose　that　Mr。　Cowperwood　sitting　there　knew　how　to　use　　　this　very　cheaply　come…by　money　to　the　very　best　advantage？　Does　　　he　look　to　you　as　though　he　didn't？　You　have　seen　him　on　the　　　witness…stand。　　You　have　heard　him　testify。　　Very　suave；　very　　　　straightforward…seeming；　very　innocent；　doing　everything　as　a　　　favor　to　Mr。　Stener　and　his　friends；　of　course；　and　yet　making　　　a　million　in　a　little　over　six　years　and　allowing　Mr。　Stener　to　　　make　one　hundred　and　sixty　thousand　dollars　or　less；　for　Mr。　　　Stener　had　some　little　money　at　the　time　this　partnership　was　　　entered　intoa　few　thousand　dollars。〃

Shannon　now　came　to　the　vital　transaction　of　October　9th；　when　Cowperwood　called　on　Stener　and　secured　the　check　for　sixty　thousand　dollars　from　Albert　Stires。　　His　scorn　for　this　（as　he　appeared　to　think）　subtle　and　criminal　transaction　was　unbounded。　　It　was　plain　larceny；　stealing；　and　Cowperwood　knew　it　when　he　asked　Stires　for　the　check。

　　〃Think　of　it！　＇Shannon　exclaimed；　turning　and　looking　squarely　　　at　Cowperwood；　who　faced　him　quite　calmly；　undisturbed　and　　　unashamed。＇　　Think　of　it！　Think　of　the　colossal　nerve　of　the　　　manthe　Machiavellian　subtlety　of　his　brain。　　He　knew　he　was　　　going　to　fail。　　He　knew　after　two　days　of　financial　workafter　　　two　days　of　struggle　to　offset　the　providential　disaster　which　　　upset　his　nefarious　schemesthat　he　had　exhausted　every　possible　　　resource　save　one；　the　city　treasury；　and　that　unless　he　could　　　compel　aid　there　he　was　going　to　fail。　　He　already　owed　the　city　　　treasury　five　hundred　thousand　dollars。　　He　had　already　used　the　　　city　treasurer　as　a　cat's…paw　so　much；　had　involved　him　so　deeply；　　　that　the　latter；　because　of　the　staggering　size　of　the　debt；　was　　　becoming　frightened。　　Did　that　deter　Mr。　Cowperwood？　Not　at　all。〃

He　shook　his　finger　ominously　in　Cowperwood's　face；　and　the　latter　turned　irritably　away。　　〃He　is　showing　off　for　the　benefit　of　his　future；〃　he　whispered　to　Steger。　　〃I　wish　you　could　tell　the　jury　that。〃

〃I　wish　I　could；〃　replied　Steger；　smiling　scornfully；　〃but　my　hour　is　over。〃

　　〃Why　＇continued　Mr。　Shannon；　turning　once　more　to　the　jury＇；　　　think　of　the　colossal；　wolfish　nerve　that　would　permit　a　man　to　　　say　to　Albert　Stires　that　he　had　just　purchased　sixty　thousand　　　dollars'　worth　additional　of　city　loan；　and　that　he　would　then　　　and　there　take　the　check　for　it！　Had　he　actually　purchased　this　　　city　loan　as　he　said　he　had？　Who　can　tell？　Could　any　human　being　　　wind　through　all　the　mazes　of　the　complicated　bookkeeping　system　　　which　he　ran；　and　actually　tell？　The　best　answer　to　that　is　that　　　if　he　did　purchase　the　certificates　he　intended　that　it　should　　　make　no　difference　to　the　city；　for　he　made　no　effort　to　put　the　　　certificates　in　the　sinking…fund；　where　they　belonged。　　His　　　counsel　says；　and　he　says；　that　he　didn't　have　to　until　the　first　　　of　the　month；　although　the　law　says　that　he　must　do　it　at　once；　　　and　he　knew　well　enough　that　legally　he　was　bound　to　do　it。　　His　　　counsel　says；　and　he　says；　that　he　didn't　know　he　was　going　to　　　fail。　　Hence　there　was　no　need　of　worrying　about　it。　　I　wonder　　　if　any　of　you　gentlemen　really　believed　that？　Had　he　ever　asked　　　for　a　check　like　that　so　quick　before　in　his　life？　In　all　the　　　history　of　these　nefarious　transactions　was　there　another　incident　　　like　that？　You　know　there　wasn't。　　He　had　never　before；　on　any　　　occasion；　asked　personally　for　a　check　for　anything　in　this　　　office；　and　yet　on　this　occasion　he　did　it。　　Why？　Why　should　he　　　ask　for　it　this　time？　A　few　hours　more；　according　to　his　own　　　statement；　wouldn't　have　made　any　difference　one　way　or　the　other；　　　would　it？　He　could　have　sent　a　boy　for　it；　as　usual。　　That　was　　　the　way　it　had　always　been　done　before。　　Why　anything　different　　　now？　I'll　tell　you　why！　＇Shannon　suddenly　shouted；　varying　his　　　voice　tremendously。＇　　I'll　tell　you　why！　He　knew　that　he　was　a　　　ruined　man！　He　knew　that　his　last　semi…legitimate　avenue　of　　　escapethe　favor　of　George　W。　Stenerhad　been　closed　to　him！　　　He　knew　that　honestly；　by　open　agreement；　he　could　not　extract　　　another　single　dollar　from　the　treasury　of　the　city　of　　　Philadelphia。　　He　knew　that　if　he　left　the　office　without　this　　　check　and　sent　a　boy　for　it；　the　aroused　city　treasurer　would　　　have　time　to　inform　his　clerks；　and　that　then　no　further　money　　　could　be　obtained。　　That's　why！　That's　why；　gentlemen；　if　you　　　really　want　to　know。

　　〃Now；　gentlemen　of　the　jury；　I　am　about　done　with　my　arraignment　　　of　this　fine；　honorable；　virtuous　citizen　whom　the　counsel　for　　　the　defense；　Mr。　Steger；　tells　you　you　cannot　possibly　convict　　　without　doing　a　great　injustice。　　All　I　have　to　say　is　that　you　　　look　to　me　like　sane；　intelligent　menjust　the　sort　of　men　that　　　I　meet　everywhere　in　the　ordinary　walks　of　life；　doing　an　　　honorable　American　business　in　an　honorable　American　way。　　Now；　　　gentlemen　of　the　jury　＇he　was　very　soft…spoken　now＇；　all　I　have　　　to　say　is　that　if；　after　all　you　have　heard　and　seen　here　to…day；　　　you　still　think　that　Mr。　Frank　A。　Cowperwood　is　an　honest；　　　honorable　manthat　he　didn't　steal；　willfully　and　knowingly；　　　sixty　thousand　dollars　from　the　Philadelphia　city　treasury；　that　　　he　had　actually　bought　the　certificates　he　said　he　had；　and　had　　　intended　to　put　them　in　the　sinking…fund；　as　he　said　he　did；　　　then　don't　you　dare　to　do　anything　except　turn　him　loose；　and　　　that　speedily；　so　that　he　can　go　on　back　to…day　into　Third　　　Street；　and　start　to　straighten　out　his　much…entangled　financial　　　affairs。　　It　is　the　only　thing　for　honest；　conscientious　men　to　　　doto　turn　him　instantly　loose　into　the　heart　of　this　community；　　　so　that　some　of　the　rank　injustice　that　my　opponent；　Mr。　Steger；　　　alleges　has　been　done　him　will　be　a　little　made　up　to　him。　　You　　　owe　him；　if　that　is　the　way　you　feel；　a　prompt　acknowledgment　of　　　his　innocence。　　Don't　worry　about　George　W。　Stener。　　His　guilt　　　is　established　by　his　own　confession。　　He　admits　he　is　guilty。　　　He　will　be　sentenced　without　trial　later　on。　　But　this　manhe　　　says　he　is　an　honest；　honorable　man。　　He　says　he　didn't　think　he　　　was　going　to　fail。　　He　says　he　used　all　that　threatening；　　　compelling；　terrifying　language；　not　because　he　was　in　danger　　　of　failing；　but　because　he　didn't　want　the　bother　of　looking　　　further　for　aid。　　What　do　you　think？　Do　you　really　think　that　he　　　had　purchased　sixty　thousand　dollars　more　of　certificates　for　　　the　sinking…fund；　and　that　he　was　entitled　to　the　money？　If　so；　　　why　didn't　he　put　them　in　the　sinking…fund？　They're　not　there　　　now；　and　the　sixty　thousand　dollars　is　gone。　　Who　got　it？　The　　　Girard　National　Bank；　where　he　was　overdrawn　to　the　extent　of　　　one　hundred　thousand　dollars！　Did　it　get　it　and　forty　thousand　　　dollars　more　in　other　checks　and　certificates？　Certainly。　　Why？　　　Do　you　suppose　the　Girard　National　Bank　might　be　in　any　way　　　grateful　for　this　last　little　favor　before　he　closed　his　doors？　　　Do　you　think　that　President　Davison；　whom　you　saw　here　testifying　　　so　kindly　in　this　case　feels　at　all　friendly；　and　that　that　may　　　possiblyI　don't　say　that　it　doesexplain　his　very　kindly　　　interpretation　of　Mr。　Cowperwood's　condition？　It　might　be。　　You　　　can　think　as　well　along　that　line　as　I　can。　　Anyhow；　gentlemen；　　　President　Davison　says　Mr。　Cowperwood　is　an　honorable；　honest　　　man；　and　so　does　his　counsel；　Mr。　Steger。　　You　have　heard　the　　　testimony。　　Now　you　think　it　over。　　If　you　want　to　turn　him　　　looseturn　him　loose。　　＇He　waved　his　hand　wearily。＇　　You're　　　the　judges。　　I　wouldn't；　but　then　I　am　merely　a　hard…working　　　lawyerone　person；　one　opinion。　　You　may　think　differently　　　that's　your　business。　　＇He　waved　his　hand　suggestively；　almost　　　contemptuously。＇　　However；　I'm　through；　and　I　thank　you　for　　　your　courtesy。　　Gentlemen；　the　decision　rests　with　you。〃

He　turned　away　grandly；　and　the　jury　stirredso　did　the　idle　spectators　in　the　court。　　Judge　Payderson　sighed　a　sigh　of　relief。　It　was　now　quite　dark；　and　the　flaring　gas　forms　in　the　court　were　all　brightly　lighted。　　Outside　one　could　see　that　it　was　snowing。　The　judge　stirred　among　his　papers　wearily；　and　turning　to　the　jurors　solemnly；　began　his　customary　explanation　of　the　law；　after　which　they　filed　out　to　the　jury…room。

Cowperwood　turned　to　his　father　who　now　came　over　across　the　fast…e