the financier-第96节

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if　you　want　me　to；　but　I'm　going　to　leave　it　to　you　now。　　Whatever　you　say　goes。〃

〃Don't　talk　nonsense　at　this　stage；　Harper；〃　replied　Cowperwood　almost　testily。　　〃I　know　whether　I'm　satisfied　or　not；　and　I'd　soon　tell　you　if　I　wasn't。　　I　think　you　might　as　well　go　on　and　see　if　you　can　find　some　definite　grounds　for　carrying　it　to　the　Supreme　Court；　but　meanwhile　I'll　begin　my　sentence。　　I　suppose　Payderson　will　be　naming　a　day　to　have　me　brought　before　him　now　shortly。〃

〃It　depends　on　how　you'd　like　to　have　it；　Frank。　　I　could　get　a　stay　of　sentence　for　a　week　maybe；　or　ten　days；　if　it　will　do　you　any　good。　　Shannon　won't　make　any　objection　to　that；　I'm　sure。　There's　only　one　hitch。　　Jaspers　will　be　around　here　tomorrow　looking　for　you。　　It's　his　duty　to　take　you　into　custody　again；　once　he's　notified　that　your　appeal　has　been　denied。　　He'll　be　wanting　to　lock　you　up　unless　you　pay　him；　but　we　can　fix　that。　If　you　do　want　to　wait；　and　want　any　time　off；　I　suppose　he'll　arrange　to　let　you　out　with　a　deputy；　but　I'm　afraid　you'll　have　to　stay　there　nights。　　They're　pretty　strict　about　that　since　that　Albertson　case　of　a　few　years　ago。〃

Steger　referred　to　the　case　of　a　noted　bank　cashier　who；　being　let　out　of　the　county　jail　at　night　in　the　alleged　custody　of　a　deputy；　was　permitted　to　escape。　　There　had　been　emphatic　and　severe　condemnation　of　the　sheriff's　office　at　the　time；　and　since　then；　repute　or　no　repute；　money　or　no　money；　convicted　criminals　were　supposed　to　stay　in　the　county　jail　at　night　at　least。

Cowperwood　meditated　this　calmly；　looking　out　of　the　lawyer's　window　into　Second　Street。　　He　did　not　much　fear　anything　that　might　happen　to　him　in　Jaspers's　charge　since　his　first　taste　of　that　gentleman's　hospitality；　although　he　did　object　to　spending　nights　in　the　county　jail　when　his　general　term　of　imprisonment　was　being　reduced　no　whit　thereby。　　All　that　he　could　do　now　in　connection　with　his　affairs；　unless　he　could　have　months　of　freedom；　could　be　as　well　adjusted　from　a　prison　cell　as　from　his　Third　Street　officenot　quite；　but　nearly　so。　　Anyhow；　why　parley？　He　was　facing　a　prison　term；　and　he　might　as　well　accept　it　without　further　ado。　　He　might　take　a　day　or　two　finally　to　look　after　his　affairs；　but　beyond　that；　why　bother？

〃When；　in　the　ordinary　course　of　events；　if　you　did　nothing　at　all；　would　I　come　up　for　sentence？〃

〃Oh；　Friday　or　Monday；　I　fancy；〃　replied　Steger。　　〃I　don't　know　what　move　Shannon　is　planning　to　make　in　this　matter。　　I　thought　I'd　walk　around　and　see　him　in　a　little　while。〃

〃I　think　you'd　better　do　that；〃　replied　Cowperwood。　　〃Friday　or　Monday　will　suit　me；　either　way。　　I'm　really　not　particular。　Better　make　it　Monday　if　you　can。　　You　don't　suppose　there　is　any　way　you　can　induce　Jaspers　to　keep　his　hands　off　until　then？　He　knows　I'm　perfectly　responsible。〃

〃I　don't　know；　Frank；　I'm　sure；　I'll　see。　　I'll　go　around　and　talk　to　him　to…night。　　Perhaps　a　hundred　dollars　will　make　him　relax　the　rigor　of　his　rules　that　much。〃

Cowperwood　smiled　grimly。

〃I　fancy　a　hundred　dollars　would　make　Jaspers　relax　a　whole　lot　of　rules；〃　he　replied；　and　he　got　up　to　go。

Steger　arose　also。　　〃I'll　see　both　these　people；　and　then　I'll　call　around　at　your　house。　　You'll　be　in；　will　you；　after　dinner？〃

〃Yes。〃

They　slipped　on　their　overcoats　and　went　out　into　the　cold　February　day；　Cowperwood　back　to　his　Third　Street　office；　Steger　to　see　Shannon　and　Jaspers。





Chapter　XLIX




The　business　of　arranging　Cowperwood's　sentence　for　Monday　was　soon　disposed　of　through　Shannon；　who　had　no　personal　objection　to　any　reasonable　delay。

Steger　next　visited　the　county　jail；　close　on　to　five　o'clock；　when　it　was　already　dark。　　Sheriff　Jaspers　came　lolling　out　from　his　private　library；　where　he　had　been　engaged　upon　the　work　of　cleaning　his　pipe。

〃How　are　you；　Mr。　Steger？〃　he　observed；　smiling　blandly。　　〃How　are　you？　Glad　to　see　you。　　Won't　you　sit　down？　I　suppose　you're　round　here　again　on　that　Cowperwood　matter。　　I　just　received　word　from　the　district　attorney　that　he　had　lost　his　case。〃

〃That's　it；　Sheriff；〃　replied　Steger；　ingratiatingly。　　〃He　asked　me　to　step　around　and　see　what　you　wanted　him　to　do　in　the　matter。　Judge　Payderson　has　just　fixed　the　sentence　time　for　Monday　morning　at　ten　o'clock。　　I　don't　suppose　you'll　be　much　put　out　if　he　doesn't　show　up　here　before　Monday　at　eight　o'clock；　will　you；　or　Sunday　night；　anyhow？　He's　perfectly　reliable；　as　you　know。〃　　Steger　was　sounding　Jaspers　out；　politely　trying　to　make　the　time　of　Cowperwood's　arrival　a　trivial　matter　in　order　to　avoid　paying　the　hundred　dollars；　if　possible。　　But　Jaspers　was　not　to　be　so　easily　disposed　of。　His　fat　face　lengthened　considerably。　　How　could　Steger　ask　him　such　a　favor　and　not　even　suggest　the　slightest　form　of　remuneration？

〃It's　ag'in'　the　law；　Mr。　Steger；　as　you　know；〃　he　began；　cautiously　and　complainingly。　　〃I'd　like　to　accommodate　him；　everything　else　being　equal；　but　since　that　Albertson　case　three　years　ago　we've　had　to　run　this　office　much　more　careful；　and〃

〃Oh；　I　know；　Sheriff；〃　interrupted　Steger；　blandly；　〃but　this　isn't　an　ordinary　case　in　any　way；　as　you　can　see　for　yourself。　　Mr。　Cowperwood　is　a　very　important　man；　and　he　has　a　great　many　things　to　attend　to。　　Now　if　it　were　only　a　mere　matter　of　seventy…five　or　a　hundred　dollars　to　satisfy　some　court　clerk　with；　or　to　pay　a　fine；　it　would　be　easy　enough；　but〃　He　paused　and　looked　wisely　away；　and　Mr。　Jaspers's　face　began　to　relax　at　once。　　The　law　against　which　it　was　ordinarily　so　hard　to　offend　was　not　now　so　important。　　Steger　saw　that　it　was　needless　to　introduce　any　additional　arguments。

〃It's　a　very　ticklish　business；　this；　Mr。　Steger；〃　put　in　the　sheriff；　yieldingly；　and　yet　with　a　slight　whimper　in　his　voice。　〃If　anything　were　to　happen；　it　would　cost　me　my　place　all　right。　I　don't　like　to　do　it　under　any　circumstances；　and　I　wouldn't；　only　I　happen　to　know　both　Mr。　Cowperwood　and　Mr。　Stener；　and　I　like　'em　both。　　I　don'　think　they　got　their　rights　in　this　matter；　either。　　I　don't　mind　making　an　exception　in　this　case　if　Mr。　Cowperwood　don't　go　about　too　publicly。　　I　wouldn't　want　any　of　the　men　in　the　district　attorney's　office　to　know　this。　　I　don't　suppose　he'll　mind　if　I　keep　a　deputy　somewhere　near　all　the　time　for　looks'　sake。　　I　have　to；　you　know；　really；　under　the　law。　　He　won't　bother　him　any。　　Just　keep　on　guard　like。〃　　Jaspers　looked　at　Mr。　Steger　very　flatly　and　wiselyalmost　placatingly　under　the　circumstancesand　Steger　nodded。

〃Quite　right；　Sheriff；　quite　right。　　You're　quite　right；〃　and　he　drew　out　his　purse　while　the　sheriff　led　the　way　very　cautiously　back　into　his　library。

〃I'd　like　to　show　you　the　line　of　law…books　I'm　fixing　up　for　myself　in　here；　Mr。　Steger；〃　he　observed；　genially；　but　meanwhile　closing　his　fingers　gently　on　the　small　roll　of　ten…dollar　bills　Steger　was　handing　him。　　〃We　have　occasional　use　for　books　of　that　kind　here；　as　you　see。　　I　thought　it　a　good　sort　of　thing　to　have　them　around。〃　　He　waved　one　arm　comprehensively　at　the　line　of　State　reports；　revised　statutes；　prison　regulations；　etc。；　the　while　he　put　the　money　in　his　pocket　and　Steger　pretended　to　look。

〃A　good　idea；　I　think；　Sheriff。　　Very　good；　indeed。　　So　you　think　if　Mr。　Cowperwood　gets　around　here　very　early　Monday　morning；　say　eight　or　eight…thirty；　that　it　will　be　all　right？〃

〃I　think　so；〃　replied　the　sheriff；　curiously　nervous；　but　agreeable；　anxious　to　please。　　〃I　don't　think　that　anything　will　come　up　that　will　make　me　want　him　earlier。　　If　it　does　I'll　let　you　know；　and　you　can　produce　him。　　I　don't　think　so；　though；　Mr。　Steger；　I　think　everything　will　be　all　right。〃　　They　were　once　more　in　the　main　hall　now。　　〃Glad　to　have　seen　you　again；　Mr。　Stegervery　glad；〃　he　added。　　〃Call　again　some　day。〃

Waving　the　sheriff　a　pleasant　farewell；　he　hurried　on　his　way　to　Cowperwood's　house。

You　would　not　have　thought；　seeing　Cowperwood　mount　the　front　steps　of　his　handsome　residence　in　his　neat　gray　suit　and　well…cut　overcoat　on　his　return　from　his　office　that　evening；　that　he　was　thinking　that　this　might　be　his　last　night　here。　　His　air　and　walk　indicated　no　weakening　of　spirit。　　He　entered　the　hall；　where　an　early　lamp　was　aglow；　and　encountered　〃Wash〃　Sims；　an　old　negro　factotum；　who　was　just　coming　up　from　the　basement；　carrying　a　bucket　of　coal　for　one　of　the　fireplaces。

〃Mahty　cold　out；　dis　evenin'；　Mistah　Coppahwood；〃　said　Wash；　to　whom　anything　less　than　sixty　degrees　was　very　cold。　　His　one　regret　was　that　Philadelphia　was　not　located　in　North　Carolina；　from　whence　he　came。

〃'Tis　sharp；　Wash；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　absentmindedly。　　He　was　thinking　for　the　moment　of　the　house　and　how　it　had　looked；　as　he　came　toward　it　west　along　Girard　Avenuewhat　the　neighbors　were　thinking　of　him；　too；　observing　him　from　time　to　time　out　of　their　windows。　　It　was　clear　and　cold。　　The　lamps　in　the　reception…hall　and　sitting…room　had　been　lit；　for　he　had　permitted　no　air　of　funereal　gloom　to　settle　down　over　this　place　since　his　troubles　had　begun。　　In　the　far　west　of　the　street　a　last　tingling　gleam　of　lavender　and　violet　was　showing　over　the　cold　white　snow　of　the　roadway。　　The　house　of　gray…g