the pit-第15节

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　Maelstrom；　into　the　chaotic　spasm　of　a　world…force；　a　primeval　energy；　blood…brother　of　the　earthquake　and　the　glacier；　raging　and　wrathful　that　its　power　should　be　braved　by　some　pinch　of　human　spawn　that　dared　raise　barriers　across　its　courses。

Small　wonder　that　Cressler　laughed　at　the　thought　of　cornering　wheat；　and　even　now　as　Jadwin　crossed　Jackson　Street；　on　his　way　to　his　broker's　office　on　the　lower　floor　of　the　Board　of　Trade　Building；　he　noted　the　ebb　and　flow　that　issued　from　its　doors；　and　remembered　the　huge　river　of　wheat　that　rolled　through　this　place　from　the　farms　of　Iowa　and　ranches　of　Dakota　to　the　mills　and　bakeshops　of　Europe。

〃There's　something；　perhaps；　in　what　Charlie　says；〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃Corner　this　stuffmy　God！〃

Gretry；　Converse　&　Co。　was　the　name　of　the　brokerage　firm　that　always　handled　Jadwin's　rare　speculative　ventures。　　Converse　was　dead　long　since；　but　the　firm　still　retained　its　original　name。　　The　house　was　as　old　and　as　well　established　as　any　on　the　Board　of　Trade。　It　had　a　reputation　for　conservatism；　and　was　known　more　as　a　Bear　than　a　Bull　concern。　　It　was　immensely　wealthy　and　immensely　important。　　It　discouraged　the　growth　of　a　clientele　of　country　customers；　of　small　adventurers；　knowing　well　that　these　were　the　first　to　go　in　a　crash；　unable　to　meet　margin　calls；　and　leaving　to　their　brokers　the　responsibility　of　their　disastrous　trades。　　The　large；　powerful　Bears　were　its　friends；　the　Bears　strong　of　grip；　tenacious　of　jaw；　capable　of　pulling　down　the　strongest　Bull。　　Thus　the　firm　had　no　consideration　for　the　〃outsiders；〃　the　〃public〃the　Lambs。　　The　Lambs！　Such　a　herd；　timid；　innocent；　feeble；　as　much　out　of　place　in　La　Salle　Street　as　a　puppy　in　a　cage　of　panthers；　the　Lambs；　whom　Bull　and　Bear　did　not　so　much　as　condescend　to　notice；　but　who；　in　their　mutual　struggle　of　horn　and　claw；　they　crushed　to　death　by　the　mere　rolling　of　their　bodies。

Jadwin　did　not　go　directly　into　Gretry's　main　office；　but　instead　made　his　way　in　at　the　entrance　of　the　Board　of　Trade　Building；　and　going　on　past　the　stair…　ways　that　on　either　hand　led　up　to　the　〃Floor〃　on　the　second　story；　entered　the　corridor　beyond；　and　thence　gained　the　customers'　room　of　Gretry；　Converse　&　Co。　All　the　more　important　brokerage　firms　had　offices　on　the　ground　floor　of　the　building；　offices　that　had　two　entrances；　one　giving　upon　the　street；　and　one　upon　the　corridor　of　the　Board。　　Generally　the　corridor　entrance　admitted　directly　to　the　firm's　customers'　room。　　This　was　the　case　with　the　Gretry…Converse　house。

Once　in　the　customers'　room；　Jadwin　paused；　looking　about　him。

He　could　not　tell　why　Gretry　had　so　earnestly　desired　him　to　come　to　his　office　that　morning；　but　he　wanted　to　know　how　wheat　was　selling　before　talking　to　the　broker。　　The　room　was　large；　and　but　for　the　lighted　gas；　burning　crudely　without　globes；　would　have　been　dark。　　All　one　wall　opposite　the　door　was　taken　up　by　a　great　blackboard　covered　with　chalked　figures　in　columns；　and　illuminated　by　a　row　of　overhead　gas　jets　burning　under　a　tin　reflector。　　Before　this　board　files　of　chairs　were　placed；　and　these　were　occupied　by　groups　of　nondescripts；　shabbily　dressed　men；　young　and　old；　with　tired　eyes　and　unhealthy　complexions；　who　smoked　and　expectorated；　or　engaged　in　interminable　conversations。

In　front　of　the　blackboard；　upon　a　platform；　a　young　man　in　shirt…sleeves；　his　cuffs　caught　up　by　metal　clamps；　walked　up　and　down。　　Screwed　to　the　black…board　itself　was　a　telegraph　instrument；　and　from　time　to　time；　as　this　buzzed　and　ticked；　the　young　man　chalked　up　cabalistic；　and　almost　illegible　figures　under　columns　headed　by　initials　of　certain　stocks　and　bonds；　or　by　the　words　〃Pork；〃　〃Oats；〃　or；　larger　than　all　the　others；　〃May　Wheat。〃　　The　air　of　the　room　was　stale；　close；　and　heavy　with　tobacco　fumes。　　The　only　noises　were　the　low　hum　of　conversations；　the　unsteady　click　of　the　telegraph　key；　and　the　tapping　of　the　chalk　in　the　marker's　fingers。

But　no　one　in　the　room　seemed　to　pay　the　least　attention　to　the　blackboard。　　One　quotation　replaced　another；　and　the　key　and　the　chalk　clicked　and　tapped　incessantly。　　The　occupants　of　the　room；　sunk　in　their　chairs；　seemed　to　give　no　heed；　some　even　turned　their　backs；　one；　his　handkerchief　over　his　knee；　adjusted　his　spectacles；　and　opening　a　newspaper　two　days　old；　began　to　read　with　peering　deliberation；　his　lips　forming　each　word。　　These　nondescripts　gathered　there；　they　knew　not　why。　　Every　day　found　them　in　the　same　place；　always　with　the　same　fetid；　unlighted　cigars；　always　with　the　same　frayed　newspapers　two　days　old。　There　they　sat；　inert；　stupid；　their　decaying　senses　hypnotised　and　soothed　by　the　sound　of　the　distant　rumble　of　the　Pit；　that　came　through　the　ceiling　from　the　floor　of　the　Board　overhead。

One　of　these　figures；　that　of　a　very　old　man；　blear…　eyed；　decrepit；　dirty；　in　a　battered　top　hat　and　faded　frock　coat；　discoloured　and　weather…stained　at　the　shoulders；　seemed　familiar　to　Jadwin。　　It　recalled　some　ancient　association；　he　could　not　say　what。　　But　he　was　unable　to　see　the　old　man's　face　distinctly；　the　light　was　bad；　and　he　sat　with　his　face　turned　from　him；　eating　a　sandwich；　which　he　held　in　a　trembling　hand。

Jadwin；　having　noted　that　wheat　was　selling　at　94；　went　away；　glad　to　be　out　of　the　depressing　atmosphere　of　the　room。

Gretry　was　in　his　office；　and　Jadwin　was　admitted　at　once。　　He　sat　down　in　a　chair　by　the　broker's　desk；　and　for　the　moment　the　two　talked　of　trivialities。　　Gretry　was　a　large；　placid；　smooth…faced　man；　stolid　as　an　ox；　inevitably　dressed　in　blue　serge；　a　quill　tooth…pick　behind　his　ear；　a　Grand　Army　button　in　his　lapel。　　He　and　Jadwin　were　intimates。　　The　two　had　come　to　Chicago　almost　simultaneously；　and　had　risen　together　to　become　the　wealthy　men　they　were　at　the　moment。　　They　belonged　to　the　same　club；　lunched　together　every　day　at　Kinsley's；　and　took　each　other　driving　behind　their　respective　trotters　on　alternate　Saturday　afternoons。　In　the　middle　of　summer　each　stole　a　fortnight　from　his　business；　and　went　fishing　at　Geneva　Lake　in　Wisconsin。

〃I　say；〃　Jadwin　observed；　〃I　saw　an　old　fellow　outside　in　your　customers'　room　just　now　that　put　me　in　mind　of　Hargus。　　You　remember　that　deal　of　his；　the　one　he　tried　to　swing　before　he　died。　　Ohhow　long　ago　was　that？　　Bless　my　soul；　that　must　have　been　fifteen；　yes　twenty　years　ago。〃

The　deal　of　which　Jadwin　spoke　was　the　legendary　operation　of　the　Board　of　Tradea　mammoth　corner　in　September　wheat；　manipulated　by　this　same　Hargus；　a　millionaire；　who　had　tripled　his　fortune　by　the　corner；　and　had　lost　it　by　some　chicanery　on　the　part　of　his　associate　before　another　year。　　He　had　run　wheat　up　to　nearly　two　dollars；　had　been　in　his　day　a　king　all…　powerful。　　Since　then　all　deals　had　been　spoken　of　in　terms　of　the　Hargus　affair。　　Speculators　said；　〃It　was　almost　as　bad　as　the　Hargus　deal。〃　　〃It　was　like　the　Hargus　smash。〃　　〃　It　was　as　big　a　thing　as　the　Hargus　corner。〃　　Hargus　had　become　a　sort　of　creature　of　legends；　mythical；　heroic；　transfigured　in　the　glory　of　his　millions。

〃Easily　twenty　years　ago；〃　continued　Jadwin。　　〃If　Hargus　could　come　to　life　now；　he'd　be　surprised　at　the　difference　in　the　way　we　do　business　these　days。　Twenty　years。　　Yes；　it's　all　of　that。　　I　declare；　Sam；　we're　getting　old；　aren't　we？〃

〃I　guess　that　_was_　Hargus　you　saw　out　there；〃　answered　the　broker。　　〃He's　not　dead。　　Old　fellow　in　a　stove…　pipe　and　greasy　frock　coat？　　Yes；　that's　Hargus。〃

〃What！〃　exclaimed　Jadwin。　　〃_That_　Hargus？〃

〃Of　course　it　was。　　He　comes　'round　every　day。　　The　clerks　give　him　a　dollar　every　now　and　then。〃

〃And　he's　not　dead？　　And　that　was　Hargus；　that　wretched；　brokenwhew！　I　don't　want　to　think　of　it；　Sam！〃　And　Jadwin；　taken　all　aback；　sat　for　a　moment　speechless。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　muttered　the　broker　grimly；　〃that　was　Hargus。〃

There　was　a　long　silence。　　Then　at　last　Gretry　exclaimed　briskly：

〃Well；　here's　what　I　want　to　see　you　about。〃

He　lowered　his　voice：　〃　You　know　I've　got　a　correspondent　or　two　at　Parisall　the　brokers　have　and　we　make　no　secret　as　to　who　they　are。　　But　I've　had　an　extra　man　at　work　over　there　for　the　last　six　months；　very　much　on　the　quiet。　　I　don't　mind　telling　you　this　muchthat　he's　not　the　least　important　member　of　the　United　States　Legation。　　Well；　now　and　then　he　is　supposed　to　send　me　what　the　reporters　call　〃exclusive　news〃that's　what　I　feed　him　for；　and　I　could　run　a　private　steam　yacht　on　what　it　costs　me。　But　news　I　get　from　him　is　a　day　or　so　in　advance　of　everybody　else。　　He　hasn't　sent　me　anything　very　important　till　this　morning。　　This　here　just　came　in。〃

He　picked　up　a　despatch　from　his　desk　and　read：

〃'Uticaheadquartersmodificationorganic　concomitantwithin　one　month；'　which　means；〃　he　added；　〃this。　　I've　just　deciphered　it；〃　and　he　handed　Jadwin　a　slip　of　paper　on　which　was　written：

〃Bill　providing　for　heavy　import　duties　on　foreign　grains　certain　to　be　introduced　in　French　Chamber　of　Deputies　within　one　month。〃

〃Have　you　got　it？〃　he　demanded　of　Jadwin；　as　he　took　the　slip　back。　　〃Won't　forget　it？〃　He　twisted　the　paper　into　a　roll　and　burned　it　carefully　in　the　office　cuspidor。

〃Now；〃　he　remarked；　〃d