the pit-第17节

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〃Nothing　in　it；〃　retorted　Kelly。　　〃But　I'll　find　out　to　make　sure；　by　jingo。〃

Meanwhile　Landry　had　gained　the　top　of　the　stairs；　and　turning　to　the　right；　passed　through　a　great　doorway；　and　came　out　upon　the　floor　of　the　Board　of　Trade。

It　was　a　vast　enclosure；　lighted　on　either　side　by　great　windows　of　coloured　glass；　the　roof　supported　by　thin　iron　pillars　elaborately　decorated。　　To　the　left　were　the　bulletin　blackboards；　and　beyond　these；　in　the　northwest　angle　of　the　floor；　a　great　railed…in　space　where　the　Western　Union　Telegraph　was　installed。　　To　the　right；　on　the　other　side　of　the　room；　a　row　of　tables；　laden　with　neatly　arranged　paper　bags　half　full　of　samples　of　grains；　stretched　along　the　east　wall　from　the　doorway　of　the　public　room　at　one　end　to　the　telephone　room　at　the　other。

The　centre　of　the　floor　was　occupied　by　the　pits。　　To　the　left　and　to　the　front　of　Landry　the　provision　pit；　to　the　right　the　corn　pit；　while　further　on　at　the　north　extremity　of　the　floor；　and　nearly　under　the　visitors'　gallery；　much　larger　than　the　other　two；　and　flanked　by　the　wicket　of　the　official　recorder；　was　the　wheat　pit　itself。

Directly　opposite　the　visitors'　gallery；　high　upon　the　south　wall　a　great　dial　was　affixed；　and　on　the　dial　a　marking　hand　that　indicated　the　current　price　of　wheat；　fluctuating　with　the　changes　made　in　the　Pit。　　Just　now　it　stood　at　ninety…three　and　three…eighths；　the　closing　quotation　of　the　preceding　day。

As　yet　all　the　pits　were　empty。　　It　was　some　fifteen　minutes　after　nine。　　Landry　checked　his　hat　and　coat　at　the　coat　room　near　the　north　entrance；　and　slipped　into　an　old　tennis　jacket　of　striped　blue　flannel。　　Then；　hatless；　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　he　leisurely　crossed　the　floor；　and　sat　down　in　one　of　the　chairs　that　were　ranged　in　files　upon　the　floor　in　front　of　the　telegraph　enclosure。　　He　scrutinised　again　the　despatches　and　orders　that　he　held　in　his　hands；　then；　having　fixed　them　in　his　memory；　tore　them　into　very　small　bits；　looking　vaguely　about　the　room；　developing　his　plan　of　campaign　for　the　morning。

In　a　sense　Landry　Court　had　a　double　personality。　　Away　from　the　neighbourhood　and　influence　of　La　Salle　Street；　he　was　〃rattle…brained；〃　absent…minded；　impractical；　and　easily　excited；　the　last　fellow　in　the　world　to　be　trusted　with　any　business　responsibility。　But　the　thunder　of　the　streets　around　the　Board　of　Trade；　and；　above　all；　the　movement　and　atmosphere　of　the　floor　itself　awoke　within　him　a　very　different　Landry　Court；　a　whole　new　set　of　nerves　came　into　being　with　the　tap　of　the　nine…thirty　gong；　a　whole　new　system　of　brain　machinery　began　to　move　with　the　first　figure　called　in　the　Pit。　　And　from　that　instant　until　the　close　of　the　session；　no　floor　trader；　no　broker's　clerk　nor　scalper　was　more　alert；　more　shrewd；　or　kept　his　head　more　surely　than　the　same　young　fellow　who　confused　his　social　engagements　for　the　evening　of　the　same　day。　　The　Landry　Court　the　Dearborn　girls　knew　was　a　far　different　young　man　from　him　who　now　leaned　his　elbows　on　the　arms　of　the　chair　upon　the　floor　of　the　Board；　and；　his　eyes　narrowing；　his　lips　tightening；　began　to　speculate　upon　what　was　to　be　the　temper　of　the　Pit　that　morning。

Meanwhile　the　floor　was　beginning　to　fill　up。　　Over　in　the　railed…in　space；　where　the　hundreds　of　telegraph　instruments　were　in　place；　the　operators　were　arriving　in　twos　and　threes。　　They　hung　their　hats　and　ulsters　upon　the　pegs　in　the　wall　back　of　them；　and　in　linen　coats；　or　in　their　shirt…sleeves；　went　to　their　seats；　or；　sitting　upon　their　tables；　called　back　and　forth　to　each　other；　joshing；　cracking　jokes。　　Some　few　addressed　themselves　directly　to　work；　and　here　and　there　the　intermittent　clicking　of　a　key　began；　like　a　diligent　cricket　busking　himself　in　advance　of　its　mates。

From　the　corridors　on　the　ground　floor　up　through　the　south　doors　came　the　pit　traders　in　increasing　groups。　The　noise　of　footsteps　began　to　echo　from　the　high　vaulting　of　the　roof。　　A　messenger　boy　crossed　the　floor　chanting　an　unintelligible　name。

The　groups　of　traders　gradually　converged　upon　the　corn　and　wheat　pits；　and　on　the　steps　of　the　latter；　their　arms　crossed　upon　their　knees；　two　men；　one　wearing　a　silk　skull　cap　all　awry；　conversed　earnestly　in　low　tones。

Winston；　a　great；　broad…shouldered　bass…voiced　fellow　of　some　thirty…five　years；　who　was　associated　with　Landry　in　executing　the　orders　of　the　Gretry…Converse　house；　came　up　to　him；　and；　omitting　any　salutation；　remarked；　deliberately；　slowly：

〃What's　all　this　about　this　trouble　between　Turkey　and　England？〃

But　before　Landry　could　reply　a　third　trader　for　the　Gretry　Company　joined　the　two。　　This　was　a　young　fellow　named　Rusbridge；　lean；　black…haired；　a　constant　excitement　glinting　in　his　deep…set　eyes。

〃Say；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃there's　something　in　that；　there's　something　in　that！〃

〃Where　did　you　hear　it？〃　demanded　Landry。

〃Oheverywhere。〃　　Rusbridge　made　a　vague　gesture　with　one　arm。　　〃Hirsch　seemed　to　know　all　about　it。　　It　appears　that　there's　talk　of　mobilising　the　Mediterranean　squadron。　　Darned　if　I　know。〃

〃Might　ask　that　'Inter…Ocean'　reporter。　　He'd　be　likely　to　know。　　I've　seen　him　'round　here　this　morning；　or　you　might　telephone　the　Associated　Press；〃　suggested　Landry。　　〃The　office　never　said　a　word　to　_me。_〃

〃Oh；　the　'Associated。'　They　know　a　lot　always；　don't　they？〃　jeered　Winston。　　〃Yes；　I　rung　'em　up。　　They　'couldn't　confirm　the　rumour。'　That's　always　the　way。　You　can　spend　half　a　million　a　year　in　leased　wires　and　special　service　and　subscriptions　to　news　agencies；　and　you　get　the　first　smell　of　news　like　this　right　here　on　the　floor。　　Remember　that　time　when　the　Northwestern　millers　sold　a　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　barrels　at　one　lick？　　The　floor　was　talking　of　it　three　hours　before　the　news　slips　were　sent　'round；　or　a　single　wire　was　in。　　Suppose　we　had　waited　for　the　Associated　people　or　the　Commercial　people　then？〃

〃It's　that　Higgins…pasha　incident；　I'll　bet；〃　observed　Rusbridge；　his　eyes　snapping。

〃I　heard　something　about　that　this　morning；〃　returned　Landry。　　〃But　only　that　it　was〃

〃There！　What　did　I　tell　you？〃　interrupted　Rusbridge。　〃I　said　it　was　everywhere。　　There's　no　smoke　without　some　fire。　　And　I　wouldn't　be　a　bit　surprised　if　we　get　cables　before　noon　that　the　British　War　Office　had　sent　an　ultimatum。〃

And　very　naturally　a　few　minutes　later　Winston；　at　that　time　standing　on　the　steps　of　the　corn　pit；　heard　from　a　certain　broker；　who　had　it　from　a　friend　who　had　just　received　a　despatch　from　some　one　〃in　the　know；〃　that　the　British　Secretary　of　State　for　War　had　forwarded　an　ultimatum　to　the　Porte；　and　that　diplomatic　relations　between　Turkey　and　England　were　about　to　be　suspended。

All　in　a　moment　the　entire　Floor　seemed　to　be　talking　of　nothing　else；　and　on　the　outskirts　of　every　group　one　could　overhear　the　words：　〃Seizure　of　custom　house；〃　〃ultimatum；〃　〃Eastern　question；〃　〃　Higgins…　pasha　incident。〃　　It　was　the　rumour　of　the　day；　and　before　very　long　the　pit　traders　began　to　receive　a　multitude　of　despatches　countermanding　selling　orders；　and　directing　them　not　to　close　out　trades　under　certain　very　advanced　quotations。　　The　brokers　began　wiring　their　principals　that　the　market　promised　to　open　strong　and　bullish。

But　by　now　it　was　near　to　half…past　nine。　　From　the　Western　Union　desks　the　clicking　of　the　throng　of　instruments　rose　into　the　air　in　an　incessant　staccato　stridulation。　　The　messenger　boys　ran　back　and　forth　at　top　speed；　dodging　in　and　out　among　the　knots　of　clerks　and　traders；　colliding　with　one　another；　and　without　interruption　intoning　the　names　of　those　for　whom　they　had　despatches。　　The　throng　of　traders　concentrated　upon　the　pits；　and　at　every　moment　the　deep…toned　hum　of　the　murmur　of　many　voices　swelled　like　the　rising　of　a　tide。

And　at　this　moment；　as　Landry　stood　on　the　rim　of　the　wheat　pit；　looking　towards　the　telephone　booth　under　the　visitors'　gallery；　he　saw　the　osseous；　stoop…　shouldered　figure　of　Mr。　Cresslerwho；　though　he　never　speculated；　appeared　regularly　upon　the　Board　every　morningmaking　his　way　towards　one　of　the　windows　in　the　front　of　the　building。　　His　pocket　was　full　of　wheat；　taken　from　a　bag　on　one　of　the　sample　tables。　Opening　the　window；　he　scattered　the　grain　upon　the　sill；　and　stood　for　a　long　moment　absorbed　and　interested　in　the　dazzling　flutter　of　the　wings　of　innumerable　pigeons　who　came　to　settle　upon　the　ledge；　pecking　the　grain　with　little；　nervous；　fastidious　taps　of　their　yellow　beaks。

Landry　cast　a　glance　at　the　clock　beneath　the　dial　on　the　wall　behind　him。　　It　was　twenty…five　minutes　after　nine。　　He　stood　in　his　accustomed　place　on　the　north　side　of　the　Wheat　Pit；　upon　the　topmost　stair。　　The　Pit　was　full。　　Below　him　and　on　either　side　of　him　were　the　brokers；　scalpers；　and　tradersHirsch；　Semple；　Kelly；　Winston；　and　Rusbridge。　　The　redoubtable　Leaycraft；　who；　bidding　for　himself；　was　supposed　to　hold　the　longest　line　of　May　wheat　of　any　one　man　in　the　Pit；　the　insignificant　Grossmann；　a　Jew　who　wore　a　flannel　shirt；　and　to　whose　outcries　no　one　ever　paid　the　least　attention。　　Fairchild；　Paterson；　and　Goodlock；　the　inseparable　trio　who　represented　the　Porteous　gang；　silent　men；