the pit-第20节
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ire bushels of spilled wheat； crushed； broken； and sodden； into his dust pans。
The day's campaign was over。 It was past two o'clock。 On the great dial against the eastern wall the indicator stoodsentinel fashionat ninety…three。 Not till the following morning would the whirlpool； the great central force that spun the Niagara of wheat in its grip； thunder and bellow again。
Later on even the washerwomen； even the porter and janitor； departed。 An unbroken silence； the peacefulness of an untroubled calm； settled over the place。 The rays of the afternoon sun flooded through the west windows in long parallel shafts full of floating golden motes。 There was no sound； nothing stirred。 The floor of the Board of Trade was deserted。 Alone； on the edge of the abandoned Wheat Pit； in a spot where the sunlight fell warmestan atom of life； lost in the immensity of the empty floorthe grey cat made her toilet； diligently licking the fur on the inside of her thigh； one leg； as if dislocated； thrust into the air above her head。
IV
In the front parlor of the Cresslers' house a little company was gatheredLaura Dearborn and Page； Mrs。 Wessels； Mrs。 Cressler； and young Miss Gretry； an awkward； plain…faced girl of about nineteen； dressed extravagantly in a decollete gown of blue silk。 Curtis Jadwin and Cressler himself stood by the open fireplace smoking。 Landry Court fidgeted on the sofa； pretending to listen to the Gretry girl； who told an interminable story of a visit to some wealthy relative who had a country seat in Wisconsin and who raised fancy poultry。 She possessed； it appeared； three thousand hens； Brahma； Faverolles； Houdans； Dorkings； even peacocks and tame quails。
Sheldon Corthell； in a dinner coat； an unlighted cigarette between his fingers； discussed the spring exhibit of water…colors with Laura and Mrs。 Cressler； Page listening with languid interest。 Aunt Wess' turned the leaves of a family album； counting the number of photographs of Mrs。 Cressler which it contained。
Black coffee had just been served。 It was the occasion of the third rehearsal for the play which was to be given for the benefit of the hospital ward for Jadwin's mission children； and Mrs。 Cressler had invited the members of the company for dinner。 Just now everyone awaited the arrival of the 〃coach；〃 Monsieur Gerardy； who was always late。
〃To my notion；〃 observed Corthell； 〃the water…color that pretends to be anything more than a sketch over… steps its intended limits。 The elaborated water…color； I contend； must be judged by the same standards as an oil painting。 And if that is so； why not have the oil painting at once？〃
〃And with all that； if you please； not an egg on the place for breakfast；〃 declared the Gretry girl in her thin voice。 She was constrained； embarrassed。 Of all those present she was the only one to mistake the character of the gathering and appear in formal costume。 But one forgave Isabel Gretry such lapses as these。 Invariably she did the wrong thing； invariably she was out of place in the matter of inadvertent speech； an awkward accident； the wrong toilet。 For all her nineteen years； she yet remained the hoyden； young； undeveloped； and clumsy。
〃Never an egg； and three thousand hens in the runs；〃 she continued。 〃Think of that！ The Plymouth Rocks had the pip。 And the others； my lands！ I don't know。 They just didn't lay。〃
〃Ought to tickle the soles of their feet；〃 declared Landry with profound gravity。
〃Tickle their feet！〃
〃Best thing in the world for hens that don't lay。 It sort of stirs them up。 Oh； every one knows that。〃
〃Fancy now！ I'll write to Aunt Alice to…morrow。〃
Cressler clipped the tip of a fresh cigar； and； turning to Curtis Jadwin； remarked：
〃I understand that Leaycraft alone lost nearly fifteen thousand。〃
He referred to Jadwin's deal in May wheat； the consummation of which had been effected the previous week。 Squarely in the midst of the morning session； on the day following the 〃short〃 sale of Jadwin's million of bushels； had exploded the news of the intended action of the French chamber。 Amid a tremendous clamour the price fell。 The Bulls were panicstricken。 Leaycraft the redoubtable was overwhelmed at the very start。 The Porteous trio heroically attempted to shoulder the wheat； but the load was too much。 They as well gave ground； and； bereft of their support； May wheat； which had opened at ninety…three and five… eighths to ninety…two and a half； broke with the very first attack to ninety…two； hung there a moment； then dropped again to ninety…one and a half； then to ninety… one。 Then； in a prolonged shudder of weakness； sank steadily down by quarters to ninety； to eighty…nine； and at lasta final collapsetouched eighty…eight cents。 At that figure Jadwin began to cover。 There was danger that the buying of so large a lot might bring about a rally in the price。 But Gretry； a consummate master of Pit tactics； kept his orders scattered and bought gradually； taking some two or three days to accumulate the grain。 Jadwin's luckthe never…failing guardian of the golden wingsseemed to have the affair under immediate supervision； and reports of timely rains in the wheat belt kept the price inert while the trade was being closed。 In the end the 〃deal〃 was brilliantly successful； and Gretry was still chuckling over the set…back to the Porteous gang。 Exactly the amount of his friend's profits Jadwin did not know。 As for himself； he had received from Gretry a check for fifty thousand dollars； every cent of which was net profit。
〃I'm not going to congratulate you；〃 continued Cressler。 〃As far as that's concerned； I would rather you had lost than wonif it would have kept you out of the Pit for good。 You're cocky now。 I knowgood Lord； don't I know。 I had my share of it。 I know how a man gets drawn into this speculating game〃
〃Charlie； this wasn't speculating；〃 interrupted Jadwin。 〃It was a certainty。 It was found money。 If I had known a certain piece of real estate was going to appreciate in value I would have bought it； wouldn't I？〃
〃All the worse； if it made it seem easy and sure to you。 Do you know；〃 he added suddenly。 〃Do you know that Leaycraft has gone to keep books for a manufacturing concern out in Dubuque？〃
Jadwin pulled his mustache。 He was looking at Laura Dearborn over the heads of Landry and the Gretry girl。
〃I didn't suppose he'd be getting measured for a private yacht；〃 he murmured。 Then he continued； pulling his mustache vigorously：
〃Charlie； upon my word； what a beautifulwhat beautiful _hair_ that girl has！〃
Laura was wearing it very high that evening； the shining black coils transfixed by a strange hand…cut ivory comb that had been her grandmother's。 She was dressed in black taffeta； with a single great cabbage… rose pinned to her shoulder。 She sat very straight in her chair； one hand upon her slender hip； her head a little to one side； listening attentively to Corthell。
By this time the household of the former rectory was running smoothly； everything was in place； the Dearborns were 〃settled；〃 and a routine had begun。 Her first month in her new surroundings had been to Laura an unbroken series of little delights。 For formal social distractions she had but little taste。 She left those to Page； who； as soon as Lent was over； promptly became involved in a bewildering round of teas； 〃dancing clubs；〃 dinners； and theatre parties。 Mrs。 Wessels was her chaperone； and the little middle…aged lady found the satisfaction of a belated youth in conveying her pretty niece to the various functions that occupied her time。 Each Friday night saw her in the gallery of a certain smart dancing school of the south side； where she watched Page dance her way from the 〃first waltz〃 to the last figure of the german。 She counted the couples carefully； and on the way home was always able to say how the attendance of that particular evening compared with that of the former occasion； and also to inform Laura how many times Page had danced with the same young man。
Laura herself was more serious。 She had begun a course of reading； no novels； but solemn works full of allusions to 〃Man〃 and 〃Destiny；〃 which she underlined and annotated。 Twice a weekon Mondays and Thursdays she took a French lesson。 Corthell managed to enlist the good services of Mrs。 Wessels and escorted her to numerous piano and 'cello recitals； to lectures； to concerts。 He even succeeded in achieving the consecration of a specified afternoon once a week； spent in his studio in the Fine Arts' Building on the Lake Front； where he read to them 〃Saint Agnes Eve；〃 〃Sordello；〃 〃 The Light of Asia〃poems which； with their inversions； obscurities； and astonishing arabesques of rhetoric； left Aunt Wess' bewildered； breathless； all but stupefied。
Laura found these readings charming。 The studio was beautiful； lofty； the light dim； the sound of Corthell's voice returned from the thick hangings of velvet and tapestry in a subdued murmur。 The air was full of the odor of pastilles。
Laura could not fail to be impressed with the artist's tact； his delicacy。 In words he never referred to their conversation in the foyer of the Auditorium； only by some unexplained subtlety of attitude he manag
