the pit-第36节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ed　the　nest　of　balls　with　a　movement　of　his　chin。　　〃Will　you　break？〃

Jadwin　broke　and　scored；　leaving　one　ball　three　inches　in　front　of　a　corner　pocket。　　He　called　the　shot；　and　as　he　drew　back　his　cue　he　said；　deliberately：

〃Just　as　sure　as　I　make　this　pocket　wheat　willnot　go　offanother_cent。_〃

With　the　last　word　he　drove　the　ball　home　and　straightened　up。　　Gretry　laid　down　his　cue　and　looked　at　him　quickly。　　But　he　did　not　speak。　　Jadwin　sat　down　on　one　of　the　straight…backed　chairs　upon　the　raised　platform　against　the　wall　and　rested　his　elbows　upon　his　knees。

〃Sam；〃　he　said；　〃the　time　is　come　for　a　great　big　change。〃　　He　emphasised　the　word　with　a　tap　of　his　cue　upon　the　floor。　　〃We　can't　play　our　game　the　way　we've　been　playing　it　the　last　three　years。　　We've　been　hammering　wheat　down　and　down　and　down；　till　we've　got　it　below　the　cost　of　production；　and　now　she　won't　go　any　further　with　all　the　hammering　in　the　world。　　The　other　fellows；　the　rest　of　this　Bear　crowd；　don't　seem　to　see　it；　but　I　see　it。　　Before　fall　we're　going　to　have　higher　prices。　　Wheat　is　going　up；　and　when　it　does　I　mean　to　be　right　there。〃

〃We're　going　to　have　a　dull　market　right　up　to　the　beginning　of　winter；〃　persisted　the　other。

〃Come　and　say　that　to　me　at　the　beginning　of　winter；　then；〃　Jadwin　retorted。　　〃Look　here；　Sam；　I'm　short　of　May　five　hundred　thousand　bushels；　and　to…morrow　morning　you　are　going　to　send　your　boys　on　the　floor　for　me　and　close　that　trade。〃

〃You're　crazy；　J。；〃　protested　the　broker。　　〃Hold　on　another　month；　and　I　promise　you；　you'll　thank　me。〃

〃Not　another　day；　not　another　hour。　　This　Bear　campaign　of　ours　has　come　to　an　end。　　That's　said　and　signed。〃

〃Why；　it's　just　in　its　prime；〃　protested　the　broker。　〃Great　heavens；　you　mustn't　get　out　of　the　game　now；　after　hanging　on　for　three　years。〃

〃I'm　not　going　to　get　out　of　it。〃

〃Why；　good　Lord！〃　said　Gretry；　〃you　don't　mean　to　say　that〃

〃That　I'm　going　over。　　That's　exactly　what　I　do　mean。　I'm　going　to　change　over　so　quick　to　the　other　side　that　I'll　be　there　before　you　can　take　off　your　hat。　I'm　done　with　a　Bear　game。　　It　was　good　while　it　lasted；　but　we've　worked　it　for　all　there　was　in　it。　I'm　not　only　going　to　cover　my　May　shorts　and　get　out　of　that　trade；　but〃Jadwin　leaned　forward　and　struck　his　hand　upon　his　knee〃but　I'm　going　to　_buy。_　I'm　going　to　buy　September　wheat；　and　I'm　going　to　buy　it　to…morrow；　five　hundred　thousand　bushels　of　it；　and　if　the　market　goes　as　I　think　it　will　later　on；　I'm　going　to　buy　more。　　I'm　no　Bear　any　longer。　　I'm　going　to　boost　this　market　right　through　till　the　last　bell　rings；　and　from　now　on　Curtis　Jadwin　spells　B…u…　double　lBull。〃

〃They'll　slaughter　you；〃　said　Gretry；　〃slaughter　you　in　cold　blood。　　You're　just　one　man　against　a　ganga　gang　of　cutthroats。　　Those　Bears　have　got　millions　and　millions　back　of　them。　　You　don't　suppose；　do　you；　that　old　man　Crookes；　or　Kenniston；　or　little　Sweeny；　or　all　that　lot　would　give　you　one　little　bit　of　a　chance　for　your　life　if　they　got　a　grip　on　you。　　Cover　your　shorts　if　you　want　to；　but；　for　God's　sake；　don't　begin　to　buy　in　the　same　breath。　　You　wait　a　while。　　If　this　market　has　touched　bottom；　we'll　be　able　to　tell　in　a　few　days。　　I'll　admit；　for　the　sake　of　argument；　that　just　now　there's　a　pause。　　But　nobody　can　tell　whether　it　will　turn　up　or　down　yet。　　Now's　the　time　to　be　conservative；　to　play　it　cautious。〃

〃If　I　was　conservative　and　cautious；〃　answered　Jadwin；　〃I　wouldn't　be　in　this　game　at　all。　　I'd　be　buying　U。S。　four　percents。　　That's　the　big　mistake　so　many　of　these　fellows　down　here　make。　　They　go　into　a　game　where　the　only　ones　who　can　possibly　win　are　the　ones　who　take　big　chances；　and　then　they　try　to　play　the　thing　cautiously。　　If　I　wait　a　while　till　the　market　turns　up　and　everybody　is　buying；　how　am　I　any　the　better　off？　No；　sir；　you　buy　the　September　option　for　me　to…morrow　five　hundred　thousand　bushels。　　I　deposited　the　margin　to　your　credit　in　the　Illinois　Trust　this　afternoon。〃

There　was　a　long　silence。　　Gretry　spun　a　ball　between　his　fingers；　top…fashion。

〃Well；〃　he　said　at　last；　hesitatingly；　〃wellI　don't　know；　J。you　are　either　Napoleonicoror　a　colossal　idiot。〃

〃Neither　one　nor　the　other；　Samuel。　　I'm　just　using　a　little　common　sense。。。。　　Is　it　your　shot？；〃

〃I'm　blessed　if　I　know。〃

〃Well；　we'll　start　a　new　game。　　Sam；　I'll　give　you　six　balls　and　beat　you　in〃he　looked　at　his　watch〃beat　you　before　half…past　nine。〃

〃For　a　dollar？〃

〃I　never　bet；　Sam；　and　you　know　it。〃

Half　an　hour　later　Jadwin　said：

〃Shall　we　go　down　and　join　the　ladies？　　Don't　put　out　your　cigar。　　That's　one　bargain　I　made　with　Laura　before　we　moved　in　herethat　smoking　was　allowable　everywhere。〃

〃Room　enough；　I　guess；〃　observed　the　broker；　as　the　two　stepped　into　the　elevator。　　〃How　many　rooms　have　you　got　here；　by　the　way？〃

〃Upon　my　word；　I　don't　know；〃　answered　Jadwin。　　〃I　discovered　a　new　one　yesterday。　　Fact。　　I　was　having　a　look　around；　and　I　came　out　into　a　little　kind　of　smoking…room　or　other　that；　I　swear；　I'd　never　seen　before。　　I　had　to　get　Laura　to　tell　me　about　it。〃

The　elevator　sank　to　the　lower　floor；　and　Jadwin　and　the　broker　stepped　out　into　the　main　hallway。　　From　the　drawing…room　near　by　came　the　sound　of　women　s　voices。

〃Before　we　go　in；〃　said　Jadwin；　〃I　want　you　to　see　our　art　gallery　and　the　organ。　　Last　time　you　were　up；　remember；　the　men　were　still　at　work　in　here。〃

They　passed　down　a　broad　corridor；　and　at　the　end；　just　before　parting　the　heavy；　sombre　curtains；　Jadwin　pressed　a　couple　of　electric　buttons；　and　in　the　open　space　above　the　curtain　sprang　up　a　lambent；　steady　glow。

The　broker；　as　he　entered；　gave　a　long　whistle。　　The　art　gallery　took　in　the　height　of　two　of　the　stories　of　the　house。　　It　was　shaped　like　a　rotunda；　and　topped　with　a　vast　airy　dome　of　coloured　glass。　　Here　and　there　about　the　room　were　glass　cabinets　full　of　bibelots；　ivory　statuettes；　old　snuff　boxes；　fans　of　the　sixteenth　and　seventeenth　centuries。　　The　walls　themselves　were　covered　with　a　multitude　of　pictures；　oils；　water…colours；　with　one　or　two　pastels。

But　to　the　left　of　the　entrance；　let　into　the　frame　of　the　building；　stood　a　great　organ；　large　enough　for　a　cathedral；　and　giving　to　view；　in　the　dulled　incandescence　of　the　electrics；　its　sheaves　of　mighty　pipes。

〃Well；　this　is　something　like；〃　exclaimed　the　broker。

〃I　don't　know　much　about　'em　myself；〃　hazarded　Jadwin；　looking　at　the　pictures；　〃but　Laura　can　tell　you。　　We　bought　most　of　'em　while　we　were　abroad；　year　before　last。　　Laura　says　this　is　the　best。〃　　He　indicated　a　large　〃Bougereau〃　that　represented　a　group　of　nymphs　bathing　in　a　woodland　pool。

〃H'm！〃　said　the　broker；　〃you　wouldn't　want　some　of　your　Sunday…school　superintendents　to　see　this　now。　　This　is　what　the　boys　down　on　the　Board　would　call　a　bar…room　picture。〃

But　Jadwin　did　not　laugh。

〃It　never　struck　me　in　just　that　way；〃　he　said；　gravely。

〃It's　a　fine　piece　of　work；　though；〃　Gretry　hastened　to　add。　　〃Fine；　great　colouring。〃

〃I　like　this　one　pretty　well；〃　continued　Jadwin；　moving　to　a　canvas　by　Detaille。　　It　was　one　of　the　inevitable　studies　of　a　cuirassier；　in　this　case　a　trumpeter；　one　arm　high　in　the　air；　the　hand　clutching　the　trumpet；　the　horse；　foam…flecked；　at　a　furious　gallop。　　In　the　rear；　through　clouds　of　dust；　the　rest　of　the　squadron　was　indicated　by　a　few　points　of　colour。

〃Yes；　that's　pretty　neat；〃　concurred　Gretry。　　〃He's　sure　got　a　gait　on。　　Lord；　what　a　lot　of　accoutrements　those　French　fellows　stick　on。　　Now　our　boys　would　chuck　about　three…fourths　of　that　truck　before　going　into　action。。。。　　Queer　way　these　artists　work；〃　he　went　on；　peering　close　to　the　canvas。　　〃Look　at　it　close　up　and　it's　just　a　lot　of　little　daubs；　but　you　get　off　a　distance〃he　drew　back；　cocking　his　head　to　one　side　〃and　you　see　now。　　Heysee　how　the　thing　bunches　up。　Pretty　neat；　isn't　it？〃　He　turned　from　the　picture　and　rolled　his　eyes　about　the　room。

〃Well；　well；〃　he　murmured。　　〃This　certainly　is　the　real　thing；　J。　I　suppose；　now；　it　all　represents　a　pretty　big　pot　of　money。〃

〃I'm　not　quite　used　to　it　yet　myself；〃　said　Jadwin。　　〃I　was　in　here　last　Sunday；　thinking　it　all　over；　the　new　house；　and　the　money　and　all。　　And　it　struck　me　as　kind　of　queer　the　way　things　have　turned　out　for　me。。。。　Sam；　do　you　know；　I　can　remember　the　time；　up　there　in　Ottawa　County；　Michigan；　on　my　old　dad's　farm；　when　I　used　to　have　to　get　up　before　day…break　to　tend　the　stock；　and　my　sister　and　I　used　to　run　out　quick　into　the　stable　and　stand　in　the　warm　cow　fodder　in　the　stalls　to　warm　our　bare　feet。

She　up　and　died　when　she　was　about　eighteengalloping　consumption。　　Yes；　sir。　　By　George；　how　I　loved　that　little　sister　of　mine！　_You_　remember　her；　Sam。　Remember　how　you　used　to　come　out　from　Grand　Rapids　every　now　and　then　to　go　squirrel　shooting　with　me？〃

〃Sure；　sure。　　Oh；　I　haven't　forgot。〃

〃Well；　I　was　wishing　the　other　day　that　I　could　bring　Sadie　down　here；　andoh；　I　don't　knowgive　her　a　good　time。　　She　never　had　a　good　time　when　she　was　alive。　Work；　work；　work；　morning；　noon；　and　night。　　I'd　like　to　have　made　it　up　to　her。　　I　believe　in　making　people　happy；　Sam。　　That's　the　way　I　take　my　fun。