the pit-第42节

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　reports　on　it　soon　now。　　You're　playing　with　a　gun；　J。；　that　kicks　further　than　it　shoots。〃

〃We've　not　shot　her　yet；〃　Jadwin　said。　　〃We're　only　just　loading　herfor　Bears；〃　he　added；　with　a　wink。

In　July　came　the　harvesting　returns　from　all　over　the　country；　proving　conclusively　that　for　the　first　time　in　six　years；　the　United　States　crop　was　to　be　small　and　poor。　　The　yield　was　moderate。　　Only　part　of　it　could　be　graded　as　〃contract。〃　　Good　wheat　would　be　valuable　from　now　on。　　Jadwin　bought　again；　and　again　it　was　a　〃lot〃　of　half　a　million　bushels。

Then　came　the　first　manifestation　of　that　marvellous　golden　luck　that　was　to　follow　Curtis　Jadwin　through　all　the　coming　months。　　The　French　wheat　crop　was　announced　as　poor。　　In　Germany　the　yield　was　to　be　far　below　the　normal。　　All　through　Hungary　the　potato　and　rye　crops　were　light。

About　the　middle　of　the　month　Jadwin　again　called　the　broker　to　his　country　house；　and　took　him　for　a　long　evening's　trip　around　the　lake；　aboard　the　〃Thetis。〃　They　were　alone。　　MacKenny　was　at　the　wheel；　and；　seated　on　camp　stools　in　the　stern　of　the　little　boat；　Jadwin　outlined　his　plans　for　the　next　few　months。

〃Sam；〃　he　said；　〃I　thought　back　in　April　there　that　we　were　to　touch　top　prices　about　the　first　of　this　month；　but　this　French　and　German　news　has　coloured　the　cat　different。　　I've　been　figuring　that　I　would　get　out　of　this　market　around　the　seventies；　but　she's　going　higher。　　I'm　going　to　hold　on　yet　awhile。〃

〃You　do　it　on　your　own　responsibility；　then；〃　said　the　broker。　　〃I　warn　you　the　price　is　top　heavy。〃

〃Not　much。　　Seventy…two　cents　is　too　cheap。　　Now　I'm　going　into　this　hard；　and　I　want　to　have　my　own　lines　outto　be　independent　of　the　trade　papers　that　Crookes　could　buy　up　any　time　he　wants　to。　　I　want　you　to　get　me　some　good；　reliable　correspondents　in　Europe；　smart；　bright　fellows　that　we　can　depend　on。　　I　want　one　in　Liverpool；　one　in　Paris；　and　one　in　Odessa；　and　I　want　them　to　cable　us　about　the　situation　every　day。〃

Gretry　thought　a　while。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　at　length；　〃。。。　yes。　　I　guess　I　can　arrange　it。　　I　can　get　you　a　good　man　in　Liverpool　Traynard　is　his　nameand　there's　two　or　three　in　Paris　we　could　pick　up。　　OdessaI　don't　know。　　I　couldn't　say　just　this　minute。　　But　I'll　fix　it。〃

These　correspondents　began　to　report　at　the　end　of　July。　　All　over　Europe　the　demand　for　wheat　was　active。　Grain　handlers　were　not　only　buying　freely；　but　were　contracting　for　future　delivery。　　In　August　came　the　first　demands　for　American　wheat；　scattered　and　sporadic　at　first；　then　later；　a　little；　a　very　little　more　insistent。

Thus　the　summer　wore　to　its　end。　　The　fall　〃situation〃　began　slowly　to　define　itself；　with　eastern　Europe　densely　populated；　overcrowdedcommencing　to　show　uneasiness　as　to　its　supply　of　food　for　the　winter；　and　with　but　a　moderate　crop　in　America　to　meet　foreign　demands。　　Russia；　the　United　States；　and　Argentine　would　have　to　feed　the　world　during　the　next　twelve　months。

Over　the　Chicago　Wheat　Pit　the　hand　of　the　great　indicator　stood　at　seventy…five　cents。　　Jadwin　sold　out　his　September　wheat　at　this　figure；　and　then　in　a　single　vast　clutch　bought　three　million　bushels　of　the　December　option。

Never　before　had　he　ventured　so　deeply　into　the　Pit。　Never　before　had　he　committed　himself　so　irrevocably　to　the　send　of　the　current。　　But　something　was　preparing。　Something　indefinite　and　huge。　　He　guessed　it；　felt　it；　knew　it。　　On　all　sides　of　him　he　felt　a　quickening　movement。　　Lethargy；　inertia　were　breaking　up。　　There　was　buoyancy　to　the　current。　　In　its　ever…increasing　swiftness　there　was　exhilaration　and　exuberance。

And　he　was　upon　the　crest　of　the　wave。　　Now　the　forethought；　the　shrewdness；　and　the　prompt　action　of　those　early　spring　days　were　beginning　to　tell。　Confident；　secure；　unassailable；　Jadwin　plunged　in。　Every　week　the　swirl　of　the　Pit　increased　in　speed；　every　week　the　demands　of　Europe　for　American　wheat　grew　more　frequent；　and　at　the　end　of　the　month　the　pricewhich　had　fluctuated　between　seventy…five　and　seventy…eightin　a　sudden　flurry　rushed　to　seventy…　nine；　to　seventy…nine　and　a　half；　and　closed；　strong；　at　the　even　eighty　cents。

On　the　day　when　the　latter　figure　was　reached　Jadwin　bought　a　seat　upon　the　Board　of　Trade。

He　was　now　no　longer　an　〃outsider。〃



VII


One　morning　in　November　of　the　same　year　Laura　joined　her　husband　at　breakfast；　preoccupied　and　a　little　grave；　her　mind　full　of　a　subject　about　which；　she　told　herself；　she　could　no　longer　keep　from　speaking。　　So　soon　as　an　opportunity　presented　itself；　which　was　when　Jadwin　laid　down　his　paper　and　drew　his　coffee…cup　towards　him；　Laura　exclaimed：

〃Curtis。〃

〃Well；　old　girl？〃

〃Curtis；　dear；　。。。　when　is　it　all　going　to　endyour　speculating？　　You　never　used　to　be　this　way。　　It　seems　as　though；　nowadays；　I　never　had　you　to　myself。　　Even　when　you　are　not　going　over　papers　and　reports　and　that；　or　talking　by　the　hour　to　Mr。　Gretry　in　the　libraryeven　when　you　are　not　doing　all　that；　your　mind　seems　to　be　away　from　medown　there　in　La　Salle　Street　or　the　Board　of　Trade　Building。　　Dearest；　you　don't　know。　　I　don't　mean　to　complain；　and　I　don't　want　to　be　exacting　or　selfish；　butsometimes　II　am　lonesome。　　Don't　interrupt；〃　she　said；　hastily。　　〃I　want　to　say　it　all　at　once；　and　then　never　speak　of　it　again。　　Last　night；　when　Mr。　Gretry　was　here；　you　said；　just　after　dinner；　that　you　would　be　all　through　your　talk　in　an　hour。　　And　I　waited。。。。　I　waited　till　eleven；　and　then　I　went　to　bed。　　Dear　III　was　lonesome。　　The　evening　was　so　long。　　I　had　put　on　my　very　prettiest　gown；　the　one　you　said　you　liked　so　much；　and　you　never　seemed　to　notice。　　You　told　me　Mr。　Gretry　was　going　by　nine；　and　I　had　it　all　planned　how　we　would　spend　the　evening　together。〃

But　she　got　no　further。　　Her　husband　had　taken　her　in　his　arms；　and　had　interrupted　her　words　with　blustering　exclamations　of　self…reproach　and　self…condemnation。　He　was　a　brute；　he　cried；　a　senseless；　selfish　ass；　who　had　no　right　to　such　a　wife；　who　was　not　worth　a　single　one　of　the　tears　that　by　now　were　trembling　on　Laura's　lashes。

〃Now　we　won't　speak　of　it　again；〃　she　began。　　〃I　suppose　I　am　selfish〃

〃Selfish；　nothing！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Don't　talk　that　way。　　I'm　the　one〃

〃But；〃　Laura　persisted；　〃some　time　you　willget　out　of　this　speculating　for　good？　　Oh；　I　do　look　forward　to　it　so！　　And；　Curtis；　what　is　the　use？　　We're　so　rich　now　we　can't　spend　our　money。　　What　do　you　want　to　make　more　for？

〃Oh；　it's　not　the　money；〃　he　answered。　　〃It's　the　fun　of　the　thing；　the　excitement〃

〃That's　just　it；　the　'excitement。'　You　don't　know；　Curtis。　　It　is　changing　you。　　You　are　so　nervous　sometimes；　and　sometimes　you　don't　listen　to　me　when　I　talk　to　you。　　I　can　just　see　what's　in　your　mind。　　It's　wheatwheatwheat；　wheatwheatwheat；　all　the　time。　Oh；　if　you　knew　how　I　hated　and　feared　it！〃

〃Well；　old　girl；　that　settles　it。　　I　wouldn't　make　you　unhappy　a　single　minute　for　all　the　wheat　in　the　world。〃

〃And　you　will　stop　speculating？〃

〃Well；　I　can't　pull　out　all　in　a　moment；　but　just　as　soon　as　a　chance　comes　I'll　get　out　of　the　market。　　At　any　rate；　I　won't　have　any　business　of　mine　come　between　us。　　I　don't　like　it　any　more　than　you　do。　Why；　how　long　is　it　since　we've　read　any　book　together；　like　we　used　to　when　you　read　aloud　to　me？〃

〃Not　since　we　came　back　from　the　country。〃

〃By　George；　that's　so；　that's　so。〃　　He　shook　his　head。　〃I've　got　to　taper　off。　　You're　right；　Laura。　　But　you　don't　know；　you　haven't　a　guess　how　this　trading　in　wheat　gets　a　hold　of　you。　　And；　then；　what　am　I　to　do？　What　are　we　fellows；　who　have　made　our　money；　to　do？　I've　got　to　be　busy。　　I　can't　sit　down　and　twiddle　my　thumbs。　　And　I　don't　believe　in　lounging　around　clubs；　or　playing　with　race　horses；　or　murdering　game　birds；　or　running　some　poor；　helpless　fox　to　death。　Speculating　seems　to　be　about　the　only　game；　or　the　only　business　that's　left　open　to　methat　appears　to　be　legitimate。　　I　know　I've　gone　too　far　into　it；　and　I　promise　you　I'll　quit。　　But　it's　fine　fun。　　When　you　know　how　to　swing　a　deal；　and　can　look　ahead；　a　little　further　than　the　other　fellows；　and　can　take　chances　they　daren't；　and　plan　and　manoeuvre；　and　then　see　it　all　come　out　just　as　you　had　known　it　would　all　along　I　tell　you　it's　absorbing。〃

〃But　you　never　do　tell　me；〃　she　objected。　　〃I　never　know　what　you　are　doing。　　I　hear　through　Mr。　Court　or　Mr。　Gretry；　but　never　through　you。　　Don't　you　think　you　could　trust　me？　　I　want　to　enter　into　your　life　on　its　every　side；　Curtis。　　Tell　me；〃　she　suddenly　demanded；　〃what　are　you　doing　now？〃

〃Very　well；　then；〃　he　said；　〃I'll　tell　you。　　Of　course　you　mustn't　speak　about　it。　　It's　nothing　very　secret；　but　it's　always　as　well　to　keep　quiet　about　these　things。〃

She　gave　her　word；　and　leaned　her　elbows　on　the　table；　prepared　to　listen　intently。　　Jadwin　crushed　a　lump　of　sugar　against　the　inside　of　his　coffee　cup。

〃Well；〃　he　began；　〃I've　not　been　doing　anything　very　exciting；　except　to　buy　wheat。〃

〃What　for？〃

〃To　sell　again。　　You　see；　I'm　one　of　those　who　believe　that　wheat　is　going　up。　　I　was　the　very　first　to　see　it；　I　guess；　way　back　last　April。　　Now　in　August　this　year；　while　we　were　up　at