the pit-第47节

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〃Hey？〃　he　said。　　〃What　do　you　think　of　that　Laura；〃　he　clapped　down　his　big　hand　upon　his　chair　arm；　〃a　whole　half　millionat　one　grab？　　Maybe　they'll　say　down　there　in　La　Salle　Street　now　that　I　don't　know　wheat。　　Why；　Samthat's　Gretry　my　broker；　Mr。　Corthell；　of　Gretry；　Converse　&　Co。Sam　said　to　me　Laura；　to…night；　he　said；　'J。；'they　call　me　'J。'　down　there；　Mr。　Corthell'J。；　I　take　off　my　hat　to　you。　　I　thought　you　were　wrong　from　the　very　first；　but　I　guess　you　know　this　game　better　than　I　do。'　Yes；　sir；　that's　what　he　said；　and　Sam　Gretry　has　been　trading　in　wheat　for　pretty　nearly　thirty　years。　　Oh；　I　knew　it；〃　he　cried；　with　a　quick　gesture；　〃I　knew　wheat　was　going　to　go　up。　I　knew　it　from　the　first；　when　all　the　rest　of　em　laughed　at　me。　　I　knew　this　European　demand　would　hit　us　hard　about　this　time。　　I　knew　it　was　a　good　thing　to　buy　wheat；　I　knew　it　was　a　good　thing　to　have　special　agents　over　in　Europe。　　Oh；　they'll　all　buy　nowwhen　I've　showed　'em　the　way。　　Upon　my　word；　I　haven't　talked　so　much　in　a　month　of　Sundays。　　You　must　pardon　me；　Mr。　Corthell。　　I　don't　make　five　hundred　thousand　every　day。〃

〃But　this　is　the　lastisn't　it？〃　said　Laura。

〃Yes；〃　admitted　Jadwin；　with　a　quick；　deep　breath。　〃I'm　done　now。　　No　more　speculating。　　Let　some　one　else　have　a　try　now。　　See　if　they　can　hold　five　million　bushels　till　it's　wanted。　　My；　my；　I　am　tiredas　I've　said　before。　　D'that　tea　come；　Laura？〃

〃What's　that　in　your　hand？〃　she　answered；　smiling。

Jadwin　stared　at　the　cup　and　saucer　he　held；　whimsically。　　〃Well；　well；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃I　must　be　flustered。　　Corthell；〃　he　declared　between　swallows；　〃take　my　advice。　　Buy　May　wheat。　　It'll　beat　art　all　hollow。〃

〃Oh；　dear；　no；〃　returned　the　artist。　　〃I　should　lose　my　senses　if　I　won；　and　my　money　if　I　didn't。

〃That's　so。　　Keep　out　of　it。　　It's　a　rich　man's　game。　And　at　that；　there's　no　fun　in　it　unless　you　risk　more　than　you　can　afford　to　lose。　　Well；　let's　not　talk　shop。　　You're　an　artist；　Mr。　Corthell。　　What　do　you　think　of　our　house？〃

Later　on　when　they　had　said　good…by　to　Corthell；　and　when　Jadwin　was　making　the　rounds　of　the　library；　art　gallery；　and　drawing…roomsa　nightly　task　which　he　never　would　intrust　to　the　servantsturning　down　the　lights　and　testing　the　window　fastenings；　his　wife　said：

〃And　now　you　are　out　of　itfor　good。〃

〃I　don't　own　a　grain　of　wheat；〃　he　assured　her。　　〃I've　got　to　be　out　of　it。〃

The　next　day　he　went　down　town　for　only　two　or　three　hours　in　the　afternoon。　　But　he　did　not　go　near　the　Board　of　Trade　building。　　He　talked　over　a　few　business　matters　with　the　manager　of　his　real　estate　office；　wrote　an　unimportant　letter　or　two；　signed　a　few　orders；　was　back　at　home　by　five　o'clock；　and　in　the　evening　took　Laura；　Page；　and　Landry　Court　to　the　theatre　。

After　breakfast　the　next　morning；　when　he　had　read　his　paper；　he　got　up；　and；　thrusting　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　looked　across　the　table　at　his　wife。

〃Well；〃　he　said。　　〃Now　what'll　we　do？〃

She　put　down　at　once　the　letter　she　was　reading。

〃Would　you　like　to　drive　in　the　park？〃　she　suggested。　〃It　is　a　beautiful　morning。〃

〃Mmyes；〃　he　answered　slowly。　　〃All　right。　　Let's　drive　in　the　park。〃

But　she　could　see　that　the　prospect　was　not　alluring　to　him。

〃No；〃　she　said；　〃no。　　I　don't　think　you　want　to　do　that。〃

〃I　don't　think　I　do；　either；〃　he　admitted。　　〃The　fact　is；　Laura；　I　just　about　know　that　park　by　heart。　　Is　there　anything　good　in　the　magazines　this　month？〃

She　got　them　for　him；　and　he　installed　himself　comfortably　in　the　library；　with　a　box　of　cigars　near　at　hand。

〃Ah；〃　he　said；　fetching　a　long　breath　as　he　settled　back　in　the　deep…seated　leather　chair。　　〃Now　this　is　what　I　call　solid　comfort。　　Better　than　stewing　and　fussing　about　La　Salle　Street　with　your　mind　loaded　down　with　responsibilities　and　all。　　This　is　my　idea　of　life。〃

But　an　hour　later；　when　Laurawho　had　omitted　her　ride　that　morninglooked　into　the　room；　he　was　not　there。　The　magazines　were　helter…skeltered　upon　the　floor　and　table；　where　he　had　tossed　each　one　after　turning　the　leaves。　　A　servant　told　her　that　Mr。　Jadwin　was　out　in　the　stables。

She　saw　him　through　the　window；　in　a　cap　and　great…　coat；　talking　with　the　coachman　and　looking　over　one　of　the　horses。　　But　he　came　back　to　the　house　in　a　little　while；　and　she　found　him　in　his　smoking…room　with　a　novel　in　his　hand。

〃Oh；　I　read　that　last　week；〃　she　said；　as　she　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　title。　　〃Isn't　it　interesting？　　Don't　you　think　it　is　good？〃

〃Ohyespretty　good；〃　he　admitted。　　〃Isn't　it　about　time　for　lunch？　　Let's　go　to　the　matinee　this　afternoon；　Laura。　　Oh；　that's　so；　it's　Thursday；　I　forgot。〃

〃Let　me　read　that　aloud　to　you；〃　she　said；　reaching　for　the　book。　　〃I　know　you'll　be　interested　when　you　get　farther　along。〃

〃Honestly；　I　don't　think　I　would　be；〃　he　declared。　〃I've　looked　ahead　in　it。　　It　seems　terribly　dry。　　Do　you　know；〃　he　said；　abruptly；　〃if　the　law　was　off　I'd　go　up　to　Geneva　Lake　and　fish　through　the　ice。　　Laura；　how　would　you　like　to　go　to　Florida？〃

〃Oh；　I　tell　you；〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃Let's　go　up　to　Geneva　Lake　over　Christmas。　　We'll　open　up　the　house　and　take　some　of　the　servants　along　and　have　a　house　party。〃

Eventually　this　was　done。　　The　Cresslers　and　the　Gretrys　were　invited；　together　with　Sheldon　Corthell　and　Landry　Court。　　Page　and　Aunt　Wess'　came　as　a　matter　of　course。　　Jadwin　brought　up　some　of　the　horses　and　a　couple　of　sleighs。　　On　Christmas　night　they　had　a　great　tree；　and　Corthell　composed　the　words　and　music　for　a　carol　which　had　a　great　success。

About　a　week　later；　two　days　after　New　Year's　day；　when　Landry　came　down　from　Chicago　on　the　afternoon　train；　he　was　full　of　the　tales　of　a　great　day　on　the　Board　of　Trade。　　Laura；　descending　to　the　sitting…room；　just　before　dinner；　found　a　group　in　front　of　the　fireplace；　where　the　huge　logs　were　hissing　and　crackling。　　Her　husband　and　Cressler　were　there；　and　Gretry；　who　had　come　down　on　an　earlier　train。　　Page　sat　near　at　hand；　her　chin　on　her　palm；　listening　intently　to　Landry；　who　held　the　centre　of　the　stage　for　the　moment。　　In　a　far　corner　of　the　room　Sheldon　Corthell；　in　a　dinner　coat　and　patent…leather　pumps；　a　cigarette　between　his　fingers；　read　a　volume　of　Italian　verse。

〃It　was　the　confirmation　of　the　failure　of　the　Argentine　crop　that　did　it；〃　Landry　was　saying；　〃that　and　the　tremendous　foreign　demand。　　She　opened　steady　enough　at　eighty…three；　but　just　as　soon　as　the　gong　tapped　we　began　to　get　it。　　Buy；　buy；　buy。　　Everybody　is　in　it　now。　　The　public　are　speculating。　　For　one　fellow　who　wants　to　sell　there　are　a　dozen　buyers。　　We　had　one　of　the　hottest　times　I　ever　remember　in　the　Pit　this　morning〃

Laura　saw　Jadwin's　eyes　snap。

〃I　told　you　we'd　get　this；　Sam；〃　he　said；　nodding　to　the　broker。

〃Oh；　there's　plenty　of　wheat；〃　answered　Gretry；　easily。　〃Wait　till　we　get　dollar　wheatif　we　doand　see　it　come　out。　　The　farmers　haven't　sold　it　all　yet。　There's　always　an　army　of　ancient　hayseeds　who　have　the　stuff　tucked　awayin　old　stockings；　I　guessand　who'll　dump　it　on　you　all　right　if　you　pay　enough。　There's　plenty　of　wheat。　　I've　seen　it　happen　before。　Work　the　price　high　enough；　and；　Lord；　how　they'll　scrape　the　bins　to　throw　it　at　you！　You'd　never　guess　from　what　out…of…the…way　places　it　would　come。〃

〃I　tell　you；　Sam；〃　retorted　Jadwin；　〃the　surplus　of　wheat　is　going　out　of　the　countryand　it's　going　fast。　And　some　of　these　shorts　will　have　to　hustle　lively　for　it　pretty　soon。〃

〃The　Crookes　gang；　though；〃　observed　Landry；　〃seem　pretty　confident　the　market　will　break。　　I'm　sure　they　were　selling　short　this　morning。〃

〃The　idea；〃　exclaimed　Jadwin；　incredulously；　〃the　idea　of　selling　short　in　face　of　this　Argentine　collapse；　and　all　this　Bull　news　from　Europe！〃

〃Oh；　there　are　plenty　of　shorts；〃　urged　Gretry。　〃Plenty　of　them。〃

Try　as　he　would；　the　echoes　of　the　rumbling　of　the　Pit　reached　Jadwin　at　every　hour　of　the　day　and　night。　　The　maelstrom　there　at　the　foot　of　La　Salle　Street　was　swirling　now　with　a　mightier　rush　than　for　years　past。　Thundering；　its　vortex　smoking；　it　sent　its　whirling　far　out　over　the　country；　from　ocean　to　ocean；　sweeping　the　wheat　into　its　currents；　sucking　it　in；　and　spewing　it　out　again　in　the　gigantic　pulses　of　its　ebb　and　flow。

And　he；　Jadwin；　who　knew　its　every　eddy；　who　could　foretell　its　every　ripple；　was　out　of　it；　out　of　it。　Inactive；　he　sat　there　idle　while　the　clamour　of　the　Pit　swelled　daily　louder；　and　while　other　men；　men　of　little　minds；　of　narrow　imaginations；　perversely；　blindly　shut　their　eyes　to　the　swelling　of　its　waters；　neglecting　the　chances　which　he　would　have　known　how　to　use　with　such　large；　such　vast　results。　　That　mysterious　event　which　long　ago　he　felt　was　preparing；　was　not　yet　consummated。　　The　great　Fact；　the　great　Result　which　was　at　last　to　issue　forth　from　all　this　turmoil　was　not　yet　achieved。　　Would　it　refuse　to　come　until　a　master　hand；　all　powerful；　all　daring；　gripped　the　levers　of　the　sluice　gates　that　controlled　the　crashing　waters　of　the　Pit？　　He　did　not　know。　　Was　it　the　moment　for　a　chief？

Was　this　upheaval　a　revolution　that　called　aloud　for　its　Napoleon？　　Would　another；　not　himself；　at　last；　seeing　where　so　many　shut　their　eyes；　step