the pit-第58节

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〃Can　I　come　in；　J。？〃　spoke　the　broker；　from　the　hall。　And　even　through　the　thick　curtains　they　could　hear　how　his　voice　rang　with　excitement　and　anxiety。

〃Can　I　come　in？　　I　followed　the　servant　right　up；　you　see。　　I　know〃

〃Yes；　yes。　　Come　in；〃　answered　Jadwin。　　Laura；　her　face　flushing；　threw　a　fold　of　the　couch　cover　over　her　costume　as　Gretry；　his　hat　still　on　his　head；　stepped　quickly　into　the　room。

Jadwin　met　him　half　way；　and　Laura　from　her　place　on　the　couch　heard　the　rapidly　spoken　words　between　the　general　and　his　lieutenant。

〃Now　we're　in　for　it！〃　Gretry　exclaimed。

〃Yeswell？〃　Jadwin's　voice　was　as　incisive　and　quick　as　the　fall　of　an　axe。

〃I've　just　found　out；〃　said　Gretry；　〃that　Crookes　and　his　crowd　are　going　to　take　hold　to…morrow。　　There'll　be　hell　to　pay　in　the　morning。　　They　are　going　to　attack　us　the　minute　the　gong　goes。〃

〃Who's　with　them？〃

〃I　don't　know；　nobody　does。　　Sweeny；　of　course。　　But　he　has　a　gang　back　of　himbesides；　he's　got　good　credit　with　the　banks。　　I　told　you　you'd　have　to　fight　him　sooner　or　later。〃

〃Well；　we'll　fight　him　then。　　Don't　get　scared。　Crookes　ain't　the　Great　Mogul。〃

〃Holy　Moses；　I'd　like　to　know　who　is；　then。〃

〃_I_　am。　　And　he's　got　to　know　it。　　There's　not　room　for　Crookes　and　me　in　this　game。　　One　of　us　two　has　got　to　control　this　market。　　If　he　gets　in　my　way；　by　God；　I'll　smash　him！〃

〃Well；　then；　J。；　you　and　I　have　got　to　do　some　tall　talking　to…night。　　You'd　better　come　down　to　the　Grand　Pacific　Hotel　right　away。　　Court　is　there　already。　　It　was　him；　nervy　little　cuss；　that　found　out　about　Crookes。　　Can　you　come　now；　at　once？　　Good　evening；　Mrs。　Jadwin。　　I'm　sorry　to　take　him　from　you；　but　business　is　business。〃

No；　it　was　not。　　To　the　wife　of　the　great　manipulator；　listening　with　a　sinking　heart　to　this　courier　from　the　front；　it　was　battle。　　The　Battle　of　the　Streets　was　again　in　array。　　Again　the　trumpet　sounded；　again　the　rush　of　thousands　of　feet　filled　all　the　air。　　Even　here；　here　in　her　home；　her　husband's　head　upon　her　lap；　in　the　quiet　and　stillness　of　her　hour；　the　distant　rumble　came　to　her　ears。　　Somewhere；　far　off　there　in　the　darkness　of　the　night；　the　great　forces　were　manoeuvring　for　position　once　more。　　To…morrow　would　come　the　grapple；　and　one　or　the　other　must　fall　her　husband　or　the　enemy。　　How　keep　him　to　herself　when　the　great　conflict　impended？　　She　knew　how　the　thunder　of　the　captains　and　the　shoutings　appealed　to　him。　　She　had　seen　him　almost　leap　to　his　arms　out　of　her　embrace。　　He　was　all　the　man　she　had　called　him；　and　less　strong；　less　eager；　less　brave；　she　would　have　loved　him　less。

Yet　she　had　lost　him　again；　lost　him　at　the　very　moment　she　believed　she　had　won　him　back。

〃Don't　go；　don't　go；〃　she　whispered　to　him；　as　he　kissed　her　good…by。　　〃Oh；　dearest；　don't　go！　This　was　my　evening。〃

〃I　must；　I　must；　Laura。　　Good…by；　old　girl。　　Don't　keep　mesee；　Sam　is　waiting。〃

He　kissed　her　hastily　twice。

〃Now；　Sam；〃　he　said；　turning　toward　the　broker。

〃Good　night；　Mrs。　Jadwin。'；

〃Good…by；　old　girl。〃

They　turned　toward　the　door。

〃You　see；　young　Court　was　down　there　at　the　bank；　and　he　noticed　that　checks〃

The　voices　died　away　as　the　hangings　of　the　entrance　fell　to　place。　　The　front　door　clashed　and　closed。

Laura　sat　upright　in　her　place；　listening；　one　fist　pressed　against　her　lips。

There　was　no　more　noise。　　The　silence　of　the　vast　empty　house　widened　around　her　at　the　shutting　of　the　door　as　the　ripples　widen　on　a　pool　with　the　falling　of　the　stone。　　She　crushed　her　knuckles　tighter　and　tighter　over　her　lips；　she　pressed　her　fingers　to　her　eyes；　she　slowly　clasped　and　reclasped　her　hands；　listening　for　what　she　did　not　know。　　She　thought　of　her　husband　hurrying　away　from　her；　ignoring　her；　and　her　love　for　him　in　the　haste　and　heat　of　battle。　　She　thought　of　Corthell；　whom　she　had　sent　from　her；　forever；　shutting　his　love　from　out　her　life。

Crushed；　broken；　Laura　laid　herself　down　among　the　cushions；　her　face　buried　in　her　arm。　　Above　her　and　around　her　rose　the　dimly　lit　gallery；　lowering　with　luminous　shadows。　　Only　a　point　or　two　of　light　illuminated　the　place。　　The　gold　frames　of　the　pictures　reflected　it　dully；　the　massive　organ　pipes；　just　outlined　in　faint　blurs　of　light；　towered　far　into　the　gloom　above。　　The　whole　place；　with　its　half…seen　gorgeous　hangings；　its　darkened　magnificence；　was　like　a　huge；　dim　interior　of　Byzantium。

Lost；　beneath　the　great　height　of　the　dome；　and　in　the　wide　reach　of　the　floor　space；　in　her　foolish　finery　of　bangles；　silks；　high　comb；　and　little　rosetted　slippers；　Laura　Jadwin　lay　half　hidden　among　the　cushions　of　the　couch。　　If　she　wept；　she　wept　in　silence；　and　the　muffling　stillness　of　the　lofty　gallery　was　broken　but　once；　when　a　cry；　half　whisper；　half　sob；　rose　to　the　deaf；　blind　darkness：

〃Oh；　now　I　am　alone；　alone；　alone！〃



IX


〃Well；　that's　about　all　then；　I　guess；〃　said　Gretry　at　last；　as　he　pushed　back　his　chair　and　rose　from　the　table。

He　and　Jadwin　were　in　a　room　on　the　third　floor　of　the　Grand　Pacific　Hotel；　facing　Jackson　Street。　　It　was　three　o'clock　in　the　morning。　　Both　men　were　in　their　shirt…sleeves；　the　table　at　which　they　had　been　sitting　was　scattered　over　with　papers；　telegraph　blanks；　and　at　Jadwin's　elbow　stood　a　lacquer　tray　filled　with　the　stumps　of　cigars　and　burnt　matches；　together　with　one　of　the　hotel　pitchers　of　ice　water。

〃Yes；〃　assented　Jadwin；　absently；　running　through　a　sheaf　of　telegrams；　〃that's　all　we　can　dountil　we　see　what　kind　of　a　game　Crookes　means　to　play。　　I'll　be　at　your　office　by　eight。〃

〃Well；〃　said　the　broker；　getting　into　his　coat；　〃I　guess　I'll　go　to　my　room　and　try　to　get　a　little　sleep。　I　wish　I　could　see　how　we'll　be　to…morrow　night　at　this　time。〃

Jadwin　made　a　sharp　movement　of　impatience。

〃Damnation；　Sam；　aren't　you　ever　going　to　let　up　croaking？　　If　you're　afraid　of　this　thing；　get　out　of　it。　　Haven't　I　got　enough　to　bother　me？〃

〃Oh；　say！　　Say；　hold　on；　hold　on；　old　man；〃　remonstrated　the　broker；　in　an　injured　voice。　　〃You're　terrible　touchy　sometimes；　J。；　of　late。　　I　was　only　trying　to　look　ahead　a　little。　　Don't　think　I　want　to　back　out。　　You　ought　to　know　me　by　this　time；　J。〃

〃There；　there；　I'm　sorry；　Sam；〃　Jadwin　hastened　to　answer；　getting　up　and　shaking　the　other　by　the　shoulder。　　〃I　_am_　touchy　these　days。　　There's　so　many　things　to　think　of；　and　all　at　the　same　time。　　I　do　get　nervous。　　I　never　slept　one　little　wink　last　nightand　you　know　the　night　before　I　didn't　turn　in　till　two　in　the　morning。〃

〃Lord；　you　go　swearing　and　damning　'round　here　like　a　pirate　sometimes；　J。；〃　Gretry　went　on。　　〃I　haven't　heard　you　cuss　before　in　twenty　years。　　Look　out；　now；　that　I　don't　tell　on　you　to　your　Sunday…school　superintendents。〃

〃I　guess　they'd　cuss；　too；〃　observed　Jadwin；　〃if　they　were　long　forty　million　wheat；　and　had　to　know　just　where　every　hatful　of　it　was　every　second　of　the　time。　It　was　all　very　well　for　us　to　whoop　about　swinging　a　corner　that　afternoon　in　your　office。　　But　the　real　thingwell；　you　don't　have　any　trouble　keeping　awake。　Do　you　suppose　we　can　keep　the　fact　of　our　corner　dark　much　longer？〃

〃I　fancy　not；〃　answered　the　broker；　putting　on　his　hat　and　thrusting　his　papers　into　his　breast　pocket。　　〃If　we　bust　Crookes；　it'll　come　outand　it　won't　matter　then。　　I　think　we've　got　all　the　shorts　there　are。〃

〃I'm　laying　particularly　for　Dave　Scannel；〃　remarked　Jadwin。　　〃I　hope　he's　in　up　to　his　neck；　and　if　he　is；　by　the　Great　Horn　Spoon；　I'll　bankrupt　him；　or　my　name　is　not　Jadwin！　　I'll　wring　him　bone…dry。　　If　I　once　get　a　twist　of　that　rat；　I　won't　leave　him　hide　nor　hair　to　cover　the　wart　he　calls　his　heart。〃

〃Why；　what　all　has　Scannel　ever　done　to　you？〃　demanded　the　other；　amazed。

〃Nothing；　but　I　found　out　the　other　day　that　old　Harguspoor　old；　broken…backed；　half…starved　HargusI　found　out　that　it　was　Scannel　that　ruined　him。　　Hargus　and　he　had　a　big　deal　on；　you　knowoh；　ages　agoand　Scannel　sold　out　on　him。　　Great　God；　it　was　the　dirtiest；　damnedest　treachery　I　ever　heard　of！　　Scannel　made　his　pile；　and　what's　Hargus　now？　　Why；　he's　a　scarecrow。　　And　he　has　a　little　niece　that　he　supports；　heaven　only　knows　how。　　I've　seen　her；　and　she's　pretty　as　a　picture。　　Well；　that's　all　right；　I'm　going　to　carry　fifty　thousand　wheat　for　Hargus；　and　I've　got　another　scheme　for　him；　too。　　By　God；　the　poor　old　boy　won't　go　hungry　again　if　I　know　it！　But　if　I　lay　my　hands　on　Scannelif　we　catch　him　in　the　cornerholy；　suffering　Moses；　but　I'll　make　him　squeal！〃

Gretry　nodded；　to　say　he　understood　and　approved。

〃I　guess　you've　got　him；〃　he　remarked。　　〃Well；　I　must　get　to　bed。　　Good　night；　J。〃

〃Good　night；　Sam。　　See　you　in　the　morning。〃

And　before　the　door　of　the　room　was　closed；　Jadwin　was　back　at　the　table　again。　　Once　more；　painfully；　toilfully；　he　went　over　his　plans；　retesting；　altering；　recombining；　his　hands　full　of　lists；　of　despatches；　and　of　endless　columns　of　memoranda。　　Occasionally　he　murmured　fragments　of　sentences　to　himself。　　〃H'm　。。。　I　must　look　out　for　that。。。。　　They　can't　touch　us　there。。。。　　The　annex　of　that　Nickel　Plate　elevator　will　holdlet's　see　。。。　　half　a　million。。。。　　If　I　buy　the　grain　within　five　days　after　a