the pit-第60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！


of　the　Bears　to　drag　it　down。

A　feeling　of　nervousness　began　to　prevail。　　The　small　traders；　who　had　been　wild　to　sell　short　during　the　first　days　of　the　movement；　began　on　Monday　to　cover　a　little　here　and　there。

〃Now；〃　declared　Jadwin　that　night；　〃now's　the　time　to　open　up　all　along　the　line　_hard。_　　If　we　start　her　with　a　rush　to…morrow　morning；　she'll　go　to　a　dollar　all　by　herself。〃

Tuesday　morning；　therefore；　the　Gretry…Converse　traders　bought　another　five　million　bushels。　　The　price　under　this　stimulus　went　up　with　the　buoyancy　of　a　feather。　The　little　shorts；　more　and　more　uneasy；　and　beginning　to　cover　by　the　scores；　forced　it　up　even　higher。

The　nervousness　of　the　〃crowd〃　increased。　　Perhaps；　after　all；　Crookes　was　not　so　omnipotent。　　Perhaps；　after　all；　the　Unknown　Bull　had　another　fight　in　him。　Then　the　〃outsiders〃　came　into　the　market。　　All　in　a　moment　all　the　traders　were　talking　〃higher　prices。〃　Everybody　now　was　as　eager　to　buy　as；　a　week　before；　they　had　been　eager　to　sell。　　The　price　went　up　by　convulsive　bounds。　　Crookes　dared　not　buy；　dared　not　purchase　the　wheat　to　make　good　his　promises　of　delivery；　for　fear　of　putting　up　the　price　on　himself　higher　still。　　Dismayed；　chagrined；　and　humiliated；　he　and　his　clique　sat　back　inert；　watching　the　tremendous　reaction；　hoping　against　hope　that　the　market　would　break　again。

But　now　it　became　difficult　to　get　wheat　at　all。　　All　of　a　sudden　nobody　was　selling。　　The　buyers　in　the　Pit　commenced　to　bid　against　each　other；　offering　a　dollar　and　two　cents。　　The　wheat　did　not　〃come　out。〃　　They　bid　a　dollar　two　and　a　half；　a　dollar　two　and　five…eighths；　still　no　wheat。　　Frantic；　they　shook　their　fingers　in　the　very　faces　of　Landry　Court　and　the　Gretry　traders；　shouting：　〃A　dollar；　two　and　seven…eighths！　A　dollar；　three！　Three　and　an　eighth！　A　quarter！　Three…eighths！　A　half！〃　But　the　others　shook　their　heads。　　Except　on　extraordinary　advances　of　a　whole　cent　at　a　time；　there　was　no　wheat　for　sale。

At　the　last…named　price　Crookes　acknowledged　defeat。　Somewhere　in　his　big　machine　a　screw　had　been　loose。　Somehow　he　had　miscalculated。　　So　long　as　he　and　his　associates　sold　and　sold　and　sold；　the　price　would　go　down。　　The　instant　they　tried　to　cover　there　was　no　wheat　for　sale；　and　the　price　leaped　up　again　with　an　elasticity　that　no　power　could　control。

He　saw　now　that　he　and　his　followers　had　to　face　a　loss　of　several　cents　a　bushel　on　each　one　of　the　five　million　they　had　sold。　　They　had　not　been　able　to　cover　one　single　sale；　and　the　situation　was　back　again　exactly　as　before　his　onslaught；　the　Unknown　Bull　in　securer　control　than　ever　before。

But　Crookes　had；　at　last；　begun　to　suspect　the　true　condition　of　affairs；　and　now　that　the　market　was　hourly　growing　tighter　and　more　congested；　his　suspicion　was　confirmed。　　Alone；　locked　in　his　private　office；　he　thought　it　out；　and　at　last　remarked　to　himself：

〃Somebody　has　a　great　big　line　of　wheat　that　is　not　on　the　market　at　all。　　Somebody　has　got　all　the　wheat　there　is。　　I　guess　I　know　his　name。　　I　guess　the　visible　supply　of　May　wheat　in　the　Chicago　market　is　cornered。〃

This　was　at　a　time　when　the　price　stood　at　a　dollar　and　one　cent。　　Crookeswho　from　the　first　had　managed　and　handled　the　operations　of　his　confederatesknew　very　well　that　if　he　now　bought　in　all　the　wheat　his　clique　had　sold　short；　the　price　would　go　up　long　before　he　could　complete　the　deal。　　He　said　nothing　to　the　others；　further　than　that　they　should　〃hold　on　a　little　longer；　in　the　hopes　of　a　turn；〃　but　very　quietly　he　began　to　cover　his　own　personal　saleshis　share　of　the　five　million　sold　by　his　clique。　　Foreseeing　the　collapse　of　his　scheme；　he　got　out　of　the　market；　at　a　loss；　it　was　true；　but　still　no　more　than　he　could　stand。　　If　he　〃held　on　a　little　longer；　in　the　hopes　of　a　turn；〃　there　was　no　telling　how　deep　the　Bull　would　gore　him。　　This　was　no　time　to　think　much　about　〃obligations。〃　　It　had　got　to　be　〃every　man　for　himself〃　by　now。

A　few　days　after　this　Crookes　sat　in　his　office　in　the　building　in　La　Salle　Street　that　bore　his　name。　　It　was　about　eleven　o'clock　in　the　morning。　　His　dry；　small；　beardless　face　creased　a　little　at　the　corners　of　the　mouth　as　he　heard　the　ticker　chattering　behind　him。　　He　knew　how　the　tape　read。　　There　had　been　another　flurry　on　the　Board　that　morning；　not　half　an　hour　since；　and　wheat　was　up　again。　　In　the　last　thirty…six　hours　it　had　advanced　three　cents；　and　he　knew　very　well　that　at　that　very　minute　the　〃boys〃　on　the　floor　were　offering　nine　cents　over　the　dollar　for　the　May　optionand　not　getting　it。　　The　market　was　in　a　tumult。　　He　fancied　he　could　almost　hear　the　thunder　of　the　Pit　as　it　swirled。　All　La　Salle　Street　was　listening　and　watching；　all　Chicago；　all　the　nation；　all　the　world。　　Not　a　〃factor〃　on　the　London　'Change　who　did　not　turn　an　ear　down　the　wind　to　catch　the　echo　of　this　turmoil；　not　an　_agent　de　change_　in　the　peristyle　of　the　Paris　Bourse；　who　did　not　strain　to　note　the　every　modulation　of　its　mighty　diapason。

〃Well；〃　said　the　little　voice　of　the　man…within…the…　man；　who　in　the　person　of　Calvin　Hardy　Crookes　sat　listening　to　the　ticker　in　his　office；　〃well；　let　it　roar。　　It　sure　can't　hurt　C。　H。　C。〃

〃Can　you　see　Mr。　Cressler？〃　said　the　clerk　at　the　door。

He　came　in　with　a　hurried；　unsteady　step。　　The　long；　stooping　figure　was　unkempt；　was；　in　a　sense；　unjointed；　as　though　some　support　had　been　withdrawn。　The　eyes　were　deep…sunk；　the　bones　of　the　face　were　gaunt　and　bare；　and　from　moment　to　moment　the　man　swallowed　quickly　and　moistened　his　lips。

Crookes　nodded　as　his　ally　came　up；　and　one　finger　raised；　pointed　to　a　chair。　　He　himself　was　impassive；　calm。　　He　did　not　move。　　Taciturn　as　ever；　he　waited　for　the　other　to　speak。

〃I　want　to　talk　with　you；　Mr。　Crookes；〃　began　Cressler；　hurriedly。　　〃II　made　up　my　mind　to　it　day　before　yesterday；　but　I　put　it　off。　　I　had　hoped　that　things　would　come　our　way。　　But　I　can't　delay　now。。。。　Mr。　Crookes；　I　can't　stand　this　any　longer。　　I　must　get　out　of　the　clique。　　I　haven't　the　ready　money　to　stand　this　pace。〃

There　was　a　silence。　　Crookes　neither　moved　nor　changed　expression。　　His　small　eyes　fixed　upon　the　other；　he　waited　for　Cressler　to　go　on。

〃I　might　remind　you；〃　Cressler　continued；　〃that　when　I　joined　your　party　I　expressly　stipulated　that　our　operations　should　not　be　speculative。〃

〃You　knew〃　began　Crookes。

〃Oh；　I　have　nothing　to　say；〃　Cressler　interrupted。　　〃I　did　know。　　I　knew　from　the　first　it　was　to　be　speculation。　　I　tried　to　deceive　myself。　　Iwell；　this　don't　interest　you。　　The　point　is　I　must　get　out　of　the　market。　　I　don't　like　to　go　back　on　you　others　〃　Cressler's　fingers　were　fiddling　with　his　watch　chain　〃I　don't　like　toI　mean　to　say　you　must　let　me　out。　You　must　let　me　coverat　once。　　I　amvery　nearly　bankrupt　now。　　Another　half…cent　rise；　and　I'm　done　for。　　It　will　take　as　it　ismymyall　my　ready　moneyall　my　savings　for　the　last　ten　years　to　buy　in　my　wheat。〃

〃Let's　see。　　How　much　did　I　sell　for　you？〃　demanded　Crookes。　　〃Five　hundred　thousand？〃

〃Yes；　five　hundred　thousand　at　ninety…eightand　we're　at　a　dollar　nine　now。　　It's　an　eleven…cent　jump。　　II　can't　stand　another　eighth。　　I　must　cover　at　once。〃

Crookes；　without　answering；　drew　his　desk　telephone　to　him。

〃Hello！〃　he　said　after　a　moment。　　〃Hello！　。。。　Buy　five　hundred　May；　at　the　market；　right　away。〃

He　hung　up　the　receiver　and　leaned　back　in　his　chair。

〃They'll　report　the　trade　in　a　minute；〃　he　said。　〃Better　wait　and　see。〃

Cressler　stood　at　the　window；　his　hands　clasped　behind　his　back；　looking　down　into　the　street。　　He　did　not　answer。　　The　seconds　passed；　then　the　minutes。　　Crookes　turned　to　his　desk　and　signed　a　few　letters；　the　scrape　of　his　pen　the　only　noise　to　break　the　silence　of　the　room。　　Then　at　last　he　observed：

〃Pretty　bum　weather　for　this　time　of　the　year。〃

Cressler　nodded。　　He　took　off　his　hat；　and　pushed　the　hair　back　from　his　forehead　with　a　slow；　persistent　gesture；　then　as　the　ticker　began　to　click　again；　he　faced　around　quickly；　and　crossing　the　room；　ran　the　tape　through　his　fingers。

〃God；〃　he　muttered；　between　his　teeth；　〃I　hope　your　men　didn't　lose　any　time。　　It's　up　again。〃

There　was　a　step　at　the　door；　and　as　Crookes　called　to　come　in；　the　office　messenger　entered　and　put　a　slip　of　paper　into　his　hands。　　Crookes　looked　at　it；　and　pushed　it　across　his　desk　towards　Cressler。

〃Here　you　are；〃　he　observed。　　〃That's　your　trade　Five　hundred　May；　at　a　dollar　ten。　　You　were　lucky　to　get　it　at　thator　at　any　price。〃

〃Ten！〃　cried　the　other；　as　he　took　the　paper。

Crookes　turned　away　again；　and　glanced　indifferently　over　his　letters。　　Cressler　laid　the　slip　carefully　down　upon　the　ledge　of　the　desk；　and　though　Crookes　did　not　look　up；　he　could　almost　feel　how　the　man　braced　himself；　got　a　grip　of　himself；　put　all　his　resources　to　the　stretch　to　meet　this　blow　squarely　in　the　front。

〃And　I　said　another　eighth　would　bust　me；〃　Cressler　remarked；　with　a　short　laugh。　　〃Well；〃　he　added；　grimly；　〃it　looks　as　though　I　were　busted。　　I　suppose；　though；　we　must　all　expect　to　get　the　knife　once　in　a　whilemustn't　we？　　Well；　there　goes　fifty　thousand　dollars　of　my　good　money。〃

〃I　can　tell　you　who's　go