the pit-第70节

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For　on　this　morning　of　the　thirteenth　of　June；　the　Board　of　Trade；　its　halls；　corridors；　offices；　and　stairways　were　already　thrilling　with　a　vague　and　terrible　sound。　　It　was　only　a　little　after　nine　o'clock。　　The　trading　would　not　begin　for　another　half　hour；　but；　even　now；　the　mutter　of　the　whirlpool；　the　growl　of　the　Pit　was　making　itself　felt。　　The　eddies　were　gathering；　the　thousands　of　subsidiary　torrents　that　fed　the　cloaca　were　moving。　　From　all　over　the　immediate　neighborhood　they　came；　from　the　offices　of　hundreds　of　commission　houses；　from　brokers'　offices；　from　banks；　from　the　tall；　grey　buildings　of　La　Salle　Street；　from　the　street　itself。　　And　even　from　greater　distances　they　came；　auxiliary　currents　set　in　from　all　the　reach　of　the　Great　Northwest；　from　Minneapolis；　Duluth；　and　Milwaukee。　　From　the　Southwest；　St。　Louis；　Omaha；　and　Kansas　City　contributed　to　the　volume。　　The　Atlantic　Seaboard；　New　York；　and　Boston　and　Philadelphia　sent　out　their　tributary　streams；　London；　Liverpool；　Paris；　and　Odessa　merged　their　influences　with　the　vast　world…wide　flowing　that　bore　down　upon　Chicago；　and　that　now　began　slowly；　slowly　to　centre　and　circle　about　the　Wheat　Pit　of　the　Board　of　Trade。

Small　wonder　that　the　building　to　Page's　ears　vibrated　to　a　strange　and　ominous　humming。　　She　heard　it　in　the　distant　clicking　of　telegraph　keys；　in　the　echo　of　hurried　whispered　conversations　held　in　dark　corners；　in　the　noise　of　rapid　footsteps；　in　the　trilling　of　telephone　bells。　　These　sounds　came　from　all　around　her；　they　issued　from　the　offices　of　the　building　below　her；　above　her　and　on　either　side。　　She　was　surrounded　with　them；　and　they　mingled　together　to　form　one　prolonged　and　muffled　roar；　that　from　moment　to　moment　increased　in　volume。

The　Pit　was　getting　under　way；　the　whirlpool　was　forming；　and　the　sound　of　its　courses　was　like　the　sound　of　the　ocean　in　storm；　heard　at　a　distance。

Page　and　Landry　were　still　halfway　up　the　last　stairway。　　Above　and　below；　the　throng　was　packed　dense　and　immobilised。　　But；　little　by　little；　Landry　wormed　a　way　for　them；　winning　one　step　at　a　time。　　But　he　was　very　anxious；　again　and　again　he　looked　at　his　watch。　At　last　he　said：

〃I've　_got_　to　go。　　It's　just　madness　for　me　to　stay　another　minute。　　I'll　give　you　my　card。〃

〃Well；　leave　me　here；〃　Page　urged。　　〃It　can't　be　helped。　　I'm　all　right。　　Give　me　your　card。　　I'll　tell　the　guide　in　the　gallery　that　you　kept　the　seat　for　me　if　I　ever　can　get　there。　　You　must　go。　　Don't　stay　another　minute。　　If　you　can；　come　for　me　here　in　the　gallery；　when　it's　over。　　I'll　wait　for　you。　　But　if　you　can't　come；　all　right。　　I　can　take　care　of　myself。〃

He　could　but　assent　to　this。　　This　was　no　time　to　think　of　small　things。　　He　left　her　and　bore　back　with　all　his　might　through　the　crowd；　gained　the　landing　at　the　turn　of　the　balustrade；　waved　his　hat　to　her　and　disappeared。

A　quarter　of　an　hour　went　by。　　Page；　caught　in　the　crowd；　could　neither　advance　nor　retreat。　　Ahead　of　her；　some　twenty　steps　away；　she　could　see　the　back　rows　of　seats　in　the　gallery。　　But　they　were　already　occupied。　　It　seemed　hopeless　to　expect　to　see　anything　of　the　floor　that　day。　　But　she　could　no　longer　extricate　herself　from　the　press；　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　stay　where　she　was。

On　every　side　of　her　she　caught　odds　and　ends　of　dialogues　and　scraps　of　discussions；　and　while　she　waited　she　found　an　interest　in　listening　to　these；　as　they　reached　her　from　time　to　time。

〃Well；〃　observed　the　man　in　the　tall　white　hat；　who　had　discouraged　Landry　from　attempting　to　reach　the　gallery；　〃well；　he's　shaken　'em　up　pretty　well。　Whether　he　downs　'em　or　they　down　him；　he's　made　a　good　fight。〃

His　companion；　a　young　man　with　eyeglasses；　who　wore　a　wonderful　white　waistcoat　with　queer　glass　buttons；　assented；　and　Page　heard　him　add：

〃Big　operator；　that　Jadwin。〃

〃They're　doing　for　him　now；　though。〃

〃I　ain't　so　sure。　　He's　got　another　fight　in　him。　You'll　see。〃

〃Ever　see　him？〃

〃No；　no；　he　don't　come　into　the　Pitthese　big　men　never　do。〃

Directly　in　front　of　Page　two　women　kept　up　an　interminable　discourse。

〃Well；〃　said　the　one；　〃that's　all　very　well；　but　Mr。　Jadwin　made　my　sister…in…lawshe　lives　in　Dubuque；　you　knowa　rich　woman。　　She　bought　some　wheat；　just　for　fun；　you　know；　a　long　time　ago；　and　held　on　till　Mr。　Jadwin　put　the　price　up　to　four　times　what　she　paid　for　it。　　Then　she　sold　out。　　My；　you　ought　to　see　the　lovely　house　she's　building；　and　her　son's　gone　to　Europe；　to　study　art；　if　you　please；　and　a　year　ago；　my　dear；　they　didn't　have　a　cent；　not　a　cent；　but　her　husband's　salary。〃

〃There's　the　other　side；　too；　though；〃　answered　her　companion；　adding　in　a　hoarse　whisper：　〃If　Mr。　Jadwin　fails　to…daywell；　honestly；　Julia；　I　don't　know　what　Philip　will　do。〃

But；　from　another　group　at　Page's　elbow；　a　man's　bass　voice　cut　across　the　subdued　chatter　of　the　two　women。

〃'Guess　we'll　pull　through；　somehow。　　Burbank　&　Co。；　thoughby　George！　I'm　not　sure　about　them。　　They　are　pretty　well　involved　in　this　thing；　and　there's　two　or　three　smaller　firms　that　are　dependent　on　them。　　If　Gretry…Converse　&　Co。　should　suspend；　Burbank　would　go　with　a　crash　sure。　　And　there's　that　bank　in　Keokuk；　they　can't　stand　much　more。　　Their　depositors　would　run　'em　quick　as　how…do…you…do；　if　there　was　a　smash　here　in　Chicago。〃

〃Oh；　Jadwin　will　pull　through。〃

〃Well；　I　hope　soby　Jingo！　I　hope　so。　　Say；　by　the　way；　how　did　you　come　out？〃

〃Me！　　Hoh！　　Say　my　boy；　the　next　time　I　get　into　a　wheat　trade　you'll　know　it。　　I　was　one　of　the　merry　paretics　who　believed　that　Crookes　was　the　Great　Lum…　tum。　　I　tailed　on　to　his　clique。　　Lord　love　you！　Jadwin　put　the　knife　into　me　to　the　tune　of　twelve　thousand　dollars。　　But；　say；　look　here；　aren't　we　ever　going　to　get　up　to　that　blame　gallery？　　We　ain't　going　to　see　any　of　this；　and　I_hark！by　God！　there　goes　the　gong。_　　They've　begun。　　Say；　say；　_hear　'em；　will　you！_　Holy　Moses！　saylisten　to　that！　Did　you　ever　hear　Lord！　I　wish　we　could　seecould　get　somewhere　where　we　could　see　something。〃

His　friend　turned　to　him　and　spoke　a　sentence　that　was　drowned　in　the　sudden　vast　volume　of　sound　that　all　at　once　shook　the　building。

〃Heywhat？〃

The　other　shouted　into　his　ear。　　But　even　then　his　friend　could　not　hear。　　Nor　did　he　listen。　　The　crowd　upon　the　staircases　had　surged　irresistibly　forward　and　upward。　　There　was　a　sudden　outburst　of　cries。　　Women's　voices　were　raised　in　expostulation；　and　even　fear。

〃Oh；　ohdon't　push　so！〃

〃My　arm！　oh！oh；　I　shall　faint　。。。　　please。〃

But　the　men；　their　escorts；　held　back　furiously；　their　faces　purple；　they　shouted　imprecations　over　their　shoulders。

〃Here；　here；　you　damn　fools；　what　you　doing？〃

〃Don't　crowd　so！〃

〃Get　back；　back！〃

〃There's　a　lady　fainted　here。　　Get　back　you！　　We'll　all　have　a　chance　to　see。　　Good　Lord！　ain't　there　a　policeman　anywheres？〃

〃Say；　say！　　It's　going　downthe　price。　　It　broke　three　cents；　just　then；　at　the　opening；　they　say。〃

〃This　is　the　worst　I　ever　saw　or　heard　of。〃

〃My　God！　if　Jadwin　can　only　_hold_　'em。

〃You　bet　he'll　hold　'em。〃

〃Hold　nothing！Oh！　say　my　friend；　it　don't　do　you　any　good　to　crowd　like　that。〃

〃It's　the　people　behind：　I'm　not　doing　it。　　Say；　do　you　know　where　they're　at　on　the　floor？　　The　wheat；　I　mean；　is　it　going　up　or　down？〃

〃Up；　they　tell　me。　　There　was　a　rally；　I　don't　know。　How　can　we　tell　here？　　WeHi！　there　they　go　again。　Lord！　that　must　have　been　a　smash。　　I　guess　the　Board　of　Trade　won't　forget　this　day　in　a　hurry。　　Heavens；　you　can't　hear　yourself　think！

〃Glad　I　ain't　down　there　in　the　Pit。〃

But；　at　last；　a　group　of　policemen　appeared。　　By　main　strength　they　shouldered　their　way　to　the　top　of　the　stairs；　and　then　began　pushing　the　crowd　back。　　At　every　instant　they　shouted：

〃Move　on　now；　clear　the　stairway。　　No　seats　left！〃

But　at　this　Page；　who；　by　the　rush　of　the　crowd　had　been　carried　almost　to　the　top　of　the　stairs；　managed　to　extricate　an　arm　from　the　press；　and　hold　Landry's　card　in　the　air。　　She　even　hazarded　a　little　deception：

〃I　have　a　pass。　　Will　you　let　me　through；　please？〃

Luckily　one　of　the　officers　heard　her。　　He　bore　down　heavily　with　all　the　mass　of　his　two　hundred　pounds　and　the　majesty　of　the　law　he　represented；　to　the　rescue　and　succour　of　this　very　pretty　girl。

〃Let　the　lady　through；〃　he　roared；　forcing　a　passage　with　both　elbows。　　〃Come　right　along；　Miss。　　Stand　back　you；　now。　　Can't　you　see　the　lady　has　a　pass？　　Now　then；　Miss；　and　be　quick　about　it；　I　can't　keep　'em　back　forever。〃

Jostled　and　hustled。　　her　dress　crumpled；　her　hat　awry；　Page　made　her　way　forward；　till　the　officer　caught　her　by　the　arm；　and　pulled　her　out　of　the　press。　　With　a　long　breath　she　gained　the　landing　of　the　gallery。

The　guide；　an　old　fellow　in　a　uniform　of　blue；　with　brass　buttons　and　a　visored　cap；　stood　near　by；　and　to　him　she　presented　Landry's　card。

〃Oh；　yes；　oh；　yes；〃　he　shouted　in　her　ear；　after　he　had　glanced　it　over。　　〃You　were　the　party　Mr。　Court　spoke　about。　　You　just　came　in　time。　　I　wouldn't　'a　dared　hold　your　seat　a　minute　longer。〃

He　led　her　down　the　crowded　aisle　between　rows　of　theatre　chairs；　all　of　which　were　occupied；　to　one　vacant　seat　in　the