the pit-第71节

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

〃You　can　see　everything；　now；〃　he　cried；　making　a　trumpet　of　his　palm。　　〃You're　Mister　Jadwin's　niece。　　I　know；　I　know。　　Ah；　it's　a　wild　day；　Miss。　　They　ain't　done　much　yet；　and　Mr。　Jadwin's　holding　his　own；　just　now。　　But　I　thought　for　a　moment　they　had　him　on　the　run。　　You　see　thatmy；　my；　there　was　a　sharp　rally。　But　he's　holding　on　strong　yet。〃

Page　took　her　seat；　and　leaning　forward　looked　down　into　the　Wheat　Pit。

Once　free　of　the　crowd　after　leaving　Page；　Landry　ran　with　all　the　swiftness　of　his　long　legs　down　the　stair；　and　through　the　corridors　till；　all　out　of　breath；　he　gained　Gretry's　private　office。　　The　other　Pit　traders　for　the　house；　some　eight　or　ten　men；　were　already　assembled；　and　just　as　Landry　entered　by　one　door；　the　broker　himself　came　in　from　the　customers'　room。　Jadwin　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。

〃What　are　the　orders　for　to…day；　sir？〃

Gretry　was　very　pale。　　Despite　his　long　experience　on　the　Board　of　Trade；　Landry　could　see　anxiety　in　every　change　of　his　expression；　in　every　motion　of　his　hands。　The　broker　before　answering　the　question　crossed　the　room　to　the　water　cooler　and　drank　a　brief　swallow。　Then　emptying　the　glass　he　refilled　it；　moistened　his　lips　again；　and　again　emptied　and　filled　the　goblet。　He　put　it　down；　caught　it　up　once　more；　filled　it；　emptied　it；　drinking　now　in　long　draughts；　now　in　little　sips。　　He　was　quite　unconscious　of　his　actions；　and　Landry　as　he　watched；　felt　his　heart　sink。　　Things　must；　indeed；　be　at　a　desperate　pass　when　Gretry；　the　calm；　the　clear…headed；　the　placid；　was　thus　upset。

〃Your　orders？〃　said　the　broker；　at　last。　　〃The　same　as　yesterday；　keep　the　market　upthat's　all。　　It　must　not　go　below　a　dollar　fifteen。　　But　act　on　the　defensive。　Don't　be　aggressive；　unless　I　send　word。　　There　will　probably　be　very　heavy　selling　the　first　few　moments。　You　can　buy；　each　of　you；　up　to　half　a　million　bushels　apiece。　　If　that　don't　keep　the　price　up；　if　they　still　are　selling　after　that　。。。　　well〃；　Gretry　paused　a　moment；　irresolutely；　〃well；〃　he　added　suddenly；　〃if　they　are　still　selling　freely　after　you've　each　bought　half　a　million；　I'll　let　you　know　what　to　do。　　And；　look　here；〃　he　continued；　facing　the　group；　〃look　here　keep　your　heads　cool　。。。　　I　guess　to…day　will　decide　things。　　Watch　the　Crookes　crowd　pretty　closely。　　I　understand　they're　up　to　something　again。　　That's　all；　I　guess。〃

Landry　and　the　other　Gretry　traders　hurried　from　the　office　up　to　the　floor。　　Landry's　heart　was　beating　thick　and　slow　and　hard；　his　teeth　were　shut　tight。　Every　nerve；　every　fibre　of　him　braced　itself　with　the　rigidity　of　drawn　wire；　to　meet　the　issue　of　the　impending　hours。　　Now；　was　to　come　the　last　grapple。　He　had　never　lived　through　a　crisis　such　as　this　before。　　Would　he　prevail；　would　he　keep　his　head？　Would　he　avoid　or　balk　the　thousand　and　one　little　subterfuges；　tricks；　and　traps　that　the　hostile　traders　would　prepare　for　himprepare　with　a　quickness；　a　suddenness　that　all　but　defied　the　sharpest；　keenest　watchfulness？

Was　the　gong　never　going　to　strike？　　He　found　himself；　all　at　once；　on　the　edge　of　the　Wheat　Pit。　　It　was　jammed　tight　with　the　crowd　of　traders　and　the　excitement　that　disengaged　itself　from　that　tense；　vehement　crowd　of　white　faces　and　glittering　eyes　was　veritably　sickening；　veritably　weakening。　　Men　on　either　side　of　him　were　shouting　mere　incoherencies；　to　which　nobody；　not　even　themselves；　were　listening。　Others　silent；　gnawed　their　nails　to　the　quick；　breathing　rapidly；　audibly　even；　their　nostrils　expanding　and　contracting。　　All　around　roared　the　vague　thunder　that　since　early　morning　had　shaken　the　building。　　In　the　Pit　the　bids　leaped　to　and　fro；　though　the　time　of　opening　had　not　yet　come；　the　very　planks　under　foot　seemed　spinning　about　in　the　first　huge　warning　swirl　of　the　Pit's　centripetal　convulsion。　There　was　dizziness　in　the　air。　　Something；　some　infinite　immeasurable　power；　onrushing　in　its　eternal　courses；　shook　the　Pit　in　its　grasp。　　Something　deafened　the　ears；　blinded　the　eyes；　dulled　and　numbed　the　mind；　with　its　roar；　with　the　chaff　and　dust　of　its　whirlwind　passage；　with　the　stupefying　sense　of　its　power；　coeval　with　the　earthquake　and　glacier；　merciless；　all…powerful；　a　primal　basic　throe　of　creation　itself；　unassailable；　inviolate；　and　untamed。

Had　the　trading　begun？　　Had　the　gong　struck？　　Landry　never　knew；　never　so　much　as　heard　the　clang　of　the　great　bell。　　All　at　once　he　was　fighting；　all　at　once　he　was　caught；　as　it　were；　from　off　the　stable　earth；　and　flung　headlong　into　the　heart　and　centre　of　the　Pit。　　What　he　did；　he　could　not　say；　what　went　on　about　him；　he　could　not　distinguish。　　He　only　knew　that　roar　was　succeeding　roar；　that　there　was　crashing　through　his　ears；　through　his　very　brain；　the　combined　bellow　of　a　hundred　Niagaras。　　Hands　clutched　and　tore　at　him；　his　own　tore　and　clutched　in　turn。　　The　Pit　was　mad；　was　drunk　and　frenzied；　not　a　man　of　all　those　who　fought　and　scrambled　and　shouted　who　knew　what　he　or　his　neighbour　did。　　They　only　knew　that　a　support　long　thought　to　be　secure　was　giving　way；　not　gradually；　not　evenly；　but　by　horrible　collapses；　and　equally　horrible　upward　leaps。　　Now　it　held；　now　it　broke；　now　it　reformed　again；　rose　again；　then　again　in　hideous　cataclysms　fell　from　beneath　their　feet　to　lower　depths　than　before。　　The　official　reporter　leaned　back　in　his　place；　helpless。　　On　the　wall　overhead；　the　indicator　on　the　dial　was　rocking　back　and　forth；　like　the　mast　of　a　ship　caught　in　a　monsoon。　　The　price　of　July　wheat　no　man　could　so　much　as　approximate。　　The　fluctuations　were　no　longer　by　fractions　of　a　cent；　but　by　ten　cents；　fifteen　cents　twenty…five　cents　at　a　time。　　On　one　side　of　the　Pit　wheat　sold　at　ninety　cents；　on　the　other　at　a　dollar　and　a　quarter。

And　all　the　while　above　the　din　upon　the　floor；　above　the　tramplings　and　the　shoutings　in　the　Pit；　there　seemed　to　thrill　and　swell　that　appalling　roar　of　the　Wheat　itself　coming　in；　coming　on　like　a　tidal　wave；　bursting　through；　dashing　barriers　aside；　rolling　like　a　measureless；　almighty　river；　from　the　farms　of　Iowa　and　the　ranches　of　California；　on　to　the　Eastto　the　bakeshops　and　hungry　mouths　of　Europe。

Landry　caught　one　of　the　Gretry　traders　by　the　arm。

〃What　shall　we　do？〃　he　shouted。　　〃I've　bought　up　to　my　limit。　　No　more　orders　have　come　in。　　The　market　has　gone　from　under　us。　　What's　to　be　done？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　the　other　shouted　back；　〃I　don't　know。　We're　all　gone　to　hell；　looks　like　the　last　smash。　There　are　no　more　supporting　orderssomething's　gone　wrong。　　Gretry　hasn't　sent　any　word。〃

Then；　Landry；　beside　himself　with　excitement　and　with　actual　terror；　hardly　knowing　even　yet　what　he　did；　turned　sharply　about。　　He　fought　his　way　out　of　the　Pit；　he　ran　hatless　and　panting　across　the　floor；　in　and　out　between　the　groups　of　spectators；　down　the　stairs　to　the　corridor　below；　and　into　the　Gretry…　Converse　offices。

In　the　outer　office　a　group　of　reporters　and　the　representatives　of　a　great　commercial　agency　were　besieging　one　of　the　heads　of　the　firm。　　They　assaulted　him　with　questions。

〃Just　tell　us　where　you　are　atthat's　all　we　want　to　know。〃

〃Just　what　is　the　price　of　July　wheat？〃

〃Is　Jadwin　winning　or　losing？〃

But　the　other　threw　out　an　arm　in　a　wild　gesture　of　helplessness。

〃We　don't　know；　ourselves；〃　he　cried。　　〃The　market　has　run　clean　away　from　everybody。　　You　know　as　much　about　it　as　I　do。　　It's　simply　hell　broken　loose；　that's　all。　We　can't　tell　where　we　are　at　for　days　to　come。〃

Landry　rushed　on。　　He　swung　open　the　door　of　the　private　office　and　entered；　slamming　it　behind　him　and　crying　out：

〃Mr。　Gretry；　what　are　we　to　do？　　We've　had　no　orders。〃

But　no　one　listened　to　him。　　Of　the　group　that　gathered　around　Gretry's　desk；　no　one　so　much　as　turned　a　head。

Jadwin　stood　there　in　the　centre　of　the　others；　hatless；　his　face　pale；　his　eyes　congested　with　blood。　Gretry　fronted　him；　one　hand　upon　his　arm。　　In　the　remainder　of　the　group　Landry　recognised　the　senior　clerk　of　the　office；　one　of　the　heads　of　a　great　banking　house；　and　a　couple　of　other　menconfidential　agents；　who　had　helped　to　manipulate　the　great　corner。

〃But　you　can't；〃　Gretry　was　exclaiming。　　〃You　can't；　don't　you　see　we　can't　meet　our　margin　calls？　　It's　the　end　of　the　game。　　You've　got　no　more　money。〃

〃It's　a　lie！〃　Never　so　long　as　he　lived　did　Landry　forget　the　voice　in　which　Jadwin　cried　the　words：　〃It's　a　lie！　Keep　on　buying；　I　tell　you。　　Take　all　they'll　offer。　　I　tell　you　we'll　touch　the　two　dollar　mark　before　noon。〃

〃Not　another　order　goes　up　to　that　floor；〃　retorted　Gretry。　　〃Why；　J。；　ask　any　of　these　gentlemen　here。　They'll　tell　you。〃

〃It's　useless；　Mr。　Jadwin；〃　said　the　banker；　quietly。　〃You　were　practically　beaten　two　days　ago。〃

〃Mr。　Jadwin；〃　pleaded　the　senior　clerk；　〃for　God's　sake　listen　to　reason。　　Our　firm〃

But　Jadwin　was　beyond　all　appeal。　　He　threw　off　Gretry's　hand。

〃Your　firm；　your　firmyou've　been　cowards　from　the　start。　　I　know　you；　I　know　you。　　You　have　sold　me　out。　Crookes　has　bought　you。　　Get　out　of　my　way！〃　he　shouted。　　〃Get　out　of