the pit-第72节

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as　bought　you。　　Get　out　of　my　way！〃　he　shouted。　　〃Get　out　of　my　way！　Do　you　hear？　　I'll　play　my　hand　alone　from　now　on。〃

〃J。；　old　manwhysee　here；　man；〃　Gretry　implored；　still　holding　him　by　the　arm；　〃here；　where　are　you　going？〃

Jadwin's　voice　rang　like　a　trumpet　call：

_〃Into　the　Pit。〃_

〃Look　herewaithere。　　Hold　him　back　gentlemen。　　He　don't　know　what　he's　about。〃

〃If　you　won't　execute　my　orders；　I'll　act　myself。　　I'm　going　into　the　Pit；　I　tell　you。〃

〃J。；　you're　mad；　old　fellow。　　You're　ruineddon't　you　understand？you're　ruined。〃

〃Then　God　curse　you；　Sam　Gretry；　for　the　man　who　failed　me　in　a　crisis。〃　　And　as　he　spoke　Curtis　Jadwin　struck　the　broker　full　in　the　face。

Gretry　staggered　back　from　the　blow；　catching　at　the　edge　of　his　desk。　　His　pale　face　flashed　to　crimson　for　an　instant；　his　fists　clinched；　then　his　hands　fell　to　his　sides。

〃No；〃　he　said；　〃let　him　go；　let　him　go。　　The　man　is　merely　mad。〃

But；　Jadwin；　struggling　for　a　second　in　the　midst　of　the　group　that　tried　to　hold　him；　suddenly　flung　off　the　restraining　clasps；　thrust　the　men　to　one　side；　and　rushed　from　the　room。

Gretry　dropped　into　his　chair　before　his　desk。

〃It's　the　end；〃　he　said；　simply。

He　drew　a　sheet　of　note　paper　to　him；　and　in　a　shaking　hand　wrote　a　couple　of　lines。

〃Take　that；〃　he　said；　handing　the　note　to　the　senior　clerk；　〃take　that　to　the　secretary　of　the　Board　at　once。〃

And　straight　into　the　turmoil　and　confusion　of　the　Pit；　to　the　scene　of　so　many　of　his　victories；　the　battle　ground　whereon　again　and　again；　his　enemies　routed；　he　had　remained　the　victor　undisputed；　undismayed　came　the　〃Great　Bull。〃　　No　sooner　had　he　set　foot　within　the　entrance　to　the　Floor；　than　the　news　went　flashing　and　flying　from　lip　to　lip。　　The　galleries　knew　it；　the　public　room；　and　the　Western　Union　knew　it；　the　telephone　booths　knew　it；　and　lastly　even　the　Wheat　Pit；　torn　and　tossed　and　rent　asunder　by　the　force　this　man　himself　had　unchained；　knew　it；　and　knowing　stood　dismayed。

For　even　then；　so　great　had　been　his　power；　so　complete　his　dominion；　and　so　well…rooted　the　fear　which　he　had　inspired；　that　this　last　move　in　the　great　game　he　had　been　playing；　this　unexpected；　direct；　personal　assumption　of　control　struck　a　sense　of　consternation　into　the　heart　of　the　hardiest　of　his　enemies。

Jadwin　himself；　the　great　man；　the　〃Great　Bull〃　in　the　Pit！　What　was　about　to　happen？　　Had　they　been　too　premature　in　their　hope　of　his　defeat？　　Had　he　been　preparing　some　secret；　unexpected　manoeuvre？　　For　a　second　they　hesitated；　then　moved　by　a　common　impulse；　feeling　the　push　of　the　wonderful　new　harvest　behind　them；　they　gathered　themselves　together　for　the　final　assault；　and　again　offered　the　wheat　for　sale；　offered　it　by　thousands　upon　thousands　of　bushels；　poured；　as　it　were；　the　reapings　of　entire　principalities　out　upon　the　floor　of　the　Board　of　Trade。

Jadwin　was　in　the　thick　of　the　confusion　by　now。　　And　the　avalanche；　the　undiked　Ocean　of　the　Wheat；　leaping　to　the　lash　of　the　hurricane；　struck　him　fairly　in　the　face。

He　heard　it　now；　he　heard　nothing　else。　　The　Wheat　had　broken　from　his　control。　　For　months；　he　had；　by　the　might　of　his　single　arm；　held　it　back；　but　now　it　rose　like　the　upbuilding　of　a　colossal　billow。　　It　towered；　towered；　hung　poised　for　an　instant；　and　then；　with　a　thunder　as　of　the　grind　and　crash　of　chaotic　worlds；　broke　upon　him；　burst　through　the　Pit　and　raced　past　him；　on　and　on　to　the　eastward　and　to　the　hungry　nations。

And　then；　under　the　stress　and　violence　of　the　hour；　something　snapped　in　his　brain。　　The　murk　behind　his　eyes　had　been　suddenly　pierced　by　a　white　flash。　　The　strange　qualms　and　tiny　nervous　paroxysms　of　the　last　few　months　all　at　once　culminated　in　some　indefinite；　indefinable　crisis；　and　the　wheels　and　cogs　of　all　activities　save　one　lapsed　away　and　ceased。　　Only　one　function　of　the　complicated　machine　persisted；　but　it　moved　with　a　rapidity　of　vibration　that　seemed　to　be　tearing　the　tissues　of　being　to　shreds；　while　its　rhythm　beat　out　the　old　and　terrible　cadence：

〃Wheatwheatwheat；　wheatwheatwheat。〃

Blind　and　insensate；　Jadwin　strove　against　the　torrent　of　the　Wheat。　　There　in　the　middle　of　the　Pit；　surrounded　and　assaulted　by　herd　after　herd　of　wolves　yelping　for　his　destruction；　he　stood　braced；　rigid　upon　his　feet；　his　head　up；　his　hand；　the　great　bony　hand　that　once　had　held　the　whole　Pit　in　its　grip；　flung　high　in　the　air；　in　a　gesture　of　defiance；　while　his　voice　like　the　clangour　of　bugles　sounding　to　the　charge　of　the　forlorn　hope；　rang　out　again　and　again；　over　the　din　of　his　enemies：

〃Give　a　dollar　for　Julygive　a　dollar　for　July！〃

With　one　accord　they　leaped　upon　him。　　The　little　group　of　his　traders　was　swept　aside。　　Landry　alone；　Landry　who　had　never　left　his　side　since　his　rush　from　out　Gretry's　office；　Landry　Court；　loyal　to　the　last；　his　one　remaining　soldier；　white；　shaking；　the　sobs　strangling　in　his　throat；　clung　to　him　desperately。　Another　billow　of　wheat　was　preparing。　　They　twothe　beaten　general　and　his　young　armour　bearerheard　it　coming；　hissing；　raging；　bellowing；　it　swept　down　upon　them。　　Landry　uttered　a　cry。　　Flesh　and　blood　could　not　stand　this　strain。　　He　cowered　at　his　chief's　side；　his　shoulders　bent；　one　arm　above　his　head；　as　if　to　ward　off　an　actual　physical　force。

But　Jadwin；　iron　to　the　end；　stood　erect。　　All　unknowing　what　he　did；　he　had　taken　Landry's　hand　in　his　and　the　boy　felt　the　grip　on　his　fingers　like　the　contracting　of　a　vise　of　steel。　　The　other　hand；　as　though　holding　up　a　standard；　was　still　in　the　air；　and　his　great　deep…toned　voice　went　out　across　the　tumult；　proclaiming　to　the　end　his　battle　cry：

〃Give　a　dollar　for　Julygive　a　dollar　for　July！〃

But；　little　by　little；　Landry　became　aware　that　the　tumult　of　the　Pit　was　intermitting。　　There　were　sudden　lapses　in　the　shouting；　and　in　these　lapses　he　could　hear　from　somewhere　out　upon　the　floor　voices　that　were　crying：　〃Orderorder；　order；　gentlemen。〃

But；　again　and　again　the　clamour　broke　out。　　It　would　die　down　for　an　instant；　in　response　to　these　appeals；　only　to　burst　out　afresh　as　certain　groups　of　traders　started　the　pandemonium　again；　by　the　wild　outcrying　of　their　offers。　　At　last；　however；　the　older　men　in　the　Pit；　regaining　some　measure　of　self…control；　took　up　the　word；　going　to　and　fro　in　the　press；　repeating　〃Order；　order。〃

And　then；　all　at　once；　the　Pit；　the　entire　floor　of　the　Board　of　Trade　was　struck　dumb。　　All　at　once　the　tension　was　relaxed；　the　furious　struggling　and　stamping　was　stilled。　　Landry；　bewildered；　still　holding　his　chief　by　the　hand；　looked　about　him。　　On　the　floor；　near　at　hand；　stood　the　president　of　the　Board　of　Trade　himself；　and　with　him　the　vice…president　and　a　group　of　the　directors。　　Evidently　it　had　been　these　who　had　called　the　traders　to　order。　　But　it　was　not　toward　them　now　that　the　hundreds　of　men　in　the　Pit　and　on　the　floor　were　looking。

In　the　little　balcony　on　the　south　wall　opposite　the　visitors'　gallery　a　figure　had　appeared；　a　tall　grave　man；　in　a　long　black　coatthe　secretary　of　the　Board　of　Trade。　　Landry　with　the　others　saw　him；　saw　him　advance　to　the　edge　of　the　railing；　and　fix　his　glance　upon　the　Wheat　Pit。　　In　his　hand　he　carried　a　slip　of　paper。

And　then　in　the　midst　of　that　profound　silence　the　secretary　announced：

〃All　trades　with　Gretry；　Converse　&　Co。　must　be　closed　at　once。〃

The　words　had　not　ceased　to　echo　in　the　high　vaultings　of　the　roof　before　they　were　greeted　with　a　wild；　shrill　yell　of　exultation　and　triumph；　that　burst　from　the　crowding　masses　in　the　Wheat　Pit。

Beaten；　beaten　at　last；　the　Great　Bull！　Smashed！　The　great　corner　smashed！　Jadwin　busted！　They　themselves　saved；　saved；　saved！　Cheer　followed　upon　cheer；　yell　after　yell。　　Hats　went　into　the　air。　　In　a　frenzy　of　delight　men　danced　and　leaped　and　capered　upon　the　edge　of　the　Pit；　clasping　their　arms　about　each　other；　shaking　each　others'　hands；　cheering　and　hurrahing　till　their　strained　voices　became　hoarse　and　faint。

Some　few　of　the　older　men　protested。　　There　were　cries　of　：

〃Shame；　shame！〃

〃Orderlet　him　alone。〃

〃Let　him　be；　he's　down　now。　　Shame；　shame！〃

But　the　jubilee　was　irrepressible；　they　had　been　too　cruelly　pressed；　these　others；　they　had　felt　the　weight　of　the　Bull's　hoof；　the　rip　of　his　horn。　　Now　they　had　beaten　him；　had　pulled　him　down。

〃Yah…h…h；　whoop；　yi；　yi；　yi。　　Busted；　busted；　busted。　Hip；　hip；　hip；　and　a　tiger！〃

〃Come　away；　sir。　　For　God's　sake；　Mr。　Jadwin；　come　away。〃

Landry　was　pleading　with　Jadwin；　clutching　his　arm　in　both　his　hands；　his　lips　to　his　chief's　ear　to　make　himself　heard　above　the　yelping　of　the　mob。

Jadwin　was　silent　now。　　He　seemed　no　longer　to　see　or　hear；　heavily；　painfully　he　leaned　upon　the　young　man's　shoulder。

〃Come　away；　sirfor　God's　sake！〃

The　group　of　traders　parted　before　them；　cheering　even　while　they　gave　place；　cheering　with　eyes　averted；　unwilling　to　see　the　ruin　that　meant　for　them　salvation。

〃Yah…h…h。　　Yah…h…h；　busted；　busted！〃

Landry　had　put　his　arm　about　Jadwin；　and　gripped　him　close　as　he　led　him　from　the　Pit。　　The　sobs　were　in　his　throat　again；　and　tears　of　excitement；　of　grief；　of　anger　and　impotence　were　running　down　his