the titan-第91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！


s　stock　from　all　parts　of　the　country　were　being　rushed　to　the　market　with　the　hope　of　realizing　before　the　ultimate　break。　　About　the　stock…exchange；　which　frowned　like　a　gray　fortress　at　the　foot　of　La　Salle　Street；　all　was　excitementas　though　a　giant　anthill　had　been　ruthlessly　disturbed。　　Clerks　and　messengers　hurried　to　and　fro　in　confused　and　apparently　aimless　directions。　　Brokers　whose　supply　of　American　Match　had　been　apparently　exhausted　on　the　previous　day　now　appeared　on　'change　bright　and　early；　and　at　the　clang　of　the　gong　began　to　offer　the　stock　in　sizable　lots　of　from　two　hundred　to　five　hundred　shares。　　The　agents　of　Hull　&　Stackpole　were　in　the　market；　of　course；　in　the　front　rank　of　the　scrambling；　yelling　throng；　taking　up　whatever　stock　appeared　at　the　price　they　were　hoping　to　maintain。　　The　two　promoters　were　in　touch　by　'phone　and　wire　not　only　with　those　various　important　personages　whom　they　had　induced　to　enter　upon　this　bull　campaign；　but　with　their　various　clerks　and　agents　on　'change。　　Naturally；　under　the　circumstances　both　were　in　a　gloomy　frame　of　mind。　　This　game　was　no　longer　moving　in　those　large；　easy　sweeps　which　characterize　the　more　favorable　aspects　of　high　finance。　　Sad　to　relate；　as　in　all　the　troubled　flumes　of　life　where　vast　currents　are　compressed　in　narrow；　tortuous　spaces；　these　two　men　were　now　concerned　chiefly　with　the　momentary　care　of　small　but　none　the　less　heartbreaking　burdens。　　Where　to　find　fifty　thousand　to　take　care　of　this　or　that　burden　of　stock　which　was　momentarily　falling　upon　them？　They　were　as　two　men　called　upon；　with　their　limited　hands　and　strength；　to　seal　up　the　ever…increasing　crevices　of　a　dike　beyond　which　raged　a　mountainous　and　destructive　sea。

At　eleven　o'clock　Mr。　Phineas　Hull　rose　from　the　chair　which　sat　before　his　solid　mahogany　desk；　and　confronted　his　partner。

〃I'll　tell　you；　Ben；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　afraid　we　can't　make　this。　　We've　hypothecated　so　much　of　this　stock　around　town　that　we　can't　possibly　tell　who's　doing　what。　　I　know　as　well　as　I'm　standing　on　this　floor　that　some　one；　I　can't　say　which　one；　is　selling　us　out。　　You　don't　suppose　it　could　be　Cowperwood　or　any　of　those　people　he　sent　to　us；　do　you？〃

Stackpole；　worn　by　his　experiences　of　the　past　few　weeks；　was　inclined　to　be　irritable。

〃How　should　I　know；　Phineas？〃　he　inquired；　scowling　in　troubled　thought。　　〃I　don't　think　so。　　I　didn't　notice　any　signs　that　they　were　interested　in　stock…gambling。　　Anyhow；　we　had　to　have　the　money　in　some　form。　　Any　one　of　the　whole　crowd　is　apt　to　get　frightened　now　at　any　moment　and　throw　the　whole　thing　over。　　We're　in　a　tight　place；　that's　plain。〃

For　the　fortieth　time　he　plucked　at　a　too…tight　collar　and　pulled　up　his　shirt…sleeves；　for　it　was　stifling；　and　he　was　coatless　and　waistcoatless。　　Just　then　Mr。　Hull's　telephone　bell　rangthe　one　connecting　with　the　firm's　private　office　on　'change；　and　the　latter　jumped　to　seize　the　receiver。

〃Yes？〃　he　inquired；　irritably。

〃Two　thousand　shares　of　American　offered　at　two…twenty！　Shall　I　take　them？〃

The　man　who　was　'phoning　was　in　sight　of　another　man　who　stood　at　the　railing　of　the　brokers'　gallery　overlooking　〃the　pit；〃　or　central　room　of　the　stock…exchange；　and　who　instantly　transferred　any　sign　he　might　receive　to　the　man　on　the　floor。　　So　Mr。　Hull's　〃yea〃　or　〃nay〃　would　be　almost　instantly　transmuted　into　a　cash　transaction　on　'change。

〃What　do　you　think　of　that？〃　asked　Hull　of　Stackpole；　putting　his　hand　over　the　receiver's　mouth；　his　right　eyelid　drooping　heavier　than　ever。　　〃Two　thousand　more　to　take　up！　Where　d'you　suppose　they　are　coming　from？　Tch！〃

〃Well；　the　bottom's　out；　that's　all；〃　replied　Stackpole；　heavily　and　gutturally。　　〃We　can't　do　what　we　can't　do。　　I　say　this；　though：　support　it　at　two…twenty　until　three　o'clock。　　Then　we'll　figure　up　where　we　stand　and　what　we　owe。　　And　meanwhile　I'll　see　what　I　can　do。　　If　the　banks　won't　help　us　and　Arneel　and　that　crowd　want　to　get　from　under；　we'll　fail；　that's　all；　but　not　before　I've　had　one　more　try；　by　Jericho！　They　may　not　help　us；　but〃

Actually　Mr。　Stackpole　did　not　see　what　was　to　be　done　unless　Messrs。　Hand；　Schryhart；　Merrill；　and　Arneel　were　willing　to　risk　much　more　money；　but　it　grieved　and　angered　him　to　think　he　and　Hull　should　be　thus　left　to　sink　without　a　sigh。　　He　had　tried　Kaffrath；　Videra；　and　Bailey；　but　they　were　adamant。　　Thus　cogitating；　Stackpole　put　on　his　wide…brimmed　straw　hat　and　went　out。　　It　was　nearly　ninety…six　in　the　shade。　　The　granite　and　asphalt　pavements　of　the　down…town　district　reflected　a　dry；　Turkish…bath…room　heat。　There　was　no　air　to　speak　of。　　The　sky　was　a　burning；　milky　blue；　with　the　sun　gleaming　feverishly　upon　the　upper　walls　of　the　tall　buildings。

Mr。　Hand；　in　his　seventh…story　suite　of　offices　in　the　Rookery　Building；　was　suffering　from　the　heat；　but　much　more　from　mental　perturbation。　　Though　not　a　stingy　or　penurious　man；　it　was　still　true　that　of　all　earthly　things　he　suffered　most　from　a　financial　loss。　　How　often　had　he　seen　chance　or　miscalculation　sweep　apparently　strong　and　valiant　men　into　the　limbo　of　the　useless　and　forgotten！　Since　the　alienation　of　his　wife's　affections　by　Cowperwood；　he　had　scarcely　any　interest　in　the　world　outside　his　large　financial　holdings；　which　included　profitable　investments　in　a　half…hundred　companies。　　But　they　must　pay；　pay；　pay　heavily　in　interestall　of　themand　the　thought　that　one　of　them　might　become　a　failure　or　a　drain　on　his　resources　was　enough　to　give　him　an　almost　physical　sensation　of　dissatisfaction　and　unrest；　a　sort　of　spiritual　and　mental　nausea　which　would　cling　to　him　for　days　and　days　or　until　he　had　surmounted　the　difficulty。　　Mr。　Hand　had　no　least　corner　in　his　heart　for　failure。

As　a　matter　of　fact；　the　situation　in　regard　to　American　Match　had　reached　such　proportions　as　to　be　almost　numbing。　　Aside　from　the　fifteen　thousand　shares　which　Messrs。　Hull　and　Stackpole　had　originally　set　aside　for　themselves；　Hand；　Arneel；　Schryhart；　and　Merrill　had　purchased　five　thousand　shares　each　at　forty；　but　had　since　been　compelled　to　sustain　the　market　to　the　extent　of　over　five　thousand　shares　more　each；　at　prices　ranging　from　one…twenty　to　two…twenty；　the　largest　blocks　of　shares　having　been　bought　at　the　latter　figure。　　Actually　Hand　was　caught　for　nearly　one　million　five　hundred　thousand　dollars；　and　his　soul　was　as　gray　as　a　bat's　wing。　　At　fifty…seven　years　of　age　men　who　are　used　only　to　the　most　successful　financial　calculations　and　the　credit　that　goes　with　unerring　judgment　dread　to　be　made　a　mark　by　chance　or　fate。　It　opens　the　way　for　comment　on　their　possibly　failing　vitality　or　judgment。　　And　so　Mr。　Hand　sat　on　this　hot　August　afternoon；　ensconced　in　a　large　carved　mahogany　chair　in　the　inner　recesses　of　his　inner　offices；　and　brooded。　　Only　this　morning；　in　the　face　of　a　falling　market；　he　would　have　sold　out　openly　had　he　not　been　deterred　by　telephone　messages　from　Arneel　and　Schryhart　suggesting　the　advisability　of　a　pool　conference　before　any　action　was　taken。　Come　what　might　on　the　morrow；　he　was　determined　to　quit　unless　he　saw　some　clear　way　outto　be　shut　of　the　whole　thing　unless　the　ingenuity　of　Stackpole　and　Hull　should　discover　a　way　of　sustaining　the　market　without　his　aid。　　While　he　was　meditating　on　how　this　was　to　be　done　Mr。　Stackpole　appeared；　pale；　gloomy；　wet　with　perspiration。

〃Well；　Mr。　Hand；〃　he　exclaimed；　wearily；　〃I've　done　all　I　can。　　Hull　and　I　have　kept　the　market　fairly　stable　so　far。　　You　saw　what　happened　between　ten　and　eleven　this　morning。　　The　jig's　up。　We've　borrowed　our　last　dollar　and　hypothecated　our　last　share。　　My　personal　fortune　has　gone　into　the　balance；　and　so　has　Hull's。　Some　one　of　the　outside　stockholders；　or　all　of　them；　are　cutting　the　ground　from　under　us。　　Fourteen　thousand　shares　since　ten　o'clock　this　morning！　That　tells　the　story。　　It　can't　be　done　just　nownot　unless　you　gentlemen　are　prepared　to　go　much　further　than　you　have　yet　gone。　　If　we　could　organize　a　pool　to　take　care　of　fifteen　thousand　more　shares〃

Mr。　Stackpole　paused；　for　Mr。　Hand　was　holding　up　a　fat；　pink　digit。

〃No　more　of　that；〃　he　was　saying；　solemnly。　　〃It　can't　be　done。　　I；　for　one；　won't　sink　another　dollar　in　this　proposition　at　this　time。　　I'd　rather　throw　what　I　have　on　the　market　and　take　what　I　can　get。　　I　am　sure　the　others　feel　the　same　way。〃

Mr。　Hand；　to　play　safe；　had　hypothecated　nearly　all　his　shares　with　various　banks　in　order　to　release　his　money　for　other　purposes；　and　he　knew　he　would　not　dare　to　throw　over　all　his　holdings；　just　as　he　knew　he　would　have　to　make　good　at　the　figure　at　which　they　had　been　margined。　　But　it　was　a　fine　threat　to　make。

Mr。　Stackpole　stared　ox…like　at　Mr。　Hand。

〃Very　well；〃　he　said；　〃I　might　as　well　go　back；　then；　and　post　a　notice　on　our　front　door。　　We　bought　fourteen　thousand　shares　and　held　the　market　where　it　is；　but　we　haven't　a　dollar　to　pay　for　them　with。　　Unless　the　banks　or　some　one　will　take　them　over　for　us　we're　gonewe're　bankrupt。〃

Mr。　Hand；　who　knew　that　if　Mr。　Stackpole　carried　out　this　decision　it　meant　the　loss　of　his　one　million　five　hundred　thousand；　halted　mentally。　　〃Have　you　been　to　all　the　ba