the financier-第14部分

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hibitions；　thinking　all　the　while　that　Frank　was　a　little　peculiar。　　He　tried；　because　he　loved　her；　to　interest　her　in　these　things　intelligently；　but　while　she　pretended　slightly；　she　could　not　really　see　or　care；　and　it　was　very　plain　that　she　could　not。

The　children　took　up　a　great　deal　of　her　time。　　However；　Cowperwood　was　not　troubled　about　this。　　It　struck　him　as　delightful　and　exceedingly　worth　while　that　she　should　be　so　devoted。　　At　the　same　time；　her　lethargic　manner；　vague　smile　and　her　sometimes　seeming　indifference；　which　sprang　largely　from　a　sense　of　absolute　security；　attracted　him　also。　　She　was　so　different　from　him！　She　took　her　second　marriage　quite　as　she　had　taken　her　firsta　solemn　fact　which　contained　no　possibility　of　mental　alteration。　　As　for　himself；　however；　he　was　bustling　about　in　a　world　which；　financially　at　least；　seemed　all　alterationthere　were　so　many　sudden　and　almost　unheard…of　changes。　　He　began　to　look　at　her　at　times；　with　a　speculative　eyenot　very　critically；　for　he　liked　herbut　with　an　attempt　to　weigh　her　personality。　　He　had　known　her　five　years　and　more　now。　　What　did　he　know　about　her？　The　vigor　of　youththose　first　yearshad　made　up　for　so　many　things；　but　now　that　he　had　her　safely。。。

There　came　in　this　period　the　slow　approach；　and　finally　the　declaration；　of　war　between　the　North　and　the　South；　attended　with　so　much　excitement　that　almost　all　current　minds　were　notably　colored　by　it。　　It　was　terrific。　　Then　came　meetings；　public　and　stirring；　and　riots；　the　incident　of　John　Brown's　body；　the　arrival　of　Lincoln；　the　great　commoner；　on　his　way　from　Springfield；　Illinois；　to　Washington　via　Philadelphia；　to　take　the　oath　of　office；　the　battle　of　Bull　Run；　the　battle　of　Vicksburg；　the　battle　of　Gettysburg；　and　so　on。　　Cowperwood　was　only　twenty…five　at　the　time；　a　cool；　determined　youth；　who　thought　the　slave　agitation　might　be　well　founded　in　human　rightsno　doubt　was　but　exceedingly　dangerous　to　trade。　　He　hoped　the　North　would　win；　but　it　might　go　hard　with　him　personally　and　other　financiers。　　He　did　not　care　to　fight。　　That　seemed　silly　for　the　individual　man　to　do。　　Others　mightthere　were　many　poor；　thin…minded；　half…baked　creatures　who　would　put　themselves　up　to　be　shot；　but　they　were　only　fit　to　be　commanded　or　shot　down。　　As　for　him；　his　life　was　sacred　to　himself　and　his　family　and　his　personal　interests。　　He　recalled　seeing；　one　day；　in　one　of　the　quiet　side　streets；　as　the　working…men　were　coming　home　from　their　work；　a　small　enlisting　squad　of　soldiers　in　blue　marching　enthusiastically　along；　the　Union　flag　flying；　the　drummers　drumming；　the　fifes　blowing；　the　idea　being；　of　course；　to　so　impress　the　hitherto　indifferent　or　wavering　citizen；　to　exalt　him　to　such　a　pitch；　that　he　would　lose　his　sense　of　proportion；　of　self…interest；　and；　forgetting　all　wife；　parents；　home；　and　childrenand　seeing　only　the　great　need　of　the　country；　fall　in　behind　and　enlist。　　He　saw　one　workingman　swinging　his　pail；　and　evidently　not　contemplating　any　such　denouement　to　his　day's　work；　pause；　listen　as　the　squad　approached；　hesitate　as　it　drew　close；　and　as　it　passed；　with　a　peculiar　look　of　uncertainty　or　wonder　in　his　eyes；　fall　in　behind　and　march　solemnly　away　to　the　enlisting　quarters。　　What　was　it　that　had　caught　this　man；　Frank　asked　himself。　　How　was　he　overcome　so　easily？　He　had　not　intended　to　go。　　His　face　was　streaked　with　the　grease　and　dirt　of　his　workhe　looked　like　a　foundry　man　or　machinist；　say　twenty…five　years　of　age。　　Frank　watched　the　little　squad　disappear　at　the　end　of　the　street　round　the　corner　under　the　trees。

This　current　war…spirit　was　strange。　　The　people　seemed　to　him　to　want　to　hear　nothing　but　the　sound　of　the　drum　and　fife；　to　see　nothing　but　troops；　of　which　there　were　thousands　now　passing　through　on　their　way　to　the　front；　carrying　cold　steel　in　the　shape　of　guns　at　their　shoulders；　to　hear　of　war　and　the　rumors　of　war。　　It　was　a　thrilling　sentiment；　no　doubt；　great　but　unprofitable。　　It　meant　self…sacrifice；　and　he　could　not　see　that。　If　he　went　he　might　be　shot；　and　what　would　his　noble　emotion　amount　to　then？　He　would　rather　make　money；　regulate　current　political；　social　and　financial　affairs。　　The　poor　fool　who　fell　in　behind　the　enlisting　squadno；　not　fool；　he　would　not　call　him　thatthe　poor　overwrought　working…manwell；　Heaven　pity　him！　Heaven　pity　all　of　them！　They　really　did　not　know　what　they　were　doing。

One　day　he　saw　Lincolna　tall；　shambling　man；　long；　bony；　gawky；　but　tremendously　impressive。　　It　was　a　raw；　slushy　morning　of　a　late　February　day；　and　the　great　war　President　was　just　through　with　his　solemn　pronunciamento　in　regard　to　the　bonds　that　might　have　been　strained　but　must　not　be　broken。　　As　he　issued　from　the　doorway　of　Independence　Hall；　that　famous　birthplace　of　liberty；　his　face　was　set　in　a　sad；　meditative　calm。　　Cowperwood　looked　at　him　fixedly　as　he　issued　from　the　doorway　surrounded　by　chiefs　of　staff；　local　dignitaries；　detectives；　and　the　curious；　sympathetic　faces　of　the　public。　　As　he　studied　the　strangely　rough…hewn　countenance　a　sense　of　the　great　worth　and　dignity　of　the　man　came　over　him。

〃A　real　man；　that；〃　he　thought；　〃a　wonderful　temperament。〃　　His　every　gesture　came　upon　him　with　great　force。　　He　watched　him　enter　his　carriage；　thinking　〃So　that　is　the　railsplitter；　the　country　lawyer。　　Well；　fate　has　picked　a　great　man　for　this　crisis。〃

For　days　the　face　of　Lincoln　haunted　him；　and　very　often　during　the　war　his　mind　reverted　to　that　singular　figure。　　It　seemed　to　him　unquestionable　that　fortuitously　he　had　been　permitted　to　look　upon　one　of　the　world's　really　great　men。　　War　and　statesmanship　were　not　for　him；　but　he　knew　how　important　those　things　wereat　times。





Chapter　XI




It　was　while　the　war　was　on；　and　after　it　was　perfectly　plain　that　it　was　not　to　be　of　a　few　days'　duration；　that　Cowperwood's　first　great　financial　opportunity　came　to　him。　　There　was　a　strong　demand　for　money　at　the　time　on　the　part　of　the　nation；　the　State；　and　the　city。　　In　July；　1861；　Congress　had　authorized　a　loan　of　fifty　million　dollars；　to　be　secured　by　twenty…year　bonds　with　interest　not　to　exceed　seven　per　cent。；　and　the　State　authorized　a　loan　of　three　millions　on　much　the　same　security；　the　first　being　handled　by　financiers　of　Boston；　New　York；　and　Philadelphia；　the　second　by　Philadelphia　financiers　alone。　Cowperwood　had　no　hand　in　this。　　He　was　not　big　enough。　　He　read　in　the　papers　of　gatherings　of　men　whom　he　knew　personally　or　by　reputation；　〃to　consider　the　best　way　to　aid　the　nation　or　the　State〃；　but　he　was　not　included。　　And　yet　his　soul　yearned　to　be　of　them。　　He　noticed　how　often　a　rich　man's　word　sufficedno　money；　no　certificates；　no　collateral；　no　anythingjust　his　word。　If　Drexel　&　Co。；　or　Jay　Cooke　&　Co。；　or　Gould　&　Fiske　were　rumored　to　be　behind　anything；　how　secure　it　was！　Jay　Cooke；　a　young　man　in　Philadelphia；　had　made　a　great　strike　taking　this　State　loan　in　company　with　Drexel　&　Co。；　and　selling　it　at　par。　　The　general　opinion　was　that　it　ought　to　be　and　could　only　be　sold　at　ninety。　Cooke　did　not　believe　this。　　He　believed　that　State　pride　and　State　patriotism　would　warrant　offering　the　loan　to　small　banks　and　private　citizens；　and　that　they　would　subscribe　it　fully　and　more。　　Events　justified　Cooke　magnificently；　and　his　public　reputation　was　assured。　　Cowperwood　wished　he　could　make　some　such　strike；　but　he　was　too　practical　to　worry　over　anything　save　the　facts　and　conditions　that　were　before　him。

His　chance　came　about　six　months　later；　when　it　was　found　that　the　State　would　have　to　have　much　more　money。　　Its　quota　of　troops　would　have　to　be　equipped　and　paid。　　There　were　measures　of　defense　to　be　taken；　the　treasury　to　be　replenished。　　A　call　for　a　loan　of　twenty…three　million　dollars　was　finally　authorized　by　the　legislature　and　issued。　　There　was　great　talk　in　the　street　as　to　who　was　to　handle　itDrexel　&　Co。　and　Jay　Cooke　&　Co。；　of　course。

Cowperwood　pondered　over　this。　　If　he　could　handle　a　fraction　of　this　great　loan　nowhe　could　not　possibly　handle　the　whole　of　it；　for　he　had　not　the　necessary　connectionshe　could　add　considerably　to　his　reputation　as　a　broker　while　making　a　tidy　sum。　　How　much　could　he　handle？　That　was　the　question。　　Who　would　take　portions　of　it？　His　father's　bank？　Probably。　　Waterman　&　Co。？　A　little。　　Judge　Kitchen？　A　small　fraction。　　The　Mills…David　Company？　Yes。　　He　thought　of　different　individuals　and　concerns　who；　for　one　reason　and　anotherpersonal　friendship；　good…nature；　gratitude　for　past　favors；　and　so　onwould　take　a　percentage　of　the　seven…percent。　bonds　through　him。　　He　totaled　up　his　possibilities；　and　discovered　that　in　all　likelihood；　with　a　little　preliminary　missionary　work；　he　could　dispose　of　one　million　dollars　if　personal　influence；　through　local　political　figures；　could　bring　this　much　of　the　loan　his　way。

One　man　in　particular　had　grown　strong　in　his　estimation　as　having　some　subtle　political　connection　not　visible　on　the　surface；　and　this　was　Edward　Malia　Butler。　　Butler　was　a　contractor；　undertaking　the　construction　of　sewers；　water…mains；　foundations　for　buildings；　street…paving；　and　the　like。　　In　the　early　days；　long　before　Cowperwood　had　known　him；　he　had　been　a　garbage…contractor　on　his　own　account。　　The　city　at　that　time　had　no　extended　street…cleaning　service；　particularly　in　its　outlying　sections　and　some　of　the　older；　poorer　regions。　　Edward　Butler；　then　a　poor　young　Irishman；　had　begun　by　collecting　and　hauling　away　the　garbage　free　of　charge；　and　feeding　it　to　his　pigs　and　cattle。　　Later　he　discovered　that　some　people　were　willing　to　pay　a　small　charge　for　this　service。　　Then　a　local　political　character；　a　councilman　friend　of　histhey　were　both　Catholicssaw　a　new　point　in　the　whole　thing。　Butler　could　be　made　official　garbage…collector。　　The　council　could　vote　an　annual　appropriation　for　this　service。　　Butler　could　employ　more　wagons　than　he　did　nowdozens　of　them；　scores。　　Not　only　that；　but　no　other　garbage…collector　would　be　allowed。　　There　were　others；　but　the　official　contract　awarded　him　would　also；　officially；　be　the　end　of　the　life　of　any　and　every　disturbing　rival。　　A　certain　amount　of　the　profitable　proceeds　would