the financier-第16部分

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who　have　dealt　with　me　seem　to　like　the　results　I　get。〃

〃I　know　a　little　something　about　your　work　already；〃　reiterated　Butler；　wisely。

〃Very　well；　then；　whenever　you　have　a　commission　you　can　call　at　my　office；　or　write；　or　I　will　call　here。　　I　will　give　you　my　secret　operating　code；　so　that　anything　you　say　will　be　strictly　confidential。〃

〃Well；　we'll　not　say　anything　more　now。　　In　a　few　days　I'll　have　somethin'　for　you。　　When　I　do；　you　can　draw　on　my　bank　for　what　you　need；　up　to　a　certain　amount。〃　　He　got　up　and　looked　out　into　the　street；　and　Cowperwood　also　arose。

〃It's　a　fine　day　now；　isn't　it？〃

〃It　surely　is。〃

〃Well；　we'll　get　to　know　each　other　better；　I'm　sure。〃

He　held　out　his　hand。

〃I　hope　so。〃

Cowperwood　went　out；　Butler　accompanying　him　to　the　door。　　As　he　did　so　a　young　girl　bounded　in　from　the　street；　red…cheeked；　blue…eyed；　wearing　a　scarlet　cape　with　the　peaked　hood　thrown　over　her　red…gold　hair。

〃Oh；　daddy；　I　almost　knocked　you　down。〃

She　gave　her　father；　and　incidentally　Cowperwood；　a　gleaming；　radiant；　inclusive　smile。　　Her　teeth　were　bright　and　small；　and　her　lips　bud…red。

〃You're　home　early。　　I　thought　you　were　going　to　stay　all　day？〃

〃I　was；　but　I　changed　my　mind。〃

She　passed　on　in；　swinging　her　arms。

〃Yes；　well〃　Butler　continued；　when　she　had　gone。　　〃Then　well　leave　it　for　a　day　or　two。　　Good　day。〃

〃Good　day。〃

Cowperwood；　warm　with　this　enhancing　of　his　financial　prospects；　went　down　the　steps；　but　incidentally　he　spared　a　passing　thought　for　the　gay　spirit　of　youth　that　had　manifested　itself　in　this　red…cheeked　maiden。　　What　a　bright；　healthy；　bounding　girl！　Her　voice　had　the　subtle；　vigorous　ring　of　fifteen　or　sixteen。　　She　was　all　vitality。　　What　a　fine　catch　for　some　young　fellow　some　day；　and　her　father　would　make　him　rich；　no　doubt；　or　help　to。





Chapter　XII




It　was　to　Edward　Malia　Butler　that　Cowperwood　turned　now；　some　nineteen　months　later　when　he　was　thinking　of　the　influence　that　might　bring　him　an　award　of　a　portion　of　the　State　issue　of　bonds。　Butler　could　probably　be　interested　to　take　some　of　them　himself；　or　could　help　him　place　some。　　He　had　come　to　like　Cowperwood　very　much　and　was　now　being　carried　on　the　latter's　books　as　a　prospective　purchaser　of　large　blocks　of　stocks。　　And　Cowperwood　liked　this　great　solid　Irishman。　　He　liked　his　history。　　He　had　met　Mrs。　Butler；　a　rather　fat　and　phlegmatic　Irish　woman　with　a　world　of　hard　sense　who　cared　nothing　at　all　for　show　and　who　still　liked　to　go　into　the　kitchen　and　superintend　the　cooking。　　He　had　met　Owen　and　Callum　Butler；　the　boys；　and　Aileen　and　Norah；　the　girls。　　Aileen　was　the　one　who　had　bounded　up　the　steps　the　first　day　he　had　called　at　the　Butler　house　several　seasons　before。

There　was　a　cozy　grate…fire　burning　in　Butler's　improvised　private　office　when　Cowperwood　called。　　Spring　was　coming　on；　but　the　evenings　were　cool。　　The　older　man　invited　Cowperwood　to　make　himself　comfortable　in　one　of　the　large　leather　chairs　before　the　fire　and　then　proceeded　to　listen　to　his　recital　of　what　he　hoped　to　accomplish。

〃Well；　now；　that　isn't　so　easy；〃　he　commented　at　the　end。　　〃You　ought　to　know　more　about　that　than　I　do。　　I'm　not　a　financier；　as　you　well　know。〃　　And　he　grinned　apologetically。

〃It's　a　matter　of　influence；〃　went　on　Cowperwood。　　〃And　favoritism。　That　I　know。　　Drexel　&　Company　and　Cooke　&　Company　have　connections　at　Harrisburg。　　They　have　men　of　their　own　looking　after　their　interests。　　The　attorney…general　and　the　State　treasurer　are　hand　in　glove　with　them。　　Even　if　I　put　in　a　bid；　and　can　demonstrate　that　I　can　handle　the　loan；　it　won't　help　me　to　get　it。　　Other　people　have　done　that。　　I　have　to　have　friendsinfluence。　　You　know　how　it　is。〃

〃Them　things；〃　Butler　said；　〃is　easy　enough　if　you　know　the　right　parties　to　approach。　　Now　there's　Jimmy　Oliverhe　ought　to　know　something　about　that。〃　　Jimmy　Oliver　was　the　whilom　district　attorney　serving　at　this　time；　and　incidentally　free　adviser　to　Mr。　Butler　in　many　ways。　　He　was　also；　accidentally；　a　warm　personal　friend　of　the　State　treasurer。

〃How　much　of　the　loan　do　you　want？〃

〃Five　million。〃

〃Five　million！〃　Butler　sat　up。　　〃Man；　what　are　you　talking　about？　That's　a　good　deal　of　money。　　Where　are　you　going　to　sell　all　that？〃

〃I　want　to　bid　for　five　million；〃　assuaged　Cowperwood；　softly。　　〃I　only　want　one　million　but　I　want　the　prestige　of　putting　in　a　bona　fide　bid　for　five　million。　　It　will　do　me　good　on　the　street。〃

Butler　sank　back　somewhat　relieved。

〃Five　million！　Prestige！　You　want　one　million。　　Well；　now；　that's　different。　　That's　not　such　a　bad　idea。　　We　ought　to　be　able　to　get　that。〃

He　rubbed　his　chin　some　more　and　stared　into　the　fire。

And　Cowperwood　felt　confident　when　he　left　the　house　that　evening　that　Butler　would　not　fail　him　but　would　set　the　wheels　working。　Therefore；　he　was　not　surprised；　and　knew　exactly　what　it　meant；　when　a　few　days　later　he　was　introduced　to　City　Treasurer　Julian　Bode；　who　promised　to　introduce　him　to　State　Treasurer　Van　Nostrand　and　to　see　that　his　claims　to　consideration　were　put　before　the　people。　　〃Of　course；　you　know；〃　he　said　to　Cowperwood；　in　the　presence　of　Butler；　for　it　was　at　the　latter's　home　that　the　conference　took　place；　〃this　banking　crowd　is　very　powerful。　　You　know　who　they　are。　　They　don't　want　any　interference　in　this　bond　issue　business。　　I　was　talking　to　Terrence　Relihan；　who　represents　them　up　there〃meaning　Harrisburg；　the　State　capital〃and　he　says　they　won't　stand　for　it　at　all。　　You　may　have　trouble　right　here　in　Philadelphia　after　you　get　itthey're　pretty　powerful；　you　know。　　Are　you　sure　just　where　you　can　place　it？〃

〃Yes；　I'm　sure；〃　replied　Cowperwood。

〃Well；　the　best　thing　in　my　judgment　is　not　to　say　anything　at　all。　　Just　put　in　your　bid。　　Van　Nostrand；　with　the　governor's　approval；　will　make　the　award。　　We　can　fix　the　governor；　I　think。　After　you　get　it　they　may　talk　to　you　personally；　but　that's　your　business。〃

Cowperwood　smiled　his　inscrutable　smile。　　There　were　so　many　ins　and　outs　to　this　financial　life。　　It　was　an　endless　network　of　underground　holes；　along　which　all　sorts　of　influences　were　moving。　A　little　wit；　a　little　nimbleness；　a　little　luck…time　and　opportunitythese　sometimes　availed。　　Here　he　was；　through　his　ambition　to　get　on；　and　nothing　else；　coming　into　contact　with　the　State　treasurer　and　the　governor。　　They　were　going　to　consider　his　case　personally；　because　he　demanded　that　it　be　considerednothing　more。　　Others　more　influential　than　himself　had　quite　as　much　right　to　a　share；　but　they　didn't　take　it。　　Nerve；　ideas；　aggressiveness；　how　these　counted　when　one　had　luck！

He　went　away　thinking　how　surprised　Drexel　&　Co。　and　Cooke　&　Co。　would　be　to　see　him　appearing　in　the　field　as　a　competitor。　　In　his　home；　in　a　little　room　on　the　second　floor　next　his　bedroom；　which　he　had　fixed　up　as　an　office　with　a　desk；　a　safe；　and　a　leather　chair；　he　consulted　his　resources。　　There　were　so　many　things　to　think　of。　　He　went　over　again　the　list　of　people　whom　he　had　seen　and　whom　he　could　count　on　to　subscribe；　and　in　so　far　as　that　was　concernedthe　award　of　one　million　dollarshe　was　safe。　　He　figured　to　make　two　per　cent。　on　the　total　transaction；　or　twenty　thousand　dollars。　　If　he　did　he　was　going　to　buy　a　house　out　on　Girard　Avenue　beyond　the　Butlers'；　or；　better　yet；　buy　a　piece　of　ground　and　erect　one；　mortgaging　house　and　property　so　to　do。　　His　father　was　prospering　nicely。　　He　might　want　to　build　a　house　next　to　him；　and　they　could　live　side　by　side。　　His　own　business；　aside　from　this　deal；　would　yield　him　ten　thousand　dollars　this　year。　　His　street…car　investments；　aggregating　fifty　thousand；　were　paying　six　per　cent。　　His　wife's　property；　represented　by　this　house；　some　government　bonds；　and　some　real　estate　in　West　Philadelphia　amounted　to　forty　thousand　more。　Between　them　they　were　rich；　but　he　expected　to　be　much　richer。　All　he　needed　now　was　to　keep　cool。　　If　he　succeeded　in　this　bond…issue　matter；　he　could　do　it　again　and　on　a　larger　scale。　There　would　be　more　issues。　　He　turned　out　the　light　after　a　while　and　went　into　his　wife's　boudoir；　where　she　was　sleeping。　　The　nurse　and　the　children　were　in　a　room　beyond。

〃Well；　Lillian；〃　he　observed；　when　she　awoke　and　turned　over　toward　him；　〃I　think　I　have　that　bond　matter　that　I　was　telling　you　about　arranged　at　last。　　I　think　I'll　get　a　million　of　it；　anyhow。　That'll　mean　twenty　thousand。　　If　I　do　we'll　build　out　on　Girard　Avenue。　　That's　going　to　be　the　street。　　The　college　is　making　that　neighborhood。〃

〃That'll　be　fine；　won't　it；　Frank！〃　she　observed；　and　rubbed　his　arm　as　he　sat　on　the　side　of　the　bed。

Her　remark　was　vaguely　speculative。

〃We'll　have　to　show　the　Butlers　some　attention　from　now　on。　　He's　been　very　nice　to　me　and　he's　going　to　be　usefulI　can　see　that。　He　asked　me　to　bring　you　over　some　time。　　We　must　go。　　Be　nice　to　his　wife。　　He　can　do　a　lot　for　me　if　he　wants　to。　　He　has　two　daughters；　too。　　We'll　have　to　have　them　over　here。〃

〃I'll　have　them　to　dinner　sometime；〃　she　agreed　cheerfully　and　helpfully；　〃and　I'll　stop　and　take　Mrs。　Butler　driving　if　she'll　go；　or　she　can　take　me。〃

She　had　already　learned　that　the　Butlers　were　rather　showythe　younger　generationthat　they　were　sensitive　as　to　their　lineage；　and　that　money　in　their　estimation　was　supposed　to　make　up　for　any　deficiency　in　any　other　respect。　　〃Butler　himself　is　a　very　presentable　man；〃　Cowperwood　had　once　remarked　to　her；　〃but　Mrs。　Butlerwell；　she's　all　right；　but　she's　a　little　commonplace。　She's　a　fine　woman；　though；　I　think；　good…natured　and　good…hearted。〃　He　cautioned　her　not　to　overlook　Aileen　and　Norah；　because　the　Butlers；　mother　and　father；　were　very　proud　of　them。

Mrs。　Cowperwood　at　this　time　was　thirty…two　years　old；　Cowperwood　twenty…seven。　　The　birth　and　care　of　two　children　had　made　some　difference　in　her　looks。　　She　was　no　longer　as　softly　pleasing；　more　angular。　　Her　face　was　hollow…cheeked；　like　so　many　of　Rossetti's　and　Burne…Jones's　women。　　Her　health　was　really　not　as　good　as　it　had　beenthe　care　of　two　children　and　a　late　undiagnosed　tendency　toward　gastritis　having　reduced　her。　　In　short　she　was　a　little　run　down　nervously　and