the financier-第22部分

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〃Well；　the　stock　exchange　has　a　regular　scale　of　charges　which　we　brokers　are　compelled　to　observe。　　It's　one…fourth　of　one　per　cent。　on　the　par　value　of　bonds　and　loans。　　Of　course；　I　may　hav　to　add　a　lot　of　fictitious　sellingI'll　explain　that　to　you　later　but　I　won't　charge　you　anything　for　that　so　long　as　it　is　a　secret　between　us。　　I'll　give　you　the　best　service　I　can；　Mr。　Stener。　You　can　depend　on　that。　　Let　me　have　a　day　or　two　to　think　it　over；　though。〃

He　shook　hands　with　Stener；　and　they　parted。　　Cowperwood　was　satisfied　that　he　was　on　the　verge　of　a　significant　combination；　and　Stener　that　he　had　found　someone　on　whom　he　could　lean。





Chapter　XV




The　plan　Cowperwood　developed　after　a　few　days'　meditation　will　be　plain　enough　to　any　one　who　knows　anything　of　commercial　and　financial　manipulation；　but　a　dark　secret　to　those　who　do　not。　　In　the　first　place；　the　city　treasurer　was　to　use　his　（Cowperwood's）　office　as　a　bank　of　deposit。　　He　was　to　turn　over　to　him；　actually；　or　set　over　to　his　credit　on　the　city's　books；　subject　to　his　order；　certain　amounts　of　city　loanstwo　hundred　thousand　dollars　at　first；　since　that　was　the　amount　it　was　desired　to　raise　quickly　and　he　would　then　go　into　the　market　and　see　what　could　be　done　to　have　it　brought　to　par。　　The　city　treasurer　was　to　ask　leave　of　the　stock　exchange　at　once　to　have　it　listed　as　a　security。　Cowperwood　would　then　use　his　influence　to　have　this　application　acted　upon　quickly。　　Stener　was　then　to　dispose　of　all　city　loan　certificates　through　him；　and　him　only。　　He　was　to　allow　him　to　buy　for　the　sinking…fund；　supposedly；　such　amounts　as　he　might　have　to　buy　in　order　to　keep　the　price　up　to　par。　　To　do　this；　once　a　considerable　number　of　the　loan　certificates　had　been　unloaded　on　the　public；　it　might　be　necessary　to　buy　back　a　great　deal。　　However；　these　would　be　sold　again。　　The　law　concerning　selling　only　at　par　would　have　to　be　abrogated　to　this　extent　i。e。；　that　the　wash　sales　and　preliminary　sales　would　have　to　be　considered　no　sales　until　par　was　reached。

There　was　a　subtle　advantage　here；　as　Cowperwood　pointed　out　to　Stener。　　In　the　first　place；　since　the　certificates　were　going　ultimately　to　reach　par　anyway；　there　was　no　objection　to　Stener　or　any　one　else　buying　low　at　the　opening　price　and　holding　for　a　rise。　　Cowperwood　would　be　glad　to　carry　him　on　his　books　for　any　amount；　and　he　would　settle　at　the　end　of　each　month。　　He　would　not　be　asked　to　buy　the　certificates　outright。　　He　could　be　carried　on　the　books　for　a　certain　reasonable　margin；　say　ten　points。　　The　money　was　as　good　as　made　for　Stener　now。　　In　the　next　place；　in　buying　for　the　sinking…fund　it　would　be　possible　to　buy　these　certificates　very　cheap；　for；　having　the　new　and　reserve　issue　entirely　in　his　hands；　Cowperwood　could　throw　such　amounts　as　he　wished　into　the　market　at　such　times　as　he　wished　to　buy；　and　consequently　depress　the　market。　　Then　he　could　buy；　and；　later；　up　would　go　the　price。　　Having　the　issues　totally　in　his　hands　to　boost　or　depress　the　market　as　he　wished；　there　was　no　reason　why　the　city　should　not　ultimately　get　par　for　all　its　issues；　and　at　the　same　time　considerable　money　be　made　out　of　the　manufactured　fluctuations。　　He；　Cowperwood；　would　be　glad　to　make　most　of　his　profit　that　way。　　The　city　should　allow　him　his　normal　percentage　on　all　his　actual　sales　of　certificates　for　the　city　at　par　（he　would　have　to　have　that　in　order　to　keep　straight　with　the　stock　exchange）；　but　beyond　that；　and　for　all　the　other　necessary　manipulative　sales；　of　which　there　would　be　many；　he　would　depend　on　his　knowledge　of　the　stock　market　to　reimburse　him。　And　if　Stener　wanted　to　speculate　with　himwell。

Dark　as　this　transaction　may　seem　to　the　uninitiated；　it　will　appear　quite　clear　to　those　who　know。　　Manipulative　tricks　have　always　been　worked　in　connection　with　stocks　of　which　one　man　or　one　set　of　men　has　had　complete　control。　　It　was　no　different　from　what　subsequently　was　done　with　Erie；　Standard　Oil；　Copper；　Sugar；　Wheat；　and　what　not。　　Cowperwood　was　one　of　the　first　and　one　of　the　youngest　to　see　how　it　could　be　done。　　When　he　first　talked　to　Stener　he　was　twenty…eight　years　of　age。　　When　he　last　did　business　with　him　he　was　thirty…four。

The　houses　and　the　bank…front　of　Cowperwood　&　Co。　had　been　proceeding　apace。　　The　latter　was　early　Florentine　in　its　decorations　with　windows　which　grew　narrower　as　they　approached　the　roof；　and　a　door　of　wrought　iron　set　between　delicately　carved　posts；　and　a　straight　lintel　of　brownstone。　　It　was　low　in　height　and　distinguished　in　appearance。　　In　the　center　panel　had　been　hammered　a　hand；　delicately　wrought；　thin　and　artistic；　holding　aloft　a　flaming　brand。　　Ellsworth　informed　him　that　this　had　formerly　been　a　money…changer's　sign　used　in　old　Venice；　the　significance　of　which　had　long　been　forgotten。

The　interior　was　finished　in　highly…polished　hardwood；　stained　in　imitation　of　the　gray　lichens　which　infest　trees。　　Large　sheets　of　clear；　beveled　glass　were　used；　some　oval；　some　oblong；　some　square；　and　some　circular；　following　a　given　theory　of　eye　movement。　　The　fixtures　for　the　gas…jets　were　modeled　after　the　early　Roman　flame…brackets；　and　the　office　safe　was　made　an　ornament；　raised　on　a　marble　platform　at　the　back　of　the　office　and　lacquered　a　silver…gray；　with　Cowperwood　&　Co。　lettered　on　it　in　gold。　　One　had　a　sense　of　reserve　and　taste　pervading　the　place；　and　yet　it　was　also　inestimably　prosperous；　solid　and　assuring。　　Cowperwood；　when　he　viewed　it　at　its　completion；　complimented　Ellsworth　cheerily。　　〃I　like　this。　　It　is　really　beautiful。　　It　will　be　a　pleasure　to　work　here。　　If　those　houses　are　going　to　be　anything　like　this；　they　will　be　perfect。〃

〃Wait　till　you　see　them。　　I　think　you　will　be　pleased；　Mr。　Cowperwood。　　I　am　taking　especial　pains　with　yours　because　it　is　smaller。　　It　is　really　easier　to　treat　your　father's。　　But　yours〃　He　went　off　into　a　description　of　the　entrance…hall；　reception…room　and　parlor；　which　he　was　arranging　and　decorating　in　such　a　way　as　to　give　an　effect　of　size　and　dignity　not　really　conformable　to　the　actual　space。

And　when　the　houses　were　finished；　they　were　effective　and　arrestingquite　different　from　the　conventional　residences　of　the　street。　　They　were　separated　by　a　space　of　twenty　feet；　laid　out　as　greensward。　　The　architect　had　borrowed　somewhat　from　the　Tudor　school；　yet　not　so　elaborated　as　later　became　the　style　in　many　of　the　residences　in　Philadelphia　and　elsewhere。　　The　most　striking　features　were　rather　deep…recessed　doorways　under　wide；　low；　slightly　floriated　arches；　and　three　projecting　windows　of　rich　form；　one　on　the　second　floor　of　Frank's　house；　two　on　the　facade　of　his　father's。　　There　were　six　gables　showing　on　the　front　of　the　two　houses；　two　on　Frank's　and　four　on　his　father's。　　In　the　front　of　each　house　on　the　ground　floor　was　a　recessed　window　unconnected　with　the　recessed　doorways；　formed　by　setting　the　inner　external　wall　back　from　the　outer　face　of　the　building。　　This　window　looked　out　through　an　arched　opening　to　the　street；　and　was　protected　by　a　dwarf　parapet　or　balustrade。　　It　was　possible　to　set　potted　vines　and　flowers　there；　which　was　later　done；　giving　a　pleasant　sense　of　greenery　from　the　street；　and　to　place　a　few　chairs　there；　which　were　reached　via　heavily　barred　French　casements。

On　the　ground　floor　of　each　house　was　placed　a　conservatory　of　flowers；　facing　each　other；　and　in　the　yard；　which　was　jointly　used；　a　pool　of　white　marble　eight　feet　in　diameter；　with　a　marble　Cupid　upon　which　jets　of　water　played。　　The　yard　which　was　enclosed　by　a　high　but　pierced　wall　of　green…gray　brick；　especially　burnt　for　the　purpose　the　same　color　as　the　granite　of　the　house；　and　surmounted　by　a　white　marble　coping　which　was　sown　to　grass　and　had　a　lovely；　smooth；　velvety　appearance。　　The　two　houses；　as　originally　planned；　were　connected　by　a　low；　green…columned　pergola　which　could　be　enclosed　in　glass　in　winter。

The　rooms；　which　were　now　slowly　being　decorated　and　furnished　in　period　styles　were　very　significant　in　that　they　enlarged　and　strengthened　Frank　Cowperwood's　idea　of　the　world　of　art　in　general。　It　was　an　enlightening　and　agreeable　experienceone　which　made　for　artistic　and　intellectual　growthto　hear　Ellsworth　explain　at　length　the　styles　and　types　of　architecture　and　furniture；　the　nature　of　woods　and　ornaments　employed；　the　qualities　and　peculiarities　of　hangings；　draperies；　furniture　panels；　and　door　coverings。　　Ellsworth　was　a　student　of　decoration　as　well　as　of　architecture；　and　interested　in　the　artistic　taste　of　the　American　people；　which　he　fancied　would　some　day　have　a　splendid　outcome。　　He　was　wearied　to　death　of　the　prevalent　Romanesque　composite　combinations　of　country　and　suburban　villa。　　The　time　was　ripe　for　something　new。　　He　scarcely　knew　what　it　would　be；　but　this　that　he　had　designed　for　Cowperwood　and　his　father　was　at　least　different；　as　he　said；　while　at　the　same　time　being　reserved；　simple；　and　pleasing。　　It　was　in　marked　contrast　to　the　rest　of　the　architecture　of　the　street。　　Cowperwood's　dining…room；　reception…room；　conservatory；　and　butler's　pantry　he　had　put　on　the　first　floor；　together　with　the　general　entry…hall；　staircase；　and　coat…room　under　the　stairs。　　For　the　second　floor　he　had　reserved　the　library；　general　living…room；　parlor；　and　a　small　office　for　Cowperwood；　together　with　a　boudoir　for　Lillian；　connected　with　a　dressing…room　and　bath。

On　the　third　floor；　neatly　divided　and　accommodated　with　baths　and　dressing…rooms；　were　the　nursery；　the　servants'　quarters；　and　several　guest…chambers。

Ellsworth　showed　Cowperwood　books　of　designs　containing　furniture；　hangings；　etageres；　cabinets；　pedestals；　and　some　exquisite　piano　forms。　　He　discussed　woods　with　himrosewood；　mahogany；　walnut；　English　oak；　bird's…eye　maple；　and　the　manufactured　effects　such　as　ormolu；　marquetry；　and　Boule；　or　buhl。　　He　explained　the　latter　how　difficult　it　was　to　produce；　how　unsuitable　it　was　in　some　respects　for　this　climate；　the　brass　and　tortoise…shell　inlay　coming　to　swell　with　the　heat　or　damp；　and　so　bulging　or　breaking。　He　told　of　the　difficulties　and　disadvantages　of　certain　finishes；　but　finally　recommended　ormo