the financier-第23部分

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molu　furniture　for　the　reception　room；　medallion　tapestry　for　the　parlor；　French　renaissance　for　the　dining…room　and　library；　and　bird's…eye　maple　（dyed　blue　in　one　instance；　and　left　its　natural　color　in　another）　and　a　rather　lightly　constructed　and　daintily　carved　walnut　for　the　other　rooms。　The　hangings；　wall…paper；　and　floor　coverings　were　to　harmonize　not　matchand　the　piano　and　music…cabinet　for　the　parlor；　as　well　as　the　etagere；　cabinets；　and　pedestals　for　the　reception…rooms；　were　to　be　of　buhl　or　marquetry；　if　Frank　cared　to　stand　the　expense。

Ellsworth　advised　a　triangular　pianothe　square　shapes　were　so　inexpressibly　wearisome　to　the　initiated。　　Cowperwood　listened　fascinated。　　He　foresaw　a　home　which　would　be　chaste；　soothing；　and　delightful　to　look　upon。　　If　he　hung　pictures；　gilt　frames　were　to　be　the　setting；　large　and　deep；　and　if　he　wished　a　picture…gallery；　the　library　could　be　converted　into　that；　and　the　general　living…room；　which　lay　between　the　library　and　the　parlor　on　the　second…floor；　could　be　turned　into　a　combination　library　and　living…room。　　This　was　eventually　done；　but　not　until　his　taste　for　pictures　had　considerably　advanced。

It　was　now　that　he　began　to　take　a　keen　interest　in　objects　of　art；　pictures；　bronzes；　little　carvings　and　figurines；　for　his　cabinets；　pedestals；　tables；　and　etageres。　　Philadelphia　did　not　offer　much　that　was　distinguished　in　this　realmcertainly　not　in　the　open　market。　　There　were　many　private　houses　which　were　enriched　by　travel；　but　his　connection　with　the　best　families　was　as　yet　small。　　There　were　then　two　famous　American　sculptors；　Powers　and　Hosmer；　of　whose　work　he　had　examples；　but　Ellsworth　told　him　that　they　were　not　the　last　word　in　sculpture　and　that　he　should　look　into　the　merits　of　the　ancients。　　He　finally　secured　a　head　of　David；　by　Thorwaldsen；　which　delighted　him；　and　some　landscapes　by　Hunt；　Sully；　and　Hart；　which　seemed　somewhat　in　the　spirit　of　his　new　world。

The　effect　of　a　house　of　this　character　on　its　owner　is　unmistakable。　We　think　we　are　individual；　separate；　above　houses　and　material　objects　generally；　but　there　is　a　subtle　connection　which　makes　them　reflect　us　quite　as　much　as　we　reflect　them。　　They　lend　dignity；　subtlety；　force；　each　to　the　other；　and　what　beauty；　or　lack　of　it；　there　is；　is　shot　back　and　forth　from　one　to　the　other　as　a　shuttle　in　a　loom；　weaving；　weaving。　　Cut　the　thread；　separate　a　man　from　that　which　is　rightfully　his　own；　characteristic　of　him；　and　you　have　a　peculiar　figure；　half　success；　half　failure；　much　as　a　spider　without　its　web；　which　will　never　be　its　whole　self　again　until　all　its　dignities　and　emoluments　are　restored。

The　sight　of　his　new　house　going　up　made　Cowperwood　feel　of　more　weight　in　the　world；　and　the　possession　of　his　suddenly　achieved　connection　with　the　city　treasurer　was　as　though　a　wide　door　had　been　thrown　open　to　the　Elysian　fields　of　opportunity。　　He　rode　about　the　city　those　days　behind　a　team　of　spirited　bays；　whose　glossy　hides　and　metaled　harness　bespoke　the　watchful　care　of　hostler　and　coachman。　　Ellsworth　was　building　an　attractive　stable　in　the　little　side　street　back　of　the　houses；　for　the　joint　use　of　both　families。　　He　told　Mrs。　Cowperwood　that　he　intended　to　buy　her　a　victoriaas　the　low；　open；　four…wheeled　coach　was　then　known　as　soon　as　they　were　well　settled　in　their　new　home；　and　that　they　were　to　go　out　more。　　There　was　some　talk　about　the　value　of　entertainingthat　he　would　have　to　reach　out　socially　for　certain　individuals　who　were　not　now　known　to　him。　　Together　with　Anna；　his　sister；　and　his　two　brothers；　Joseph　and　Edward；　they　could　use　the　two　houses　jointly。　　There　was　no　reason　why　Anna　should　not　make　a　splendid　match。　　Joe　and　Ed　might　marry　well；　since　they　were　not　destined　to　set　the　world　on　fire　in　commerce。　　At　least　it　would　not　hurt　them　to　try。

〃Don't　you　think　you　will　like　that？〃　he　asked　his　wife；　referring　to　his　plans　for　entertaining。

She　smiled　wanly。　〃I　suppose　so；〃　she　said。





Chapter　XVI




It　was　not　long　after　the　arrangement　between　Treasurer　Stener　and　Cowperwood　had　been　made　that　the　machinery　for　the　carrying　out　of　that　political…financial　relationship　was　put　in　motion。　The　sum　of　two　hundred　and　ten　thousand　dollars　in　six　per　cent。　interest…bearing　certificates；　payable　in　ten　years；　was　set　over　to　the　credit　of　Cowperwood　&　Co。　on　the　books　of　the　city；　subject　to　his　order。　　Then；　with　proper　listing；　he　began　to　offer　it　in　small　amounts　at　more　than　ninety；　at　the　same　time　creating　the　impression　that　it　was　going　to　be　a　prosperous　investment。　　The　certificates　gradually　rose　and　were　unloaded　in　rising　amounts　until　one　hundred　was　reached；　when　all　the　two　hundred　thousand　dollars'　worthtwo　thousand　certificates　in　allwas　fed　out　in　small　lots。　　Stener　was　satisfied。　　Two　hundred　shares　had　been　carried　for　him　and　sold　at　one　hundred；　which　netted　him　two　thousand　dollars。　　It　was　illegitimate　gain；　unethical；　but　his　conscience　was　not　very　much　troubled　by　that。　　He　had　none；　truly。　He　saw　visions　of　a　halcyon　future。

It　is　difficult　to　make　perfectly　clear　what　a　subtle　and　significant　power　this　suddenly　placed　in　the　hands　of　Cowperwood。　　Consider　that　he　was　only　twenty…eightnearing　twenty…nine。　　Imagine　yourself　by　nature　versed　in　the　arts　of　finance；　capable　of　playing　with　sums　of　money　in　the　forms　of　stocks；　certificates；　bonds；　and　cash；　as　the　ordinary　man　plays　with　checkers　or　chess。　　Or；　better　yet；　imagine　yourself　one　of　those　subtle　masters　of　the　mysteries　of　the　higher　forms　of　chessthe　type　of　mind　so　well　illustrated　by　the　famous　and　historic　chess…players；　who　could　sit　with　their　backs　to　a　group　of　rivals　playing　fourteen　men　at　once；　calling　out　all　the　moves　in　turn；　remembering　all　the　positions　of　all　the　men　on　all　the　boards；　and　winning。　　This；　of　course；　would　be　an　overstatement　of　the　subtlety　of　Cowperwood　at　this　time；　and　yet　it　would　not　be　wholly　out　of　bounds。　　He　knew　instinctively　what　could　be　done　with　a　given　sum　of　moneyhow　as　cash　it　could　be　deposited　in　one　place；　and　yet　as　credit　and　the　basis　of　moving　checks；　used　in　not　one　but　many　other　places　at　the　same　time。　When　properly　watched　and　followed　this　manipulation　gave　him　the　constructive　and　purchasing　power　of　ten　and　a　dozen　times　as　much　as　his　original　sum　might　have　represented。　　He　knew　instinctively　the　principles　of　〃pyramiding〃　and　〃kiting。〃　　He　could　see　exactly　not　only　how　he　could　raise　and　lower　the　value　of　these　certificates　of　loan；　day　after　day　and　year　after　yearif　he　were　so　fortunate　as　to　retain　his　hold　on　the　city　treasurerbut　also　how　this　would　give　him　a　credit　with　the　banks　hitherto　beyond　his　wildest　dreams。　His　father's　bank　was　one　of　the　first　to　profit　by　this　and　to　extend　him　loans。　　The　various　local　politicians　and　bosses　Mollenhauer；　Butler；　Simpson；　and　othersseeing　the　success　of　his　efforts　in　this　direction；　speculated　in　city　loan。　　He　became　known　to　Mollenhauer　and　Simpson；　by　reputation；　if　not　personally；　as　the　man　who　was　carrying　this　city　loan　proposition　to　a　successful　issue。　　Stener　was　supposed　to　have　done　a　clever　thing　in　finding　him。　　The　stock　exchange　stipulated　that　all　trades　were　to　be　compared　the　same　day　and　settled　before　the　close　of　the　next；　but　this　working　arrangement　with　the　new　city　treasurer　gave　Cowperwood　much　more　latitude；　and　now　he　had　always　until　the　first　of　the　month；　or　practically　thirty　days　at　times；　in　which　to　render　an　accounting　for　all　deals　connected　with　the　loan　issue。

And；　moreover；　this　was　really　not　an　accounting　in　the　sense　of　removing　anything　from　his　hands。　　Since　the　issue　was　to　be　so　large；　the　sum　at　his　disposal　would　always　be　large；　and　so…called　transfers　and　balancing　at　the　end　of　the　month　would　be　a　mere　matter　of　bookkeeping。　　He　could　use　these　city　loan　certificates　deposited　with　him　for　manipulative　purposes；　deposit　them　at　any　bank　as　collateral　for　a　loan；　quite　as　if　they　were　his　own；　thus　raising　seventy　per　cent。　of　their　actual　value　in　cash；　and　he　did　not　hesitate　to　do　so。　　He　could　take　this　cash；　which　need　not　be　accounted　for　until　the　end　of　the　month；　and　cover　other　stock　transactions；　on　which　he　could　borrow　again。　　There　was　no　limit　to　the　resources　of　which　he　now　found　himself　possessed；　except　the　resources　of　his　own　energy；　ingenuity；　and　the　limits　of　time　in　which　he　had　to　work。　　The　politicians　did　not　realize　what　a　bonanza　he　was　making　of　it　all　for　himself；　because　they　were　as　yet　unaware　of　the　subtlety　of　his　mind。　　When　Stener　told　him；　after　talking　the　matter　over　with　the　mayor；　Strobik；　and　others　that　he　would　formally；　during　the　course　of　the　year；　set　over　on　the　city's　books　all　of　the　two　millions　in　city　loan；　Cowperwood　was　silentbut　with　delight。　Two　millions！　His　to　play　with！　He　had　been　called　in　as　a　financial　adviser；　and　he　had　given　his　advice　and　it　had　been　taken！　Well。　　He　was　not　a　man　who　inherently　was　troubled　with　conscientious　scruples。　　At　the　same　time　he　still　believed　himself　financially　honest。　　He　was　no　sharper　or　shrewder　than　any　other　financiercertainly　no　sharper　than　any　other　would　be　if　he　could。

It　should　be　noted　here　that　this　proposition　of　Stener's　in　regard　to　city　money　had　no　connection　with　the　attitude　of　the　principal　leaders　in　local　politics　in　regard　to　street…railway　control；　which　was　a　new　and　intriguing　phase　of　the　city's　financial　life。　　Many　of　the　leading　financiers　and　financier…politicians　were　interested　in　that。　　For　instance；　Messrs。　Mollenhauer；　Butler；　and　Simpson　were　interested　in　street…railways　separately　on　their　own　account。　There　was　no　understanding　between　them　on　this　score。　　If　they　had　thought　at　all　on　the　matter　they　would　have　decided　that　they　did　not　want　any　outsider　to　interfere。　　As　a　matter　of　fact　the　street…railway　business　in　Philadelphia　was　not　sufficiently　developed　at　this　time　to　suggest　to　any　one　the　grand　scheme　of　union　which　came　later。　　Yet　in　connection　with　this　new　arrangement　between　Stener　and　Cowperwood；　it　was　Strobik　who　now　came　forward　to　Stener　with　an　idea　of　his　own。　　All　were　certain　to　make　money　through　Cowperw