the financier-第49部分

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of　panic；　but　this　shift　of　Stener's　was　quite　too　much。　　〃Whom　else　have　you　been　talking　to；　George；　since　I　saw　you？　Whom　have　you　seen？　What　did　Sengstack　have　to　say？〃

〃He　says　just　what　Mollenhauer　does；　that　I　mustn't　loan　any　more　money　under　any　circumstances；　and　he　says　I　ought　to　get　that　five　hundred　thousand　back　as　quickly　as　possible。〃

〃And　you　think　Mollenhauer　wants　to　help　you；　do　you？〃　inquired　Cowperwood；　finding　it　hard　to　efface　the　contempt　which　kept　forcing　itself　into　his　voice。

〃I　think　he　does；　yes。　　I　don't　know　who　else　will；　Frank；　if　he　don't。　　He's　one　of　the　big　political　forces　in　this　town。〃

〃Listen　to　me；〃　began　Cowperwood；　eyeing　him　fixedly。　　Then　he　paused。　　〃What　did　he　say　you　should　do　about　your　holdings？〃

〃Sell　them　through　Tighe　&　Company　and　put　the　money　back　in　the　treasury；　if　you　won't　take　them。〃

〃Sell　them　to　whom？〃　asked　Cowperwood；　thinking　of　Stener's　last　words。

〃To　any　one　on　'change　who'll　take　them；　I　suppose。　　I　don't　know。〃

〃I　thought　so；〃　said　Cowperwood；　comprehendingly。　　〃I　might　have　known　as　much。　　They're　working　you；　George。　　They're　simply　trying　to　get　your　stocks　away　from　you。　　Mollenhauer　is　leading　you　on。　He　knows　I　can't　do　what　you　wantgive　you　back　the　five　hundred　thousand　dollars。　　He　wants　you　to　throw　your　stocks　on　the　market　so　that　he　can　pick　them　up。　　Depend　on　it；　that's　all　arranged　for　already。　　When　you　do；　he's　got　me　in　his　clutches；　or　he　thinks　he　hashe　and　Butler　and　Simpson。　　They　want　to　get　together　on　this　local　street…railway　situation；　and　I　know　it；　I　feel　it。　I've　felt　it　coming　all　along。　　Mollenhauer　hasn't　any　more　intention　of　helping　you　than　he　has　of　flying。　　Once　you've　sold　your　stocks　he's　through　with　youmark　my　word。　　Do　you　think　he'll　turn　a　hand　to　keep　you　out　of　the　penitentiary　once　you're　out　of　this　street…railway　situation？　He　will　not。　　And　if　you　think　so；　you're　a　bigger　fool　than　I　take　you　to　be；　George。　　Don't　go　crazy。　Don't　lose　your　head。　　Be　sensible。　　Look　the　situation　in　the　face。　　Let　me　explain　it　to　you。　　If　you　don't　help　me　nowif　you　don't　let　me　have　three　hundred　thousand　dollars　by　to…morrow　noon；　at　the　very　latest；　I'm　through；　and　so　are　you。　　There　is　not　a　thing　the　matter　with　our　situation。　　Those　stocks　of　ours　are　as　good　to…day　as　they　ever　were。　　Why；　great　heavens；　man；　the　railways　are　there　behind　them。　　They're　paying。　　The　Seventeenth　and　Nineteenth　Street　line　is　earning　one　thousand　dollars　a　day　right　now。　　What　better　evidence　do　you　want　than　that？　Green　&　Coates　is　earning　five　hundred　dollars。　　You're　frightened；　George。　These　damned　political　schemers　have　scared　you。　　Why；　you've　as　good　a　right　to　loan　that　money　as　Bode　and　Murtagh　had　before　you。　They　did　it。　　You've　been　doing　it　for　Mollenhauer　and　the　others；　only　so　long　as　you　do　it　for　them　it's　all　right。　　What's　a　designated　city　depository　but　a　loan？〃

Cowperwood　was　referring　to　the　system　under　which　certain　portions　of　city　money；　like　the　sinking…fund；　were　permitted　to　be　kept　in　certain　banks　at　a　low　rate　of　interest　or　no　ratebanks　in　which　Mollenhauer　and　Butler　and　Simpson　were　interested。　　This　was　their　safe　graft。

〃Don't　throw　your　chances　away；　George。　　Don't　quit　now。　　You'll　be　worth　millions　in　a　few　years；　and　you　won't　have　to　turn　a　hand。　All　you　will　have　to　do　will　be　to　keep　what　you　have。　　If　you　don't　help　me；　mark　my　word；　they'll　throw　you　over　the　moment　I'm　out　of　this；　and　they'll　let　you　go　to　the　penitentiary。　　Who's　going　to　put　up　five　hundred　thousand　dollars　for　you；　George？　Where　is　Mollenhauer　going　to　get　it；　or　Butler；　or　anybody；　in　these　times？　They　can't。　　They　don't　intend　to。　　When　I'm　through；　you're　through；　and　you'll　be　exposed　quicker　than　any　one　else。　　They　can't　hurt　me；　George。　　I'm　an　agent。　　I　didn't　ask　you　to　come　to　me。　　You　came　to　me　in　the　first　place　of　your　own　accord。　　If　you　don't　help　me；　you're　through；　I　tell　you；　and　you're　going　to　be　sent　to　the　penitentiary　as　sure　as　there　are　jails。　　Why　don't　you　take　a　stand；　George？　Why　don't　you　stand　your　ground？　You　have　your　wife　and　children　to　look　after。　　You　can't　be　any　worse　off　loaning　me　three　hundred　thousand　more　than　you　are　right　now。　　What　difference　does　it　makefive　hundred　thousand　or　eight　hundred　thousand？　It's　all　one　and　the　same　thing；　if　you're　going　to　be　tried　for　it。　　Besides；　if　you　loan　me　this；　there　isn't　going　to　be　any　trial。　　I'm　not　going　to　fail。　　This　storm　will　blow　over　in　a　week　or　ten　days；　and　we'll　be　rich　again。　　For　Heaven's　sake；　George；　don't　go　to　pieces　this　way！　Be　sensible！　Be　reasonable！〃

He　paused；　for　Stener's　face　had　become　a　jelly…like　mass　of　woe。

〃I　can't；　Frank；〃　he　wailed。　　〃I　tell　you　I　can't。　　They'll　punish　me　worse　than　ever　if　I　do　that。　　They'll　never　let　up　on　me。　　You　don't　know　these　people。〃

In　Stener's　crumpling　weakness　Cowperwood　read　his　own　fate。　　What　could　you　do　with　a　man　like　that？　How　brace　him　up？　You　couldn't！　And　with　a　gesture　of　infinite　understanding；　disgust；　noble　indifference；　he　threw　up　his　hands　and　started　to　walk　out。　　At　the　door　he　turned。

〃George；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　sorry。　　I'm　sorry　for　you；　not　for　myself。　I'll　come　out　of　things　all　right；　eventually。　　I'll　be　rich。　　But；　George；　you're　making　the　one　great　mistake　of　your　life。　　You'll　be　poor；　you'll　be　a　convict；　and　you'll　have　only　yourself　to　blame。　　There　isn't　a　thing　the　matter　with　this　money　situation　except　the　fire。　　There　isn't　a　thing　wrong　with　my　affairs　except　this　slump　in　stocksthis　panic。　　You　sit　there；　a　fortune　in　your　hands；　and　you　allow　a　lot　of　schemers；　highbinders；　who　don't　know　any　more　of　your　affairs　or　mine　than　a　rabbit；　and　who　haven't　any　interest　in　you　except　to　plan　what　they　can　get　out　of　you；　to　frighten　you　and　prevent　you　from　doing　the　one　thing　that　will　save　your　life。　　Three　hundred　thousand　paltry　dollars　that　in　three　or　four　weeks　from　now　I　can　pay　back　to　you　four　and　five　times　over；　and　for　that　you　will　see　me　go　broke　and　yourself　to　the　penitentiary。　　I　can't　understand　it；　George。　　You're　out　of　your　mind。　　You're　going　to　rue　this　the　longest　day　that　you　live。〃

He　waited　a　few　moments　to　see　if　this；　by　any　twist　of　chance；　would　have　any　effect；　then；　noting　that　Stener　still　remained　a　wilted；　helpless　mass　of　nothing；　he　shook　his　head　gloomily　and　walked　out。

It　was　the　first　time　in　his　life　that　Cowperwood　had　ever　shown　the　least　sign　of　weakening　or　despair。　　He　had　felt　all　along　as　though　there　were　nothing　to　the　Greek　theory　of　being　pursued　by　the　furies。　　Now；　however；　there　seemed　an　untoward　fate　which　was　pursuing　him。　　It　looked　that　way。　　Still；　fate　or　no　fate；　he　did　not　propose　to　be　daunted。　　Even　in　this　very　beginning　of　a　tendency　to　feel　despondent　he　threw　back　his　head；　expanded　his　chest；　and　walked　as　briskly　as　ever。


In　the　large　room　outside　Stener's　private　office　he　encountered　Albert　Stires；　Stener's　chief　clerk　and　secretary。　　He　and　Albert　had　exchanged　many　friendly　greetings　in　times　past；　and　all　the　little　minor　transactions　in　regard　to　city　loan　had　been　discussed　between　them；　for　Albert　knew　more　of　the　intricacies　of　finance　and　financial　bookkeeping　than　Stener　would　ever　know。

At　the　sight　of　Stires　the　thought　in　regard　to　the　sixty　thousand　dollars'　worth　of　city　loan　certificates；　previously　referred　to；　flashed　suddenly　through　his　mind。　　He　had　not　deposited　them　in　the　sinking…fund；　and　did　not　intend　to　for　the　presentcould　not；　unless　considerable　free　money　were　to　reach　him　shortlyfor　he　had　used　them　to　satisfy　other　pressing　demands；　and　had　no　free　money　to　buy　them　backor；　in　other　words；　release　them。　　And　he　did　not　want　to　just　at　this　moment。　　Under　the　law　governing　transactions　of　this　kind　with　the　city　treasurer；　he　was　supposed　to　deposit　them　at　once　to　the　credit　of　the　city；　and　not　to　draw　his　pay　therefor　from　the　city　treasurer　until　he　had。　　To　be　very　exact；　the　city　treasurer；　under　the　law；　was　not　supposed　to　pay　him　for　any　transaction　of　this　kind　until　he　or　his　agents　presented　a　voucher　from　the　bank　or　other　organization　carrying　the　sinking…fund　for　the　city　showing　that　the　certificates　so　purchased　had　actually　been　deposited　there。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　under　the　custom　which　had　grown　up　between　him　and　Stener；　the　law　had　long　been　ignored　in　this　respect。　　He　could　buy　certificates　of　city　loan　for　the　sinking…fund　up　to　any　reasonable　amount；　hypothecate　them　where　he　pleased；　and　draw　his　pay　from　the　city　without　presenting　a　voucher。　　At　the　end　of　the　month　sufficient　certificates　of　city　loan　could　usually　be　gathered　from　one　source　and　another　to　make　up　the　deficiency；　or　the　deficiency　could　actually　be　ignored；　as　had　been　done　on　more　than　one　occasion；　for　long　periods　of　time；　while　he　used　money　secured　by　hypothecating　the　shares　for　speculative　purposes。　　This　was　actually　illegal；　but　neither　Cowperwood　nor　Stener　saw　it　in　that　light　or　cared。

The　trouble　with　this　particular　transaction　was　the　note　that　he　had　received　from　Stener　ordering　him　to　stop　both　buying　and　selling；　which　put　his　relations　with　the　city　treasury　on　a　very　formal　basis。　　He　had　bought　these　certificates　before　receiving　this　note；　but　had　not　deposited　them。　　He　was　going　now　to　collect　his　check；　but　perhaps　the　old；　easy　system　of　balancing　matters　at　the　end　of　the　month　might　not　be　said　to　obtain　any　longer。　Stires　might　ask　him　to　present　a　voucher　of　deposit。　　If　so；　he　could　not　now　get　this　check　for　sixty　thousand　dollars；　for　he　did　not　have　the　certificates　to　deposit。　　If　not；　he　might　get　the　money；　but；　also；　it　might　constitute　the　basis　of　some　subsequent　legal　action。　　If　he　did　not　eventually　deposit　the　certificates　before　failure；　some　charge　such　as　that　of　larceny　might　be　brought　against　him。　　Still；　he　said　to　himself；　he　might　not　really　fail　even　yet。　　If　any　of　his　banking　associates　should；　for　any　reason；　modify　their　decision　in　regard　to　calling　his　loans；　he　would　not。　Would　Stener　make　a　row　about　this　if　he　so　secured　this　check？　Would　the　city　officials　pay　any　attention　to　him　if　he　did？　Could　you　get　any　di