the financier-第5部分

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〃Maybe　she'll　ask　you；〃　she　called　back；　growing　more　courageous　as　the　distance　between　them　widened。　　〃I'll　ask　her。〃

〃Thanks；〃　he　smiled。

And　she　began　to　run　gayly　onward。

He　looked　after　her　with　a　smiling　face。　　She　was　very　pretty。　He　felt　a　keen　desire　to　kiss　her；　and　what　might　transpire　at　Ruth　Merriam's　party　rose　vividly　before　his　eyes。

This　was　just　one　of　the　early　love　affairs；　or　puppy　loves；　that　held　his　mind　from　time　to　time　in　the　mixture　of　after　events。　Patience　Barlow　was　kissed　by　him　in　secret　ways　many　times　before　he　found　another　girl。　　She　and　others　of　the　street　ran　out　to　play　in　the　snow　of　a　winter's　night；　or　lingered　after　dusk　before　her　own　door　when　the　days　grew　dark　early。　　It　was　so　easy　to　catch　and　kiss　her　then；　and　to　talk　to　her　foolishly　at　parties。　　Then　came　Dora　Fitler；　when　he　was　sixteen　years　old　and　she　was　fourteen；　and　Marjorie　Stafford；　when　he　was　seventeen　and　she　was　fifteen。　Dora　Fitter　was　a　brunette；　and　Marjorie　Stafford　was　as　fair　as　the　morning；　with　bright…red　cheeks；　bluish…gray　eyes；　and　flaxen　hair；　and　as　plump　as　a　partridge。

It　was　at　seventeen　that　he　decided　to　leave　school。　　He　had　not　graduated。　　He　had　only　finished　the　third　year　in　high　school；　but　he　had　had　enough。　　Ever　since　his　thirteenth　year　his　mind　had　been　on　finance；　that　is；　in　the　form　in　which　he　saw　it　manifested　in　Third　Street。　　There　had　been　odd　things　which　he　had　been　able　to　do　to　earn　a　little　money　now　and　then。　　His　Uncle　Seneca　had　allowed　him　to　act　as　assistant　weigher　at　the　sugar…docks　in　Southwark；　where　three…hundred…pound　bags　were　weighed　into　the　government　bonded　warehouses　under　the　eyes　of　United　States　inspectors。　　In　certain　emergencies　he　was　called　to　assist　his　father；　and　was　paid　for　it。　　He　even　made　an　arrangement　with　Mr。　Dalrymple　to　assist　him　on　Saturdays；　but　when　his　father　became　cashier　of　his　bank；　receiving　an　income　of　four　thousand　dollars　a　year；　shortly　after　Frank　had　reached　his　fifteenth　year；　it　was　self…evident　that　Frank　could　no　longer　continue　in　such　lowly　employment。

Just　at　this　time　his　Uncle　Seneca；　again　back　in　Philadelphia　and　stouter　and　more　domineering　than　ever；　said　to　him　one　day：

〃Now；　Frank；　if　you're　ready　for　it；　I　think　I　know　where　there's　a　good　opening　for　you。　　There　won't　be　any　salary　in　it　for　the　first　year；　but　if　you　mind　your　p's　and　q's；　they'll　probably　give　you　something　as　a　gift　at　the　end　of　that　time。　　Do　you　know　of　Henry　Waterman　&　Company　down　in　Second　Street？〃

〃I've　seen　their　place。〃

〃Well；　they　tell　me　they　might　make　a　place　for　you　as　a　bookkeeper。　They're　brokers　in　a　waygrain　and　commission　men。　　You　say　you　want　to　get　in　that　line。　　When　school's　out；　you　go　down　and　see　Mr。　Watermantell　him　I　sent　you；　and　he'll　make　a　place　for　you；　I　think。　　Let　me　know　how　you　come　out。〃

Uncle　Seneca　was　married　now；　having；　because　of　his　wealth；　attracted　the　attention　of　a　poor　but　ambitious　Philadelphia　society　matron；　and　because　of　this　the　general　connections　of　the　Cowperwoods　were　considered　vastly　improved。　　Henry　Cowperwood　was　planning　to　move　with　his　family　rather　far　out　on　North　Front　Street；　which　commanded　at　that　time　a　beautiful　view　of　the　river　and　was　witnessing　the　construction　of　some　charming　dwellings。　His　four　thousand　dollars　a　year　in　these　pre…Civil…War　times　was　considerable。　　He　was　making　what　he　considered　judicious　and　conservative　investments　and　because　of　his　cautious；　conservative；　clock…like　conduct　it　was　thought　he　might　reasonably　expect　some　day　to　be　vice…president　and　possibly　president；　of　his　bank。

This　offer　of　Uncle　Seneca　to　get　him　in　with　Waterman　&　Company　seemed　to　Frank　just　the　thing　to　start　him　off　right。　　So　he　reported　to　that　organization　at　74　South　Second　Street　one　day　in　June；　and　was　cordially　received　by　Mr。　Henry　Waterman；　Sr。　There　was；　he　soon　learned；　a　Henry　Waterman；　Jr。；　a　young　man　of　twenty…five；　and　a　George　Waterman；　a　brother；　aged　fifty；　who　was　the　confidential　inside　man。　　Henry　Waterman；　Sr。；　a　man　of　fifty…five　years　of　age；　was　the　general　head　of　the　organization；　inside　and　outtraveling　about　the　nearby　territory　to　see　customers　when　that　was　necessary；　coming　into　final　counsel　in　cases　where　his　brother　could　not　adjust　matters；　suggesting　and　advising　new　ventures　which　his　associates　and　hirelings　carried　out。　　He　was；　to　look　at；　a　phlegmatic　type　of　manshort；　stout；　wrinkled　about　the　eyes；　rather　protuberant　as　to　stomach；　red…necked；　red…faced；　the　least　bit　popeyed；　but　shrewd；　kindly；　good…natured；　and　witty。　　He　had；　because　of　his　naturally　common…sense　ideas　and　rather　pleasing　disposition　built　up　a　sound　and　successful　business　here。　　He　was　getting　strong　in　years　and　would　gladly　have　welcomed　the　hearty　cooperation　of　his　son；　if　the　latter　had　been　entirely　suited　to　the　business。

He　was　not；　however。　　Not　as　democratic；　as　quick…witted；　or　as　pleased　with　the　work　in　hand　as　was　his　father；　the　business　actually　offended　him。　　And　if　the　trade　had　been　left　to　his　care；　it　would　have　rapidly　disappeared。　　His　father　foresaw　this；　was　grieved；　and　was　hoping　some　young　man　would　eventually　appear　who　would　be　interested　in　the　business；　handle　it　in　the　same　spirit　in　which　it　had　been　handled；　and　who　would　not　crowd　his　son　out。

Then　came　young　Cowperwood；　spoken　of　to　him　by　Seneca　Davis。　　He　looked　him　over　critically。　　Yes；　this　boy　might　do；　he　thought。　There　was　something　easy　and　sufficient　about　him。　　He　did　not　appear　to　be　in　the　least　flustered　or　disturbed。　　He　knew　how　to　keep　books；　he　said；　though　he　knew　nothing　of　the　details　of　the　grain　and　commission　business。　　It　was　interesting　to　him。　　He　would　like　to　try　it。

〃I　like　that　fellow；〃　Henry　Waterman　confided　to　his　brother　the　moment　Frank　had　gone　with　instructions　to　report　the　following　morning。　　〃There's　something　to　him。　　He's　the　cleanest；　briskest；　most　alive　thing　that's　walked　in　here　in　many　a　day。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　George；　a　much　leaner　and　slightly　taller　man；　with　dark；　blurry；　reflective　eyes　and　a　thin；　largely　vanished　growth　of　brownish…black　hair　which　contrasted　strangely　with　the　egg…shaped　whiteness　of　his　bald　head。　　〃Yes；　he's　a　nice　young　man。　　It's　a　wonder　his　father　don't　take　him　in　his　bank。〃

〃Well；　he　may　not　be　able　to；〃　said　his　brother。　　〃He's　only　the　cashier　there。〃

〃That's　right。〃

〃Well；　we'll　give　him　a　trial。　　I　bet　anything　he　makes　good。　　He's　a　likely…looking　youth。〃

Henry　got　up　and　walked　out　into　the　main　entrance　looking　into　Second　Street。　　The　cool　cobble　pavements；　shaded　from　the　eastern　sun　by　the　wall　of　buildings　on　the　eastof　which　his　was　a　part　the　noisy　trucks　and　drays；　the　busy　crowds　hurrying　to　and　fro；　pleased　him。　　He　looked　at　the　buildings　over　the　wayall　three　and　four　stories；　and　largely　of　gray　stone　and　crowded　with　life　and　thanked　his　stars　that　he　had　originally　located　in　so　prosperous　a　neighborhood。　　If　he　had　only　brought　more　property　at　the　time　he　bought　this！

〃I　wish　that　Cowperwood　boy　would　turn　out　to　be　the　kind　of　man　I　want；〃　he　observed　to　himself；　meditatively。　　〃He　could　save　me　a　lot　of　running　these　days。〃

Curiously；　after　only　three　or　four　minutes　of　conversation　with　the　boy；　he　sensed　this　marked　quality　of　efficiency。　　Something　told　him　he　would　do　well。





Chapter　IV




The　appearance　of　Frank　Cowperwood　at　this　time　was；　to　say　the　least；　prepossessing　and　satisfactory。　　Nature　had　destined　him　to　be　about　five　feet　ten　inches　tall。　　His　head　was　large；　shapely；　notably　commercial　in　aspect；　thickly　covered　with　crisp；　dark…brown　hair　and　fixed　on　a　pair　of　square　shoulders　and　a　stocky　body。　Already　his　eyes　had　the　look　that　subtle　years　of　thought　bring。　They　were　inscrutable。　　You　could　tell　nothing　by　his　eyes。　　He　walked　with　a　light；　confident；　springy　step。　　Life　had　given　him　no　severe　shocks　nor　rude　awakenings。　　He　had　not　been　compelled　to　suffer　illness　or　pain　or　deprivation　of　any　kind。　　He　saw　people　richer　than　himself；　but　he　hoped　to　be　rich。　　His　family　was　respected；　his　father　well　placed。　　He　owed　no　man　anything。　Once　he　had　let　a　small　note　of　his　become　overdue　at　the　bank；　but　his　father　raised　such　a　row　that　he　never　forgot　it。　　〃I　would　rather　crawl　on　my　hands　and　knees　than　let　my　paper　go　to　protest；〃　the　old　gentleman　observed；　and　this　fixed　in　his　mind　what　scarcely　needed　to　be　so　sharply　emphasizedthe　significance　of　credit。　　No　paper　of　his　ever　went　to　protest　or　became　overdue　after　that　through　any　negligence　of　his。

He　turned　out　to　be　the　most　efficient　clerk　that　the　house　of　Waterman　&　Co。　had　ever　known。　　They　put　him　on　the　books　at　first　as　assistant　bookkeeper；　vice　Mr。　Thomas　Trixler；　dismissed；　and　in　two　weeks　George　said：　〃Why　don't　we　make　Cowperwood　head　bookkeeper？　He　knows　more　in　a　minute　than　that　fellow　Sampson　will　ever　know。〃

〃All　right；　make　the　transfer；　George；　but　don't　fuss　so。　　〃He　won't　be　a　bookkeeper　long；　though。　　I　want　to　see　if　he　can't　handle　some　of　these　transfers　for　me　after　a　bit。〃

The　books　of　Messrs。　Waterman　&　Co。；　though　fairly　complicated；　were　child's　play　to　Frank。　　He　went　through　them　with　an　ease　and　rapidity　which　surprised　his　erstwhile　superior；　Mr。　Sampson。

〃Why；　that　fellow；〃　Sampson　told　another　clerk　on　the　first　day　he　had　seen　Cowperwood　work；　〃he's　too　brisk。　　He's　going　to　make　a　bad　break。　　I　know　that　kind。　　Wait　a　little　bit　until　we　get　one　of　those　rush　credit　and　transfer　days。〃　　But　the　bad　break　Mr。　Sampson　anticipated　did　not　materialize。　　In　less　than　a　week　Cowperwood　knew　the　financial　condition　of　the　Messrs。　Waterman　as　well　as　they　didbetterto　a　dollar。　　He　knew　how　their　accounts　were　distributed；　from　what　section　they　drew　the　most　business；　who　sent　poor　produce　and　goodthe　varying　prices　for　a　year　told　that。　　To　satisfy　himself　he　ran　back　over　certain　accounts　in　the　ledger；　verifying　his　suspicions。　　Bookkeeping　did　not　interest　him　except　as　a　record；　a　demonstration　of　a　firm's　life。　　He　knew　he　would　not　do　this　long。　　Something　else　would　happen；　but　he　saw　instantly　what　the　grain　and　commission　business　wasevery　deta