the financier-第51部分

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ing　his　poor　underling；　a　better　man　than　himself；　in　order　to　get　back　this　sixty…thousand…dollar　check。　　What　a　petty　creature　he　was！　How　true　it　was；　as　somebody　had　remarked；　that　you　could　not　possibly　measure　the　petty　meannesses　to　which　a　fool　could　stoop！

〃You　go　back　to　Mr。　Stener；　Albert；　and　tell　him　that　it　can't　be　done。　　The　certificates　of　loan　were　purchased　before　his　order　arrived；　and　the　records　of　the　exchange　will　prove　it。　　There　is　no　illegality　here。　　I　am　entitled　to　that　check　and　could　have　collected　it　in　any　qualified　court　of　law。　　The　man　has　gone　out　of　his　head。　　I　haven't　failed　yet。　　You　are　not　in　any　danger　of　any　legal　proceedings；　and　if　you　are；　I'll　help　defend　you。　　I　can't　give　you　the　check　back　because　I　haven't　it　to　give；　and　if　I　had；　I　wouldn't。　　That　would　be　allowing　a　fool　to　make　a　fool　of　me。　　I'm　sorry；　very；　but　I　can't　do　anything　for　you。〃

〃Oh；　Mr。　Cowperwood！〃　Tears　were　in　Stires's　eyes。　　〃He'll　discharge　me！　He'll　forfeit　my　sureties。　　I'll　be　turned　out　into　the　street。　I　have　only　a　little　property　of　my　ownoutside　of　my　salary！〃

He　wrung　his　hands；　and　Cowperwood　shook　his　head　sadly。

〃This　isn't　as　bad　as　you　think；　Albert。　　He　won't　do　what　he　says。　　He　can't。　　It's　unfair　and　illegal。　　You　can　bring　suit　and　recover　your　salary。　　I'll　help　you　in　that　as　much　as　I'm　able。　　But　I　can't　give　you　back　this　sixty…thousand…dollar　check；　because　I　haven't　it　to　give。　　I　couldn't　if　I　wanted　to。　　It　isn't　here　any　more。　　I've　paid　for　the　securities　I　bought　with　it。　The　securities　are　not　here。　　They're　in　the　sinking…fund；　or　will　be。〃

He　paused；　wishing　he　had　not　mentioned　that　fact。　　It　was　a　slip　of　the　tongue；　one　of　the　few　he　ever　made；　due　to　the　peculiar　pressure　of　the　situation。　　Stires　pleaded　longer。　　It　was　no　use；　Cowperwood　told　him。　　Finally　he　went　away；　crestfallen；　fearsome；　broken。　　There　were　tears　of　suffering　in　his　eyes。　　Cowperwood　was　very　sorry。　　And　then　his　father　was　announced。

The　elder　Cowperwood　brought　a　haggard　face。　　He　and　Frank　had　had　a　long　conversation　the　evening　before；　lasting　until　early　morning；　but　it　had　not　been　productive　of　much　save　uncertainty。

〃Hello；　father！〃　exclaimed　Cowperwood；　cheerfully；　noting　his　father's　gloom。　　He　was　satisfied　that　there　was　scarcely　a　coal　of　hope　to　be　raked　out　of　these　ashes　of　despair；　but　there　was　no　use　admitting　it。

〃Well？〃　said　his　father；　lifting　his　sad　eyes　in　a　peculiar　way。

〃Well；　it　looks　like　stormy　weather；　doesn't　it？　I've　decided　to　call　a　meeting　of　my　creditors；　father；　and　ask　for　time。　　There　isn't　anything　else　to　do。　　I　can't　realize　enough　on　anything　to　make　it　worth　while　talking　about。　　I　thought　Stener　might　change　his　mind；　but　he's　worse　rather　than　better。　　His　head　bookkeeper　just　went　out　of　here。〃

〃What　did　he　want？〃　asked　Henry　Cowperwood。

〃He　wanted　me　to　give　him　back　a　check　for　sixty　thousand　that　he　paid　me　for　some　city　loan　I　bought　yesterday　morning。〃　　Frank　did　not　explain　to　his　father；　however；　that　he　had　hypothecated　the　certificates　this　check　had　paid　for；　and　used　the　check　itself　to　raise　money　enough　to　pay　the　Girard　National　Bank　and　to　give　himself　thirty…five　thousand　in　cash　besides。

〃Well；　I　declare！〃　replied　the　old　man。　　〃You'd　think　he'd　have　better　sense　than　that。　　That's　a　perfectly　legitimate　transaction。　When　did　you　say　he　notified　you　not　to　buy　city　loan？〃

〃Yesterday　noon。〃

〃He's　out　of　his　mind；〃　Cowperwood；　Sr。；　commented；　laconically。

〃It's　Mollenhauer　and　Simpson　and　Butler；　I　know。　　They　want　my　street…railway　lines。　　Well；　they　won't　get　them。　　They'll　get　them　through　a　receivership；　and　after　the　panic's　all　over。　　Our　creditors　will　have　first　chance　at　these。　　If　they　buy；　they'll　buy　from　them。　　If　it　weren't　for　that　five…hundred…thousand…dollar　loan　I　wouldn't　think　a　thing　of　this。　　My　creditors　would　sustain　me　nicely。　　But　the　moment　that　gets　noised　around！。。。　And　this　election！　I　hypothecated　those　city　loan　certificates　because　I　didn't　want　to　get　on　the　wrong　side　of　Davison。　　I　expected　to　take　in　enough　by　now　to　take　them　up。　　They　ought　to　be　in　the　sinking…fund；　really。〃

The　old　gentleman　saw　the　point　at　once；　and　winced。

〃They　might　cause　you　trouble；　there；　Frank。〃

〃It's　a　technical　question；〃　replied　his　son。　　〃I　might　have　been　intending　to　take　them　up。　　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　will　if　I　can　before　three。　　I've　been　taking　eight　and　ten　days　to　deposit　them　in　the　past。　　In　a　storm　like　this　I'm　entitled　to　move　my　pawns　as　best　I　can。〃

Cowperwood；　the　father；　put　his　hand　over　his　mouth　again。　　He　felt　very　disturbed　about　this。　　He　saw　no　way　out；　however。　　He　was　at　the　end　of　his　own　resources。　　He　felt　the　side…whiskers　on　his　left　cheek。　　He　looked　out　of　the　window　into　the　little　green　court。　　Possibly　it　was　a　technical　question；　who　should　say。　　The　financial　relations　of　the　city　treasury　with　other　brokers　before　Frank　had　been　very　lax。　　Every　banker　knew　that。　　Perhaps　precedent　would　or　should　govern　in　this　case。　　He　could　not　say。　　Still；　it　was　dangerousnot　straight。　　If　Frank　could　get　them　out　and　deposit　them　it　would　be　so　much　better。

〃I'd　take　them　up　if　I　were　you　and　I　could；〃　he　added。

〃I　will　if　I　can。〃

〃How　much　money　have　you？〃

〃Oh；　twenty　thousand；　all　told。　　If　I　suspend；　though；　I'll　have　to　have　a　little　ready　cash。〃

〃I　have　eight　or　ten　thousand；　or　will　have　by　night；　I　hope。〃

He　was　thinking　of　some　one　who　would　give　him　a　second　mortgage　on　his　house。

Cowperwood　looked　quietly　at　him。　　There　was　nothing　more　to　be　said　to　his　father。　　〃I'm　going　to　make　one　more　appeal　to　Stener　after　you　leave　here；〃　be　said。　　〃I'm　going　over　there　with　Harper　Steger　when　he　comes。　　If　he　won't　change　I'll　send　out　notice　to　my　creditors；　and　notify　the　secretary　of　the　exchange。　　I　want　you　to　keep　a　stiff　upper　lip；　whatever　happens。　　I　know　you　will；　though。　　I'm　going　into　the　thing　head　down。　　If　Stener　had　any　sense〃　He　paused。　　〃But　what's　the　use　talking　about　a　damn　fool？〃

He　turned　to　the　window；　thinking　of　how　easy　it　would　have　been；　if　Aileen　and　he　had　not　been　exposed　by　this　anonymous　note；　to　have　arranged　all　with　Butler。　　Rather　than　injure　the　party；　Butler；　in　extremis；　would　have　assisted　him。　　Now。。。！

His　father　got　up　to　go。　　He　was　as　stiff　with　despair　as　though　he　were　suffering　from　cold。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　wearily。

Cowperwood　suffered　intensely　for　him。　　What　a　shame！　His　father！　He　felt　a　great　surge　of　sorrow　sweep　over　him　but　a　moment　later　mastered　it；　and　settled　to　his　quick；　defiant　thinking。　　As　the　old　man　went　out；　Harper　Steger　was　brought　in。　　They　shook　hands；　and　at　once　started　for　Stener's　office。　　But　Stener　had　sunk　in　on　himself　like　an　empty　gas…bag；　and　no　efforts　were　sufficient　to　inflate　him。　　They　went　out；　finally；　defeated。

〃I　tell　you；　Frank；〃　said　Steger；　〃I　wouldn't　worry。　　We　can　tie　this　thing　up　legally　until　election　and　after；　and　that　will　give　all　this　row　a　chance　to　die　down。　　Then　you　can　get　your　people　together　and　talk　sense　to　them。　　They're　not　going　to　give　up　good　properties　like　this；　even　if　Stener　does　go　to　jail。〃

Steger　did　not　know　of　the　sixty　thousand　dollars'　worth　of　hypothecated　securities　as　yet。　　Neither　did　he　know　of　Aileen　Butler　and　her　father's　boundless　rage。





Chapter　XXX




There　was　one　development　in　connection　with　all　of　this　of　which　Cowperwood　was　as　yet　unaware。　　The　same　day　that　brought　Edward　Butler　the　anonymous　communication　in　regard　to　his　daughter；　brought　almost　a　duplicate　of　it　to　Mrs。　Frank　Algernon　Cowperwood；　only　in　this　case　the　name　of　Aileen　Butler　had　curiously　been　omitted。

　　Perhaps　you　don't　know　that　your　husband　is　running　with　　　another　woman。　　If　you　don't　believe　it；　watch　the　house　at　　　931　North　Tenth　Street。

Mrs。　Cowperwood　was　in　the　conservatory　watering　some　plants　when　this　letter　was　brought　by　her　maid　Monday　morning。　　She　was　most　placid　in　her　thoughts；　for　she　did　not　know　what　all　the　conferring　of　the　night　before　meant。　　Frank　was　occasionally　troubled　by　financial　storms；　but　they　did　not　see　to　harm　him。

〃Lay　it　on　the　table　in　the　library；　Annie。　　I'll　get　it。〃

She　thought　it　was　some　social　note。

In　a　little　while　（such　was　her　deliberate　way）；　she　put　down　her　sprinkling…pot　and　went　into　the　library。　　There　it　was　lying　on　the　green　leather　sheepskin　which　constituted　a　part　of　the　ornamentation　of　the　large　library　table。　　She　picked　it　up；　glanced　at　it　curiously　because　it　was　on　cheap　paper；　and　then　opened　it。　　Her　face　paled　slightly　as　she　read　it；　and　then　her　hand　tremblednot　much。　　Hers　was　not　a　soul　that　ever　loved　passionately；　hence　she　could　not　suffer　passionately。　　She　was　hurt；　disgusted；　enraged　for　the　moment；　and　frightened；　but　she　was　not　broken　in　spirit　entirely。　　Thirteen　years　of　life　with　Frank　Cowperwood　had　taught　her　a　number　of　things。　　He　was　selfish；　she　knew　now；　self…centered；　and　not　as　much　charmed　by　her　as　he　had　been。　　The　fear　she　had　originally　felt　as　to　the　effect　of　her　preponderance　of　years　had　been　to　some　extent　justified　by　the　lapse　of　time。　　Frank　did　not　love　her　as　he　hadhe　had　not　for　some　time；　she　had　felt　it。　　What　was　it？she　had　asked　herself　at　timesalmost；　who　was　it？　Business　was　engrossing　him　so。

Finance　was　his　master。　　Did　this　mean　the　end　of　her　regime；　she　queried。　　Would　he　cast　her　off？　Where　would　she　go？　What　would　she　do？　She　was　not　helpless；　of　course；　for　she　had　money　of　her　own　which　he　was　manipulating　for　her。　　Who　was　this　other　woman？　Was　she　young；　beautiful；　of　any　social　position？　Was　it？　Suddenly　she　stopped。　　Was　it？　Could　it　be；　by　any　chanceher　mouth　openedAileen　Butler？

She　stood　still；　staring　at　this　letter；　for　she　could　scarcely　countenance　her　own　thought。　　She　had　observed　often；　in　spite　of　all　their　caution；　how　friendly　Aileen　had　been　to　him　and　he　to　her。　　He　liked　her；　he　never　lost　a　chance　to　defend　her。　　Lillian　had　thought　of　them　at　times　as　being　curiously　suited　to　each　other　temperamentally。　　He　liked　young　people。　　But；　of　course；　he　was　married；　and　Aileen　was　infinitely　beneath　hi