the financier-第60部分

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At　that　time；　the　reputation　of　William　A。　Pinkerton；　of　detective　fame；　and　of　his　agency　was　great。　　The　man　had　come　up　from　poverty　through　a　series　of　vicissitudes　to　a　high　standing　in　his　peculiar　and；　to　many；　distasteful　profession；　but　to　any　one　in　need　of　such　in　themselves　calamitous　services；　his　very　famous　and　decidedly　patriotic　connection　with　the　Civil　War　and　Abraham　Lincoln　was　a　recommendation。　　He；　or　rather　his　service；　had　guarded　the　latter　all　his　stormy　incumbency　at　the　executive　mansion。　　There　were　offices　for　the　management　of　the　company's　business　in　Philadelphia；　Washington；　and　New　York；　to　say　nothing　of　other　places。　　Butler　was　familiar　with　the　Philadelphia　sign；　but　did　not　care　to　go　to　the　office　there。　　He　decided；　once　his　mind　was　made　up　on　this　score；　that　he　would　go　over　to　New　York；　where　he　was　told　the　principal　offices　were。

He　made　the　simple　excuse　one　day　of　business；　which　was　common　enough　in　his　case；　and　journeyed　to　New　Yorknearly　five　hours　away　as　the　trains　ran　thenarriving　at　two　o'clock。　　At　the　offices　on　lower　Broadway；　he　asked　to　see　the　manager；　whom　he　found　to　be　a　large；　gross…featured；　heavy…bodied　man　of　fifty；　gray…eyed；　gray…haired；　puffily　outlined　as　to　countenance；　but　keen　and　shrewd；　and　with　short；　fat…fingered　hands；　which　drummed　idly　on　his　desk　as　he　talked。　　He　was　dressed　in　a　suit　of　dark…brown　wool　cloth；　which　struck　Butler　as　peculiarly　showy；　and　wore　a　large　horseshoe　diamond　pin。　　The　old　man　himself　invariably　wore　conservative　gray。

〃How　do　you　do？〃　said　Butler；　when　a　boy　ushered　him　into　the　presence　of　this　worthy；　whose　name　was　MartinsonGilbert　Martinson；　of　American　and　Irish　extraction。　　The　latter　nodded　and　looked　at　Butler　shrewdly；　recognizing　him　at　once　as　a　man　of　force　and　probably　of　position。　　He　therefore　rose　and　offered　him　a　chair。

〃Sit　down；〃　he　said；　studying　the　old　Irishman　from　under　thick；　bushy　eyebrows。　　〃What　can　I　do　for　you？〃

〃You're　the　manager；　are　you？〃　asked　Butler；　solemnly；　eyeing　the　man　with　a　shrewd；　inquiring　eye。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　replied　Martinson；　simply。　　〃That's　my　position　here。〃

〃This　Mr。　Pinkerton　that　runs　this　agencyhe　wouldn't　be　about　this　place；　now；　would　he？〃　asked　Butler；　carefully。　　〃I'd　like　to　talk　to　him　personally；　if　I　might；　meaning　no　offense　to　you。〃

〃Mr。　Pinkerton　is　in　Chicago　at　present；〃　replied　Mr。　Martinson。　〃I　don't　expect　him　back　for　a　week　or　ten　days。　　You　can　talk　to　me；　though；　with　the　same　confidence　that　you　could　to　him。　　I'm　the　responsible　head　here。　　However；　you're　the　best　judge　of　that。〃

Butler　debated　with　himself　in　silence　for　a　few　moments；　estimating　the　man　before　him。　　〃Are　you　a　family　man　yourself？〃　he　asked；　oddly。

〃Yes；　sir；　I'm　married；〃　replied　Martinson；　solemnly。　　〃I　have　a　wife　and　two　children。〃

Martinson；　from　long　experience　conceived　that　this　must　be　a　matter　of　family　misconducta　son；　daughter；　wife。　　Such　cases　were　not　infrequent。

〃I　thought　I　would　like　to　talk　to　Mr。　Pinkerton　himself；　but　if　you're　the　responsible　head〃　Butler　paused。

〃I　am；〃　replied　Martinson。　　〃You　can　talk　to　me　with　the　same　freedom　that　you　could　to　Mr。　Pinkerton。　　Won't　you　come　into　my　private　office？　We　can　talk　more　at　ease　in　there。〃

He　led　the　way　into　an　adjoining　room　which　had　two　windows　looking　down　into　Broadway；　an　oblong　table；　heavy；　brown；　smoothly　polished；　four　leather…backed　chairs；　and　some　pictures　of　the　Civil　War　battles　in　which　the　North　had　been　victorious。　　Butler　followed　doubtfully。　　He　hated　very　much　to　take　any　one　into　his　confidence　in　regard　to　Aileen。　　He　was　not　sure　that　he　would；　even　now。　He　wanted　to　〃look　these　fellys　over；〃　as　he　said　in　his　mind。　　He　would　decide　then　what　he　wanted　to　do。　　He　went　to　one　of　the　windows　and　looked　down　into　the　street；　where　there　was　a　perfect　swirl　of　omnibuses　and　vehicles　of　all　sorts。　　Mr。　Martinson　quietly　closed　the　door。

〃Now　then；　if　there's　anything　I　can　do　for　you；〃　Mr。　Martinson　paused。　　He　thought　by　this　little　trick　to　elicit　Buder's　real　nameit　often　〃worked〃　but　in　this　instance　the　name　was　not　forthcoming。　　Butler　was　too　shrewd。

〃I'm　not　so　sure　that　I　want　to　go　into　this；〃　said　the　old　man　solemnly。　　〃Certainly　not　if　there's　any　risk　of　the　thing　not　being　handled　in　the　right　way。　　There's　somethin'　I　want　to　find　out　aboutsomethin'　that　I　ought　to　know；　but　it's　a　very　private　matter　with　me；　and〃　He　paused　to　think　and　conjecture；　looking　at　Mr。　Martinson　the　while。　　The　latter　understood　his　peculiar　state　of　mind。　　He　had　seen　many　such　cases。

〃Let　me　say　right　here；　to　begin　with；　Mr。〃

〃Scanlon；〃　interpolated　Butler；　easily；　〃that's　as　good　a　name　as　any　if　you　want　to　use　one。　　I'm　keepin'　me　own　to　meself　for　the　present。〃

〃Scanlon；〃　continued　Martinson；　easily。　　〃I　really　don't　care　whether　it's　your　right　name　or　not。　　I　was　just　going　to　say　that　it　might　not　be　necessary　to　have　your　right　name　under　any　circumstances　it　all　depends　upon　what　you　want　to　know。　　But；　so　far　as　your　private　affairs　are　concerned；　they　are　as　safe　with　us；　as　if　you　had　never　told　them　to　any　one。　　Our　business　is　built　upon　confidence；　and　we　never　betray　it。　　We　wouldn't　dare。　　We　have　men　and　women　who　have　been　in　our　employ　for　over　thirty　years；　and　we　never　retire　any　one　except　for　cause；　and　we　don't　pick　people　who　are　likely　to　need　to　be　retired　for　cause。　　Mr。　Pinkerton　is　a　good　judge　of　men。　　There　are　others　here　who　consider　that　they　are。　We　handle　over　ten　thousand　separate　cases　in　all　parts　of　the　United　States　every　year。　　We　work　on　a　case　only　so　long　as　we　are　wanted。　　We　try　to　find　out　only　such　things　as　our　customers　want。　　We　do　not　pry　unnecessarily　into　anybody's　affairs。　　If　we　decide　that　we　cannot　find　out　what　you　want　to　know；　we　are　the　first　to　say　so。　　Many　cases　are　rejected　right　here　in　this　office　before　we　ever　begin。　　Yours　might　be　such　a　one。　　We　don't　want　cases　merely　for　the　sake　of　having　them；　and　we　are　frank　to　say　so。　　Some　matters　that　involve　public　policy；　or　some　form　of　small　persecution；　we　don't　touch　at　allwe　won't　be　a　party　to　them。　You　can　see　how　that　is。　　You　look　to　me　to　be　a　man　of　the　world。　I　hope　I　am　one。　　Does　it　strike　you　that　an　organization　like　ours　would　be　likely　to　betray　any　one's　confidence？〃　He　paused　and　looked　at　Butler　for　confirmation　of　what　he　had　just　said。

〃It　wouldn't　seem　likely；〃　said　the　latter；　〃that's　the　truth。　It's　not　aisy　to　bring　your　private　affairs　into　the　light　of　day；　though；〃　added　the　old　man；　sadly。

They　both　rested。

〃Well；〃　said　Butler；　finally；　〃you　look　to　me　to　be　all　right；　and　I'd　like　some　advice。　　Mind　ye；　I'm　willing　to　pay　for　it　well　enough；　and　it　isn't　anything　that'll　be　very　hard　to　find　out。　　I　want　to　know　whether　a　certain　man　where　I　live　is　goin'　with　a　certain　woman；　and　where。　　You　could　find　that　out　aisy　enough；　I　belavecouldn't　you？〃

〃Nothing　easier；〃　replied　Martinson。　　〃We　are　doing　it　all　the　time。　　Let　me　see　if　I　can　help　you　just　a　moment；　Mr。　Scanlon；　in　order　to　make　it　easier　for　you。　　It　is　very　plain　to　me　that　you　don't　care　to　tell　any　more　than　you　can　help；　and　we　don't　care　to　have　you　tell　any　more　than　we　absolutely　need。　　We　will　have　to　have　the　name　of　the　city；　of　course；　and　the　name　of　either　the　man　or　the　woman；　but　not　necessarily　both　of　them；　unless　you　want　to　help　us　in　that　way。　　Sometimes　if　you　give　us　the　name　of　one　partysay　the　man；　for　illustrationand　the　description　of　the　womanan　accurate　oneor　a　photograph；　we　can　tell　you　after　a　little　while　exactly　what　you　want　to　know。　　Of　course；　it's　always　better　if　we　have　full　information。　　You　suit　yourself　about　that。　　Tell　me　as　much　or　as　little　as　you　please；　and　I'll　guarantee　that　we　will　do　our　best　to　serve　you；　and　that　you　will　be　satisfied　afterward。〃

He　smiled　genially。

〃Well；　that　bein'　the　case；〃　said　Butler；　finally　taking　the　leap；　with　many　mental　reservations；　however；　〃I'll　be　plain　with　you。　My　name's　not　Scanlon。　　It's　Butler。　　I　live　in　Philadelphy。　　There's　a　man　there；　a　banker　by　the　name　of　CowperwoodFrank　A。　Cowperwood〃

〃Wait　a　moment；〃　said　Martinson；　drawing　an　ample　pad　out　of　his　pocket　and　producing　a　lead…pencil；　〃I　want　to　get　that。　　How　do　you　spell　it？〃

Butler　told　him。

〃Yes；　now　go　on。〃

〃He　has　a　place　in　Third　StreetFrank　A。　Cowperwoodany　one　can　show　you　where　it　is。　　He's　just　failed　there　recently。〃

〃Oh；　that's　the　man；〃　interpolated　Martinson。　　〃I've　heard　of　him。　He's　mixed　up　in　some　city　embezzlement　case　over　there。　　I　suppose　the　reason　you　didn't　go　to　our　Philadelphia　office　is　because　you　didn't　want　our　local　men　over　there　to　know　anything　about　it。　Isn't　that　it？〃

〃That's　the　man；　and　that's　the　reason；〃　said　Butler。　　〃I　don't　care　to　have　anything　of　this　known　in　Philadelphy。　　That's　why　I'm　here。　This　man　has　a　house　on　Girard　AvenueNineteen…thirty…seven。　　You　can　find　that　out；　too；　when　you　get　over　there。〃

〃Yes；〃　agreed　Mr。　Martinson。

〃Well；　it's　him　that　I　want　to　know　abouthimand　a　certain　woman；　or　girl；　rather。〃　　The　old　man　paused　and　winced　at　this　necessity　of　introducing　Aileen　into　the　case。　　He　could　scarcely　think　of　ithe　was　so　fond　of　her。　　He　had　been　so　proud　of　Aileen。　　A　dark；　smoldering　rage　burned　in　his　heart　against　Cowperwood。

〃A　relative　of　yourspossibly；　I　suppose；〃　remarked　Martinson；　tactfully。　　〃You　needn't　tell　me　any　morejust　give　me　a　description　if　you　wish。　　We　may　be　able　to　work　from　that。〃　　He　saw　quite　clearly　what　a　fine　old　citizen　in　his　way　he　was　dealing　with　here；　and　also　that　the　man　was　greatly　troubled。　　Butler's　heavy；　meditative　face　showed　it。　　〃You　can　be　quite　frank　with　me；　Mr。　Butler；〃　he　added；　〃I　think　I　understand。　　We　only　want　such　information　as　we　must　have　to　help　you；　nothing　more。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　old　man；　dourly。　　〃She　is　a　relative。　　She's　me　daughter；　in　fact。　　You　look　to　me　like　a　sensible；　honest　man。　I'm　her　father；　and　I　wouldn't　do　anything　for　the　world　to　harm　her。　　It's　tryin'　to　save　her　I　am。　　It's　him　I　want。〃　　He　suddenly　closed　one　big　fist　forcefully。

Martinson；　who　had　two　daughters　of　his　own；　observed　the