the financier-第93部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


and。

〃Well；　good…by；　Mr。　Cowperwood；〃　he　said；　with　a　peculiar　twist　of　his　detective…like　head。　　〃I'm　sorry。　　I　hope　you　won't　find　it　so　bad　here。〃

He　wanted　to　impress　the　receiving　overseer　with　his　familiarity　with　this　distinguished　prisoner；　and　Cowperwood；　true　to　his　policy　of　make…believe；　shook　hands　with　him　cordially。

〃I'm　much　obliged　to　you　for　your　courtesy；　Mr。　Zanders；〃　he　said；　then　turned　to　his　new　master　with　the　air　of　a　man　who　is　determined　to　make　a　good　impression。　　He　was　now　in　the　hands　of　petty　officials；　he　knew；　who　could　modify　or　increase　his　comfort　at　will。　　He　wanted　to　impress　this　man　with　his　utter　willingness　to　comply　and　obeyhis　sense　of　respect　for　his　authoritywithout　in　any　way　demeaning　himself。　　He　was　depressed　but　efficient；　even　here　in　the　clutch　of　that　eventual　machine　of　the　law；　the　State　penitentiary；　which　he　had　been　struggling　so　hard　to　evade。

The　receiving　overseer；　Roger　Kendall；　though　thin　and　clerical；　was　a　rather　capable　man；　as　prison　officials　goshrewd；　not　particularly　well　educated；　not　over…intelligent　naturally；　not　over…industrious；　but　sufficiently　energetic　to　hold　his　position。　He　knew　something　about　convictsconsiderablefor　he　had　been　dealing　with　them　for　nearly　twenty…six　years。　　His　attitude　toward　them　was　cold；　cynical；　critical。

He　did　not　permit　any　of　them　to　come　into　personal　contact　with　him；　but　he　saw　to　it　that　underlings　in　his　presence　carried　out　the　requirements　of　the　law。

When　Cowperwood　entered；　dressed　in　his　very　good　clothinga　dark　gray…blue　twill　suit　of　pure　wool；　a　light；　well…made　gray　overcoat；　a　black　derby　hat　of　the　latest　shape；　his　shoes　new　and　of　good　leather；　his　tie　of　the　best　silk；　heavy　and　conservatively　colored；　his　hair　and　mustache　showing　the　attention　of　an　intelligent　barber；　and　his　hands　well　manicuredthe　receiving　overseer　saw　at　once　that　he　was　in　the　presence　of　some　one　of　superior　intelligence　and　force；　such　a　man　as　the　fortune　of　his　trade　rarely　brought　into　his　net。

Cowperwood　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　room　without　apparently　looking　at　any　one　or　anything；　though　he　saw　all。　　〃Convict　number　3633；〃　Kendall　called　to　a　clerk；　handing　him　at　the　same　time　a　yellow　slip　of　paper　on　which　was　written　Cowperwood's　full　name　and　his　record　number；　counting　from　the　beginning　of　the　penitentiary　itself。

The　underling；　a　convict；　took　it　and　entered　it　in　a　book；　reserving　the　slip　at　the　same　time　for　the　penitentiary　〃runner〃　or　〃trusty；〃　who　would　eventually　take　Cowperwood　to　the　〃manners〃　gallery。

〃You　will　have　to　take　off　your　clothes　and　take　a　bath；〃　said　Kendall　to　Cowperwood；　eyeing　him　curiously。　　〃I　don't　suppose　you　need　one；　but　it's　the　rule。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　pleased　that　his　personality　was　counting　for　something　even　here。　　〃Whatever　the　rules　are；　I　want　to　obey。〃

When　he　started　to　take　off　his　coat；　however；　Kendall　put　up　his　hand　delayingly　and　tapped　a　bell。　　There　now　issued　from　an　adjoining　room　an　assistant；　a　prison　servitor；　a　weird…looking　specimen　of　the　genus　〃trusty。〃　　He　was　a　small；　dark；　lopsided　individual；　one　leg　being　slightly　shorter；　and　therefore　one　shoulder　lower；　than　the　other。　　He　was　hollow…chested；　squint…eyed；　and　rather　shambling；　but　spry　enough　withal。　　He　was　dressed　in　a　thin；　poorly　made；　baggy　suit　of　striped　jeans；　the　prison　stripes　of　the　place；　showing　a　soft　roll…collar　shirt　underneath；　and　wearing　a　large；　wide…striped　cap；　peculiarly　offensive　in　its　size　and　shape　to　Cowperwood。　　He　could　not　help　thinking　how　uncanny　the　man's　squint　eyes　looked　under　its　straight　outstanding　visor。　　The　trusty　had　a　silly；　sycophantic　manner　of　raising　one　hand　in　salute。　　He　was　a　professional　〃second…story　man；〃　〃up〃　for　ten　years；　but　by　dint　of　good　behavior　he　had　attained　to　the　honor　of　working　about　this　office　without　the　degrading　hood　customary　for　prisoners　to　wear　over　the　cap。　　For　this　he　was　properly　grateful。　　He　now　considered　his　superior　with　nervous　dog…like　eyes；　and　looked　at　Cowperwood　with　a　certain　cunning　appreciation　of　his　lot　and　a　show　of　initial　mistrust。

One　prisoner　is　as　good　as　another　to　the　average　convict；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　it　is　their　only　consolation　in　their　degradation　that　all　who　come　here　are　no　better　than　they。　　The　world　may　have　misused　them；　but　they　misuse　their　confreres　in　their　thoughts。　The　〃holier　than　thou〃　attitude；　intentional　or　otherwise；　is　quite　the　last　and　most　deadly　offense　within　prison　walls。　　This　particular　〃trusty〃　could　no　more　understand　Cowperwood　than　could　a　fly　the　motions　of　a　fly…wheel；　but　with　the　cocky　superiority　of　the　underling　of　the　world　he　did　not　hesitate　to　think　that　he　could。　　A　crook　was　a　crook　to　himCowperwood　no　less　than　the　shabbiest　pickpocket。　　His　one　feeling　was　that　he　would　like　to　demean　him；　to　pull　him　down　to　his　own　level。

〃You　will　have　to　take　everything　you　have　out　of　your　pockets；〃　Kendall　now　informed　Cowperwood。　　Ordinarily　he　would　have　said；　〃Search　the　prisoner。〃

Cowperwood　stepped　forward　and　laid　out　a　purse　with　twenty…five　dollars　in　it；　a　pen…knife；　a　lead…pencil；　a　small　note…book；　and　a　little　ivory　elephant　which　Aileen　had　given　him　once；　〃for　luck；〃　and　which　he　treasured　solely　because　she　gave　it　to　him。　　Kendall　looked　at　the　latter　curiously。　　〃Now　you　can　go　on；〃　he　said　to　the　〃trusty；〃　referring　to　the　undressing　and　bathing　process　which　was　to　follow。

〃This　way；〃　said　the　latter；　addressing　Cowperwood；　and　preceding　him　into　an　adjoining　room；　where　three　closets　held　three　old…fashioned；　iron…bodied；　wooden…top　bath…tubs；　with　their　attendant　shelves　for　rough　crash　towels；　yellow　soap；　and　the　like；　and　hooks　for　clothes。

〃Get　in　there；〃　said　the　trusty；　whose　name　was　Thomas　Kuby；　pointing　to　one　of　the　tubs。

Cowperwood　realized　that　this　was　the　beginning　of　petty　official　supervision；　but　he　deemed　it　wise　to　appear　friendly　even　here。

〃I　see；〃　he　said。　　〃I　will。〃

〃That's　right；〃　replied　the　attendant；　somewhat　placated。　　〃What　did　you　bring？〃

Cowperwood　looked　at　him　quizzically。　　He　did　not　understand。　　The　prison　attendant　realized　that　this　man　did　not　know　the　lingo　of　the　place。　　〃What　did　you　bring？〃　he　repeated。　　〃How　many　years　did　you　get？〃

〃Oh！〃　exclaimed　Cowperwood；　comprehendingly。　　〃I　understand。　　Four　and　three　months。〃

He　decided　to　humor　the　man。　　It　would　probably　be　better　so。

〃What　for？〃　inquired　Kuby；　familiarly。

Cowperwood's　blood　chilled　slightly。　　〃Larceny；〃　he　said。

〃Yuh　got　off　easy；〃　commented　Kuby。　　〃I'm　up　for　ten。　　A　rube　judge　did　that　to　me。〃

Kuby　had　never　heard　of　Cowperwood's　crime。　　He　would　not　have　understood　its　subtleties　if　he　had。　　Cowperwood　did　not　want　to　talk　to　this　man；　he　did　not　know　how。　　He　wished　he　would　go　away；　but　that　was　not　likely。　　He　wanted　to　be　put　in　his　cell　and　let　alone。

〃That's　too　bad；〃　he　answered；　and　the　convict　realized　clearly　that　this　man　was　really　not　one　of　them；　or　he　would　not　have　said　anything　like　that。　　Kuby　went　to　the　two　hydrants　opening　into　the　bath…tub　and　turned　them　on。　　Cowperwood　had　been　undressing　the　while；　and　now　stood　naked；　but　not　ashamed；　in　front　of　this　eighth…rate　intelligence。

〃Don't　forget　to　wash　your　head；　too；〃　said　Kuby；　and　went　away。

Cowperwood　stood　there　while　the　water　ran；　meditating　on　his　fate。　　It　was　strange　how　life　had　dealt　with　him　of　lateso　severely。　　Unlike　most　men　in　his　position；　he　was　not　suffering　from　a　consciousness　of　evil。　　He　did　not　think　he　was　evil。　　As　he　saw　it；　he　was　merely　unfortunate。　　To　think　that　he　should　be　actually　in　this　great；　silent　penitentiary；　a　convict；　waiting　here　beside　this　cheap　iron　bathtub；　not　very　sweet　or　hygienic　to　contemplate；　with　this　crackbrained　criminal　to　watch　over　him！

He　stepped　into　the　tub　and　washed　himself　briskly　with　the　biting　yellow　soap；　drying　himself　on　one　of　the　rough；　only　partially　bleached　towels。　　He　looked　for　his　underwear；　but　there　was　none。　At　this　point　the　attendant　looked　in　again。　　〃Out　here；〃　he　said；　inconsiderately。

Cowperwood　followed；　naked。　　He　was　led　through　the　receiving　overseer's　office　into　a　room；　where　were　scales；　implements　of　measurement；　a　record…book；　etc。　　The　attendant　who　stood　guard　at　the　door　now　came　over；　and　the　clerk　who　sat　in　a　corner　automatically　took　down　a　record…blank。　　Kendall　surveyed　Cowperwood's　decidedly　graceful　figure；　already　inclining　to　a　slight　thickening　around　the　waist；　and　approved　of　it　as　superior　to　that　of　most　who　came　here。　　His　skin；　as　he　particularly　noted；　was　especially　white。

〃Step　on　the　scale；〃　said　the　attendant；　brusquely。

Cowperwood　did　so；　The　former　adjusted　the　weights　and　scanned　the　record　carefully。

〃Weight；　one　hundred　and　seventy…five；〃　he　called。　　〃Now　step　over　here。〃

He　indicated　a　spot　in　the　side　wall　where　was　fastened　in　a　thin　slatwhich　ran　from　the　floor　to　about　seven　and　one　half　feet　above；　perpendicularlya　small　movable　wooden　indicator；　which；　when　a　man　was　standing　under　it；　could　be　pressed　down　on　his　head。　　At　the　side　of　the　slat　were　the　total　inches　of　height；　laid　off　in　halves；　quarters；　eighths；　and　so　on；　and　to　the　right　a　length　measurement　for　the　arm。　　Cowperwood　understood　what　was　wanted　and　stepped　under　the　indicator；　standing　quite　straight。

〃Feet　level；　back　to　the　wall；〃　urged　the　attendant。　　〃So。　　Height；　five　feet　nine　and　ten…sixteenths；〃　he　called。　　The　clerk　in　the　corner　noted　it。　　He　now　produced　a　tape…measure　and　began　measuring　Cowperwood's　arms；　legs；　chest；　waist；　hips；　etc。　　　He　called　out　the　color　of　his　eyes；　his　hair；　his　mustache；　and；　looking　into　his　mouth；　exclaimed；　〃Teeth；　all　sound。〃

After　Cowperwood　had　once　more　given　his　address；　age；　profession；　whether　he　knew　any　trade；　etc。which　he　did　nothe　was　allowed　to　return　to　the　bathroom；　and　put　on　the　clothing　which　the　prison　provided　for　himfirst　the　rough；　prickly　underwear；　then　the　cheap　soft　roll…collar；　white…cotton　shirt；　then　the　thick　bluish…gray　cotton　socks　of　a　quality　such　as　he　had　never　worn　in　his　life；　and　over　these　a　pair　of　indescribable　rough…leather　clogs；　which　felt　to