the financier-第94部分

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d　never　worn　in　his　life；　and　over　these　a　pair　of　indescribable　rough…leather　clogs；　which　felt　to　his　feet　as　though　they　were　made　of　wood　or　ironoily　and　heavy。　　He　then　drew　on　the　shapeless；　baggy　trousers　with　their　telltale　stripes；　and　over　his　arms　and　chest　the　loose…cut　shapeless　coat　and　waistcoat。　　He　felt　and　knew　of　course　that　he　looked　very　strange；　wretched。　　And　as　he　stepped　out　into　the　overseer's　room　again　he　experienced　a　peculiar　sense　of　depression；　a　gone　feeling　which　before　this　had　not　assailed　him　and　which　now　he　did　his　best　to　conceal。　　This；　then；　was　what　society　did　to　the　criminal；　he　thought　to　himself。　　It　took　him　and　tore　away　from　his　body　and　his　life　the　habiliments　of　his　proper　state　and　left　him　these。　　He　felt　sad　and　grim；　and；　try　as　he　wouldhe　could　not　help　showing　it　for　a　moment。　　It　was　always　his　business　and　his　intention　to　conceal　his　real　feelings；　but　now　it　was　not　quite　possible。　　He　felt　degraded；　impossible；　in　these　clothes；　and　he　knew　that　he　looked　it。　　Nevertheless；　he　did　his　best　to　pull　himself　together　and　look　unconcerned；　willing；　obedient；　considerate　of　those　above　him。　　After　all；　he　said　to　himself；　it　was　all　a　play　of　sorts；　a　dream　even；　if　one　chose　to　view　it　so；　a　miasma　even；　from　which；　in　the　course　of　time　and　with　a　little　luck　one　might　emerge　safely　enough。　　He　hoped　so。　　It　could　not　last。　　He　was　only　acting　a　strange；　unfamiliar　part　on　the　stage；　this　stage　of　life　that　he　knew　so　well。

Kendall　did　not　waste　any　time　looking　at　him；　however。　　He　merely　said　to　his　assistant；　〃See　if　you　can　find　a　cap　for　him；〃　and　the　latter；　going　to　a　closet　containing　numbered　shelves；　took　down　a　capa　high…crowned；　straight…visored；　shabby；　striped　affair　which　Cowperwood　was　asked　to　try　on。　　It　fitted　well　enough；　slipping　down　close　over　his　ears；　and　he　thought　that　now　his　indignities　must　be　about　complete。　　What　could　be　added？　There　could　be　no　more　of　these　disconcerting　accoutrements。　　But　he　was　mistaken。　〃Now；　Kuby；　you　take　him　to　Mr。　Chapin；〃　said　Kendall。　

Kuby　understood。　　He　went　back　into　the　wash…room　and　produced　what　Cowperwood　had　heard　of　but　never　before　seena　blue…and…white…striped　cotton　bag　about　half　the　length　of　an　ordinary　pillow…case　and　half　again　as　wide；　which　Kuby　now　unfolded　and　shook　out　as　he　came　toward　him。　　It　was　a　custom。　　The　use　of　this　hood；　dating　from　the　earliest　days　of　the　prison；　was　intended　to　prevent　a　sense　of　location　and　direction　and　thereby　obviate　any　attempt　to　escape。　　Thereafter　during　all　his　stay　he　was　not　supposed　to　walk　with　or　talk　to　or　see　another　prisoner　not　even　to　converse　with　his　superiors；　unless　addressed。　　It　was　a　grim　theory；　and　yet　one　definitely　enforced　here；　although　as　he　was　to　learn　later　even　this　could　be　modified　here。

〃You'll　have　to　put　this　on；〃　Kuby　said；　and　opened　it　in　such　a　way　that　it　could　be　put　over　Cowperwood's　head。

Cowperwood　understood。　　He　had　heard　of　it　in　some　way；　in　times　past。　　He　was　a　little　shockedlooked　at　it　first　with　a　touch　of　real　surprise；　but　a　moment　after　lifted　his　hands　and　helped　pull　it　down。

〃Never　mind；〃　cautioned　the　guard；　〃put　your　hands　down。　　I'll　get　it　over。〃

Cowperwood　dropped　his　arms。　　When　it　was　fully　on；　it　came　to　about　his　chest；　giving　him　little　means　of　seeing　anything。　　He　felt　very　strange；　very　humiliated；　very　downcast。　　This　simple　thing　of　a　blue…and…white　striped　bag　over　his　head　almost　cost　him　his　sense　of　self…possession。　　Why　could　not　they　have　spared　him　this　last　indignity；　he　thought？

〃This　way；〃　said　his　attendant；　and　he　was　led　out　to　where　he　could　not　say。

〃If　you　hold　it　out　in　front　you　can　see　to　walk；〃　said　his　guide；　and　Cowperwood　pulled　it　out；　thus　being　able　to　discern　his　feet　and　a　portion　of　the　floor　below。　　He　was　thus　conductedseeing　nothing　in　his　transitdown　a　short　walk；　then　through　a　long　corridor；　then　through　a　room　of　uniformed　guards；　and　finally　up　a　narrow　flight　of　iron　steps；　leading　to　the　overseer's　office　on　the　second　floor　of　one　of　the　two…tier　blocks。　　There；　he　heard　the　voice　of　Kuby　saying：　〃Mr。　Chapin；　here's　another　prisoner　for　you　from　Mr。　Kendall。〃

〃I'll　be　there　in　a　minute；〃　came　a　peculiarly　pleasant　voice　from　the　distance。　　Presently　a　big；　heavy　hand　closed　about　his　arm；　and　he　was　conducted　still　further。

〃You　hain't　got　far　to　go　now；〃　the　voice　said；　〃and　then　I'll　take　that　bag　off；〃　and　Cowperwood　felt　for　some　reason　a　sense　of　sympathy；　perhapsas　though　he　would　choke。　　The　further　steps　were　not　many。

A　cell　door　was　reached　and　unlocked　by　the　inserting　of　a　great　iron　key。　　It　was　swung　open；　and　the　same　big　hand　guided　him　through。　　A　moment　later　the　bag　was　pulled　easily　from　his　head；　and　he　saw　that　he　was　in　a　narrow；　whitewashed　cell；　rather　dim；　windowless；　but　lighted　from　the　top　by　a　small　skylight　of　frosted　glass　three　and　one　half　feet　long　by　four　inches　wide。　　For　a　night　light　there　was　a　tin…bodied　lamp　swinging　from　a　hook　near　the　middle　of　one　of　the　side　walls。　　A　rough　iron　cot；　furnished　with　a　straw　mattress　and　two　pairs　of　dark　blue；　probably　unwashed　blankets；　stood　in　one　corner。　　There　was　a　hydrant　and　small　sink　in　another。　　A　small　shelf　occupied　the　wall　opposite　the　bed。　　A　plain　wooden　chair　with　a　homely　round　back　stood　at　the　foot　of　the　bed；　and　a　fairly　serviceable　broom　was　standing　in　one　corner。　There　was　an　iron　stool　or　pot　for　excreta；　giving；　as　he　could　see；　into　a　large　drain…pipe　which　ran　along　the　inside　wall；　and　which　was　obviously　flushed　by　buckets　of　water　being　poured　into　it。　　Rats　and　other　vermin　infested　this；　and　it　gave　off　an　unpleasant　odor　which　filled　the　cell。　　The　floor　was　of　stone。　Cowperwood's　clear…seeing　eyes　took　it　all　in　at　a　glance。　　He　noted　the　hard　cell　door；　which　was　barred　and　cross…barred　with　great　round　rods　of　steel；　and　fastened　with　a　thick；　highly　polished　lock。　　He　saw　also　that　beyond　this　was　a　heavy　wooden　door；　which　could　shut　him　in　even　more　completely　than　the　iron　one。　　There　was　no　chance　for　any　clear；　purifying　sunlight　here。　Cleanliness　depended　entirely　on　whitewash；　soap　and　water　and　sweeping；　which　in　turn　depended　on　the　prisoners　themselves。

He　also　took　in　Chapin；　the　homely；　good…natured；　cell　overseer　whom　he　now　saw　for　the　first　timea　large；　heavy；　lumbering　man；　rather　dusty　and　misshapen…looking；　whose　uniform　did　not　fit　him　well；　and　whose　manner　of　standing　made　him　look　as　though　he　would　much　prefer　to　sit　down。　　He　was　obviously　bulky；　but　not　strong；　and　his　kindly　face　was　covered　with　a　short　growth　of　grayish…brown　whiskers。　　His　hair　was　cut　badly　and　stuck　out　in　odd　strings　or　wisps　from　underneath　his　big　cap。　　Nevertheless；　Cowperwood　was　not　at　all　unfavorably　impressedquite　the　contraryand　he　felt　at　once　that　this　man　might　be　more　considerate　of　him　than　the　others　had　been。　　He　hoped　so；　anyhow。　　He　did　not　know　that　he　was　in　the　presence　of　the　overseer　of　the　〃manners　squad；〃　who　would　have　him　in　charge　for　two　weeks　only；　instructing　him　in　the　rules　of　the　prison；　and　that　he　was　only　one　of　twenty…six；　all　told；　who　were　in　Chapin's　care。

That　worthy；　by　way　of　easy　introduction；　now　went　over　to　the　bed　and　seated　himself　on　it。　　He　pointed　to　the　hard　wooden　chair；　which　Cowperwood　drew　out　and　sat　on。

〃Well；　now　you're　here；　hain't　yuh？〃　he　asked；　and　answered　himself　quite　genially；　for　he　was　an　unlettered　man；　generously　disposed；　of　long　experience　with　criminals；　and　inclined　to　deal　kindly　with　kindly　temperament　and　a　form　of　religious　beliefQuakerismhad　inclined　him　to　be　merciful；　and　yet　his　official　duties；　as　Cowperwood　later　found　out；　seemed　to　have　led　him　to　the　conclusion　that　most　criminals　were　innately　bad。　　Like　Kendall；　he　regarded　them　as　weaklings　and　ne'er…do…wells　with　evil　streaks　in　them；　and　in　the　main　he　was　not　mistaken。　　Yet　he　could　not　help　being　what　he　was；　a　fatherly；　kindly　old　man；　having　faith　in　those　shibboleths　of　the　weak　and　inexperienced　mentallyhuman　justice　and　human　decency。

〃Yes；　I'm　here；　Mr。　Chapin；〃　Cowperwood　replied；　simply；　remembering　his　name　from　the　attendant；　and　flattering　the　keeper　by　the　use　of　it。

To　old　Chapin　the　situation　was　more　or　less　puzzling。　　This　was　the　famous　Frank　A。　Cowperwood　whom　he　had　read　about；　the　noted　banker　and　treasury…looter。　　He　and　his　co…partner　in　crime；　Stener；　were　destined　to　serve；　as　he　had　read；　comparatively　long　terms　here。　　Five　hundred　thousand　dollars　was　a　large　sum　of　money　in　those　days；　much　more　than　five　million　would　have　been　forty　years　later。　　He　was　awed　by　the　thought　of　what　had　become　of　ithow　Cowperwood　managed　to　do　all　the　things　the　papers　had　said　he　had　done。　　He　had　a　little　formula　of　questions　which　he　usually　went　through　with　each　new　prisonerasking　him　if　he　was　sorry　now　for　the　crime　he　had　committed；　if　he　meant　to　do　better　with　a　new　chance；　if　his　father　and　mother　were　alive；　etc。；　and　by　the　manner　in　which　they　answered　these　questionssimply；　regretfully；　defiantly；　or　otherwisehe　judged　whether　they　were　being　adequately　punished　or　not。　　Yet　he　could　not　talk　to　Cowperwood　as　he　now　saw　or　as　he　would　to　the　average　second…story　burglar；　store…looter；　pickpocket；　and　plain　cheap　thief　and　swindler。　　And　yet　he　scarcely　knew　how　else　to　talk。

〃Well；　now；〃　he　went　on；　〃I　don't　suppose　you　ever　thought　you'd　get　to　a　place　like　this；　did　you；　Mr。　Cowperwood？〃

〃I　never　did；〃　replied　Frank；　simply。　　〃I　wouldn't　have　believed　it　a　few　months　ago；　Mr。　Chapin。　　I　don't　think　I　deserve　to　be　here　now；　though　of　course　there　is　no　use　of　my　telling　you　that。〃

He　saw　that　old　Chapin　wanted　to　moralize　a　little；　and　he　was　only　too　glad　to　fall　in　with　his　mood。　　He　would　soon　be　alone　with　no　one　to　talk　to　perhaps；　and　if　a　sympathetic　understanding　could　be　reached　with　this　man　now；　so　much　the　better。　　Any　port　in　a　storm；　any　straw　to　a　drowning　man。

〃Well；　no　doubt　all　of　us　makes　mistakes；〃　continued　Mr。　Chapin；　superiorly；　with　an　amusing　faith　in　his　own　value　as　a　moral　guide　and　reformer。　　〃We　can't　just　always　tell　how　the　plans　we　think　so　fine　are　coming　out；　can　we？　Yo