the titan-第5部分

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　thing　he　could　make　out　of　it　if　he　would　go　and　organize　that　North　State　Street　line。　　He　promised　me　a　bunch　of　sheers　if　he　ever　worked　it　out；　but　he　never　give　'em　to　me。　　I　didn't　expect　him　to；　though；〃　he　added；　wisely；　and　with　a　glint。　〃I'm　too　old　a　trader　for　that。　　He's　out　of　it　now；　anyway。　　That　Michaels…Kennelly　crowd　skinned　him。　　Yep；　if　you'd　'a'　been　here　ten　or　fifteen　years　ago　you　might　'a'　got　in　on　that。　　'Tain't　no　use　a…thinkin'　about　that；　though；　any　more。　　Them　sheers　is　sellin'　fer　clost　onto　a　hundred　and　sixty。〃

Cowperwood　smiled。　　〃Well；　Mr。　Laughlin；〃　he　observed；　〃you　must　have　been　on　'change　a　long　time　here。　　You　seem　to　know　a　good　deal　of　what　has　gone　on　in　the　past。〃　

Yep；　ever　since　1852；〃　replied　the　old　man。　　He　had　a　thick　growth　of　upstanding　hair　looking　not　unlike　a　rooster's　comb；　a　long　and　what　threatened　eventually　to　become　a　Punch…and…Judy　chin；　a　slightly　aquiline　nose；　high　cheek…bones；　and　hollow；　brown…skinned　cheeks。　　His　eyes　were　as　clear　and　sharp　as　those　of　a　lynx。

〃To　tell　you　the　truth；　Mr。　Laughlin；〃　went　on　Cowperwood；　〃what　I'm　really　out　here　in　Chicago　for　is　to　find　a　man　with　whom　I　can　go　into　partnership　in　the　brokerage　business。　　Now　I'm　in　the　banking　and　brokerage　business　myself　in　the　East。　　I　have　a　firm　in　Philadelphia　and　a　seat　on　both　the　New　York　and　Philadelphia　exchanges。　　I　have　some　affairs　in　Fargo　also。　　Any　trade　agency　can　tell　you　about　me。　　You　have　a　Board　of　Trade　seat　here；　and　no　doubt　you　do　some　New　York　and　Philadelphia　exchange　business。　The　new　firm；　if　you　would　go　in　with　me；　could　handle　it　all　direct。　　I'm　a　rather　strong　outside　man　myself。　　I'm　thinking　of　locating　permanently　in　Chicago。　　What　would　you　say　now　to　going　into　business　with　me？　Do　you　think　we　could　get　along　in　the　same　office　space？〃

Cowperwood　had　a　way；　when　he　wanted　to　be　pleasant；　of　beating　the　fingers　of　his　two　hands　together；　finger　for　finger；　tip　for　tip。　　He　also　smiled　at　the　same　timeor；　rather；　beamedhis　eyes　glowing　with　a　warm；　magnetic；　seemingly　affectionate　light。

As　it　happened；　old　Peter　Laughlin　had　arrived　at　that　psychological　moment　when　he　was　wishing　that　some　such　opportunity　as　this　might　appear　and　be　available。　　He　was　a　lonely　man；　never　having　been　able　to　bring　himself　to　trust　his　peculiar　temperament　in　the　hands　of　any　woman。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　he　had　never　understood　women　at　all；　his　relations　being　confined　to　those　sad　immoralities　of　the　cheapest　character　which　only　moneygrudgingly　given；　at　thatcould　buy。　　He　lived　in　three　small　rooms　in　West　Harrison　Street；　near　Throup；　where　he　cooked　his　own　meals　at　times。　　His　one　companion　was　a　small　spaniel；　simple　and　affectionate；　a　she　dog；　Jennie　by　name；　with　whom　he　slept。　　Jennie　was　a　docile；　loving　companion；　waiting　for　him　patiently　by　day　in　his　office　until　he　was　ready　to　go　home　at　night。　　He　talked　to　this　spaniel　quite　as　he　would　to　a　human　being　（even　more　intimately；　perhaps）；　taking　the　dog's　glances；　tail…waggings；　and　general　movements　for　answer。　　In　the　morning　when　he　arose；　which　was　often　as　early　as　half　past　four；　or　even　fourhe　was　a　brief　sleeperhe　would　begin　by　pulling　on　his　trousers　（he　seldom　bathed　any　more　except　at　a　down…town　barber　shop）　and　talking　to　Jennie。

〃Git　up；　now；　Jinnie；〃　he　would　say。　　〃It's　time　to　git　up。　　We've　got　to　make　our　coffee　now　and　git　some　breakfast。　　I　can　see　yuh；　lyin'　there；　pertendin'　to　be　asleep。　　Come　on；　now！　You've　had　sleep　enough。　　You've　been　sleepin'　as　long　as　I　have。〃

Jennie　would　be　watching　him　out　of　the　corner　of　one　loving　eye；　her　tail　tap…tapping　on　the　bed；　her　free　ear　going　up　and　down。

When　he　was　fully　dressed；　his　face　and　hands　washed；　his　old　string　tie　pulled　around　into　a　loose　and　convenient　knot；　his　hair　brushed　upward；　Jennie　would　get　up　and　jump　demonstratively　about；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃You　see　how　prompt　I　am。〃

〃That's　the　way；〃　old　Laughlin　would　comment。　　〃Allers　last。　　Yuh　never　git　up　first；　do　yuh；　Jinnie？　Allers　let　yer　old　man　do　that；　don't　you？〃

On　bitter　days；　when　the　car…wheels　squeaked　and　one's　ears　and　fingers　seemed　to　be　in　danger　of　freezing；　old　Laughlin；　arrayed　in　a　heavy；　dusty　greatcoat　of　ancient　vintage　and　a　square　hat；　would　carry　Jennie　down…town　in　a　greenish…black　bag　along　with　some　of　his　beloved　〃sheers〃　which　he　was　meditating　on。　　Only　then　could　he　take　Jennie　in　the　cars。　　On　other　days　they　would　walk；　for　he　liked　exercise。　　He　would　get　to　his　office　as　early　as　seven…thirty　or　eight；　though　business　did　not　usually　begin　until　after　nine；　and　remain　until　four…thirty　or　five；　reading　the　papers　or　calculating　during　the　hours　when　there　were　no　customers。　　Then　he　would　take　Jennie　and　go　for　a　walk　or　to　call　on　some　business　acquaintance。　　His　home　room；　the　newspapers；　the　floor　of　the　exchange；　his　offices；　and　the　streets　were　his　only　resources。　　He　cared　nothing　for　plays；　books；　pictures；　musicand　for　women　only　in　his　one…angled；　mentally　impoverished　way。　　His　limitations　were　so　marked　that　to　a　lover　of　character　like　Cowperwood　he　was　fascinatingbut　Cowperwood　only　used　character。　He　never　idled　over　it　long　artistically。

As　Cowperwood　suspected；　what　old　Laughlin　did　not　know　about　Chicago　financial　conditions；　deals；　opportunities；　and　individuals　was　scarcely　worth　knowing。　　Being　only　a　trader　by　instinct；　neither　an　organizer　nor　an　executive；　he　had　never　been　able　to　make　any　great　constructive　use　of　his　knowledge。　　His　gains　and　his　losses　he　took　with　reasonable　equanimity；　exclaiming　over　and　over；　when　he　lost：　〃Shucks！　I　hadn't　orter　have　done　that；〃　and　snapping　his　fingers。　　When　he　won　heavily　or　was　winning　he　munched　tobacco　with　a　seraphic　smile　and　occasionally　in　the　midst　of　trading　would　exclaim：　〃You　fellers　better　come　in。　　It's　a…gonta　rain　some　more。〃　He　was　not　easy　to　trap　in　any　small　gambling　game；　and　only　lost　or　won　when　there　was　a　free；　open　struggle　in　the　market；　or　when　be　was　engineering　some　little　scheme　of　his　own。

The　matter　of　this　partnership　was　not　arranged　at　once；　although　it　did　not　take　long。　　Old　Peter　Laughlin　wanted　to　think　it　over；　although　he　had　immediately　developed　a　personal　fancy　for　Cowperwood。　In　a　way　he　was　the　latter's　victim　and　servant　from　the　start。　　They　met　day　after　day　to　discuss　various　details　and　terms；　finally；　true　to　his　instincts；　old　Peter　demanded　a　full　half　interest。

〃Now；　you　don't　want　that　much；　Laughlin；〃　Cowperwood　suggested；　quite　blandly。　　They　were　sitting　in　Laughlin's　private　office　between　four　and　five　in　the　afternoon；　and　Laughlin　was　chewing　tobacco　with　the　sense　of　having　a　fine；　interesting　problem　before　him。　　〃I　have　a　seat　on　the　New　York　Stock　Exchange；〃　he　went　on；　〃and　that's　worth　forty　thousand　dollars。　　My　seat　on　the　Philadelphia　exchange　is　worth　more　than　yours　here。　　They　will　naturally　figure　as　the　principal　assets　of　the　firm。　　It's　to　be　in　your　name。　　I'll　be　liberal　with　you；　though。　　Instead　of　a　third；　which　would　be　fair；　I'll　make　it　forty…nine　per　cent。；　and　we'll　call　the　firm　Peter　Laughlin　&　Co。　　I　like　you；　and　I　think　you　can　be　of　a　lot　of　use　to　me。　　I　know　you　will　make　more　money　through　me　than　you　have　alone。　　I　could　go　in　with　a　lot　of　these　silk…stocking　fellows　around　here；　but　I　don't　want　to。　　You'd　better　decide　right　now；　and　let's　get　to　work。

Old　Laughlin　was　pleased　beyond　measure　that　young　Cowperwood　should　want　to　go　in　with　him。　　He　had　become　aware　of　late　that　all　of　the　young；　smug　newcomers　on　'change　considered　him　an　old　fogy。　　Here　was　a　strong；　brave　young　Easterner；　twenty　years　his　junior；　evidently　as　shrewd　as　himselfmore　so；　he　fearedwho　actually　proposed　a　business　alliance。　　Besides；　Cowperwood；　in　his　young；　healthy；　aggressive　way；　was　like　a　breath　of　spring。

〃I　ain't　keerin'　so　much　about　the　name；〃　rejoined　Laughlin。　　〃You　can　fix　it　that…a…way　if　you　want　to。　　Givin'　you　fifty…one　per　cent。　gives　you　charge　of　this　here　shebang。　　All　right；　though；　I　ain't　a…kickin'。　　I　guess　I　can　manage　allus　to　git　what's　a…comin'　to　me。

〃It's　a　bargain；　then；〃　said　Cowperwood。　　〃We'll　want　new　offices；　Laughlin；　don't　you　think？　This　one's　a　little　dark。〃

〃Fix　it　up　any　way　you　like；　Mr。　Cowperwood。　　It's　all　the　same　to　me。　　I'll　be　glad　to　see　how　yer　do　it。〃

In　a　week　the　details　were　completed；　and　two　weeks　later　the　sign　of　Peter　Laughlin　&　Co。；　grain　and　commission　merchants；　appeared　over　the　door　of　a　handsome　suite　of　rooms　on　the　ground　floor　of　a　corner　at　La　Salle　and　Madison；　in　the　heart　of　the　Chicago　financial　district。

〃Get　onto　old　Laughlin；　will　you？〃　one　broker　observed　to　another；　as　they　passed　the　new；　pretentious　commission…house　with　its　splendid　plate…glass　windows；　and　observed　the　heavy；　ornate　bronze　sign　placed　on　either　side　of　the　door；　which　was　located　exactly　on　the　corner。　　〃What's　struck　him？　I　thought　he　was　almost　all　through。　　Who's　the　Company？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　Some　fellow　from　the　East；　I　think。〃

〃Well；　he's　certainly　moving　up。　　Look　at　the　plate　glass；　will　you？〃

It　was　thus　that　Frank　Algernon　Cowperwood's　Chicago　financial　career　was　definitely　launched。




Chapter　V



Concerning　A　Wife　And　Family

If　any　one　fancies　for　a　moment　that　this　commercial　move　on　the　part　of　Cowperwood　was　either　hasty　or　ill…considered　they　but　little　appreciate　the　incisive；　apprehensive　psychology　of　the　man。　　His　thoughts　as　to　life　and　control　（tempered　and　hardened　by　thirteen　months　of　reflection　in　the　Eastern　District　Penitentiary）　had　given　him　a　fixed　policy。　　He　could；　should；　and　would　rule　alone。　　No　man　must　ever　again　have　the　least　claim　on　him　save　that　of　a　suppliant。　　He　wanted　no　more　dangerous　combinations　such　as　he　had　had　with　Stener；　the　man　through　whom　he　had　lost　so　much　in　Philadelphia；　and　others。　　By　right　of　financial　intellect　and　courage　he　was　first；　and　would　so　prove　it。　　Men　must　swing　around　him　as　planets　around　the　sun。

Moreover；　since　his　fall　from　grace　in　Philadelphia　he　had　come　to　think　that　never　again；　perhaps；　could　he　hope　to　become　socially　acceptable　in　the　sense　in　which　the　so…called　best　so