the titan-第67部分

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I　can　do？　This　is　Tuesday。　　Come　in　again　on　Friday。　　I'll　see　if　anything　suggests　itself。〃

He　strolled　with　her　to　the　official　door；　and　noted　that　her　step　was　light　and　springy。　　At　parting　she　turned　a　very　melting　gaze　upon　him；　and　at　once　he　decided　that　if　he　could　he　would　find　her　something。　　She　was　the　most　fascinating　applicant　that　had　yet　appeared。

The　end　of　Chaffee　Thayer　Sluss　was　not　far　distant　after　this。　　Mrs。　Brandon　returned；　as　requested；　her　costume　enlivened　this　time　by　a　red…silk　petticoat　which　contrived　to　show　its　ingratiating　flounces　beneath　the　glistening　black　broadcloth　of　her　skirt。

〃Say；　did　you　get　on　to　that？〃　observed　one　of　the　doormen；　a　hold…over　from　the　previous　regime；　to　another　of　the　same　vintage。　〃Some　style　to　the　new　administration；　hey？　We're　not　so　slow；　do　you　think？〃

He　pulled　his　coat　together　and　fumbled　at　his　collar　to　give　himself　an　air　of　smartness；　and　gazed　gaily　at　his　partner；　both　of　them　over　sixty　and　dusty　specimens；　at　that。

The　other　poked　him　in　the　stomach。　　〃Hold　your　horses　there；　Bill。　Not　so　fast。　　We　ain't　got　a　real　start　yet。　　Give　us　another　six　months；　and　then　watch　out。〃

Mr。　Sluss　was　pleased　to　see　Mrs。　Brandon。　　He　had　spoken　to　John　Bastienelli；　the　new　commissioner　of　taxes；　whose　offices　were　directly　over　the　way　on　the　same　hall；　and　the　latter；　seeing　that　he　might　want　favors　of　the　mayor　later　on；　had　volubly　agreed　to　take　care　of　the　lady。

〃I　am　very　glad　to　be　able　to　give　you　this　letter　to　Mr。　Bastienelli；〃　commented　Mr。　Sluss；　as　he　rang　for　a　stenographer；　〃not　only　for　the　sake　of　my　old　friend　Mr。　Barry；　but　for　your　own　as　well。　　Do　you　know　Mr。　Barry　very　well？〃　he　asked；　curiously。

〃Only　slightly；〃　admitted　Mrs。　Brandon；　feeling　that　Mr。　Sluss　would　be　glad　to　know　she　was　not　very　intimate　with　those　who　were　recommending　her。　　〃I　was　sent　to　him　by　a　Mr。　Amerman。〃　（She　named　an　entirely　fictitious　personage。）

Mr。　Sluss　was　relieved。　　As　he　handed　her　the　note　she　once　more　surveyed　him　with　those　grateful；　persuasive；　appealing　eyes。　　They　made　him　almost　dizzy；　and　set　up　a　chemical　perturbation　in　his　blood　which　quite　dispelled　his　good　resolutions　in　regard　to　the　strange　woman　and　his　need　of　being　circumspect。

〃You　say　you　are　living　on　the　North　Side？〃　he　inquired；　smiling　weakly；　almost　foolishly。

〃Yes；　I　have　taken　such　a　nice　little　apartment　over…looking　Lincoln　Park。　　I　didn't　know　whether　I　was　going　to　be　able　to　keep　it　up；　but　now　that　I　have　this　position　You've　been　so　very　kind　to　me；　Mr。　Sluss；〃　she　concluded；　with　the　same　I…need…to…be…cared…for　air。　　〃I　hope　you　won't　forget　me　entirely。　If　I　could　be　of　any　personal　service　to　you　at　any　time〃

Mr。　Sluss　was　rather　beside　himself　at　the　thought　that　this　charming　baggage　of　femininity；　having　come　so　close　for　the　minute；　was　now　passing　on　and　might　disappear　entirely。　　By　a　great　effort　of　daring；　as　they　walked　toward　the　door；　he　managed　to　say：　〃I　shall　have　to　look　into　that　little　place　of　yours　sometime　and　see　how　you　are　getting　along。　　I　live　up　that　way　myself。〃

〃Oh；　do！〃　she　exclaimed；　warmly。　　〃It　would　be　so　kind。　　I　am　practically　alone　in　the　world。　　Perhaps　you　play　cards。　　I　know　how　to　make　a　most　wonderful　punch。　　I　should　like　you　to　see　how　cozily　I　am　settled。〃

At　this　Mr。　Sluss；　now　completely　in　tow　of　his　principal　weakness；　capitulated。　　〃I　will；〃　he　said；　〃I　surely　will。　　And　that　sooner　than　you　expect；　perhaps。　　You　must　let　me　know　how　you　are　getting　along。〃

He　took　her　hand。　　She　held　his　quite　warmly。　　〃Now　I'll　hold　you　to　your　promise；〃　she　gurgled；　in　a　throaty；　coaxing　way。　　A　few　days　later　he　encountered　her　at　lunch…time　in　his　hall；　where　she　had　been　literally　lying　in　wait　for　him　in　order　to　repeat　her　invitation。　　Then　he　came。

The　hold…over　employees　who　worked　about　the　City　Hall　in　connection　with　the　mayor's　office　were　hereafter　instructed　to　note　as　witnesses　the　times　of　arrival　and　departure　of　Mrs。　Brandon　and　Mr。　Sluss。　　A　note　that　he　wrote　to　Mrs。　Brandon　was　carefully　treasured；　and　sufficient　evidence　as　to　their　presence　at　hotels　and　restaurants　was　garnered　to　make　out　a　damaging　case。　　The　whole　affair　took　about　four　months；　then　Mrs。　Brandon　suddenly　received　an　offer　to　return　to　Washington；　and　decided　to　depart。　The　letters　that　followed　her　were　a　part　of　the　data　that　was　finally　assembled　in　Mr。　Stimson's　office　to　be　used　against　Mr。　Sluss　in　case　he　became　too　obstreperous　in　his　opposition　to　Cowperwood。

In　the　mean　time　the　organization　which　Mr。　Gilgan　had　planned　with　Mr。　Tiernan；　Mr。　Kerrigan；　and　Mr。　Edstrom　was　encountering　what　might　be　called　rough　sledding。　　It　was　discovered　that；　owing　to　the　temperaments　of　some　of　the　new　aldermen；　and　to　the　self…righteous　attitude　of　their　political　sponsors；　no　franchises　of　any　kind　were　to　be　passed　unless　they　had　the　moral　approval　of　such　men　as　Hand；　Sluss；　and　the　other　reformers；　above　all；　no　money　of　any　kind　was　to　be　paid　to　anybody　for　anything。

〃Whaddye　think　of　those　damn　four…flushers　and　come…ons；　anyhow？〃　inquired　Mr。　Kerrigan　of　Mr。　Tiernan；　shortly　subsequent　to　a　conference　with　Gilgan；　from　which　Tiernan　had　been　unavoidably　absent。　　〃They've　got　an　ordinance　drawn　up　covering　the　whole　city　in　an　elevated…road　scheme；　and　there　ain't　anything　in　it　for　anybody。　　Say；　whaddye　think　they　think　we　are；　anyhow？　　Hey？〃

Mr。　Tiernan　himself；　after　his　own　conference　with　Edstrom；　had　been　busy　getting　the　lay　of　the　land；　as　he　termed　it；　and　his　investigations　led　him　to　believe　that　a　certain　alderman　by　the　name　of　Klemm；　a　clever　and　very　respectable　German…American　from　the　North　Side；　was　to　be　the　leader　of　the　Republicans　in　council；　and　that　he　and　some　ten　or　twelve　others　were　determined；　because　of　moral　principles　alone；　that　only　honest　measures　should　be　passed。　　It　was　staggering。

At　this　news　Mr。　Kerrigan；　who　had　been　calculating　on　a　number　of　thousands　of　dollars　for　his　vote　on　various　occasions；　stared　incredulously。　　〃Well；　I'll　be　damned！〃　he　commented。　　〃They've　got　a　nerve！　What？〃

〃I've　been　talking　to　this　fellow　Klemm　of　the　twentieth；〃　said　Mr。　Tiernan；　sardonically。　　〃Say；　he's　a　real　one！　I　met　him　over　at　the　Tremont　talkin'　to　Hvranek。　　He　shakes　hands　like　a　dead　fish。　　Whaddye　think　he　had　the　nerve　to　say　to　me。　　'This　isn't　the　Mr。　Tiernan　of　the　second？'　he　says。

〃'I'm　the　same；'　says　I。

〃'Well；　you　don't　look　as　savage　as　I　thought　you　did；'　says　he。　　Haw…haw！　I　felt　like　sayin'；　'If　you　don't　go　way　I'll　give　you　a　slight　tap　on　the　wrist。'　I'd　like　just　one　pass　at　a　stiff　like　that　up　a　dark　alley。〃　（Mr。　Tiernan　almost　groaned　in　anguish。）　〃And　then　he　begins　to　say　he　doesn't　see　how　there　can　be　any　reasonable　objection　to　allowin'　various　new　companies　to　enter　the　street…car　field。　　'It's　sufficiently　clear；'　he　says；　'that　the　public　is　against　monopolies　in　any　form。'〃　（Mr。　Tiernan　was　mocking　Mr。　Klemm's　voice　and　language。）　〃My　eye！〃　he　concluded；　sententiously。　　〃Wait　till　he　tries　to　throw　that　dope　into　Gumble　and　Pinski　and　Schlumbohmhaw；　haw；　haw！〃

Mr。　Kerrigan；　at　the　thought　of　these　hearty　aldermen　accustomed　to　all　the　perquisites　of　graft　and　rake…off；　leaned　back　and　gave　vent　to　a　burst　of　deep…chested　laughter。　　〃I'll　tell　you　what　it　is；　Mike；〃　he　said；　archly；　hitching　up　his　tight；　very　artistic；　and　almost　English　trousers；　〃we're　up　against　a　bunch　of　pikers　in　this　Gilgan　crowd；　and　they've　gotta　be　taught　a　lesson。　　He　knows　it　as　well　as　anybody　else。　　None　o'　that　Christian　con　game　goes　around　where　I　am。　　I　believe　this　man　Cowperwood's　right　when　he　says　them　fellows　are　a　bunch　of　soreheads　and　jealous。　　If　Cowperwood's　willing　to　put　down　good　hard　money　to　keep　'em　out　of　his　game；　let　them　do　as　much　to　stay　in　it。　　This　ain't　no　charity　grab…bag。　　We　ought　to　be　able　to　round　up　enough　of　these　new　fellows　to　make　Schryhart　and　MacDonald　come　down　good　and　plenty　for　what　they　want。　　From　what　Gilgan　said　all　along；　I　thought　he　was　dealing　with　live　ones。　　They　paid　to　win　the　election。　　Now　let　'em　pay　to　pull　off　a　swell　franchise　if　they　want　it；　eh？〃

〃You're　damn　right；〃　echoed　Tiernan。　　〃I'm　with　you　to　a　T。〃

It　was　not　long　after　this　conversation　that　Mr。　Truman　Leslie　MacDonald；　acting　through　Alderman　Klemm；　proceeded　to　make　a　count　of　noses；　and　found　to　his　astonishment　that　he　was　not　as　strong　as　he　had　thought　he　was。　　Political　loyalty　is　such　a　fickle　thing。　　A　number　of　aldermen　with　curious　namesHorback；　Fogarty；　McGrane；　Sumulskyshowed　signs　of　being　tampered　with。　　He　hurried　at　once　to　Messrs。　Hand；　Schryhart；　and　Arneel　with　this　disconcerting　information。　　They　had　been　congratulating　themselves　that　the　recent　victory；　if　it　resulted　in　nothing　else；　would　at　least　produce　a　blanket　'L'　road　franchise；　and　that　this　would　be　sufficient　to　bring　Cowperwood　to　his　knees。

Upon　receiving　MacDonald's　message　Hand　sent　at　once　for　Gilgan。　　When　he　inquired　as　to　how　soon　a　vote　on　the　General　Electric　franchisewhich　had　been　introduced　by　Mr。　Klemmcould　reasonably　be　expected；　Gilgan　declared　himself　much　grieved　to　admit　that　in　one　direction　or　other　considerable　opposition　seemed　to　have　developed　to　the　measure。

〃What's　that？〃　said　Hand；　a　little　savagely。　　〃Didn't　we　make　a　plain　bargain　in　regard　to　this？　You　had　all　the　money　you　asked　for；　didn't　you？　You　said　you　could　give　me　twenty…six　aldermen　who　would　vote　as　we　agreed。　　You're　not　going　to　go　back　on　your　bargain；　are　you？〃

〃Bargain！　bargain！〃　retorted　Gilgan；　irritated　because　of　the　spirit　of　the　assault。　　〃I　agreed　to　elect　twenty…six　Republican　aldermen；　and　that　I　did。　　I　don't　own　'em　body　and　soul。　　I　didn't　name　'em　in　every　case。　　I　made　deals　with　the　men　in　the　different　wards　that　had　the　best　chance；　and　that　the　people　wanted。　　I'm　not　responsible　for　any　crooked　work　that's　going　on　behind　my　back；　am　I？　I'm　not　responsible　for　men's　not　being　straight　if　they're　not？〃

Mr。　Gilgan's　face　was　an　aggrieved　question…mark。

〃But　you　had　the　picking　of　these　men；〃　insisted　Mr。　Hand；　aggressively。　　〃Every　one　of　them　had　your　personal　indorsement。　　You　made　t