the titan-第79部分
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A little later； at Southampton； whither she and her mother had gone； they met again。 Together with a young man by the name of Greanelle； Cowperwood and Berenice had gone into the sea to bathe。 It was a wonderful afternoon。
To the east and south and west spread the sea； a crinkling floor of blue； and to their left； as they faced it； was a lovely outward…curving shore of tawny sand。 Studying Berenice in blue…silk bathing costume and shoes； Cowperwood had been stung by the wonder of passing lifehow youth comes in； ever fresh and fresh； and age goes out。 Here he was； long crowded years of conflict and experience behind him； and yet this twenty…year…old girl； with her incisive mind and keen tastes； was apparently as wise in matters of general import as himself。 He could find no flaw in her armor in those matters which they could discuss。 Her knowledge and comments were so ripe and sane； despite a tendency to pose a little； which was quite within her rights。 Because Greanelle had bored her a little she had shunted him off and was amusing herself talking to Cowperwood； who fascinated her by his compact individuality。
〃Do you know；〃 she confided to him； on this occasion； 〃I get so very tired of young men sometimes。 They can be so inane。 I do declare； they are nothing more than shoes and ties and socks and canes strung together in some unimaginable way。 Vaughn Greanelle is for all the world like a perambulating manikin to…day。 He is just an English suit with a cane attached walking about。〃
〃Well； bless my soul；〃 commented Cowperwood； 〃what an indictment！〃
〃It's true；〃 she replied。 〃He knows nothing at all except polo； and the latest swimming…stroke； and where everybody is； and who is going to marry who。 Isn't it dull？〃
She tossed her head back and breathed as though to exhale the fumes of the dull and the inane from her inmost being。
〃Did you tell him that？〃 inquired Cowperwood； curiously。
〃Certainly I did。〃
〃I don't wonder he looks so solemn；〃 he said； turning and looking back at Greanelle and Mrs。 Carter； they were sitting side by side in sand…chairs； the former beating the sand with his toes。 〃You're a curious girl； Berenice；〃 he went on； familiarly。 〃You are so direct and vital at times。
〃Not any more than you are； from all I can hear；〃 she replied； fixing him with those steady eyes。 〃Anyhow； why should I be bored？ He is so dull。 He follows me around out here all the time； and I don't want him。〃
She tossed her head and began to run up the beach to where bathers were fewer and fewer； looking back at Cowperwood as if to say； 〃Why don't you follow？〃 He developed a burst of enthusiasm and ran quite briskly； overtaking her near some shallows where； because of a sandbar offshore； the waters were thin and bright。
〃Oh； look！〃 exclaimed Berenice； when he came up。 〃See； the fish！ O…oh！〃
She dashed in to where a few feet offshore a small school of minnows as large as sardines were playing； silvery in the sun。 She ran as she had for the bird； doing her best to frighten them into a neighboring pocket or pool farther up on the shore。 Cowperwood； as gay as a boy of ten； joined in the chase。 He raced after them briskly； losing one school； but pocketing another a little farther on and calling to her to come。
〃Oh！〃 exclaimed Berenice at one point。 〃Here they are now。 Come quick！ Drive them in here！〃
Her hair was blowy； her face a keen pink； her eyes an electric blue by contrast。 She was bending low over the waterCowperwood alsotheir hands outstretched； the fish； some five in all； nervously dancing before them in their efforts to escape。 All at once； having forced them into a corner； they dived； Berenice actually caught one。 Cowperwood missed by a fraction； but drove the fish she did catch into her hands。
〃Oh；〃 she exclaimed； jumping up； 〃how wonderful！ It's alive。 I caught it。〃
She danced up and down； and Cowperwood； standing before her； was sobered by her charm。 He felt an impulse to speak to her of his affection； to tell her how delicious she was to him。
〃You；〃 he said； pausing over the word and giving it special emphasis〃you are the only thing here that is wonderful to me。〃
She looked at him a moment； the live fish in her extended hands； her eyes keying to the situation。 For the least fraction of a moment she was uncertain； as he could see； how to take this。 Many men had been approximative before。 It was common to have compliments paid to her。 But this was different。 She said nothing； but fixed him with a look which said quite plainly； 〃You had better not say anything more just now； I think。〃 Then； seeing that he understood； that his manner softened； and that he was troubled； she crinkled her nose gaily and added： 〃It's like fairyland。 I feel as though I had caught it out of another world。〃 Cowperwood understood。 The direct approach was not for use in her case； and yet there was something； a camaraderie； a sympathy which he felt and which she felt。 A girls' school； conventions； the need of socially placing herself； her conservative friends； and their viewpointall were working here。 If he were only single now； she told herself； she would be willing to listen to him in a very different spirit； for he was charming。 But this way And he； for his part； concluded that here was one woman whom he would gladly marry if she would have him。
Chapter XLVII
American Match
Following Cowperwood's coup in securing cash by means of his seeming gift of three hundred thousand dollars for a telescope his enemies rested for a time； but only because of a lack of ideas wherewith to destroy him。 Public sentimentcreated by the newspaperswas still against him。 Yet his franchises had still from eight to ten years to run； and meanwhile he might make himself unassailably powerful。 For the present he was busy； surrounded by his engineers and managers and legal advisers； constructing his several elevated lines at a whirlwind rate。 At the same time； through Videra； Kaffrath； and Addison； he was effecting a scheme of loaning money on call to the local Chicago banksthe very banks which were most opposed to himso that in a crisis be could retaliate。 By manipulating the vast quantity of stocks and bonds of which he was now the master he was making money hand over fist； his one rule being that six per cent。 was enough to pay any holder who had merely purchased his stock as an outsider。 It was most profitable to himself。 When his stocks earned more than that he issued new ones； selling them on 'change and pocketing the difference。 Out of the cash…drawers of his various companies he took immense sums； temporary loans； as it were； which later he had charged by his humble servitors to 〃construction；〃 〃equipment；〃 or 〃operation。〃 He was like a canny wolf prowling in a forest of trees of his own creation。
The weak note in this whole project of elevated lines was that for some time it was destined to be unprofitable。 Its very competition tended to weaken the value of his surface…line companies。 His holdings in these as well as in elevated…road shares were immense。 If anything happened to cause them to fall in price immense numbers of these same stocks held by others would be thrown on the market； thus still further depreciating their value and compelling him to come into the market and buy。 With the most painstaking care he began at once to pile up a reserve in government bonds for emergency purposes； which he decided should be not less than eight or nine million dollars； for he feared financial storms as well as financial reprisal； and where so much was at stake he did not propose to be caught napping。
At the time that Cowperwood first entered on elevated…road construction there was no evidence that any severe depression in the American money…market was imminent。 But it was not long before a new difficulty began to appear。 It was now the day of the trust in all its watery magnificence。 Coal； iron； steel； oil； machinery； and a score of other commercial necessities had already been 〃trustified；〃 and others； such as leather； shoes； cordage； and the like； were； almost hourly； being brought under the control of shrewd and ruthless men。 Already in Chicago Schryhart； Hand； Arneel； Merrill； and a score of others were seeing their way to amazing profits by underwriting these ventures which required ready cash； and to which lesser magnates； content with a portion of the leavings of Dives's table； were glad to bring to their attention。 On the other hand； in the nation at large there was growing up a feeling that at the top there were a set of giantsTitanswho； without heart or soul； and without any understanding of or sympathy with the condition of the rank and file； were setting forth to enchain and enslave them。 The vast mass； writhing in ignorance and poverty； finally turned with pathetic fury to the cure…all of a political leader in the West。 This latter prophet； seeing gold becoming scarcer and scarcer and the cash and credits of the land falling into the hands of a few who were manipulating them for their own benefit； had decided that what was needed was a greater volume of currency； so that credits would be easier and money cheaper to come by in the matter of interest。 Silver； of which there was a superabundance in the mines； was to be coined at the ratio of sixteen dollars of silver for every one of gold in circulation； and the parity of the two metals maintained by fiat of government。 Never again should the few be able to make a weapon of the people's medium of exchange in order to bring about their undoing。 There was to be ample money； far beyond the control of central banks and the men in power over them。 It was a splendid dream worthy of a charitable heart； but because of it a disturbing war for political control of the government was shortly threatened and soon began。 The money element； sensing the danger of change involved in the theories of the new political leader； began to fight him and the element in the Democratic party which he represented。 The rank and file of both partiesthe more or less hungry and thirsty who lie ever at the bottom on both sideshailed him as a heaven…sent deliverer； a new Moses come to lead them out of the wilderness of poverty and distress
