the financier-第110节

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！



〃Yes；　sir；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　who　had　been　shrewd　enough　to　get　the　new　overseer's　name　from　Chapin；　〃this　is　Mr。　Bonhag；　I　presume？〃

〃That's　me；〃　replied　Bonhag；　not　a　little　flattered　by　the　recognition；　but　still　purely　interested　by　the　practical　side　of　this　encounter。　He　was　anxious　to　study　Cowperwood；　to　see　what　type　of　man　he　was。

〃You'll　find　it　a　little　different　down　here　from　up　there；〃　observed　Bonhag。　　〃It　ain't　so　stuffy。　　These　doors　out　in　the　yards　make　a　difference。〃

〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Cowperwood；　observantly　and　shrewdly；　〃that　is　the　yard　Mr。　Desmas　spoke　of。〃

At　the　mention　of　the　magic　name；　if　Bonhag　had　been　a　horse；　his　ears　would　have　been　seen　to　lift。　　For；　of　course；　if　Cowperwood　was　so　friendly　with　Desmas　that　the　latter　had　described　to　him　the　type　of　cell　he　was　to　have　beforehand；　it　behooved　Bonhag　to　be　especially　careful。

〃Yes；　that's　it；　but　it　ain't　much；〃　he　observed。　　〃They　only　allow　a　half…hour　a　day　in　it。　　Still　it　would　be　all　right　if　a　person　could　stay　out　there　longer。〃

This　was　his　first　hint　at　graft；　favoritism；　and　Cowperwood　distinctly　caught　the　sound　of　it　in　his　voice。

〃That's　too　bad；〃　he　said。　　〃I　don't　suppose　good　conduct　helps　a　person　to　get　more。〃　　He　waited　to　hear　a　reply；　but　instead　Bonhag　continued　with：　〃I'd　better　teach　you　your　new　trade　now。　You've　got　to　learn　to　cane　chairs；　so　the　warden　says。　　If　you　want；　we　can　begin　right　away。〃　　But　without　waiting　for　Cowperwood　to　acquiesce；　he　went　off；　returning　after　a　time　with　three　unvarnished　frames　of　chairs　and　a　bundle　of　cane　strips　or　withes；　which　he　deposited　on　the　floor。　　Having　so　doneand　with　a　flourishhe　now　continued：　〃Now　I'll　show　you　if　you'll　watch　me；〃　and　he　began　showing　Cowperwood　how　the　strips　were　to　be　laced　through　the　apertures　on　either　side；　cut；　and　fastened　with　little　hickory　pegs。　　This　done；　he　brought　a　forcing　awl；　a　small　hammer；　a　box　of　pegs；　and　a　pair　of　clippers。　　After　several　brief　demonstrations　with　different　strips；　　as　to　how　the　geometric　forms　were　designed；　he　allowed　Cowperwood　to　take　the　matter　in　hand；　watching　over　his　shoulder。　　The　financier；　quick　at　anything；　manual　or　mental；　went　at　it　in　his　customary　energetic　fashion；　and　in　five　minutes　demonstrated　to　Bonhag　that；　barring　skill　and　speed；　which　could　only　come　with　practice；　he　could　do　it　as　well　as　another。　　〃You'll　make　out　all　right；〃　said　Bonhag。　　〃You're　supposed　to　do　ten　of　those　a　day。　　We　won't　count　the　next　few　days；　though；　until　you　get　your　hand　in。　　After　that　I'll　come　around　and　see　how　you're　getting　along。　　You　understand　about　the　towel　on　the　door；　don't　you？〃　he　inquired。

〃Yes；　Mr。　Chapin　explained　that　to　me；〃　replied　Cowperwood。　　〃I　think　I　know　what　most　of　the　rules　are　now。　　I'll　try　not　to　break　any　of　them。〃

The　days　which　followed　brought　a　number　of　modifications　of　his　prison　lot；　but　not　sufficient　by　any　means　to　make　it　acceptable　to　him。　　Bonhag；　during　the　first　few　days　in　which　he　trained　Cowperwood　in　the　art　of　caning　chairs；　managed　to　make　it　perfectly　clear　that　there　were　a　number　of　things　he　would　be　willing　to　do　for　him。　　One　of　the　things　that　moved　him　to　this；　was　that　already　he　had　been　impressed　by　the　fact　that　Stener's　friends　were　coming　to　see　him　in　larger　numbers　than　Cowperwood's；　sending　him　an　occasional　basket　of　fruit；　which　he　gave　to　the　overseers；　and　that　his　wife　and　children　had　been　already　permitted　to　visit　him　outside　the　regular　visiting…day。　　This　was　a　cause　for　jealousy　on　Bonhag's　part。　　His　fellow…overseer　was　lording　it　over　himtelling　him；　as　it　were；　of　the　high　jinks　in　Block　4。　　Bonhag　really　wanted　Cowperwood　to　spruce　up　and　show　what　he　could　do；　socially　or　otherwise。

And　so　now　he　began　with：　〃I　see　you　have　your　lawyer　and　your　partner　here　every　day。　　There　ain't　anybody　else　you'd　like　to　have　visit　you；　is　there？　Of　course；　it's　against　the　rules　to　have　your　wife　or　sister　or　anybody　like　that；　except　on　visiting　days〃　And　here　he　paused　and　rolled　a　large　and　informing　eye　on　Cowperwoodsuch　an　eye　as　was　supposed　to　convey　dark　and　mysterious　things。　　〃But　all　the　rules　ain't　kept　around　here　by　a　long　shot。〃

Cowperwood　was　not　the　man　to　lose　a　chance　of　this　kind。　　He　smiled　a　littleenough　to　relieve　himself；　and　to　convey　to　Bonhag　that　he　was　gratified　by　the　information；　but　vocally　he　observed：　〃I'll　tell　you　how　it　is；　Mr。　Bonhag。　　I　believe　you　understand　my　position　better　than　most　men　would；　and　that　I　can　talk　to　you。　There　are　people　who　would　like　to　come　here；　but　I　have　been　afraid　to　let　them　come。　　I　did　not　know　that　it　could　be　arranged。　If　it　could　be；　I　would　be　very　grateful。　　You　and　I　are　practical　menI　know　that　if　any　favors　are　extended　some　of　those　who　help　to　bring　them　about　must　be　looked　after。　　If　you　can　do　anything　to　make　it　a　little　more　comfortable　for　me　here　I　will　show　you　that　I　appreciate　it。　　I　haven't　any　money　on　my　person；　but　I　can　always　get　it；　and　I　will　see　that　you　are　properly　looked　after。〃

Bonhag's　short；　thick　ears　tingled。　　This　was　the　kind　of　talk　he　liked　to　hear。　　〃I　can　fix　anything　like　that；　Mr。　Cowperwood；〃　he　replied；　servilely。　　〃You　leave　it　to　me。　　If　there's　any　one　you　want　to　see　at　any　time；　just　let　me　know。　　Of　course　I　have　to　be　very　careful；　and　so　do　you；　but　that's　all　right；　too。　　If　you　want　to　stay　out　in　that　yard　a　little　longer　in　the　mornings　or　get　out　there　afternoons　or　evenings；　from　now　on；　why；　go　ahead。　It's　all　right。　　I'll　just　leave　the　door　open。　　If　the　warden　or　anybody　else　should　be　around；　I'll　just　scratch　on　your　door　with　my　key；　and　you　come　in　and　shut　it。　　If　there's　anything　you　want　from　the　outside　I　can　get　it　for　youjelly　or　eggs　or　butter　or　any　little　thing　like　that。　　You　might　like　to　fix　up　your　meals　a　little　that　way。〃

〃I'm　certainly　most　grateful；　Mr。　Bonhag；〃　returned　Cowperwood　in　his　grandest　manner；　and　with　a　desire　to　smile；　but　he　kept　a　straight　face。

〃In　regard　to　that　other　matter；〃　went　on　Bonhag；　referring　to　the　matter　of　extra　visitors；　〃I　can　fix　that　any　time　you　want　to。　　I　know　the　men　out　at　the　gate。　　If　you　want　anybody　to　come　here；　just　write　'em　a　note　and　give　it　to　me；　and　tell　'em　to　ask　for　me　when　they　come。　　That'll　get　'em　in　all　right。　　When　they　get　here　you　can　talk　to　'em　in　your　cell。　　See！　Only　when　I　tap　they　have　to　come　out。　　You　want　to　remember　that。　　So　just　you　let　me　know。〃

Cowperwood　was　exceedingly　grateful。　　He　said　so　in　direct；　choice　language。　　It　occurred　to　him　at　once　that　this　was　Aileen's　opportunity；　and　that　he　could　now　notify　her　to　come。　　If　she　veiled　herself　sufficiently　she　would　probably　be　safe　enough。　He　decided　to　write　her；　and　when　Wingate　came　he　gave　him　a　letter　to　mail。

Two　days　later；　at　three　o'clock　in　the　afternoonthe　time　appointed　by　himAileen　came　to　see　him。　　She　was　dressed　in　gray　broadcloth　with　white…velvet　trimmings　and　cut…steel　buttons　which　glistened　like　silver；　and　wore；　as　additional　ornaments；　as　well　as　a　protection　against　the　cold；　a　cap；　stole；　and　muff　of　snow…white　ermine。　　Over　this　rather　striking　costume　she　had　slipped　a　long　dark　circular　cloak；　which　she　meant　to　lay　off　immediately　upon　her　arrival。　　She　had　made　a　very　careful　toilet　as　to　her　shoes；　gloves；　hair；　and　the　gold　ornaments　which　she　wore。　　Her　face　was　concealed　by　a　thick　green　veil；　as　Cowperwood　had　suggested；　and　she　arrived　at　an　hour　when；　as　near　as　he　had　been　able　to　prearrange；　he　would　be　alone。　　Wingate　usually　came　at　four；　after　business；　and　Steger　in　the　morning；　when　he　came　at　all。　She　was　very　nervous　over　this　strange　adventure；　leaving　the　street…car　in　which　she　had　chosen　to　travel　some　distance　away　and　walking　up　a　side　street。　　The　cold　weather　and　the　gray　walls　under　a　gray　sky　gave　her　a　sense　of　defeat；　but　she　had　worked　very　hard　to　look　nice　in　order　to　cheer　her　lover　up。　　She　knew　how　readily　he　responded　to　the　influence　of　her　beauty　when　properly　displayed。

Cowperwood；　in　view　of　her　coming；　had　made　his　cell　as　acceptable　as　possible。　　It　was　clean；　because　he　had　swept　it　himself　and　made　his　own　bed；　and　besides　he　had　shaved　and　combed　his　hair；　and　otherwise　put　himself　to　rights。　　The　caned　chairs　on　which　he　was　working　had　been　put　in　the　corner　at　the　end　of　the　bed。　His　few　dishes　were　washed　and　hung　up；　and　his　clogs　brushed　with　a　brush　which　he　now　kept　for　the　purpose。　　Never　before；　he　thought　to　himself；　with　a　peculiar　feeling　of　artistic　degradation；　had　Aileen　seen　him　like　this。　　She　had　always　admired　his　good　taste　in　clothes；　and　the　way　he　carried　himself　in　them；　and　now　she　was　to　see　him　in　garments　which　no　dignity　of　body　could　make　presentable。　　Only　a　stoic　sense　of　his　own　soul…dignity　aided　him　here。　　After　all；　as　he　now　thought；　he　was　Frank　A。　Cowperwood；　and　that　was　something；　whatever　he　wore。　　And　Aileen　knew　it。　Again；　he　might　be　free　and　rich　some　day；　and　he　knew　that　she　believed　that。　　Best　of　all；　his　looks　under　these　or　any　other　circumstances；　as　he　knew；　would　make　no　difference　to　Aileen。　She　would　only　love　him　the　more。　　It　was　her　ardent　sympathy　that　he　was　afra