the financier-第15节

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　the　principal。　　The　interest　goes　to　him。〃

Cowperwood　understood。　　All　these　city　and　State　officials　speculated。　　They　had　a　habit　of　depositing　city　and　State　funds　with　certain　bankers　and　brokers　as　authorized　agents　or　designated　State　depositories。　　The　banks　paid　no　interestsave　to　the　officials　personally。　　They　loaned　it　to　certain　brokers　on　the　officials'　secret　order；　and　the　latter　invested　it　in　〃sure　winners。〃　The　bankers　got　the　free　use　of　the　money　a　part　of　the　time；　the　brokers　another　part：　the　officials　made　money；　and　the　brokers　received　a　fat　commission。　　There　was　a　political　ring　in　Philadelphia　in　which　the　mayor；　certain　members　of　the　council；　the　treasurer；　the　chief　of　police；　the　commissioner　of　public　works；　and　others　shared。　　It　was　a　case　generally　of　〃You　scratch　my　back　and　I'll　scratch　yours。〃　　Cowperwood　thought　it　rather　shabby　work　at　first；　but　many　men　were　rapidly　getting　rich　and　no　one　seemed　to　care。　　The　newspapers　were　always　talking　about　civic　patriotism　and　pride　but　never　a　word　about　these　things。　And　the　men　who　did　them　were　powerful　and　respected。

There　were　many　houses；　a　constantly　widening　circle；　that　found　him　a　very　trustworthy　agent　in　disposing　of　note　issues　or　note　payment。　　He　seemed　to　know　so　quickly　where　to　go　to　get　the　money。　　From　the　first　he　made　it　a　principle　to　keep　twenty　thousand　dollars　in　cash　on　hand　in　order　to　be　able　to　take　up　a　proposition　instantly　and　without　discussion。　　So；　often　he　was　able　to　say；　〃Why；　certainly；　I　can　do　that；〃　when　otherwise；　on　the　face　of　things；　he　would　not　have　been　able　to　do　so。　　He　was　asked　if　he　would　not　handle　certain　stock　transactions　on　'change。　He　had　no　seat；　and　he　intended　not　to　take　any　at　first；　but　now　he　changed　his　mind；　and　bought　one；　not　only　in　Philadelphia；　but　in　New　York　also。　　A　certain　Joseph　Zimmerman；　a　dry…goods　man　for　whom　he　had　handled　various　note　issues；　suggested　that　he　undertake　operating　in　street…railway　shares　for　him；　and　this　was　the　beginning　of　his　return　to　the　floor。

In　the　meanwhile　his　family　life　was　changinggrowing；　one　might　have　said；　finer　and　more　secure。　　Mrs。　Cowperwood　had；　for　instance；　been　compelled　from　time　to　time　to　make　a　subtle　readjustment　of　her　personal　relationship　with　people；　as　he　had　with　his。　　When　Mr。　Semple　was　alive　she　had　been　socially　connected　with　tradesmen　principallyretailers　and　small　wholesalersa　very　few。　　Some　of　the　women　of　her　own　church；　the　First　Presbyterian；　were　friendly　with　her。　　There　had　been　church　teas　and　sociables　which　she　and　Mr。　Semple　attended；　and　dull　visits　to　his　relatives　and　hers。　　The　Cowperwoods；　the　Watermans；　and　a　few　families　of　that　caliber；　had　been　the　notable　exceptions。　Now　all　this　was　changed。　　Young　Cowperwood　did　not　care　very　much　for　her　relatives；　and　the　Semples　had　been　alienated　by　her　second；　and　to　them　outrageous；　marriage。　　His　own　family　was　closely　interested　by　ties　of　affection　and　mutual　prosperity；　but；　better　than　this；　he　was　drawing　to　himself　some　really　significant　personalities。　　He　brought　home　with　him；　sociallynot　to　talk　business；　for　he　disliked　that　ideabankers；　investors；　customers　and　prospective　customers。　　Out　on　the　Schuylkill；　the　Wissahickon；　and　elsewhere；　were　popular　dining　places　where　one　could　drive　on　Sunday。　　He　and　Mrs。　Cowperwood　frequently　drove　out　to　Mrs。　Seneca　Davis's；　to　Judge　Kitchen's；　to　the　home　of　Andrew　Sharpless；　a　lawyer　whom　he　knew；　to　the　home　of　Harper　Steger；　his　own　lawyer；　and　others。　　Cowperwood　had　the　gift　of　geniality。　　None　of　these　men　or　women　suspected　the　depth　of　his　naturehe　was　thinking；　thinking；　thinking；　but　enjoyed　life　as　he　went。

One　of　his　earliest　and　most　genuine　leanings　was　toward　paintings。　He　admired　nature；　but　somehow；　without　knowing　why；　he　fancied　one　could　best　grasp　it　through　the　personality　of　some　interpreter；　just　as　we　gain　our　ideas　of　law　and　politics　through　individuals。　Mrs。　Cowperwood　cared　not　a　whit　one　way　or　another；　but　she　accompanied　him　to　exhibitions；　thinking　all　the　while　that　Frank　was　a　little　peculiar。　　He　tried；　because　he　loved　her；　to　interest　her　in　these　things　intelligently；　but　while　she　pretended　slightly；　she　could　not　really　see　or　care；　and　it　was　very　plain　that　she　could　not。

The　children　took　up　a　great　deal　of　her　time。　　However；　Cowperwood　was　not　troubled　about　this。　　It　struck　him　as　delightful　and　exceedingly　worth　while　that　she　should　be　so　devoted。　　At　the　same　time；　her　lethargic　manner；　vague　smile　and　her　sometimes　seeming　indifference；　which　sprang　largely　from　a　sense　of　absolute　security；　attracted　him　also。　　She　was　so　different　from　him！　She　took　her　second　marriage　quite　as　she　had　taken　her　firsta　solemn　fact　which　contained　no　possibility　of　mental　alteration。　　As　for　himself；　however；　he　was　bustling　about　in　a　world　which；　financially　at　least；　seemed　all　alterationthere　were　so　many　sudden　and　almost　unheard…of　changes。　　He　began　to　look　at　her　at　times；　with　a　speculative　eyenot　very　critically；　for　he　liked　herbut　with　an　attempt　to　weigh　her　personality。　　He　had　known　her　five　years　and　more　now。　　What　did　he　know　about　her？　The　vigor　of　youththose　first　yearshad　made　up　for　so　many　things；　but　now　that　he　had　her　safely。。。

There　came　in　this　period　the　slow　approach；　and　finally　the　declaration；　of　war　between　the　North　and　the　South；　attended　with　so　much　excitement　that　almost　all　current　minds　were　notably　colored　by　it。　　It　was　terrific。　　Then　came　meetings；　public　and　stirring；　and　riots；　the　incident　of　John　Brown's　body；　the　arrival　of　Lincoln；　the　great　commoner；　on　his　way　from　Springfield；　Illinois；　to　Washington　via　Philadelphia；　to　take　the　oath　of　office；　the　battle　of　Bull　Run；　the　battle　of　Vicksburg；　the　battle　of　Gettysburg；　and　so　on。　　Cowperwood　was　only　twenty…five　at　the　time；　a　cool；　determined　youth；　who　thought　the　slave　agitation　might　be　well　founded　in　human　rightsno　doubt　was　but　exceedingly　dangerous　to　trade。　　He　hoped　the　North　would　win；　but　it　might　go　hard　with　him　personally　and　other　financiers。　　He　did　not　care　to　fight。　　That　seemed　silly　for　the　individual　man　to　do。　　Others　mightthere　were　many　poor；　thin…minded；　half…baked　creatures　who　would　put　themselves　up　to　be　shot；　but　they　were　only　fit　to　be　commanded　or　shot　down。　　As　for　him；　his　life　was　sacred　to　himself　and　his　family　and　his　personal　interests。　　He　recalled　seeing；　one　day；　in　one　of　the　quiet　side　streets；　as　the　working…men　were　coming　home　from　their　work；　a　small　enlisting　squad　of　soldiers　in　blue　marching　enthusiastically　along；　the　Union　flag　flying；　the　drummers　drumming；　the　fifes　blowing；　the　idea　being；　of　course；　to　so　impress　the　hitherto　indifferent　or　wavering　citizen；　to　exalt　him　to　such　a　pitch；　that　he　would　lose　his　sense　of　proportion；　of　self…interest；　and；　forgetting　all　wife；　parents；　home；　and　childrenand　seeing　only　the　great　need　of　the　country；　fall　in　behind　and　enlist。　　He　saw　one　workingman　swinging　his　pail；　and　evidently　not　contemplating　any　such　denouement　to　his　day's　work；　pause；　listen　as　the　squad　approached；　hesitate　as　it　drew　close；　and　as　it　passed；　with　a　peculiar　look　of　uncertainty　or　wonder　in　his　eyes；　fall　in　behind　and　march　solemnly　away　to　the　enlisting　quarters。　　What　was　it　that　had　caught　this　man；　Frank　asked　himself。　　How　was　he　overcome　so　easily？　He　had　not　intended　to　go。　　His　face　was　streaked　with　the　grease　and　dirt　of　his　workhe　looked　like　a　foundry　man　or　machinist；　say　twenty…five　years　of　age。　　Frank　watched　the　little　squad　disappear　at　the　end　of　the　street　round　the　corner　under　the　trees。

This　current　war…spirit　was　strange。　　The　people　seemed　to　him　to　want　to　hear　nothing　but　the　sound　of　the　drum　and　fife；　to　see　nothing　but　troops；　of　which　there　were　thousands　now　passing　through　on　their　way　to　the　front；　carrying　cold　steel　in　the　shape　of　guns　at　their　shoulders；　to　hear　of　war　and　the　rumors　of　war。　　It　was　a　thrilling　sentiment；　no　doubt；　great　but　unprofitable。　　It　meant　self…sacrifice；　and　he　could　not　see　that。　If　he　went　he　might　be　shot；　and　what　would　his　noble　emotion　amount　to　then？　He　would　rather　make　money；　regulate　current　political；　social　and　financial　affairs。　　The　poor　fool　who　fell　in　behind　the　enlisting　squadno；　not　fool；　he　would　not　call　him　thatthe　poor　overwrought　working…manwell；　Heaven　pity　him！　Heaven　pity　all　of　them！　They　really　did　not　know　what　they　were　doing。

One　day　he　saw　Lincolna　tall；　shambling　man；　long；　bony；　gawky；　but　tremendously　impressive。　　It　was　a　raw；　slushy　morning　of　a　late　February　day；　and　the　great　war　President　was　just　through　with　his　solemn　pronunciamento　in　regard　to　the　bonds　that　might　have　been　strained　but　must　not　be　broken。　　As　he　issued　from　the　doorway　of　Independence　Hall；　that　famous　birthplace　of　liberty；　his　face　was　set　in　a　sad；　meditative　calm。　　Cowperwood　looked　at　him　fixedly　as　he　issued　from　the　doorway　surrounded　by　chiefs　of　staff；　local　dignitaries；　detectives；　and　the　curious；　sympathetic　faces　of　the　public。　　As　he　studied　the　strangely　rough…hewn　countenance　a　sense　of　the　great　worth　and　dignity　of　the　man　came　over　him。

〃A　real　man；