the financier-第36节

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a　Foundry　Company　and　the　American　Beef　and　Pork　Company；　two　corporations　on　paper　whose　principal　business　was　subletting　contracts　secured　from　the　city　to　the　humble　butchers　and　foundrymen　who　would　carry　out　orders　as　given　and　not　talk　too　much　or　ask　questions。

〃Well；　that　is　an　odd　name；〃　said　Cowperwood；　blandly。　　〃So　he　has　it？　I　never　thought　that　road　would　pay；　as　it　was　laid　out。　　It's　too　short。　　It　ought　to　run　about　three　miles　farther　out　into　the　Kensington　section。〃

〃You're　right；〃　said　Stener；　dully。

〃Did　Strobik　say　what　Colton　wants　for　his　shares？〃

〃Sixty…eight；　I　think。〃

〃The　current　market　rate。　　He　doesn't　want　much；　does　he？　Well；　George；　at　that　rate　it　will　take　about〃he　calculated　quickly　on　the　basis　of　the　number　of　shares　Cotton　was　holding〃one　hundred　and　twenty　thousand　to　get　him　out　alone。　　That　isn't　all。　There's　Judge　Kitchen　and　Joseph　Zimmerman　and　Senator　Donovan〃　he　was　referring　to　the　State　senator　of　that　name。　　〃You'll　be　paying　a　pretty　fair　price　for　that　stud　when　you　get　it。　　It　will　cost　considerable　more　to　extend　the　line。　　It's　too　much；　I　think。〃

Cowperwood　was　thinking　how　easy　it　would　be　to　combine　this　line　with　his　dreamed…of　Seventeenth　and　Nineteenth　Street　line；　and　after　a　time　and　with　this　in　view　he　added：

〃Say；　George；　why　do　you　work　all　your　schemes　through　Strobik　and　Harmon　and　Wycroft？　Couldn't　you　and　I　manage　some　of　these　things　for　ourselves　alone　instead　of　for　three　or　four？　It　seems　to　me　that　plan　would　be　much　more　profitable　to　you。〃

〃It　would；　it　would！〃　exclaimed　Stener；　his　round　eyes　fixed　on　Cowperwood　in　a　rather　helpless；　appealing　way。　　He　liked　Cowperwood　and　had　always　been　hoping　that　mentally　as　well　as　financially　he　could　get　close　to　him。　　〃I've　thought　of　that。　　But　these　fellows　have　had　more　experience　in　these　matters　than　I　have　had；　Frank。　　They've　been　longer　at　the　game。　　I　don't　know　as　much　about　these　things　as　they　do。〃

Cowperwood　smiled　in　his　soul；　though　his　face　remained　passive。

〃Don't　worry　about　them；　George；〃　he　continued　genially　and　confidentially。　　〃You　and　I　together　can　know　and　do　as　much　as　they　ever　could　and　more。　　I'm　telling　you。　　Take　this　railroad　deal　you're　in　on　now；　George；　you　and　I　could　manipulate　that　just　as　well　and　better　than　it　can　be　done　with　Wycroft；　Strobik；　and　Harmon　in　on　it。　　They're　not　adding　anything　to　the　wisdom　of　the　situation。　　They're　not　putting　up　any　money。　　You're　doing　that。　　All　they're　doing　is　agreeing　to　see　it　through　the　legislature　and　the　council；　and　as　far　as　the　legislature　is　concerned；　they　can't　do　any　more　with　that　than　any　one　else　couldthan　I　could；　for　instance。　　It's　all　a　question　of　arranging　things　with　Relihan；　anyhow；　putting　up　a　certain　amount　of　money　for　him　to　work　with。　　Here　in　town　there　are　other　people　who　can　reach　the　council　just　as　well　as　Strobik。〃　　He　was　thinking　（once　he　controlled　a　road　of　his　own）　of　conferring　with　Butler　and　getting　him　to　use　his　influence。　　It　would　serve　to　quiet　Strobik　and　his　friends。　　〃I'm　not　asking　you　to　change　your　plans　on　this　North　Pennsylvania　deal。　　You　couldn't　do　that　very　well。　　But　there　are　other　things。　　In　the　future　why　not　let's　see　if　you　and　I　can't　work　some　one　thing　together？　You'll　be　much　better　off；　and　so　will　I。　　We've　done　pretty　well　on　the　city…loan　proposition　so　far；　haven't　we？〃

The　truth　was；　they　had　done　exceedingly　well。　　Aside　from　what　the　higher　powers　had　made；　Stener's　new　house；　his　lots；　his　bank…account；　his　good　clothes；　and　his　changed　and　comfortable　sense　of　life　were　largely　due　to　Cowperwood's　successful　manipulation　of　these　city…loan　certificates。　　Already　there　had　been　four　issues　of　two　hundred　thousand　dollars　each。　　Cowperwood　had　bought　and　sold　nearly　three　million　dollars'　worth　of　these　certificates；　acting　one　time　as　a　〃bull〃　and　another　as　a　〃bear。〃　Stener　was　now　worth　all　of　one　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　dollars。

〃There's　a　line　that　I　know　of　here　in　the　city　which　could　be　made　into　a　splendidly　paying　property；〃　continued　Cowperwood；　meditatively；　〃if　the　right　things　could　be　done　with　it。　　Just　like　this　North　Pennsylvania　line；　it　isn't　long　enough。　　The　territory　it　serves　isn't　big　enough。　　It　ought　to　be　extended；　but　if　you　and　I　could　get　it；　it　might　eventually　be　worked　with　this　North　Pennsylvania　Company　or　some　other　as　one　company。　　That　would　save　officers　and　offices　and　a　lot　of　things。　　There　is　always　money　to　be　made　out　of　a　larger　purchasing　power。〃

He　paused　and　looked　out　the　window　of　his　handsome　little　hardwood　office；　speculating　upon　the　future。　　The　window　gave　nowhere　save　into　a　back　yard　behind　another　office　building　which　had　formerly　been　a　residence。　　Some　grass　grew　feebly　there。　　The　red　wall　and　old…fashioned　brick　fence　which　divided　it　from　the　next　lot　reminded　him　somehow　of　his　old　home　in　New　Market　Street；　to　which　his　Uncle　Seneca　used　to　come　as　a　Cuban　trader　followed　by　his　black　Portuguese　servitor。　　He　could　see　him　now　as　he　sat　here　looking　at　the　yard。

〃Well；〃　asked　Stener；　ambitiously；　taking　the　bait；　〃why　don't　we　get　hold　of　thatyou　and　me？　I　suppose　I　could　fix　it　so　far　as　the　money　is　concerned。　　How　much　would　it　take？〃

Cowperwood　smiled　inwardly　again。

〃I　don't　know　exactly；〃　he　said；　after　a　time。　　〃I　want　to　look　into　it　more　carefully。　　The　one　trouble　is　that　I'm　carrying　a　good　deal　of　the　city's　money　as　it　is。　　You　see；　I　have　that　two　hundred　thousand　dollars　against　your　city…loan　deals。　　And　this　new　scheme　will　take　two　or　three　hundred　thousand　more。　　If　that　were　out　of　the　way〃

He　was　thinking　of　one　of　the　inexplicable　stock　panicsthose　strange　American　depressions　which　had　so　much　to　do　with　the　temperament　of　the　people；　and　so　little　to　do　with　the　basic　conditions　of　the　country。　　〃If　this　North　Pennsylvania　deal　were　through　and　done　with〃

He　rubbed　his　chin　and　pulled　at　his　handsome　silky　mustache。

〃Don't　ask　me　any　more　about　it；　George；〃　he　said；　finally；　as　he　saw　that　the　latter　was　beginning　to　think　as　to　which　line　it　might　be。　　〃Don't　say　anything　at　all　about　it。　　I　want　to　get　my　facts　exactly　right；　and　then　I'll　talk　to　you。　　I　think　you　and　I　can　do　this　thing　a　little　later；　when　we　get　the　North　Pennsylvania　scheme　under　way。　　I'm　so　rushed　just　now　I'm　not　sure　that　I　want　to　undertake　it　at　once；　but　you　keep　quiet　and　we'll　see。〃　　He　turned　toward　his　desk；　and　Stener　got　up。

〃I'll　make　any　sized　deposit　with　you　that　you　wish；　the　moment　you　think　you're　ready　to　act；　Frank；〃　exclaimed　Stener；　and　with　the　thought　that　Cowperwood　was　not　nearly　as　anxious　to　do　this　as　he　should　be；　since　he　could　always　rely　on　him　（Stener）　when　there　was　anything　really　profitable　in　the　offing。　　Why　should　not　the　able　and　wonderful　Cowperwood　be　allowed　to　make　the　two　of　them　rich？　〃Just　notify　Stires；　and　he'll　send　you　a　check。　Strobik　thought　we　ought　to　act　pretty　soon。〃

〃I'll　tend　to　it；　George；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　confidently。　　〃It　will　come　out　all　right。　　Leave　it　to　me。〃

Stener　kicked　his　stout　legs　to　straighten　his　trousers；　and　extended　his　hand。　　He　strolled　out　in　the　street　thinking　of　this　new　scheme。　　Certainly；　if　he　could　get　in　with　Cowperwood　right　he　would　be　a　rich　man；　for　Cowperwood　was　so　successful　and　so　cautious。　　His　new　house；　this　beautiful　banking　office；　his　growing　fame；　and　his　subtle　connections　with　Butler　and　others　put　Stener　in　considerable　awe　of　him。　　Another　line！　They　would　control　it　and　the　North　Pennsylvania！　Why；　if　this　went　on；　he　might　become　a　magnatehe　really　mighthe；　George　W。　Stener；　once　a　cheap　real…estate　and　insurance　agent。　　He　strolled　up　the　street　thinking；　but　with　no　more　idea　of　the　importance　of　his　civic　duties　and　the　nature　of　the　social　ethics　against　which　he　was　offending　than　if　they　had　never　existed。





Chapter　XXII




The　services　which　Cowperwood　performed　during　the　ensuing　year　and　a　half　for　Stener；　Strobik；　Butler；　State　Treasurer　Van　Nostrand；　State　Senator　Relihan；　representative　of　〃the　interests；〃　so…called；　at　Harrisburg；　and　various　banks　which　were　friendly　to　these　gentlemen；　were　numerous　and　confidential。　　For　Stener；　Strobik；　Wycroft；　Harmon　and　himself　he　executed　the　North　Pennsylvania　deal；　by　which　he　became　a　holder　of　a　fifth　of　the　controlling　stock。　Together　he　and　Stener　joined　to　purchase　the　Seventeenth　and　Nineteenth　Street　line　and　in　the　concurrent　gambling　in　stocks。

By　the　summer　of　1871；　when　Cowperwood　was　nearly　thirty…four　years　of　age；　he　had　a　banking　business　estimated　at　nearly　two　million　dollars；　personal　holdings　aggregating　nearly　half　a　million；　and　prospects　which　other　things　being　equal　looked　to　wealth　which　might　rival　that　of　any　American。　　The　city；　through　its　treasurer　still　Mr。　Stenerwas　a　depositor　with　him　to　the　extent　of　nearly　five　hundred　thousand　dollars。　　The　State；　through　its　State　treasurer；　Van　Nostrand；　carried　two　hundred　thousand　dollars　on　his　books。　　Bode　was　speculating　in　street…railway　stocks　to　the　extent　of　fifty　thousand　dollars。　　Relihan　to　the　same　amount。　　A　small　army　of　politicians　and　political　ha