the pit-第24节

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　I　bet　it　goes　down。　　Those　fellows　in　the　Pit　don't　own　the　wheat；　never　even　see　it。　　Wou'dn't　know　what　to　do　with　it　if　they　had　it。　　They　don't　care　in　the　least　about　the　grain。　　But　there　are　thousands　upon　thousands　of　farmers　out　here　in　Iowa　and　Kansas　or　Dakota　who　do；　and　hundreds　of　thousand　of　poor　devils　in　Europe　who　care　even　more　than　the　farmer。　　I　mean　the　fellows　who　raise　the　grain；　and　the　other　fellows　who　eat　it。　　It's　life　or　death　for　either　of　them。　And　right　between　these　two　comes　the　Chicago　speculator；　who　raises　or　lowers　the　price　out　of　all　reason；　for　the　benefit　of　his　pocket。　　You　see　Laura；　here　is　what　I　mean。〃　　Cressler　had　suddenly　become　very　earnest。　　Absorbed；　interested；　Laura　listened　intently。　　〃Here　is　what　I　mean；〃　pursued　Cressler。　〃It's　like　this：　If　we　send　the　price　of　wheat　down　too　far；　the　farmer　suffers；　the　fellow　who　raises　it　if　we　send　it　up　too　far；　the　poor　man　in　Europe　suffers；　the　fellow　who　eats　it。　　And　food　to　the　peasant　on　the　continent　is　breadnot　meat　or　potatoes；　as　it　is　with　us。　　The　only　way　to　do　so　that　neither　the　American　farmer　nor　the　European　peasant　suffers；　is　to　keep　wheat　at　an　average；　legitimate　value。　　The　moment　you　inflate　or　depress　that；　somebody　suffers　right　away。　And　that　is　just　what　these　gamblers　are　doing　all　the　time；　booming　it　up　or　booming　it　down。　　Think　of　it；　the　food　of　hundreds　and　hundreds　of　thousands　of　people　just　at　the　mercy　of　a　few　men　down　there　on　the　Board　of　Trade。　　They　make　the　price。　　They　say　just　how　much　the　peasant　shall　pay　for　his　loaf　of　bread。　If　he　can't　pay　the　price　he　simply　starves。　　And　as　for　the　farmer；　why　it's　ludicrous。　　If　I　build　a　house　and　offer　it　for　sale；　I　put　my　own　price　on　it；　and　if　the　price　offered　don't　suit　me　I　don't　sell。　　But　if　I　go　out　here　in　Iowa　and　raise　a　crop　of　wheat；　I've　got　to　sell　it；　whether　I　want　to　or　not　at　the　figure　named　by　some　fellows　in　Chicago。　　And　to　make　themselves　rich；　they　may　make　me　sell　it　at　a　price　that　bankrupts　me。〃

Laura　nodded。　　She　was　intensely　interested。　　A　whole　new　order　of　things　was　being　disclosed；　and　for　the　first　time　in　her　life　she　looked　into　the　workings　of　political　economy。

〃Oh；　that's　only　one　side　of　it；〃　Cressler　went　on；　heedless　of　Jadwin's　good…humoured　protests。　　〃Yes；　I　know　I　am　a　crank　on　speculating。　　I'm　going　to　preach　a　little　if　you'll　let　me。　　I've　been　a　speculator　myself；　and　a　ruined　one　at　that；　and　I　know　what　I　am　talking　about。　　Here　is　what　I　was　going　to　say。　　These　fellows　themselves；　the　gamblerswell；　call　them　speculators；　if　you　like。　　Oh；　the　fine；　promising　manly　young　men　I've　seen　wreckedabsolutely　and　hopelessly　wrecked　and　ruined　by　speculation！　It's　as　easy　to　get　into　as　going　across　the　street。　　They　make　three　hundred；　five　hundred；　yes；　even　a　thousand　dollars　sometimes　in　a　couple　of　hours；　without　so　much　as　raising　a　finger。　　Think　what　that　means　to　a　boy　of　twenty…five　who's　doing　clerk　work　at　seventy…five　a　month。　　Why；　it　would　take　him　maybe　ten　years　to　save　a　thousand；　and　here　he's　made　it　in　a　single　morning。　Think　you　can　keep　him　out　of　speculation　then？　　First　thing　you　know　he's　thrown　up　his　honest；　humdrum　positionoh；　I've　seen　it　hundreds　of　timesand　takes　to　hanging　round　the　customers'　rooms　down　there　on　La　Salle　Street；　and　he　makes　a　little；　and　makes　a　little　more；　and　finally　he　is　so　far　in　that　he　can't　pull　out；　and　then　some　billionaire　fellow；　who　has　the　market　in　the　palm　of　his　hand；　tightens　one　finger；　and　our　young　man　is　ruined；　body　and　mind。　　He's　lost　the　taste；　the　very　capacity　for　legitimate　business；　and　he　stays　on　hanging　round　the　Board　till　he　gets　to　beall　of　a　suddenan　old　man。　　And　then　some　day　some　one　says；　'Why；　where's　So…and…so？'　and　you　wake　up　to　the　fact　that　the　young　fellow　has　simply　disappearedlost。　　I　tell　you　the　fascination　of　this　Pit　gambling　is　something　no　one　who　hasn't　experienced　it　can　have　the　faintest　conception　of。　　I　believe　it's　worse　than　liquor；　worse　than　morphine。　　Once　you　get　into　it；　it　grips　you　and　draws　you　and　draws　you；　and　the　nearer　you　get　to　the　end　the　easier　it　seems　to　win；　till　all　of　a　sudden；　ah！　there's　the　whirlpool。。。。　'J。；'　keep　away　from　it；　my　boy。〃

Jadwin　laughed；　and　leaning　over；　put　his　fingers　upon　Cressler's　breast；　as　though　turning　off　a　switch。

〃Now；　Miss　Dearborn；〃　he　announced；　〃we've　shut　him　off。　　Charlie　means　all　right；　but　now　and　then　some　one　brushes　against　him　and　opens　that　switch。〃

Cressler；　good…humouredly　laughed　with　the　others；　but　Laura's　smile　was　perfunctory　and　her　eyes　were　grave。　But　there　was　a　diversion。　　While　the　others　had　been　talking　the　rehearsal　had　proceeded；　and　now　Page　beckoned　to　Laura　from　the　far　end　of　the　parlor；　calling　out：

〃Laura'Beatrice；'　it's　the　third　act。　　You　are　wanted。〃

〃Oh；　I　must　run；〃　exclaimed　Laura；　catching　up　her　play…book。　　〃Poor　Monsieur　Gerardywe　must　be　a　trial　to　him。〃


She　hurried　across　the　room；　where　the　coach　was　disposing　the　furniture　for　the　scene；　consulting　the　stage　directions　in　his　book：

〃Here　the　kitchen　table；　here　the　old…fashioned　writing…desk；　here　the　_armoire_　with　practicable　doors；　here　the　window。　　Soh！　Who　is　on？　　Ah；　the　young　lady　of　the　sick　nose；　'Marion。'　She　is　discovered　knitting。　　And　then　the　duchesslater。　　That's　you　Mademoiselle　Dearborn。　　You　interruptyou　remember。　But　then　you；　ah；　you　always　are　right。　　If　they　were　all　like　you。　　Very　well；　we　begin。〃

Creditably　enough　the　Gretry　girl　read　her　part；　Monsieur　Gerardy　interrupting　to　indicate　the　crossings　and　business。　　Then　at　her　cue；　Laura；　who　was　to　play　the　role　of　the　duchess；　entered　with　the　words：

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　but　the　door　stood　open。　　May　I　come　in？〃

Monsieur　Gerardy　murmured：

〃_Elle　est　vraiment　superbe。_〃

Laura　to　the　very　life；　to　every　little　trick　of　carriage　and　manner　was　the　high…born　gentlewoman　visiting　the　home　of　a　dependent。　　Nothing　could　have　been　more　dignified；　more　gracious；　more　gracefully　condescending　than　her　poise。　　She　dramatised　not　only　her　role；　but　the　whole　of　her　surroundings。　　The　interior　of　the　little　cottage　seemed　to　define　itself　with　almost　visible　distinctness　the　moment　she　set　foot　upon　the　scene。

Gerardy　tiptoed　from　group　to　group；　whispering：

〃Eh？　　Very　fine；　our　duchess。　　She　would　do　well　professionally。〃

But　Mrs。　Wessels　was　not　altogether　convinced。　　Her　eyes　following　her　niece；　she　said　to　Corthell：

〃It's　Laura's　'grand　manner。'　My　word；　I　know　her　in　_that_　part。　　That's　the　way　she　is　when　she　comes　down　to　the　parlor　of　an　evening；　and　Page　introduces　her　to　one　of　her　young　men。〃

〃I　nearly　die；〃　protested　Page；　beginning　to　laugh。　〃Of　course　it's　very　natural　I　should　want　my　friends　to　like　my　sister。　　And　Laura　comes　in　as　though　she　were　walking　on　eggs；　and　gets　their　names　wrong；　as　though　it　didn't　much　matter；　and　calls　them　Pinky　when　their　name　is　Pinckney；　and　don't　listen　to　what　they　say；　till　I　want　to　sink　right　through　the　floor　with　mortification。〃

In　haphazard　fashion　the　rehearsal　wore　to　a　close。　Monsieur　Gerardy　stormed　and　fretted　and　insisted　upon　repeating　certain　scenes　over　and　over　again。　　By　ten　o'clock　the　actors　were　quite　worn　out。　　A　little　supper　was　served；　and　very　soon　afterward　Laura　made　a　move　toward　departing。　　She　was　wondering　who　would　see　her　home；　Landry；　Jadwin；　or　Sheldon　Corthell。

The　day　had　been　sunshiny；　warm　even；　but　since　nine　o'clock　the　weather　had　changed　for　the　worse；　and　by　now　a　heavy　rain　was　falling。　　Mrs。　Cressler　begged　the　two　sisters　and　Mrs。　Wessels　to　stay　at　her　house　over　night；　but　Laura　refused。　　Jadwin　was　suggesting　to　Cressler　the　appropriateness　of　having　the　coupe　brought　around　to　take　the　sisters　home；　when　Corthell　came　up　to　Laura。

〃I　sent　for　a　couple　of　hansoms　long　since；〃　he　said。　〃They　are　waiting　outside　now。〃　　And　that　seemed　to　settle　the　question。

For　all　Jadwin's　perseverance；　the　artist　seemedfor　this　time　at　leastto　have　the　better　of　the　situation。

As　the　good…bys　were　being　said　at　the　front　door　Page　remarked　to　Landry：

〃You　had　better　go　with　us　as　far　as　the　house；　so　that　you　can　take　one　of　our　umbrellas。　　You　can　get　in　with　Aunt　Wess'　and　me。　　There's　plenty　of　room。　　You　can't　go　home　in　this　storm　without　an　umbrella。〃

Landry　at　first　refused；　haughtily。　　He　might　be　too　poor　to　parade　a　lot　of　hansom　cabs　around；　but　he　was　too　proud；　to　say　the　least；　to　ride　in　'em　when　some　one　else　paid。

Page　scolded　him　roundly。　　What　next？　　The　idea。　　He　was　not　to　be　so　completely　silly。　　She　didn't　propose　to　have　the　responsibility　of　his　catching　pneumonia　just　for　the　sake　of　a　quibble。

〃Some　people；〃　she　declared；　〃never　seemed　to　be　able　to　find　out　that　they　are　grown　up。〃

〃Very　well；〃　he　announced；　〃I'll　go　if　I　can　tip　the　driver　a　dollar。〃

Page　compressed　her　lips。

〃The　man　that　can　afford　dollar　tips；〃　she　said；　〃can　afford　to　hire　the　cab　in　the　first　place。〃

〃Seventy…five　cents；　then；〃　he　declared　resolutely。　〃Not　a　cent　less。　　I　should　feel　humiliated　with　any　less。〃

〃Will　you　please　take　me　down　to　the　cab；　Landry　Court？〃　she　cried。　　And