the titan-第12章

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Chapter　VIII



Now　This　is　Fighting

When　Cowperwood；　after　failing　in　his　overtures　to　the　three　city　gas　companies；　confided　to　Addison　his　plan　of　organizing　rival　companies　in　the　suburbs；　the　banker　glared　at　him　appreciatively。　〃You're　a　smart　one！〃　he　finally　exclaimed。　　〃You'll　do！　I　back　you　to　win！〃　He　went　on　to　advise　Cowperwood　that　he　would　need　the　assistance　of　some　of　the　strong　men　on　the　various　village　councils。　　〃They're　all　as　crooked　as　eels'　teeth；〃　he　went　on。　　〃But　there　are　one　or　two　that　are　more　crooked　than　others　and　saferbell…wethers。　　Have　you　got　your　lawyer？〃

〃I　haven't　picked　one　yet；　but　I　will。　　I'm　looking　around　for　the　right　man　now。

〃Well；　of　course；　I　needn't　tell　you　how　important　that　is。　　There　is　one　man；　old　General　Van　Sickle；　who　has　had　considerable　training　in　these　matters。　　He's　fairly　reliable。〃

The　entrance　of　Gen。　Judson　P。　Van　Sickle　threw　at　the　very　outset　a　suggestive　light　on　the　whole　situation。　　The　old　soldier；　over　fifty；　had　been　a　general　of　division　during　the　Civil　War；　and　had　got　his　real　start　in　life　by　filing　false　titles　to　property　in　southern　Illinois；　and　then　bringing　suits　to　substantiate　his　fraudulent　claims　before　friendly　associates。　　He　was　now　a　prosperous　go…between；　requiring　heavy　retainers；　and　yet　not　over…prosperous。　There　was　only　one　kind　of　business　that　came　to　the　Generalthis　kind；　and　one　instinctively　compared　him　to　that　decoy　sheep　at　the　stock…yards　that　had　been　trained　to　go　forth　into　nervous；　frightened　flocks　ofits　fellow…sheep；　balking　at　being　driven　into　the　slaughtering…pens；　and　lead　them　peacefully　into　the　shambles；　knowing　enough　always　to　make　his　own　way　quietly　to　the　rear　during　the　onward　progress　and　thus　escape。　　A　dusty　old　lawyer；　this；　with　Heaven　knows　what　welter　of　altered　wills；　broken　promises；　suborned　juries；　influenced　judges；　bribed　councilmen　and　legislators；　double…intentioned　agreements　and　contracts；　and　a　whole　world　of　shifty　legal　calculations　and　false　pretenses　floating　around　in　his　brain。　　Among　the　politicians；　judges；　and　lawyers　generally；　by　reason　of　past　useful　services；　he　was　supposed　to　have　some　powerful　connections。　　He　liked　to　be　called　into　any　case　largely　because　it　meant　something　to　do　and　kept　him　from　being　bored。　　When　compelled　to　keep　an　appointment　in　winter；　he　would　slip　on　an　old　greatcoat　of　gray　twill　that　he　had　worn　until　it　was　shabby；　then；　taking　down　a　soft　felt　hat；　twisted　and　pulled　out　of　shape　by　use；　he　would　pull　it　low　over　his　dull　gray　eyes　and　amble　forth。　　In　summer　his　clothes　looked　as　crinkled　as　though　he　had　slept　in　them　for　weeks。　　He　smoked。　In　cast　of　countenance　he　was　not　wholly　unlike　General　Grant；　with　a　short　gray　beard　and　mustache　which　always　seemed　more　or　less　unkempt　and　hair　that　hung　down　over　his　forehead　in　a　gray　mass。　　The　poor　General！　He　was　neither　very　happy　nor　very　unhappy　a　doubting　Thomas　without　faith　or　hope　in　humanity　and　without　any　particular　affection　for　anybody。

〃I'll　tell　you　how　it　is　with　these　small　councils；　Mr。　Cowperwood；〃　observed　Van　Sickle；　sagely；　after　the　preliminaries　of　the　first　interview　had　been　dispensed　with。

〃They're　worse　than　the　city　council　almost；　and　that's　about　as　bad　as　it　can　be。　　You　can't　do　anything　without　money　where　these　little　fellows　are　concerned。　　I　don't　like　to　be　too　hard　on　men；　but　these　fellows〃　He　shook　his　head。

〃I　understand；〃　commented　Cowperwood。　　〃They're　not　very　pleasing；　even　after　you　make　all　allowances。〃

〃Most　of　them；〃　went　on　the　General；　〃won't　stay　put　when　you　think　you　have　them。　　They　sell　out。　　They're　just　as　apt　as　not　to　run　to　this　North　Side　Gas　Company　and　tell　them　all　about　the　whole　thing　before　you　get　well　under　way。　　Then　you　have　to　pay　them　more　money；　rival　bills　will　be　introduced；　and　all　that。〃　The　old　General　pulled　a　long　face。　　〃Still；　there　are　one　or　two　of　them　that　are　all　right；〃　he　added；　〃if　you　can　once　get　them　interested　Mr。　Duniway　and　Mr。　Gerecht。〃

〃I'm　not　so　much　concerned　with　how　it　has　to　be　done；　General；〃　suggested　Cowperwood；　amiably；　〃but　I　want　to　be　sure　that　it　will　be　done　quickly　and　quietly。　　I　don't　want　to　be　bothered　with　details。　　Can　it　be　done　without　too　much　publicity；　and　about　what　do　you　think　it　is　going　to　cost？〃

〃Well；　that's　pretty　hard　to　say　until　I　look　into　the　matter；〃　said　the　General；　thoughtfully。　　〃It　might　cost　only　four　and　it　might　cost　all　of　forty　thousand　dollarseven　more。　　I　can't　tell。　I'd　like　to　take　a　little　time　and　look　into　it。〃　The　old　gentleman　was　wondering　how　much　Cowperwood　was　prepared　to　spend。

〃Well；　we　won't　bother　about　that　now。　　I'm　willing　to　be　as　liberal　as　necessary。　　I've　sent　for　Mr。　Sippens；　the　president　of　the　Lake　View　Gas　and　Fuel　Company；　and　he'll　be　here　in　a　little　while。　　You　will　want　to　work　with　him　as　closely　as　you　can。　　The　energetic　Sippens　came　after　a　few　moments；　and　he　and　Van　Sickle；　after　being　instructed　to　be　mutually　helpful　and　to　keep　Cowperwood's　name　out　of　all　matters　relating　to　this　work；　departed　together。　They　were　an　odd　pairthe　dusty　old　General　phlegmatic；　disillusioned；　useful；　but　not　inclined　to　feel　so；　and　the　smart；　chipper　Sippens；　determined　to　wreak　a　kind　of　poetic　vengeance　on　his　old…time　enemy；　the　South　Side　Gas　Company；　via　this　seemingly　remote　Northside　conspiracy。　　In　ten　minutes　they　were　hand　in　glove；　the　General　describing　to　Sippens　the　penurious　and　unscrupulous　brand　of　Councilman　Duniway's　politics　and　the　friendly　but　expensive　character　of　Jacob　Gerecht。　　Such　is　life。

In　the　organization　of　the　Hyde　Park　company　Cowperwood；　because　he　never　cared　to　put　all　his　eggs　in　one　basket；　decided　to　secure　a　second　lawyer　and　a　second　dummy　president；　although　he　proposed　to　keep　De　Soto　Sippens　as　general　practical　adviser　for　all　three　or　four　companies。　　He　was　thinking　this　matter　over　when　there　appeared　on　the　scene　a　very　much　younger　man　than　the　old　General；　one　Kent　Barrows　McKibben；　the　only　son　of　ex…Judge　Marshall　Scammon　McKibben；　of　the　State　Supreme　Court。　　Kent　McKibben　was　thirty…three　years　old；　tall；　athletic；　and；　after　a　fashion；　handsome。　　He　was　not　at　all　vague　intellectuallythat　is；　in　the　matter　of　the　conduct　of　his　businessbut　dandified　and　at　times　remote。　　He　had　an　office　in　one　of　the　best　blocks　in　Dearborn　Street；　which　he　reached　in　a　reserved；　speculative　mood　every　morning　at　nine；　unless　something　important　called　him　down…town　earlier。　　It　so　happened　that　he　had　drawn　up　the　deeds　and　agreements　for　the　real…estate　company　that　sold　Cowperwood　his　lots　at　Thirty…seventh　Street　and　Michigan　Avenue；　and　when　they　were　ready　he　journeyed　to　the　latter's　office　to　ask　if　there　were　any　additional　details　which　Cowperwood　might　want　to　have　taken　into　consideration。　　When　he　was　ushered　in；　Cowperwood　turned　to　him　his　keen；　analytical　eyes　and　saw　at　once　a　personality　he　liked。　　McKibben　was　just　remote　and　artistic　enough　to　suit　him。　　He　liked　his　clothes；　his　agnostic　unreadableness；　his　social　air。　　McKibben；　on　his　part；　caught　the　significance　of　the　superior　financial　atmosphere　at　once。　　He　noted　Cowperwood's　light…brown　suit　picked　out　with　strands　of　red；　his　maroon　tie；　and　small　cameo　cuff…links。　　His　desk；　glass…covered；　looked　clean　and　official。　　The　woodwork　of　the　rooms　was　all　cherry；　hand…rubbed　and　oiled；　the　pictures　interesting　steel…engravings　of　American　life；　appropriately　framed。　The　typewriterat　that　time　just　introducedwas　in　evidence；　and　the　stock…tickeralso　newwas　ticking　volubly　the　prices　current。　The　secretary　who　waited　on　Cowperwood　was　a　young　Polish　girl　named　Antoinette　Nowak；　reserved；　seemingly　astute；　dark；　and　very　attractive。

〃What　sort　of　business　is　it　you　handle；　Mr。　McKibben？〃　asked　Cowperwood；　quite　casually；　in　the　course　of　the　conversation。　　And　after　listening　to　McKibben's　explanation　he　added；　idly：　〃You　might　come　and　see　me　some　time　next　week。　　It　is　just　possible　that　I　may　have　something　in　your　line。〃

In　another　man　McKibben　would　have　resented　this　remote　suggestion　of　future　aid。　　Now；　instead；　he　was　intensely　pleased。