the titan-第133章

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me；　a　good　chance；　that　could　be　played　in　many　ways。　　Cowperwood's　theory　of　things　began　to　appeal　to　her。　　One　must　create　one's　own　career；　carve　it　out；　or　remain　horribly　dull　or　bored；　dragged　along　at　the　chariot　wheels　of　others。　　If　society　was　so　finicky；　if　men　were　so　dullwell；　there　was　one　thing　she　could　do。　　She　must　have　life；　lifeand　money　would　help　some　to　that　end。

Besides；　Cowperwood　by　degrees　was　becoming　attractive　to　her；　he　really　was。　　He　was　so　much　better　than　most　of　the　others；　so　very　powerful。　　She　was　preternaturally　gay；　as　one　who　says；　〃Victory　shall　be　mine　anyhow。〃




Chapter　LXI



The　Cataclysm

And　now　at　last　Chicago　is　really　facing　the　thing　which　it　has　most　feared。　　A　giant　monopoly　is　really　reaching　out　to　enfold　it　with　an　octopus…like　grip。　　And　Cowperwood　is　its　eyes；　its　tentacles；　its　force！　Embedded　in　the　giant　strength　and　good　will　of　Haeckelheimer；　Gotloeb　&　Co。；　he　is　like　a　monument　based　on　a　rock　of　great　strength。　　A　fifty…year　franchise；　to　be　delivered　to　him　by　a　majority　of　forty…eight　out　of　a　total　of　sixty…eight　aldermen　（in　case　the　ordinance　has　to　be　passed　over　the　mayor's　veto）；　is　all　that　now　stands　between　him　and　the　realization　of　his　dreams。　　What　a　triumph　for　his　iron　policy　of　courage　in　the　face　of　all　obstacles！　What　a　tribute　to　his　ability　not　to　flinch　in　the　face　of　storm　and　stress！　Other　men　might　have　abandoned　the　game　long　before；　but　not　he。　　What　a　splendid　windfall　of　chance　that　the　money　element　should　of　its　own　accord　take　fright　at　the　Chicago　idea　of　the　municipalization　of　public　privilege　and　should　hand　him　this　giant　South　Side　system　as　a　reward　for　his　stern　opposition　to　fol…de…rol　theories。

Through　the　influence　of　these　powerful　advocates　he　was　invited　to　speak　before　various　local　commercial　bodiesthe　Board　of　Real　Estate　Dealers；　the　Property　Owners'　Association；　the　Merchants'　League；　the　Bankers'　Union；　and　so　forth；　where　he　had　an　opportunity　to　present　his　case　and　justify　his　cause。　　But　the　effect　of　his　suave　speechifyings　in　these　quarters　was　largely　neutralized　by　newspaper　denunciation。　　〃Can　any　good　come　out　of　Nazareth？〃　was　the　regular　inquiry。　　That　section　of　the　press　formerly　beholden　to　Hand　and　Schryhart　stood　out　as　bitterly　as　ever；　and　most　of　the　other　newspapers；　being　under　no　obligation　to　Eastern　capital；　felt　it　the　part　of　wisdom　to　support　the　rank　and　file。　　The　most　searching　and　elaborate　mathematical　examinations　were　conducted　with　a　view　to　showing　the　fabulous　profits　of　the　streetcar　trust　in　future　years。　　The　fine　hand　of　Eastern　banking…houses　was　detected　and　their　sinister　motives　noised　abroad。　　〃Millions　for　everybody　in　the　trust；　but　not　one　cent　for　Chicago；〃　was　the　Inquirer's　way　of　putting　it。　　Certain　altruists　of　the　community　were　by　now　so　aroused　that　in　the　destruction　of　Cowperwood　they　saw　their　duty　to　God；　to　humanity；　and　to　democracy　straight　and　clear。　　The　heavens　had　once　more　opened；　and　they　saw　a　great　light。　　On　the　other　hand　the　politiciansthose　in　office　outside　the　mayorconstituted　a　petty　band　of　guerrillas　or　free…booters　who；　like　hungry　swine　shut　in　a　pen；　were　ready　to　fall　upon　any　and　all　propositions　brought　to　their　attention　with　but　one　end　in　view：　that　they　might　eat；　and　eat　heartily。　　In　times　of　great　opportunity　and　contest　for　privilege　life　always　sinks　to　its　lowest　depths　of　materialism　and　rises　at　the　same　time　to　its　highest　reaches　of　the　ideal。　　When　the　waves　of　the　sea　are　most　towering　its　hollows　are　most　awesome。

Finally　the　summer　passed；　the　council　assembled；　and　with　the　first　breath　of　autumn　chill　the　very　air　of　the　city　was　touched　by　a　premonition　of　contest。　　Cowperwood；　disappointed　by　the　outcome　of　his　various　ingratiatory　efforts；　decided　to　fall　back　on　his　old　reliable　method　of　bribery。　　He　fixed　on　his　price　twenty　thousand　dollars　for　each　favorable　vote；　to　begin　with。　Later；　if　necessary；　he　would　raise　it　to　twenty…five　thousand；　or　even　thirty　thousand；　making　the　total　cost　in　the　neighborhood　of　a　million　and　a　half。　　Yet　it　was　a　small　price　indeed　when　the　ultimate　return　was　considered。　　He　planned　to　have　his　ordinance　introduced　by　an　alderman　named　Ballenberg；　a　trusted　lieutenant；　and　handed　thereafter　to　the　clerk；　who　would　read　it；　whereupon　another　henchman　would　rise　to　move　that　it　be　referred　to　the　joint　committee　on　streets　and　alleys；　consisting　of　thirty…four　members　drawn　from　all　the　standing　committees。　　By　this　committee　it　would　be　considered　for　one　week　in　the　general　council…chamber；　where　public　hearings　would　be　held。　　By　keeping　up　a　bold　front　Cowperwood　thought　the　necessary　iron　could　be　put　into　his　followers　to　enable　them　to　go　through　with　the　scorching　ordeal　which　was　sure　to　follow。　　Already　aldermen　were　being　besieged　at　their　homes　and　in　the　precincts　of　the　ward　clubs　and　meeting…places。　Their　mail　was　being　packed　with　importuning　or　threatening　letters。　Their　very　children　were　being　derided；　their　neighbors　urged　to　chastise　them。　　Ministers　wrote　them　in　appealing　or　denunciatory　vein。　　They　were　spied　upon　and　abused　daily　in　the　public　prints。　The　mayor；　shrewd　son　of　battle　that　he　was；　realizing　that　he　had　a　whip　of　terror　in　his　hands；　excited　by　the　long　contest　waged；　and　by　the　smell　of　battle；　was　not　backward　in　urging　the　most　drastic　remedies。

〃Wait　till　the　thing　comes　up；〃　he　said　to　his　friends；　in　a　great　central　music…hall　conference　in　which　thousands　participated；　and　when　the　matter　of　ways　and　means　to　defeat　the　venal　aldermen　was　being　discussed。　　〃We　have　Mr。　Cowperwood　in　a　corner；　I　think。　　He　cannot　do　anything　for　two　weeks；　once　his　ordinance　is　in；　and　by　that　time　we　shall　be　able　to　organize　a　vigilance　committee；　ward　meetings；　marching　clubs；　and　the　like。　　We　ought　to　organize　a　great　central　mass…meeting　for　the　Sunday　night　before　the　Monday　when　the　bill　comes　up　for　final　hearing。　　We　want　overflow　meetings　in　every　ward　at　the　same　time。　　I　tell　you；　gentlemen；　that；　while　I　believe　there　are　enough　honest　voters　in　the　city　council　to　prevent　the　Cowperwood　crowd　from　passing　this　bill　over　my　veto；　yet　I　don't　think　the　matter　ought　to　be　allowed　to　go　that　far。　　You　never　can　tell　what　these　rascals　will　do　once　they　see　an　actual　cash　bid　of　twenty　or　thirty　thousand　dollars　before　them。　Most　of　them；　even　if　they　were　lucky；　would　never　make　the　half　of　that　in　a　lifetime。　　They　don't　expect　to　be　returned　to　the　Chicago　City　Council。　　Once　is　enough。　　There　are　too　many　others　behind　them　waiting　to　get　their　noses　in　the　trough。　　Go　into　your　respective　wards　and　districts　and　organize　meetings。　　Call　your　particular　alderman　before　you。　　Don't　let　him　evade　you　or　quibble　or　stand　on　his　rights　as　a　private　citizen　or　a　public　officer。　　Threatendon't　cajole。　　Soft　or　kind　words　won't　go　with　that　type　of　man。　　Threaten；　and　when　you　have　managed　to　extract　a　promise　be　on　hand　with　ropes　to　see　that　he　keeps　his　word。　　I　don't　like　to　advise　arbitrary　methods；　but　what　else　is　to　be　done？　The　enemy　is　armed　and　ready　for　action　right　now。　They're　just　waiting　for　a　peaceful　moment。　　Don't　let　them　find　it。　　Be　ready。　　Fight。　　I'm　your　mayor；　and　ready　to　do　all　I　can；　but　I　stand　alone　with　a　mere　pitiful　veto　right。　　You　help　me　and　I'll　help　you。　　You　fight　for　me　and　I'll　fight　for　you。〃

Witness　hereafter　the　discomfiting　situation　of　Mr。　Simon　Pinski　at　9　P。M。　on　the　second　evening　following　the　introduction　of　the　ordinance；　in　the　ward　house　of　the　Fourteenth　Ward　Democratic　Club。　　Rotund；　flaccid；　red…faced；　his　costume　a　long　black　frock…coat　and　silk　hat；　Mr。　Pinski　was　being　heckled　by　his　neighbors　and　business　associates。　　He　had　been　called　here　by　threats　to　answer　for　his　prospective　high　crimes　and　misdemeanors。　By　now　it　was　pretty　well　understood　that　nearly　all　the　present　aldermen　were　criminal　and　venal；　and　in　consequence　party　enmities　were　practically　wiped　out。　　There　were　no　longer　for　the　time　being　Democrats　and　Republicans；　but　only　pro　or　anti　Cowperwoods　principally　anti。　　Mr。　Pinski；　unfortunately；　had　been　singled　out　by　the　Transcr