the cost-第51章

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nning…Smith　had　neither。

When　the　banking…house　of　Fanning…Smith　and　Company　undertook　to　finance　the　raid　on　National　Woolens　it　was　already　deep　in　the　Great　Lakes　gamble。　　James　was　new　to　Wall　Street's　green　table；　and　he　liked　the　sensations　and　felt　that　his　swindle　on　other　gamblers　and　the　publiche　did　not　call　it　by　that　homely　name；　though　he　knew　others　would　if　they　found　him　outwas　moving　smoothly。　　Still　very；　very　deep　down　his　self…confidence　was　underlaid　with　quicksand。　　But　Herron　was　adroit　and　convincing　to　the　degree　attainable　only　by　those　who　deceive　themselves　before　trying　to　deceive　others；　and　James'　cupidity　and　conceit　were　enormous。　　He　ended　by　persuading　himself　that　his　house；　directed　and　protected　by　his　invincible　self；　could　carry　with　ease　the　burden　of　both　loads。　　Indeed；　the　Great　Lakes　gamble　now　seemed　to　him　a　negligible　trifle　in　the　comparisonwhat　were　its　profits　of　a　few　hundred　thousands　beside　the　millions　that　would　surely　be　his　when　the　great　Woolens　Monopoly；　bought　in　for　a　small　fraction　of　its　value；　should　be　controlled　by　a　group　of　which　he　would　be　the　dominant　personality？

He　ventured；　he　won。　　He　was　now　securewas　not　Dumont　dispossessed；　despoiled；　dying？

At　eleven　o'clock　on　that　Monday　morning　he　was　seated　upon　his　embossed　leather　throne；　under　his　grandfather's　portrait；　immersed　in　an　atmosphere　of　self…adoration。　　At　intervals　he　straightened　himself；　distended　his　chest；　elevated　his　chin　and　glanced　round　with　an　air　of　haughty　dignity；　though　there　was　none　to　witness　and　to　be　impressed。　　In　Wall　Street　there　is　a　fatuity　which；　always　epidemic　among　the　small　fry；　infects　wise　and　foolish；　great　and　small；　whenever　a　paretic　dream　of　an　enormous　haul　at　a　single　cast　of　the　net　happens　to　come　true。　　This　paretic　fatuity　now　had　possession　of　James；　in　imagination　he　was　crowning　and　draping　himself　with　multi…millions；　power　and　fame。　　At　intervals　he　had　been　calling　up　on　the　telephone　at　his　elbow　Zabriskie；　the　firm's　representative　on　'Change；　and　had　been　spurring　him　on　to　larger　and　more　frequent　〃sales〃　of　Great　Lakes。


His　telephone　bell　rang。　　He　took　down　the　receiver〃Yes；　it's　Mr。　Fanning…SmithohMr。　Fanshaw〃　　He　listened；　in　his　face　for　the　first　few　seconds　all　the　pitying　amusement　a　small；　vain　man　can　put　into　an　expression　of　superiority。　　〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Fanshaw；〃　he　said。　　〃But　really；　it's　impossible。　　WE　are　perfectly　secure。　　No　one　would　venture　to　disturb　US。〃　　And　he　pursed　his　lips　and　swelled　his　fat　cheeks　in　the　look　for　which　his　father　was　noted。　　But；　after　listening　a　few　seconds　longer；　his　eyes　had　in　them　the　beginnings　of　timidity。

He　turned　his　head　so　that　he　could　see　the　ticker…tape　as　it　reeled　off。　　His　heavy　cheeks　slowly　relaxed。　　〃Yes；　yes；〃　he　said　hurriedly。

〃I'll　just　speak　to　our　Mr。　Zabriskie。　　Good…by。〃　　And　he　rang　off　and　had　his　telephone　connected　with　the　telephone　Zabriskie　was　using　at　the　Stock　Exchange。　　All　the　while　his　eyes　were　on　the　ticker…tape。　　Suddenly　he　saw　upon　it　where　it　was　bending　from　under　the　turning　wheel　a　figure　that　made　him　drop　the　receiver　and　seize　it　in　both　his　trembling　hands。　　〃Great　heavens！〃　he　gasped。　　〃Fanshaw　may　be　right。　　Great　Lakes　one　hundred　and　twelveand　only　a　moment　ago　it　was　one　hundred　and　three。〃

His　visions　of　wealth　and　power　and　fame　were　whisking　off　in　a　gale　of　terror。　　A　new　quotation　was　coming　from　under　the　wheelGreat　Lakes　one　hundred　and　fifteen。　　In　his　eyes　stared　the　awful　thought　that　was　raging　in　his　brain〃This　may　mean〃　　And　his　vanity　instantly　thrust　out　Herron　and　Gertrude　and　pointed　at　them　as　the　criminals　who　would　be　responsible　ifhe　did　not　dare　formulate　the　possibilities　of　that　bounding　price。

The　telephone　boy　at　the　other　end；　going　in　search　of　Zabriskie；　left　the　receiver　off　the　hook　and　the　door　of　the　booth　open。　　Into　Fanning…Smith's　ear　came　the　tumult　from　the　floor　of　the　Exchangeshrieks　and　yells　riding　a　roar　like　the　breakers　of　an　infernal　sea。　　And　on　the　ticker…tape　James　was　reading　the　story　of　the　cause；　was　reading　how　his　Great　Lakes　venture　was　caught　in　those　breakers；　was　rushing　upon　the　rocks　amid　the　despairing　wails　of　its　crew；　the　triumphant　jeers　of　the　wreckers　on　shore。　　Great　Lakes　one　hundred　and　eighteentickticktickGreat　Lakes　one　hundred　and　twenty…threetickticktickGreat　Lakes　one　hundred　and　thirtytickticktickGreat　Lakes　one　hundred　and　thirty…five

〃It　can't　be　true！〃　he　moaned。　　〃It　CAN'T　be　true！　　If　it　is　I'm　ruinedall　of　us　ruined！〃

The　roar　in　the　receiver　lessenedsome　one　had　entered　the　booth　at　the　other　end　and　had　closed　the　door。　　〃Well！〃　he　heard　in　a　sharp；　impatient　voiceZabriskie's。

〃What　is　it；　Nedwhat's　the　matter？　　Why　didn't　you　tell　me？〃　　Fanning…Smith's　voice　was　like　the　shrill　shriek　of　a　coward　in　a　perilous　storm。　　It　was　in　itself　complete　explanation　of　Zabriskie's　neglect　to　call　upon　him　for　orders。

〃Don't　ask　me。　　Somebody's　rocketing　Great　Lakestaking　all　offerings。　　Don't　keep　me　here。　　I'm　having　a　hard　enough　time；　watching　this　crazy　market　and　sending　our　orders　by　the　roundabout　way。　　Got　anything　to　suggest？〃

TickticktickCommander…in…chief　Fanning…Smith　watched　the　crawling　tape　in　fascinated　horrorGreat　Lakes　one　hundred　and　thirty…eight。　　It　had　spelled　out　for　him　another　letter　of　that　hideous　word；　Ruin。　　All　the　moisture　of　his　body　seemed　to　be　on　the　outside；　inside；　he　was　dry　and　hot　as　a　desert。　　If　the　price　went　no　higher；　if　it　did　not　come　down；　nearly　all　he　had　in　the　world　would　be　needed　to　settle　his　〃short〃　contracts。　　For　he　would　have　to　deliver　at　one　hundred　and　seven；　more　than　two　hundred　thousand　shares　which　he　had　contracted　to　sell；　and　to　get　them　for　delivery　he　would　have　to　pay　one　hundred　and　thirty…eight　dollars　a　share。　　A　net　loss　of　more　than　six　millions！

〃You　must　get　that　price　downyou　must！　　You　MUST！〃　quavered　James。

〃Hell！〃　exclaimed　Zabriskiehe　was　the　youngest　member　of　the　firm；　a　son　of　James'　oldest　sister。　　〃Tell　me　how；　and　I'll　do　it。〃

〃You're　thereyou　know　what　to　do；〃　pleaded　James。　　〃And　I　order　you　to　get　that　price　down！〃

〃Don't　keep　me　here；　talking　rot。　　I've　been　fightingand　I'm　going　to　keep　on。〃

James　shivered。　　Fighting！　　There　was　no　fight　in　himall　his　life　he　had　got　everything　without　fighting。　　〃Do　your　best；〃　he　said。　　〃I'm　very　ill　to…day。　　I'm〃

〃Good…by〃　Zabriskie　had　hung　up　the　receiver。

James　sat　staring　at　the　tape　like　a　paralytic　staring　at　death。　　The　minutes　lengthened　into　an　hourinto　two　hours。　　No　one　disturbed　himwhen　the　battle　is　on　who　thinks　of　the　〃honorary　commander〃？　　At　one　o'clock　he　shook　himself；　brushed　his　hand　over　his　eyesquotations　of　Woolens　were　reeling　off　the　tape；　alternating　with　quotations　of　Great　Lakes。

〃Zabriskie　is　selling　our　Woolens；〃　he　thought。　　Then；　with　a　blinding　flash　the　truth　struck　through　his　brain。　　He　gave　a　loud　cry　between　a　sob　and　a　shriek　and；　flinging　his　arms　at　full　length　upon　his　desk；　buried　his　face　between　them　and　burst　into　tears。

〃Ruined！　　Ruined！　　Ruined！〃　　And　his　shoulders；　his　whole　body；　shook　like　a　child　in　a　paroxysm。

A　long；　long　ring　at　the　telephone。　　Fanning…Smith；　irritated　by　the　insistent　jingling　so　close　to　his　ear；　lifted　himself　and　answeredthe　tears　were　guttering　his　swollen　face；　his　lips　and　eyelids　were　twitching。

〃Well？〃　he　said　feebly。

〃We've　got　'em　on　the　run；〃　came　the　reply　in　Zabriskie's　voice；　jubilant　now。

〃Who？〃

〃Don't　know　whowhoever　was　trying　to　squeeze　us。　　I　had　to　throw　over　some　Woolensbut　I'll　pick　it　up　againmaybe　to…day。〃

Fanning…Smith　could　hear　the　roar　of　the　Exchangewilder；　fiercer　than　three　hours　before；　but　music　to　him　now。　　He　looked　sheepishly　at　the　portrait　of　his　grandfather。　　When　its　eyes　met　his　he　flushed　and　shifted　his　gaze　guiltily。　　〃Must　have　been　something　I　ate　for　breakfast；〃　he　muttered　to　the　portrait　and　to　himself　in　apologetic　explanation　of　his　breakdown。


In　a　distant　part　of　the　field　all　this　time　was　posted　the　commander…in…chief　of　the　army　of　attack。　　Like　all　wise　commanders　in　all　well…conducted　battles；　he　was　far　removed　from　the