the titan-第16章

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strong　assumption　in　the　upper　walks　of　life　that　there　is　nothing　to　be　learned　at　the　bottom。　　If　you　could　have　looked　into　the　capacious　but　balanced　temperament　of　John　J。　McKenty　you　would　have　seen　a　strange　wisdom　there　and　stranger　memorieswhole　worlds　of　brutalities；　tendernesses；　errors；　immoralities　suffered；　endured；　even　rejoiced　inthe　hardy；　eager　life　of　the　animal　that　has　nothing　but　its　perceptions；　instincts；　appetites　to　guide　it。　　Yet　the　man　had　the　air　and　the　poise　of　a　gentleman。

To…day；　at　forty…eight；　McKenty　was　an　exceedingly　important　personage。　　His　roomy　house　on　the　West　Side；　at　Harrison　Street　and　Ashland　Avenue；　was　visited　at　sundry　times　by　financiers；　business　men；　office…holders；　priests；　saloon…keepersin　short；　the　whole　range　and　gamut　of　active；　subtle；　political　life。　　From　McKenty　they　could　obtain　that　counsel；　wisdom；　surety；　solution　which　all　of　them　on　occasion　were　anxious　to　have；　and　which　in　one　deft　way　and　anotheroften　by　no　more　than　gratitude　and　an　acknowledgment　of　his　leadershipthey　were　willing　to　pay　for。　　To　police　captains　and　officers　whose　places　he　occasionally　saved；　when　they　should　justly　have　been　discharged；　to　mothers　whose　erring　boys　or　girls　he　took　out　of　prison　and　sent　home　again；　to　keepers　of　bawdy　houses　whom　he　protected　from　a　too　harsh　invasion　of　the　grafting　propensities　of　the　local　police；　to　politicians　and　saloon…keepers　who　were　in　danger　of　being　destroyed　by　public　upheavals　of　one　kind　and　another；　he　seemed；　in　hours　of　stress；　when　his　smooth；　genial；　almost　artistic　face　beamed　on　them；　like　a　heaven…sent　son　of　light；　a　kind　of　Western　god；　all…powerful；　all…merciful；　perfect。　　On　the　other　hand；　there　were　ingrates；　uncompromising　or　pharasaical　religionists　and　reformers；　plotting；　scheming　rivals；　who　found　him　deadly　to　contend　with。　　There　were　many　henchmenrunners　from　an　almost　imperial　throneto　do　his　bidding。　　He　was　simple　in　dress　and　taste；　married　and　（apparently）　very　happy；　a　professing　though　virtually　non…practising　Catholic；　a　suave；　genial　Buddha…like　man；　powerful　and　enigmatic。

When　Cowperwood　and　McKenty　first　met；　it　was　on　a　spring　evening　at　the　latter's　home。　　The　windows　of　the　large　house　were　pleasantly　open；　though　screened；　and　the　curtains　were　blowing　faintly　in　a　light　air。　　Along　with　a　sense　of　the　new　green　life　everywhere　came　a　breath　of　stock…yards。

On　the　presentation　of　Addison's　letter　and　of　another；　secured　through　Van　Sickle　from　a　well…known　political　judge；　Cowperwood　had　been　invited　to　call。　　On　his　arrival　he　was　offered　a　drink；　a　cigar；　introduced　to　Mrs。　McKentywho；　lacking　an　organized　social　life　of　any　kind；　was　always　pleased　to　meet　these　celebrities　of　the　upper　world；　if　only　for　a　momentand　shown　eventually　into　the　library。　　Mrs。　McKenty；　as　he　might　have　observed　if　he　had　had　the　eye　for　it；　was　plump　and　fifty；　a　sort　of　superannuated　Aileen；　but　still　showing　traces　of　a　former　hardy　beauty；　and　concealing　pretty　well　the　evidences　that　she　had　once　been　a　prostitute。　　It　so　happened　that　on　this　particular　evening　McKenty　was　in　a　most　genial　frame　of　mind。　　There　were　no　immediate　political　troubles　bothering　him　just　now。　　It　was　early　in　May。　　Outside　the　trees　were　budding；　the　sparrows　and　robins　were　voicing　their　several　moods。　　A　delicious　haze　was　in　the　air；　and　some　early　mosquitoes　were　reconnoitering　the　screens　which　protected　the　windows　and　doors。　　Cowperwood；　in　spite　of　his　various　troubles；　was　in　a　complacent　state　of　mind　himself。　　He　liked　lifeeven　its　very　difficult　complicationsperhaps　its　complications　best　of　all。　　Nature　was　beautiful；　tender　at　times；　but　difficulties；　plans；　plots；　schemes　to　unravel　and　make　smooththese　things　were　what　made　existence　worth　while。

〃Well　now；　Mr。　Cowperwood；〃　McKenty　began；　when　they　finally　entered　the　cool；　pleasant　library；　〃what　can　I　do　for　you？〃

〃Well；　Mr。　McKenty；〃　said　Cowperwood；　choosing　his　words　and　bringing　the　finest　resources　of　his　temperament　into　play；　〃it　isn't　so　much；　and　yet　it　is。　　I　want　a　franchise　from　the　Chicago　city　council；　and　I　want　you　to　help　me　get　it　if　you　will。　　I　know　you　may　say　to　me　why　not　go　to　the　councilmen　direct。　　I　would　do　that；　except　that　there　are　certain　other　elements　individualswho　might　come　to　you。　　It　won't　offend　you；　I　know；　when　I　say　that　I　have　always　understood　that　you　are　a　sort　of　clearing…house　for　political　troubles　in　Chicago。〃

Mr。　McKenty　smiled。　　〃That's　flattering；〃　he　replied；　dryly。

〃Now；　I　am　rather　new　myself　to　Chicago；〃　went　on　Cowperwood；　softly。　　〃I　have　been　here　only　a　year　or　two。　　I　come　from　Philadelphia。　　I　have　been　interested　as　a　fiscal　agent　and　an　investor　in　several　gas　companies　that　have　been　organized　in　Lake　View；　Hyde　Park；　and　elsewhere　outside　the　city　limits；　as　you　may　possibly　have　seen　by　the　papers　lately。　　I　am　not　their　owner；　in　the　sense　that　I　have　provided　all　or　even　a　good　part　of　the　money　invested　in　them。　　I　am　not　even　their　manager；　except　in　a　very　general　way。　　I　might　better　be　called　their　promoter　and　guardian；　but　I　am　that　for　other　people　and　myself。〃

Mr。　McKenty　nodded。

〃Now；　Mr。　McKenty；　it　was　not　very　long　after　I　started　out　to　get　franchises　to　do　business　in　Lake　View　and　Hyde　Park　before　I　found　myself　confronted　by　the　interests　which　control　the　three　old　city　gas　companies。　　They　were　very　much　opposed　to　our　entering　the　field　in　Cook　County　anywhere；　as　you　may　imagine；　although　we　were　not　really　crowding　in　on　their　field。　　Since　then　they　have　fought　me　with　lawsuits；　injunctions；　and　charges　of　bribery　and　conspiracy。〃

〃I　know；〃　put　in　Mr。　McKenty。　　〃I　have　heard　something　of　it。〃

〃Quite　so；〃　replied　Cowperwood。　　〃Because　of　their　opposition　I　made　them　an　offer　to　combine　these　three　companies　and　the　three　new　ones　into　one；　take　out　a　new　charter；　and　give　the　city　a　uniform　gas　service。　　They　would　not　do　thatlargely　because　I　was　an　outsider；　I　think。　　Since　then　another　person；　Mr。　Schryhart〃McKenty　nodded〃who　has　never　had　anything　to　do　with　the　gas　business　here；　has　stepped　in　and　offered　to　combine　them。　His　plan　is　to　do　exactly　what　I　wanted　to　do；　only　his　further　proposition　is；　once　he　has　the　three　old　companies　united；　to　invade　this　new　gas　field　of　ours　and　hold　us　up；　or　force　us　to　sell　by　obtaining　rival　franchises　in　these　outlying　places。　　There　is　talk　of　combining　these　suburbs　with　Chicago；　as　you　know；　which　would　allow　these　three　down…town　franchises　to　become　mutually　operative　with　our　own。　　This　makes　it　essential　for　us　to　do　one　of　several　things；　as　you　may　seeeither　to　sell　out　on　the　best　terms　we　can　now；　or　to　continue　the　fight　at　a　rather　heavy　expense　without　making　any　attempt　to　strike　back；　or　to　get　into　the　city　council　and　ask　for　a　franchise　to　do　business　in　the　down…town　sectiona　general　blanket　franchise　to　sell　gas　in　Chicago　alongside　of　the　old　companieswith　the　sole　intention　of　protecting　ourselves；　as　one　of　my　officers　is　fond　of　saying；〃　added　Cowperwood；　humorously。

McKenty　smiled　again。　　〃I　see；〃　he　said。　　〃Isn't　that　a　rather　large　order；　though；　Mr。　Cowperwood；　seeking　a　new　franchise？　Do　you　suppose　the　general　public　would　agree　that　the　city　needs　an　extra　gas　company？　It's　true　the　old　companies　haven't　been　any　too　generous。　　My　own　gas　isn't　of　the　best。〃　He　smiled　vaguely；　prepared　to　listen　further。

〃Now；　Mr。　McKenty；　I　know　that　you　are　a　practical　man；〃　went　on　Cowperwood；　ignoring　this　interruption；　〃and　so　am　I。　　I　am　not　coming　to　you　with　any　vague　story　concerning　my　troubles　and　expecting　you　to　be　interested　as　a　matter　of　sympathy。　　I　realize　that　to　go　into　the　city　council　of　Chicago　with　a　legitimate　proposition　is　one　thing。　　To　get　it　passed　and　approved　by　the　city　authorities　is　another。　　I　need　advice　and　assistance；　and　I　am　not　begging　it。　　If　I　could　get　a　general　franchise；　such　as　I　have　described；　it　would　be　worth　a　very　great　deal　of　money　to　me。　　It　would　help　me　to　close　up　and　realize　on　these　new　companies　which　are　entirely　sound　and　needed。　　It　would　help　me　to　prevent　the　old　companies　from　eating　me　up。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　must　have　such　a　franchise　to　protect　my　interests　and　give　me　a　running　fighting　chance。　　Now；　I　know　that　none　of　us　are　in　politics　or　finance　for　our　health。　　If　I　could　get　such　a　franchise　it　would　be　worth　from　one…fourth　to　one…half　of　all　I　personally　would　make　out　of　it；　providing　my　plan　of　combining　these　new　companies　with　the　old　ones　should　go　throughsay；　from　three　to　four　hundred　thousand　dollars。〃　（Here　again　Cowperwood　was　not　quite　frank；　but　safe。）　〃It　is　needless　to　say　to　you　that　I　can　command　ample　capital。　　This　franchise　would　do　that。　　Briefly；　I　want　to　know　if　you　won't　give　me　your　political　support　in　this　matter　and　join　in　with　me　on　the　basis　that　I　propose？　I　will　make　it　perfectly　clear　to　you　beforehand　who　my　associates　are。　　I　will　put　all　the　data　and　details　on　the　table　before　you　so　that　you　can　see　for　yourself　how　things　are。　　If　you　should　find　at　any　time　that　I　have　misrepresented　anything　you　are　at　full　liberty；　of　course；　to　withdraw。　　As　I　said　before；〃　he　concluded；　〃I　am　not　a　beggar。　　I　am　not　coming　here　to　conceal　any　facts　or　to　hide　anything　which　might　deceive　you　as　to　the　worth　of　all　this　to　us。　　I　want　you　to　know　the　facts。　　I　want　you　to　give　me　your　aid　on　such　terms　as　you　think　are　fair　and　equitable。　　Really　the　only　trouble　with　me　in　this　situation　is　that　I　am　not　a　silk　stocking。　　If　I　were　this　gas　war　would　have　been　adjusted　long　ago。　　These　gentlemen　who　are　so　willing　to　reorganize　through　Mr。　Schryhart　are　largely　opposed　to　me　because　I　amcomparativelya　stranger　in　Chicago　and　not　in　their　set。　　If　I　were〃he　moved　his　hand　slightly〃I　don't　suppose　I　would　be　here　this　evening　asking　for　your　favor；　although　that　does　not　say　that　I　am　not　glad　to　be　here；　or　that　I　would　not　be　glad　to　work　with　you　in　any　way　that　I　might。　　Circumstances　simply　have　not　thrown　me　across　your　path　before。〃

As　he　talked　his　eye　fixed　McKenty　steadily；　almost　innocently；　and　the　latter；　following　him　clearly；　felt　all　the　while　that　he　was　listening　to　a　strange；　able；　dark；　and　very　forceful　man。　　There　was　no　beating　about　the　bush　here；　no　squeamishness　of　spirit；　and　yet　there　was　subtletythe　kind　McKenty　liked。　　While　he　was　amused　by　Cowperwood's　casual　reference　to　the　silk　stockings　who　were　keeping　him　out；　it　appealed　to　him。　　He　caught　the　point　of　view　as　well　as　the　intention　of　it。　　Cowperwood　represented　a　new　and　rather　pleasing　type　of　financier　to　him。　　Evidently；　he　was　traveling　in　able　company　if　one　could　believe　the　men　who　had　introduced　him　so　warmly。　　McKenty；　as　Cowperwood　was　well　aware；　had　personally　no　interest　in　the　old　companies　and　alsothough　this　he　did　not　sayno　particular　sympathy　with　them。　　They　were　just　remote　financial　corporations　to　him；　paying　political　tribute　on　demand；　expecting　political　favors　in　return。　　Every　few　weeks　now　they　were　in　council；　asking　for　one　gas…main　franchise　after　another　（special　privileges　in　certain　streets）；　asking　for　better　（more　profitable）　light…contracts；　asking　fo