the titan-第33章

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　discredit　the　present　management。　There　was　a　great　to…do　in　council　over　a　motion　on　the　part　of　somebody　to　compel　the　North　Side　company　to　throw　out　its　old　cars　and　lay　better　and　heavier　tracks。　　Curiously；　this　did　not　apply　so　much　to　the　West　and　South　Sides；　which　were　in　the　same　condition。　　The　rank　and　file　of　the　city；　ignorant　of　the　tricks　which　were　constantly　being　employed　in　politics　to　effect　one　end　or　another；　were　greatly　cheered　by　this　so…called　〃public　uprising。〃　They　little　knew　the　pawns　they　were　in　the　game；　or　how　little　sincerity　constituted　the　primal　impulse。

Quite　by　accident；　apparently；　one　day　Addison；　thinking　of　the　different　men　in　the　North　Side　company　who　might　be　of　service　to　Cowperwood；　and　having　finally　picked　young　Kaffrath　as　the　ideal　agent；　introduced　himself　to　the　latter　at　the　Union　League。

〃That's　a　pretty　heavy　load　of　expense　that's　staring　you　North　and　West　Side　street…railway　people　in　the　face；〃　he　took　occasion　to　observe。

〃How's　that？〃　asked　Kaffrath；　curiously；　anxious　to　hear　anything　which　concerned　the　development　of　the　business。

〃Well；　unless　I'm　greatly　mistaken；　you；　all　of　you；　are　going　to　be　put　to　the　expense　of　doing　over　your　lines　completely　in　a　very　little　whileso　I　hearintroducing　this　new　motor　or　cable　system　that　they　are　getting　on　the　South　Side。〃　Addison　wanted　to　convey　the　impression　that　the　city　council　or　public　sentiment　or　something　was　going　to　force　the　North　Chicago　company　to　indulge　in　this　great　and　expensive　series　of　improvements。

Kaffrath　pricked　up　his　ears。　　What　was　the　city　Council　going　to　do？　He　wanted　to　know　all　about　it。　　They　discussed　the　whole　situationthe　nature　of　the　cable…conduits；　the　cost　of　the　power…houses；　the　need　of　new　rails；　and　the　necessity　of　heavier　bridges；　or　some　other　means　of　getting　over　or　under　the　river。　　Addison　took　very　good　care　to　point　out　that　the　Chicago　City　or　South　Side　Railway　was　in　a　much　more　fortunate　position　than　either　of　the　other　two　by　reason　of　its　freedom　from　the　river…crossing　problem。　　Then　he　again　commiserated　the　North　Side　company　on　its　rather　difficult　position。　　〃Your　company　will　have　a　very　great　deal　to　do；　I　fancy；〃　he　reiterated。

Kaffrath　was　duly　impressed　and　appropriately　depressed；　for　his　eight　hundred　shares　would　be　depressed　in　value　by　the　necessity　of　heavy　expenditures　for　tunnels　and　other　improvements。　　Nevertheless；　there　was　some　consolation　in　the　thought　that　such　betterment；　as　Addison　now　described；　would　in　the　long　run　make　the　lines　more　profitable。　　But　in　the　mean　time　there　might　be　rough　sailing。　　The　old　directors　ought　to　act　soon　now；　he　thought。　With　the　South　Side　company　being　done　over；　they　would　have　to　follow　suit。　　But　would　they？　How　could　he　get　them　to　see　that；　even　though　it　were　necessary　to　mortgage　the　lines　for　years　to　come；　it　would　pay　in　the　long　run？　He　was　sick　of　old；　conservative；　cautious　methods。

After　the　lapse　of　a　few　weeks　Addison；　still　acting　for　Cowperwood；　had　a　second　and　private　conference　with　Kaffrath。　　He　said；　after　exacting　a　promise　of　secrecy　for　the　present；　that　since　their　previous　conversation　he　had　become　aware　of　new　developments。　　In　the　interval　he　had　been　visited　by　several　men　of　long　connection　with　street…railways　in　other　localities。　　They　had　been　visiting　various　cities；　looking　for　a　convenient　outlet　for　their　capital；　and　had　finally　picked　on　Chicago。　　They　had　looked　over　the　various　lines　here；　and　had　decided　that　the　North　Chicago　City　Railway　was　as　good　a　field　as　any。　　He　then　elaborated　with　exceeding　care　the　idea　which　Cowperwood　had　outlined　to　him。　　Kaffrath；　dubious　at　first；　was　finally　won　over。　　He　had　too　long　chafed　under　the　dusty；　poky　attitude　of　the　old　regime。　　He　did　not　know　who　these　new　men　were；　but　this　scheme　was　in　line　with　his　own　ideas。　　It　would　require；　as　Addison　pointed　out；　the　expenditure　of　several　millions　of　dollars；　and　he　did　not　see　how　the　money　could　be　raised　without　outside　assistance；　unless　the　lines　were　heavily　mortgaged。　　If　these　new　men　were　willing　to　pay　a　high　rate　for　fifty…one　per　cent。　of　this　stock　for　ninety…nine　years　and　would　guarantee　a　satisfactory　rate　of　interest　on　all　the　stock　as　it　stood；　besides　inaugurating　a　forward　policy；　why　not　let　them？　It　would　be　just　as　good　as　mortgaging　the　soul　out　of　the　old　property；　and　the　management　was　of　no　value；　anyhow。　　Kaffrath　could　not　see　how　fortunes　were　to　be　made　for　these　new　investors　out　of　subsidiary　construction　and　equipment　companies；　in　which　Cowperwood　would　be　interested；　how　by　issuing　watered　stock　on　the　old　and　new　lines　the　latter　need　scarcely　lay　down　a　dollar　once　he　had　the　necessary　opening　capital　（the　〃talking　capital；〃　as　he　was　fond　of　calling　it）　guaranteed。　　Cowperwood　and　Addison　had　by　now　agreed；　if　this　went　through；　to　organize　the　Chicago　Trust　Company　with　millions　back　of　it　to　manipulate　all　their　deals。　　Kaffrath　only　saw　a　better　return　on　his　stock；　possibly　a　chance　to　get　in　on　the　〃ground　plan；〃　as　a　new　phrase　expressed　it；　of　the　new　company。

〃That's　what　I've　been　telling　these　fellows　for　the　past　three　years；〃　he　finally　exclaimed　to　Addison；　flattered　by　the　latter's　personal　attention　and　awed　by　his　great　influence；　〃but　they　never　have　been　willing　to　listen　to　me。　　The　way　this　North　Side　system　has　been　managed　is　a　crime。　　Why；　a　child　could　do　better　than　we　have　done。　　They've　saved　on　track　and　rolling…stock；　and　lost　on　population。　　People　are　what　we　want　up　there；　and　there　is　only　one　way　that　I　know　of　to　get　them；　and　that　is　to　give　them　decent　car　service。　　I'll　tell　you　frankly　we've　never　done　it。〃

Not　long　after　this　Cowperwood　had　a　short　talk　with　Kaffrath；　in　which　he　promised　the　latter　not　only　six　hundred　dollars　a　share　for　all　the　stock　he　possessed　or　would　part　with　on　lease；　but　a　bonus　of　new　company　stock　for　his　influence。　　Kaffrath　returned　to　the　North　Side　jubilant　for　himself　and　for　his　company。　　He　decided　after　due　thought　that　a　roundabout　way　would　best　serve　Cowperwood's　ends；　a　line　of　subtle　suggestion　from　some　seemingly　disinterested　party。　　Consequently　he　caused　William　Johnson；　the　directing　engineer；　to　approach　Albert　Thorsen；　one　of　the　most　vulnerable　of　the　directors；　declaring　he　had　heard　privately　that　Isaac　White；　Arnold　C。　Benjamin；　and　Otto　Matjes；　three　other　directors　and　the　heaviest　owners；　had　been　offered　a　very　remarkable　price　for　their　stock；　and　that　they　were　going　to　sell；　leaving　the　others　out　in　the　cold。

Thorsen　was　beside　himself　with　grief。　　〃When　did　you　hear　that？〃　he　asked。

Johnson　told　him；　but　for　the　time　being　kept　the　source　of　his　information　secret。　　Thorsen　at　once　hurried　to　his　friend；　Solon　Kaempfaert；　who　in　turn　went　to　Kaffrath　for　information。

〃I　have　heard　something　to　that　effect；〃　was　Kaffrath's　only　comment；　〃but　really　I　do　not　know。〃

Thereupon　Thorsen　and　Kaempfaert　imagined　that　Kaffrath　was　in　the　conspiracy　to　sell　out　and　leave　them　with　no　particularly　valuable　pickings。　　It　was　very　sad。

Meanwhile；　Cowperwood；　on　the　advice　of　Kaffrath；　was　approaching　Isaac　White；　Arnold　C。　Benjamin；　and　Otto　Matjes　directtalking　with　them　as　if　they　were　the　only　three　he　desired　to　deal　with。　A　little　later　Thorsen　and　Kaempfaert　were　visited　in　the　same　spirit；　and　agreed　in　secret　fear　to　sell　out；　or　rather　lease　at　the　very　advantageous　terms　Cowperwood　offered；　providing　he　could　get　the　others　to　do　likewise。　　This　gave　the　latter　a　strong　backing　of　sentiment　on　the　board。　　Finally　Isaac　White　stated　at　one　of　the　meetings　that　he　had　been　approached　with　an　interesting　proposition；　which　he　then　and　there　outlined。　　He　was　not　sure　what　to　think；　he　said；　but　the　board　might　like　to　consider　it。　　At　once　Thorsen　and　Kaempfaert　were　convinced　that　all　Johnson　had　suggested　was　true。　　It　was　decided　to　have　Cowperwood　come　and　explain　to　the　full　board　just　what　his　plan　was；　and　this　he　did　in　a　long；　bland；　smiling　talk。　　It　was　made　plain　that　the　road　would　have　to　be　put　in　shape　in　the　near　future；　and　that　this　proposed　plan　relieved　all　of　them　of　work；　worry；　and　care。　Moreover；　they　were　guaranteed　more　interest　at　once　than　they　had　expected　to　earn　in　the　next　twenty　or　thirty　years。　　Thereupon　it　was　agreed　that　Cowperwood　and　his　plan　should　be　given　a　trial。　Seeing　that　if　he　did　not　succeed　in　paying　the　proposed　interest　promptly　the　property　once　more　became　theirs；　so　they　thought；　and　that　he　assumed　all　obligationstaxes；　water　rents；　old　claims；　a　few　pensionsit　appeared　in　the　light　of　a　rather　idyllic　scheme。

〃Well；　boys；　I　think　this　is　a　pretty　good　day's　work　myself；〃　observed　Anthony　Ewer；　laying　a　friendly　hand　on　the　shoulder　of　Mr。　Albert　Thorsen。　　〃I'm　sure　we　can　all　unite　in　wishing　Mr。　Cowperwood　luck　with　his　adventure。〃　Mr。　Ewer's　seven　hundred　and　fifteen　shares；　worth　seventy…one　thousand　five　hundred　dollars；　having　risen　to　a　valuation　of　four　hundred　and　twenty…nine　thousand　dollars；　he　was　naturally　jubilant。

〃You're　right；〃　replied　Thorsen；　who　was　parting　with　four　hundred　and　eighty　shares　out　of　a　total　of　seven　hundred　and　ninety；　and　seeing　them　all　bounce　in　value　from　two　hundred　to　six　hundred　dollars。　　〃He's　an　interesting　man。　　I　hope　he　succeeds。〃

Cowperwood；　waking　the　next　morning　in　Aileen's　roomhe　had　been　out　late　the　night　before　with　McKenty；　Addison；　Videra；　and　othersturned　and；　patting　her　neck　where　she　was　dozing；　said：　〃Well；　pet；　yesterday　afternoon　I　wound　up　that　North　Chicago　Street　Railway　deal。　　I'm　president　of　the　new　North　Side　company　just　as　soon　as　I　get　my　board　of　directors　organized。　　We're　going　to　be　of　some　real　consequence　in　this　village；　after　all；　in　a　year　or　two。〃

He　was　hoping　that　this　fact；　among　other　things；　would　end　in　mollifying　Aileen　toward　him。　　She　had　been　so　gloomy；　remote；　weary　these　many　daysever　since　the　terrific　assault　on　Rita。

〃Yes？〃　she　replied；　with　a　half…hearted　smile；　rubbing　her　waking　eyes。　　She　was　clad　in　a　foamy　nightgown　of　white　and　pink。　　〃That's　nice；　isn't　it？〃

Cowperwood　brought　himself　up　on　one　elbow　and　looked　at　her；　smoothing　her　round；　bare　arms；　which　he　always　admired。　　The　luminous　richness　of　her　hair　had　never　lost　its　charm　completely。

〃That　means　that　I　can　do　the　same　thing　with　the　Chicago　West　Division　Company　in　a　year　or　so；〃　he　went　on。　　〃But　there's　going　to　be　a　lot　of　talk　about　this；　I'm　afraid；　and　I　don't　want　that　just　now。　　It　will　work　out　all　right。　　I　can　see　Schryhart　and　Merrill　and　some　of　these　other　people　taking　notice　pretty　soon。　They've　missed　out　on　two　of　the　biggest　things　Chicago　ever　had　gas　and　railways。〃

〃Oh　yes；　Frank；　I'm　glad　for　you；〃　commented　Aileen；　rather　drearily；　who；　in　spite　of　her　sorrow　over　his　defection；　was　still　glad　that　he　was　going　on　and　forward。　　〃You'll　always　do　all　right。〃

〃I　wish　you　wouldn't　feel　so　badly；　Aileen；〃　he　said；　with　a　kind　of　affectional　protest。　　〃Aren't　you　going　to　try　and　be　happy　with　me？　This　is　as　much　for　you　as　for　me。　　You　will　be　able　to　pay　up　old　scores　even　better　than　I　will。〃

He　smiled　winningly。

〃Yes；〃