the titan-第66章

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〃I　wish　you　would　forgive　me；〃　she　said。　　〃I　was　rude。　　I　couldn't　help　it。　　I　am　all　out　of　sorts　with　myself。〃

〃I　hadn't　felt　you　were　rude；〃　he　observed；　lying　grandly；　his　mood　toward　her　changing　entirely。

〃Oh　yes　I　was；　and　I　hope　you　will　forgive　me。　　I　sincerely　wish　you　would。〃

〃I　do　with　all　my　heartthe　little　that　there　is　to　forgive。〃

He　waited　to　take　her　back；　and　yielded　her　to　a　youth　who　was　waiting。　　He　watched　her　trip　away　in　a　dance；　and　eventually　led　her　mother　to　the　trap。　　Berenice　was　not　with　them　on　the　home　drive；　some　one　else　was　bringing　her。　　Cowperwood　wondered　when　she　would　come；　and　where　was　her　room；　and　whether　she　was　really　sorry；and　As　he　fell　asleep　Berenice　Fleming　and　her　slate…blue　eyes　were　filling　his　mind　completely。




Chapter　XLIII



The　Planet　Mars

The　banking　hostility　to　Cowperwood；　which　in　its　beginning　had　made　necessary　his　trip　to　Kentucky　and　elsewhere；　finally　reached　a　climax。　　It　followed　an　attempt　on　his　part　to　furnish　funds　for　the　building　of　elevated　roads。　　The　hour　for　this　new　form　of　transit　convenience　had　struck。　　The　public　demanded　it。　　Cowperwood　saw　one　elevated　road；　the　South　Side　Alley　Line；　being　built；　and　another；　the　West　Side　Metropolitan　Line；　being　proposed；　largely；　as　he　knew；　in　order　to　create　sentiment　for　the　idea；　and　so　to　make　his　opposition　to　a　general　franchise　difficult。　　He　was　well　aware　that　if　he　did　not　choose　to　build　them　others　would。　　It　mattered　little　that　electricity　had　arrived　finally　as　a　perfected　traction　factor；　and　that　all　his　lines　would　soon　have　to　be　done　over　to　meet　that　condition；　or　that　it　was　costing　him　thousands　and　thousands　to　stay　the　threatening　aspect　of　things　politically。　In　addition　he　must　now　plunge　into　this　new　realm；　gaining　franchises　by　the　roughest　and　subtlest　forms　of　political　bribery。　The　most　serious　aspect　of　this　was　not　political；　but　rather　financial。　　Elevated　roads　in　Chicago；　owing　to　the　sparseness　of　the　population　over　large　areas；　were　a　serious　thing　to　contemplate。　The　mere　cost　of　iron；　right　of　way；　rolling…stock；　and　power…plants　was　immense。　　Being　chronically　opposed　to　investing　his　private　funds　where　stocks　could　just　as　well　be　unloaded　on　the　public；　and　the　management　and　control　retained　by　him；　Cowperwood；　for　the　time　being；　was　puzzled　as　to　where　he　should　get　credit　for　the　millions　to　be　laid　down　in　structural　steel；　engineering　fees；　labor；　and　equipment　before　ever　a　dollar　could　be　taken　out　in　passenger　fares。　　Owing　to　the　advent　of　the　World's　Fair；　the　South　Side　'L'to　which；　in　order　to　have　peace　and　quiet；　he　had　finally　conceded　a　franchisewas　doing　reasonably　well。　　Yet　it　was　not　making　any　such　return　on　the　investment　as　the　New　York　roads。　　The　new　lines　which　he　was　preparing　would　traverse　even　less　populous　sections　of　the　city；　and　would　in　all　likelihood　yield　even　a　smaller　return。　　Money　had　to　be　forthcomingsomething　between　twelve　and　fifteen　million　dollarsand　this　on　the　stocks　and　bonds　of　a　purely　paper　corporation　which　might　not　yield　paying　dividends　for　years　to　come。　　Addison；　finding　that　the　Chicago　Trust　Company　was　already　heavily　loaded；　called　upon　various　minor　but　prosperous　local　banks　to　take　over　the　new　securities　（each　in　part；　of　course）。　　He　was　astonished　and　chagrined　to　find　that　one　and　all　uniformly　refused。

〃I'll　tell　you　how　it　is；　Judah；〃　one　bank　president　confided　to　him；　in　great　secrecy。　　〃We　owe　Timothy　Arneel　at　least　three　hundred　thousand　dollars　that　we　only　have　to　pay　three　per　cent。　for。　　It's　a　call…loan。　　Besides；　the　Lake　National　is　our　main　standby　when　it　comes　to　quick　trades；　and　he's　in　on　that。　　I　understand　from　one　or　two　friends　that　he's　at　outs　with　Cowperwood；　and　we　can't　afford　to　offend　him。　　I'd　like　to；　but　no　more　for　menot　at　present；　anyhow。〃

〃Why；　Simmons；〃　replied　Addison；　〃these　fellows　are　simply　cutting　off　their　noses　to　spite　their　faces。　　These　stock　and　bond　issues　are　perfectly　good　investments；　and　no　one　knows　it　better　than　you　do。　　All　this　hue　and　cry　in　the　newspapers　against　Cowperwood　doesn't　amount　to　anything。　　He's　perfectly　solvent。　　Chicago　is　growing。　　His　lines　are　becoming　more　valuable　every　year。〃

〃I　know　that；〃　replied　Simmons。　　〃But　what　about　this　talk　of　a　rival　elevated　system？　Won't　that　injure　his　lines　for　the　time　being；　anyhow；　if　it　comes　into　the　field？〃

〃If　I　know　anything　about　Cowperwood；〃　replied　Addison；　simply；　〃there　isn't　going　to　be　any　rival　elevated　road。　　It's　true　they　got　the　city　council　to　give　them　a　franchise　for　one　line　on　the　South　Side；　but　that's　out　of　his　territory；　anyhow；　and　that　other　one　to　the　Chicago　General　Company　doesn't　amount　to　anything。　　It　will　be　years　and　years　before　it　can　be　made　to　pay　a　dollar；　and　when　the　time　comes　he　will　probably　take　it　over　if　he　wants　it。　　Another　election　will　be　held　in　two　years；　and　then　the　city　administration　may　not　be　so　unfavorable。　　As　it　is；　they　haven't　been　able　to　hurt　him　through　the　council　as　much　as　they　thought　they　would。〃

〃Yes；　but　he　lost　the　election。〃

〃True；　but　it　doesn't　follow　he's　going　to　lose　the　next　one；　or　every　one。〃

〃Just　the　same；〃　replied　Simmons；　very　secretively；　〃I　understand　there's　a　concerted　effort　on　to　drive　him　out。　　Schryhart；　Hand；　Merrill；　Arneelthey're　the　most　powerful　men　we　have。　　I　understand　Hand　says　that　he'll　never　get　his　franchises　renewed　except　on　terms　that'll　make　his　lines　unprofitable。　　There's　going　to　be　an　awful　smash　here　one　of　these　days　if　that's　true。〃　Mr。　Simmons　looked　very　wise　and　solemn。

〃Never　believe　it；〃　replied　Addison；　contemptuously。　　〃Hand　isn't　Chicago；　neither　is　Schryhart；　nor　Arneel。　　Cowperwood　is　a　brainy　man。　　He　isn't　going　to　be　put　under　so　easily。　　Did　you　ever　hear　what　was　the　real　bottom　cause　of　all　this　disturbance？〃

〃Yes；　I've　heard；〃　replied　Simmons。

〃Do　you　believe　it？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know。　　Yes；　I　suppose　I　do。　　Still；　I　don't　know　that　that　need　have　anything　to　do　with　it。　　Money　envy　is　enough　to　make　any　man　fight。　　This　man　Hand　is　very　powerful。〃

Not　long　after　this　Cowperwood；　strolling　into　the　president's　office　of　the　Chicago　Trust　Company；　inquired：　〃Well；　Judah；　how　about　those　Northwestern　'L'　bonds？〃

〃It's　just　as　I　thought；　Frank；〃　replied　Addison；　softly。　　〃We'll　have　to　go　outside　of　Chicago　for　that　money。　　Hand；　Arneel；　and　the　rest　of　that　crowd　have　decided　to　combine　against　us。　　That's　plain。　　Something　has　started　them　off　in　full　cry。　　I　suppose　my　resignation　may　have　had　something　to　do　with　it。　　Anyhow；　every　one　of　the　banks　in　which　they　have　any　hand　has　uniformly　refused　to　come　in。　　To　make　sure　that　I　was　right　I　even　called　up　the　little　old　Third　National　of　Lake　View　and　the　Drovers　and　Traders　on　Forty…seventh　Street。　　That's　Charlie　Wallin's　bank。　　When　I　was　over　in　the　Lake　National　he　used　to　hang　around　the　back　door　asking　for　anything　I　could　give　him　that　was　sound。　　Now　he　says　his　orders　are　from　his　directors　not　to　share　in　anything　we　have　to　offer。　　It's　the　same　story　everywherethey　daren't。　　I　asked　Wallin　if　he　knew　why　the　directors　were　down　on　the　Chicago　Trust　or　on　you；　and　at　first　he　said　he　didn't。　　Then　he　said　he'd　stop　in　and　lunch　with　me　some　day。　　They're　the　silliest　lot　of　old　ostriches　I　ever　heard　of。　　As　if　refusing　to　let　us　have　money　on　any　loan　here　was　going　to　prevent　us　from　getting　it！　They　can　take　their　little　old　one…horse　banks　and　play　blockhouses　with　them　if　they　want　to。　　I　can　go　to　New　York　and　in　thirty…six　hours　raise　twenty　million　dollars　if　we　need　it。〃

Addison　was　a　little　warm。　　It　was　a　new　experience　for　him。　　Cowperwood　merely　curled　his　mustaches　and　smiled　sardonically。

〃Well；　never　mind；〃　he　said。　　〃Will　you　go　down　to　New　York；　or　shall　I？〃

It　was　decided；　after　some　talk；　that　Addison　should　go。　　When　he　reached　New　York　he　found；　to　his　surprise；　that　the　local　opposition　to　Cowperwood　had；　for　some　mysterious　reason；　begun　to　take　root　in　the　East。

〃I'll　tell　you　how　it　is；〃　observed　Joseph　Haeckelheimer；　to　whom　Addison　applieda　short；　smug；　pussy　person　who　was　the　head　of　Haeckelheimer；　Gotloeb　&　Co。；　international　bankers。　　〃We　hear　odd　things　concerning　Mr。　Cowperwood　out　in　Chicago。　　Some　people　say　he　is　soundsome　not。　　He　has　some　very　good　franchises　covering　a　large　portion　of　the　city；　but　they　are　only　twenty…year　franchises；　and　they　will　all　run　out　by　1903　at　the　latest。　　As　I　understand　it；　he　has　managed　to　stir　up　all　the　local　elementssome　very　powerful　ones；　tooand　he　is　certain　to　have　a　hard　time　to　get　his　franchises　renewed。　　I　don't　live　in　Chicago；　of　course。　　I　don't　know　much　about　it；　but　our　Western　correspondent　tells　me　this　is　so。　　Mr。　Cowperwood　is　a　very　able　man；　as　I　understand　it；　but　if　all　these　influential　men　are　opposed　to　him　they　can　make　him　a　great　deal　of　trouble。　　The　public　is　very　easily　aroused。〃

〃You　do　a　very　able　man　a　great　injustice；　Mr。　Haeckelheimer；〃　Addison　retorted。　　〃Almost　any　one　who　starts　out　to　do　things　successfully　and　intelligently　is　sure　to　stir　up　a　great　deal　of　feeling。　　The　particular　men　you　mention　seem　to　feel　that　they　have　a　sort　of　proprietor's　interest　in　Chicago。　　They　really　think　they　own　it。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　the　city　made　them；　they　didn't　make　the　city。〃

Mr。　Haeckelheimer　lifted　his　eyebrows。　　He　laid　two　fine　white　hands；　plump　and　stubby；　over　the　lower　buttons　of　his　protuberant　waistcoat。　　〃Public　favor　is　a　great　factor　in　all　these　enterprises；〃　he　almost　sighed。　　〃As　you　know；　part　of　a　man's　resources　lies　in　his　ability　to　avoid　stirring　up　opposition。　　It　may　be　that　Mr。　Cowperwood　is　strong　enough　to　overcome　all　that。　　I　don't　know。　　I've　never　met　him。　　I'm　just　telling　you　what　I　hear。〃

This　offish　attitude　on　the　part　of　Mr。　Haeckelheimer　was　indicative　of　a　new　trend。　　The　man　was　enormously　wealthy。　　The　firm　of　Haeckelheimer；　Gotloeb　&　Co。　represented　a　controlling　interest　in　some　of　the　principal　railways　and　banks　in　America。　　Their　favor　was　not　to　be　held　in　light　esteem。

It　was　plain　that　these　rumors　against　Cowperwood　in　New　York；　unless　offset　promptly　by　favorable　events　in　Chicago；　might　mean　in　the　large　banking　quarters；　anyhowthe　refusal　of　all　subsequent　Cowperwood　issues。　　It　might　even　close　the　doors　of　minor　banks　and　make　private　investors　nervous。

Addison's　report　of　all　this　annoyed　Cowperwood　no　little。　　It　made　him　angry。　　He　saw　in　it　the　work　of　Schryhart；　Hand；　and　others　who　were　trying　their　best　to　discredit　him。　　〃Let　them　talk；〃　he　declared；　crossly。　　〃I　have　the　street…railways。　　They're　not　going　to　rout　me　out　of　here。　　I　can　sell　stocks　and　bonds　to　the　public　direct　if　need　be！　There　are　plenty　of　private　people　who　are　glad　to　invest　in　these　properties。〃

At　this　psychological　moment　enter；　as　by　the　hand　of　Fate；　the　planet　Mars　and　the　University。　　This　latter；　from　having　been　for　years　a　humble　Baptist　college　of　the　cheapest　character；　had　suddenly；　through　the　beneficence　of　a　great　Standard　Oil　multimillionaire；　flared　upward　into　a　great　university；　and　was　causing　a　stir　throughout　the　length　and　bre