the titan-第76章
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as to the good name of Chicago and their united standing in the eyes of Eastern financiers。 It was a sad blow to them to think that the one great enterprise they had recently engineereda foil to some of the immense affairs which had recently had their geneses in New York and elsewhere should have come to so untimely an end。 Chicago finance really should not be put to shame in this fashion if it could be avoided。 So that when Mr。 Schryhart arrived； quite warm and disturbed； and related in detail what he had just learned； his friends listened to him with eager and wary ears。
It was now between five and six o'clock in the afternoon and still blazing outside； though the walls of the buildings on the opposite side of the street were a cool gray； picked out with pools of black shadow。 A newsboy's strident voice was heard here and there calling an extra； mingled with the sound of homing feet and street…cars Cowperwood's street…cars。
〃I'll tell you what it is；〃 said Scbryhart； finally。 〃It seems to me we have stood just about enough of this man's beggarly interference。 I'll admit that neither Hull nor Stackpole had any right to go to him。 They laid themselves and us open to just such a trick as has been worked in this case。〃 Mr。 Schryhart was righteously incisive； cold； immaculate； waspish。 〃At the same time；〃 he continued； 〃any other moneyed man of equal standing with ourselves would have had the courtesy to confer with us and give us； or at least our banks； an opportunity for taking over these securities。 He would have come to our aid for Chicago's sake。 He had no occasion for throwing these stocks on the market； considering the state of things。 He knows very well what the effect of their failure will be。 The whole city is involved； but it's little he cares。 Mr。 Stackpole tells me that he had an express understanding with him； or； rather； with the men who it is plain have been representing him； that not a single share of this stock was to be thrown on the market。 As it is； I venture to say not a single share of it is to be found anywhere in any of their safes。 I can sympathize to a certain extent with poor Stackpole。 His position； of course； was very trying。 But there is no excusenone in the worldfor such a stroke of trickery on Cowperwood's part。 It's just as we've known all alongthe man is nothing but a wrecker。 We certainly ought to find some method of ending his career here if possible。〃
Mr。 Schryhart kicked out his well…rounded legs； adjusted his soft…roll collar； and smoothed his short； crisp； wiry； now blackish…gray mustache。 His black eyes flashed an undying hate。
At this point Mr。 Arneel； with a cogency of reasoning which did not at the moment appear on the surface； inquired： 〃Do any of you happen to know anything in particular about the state of Mr。 Cowperwood's finances at present？ Of course we know of the Lake Street 'L' and the Northwestern。 I hear he's building a house in New York； and I presume that's drawing on him somewhat。 I know he has four hundred thousand dollars in loans from the Chicago Central； but what else has he？〃
〃Well； there's the two hundred thousand he owes the Prairie National；〃 piped up Schrybart； promptly。 〃From time to time I've heard of several other sums that escape my mind just now。〃
Mr。 Merrill； a diplomatic mouse of a mangray； Parisian； dandified was twisting in his large chair； surveying the others with shrewd though somewhat propitiatory eyes。 In spite of his old grudge against Cowperwood because of the latter's refusal to favor him in the matter of running street…car lines past his store； he had always been interested in the man as a spectacle。 He really disliked the thought of plotting to injure Cowperwood。 Just the same； he felt it incumbent to play his part in such a council as this。 〃My financial agent； Mr。 Hill； loaned him several hundred thousand not long ago；〃 he volunteered； a little doubtfully。 〃I presume he has many other outstanding obligations。〃
Mr。 Hand stirred irritably。
〃Well； he's owing the Third National and the Lake City as much if not more；〃 he commented。 〃I know where there are five hundred thousand dollars of his loans that haven't been mentioned here。 Colonel Ballinger has two hundred thousand。 He must owe Anthony Ewer all of that。 He owes the Drovers and Traders all of one hundred and fifty thousand。〃
On the basis of these suggestions Arneel made a mental calculation； and found that Cowperwood was indebted apparently to the tune of about three million dollars on call； if not more。
〃I haven't all the facts；〃 he said； at last； slowly and distinctly。 〃If we could talk with some of the presidents of our banks to…night； we should probably find that there are other items of which we do not know。 I do not like to be severe on any one； but our own situation is serious。 Unless something is done to…night Hull & Stackpole will certainly fail in the morning。 We are； of course； obligated to the various banks for our loans； and we are in honor bound to do all we can for them。 The good name of Chicago and its rank as a banking center is to a certain extent involved。 As I have already told Mr。 Stackpole and Mr。 Hull； I personally have gone as far as I can in this matter。 I suppose it is the same with each of you。 The only other resources we have under the circumstances are the banks； and they； as I understand it； are pretty much involved with stock on hypothecation。 I know at least that this is true of the Lake City and the Douglas Trust。〃
〃It's true of nearly all of them；〃 said Hand。 Both Schryhart and Merrill nodded assent。
〃We are not obligated to Mr。 Cowperwood for anything so far as I know；〃 continued Mr。 Arneel； after a slight but somewhat portentous pause。 〃As Mr。 Schryhart has suggested here to…day； he seems to have a tendency to interfere and disturb on every occasion。 Apparently he stands obligated to the various banks in the sums we have mentioned。 Why shouldn't his loans be called？ It would help strengthen the local banks； and possibly permit them to aid in meeting this situation for us。 While he might be in a position to retaliate； I doubt it。〃
Mr。 Arneel had no personal opposition to Cowperwoodnone； at least； of a deep…seated character。 At the same time Hand； Merrill； and Schryhart were his friends。 In him； they felt； centered the financial leadership of the city。 The rise of Cowperwood； his Napoleonic airs； threatened this。 As Mr。 Arneel talked he never raised his eyes from the desk where he was sitting。 He merely drummed solemnly on the surface with his fingers。 The others contemplated him a little tensely； catching quite clearly the drift of his proposal。
〃An excellent ideaexcellent！〃 exclaimed Schryhart。 〃I will join in any programme that looks to the elimination of this man。 The present situation may be just what is needed to accomplish this。 Anyhow； it may help to solve our difficulty。 If so； it will certainly be a case of good coming out of evil。〃
〃I see no reason why these loans should not be called；〃 Hand commented。 〃I'm willing to meet the situation on that basis。〃
〃And I have no particular objection；〃 said Merrill。 〃I think； however； it would be only fair to give as much notice as possible of any decision we may reach；〃 he added。
〃Why not send for the various bankers now；〃 suggested Schryhart； 〃and find out exactly where he stands； and how much it will take to carry Hull & Stackpole？ Then we can inform Mr。 Cowperwood of what we propose to do。〃
To this proposition Mr。 Hand nodded an assent； at the same time consulting a large； heavily engraved gold watch of the most ponderous and inartistic design。 〃I think；〃 he said； 〃that we have found the solution to this situation at last。 I suggest that we get Candish and Kramer； of the stock…exchange〃 （he was referring to the president and secretary； respectively； of that organization）； 〃and Simmons； of the Douglas Trust。 We should soon be able to tell what we can do。〃
The library of Mr。 Arneel's home was fixed upon as the most suitable rendezvous。 Telephones were forthwith set ringing and messengers and telegrams despatched in order that the subsidiary financial luminaries and the watch…dogs of the various local treasuries might come and； as it were； put their seal on this secret decision； which it was obviously presumed no minor official or luminary would have the temerity to gainsay。
Chapter XLIX
Mount Olympus
By eight o'clock； at which hour the conference was set； the principal financial personages of Chicago were truly in a great turmoil。 Messrs。 Hand； Schryhart； Merrill； and Arneel were personally interested！ What would you？ As early as seven…thirty there was a pattering of horses' hoofs and a jingle of harness； as splendid open carriages were drawn up in front of various exclusive mansions and a bank president； or a director at least； issued forth at the call of one of the big quadrumvirate to journey to the home of Mr。 Arneel。 Such interesting figures as Samuel Blackman； once president of the old Chicago Gas Company； and now a director of the Prairie National； Hudson Baker； once president of the West Chicago Gas Company； and now a director of the Chicago Central National； Ormonde Ricketts； publisher of the Chronicle and director of the Third National； Norrie Simms； president of the Douglas Trust Company； Walter Rysam Cotton； once an active wholesale coffee…broker； but now a director principally of various institutions； were all en route。 It was a procession of solemn； superior； thoughtful gentlemen； and all desirous of giving the right appearance and of making the correct impression。 For； be it known； of all men none are so proud or vainglorious over the minor trappings of materialism as those who have but newly achieved them。 It is so essential apparently to fulfil in manner and air； if not in fact； the principle of 〃presence〃 which befits the role of conservator of society and leader of wealth。 Every one of those named and many moreto the number of thirtyrode thus loftily forth in the hot； dry evening air and were soon at the door of the large and comfortable home of Mr。 Timothy Arneel。
That important personage was not as yet present to receive his guests； and neither were Messrs。 Schryhart； Hand； nor Merrill。 It would not be fitting for such eminent potentates to receive their underlings in person on such an occasion。 At the hour appointed these four were still in their respective offices； perfecting separately the details of the plan upon which they had agreed and which； with a show of informality and of momentary inspiration； they would later present。 For the time being their guests had to make the best of their absence。 Drinks and liquors were served； but these were of small comfort。 A rack provided for straw hats was for some reason not used； every one preferring to retain his own head…gear。 Against the background of wood panneling and the chairs covered with summer linen the company presented a galleryesque variety and interest。 Messrs。 Hull and Stackpole； the corpses or victims over which this serious gathering were about to sit in state； were not actually present within the room； though they were within call in another part of the house； where； if necessary； they could be reac
