按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
d in his brain。 Among the politicians； judges； and lawyers generally； by reason of past useful services； he was supposed to have some powerful connections。 He liked to be called into any case largely because it meant something to do and kept him from being bored。 When compelled to keep an appointment in winter； he would slip on an old greatcoat of gray twill that he had worn until it was shabby； then； taking down a soft felt hat； twisted and pulled out of shape by use； he would pull it low over his dull gray eyes and amble forth。 In summer his clothes looked as crinkled as though he had slept in them for weeks。 He smoked。 In cast of countenance he was not wholly unlike General Grant； with a short gray beard and mustache which always seemed more or less unkempt and hair that hung down over his forehead in a gray mass。 The poor General！ He was neither very happy nor very unhappy a doubting Thomas without faith or hope in humanity and without any particular affection for anybody。
〃I'll tell you how it is with these small councils； Mr。 Cowperwood；〃 observed Van Sickle； sagely； after the preliminaries of the first interview had been dispensed with。
〃They're worse than the city council almost； and that's about as bad as it can be。 You can't do anything without money where these little fellows are concerned。 I don't like to be too hard on men； but these fellows〃 He shook his head。
〃I understand；〃 commented Cowperwood。 〃They're not very pleasing； even after you make all allowances。〃
〃Most of them；〃 went on the General； 〃won't stay put when you think you have them。 They sell out。 They're just as apt as not to run to this North Side Gas Company and tell them all about the whole thing before you get well under way。 Then you have to pay them more money； rival bills will be introduced； and all that。〃 The old General pulled a long face。 〃Still； there are one or two of them that are all right；〃 he added； 〃if you can once get them interested Mr。 Duniway and Mr。 Gerecht。〃
〃I'm not so much concerned with how it has to be done； General；〃 suggested Cowperwood； amiably； 〃but I want to be sure that it will be done quickly and quietly。 I don't want to be bothered with details。 Can it be done without too much publicity； and about what do you think it is going to cost？〃
〃Well； that's pretty hard to say until I look into the matter；〃 said the General； thoughtfully。 〃It might cost only four and it might cost all of forty thousand dollarseven more。 I can't tell。 I'd like to take a little time and look into it。〃 The old gentleman was wondering how much Cowperwood was prepared to spend。
〃Well； we won't bother about that now。 I'm willing to be as liberal as necessary。 I've sent for Mr。 Sippens； the president of the Lake View Gas and Fuel Company； and he'll be here in a little while。 You will want to work with him as closely as you can。 The energetic Sippens came after a few moments； and he and Van Sickle； after being instructed to be mutually helpful and to keep Cowperwood's name out of all matters relating to this work； departed together。 They were an odd pairthe dusty old General phlegmatic； disillusioned； useful； but not inclined to feel so； and the smart； chipper Sippens； determined to wreak a kind of poetic vengeance on his old…time enemy； the South Side Gas Company； via this seemingly remote Northside conspiracy。 In ten minutes they were hand in glove； the General describing to Sippens the penurious and unscrupulous brand of Councilman Duniway's politics and the friendly but expensive character of Jacob Gerecht。 Such is life。
In the organization of the Hyde Park company Cowperwood； because he never cared to put all his eggs in one basket； decided to secure a second lawyer and a second dummy president； although he proposed to keep De Soto Sippens as general practical adviser for all three or four companies。 He was thinking this matter over when there appeared on the scene a very much younger man than the old General； one Kent Barrows McKibben； the only son of ex…Judge Marshall Scammon McKibben； of the State Supreme Court。 Kent McKibben was thirty…three years old； tall； athletic； and； after a fashion； handsome。 He was not at all vague intellectuallythat is； in the matter of the conduct of his businessbut dandified and at times remote。 He had an office in one of the best blocks in Dearborn Street； which he reached in a reserved； speculative mood every morning at nine； unless something important called him down…town earlier。 It so happened that he had drawn up the deeds and agreements for the real…estate company that sold Cowperwood his lots at Thirty…seventh Street and Michigan Avenue； and when they were ready he journeyed to the latter's office to ask if there were any additional details which Cowperwood might want to have taken into consideration。 When he was ushered in； Cowperwood turned to him his keen； analytical eyes and saw at once a personality he liked。 McKibben was just remote and artistic enough to suit him。 He liked his clothes； his agnostic unreadableness； his social air。 McKibben； on his part； caught the significance of the superior financial atmosphere at once。 He noted Cowperwood's light…brown suit picked out with strands of red； his maroon tie； and small cameo cuff…links。 His desk； glass…covered； looked clean and official。 The woodwork of the rooms was all cherry； hand…rubbed and oiled； the pictures interesting steel…engravings of American life； appropriately framed。 The typewriterat that time just introducedwas in evidence； and the stock…tickeralso newwas ticking volubly the prices current。 The secretary who waited on Cowperwood was a young Polish girl named Antoinette Nowak； reserved； seemingly astute； dark； and very attractive。
〃What sort of business is it you handle； Mr。 McKibben？〃 asked Cowperwood； quite casually； in the course of the conversation。 And after listening to McKibben's explanation he added； idly： 〃You might come and see me some time next week。 It is just possible that I may have something in your line。〃
In another man McKibben would have resented this remote suggestion of future aid。 Now； instead； he was intensely pleased。 The man before him gripped his imagination。 His remote intellectuality relaxed。 When he came again and Cowperwood indicated the nature of the work he might wish to have done McKibben rose to the bait like a fish to a fly。
〃I wish you would let me undertake that； Mr。 Cowperwood；〃 he said； quite eagerly。 〃It's something I've never done； but I'm satisfied I can do it。 I live out in Hyde Park and know most of the councilmen。 I can bring considerable influence to bear for you。〃
Cowperwood smiled pleasantly。
So a second company； officered by dummies of McKibben's selection； was organized。 De Soto Sippens； without old General Van Sickle's knowledge； was taken in as practical adviser。 An application for a franchise was drawn up； and Kent Barrows McKibben began silent； polite work on the South Side； coming into the confidence； by degrees； of the various councilmen。
There was still a third lawyer； Burton Stimson； the youngest but assuredly not the least able of the three； a pale； dark…haired Romeoish youth with burning eyes； whom Cowperwood had encountered doing some little work for Laughlin； and who was engaged to work on the West Side with old Laughlin as ostensible organizer and the sprightly De Soto Sippens as practical adviser。 Stimson was no mooning Romeo； however； but an eager； incisive soul； born very poor； eager to advance himself。 Cowperwood detected that pliability of intellect which； while it might spell disaster to some； spelled success for him。 He wanted the intellectual servants。 He was willing to pay them handsomely； to keep them busy； to treat them with almost princely courtesy； but he must have the utmost loyalty。 Stimson； while maintaining his calm and reserve； could have kissed the arch…episcopal hand。 Such is the subtlety of contact。
Behold then at once on the North Side； the South Side； the West Sidedark goings to and fro and walkings up and down in the earth。 In Lake View old General Van Sickle and De Soto Sippens； conferring with shrewd Councilman Duniway； druggist； and with Jacob Gerecht； ward boss and wholesale butcher； both of whom were agreeable but exacting； holding pleasant back…room and drug…store confabs with almost tabulated details of rewards and benefits。 In Hyde Park； Mr。 Kent Barrows McKibben； smug and well dressed； a Chesterfield among lawyers； and with him one J。 J。 Bergdoll； a noble hireling； long…haired and dusty； ostensibly president of the Hyde Park Gas and Fuel Company； conferring with Councilman Alfred B。 Davis； manufacturer of willow and rattan ware； and Mr。 Patrick Gilgan； saloon…keeper； arranging a prospective distribution of shares； offering certain cash consideration； lots； favors； and the like。 Observe also in the village of Douglas and West Park on the West Side； just over the city line； the angular； humorous Peter Laughlin and Burton Stimson arranging a similar deal or deals。
The enemy； the city gas companies； being divided into three factions； were in no way prepared for what was now coming。 When the news finally leaked out that applications for franchises had been made