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！
l； as I take it。〃
As Mr。 Avery paused Cowperwood merely contemplated him； amused no less by his personal appearance than by his suggestion。
〃Not a bad idea；〃 he said； 〃though I don't like to mix heart affairs with politics。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Mr。 Avery； soulfully； 〃there may be something in it。 I don't know。 You never can tell。〃
The upshot of this was that the task of obtaining an account of Mr。 Sluss's habits； tastes； and proclivities was assigned to that now rather dignified legal personage； Mr。 Burton Stimson； who in turn assigned it to an assistant； a Mr。 Marchbanks。 It was an amazing situation in some respects； but those who know anything concerning the intricacies of politics； finance； and corporate control； as they were practised in those palmy days； would never marvel at the wells of subtlety； sinks of misery； and morasses of disaster which they represented。
From another quarter； the Hon。 Patrick Gilgan was not slow in responding to Cowperwood's message。 Whatever his political connections and proclivities； he did not care to neglect so powerful a man。
〃And what can I be doing for you to…day； Mr。 Cowperwood？〃 he inquired； when he arrived looking nice and fresh； very spick and span after his victory。
〃Listen； Mr。 Gilgan；〃 said Cowperwood； simply； eying the Republican county chairman very fixedly and twiddling his thumbs with fingers interlocked； 〃are you going to let the city council jam through the General Electric and that South Side 'L' road ordinance without giving me a chance to say a word or do anything about it？〃
Mr。 Gilgan； so Cowperwood knew； was only one of a new quadrumvirate setting out to rule the city； but he pretended to believe that he was the last wordan all power and authorityafter the fashion of McKenty。 〃Me good man；〃 replied Gilgan； archly； 〃you flatter me。 I haven't the city council in me vest pocket。 I've been county chairman； it's true； and helped to elect some of these men； but I don't own 'em。 Why shouldn't they pass the General Electric ordinance？ It's an honest ordinance； as far as I know。 All the newspapers have been for it。 As for this 'L' road ordinance； I haven't anything to do with it。 It isn't anything I know much about。 Young MacDonald and Mr。 Schryhart are looking after that。〃
As a matter of fact； all that Mr。 Gilgan was saying was decidedly true。 A henchman of young MacDonald's who was beginning to learn to play politicsan alderman bythe name of Klemmhad been scheduled as a kind of field…marshal； and it was MacDonaldnot Gilgan； Tiernan； Kerrigan； or Edstromwho was to round up the recalcitrant aldermen； telling them their duty。 Gilgan's quadrumvirate had not as yet got their machine in good working order； though they were doing their best to bring this about。 〃I helped to elect every one of these men； it's true； but that doesn't mean I'm running 'em by any means；〃 concluded Gilgan。 〃Not yet； anyhow。〃
At the 〃not yet〃 Cowperwood smiled。
〃Just the same； Mr。 Gilgan；〃 he went on； smoothly； 〃you're the nominal head and front of this whole movement in opposition to me at present； and you're the one I have to look to。 You have this present Republican situation almost entirely in your own fingers； and you can do about as you like if you're so minded。 If you choose you can persuade the members of council to take considerable more time than they otherwise would in passing these ordinances of that I'm sure。 I don't know whether you know or not； Mr。 Gilgan； though I suppose you do； that this whole fight against me is a strike campaign intended to drive me out of Chicago。 Now you're a man of sense and judgment and considerable business experience； and I want to ask you if you think that is fair。 I came here some sixteen or seventeen years ago and went into the gas business。 It was an open field； the field I undertook to developoutlying towns on the North； South； and West sides。 Yet the moment I started the old…line companies began to fight me； though I wasn't invading their territory at all at the time。〃
〃I remember it well enough；〃 replied Gilgan。 〃I was one of the men that helped you to get your Hyde Park franchise。 You'd never have got it if it hadn't been for me。 That fellow McKibben；〃 added Gilgan； with a grin； 〃a likely chap； him。 He always walked as if he had on rubber shoes。 He's with you yet； I suppose？〃
〃Yes； he's around here somewhere；〃 replied Cowperwood； loftily。 〃But to go back to this other matter； most of the men that are behind this General Electric ordinance and this 'L' road franchise were in the gas businessBlackman； Jules； Baker； Schryhart； and othersand they are angry because I came into their field； and angrier still because they had eventually to buy me out。 They're angry because I reorganized these old…fashioned street…railway companies here and put them on their feet。 Merrill is angry because I didn't run a loop around his store； and the others are angry because I ever got a loop at all。 They're all angry because I managed to step in and do the things that they should have done long before。 I came hereand that's the whole story in a nutshell。 I've had to have the city council with me to be able to do anything at all； and because I managed to make it friendly and keep it so they've turned on me in that section and gone into politics。 I know well enough； Mr。 Gilgan；〃 concluded Cowperwood； 〃who has been behind you in this fight。 I've known all along where the money has been coming from。 You've won； and you've won handsomely； and I for one don't begrudge you your victory in the least； but what I want to know now is； are you going to help them carry this fight on against me in this way； or are you not？ Are you going to give me a fighting chance？ There's going to be another election in two years。 Politics isn't a bed of roses that stays made just because you make it once。 These fellows that you have got in with are a crowd of silk stockings。 They haven't any sympathy with you or any one like you。 They're willing to be friendly with you now just long enough to get something out of you and club me to death。 But after that how long do you think they will have any use for youhow long？〃
〃Not very long； maybe；〃 replied Gilgan； simply and contemplatively； 〃but the world is the world； and we have to take it as we find it。〃
〃Quite so；〃 replied Cowperwood； undismayed； 〃but Chicago is Chicago； and I will be here as long as they will。 Fighting me in this fashionbuilding elevated roads to cut into my profits and giving franchises to rival companiesisn't going to get me out or seriously injure me； either。 I'm here to stay； and the political situation as it is to…day isn't going to remain the same forever and ever。 Now； you are an ambitious man； I can see that。 You're not in politics for your healththat I know。 Tell me exactly what it is you want and whether I can't get it for you as quick if not quicker than these other fellows？ What is it I can do for you that will make you see that my side is just as good as theirs and better？ I am playing a legitimate game in Chicago。 I've been building up an excellent street…car service。 I don't want to be annoyed every fifteen minutes by a rival company coming into the fie