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！
〃That will take considerable money； won't it？〃
〃Not so much。 We may never need to lay a pipe or build a plant。 They will offer to sell out； buy； or combine before that。 We can fix the terms。 Leave it to me。 You don't happen to know by any chance this Mr。 McKenty； who has so much say in local affairs hereJohn J。 McKenty？〃
Cowperwood was referring to a man who was at once gambler； rumored owner or controller of a series of houses of prostitution； rumored maker of mayors and aldermen； rumored financial backer of many saloons and contracting companiesin short； the patron saint of the political and social underworld of Chicago； and who was naturally to be reckoned with in matters which related to the city and state legislative programme。
〃I don't；〃 said Addison； 〃but I can get you a letter。 Why？〃
〃Don't trouble to ask me that now。 Get me as strong an introduction as you can。〃
〃I'll have one for you to…day some time；〃 replied Addison； efficiently。 〃I'll send it over to you。〃
Cowperwood went out while Addison speculated as to this newest move。 Trust Cowperwood to dig a pit into which the enemy might fall。 He marveled sometimes at the man's resourcefulness。 He never quarreled with the directness and incisiveness of Cowperwood's action。
The man； McKenty； whom Cowperwood had in mind in this rather disturbing hour； was as interesting and forceful an individual as one would care to meet anywhere； a typical figure of Chicago and the West at the time。 He was a pleasant； smiling； bland； affable person； not unlike Cowperwood in magnetism and subtlety； but different by a degree of animal coarseness （not visible on the surface） which Cowperwood would scarcely have understood； and in a kind of temperamental pull drawing to him that vast pathetic life of the underworld in which his soul found its solution。 There is a kind of nature； not artistic； not spiritual； in no way emotional； nor yet unduly philosophical； that is nevertheless a sphered content of life； not crystalline； perhaps； and yet not utterly darkan agate temperament； cloudy and strange。 As a three…year…old child McKenty had been brought from Ireland by his emigrant parents during a period of famine。 He had been raised on the far South Side in a shanty which stood near a maze of railroad…tracks； and as a naked baby he had crawled on its earthen floor。 His father had been promoted to a section boss after working for years as a day…laborer on the adjoining railroad； and John； junior； one of eight other children； had been sent out early to do many thingsto be an errand…boy in a store； a messenger…boy for a telegraph company； an emergency sweep about a saloon； and finally a bartender。 This last was his true beginning； for he was discovered by a keen…minded politician and encouraged to run for the state legislature and to study law。 Even as a stripling what things had he not learnedrobbery； ballot…box stuffing； the sale of votes； the appointive power of leaders； graft； nepotism； vice exploitationall the things that go to make up （or did） the American world of politics and financial and social strife。 There is a strong assumption in the upper walks of life that there is nothing to be learned at the bottom。 If you could have looked into the capacious but balanced temperament of John J。 McKenty you would have seen a strange wisdom there and stranger memorieswhole worlds of brutalities； tendernesses； errors； immoralities suffered； endured； even rejoiced inthe hardy； eager life of the animal that has nothing but its perceptions； instincts； appetites to guide it。 Yet the man had the air and the poise of a gentleman。
To…day； at forty…eight； McKenty was an exceedingly important personage。 His roomy house on the West Side； at Harrison Street and Ashland Avenue； was visited at sundry times by financiers； business men； office…holders； priests； saloon…keepersin short； the whole range and gamut of active； subtle； political life。 From McKenty they could obtain that counsel； wisdom； surety； solution which all of them on occasion were anxious to have； and which in one deft way and anotheroften by no more than gratitude and an acknowledgment of his leadershipthey were willing to pay for。 To police captains and officers whose places he occasionally saved； when they should justly have been discharged； to mothers whose erring boys or girls he took out of prison and sent home again； to keepers of bawdy houses whom he protected from a too harsh invasion of the grafting propensities of the local police； to politicians and saloon…keepers who were in danger of being destroyed by public upheavals of one kind and another； he seemed； in hours of stress； when his smooth； genial； almost artistic face beamed on them； like a heaven…sent son of light； a kind of Western god； all…powerful； all…merciful； perfect。 On the other hand； there were ingrates； uncompromising or pharasaical religionists and reformers； plotting； scheming rivals； who found him deadly to contend with。 There were many henchmenrunners from an almost imperial throneto do his bidding。 He was simple in dress and taste； married and （apparently） very happy； a professing though virtually non…practising Catholic； a suave； genial Buddha…like man； powerful and enigmatic。
When Cowperwood and McKenty first met； it was on a spring evening at the latter's home。 The windows of the large house were pleasantly open； though screened； and the curtains were blowing faintly in a light air。 Along with a sense of the new green life everywhere came a breath of stock…yards。
On the presentation of Addison's letter and of another； secured through Van Sickle from a well…known political judge； Cowperwood had been invited to call。 On his arrival he was offered a drink； a cigar； introduced to Mrs。 McKentywho； lacking an organized social life of any kind； was always pleased to meet these celebrities of the upper world； if only for a momentand shown eventually into the library。 Mrs。 McKenty； as he might have observed if he had had the eye for it； was plump and fifty； a sort of superannuated Aileen； but still showing traces of a former hardy beauty； and concealing pretty well the evidences that she had once been a prostitute。 It so happened that on this particular evening McKenty was in a most genial frame of mind。 There were no immediate political troubles bothering him just now。 It was early in May。 Outside the trees were budding； the sparrows and robins were voicing their several moods。 A delicious haze was in the air； and some early mosquitoes were reconnoitering the screens which protected the windows and doors。 Cowperwood； in spite of his various troubles； was in a complacent state of mind himself。 He liked lifeeven its very difficult complicationsperhaps its complications best of all。 Nature was beautiful； tender at times； but difficulties； plans； plots； schemes to unravel and make smooththese things were what made existence worth while。
〃Well now； Mr。 Cowperwood；〃 McKenty began； when they finally entered the cool； pleasant library； 〃what can I do for you？〃
〃Well； Mr。 McKenty；〃 said Cowperwood； choosing his words and bringing the finest resources of his temperament into play； 〃it isn't so much； and yet it is。 I want a franchise from the Chicago city council； and I want you to help me get it if you will。 I know you may say to me why not go to the councilmen direct。 I would do that； except that there are certain other elements individualswho might come to you。 It won't offend you； I know； when I say that I have always understood that you are a sort of clearing…house for political troubles in Chicago。〃
Mr。 McKenty smiled。 〃That's flattering；〃 he replied； dryly。
〃Now； I am rather new myself to Chicago；〃 went on Cowperwood； softly。 〃I have been here only a year or two。 I come from Philadelphia。 I have been interested as a fiscal agent and an investor in several gas companies that have been organized in Lake View； Hyde Park； and elsewhere outside the city limits； as you may possibly have seen by the papers lately。 I am not their owner； in the sense that I have provided all or even a good part of the money invested in them。 I am not even their manager； except in a very general way。 I might better be called their promoter and guardian； but I am that for other people and myself。〃
Mr。 McKenty nodded。
〃Now； Mr。 McKenty； it was not very long after I started out to get franchises to do business in Lake View and Hyde Park before I found myself confronted by the interests which control the three old city gas companies。 They were very much opposed to our entering the field in Cook County anywhere； as you may imagine； although we were not really crowding in on their field。 Since then they have fought me with lawsuits； injunctions； and charges of bribery and conspiracy。〃
〃I know；〃 put in Mr。 McKenty。 〃I have heard something of it。〃
〃Quite so；〃 replied Cowperwood。 〃Because of their opposition I made them an offer to combine these three companies and the three new ones into one； take out a new charter； and give the city a uniform gas service。 They would not do thatlargely because I was an outsider； I think。 Since then another person； Mr。 Schryhart〃McKenty nodded〃who has never had anything to do with the