the titan-第134章

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r　anti　Cowperwoods　principally　anti。　　Mr。　Pinski；　unfortunately；　had　been　singled　out　by　the　Transcript；　the　Inquirer；　and　the　Chronicle　as　one　of　those　open　to　advance　questioning　by　his　constituents。　　Of　mixed　Jewish　and　American　extraction；　he　had　been　born　and　raised　in　the　Fourteenth　and　spoke　with　a　decidedly　American　accent。　　He　was　neither　small　nor　largesandy…haired；　shifty…eyed；　cunning；　and　on　most　occasions　amiable。　　Just　now　he　was　decidedly　nervous；　wrathy；　and　perplexed；　for　he　had　been　brought　here　against　his　will。　　His　slightly　oleaginous　eyenot　unlike　that　of　a　small　pighad　been　fixed　definitely　and　finally　on　the　munificent　sum　of　thirty　thousand　dollars；　no　less；　and　this　local　agitation　threatened　to　deprive　him　of　his　almost　unalienable　right　to　the　same。　　His　ordeal　took　place　in　a　large；　low…ceiled　room　illuminated　by　five　very　plain；　thin；　two…armed　gas…jets　suspended　from　the　ceiling　and　adorned　by　posters　of　prizefights；　raffles；　games；　and　the　〃Simon　Pinski　Pleasure　Association〃　plastered　here　and　there　freely　against　dirty；　long…unwhitewashed　walls。　　He　stood　on　the　low　raised　platform　at　the　back　of　the　room；　surrounded　by　a　score　or　more　of　his　ward　henchmen；　all　more　or　less　reliable；　all　black…frocked；　or　at　least　in　their　Sunday　clothes；　all　scowling；　nervous；　defensive；　red…faced；　and　fearing　trouble。　　Mr。　Pinski　has　come　armed。　　This　talk　of　the　mayor's　concerning　guns；　ropes；　drums；　marching　clubs；　and　the　like　has　been　given　very　wide　publicity；　and　the　public　seems　rather　eager　for　a　Chicago　holiday　in　which　the　slaughter　of　an　alderman　or　so　might　furnish　the　leading　and　most　acceptable　feature。

〃Hey；　Pinski！〃　yells　some　one　out　of　a　small　sea　of　new　and　decidedly　unfriendly　faces。　　（This　is　no　meeting　of　Pinski　followers；　but　a　conglomerate　outpouring　of　all　those　elements　of　a　distrait　populace　bent　on　enforcing　for　once　the　principles　of　aldermanic　decency。　　There　are　even　women　herelocal　church…members；　and　one　or　two　advanced　civic　reformers　and　W。　C。　T。　U。　bar…room　smashers。　　Mr。　Pinski　has　been　summoned　to　their　presence　by　the　threat　that　if　he　didn't　come　the　noble　company　would　seek　him　out　later　at　his　own　house。）

〃Hey；　Pinski！　You　old　boodler！　How　much　do　you　expect　to　get　out　of　this　traction　business？〃　（This　from　a　voice　somewhere　in　the　rear。）

Mr。　Pinski　（turning　to　one　side　as　if　pinched　in　the　neck）。　　〃The　man　that　says　I　am　a　boodler　is　a　liar！　I　never　took　a　dishonest　dollar　in　my　life；　and　everybody　in　the　Fourteenth　Ward　knows　it。〃

The　Five　Hundred　People　Assembled。　　〃Ha！　ha！　ha！　Pinski　never　took　a　dollar！　Ho！　ho！　ho！　Whoop…ee！〃

Mr。　Pinski　（very　red…faced；　rising）。　　〃It　is　so。　　Why　should　I　talk　to　a　lot　of　loafers　that　come　here　because　the　papers　tell　them　to　call　me　names？　I　have　been　an　alderman　for　six　years　now。　Everybody　knows　me。

A　Voice。　　〃You　call　us　loafers。　　You　crook！〃

Another　Voice　（referring　to　his　statement　of　being　known）。　　〃You　bet　they　do！〃

Another　Voice　（this　from　a　small；　bony　plumber　in　workclothes）。　　〃Hey；　you　old　grafter！　Which　way　do　you　expect　to　vote？　For　or　against　this　franchise？　Which　way？〃

Still　Another　Voice　（an　insurance　clerk）。　　〃Yes；　which　way？〃

Mr。　Pinski　（rising　once　more；　for　in　his　nervousness　he　is　constantly　rising　or　starting　to　rise；　and　then　sitting　down　again）。　　〃I　have　a　right　to　my　own　mind；　ain't　I？　I　got　a　right　to　think。　　What　for　am　I　an　alderman；　then？　The　constitution。。。〃

An　Anti…Pinski　Republican　（a　young　law　clerk）。　　〃To　hell　with　the　constitution！　No　fine　words　now；　Pinski。　　Which　way　do　you　expect　to　vote？　For　or　against？　Yes　or　no？〃

A　Voice　（that　of　a　bricklayer；　anti…Pinski）。　　〃He　daresn't　say。　　He's　got　some　of　that　bastard's　money　in　his　jeans　now；　I'll　bet。〃

A　Voice　from　Behind　（one　of　Pinski's　henchmena　heavy；　pugilistic　Irishman）。　　〃Don't　let　them　frighten　you；　Sim。　　Stand　your　ground。　They　can't　hurt　you。　　We're　here。〃

Pinski　（getting　up　once　more）。　　〃This　is　an　outrage；　I　say。　　Ain't　I　gon'　to　be　allowed　to　say　what　I　think？　There　are　two　sides　to　every　question。　　Now；　I　think　whatever　the　newspapers　say　that　Cowperwood〃

A　Journeyman　Carpenter　（a　reader　of　the　Inquirer）。　　〃You're　bribed；　you　thief！　You're　beating　about　the　bush。　　You　want　to　sell　out。〃

The　Bony　Plumber。　　〃Yes；　you　crook！　You　want　to　get　away　with　thirty　thousand　dollars；　that's　what　you　want；　you　boodler！〃

Mr。　Pinski　（defiantly；　egged　on　by　voices　from　behind）。　　〃I　want　to　be　fairthat's　what。　　I　want　to　keep　my　own　mind。　　The　constitution　gives　everybody　the　right　of　free　speecheven　me。　　I　insist　that　the　street…car　companies　have　some　rights；　at　the　same　time　the　people　have　rights　too。〃

A　Voice。　　〃What　are　those　rights？〃

Another　Voice。　　〃He　don't　know。　　He　wouldn't　know　the　people's　rights　from　a　sawmill。〃

Another　Voice。　　〃Or　a　load　of　hay。〃

Pinski　（continuing　very　defiantly　now；　since　he　has　not　yet　been　slain）。　　〃I　say　the　people　have　their　rights。　　The　companies　ought　to　be　made　to　pay　a　fair　tax。　　But　this　twenty…year…franchise　idea　is　too　little；　I　think。　　The　Mears　bill　now　gives　them　fifty　years；　and　I　think　all　told〃

The　Five　Hundred　（in　chorus）。　　〃Ho；　you　robber！　You　thief！　You　boodler！　Hang　him！　Ho！　ho！　ho！　Get　a　rope！〃

Pinski　（retreating　within　a　defensive　circle　as　various　citizens　approach　him；　their　eyes　blazing；　their　teeth　showing；　their　fists　clenched）。　　〃My　friends；　wait！　Ain't　I　goin'　to　be　allowed　to　finish？〃

A　Voice。　　〃We'll　finish　you；　you　stiff！〃

A　Citizen　（advancing；　a　bearded　Pole）。　　〃How　will　you　vote；　hey？　Tell　us　that！　How？　Hey？〃

A　Second　Citizen　（a　Jew）。　　〃You're　a　no…good；　you　robber。　　I　know　you　for　ten　years　now　already。　　You　cheated　me　when　you　were　in　the　grocery　business。〃

A　Third　Citizen　（a　Swede。　　In　a　sing…song　voice）。　　〃Answer　me　this；　Mr。　Pinski。　　If　a　majority　of　the　citizens　of　the　Fourteenth　Ward　don't　want　you　to　vote　for　it；　will　you　still　vote　for　it？〃

Pinski　（hesitating）。

The　Five　Hundred。　　〃Ho！　look　at　the　scoundrel！　He's　afraid　to　say。　He　don't　know　whether　he'll　do　what　the　people　of　this　ward　want　him　to　do。　　Kill　him！　Brain　him！〃

A　Voice　from　Behind。　　〃Aw；　stand　up；　Pinski。　　Don't　be　afraid。〃　Pinski　（terrorized　as　the　five　hundred　make　a　rush　for　the　stage）。　〃If　the　people　don't　want　me　to　do　it；　of　course　I　won't　do　it。　　Why　should　I？　Ain't　I　their　representative？〃

A　Voice。　　〃Yes；　when　you　think　you're　going　to　get　the　wadding　kicked　out　of　you。〃

Another　Voice。　　〃You　wouldn't　be　honest　with　your　mother；　you　bastard。　　You　couldn't　be！〃

Pinski。　　〃If　one…half　the　voters　should　ask　me　not　to　do　it　I　wouldn't　do　it。〃

A　Voice。　　〃Well；　we'll　get　the　voters　to　ask　you；　all　right。　　We'll　get　nine…tenths　of　them　to　sign　before　to…morrow　night。〃

An　Irish…American　（aged　twenty…six；　a　gas　collector；　coming　close　to　Pinski）。　　〃If　you　don't　vote　right　we'll　hang　you；　and　I'll　be　there　to　help　pull　the　rope　myself。〃

One　of　Pinski's　Lieutenants。　　〃Say；　who　is　that　freshie？　We　want　to　lay　for　him。　　One　good　kick　in　the　right　place　will　just　about　finish　him。〃

The　Gas　Collector。　　〃Not　from　you；　you　carrot…faced　terrier。　　Come　outside　and　see。〃　（Business　of　friends　interfering）。

The　meeting　becomes　disorderly。　　Pinski　is　escorted　out　by　friends　completely　surroundedamid　shrieks　and　hisses；　cat…calls；　cries　of　〃Boodler！〃　〃Thief！〃　〃Robber！〃

There　were　many　such　little　dramatic　incidents　after　the　ordinance　had　been　introduced。

Henceforth　on　the　streets；　in　the　wards　and　outlying　sections；　and　even；　on　occasion；　in　the　business　heart；　behold　the　marching　clubsthose　sinister；　ephemeral　organizations　which　on　demand　of　the　mayor　had　cropped　out　into　existencegreat　companies　of　the　unheralded；　the　dull；　the　undistinguishedclerks；　working…men；　small　business　men；　and　minor　scions　of　religion　or　morality；　all　tramping　to　and　fro　of　an　evening；　after　working…hours；　assembling　in　cheap　halls　and　party　club…houses；　and　drilling　themselves　to　what　end？　That　they　might　march　to　the　city　hall　on　the　fateful　Monday　night　when　the　street…railway　ordinances　should　be　up　for　passage　and　demand　of　unregenerate　lawmakers　that　they　do　their　duty。　　Cowperwood；　coming　down　to　his　office　one　morning　on　his　own　el