Финансист

Chapter LIX

           Hewouldgivethemorderstosell—everything—ten,fifteen,twenty,thirtypointsoff,ifnecessary,inordertotraptheunwary,depressthemarket,frightenthefearsomewhowouldthinkhewastoodaring;andthenhewouldbuy,buy,buy,belowthesefiguresasmuchaspossible,inordertocoverhissalesandreapaprofit.

           Hisinstincttoldhimhowwidespreadandenduringthispanicwouldbe.TheNorthernPacificwasahundred-million-dollarventure.Itinvolvedthesavingsofhundredsofthousandsofpeople—smallbankers,tradesmen,preachers,lawyers,doctors,widows,institutionsallovertheland,andallrestingonthefaithandsecurityofJayCooke.Once,notunliketheChicagofiremap,CowperwoodhadseenagrandprospectusandmapofthelocationoftheNorthernPacificland-grantwhichCookehadcontrolled,showingavaststretchorbeltofterritoryextendingfromDuluth—"TheZenithCityoftheUnsaltedSeas,"asProctorKnott,speakingintheHouseofRepresentatives,hadsarcasticallycalledit—throughtheRockiesandtheheadwatersoftheMissouritothePacificOcean.HehadseenhowCookehadostensiblymanagedtogetcontrolofthisgovernmentgrant,containingmillionsuponmillionsofacresandextendingfourteenhundredmilesinlength;butitwasonlyavisionofempire.Theremightbesilverandgoldandcopperminesthere.Thelandwasusable—wouldsomedaybeusable.Butwhatofitnow?Itwoulddotofiretheimaginationsoffoolswith—nothingmore.

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