Титан

The Cataclysm

           Cowperwood,disappointedbytheoutcomeofhisvariousingratiatoryefforts,decidedtofallbackonhisoldreliablemethodofbribery.Hefixedonhispricetwentythousanddollarsforeachfavorablevote,tobeginwith.Later,ifnecessary,hewouldraiseittotwenty-fivethousand,oreventhirtythousand,makingthetotalcostintheneighborhoodofamillionandahalf.Yetitwasasmallpriceindeedwhentheultimatereturnwasconsidered.HeplannedtohavehisordinanceintroducedbyanaldermannamedBallenberg,atrustedlieutenant,andhandedthereaftertotheclerk,whowouldreadit,whereuponanotherhenchmanwouldrisetomovethatitbereferredtothejointcommitteeonstreetsandalleys,consistingofthirty-fourmembersdrawnfromallthestandingcommittees.Bythiscommitteeitwouldbeconsideredforoneweekinthegeneralcouncil-chamber,wherepublichearingswouldbeheld.BykeepingupaboldfrontCowperwoodthoughtthenecessaryironcouldbeputintohisfollowerstoenablethemtogothroughwiththescorchingordealwhichwassuretofollow.Alreadyaldermenwerebeingbesiegedattheirhomesandintheprecinctsofthewardclubsandmeeting-places.Theirmailwasbeingpackedwithimportuningorthreateningletters.Theirverychildrenwerebeingderided,theirneighborsurgedtochastisethem.Ministerswrotetheminappealingordenunciatoryvein.Theywerespieduponandabuseddailyinthepublicprints.

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