Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter I
“WhatbecameofHarranandLymanandtheGovernor?”inquiredPresley.
Lymanhaddisappeared,allegingabusinessengagement,butMagnusandhisyoungersonhadretiredtothelibraryoftheclubonthefloorabove.Itwasalmostdeserted.Theyweredeepinearnestconversation.
“Harran,”saidtheGovernor,withdecision,“thereisadeal,there,inwhatCedarquistsays.OurwheattoChina,hey,boy?”
“Itiscertainlyworththinkingof,sir.”
“Itappealstome,boy;itappealstome.It’sbigandthere’safortuneinit.Bigchancesmeanbigreturns;andIknow—youroldfatherisn’tabacknumberyet,Harran—ImaynothavesowideanoutlookasourfriendCedarquist,butIamquicktoseemychance.Boy,thewholeEastisopening,disintegratingbeforetheAnglo-Saxon.Itistimethatbreadstuffs,aswell,shouldmakemarketsforthemselvesintheOrient.Justatthismoment,too,whenLymanwillscaledownfreightratessowecanhaultotidewateratlittlecost.”
Magnuspausedagain,hisfrownbeetling,andinthesilencetheexcitedmurmurfromthemainroomoftheclub,thesopranochatterofamultitudeofwomen,founditswaytothedesertedlibrary.
“Ibelieveit’sworthlookinginto,Governor,”assertedHarran.
Magnusrose,and,hishandsbehindhim,pacedthefloorofthelibraryacoupleoftimes,hisimaginationallstimulatedandvivid.ThegreatgamblerperceivedhisChance,thekaleidoscopicshiftingofcircumstancesthatmadeaSituation.Ithadcomesilently,unexpectedly.Hehadnotseenitsapproach.Abruptlyhewokeonemorningtoseethecombinationrealised.
