Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter II
”
“Well—but—damnyou,I’mundercontracttodeliver.WhatamIgoingtodo?Why,youtoldme—youpromisedmeatwo-centrate.”
“Idon’trememberit,”saidtheclerk.“Idon’tknowanythingaboutthat.ButIknowthis;Iknowthathopshavegoneup.IknowtheGermancropwasafailureandthatthecropinNewYorkwasn’tworththehauling.Hopshavegoneuptonearlyadollar.Youdon’tsupposewedon’tknowthat,doyou,Mr.Dyke?”
“What’sthepriceofhopsgottodowithyou?”
“It’sgotTHIStodowithus,”returnedtheotherwithasuddenaggressiveness,“thatthefreightratehasgoneuptomeettheprice.We’renotdoingbusinessforourhealth.Myordersaretoraiseyourratetofivecents,andIthinkyouaregettingoffeasy.”
Dykestaredinblankastonishment.Forthemoment,theaudacityoftheaffairwaswhatmostappealedtohim.Heforgotitspersonalapplication.
“GoodLord,”hemurmured,“goodLord!Whatwillyoupeopledonext?Lookhere.What’syourbasisofapplyingfreightrates,anyhow?”hesuddenlyvociferatedwithfurioussarcasm.“What’syourrule?Whatareyouguidedby?”
Butatthewords,S.Behrman,whohadkeptsilentduringtheheatofthediscussion,leanedabruptlyforward.Fortheonlytimeinhisknowledge,Dykesawhisfaceinflamedwithangerandwiththeenmityandcontemptofallthisfarmingelementwithwhomhewascontending.
“Yes,what’syourrule?What’syourbasis?”demandedDyke,turningswiftlytohim.
S.
