Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter V.
Yousee,ifIhadaphoto-engravingplantofmyown,Icoulddoagooddealofoutsidejobbingaswell,andtheinvestmentwouldpaytenpercent.Butittakesmoneytomakemoney.Iwouldn’twanttoputinanydinky,one-horseaffair.Iwantagoodplant.I’vebeenfiguringoutthebusiness.Besidestheplant,therewouldbetheexpenseofahighgradepaper.Can’tprinthalf-tonesonanythingbutcoatedpaper,andthatCOSTS.Well,whatwiththisandwiththatandrunningexpensestillthethingbegantopay,itwouldcostmeabouttenthousanddollars,andIwaswonderingif,perhaps,youcouldn’tseeyourwaycleartoaccommodatingme.”
“Tenthousand?”
“Yes.Sayfivethousanddown,andthebalancewithinsixtydays.”
Magnus,forthemomentblindtowhatGenslingerhadinmind,turnedonhiminastonishment.
“Why,man,whatsecuritycouldyougivemeforsuchanamount?”
“Well,totellthetruth,”answeredtheeditor,“Ihadn’tthoughtmuchaboutsecurities.Infact,Ibelievedyouwouldseehowgreatlyitwastoyouradvantagetotalkbusinesswithme.Yousee,I’mnotgoingtoprintthisarticleaboutyou,Governor,andI’mnotgoingtoletitgetoutsoasanyoneelsecanprintit,anditseemstomethatonegoodturndeservesanother.Youunderstand?”
Magnusunderstood.Anoverwhelmingdesiresuddenlytookpossessionofhimtogripthisblackmailerbythethroat,tostranglehimwherehestood;or,ifnot,atleasttoturnuponhimwiththatold-timeterribleanger,beforewhichwholeconventionshadoncecowered.ButinthesamemomenttheGovernorrealisedthiswasnottobe.
