the financier-第102部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
rage and disappointment and tears。 Four years and three months！ That would make a terrible gap in his life and hers。 Still； she could wait。 It was better than eight or ten years； as she had feared it might be。 Perhaps now； once this was really over and he was in prison； the Governor would pardon him。
The judge now moved to pick up the papers in connection with Stener's case； satisfied that he had given the financiers no chance to say he had not given due heed to their plea in Cowperwood's behalf and yet certain that the politicians would be pleased that he had so nearly given Cowperwood the maximum while appearing to have heeded the pleas for mercy。 Cowperwood saw through the trick at once； but it did not disturb him。 It struck him as rather weak and contemptible。 A bailiff came forward and started to hurry him away。
〃Allow the prisoner to remain for a moment；〃 called the judge。
The name； of George W。 Stener had been called by the clerk and Cowperwood did not quite understand why he was being detained； but he soon learned。 It was that he might hear the opinion of the court in connection with his copartner in crime。 The latter's record was taken。 Roger O'Mara； the Irish political lawyer who had been his counsel all through his troubles； stood near him； but had nothing to say beyond asking the judge to consider Stener's previously honorable career。
〃George W。 Stener；〃 said his honor； while the audience； including Cowperwood； listened attentively。 〃The motion for a new trial as well as an arrest of judgment in your case having been overruled； it remains for the court to impose such sentence as the nature of your offense requires。 I do not desire to add to the pain of your position by any extended remarks of my own； but I cannot let the occasion pass without expressing my emphatic condemnation of your offense。 The misapplication of public money has become the great crime of the age。 If not promptly and firmly checked； it will ultimately destroy our institutions。 When a republic becomes honeycombed with corruption its vitality is gone。 It must crumble upon the first pressure。
〃In my opinion； the public is much to blame for your offense and others of a similar character。 Heretofore； official fraud has been regarded with too much indifference。 What we need is a higher and purer political moralitya state of public opinion which would make the improper use of public money a thing to be execrated。 It was the lack of this which made your offense possible。 Beyond that I see nothing of extenuation in your case。〃 Judge Payderson paused for emphasis。 He was coming to his finest flight； and he wanted it to sink in。
〃The people had confided to you the care of their money；〃 he went on； solemnly。 〃It was a high； a sacred trust。 You should have guarded the door of the treasury even as the cherubim protected the Garden of Eden； and should have turned the flaming sword of impeccable honesty against every one who approached it improperly。 Your position as the representative of a great community warranted that。
〃In view of all the facts in your case the court can do no less than impose a major penalty。 The seventy…fourth section of the Criminal Procedure Act provides that no convict shall be sentenced by the court of this commonwealth to either of the penitentiaries thereof； for any term which shall expire between the fifteenth of November and the fifteenth day of February of any year； and this provision requires me to abate three months from the maximum of time which I would affix in your casenamely； five years。 The sentence of the court is； therefore； that you pay a fine of five thousand dollars to the commonwealth for the use of the county〃 Payderson knew well enough that Stener could never pay that sum 〃and that you undergo imprisonment in the State Penitentiary for the Eastern District； by separate and solitary confinement at labor； for the period of four years and nine months； and that you stand committed until this sentence is complied with。〃 He laid down the briefs and rubbed his chin reflectively while both Cowperwood and Stener were hurried out。 Butler was the first to leave after the sentencequite satisfied。 Seeing that all was over so far as she was concerned； Aileen stole quickly out； and after her； in a few moments； Cowperwood's father and brothers。 They were to await him outside and go with him to the penitentiary。 The remaining members of the family were at home eagerly awaiting intelligence of the morning's work； and Joseph Cowperwood was at once despatched to tell them。
The day had now become cloudy； lowery； and it looked as if there might be snow。 Eddie Zanders； who had been given all the papers in the case； announced that there was no need to return to the county jail。 In consequence the five of themZanders； Steger； Cowperwood； his father； and Edwardgot into a street…car which ran to within a few blocks of the prison。 Within half an hour they were at the gates of the Eastern Penitentiary。
Chapter LIII
The Eastern District Penitentiary of Pennsylvania； standing at Fairmount Avenue and Twenty…first Street in Philadelphia； where Cowperwood was now to serve his sentence of four years and three months； was a large； gray…stone structure； solemn and momentous in its mien； not at all unlike the palace of Sforzas at Milan； although not so distinguished。 It stretched its gray length for several blocks along four different streets； and looked as lonely and forbidding as a prison should。 The wall which inclosed its great area extending over ten acres and gave it so much of its solemn dignity was thirty…five feet high and some seven feet thick。 The prison proper； which was not visible from the outside； consisted of seven arms or corridors； ranged octopus…like around a central room or court； and occupying in their sprawling length about two…thirds of the yard inclosed within the walls； so that there was but little space for the charm of lawn or sward。 The corridors； forty…two feet wide from outer wall to outer wall； were one hundred and eighty feet in length； and in four instances two stories high； and extended in their long reach in every direction。 There were no windows in the corridors； only narrow slits of skylights； three and one…half feet long by perhaps eight inches wide； let in the roof； and the ground…floor cells were accompanied in some instances by a small yard ten by sixteenthe same size as the cells properwhich was surrounded by a high brick wall in every instance。 The cells and floors and roofs were made of stone； and the corridors； which were only ten feet wide between the cells； and in the case of the single…story portion only fifteen feet high； were paved with stone。 If you stood in the central room； or rotunda； and looked down the long stretches which departed from you in every direction； you had a sense of narrowness and confinement not compatible with their length。 The iron doors； with their outer accompaniment of solid wooden ones； the latter used at times to shut the prisoner from all sight and sound； were grim and unpleasing to behold。 The halls were light enough； being whitewashed frequently and set with the narrow skylights； which were closed with frosted glass in winter； but they were； as are all such matter…of…fact arrangements for incarceration； barewearisome to look upon。 Life enough there was in all conscience； seeing that there were four hundred prisoners here at that time； and that nearly every cell was occupied； but it was a life of which no one individual was essentially aware as a spectacle。 He was of it； but he was not。 Some of the prisoners； after long service； were used as 〃trusties〃 or 〃runners；〃 as they were locally called； but not many。 There was a bakery； a machine…shop； a carpenter…shop； a store…room； a flour…mill； and a series of gardens； or truck patches； but the manipulation of these did not require the services of a large number。
The prison proper dated from 1822； and it had grown； wing by wing； until its present considerable size had been reached。 Its population consisted of individuals of all degrees of intelligence and crime； from murderers to minor practitioners of larceny。 It had what was known as the 〃Pennsylvania System〃 of regulation for its inmates； which was nothing more nor less than solitary confinement for all concerneda life of absolute silence and separate labor in separate cells。
Barring his comparatively recent experience in the county jail； which after all was far from typical； Cowperwood had never been in a prison in his life。 Once； when a boy； in one of his perambulations through several of the surrounding towns； he had passed a village 〃lock…up；〃 as the town prisons were then calleda small； square； gray building with long iron…barred windows； and he had seen； at one of these rather depressing apertures on the second floor； a none too prepossessing drunkard or town ne'er…do…well who looked down on him with bleary eyes； unkempt hair； and a sodden； waxy； pallid face； and calledfor it was summer and the jail window was open：
〃Hey； sonny； get me a plug of tobacco； will you？〃
Cowperwood； who had looked up； shocked and disturbed by the man's disheveled appearance； had called back； quite witho
