【汤姆·斯威夫特和他的电力机车】（英）阿普尔顿

TOMSWIFTANDHISELECTRICLOCOMOTIVE1TOMSWIFTANDHISELECTRICLOCOMOTIVE(orTwoMilesaMinuteontheRails)VICTORAPPLETONVICTORAPPLETONVICTORAPPLETONVICTORAPPLETONTOMSWIFTANDHISELECTRICLOCOMOTIVE2CHAPTERIATemptingOfferATemptingOfferATemptingOfferATemptingOfferAnelectriclocomotivethatcanmaketwomilesaminuteoveraproperlyballastedroadbedmightnotbeanimpossibility,saidMr.BartonSwiftruminatively.Itisoneofthosethingsthatarecoming,andheflashedhisson,TomSwift,aknowingsmile.IthadbeenatopicofconversationbetweenthembeforethevisitorfromtheWesthadbeenseatedbeforethelibraryfireandhadsampledoneoftheelderSwift'sgoodcigars.Itisnotonlyafuturepossibility,saidthelattergentleman,shrugginghisshoulders.AsfarastheHendricktonandPasAlosRailroadCompanygoes,atwomileaminutegait--notaloneonaleveltrackbutthroughthePasAlosRange--isanimmediatenecessity.It'sgottobedonenow,orourstockwillbesellingonthecurbforabouttwocentsashare.Youdonotmeanjustthat,doyou,Mr.Bartholomew?askedTomSwiftearnestly,andstaringatthebig-littlemanbeforethefire.Mr.RichardBartholomewwasjustthat--abig-littleman.Intherailroadworld,bothinconstructionandmanagement,hehadmadeanenviablenameforhimself.HehadactuallybuiltuptheHendricktonandPasAlosfromanarrow-gauge,jerkwaterroadintoapartofagreatcross-continentsystemthattappedawonderfullyrichterritoryonbothsidesofthePasAlosRange.ForsomeyearstheH.&P.A.hadamonopolyofthatterritory.Now,asMr.Bartholomewintimated,itwasthreatenedwithsuchrivalryfromanotherrailroadandothercapitalists,thattheH.&P.A.wasbeinglookeduponinthefinancialmarketasashakyinvestment.ButTomSwiftrepeated:Youdonotmeanjustthat,doyou,Mr.Bartholomew?Mr.Bartholomew,whowasalittlemanphysically,rolledaroundinhischairtofacetheyoungfellowmoredirectly.Hisowneyessparkledinthefirelight.Hisolivefacewasflushed.Thatismuchnearerthetruth,youngman,hesaid,somewhatharshlyTOMSWIFTANDHISELECTRICLOCOMOTIVE3becauseofhissuppressedemotion,thanIwantpeopleatlargetosuspect.AsIhavetoldyourfather,Icameheretoputallmycardsonthetable;butIexpecttheSwiftConstructionCompanytotakeanythingImaysayassaidinconfidence.Wequiteunderstandthat,Mr.Bartholomew,saidtheelderSwift,softly.Youcanspeakfreely.Whetherwedobusinessornot,thesewallsaresoundproof,andTomandIcanforget,orremember,aswewish.Ofcourseifwetakeupanyworkforyou,wemustconfidetoacertainextentinourcloseassociatesandtrustedmechanics.Humph!gruntedthevisitor,turningrestlesslyagaininhischair.Thenhesaid:Iagreeasthenecessityofthatlaststatement;butIcanonlyhopethatthesewallsaresoundproof.What'sthat?demandedTom,rathersharply.Hewasabrightlookingyoungfellowwithanalertairandaratherhumoroussmile.Hisfatherwasasemi-invalid;butTompossessedallthementalvigorandmuscularenergythatayoungmanshouldhave.HehadnotneglectedhisAthleticdevelopmentwhilehemadethebestuseofhismentalpowers.Believeme,saidthevisitor,quiteasharshlyasbefore,Ibegintodoubtthesolidityofallwalls.IknowthatIhavebeenwatched,andspiedupon,andthateavesdroppershaveplayedhobwithouraffairs.Oflate,therehasbeenlittleplannedinthedirectors'roomoftheH.&P.A.thathasnotseepedoutandaidedtheenemyinforeseeingourmoves.Theenemy?repeatedMr.Swift,withmildsurprise.That'sitexactly!Theenemy!repliedMr.Bartholomewshortly.TheH.&P.A.hasgotthefightofitslifeonitshands.Wehadahardenoughtimefightingnatureandtheelementswhenwelaidthefirstironfortheroadascoreofyearsago.NowIamfacingafightthatmustgrowfiercerandfiercerastimegoesonuntileithertheH.&P.A.smashestheopposition,ortheenemysmashesit.Whatenemyisthisyouspeakof?askedTom,muchinterested.TheproposedHendrickton&Western.Anewroad,backedbynewcapital,andtobeofficeredandbuiltbynewmenintheconstructionandrailroadgame.TOMSWIFTANDHISELECTRICLOCOMOTIVE4MontagneLewis--you'veheardofhim,Ipresume--isattheheadofthecrowdthathaveboughtthelittleoldHendrickton&Western,lock,stockandbarrel.Theyhavefranchisesforextendingtheroad.Intheolddaysthelegislaturesgrantedblanketfranchisesthatallowedanygroupofmoneyedmentoengageinanykindofbusinessassideissuestorailroading.MontagneLewisandhiscrowdhavegota'plenty-big'franchise.Theyhavebegunlayingiron.Itparallels,toacertainextent,ourownline.TheirsurveyorsweresmarterthanthemenwholaidouttheH.&P.A.Iadmitit.Besides,thecountryoutthereisdevelopedmorethanitwasascoreofyearsagowhenItookhold.AllthisentersintothefightbetweenMontagneLewisandme.Butthereissomethingdeeper,saidthelittleman,withalmostasnarl,ashethrashedaboutagaininhischair.IbeatMontagneLewisatonebiggameyearsago.Heisamanwhoneverforgets--andwhoneverhesitatestoplaydirtypoliticsifhehasto,tobringabouthisownends.IknowthatIhavebeenwatched.IknowthatIwasfollowedonthistripEast.Hehasprivatedetectivesonmytrackcontinually.Andworse.AllthegunmenoftheoldandwilderWestarenotdead.There'safellownamedAndyO'Malley--well,nevermindhim.ThegameatpresentistokeepanybodyinLewis'semployfromgettingwisetowhyIcametoseeyou.Whatyousayisinteresting,Mr.Swiftherebrokeinquietly.ButIhavealreadybeenpuzzledbywhatyoufirstsaid.Justwhyhaveyoucometous--toTomandme--inreferencetoyourrailroaddifficulties?Andthissuggestionyouhavemade,addedTom,aboutapossibleelectriclocomotiveofafastertypethanhas,everyetbeenputonthe