Chapter 2 Chapter two

Once upon a time, there was a man who was extraordinarily rich, and his money was in the millions, just as other people's money was in the thousands.He is William W. Codrup. He is said to be richer than the Duke of Westminster - who earns 800,000 livres and can spend 50,000 francs a day, or 36 francs a minute - than Senator Jones of Nevada, who An annuity of 35 million--richer than Mr. McKay himself, whose annual income of 2,750,000 livres would secure him 7,800 francs an hour, or 2 francs a few centimes a second. I'm not talking about little millionaires like the Rothschilds, the Van der Bilts, the Dukes of Northumberland, the Stewarts, or the managers of powerful banks in California. and other wealthy men of the Old and New World, to whom William W. Coedrup was well able to give alms.He can give a million as easily as you or I give a hundred sous.

This venerable speculator laid the foundation for his untold fortune while mining the first placer gold deposits in California.He was the main partner of the Swiss captain Sauter, in the formations where the first veins were discovered in 1848.Since then, by chance and ingenuity, he has shown interest in all the great mining fields on both continents.So he ventured boldly into commercial and industrial speculation.His inexhaustible wealth maintained hundreds of factories, and his ships carried their products all over the world.Therefore, his property has not only increased in an arithmetic progression, but also in a geometric progression. People say that he does not know how much property he has, just as people usually talk about "billionaires".He actually knew his fortune to within a dollar, but he rarely exaggerated it.

As we introduce our readers to William W. Coedrup with all the respect due to "a man of such stature," he owns 2,000 firms in every corner of the globe; in America, Europe, and Australia 80,000 employees working in different offices; 300,000 clients; a fleet of 500 ships constantly voyaging the seas for his profit, and the annual cost of postage on bills and letters The expenditure is not less than 1 million.In short, it was the dignity and honor of this rich Frisco--the friendly nickname Americans affectionately give to the capital of California. A high price, therefore, by William W. Codrup can only be a most serious high price.So, when the audience at this auction recognized who had just added $100,000 to the starting price of the Spencer Island auction, there was an involuntary commotion, and the ridicule stopped in an instant, and the words of ridicule turned into admiration. There was a burst of "Ula" in the auction hall.

There was a moment of applause followed by silence.His eyes widened and his ears pricked up.For us, if we had been there, we would have held our breath so as not to overwhelm the excitement that would ensue if anyone dared to compete with William W. Codrup. But will there be?Is this even possible? No!First, let us look at William W. Kodrup enough to instill the confidence that he would never budge on a matter of his means. He was a tall, strong man, with a huge head, broad shoulders, strong limbs, and a solid body.His eyes were kind and firm, unwilling to droop.His gray hair "clustered" around the top of his head, as thick as a young man's.The straight lines of his nose formed a right-angled triangle with exacting precision, no mustache, and a manicured American beard bristling on his chin, the two tips of which met his lips. Connecting, the beard climbed up to his gray temples.In the delicate and taut mouth are neatly lined with white teeth.The head of a real commodore, raised in the wind and waves, facing the storm.No hurricane could bow his head, so solid a head resting on a strong neck that was his journal.In this battle of high bids, every movement of the head from top to bottom means adding $100,000.

There is no battle to be fought. "$200,000, $1.2 million!" said the auction appraiser in the characteristic tone of a broker, who at last saw that his fee was in sight. "At the price of 1.2 million US dollars, there are buyers!" the auctioneer Ginglas repeated. "Oh! bold high bids!" murmured Oakhurst, the tavernkeeper. "William Codrup won't budge!" "He knows no one's going to risk it!" replied the Merchant Street grocer. The continual "shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" the two venerable businessmen were completely silent.Everyone wanted to hear, hearts were beating, and dared a voice to answer the voice of William W. Coedrup?He, looking proud, was motionless.He stayed there, calm as if the matter didn't interest him.But—as those around him could observe—his eyes were like two loaded pistols ready to fire.

"Is there no bid?" asked Ding Felbach. No bids were made. "Once! Twice! . . . " repeated Gingras, very accustomed to chanting briefly with the auctioneer. "I'm going to judge!" "We're going to judge!" "Spencer Island bid $1.2 million, that's what the bid and winning bid was for!" "In the $1.2 million price point!" "See clearly?... hear clearly?" "No regrets?" "Spencer Island offers $1.2 million!  …" The breathless chests heaved convulsively.At the last second, will you finally call out a high price?

The auction appraiser, Phil Paoke, stretched his right hand above the table and swung the ivory mallet... One hammer, one hammer, and the auction will be judged! Even in the face of Lynch's lynching, the public impression would not be so strong! The mallet lowered slowly, almost touching the table, and then raised it up again, trembling slightly, like a fencer's sword about to launch a full-scale dash; then, quickly lowered... But, just before the final word, a voice shouted these 4 words: "$1.3 million!" They uttered the first surprised "Ah!" at the same time, and then uttered the second satisfied "Ah!" at the same time.A high price has been called out, so there's going to be a fight.

But who would dare to challenge William W. Coedrup of San Francisco with the dollar so boldly? That's Stockton's J. -R． · Tuskeena. J． -R． Tuskeena was rich, but got fatter, he weighed 490 pounds.The reason he came in second in the last fat Chicago race was because they didn't let him have time to finish his lunch, so he lost 10 pounds. This behemoth must use a special seat to sit his huge body, he lives in St. John Chin in Stockton.This is one of the most important cities in California. It is one of the distribution centers of ores in the south, rivaling Sacramento Street, which concentrates the minerals in the north.There, too, the greatest quantities of California wheat were loaded onto those ships.

Not only the mining of minerals and the trade of grains for J. -R． • Tuskena offered the opportunity to make a huge fortune, and oil was another source of money that flowed into his coffers.Besides, he was a high roller, a lucky gambler, and "poker," the roulette wheel of the American West, always showed him wonders with his full points.But, despite his wealth, he was a dishonorable man whose name was prefixed with great reluctance by the so-common local epithet "Dear."All in all, a good war horse, as they say, and maybe that's overrated.Indeed, on many occasions he did not hesitate to use the "Derlinger", the Californian revolver.

Anyway, J. -R． · Tuskeena especially hated William W. Coedrup.He is jealous of his wealth, his position, his prestige.He despised him as a fat man despises a man who has a right to think he is thin.It was not the first time that the Stockton businessman had tried to take a deal from the San Francisco businessman, good or bad, out of sheer hostility.William W. Codrup saw him right through him, and whenever he met him he irritated him with a utter contempt. J． -R． • Tuskeena will never forgive the last victory of his opponent, who cleanly beat him in the latest state election.Despite his best efforts, threats, and slander -- not counting the thousands of dollars wasted by his campaign agents -- William W. Coedrup sat on the Legislative Assembly in Sacramento. Location.

However, J. -R． ·Tuskeena knows—how?I can't speak,--William W. Codrup intends to be the buyer of Spencer Island.It didn't matter that the island meant as much to him as it did to his rivals.There is a new chance to fight, to fight, and possibly to win in this matter: J. -R． · Tuskeena can't let it go. That's why J. -R． Tuskeena came to this auction hall, among the curious who did not foresee his intentions; why, at least, he had his plan of action ready; why, before acting, he waited for him The opponent calls out the auction starting price, no matter how high the price is. Finally, William W. Codrup called out the higher price: "$1.2 million!" And J． -R． Tuskeena, at a time when William W. Codrup might have thought he was finally the island's successful bidder, made his appearance by calling out these words in a sonorous voice. "$1.3 million!" As you have seen, all the people turned around. "Fat Tuskeena!" The name was passed down by word of mouth.Yes, Fat Tuskeena!This man is so famous!His obesity has provided the subject of more than one article in the Commonwealth's newspapers.I don't know any mathematician who even demonstrated in advanced mathematics that his mass had a considerable effect on our planet and perturbed the composition of the moon's orbit at some rather significant ratio. But J． -R． • The physical element of Tuskeena did not at this moment interest the audience in the hall.What will thrill audiences quite differently is that he will take on William W. Coedrup directly and openly.This heralds a dollar battle to come, and I'm not sure which of the two cash boxes the bettors will favor.These two mortal enemies have too much money!So it's going to be just a matter of self-esteem. After the initial commotion was quickly subdued, there was a new silence among all the attendees, and a web-spinning spider was to be seen. What broke the heavy silence was the voice of the auction appraiser, Ding Felbach. "$1.3 million for Spencer Isle!" he cried, standing up to better keep up with the shouts of high prices. William W. Kodrup has turned to J. -R． ·Tuskeena that direction.Those attendees just gave up a space for two competitors.The man in Stockton and the man in San Francisco could be seen face to face, conveniently staring at each other.The reality is that we have to say that neither of them misses the opportunity to stare at each other.Neither of them would look down on the other. "$1.4 million!" said William W. Kodrup. "$1.5 million!" J. -R． replied Tuskeena. "1.6 million!" "1.7 million!" This does not remind you of two industrialists in Glasgow who, at the risk of disaster, fought with each other to build the chimneys of their factories higher than the other's.Only, there, are chimneys made of gold bars. Nevertheless, in J. -R． After Tuskeenas pumped up the price, William W. Kodrup thought for a while before stepping in again.Takisna, on the contrary, fired like a cannonball and seemed unwilling to think for a moment. "$1.7 million!" repeated the auction appraiser. "Come on, gentlemen, this is a bargain! . . . It's a giveaway!" One might think that out of professional habit, the venerable Phil Pauck would add: "Death is worth it!" "$1.7 million!" the auctioneer Gingras yelled. "$1.8 million," William W. Coedrup replied. "$1.9 million!" J. -R． ·Takisna strikes back. "Two million dollars!" William W. Kodrup fired back without waiting this time. His face paled slightly as the last words came out of his mouth, but his whole demeanor showed that he was never willing to give up the fight. J． -R． Tuskeena was impulsive.His large face, like a round railroad light, turned red to order a train to stop.However, his opponents likely don't care about these signals and will spew more steam. J． -R． Tuskeena felt it.Blood rose up his face like a congested stroke.His fat fingers with expensive diamonds twisted the thick gold chain that fastened to his watch.He looked at his opponent, then closed his eyes for a moment, and reopened them with unprecedented hatred. "$2.5 million!" he finally said, hoping that the rare jump would stump all high-priced shouts. "2.7 million!" William W. Kodrup replied in a very calm voice. "2.9 million!" "." yes!William W. Kodrup of San Francisco said $3 million! The applause was about to erupt.But overwhelmed by the voice of the auction appraiser, he repeated the high price, and an involuntary movement of the gavel in his hand predicted that it would be knocked down.It can be said that Ding Felbach, who has become so insensitive to all kinds of unexpected things in the public auction, can no longer hold himself. All eyes were on J. -R． · Tuskeena.The bulky figure felt the weight, but the bigger weight came from the $3 million, which seemed to weigh him down.No doubt he wanted to speak up to call out a higher price, but there was no more he could do.He wanted to shake his head... and he couldn't. Finally, he made a sound, faintly, but enough for him to intervene. "3.5 million!" he murmured. "Four million!" replied William W. Coedrup. This is the last fatal blow. J． -R． Tuskeena was discouraged.The mallet tapped lightly on the marble on the table... Spencer Island auctioned off to William W. Coedrup of San Francisco for $4 million. "I want revenge!" J. -R． murmured Tuskeena. So, after casting a hateful glance at his victor, he returned to the western mansion. Meanwhile, Ulla, "Hey" rang three times in William W. Codrup's ears, and they accompanied him all the way to Montgomery Street, and these fanatical Americans were so enthusiastic they even forgot to sing their "Absent-Mind Americans" .

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