the rich man may have his vices in peace. By heaven, if that is not a
wondrous achievement, I have not seen one!

GER. You believe this morality was invented by the rich.

HAGEN. I don't know. It seems to be a congenital disease.

GER. Some people believe it was implanted in man by God.

HAGEN. [Shrugging his shoulders.] Perhaps. Or by a devil. Men might have
lived in holes, like woodchucks, and been fat and happy; but now they
have Morality, and toil and die for some other man's delight.

CAL. [Enters, right.] Are you at leisure, sir?

HAGEN. Why?

CAL. Mr. Isman wants you on the 'phone.

HAGEN. Oh! All right... [Goes to 'phone.]

GER. [Rises.] Perhaps I...

HAGEN. No, that's all right. [Sits at 'phone.] Hello! Is that Isman? How
are you? [To CALKINS.] Calkins!

CAL. Yes, sir.

[Sits and takes notes.]

HAGEN. How about Intercontinental? [Imperiously.] But I can! I said the
stock was to go to sixty-four, and I want it to go. I don't care what
it costs, Isman... let it go in the morning... and don't ever let this
happen again. I have sent word you are to have another hundred million
by nine-thirty. Will that do? Don't take chances. Oh, Rutherford!
Tell Rutherford my terms are that the directors of the Fidelity Life
Insurance Company are to resign, and he is to go to China for six
months. Yes. I mean that literally... Plimpton? What do I want with his
banks... I've got my own money... And, oh, by the way, Isman... call up
the White House again, and tell the President that the regulars will
be needed in New York.... No, I understand you... I think I've fixed
matters up at this end. I've got two hundred guards up here, and they're
picked men... they'll shoot if there's need. I'm not talking about it,
naturally... but I'm taking care of myself. You keep your nerve, Isman.
It'll all be over in a month or two more... these fellows are used to
having their own way, and they make a fuss. And, by the way, as to the
newspapers... we'll turn out that paper trust crowd, and stop selling
paper to the ones that are making trouble. That'll put an end to it,
I fancy. You had best get after it yourself, and have it attended to
promptly. You might think of little things like that yourself, Isman...
no, you're all right; only you haven't got enough imagination. But
just get onto this job, and let me hear that it's done before morning.
Good-bye. [Hangs up receiver.] Humph! [To GERALD.] They've about got
your father's nerve.