hr.thecarpetbaggers-第37部分

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　I　got　up　from　the　desk　and　walked　over　to　Rina。　〃Let　me　see。〃
　Rina　looked　at　me；　her　eyes　deliberately　distant。　Impassively　she　dropped　the　negligee　from　her　shoulders；　holding　it　to　her　by　the　crook　of　her　elbows。　〃Turn　right；〃　I　said。　〃Now　left。〃
　I　stepped　back　and　looked　at　Rina。　I　knew　what　it　was　now。　Whenever　she　turned；　the　brassière　pulled　and　flattened；　which　was　what　gave　her　breasts　that　unnatural　look。　I　looked　at　the　designer。　〃Maybe　if　we　took　off　the　shoulder　straps？〃
　Ilene　Gaillard　shrugged。　〃We　can　try。〃　She　reached　over　and　pushed　down　the　straps。
　Rina　stood　there；　her　eyes　fixed　on　some　distant　point　over　my　shoulder。　〃Now　turn。〃　The　brassiere　still　cut　into　her　breasts。　〃Unhh…unhh；〃　I　said。　〃I　still　don't　like　it。〃
　〃There's　one　other　thing　I　can　try。〃
　〃O。K。；〃　I　said。
　A　few　minutes　later；　they　came　out　again。　Rina　wore　a　wire…ribbed　contraption　almost　like　a　small　corset；　except　it　didn't　e　down　over　her　hips。　And　when　she　moved；　her　breasts　didn't。　You　could　see　them　all　right；　but　they　looked　as　if　they　had　been　molded　out　of　plaster　of　Paris。
　I　looked　at　the　designer。　〃Isn't　there　some　way　we　can　cut　out　some　of　those　wires？〃
　〃I　think　that　looks　fine；　Mr。　Cord。　Anyway；　I　don't　see　why　you're　so　worried　about　her　bustline。　Her　legs　are　good　and　you'll　see　plenty　of　them。〃
　〃Miss　Gaillard；　since　you're　not　a　man；　I　don't　expect　you　to　understand　what　I'm　getting　at。　I　can　see　all　the　legs　I　want　to　see　just　walking　down　the　street。　Just　answer　my　question；　please。〃
　〃No；　we　can't　cut　the　wires；　Mr。　Cord；〃　she　replied；　equally　polite。　〃If　we　do；　she　might　as　well　be　wearing　nothing。　There　wouldn't　be　enough　rigidity　to　support　her。〃
　〃Maybe　if　I　show　you　what　I　want；　you　can　do　it。　Take　it　off；　Rina；〃　I　said；　walking　over　to　her。
　Impassively　Rina　turned　aside　for　a　moment。　When　she　turned　around　again；　the　contraption　was　in　one　hand　and　with　the　other　she　held　the　top　of　the　negligee　closed。
　I　took　it　and　tossed　in　onto　my　desk。　I　put　my　hands　to　the　top　of　Rina's　negligee　and　pushed　it　down　until　it　formed　a　square　across　her　breast　just　above　the　nipples。　Her　breasts　rose　like　twin　white　moons　against　my　dark；　clenched　fists。　I　looked　back　at　the　designer。　〃See　what　I　mean？〃
　Maybe　she　didn't　but　there　wasn't　a　man　in　the　room　whose　eyes　weren't　popping　out　of　his　head。
　〃What　you　want　is　impossible；　Mr。　Cord。　Rina's　a　big　girl。　Thirty…eight　C。　There　isn't　a　brassière　made　that　could　support　her　bust　like　that。　I'm　a　designer；　Mr。　Cord；　not　a　structural　engineer。〃
　I　let　go　of　Rina's　negligee　and　turned　to　Miss　Gaillard。　〃Thank　you；〃　I　said；　going　over　to　the　telephone。　〃That's　the　first　constructive　idea　I've　heard　since　this　meeting　started。〃
　
　Morrissey　was　there　in　less　than　twenty　minutes。　
　〃I've　got　a　little　problem；　Morrissey。　I　need　your　help。〃　
　His　nervousness　disappeared　slightly　and　he　looked　around　shyly。　〃Anything　I　can　do；　Mr。　Cord。〃
　〃Stand　up；　Rina；〃　I　said。　Slowly　she　got　to　her　feet　and　walked　around　us。　Morrissey's　eyes　widened　behind　his　glasses。　I　was　glad　to　see　that　other　things　could　occupy　his　mind　besides　airplanes。
　〃There　isn't　a　brassière　made　that　can　keep　them　from　jiggling；〃　I　said。　〃And　still　look　natural。　I　want　you　to　design　one　that　will。〃
　He　turned　back　to　me；　an　expression　of　shock　on　his　face。　〃You're　joking；　Mr。　Cord！〃
　〃I　was　never　more　serious　in　my　life。〃
　〃But…　but　I　don't　know　anything　about　brassières。　I'm　an　aeronautical　engineer；〃　he　stammered；　blushing　a　bright　pink。
　〃That's　why　I　called　you；〃　I　said　calmly。　〃I　figured　if　you　can　design　planes　that　have　to　withstand　thousands　of　pounds　of　stress　you　ought　to　be　able　to　e　up　with　something　that　would　hold　up　a　little　thing　like　a　pair　of　tits。〃　I　turned　to　the　costume　designer。　〃Fill　him　in　on　what　he　needs　to　know。〃
　Miss　Gaillard　looked　at　me；　then　at　Morrissey。　〃Perhaps　it　would　be　better　if　we　worked　in　my　office　in　Wardrobe。　I　have　everything　there　you　might　need。〃
　Morissey　had　been　staring　at　Rina's　breasts　while　the　designer　spoke。　For　a　moment；　I　thought　he　was　paralyzed；　then　he　turned　around。　〃I　think　I　might　be　able　to　do　something。〃
　〃I　knew　you　could；〃　I　said；　smiling。
　〃I'm　not　promising　anything；　of　course。　But　it's　a　very　intriguing　problem。〃
　I　kept　a　straight　face。　〃Very；〃　I　said　solemnly。
　Morrissey　turned　to　the　designer。　〃Do　you　happen　to　have　a　pair　of　calipers？〃
　〃Calipers？　What　do　we　need　calipers　for？〃
　Morrissey　looked　at　her　in　amazement。　〃How　else　would　we　be　able　to　measure　the　depth　and　the　circumference？〃
　She　stared　at　him　blankly　for　a　moment；　then；　taking　his　arm；　began　to　walk　him　toward　the　door。　〃I'm　sure　we　can　get　a　pair　from　Engineering。　You'd　better　e　with　us；　Rina。〃
　Morrissey　was　back　in　a　little　over　an　hour。　He　came　in　waving　a　sheet　of　paper。　〃I　think　we've　got　it！　It　was　really　very　simple　once　we　found　the　point　of　stress。　The　weight　of　each　breast　pulls　to　either　side。　That　means　the　origin　of　stress　falls　between　them；　right　in　the　center　of　the　cleavage。〃
　I　stared　at　him。　His　language　was　a　curious　mixture　of　engineering　and　wardrobe　design。　But　he　was　too　wrapped　up　in　his　explanation　to　pay　attention　to　my　look。　〃The　whole　thing　then　became　a　problem　of　pensation。　We　had　to　find　a　way　to　utilize　the　stress　to　hold　the　breasts　steady。　I　inserted　a　V…shaped　wire　in　the　cleavage　using　the　suspension　principle。　Understand？〃　
　I　shook　my　head。　〃You　went　way　past　me。〃　
　〃You　know　the　principle　used　in　a　suspension　bridge？〃　
　〃Vaguely；〃　I　said。
　〃Under　that　principle；　the　more　pressure　the　mass　exerts　against　itself；　the　more　pressure　is　created　to　hold　it　in　place。〃
　I　nodded。　I　still　didn't　understand　it　pletely。　But　I　had　all　I　needed　for　now。　What　I　wanted　to　know　was　would　it　work？
　I　didn't　have　long　to　wait　for　the　answer。　Rina　came　into　the　office　shortly　after　that　with　Ilene　Gaillard。　Deliberately　she　let　the　wrap　fall　to　the　floor　and　stood　there　in　the　repaired　negligee。
　〃Walk　toward　Mr。　Cord；〃　the　designer　said。　
　Slowly　Rina　walked　toward　me。　I　couldn't　take　my　eyes　from　her。　The　sweetest　pair　of　knockers　a　man　ever　put　his　head　down　on。　She　stopped　in　front　of　my　desk　and　looked　down　at　me。　For　the　first　time　that　afternoon；　she　spoke。　〃Well？〃
　I　was　conscious　of　the　effort　it　took　to　raise　my　eyes　and　look　up　into　her　face。　Her　eyes　were　cold　and　calculating。　The　bitch　was　always　exactly　aware　of　the　effect　she　had　on　me。　She　started　to　turn　away。　〃One　more　thing；　Miss　Gaillard；〃　I　said。　〃Tomorrow　when　we　start　shooting；　I　want　her　in　a　black　negligee；　instead　of　that　white　one。　I　want　everybody　to　know　she's　a　whore；　not　a　virgin　bride。〃
　〃Yes；　Mr。　Cord。〃　Ilene　came　up　to　my　desk；　her　eyes　shining。　〃I　really　think　we're　going　to　set　a　new　style　with　Miss　Marlowe。　Unless　I'm　pletely　mistaken；　women　all　over　the　world　will　be　trying　for　her　style　once　this　picture　es　out。〃
　I　grinned　at　her。　〃We　didn't　set　the　fashion；　Miss　Gaillard；〃　I　said。　〃Women　looked　like　women　long　before　either　of　us　was　born。〃
　She　nodded　and　started　out。　I　looked　around　the　room。　The　meeting　was　over　and　everybody　was　getting　stiffly　to　his　feet。　Nevada　was　the　last　one　out　and　I　called　him　back。
　He　came　back　to　my　desk。　I　turned　and　looked　at　my　secretary。　She　was　still　sitting　there；　her　book　filled　with　shorthand　notes。　〃What've　you　got　there？〃　I　asked。　
　〃The　minutes　of　the　meeting。〃
　〃What　for？〃
　〃It's　a　pany　rule；〃　she　said。　〃Minutes　of　all　executive　meetings　are　recorded　and　copies　circulated。〃
　〃Give　me　that　book。〃　I　held　it　over　the　wastebasket　and　set　a　match　to　it。　When　the　flame　caught；　I　dropped　it　into　the　basket　and　looked　up　at　her。
　She　was　staring　at　me　with　an　expression　of　horror。
　〃Now　trot　your　fat　little　ass　out　of　here；〃　I　said。　〃And　if　I　ever　hear　of　any　minutes　of　meetings　in　this　office　ever　showing　up　outside　these　walls；　you'll　be　looking　for　another　job。〃
　Nevada　was　smiling　as　I　turned　back　to　him。　〃I'm　sorry　I　had　to　speak　the　way　I　did；　Nevada。〃
　〃That's　all　right；　Junior。　I　shouldn't　have　shot　my　mouth　off。〃
　〃There's　a　lot　of　people　in　this　town　think　I'm　a　sucker　and　that　I　got　conned　into　a　bum　deal。　You　and　I　know　that's　not　true　but　I　have　to　stop　that　kind　of　talk。　I　can't　afford　it。〃
　〃I　understand；　Junior。　Your　pappy　was　the　same　way。　There　was　only　one　boss　when　he　was　around。〃
　Suddenly；　I　realized　how　far　apart　we'd　grown。　For　a　moment；　I　had　a　wave　of　nostalgia　for　my　childhood；　when　I　could　always　reach　out　to　Nevada　for　assurance。　It　wasn't　that　way　any　more。　It　was　exactly　the　opposite。　Nevada　was　leaning　on　me。　〃Thanks；　Nevada；〃　I　said；　forcing　a　smile　to　my　lips。　〃And　don't　worry。　Everything'll　turn　out　all　right　now。〃
　He　turned　and　I　watched　him　walk　out　of　the　office。　Shortly　after　he　left　Dan　Pierce　came　into　the　office。　I　reached　for　a　cigarette　and　lit　it。　〃About　what　you　said　this　morning。　I　think　we　ought　to　change　the　script。　You　better　send　for　the　writers　right　away。〃
　He　grinned　knowingly。　〃I　already　did。〃
　
　10
　
　WE　PLETED　THE　PICTURE　IN　FOUR　WEEKS。　Nevada　knew　what　was　happening　but　he　never　said　a　word。　Two　weeks　after　that；　we　held　the　first　sneak　preview　at　a　theater　out　in　the　valley。
　I　got　there　late　and　the　studio　publicity　man　let　me　in。　〃There　are　only　a　few　seats　left　on　the　side；　Mr。　Cord；〃　he　apologized。
　I　looked　down　at　the　orchestra。　There　was　a　section　roped　off　in　the　center　for　studio　guests。　It　was　jammed。　Everybody　at　the　studio　from　Norman　on　down　was　there。　They　were　all　waiting　for　me　to　fall　on　my　ass。
　I　went　up　into　the　balcony　just　as　the　lights　went　down　and　the　picture　came　on。　I　found　my　way　in　the　dark　to　a　seat　in　the　middle　of　a　bunch　of　youngsters　and　looked　up　at　the　screen。
　My　name　looked　funny　up　there。
　
　JONAS　CORD　PRESENTS…　
　
　But　the　feeling　left　when　the　credits　were　over　and　the　picture　began。　After　ten　minutes　had　passed　I　started　to　sense　a　restlessness　in　the　kids　around　me。　〃Aw；　shit；〃　I　heard　one　of　them　whisper。　〃I　thought　this　was　gonna　be　somethin'　different。　It's　just　another　friggin'　Western。〃
　Then　Rina　came　on　screen。　Five　minutes　later；　when　I　looked　around　me；　the　kids'　faces　were　staring