hr.thecarpetbaggers-第65部分

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　〃What　d'yuh　want？〃
　〃I　was　jus'　gettin'　ready　to　roll　her　out；〃　he　said　quickly。　〃An'　I　didn't　want　to　squash　yer　shoes。〃
　I　stared　at　him　for　a　moment；　then　I　grinned。　〃Thanks；〃　I　said；　walking　back　and　stepping　into　them。　By　the　time　I　leached　Morrissey　and　the　General；　I　was　cooled　off。
　Morrissey　had　a　copy　of　the　plans　and　specs　in　his　hand　and　was　going　over　them　for　the　benefit　of　the　General。　〃The　Cord　Aircraft　Four　is　a　revolutionary　concept　in　a　two…man　fighter…bomber；　which　has　a　flight　range　of　better　than　two　thousand　miles。　It　cruises　at　two　forty；　with　a　max　of　three　sixty。　It　can　carry　ten　machine　guns；　two　cannon；　and　mounts　one　thousand　pounds　of　bombs　under　its　wings　and　in　a　special　bay　in　its　belly。〃
　I　looked　back　at　the　plane　as　Morrissey　kept　on　talking。　It　sure　as　hell　was　a　revolutionary　design。　It　looked　like　a　big　black　panther　squatting　there　on　the　hangar　floor　with　its　long　nose　jutting　out　in　front　of　the　swept…back　wings　and　the　plastic　bubble　over　the　cockpit　shining　like　a　giant　cat's　eye　in　the　dim　light。
　〃Very　interesting；〃　I　heard　the　General　say。　〃Now；　I　have　just　one　more　question。〃
　〃What's　that；　sir？〃　Morrissey　asked。
　The　General　chuckled；　looking　at　his　aides。　They　permitted　a　faint　smile　to　e　to　their　lips。　I　could　see　the　old　fart　was　going　to　get　off　one　of　his　favorite　jokes。　〃We　Army　men　look　over　about　three　hundred　of　these　so…called　revolutionary　planes　every　year。　Will　it　fly？〃
　I　couldn't　keep　quiet　any　longer。　The　million　bucks　it　had　cost　me　to　get　this　far　with　the　CA…4　gave　me　a　right　to　shoot　off　my　mouth。　〃She'll　fly　the　ass　off　anything　you　got　in　your　Army；　General；〃　I　said。　〃And　any　other　plane　in　the　world；　including　the　new　fighters　that　Willi　Messerschmitt　is　building。〃
　The　General　turned　toward　me；　a　surprised　look　on　his　face。　I　saw　his　eyes　go　down　over　my　grease…spattered　white　coveralls。
　Morrissey　spoke　up　quickly。　〃General　Gaddis；　Jonas　Cord。〃
　Before　the　General　could　speak；　a　voice　came　from　the　doorway　behind　him。　〃How　do　you　know　what　Willi　Messerschmitt　is　building？〃
　I　looked　up　as　the　speaker　came　into　view。　The　General　had　evidently　brought　a　third　aide　with　him。　The　silver　wings　shone　on　his　blouse；　matching　the　silver　oak　leaves　on　his　shoulders。　He　was　about　forty；　slim　and　with　a　flier's　mustache。　He　wore　just　two　ribbons　on　his　blouse　…　the　Croix　de　guerre　of　France　and　the　Distinguished　Flying　Cross。
　〃He　told　me；〃　I　said　curtly。
　There　was　a　curious　look　on　the　lieutenant　colonel's　face。　〃How　is　Willi？〃
　The　General's　voice　cut　in　before　I　could　answer。　〃We　came　out　here　to　look　over　an　airplane；〃　be　said　in　a　clipped　voice；　〃not　to　exchange　information　about　mutual　friends。〃
　It　was　my　turn　to　be　surprised。　I　flashed　a　quick　look　at　the　lieutenant　colonel　but　a　curtain　had　dropped　over　his　face。　I　could　see；　though；　that　there　was　no　love　lost　between　the　two。
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　he　said　quickly。　He　turned　and　looked　at　the　plane。
　〃How　do　you　think　she　looks；　Forrester？〃
　Forrester　cleared　his　throat。　〃Interesting；　sir；〃　he　said。　He　turned　toward　me。　〃Variable…pitch　propellers？〃
　I　nodded。　He　had　good　eyes　to　see　that　in　this　dim　light。　〃Unusual　concept；〃　he　said；　〃setting　the　wings　where　they　are　and　sweeping　them　back。　Should　give　her　about　four　times　the　usual　lift　area。〃
　〃They　do；〃　I　said。　Thank　God　for　at　least　one　man　who　knew　what　it　was　all　about。
　〃I　asked　how　you　thought　she　looks；　Forrester？〃　the　General　repeated　testily。
　The　curtain　dropped　down　over　Forrester's　face　again　as　he　turned。　〃Very　unusual；　sir。　Different。〃
　The　General　nodded。　〃That's　what　I　thought。　Ugly。　Like　a　toad　sitting　there。〃
　I'd　had　about　enough　of　his　bullshit。　〃Does　the　General　judge　planes　the　same　way　he'd　judge　dames　in　a　beauty　contest？〃
　〃Of　course　not！〃　the　General　snapped。　〃But　there　are　certain　conventions　of　design　that　are　recognized　as　standard。　For　example；　the　new　Curtiss　fighter　we　looked　at　the　other　day。　There's　a　plane　that　looks　like　a　plane；　not　like　a　bomb。　With　wings　attached。〃
　〃That　baby　over　there　carries　twice　as　much　armor；　plus　a　thousand　pounds　of　bombs；　seven　hundred　and　fifty　miles　farther；　five　thousand　feet　higher　and　eighty　miles　an　hour　faster　than　the　Curtiss　fighter　you're　talking　about！〃　I　retorted。
　〃Curtiss　builds　good　planes；〃　the　General　said　stiffly。
　I　stared　at　him。　There　wasn't　any　use　in　arguing。　It　was　like　talking　to　a　stone　wall。　〃I'm　not　saying　they　don't；　General；〃　I　said。　〃Curtiss　has　been　building　good　airplanes　for　many　years。　But　I'm　saying　this　one　is　better　than　anything　around。〃
　General　Gaddis　turned　to　Morrissey。　〃We're　ready　to　see　a　demonstration　of　your　plane；〃　he　said　stiffly。　〃That　is；　if　your　pilot　is　through　arguing。〃
　Morrissey　shot　a　nervous　look　at　me。　Apparently　the　General　hadn't　even　caught　my　name。　I　nodded　at　him　and　turned　back　to　the　hangar。
　〃Roll　her　out！〃　I　called　to　the　mechanics；　who　were　standing　there　waiting。
　Morrissey；　General　Gaddis　and　his　aides　walked　out。　When　I　got　outside　I　saw　that　Morrissey　and　the　others　had　formed　a　group　around　the　General　but　Forrester　stood　a　little　to　one　side；　talking　to　a　young　woman。　I　shot　a　quick　look　at　her。　She　was　stuff；　all　right　…　wild　eyes　and　sensuous　mouth。
　I　followed　the　plane　out　onto　the　runway。　Hearing　footsteps　behind　me；　I　turned　around。　It　was　Morrissey。　〃You　shouldn't　have　teed　off　on　the　General　like　that。〃
　I　grinned　at　him。　〃Probably　did　the　old　bastard　good。　He's　got　enough　yes　men　around　him　to　be　a　movie　producer。〃
　〃All　the　same；　it's　tough　selling　him　as　it　is。　I　found　out　Curtiss　is　bidding　their　planes　in　at　a　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　each　and　you　know　the　best　we　can　do　is　two　twenty…five。〃
　〃So　what？〃　I　said。　〃It's　the　difference　between　chicken　shit　and　chicken　salad。　You　can't　buy　a　Cadillac　for　the　same　price　as　a　Ford。〃
　He　stared　at　me　for　a　moment；　then　he　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃It's　your　money；　Jonas。〃
　I　watched　him　walk　back　to　the　General。　He　might　be　a　great　aeronautical　engineer；　but　he　was　too　anxious　ever　to　bee　a　good　salesman。　I　turned　to　the　mechanic。　〃Ready？〃
　〃Ready　when　you　are；　Mr。　Cord。〃
　〃O。K。；〃　I　said；　starting　to　climb　up　to　the　cockpit。　I　felt　a　hand　tugging　at　my　leg。　I　looked　down。
　〃Mind　if　I　e　along　for　the　ride？〃　It　was　the　lieutenant　colonel。
　〃Not　at　all；〃　I　said。　〃Hop　in。〃
　〃Thanks。　By　the　way；　I　didn't　get　your　name。〃
　〃Jonas　Cord；〃　I　said。
　〃Roger　Forrester；〃　he　answered；　holding　out　his　hand。
　I　should　have　guessed　it　the　minute　I　heard　his　name；　but　I　didn't　tie　it　up　until　now。　Roger　Forrester　…　one　of　the　original　aces　of　the　Lafayette　Escadrille。　Twenty…two　German　planes　to　his　credit。　He'd　been　one　of　my　heroes　when　I　was　a　kid。
　〃I've　heard　about　you；〃　I　said。
　His　smile　changed　into　a　grin。　〃I've　heard　quite　a　bit　about　you。〃
　We　both　laughed　and　I　felt　better。　I　pulled　on　his　hand　and　he　came　up　on　the　wing　beside　me。　He　looked　into　the　cockpit；　then　back　at　me。
　〃No　parachute？〃
　〃Never　use　'em；〃　I　said。　〃Make　me　nervous。　Psychological。　Indicates　a　lack　of　confidence。〃
　He　laughed。
　〃I　can　get　one　for　you　if　you　like。〃
　He　laughed　again。　〃To　hell　with　it。〃
　About　thirty　miles　out　over　the　ocean；　I　put　her　through　all　the　tricks　in　the　book　and　then　some　only　the　CA…4　could　do；　and　he　didn't　bat　an　eyelash。
　For　a　clincher；　I　took　her　all　the　way　up　in　a　vertical　climb　until；　at　fourteen　thousand　feet；　she　hung　in　the　sky　like　a　fly　dancing　on　the　tip　of　a　needle。　Then　I　let　her　fall　off　on　a　dead　stick　into　a　tailspin　that　whipped　the　air…speed　indicator　up　close　to　the　five　hundred　mark。　When　we　got　down　to　about　fifteen　hundred　feet；　I　took　both　hands　off　the　stick　and　tapped　him　on　the　shoulder。
　His　head　whipped　around　so　fast　it　almost　fell　off　his　neck。　I　laughed。　〃She's　all　yours；　Colonel！〃　I　shouted。
　We　were　down　to　twelve　hundred　feet　by　the　time　he　turned　around；　eight　hundred　feet　by　the　time　he　had　the　spin　under　control；　six　hundred　feet　before　he　had　her　in　a　straight　dive；　and　four　hundred　feet　before　he　could　pull　back　on　the　stick。
　I　felt　her　shudder　and　tremble　under　me　and　a　shrill　scream　came　from　her　wings；　like　a　dame　getting　her　cherry　copped。　The　G　pinned　me　back　in　my　seat；　choking　the　air　back　into　my　throat　and　forcing　the　big　bubbles　right　up　into　my　eyes。　Suddenly；　the　pressure　lifted。　We　were　less　than　twenty…five　feet　off　the　water　when　we　started　to　climb。
　Forrester　looked　back　at　me。　〃I　haven't　been　this　scared　since　I　soloed　back　in　fifteen；〃　he　yelled；　grinning。　〃How　did　you　know　she　wouldn't　lose　her　wings　in　a　dive　like　that？〃
　〃Who　knew？〃　I　retorted。　〃But　this　was　as　good　a　time　as　any　to　find　out！〃
　He　laughed。　I　saw　his　hand　reach　forward　and　knock　on　the　instrument　panel。　〃What　a　plane。　Like　you　said；　she　sure　does　fly！〃
　〃Don't　tell　me。　Tell　that　old　coot　back　there。〃
　A　shadow　fell　across　his　face。　〃I'll　try。　But　I　don't　know　if　I　can　do　much　good。　It's　all　yours；〃　he　said；　raising　his　hands。　〃You　take　her　back　in　now。〃
　I　could　see　Morrissey　and　the　soldiers　standing　on　the　field；　watching　us　through　field　glasses　as　we　came　in。　I　put　her　into　a　wide　turn　and　tapped　Forrester　on　the　shoulder。　He　looked　back　at　me。　〃Ten　bucks　says　I　can　take　the　General's　hat　off　on　the　first　pass。〃
　He　hesitated　a　moment；　then　grinned。　〃You're　on！〃
　I　came　down　at　the　field　from　about　a　thousand　feet　and　leveled　off　about　fifteen　feet　over　the　runway。　I　could　see　the　startled　expression　on　their　faces　as　we　rushed　toward　them；　then　I　pulled　back　the　stick。　We　went　over　their　heads；　into　an　almost　vertical　climb；　catching　them　full　blast　in　the　prop　wash。
　I　looked　back　just　in　time　to　see　the　captain　running　after　the　General's　hat。　I　tapped　Forrester's　shoulder　again。　He　turned　to　look　back。　He　was　laughing　so　hard　there　were　tears　in　his　eyes。
　She　set　down　as　lightly　as　a　pigeon　ing　home　to　its　roost。　I　slid　back　the　plastic　canopy　and　we　climbed　down。　I　glanced　at　Forrester's　face　as　we　walked　over　to　the　group。　All　the　laughter　was　gone　from　it　now　and　the　wary　mask　was　back　on。
　The　General　had　his　hat　on　his　head　again。　〃Well；　Forrester；〃　he　said　stiffly。　〃What　do　you　think？〃
　Forrester　looked　i