hr.thecarpetbaggers-第69部分

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　〃I　suppose　that　was　the　kind　of　soldier　she　thought　I　was　when　we　were　married；〃　he　said　reflectively。　〃But　it　wasn't　long　before　she　found　out　I　was　nothing　but　a　kind　of　glorified　purchasing　agent。〃
　He　refilled　his　glass　and　looked　at　me。　〃Today's　Army　is　a　plex　machine；　Mr。　Cord。　For　every　man　in　the　front　line；　there　have　to　be　five　or　six　men　behind　the　lines　just　to　keep　him　supplied。　I　always　took　pride　in　myself　because　I　took　care　to　see　that　that　man　got　the　best。〃
　〃I'm　sure　of　that；　General；〃　I　said；　putting　down　my　coffee　cup。
　He　got　to　his　feet　and　looked　down　at　me。　Maybe　it　was　my　imagination；　but　as　he　spoke；　he　seemed　to　grow　taller　and　straighter。　〃That　was　why　I　came　up　to　talk　with　you；　Mr。　Cord；〃　he　said　with　quiet　dignity。　〃Not　because　you　chose　to　bring　my　wife　into　an　extraneous　matter　but　to　tell　you　that　a　test　group　will　be　at　Roosevelt　Field　tomorrow　morning　to　check　out　your　airplane。　I　requested　it　this　morning　as　soon　as　I　got　back　into　the　city。　I　phoned　your　Mr。　Morrissey　but　I　guess　he　couldn't　reach　you。〃
　I　looked　up　at　him　with　surprise。　A　feeling　of　shame　began　to　run　through　me。　I　should　have　had　brains　enough　to　call　Morrissey　on　my　own　before　I　shot　off　my　big　mouth。
　A　faint　smile　flitted　across　the　General's　face。　〃So　you　see；　Mr。　Cord；〃　he　said；　〃you　don't　have　to　make　any　deals　with　Forrester　on　my　account。　If　your　plane　checks　out；　the　Army　will　buy　it。〃
　The　door　closed　behind　him　and　I　reached　for　a　cigarette。　I　leaned　back　against　the　headboard　of　the　bed　and　dragged　the　smoke　deep　into　my　lungs。
　The　telephone　operator　at　the　Chatham　found　Forrester　in　the　bar。　〃Jonas　Cord；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　in　the　Waldorf　Towers　down　the　street。　I'd　like　to　talk　with　you。〃
　〃I'd　like　to　talk　with　you；　too；〃　he　said。　〃They're　testing　your　plane　in　the　morning。〃
　〃I　know。　That's　what　I　want　to　talk　to　you　about。〃
　He　was　in　my　apartment　in　less　than　ten　minutes。　His　face　was　flushed　and　he　looked　as　if　he'd　spent　the　whole　afternoon　wrapping　himself　around　a　bottle。　〃Looks　like　the　old　man　saw　the　light；〃　he　said。
　〃That　what　you　really　think？〃　I　asked；　as　he　poured　himself　a　drink。
　〃You　can　say　what　you　like　about　him；　but　Gaddis　is　a　good　soldier。　He　does　his　job。〃
　〃Pour　a　drink　for　me；〃　I　said。
　He　picked　up　another　glass　and　held　it　toward　me。　I　took　it。　〃I　think　it's　about　time　you　quit　playing　soldier。〃
　He　stared　at　me。　〃What　have　you　got　in　mind？〃
　〃I　think　that　Cord　Aircraft　is　going　to　be　doing　a　lot　of　business　with　the　Army　from　now　on；〃　I　said。　〃And　I　need　someone　who　knows　the　ropes　…　the　men；　what　they　want　in　a　plane。　Make　friends　for　us；　contacts。　You　know　what　I　mean。〃
　〃I　know　what　you　mean；〃　he　said。　〃Like　not　seeing　Virginia　Gaddis　any　more　because　it　wouldn't　look　good　for　the　pany。〃
　〃Something　like　that；〃　I　said　quietly。
　He　threw　his　drink　down　his　throat。　〃I　don't　know　whether　I'd　be　any　good　at　it。　I've　been　in　the　Air　Corps　ever　since　I　was　a　kid。〃
　〃You　never　know　until　you　try　it；〃　I　said。　〃Besides；　you'll　do　the　Air　Corps　more　good　out　of　it　than　in。　There'll　be　nobody　to　stop　you　if　you　want　to　try　out　some　of　your　ideas。〃
　He　looked　at　me。　〃Speaking　of　ideas；〃　he　asked；　〃whose　was　this　…　yours　or　Gaddis's？〃
　〃Mine；〃　I　said。　〃I　had　my　mind　made　up　this　morning　after　our　little　talk　in　Morrissey's　office。　And　it　had　nothing　to　do　with　whether　or　not　they　took　the　CA…4。〃
　He　grinned　suddenly。　〃My　mind　was　made　up　this　morning；　too；〃　he　said。　〃I　was　going　to　take　the　job　if　you　offered　it　to　me。〃
　〃Where　would　you　like　to　start？〃　I　asked。
　〃At　the　top；〃　he　said　promptly。　〃The　Army　respects　nothing　but　the　top　man。〃
　〃Good　enough；〃　I　said。　It　made　sense。　〃You're　the　new　president　of　Cord　Aircraft。　How　much　do　you　want？〃
　〃You　let　me　pick　the　job；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　let　you　name　the　salary。〃
　〃Twenty…five　thousand　a　year　and　expenses。〃
　He　whistled。　〃You　don't　have　to　go　that　high。　That's　four　times　what　I'm　getting　now。〃
　〃Just　remember　that　when　you　e　asking　for　a　raise；〃　I　said。
　We　both　laughed　and　drank　to　it。　〃There's　a　few　changes　on　the　plane　I　wanted　to　talk　to　you　about　before　the　test　tomorrow；〃　he　said。
　Just　then；　McAllister　came　into　the　bedroom。　〃It's　almost　six　o'clock；　Jonas；〃　he　said。　〃How　long　do　you　think　we　can　keep　them　waiting？　Dan　just　spoke　to　David　Woolf。　He　says　Norman　is　threatening　to　walk　out。〃
　〃I'll　be　with　you　as　soon　as　I　get　my　pants　on。〃　The　telephone　rang　while　I　was　buttoning　my　shirt。　〃Get　it　for　me；　will　you？〃
　〃What　about　the　changes？〃　Forrester　asked；　while　Mac　was　picking　up　the　phone。
　〃Get　out　to　the　field　and　work　them　out　with　Morrissey。〃
　〃It's　Los　Angeles；〃　McAllister　said；　covering　the　mouthpiece　with　his　hand。　〃We　haven't　much　time。〃
　I　looked　at　him　for　a　moment。　〃Tell　them　I　just　left　for　a　meeting。　That　they　can　reach　me　at　the　Norman　offices　in　about　two　hours。〃
　
　4
　
　IT　WAS　JUST　STARTING　TO　TURN　COOL　AND　THE　GIRLS　were　ing　out　of　their　apartments　along　Park　Avenue；　dressed　in　their　summer　clothes；　their　fur　stoles　draped　casually　over　their　shoulders。
　Over　on　Sixth　Avenue；　the　girls　were　ing　out；　too。　But　these　girls　weren't　getting　into　cabs；　they　were　hurrying　toward　the　subways　and　disappearing　into　those　gaping　maws；　glad　to　be　done　with　their　day's　work。
　New　York　had　a　curious　twisted　form　of　vitality　that　belied　the　general　air　of　depression　that　hung　over　the　country。　Building　was　going　on　here　despite　the　moans　and　groans　of　Wall　Street　…　office　buildings　and　expensive　apartments。　If　all　the　money　was　supposed　to　be　gone；　how　e　so　many　expensive　whores　were　still　living　in　the　best　places？　It　wasn't　gone。　It　had　just　gone　into　hiding；　burrowing　into　the　ground　like　a　mole；　only　to　emerge　when　risks　were　less　and　profits　greater。
　On　Sixth　Avenue；　the　signs　hung　dejectedly　in　front　of　the　employment　agencies。　The　blackboards　with　their　white　chalk　job　listings　were　already　beginning　to　look　tired；　and　the　two…dollar　chippies　were　already　beginning　their　dark　sky　patrol。
　One　of　them；　standing　on　the　fringe　of　the　crowd；　turned　to　look　at　me　as　I　came　by。　Her　eyes　were　large　and　tired　and　weary　and　wise。　I　caught　her　whisper　from　almost　motionless　lips。　〃You'll　be　the　first　today；　honey。　How　about　starting　the　day　right？〃
　I　grinned　at　her　and　she　took　it　for　a　sign　of　encouragement。　She　came　toward　me。　〃Just　a　deuce；〃　she　whispered　quickly；　〃and　I'll　teach　you　things　you　never　learned　in　school。〃
　I　stopped；　still　smiling。　〃I'll　bet　you　would。〃
　Mac　and　Dan　had　walked　a　few　steps　farther　on。　Mac　turned　back　to　me；　an　annoyed　look　on　his　face。　The　woman　flashed　a　quick　glance　at　them；　then　back　at　me。　〃Tell　your　friends　I'll　make　a　special　price　for　all　of　you。　Five　bucks。〃
　I　dug　into　my　pocket　and　came　up　with　a　dollar；　which　I　pressed　into　her　hand。　〃Some　other　time。　But　I　don't　think　my　teachers　would　approve。〃
　She　looked　down　at　the　dollar。　A　glint　of　humor　came　into　her　dark；　tired　eyes。　〃It's　guys　like　you　spoil　a　girl　and　make　it　tough　for　her　to　go　to　work。〃
　She　ducked　into　a　cafeteria　across　the　street　as　we　turned　into　the　lobby　of　the　new　RCA　Building　in　Rockefeller　Center。
　I　was　still　smiling　when　we　walked　into　the　board　room。　Norman　sat　at　the　head　of　the　long　table；　David　Woolf　on　his　right　and　a　man　whom　I　had　met　at　the　studio　…　Ernest　Hawley；　the　treasurer　…　on　his　left。　Down　the　table　sat　our　nominees；　the　two　brokerage　men；　a　banker　and　an　accountant。
　Dan　and　Mac　took　seats　on　opposite　sides　of　the　table；　leaving　the　seat　at　the　end　open　for　me。　I　started　to　sit　down。
　Bernie　got　to　his　feet。　〃Just　a　minute；　Cord；〃　he　said。　〃This　meeting　is　for　directors　only。〃　He　glowered　at　me。　〃Before　I'd　sit　at　the　same　table　with　you；　I'd　leave　myself。〃
　I　pulled　a　package　of　cigarettes　from　my　pocket　and　lit　one。　〃Then　leave；〃　I　said　quietly。　〃You　won't　have　anything　to　do　around　here　after　this　meeting　anyway。〃
　〃Gentlemen；　gentlemen；〃　McAllister　said　quickly。　〃This　is　no　way　to　conduct　an　important　meeting。　We　have　many　grave　problems　concerning　the　future　of　this　pany　to　consider。　We'll　settle　none　of　them　in　an　atmosphere　of　distrust。〃
　〃Distrust！〃　Bernie　yelled。　〃You　expect　me　to　trust　him？　After　the　way　he　stole　my　pany　from　me　behind　my　own　back！〃
　〃The　stock　was　for　sale　on　the　open　market　and　I　bought　it。〃
　〃At　what　price？〃　he　shouted。　〃First　he　forces　down　the　market；　then　he　buys　up　the　stock。　Below　value　he　gets　it。　He　don't　care　how　bad　he　makes　the　pany　look　while　he's　doing　it。　Then　he　es　to　me　and　expects　me　to　sell　my　stock　at　the　same　depressed　price　he　paid　the　others。〃
　I　smiled　to　myself。　The　trading　was　on。　The　old　man　figured　the　best　way　to　get　what　he　wanted　was　by　attacking　me。　Already；　the　propriety　of　my　presence　at　the　meeting　had　been　forgotten。　〃The　price　I　offered　was　twice　what　I　paid　on　the　open　market。〃
　〃You　made　the　market。〃
　〃I　wasn't　running　the　pany；〃　I　retorted。　〃You　were…and　for　the　last　six　years；　running　it　at　a　loss。〃
　He　strode　around　the　table。　〃And　you　could　do　better？〃
　〃If　I　didn't　think　so；　I　wouldn't　be　putting　up　better　than　seven　million　dollars。〃
　His　eyes　stared　into　mine　angrily　for　a　moment；　then　he　walked　back　to　his　chair　and　sat　down。　He　picked　up　a　pencil　and　tapped　it　on　the　table　in　front　of　him。　〃The　regular　meeting　of　the　board　of　directors　of　the　Norman　Picture　pany；　Incorporated；　is　hereby　called　to　order；〃　he　said　in　a　quieter　tone　of　voice。　He　looked　over　at　his　nephew。　〃David；　you　will　act　as　secretary　until　we　appoint　a　new　one。〃
　The　old　man　continued。　〃A　quorum　is　present；　and　also　present　by　invitation　is　Mr。　Jonas　Cord。　Make　a　note　of　that；　David。　Mr。　Cord　is　present　by　invitation　of　certain　of　the　directors　but　over　the　objection　of　the　President。〃
　He　stared　at　me；　waiting　for　me　to　react　to　his　statement。　I　sat　there　impassively。
　〃We　will　now　proceed　to　the　first　order　of　business；　which　is　the　election　of　officers　of　the　pany　for　the　ing　year。〃
　I　nodded　to　McAllister。　〃Mr。　President；〃　he　said；　〃may　I　suggest　that　we　postpone　the　election　of　officers　until　after　you　and　Mr。　Cord　have　pleted　discussions　regarding　the　sale　of　your　stock？〃
　〃What　makes　you　think　I'm　interested　in　selling　my　s