hr.thecarpetbaggers-第75部分

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iting　and　send　it　to　my　office。　That's　all；　gentlemen。　Good　night。〃
　As　the　door　closed　behind　them；　I　could　feel　the　hard；　angry　knot　tightening　in　my　gut。　I　looked　out　the　window。　Forest　Hills。　I　wondered　what　kind　of　schools　they　had　out　there　that　a　kid　like　Jo…Ann　could　go　to。
　I　swallowed　the　rest　of　my　drink。　It　didn't　untie　the　knot；　it　only　pulled　it　tighter。　Suddenly　I　wanted　a　woman。
　I　picked　up　the　phone　and　called　José；　the　headwaiter　down　at　the　Rio　Club。　〃Yes；　Mr。　Cord。〃
　〃José；〃　I　said。　〃That　singer　with　the　rumba　band。　The　one　with　the　big…　〃
　〃Eyes；〃　he　interrupted；　laughing　quietly。　〃Yes；　Mr。　Cord。　I　know。　She'll　be　at　your　place　in　half　an　hour。〃
　I　put　down　the　telephone　and　walked　back　to　the　table。　I　took　the　bottle　to　the　window　with　me　while　I　filled　my　glass。　I'd　learned　something　tonight。
　People　would　pay　any　price　for　what　they　really　wanted。　Monica　would　live　in　Queens　so　she　could　keep　her　daughter。　Dan　would　swallow　my　insults　so　he　could　make　pictures。　Woolf　would　do　anything　to　prove　he　could　run　the　pany　better　than　his　uncle　Bernie。　And　Mac　kept　on　paying　the　price　for　the　security　I'd　given　him。
　When　you　got　down　to　it；　people　all　had　their　price。　The　currency　might　differ。　It　could　be　money；　power；　glory；　sex。　Anything。　All　you　needed　to　know　was　what　they　wanted。
　A　knock　came　on　the　door。　〃e　in；〃　I　called。
　She　came　into　the　room；　her　dark　eyes　bright；　her　long　black　hair　falling　down　her　back　almost　to　her　hips；　the　black　gown　cut　way　down　in　front　showing　white　almost　to　her　navel。　She　smiled　at　me。　〃Hello；　Mr。　Cord；〃　she　said；　without　the　accent　she　used　in　the　café。　〃How　nice　of　you　to　ask　me　up。〃
　〃Take　off　your　dress　and　have　a　drink；〃　I　said。
　〃I'm　not　that　kind　of　girl；〃　she　snapped；　turning　and　starting　for　the　door。
　〃I've　got　five　hundred　dollars　that　says　you　are。〃
　She　turned　back　to　me；　a　smile　on　her　lips；　her　fingers　already　busy　with　the　zipper　at　the　back　of　her　dress。　I　turned　and　looked　out　the　window　while　she　undressed。
　There　weren't　as　many　lights　in　Queens　as　there　were　in　Manhattan。　And　what　few　lights　there　were　weren't　as　bright。　Suddenly；　I　was　angry　and　I　yanked　the　cord　releasing　the　Venetian　blind。　It　came　down　the　window　with　a　crash　and　shut　out　the　city。　I　turned　back　to　the　girl。
　She　was　staring　at　me　with　wide　eyes。　All　she　had　on　was　a　pair　of　skin…tight　black　sheer　panties；　and　her　hands　were　crossed　over　her　bosom；　hiding　only　the　nipples　of　her　large　breasts。　〃What　did　you　do　that　for？〃　she　said。　〃No　one　out　there　can　see　in　here。〃
　〃I'm　tired　of　looking　at　Queens；〃　I　said　and　started　across　the　room　toward　her。
　
　The　Story　of
DAVID　WOOLF
　…
　Book　Six
　
　1
　
　DAVID　WOOLF　WALKED　INTO　THE　HOTEL　ROOM　AND　THREW　HIMSELF　DOWN　ON　THE　BED　FULLY　CLOTHED；　STARING　UP　AT　THE　DARK　CEILING。　The　night　felt　as　if　it　were　a　thousand　years　old；　even　though　he　knew　it　was　only　a　little　past　one　o'clock。　He　was　tired　and　yet　he　wasn't　tired；　he　was　elated　and　yet；　somehow；　depressed；　triumphant　and　yet　there　was　the　faint　bitter　taste　of　intangible　defeat　stirring　within　him。
　This　was　the　beginning　of　opportunity；　the　first　faint　dawn　of　his　secret　ambitions；　hopes　and　dreams。　Then　why　this　baffling　mixture　of　emotions？　It　had　never　been　like　this　before。　He'd　always　known　exactly　what　he　wanted。　It　had　been　very　simple。　A　straight　line　reaching　from　himself　to　the　ultimate。
　It　must　be　Cord；　he　thought。　It　had　to　be　Cord。　There　could　be　no　other　reason。　He　wondered　if　Cord　affected　the　others　in　the　same　way。　He　still　felt　the　shock　that　had　gone　through　him　when　he　entered　the　suite　and　saw　him　for　the　first　time　since　the　night　Cord　had　left　the　board　meeting　to　fly　to　the　Coast。
　Fifteen　days　had　passed；　two　weeks　during　which　panic　had　set　in　and　the　pany　had　begun　to　disintegrate　before　his　eyes。　The　whispering　of　the　employees　in　the　New　York　office　still　echoed　in　his　ears；　the　furtive；　frightened；　worried　glances　cast　as　he　passed　them　in　the　corridor。　And　there　had　been　nothing　he　could　do　about　it；　nothing　he　could　tell　them。　It　was　as　if　the　corporation　lay　suspended　in　shock；　awaiting　the　transfusion　that　would　send　new　vitality　coursing　through　its　veins。
　And　now；　at　last；　Cord　sat　there；　a　half…empty　bottle　of　bourbon　in　front　of　him；　a　tortured；　hollow　shell　of　the　man　they　had　seen　just　a　few　short　weeks　ago。　He　was　thinner　and　exhaustion　had　etched　its　weary　lines　deeply　into　his　cheeks。　But　it　was　only　when　you　looked　into　his　eyes　that　you　realized　it　wasn't　a　physical　change　that　had　taken　place。　The　man　himself　had　changed。
　At　first；　David　couldn't　put　his　finger　on　it。　Then；　for　a　brief　moment；　the　veil　lifted　and　suddenly　he　understood。　He　sensed　the　man's　unique　aloneness。　It　was　as　if　he　were　a　visitor　from　another　world。　The　rest　of　them　had　bee　alien　to　him；　almost　like　children；　whose　simple　desires　he　had　long　ago　outgrown。　He　would　tolerate　them　so　long　as　he　found　a　use　for　them；　but　once　that　purpose　was　served　he　would　withdraw　again　into　that　world　in　which　he　existed　alone。
　The　three　of　them　had　been　silent　as　they　came　down　in　the　elevator　after　leaving　Cord's　suite。　It　wasn't　until　they　stepped　out　into　the　lobby　and　mingled　with　the　crowd　that　was　ing　in　for　the　midnight　show　on　the　Starlight　Roof　that　McAllister　spoke。　〃I　think　we'd　better　find　a　quiet　spot　and　have　a　little　talk。〃
　〃The　Men's　Bar　downstairs。　If　it's　still　open；〃　Pierce　suggested。
　It　was　and　when　the　waiter　brought　their　drinks；　McAllister　lifted　his　glass。　〃Good　luck；〃　they　echoed；　then　drank　and　placed　their　glasses　back　on　the　table。
　McAllister　looked　from　one　to　the　other　before　he　spoke。　'Well；　from　here　on　in；　it's　up　to　us。　I　wish　I　could　be　more　direct　in　my　contribution；〃　he　said　in　his　somewhat　stilted；　formal　manner。　〃But　I'm　an　attorney　and　know　almost　nothing　about　motion　pictures。　What　I　can　do；　though；　is　to　explain　the　reorganization　plan　for　the　pany　that　Jonas　approved　before　the　deal　was　actually　consummated。〃
　It　wasn't　until　then　that　David　had　got　any　idea　of　how　farseeing　Jonas　had　been　…　retiring　the　old　mon　stock　in　exchange　for　new　shares；　the　issuance　of　preferred　stock　to　meet　certain　outstanding　debts　of　the　corporation　and　debentures　constituting　a　mortgage　lien　on　all　the　real　properties　of　the　pany；　including　the　studio　and　theaters；　in　exchange　for　his　putting　up　a　million　dollars'　working　capital。
　The　next　item　McAllister　covered　was　their　pensation。　David　and　Dan　Pierce　would　be　offered　seven…year　employment　contracts　with　a　salary　starting　at　sixty…five　thousand　dollars　and　increasing　thirteen　thousand　dollars　each　year　until　the　expiration　of　the　agreement。　In　addition；　each　would　be　reimbursed　pletely　for　his　expenses　and　bonused；　if　there　were　profits；　to　the　amount　of　two　and　one　half　per　cent；　which　could　be　taken　either　in　stock　or　in　cash。
　〃That's　about　it；〃　McAllister　said。　〃Any　questions？〃
　〃It　sounds　good；〃　Dan　Pierce　said。　〃But　what　guarantee　have　we　got　that　Jonas　will　keep　us　in　business　once　the　million　dollars　is　gone？　None　at　all。　But　he's　pletely　covered　by　his　stock　and　debentures。〃
　〃You're　right；〃　McAllister　agreed。　〃You　have　no　guarantee；　but　then；　neither　has　he　any　guarantee　about　what　his　stock　will　be　worth　if　your　operation　of　the　pany　should　prove　unsuccessful。　As　I　see　it；　it's　up　to　you　two　to　make　it　work。〃
　〃But　if　the　study　David　made　is　correct；〃　Dan　continued；　〃we　won't　be　halfway　through　our　first　picture　before　we'll　be　unable　to　meet　our　weekly　payroll。　I　don't　know　what　got　into　Jonas。　You　can't　make　million…dollar　pictures　without　money。〃
　〃Who　says　we　have　to　make　million…dollar　pictures？〃　David　asked　quietly。
　Suddenly；　the　whole　pattern　was　very　clear。　Now　he　was　beginning　to　understand　what　Jonas　had　done。　At　first；　he　had　felt　a　disappointment　at　not　being　put　in　charge　of　the　studio。　He　would　have　liked　the　title　of　President　on　his　door。　But　Cord　had　cut　through　the　whole　business　like　a　knife　through　butter。　In　reality；　the　studio　was　only　a　factory　turning　out　the　product　of　the　pany。　Administration；　sales　and　theaters　were　under　his　control　and　that　was　where　the　money　came　from。　Money　always　dictated　studio　policy　and　he　controlled　the　money。
　〃For　a　million　bucks；　we　can　turn　out　ten　pictures。　And　be　taking　in　revenue　from　the　first　before　the　fifth　goes　into　production。〃
　〃Not　me；〃　Dan　said　quickly。　〃I　haven't　e　this　far　in　the　business　just　to　make　quickies。　That's　for　Republic　or　Monogram。〃
　〃Columbia；　Warners　and　RKO　aren't　too　proud；〃　David　said；　a　new　hardness　ing　into　his　voice。
　〃Let　them　if　they　want　to；〃　Dan　snapped。　〃I've　got　a　reputation　to　maintain。〃
　〃Don't　give　me　that　crap；〃　David　exploded。　〃The　only　thing　this　business　respects　is　success。　And　they　don't　care　how　you　get　it　so　long　as　it　adds　up　at　the　box　office。　The　whole　industry　knows　you　maneuvered　Cord　into　buying　the　pany　so　you　could　bee　a　producer。　You　won't　have　any　reputation　left　if　you　walk　out。〃
　〃Who　said　anything　about　walking　out？〃
　David　relaxed　in　his　chair。　A　new　feeling　of　power　came　over　him。　Now　he　understood　why　his　Uncle　Bernie　had　found　it　so　difficult　to　let　go。　He　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃You　heard　what　Cord　said。　If　you　won't　do　it；　somebody　else　will。〃
　Pierce　stared　at　him　for　a　moment；　then　looked　at　McAllister。　The　attorney's　face　was　impassive。　〃That's　all　very　well　for　you　to　say；〃　Pierce　grumbled。　〃But　while　I'm　out　there　getting　my　brains　kicked　in；　what're　you　going　to　be　doing？〃
　〃Seeing　to　it　that　we　survive　long　enough　for　you　to　get　your　production　program　working；〃　David　answered。
　〃How？〃　McAllister　asked；　an　interested　look　ing　over　his　face。
　〃Tomorrow　I'm　laying　off　forty　per　cent　of　personnel　throughout　the　pany。〃
　〃That's　pretty　drastic；〃　McAllister　said。　〃Will　you　be　able　to　function　under　those　conditions？〃
　David　watched　the　attorney's　face。　This　was　another　kind　of　test。　〃We'll　be　able　to　function；〃　he　said　quietly。
　〃That's　no　way　to　make　friends；〃　Pierce　injected。
　〃I　couldn't　care　less；〃　David　replied　caustically。　〃I'm　not　trying　to　win　a　popularity　contest。　And　that　will　be　only　the　beginning。　I　don't　care　who　gets　hurt　…　the　pany　is　going　to