hr.thecarpetbaggers-第8部分

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of　the　bank。　McAllister　led　me　through　another　door　marked　PRIVATE。　It　was　a　reception　room。
　A　secretary　looked　up。　〃Mr。　McAllister。〃　She　smiled。　〃We　thought　you　were　in　Nevada。〃
　〃I　was；〃　he　replied。　〃Is　Mr。　Moroni　in？〃
　〃Let　me　check；〃　she　said。　〃Sometimes　he　has　a　habit　of　leaving　the　office　without　telling　me。〃　She　disappeared　through　another　door。
　I　looked　at　McAllister。　〃That's　the　kind　of　secretary　I　want。　She's　got　brains　and　a　nice　pair　of　boobs　to　go　with　them。〃
　He　smiled。　〃A　girl　like　that　gets　seventy…five；　eighty　dollars　a　week。　They　don't　e　cheap。〃
　〃Yuh　gotta　pay　for　anything　that's　good；〃　I　said。
　The　secretary　appeared　in　the　doorway；　smiling　at　us。　〃Mr。　Moroni　will　see　you　now；　Mr。　McAllister。〃
　I　followed　him　into　the　inner　office。　It　was　large；　with　dark；　wood…paneled　walls。　There　was　a　big　desk　spang　in　the　middle　of　it　and　a　small　man　with　iron…gray　hair　and　shrewd　dark　eyes　sitting　behind　it。　He　got　up　as　we　came　into　the　room。
　〃Mr。　Moroni；〃　McAllister　said；　〃this　is　Jonas　Cord。〃
　Moroni　put　out　his　hand。　I　took　it。　It　wasn't　the　usual　soft　banker's　hand。　This　one　was　hard　and　callused　and　the　grip　was　strong。　There　were　many　years　of　labor　contained　in　that　hand　and　most　of　them　had　not　been　behind　a　desk。　〃It's　good　to　meet　you；　Mr。　Cord；〃　he　said　with　a　faint　trace　of　an　Italian　accent。
　〃My　pleasure；　sir；〃　I　said　respectfully。
　He　waved　us　to　the　chairs　in　front　of　his　desk　and　we　sat　down。　McAllister　came　right　to　the　point。　When　he　had　finished；　Moroni　leaned　forward　across　his　desk　and　looked　at　me。　〃I'm　sorry　to　hear　about　your　loss；〃　he　said。　〃From　everything　I've　heard；　he　was　a　very　unusual　man。〃
　I　nodded。　〃He　was；　sir。〃
　〃You　realize；　of　course；　this　makes　quite　a　difference？〃　
　I　looked　at　him。　〃Without　trying　to　stand　on　a　technicality；　Mr。　Moroni；　I　thought　the　loan　was　being　made　to　the　Cord　Explosives　pany；　not　to　either　my　father　or　me。〃
　Moroni　smiled。　〃A　good　banker　makes　loans　to　panies　but　he　always　looks　at　the　man　behind　the　pany。〃
　〃My　experience　is　limited；　sir；　but　I　thought　the　first　objective　of　a　good　banker　was　to　achieve　adequate　collateralization　for　a　loan。　I　believe　that　was　inherent　in　the　loan　agreement　that　Mr。　McAllister　made　with　you。〃
　Moroni　smiled。　He　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　took　out　a　cigar。　He　lit　it　and　looked　at　me　through　a　cloud　of　smoke。　〃Mr。　Cord；　tell　me　what　you　believe　the　primary　responsibility　of　the　borrower　is。〃　
　I　looked　at　him。　〃To　make　a　profit　on　his　loan。〃　
　〃I　said　the　borrower；　Mr。　Cord；　not　the　lender。〃　
　〃I　know　you　did；　Mr。　Moroni；〃　I　said。　〃But　if　I　didn't　feel　I　would　make　a　profit　on　the　money　you're　going　to　lend　me；　there'd　be　no　point　in　my　taking　it。〃
　〃Just　how　do　you　expect　to　make　that　profit？〃　he　asked。　〃How　well　do　you　know　your　business；　Mr。　Cord？〃
　〃Not　as　well　as　I　should；　Mr。　Moroni。　Certainly　not　as　well　as　I　will　next　week；　next　month；　next　year。　But　this　much　I　do　know。　Tomorrow　is　ing　and　a　whole　new　world　with　it。　There'll　be　opportunities　to　make　money　that　never　existed　in　my　father's　time。　And　I'll　take　advantage　of　them。〃
　〃I　presume　you're　referring　to　this　new　product　you're　acquiring　by　the　German　contract？〃
　〃That's　part　of　it；〃　I　said；　even　if　I　hadn't　thought　of　it　until　he　mentioned　it。
　〃Just　how　much　do　you　know　about　plastics？〃　he　asked。　
　〃Very　little；〃　I　admitted。
　〃Then　what　makes　you　so　sure　it's　worth　anything？〃　
　〃Du　Pont　and　Eastman's　interest　in　the　American　rights。　Anything　they're　interested　in　has　to　be　worth　something。　And；　your　agreement　to　lend　us　the　money　to　acquire　those　rights。　As　soon　as　I　clear　up　a　few　things　here；　I　intend　to　spend　two　or　three　months　in　Germany　learning　everything　there　is　to　know　about　plastics。〃
　〃Who　will　run　the　pany　while　you're　away？〃　Moroni　asked。　〃A　great　deal　can　happen　in　three　months。〃
　〃Mr。　McAllister；　sir；〃　I　said。　〃He's　already　agreed　to　join　the　pany。〃
　A　kind　of　respect　came　into　the　banker's　face。　〃I　know　my　directors　may　not　agree　with　me；　Mr。　Cord；　but　I've　decided　to　give　you　your　loan。　It　has　certain　elements　of　speculation　that　may　not　conform　to　what　they　consider　sound　banking　practices；　but　the　Pioneer　National　Trust　pany　was　built　on　loans　like　this。　We　were　the　first　bank　to　lend　money　to　the　producers　of　motion　pictures　and　there's　nothing　quite　as　speculative　as　that。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Moroni；〃　I　said。
　He　picked　up　the　telephone　on　his　desk。　〃Bring　in　the　Cord　loan　agreement　and　the　check。〃
　〃You　will　note；〃　he　said；　〃that　although　the　loan　is　for　three　hundred　thousand　dollars；　we　have　extended　your　credit　under　this　agreement　to　a　maximum　of　five　hundred　thousand　dollars。〃　He　smiled　at　me。　〃One　of　my　principles　of　banking；　Mr。　Cord。　I　don't　believe　in　budgeting　my　clients　too　closely。　Sometimes　a　few　dollars　more　make　the　difference　between　success　and　failure。〃
　Suddenly　I　liked　this　man。　It　takes　one　crap…shooter　to　recognize　another。　And　this　man　had　it。　I　smiled　at　him。　〃Thanks；　Mr。　Moroni。　Let's　hope　I　make　a　lot　of　money　for　both　of　us。〃　I　leaned　over　and　signed　the　loan　application。
　〃I'm　sure　you　will；〃　Moroni　said　and　pushed　the　check　across　the　desk　at　me。
　I　picked　it　up　and　gave　it　to　McAllister　without　looking　at　it。　I　got　to　my　feet。　〃Thank　you　again；　Mr。　Moroni。　I'm　sorry　I　have　to　run　but　we　have　to　get　back　to　Nevada　tonight。〃
　〃Tonight？　But　there　aren't　any　trains　until　morning。〃
　〃I　have　my　own　plane；　Mr。　Moroni。　That's　how　we　came　up。　We'll　be　home　by　nine　o'clock。〃
　Moroni　came　around　his　desk。　There　was　a　look　of　concern　on　his　face。　〃Better　fly　low；　Mr。　Cord；〃　he　said。　〃After　all；　we　just　gave　you　a　lot　of　money。〃
　I　laughed　aloud。　〃Don't　worry；　Mr。　Moroni。　It's　as　safe　as　an　automobile。　Besides；　if　anything　happens　to　us　on　the　way　down；　just　stop　payment　on　the　check。〃
　They　both　laughed。　I　could　see　the　look　of　nervousness　cross　McAllister's　face；　but　to　his　credit；　he　didn't　say　anything。
　We　shook　hands　and　Moroni　walked　us　to　the　door。　〃Good　luck；〃　he　said　as　we　walked　out　into　the　reception　room。
　A　man　was　sitting　on　the　couch。　He　got　to　his　feet　slowly。　I　recognized　Buzz　Dalton；　the　pilot　whose　plane　I　had　won　in　a　crap　game。　〃Hey；　Buzz；〃　I　called。　〃Don't　you　say　hello　to　your　friends？〃
　A　smile　broke　over　his　face。　〃Jonas！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃What　the　hell　are　you　doin'　here？〃
　〃Diggin'　for　a　little　scratch；〃　I　said；　taking　his　hand。　〃You？〃
　〃The　same；〃　he　answered；　a　dejected　look　ing　over　his　face　again。　〃But　no　luck　so　far。〃
　〃Why？〃　I　asked。
　Buzz　shrugged。　〃I　got　a　mail　contract。　L。A。　to　Frisco。　Twelve　months　guaranteed　at　ten　thousand　a　month。　But　I　guess　I'll　have　to　pass　it　up。　I　can't　get　the　dough　to　buy　the　three　planes　I　need。　Banks　think　it's　too　risky。〃
　〃How　much　do　you　have　to　borrow？〃
　〃About　twenty…five　grand；〃　he　said。　〃Twenty　for　the　planes　and　five　to　keep　them　flying　until　the　first　check　es　in。〃
　〃Yuh　got　the　contract？〃
　〃In　my　pocket；〃　he　said；　taking　it　out。
　I　looked　at　it。　〃It　sounds　like　a　good　deal　to　me。〃
　〃It　is；〃　he　answered。　〃I　got　it　all　worked　out。　I　can　net　five　grand　a　month　after　expenses　and　amortization。　Here's　the　paper　I　worked　out　on　that。〃
　The　figures　seemed　right　to　me。　I　had　a　good　idea　what　it　cost　to　run　a　plane。　I　turned　around　and　looked　at　Moroni。　〃You　meant　what　you　said　in　there？　About　my　additional　credit？　There's　no　strings　on　it？〃
　He　smiled。　〃No　strings　at　all。〃
　I　turned　back　to　Buzz。　〃You　got　your　money　on　two　conditions；〃　I　said。　〃I　get　fifty　per　cent　of　the　stock　in　your　pany　and　chattel　mortgage　on　your　planes　amortized　over　twelve　months；　both　payable　to　the　Cord　Explosives　pany。〃
　Buzz's　face　broke　into　a　grin。　〃Man；　you　got　yourself　a　deal！〃
　〃O。K。；〃　I　said。　I　turned　to　Mr。　Moroni。　〃Would　you　be　kind　enough　to　arrange　the　details　for　me？　I　have　to　be　back　tonight。〃
　〃I'll　be　glad　to；　Mr。　Cord。〃　He　smiled。　
　〃Make　the　loan　for　thirty　thousand　dollars；〃　I　said。　
　〃Hey；　wait　a　minute；〃　Buzz　interrupted。　〃I　only　asked　for　twenty…five。〃　
　〃I　know；〃　I　said；　turning　back　to　him　with　a　smile。　〃But　I　learned　something　today。〃　
　〃What's　that？〃　Buzz　asked。　
　〃It's　bad　business　to　lend　a　guy　just　enough　money　to　give　him　the　shorts。　That's　takin'　a　chance　and　you　both　can　lose。　If　you　really　want　him　to　make　it；　lend　him　enough　to　make　sure　he　can　do　the　job。〃
　
　My　father　had　the　biggest　funeral　ever　held　in　this　part　of　the　state。　Even　the　Governor　came　down。　I　had　closed　the　plant　and　the　little　church　was　packed　to　the　rafters；　with　the　overflow　spilling　out　into　the　street。
　Rina　and　I　stood　alone　in　the　small　pew　down　in　front。　She　stood　straight　and　tall　in　her　black　dress；　her　blond　hair　and　her　face　hidden　by　the　black　veil。　I　looked　down　at　the　new　black　shoes　on　my　feet。　They　were　my　father's　shoes　and　they　hurt。　At　the　last　minute；　I'd　discovered　I　didn't　have　anything　in　the　house　except　huarachos。　Robair　had　brought　the　shoes　down　from　my　father's　closet。　He　had　never　worn　them。　I　promised　myself　I　would　never　wear　them　again；　either。
　I　heard　a　sigh　run　through　the　congregation　and　looked　up。　They　were　closing　my　father's　coffin。　I　had　a　last　quick　glimpse　of　his　face；　then　it　was　gone　and　there　was　a　curious　kind　of　blankness　in　my　mind　and　for　a　moment　I　couldn't　even　remember　what　he　looked　like。
　Then　the　sound　of　weeping　came　to　my　ears　and　I　looked　around　out　of　the　corners　of　my　eyes。　The　Mex　women　from　the　plant　were　crying。　I　heard　a　snuffle　behind　me。　I　half　turned。　It　was　Jake　Platt；　tears　in　his　whisky　eyes。
　I　looked　at　Rina　standing　next　to　me。　I　could　see　her　eyes　through　the　dark　veil。　They　were　clear　and　calm。　From　the　congregation　behind　us　came　the　sound　of　many　people　weeping　for　my　father。
　But　Rina；　his　wife；　didn't　weep。　And　neither　did　I；　his　son。
　
　10
　
　IT　WAS　A　WARM　NIGHT；　EVEN　WITH　THE　BREEZE　THAT　came　in　through　the　open　windows　from　across　the　desert。　I　tossed　restlessly　on　the　bed　and　pushed　the　sheets　down　from　me。　It　had　been　a　long　day；　starting　with　the　funeral　and　then　going　over　plans　with　McAllister　until　it　was　time　for　him　to　leave。　I　was　tired　but　I　couldn't　sleep。　Too　many　thoughts　were　racing　through　my　mind。　I　wondered　if　that　was　the　reason　I　u