hr.thecarpetbaggers-第94部分

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m　my　house！〃
　He　stared　at　her　for　a　moment；　then　started　for　the　door。　Suddenly　he　stopped；　remembering。　Once　his　uncle　had　chased　him　out　of　his　office；　using　almost　the　same　words。　But　he'd　got　what　he　wanted。　And　his　aunt　was　greedier　than　Bernie　had　ever　been。　He　turned　around。
　〃True；　it's　only　twenty…five　thousand　shares；〃　he　said。　〃Only　a　lousy　one　per　cent　of　the　stock。　But　now　it's　worth　something。　At　least；　you　got　somebody　in　the　family　looking　out　for　your　interests。　But　give　your　proxies　to　Sheffield　and　see　what　happens。　He's　the　kind　that　got　Uncle　Bernie　into　Wall　Street　in　the　first　place。　If　you　do；　I　won't　be　there　to　watch　your　interests。　Your　stock　won't　be　worth　bupkas　again。〃
　She　stared　at　him　for　a　moment。　〃Is　that　true？〃
　He　could　see　the　calculating　machine　in　her　head　spinning。　〃Every　last　word　of　it。〃
　She　took　a　deep　breath。　〃So　e；〃　she　said。　〃I'll　sign　for　you　the　proxies。〃　She　turned　and　waddled　to　a　cabinet。　〃Your　uncle；　olev　a'sholem；　always　said　I　should　listen　to　you　when　I　wanted　advice。　That　David；　he　said；　has　a　good　head　on　his　shoulders。〃
　He　watched　her　take　some　papers　from　the　cabinet。　She　walked　over　to　a　desk；　picked　up　a　pen　and　signed　them。　He　took　them　and　put　them　in　his　jacket　pocket。　〃Thanks；　Aunt　May。〃
　She　smiled　up　at　him。　He　was　surprised　when　she　reached　out　her　hand　and　patted　his　arm　almost　timidly。　〃Your　uncle　and　me；　we　were　never　blessed　with　children；〃　she　said　in　a　tremulous　voice。　〃He　really　thought　of　you　like　his　own　son。〃　She　blinked　her　eyes　rapidly。　〃You　don't　know　how　proud　he　was；　even　after　he　retired　from　the　pany；　when　he　read　about　you　in　the　trade　papers。〃
　He　felt　a　knot　of　pity　for　the　lonely　old　woman　gather　in　his　throat。　〃I　know；　Aunt　May。〃
　She　tried　to　smile。　〃And　such　a　pretty　wife　you　got；〃　she　said。　〃Don't　be　a　stranger。　Why　don't　you　sometime　bring　her　here　to　have　tea　with　me？〃
　He　put　his　arms　around　the　old　woman　suddenly　and　kissed　her　cheek。　〃I　will；　Aunt　May；〃　he　said。　〃Soon。〃
　
　Rosa　was　waiting　in　his　office　when　he　got　back　to　the　studio。　〃When　Miss　Wilson　called　and　told　me　you'd　be　late；　I　thought　it　would　be　nice　if　I　came　down　and　we　had　dinner　out。〃
　〃Good；〃　he　said；　kissing　her　cheek。
　〃Well？〃
　He　sat　down　heavily　behind　his　desk。　〃Aunt　May　gave　me　her　proxies。〃
　〃That　means　you've　got　nineteen　per　cent　to　vote。〃
　He　looked　at　her。　〃It　won't　do　much　good　if　Jonas　doesn't　back　me　up。　Irving　told　me　he'd　have　to　sell　the　stock　to　Sheffield　if　Cord　wouldn't　pick　it　up。〃
　She　got　to　her　feet。　〃Well；　you've　done　all　you　could；〃　she　said　in　a　practical　voice。　〃Now　let's　go　to　dinner。〃
　His　secretary　came　in　just　as　David　got　to　his　feet。　〃There's　a　cablegram　from　London；　Mr。　Woolf。〃
　He　took　the　envelope　and　opened　it。
　
　SET　PRODUCTION　DATE　SINNER　MARCH　1。　
　 CORD。
　
　Just　as　he　was　about　to　hand　it　to　Rosa；　the　door　opened　and　his　secretary　came　in　again。　〃Another　cablegram；　Mr。　Woolf。〃
　Quickly　he　ripped　it　open。　His　eyes　skimmed　through　it　and　he　felt　a　sudden　relief　surge　through　him。
　
　MCALLISTER　READY　WHATEVER　CASH　NEEDED　SPIKE　SHEFFIELD。　GIVE　IT　TO　HIM　GOOD。
　
　Like　the　first　cablegram；　it　was　signed　CORD。　He　passed　them　both　to　Rosa。　She　read　them　and　looked　up　at　him　with　shining　eyes。　〃We　did　it！〃　he　said　excitedly。　He　had　started　to　pick　her　up　in　his　arms　when　the　door　opened　again。
　〃Yes；　Miss　Wilson？〃　he　said　in　an　annoyed　voice。
　The　girl　stood　hesitantly　in　the　doorway。　〃I'm　sorry　to　disturb　you；　Mr。　Woolf；〃　she　said；　〃but　another　cablegram　just　arrived。〃
　〃Well；　don't　stand　there。　Give　it　to　me。〃　He　looked　at　Rosa。　〃This　one　is　for　both　of　us；〃　he　said；　handing　it　to　her。　〃You　open　it。〃
　She　looked　down　at　the　envelope；　then　back　at　David。　A　smile　came　over　her　face。
　He　looked　down　at　the　cable　in　her　hand。
　
　MAZEL　TOV！　HOPE　IT　WILL　BE　TWINS！
　
　This　one　was　signed　JONAS。
　
　
　JONAS　…　1940
　…
　Book　Seven
　
　
　1
　
　〃THIS　IS　DAMN　STUPID！〃　FORRESTER　MUTTERED　as　he　lifted　the　CAB…200　into　the　air　behind　the　formation　of　Spitfires。
　〃What's　stupid？〃　I　asked；　looking　down　behind　me　from　the　copilot's　seat；　to　see　London　dropping　back　into　the　early…morning　haze。　There　were　several　fires　still　burning　from　last　night's　raid。　〃They　didn't　buy　our　plane　but　they'll　buy　all　the　B…17's　we　can　turn　out。　What　the　hell；　we　both　know　they　have　to　standardize。〃
　〃I'm　not　talking　about　that；〃　Roger　grumbled。
　〃Engines　one　and　two；　check；〃　Morrissey　called　from　behind　us。　〃Engines　three　and　four；　check。　You　can　cut　the　fuel　now。〃
　〃Check。〃　Roger　turned　down　the　mixture。　〃That's　what　I'm　talking　about；〃　he　said；　motioning　toward　Morrissey；　who　was　acting　as　flight　engineer。　〃It's　stupid　…　all　of　us　on　the　same　plane。　What　if　it　went　down？　Who'd　be　left　to　run　the　pany？〃
　I　grinned　at　him。　〃You　worry　too　much。〃　
　He　returned　my　smile　without　humor。　〃That's　what　you　pay　me　for。　The　president　of　the　pany　has　to　worry。　Especially　the　way　we're　growing。　We　grossed　over　thirty…five　million　last　year；　this　year　we'll　go　over　a　hundred　million　with　war　orders。　We'll　have　to　start　bringing　up　personnel　who　can　take　over　in　case　something　happens　to　us。〃
　I　reached　for　a　cigarette。　〃What's　going　to　happen　to　us？〃　I　asked；　lighting　it。　I　looked　at　him　through　the　cloud　of　smoke。　〃Unless　you　got　a　little　jealous　of　the　R。A。F。　back　there　and　are　thinking　about　going　back　into　the　service。〃
　He　reached　out　and　took　the　cigarette　from　my　mouth　and　put　it　between　his　lips。　〃You　know　better　than　that；　Jonas。　I　couldn't　keep　up　with　those　kids。　They'd　fly　rings　around　me。　If　I　have　to　be　an　armchair　pilot；　I'd　rather　do　it　here；　where　at　least　I'm　on　your　general　staff。〃
　There　was　something　in　what　he　said。　The　war　was　pushing　us　into　an　expansion　that　neither　of　us　had　ever　dreamed　of。　And　we　weren't　even　in　it　yet。　
　〃We'll　have　to　get　someone　to　run　the　Canadian　plant。〃　
　I　nodded　silently。　He'd　been　right　…　it　was　a　hell　of　a　wise　move。　We'd　fabricate　the　parts　in　our　plants　in　the　States　and　ship　them　to　Canada；　where　they'd　go　on　the　production　line。　As　they　rolled　off；　the　R。C。A。F。　would　fly　them　to　England。　If　it　worked；　we　could　knock　about　three　weeks　off　the　production　time　for　each　plane。
　The　idea　also　had　some　fiscal　advantages。　The　British　and　Canadian　governments　were　willing　to　finance　the　building　of　the　plant　and　we'd　save　two　ways。　The　factory　would　cost　less　because　we　would　have　no　interest　charges　and　the　tax　on　net　ine　could　be　taken　in　Canada；　where　the　depreciation　allowance　was　four　times　that　allowed　by　Uncle　Sam。　And　His　Majesty's　boys　were　happy；　too；　because　living　in　the　sterling　bloc；　they'd　have　fewer　American　dollars　to　pay　out。
　〃O。K。；　I　agree。　But　none　of　the　boys　working　for　us　has　the　experience　to　take　on　a　big　job　like　that　except　Morrissey。　And　we　can't　spare　him。　You　got　anybody　in　mind？〃
　〃Sure；〃　he　said；　shooting　a　curious　look　at　me。　〃But　you　aren't　going　to　like　it。〃
　I　stared　at　him。　〃Try　me　and　see。〃
　〃Amos　Winthrop。〃
　〃No！〃
　〃He's　the　only　man　around　who　can　handle　it；〃　he　said。　〃And　he　won't　be　available　for　long。　The　way　things　are　going；　somebody's　going　to　snap　him　up。〃
　〃Let　them！　He's　a　prick　and　a　lush。　Besides；　he's　bombed　out　on　everything　he　ever　did。〃
　〃He　knows　aircraft　production；〃　Forrester　said　stubbornly。　He　glanced　at　me　again。　〃I　heard　what　happened　between　you　two　but　that's　got　nothing　to　do　with　this。〃
　I　didn't　answer。　Up　ahead　of　us；　I　saw　the　Spitfire　formation　leader　waggle　his　wings。　It　was　the　signal　to　break　radio　silence。　Forrester　leaned　forward　and　flipped　the　switch。　〃Yes；　Captain？〃
　〃This　is　where　we　leave　you；　old　boy。〃
　I　looked　down。　The　gray　waters　of　the　Atlantic　stared　back　at　me。　We　were　a　hundred　miles　off　the　coast　of　the　British　Isles。
　〃O。K。；　Captain；〃　Forrester　said。　〃Thank　you。〃
　〃Safe　home；　chaps。　And　don't　forget　to　send　us　the　big　ones。　We'll　be　needing　them　next　summer　to　pay　Jerry　back　a　little。〃
　Forrester　laughed　in　his　mike。　The　British　had　just　taken　the　shellacking　of　their　lives　and　here　they　were　worried　about　getting　their　licks　in。　〃You'll　have　them；　Captain。〃
　〃Righto。　Radio　out。〃
　He　waggled　the　wings　of　his　Spitfire　again　and　the　formation　peeled　away　in　a　wide；　sweeping　circle　back　toward　their　coast。　Then　there　was　silence　and　we　were　alone　over　the　Atlantic　on　our　way　home。
　I　pulled　out　of　my　safety　belt　and　stood　up。　〃If　it's　O。K。　with　you；　I'm　going　back　and　grab　a　little　snooze。〃
　Roger　nodded。　I　opened　the　partment　door。　〃You　just　think　about　what　I　said；〃　he　called　after　me。
　〃If　you're　talking　about　Amos　Winthrop；　forget　it。〃
　Morrissey　was　sitting　dejectedly　in　the　engineer's　bucket　seat。　He　looked　up　when　I　came　in。　〃I　don't　understand　it；〃　he　said　sadly。
　I　sat　down　on　the　edge　of　the　bunk。　〃It's　easy　enough　to　figure　out。　The　B…17　flies　with　a　five…man　crew　against　our　nine。　That　means　they　can　put　almost　twice　as　many　planes　in　the　air。　Round　trip　to　Germany　at　the　most　is　two　thousand　miles；　so　they　don't　need　a　five…thousand…mile　range。　Besides；　the　operational　costs　are　just　a　little　more　than　half　ours。〃
　〃But　this　plane　can　go　ten　thousand　feet　higher　and　two　hundred　miles　an　hour　faster；〃　Morrissey　said。　〃And　it　carries　almost　twice　the　pay　load　of　bombs。〃
　〃The　trouble　with　you；　Morrissey；　is　you're　ahead　of　the　times。　They're　not　ready　for　planes　like　this　one　yet。〃
　I　saw　the　stricken　look　e　over　his　face。　For　a　moment；　I　felt　sorry　for　him。　And　what　I'd　said　was　true。　For　my　money；　he　was　the　greatest　aircraft　engineer　in　the　world。　〃Forget　it。　Don't　worry；　they'll　catch　up　to　you　yet。　Some…day；　they'll　be　flying　planes　like　this　by　the　thousands。〃
　〃Not　in　this　war；〃　he　said　resignedly。　He　picked　up　a　Thermos　from　a　cardboard　carton。　〃I　think　I'll　take　some　coffee　up　to　Roger。〃
　He　went　forward　into　the　pilot's　partment　and　I　stretched　out　on　the　bunk。　The　drone　of　the　four　big　engines　buzzed　in　my　ears。　I　closed　my　eyes。　Three　weeks　in　England　and　I　don't　think　I　had　a　good　night's　rest　the　whole　time。　Between　the　bombs　and　the　girls。　The　bombs　and　the　girls。　The　bombs。　The　girls。　I　slept。
　
　The　shrill　shriek　of　the　falling　bomb　rose　to　its　orgiast