hr.thecarpetbaggers-第97部分

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　〃Creative　conceit？〃
　〃It's　a　term　I　got　from　David　Woolf。　He　used　it　to　rate　certain　producers。　Those　who　had　it　made　great　pictures。　Those　who　didn't；　made　pictures。　In　short；　they　preferred　me　because　I　was　willing　to　be　judged　on　their　own　terms。〃
　〃I　see；〃　Sheffield　said　thoughtfully。　〃I　won't　make　the　same　mistake　again。〃
　〃I'm　sure　you　won't。〃　I　felt　a　suspicion　growing　in　me。　This　was　too　easy。　He　was　being　too　nice　about　it。　He　was　a　fighter。　And　fighters　die　hard。
　Besides；　his　whole　approach　had　been　inconsistent　with　his　usual　way　of　doing　business。　Sheffield　was　a　financial　man。　He　dealt　with　business　people　about　finances。　Yet；　in　this　case；　he'd　gone　directly　to　the　picture　people。　Ordinarily；　he'd　have　contacted　me　right　off　the　bat　and　we'd　have　battled　it　out。　We'd　each　have　promised　a　little　and　been　satisfied。
　There　could　be　only　one　answer。　Something　that　had　happened　in　England　when　I　was　there　began　suddenly　to　make　sense。　I'd　e　out　of　the　projection　room　of　our　office　in　London；　where　I　had　gone　to　see　the　Jennie　Denton　test；　with　our　British　sales　manager。
　The　telephone　had　rung　when　we　walked　into　his　office。　He　picked　it　up　and　spoke　into　it　a　few　minutes；　then　put　it　down。　He　looked　up　at　me。
　〃That　was　the　circuit…buyer　for　the　Engel　theater　chain；〃　he　said。　〃They　are　frantic　for　product　now。　Their　studios　were　lost　pletely　in　the　first　raid　and　they　had　never　made　a　deal　for　American　product；　as　have　the　other　panies。〃
　〃What　are　they　going　to　do？〃　I　asked；　still　thinking　about　the　test。　For　the　first　time　since　Rina　had　died；　I　began　to　feel　the　excitement　that　came　only　from　making　a　motion　picture　again。　I　only　half　listened　to　his　answer。
　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　replied。　〃They　have　four　hundred　theaters　and　if　they　can't　get　additional　product　in　six　months；　they'll　have　to　close　half　of　them。〃
　〃Too　bad；〃　I　said。　I　couldn't　care　less。　Engel；　like　Korda；　had　e　to　England　from　Middle　Europe　and　gone　into　the　picture　business。　But　while　Korda　had　concentrated　on　production；　Engel　had　gone　in　for　theaters。　He　came　into　production　only　as　an　answer　to　his　problem　of　supply。　Rank；　British　Lion；　Gaumont　and　Associated　among　them　managed　to　control　all　the　product；　both　British　and　American。　Still；　there　was　no　reason　to　mourn　for　him。　I　had　heard　that　his　investments　in　the　States　were　worth　in　excess　of　twenty　million　dollars。
　I'd　forgotten　about　the　conversation　until　now。　It　all　fitted　together　neatly。　It　would　have　been　a　very　neat　trick　if　Engel　could　have　stolen　the　pany　right　out　from　under　my　nose。　And　it　was　just　the　kind　of　deal　his　Middle…European　mind　would　have　dreamed　up。
　I　looked　at　Sheffield。　〃What　does　Engel　plan　to　do　with　the　stock　now？〃　I　asked　casually。
　〃I　don't　know。〃　Then　he　looked　at　me。　〃No　wonder；〃　he　said　softly。　〃Now　I　know　why　we　couldn't　get　anywhere。　You　knew　all　along。〃
　I　didn't　answer。　I　could　see　the　look　of　surprise　on　Mac's　face　behind　him　but　I　pretended　I　hadn't。
　〃And　I　was　beginning　to　believe　that　stuff　you　were　handing　me　about　picture　people　standing　together；〃　Sheffield　said。
　I　smiled。　〃Now　that　the　deal　fell　through；　I　suppose　Engel　has　no　choice　but　to　close　those　theaters。　He　can't　get　product　anywhere　else。〃
　Sheffield　was　silent；　his　eyes　wary。　〃All　right；　Jonas；〃　he　said。　〃What's　on　your　mind？〃
　〃How　would　Mr。　Engel　like　to　buy　the　Norman　Film　Distributors　of　England。　Ltd。？　That　would　assure　him　access　to　our　product　and　he　might　not　have　to　close　those　theaters。〃
　〃How　much　would　it　cost　him？〃　Sheffield　asked。
　〃How　many　shares　of　stock　does　he　own？〃
　〃About　six　hundred　thousand。〃
　〃That's　what　it　would　cost　him；〃　I　said。
　〃That's　five　million　dollars！　British　Norman　only　nets　about　three　hundred　thousand　a　year。　At　that　rate；　it　would　take　him　almost　twenty　years　to　get　his　money　back。〃
　〃It　all　depends　on　your　point　of　view。　Closing　two　hundred　theaters　would　mean　a　loss　to　him　of　over　a　million　pounds　a　year。〃
　He　stared　at　me　for　a　moment　and　then　got　to　his　feet。　〃May　I　use　your　phone　for　a　call　to　London？　In　spite　of　the　time　difference；　I　just　might　still　catch　Mr。　Engel　before　he　leaves　the　office。〃
　〃Help　yourself；〃　I　said。　As　he　walked　to　the　telephone；　I　looked　down　at　my　watch。　It　was　nine　o'clock　and　I　knew　I　had　him。　Because　no　one；　not　even　Georges　Engel；　left　his　office　at　two　o'clock　in　the　afternoon。　Not　in　merry　old　England；　where　the　offices　were　open　until　six　o'clock　and　the　clerks　still　sat　at　their　old…fashioned　desks　on　their　high　stools。　Engel　was　probably　waiting　at　the　telephone　right　now　for　Sheffield's　call。
　By　noon　it　was　all　arranged。　Mr。　Engel　and　his　attorneys　would　be　in　New　York　the　next　week　to　sign　the　agreement。　There　was　only　one　thing　wrong　with　it：　I　would　have　to　remain　in　New　York。　I　reached　for　the　telephone。
　〃Who're　you　calling？〃　Mac　asked。
　〃David　Woolf。　He's　the　executive　officer　of　the　pany。　He　might　as　well　be　here　to　sign　the　papers。〃
　〃Put　down　the　telephone；〃　Mac　said　wearily。　〃He's　in　New　York。　I　brought　him　along　with　me。〃
　〃Oh；〃　I　said。　I　walked　over　to　the　window　and　looked　down。　New　York　in　midmorning。　I　could　sense　the　tension　in　the　traffic　ing　up　Park　Avenue。　I　was　beginning　to　feel　restless　already。
　I　turned　back　to　McAllister。　〃Well；　get　him　up　here。　I'm　starting　a　big　picture　in　two　months。　I'd　like　to　know　what's　being　done　about　it。〃
　〃David　brought　Bonner　along　to　go　over　the　production　details　with　you。〃
　I　stared　at　him。　They'd　thought　of　everything。　I　threw　myself　into　a　chair。　The　doorbell　rang　and　Robair　went　to　open　it。　Forrester　and　Morrissey　came　in。　I　looked　up　at　them　as　they　crossed　the　room。
　〃I　thought　you　were　supposed　to　leave　for　California　this　morning；　Morrissey；〃　I　said　coldly。　〃How　the　hell　are　we　ever　going　to　get　that　new　production　line　started？〃
　〃I　don't　know　if　we　can；　Jonas；〃　he　said　quickly。
　〃What　the　hell　do　you　mean？〃　I　shouted。　〃You　said　we　could　do　it。　You　were　there　when　we　signed　that　contract。〃
　〃Take　it　easy；　Jonas；〃　Forrester　said　quietly。　〃We　have　a　problem。〃
　〃What　kind　of　problem？〃
　〃The　U。S。　Army　just　ordered　five　CA…200's。　They　want　the　first　delivery　by　June　and　we're　in　a　bind。　We　can't　make　them　B…17's　on　the　same　production　line。　You're　going　to　have　to　decide　which　es　first。〃
　I　stared　at　him。　〃You　make　the　decision。　You're　president　of　the　pany。〃
　〃You　own　the　goddamn　pany；〃　he　shouted　back。　〃Which　contract　do　you　want　to　honor？〃
　〃Both　of　them。　We're　not　in　the　business　of　turning　away　money。〃
　〃Then　we'll　have　to　get　the　Canadian　plant　in　operation　right　away。　We　could　handle　prefabrication　if　the　B…17's　were　put　together　up　there。〃
　〃Then　do　it；〃　I　said。
　〃O。K。　Get　me　Amos　Winthrop　to　run　it。〃
　〃I　told　you　before　…　no　Winthrop。〃
　〃No　Winthrop；　no　Canadian　plant。　I'm　not　going　to　send　a　lot　of　men　to　their　death　in　planes　put　together　by　amateurs　just　because　you're　too　damn　stubborn　to　listen　to　reason。〃
　〃Still　the　fly…boy　hero？〃　I　sneered。　〃What's　it　to　you　who　puts　the　planes　together？　You're　not　flying　them。〃
　He　crossed　the　room　and　stood　over　my　chair；　looking　down　at　me。　I　could　see　his　fists　clench。　〃While　you　were　out　whoring　around　London；　trying　to　screw　everything　in　sight；　I　was　out　at　the　airfields　watching　those　poor　bastards　e　in　weary　and　beat　from　trying　to　keep　the　Jerry　bombs　off　your　fucking　back。　Right　then　and　there；　I　made　up　my　mind　that　if　we　were　lucky　enough　to　get　that　contract；　I'd　personally　see　to　it　that　every　plane　we　shipped　over　was　the　kind　of　plane　I　wouldn't　be　afraid　to　take　up　myself。〃
　〃Hear；　hear！〃　I　said　sarcastically。
　〃When　did　you　decide　you'd　be　satisfied　to　put　your　name　on　a　plane　that　was　second　best？　When　the　money　got　big　enough？〃
　I　stared　at　him　for　a　moment。　He　was　right。　My　father　said　the　same　thing　in　another　way　once。　We'd　been　walking　through　the　plant　back　in　Nevada　and　Jake　Platt；　the　plant　supervisor；　came　up　to　him　with　a　report　on　a　poor　batch　of　powder。　He　suggested　blending　it　in　with　a　large　order　so　the　loss　would　be　absorbed。
　My　father　towered　over　him　in　rage。　〃And　who　would　absorb　the　loss　of　my　reputation？〃　he　shouted。　〃It's　my　name　that's　on　every　can　of　that　powder。　Burn　it！〃
　〃All　right；　Roger；〃　I　said　slowly。　〃You　get　Winthrop。〃
　He　looked　into　my　eyes　for　a　moment。　When　he　spoke；　his　voice　was　quieter。　〃You'll　have　to　find　him　for　us。　I'm　sending　Morrissey　up　to　Canada　to　get　the　new　plant　started。　I'll　go　out　to　the　Coast　and　start　production。〃
　〃Where　is　he？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　answered。　〃Last　I　heard；　he　was　in　New　York；　but　when　I　checked　around　this　morning；　nobody　seemed　to　know　where　he　is。　He　seems　to　have　dropped　out　of　sight。〃
　
　4
　
　I　SLUMPED　BACK　INTO　A　CORNER　OF　THE　BIG　LIMOUSINE　AS　WE　CAME　OFF　THE　QUEENSBORO　BRIDGE。　Already；　I　regretted　my　decision　to　e　out　here。　There　was　something　about　Queens　that　depressed　me。　I　looked　out　the　window　while　Robair　expertly　threaded　the　big　car　through　the　traffic。　Suddenly；　I　was　annoyed　with　Monica　for　living　out　here。
　I　recognized　the　group　of　houses　as　the　car　rolled　to　a　stop。　They　hadn't　changed；　except　that　the　lawn　was　dull　and　brown　with　winter　now；　where　it　had　been　bright　summer…green　the　last　time。
　〃Wait　here；〃　I　said　to　Robair。　I　went　up　the　three　steps　and　pressed　the　doorbell。　A　chill　wind　whistled　between　the　buildings　and　I　pulled　my　light　topcoat　around　me。　I　shifted　the　package　unfortably　under　my　arm。
　The　door　opened　and　a　small　girl　stood　there；　looking　up　at　me。　Her　eyes　were　dark　violet　and　serious。　〃Jo…Ann？〃　I　asked　tentatively。
　She　nodded　silently。
　I　stared　at　her　for　a　moment。　Leave　it　to　children　to　remind　you　of　the　passing　of　time。　They　have　a　way　of　growing　that　ticks　off　your　years　more　accurately　than　a　clock。　The　last　time　I　had　seen　her；　she　was　little　more　than　a　baby。　〃I'm　Jonas　Cord；〃　I　said。　〃Is　your　mother　home？〃
　〃e　in；〃　she　said　in　a　small；　clear　voice。　I　followed　her　into　the　living　room。　She　turned　to　face　me。　〃Sit　down。　Mummy's　dressing。　She　said　she　wouldn't　be　long。〃
　I　sat　down　and　she　sat　in　a　chair　opposite　me。　She　stared　at　me　with　wide；　serious　eyes　but　didn't　speak。　I　began　to　feel　unfortable　under　her　candid　scrutiny　an