jg.thefirm-第11部分

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d　seen　the　inside　of　a　limo　or　the　inside　of　the　Manhattan　Club。　How　many　of　them　would　be　rich　in　ten　years？　He　smiled；　and　felt　good。　Harvard　was　a　million　miles　away。　Harvard　with　no　student　loans。　Kentucky　was　in　another　world。　His　past　was　forgotten。　He　had　arrived。
　　The　decorator　was　waiting　in　his　office。　Avery　excused　himself　and　asked　Mitch　to　be　in　his　office　in　an　hour　to　begin　work。　She　had　books　full　of　office　furniture　and　samples　of　everything。　He　asked　for　suggestions；　listened　with　as　much　interest　as　he　could　muster；　then　told　her　he　trusted　her　judgment　and　she　could　pick　out　whatever　she　felt　was　appropriate。　She　liked　the　solid…cherry　work　desk；　no　drawers；　burgundy　leather　wing　chairs　and　a　very　expensive　oriental　rug。　Mitch　said　it　was　marvelous。
　　She　left　and　he　sat　behind　the　old　desk；　one　that　looked　fine　and　would　have　suited　him　except　that　it　was　considered　used　and　therefore　not　good　enough　for　a　new　lawyer　at　Bendini；　Lambert　&　Locke。　The　office　was　fifteen　by　fifteen；　with　two　six…foot　windows　facing　north　and　staring　directly　into　the　second　floor　of　the　old　building　next　door。　Not　much　of　a　view。　With　a　strain；　he　could　see　a　glimpse　of　the　river　to　the　northwest。　The　walls　were　Sheetrock　and　bare。　She　had　picked　out　some　artwork。　He　determined　that　the　Ego　Wall　would　face　the　desk；　behind　the　wing　chairs。　The　diplomas；　etc。；　would　have　to　be　mounted　and　framed。　The　office　was　big；　for　an　associate。　Much　larger　than　the　cubbyholes　where　the　rookies　were　placed　in　New　York　and　Chicago。　It　would　do　for　a　couple　of　years。　Then　on　to　one　with　a　better　view。　Then　a　corner　office；　one　of　those　power　ones。
　　Miss　Nina　Huff　knocked　on　the　door　and　introduced　herself　as　the　secretary。　She　was　a　heavyset　woman　of　forty…five；　and　with　one　glance　it　was　not　difficult　to　understand　why　she　was　still　single。　With　no　family　to　support；　it　was　evident　she　spent　her　money　on　clothes　and　makeup…all　to　no　avail。　Mitch　wondered　why　she　did　not　invest　in　a　fitness　counselor。　She　informed　him　forthrightly　that　she　had　been　with　　eight　and　a　half　years　now　and　knew　all　there　was　to　know　about　office　procedure。　If　he　had　a　question；　just　ask　her。　He　thanked　her　for　that。　She　had　been　in　the　typing　pool　and　was　grateful　for　the　return　to　general　secretarial　duties。　He　nodded　as　though　he　understood　pletely。　She　asked　if　he　knew　how　to　operate　the　dictating　equipment。　Yes；　he　said。　In　fact；　the　year　before　he　had　worked　for　a　three…hundred…man　firm　on　Wall　Street　and　that　firm　owned　the　very　latest　in　office　technology。　But　if　he　had　a　problem　he　would　ask　her；　he　promised。
　　〃What's　your　wife's　name？〃　she　asked。
　　〃Why　is　that　important？〃　he　asked。
　　〃Because　when　she　calls；　I　would　like　to　know　her　name　so　that　I　can　be　real　sweet　and　friendly　to　her　on　the　phone。〃
　　〃Abby。〃
　　〃How　do　you　like　your　coffee？〃
　　〃Black；　but　I'll　fix　it　myself。〃
　　〃I　don't　mind　fixing　your　coffee　for　you。　It's　part　of　the　job。〃
　　〃I'll　fix　it　myself。〃
　　〃All　the　secretaries　do　it。〃
　　〃If　you　ever　touch　my　coffee；　I'll　see　to　it　that　you're　sent　to　the　mail　room　to　lick　stamps。〃
　　〃We　have　an　automated　licker。　Do　they　lick　stamps　on　Wall　Street？〃
　　〃It　was　a　figure　of　speech。〃
　　〃Well；　I've　memorized　your　wife's　name　and　we've　settled　the　issue　of　coffee；　so　I　guess　I'm　ready　to　start。〃
　　〃In　the　morning。　Be　here　at　eight…thirty。〃
　　〃Yes；　boss。〃　She　left　and　Mitch　smiled　to　himself。　She　was　a　real　smart…ass；　but　she　would　be　fun。
　　Lamar　was　next。　He　was　late　for　a　meeting　with　Nathan　Locke；　but　he　wanted　to　stop　by　and　check　on　his　friend。　He　was　pleased　their　offices　were　close。　He　apologized　again　for　last　Thursday's　dinner。　Yes；　he　and　Kay　and　the　kids　would　be　there　at　seven　to　inspect　the　new　house　and　the　furniture。
　　Hunter　Quin　was　five。　His　sister　Holly　was　seven。　They　both　ate　the　spaghetti　with　perfect　manners　from　the　brand…new　dining　table　and　dutifully　ignored　the　grown…up　talk　circulating　around　them。　Abby　watched　the　two　and　dreamed　of　babies。　Mitch　thought　they　were　cute；　but　was　not　inspired。　He　was　busy　recalling　the　events　of　the　day。
　　The　women　ate　quickly；　then　left　to　look　at　the　furniture　and　talk　about　the　remodeling。　The　children　took　Hearsay　to　the　backyard。
　　〃I'm　a　little　surprised　they　put　you　with　Tolar；〃　Lamar　said；　wiping　his　mouth。
　　〃Why　is　that？〃
　　〃I　don't　think　he's　ever　supervised　an　associate。〃
　　〃Any　particular　reason？〃
　　〃Not　really。　He's　a　great　guy；　but　not　much　of　a　team　player。　Sort　of　a　loner。　Prefers　to　work　by　himself。　He　and　his　wife　are　having　some　problems；　and　there's　talk　that　they've　separated。　But　he　keeps　it　to　himself。〃
　　Mitch　pushed　his　plate　away　and　sipped　the　iced　tea。　〃Is　he　a　good　lawyer？〃
　　〃Yes；　very　good。　They're　all　good　if　they　make　partner。　A　lot　of　his　clients　are　rich　people　with　millions　to　put　in　tax　shelters。　He　sets　up　limited　partnerships。　Many　of　his　shelters　are　risky；　and　he's　known　for　his　willingness　to　take　chances　and　fight　with　the　IRS　later。　Most　of　his　clients　are　big…time　risk　takers。　You'll　do　a　lot　of　research　looking　for　ways　to　bend　the　tax　laws。　It'll　be　fun。〃
　　〃He　spent　half　of　lunch　lecturing　on　billing。〃
　　〃It's　vital。　There's　always　the　pressure　to　bill　more　and　more。　All　we　have　to　sell　is　our　time。　Once　you　pass　the　bar　your　billing　will　be　monitored　weekly　by　Tolar　and　Royce　McKnight。　It's　all　puterized　and　they　can　tell　down　to　the　dime　how　productive　you　are。　You'll　be　expected　to　bill　thirty　to　forty　hours　a　week　for　the　first　six　months。　Then　fifty　for　a　couple　of　years。　Before　they'll　consider　you　for　partner；　you've　got　to　hit　sixty　hours　a　week　consistently　over　a　period　of　years。　No　active　partner　bills　less　than　sixty　a　week…most　of　it　at　the　maximum　rate。〃
　　〃That's　a　lot　of　hours。〃
　　〃Sounds　that　way；　but　it's　deceptive。　Most　good　lawyers　can　work　eight　or　nine　hours　a　day　and　bill　twelve。　It's　called　padding。　It's　not　exactly　fair　to　the　client；　but　it's　something　everybody　does。　The　great　firms　have　been　built　by　padding　files。　It's　the　name　of　the　game。〃
　　〃Sounds　unethical。〃
　　〃So　is　ambulance　chasing　by　plaintiff's　lawyers。　It's　unethical　for　a　dope　lawyer　to　take　his　fee　in　cash　if　he　has　a　reason；　to　believe　the　money　is　dirty。　A　lot　of　things　are　unethical。　What　about　the　doctor　who　sees　a　hundred　Medicare　patients　a　day？　Or　the　one　who　performs　unnecessary　surgery？　Some　of　the　most　unethical　people　I've　met　have　been　my　own　clients。　It's　easy　to　pad　a　file　when　your　client　is　a　multimillionaire　who　wants　to　screw　the　government　and　wants　you　to　do　it　legally。　We　all　do　it。〃
　　〃Do　they　teach　it？〃
　　〃No。　You　just　sort　of　learn　it。　You'll　start　off　working　long；　crazy　hours；　but　you　can't　do　it　forever。　So　you　start　taking　shortcuts。　Believe　me；　Mitch；　after　you've　been　with　us　a　year　you'll　know　how　to　work　ten　hours　and　bill　twice　that　much。　It's　sort　of　a　sixth　sense　lawyers　acquire。〃
　　〃What　else　will　I　acquire？〃
　　Lamar　rattled　his　ice　cubes　and　thought　for　a　moment。　〃A　certain　amount　of　cynicism。　This　business　works　on　you。　When　you　were　in　law　school　you　had　some　noble　idea　of　what　a　lawyer　should　be。　A　champion　of　individual　rights；　a　defender　of　the　Constitution；　a　guardian　of　the　oppressed；　an　advocate　for　your　client's　principles。　Then　after　you　practice　for　six　months　you　realize　we're　nothing　but　hired　guns。　Mouthpieces　for　sale　to　the　highest　bidder；　available　to　anybody；　any　crook；　any　sleazebag　with　enough　money　to　pay　our　outrageous　fees。　Nothing　shocks　you。　It's　supposed　to　be　an　honorable　profession；　but　you'll　meet　so　many　crooked　lawyers　you'll　want　to　quit　and　find　an　honest　job。　Yeah；　Mitch；　you'll　get　cynical。　And　it's　sad；　really。〃
　　〃You　shouldn't　be　telling　me　this　at　this　stage　of　my　career。〃
　　〃The　money　makes　up　for　it。　It's　amazing　how　much　drudgery　you　can　endure　at　two　hundred　thousand　a　year。〃
　　〃Drudgery？　You　make　it　sound　terrible。〃
　　〃I'm　sorry。　It's　not　that　bad。　My　perspective　on　life　changed　radically　last　Thursday。〃
　　〃You　want　to　look　at　the　house？　It's　marvelous。〃
　　〃Maybe　some　other　time。　Let's　just　talk。〃
　　　
　　　6
　　AT　FIVE　A。M。　the　alarm　clock　exploded　on　the　new　bed　table　under　the　new　lamp；　and　was　immediately　silenced。　Mitch　staggered　through　the　dark　house　and　found　Hearsay　waiting　at　the　back　door。　He　released　him　into　the　backyard　and　headed　for　the　shower。　Twenty　minutes　later　he　found　his　wife　under　the　covers　and　kissed　her　goodbye。　She　did　not　respond。
　　With　no　traffic　to　fight；　the　office　was　ten　minutes　away。　He　had　decided　his　day　would　start　at　five…thirty；　unless　someone　could　top　that；　then　he　would　be　there　at　five；　or　four…thirty；　or　whenever　it　took　to　be　first。　Sleep　was　a　nuisance。　He　would　be　the　first　lawyer　to　arrive　at　the　Bendini　Building　on　this　day；　and　every　day　until　he　became　a　partner。　If　it　took　the　others　ten　years；　he　could　do　it　in　seven。　He　would　bee　the　youngest　partner　in　the　history　of　；　he　had　decided。
　　The　vacant　lot　next　to　the　Bendini　Building　had　a　ten…foot　chain…link　fence　around　it　and　a　guard　by　the　gate。　There　was　a　parking　place　inside　with　his　name　spray…painted　between　the　yellow　lines。　He　stopped　by　the　gate　and　waited。　The　uniformed　guard　emerged　from　the　darkness　and　approached　the　driver's　door。　Mitch　pushed　a　button；　lowered　the　window　and　produced　a　plastic　card　with　his　picture　on　it。
　　〃You　must　be　the　new　man；〃　the　guard　said　as　he　held　the　card。
　　〃Yes。　Mitch　McDeere。〃
　　〃I　can　read。　I　should've　known　by　the　car。〃
　　〃What's　your　name？〃　Mitch　asked。
　　〃Dutch　Hendrix。　Worked　for　the　Memphis　Police　Department　for　thirty…three　years。〃
　　〃Nice　to　meet　you；　Dutch。〃
　　〃Yeah。　Same　to　you。　You　start　early；　don't　you？〃
　　Mitch　smiled　and　took　the　ID　card。　〃No；　I　thought　everyone　would　be　here。〃
　　Dutch　managed　a　smile。　〃You're　the　first。　Mr。　Locke　will　be　along　shortly。〃
　　The　gate　opened　and　Dutch　ordered　him　through。　He　found　his　name　in　white　on　the　asphalt　and　parked　the　spotless　BMW　all　by　itself　on　the　third　row　from　the　building。　He　grabbed　his　empty　burgundy　eel…skin　attache　case　from　the　rear　seat　and　gently　closed　the　door。　Another　guard　waited　by　the　rear