jg.thefirm-第17部分

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ociates；　fresh　from　law　school　and　full　of　energy。　He　smiled　at　the　sounds　of　their　lovemaking。　He　closed　his　eyes　and　watched　them。
　　　
　　　9
　　THE　Capps　crisis　passed　in　two　weeks　without　disaster；　thanks　largely　to　a　string　of　eighteen…hour　days　by　the　newest　member　of　；　a　member　who　had　not　yet　passed　the　bar　exam　and　who　was　too　busy　practicing　law　to　worry　about　it。　In　July　he　billed　an　average　of　fifty…nine　hours　a　week；　a　firm　record　for　a　nonlawyer。　Avery　proudly　informed　the　partners　at　the　monthly　meeting　that　McDeere's　work　was　remarkable　for　a　rookie。　The　Capps　deal　was　closed　three　days　ahead　of　schedule；　thanks　to　McDeere。　The　documents　totaled　four　hundred　pages；　all　perfect；　all　meticulously　researched；　drafted　and　redrafted　by　McDeere。　Koker…Hanks　would　close　within　a　month；　thanks　to　McDeere；　and　　would　earn　close　to　a　quarter　of　a　mill。　He　was　a　machine。
　　Oliver　Lambert　expressed　concern　over　his　study　habits。　The　bar　exam　was　less　than　three　weeks　away；　and　it　was　obvious　to　all　that　McDeere　was　not　ready。　He　had　canceled　half　his　review　sessions　in　July　and　had　logged　less　than　twenty　hours。　Avery　said　not　to　worry；　his　boy　would　be　ready。
　　Fifteen　days　before　the　exam；　Mitch　finally　plained。　He　was　about　to　flunk　it；　he　explained　to　Avery　over　lunch　at　the　Manhattan　Club；　and　he　needed　time　to　study。　Lots　of　time。　He　could　cram　it　in　for　the　next　two　weeks　and　pass　by　the　hair　of　his　ass。　But　he　had　to　be　left　alone。　No　deadlines。　No　emergencies。　No　all…nighters。　He　pleaded。　Avery　listened　carefully；　and　apologized。　He　promised　to　ignore　him　for　the　next　two　weeks。　Mitch　said　thanks。
　　On　the　first　Monday　in　August；　a　firm　meeting　was　called　in　the　main　library　on　the　first　floor。　It　was　the　meeting　room；　the　largest　of　the　four　libraries；　the　showplace。　Half　the　lawyers　sat　around　the　antique　cherry　conference　table　with　twenty　chairs　under　it。　The　rest　stood　next　to　the　shelves　of　thick　leather　law　books　which　had　not　been　opened　in　decades。　Every　member　was　present；　even　Nathan　Locke。　He　arrived　late　and　stood　next　to　the　door　by　himself。　He　spoke　to　no　one；　and　no　one　looked　at　him。　Mitch　stole　a　glance　at　Black　Eyes　when　possible。
　　The　mood　was　somber。　No　smiles。　Beth　Kozinski　and　Laura　Hodge　were　escorted　through　the　door　by　Oliver　Lambert。　They　were　seated　at　the　front　of　the　room　facing　a　wall　where　two　veiled　portraits　hung。　They　held　hands　and　tried　to　smile。　Mr。　Lambert　stood　with　his　back　to　the　wall　and　faced　the　small　audience。
　　He　spoke　softly；　his　rich　baritone　exuding　sympathy　and　passion。　He　almost　whispered　at　first；　but　the　power　of　his　voice　made　every　sound　and　every　syllable　clear　throughout　the　room。　He　looked　at　the　two　widows　and　told　of　the　deep　sadness　　felt；　how　they　would　always　be　taken　care　of　as　long　as　there　was　a　firm。　He　talked　of　Marty　and　Joe；　of　their　first　few　years　with　；　of　their　importance　to　；　of　the　vast　voids　their　deaths　created。　He　spoke　of　their　love　for　their　families；　their　dedication　to　their　homes。
　　The　man　was　eloquent。　He　spoke　in　prose；　with　no　forethought　as　to　what　the　next　sentence　would　be。　The　widows　cried　softly　and　wiped　their　eyes。　And　then　some　of　the　closer　ones；　Lamar　Quin　and　Doug　Turney；　began　to　sniffle。
　　When　he　had　said　enough；　he　unveiled　the　portrait　of　Martin　Kozinski。　It　was　an　emotional　moment。　There　were　more　tears。　There　would　be　a　scholarship　established　at　the　Chicago　Law　School　in　his　name。　　would　set　up　trusts　for　his　children's　education。　The　family　would　be　taken　care　of。　Beth　bit　her　lip；　but　cried　louder。　The　seasoned；　hardened；　tough…as…nails　negotiators　of　the　great　Bendini　firm　swallowed　rapidly　and　avoided　looking　at　each　other。　Only　Nathan　Locke　was　unmoved。　He　glared　at　the　wall　with　his　penetrating　lasers　and　ignored　the　ceremony。
　　Then　the　portrait　of　Joe　Hodge；　and　a　similar　biography；　similar　scholarship　and　trust　funds。　Mitch　had　heard　a　rumor　that　Hodge　purchased　a　two…million…dollar　life　insurance　policy　four　months　before　his　death。
　　When　the　eulogies　were　plete；　Nathan　Locke　disappeared　through　the　door。　The　lawyers　surrounded　the　widows　and　offered　quiet　words　and　embraces。　Mitch　did　not　know　them　and　had　nothing　to　say。　He　walked　to　the　front　wall　and　examined　the　paintings。　Next　to　those　of　Kozinski　and　Hodge　were　three　slightly　smaller；　but　equally　dignified　portraits。　The　one　of　the　woman　caught　his　attention。　The　brass　plate　read：　〃Alice　Knauss　1948…1977。〃
　　〃She　was　a　mistake；〃　Avery　said　under　his　breath　as　he　stepped　next　to　his　associate。
　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　Mitch　asked。
　　〃Typical　female　lawyer。　Came　here　from　Harvard；　number　one　in　her　class　and　carrying　a　chip　because　she　was　a　female。　Thought　every　man　alive　was　a　sexist　and　it　was　her　mission　in　life　to　eliminate　discrimination。　Super…bitch。　After　six　months　we　all　hated　her　but　couldn't　get　rid　of　her。　She　forced　two　partners　into　early　retirement。　Milligan　still　blames　her　for　his　heart　attack。　He　was　her　partner。〃
　　〃Was　she　a　good　lawyer？〃
　　〃Very　good；　but　it　was　impossible　to　appreciate　her　talents。　She　was　so　contentious　about　everything。〃
　　〃What　happened　to　her？〃
　　〃Car　wreck。　Killed　by　a　drunk　driver。　It　was　really　tragic。〃
　　〃Was　she　the　first　woman？〃
　　〃Yes；　and　the　last；　unless　we　get　sued。〃
　　Mitch　nodded　to　the　next　portrait。　〃Who　was　he？〃
　　〃Robert　Lamm。　He　was　a　good　friend　of　mine。　Emory　Law　School　in　Atlanta。　He　was　about　three　years　ahead　of　me。〃
　　〃What　happened？〃
　　〃No　one　knows。　He　was　an　avid　hunter。　We　hunted　moose　in　Wyoming　one　winter。　In　1972　he　was　deer　hunting　in　Arkansas　and　turned　up　missing。　They　found　him　a　month　later　in　a　ravine　with　a　hole　through　his　head。　Autopsy　said　the　bullet　entered　through　the　rear　of　his　skull　and　blew　away　most　of　his　face。　They　speculate　the　shot　was　fired　from　a　high…powered　rifle　at　long　range。　It　was　probably　an　accident；　but　we'll　never　know。　I　could　never　imagine　anyone　wanting　to　kill　Bobby　Lamm。〃
　　The　last　portrait　was　of　John　Mickel；　1950…1984。　〃What　happened　to　him？〃　Mitch；whispered。
　　〃Probably　the　most　tragic　of　all。　He　was　not　a　strong　man；　and　the　pressure　got　to　him。　He　drank　a　lot；　and　started　drugs。　Then　his　wife　left　him　and　they　had　a　bitter　divorce。　　was　embarrassed。　After　he　had　been　here　ten　years；　he　began　to　fear　he　would　not　bee　a　partner。　The　drinking　got　worse。　We　spent　a　small　fortune　on　treatment；　shrinks；　everything。　But　nothing　worked。　He　became　depressed；　then　suicidal。　He　wrote　a　seven…page　suicide　note　and　blew　his　brains　out。〃
　　〃That's　terrible。〃
　　〃Sure　was。〃
　　〃Where'd　they　find　him？〃
　　Avery　cleared　his　throat　and　glanced　around　the　room。　〃In　your　office。〃
　　〃What！〃
　　〃Yeah；　but　they　cleaned　it　up。〃
　　〃You're　kidding！〃
　　〃No；　I'm　serious。　It　was　years　ago；　and　the　office　has　been　used　since　then。　It's　okay。〃
　　Mitch　was　speechless。
　　〃You're　not　superstitious；　are　you？〃　Avery　asked　with　a　nasty　grin。
　　〃Of　course　not。〃
　　〃I　guess　I　should've　told　you；　but　it's　not　something　we　talk　about。〃
　　〃Can　I　change　offices？〃
　　〃Sure。　Just　flunk　the　bar　exam　and　we'll　give　you　one　of　those　paralegal　offices　in　the　basement。〃
　　〃If　I　flunk　it；　it'll　be　because　of　you。〃
　　〃Yes；　but　you　won't　flunk　it；　will　you？〃
　　〃If　you　can　pass　it；　so　can　I。〃
　　From　5　A。M。　to　7　A。M。　the　Bendini　Building　was　empty　and　quiet。　Nathan　Locke　arrived　around　six；　but　went　straight　to　his　office　and　locked　the　door。　At　seven；　the　associates　began　appearing　and　voices　could　be　heard。　By　seven…thirty　　had　a　quorum；　and　a　handful　of　secretaries　punched　in。　By　eight　the　halls　were　full　and　it　was　chaos　as　usual。　Concentration　became　difficult。　Interruptions　were　routine。　Phones　beeped　incessantly。　By　nine；　all　lawyers；　paralegals；　clerks　and　secretaries　were　either　present　or　accounted　for。　Mitch　treasured　the　solitude　of　the　early　hours。　He　moved　his　clock　up　thirty　minutes　and　began　waking　Dutch　at　five；　instead　of　five…thirty。　After　making　two　pots　of　coffee；　he　roamed　the　dark　halls　flipping　light　switches　and　inspecting　the　building。　Occasionally；　on　a　clear　morning；　he　would　stand　before　the　window　in　Lamar's　office　and　watch　the　dawn　break　over　the　mighty　Mississippi　below。　He　would　count　the　barges　lined　neatly　before　their　tugboats　plowing　slowly　upriver。　He　watched　the　trucks　inch　across　the　bridge　in　the　distance。　But　he　wasted　little　time。　He　dictated　letters；　briefs；　summaries；　memorandums　and　a　hundred　other　documents　for　Nina　to　type　and　Avery　to　review。　He　crammed　for　the　bar　exam。
　　The　morning　after　the　ceremony　for　the　dead　lawyers；　he　found　himself　in　the　library　on　the　first　floor　looking　for　a　treatise　when　he　again　noticed　the　five　portraits。　He　walked　to　the　wall　and　stared　at　them；　remembering　the　brief　obituaries　given　by　Avery。　Five　dead　lawyers　in　twenty　years。　It　was　a　dangerous　place　to　work。　On　a　legal　pad　he　scribbled　their　names　and　the　years　they　died。　It　was　five…thirty。
　　Something　moved　in　the　hallway；　and　he　jerked　to　his　right。　In　the　darkness　he　saw　Black　Eyes　watching。　He　stepped　forward　to　the　door　and　glared　at　Mitch。　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　he　demanded。
　　Mitch　faced　him　and　attempted　a　smile。　〃Good　morning　to　you。　It　happens　I　am　studying　for　the　bar　exam。〃
　　Locke　glanced　at　the　portraits　and　then　stared　at　Mitch。　〃I　see。　Why　are　you　so　interested　in　them？〃
　　〃Just　curious。　This　firm　has　had　its　share　of　tragedy。〃
　　〃They're　all　dead。　A　real　tragedy　will　occur　if　you　don't　pass　the　bar　exam。〃
　　〃I　intend　to　pass　it。〃
　　〃I've　heard　otherwise。　Your　study　habits　are　causing　concern　among　the　partners。〃
　　〃Are　the　partners　concerned　about　my　excessive　billing？〃
　　〃Don't　get　smart。　You　were　told　the　bar　exam　has　priority　over　everything。　An　employee　with　no　license　is　of　no　use　to　this　firm。〃
　　Mitch　thought　of　a　dozen　smart　retorts；　but　let　it　pass。　Locke　stepped　backward　and　disappeared。　In　his　office　with　the　door　closed；　Mitch　hid　the　names　and　dates　in　a　drawer　and　opened　a　review　book　on　constitutional　law。
　　
　　　10
　　THE　Saturday　after　the　bar　exam　Mitch　avoided　his　office　and　his　house　and　spent　the　morning　digging　in　the　flower　beds　and　waiting。　With　the　remodeling　ple