jg.thefirm-第3部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


nd　mysterious　and　the　ultimate。
　　〃My　goodness；〃　she　said　when　they　finished。　〃What's　the　occasion？〃
　　〃Do　you　smell　anything？〃　Mitch　asked。
　　She　looked　away　and　sniffed。　〃Well；　yes。　What　is　it？〃
　　〃Chicken　chow　mein　and　egg　foo　yung。　From　Wong　Boys。〃
　　〃Okay；　what's　the　occasion？〃
　　〃Plus　an　expensive　bottle　of　Chablis。　It's　even　got　a　cork。〃
　　〃What　have　you　done；　Mitch？〃
　　〃Follow　me。〃　On　the　small；　painted　kitchen　table；　among　the　legal　pads　and　casebooks；　sat　a　large　bottle　of　wine　and　a　sack　of　Chinese　food。　They　shoved　the　law　school　paraphernalia　aside　and　spread　the　food。　Mitch　opened　the　wine　and　filled　two　plastic　wineglasses。
　　〃I　had　a　great　interview　today；〃　he　said。
　　〃Who？〃
　　〃Remember　that　firm　in　Memphis　I　received　a　letter　from　last　month？〃
　　〃Yes。　You　weren't　too　impressed。〃
　　〃That's　the　one。　I'm　very　impressed。　It's　all　tax　work　and　the　money　looks　good。〃
　　〃How　good？〃
　　He　ceremoniously　dipped　chow　mein　from　the　container　onto　both　plates；　then　ripped　open　the　tiny　packages　of　soy　sauce。　She　waited　for　an　answer。　He　opened　another　container　and　began　dividing　the　egg　foo　yung。　He　sipped　his　wine　and　smacked　his　lips。
　　〃How　much？〃　she　repeated。
　　〃More　than　Chicago。　More　than　Wall　Street。〃
　　She　took　a　long；　deliberate　drink　of　wine　and　eyed　him　suspiciously。　Her　brown　eyes　narrowed　and　glowed。　The　eyebrows　lowered　and　the　forehead　wrinkled。　She　waited。
　　〃How　much？〃
　　〃Eighty　thousand；　first　year；　plus　bonuses。　Eighty…five；　second　year；　plus　bonuses。〃　He　said　this　nonchalantly　while　studying　the　celery　bits　in　the　chow　mein。
　　〃Eighty　thousand；〃　she　repeated。
　　〃Eighty　thousand；　babe。　Eighty　thousand　bucks　in　Memphis；　Tennessee；　is　about　the　same　as　a　hundred　and　twenty　thousand　bucks　in　New　York。〃
　　〃Who　wants　New　York？〃　she　asked。
　　〃Plus　a　low…interest　mortgage　loan。〃
　　That　word…mortgage…had　not　been　uttered　in　the　apartment　in　a　long　time。　In　fact；　she　could　not；　at　the　moment；　recall　the　last　discussion　about　a　home　or　anything　related　to　one。　For　months　now　it　had　been　accepted　that　they　would　rent　some　place　until　some　distant；　unimaginable　point　in　the　future　when　they　achieved　affluence　and　would　then　qualify　for　a　large　mortgage。
　　She　sat　her　glass　of　wine　on　the　table　and　said　matter…of…factly；　〃I　didn't　hear　that。〃
　　〃A　low…interest　mortgage　loan。　　loans　enough　money　to　buy　a　house。　It's　very　important　to　these　guys　that　their　associates　look　prosperous；　so　they　give　us　the　money　at　a　much　lower　rate。〃
　　〃You　mean　as　in　a　home；　with　grass　around　it　and　shrubs？〃
　　〃Yep。　Not　some　overpriced　apartment　in　Manhattan；　but　a　three…bedroom　house　in　the　suburbs　with　a　driveway　and　a　two…car　garage　where　we　can　park　the　BMW。〃
　　The　reaction　was　delayed　by　a　second　or　two；　but　she　finally　said；　〃BMW？　Whose　BMW？〃
　　〃Ours；　babe。　Our　BMW。　　leases　a　new　one　and　gives　us　the　keys。　It's　sort　of　like　a　signing　bonus　for　a　first…round　draft　pick。　It's　worth　another　five　thousand　a　year。　We　pick　the　color；　of　course。　I　think　black　would　be　nice。　What　do　you　think？〃
　　〃No　more　clunkers。　No　more　leftovers。　No　more　hand…me…downs；〃　she　said　as　she　slowly　shook　her　head。
　　He　crunched　on　a　mouthful　of　noodles　and　smiled　at　her。　She　was　dreaming；　he　could　tell；　probably　of　furniture；　and　wallpaper；　and　perhaps　a　pool　before　too　long。　And　babies；　little　dark…eyed　children　with　light　brown　hair。
　　〃And　there　are　some　other　benefits　to　be　discussed　later。〃
　　〃I　don't　understand；　Mitch。　Why　are　they　so　generous？〃
　　〃I　asked　that　question。　They're　very　selective；　and　they　take　a　lot　of　pride　in　paying　top　dollar。　They　go　for　the　best　and　don't　mind　shelling　out　the　bucks。　Their　turnover　rate　is　zero。　Plus；　I　think　it　costs　more　to　entice　the　top　people　to　Memphis。〃
　　〃It　would　be　closer　to　home；〃　she　said　without　looking　at　him。
　　〃I　don't　have　a　home。　It　would　be　closer　to　your　parents；　and　that　worries　me。〃
　　She　deflected　this；　as　she　did　most　of　his　ments　about　her　family。　〃You'd　be　closer　to　Ray。〃
　　He　nodded；　bit　into　an　egg　roll　and　imagined　her　parents'　first　visit；　that　sweet　moment　when　they　pulled　into　the　driveway　in　their　well…used　Cadillac　and　stared　in　shock　at　the　new　French　colonial　with　two　new　cars　in　the　garage。　They　would　burn　with　envy　and　wonder　how　the　poor　kid　with　no　family　and　no　status　could　afford　all　this　at　twenty…five　and　fresh　out　of　law　school。　They　would　force　painful　smiles　and　ment　on　how　nice　everything　was；　and　before　long　Mr。　Sutherland　would　break　down　and　ask　how　much　the　house　cost　and　Mitch　would　tell　him　to　mind　his　own　business；　and　it　would　drive　the　old　man　crazy。　They'd　leave　after　a　short　visit　and　return　to　Kentucky；　where　all　their　friends　would　hear　how　great　the　daughter　and　the　son…in…law　were　doing　down　in　Memphis。　Abby　would　be　sorry　they　couldn't　get　along　but　wouldn't　say　much。　From　the　start　they　had　treated　him　like　a　leper。　He　was　so　unworthy　they　had　boycotted　the　small　wedding。
　　〃Have　you　ever　been　to　Memphis？〃　he　asked。
　　〃Once　when　I　was　a　little　girl。　Some　kind　of　convention；　for　the　church。　All　I　remember　is　the　river。〃
　　〃They　want　us　to　visit。〃
　　〃Us！　You　mean　I'm　invited？〃
　　〃Yes。　They　insist　on　you　ing。〃
　　〃When？〃
　　〃Couple　of　weeks。　They'll　fly　us　down　Thursday　afternoon　for　the　weekend。〃
　　〃I　like　this　firm　already。〃
　　　
　　　2
　　THE　FIVE…STORY　building　had　been　built　a　hundred　years　earlier　by　a　cotton　merchant　and　his　sons　after　the　Reconstruction；　during　the　revival　of　cotton　trading　in　Memphis。　It　sat　in　the　middle　of　Cotton　Row　on　Front　Street　near　the　river。　Through　its　halls　and　doors　and　across　its　desks；　millions　of　bales　of　cotton　had　been　purchased　from　the　Mississippi　and　Arkansas　deltas　and　sold　around　the　world。　Deserted；　neglected；　then　renovated　time　and　again　since　the　first　war；　it　had　been　purchased　for　good　in　1951　by　an　aggressive　tax　lawyer　named　Anthony　Bendini。　He　renovated　it　yet　again　and　began　filling　it　with　lawyers。　He　renamed　it　the　Bendini　Building。
　　He　pampered　the　building；　indulged　it；　coddled　it；　each　year　adding　another　layer　of　luxury　to　his　landmark。　He　fortified　it；　sealing　doors　and　windows　and　hiring　armed　guards　to　protect　it　and　its　occupants。　He　added　elevators；　electronic　surveillance；　security　codes；　closed…circuit　television；　a　weight　room；　a　steam　room；　locker　rooms　and　a　partners'　dining　room　on　the　fifth　floor　with　a　captivating　view　of　the　river。
　　In　twenty　years　he　built　the　richest　law　firm　in　Memphis；　and；　indisputably；　the　quietest。　Secrecy　was　his　passion。　Every　associate　hired　by　　was　indoctrinated　in　the　evils　of　the　loose　tongue。　Everything　was　confidential。　Salaries；　perks；　advancement　and；　most　especially；　clients。　Divulging　firm　business；　the　young　associates　were　warned；　could　delay　the　awarding　of　the　holy　grail…a　partnership。　Nothing　left　the　fortress　on　Front　Street。　Wives　were　told　not　to　ask；　or　were　lied　to。　The　associates　were　expected　to　work　hard；　keep　quiet　and　spend　their　healthy　paychecks。　They　did；　without　exception。
　　With　forty…one　lawyers；　　was　the　fourth　largest　in　Memphis。　Its　members　did　not　advertise　or　seek　publicity。　They　were　clannish　and　did　not　fraternize　with　other　lawyers。　Their　wives　played　tennis　and　bridge　and　shopped　among　themselves。　Bendini；　Lambert　&　Locke　was　a　big　family；　of　sorts。　A　rather　rich　family。
　　At　10　A。M。　on　a　Friday；　　limo　stopped　on　Front　Street　and　Mr。　Mitchell　Y。　McDeere　emerged。　He　politely　thanked　the　driver；　and　watched　the　vehicle　as　it　drove　away。　His　first　limo　ride。　He　stood　on　the　sidewalk　next　to　a　streetlight　and　admired　the　quaint；　picturesque；　yet　somehow　imposing　home　of　the　quiet　Bendini　firm。　It　was　a　far　cry　from　the　gargantuan　steel…and…glass　erections　inhabited　by　New　York's　finest　or　the　enormous　cylinder　he　had　visited　in　Chicago。　But　he　instantly　knew　he　would　like　it。　It　was　less　pretentious。　It　was　more　like　himself。
　　Lamar　Quin　walked　through　the　front　door　and　down　the　steps。　He　yelled　at　Mitch　and　waved　him　over。　He　had　met　them　at　the　airport　the　night　before　and　checked　them　into　the　Peabody…〃the　South's　Grand　Hotel。〃
　　〃Good　morning；　Mitch！　How　was　your　night？〃　They　shook　hands　like　lost　friends。
　　〃Very　nice。　It's　a　great　hotel。〃
　　〃We　knew　you'd　like　it。　Everybody　likes　the　Peabody。〃
　　They　stepped　into　the　front　foyer；　where　a　small　billboard　greeted　Mr。　Mitchell　Y。　McDeere；　the　guest　of　the　day。　A　well…dressed　but　unattractive　receptionist　smiled　warmly　and　said　her　name　was　Sylvia　and　if　he　needed　anything　while　he　was　in　Memphis　just　let　her　know。　He　thanked　her。　Lamar　led　him　to　a　long　hallway　where　he　began　the　guided　tour。　He　explained　the　layout　of　the　building　and　introduced　Mitch　to　various　secretaries　and　paralegals　as　they　walked。　In　the　main　library　on　the　second　floor　a　crowd　of　lawyers　circled　the　mammoth　conference　table　and　consumed　pastries　and　coffee。　They　became　silent　when　the　guest　entered。
　　Oliver　Lambert　greeted　Mitch　and　introduced　him　to　the　gang。　There　were　about　twenty　in　all；　most　of　the　associates　in　；　and　most　barely　older　than　the　guest。　The　partners　were　too　busy；　Lamar　had　explained；　and　would　meet　him　later　at　a　private　lunch。　He　stood　at　the　end　of　the　table　as　Mr。　Lambert　called　for　quiet。
　　〃Gentlemen；　this　is　Mitchell　McDeere。　You've　all　heard　about　him；　and　here　he　is。　He　is　our　number　one　choice　this　year；　our　number　one　draft　pick；　so　to；　speak。　He　is　being　romanced　by　the　big　boys　in　New　York　and　Chicago　and　who　knows　where　else；　so　we　have　to　sell　him　on　our　little　firm　here　in　Memphis。〃　They　smiled　and　nodded　their　approval。　The　guest　was　embarrassed。
　　〃He　will　finish　at　Harvard　in　two　months　and　will　graduate　with　honors。　He's　an　associate　editor　of　the　Harvard　Law　Review。〃　This　made　an　impression；　Mitch　could　tell。　〃He　did　his　undergraduate　work　at　Western　Kentucky；　where　he　graduated　summa　cum　laude。〃　This　was　not　quite　as　impressive。　〃He　also　played　football　for　four　years；　starting　as　quarterback　his　junior　year。〃　Now　they　were　really　impressed。　A　few　appeared　to　be　in　awe；　as　if　staring　at　Joe　Namath。
　　The　senior　partner　continued　his　monologue　while　Mitch　stood　awkwardly　beside　h