ss.iftomorrowcomes-第35部分

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　Christ；　Jeff　thought。　They're　just　dressed…up　carnies。　They　all　run　flat　stores。
　
　The　wives　were　no　better。　They　grabbed　everything　they　could　get　their　greedy　hands　on　and　cheated　on　their　husbands。　They're　playing　the　key　game；　Jeff　marveled。
　
　When　he　tried　to　tell　Louise　how　he　felt；　she　laughed。　〃Don't　be　naive；　Jeff。　You're　enjoying　your　life；　aren't　you？〃
　
　The　truth　was　that　he　was　not。　He　had　married　Louise　because　he　believed　she　needed　him。　He　felt　that　children　would　change　everything。
　
　〃Let's　have　one　of　each。　It's　time。　We've　been　married　a　year　now。〃
　
　〃Angel；　be　patient。　I've　been　to　the　doctor；　and　he　told　me　I'm　fine。　Maybe　you　should　have　a　checkup　and　see　if　you're　all　right。〃
　
　Jeff　went。
　
　〃You　should　have　no　trouble　producing　healthy　children；〃　the　doctor　assured　him。
　
　And　still　nothing　happened。
　
　**********
　
　On　Black　Monday　Jeff's　world　fell　apart。　It　started　in　the　morning　when　he　went　into　Louise's　medicine　chest　for　an　aspirin。　He　found　a　shelf　full　of　birth　control　pills。　One　of　the　cases　was　almost　empty。　Lying　innocently　next　to　it　was　a　vial　of　white　powder　and　a　small　golden　spoon。　And　that　was　only　the　start　of　the　day。
　
　At　noon；　Jeff　was　seated　in　a　deep　armchair　in　the　Pilgrim　Club；　waiting　for　Budge　to　appear；　when　he　heard　two　men　behind　him　talking。
　
　〃She　swears　that　her　Italian　singer's　cock　is　over　ten　inches　long。〃
　
　There　was　a　snicker。　〃Well；　Louise　always　liked　them　big。〃
　
　They're　talking　about　another　Louise；　Jeff　told　himself。
　
　〃That's　probably　why　she　married　that　carnival　person　in　the　first　place。　But　she　does　tell　the　most　amusing　stories　about　him。　〃You　won't　believe　what　he　did　the　other　day。。。〃
　
　Jeff　rose　and　blindly　made　his　way　out　of　the　club。
　
　He　was　filled　with　a　rage　such　as　he　had　never　known。　He　wanted　to　kill。　He　wanted　to　kill　the　unknown　Italian。　He　wanted　to　kill　Louise。　How　many　other　men　had　she　been　sleeping　with　during　the　past　year？　They　had　been　laughing　at　him　all　this　time。　Budge　and　Ed　Zeller　and　Mike　Quincy　and　Alan　Thompson　and　their　wives　had　been　having　an　enormous　joke　at　his　expense。　And　Louise；　the　woman　he　had　wanted　to　protect。　Jeff's　immediate　reaction　was　to　pack　up　and　leave。　But　that　was　not　good　enough。　He　had　no　intention　of　letting　the　bastards　have　the　last　laugh。
　
　That　afternoon　when　Jeff　arrived　home；　Louise　was　not　there。　〃Madame　went　out　this　morning；〃　Pickens；　the　butler；　said。　〃I　believe　she　had　several　appointments。〃
　
　I'll　bet　she　did；　Jeff　thought。　She's　out　fucking　that　ten…inch…cock　Italian。　Jesus　Christ！
　
　By　the　time　Louise　arrived　home；　Jeff　had　himself　under　tight　control。　〃Did　you　have　a　nice　day？〃　Jeff　asked。
　
　〃Oh；　the　usual　boring　things；　darling。　A　beauty　appointment；　shopping。。。。　How　was　your　day；　angel？〃
　
　〃It　was　interesting；〃　Jeff　said　truthfully。　〃I　learned　a　lot。〃
　
　〃Budge　tells　me　you're　doing　beautifully。〃
　
　〃I　am；〃　Jeff　assured　her。　〃And　very　soon　I'm　going　to　be　doing　even　better。〃
　
　Louise　stroked　his　hand。　〃My　bright　husband。　Why　don't　we　go　to　bed　early？〃
　
　〃Not　tonight；〃　Jeff　said。　〃I　have　a　headache。〃
　
　**********
　
　He　spent　the　next　week　making　his　plans。
　
　He　began　at　lunch　at　the　club。　〃Do　any　of　you　know　anything　about　puter　frauds？〃　Jeff　asked。
　
　〃Why？〃　Ed　Zeller　wanted　to　know。　〃You　planning　to　mit　one？〃
　
　There　was　a　sputter　of　laughter。
　
　〃No；　I'm　serious；〃　Jeff　insisted。　〃It's　a　big　problem。　People　are　tapping　into　puters　and　ripping　off　banks　and　insurance　panies　and　other　businesses　for　billions　of　dollars。　It　gets　worse　all　the　time。〃
　
　〃Sounds　right　up　your　alley；〃　Budge　murmured。
　
　〃Someone　I　met　has　e　up　with　a　puter　he　says　can't　be　tampered　with。〃
　
　〃And　you　want　to　have　him　knocked　off；〃　Mike　Quincy　kidded。
　
　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　I'm　interested　in　raising　money　to　back　him。　I　just　wondered　if　any　of　you　might　know　something　about　puters。〃
　
　〃No；〃　Budge　grinned；　〃but　we　know　everything　about　backing　inventors；　don't　we　fellas？〃
　
　There　was　a　burst　of　laughter。
　
　Two　days　later　at　the　club；　Jeff。　passed　by　the　usual　table　and　explained　to　Budge；　〃I'm　sorry　I　won't　be　able　to　join　you　fellows　today。　I'm　having　a　guest　for　lunch。〃
　
　When　Jeff　moved　on　to　another　table；　Alan　Thompson　grinned；　〃He's　probably　having　lunch　with　the　bearded　lady　from　the　circus。〃
　
　A　stooped；　gray…haired　man　entered　the　dining　room　and　was　ushered　to　Jeff's　table。
　
　〃Jesus！〃　Mike　Quincy　said。　〃Isn't　that　Professor　Ackerman？〃
　
　〃Who's　Professor　Ackerman？〃
　
　〃Don't　you　ever　read　anything　but　financial　reports；　Budge？　Vernon　Ackerman　was　on　the　cover　of　Time　last　month。　He's　chairman　of　the　President's　National　Scientific　Board。　He's　the　most　brilliant　scientist　in　the　country。〃
　
　〃What　the　hell　is　he　doing　with　my　dear　brother…in…law？〃
　
　Jeff　and　the　professor　were　engrossed　in　a　deep　conversation　all　during　lunch；　and　Budge　and　his　friends　grew　more　and　more　curious。　When　the　professor　left；　Budge　motioned　Jeff　over　to　his　table。
　
　〃Hey；　Jeff。　Who　was　that？〃
　
　Jeff　looked　guilty。　〃Oh。。。　you　mean　Vernon？〃
　
　〃Yeah。　What　were　you　two　talking　about？〃
　
　〃We。。。　ah。。。〃　The　others　could　almost　watch　Jeff's　thought　processes　as　he　tried　to　dodge　the　question。　〃I。。。　ah。。。　might　write　a　book　about　him。　He's　a　very　interesting　character。〃
　
　〃I　didn't　know　you　were　a　writer。〃
　
　〃Well；　I　guess　we　all　have　to　start　sometime。〃
　
　**********
　
　Three　days　later　Jeff　had　another　luncheon　guest。　This　time　it　was　Budge　who　recognized　him。　〃Hey！　That's　Seymour　Jarrett；　chairman　of　the　board　of　Jarrett　International　puter。　What　the　hell　would　he　be　doing　with　Jeff？〃
　
　Again；　Jeff　and　his　guest　held　a　long；　animated　conversation。　When　the　luncheon　was　over；　Budge　sought　Jeff　out。
　
　〃Jeffrey；　boy；　what's　with　you　and　Seymour　Jarrett？〃
　
　〃Nothing；〃　Jeff　said　quickly。　〃Just　having　a　chat。〃　He　started　to　walk　away。　Budge　stopped　him。
　
　〃Not　so　fast；　old　buddy。　Seymour　Jarrett　is　a　very　busy　fellow。　He　doesn't　sit　around　having　long　chats　about　nothing。〃
　
　Jeff　said　earnestly；　〃All　right。　The　truth　is；　Budge；　that　Seymour　collects　stamps；　and　I　told　him　about　a　stamp　I　might　be　able　to　acquire　for　him。〃
　
　The　truth；　my　ass；　Budge　thought。
　
　**********
　
　The　following　week；　Jeff　lunched　at　the　club　with　Charles　Bartlett；　the　president　of　Bartlett　&　Bartlett；　one　of　the　largest　private　capital　venture　groups　in　the　world。　Budge；　Ed　Zeller；　Alan　Thompson；　and　Mike　Quincy　watched　in　fascination　as　the　two　men　talked；　their　heads　close　together。
　
　〃Your　brother…in…law　is　sure　in　high…flying　pany　lately；〃　Zeller　mented。　〃What　kind　of　deal　has　he　got　cooking；　Budge？〃
　
　Budge　said　testily；　〃I　don't　know；　but　I'm　sure　in　hell　going　to　find　out。　If　Jarrett　and　Bartlett　are　interested；　there　must　be　a　pot　of　money　involved。〃
　
　They　watched　as　Bartlett　rose；　enthusiastically　pumped　Jeff's　hand；　and　left。　As　Jeff　passed　their　table；　Budge　caught　his　arm。　〃Sit　down；　Jeff。　We　want　to　have　a　little　talk　with　you。〃
　
　〃I　should　get　back　to　the　office；〃　Jeff　protested。　〃I…〃
　
　〃You　work　for　me；　remember？　Sit　down。〃　Jeff　sat。　〃Who　were　you　having　lunch　with？〃
　
　Jeff　hesitated。　〃No　one　special。　An　old　friend。〃
　
　〃Charlie　Bartlett's　an　old　friend？〃
　
　〃Kind　of。〃
　
　〃What　were　you　and　your　old　friend　Charlie　discussing；　Jeff？〃
　
　〃Uh。。。　cars；　mostly。　Old　Charlie　likes　antique　cars；　and　I　heard　about　this　'37　Packard；　four…door　convertible…〃
　
　〃Cut　the　horseshit！〃　Budge　snapped。　〃You're　not　collecting　stamps　or　selling　automobiles；　or　writing　any　fucking　book。　What　are　you　really　up　to？〃
　
　〃Nothing。　I…〃
　
　〃You're　raising　money　for　something；　aren't　you；　Jeff？〃　Ed　Zeller　asked。
　
　〃No！〃　But　he　said　it　a　shade　too　quickly。
　
　Budge　put　a　beefy　arm　around　Jeff。　〃Hey；　buddy；　this　is　your　brother…in…law。　We're　family；　remember？〃　He　gave　Jeff　a　bear　hug。　〃It's　something　about　that　tamper…proof　puter　you　mentioned　last　week；　right？〃
　
　They　could　see　by　the　look　on　Jeff's　face　that　they　had　trapped　him。
　
　〃Well；　yes。〃
　
　It　was　like　pulling　teeth　to　get　anything　out　of　the　son　of　a　bitch。　〃Why　didn't　you　tell　us　Professor　Ackerman　was　involved？〃
　
　〃I　didn't　think　you'd　be　interested。〃
　
　〃You　were　wrong。　When　you　need　capital；　you　go　to　your　friends。〃
　
　〃The　professor　and　I　don't　need　capital；〃　Jeff　said　〃Jarrett　and　Bartlett…〃
　
　〃Jarrett　and　Bartlett　are　fuckin'　sharks！　They'll　eat　you　alive；〃　Alan　Thompson　exclaimed。
　
　Ed　Zeller　picked　it　up。　〃Jeff；　when　you　deal　with　friends；　you　don't　get　hurt。〃
　
　〃Everything　is　already　arranged；〃　Jeff　told　them。　〃Charlie　Bartlett…〃
　
　〃Have　you　signed　anything　yet？〃
　
　〃No；　but　I　gave　my　word…〃
　
　〃Then　nothing's　arranged。　Hell；　Jeff　boy；　in　business　people　change　their　minds　every　hour。〃
　
　〃I　shouldn't　even　be　discussing　this　with　you；〃　Jeff　protested。　〃Professor　Ackerman's　name　can't　be　mentioned。　He's　under　contract　to　a　government　agency。〃
　
　〃We　know　that；〃　Thompson　said　soothingly。　〃Does　the　professor　think　this　thing　will　work？〃
　
　〃Oh；　he　knows　it　works。〃
　
　〃If　it's　good　enough　for　Ackerman；　it's　good　enough　for　us；　right　fellows？〃
　
　There　was　a　chorus　of　assent。
　
　〃Hey；　I'm　not　a　scientist；〃　Jeff　said。　〃I　can't　guarantee　anything。　For　all　I　know；　this　thing　may　have　no　value　at　all。〃
　
　〃Sure。　We　understand。　But　say　it　does　have　a　value；　Jeff　How　big　could　this　thing　be？〃
　
　〃Budge；　the　market　for　this　is　worldwide。　I　couldn't　even　begin　to　put　a　value　on　it。　Everybody　will　be　able　to　use　it。〃
　
　〃How　much　initial　financing　are　you　looking　for？〃
　
　〃Two　million　dollars；　but　all　we　need　is　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　dollars　down。　Bartlett　promised…〃
　
　〃Forget　Bartlett。　That's　chicken　feed；　old　buddy。　We'll　put　that　up　ourselves。　Keep　it　in　the　family。　Right；　fellas？〃
　
　〃Right！〃
　
　Budge　looked　up　and　snapped　his　fingers；　and　a　captain　came　hurrying　over　to　the　table。　〃Dominick；　bring　Mr。　Stevens　some　paper　and　a　pen。〃
　
　It　was　produ