jg.thefirm-第13部分

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　　Mitch　bit　his　tongue　and　grinned　behind　the　menu。
　　〃We　have　too　many　rules；〃　Avery　mumbled。
　　The　first　martini　led　to　a　second；　but　he　quit　after　two。　He　ordered　for　both　of　them。　Broiled　fish　of　some　sort。　The　special　of　the　day。　He　watched　his　weight　carefully；　he　said。　He　also　worked　out　daily　at　a　health　club；　his　own　health　club。　He　invited　Mitch　to　e　sweat　with　him。　Maybe　after　the　bar　exam。　There　were　the　usual　questions　about　football　in　college　and　the　standard　denials　of　any　greatness。；

　　Mitch　asked　about　the　children。　He　said　they　lived　with　their　mother。
　　The　fish　was　raw　and　the　baked　potato　was　hard。　Mitch　picked　at　his　plate；　ate　his　salad　slowly　and　listened　as　his　partner　talked　about　most　of　the　other　people　present　for　lunch。　The　mayor　was　seated　at　a　large　table　with　some　Japanese。　One　of　's　bankers　was　at　the　next　table。　There　were　some　other　big…shot　lawyers　and　corporate　types；　all　eating　furiously　and　importantly；　powerfully。　The　atmosphere　was　stuffy。　According　to　Avery；　every　member　of　the　club　was　a　pelling　figure；　a　potent　force　both　in　his　field　and　in　the　city。　Avery　was　at　home。
　　They　both　declined　dessert　and　ordered　coffee。　He　would　be　expected　to　be　in　the　office　by　nine　each　morning；　Avery　explained　as　he　lit　a　Montesino。　The　secretaries　would　be　there　at　eight…thirty。　Nine　to　five；　but　no　one　worked　eight　hours　a　day。　Personally；　he　was　in　the　office　by　eight；　and　seldom　left　before　six。　〃He　could　bill　twelve　hours　each　day；　every　day；　regardless　of　how　many　hours　he　actually　worked。　Twelve　a　day；　five　days　a　week；　at　three　hundred　an　hour；　for　fifty　weeks。　Nine　hundred　thousand　dollars！　In　billable　time！　That　was　his　goal。　Last　year　he　had　billed　seven　hundred　thousand；　but　there　had　been　some　personal　problems。　　didn't　care　if　Mitch　came　in　at　6　A。M。　or　9　A。M。；　as　long　as　the　work　was　done。
　　〃What　time　are　the　doors　unlocked？〃　Mitch　asked。
　　Everyone　has　a　key；　he　explained；　so　he　could　e　and　go　as　he　pleased。　Security　was　tight；　but　the　guards　were　accustomed　to　workaholics。　Some　of　the　work　habits　were　legendary。　Victor　Milligan；　in　his　younger　days；　worked　sixteen　hours　a　day；　seven　days　a　week；　until　he　made　partner。　Then　he　quit　working　on　Sundays。　He　had　a　heart　attack　and　gave　up　Saturdays。　His　doctor　put　him　on　ten…hour　days；　five　days　a　week；　and　he　hasn't　been　happy　since。　Marty　Kozinski　knew　all　the　janitors　by　first　name。　He　was　a　9　A。M。　man　who　wanted　to　have　breakfast　with　the　kids。　He　would　e　in　at　nine　and　leave　at　midnight。　Nathan　Locke　claims　he　can't　work　well　after　the　secretaries　arrive；　so　he　es　in　at　six。　It　would　be　a　disgrace　to　start　later。　Here's　a　man　sixty…one　years　old；　worth　ten　million；　and　works　from　six　in　the　morning　until　eight　at　night　five　days　a　week　and　then　a　half　day　on　Saturday。　If　he　retired；　he'd　die。
　　Nobody　punched　a　clock；　the　partner　explained。　e　and　go　as　you　please。　Just　get　the　work　done。
　　Mitch　said　he　got　the　message。　Sixteen　hours　a　day　would　be　nothing　new。
　　Avery　plimented　him　on　the　new　suit。　There　was　an　unwritten　dress　code；　and　it　was　apparent　Mitch　had　caught　on。　He　had　a　tailor；　an　old　Korean　in　South　Memphis；　he　would　remend　when　Mitch　could　afford　it。　Fifteen　hundred　a　suit。　Mitch　said　he　would　wait　a　year　or　two。
　　An　attorney　from　one　of　the　bigger　firms　interrupted　and　spoke　to　Avery。　He　offered　his　sympathies　and　asked　about　the　families。　He　and　Joe　Hodge　had　worked　together　on　a　case　last　year；　and　he　couldn't　believe　it。　Avery　introduced　him　to　Mitch。　He　was　at　the　funeral；　he　said。　They　waited　for　him　to　leave；　but　he　rambled　on　and　on　about　how　sorry　he　was。　It　was　obvious　he　wanted　details。　Avery　offered　none；　and　he　finally　left。
　　By　two；　the　power　lunches　were　losing　steam；　and　the　crowd　thinned。　Avery　signed　the　check；　and　the　maltre　d'　led　them　to　the　door。　The　chauffeur　stood　patiently　by　the　rear　of　the　limo。　Mitch　crawled　into　the　back　and　sank　into　the　heavy　leather　seat。　He　watched　the　buildings　and　the　traffic。　He　looked　at　the　pedestrians　scurrying　along　the　hot　sidewalks　and　wondered　how　many　of　them　had　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