hr.thecarpetbaggers-第103部分

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　〃Hah；〃　Norman　exclaimed。　〃You　think　he　thought　about　us　when　he　did　it？　Don't　be　a　fool！　Seventeen　dollars　a　week　his　salary　was　and　every　day　he　drives　to　work　in　a　twenty…three…hundred…dollar　Buick。〃
　Bernie　struck　a　match　and　held　it　to　his　cigar；　puffing　rapidly　until　it　was　lit。　Then　he　blew　out　a　gust　of　smoke　and　threw　the　match　into　the　ash　tray。　〃So　I　put　him　into　the　Norman　as　an　assistant　manager。　Everything　will　be　quiet　now；　I　think。　I　can　sleep　in　peace；　I　think。　What　trouble　can　he　make　for　me　in　a　big　house　like　that？
　〃Trouble；　hah！〃　He　laughed　bitterly。　〃Six　months　later；　when　I　e　back；　I　find　he's　turned　the　theater　into　a　whorehouse　and　bookie　joint！　All　the　vaudeville　acts　in　the　country　suddenly　want　to　play　the　Norman。　And　why　shouldn't　they？　Does　Loew's　State　or　the　Palace　have　the　prettiest　usherettes　on　Broadway；　ready　to　hump　from　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning　until　one　o'clock　at　night？　Does　Loew's　or　the　Palace　have　an　assistant　manager　who'll　take　your　bet　on　any　track　in　the　country；　you　shouldn't　ever　have　to　leave　your　dressing　room？〃
　〃But　Gallagher　and　Shean；　Weber　and　Fields；　and　all　the　other　big　acts　played　the　house；　didn't　they？〃　Hawley　asked。　〃And　they're　still　playing　it。　It　made　the　theater　for　us。〃
　〃It's　a　lucky　thing　I　got　him　out　of　there　and　sent　him　to　the　Hopkins　in　Brooklyn　before　the　vice　squad　got　wise；〃　Norman　said。　〃Now　I　don't　have　a　worry；　I　think。　He　can　stay　there　as　assistant　manager　the　rest　of　his　life。　What　can　he　do　to　us　in　Brooklyn；　I　think。　I　go　back　to　the　Coast；　my　mind　at　ease。　I　can　forget　about　him。〃
　Suddenly；　he　got　to　his　feet　again。　〃So　six　months　later；　I　e　back　and　what　do　I　find？　He's　making　a　monkey　out　of　the　whole　pany。　He's　taking　home　more　money　than　a　vice…president。〃
　Hawley　looked　at　him。　〃Maybe　that's　what　you　ought　to　do。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Make　him　a　vice…president；〃　Hawley　said。
　〃But…　but　he's　only　a　kid；〃　Norman　said。
　〃He　was　twenty…one　last　month。　He's　the　type　boy　I'd　like　on　our　side。〃
　〃No；〃　Norman　said；　sinking　back　into　his　chair。　He　looked　at　the　treasurer　thoughtfully。　〃How　much　is　he　getting　now？〃
　〃Thirty…five　a　week；〃　Hawley　answered　quickly。
　Norman　nodded。　〃Take　him　out　of　there；　transfer　him　to　the　publicity　department　at　the　studio；〃　he　said。　〃He　won't　get　into　any　trouble　out　there。　I'll　keep　an　eye　on　him　myself。〃
　Hawley　nodded　and　got　to　his　feet。　〃I'll　take　care　of　it　right　away；　Bernie。〃
　Bernie　watched　the　treasurer　leave　the　office；　then　reached　for　the　telephone。　He　would　call　his　sister　and　tell　her　not　to　worry。　He　would　pay　their　moving　expenses　to　California。　Then　he　remembered。　She　had　no　telephone　and　they'd　have　to　call　her　from　the　candy　store　downstairs。　He　put　the　telephone　back　on　the　desk。　He'd　take　a　run　up　to　see　her　after　he　got　through　with　his　blintzes　and　sour　cream　at　lunch。　She　never　went　anywhere。　She　was　always　home。
　He　felt　a　strange　pride。　That　nephew　of　his　was　a　bright　boy；　even　if　he　had　crazy　ideas。　With　a　little　guidance　from　himself；　something　the　boy　never　got　from　his　own　father；　who　could　know　what　might　happen？　The　boy　might　go　far。
　He　smiled　to　himself　as　he　picked　up　the　report。　His　sister　had　been　right。
　Blood　was　thicker　than　water。
　
　8
　
　HARRY　RICHARDS；　CHIEF　OF　THE　STUDIO　POLICE；　was　in　the　booth　when　Nevada　drove　into　the　main　gate　of　the　studio。　He　came　out　of　the　booth；　his　hand　outstretched。　〃Mr。　Smith。　It's　great　to　see　you　again。〃
　Nevada　returned　his　smile；　pleased　by　the　man's　obvious　warmth。　He　shook　his　hand。　〃Good　to　see　you　again；　Harry。〃
　〃It's　been　a　long　time；〃　Richards　said。
　〃Yeah。〃　Nevada　smiled。　〃Seven　years。〃　The　last　time　he'd　been　at　the　studio　was　just　after　The　Renegade　had　been　released；　in　1930。　〃I've　got　an　appointment　with　Dan　Pierce。〃
　〃He's　expecting　you；〃　Richards　said。　〃He's　in　Norman's　old　office。〃
　Nevada　nodded。　He　shifted　into　gear　and　Richards　stepped　back　from　the　car。　〃I　hope　everything　works　out；　Mr。　Smith。　It　would　be　like　old　times　having　you　back。〃
　Nevada　smiled　and　turned　the　car　down　the　road　to　the　executive　building。　One　thing；　at　least；　hadn't　changed　around　the　studio。　There　were　no　secrets。　Everybody　knew　what　was　going　on。　They　obviously　knew　more　than　he　did。　All　he　knew　was　what　he'd　read　in　Dan's　telegram。
　He'd　e　in　from　the　range　and　found　it　lying　on　the　table　in　the　entranceway。　He　picked　it　up　and　ripped　it　open　quickly。
　HAVE　IMPORTANT　PICTURE　DEAL　FOR　YOU。　WOULD　APPRECIATE　YOU　CONTACT　ME　RIGHT　AWAY。
　 DAN　PIERCE。
　Martha　came　into　the　hall　while　he　was　reading　it。　She　had　an　apron　on　over　her　dress；　having　just　e　from　the　kitchen。　〃Lunch　is　about　ready；〃　she　said。
　He　handed　her　the　telegram。　〃Dan　Pierce　has　a　picture　deal　for　me。〃
　〃They　must　be　in　trouble；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃Why　else　would　they　call　you　after　all　these　years？〃
　He　shrugged　his　shoulders；　pretending　a　casualness　he　didn't　feel。　〃It　doesn't　have　to　be　that；〃　he　said。　〃Jonas　ain't　like　Bernie　Norman。　Maybe　things　have　changed　since　he　took　over　the　studio。〃
　〃I　hope　so；〃　she　said。　Her　voice　took　on　a　little　spirit。　〃I　just　don't　want　them　using　you　again。〃　She　turned　and　went　back　into　the　kitchen。
　He　stared　after　her　for　a　moment。　That　was　what　he　liked　about　her。　She　was　solid　and　dependable。　She　was　for　him　and　nobody　else；　not　even　herself。　Somehow；　he　had　known　it　would　be　like　that　when　they　were　married　two　years　ago。　Charlie　Dobbs's　widow　was　the　kind　of　woman　he　should　have　married　a　long　time　ago。
　He　followed　her　into　the　kitchen。　〃I've　got　to　go　up　to　Los　Angeles；　to　see　the　bank　about　the　thousand　acres　I'm　buying　from　Murchison；〃　he　said。　〃It　wouldn't　do　any　harm　to　drop　by　and　see　what　Dan　has　on　his　mind。〃
　〃No；　it　wouldn't；〃　she　said；　putting　the　coffeepot　on　the　table。
　He　straddled　a　chair　and　filled　his　cup。　〃Tell　yuh　what；〃　he　said　suddenly。　〃We'll　drive　up　there。　We'll　stay　at　the　Ambassador　an'　have　ourselves　a　high　old　time。〃
　She　turned　to　look　at　him。　There　was　a　sparkling　excitement　hidden　deep　in　his　eyes。　It　was　then　she　knew　he'd　go　back　if　there　was　anything　for　him。　It　wasn't　that　they　needed　the　money。　Nevada　was　a　rich　man　now　by　any　standards。　Everything　was　paying　off　…　the　Wild…West　show；　which　still　used　his　name；　the　dude　ranch　in　Reno　in　which　he　and　her　late　husband　had　been　partners；　and　the　cattle　ranch　here　in　Texas；　where　they　were　living。
　No；　it　wasn't　the　money。　He'd　turned　down　an　offer　of　a　million　dollars'　down　payment　against　royalties　for　the　mineral　rights　to　the　north　quarter。　Oil　had　been　found　on　the　land　adjoining　it。　But　he　wanted　to　keep　the　range　the　way　it　was；　didn't　want　oil　derricks　lousing　up　his　land。
　It　was　the　excitement；　the　recognition　that　came　when　he　walked　down　the　street。　The　kids　clamoring　and　shouting　after　him。　But　they　had　other　heroes　now。　That　was　what　he　missed。　That　…　and　Jonas。
　In　the　end；　it　was　probably　Jonas。　Jonas　was　the　son　he'd　never　had。　Everything　else　was　a　substitute　…　even　herself。　For　a　moment；　she　felt　sorry　for　him。
　〃How　about　it？〃　he　asked；　looking　up　at　her。
　A　feeling　of　tenderness　welled　up　inside　her。　It　had　always　been　like　that。　Even　years　ago；　when　they'd　been　very　young　and　he'd　e　up　from　Texas　to　the　ranch　in　Reno　where　she　and　Charlie　had　settled。　Weary　and　beaten　and　hiding　from　the　law；　he'd　had　a　haunted；　lonely　look　in　his　eyes。　Even　then　she'd　felt　the　essential　goodness　in　him。
　She　smiled。　〃I　think　that　would　be　real　nice；〃　she　said；　almost　shyly。
　
　〃It's　a　rat　race；〃　Dan　said。　〃We　don't　make　pictures　any　more。　We're　a　factory。　We　have　to　grind　out　a　quota　of　film　each　month。〃
　Nevada　slid　back　in　his　chair　and　smiled。　〃It　seems　to　agree　with　you；　Dan。　You　don't　look　none　the　worse　for　it。〃
　〃The　responsibilities　are　killin'　me。　But　it's　a　job。〃
　Nevada　looked　at　him　shrewdly。　Pierce　had　put　on　weight。　〃But　it　beats　the　hell　out　of　workin'　for　a　livin'；　don't　it？〃
　Dan　held　up　his　hands。　〃I　knew　there'd　be　no　point　in　looking　for　sympathy　from　you；　Nevada。〃　They　both　laughed　and　Dan　looked　down　at　his　desk。　When　he　looked　up　again；　his　face　was　serious。　〃I　suppose　you're　wondering　why　I　sent　you　that　telegram？〃
　Nevada　nodded。　〃