hr.thecarpetbaggers-第113部分

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　He　shook　his　head。　〃No；　thanks。　I　don't　go　for　that　stuff。〃
　〃Don't　give　me　a　hard　time；〃　she　said。　〃I　only　want　to　slow　you　down　a　little。〃
　He　took　the　cigarette　from　her　hand　and　gingerly　put　it　between　his　lips。　He　drew　on　it。　The　smoke　went　down　deep　inside　him。　There　was　no　need　for　him　to　blow　it　out。　His　body　had　soaked　it　up　like　a　sponge。
　He　looked　down　at　himself　in　wonder。　Suddenly　he　felt　so　buoyant。　His　body　was　so　clean　and　strong。　He　looked　up　at　her　as　she　stepped　into　the　tub。　He　dragged　on　the　cigarette　again。　He　could　feel　himself　floating　lightly　in　the　water。
　〃That's　enough。〃　She　took　the　cigarette　from　his　lips　and　tossed　it　into　the　bowl。
　〃This　is　crazy；〃　he　said；　smiling；　as　she　stretched　out　in　the　water　beside　him。
　〃It　had　better　be；〃　she　said；　lowering　her　head　to　his　chest；　where　he　lay　covered　with　a　shallow　layer　of　water。　He　gave　a　start　of　surprise　as　he　felt　her　teeth　scrape　lightly　across　his　breast。　She　raised　her　head；　smiling　as　she　looked　at　him。　〃It　had　better　be；〃　she　repeated。　〃That　bottle　of　champagne　cost　me　twenty　bucks。〃
　
　He　never　knew　exactly　when　the　idea　came　to　him。　It　was　probably　while　he　was　asleep。　But　it　didn't　matter。　It　was　there　when　he　came　down　to　breakfast　that　morning。　And　he　had　the　confidence　that　came　with　the　success　of　many　such　ideas　in　the　past。
　She　looked　up　from　the　dining…room　table　when　she　heard　the　sound　of　his　feet　on　the　staircase。　〃Good　morning；　Mr。　Bonner。　Hungry？〃
　He　returned　her　smile　with　appreciation。　〃Starved；〃　he　said；　surprising　himself。　It　had　been　a　long　time　since　he'd　felt　like　eating　a　good　breakfast。　Juice　and　coffee　was　his　usual　routine。
　He　saw　her　foot　move　as　she　pressed　a　button　on　the　floor　under　the　table。　A　chime　echoed　from　the　kitchen　in　the　back　of　the　house。　〃Drink　your　juice；〃　she　said。　〃Your　breakfast　will　be　out　in　a　minute。〃
　He　sat　down　opposite　her　and　lifted　the　large　glass　of　tomato　juice　out　of　the　ice　in　which　it　had　been　resting。　〃Cheers。〃
　He　looked　at　her　with　approval。　In　the　clear　light　of　morning；　there　wasn't　a　trace　of　a　line　on　her　face。　Her　eyes　were　clear　and　dark　and　there　was　only　a　light　touch　of　color　on　her　lips。　Her　pale…brown　hair　was　secured　neatly　behind　her　head　in　a　pony　tail。　Her　arms　were　tan　against　her　white；　short…sleeved　sport　blouse；　which　was　tucked　neatly；　almost　primly；　into　a　casually　tailored；　gored　skirt。
　The　door　behind　her　opened　and　a　heavy…set　Mexican　woman　waddled　in　carrying　a　large　tray；　the　contents　of　which　she　transferred　to　the　huge　Lazy　Susan　in　the　center　of　the　table。　Then　she　deftly　removed　the　empty　glass　from　in　front　of　him　and　replaced　it　with　a　large　dinner　plate。　〃Café；　un　momento；〃　she　said　quickly　and　vanished。
　〃Help　yourself；　Mr。　Bonner；〃　Jennie　said。　〃You'll　find　ham；　bacon；　steak；　kippers　and　kidneys　on　the　plates　with　the　green　covers。　There　are　fried　eggs；　scrambled　eggs　and　French　fries　under　the　yellow　covers。〃
　He　spun　the　Lazy　Susan　until　he　found　the　ham　and　served　himself。　As　he　filled　his　plate；　the　Mexican　woman　came　back　with　a　pot　of　coffee　and　hot　rolls　and　toast。　He　looked　down　at　his　plate。　The　ham　was　just　the　way　he　liked　it。
　Jennie　was　helping　herself　to　a　generous　portion　of　steak。　〃You　set　a　hell　of　a　fine　table；〃　he　said　as　the　Mexican　woman　filled　his　coffee　cup。
　Jennie　smiled　at　him。　〃There's　nothing　cheap　in　this　house。〃
　The　Mexican　servant　walked　over　and　filled　Jennie's　cup；　then　waddled　back　into　the　kitchen。　〃You　look　like　you're　playing　tennis　this　morning；〃　he　said。
　She　nodded。　〃That's　exactly　what　I'm　doing。　I　play　for　two　hours　every　morning。〃
　〃Where　do　you　play？〃
　〃Bel　Air。　I　have　a　standing　date　with　Frankie　Gardner。〃
　He　raised　an　eyebrow。　Frankie　Gardner　was　one　of　the　top　tennis　pros　in　the　country。　He　was　expensive　…　at　least　twenty…five　dollars　an　hour。　〃Is　he　one　of　your　customers？〃　he　asked　curiously。
　〃I　don't　play　with　my　customers。　It's　bad　for　business。　I　buy　his　time　like　anybody　else。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃I　like　the　exercise；〃　she　said。　〃It　helps　me　keep　in　shape。　You　know　by　now　that　sometimes　I　put　in　some　pretty　long　hours。〃
　〃I　see　what　you　mean。　Have　you　ever　thought　about　doing　anything　else？〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　she　asked。　〃I　told　you　I　studied　nursing。〃
　〃I　don't　mean　that。　How　e　you　never　tried　the　movies？〃
　She　laughed　merrily。　〃I'm　a　native　Californian；　Mr。　Bonner。　I've　seen　what　happens　to　the　kids　that　e　out　here。　Better…looking　than　I　ever　was。　They　wind　up　as　car　hops；　hustling　hamburgers；　or　five…dollar　whores　working　the　Strip。　I　know　better。〃
　〃I　mean　it；〃　he　said　earnestly。　〃Do　you　know　who　I　am？〃
　〃Of　course；　Mr。　Bonner。　I　read　the　papers。　You're　one　of　the　biggest　producers　in　Hollywood。〃
　〃So　maybe　I　know　what　I'm　talking　about；　eh？〃
　〃Maybe　you　do。〃　She　smiled。　〃But　I　know　myself　and　I'm　no　actress。〃
　〃That　wasn't　what　you　said　last　night。〃
　〃That's　something　else；〃　she　said。　〃That's　my　business。　Besides；　you　see　the　way　I　live。　It　would　be　a　long　time　before　I　could　earn　a　grand　a　week　in　pictures。〃
　〃How　do　you　know？　We've　had　a　script　around　for　five　years　that　we　haven't　been　able　to　find　a　lead　for。　It　was　written　for　Rina　Marlowe。　I　think　you　could　do　it。〃
　〃You're　crazy！〃　She　laughed。　〃Rina　Marlowe　was　one　of　the　most　beautiful　women　on　the　screen。　I　couldn't　hold　a　candle　to　her。〃
　He　was　suddenly　serious。　〃There　are　things　about　you　that　remind　me　of　her。〃
　〃Could　be；〃　she　said。　〃I　hear　she　was　pretty　wild。〃
　〃That；　too；〃　he　said；　leaning　toward　her。　〃But　that　isn't　what　I'm　talking　about。　e　down　to　the　studio　tomorrow　and　I'll　set　up　a　screen　test。　If　it　doesn't　work；　we　forget　about　it。　If　it　does　…　well；　there's　just　one　man's　approval　I　need　and　you're　good　for　two　grand　a　week。〃
　〃Two　grand？〃　She　stared　at　him。　〃You're　joking。〃
　He　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　joke　about　money。〃
　〃Neither　do　I；〃　she　said　seriously。　〃Who　is　this　man　whose　approval　you'd　need？〃
　〃Jonas　Cord。〃
　〃We　might　as　well　forget　about　it；〃　she　said。　〃From　all　I　heard　around　town　from　some　of　the　girls；　he's　a　real　nut。〃
　
　15
　
　IRVING　FOLLOWED　DAVID　INTO　THE　LIVING　ROOM　AS　ROSA　BEGAN　TO　CLEAR　THE　DISHES。　〃I　never　saw　her　looking　so　good；〃　he　said；　stretching　out　in　a　chair　in　front　of　the　fire。
　David　nodded　absently。　〃Yeah。〃
　Irving　looked　at　him。　〃You　got　something　on　your　mind；　Davy？〃
　〃The　usual　things；〃　David　said　evasively。
　〃That　ain't　the　way　I　hear　it。〃
　Something　in　his　voice　made　David　tense。　〃What　do　you　hear？〃
　〃The　word　is　out　they're　giving　your　boy　the　squeeze；〃　Irving　said　in　a　low　voice。
　〃What　else　do　you　hear？〃
　〃The　new　crowd　wants　to　make　you　top　dog　if　you　throw　in　with　them；〃　Irving　said。　〃They're　also　saying　that　Bonner　has　sold　out　to　them　already。〃
　David　was　silent。　He　couldn't　believe　that　Jonas　didn't　know　about　what　was　happening。　But　it　was　possible。
　〃You　ain't　talking；　Davy；〃　Irving　said　quietly。　〃You　didn't　bring　me　out　here　for　nothing。〃
　〃How　did　you　find　out？〃
　Irving　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃We　got　stock；〃　he　said　casually。　〃Some　of　the　boys　called　up　and　told　me　that　their　brokers　were　contacted。　They　want　to　know　what　we　should　do。〃
　〃How　much　stock？〃
　〃Oh；　eighty；　ninety　thousand　shares　around　the　country。　We　figured　it　would　be　a　good　deal　the　way　you　were　running　things。〃
　〃Have　you…　〃　David　corrected　himself。　〃Have　the　boys　made　up　their　minds　yet　which　way　they're　going？〃　That　stock　could　be　important。　It　was　over　three　per　cent　of　the　two　and　a　half　million　shares　outstanding。
　〃No；　we're　pretty　conservative；〃　Irving　said。　〃We　like　to　go　where　the　money　is。　And　they　been　making　it　sound　real　pretty。　plete　financing；　doubling　the　profits；　maybe　even　splitting　the　stock　in　a　couple　of　years。〃
　David　nodded。　He　reached　for　a　cigarette　thoughtfully。　It　hung　in　his　lips　unlit。　Why　hadn't　Jonas　replied　to　his　messages？　Three　times　he'd　tried　to　locate　him　and　each　time　there　had　been　no　reply。　Surely　he　must　know　by　now。　The　last　place　he　checked　had　sent　word　that　Jonas　was　out　of　the　country。　If　that　was　true；　the　whole　thing　would　be　a　fait　acpli　by　the　time　he　returned。
　〃What　are　you　going　to　do；　Davy？〃　Irving　asked　softly。