hr.thecarpetbaggers-第119部分

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　Forrester　looked　up　as　I　came　into　the　partment。　〃You　must　have　been　tired。　For　a　while；　you　were　snoring　so　loud　back　there　I　was　beginning　to　think　we　had　five　motors　instead　of　four。〃
　I　sank　into　the　copilot's　seat。　〃I　thought　I'd　give　you　a　little　relief。　Where　are　we？〃
　〃About　here；〃　he　said；　his　finger　pointing　to　the　map　on　the　holder　between　us。　I　looked　down。　We　were　about　a　thousand　miles　out　over　the　ocean。
　〃We're　slow。〃
　He　nodded。　〃We　ran　into　heavy　head　winds。〃
　I　reached　for　the　wheel　and　pulled　it　back　to　me　until　it　locked　in。　〃O。K。；〃　I　said。　〃I　got　her。〃
　He　released　his　wheel；　got　to　his　feet　and　stretched。　〃I　think　I'll　try　to　get　a　nap。〃
　〃Fine；〃　I　said；　looking　out　through　the　windshield。　It　was　beginning　to　rain。
　〃Sure　you　can　keep　your　eyes　open　for　a　few　hours？〃
　〃I'll　manage。〃
　He　laughed。　〃Either　you're　a　better　man　than　I　am；　Gunga　Din；　or　I'm　getting　old。　For　a　while；　back　there；　I　thought　you　were　going　to　fuck　every　woman　in　England。〃
　I　looked　up　at　him；　grinning。　〃With　the　way　those　bombs　were　ing　down；　I　thought　I　better　make　the　most　of　it。〃
　He　laughed　again　and　left　the　partment。　I　turned　back　to　the　controls。　Apparently；　I　wasn't　the　only　one　who　felt　that　way。　The　girls　must　have　felt　it；　too。　There'd　been　something　desperate　in　the　way　they　insisted　you　accept　their　favors。
　It　was　beginning　to　snow　now；　heavy；　swirling　flakes　against　the　windshield。　I　switched　the　de…icers　on　and　watched　the　snowflakes　turn　to　water　against　the　Plexiglas。　The　air　speed　was　two　hundred　and　slowing。　That　meant　the　head　winds　were　picking　up　speed。　I　decided　to　see　if　we　could　climb　up　over　it。
　I　moved　the　wheel　back　and　the　big　plane　began　to　lift　slowly。　We　came　through　the　clouds　at　thirteen　thousand　feet　into　bright　sunlight。　I　locked　in　the　gyropensator　and　felt　the　plane　level　off。
　It　was　a　clear　and　smooth　flight　all　the　rest　of　the　way　home。
　
　2
　
　ROBAIR　WAS　STANDING　IN　THE　OPEN　DOORWAY　WHEN　I　CAME　OUT　OF　THE　ELEVATOR。　Though　it　was　four　o'clock　in　the　morning；　he　looked　as　fresh　and　wide…eyed　as　if　he'd　just　awakened。　His　dark　face　gleamed　in　a　weling　smile　over　his　white　shirt　and　faultlessly　tailored　butler's　jacket。　〃Good　morning；　Mr。　Cord。　Have　a　good　flight？〃
　〃Fine；　thank　you；　Robair。〃
　He　closed　the　door　behind　him。　〃Mr。　McAllister's　in　the　living　room。　Been　waiting　since　eight　o'clock　last　night。〃
　〃I'll　talk　to　him；〃　I　said；　starting　through　the　foyer。
　〃I'll　fix　some　steak　sandwiches　and　coffee；　Mr。　Cord。〃
　I　stopped　and　looked　back　at　the　tall　Negro。　He　never　seemed　to　age。　His　hair　was　still　black　and　thick；　his　frame　giant…sized　and　powerful。　〃Hey；　Robair；　you　know　something？　I　missed　you。〃
　He　smiled　again。　There　was　nothing　subservient　or　false　about　his　smile。　It　was　the　smile　of　a　friend。　〃I　missed　you；　too；　Mr。　Cord。〃
　I　turned　and　walked　into　the　living　room。　Robair　was　more　than　just　a　friend。　In　a　way；　he　was　my　guardian　angel。　I　don't　know　how　I　would　have　held　together　after　Rina　died　if　it　hadn't　been　for　Robair。
　By　the　time　I'd　got　back　to　Reno　from　New　York；　I　was　a　wreck。　There　was　nothing　I　wanted　to　do。　Just　drink　and　forget。　I'd　had　enough　of　people。
　My　father　rode　my　shoulders　like　a　desert　Indian　on　a　pony。　It　had　been　his　woman　I　had　wanted。　It　had　been　his　woman　who　had　died。　Why　did　I　cry？　Why　was　I　so　empty？
　Then　one　morning；　I　awakened　in　the　dirt　of　the　yard；　back　of　Nevada's　room　in　the　bunkhouse；　to　find　Robair　bending　over　me。　I　vaguely　remembered　having　leaned　my　back　against　the　wall　of　the　bunkhouse　while　I　finished　a　bottle　of　bourbon。　That　had　been　last　night。　I　turned　my　head　slowly。　The　empty　bottle　lay　beside　me。
　I　placed　my　hands　in　the　dirt　and　braced　myself。　My　head　hurt　and　my　mouth　was　dry　and　when　I　tried　to　get　to　my　feet；　I　found　I　didn't　have　the　strength。
　I　felt　Robair's　arm　slip　around　behind　me　and　lift　me　to　my　feet。　We　started　to　walk　across　the　hard…packed　earth。　〃Thank　you；〃　I　said；　leaning　against　him　gratefully。　〃I'll　be　all　right　once　I　get　a　drink。〃
　His　voice　had　been　so　soft　that　at　first　I　thought　I　hadn't　heard　him。　〃No　more　whisky；　Mr。　Cord。〃
　I　stared　up　into　his　face。　〃What　did　you　say？〃
　His　large　eyes　were　impassive。　〃No　more　whisky；　Mr。　Cord；〃　he　repeated。　〃I　reckon　it's　time　you　stopped。〃
　The　anger　pulled　up　in　me　and　gave　me　strength。　I　shoved　myself　away　from　him。　〃Just　who　in　hell　do　you　think　you　are？〃　I　shouted。　〃If　I　want　a　drink；　I'll　take　a　drink！〃
　He　shook　his　head。　〃No　more　whisky。　You're　not　a　little　boy　no　more。　You　can't　run　an'　hide　your　head　in　the　whisky　bottle　ever'　time　a　little　bad　es　your　way。〃
　I　stared　at　him；　speechless　for　a　moment；　as　the　shock　and　anger　ran　through　me　in　ice…cold　waves。　Then　I　found　my　voice。　〃You're　fired！〃　I　screamed。　〃No　black　son　of　a　bitch　is　going　to　own　me！〃
　I　turned　and　started　for　the　house。　I　felt　his　hand　on　my　shoulder　and　turned。　There　was　a　look　of　sadness　on　his　face。　〃I'm　sorry；　Mr。　Cord；〃　he　said。
　〃There's　no　use　in　apologizing；　Robair。〃
　〃I'm　not　apologizing　for　what　I　said；　Mr。　Cord；〃　he　replied　in　a　low　voice。　Then　I　saw　his　giant；　hamlike　fist　racing　toward　me。　I　tried　to　move　away　but　nothing　in　my　body　seemed　to　work　the　way　it　should　and　I　plunged　into　the　dark　again。
　This　time　when　I　woke　up；　I　was　in　bed；　covered　with　clean　sheets。　There　was　a　fire　going　in　the　fireplace　and　I　felt　very　weak。　I　turned　my　head。　Robair　was　sitting　in　a　chair　next　to　the　bed。　There　was　a　small　tureen　of　hot　soup　on　the　table　next　to　him。　〃I　got　some　hot　soup　here　for　you；〃　he　said；　his　eyes　meeting　mine　levelly。
　〃Why'd　you　bring　me　up　here？〃
　〃The　mountain　air'll　do　you　good。〃
　〃I　won't　stay；〃　I　said；　pushing　myself　up。　I'd　had　enough　of　this　cabin　when　I　was　here　the　last　time。　On　my　honeymoon。
　Robair's　big　hand　pushed　me　back　against　the　pillow。　〃You'll　stay；〃　he　said　quietly。　He　picked　up　the　tureen　and　dipped　a　spoon　into　it；　then　held　the　spoon　of　soup　out　to　me。　〃Eat。〃
　There　was　such　a　note　of　authority　in　his　quiet　voice　that　involuntarily　I　opened　my　mouth　before　I　thought。　The　hot　soup　scalded　its　way　down。　Then　I　pushed　his　hand　away。　〃I　don't　want　any。〃
　I　stared　into　his　dark　eyes　for　a　moment；　then　I　felt　rise　up　inside　me　a　hurt　and　a　loneliness　that　I　had　never　felt　before。　Suddenly；　I　began　to　cry。
　He　put　down　the　tureen。　〃Go　ahead　an'　weep；　Mr。　Cord。　Cry　yourself　out。　But　you'll　find　tears　won't　drown　you　any　more　than　whisky。〃
　He　was　sitting　on　the　porch　in　the　late…afternoon　sun　when　I　finally　came　out。　It　was　green　all　around；　bushes　and　trees　all　the　way　down　the　side　of　the　mountain；　until　it　ran　into　the　red　and　yellow　sands　of　the　desert。　He　got　to　his　feet　when　I　opened　the　door。
　I　walked　over　to　the　railing　and　looked　down。　We　were　a　long　way　from　people。　I　turned　and　looked　back　at　him。　〃What's　for　dinner；　Robair？〃　I　asked。
　He　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃To　tell　the　truth；　Mr。　Cord；　I　was　kind　of　waitin'　on　how　you　felt。〃
　〃There's　a　brook　near　here　that　has　the　biggest　trout　you　ever　saw。〃
　He　smiled。　〃A　mess　o'　trout　sounds　fine；　Mr。　Cord。〃
　It　was　almost　two　years　before　we　came　down　from　the　mountain。　Game　was　plentiful　and　once　a　week；　Robair　would　drive　down　for　supplies。　I　grew　lean　and　dark　from　the　sun　and　the　bloat　of　the　cities　disappeared　as　the　muscles　tightened　and　hardened　in　my　body。
　We　developed　a　routine　and　it　was　amazing　how　well　the　business　got　along　without　me。　It　merely　proved　the　old　axiom：　once　you　reached　a　certain　size；　it　was　pretty　difficult　to　stop　growing。　All　the　panies　were　doing　fine　except　the　picture　pany。　It　was　undercapitalized　but　it　didn't　matter　that　much　to　me　any　more。
　Three　times　a　week；　I　spoke　to　McAllister　on　the　telephone。　That　was　generally　sufficient　to　take　care　of　most　problems。　Once　a　month；　Mac　would　e　driving　up　the　winding　road　to　the　cabin；　his　brief　case　filled　with　papers　for　me　to　sign　or　reports　for　me　to　study。
　Mac　was　a　remarkably　thorough　man。　There　was　very　little　that　escaped　his　observant　eye。　In　some　mysterious　way；　everything　of　importance　that　was　going　on　in　any　of　the　panies　found　its　way　into　his　reports。　There　were　many　things　I　knew　I　shoul