hr.thecarpetbaggers-第143部分

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ust　because　I'm　not　going　to　be　around　to　enjoy　it！〃
　
　11
　
　THREE　DAYS　LATER　THEY　WERE　HAVING　LUNCH　ON　THE　TERRACE　WHEN　SHE　SAW　THE　GRAY　ROLLS…ROYCE　E　TO　A　STOP　IN　THE　DRIVEWAY。　A　smartly　dressed　chauffeur　opened　the　door　and　a　woman　stepped　out。　A　few　minutes　later；　the　butler　appeared　on　the　terrace。　〃A　Mrs。　Schwartz　to　see　you；　Mr。　Standhurst。〃
　Standhurst　smiled。　〃Set　another　place；　Judson；　and　ask　Mrs。　Schwartz　if　she'll　join　us。〃
　The　butler　bowed。　〃Yes；　Mr。　Standhurst。〃
　A　moment　later；　a　woman　came　through　the　doorway。　〃Charlie！〃　she　said；　unmistakable　pleasure　in　her　voice。　She　held　her　hands　out　toward　him　as　she　walked。　〃How　good　to　see　you。〃
　〃Aida。〃　Standhurst　kissed　her　hand。　〃Forgive　my　not　getting　up。〃　He　looked　into　her　face。　〃You're　as　beautiful　as　ever。〃
　〃You　haven't　changed　a　bit；　Charlie。　You　can　still　keep　a　straight　face　and　lie　like　hell。〃
　Standhurst　laughed。　〃Aida；　this　is　Jennie　Denton。〃
　〃How　do　you　do？〃　Jennie　said。　She　saw　a　woman；　perhaps　in　her　middle　or　late　fifties；　quietly　and　expensively　dressed。　The　woman　turned；　her　smile　warm　and　friendly；　but　Jennie　suddenly　had　the　feeling　that　there　was　little　about　her　that　the　woman　didn't　take　in。
　She　turned　back　to　Standhurst。　〃Is　this　the　girl　you　spoke　to　me　about　on　the　phone？〃
　Standhurst　nodded。
　The　woman　turned　back　to　Jennie。　This　time；　her　eyes　were　openly　appraising。　She　smiled　suddenly。　〃You　may　have　lost　your　balls；　Charlie；〃　she　said　in　a　conversational　tone　of　voice；　〃but　you　certainly　haven't　lost　your　taste。〃
　Jennie's　mouth　hung　open　as　she　stared　at　them。　Standhurst　began　to　laugh　and　the　butler　reappeared　at　the　doorway；　carrying　a　chair。　He　held　it　for　Mrs。　Schwartz　as　she　sat　down　at　the　table。
　〃A　sherry　flip　for　Mrs。　Schwartz；　Judson。〃　The　butler　bowed　and　disappeared。　Standhurst　turned　to　Jennie。　〃I　suppose　you're　wondering　what　this　is　all　about？〃
　Jennie　nodded；　still　unable　to　speak。
　〃Twenty…five　years　ago；　Aida　Schwartz　ran　the　best　cat　house　west　of　the　Everleigh　sisters　in　Chicago。〃
　Mrs。　Schwartz　reached　over　and　patted　his　hand。　〃Charlie　remembers　everything；〃　she　said　to　Jennie。　〃He　even　remembered　that　I　never　drink　anything　but　a　sherry　flip。〃　She　looked　down　at　his　glass　on　the　table。　〃And　I　suppose　you　still　drink　champagne　in　a　tall　glass　over　ice？〃
　He　nodded。　〃Old　habits；　like　old　friends；　Aida；　are　hard　to　give　up。〃
　The　butler　placed　a　drink　in　front　of　her。　She　raised　the　glass　daintily　to　her　lips　and　sipped。　She　looked　at　the　butler　and　smiled。　〃Thank　you。〃
　〃Thank　you；　madam。〃
　She　raised　her　eyebrows　in　good…humored　surprise。　〃This　is　very　good；〃　she　said。　〃You　don't　know　how　hard　it　is　to　get　a　decent　cocktail；　even　in　the　most　expensive　restaurants。　It　seems　that　ladies　drink　nothing　but　Martinis　nowadays。〃　She　shuddered　politely。　〃Horrible。　In　my　time；　no　lady　would　dream　of　even　tasting　anything　like　that。〃
　Standhurst　looked　at　Jennie。　〃Aida　would　never　let　any　of　her　girls　drink　anything　but　sherry。〃
　〃Whisky　befuddles　the　brain；〃　Aida　said　primly。　〃And　my　girls　weren't　being　paid　for　drinking。〃
　The　old　man　chuckled　reminiscently。　〃They　certainly　weren't。　Aida；　do　you　remember　before　the　war　when　I　used　to　e　down　to　your　house　for　a　prostate　massage？〃
　〃I　do；　indeed。〃　She　smiled。
　He　looked　across　the　table　at　Jennie。　〃I'd　developed　a　bit　of　trouble　and　the　doctor　remended　prostate　massage　three　times　a　month。　The　first　time　I　went　to　his　office。　After　that；　I　made　up　my　mind　that　if　I　had　to　have　massage；　I'd　at　least　enjoy　it。　So；　three　evenings　a　week；　I　showed　up　at　Aida's　for　my　treatment。〃
　〃What　he　didn't　tell　you；〃　Aida　added；　〃was　that　the　treatments　got　him　terribly　aroused。　And　my　girls　were　trained　never　to　disappoint　a　guest。　When　Charlie　went　back　to　see　the　doctor　two　weeks　later　and　explained；　the　doctor　was　horribly　upset。〃
　Standhurst　was　still　laughing。　〃The　doctor　said　he'd　bring　Aida　up　before　the　authorities　on　charges　of　practicing　medicine　without　a　license。〃
　Mrs。　Schwartz　reached　over　and　patted　Standhurst's　hand　fondly。　〃And　do　you　remember　Ed　Barry？〃
　〃I　certainly　do。〃　He　chuckled　and　looked　at　Jennie。　〃Ed　Barry　was　one　of　those　hard…shelled　Southern　Baptists　who　look　down　the　end　of　their　nose　at　everything　and　immediately　label　it　sin。　Well；　this　was　election　eve　and　Ed　was　running　for　governor　on　a　reform　ticket。　I　managed　to　get　him　drinking　in　the　excitement　of　it　all　and　by　midnight；　he　was　weeping　drunk。　So　without　telling　him　where　I　was　taking　him；　we　went　down　to　Aida's。　He　never　forgot　it。〃
　Standhurst　laughed；　wiping　the　tears　from　his　eyes。　〃Poor　old　Ed；　he　never　knew　what　hit　him。　He　lost　the　election　but　he　never　seemed　to　mind　it。　On　the　day　Aida　closed　down　her　place；　after　we　got　into　the　war；　he　was　downstairs　in　the　bar；　weeping　as　if　the　world　had　e　to　an　end。〃
　〃Those　were　the　good　old　days；〃　Aida　said。　〃We'll　never　see　them　again。〃
　〃Why　did　you　close　down？〃　Jennie　asked　curiously。
　〃There　were　several　reasons；〃　Aida　said　seriously；　turning　to　Jennie。　〃After　and　during　the　war；　there　was　too　much　free　petition。　It　seemed　as　if　every　girl　was　determined　to　give　it　away。　And　it　simply　became　too　difficult　to　find　girls　who　were　interested　and　dedicated　enough　in　their　work　to　measure　up　to　the　high　standards　I　wanted　to　maintain。　All　they　were　interested　in　was　being　whores。　Since　I　didn't　need　the　money；　I　closed　up。〃
　〃Aida's　a　very　wealthy　woman。　She　put　all　her　money　into　real　estate　and　apartment　houses；　here　and　in　most　of　the　big　cities　around　the　country。〃　Standhurst　looked　over　at　her。　〃Just　about　what　are　you　worth　right　now；　Aida？〃
　She　shrugged　her　shoulders。　〃About　six　million　dollars；　give　or　take　a　little；〃　she　said　casually。　〃Thanks　to　you　and　a　few　good　friends　like　you。〃
　Standhurst　grinned。　〃Now　are　you　still　determined　to　go　back　to　the　hospital？〃
　Jennie　didn't　answer。
　〃Well；　Jennie？〃　he　asked。
　Jennie　stared　at　him；　then　at　Aida。　They　were　watching　her　intently。　She　started　to　speak　but　no　words　came　to　her　lips。
　Mrs。　Schwartz　reached　over　suddenly　and　patted　her　hand　reassuringly。　〃Give　her　a　little　time　to　think　it　over；　Charlie；〃　she　said　gently。　〃It's　a　decision　a　girl　has　to　make　for　herself。〃
　There　was　a　curiously　fond　look　in　Standhurst's　eyes　as　he　smiled　at　Jennie。　〃She'll　have　to　make　up　her　mind　pretty　soon；〃　he　said　softly。　〃There　isn't　that　much　time　left。〃
　He　didn't　know　it　then；　but　there　were　exactly　two　days。
　
　He　turned　his　head　to　watch　her　as　she　came　into　his　room　two　mornings　later。　〃I　think　I'll　stay　in　bed　today；　Jennie；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice。　Drawing　the　drapes　back　from　the　windows；　she　looked　at　him　in　the　light　that　spilled　across　the　bed。　His　face　was　white　and　the　skin　parchment…thin　over　the　bones。　He　kept　his　eyes　partly　closed；　as　if　the　light　hurt　them。
　She　crossed　to　the　side　of　the　bed　and　looked　down。　〃Do　you　want　me　to　call　the　doctor；　Charlie？〃
　〃What　could　he　do？〃　he　asked；　a　faint　line　of　perspiration　appearing　on　his　forehead。　She　picked　up　a　small　towel　from　the　bedside　table　and　wiped　his　face。　Then　she　pulled　down　the　blanket　and　lifted　his　old…fashioned　nightshirt。　Quickly　she　replaced　the　waste　pouch　and　saw　his　eyes　dart　to　the　pouch　as　she　covered　him。　She　picked　up　the　waste　bag　and　went　into　the　bathroom。
　〃Pretty　bad？〃　he　asked；　his　eyes　on　her　face；　when　she　returned。
　〃Pretty　bad。〃
　〃I　know；〃　he　whispered。　〃I　looked　before　you　came　in。　It　was　as　black　as　the　hubs　of　hell。〃
　She　slipped　an　arm　behind　him　and　held　him　up　as　she　straightened　his　pillow。　She　let　him　sink　back　gently。　〃I　don't　know。　Some　mornings　I've　seen　it　worse。〃
　〃Don't　kid　me。〃　He　closed　his　eyes　for　a　moment；　then　opened　them。　〃I　got　a　hunch　today's　the　day；〃　he　whispered；　his　eyes　on　her　face。
　〃You'll　feel　better　after　I　get　some　orange　juice　into　you。〃
　〃The　hell　with　that；〃　he　whispered　vehemently。　〃Who　ever　heard　of　going　to　hell　on　orange　juice？　Get　me　some　champagne！〃
　Silently　she　put　down　the　orange　juice　and　picked　up　a　tall　glass。　She　filled　it　with　cubes　from　the　Thermos　bucket　and　poured　the　champagne　over　it。　Putting　the　glass　straw　into　the　glass；　she　held　it　for　him。
　〃