hr.thecarpetbaggers-第4部分

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　Her　father　looked　at　me。　〃I'm　sorry　we　couldn't　meet　under　happier　circumstances；　Mr。　Cord。〃
　I　looked　at　him。　The　man's　face　was　honest。　I　believe　he　really　meant　it。　〃I　am；　too；〃　I　said。
　His　wife　immediately　broke　into　sobs。　〃It's　terrible；　terrible；〃　she　wailed；　looking　at　my　father's　covered　body　on　the　couch。
　I　looked　at　her。　Her　daughter　had　resembled　her　but　the　resemblance　stopped　at　the　surface。　The　kid　had　had　a　refreshing　honesty　about　her；　this　woman　was　a　born　harpy。
　〃What　are　you　crying　about？〃　I　asked。　〃You　never　even　knew　him　before　today。　And　only　then　to　ask　him　for　money。〃
　She　stared　at　me　in　shock。　Her　voice　grew　shrill。　〃How　can　you　say　such　a　thing？　Your　own　father　lying　there　on　the　couch　and　after　what　you　did　to　my　daughter。〃
　I　got　to　my　feet。　The　one　thing　I　can't　stand　is　a　phony。　〃After　what　I　did　to　your　daughter？〃　I　shouted。　〃I　didn't　do　anything　to　your　daughter　that　she　didn't　want　me　to。　Maybe　if　you　hadn't　told　her　to　stop　at　nothing　to　catch　me；　she'd　be　alive　today。　But　no；　you　told　her　to　get　Jonas　Cord；　Jr；　at　any　cost。　She　told　me　you　were　already　planning　the　wedding！〃
　Her　husband　turned　to　her。　His　voice　was　trembling。　〃You　mean　to　tell　me　you　knew　she　was　pregnant？〃
　She　looked　at　him；　frightened。　〃No；　Henry；　no。　I　didn't　know。　I　only　said　to　her　it　would　be　nice　if　she　could　marry　him；　that's　all　I　said。〃
　His　lips　tightened；　and　for　a　second　I　thought　he　was　about　to　strike　her。　But　he　didn't。　Instead；　he　turned　back　to　me。　〃I'm　sorry；　Mr。　Cord。　We　won't　trouble　you　any　more。〃
　He　started　proudly　for　the　door。　His　wife　hurried　after　him。　〃But；　Henry；〃　she　cried。　〃Henry。〃
　〃Shut　up！〃　he　snapped；　opening　the　door　and　almost　pushing　her　through　it　in　front　of　him。　〃Haven't　you　said　enough　already？〃
　The　door　closed　behind　them　and　I　turned　to　McAllister。　〃I'm　not　in　the　clear　yet；　am　I？〃　
　He　shook　his　head。
　I　thought　for　a　moment。　〃Better　go　down　to　see　him　tomorrow　at　his　place　of　business。　I　think　he'll　give　you　a　release　now。　He　seems　like　an　honest　man。〃
　McAllister　smiled　slowly。　〃And　that's　how　you　figure　an　honest　man　will　act？〃
　〃That's　one　thing　I　learned　from　my　father。〃　Involuntarily　I　glanced　at　the　couch。　〃He　used　to　say　every　man　has　his　price。　For　some　it's　money；　for　some　it's　women；　for　others　glory。　But　the　honest　man　you　don't　have　to　buy　…　he　winds　up　costing　you　nothing。〃
　〃Your　father　was　a　practical　man；〃　McAllister　said。　
　I　stared　at　the　lawyer。　〃My　father　was　a　selfish；　greedy　son　of　a　bitch　who　wanted　to　grab　everything　in　the　world；〃　I　said。　〃I　only　hope　I'm　man　enough　to　fill　his　shoes。〃
　McAllister　rubbed　his　chin　thoughtfully。　〃You'll　do　all　right。〃
　I　gestured　toward　the　couch。　〃I　won't　always　have　him　there　to　help　me。〃
　McAllister　didn't　speak。　I　glanced　over　at　Nevada。　He　had　been　leaning　against　the　wall　silently　all　the　time。　His　eyes　flickered　under　the　veiled　lids。　He　took　out　a　pack　of　makin's　and　began　to　roll　a　cigarette。　I　turned　back　to　McAllister。　
　〃I'm　going　to　need　a　lot　of　help；〃　I　said。　
　McAllister　showed　his　interest　with　his　eyes。　He　didn't　speak。
　〃I'll　need　an　adviser；　a　consultant　and　a　lawyer；〃　I　continued。　〃Are　you　available？〃
　He　spoke　slowly。　〃I　don't　know　whether　I　can　find　the　time；　Jonas；〃　he　said。　〃I've　got　a　pretty　heavy　practice。〃　
　〃How　heavy？〃
　〃I　gross　about　sixty　thousand　a　year。〃　
　〃Would　a　hundred　thousand　move　you　to　Nevada？〃　
　His　answer　came　quick。　〃If　you　let　me　draw　the　contract。〃　
　I　took　out　a　pack　of　cigarettes　and　offered　him　one。　He　took　it　and　I　stuck　one　in　my　mouth。　I　struck　a　match　and　held　it　for　him。　〃O。K。；〃　I　said。
　He　stopped　in　the　middle　of　the　light。　He　looked　at　me　quizzically。　〃How　do　you　know　you　can　afford　to　pay　me　that　kind　of　money？〃
　I　lit　my　own　cigarette　and　smiled。　〃I　didn't　know　until　you　took　the　job。　Then　I　was　sure。〃
　A　returning　smile　flashed　across　his　face　and　vanished。　Then　he　was　all　business。　〃The　first　thing　we　have　to　do　is　call　a　meeting　of　the　board　of　directors　and　have　you　officially　elected　president　of　the　pany。　Do　you　think　there　might　be　any　trouble　on　that　score？〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃I　don't　think　so。　My　father　didn't　believe　in　sharing。　He　kept　ninety　per　cent　of　the　stock　in　his　own　name　and　according　to　his　will；　it　es　to　me　on　his　death。〃
　〃Do　you　have　a　copy　of　the　will？〃　
　〃No；〃　I　answered。　〃But　Denby　must。　He　has　a　record　of　everything　my　father　ever　did。〃
　I　hit　the　buzzer　and　Denby　came　in。　
　〃Get　me　a　copy　of　my　father's　will；〃　I　ordered。　
　A　moment　later；　it　was　on　the　desk　…　all　official；　with　a　blue　lawyer's　binding。　I　pushed　it　over　to　McAllister。　He　flipped　through　it　quickly。
　〃It's　in　order；〃　he　said。　〃The　stock　is　yours　all　right。　We　better　get　it　probated　right　away。〃
　I　turned　to　Denby　questioningly。　Denby　couldn't　wait　to　answer。　The　words　came　tumbling　out。　〃Judge　Haskell　in　Reno　has　it　on　file。〃
　〃Call　him　and　tell　him　to　move　on　it　right　away；〃　I　said。　Denby　started　out。　I　stopped　him。　〃And　when　you　get　through　with　him；　call　the　directors　and　tell　him　I'm　having　a　special　meeting　of　the　board　at　breakfast　tomorrow。　At　my　house。〃
　Denby　went　out　and　I　turned　back　to　McAllister。　〃Is　there　anything　else　I　ought　to　do；　Mac？〃
　He　shook　his　head　slowly。　〃No；　not　right　now。　There's　only　the　German　contract。　I　don't　know　too　much　about　it　but　I　heard　your　father　say　it　was　a　great　opportunity。　It's　got　something　to　do　with　a　new　kind　of　product。　Plastics；　I　think　he　called　it。〃
　I　ground　out　my　cigarette　in　the　ash　tray　on　the　desk。　〃Have　Denby　give　you　the　file　on　it。　You　look　at　it　tonight　and　give　me　a　breakdown　tomorrow　morning　before　the　board　meeting。　I'll　be　up　at　five　o'clock。〃
　A　strange　look　began　to　e　over　McAllister's　face。　For　a　moment；　I　didn't　know　what　it　was；　then　I　recognized　it。　Respect。　〃I'll　be　there　at　five；　Jonas。〃
　He　got　up　and　started　for　the　door。　I　called　to　him　before　he　reached　it；　〃While　you're　at　it；　Mac；　have　Denby　give　you　a　list　of　the　other　stockholders　in　the　pany。　I　think　I　ought　to　know　their　names　before　the　meeting。〃
　The　look　of　respect　on　his　face　grew　deeper。　〃Yes；　Jonas；〃　he　said；　going　out　the　door。
　I　swung　around　to　Nevada　and　looked　up　at　him。　〃What　do　you　think？〃　I　asked。
　He　waited　a　long　moment　before　he　answered。　Then　he　spit　away　a　piece　of　cigarette　paper　that　clung　to　his　lip。　〃I　think　your　old　man　is　resting　real　easy。〃
　That　reminded　me。　I　had　almost　forgotten。　I　got　up　from　the　chair　and　walked　around　the　desk　and　over　to　the　couch。　I　picked　up　the　blanket　and　looked　down　at　him。
　His　eyes　were　closed　and　his　mouth　was　grim。　There　was　a　slightly　blue　stain　under　the　skin　of　his　right　temple；　going　on　up　into　the　hairline。　That　must　be　the　embolism；　I　thought。
　Somehow；　deep　inside　of　me；　I　wanted　some　tears　to　e　out　for　him。　But　there　weren't　any。　He　had　abandoned　me　too　long　ago　…　that　day　on　the　porch　when　he　threw　me　to　Nevada。
　I　heard　the　door　behind　me　open　and　I　dropped　the　blanket　back　and　turned　around。　Denby　was　standing　in　the　doorway。
　〃Jake　Platt　wants　to　see　you；　sir。〃
　Jake　was　the　plant　manager。　He　kept　the　wheels　turning。　He　also　listened　to　the　wind　and　by　now　the　word　must　be　racing　all　over　the　plant。　
　〃Send　him　in；〃　I　said。
　He　appeared　in　the　doorway　beside　Denby　as　soon　as　the　words　were　out　of　my　mouth。　He　was　a　big；　heavy　man。　He　even　walked　heavy。　He　came　into　the　office；　his　hand　outstretched。　〃I　just　heard　the　sad　news。〃　He　crossed　over　to　the　couch　and　looked　down　at　my　father's　body；　his　face　assuming　his　best　Irish…wake　air。　〃It's　a　sad　loss；　indeed。　Your　father　was　a　great　man。〃　He　shook　his　head　mournfully。　〃A　great　man。〃
　I　walked　back　behind　the　desk。　And　you're　a　great　actor；　Jake　Platt；　I　thought。　Aloud　I　said；　〃Thank　you；　Jake。〃　
　He　turned　to　me；　his　face　brightening　at　the　thought　of　his　act　going　over。　〃And　I　want　you　to　know　if　there's　anything　you　want　of　me；　anything　at　all；　just　call　on　me。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Jake；〃　I　said　again。　〃It's　good　to　know　there　are　men　like　you　in　my　corner。〃
　He　preened　almost　visibly　at　my　words。　His　voice　lowered　to　a　confidential　tone。　〃The　word's　all　over　the　plant　now。　D'ya　think　I　ought　to　say