hr.thecarpetbaggers-第41部分

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　〃Mr。　Cord？　Von　Elster　here。　I'm　sorry　to　bother　you　so　early；　but　I'm　down　in　the　lobby　with　Mr。　Norman。　It's　very　important　we　see　you　before　you　meet　with　Nevada。〃
　〃Who's　Norman？〃　I　asked；　still　trying　to　clear　my　head。
　〃Bernard　B。　Norman　of　Norman　Pictures。　That's　the　pany　releasing　the　picture。　Mr。　Norman　feels　he　can　be　of　help　to　you　in　making　the　right　kind　of　deal　with　Nevada。〃
　〃Why　should　I　need　any　help？〃　I　asked。　〃I've　known　Nevada　all　my　life。〃
　His　voice　grew　confidential。　〃Nevada's　all　right；　Mr。　Cord。　But　his　agent；　Dan　Pierce；　is　a　very　sharp　man。　Mr。　Norman　just　wants　to　give　you　a　few　pointers　before　you　tangle　with　him。〃
　I　reached　for　a　cigarette。　Von　Elster　hadn't　lost　any　time。　He'd　run　right　back　to　his　boss　the　minute　he　smelled　my　money。　I　didn't　know　what　they　wanted　but　I　was　damn　sure　it　boded　no　good　for　Nevada。
　〃Wait　down　there　until　I　can　get　dressed。　I'll　call　you。〃
　I　put　down　the　phone　and　finished　lighting　the　cigarette。　The　blue　cover　of　the　script　caught　my　eye。　I　picked　up　the　telephone　again。　I　gave　the　operator　Tony　Moroni's　home　number　out　in　the　valley。
　〃Sorry　to　wake　you　up；　Tony；〃　I　said。　〃This　is　Jonas。〃
　His　soft　voice　chuckled　over　the　phone。　〃That's　all　right；　Jonas。　I　get　up　early；　anyway。　By　the　way；　congratulations　on　your　marriage。〃
　〃Thanks；〃　I　said　automatically；　suddenly　remembering　I　hadn't　even　thought　about　Monica　since　I　came　to　town。　〃Did　you　bank　Nevada　Smith's　new　picture？〃
　〃The　Renegade？〃
　〃Yeah。〃
　〃Yes；　we　did；〃　he　answered。
　〃What's　the　story　on　it？〃　I　asked。
　〃Its　a　good　picture；〃　he　said。　〃It　would　have　a　bettor　chance　if　it　were　a　talkie；　but　it's　a　good　picture。〃　
　〃If　you　think　it's　good；　why　are　you　calling　your　loan？〃　
　〃Let　me　ask　a　question　first；　Jonas；〃　he　said。　〃Exactly　what　is　your　interest？〃
　〃I　don't　know　yet；〃　I　said　frankly。　〃Nevada's　my　friend。　I　want　to　find　out　what's　happening。　Why　are　you　calling　the　loan？〃
　〃You　know　how　we　work；〃　he　explained。　〃We　made　the　loan　to　Smith　on　his　collateral　plus　the　guarantee　of　the　Norman　Pictures　pany。　Now　Bernie　Norman　needs　credit　to　remake　some　of　his　own　pictures；　so　he's　withdrawing　his　guarantee。　Automatically；　that　means　we　have　to　call　in　the　loan。〃
　No　wonder　Von　Elster　and　Bernie　Norman　were　down　in　the　lobby　waiting　to　see　me。　They　didn't　want　anybody　to　interfere　with　their　fingering　Nevada。　
　〃Exactly　what　happens　to　Nevada？〃　I　asked。　
　〃If　he　can't　pay　the　loan；　we　foreclose　on　the　picture；　then　all　his　collateral　goes　into　an　escrow　account。　Then　we　liquidate　until　we　recover。〃
　〃What　do　you　do　with　the　picture　then？〃　I　asked。　〃Junk　it？〃
　〃Oh；　no。〃　He　laughed　softly。　〃Then　we　turn　it　over　to　Norman　to　release。　That　gives　Bernie　a　chance　to　get　his　money　out。　He　has　about　four　hundred　thousand　in　it。　After　he　recovers；　the　overage　is　paid　to　us。　When　our　loan　is　paid　off；　we　turn　over　what's　left　to　Smith。〃
　The　whole　thing　was　beginning　to　make　sense。　By　the　time　any　money　got　to　Nevada；　he'd　have　had　it。　〃What's　the　chances　on　any　overage？〃　I　asked。
　〃Not　very　good；〃　Tony　answered。　〃Under　the　present　deal；　the　distribution　fees　are　very　low　and　Nevada　Smith's　money　es　out　first。　When　we　take　over；　the　fees　will　triple　and　his　share　will　e　out　last。〃　
　〃Who　gets　the　fees　…　the　bank？〃
　He　laughed　again。　〃Of　course　not。　Bernie　does。　He's　the　distributor。〃
　Now　I　had　it。　The　boys　downstairs　were　going　to　make　it　real　big。　Screw　Nevada。　That　way；　they　could　grab　themselves　off　a　big　one　for　practically　nothing。　I　wondered　just　how　smart　Nevada's　agent　could　be　if　he　let　him　stick　his　head　into　a　trap　like　that。
　〃One　more　question；　Tony；〃　I　said；　〃and　I'll　stop　bothering　you。　How　much　more　money　should　it　take　to　make　The　Renegade　over　as　a　talkie？〃
　He　was　silent　for　a　moment。　〃Let's　see；〃　he　said。　〃The　sets　are　still　standing；　they　have　all　the　costumes。　That's　about　half　the　cost。　Maybe　another　million；　less；　if　they're　lucky。〃
　〃Is　it　worth　it？〃
　He　hesitated。　〃I　usually　don't　venture　opinions　on　pictures。　Too　many　things　can　happen。〃
　〃This　time；　venture；〃　I　said。　〃I　need　an　opinion　from　somebody　who　hasn't　any　ax　to　grind。〃
　〃From　every　report　I've　had；　it　could　be　a　very　good　gamble。〃
　〃Thanks；〃　I　said。　〃Now　do　me　a　favor。　Hold　off　any　action　on　the　loan　until　I　talk　to　you　later　in　the　day。　Maybe　I'll　e　in　on　the　guarantee　in　place　of　Norman。〃
　〃You'll　still　need　another　million　after　that。〃
　〃I　know；〃　I　answered。　〃But　my　writing　hand's　still　good。　I　can　always　sign　another　note。〃
　Moroni　laughed　pleasantly　as　we　said　our　good…bys。　He　wasn't　worried。　He　knew　I　could　cover　the　money　easily　out　of　the　advance　I　got　from　the　syndicate　that　leased　the　patents　on　my　plastic　mold。　Bankers　always　were　ready　to　lend　you　as　much　money　as　you　wanted；　so　long　as　you　could　put　up　collateral。
　I　looked　down　at　my　watch　as　I　put　down　the　phone。　It　was　almost　seven　thirty　and　I　felt　fuzzy。　I　started　to　pick　up　the　phone；　then　changed　my　mind。　The　hell　with　them。　Let　them　wait　if　they　wanted　to　see　me。　I　turned　and　went　into　the　bathroom　to　take　a　shower。
　The　telephone　rang　three　different　times　while　I　was　under　the　shower。　I　stood　there　letting　the　hot　water　soak　into　my　skin　and　wash　away　the　weariness。　It　was　almost　eight　o'clock　when　I　came　out　of　the　bathroom　and　the　telephone　began　ringing　again。
　It　was　Von　Elster　again。　His　voice　was　low　and　conspiratorial。　〃Nevada；　his　agent　and　Rina　are　on　their　way　up；〃　he　whispered。　〃They　didn't　see　us。〃
　〃Good；〃　I　said。
　〃But　how　are　we　going　to　meet？〃
　〃I　guess　it's　too　late　now；〃　I　said　easily。　〃I'll　just　have　to　take　my　chances　with　Nevada's　agent；　I　guess。　Tell　your　Mr。　Norman　I　appreciate　his　offer；　though。　If　there's　anything　I　need；　I'll　call　him。''
　I　heard　his　gasp　of　shock　as　I　hung　up。　I　laughed　and　wondered　how　he　was　going　to　explain　that　to　his　boss。　I　climbed　into　my　trousers　and　was　reaching　for　a　shirt　when　a　knock　came　at　the　door。
　〃e　in；〃　I　yelled　from　the　bedroom。　I　heard　the　door　open　and　finished　buttoning　up　my　shirt。　I　looked　for　my　shoes　but　they　were　over　on　the　other　side　of　the　bed。　It　wasn't　worth　walking　over　to　get　them　so　I　came　out　in　my　bare　feet。
　Rina　was　already　seated　on　the　big　couch。　Nevada　and　another　man　were　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　room。　A　slow　smile　came　over　Nevada's　face。　He　held　out　his　hand。　〃Jonas；〃　he　said　warmly。
　I　took　his　hand　awkwardly。　It　seemed　funny　to　shake　hands　with　him　as　one　would　with　a　stranger。　〃Nevada。〃
　There　were　faint　lines　of　strain　in　the　corners　of　his　eyes；　but　for　a　moment　they　disappeared　as　he　looked　up　into　my　face。　〃You're　lookin'　more　like　your　pappy　every　day；　son。〃
　〃You're　lookin'　pretty　good　yourself。　Where'd　you　get　them　duds？〃
　A　faint　tinge　of　sheepishness　came　into　his　face。　〃That's　part　of　the　act；〃　he　said。　〃I　got　to　wear　'em。　The　kids　expect　it。〃　He　fished　in　his　pocket　with　that　familiar　gesture　and　came　up　with　a　package　of　makin's。　He　began　to　roll　a　cigarette。　〃I　been　readin'　a　lot　about　you　in　the　papers。　Flyin'　from　Paris　to　Los　Angeles；　gettin'　married　an'　all。　Your　wife　with　you？〃　
　I　shook　my　head。
　He　glanced　at　me　shrewdly。　In　that　moment；　I　knew　he　knew　how　it　was　with　Monica　and　me。　He　could　read　me　like　a　book。　I　could　never　hide　anything　from　him。　〃Too　bad；〃　he　said。　〃I'd　like　to　have　met　her。〃
　I　looked　at　the　other　man　to　change　the　subject。　Nevada　caught　himself　quickly。　〃Oh；　this　is　Dan　Pierce；　my　agent。〃
　We　shook　hands　and　I　came　right　to　the　point。　〃I　saw　your　picture　last　night；〃　I　said。　〃I　liked　it。　Too　bad　you　have　to　make　it　over。〃
　〃I　thought　talking　pictures　wouldn't　last；〃　Nevada　said。
　〃That's　not　the　whole　story；　Nevada；〃　Pierce　broke　in　angrily。　He　turned　to　me。　〃Nevada　wanted　the　picture　silent；　sure；　but　by　the　time　we'd　started　shooting；　he　saw　he　was　wrong。　We　tried　then　to　turn　it　into　a　talkie　but　we　couldn't。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Norman　wouldn't　let　us；〃　Pierce　said。　〃He　only　had　one　sound　stage　at　that　time　and　he　was　using　it　for　one　of　his　own　pictures。　He　insisted　we　start　shooting　right　away　or　he'd　withdraw　his　guarantee。〃
　The　picture　was　clear　now。　The　whole　thing　had　been　a　sucker　play　from　the　start。　I