hr.thecarpetbaggers-第83部分

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　Free　of　restraint；　the　bronc　was　motionless　for　a　fraction　of　a　second；　bewildered。　My　father　stood　there　in　front　of　him；　tall　and　broad　in　his　black　suit。　Their　eyes　were　about　on　a　level。　Then　slowly　my　father　started　to　bring　his　hand　up　again　and　the　bronc　exploded；　its　eyes　flashing；　its　teeth　bared；　as　it　reared　back　and　struck　out　with　its　hoofs。　This　time；　my　father　stepped　back　and　then　darted　as　the　bronc　came　down。
　I　saw　my　father's　clenched　fist　hanging　high　in　the　air　over　his　head　for　a　flashing　second。　The　bronc's　four　hoofs　struck　the　ground　and　Father's　fist　came　down　like　a　hammer；　just　over　the　bronc's　eyes。　The　thud　of　the　blow　echoed　back　against　the　side　of　the　house　like　a　small　explosion。　The　bronc　stood　there　for　a　moment；　then　sagged　slowly　to　its　knees；　its　front　legs　crumpling　as　if　they　had　suddenly　turned　to　rubber。
　Quickly　my　father　walked　around　to　the　side　and　slapped　his　open　palm　against　the　bronc's　neck。　The　horse　toppled　over　on　its　side。　For　a　moment；　it　lay　there；　its　sides　heaving；　then　it　raised　its　head　and　looked　up　at　my　father。　The　four　of　us　…　the　Mexicans；　Nevada　and　I　…　were　silent　as　we　stood　there　watching　them。
　The　bronc's　raised　head　threw　a　long　morning　shadow　in　the　corral　dirt　that　was　dwarfed　only　by　the　shadow　of　my　father　as　they　stared　into　each　other's　eyes。　Then　the　bronc　seemed　to　heave　a　giant　sigh　and　dropped　its　head　back　on　the　ground。
　My　father　looked　down　at　the　bronc　for　a　moment；　then　bent　over　and　taking　the　reins　near　the　bronc's　mouth；　pulled　the　horse　to　its　feet。　The　bronc　stood　there；　its　legs　trembling；　its　head　hanging　dejectedly。　It　didn't　even　raise　its　head　as　my　father　crossed　in　front　of　it　and　came　back　through　the　fence　to　us。
　〃You　won't　have　any　trouble　with　him　now。〃　My　father　hung　the　lariat　back　on　the　peg　and　started　for　the　house。　〃ing　in　for　breakfast；　Jonas？〃　he　called　without　turning　his　head　or　breaking　his　stride。
　Nevada　was　already　back　in　the　corral；　walking　toward　the　bronc。　〃Yes；　sir；〃　I　said；　starting　after　my　father。　I　caught　up　to　him　on　the　back　porch。　We　turned　and　watched　Nevada　mount　the　horse。　The　bronc　bucked　and　sawed　but　it　was　easy　to　see　his　heart　wasn't　in　it。
　My　father　turned　to　me；　unsmiling。　〃Some　horses　are　like　people。　The　only　language　they　understand　is　a　clout　on　the　head。〃
　〃I　didn't　think　you　cared　that　much　about　the　horses；〃　I　said。　〃You　never　e　down　to　the　corral。〃
　〃I　don't；〃　he　said　quickly。　〃It's　you　I　care　about。　You've　still　got　a　lot　to　learn。〃
　I　laughed。　〃Fat　lot　I　learned　from　your　hitting　a　bronc　on　its　head。〃
　〃You　learned　that　Nevada　couldn't　ride　that　horse　until　I　made　it　possible。〃
　〃So？〃
　My　father　turned。　He　was　a　big　man；　over　six　feet；　but　I　was　taller。　〃So；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃no　matter　how　big　you　get；　you　won't　be　big　enough　to　wear　my　shoes　until　I　let　you。〃
　I　followed　my　father　into　the　dining　room。　Rina's　back　was　to　me　and　her　hair　shone　like　silver　as　she　raised　her　cheek　for　his　morning　kiss。　There　was　a　quiet　triumph　in　my　father's　eyes　as　he　straightened　up　afterward　and　looked　at　me。　He　didn't　speak　as　he　sat　down　in　his　chair。　He　didn't　have　to。　I　knew　what　he　was　thinking。　He　didn't　have　to　hit　me　over　the　head。
　〃Joining　us　for　breakfast；　Jonas？〃　Rina　asked　politely。
　I　stared　at　her　for　a　moment；　then　at　my　father。　I　could　feel　the　sick　knot　tying　up　my　guts。　〃No；　thanks。　I'm　not　hungry。〃
　I　turned　and　walked　hurriedly　back　through　the　dining…room　door；　almost　colliding　with　Robair；　who　was　just　entering　with　a　tray。　By　the　time　I　got　back　to　the　corral；　Nevada　was　walking　the　bronc　up　and　down；　breaking　him　to　the　meaning　of　the　reins。　Father　had　been　right。　The　horse　wasn't　giving　Nevada　any　trouble。
　And　here　it　was　twelve　years　later　and　I　could　still　hear　his　voice　as　it　had　echoed　quietly　on　the　back　porch　that　morning。
　〃Let　go；　old　man；　let　go！〃　I　said　angrily；　my　fist　smashing　down　on　the　empty　desk。　The　pain　ran　crazily　up　my　arm　into　my　shoulder。
　〃Mr。　Cord！〃　I　looked　up　in　surprise。　Morrissey　was　standing　in　the　open　doorway；　his　mouth　partly　open。　It　took　an　effort　for　me　to　bring　myself　back　to　the　present。
　〃Don't　stand　there；〃　I　snapped。　〃e　in。〃　He　entered　the　office　hesitantly；　and　a　moment　later；　Forrester　appeared　in　the　doorway　behind　him。　Silently　they　came　into　the　office。
　〃Sit　down　and　have　a　drink；〃　I　said；　pushing　the　bottle　of　bourbon　toward　them。
　〃Don't　mind　if　I　do；〃　Forrester　said；　picking　up　the　bottle　and　a　paper　cup。　He　sloshed　himself　a　good　one。　〃Mud　in　your　eye。〃
　〃Up　the　General's；〃　I　said。　〃By　the　way；　where　is　the　old　boy？〃
　〃On　his　way　back　to　the　city。　He　has　a　date　with　a　toilet…paper　manufacturer。〃
　I　laughed。　〃At　least；　that's　one　thing　he　can　test　for　himself。〃
　Forrester　laughed　but　Morrissey　sat　there　glumly。　I　pushed　the　bottle　toward　him。　〃You　on　the　wagon？〃
　He　shook　his　head。　〃What　are　we　going　to　do　now？〃　he　asked。
　I　stared　at　him　for　a　moment；　then　picked　up　the　bottle　and　refilled　my　paper　cup。　〃I　was　just　thinking　about　declaring　war　on　the　United　States。　That's　one　way　we　could　show　him　how　good　our　plane　is。〃
　Morrissey　still　didn't　crack　a　smile。　〃The　CA…4　is　the　best　plane　I　ever　designed。〃
　〃So　what？〃　I　asked。　〃What　the　hell；　it　didn't　cost　you　anything。　It　was　my　dough。　Besides；　how　much　did　you　ever　make　out　of　building　planes？　It　doesn't　amount　to　one…twentieth　of　your　annual　royalties　on　that　trick　brassière　you　designed　for　Rina　Marlowe。〃
　It　was　true。　But　it　had　been　McAllister　who'd　seen　the　mercial　potential　in　the　damn　thing　and　applied　for　a　patent　in　the　name　of　Cord　Aircraft。　Morrissey　had　a　standard　employment　contract；　which　provided　that　all　his　inventions　and　designs　belonged　to　the　pany；　but　McAllister　had　been　a　sport　about　it。　He'd　given　Morrissey　a　ten…per…cent　interest　in　the　royalties　as　a　bonus　and　last　year；　Morrissey's　share　was　in　excess　of　a　hundred　thousand　dollars。　The　market　was　getting　bigger　all　the　time。　Tits　weren't　going　out　of　fashion　for　a　long　time。
　Morrissey　didn't　answer。　But　then；　I　hadn't　expected　him　to。　He　was　one　of　those　guys　who　don't　give　a　damn　about　money。　All　he　lived　for　was　his　work。
　I　finished　my　drink　and　lit　a　cigarette。　Silently　I　cursed　myself。　I　should　have　known　better　than　to　let　a　chance　remark　about　my　father　bug　me　like　that。　I　could　afford　it　but　nobody　likes　to　throw　a　million　dollars　down　the　drain。
　〃Maybe　I　can　do　something；〃　Forrester　said。
　A　ray　of　hope　came　into　Morrissey's　eyes。　〃Do　you　think　you　could？〃
　Forrester　shrugged。　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃I　said　maybe。〃
　I　stared　at　him。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃It's　the　best　plane　I've　seen；〃　he　said。　〃I　wouldn't　like　to　see　us　lose　it　because　of　the　old　man's　stupidity。〃
　〃Thanks；〃　I　said。　〃We'd　be　grateful　for　anything　you　could　do。〃
　Forrester　smiled。　〃You　don't　owe　me　anything。　I'm　one　of　those　old…fashioned　guys　who　wouldn't　like　to　see　us　caught　short　if　things　suddenly　started　popping。〃
　I　nodded。　〃They'll　start　soon　enough。　Just　as　soon　as　Hitler　thinks　he's　ready。〃
　〃When　do　you　think　that　will　be？〃
　〃Three；　maybe　four　years；〃　I　said。　〃When　they　have　enough　trained　pilots　and　planes。〃
　〃Where'll　he　get　them　from？　He　hasn't　got　them　now。〃
　〃He'll　get　them；〃　I　said。　〃The　glider　schools　are　turning　out　ten　thousand　pilots　a　month　and　before　the　summer　is　over；　Messerschmitt　will　have　his　ME…109's　on　the　production　line。〃
　〃The　general　staff　thinks　he　won't　do　much　when　he　es　up　against　the　Maginot　line。〃
　〃He　won't　e　up　against　it；〃　I　said。　〃He'll　fly　over　it。〃
　Forrester　nodded。　〃All　the　more　reason　for　me　to　try　to　get　them　to　check　out　your　plane。〃　He　looked　at　me　quizzically。　〃You　talk　like　you　know。〃
　〃I　know；〃　I　answered。　〃I　was　there　less　than　nine　months　ago。〃
　〃Oh；　yes；〃　he　said；　〃I　remember。　I　saw　something　about　it　in　the　papers。　There　was　some　kind　of　a　stink　about　it；　wasn't　there？〃
　I　laughed。　〃There　was。　Certain　people　accused　me　of　being　a　Nazi　sympathizer。〃
　〃Because　of　the　million　dollars　you　turned　over　to　the　Reichsbank？〃
　I　shot　a　quick　glance　at　him。　Forrester　wasn't　as　simple　as　he　pretended　to　be。　〃I　guess　so；〃　I　answered。　〃You　see；　I　transferre