hr.thecarpetbaggers-第87部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃Distrust！〃　Bernie　yelled。　〃You　expect　me　to　trust　him？　After　the　way　he　stole　my　pany　from　me　behind　my　own　back！〃
　〃The　stock　was　for　sale　on　the　open　market　and　I　bought　it。〃
　〃At　what　price？〃　he　shouted。　〃First　he　forces　down　the　market；　then　he　buys　up　the　stock。　Below　value　he　gets　it。　He　don't　care　how　bad　he　makes　the　pany　look　while　he's　doing　it。　Then　he　es　to　me　and　expects　me　to　sell　my　stock　at　the　same　depressed　price　he　paid　the　others。〃
　I　smiled　to　myself。　The　trading　was　on。　The　old　man　figured　the　best　way　to　get　what　he　wanted　was　by　attacking　me。　Already；　the　propriety　of　my　presence　at　the　meeting　had　been　forgotten。　〃The　price　I　offered　was　twice　what　I　paid　on　the　open　market。〃
　〃You　made　the　market。〃
　〃I　wasn't　running　the　pany；〃　I　retorted。　〃You　were…and　for　the　last　six　years；　running　it　at　a　loss。〃
　He　strode　around　the　table。　〃And　you　could　do　better？〃
　〃If　I　didn't　think　so；　I　wouldn't　be　putting　up　better　than　seven　million　dollars。〃
　His　eyes　stared　into　mine　angrily　for　a　moment；　then　he　walked　back　to　his　chair　and　sat　down。　He　picked　up　a　pencil　and　tapped　it　on　the　table　in　front　of　him。　〃The　regular　meeting　of　the　board　of　directors　of　the　Norman　Picture　pany；　Incorporated；　is　hereby　called　to　order；〃　he　said　in　a　quieter　tone　of　voice。　He　looked　over　at　his　nephew。　〃David；　you　will　act　as　secretary　until　we　appoint　a　new　one。〃
　The　old　man　continued。　〃A　quorum　is　present；　and　also　present　by　invitation　is　Mr。　Jonas　Cord。　Make　a　note　of　that；　David。　Mr。　Cord　is　present　by　invitation　of　certain　of　the　directors　but　over　the　objection　of　the　President。〃
　He　stared　at　me；　waiting　for　me　to　react　to　his　statement。　I　sat　there　impassively。
　〃We　will　now　proceed　to　the　first　order　of　business；　which　is　the　election　of　officers　of　the　pany　for　the　ing　year。〃
　I　nodded　to　McAllister。　〃Mr。　President；〃　he　said；　〃may　I　suggest　that　we　postpone　the　election　of　officers　until　after　you　and　Mr。　Cord　have　pleted　discussions　regarding　the　sale　of　your　stock？〃
　〃What　makes　you　think　I'm　interested　in　selling　my　stock？〃　Bernie　asked。　〃My　faith　in　the　future　of　this　pany　remains　as　strong　as　ever。　I've　made　plans　to　insure　the　successful　operation　of　this　pany　and　if　you　fellows　think　you　can　stop　me；　I'll　throw　you　into　a　proxy　fight　like　you　never　saw　before。〃
　Even　McAllister　had　to　smile　at　that。　What　would　he　fight　with？　We　were　voting　forty…one　per　cent　of　the　stock　already。　〃If　the　President's　concern　for　the　future　of　this　pany　were　as　sincere　as　ours；〃　McAllister　said　politely；　〃surely　he　would　see　the　damage　that　could　be　done　by　starting　a　proxy　fight　he　couldn't　possibly　win。〃
　A　look　of　cunning　came　over　Bernie's　face。　〃I'm　not　such　a　fool　as　you　think；〃　he　said。　〃I've　been　busy　all　afternoon。　I　got　pledges　from　enough　stockholders　to　give　me　control　if　I　fight。　I　should　live　so　long　as　to　give　up　my　own　pany　…　the　pany　that　I　built　with　the　sweat　of　my　brow　…　to　Cord　so　he　can　donate　more　money　to　his　friends　the　Nazis。〃　He　slammed　his　fist　dramatically　down　on　the　table。　〃No；　not　even　if　he　gave　me　seven　million　dollars　for　my　stock　alone。〃
　I　got　to　my　feet；　tight…lipped　and　angry。　〃I'd　like　to　ask　Mr。　Norman　what　he　would　do　with　the　seven　million　dollars　if　I　did　give　it　to　him。　Would　he　donate　it　to　the　Jewish　Relief　Fund？〃
　〃It's　no　business　of　Mr。　Cord's　what　I　do　with　my　money；〃　he　shouted　down　the　table　at　me。　〃I'm　not　a　rich　man　like　he　is。　All　I　got　is　a　few　shares　of　my　own　pany。〃
　I　smiled。　〃Mr。　Norman；　would　you　like　me　to　read　to　the　board　a　list　of　your　liquid　assets　and　holdings；　both　in　your　name　and　your　wife's？〃
　Bernie　looked　confused。　〃List？〃　he　asked。　〃What　list？〃
　I　looked　at　McAllister。　He　handed　me　a　sheet　of　paper　from　his　brief　case。　I　began　to　read　from　it。　〃Deposits　in　the　name　of　May　Norman：　Security　National　Bank；　Boston　…　one　million；　four　hundred　thousand；　Bank　of　Manhattan　pany；　New　York　…　two　million；　one　hundred　thousand；　Pioneer　National　Trust　pany；　Los　Angeles　…　seven　hundred　thousand；　Lehman　Brothers；　New　York　…　three　million；　one　hundred　and　fifty　thousand；　plus　other　minor　accounts　throughout　the　country　amounting　to　six　or　seven　hundred　thousand　more。　In　addition　to　that；　Mrs。　Norman　owns　one　thousand　acres　of　prime　real　estate　in　Westwood；　near　Beverly　Hills；　conservatively　valued　at　two　thousand　dollars　an　acre。〃
　Bernie　stared　at　me。　〃Where　did　you　get　that　list？〃
　〃Never　mind　where　I　got　it。〃
　The　old　man　turned　to　his　nephew。　〃See；　David；〃　he　said　in　a　loud　voice；　〃see　what　a　good　wife　can　save　from　her　house　money。〃
　If　he　wasn't　such　a　thief；　I'd　have　laughed。　But　a　look　at　his　nephew's　face　showed　that　the　boy　hadn't　known　about　those　particular　assets。　Something　told　me　David　was　in　for　further　disillusionment。
　The　old　man　turned　back　to　me。　〃So　my　wife　put　away　a　few　dollars。　That　gives　you　the　right　to　rob　me？〃
　〃During　the　past　six　years；　while　your　pany　was　losing　about　eleven　million　dollars；　it　seems　strange　to　me　that　your　wife　should　be　depositing　about　a　million　dollars　a　year　in　her　various　accounts。〃
　Bernie's　face　was　flushed。　〃My　wife　is　very　clever　with　her　investments；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　spend　my　time　looking　over　her　shoulder。〃
　〃Maybe　you　should；〃　I　said。　〃You'd　find　out　she　has　deals　with　practically　every　major　supplier　of　equipment　and　services　to　the　Norman　pany。　You　can't　tell　me　you're　not　aware　that　she　takes　a　salesman's　mission　of　from　five　to　fifteen　per　cent　on　the　gross　purchases　made　by　this　pany。〃
　He　sank　back　into　his　chair。　〃So　what's　wrong　with　that？　It's　perfectly　normal　business　practice。　She's　our　salesman　on　such　sales；　so　why　shouldn't　she　collect　a　mission？〃
　I'd　had　enough　of　his　crap。　〃All　right；　Mr。　Norman；〃　I　said。　〃Let's　stop　fooling　around。　I　offered　you　a　better　than　fair　price　for　your　stock。　Do　you　want　to　sell　it　or　don't　you？〃
　〃Not　for　three　and　a　half　million　dollars；　no。　Five　and　I　might　listen。〃
　〃You're　in　no　position　to　bargain；　Mr。　Norman；〃　I　said。　〃If　you　don't　accept　my　offer；　I'll　put　this　pany　into　receiver　ship。　Then　we'll　see　if　a　Federal　referee　finds　anything　criminal　in　your　wife's　so…called　legitimate　transactions。　You　seem　to　have　forgotten　that　what　you　do　with　the　pany　is　a　Federal　matter；　since　you　sold　stock　on　the　open　market。　It's　a　little　different　than　when　you　owned　it　all　yourself。　You　might　even　wind　up　in　jail。〃
　〃You　wouldn't　dare。〃
　〃No？〃　I　said。　I　held　out　my　hand。　McAllister　gave　me　the　Section　722　papers。　I　threw　them　over　to　Bernie。　〃It's　up　to　you。　If　you　don't　sell；　these　papers　will　be　in　court　tomorrow　morning。〃
　He　looked　down　at　the　papers；　then　back　at　me。　There　was　a　cold　hatred　in　his　eyes。　〃Why　do　you　do　this　to　me？〃　he　cried。　〃Is　it　because　you　hate　Jews　so　much；　when　all　I　tried　to　do　was　help　you？〃
　That　did　it。　I　went　around　the　table；　pulled　him　out　of　his　chair　and　backed　him　up　against　the　wall。　〃Look；　you　little　Jew　bastard；〃　I　shouted。　〃I've　had　enough　of　your　bullshit。　Every　time　you　offered　to　help　me；　you　picked　my　pocket。　What's　bugging　you　now　is　I　won't　let　you　do　it　again。〃
　〃Nazi！〃　he　spat　at　me。
　Slowly　I　let　him　down　and　turned　to　McAllister。　〃File　the　papers；〃　I　said。　〃And　also　bring　a　criminal　suit　against　Norman　and　his　wife　for　stealing　from　the　pany。〃
　I　started　for　the　door。
　〃Just　a　minute！〃　Bernie's　voice　stopped　me。　There　was　a　peculiar　smile　on　his　face。　〃There's　no　need　for　you　to　go　away　mad　just　because　I　got　a　little　excited。〃
　I　stared　at　him。
　〃e　back；〃　he　said；　sitting　down　at　the　table　again。　〃We　can　settle　this　whole　matter　between　us　in　a　few　minutes。　Like　gentlemen。〃
　
　I　stood　near　the　window；　watching　Bernie　sign　the　stock　transfers。　There　was　something　incongruous　about　the　way　he　sat　there；　the　pen　scratching　across　the　paper　as　he　signed　away　his　life's　work。　You　don't　have　to　like　a　guy　to　feel　sorry　for　him。　And　in　a　way　that　was　just　how　I　felt。
　He　was　a　selfish；　despicable　old　man。　He　had　no　sense　of　decency；　no　honor　or　ethics；　he'd　sacrifice　anyone　on　the　altar　of　his　power；　but　as　the　pen　moved　across　each　certificate；　I　had　the　feeling　his　life's　blood　was　running　out　of　the　golden　nib　along　with　the　ink。
　I　t