hr.thecarpetbaggers-第58章

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　〃What　good　would　it　have　done？〃　David　asked。　〃I　couldn't　have　proved　it　and　even　if　I　had；　you　didn't　have　the　money　to　fight　him。〃
　Norman　took　the　cigar　out　of　his　mouth　and　looked　at　it　glumly。　With　an　angry　gesture；　he　threw　it　on　the　rug。　〃What　did　I　ever　do　to　him　he　should　want　to　ruin　me？〃　he　asked　angrily。
　David　didn't　answer。
　〃Nothing！　That's　what　I　did。　Only　made　money　for　him。　More　money　that　he　should　use　to　cut　my　throat　with！〃　Bernie　took　a　fresh　cigar　from　his　pocket　and　waved　it　in　front　of　David's　face。　〃That　should　be　a　lesson　to　you。　Never　do　a　favor　for　anybody；　never　make　money　for　anybody；　only　yourself。　Otherwise；　you'll　find　a　knife　in　your　back　made　of　your　own　silver！〃
　David　looked　at　his　uncle's　angry　purple　face；　remembering　the　scene　that　had　taken　place　at　the　stockholders'　meeting。
　Norman　had　gone　into　it；　feeling　more　confident　than　he　had　at　any　time　during　the　past　few　months。　The　percentage　of　proxies　that　had　been　returned　was　about　what　they　got　every　year。　Only　about　twenty…five　per　cent　of　the　stockholders　ever　bothered　to　send　in　their　proxy　forms。　All　they　were　interested　in　was　when　they'd　begin　receiving　dividends　again。　But　those　proxies；　plus　the　eight　per　cent　of　stock　that　Norman　had　in　his　own　name；　gave　him　a　fortable　thirty…three　per　cent　of　the　stock　to　vote。
　The　attendance　at　the　meeting　was　the　same　as　usual。　A　few　retired　businessmen　and　some　women　who　wandered　in　off　the　street　because　they　owned　ten　shares　and　it　gave　them　something　to　do；　those　directors　of　the　pany　who　happened　to　be　in　town　and　the　pany　officers　from　the　New　York　office。
　It　was　only　after　the　formalities　of　the　meeting　were　over　and　Norman　was　asking　for　nominations　for　the　board　of　directors　that　he　sensed　there　was　something　wrong。　As　he　was　speaking；　Dan　Pierce；　the　agent；　and　another　man；　whose　face　was　familiar　but　whose　name　Norman　couldn't　remember；　came　into　the　room　and　sat　down　in　the　front　row　of　the　small　auditorium。
　A　vice…president　in　charge　of　sales　dutifully　read　off　Norman's　approved　list　of　nominations　for　directorships。　Another　vice…president；　in　charge　of　theater　operations；　dutifully　seconded　the　nominations。　A　third　vice…president；　in　charge　of　foreign　operations；　then　dutifully　moved　that　the　nominations　be　closed。
　At　that　moment；　Pierce　got　to　his　feet。　〃Mr。　President；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　several　more　nominations　to　make　for　directors　of　the　corporation。〃
　〃You　got　no　right；〃　Norman　yelled　from　the　podium。
　〃According　to　the　bylaws　of　the　pany；〃　Dan　Pierce　retorted；　〃any　stockholder　of　record　may　nominate　as　many　persons　for　directors　as　there　are　directors　in　the　corporation！〃
　Norman　turned　to　his　vice…president　and　general　counsel。　〃Is　that　true？〃
　The　attorney　nervously　nodded。　〃You're　fired；　you　dumb　bastard；　you！〃　Norman　whispered。
　He　turned　back　to　Pierce。　〃It's　illegal！〃　he　shouted。　〃A　trick　to　upset　the　pany。〃
　The　man　seated　alongside　Pierce　got　to　his　feet。　〃Mr。　Pierce's　nominations　are　perfectly　in　order　and　I；　personally；　can　attest　to　his　legal　right　to　make　them。〃
　It　was　then　that　Norman　remembered　the　name　…　McAllister　…　Jonas　Cord's　attorney。　He　calmed　down　immediately。　〃I　suppose　you　can　prove　you're　stockholders？〃　he　asked　cannily。
　McAllister　smiled。　〃Of　course。〃
　〃Let　me　see　your　proof。　I　got　a　right　to　demand　that！〃
　〃Of　course　you　have；〃　McAllister　said。　He　walked　up　to　the　podium　and　handed　up　a　stock　certificate。
　Norman　looked　down　at　it。　It　was　a　stock　certificate　for　ten　shares　properly　issued　in　the　name　of　Daniel　Pierce；　〃Is　this　all　the　stock　you　got？〃　he　asked　innocently。
　McAllister　smiled　again。　〃It's　all　the　proof　I　need；〃　he　said；　evading　the　producer's　attempt　to　find　out　just　how　much　stock　he　represented。　〃May　I　proceed　with　the　nominations？〃
　Norman　nodded　silently　and　Pierce　got　to　his　feet　and　presented　six　names　for　the　nine…man　board。　Just　enough　to　assure　clear…cut　control。　Outside　of　his　own　and　McAllister's；　all　the　names　were　strange　to　Norman。
　When　the　votes　were　ready　to　be　counted；　McAllister　presented　to　the　meeting　proxies　representing　forty…one　per　cent　of　the　pany　…　twenty…six　per　cent　in　the　name　of　Jonas　Cord　and　fifteen　held　by　various　brokerage　houses。　All　six　of　his　nominees　were　elected。
　Norman　turned　to　his　executives。　He　studied　them　silently　for　a　moment；　then　withdrew　six　of　his　nominees；　leaving　only　himself；　David　and　the　vice…president　and　treasurer　on　the　board。　The　meeting　over；　he　called　for　a　directors'　meeting　at　the　pany　offices　that　afternoon；　for　the　election　of　officers。
　Silently　he　started　out　of　the　room；　his　usually　ruddy　face　pale　and　white。　Pierce　stopped　him　at　the　door。　〃Bernie；〃　Pierce　said；　〃I'd　like　a　minute　with　you　before　the　directors'　meeting。〃
　Norman　stared　at　him。　〃Traitors　to　their　own　kind　I　don't　talk　to；〃　he　said　coldly。　〃Go　talk　to　Hitler！〃　He　stamped　out　of　the　room。
　Dan　Pierce　turned　to　David。　〃David；　make　him　listen　to　reason；〃　he　said。　〃Cord　authorized　me　to　offer　three　million　bucks　for　the　old　man's　shares。　That's　twice　what　they're　worth。　If　he　doesn't　sell；　Cord　says　he'll　put　the　pany　in　receivership　and　all　the　shares　will　be　good　for　then　is　wall…paper。〃
　〃I'll　see　what　I　can　do；〃　David　said；　hurrying　after　his　uncle。
　Now　Norman　was　yelling　again；　pacing　up　and　down　the　room　and　threatening　a　proxy　fight。　He'd　show　that　crazy　Cord　that　Bernie　Norman　was　no　fool；　that　he　hadn't　built　a　business　up　from　nothing　with　his　bare　hands　without　having　something　in　his　kopf。
　〃Wait　a　minute！〃　David　said　sharply。　He　had　taken　more　than　enough　nonsense　from　his　uncle。　It　was　time　somebody　taught　the　old　man　the　facts　of　life。　〃You're　talking　about　a　proxy　fight？〃　he　shouted。　〃With　what　are　you　going　to　fight　him？　Spitballs　instead　of　money？　And　if　you　fight；　do　you　honestly　believe　that　anybody　will　go　along　with　you？　For　the　last　four　years；　this　pany　has　been　steadily　losing　money。　The　biggest　picture　we　had　during　that　time　was　The　Renegade　…　Cord's　picture；　not　ours。　And　the　biggest　picture　on　the　market　today　is　Devils　in　the　Sky　…　Cord's　picture；　too。　The　one　you　wouldn't　distribute　for　him　because　there　wasn't　enough　koom…shaw　in　it　for　you！　Do　you　think　anybody　in　his　right　mind　is　going　to　pick　you　over　Cord？〃
　The　producer　stared　at　him。　〃To　think；〃　he　cried　out；　〃that　from　my　own　flesh　and　blood　should　e　such　words！〃
　〃e　off　it；　Uncle　Bernie；〃　David　said。　〃Family's　got　nothing　to　do　with　it。　I'm　just　looking　at　the　facts。〃
　〃Facts？〃　Norman　shouted。　〃Facts　is　it　you　want？　Well；　look　at　them。　Who　was　it　went　out　and　bought　Sunspots；　a　picture　that　won　almost　every　award？　Who？　Nobody　but　me。〃
　〃It　also　lost　a　million　dollars。〃
　That's　my　fault？〃　his　uncle　replied　bitterly。　〃I　didn't　tell　them　before　I　did　it？　No；　prestige　they　wanted；　and　prestige　they　got。〃
　〃That's　over　the　dam；　Uncle　Bernie；〃　David　said。　〃It　has　nothing　to　do　with　today。　Nobody　cares　about　that　any　more。〃
　〃I　care　about　it；〃　Norman　retorted。　〃It's　my　blood　they're　spilling。　I'm　the　sacrifice　they're　making　to　the　Golem。　But　not　yet　am　I　dead。　When　I　tell　them　about　the　pictures　I'm　making　with　Rina　Marlowe；　I'll　get　all　the　proxies　I　want。〃
　David　stared　at　his　uncle　for　a　moment；　then　went　to　the　telephone。　〃Long　distance；　please；〃　he　said。　〃I　want　to　place　a　call　to　the　Colton　Hospital；　Santa　Monica；　California；　room　three…o…nine；　please。〃
　He　glanced　at　his　uncle；　who　was　looking　out　the　window。　〃Ilene？　This　is　David。　How　is　she？〃
　〃Not　good；〃　Ilene　said；　her　voice　so　low　he　could　scarcely　hear　her。
　〃What　does　the　doctor　say？〃
　David　heard　her　begin　to　sob　into　the　telephone。　〃Hold　on；〃　he　said。　〃This　is　no　time　to　start　breaking　down。〃
　〃He　said　…　she's　dying。　That　it's　a　miracle　she's　lasted　this　long。　He　doesn't　know　what's　keeping　her　alive。〃
　There　was　a　click　and　the　phone　went　dead　in　his　hand。　David　turned　to　his　uncle。　〃Rina　won't　make　another　picture　for　you　or　anybody　else；〃　he　said。　〃She's　dying。〃
　The　producer　stared　at　him；　his　face　going　white。　He　sank　back　into　a　chair。　〃My　God！　Then　what　will　happen　to　the　pany？　She　was　the　one　chance　we　had　to　stay　alive。　Without　her；　the　bottom　will　drop　out　of　the　stock；　we're　finished。〃　He　wiped　at　his　face　with　a　handkerchief。　〃Now　even　Cord　won't　bother　with　us。〃
　David　stared　at　his　uncle。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃Schmuck！〃　Norman　snapped。　〃Don't　you　see　it　yet？　Do　I　got　to　draw　for　you　diagrams？〃
　〃See？〃　David　asked；　bewildered。　〃See　what？〃
　〃That　Cord　really　don't　give　a　damn　about　the　pany；〃　the　old　man　said。　〃That　all　he　wants　is　the　girl。〃
　〃The　girl？〃
　〃Sure；〃　Norman　said。　〃Rina　Marlowe。　Remember　that　meeting　I　had　with　him　in　the　toilet　at　the　Waldorf？　Remember　I　told　you　what　he　said？　How　he　wouldn't　tell　me　the　courvehs'　names　because　I　stole　the　Marlowe　girl　from　under　his　nose？〃
　The　light　came　on　suddenly　inside　David's　head。　Why　hadn't　he　thought　of　it？　It　tied　up　with　the　phone　call　from　Cord　the　night　Dunbar　killed　himself。　He　looked　at　his　uncle　with　a　new　respect。　〃What　are　we　going　to　do？〃
　〃Do？〃　the　old　man　said。　〃Do？　We're　going　to　keep　our　mouths　shut　and　go　down　to　that　meeting。　My　heart　may　be　breaking　but　if　he　offered　three　million　for　my　stock；　he'll　go　to　five！〃
　
　The　dream　didn't　slip　away　this　time　when　Rina　opened　her　eyes。　If　anything；　it　seemed　more　real　than　it　had　ever　been。　She　lay　very　still　for　a　moment；　looking　up　at　the　clear　plastic　tent　covering　her　head　and　chest。　She　turned　her　head　slowly。
　Ilene　was　sitting　in　the　chair；　watching　her。　She　wished　she　could　tell　Ilene　not　to　worry；　there　really　wasn't　anything　to　be　afraid　of。　She　had　gone　through　this　so　many　times　before　in　the　dream。　〃Ilene！〃　she　whispered。
　Ilene　started　and　got　up　out　of　her　chair。　Rina　smiled　up　at　her。　〃It's　really　me；　Ilene；〃　she　whispered。　〃I'm　not　out　of　my　head。〃
　〃Rina！〃　She　felt　Ilene's　hand　take　her　own　under　the　sheet。　〃Rina！〃
　〃Don't　cry；　Ilene；〃　she　whispered。　She　turned　her　head　to　try　and　see　the　calendar　on　the　wall　but　it　was　too　far　away。　〃What　day　is　it？〃
　〃It's　Friday。〃
　〃The　thirteenth？〃　Rina　tried　to　smile。　She　saw　the　smile　e　to　Ilene's　face；　despite　the　tears　that　were　rolling　down　her　cheeks。　〃Call　Jonas；〃　Rina　said　weakly。　〃I　want　to　see　him。〃
　She　closed　her　eyes　for　a　moment　and　opened　them　when　Ilene　came　back　to　the　bed。　〃Did　you　get　him？〃
　Ilene　shook　her　head。　〃His　office　says　he's　in　New　York；　but　they　don't　know　where　to　reach　him。〃
　〃You　get　him；　wherever　he　is！〃　Rina　smiled。　〃You　can't　fool　me　any　more；〃　she　said。　〃I've　played　this　scene　too　many　times。　You　call　him。　I　won't　die　until　he　gets　here。〃　A　faint；　ironic　smile　came　over　her　face。　〃Anyway；　nobody　dies　out　here　on　the　weekend。　The　weekend　columns　have　already　gone　to　press。〃
　
　JONAS　…　1935　
　
　Book　Five
　
　1
　
　I　PULLED　THE　STICK　BACK　INTO　MY　BELLY　WITH　A　LITTLE　LEFT　RUDDER。　At　the　same　time；　I　opened　the　throttle　and　the　CA…4　leaped　upward　into　the　sky　in　a　half　loop；　like　an　arrow　shot　from　a　bow。　I　felt　the　G　force　hold　me　flat　against　my　seat　and　bubble　the　blood　racing　in　my　arms。　I　leveled　her　off　at　the　top　of　the　loop　and　when　I　checked　the　panel；　we　were　doing　three　hundred；　racing　out　ove