hr.thecarpetbaggers-第101节

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　〃I　like　the　exercise；〃　she　said。　〃It　helps　me　keep　in　shape。　You　know　by　now　that　sometimes　I　put　in　some　pretty　long　hours。〃
　〃I　see　what　you　mean。　Have　you　ever　thought　about　doing　anything　else？〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　she　asked。　〃I　told　you　I　studied　nursing。〃
　〃I　don't　mean　that。　How　e　you　never　tried　the　movies？〃
　She　laughed　merrily。　〃I'm　a　native　Californian；　Mr。　Bonner。　I've　seen　what　happens　to　the　kids　that　e　out　here。　Better…looking　than　I　ever　was。　They　wind　up　as　car　hops；　hustling　hamburgers；　or　five…dollar　whores　working　the　Strip。　I　know　better。〃
　〃I　mean　it；〃　he　said　earnestly。　〃Do　you　know　who　I　am？〃
　〃Of　course；　Mr。　Bonner。　I　read　the　papers。　You're　one　of　the　biggest　producers　in　Hollywood。〃
　〃So　maybe　I　know　what　I'm　talking　about；　eh？〃
　〃Maybe　you　do。〃　She　smiled。　〃But　I　know　myself　and　I'm　no　actress。〃
　〃That　wasn't　what　you　said　last　night。〃
　〃That's　something　else；〃　she　said。　〃That's　my　business。　Besides；　you　see　the　way　I　live。　It　would　be　a　long　time　before　I　could　earn　a　grand　a　week　in　pictures。〃
　〃How　do　you　know？　We've　had　a　script　around　for　five　years　that　we　haven't　been　able　to　find　a　lead　for。　It　was　written　for　Rina　Marlowe。　I　think　you　could　do　it。〃
　〃You're　crazy！〃　She　laughed。　〃Rina　Marlowe　was　one　of　the　most　beautiful　women　on　the　screen。　I　couldn't　hold　a　candle　to　her。〃
　He　was　suddenly　serious。　〃There　are　things　about　you　that　remind　me　of　her。〃
　〃Could　be；〃　she　said。　〃I　hear　she　was　pretty　wild。〃
　〃That；　too；〃　he　said；　leaning　toward　her。　〃But　that　isn't　what　I'm　talking　about。　e　down　to　the　studio　tomorrow　and　I'll　set　up　a　screen　test。　If　it　doesn't　work；　we　forget　about　it。　If　it　does　…　well；　there's　just　one　man's　approval　I　need　and　you're　good　for　two　grand　a　week。〃
　〃Two　grand？〃　She　stared　at　him。　〃You're　joking。〃
　He　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　joke　about　money。〃
　〃Neither　do　I；〃　she　said　seriously。　〃Who　is　this　man　whose　approval　you'd　need？〃
　〃Jonas　Cord。〃
　〃We　might　as　well　forget　about　it；〃　she　said。　〃From　all　I　heard　around　town　from　some　of　the　girls；　he's　a　real　nut。〃
　
　15
　
　IRVING　FOLLOWED　DAVID　INTO　THE　LIVING　ROOM　AS　ROSA　BEGAN　TO　CLEAR　THE　DISHES。　〃I　never　saw　her　looking　so　good；〃　he　said；　stretching　out　in　a　chair　in　front　of　the　fire。
　David　nodded　absently。　〃Yeah。〃
　Irving　looked　at　him。　〃You　got　something　on　your　mind；　Davy？〃
　〃The　usual　things；〃　David　said　evasively。
　〃That　ain't　the　way　I　hear　it。〃
　Something　in　his　voice　made　David　tense。　〃What　do　you　hear？〃
　〃The　word　is　out　they're　giving　your　boy　the　squeeze；〃　Irving　said　in　a　low　voice。
　〃What　else　do　you　hear？〃
　〃The　new　crowd　wants　to　make　you　top　dog　if　you　throw　in　with　them；〃　Irving　said。　〃They're　also　saying　that　Bonner　has　sold　out　to　them　already。〃
　David　was　silent。　He　couldn't　believe　that　Jonas　didn't　know　about　what　was　happening。　But　it　was　possible。
　〃You　ain't　talking；　Davy；〃　Irving　said　quietly。　〃You　didn't　bring　me　out　here　for　nothing。〃
　〃How　did　you　find　out？〃
　Irving　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃We　got　stock；〃　he　said　casually。　〃Some　of　the　boys　called　up　and　told　me　that　their　brokers　were　contacted。　They　want　to　know　what　we　should　do。〃
　〃How　much　stock？〃
　〃Oh；　eighty；　ninety　thousand　shares　around　the　country。　We　figured　it　would　be　a　good　deal　the　way　you　were　running　things。〃
　〃Have　you…　〃　David　corrected　himself。　〃Have　the　boys　made　up　their　minds　yet　which　way　they're　going？〃　That　stock　could　be　important。　It　was　over　three　per　cent　of　the　two　and　a　half　million　shares　outstanding。
　〃No；　we're　pretty　conservative；〃　Irving　said。　〃We　like　to　go　where　the　money　is。　And　they　been　making　it　sound　real　pretty。　plete　financing；　doubling　the　profits；　maybe　even　splitting　the　stock　in　a　couple　of　years。〃
　David　nodded。　He　reached　for　a　cigarette　thoughtfully。　It　hung　in　his　lips　unlit。　Why　hadn't　Jonas　replied　to　his　messages？　Three　times　he'd　tried　to　locate　him　and　each　time　there　had　been　no　reply。　Surely　he　must　know　by　now。　The　last　place　he　checked　had　sent　word　that　Jonas　was　out　of　the　country。　If　that　was　true；　the　whole　thing　would　be　a　fait　acpli　by　the　time　he　returned。
　〃What　are　you　going　to　do；　Davy？〃　Irving　asked　softly。
　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　know　what　to　do。〃
　〃You　can't　ride　the　fence　much　longer；　chum；〃　Irving　said。　〃There's　no　way　on　earth　to　live　with　the　loser。〃
　〃I　know。〃　David　nodded。　He　finally　struck　a　match　and　held　it　to　his　cigarette。　〃But　it's　like　this。　I　know　Cord　doesn't　pay　much　attention　to　us；　maybe　sometimes　he　even　holds　us　back　a　little。　But　I　also　know　he　can　make　a　picture；　he's　got　a　real　feel　for　this　business。　That's　why　he　bought　in。　It's　not　just　all　cold　ass　like　it　is　with　Sheffield　and　the　others。　Plain　banker…and…broker　arithmetic　and　to　hell　with　everything　except　the　profit…and…loss　statement　and　balance　sheet。〃
　〃But　the　bankers　and　brokers　hold　all　the　cards；〃　Irving　said。　〃Only　a　fool　bucks　the　house。〃
　〃Yeah；〃　David　said　almost　savagely；　grinding　out　his　cigarette。
　Irving　was　silent　for　a　moment；　then　he　smiled。　〃Tell　you　what；　Davy。　I'll　get　all　our　proxies　together　and　deliver　'em　to　you。　When　you　decide　what's　best；　vote　'em　for　us。〃
　David　stared　at　him。　〃You'd　do　that？〃
　Irving　laughed。　〃The　way　I　see　it；　I　got　no　choice。　Didn't　you　haul　that　alky　for　us　from　Shocky's　garage？〃
　〃Here　es　the　coffee；〃　Rosa　announced；　carrying　in　a　tray。　〃Jesus！〃　Irving　exclaimed。　〃Lookit　that　choc'late　layer　cake。〃
　Rosa　laughed　in　a　pleased　voice。　〃I　baked　it　myself。〃
　
　Irving　leaned　back　against　the　couch。　〃Oh；　Doctor！〃　he　said；　looking　at　Rosa　and　rolling　his　eyes。
　〃Another　piece？〃
　〃I　had　three　already。　Another　and　you'll　have　to　do　a　plastic　job　on　my　stomach　to　get　me　back　in　shape。〃
　〃Better　have　some　more　coffee；　then；〃　she　said；　refilling　his　cup。　She　began　to　gather　up　the　cake　plates。
　〃I　meant　to　ask　you；　Davy；〃　Irving　said。　〃You　ever　hear　of　a　broad　named　Jennie　Denton？〃
　〃Jennie　Denton？〃　David　shook　his　head。　〃No。〃
　〃I　forgot；〃　Irving　said；　glancing　up　at　Rosa。　〃You　been　out　of　circulation。〃
　〃What　about　her？〃　Rosa　asked。　〃I　knew　a　Jennie　Denton。〃
　〃You　did？　Where　did　you　know　her；　Doc？〃
　〃At　the　hospital。　Four　years　ago　there　was　a　nurse　there　by　that　name。〃
　〃About　five　six；　dark　eyes；　long；　light…brown　hair；　good　figure　and　an　interesting　way　of　walking？〃
　Rosa　laughed。　〃Sexy；　you　mean？〃
　Irving　nodded。　〃Yeah；　that's　what　I　mean。〃
　〃Sounds　like　the　same　girl；〃　Rosa　said。
　〃What　about　her？〃　David　asked。
　〃Well；　Jennie　is　probably　the　most　expensive　hooker　in　L。A。　She　has　her　own　six…room　house　in　the　hills　and　you　want　to　see　her；　it's　by　appointment　only　and　you　go　there。　She　won't　walk　into　a　hotel　room。　She's　got　a　real　exclusive　list　and　you　want　a　date；　you　got　to　wait　maybe　two；　three　weeks。　She　only　works　a　five…day　week。〃
　〃If　you're　remending　her　to　my　husband；〃　Rosa　interrupted；　smiling；　〃you'd　better　stop　right　there。〃
　Irving　smiled。　〃Well；　it　seems　one　night；　earlier　this　week；　Maurice　Bonner　went　there　and　she　gave　him　the　full　treatment。　So；　nothing　will　do　the　next　day　but　he　has　Jennie　down　to　the　studio　for　a　screen　test。　He　shoots　her　in　color；　some　scenes　from　some　old　script　he's　got　laying　around。　While　he's　at　it；　he　decides　to　make　it　real　good。　He　dresses　her　in　a　white　silk　sheet。　It's　supposed　to　be　a　baptism　scene　and　when　she　es　up　out　of　the　water　in　the　big　tank　on　Stage　Twelve；　you　can　see　everything　she's　got。　In　two　days；　that　test　bees　the　biggest　picture　on　the　home　circuit。　Bonner's　got　more　requests　for　it　than　Selznick's　got　for　Gone　With　the　Wind！〃
　There　was　only　one　script　David　remembered　that　had　a　baptism　scene。　〃You　wouldn't　remember　the　name　of　the　script？〃　he　asked。　〃Was　it　The　Sinner？〃
　〃Could　be。〃
　〃If　it　was；　that's　the　script　Cord　had　written　especially　for　Rina　Marlowe　before　she　died。〃
　〃I　don't　care　who　it　was　written　for。〃　Irving　smiled。　〃You　gotta　see　that　test。　You'll　flip。　I　sat　through　it　twice。　And　so　did　everybody　else　in　the　projection　room。〃
　〃I'll　look　at　it　tomorrow；〃　David　said。
　〃I'd　like　to　see　it；　too。〃
　David　looked　at　Rosa。　He　smiled。　It　was　the　first　time　she'd　ever　expressed　any　interest　in　a　picture。　〃e　down　to　the　studio　at　ten　o'clock；〃　he　said。　〃We'll　both　look　at　it。〃
　〃If　I　didn't　have　an　important　meeting；〃　Irving　said；　〃I'd　be　down　there　myself。〃
　
　David　tied　the　sash　of　his　pajamas　and　sat　down　in　the　chair　near　the　window；　looking　out　at　the　ocean。
　He　could　hear　the　water　running　in　the　bathroom　basin　and　the　faint　sound　of　Rosa's　voice；　humming　as　she　rinsed　her　face。　He　sighed。　At　least；　she　could　be　happy　in　her　work。　A　doctor　didn't　have　to　survive　a　war　of　nerves　in　order　to　practice　medicine。
　The　door　clicked　open　behind　him　and　he　turned　around。　She　looked　at　him；　a　musing　expression　on　her　face；　as　she　stood　in　the　doorway。
　〃You　had　something　to　tell　me？〃　He　smiled。　〃Go　ahead。〃
　〃No；　David；〃　she　replied；　her　eyes　warm。　〃It's　a　wife's　duty　to　listen　when　her　lord　and　master　speaks。〃
　〃I　don't　feel　much　like　a　lord　and　master。〃
　〃Is　anything　wrong；　David？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said　and　began　to　tell　her　the　story；　beginning　with　his　meeting　with　Sheffield　the　nig