hr.thecarpetbaggers-第103节

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　A　light　came　into　her　eyes。　〃You　mean　Dr。　Strassmer？　The　one　who　performed　the　skin　graft　on　Linda　Davis'　face？〃
　He　nodded　again；　smiling。　〃I　was　chief　nurse　in　surgery　that　day；〃　she　said。　〃She　was　great。〃
　〃Thank　you。　Now；　would　you　like　to　play　Mary　Magdalene？〃
　Suddenly；　she　wanted　to　more　than　anything　else　in　the　world。　〃Yes。〃
　〃I　hoped　that　would　be　your　answer；〃　he　said；　taking　a　folded　sheet　of　paper　from　his　inside　pocket。　〃How　much　did　Bonner　say　he　would　pay　you？〃
　〃Two　thousand　a　week。〃
　He　already　had　the　pen　in　his　hand　and　was　writing　on　the　sheet　of　paper。　〃Wait　a　minute；　Mr。　Woolf；〃　she　said　quickly。　〃I　know　Bonner　only　meant　it　as　a　gag。　You　don't　have　to　pay　me　that　much。〃
　〃Perhaps　he　did。　But　I　don't。　He　said　two　thousand；　that's　what　you'll　get。〃　He　finished　writing　and　handed　the　contract　to　her。　〃You'd　better　read　that　carefully。〃
　She　looked　down　at　the　printed　form。　The　only　thing　written　on　it　was　her　name　and　the　salary　figure。　〃Do　I　have　to？〃
　David　nodded。　〃I　think　you　should；〃　he　said。　〃Contracts　are　easy　to　sign　but　not　that　easy　to　get　out　of。〃
　Jennie　sank　back　into　the　chair　and　began　to　read　the　contract。　〃I　notice　it's　with　Cord　Explosives。〃
　〃That's　standard　practice　with　us。　Cord　owns　the　pany。〃
　〃Oh。〃　She　finished　reading　and　reached　for　a　pen。　Quickly　she　signed　her　name　and　handed　the　contract　back　to　him。　〃Now　what　do　we　do？〃　she　asked；　smiling。
　He　put　the　contract　into　his　pocket。　〃The　first　thing　we　do　is　change　your　name。〃
　〃What's　the　matter　with　it？〃
　〃Too　many　people　will　recognize　it；〃　he　said。　〃It　might　prove　embarrassing　later。〃
　Jennie　thought　for　a　moment；　then　laughed。　〃I　don't　give　a　damn；〃　she　said。　〃Do　you？〃
　David　shook　his　head。　〃Not　if　you　don't。〃
　She　laughed　again。　Let　the　Johns　eat　their　hearts　out　over　what　they　were　missing。
　He　looked　around　the　room。　〃Do　you　own　or　rent　this？〃　he　asked。
　〃Rent。〃
　〃Good；〃　he　said。　〃Close　down　and　go　away　for　a　while。　Out　on　the　desert。　Palm　Springs；　maybe。　Don't　let　anyone　know　where　you　are　except　me。〃
　〃O。K。；〃　she　said。　〃What　do　I　do　then？〃
　〃You　wait；〃　he　said。　〃You　wait　until　we　discover　you！〃
　
　17
　
　〃SORRY；　DAVID；〃　PIERCE　SAID；　GETTING　TO　HIS　FEET。　He　was　smiling　but　his　eyes　were　cold。　〃I　can't　help　you　out。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃Because　I　sold　the　stock　a　year　ago。〃
　〃To　Sheffield？〃　David　asked。
　The　agent　nodded。
　〃Why　didn't　you　get　in　touch　with　Jonas？〃
　〃Because　I　didn't　want　to；〃　Pierce　snapped。　〃He's　used　me　enough。　I　was　good　enough　for　him　during　the　rough　years。　To　do　the　dirty　work　and　keep　the　factory　going。　But　the　minute　things　were　good　enough　to　make　the　big　ones；　he　brings　in　Bonner。〃
　〃You　used　him；　too。　He　went　into　the　hole　for　millions　because　you　wanted　a　studio　to　play　with。　You're　a　rich　man　because　of　him。　And　you　knew　by　the　time　Bonner　came　that　you　were　an　agent；　not　a　producer。　The　whole　industry　knew　it。〃
　〃Only　because　he　never　gave　me　a　chance。〃　Dan　grinned　mirthlessly。　〃Now　it's　his　turn　to　sweat　a　little。　I'm　waiting　to　see　how　he　likes　it。〃　He　walked　angrily　to　the　door　but　by　the　time　he　turned　back　to　David；　his　anger　seemed　to　have　disappeared。　〃Keep　in　touch；　David。　There's　an　outside　chance　I　could　spring　Tracy　and　Gable　from　Metro　on　loan　if　you　came　up　with　the　right　property。〃
　David　nodded　as　the　agent　walked　out。　He　looked　down　at　his　desk。　Business　as　usual；　he　thought　bitterly。　Pierce　would　think　nothing　of　setting　up　a　deal　like　that　and　handing　the　pany　a　million…dollar　profit。　That　was　his　business。　It　had　nothing　to　do　with　Jonas　Cord　personally。　But　the　sale　of　his　stock　in　the　pany　was　another　matter。
　He　picked　up　the　telephone　on　his　desk　wearily。　〃Yes；　Mr。　Woolf。〃
　〃Call　Bonner's　office　and　find　out　if　I　can　see　him　right　away。〃
　〃In　your　office　or　his？〃　his　secretary　asked。
　He　smiled　at　himself。　Ordinarily；　protocol　dictated　that　Bonner　e　to　him。　But　it　was　amazing　how　sensitive　the　studio　grapevine　was。　By　now；　everyone　was　aware　that　something　was　up；　and　even　his　secretary　wasn't　pletely　sure　of　his　position。　This　was　her　way　of　probing。
　〃My　office；　of　course；〃　he　said　testily；　putting　down　the　telephone。
　
　Bonner　came　into　his　office　about　three…quarters　of　an　hour　later。　It　wasn't　too　bad；　considering　their　relative　importance。　Not　too　long　to　appear　rude；　not　too　quickly　to　appear　subservient。　He　crossed　the　room　to　David's　desk　and　sat　down。　〃Sorry　to　disturb　you；　Maurice；〃　David　said　politely。
　〃That's　quite　all　right；　David；〃　Bonner　answered；　equally　polite。　〃I　managed　to　finish　the　morning　production　meeting。〃
　〃Good。　Then　you　have　a　little　time？〃
　Bonner　looked　at　his　watch。　〃I　do　have　a　story　conference　due　about　now。〃
　David　smiled。　〃Writers　are　used　to　waiting。〃
　Bonner　looked　at　David　curiously。　Unconsciously；　his　hand　crept　inside　his　jacket　and　he　scratched　his　shirt。　David　noticed　and　grinned。　〃Got　a　rash？〃
　〃You　heard　the　story？〃　Bonner　asked。
　David　nodded。
　Bonner　grinned；　scratching　himself　overtly　now。　〃It's　driving　me　nuts。　It　was　worth　it；　though。　You　got　to　try　Jennie　sometime。　That　girl　can　make　your　old　fiddle　twang　like　a　Stradivarius。〃
　〃I'll　bet。　I　saw　the　test。〃
　Bonner　looked　at　him。　〃I　meant　to　ask　you。　Why　did　you　pull　all　the　prints？〃
　〃I　had　to；〃　David　said。　〃The　Sinner　isn't　our　property。　It　belongs　to　Cord　personally。　And　you　know　how　he　is。　I　wasn't　looking　for　any　trouble。〃
　Bonner　stared　at　him　silently。　There　wasn't　any　point　in　beating　around　the　bush；　David　decided。　〃Sheffield　showed　me　your　mitment　to　sell　him　your　stock。〃
　Bonner　nodded。　He　wasn't　scratching　now。　〃I　figured　he　would。〃
　〃Why？〃　David　asked。　〃If　you　wanted　to　sell；　why　didn't　you　talk　to　Cord？〃
　Bonner　was　silent　for　a　moment。　〃What　would　be　the　point？　I　never　even　met　the　man。　If　he　wasn't　polite　enough　to　look　me　up　just　once　in　the　three　years　I've　been　working　for　him；　I　see　no　reason　to　start　running　after　him　now。　Besides；　my　contract　is　up　next　month　and　nobody　has　e　around　to　talk　about　renewing　it。　I　didn't　even　hear　from　McAllister。〃　He　began　scratching　again。
　David　lit　a　cigarette。　〃Why　didn't　you　e　to　me？〃　he　asked　softly。　〃I　brought　you　over　here。〃
　Bonner　didn't　meet　his　gaze。　〃Sure；　David；　I　should　have。　But　everybody　knows　you　can't　do　anything　without　Cord's　O。K。　By　the　time　you　could　have　got　to　him；　my　contract　would　have　run　out。　I'd　have　looked　like　a　damn　fool　to　the　whole　industry。〃
　David　dragged　the　smoke　deep　into　his　lungs。　They　were　all　alike　…　so　shrewd；　so　ruthless；　so　capable　in　many　ways；　and　still；　so　like　children　with　all　their　foolish　pride。
　Bonner　took　his　silence　as　resignation。　〃Sheffield　told　me　he'd　take　care　of　us；〃　he　said　quickly。　〃He　wants　us　both；　David。　You　know　that。　He　said　he'll　set　up　a　new　deal　the　minute　he　takes　over。　He'll　finance　the　pictures；　give　us　a　new　profit…sharing　plan　and　some　real　stock　options。〃
　〃Do　you　have　that　in　writing？〃
　Bonner　shook　his　head。　〃Of　course　not；〃　he　said。　〃He　can't　sign　me　to　a　contract　before　he's　taken　over。　But　his　word　is　good。　He's　a　big　man。　He's　not　a　goof　ball　like　Cord　who　runs　hot　and　cold。〃
　〃Did　Cord　ever　break　his　word　to　you？〃
　Bonner　shook　his　head。　〃No。　He　never　had　a　chance　to。　I　had　a　contract。　And　now　that　it's　almost　over；　I'm　not　going　to　give　him　a　chance。〃
　〃You're　like　my　uncle。〃　David　sighed。　〃He　listened　to　men　like　Sheffield　and　ended　up　in　stocks　and　bonds　instead　of　pictures。　So　he　lost　his　pany。　Now　you're　doing　the　same　thing。　He　can't　give　you　a　contract　because　he　doesn't　control　the　pany；　yet　you　give　him　a　signed　agreement　making　it　possible　for　him　to　take　over。〃　David　got　to　his　feet；　his　voice　angry。　〃Well；　what　are　you　going　to　do；　you　damn　fool；　when　he　tells　you；　after　he's　got　control；　that　he　can't　keep　his　promise？〃
　〃But　he　needs　us　to　run　the　business。　Who's　going　to　make　the　pictures　for　him　if　I　don't？〃
　〃That's　what　my　Uncle　Bernie　thought；　too；〃　David　said　sarcastically。　〃But　the　business　ran　without　him。　And　it　will　run　without　us。　Sheffield　can　always　get　someone　to　run　the　studio　for　him。　Schary　at　MGM　is　waiting　for　a　job　like　this　to　open　up。　Matty　Fox　at　Universal　would　take　to　it　like　a　duck　takes　to　water。　It　wouldn't　be　half　as　tough　for　him　here　as　it　is　over　there。〃
　David　sat　down　abruptly。　〃Do　you　still　think　he　can't　run　the　pany　without　us？〃
　Bonner　stared　at　him；　his　face　white。　〃But　what　can　I　do；　David？　I　signed　the　agreement。　Sheffield　can　sue　the　ass　off　me　if　I　renege。〃
　David　put　out　his　cigarette　slowly。　〃If　I　remember　your　agreement；〃　he　said；　〃you　agreed　to　sell　him　all　the　stock　you　owned　on　December　fifteenth？〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　〃What　if　you　only　happened　to　own　one　share　of　stock　on　that　day？〃　David　asked　softly。　〃If　you　sell　him　that　one　share；　you've　kept　your　word。〃
　〃But　that's　next　week。　Who　could　you　get　to　buy　the　stock　before　then？〃
　〃Jonas　Cord。〃
　〃But　what　if　you　can't　reach　him　in　time？　Then　I'm　out　four　million　dollars。　If　I　sell　that　stock　on　the　open　market；　it'll　knock　the　price　way　down。〃
　〃I'll　see　to　it　you　get　your　money。〃　David　leaned　across　his　desk。　〃And；　Maurice；〃　he　added　softly。　〃You　can　start　writing　your　own　contract；　ri