hr.thecarpetbaggers-第113节

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　Jennie　looked　up　at　me。　〃I　think　it's　more　than　that；〃　she　said。　〃He　feels　like　he's　burning　up　with　fever。　I　think　we'd　better　get　him　home。〃
　〃O。K。；〃　I　said。　I　took　out　a　roll　and　threw　a　hundred…dollar　bill　down　on　the　bar。　〃That's　for　my　table。〃　I　looked　up　and　saw　the　redhead　staring　at　me；　a　mascara　track　of　tears　streaming　down　her　cheeks。　I　peeled　off　another　hundred　and　pressed　it　into　her　hand。　〃Go　dry　your　tears。〃
　Then　I　bent　down　and　picking　Amos　up　in　my　arms；　started　for　the　door。　I　was　surprised　at　how　light　he　was。　Vitale　got　our　coats　from　the　hat…check　girl　and　followed　me　outside。
　〃He　lives　just　a　couple　of　blocks　away；〃　he　said　as　I　put　Amos　into　the　car。
　It　was　a　dirty　gray　rooming　house　and　two　cats　stood　on　open　garbage　cans　in　front　of　the　door；　glaring　at　us　with　their　baleful　yellow　night　eyes。　I　looked　up　at　the　building　from　the　car　window。　This　was　no　place　for　a　man　to　be　sick　in。
　The　chauffeur　jumped　out　and　ran　around　to　open　the　back　door。　I　reached　out　and　pulled　the　door　shut。　〃Go　back　to　the　Drake；　driver；〃　I　said。
　I　turned　and　looked　down　at　Amos；　stretched　out　on　the　back　seat。　Just　because　he　was　sick　didn't　make　me　feel　any　different　about　him。　But　I　couldn't　get　over　the　feeling　that　if　things　had　turned　out　a　little　differently；　it　might　have　been　my　own　father　lying　there。
　
　9
　
　THE　DOCTOR　CAME　OUT；　SHAKING　HIS　HEAD。　Jennie　was　right　behind　him。　〃He'll　be　all　right　when　he　wakes　up　in　the　morning。　Somebody　fed　him　a　slug　of　sodium　amytal。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Knockout　drops；〃　Jennie　said。　〃A　Mickey。〃
　I　smiled。　My　hunch　was　right。　Vitale　had　left　nothing　to　chance。　I　wanted　Amos；　he　saw　to　it　that　I　got　him。
　〃He's　very　run　down；〃　the　doctor　added。　〃Too　much　whisky　and　too　little　food。　He　has　some　fever　but　he'll　be　all　right　with　a　little　care。〃
　〃Thank　you；　doctor；〃　I　said；　getting　up。
　〃You're　wele；　Mr。　Cord。　I'll　stop　by　in　the　morning　to　have　another　look　at　him。　Meanwhile；　Miss　Denton；　give　him　one　of　those　pills　every　hour。〃
　〃I'll　do　that；　doctor。〃
　The　doctor　nodded　and　left。
　I　looked　at　Jennie。　〃Wait　a　minute。　You　don't　have　to　sit　up　all　night　taking　care　of　that　slob。〃
　〃I　don't　mind；〃　she　said。　〃It　won't　be　the　first　time　I　sat　up　with　a　patient。〃
　〃A　patient？〃
　〃Of　course。〃　She　looked　at　me　quizzically。　〃Didn't　I　ever　tell　you　I　graduated　from　nursing　school？〃
　I　shook　my　head。
　〃St。　Mary's　College　of　Nursing；　in　San　Francisco；〃　she　said。　〃Nineteen　thirty…five。　I　worked　as　a　nurse　for　a　year。　Then　I　quit。〃
　〃Why'd　you　quit？〃
　〃I　got　tired　of　it；〃　she　said；　her　eyes　masking　over。
　I　knew　better　than　to　push。　It　was　her　own　business；　anyway。　〃Want　a　drink？〃　I　asked；　going　over　to　the　bar。
　She　shook　her　head。　〃No；　thanks。　Look；　there's　no　sense　in　both　of　us　staying　up　all　night。　Why　don't　you　go　to　bed　and　get　some　rest？〃
　I　looked　at　her　questioningly。
　〃I'll　be　O。K。　I　can　catch　up　on　my　sleep　in　the　morning。〃　She　came　over　and　kissed　me　on　the　cheek。　〃Good　night；　Jonas。　And　thank　you。　I　think　you're　a　very　nice　man。〃
　I　laughed。　〃You　didn't　think　I'd　let　you　walk　around　Chicago　in　a　light　coat　like　that？〃
　〃For　the　coat；　too。　But　not　only　for　the　coat；〃　she　said　quickly。　〃I　heard　what　he　said　about　you。　And　still　you　brought　him　here。〃
　〃What　else　could　I　do？　I　couldn't　just　leave　him　lying　there。〃
　〃No；　of　course　not；〃　she　said；　her　eyes　wide。　〃Now　go　to　bed。〃
　I　turned　and　walked　into　the　bedroom。　It　was　a　dark　and　crazy　night。　In　my　dreams；　Amos　and　my　father　were　chasing　me　around　a　room；　each　trying　to　make　me　do　what　he　was　shouting　at　me。　But　I　couldn't　understand　them　…　they　were　speaking　a　kind　of　gibberish。　Then　Jennie；　or　maybe　Rina；　came　into　the　room　dressed　in　a　white　uniform　and　the　two　of　them　began　running　after　her。　I　tried　to　stop　them　and　finally；　I　managed　to　get　her　out　of　the　room　and　shut　the　door。　I　turned　and　took　her　in　my　arms　but　it　turned　out　to　be　Monica　and　she　was　crying。　Then　somebody　slammed　me　back　against　the　wall　and　I　stared　into　the　face　of　the　bouncer　at　La　Paree。　He　began　to　shine　a　flashlight　in　my　eyes　and　the　light　grew　brighter　and　brighter　and　brighter。
　I　opened　my　eyes　and　blinked　them。　The　sunlight　was　pouring　in　the　window　and　it　was　eight　o'clock　in　the　morning。
　
　Jennie　was　sitting　in　the　living　room　with　a　pot　of　coffee　and　some　toast　in　front　of　her。　〃Good　morning。　Have　some　coffee？〃
　I　nodded；　then　walked　over　to　Amos'　room　and　looked　in。　He　was　lying　on　his　back；　sleeping　like　a　baby。　I　closed　his　door；　walked　over　to　the　couch　and　sat　down　beside　her。　〃You　must　be　tired；〃　I　said；　picking　up　my　coffee　cup。
　〃A　little。　But　after　a　while；　you　don't　feel　it　any　more。　You　just　keep　on　going。〃　She　looked　at　me。　〃He　talked　quite　a　bit　about　you。〃
　〃Yeah？　Nothing　good；　I　hope？〃
　〃He　blames　himself　for　breaking　up　your　marriage。〃
　〃All　of　us　had　a　little　to　do　with　it；〃　I　said。　〃It　was　no　more　his　fault　than　it　was　mine　…　or　hers。〃
　〃Or　Rina　Marlowe's？〃
　〃Most　of　all；　not　Rina's；〃　I　said　quickly。　I　reached　for　a　cigarette。　〃Mainly；　it　was　because　Monica　and　I　were　too　young。　We　never　should　have　got　married　in　the　first　place。〃
　She　picked　up　her　coffee　cup　and　yawned。　〃Maybe　you　better　get　some　rest　now；〃　I　said。
　〃I　thought　I'd　stay　up　until　the　doctor　came。〃
　〃Go　on　to　bed。　I'll　wake　you　when　he　es。〃
　〃O。K。；〃　she　said。　She　got　up　and　started　for　the　bedroom。　Then　she　turned　and　walked　back；　picking　up　her　mink　coat　from　the　chair。
　〃You　won't　need　it；〃　I　said。　〃I　left　the　bed　nice　and　warm。〃
　She　nuzzled　her　face　against　the　fur。　〃Sounds　nice。〃
　She　went　inside；　closing　the　door　behind　her。　I　filled　my　coffee　cup　again　and　picked　up　the　telephone。　Suddenly；　I　was　hungry。　I　told　room　service　to　send　up　a　double　order　of　ham　and　eggs　and　a　fresh　pot　of　coffee。
　Amos　came　out　while　I　was　eating　breakfast。　He　had　a　blanket　wrapped　around　him　like　a　toga。　He　shuffled　over　to　the　table　and　looked　down　at　me。　〃Who　stole　my　clothes？〃
　In　the　daylight；　he　didn't　look　as　bad　as　he　had　the　night　before。　〃I　threw　them　out；〃　I　said。　〃Sit　down　and　have　some　breakfast。〃
　He　remained　standing。　He　didn't　speak。　After　a　moment；　he　looked　around　the　apartment。　〃Where's　the　girl？〃
　〃Sleeping；〃　I　said。　〃She　was　up　all　night；　taking　care　of　you。〃
　He　thought　about　that。　〃I　passed　out？〃　It　was　more　a　statement　than　a　question。　I　didn't　answer。
　〃I　thought　so；〃　he　said；　nodding。　Then　he　groaned。　He　raised　his　hand　to　his　forehead；　almost　losing　his　blanket。　〃Somebody　slipped　me　a　Mickey；〃　he　said　accusingly。
　〃Try　some　food。　It's　supposed　to　have　vitamins。〃
　〃I　need　a　drink；〃　he　said。
　〃Help　yourself。　The　bar's　over　there。〃
　He　shuffled　over　to　the　bar　and　poured　himself　a　shot。　He　drank　it　swiftly；　throwing　it　down　his　throat。　〃Ah；〃　he　said。　He　took　another　quick　one。　Some　color　flooded　back　into　his　gray　face。
　He　shuffled　back　to　the　table；　the　bottle　of　whisky　still　in　his　hand；　and　slumped　into　the　chair　opposite　me。　〃How'd　you　find　me？〃
　〃It　was　easy。　All　we　had　to　do　was　follow　the　trail　of　rubber　checks。〃
　〃Oh；〃　he　said。　He　poured　another　drink　but　left　this　one　standing　on　the　table　in　front　of　him。　Suddenly；　his　eyes　filled　with　tears。　〃It　wouldn't　be　so　bad　if　it　was　anyone　but　you。〃
　I　didn't　answer；　just　kept　on　eating。
　〃You　don't　know　what　it　is　to　get　old。　You　lose　your　touch。〃
　〃You　didn't　lose　it；〃　I　said。　〃You　threw　it　away。〃
　He　picked　up　the　whisky　glass。
　〃If　you're　not　interested　in　my　proposition；〃　I　said；　〃just　go　ahead　and　drink　that　drink。〃
　He　stared　at　me　silently　for　a　moment。　Then　he　looked　at　the　small；　amber…filled　glass　in　his　hand。　His　hand　trembled　slightly　and　some　of　the　whisky　spilled　on　the　tablecloth。　〃What　makes　you　such　a　do…gooder　all　of　a　sudden？〃
　〃I'm　not；〃　I　said。　I　reached　for　my　coffee　cup　and　smiled　at　him。　〃I　haven't　changed　at　all。　I　still　think　you're　the　world's　champion　prick。　If　it　was　up　to　me；　I　wouldn't　touch　you　with　a　ten…foot　pole。　But　Forrester　wants　you　to　run　our　Canadian　factory。　The　damn　fool　doesn't　know　you　like　I　do。　He　still　thinks　you're　the　greatest。〃
　〃Roger　Forrester；　huh？〃　he　asked。　Slowly　the　whisky　glass　came　down　to　the　table。　〃He　tested　the　Liberty　Five　I　designed　right　after　the　war。　He　said　it　was　the　greatest　plane　he　ever　flew。〃
　I　stared　at　him　silently。　That　was　more　than　twenty　years　ago　and　there　had　been　many　great　planes　since　then。　But　Amos　remembered　the　Liberty　Five。　It　was　the　plane　that　set　him　up　in　business。
　A　hint　of　the　Amos　Winthrop　I　had　known　came　into　his　face。　〃What's　my　end　of　the　deal？〃　he　asked　shrewdly。
　I　shrugged　my　shoulders。　〃That's　between　you　and　Roger；〃　I　said。
　〃Good。〃　A　kind　of　dignity　came　over　him　as　he　got　to　his　feet。　〃If　I　had　to　deal　with　you；　I　wouldn't　be　interested；　at　any　price。〃
　He　stalked　back　to　his　bedroom　door。　He　turned　and　glared　at　me。　〃What　do　I　do　about　clothes？〃
　〃There's　a　men's　shop　downstairs。　Call　them　and　have　them　send　up　what　you　want。〃
　The　door　closed　behind　him　and　I　reached　for　a　cigarette。　I　could　hear　the　faint　murmur　of　his　voice　on　the　telephone。　Leaning　back　in　the　chair；　I　let　the　smoke　drift　idly　out　through　my　nose。
　When　the　clothing　a