hr.thecarpetbaggers-第142节

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！


y　forever。〃
　I　took　her　hand　and　pressed　my　lips　to　the　ring。　I　felt　her　fingers　brush　my　hair　lightly；　then　she　moved　to　the　foot　of　my　bed；　where　she　turned　to　look　at　me。　〃I　shall　think　of　you　often；　my　friend；〃　she　said　gently。　〃And　I　shall　pray　for　you。〃
　I　was　silent　as　I　ground　my　cigarette　out。　There　was　a　beauty　in　Jennie's　eyes　that　had　never　been　there　before。　〃Thank　you；　Sister；〃　I　said　quietly。
　Without　another　word；　she　turned　and　went　out　the　door。　I　stared　down　at　the　foot　of　the　bed　where　she　had　stood；　but　now　even　the　ghost　of　her　was　gone。
　I　turned　my　face　into　the　pillow　and　cried。
　
　7
　
　I　LEFT　THE　HOSPITAL　EARLY　IN　SEPTEMBER。　I　was　sitting　in　the　wheel　chair；　watching　Robair　pack　the　last　of　my　things　into　the　valise；　when　the　door　opened。　〃Hi；　Junior。〃
　〃Nevada！　What　are　you　doing　way　down　here？〃
　〃Came　to　carry　you　home。〃
　I　laughed。　Funny　how　you　can　go　along　for　years　hardly　thinking　about　someone；　then　all　of　a　sudden　be　so　glad　to　see　him。　〃You　didn't　have　to　do　that；〃　I　said。　〃Robair　could　have　managed　all　right。〃
　〃I　asked　him　to　e　up；　Mr。　Jonas。　I　figured　it　would　be　like　old　times。　It　gets　mighty　lonely　out　there　at　the　ranch　with　nothing　to　do。〃
　〃An'　I　figured　I　could　use　a　vacation；〃　Nevada　said。　〃The　war's　over　an'　the　show's　closed　down　for　the　winter。　And　there's　nothin'　Martha　likes　better　than　to　do　a　little　invalidin'。　She's　down　there　now；　gittin'　things　ready　for　us。〃
　I　looked　at　the　two　of　them　and　grinned。　〃It's　a　put…up　job；　huh？〃
　〃That's　right；〃　Nevada　said。　He　came　over　behind　the　wheel　chair。　〃Ready？〃
　Robair　closed　the　valise　and　snapped　it　shut。　〃All　set；　Mr。　Nevada。〃
　〃Let's　go；　then；〃　Nevada　said；　and　started　the　wheel　chair　through　the　door。
　〃We　have　to　stop　off　at　Burbank；〃　I　said；　looking　back　at　him。　〃Mac　has　a　flock　of　papers　for　me　to　sign。〃　I　might　be　laid　up；　but　business　went　on。
　Buzz　Dalton　had　an　ICA　charter　waiting　for　us　at　the　San　Diego　airport。　We　were　at　Burbank　by　two　o'clock　that　afternoon。　McAllister　got　up　and　came　around　his　desk　when　they　wheeled　me　into　his　office。　〃You　know；　this　is　the　first　time　I　can　remember　seeing　you　sit　down。〃
　I　laughed。　〃Make　the　most　of　it。　The　doctors　say　I'll　be　moving　around　as　good　as　new　in　a　couple　of　weeks。〃
　〃Well；　meanwhile；　I'm　going　to　take　advantage　of　it。　Push　him　around　behind　the　desk；　fellows。　I've　got　the　pen　ready。〃
　It　was　almost　four　o'clock　when　I'd　signed　the　last　of　a　stack　of　documents。　I　looked　up　wearily。　〃So　what　else　is　new？〃
　Mac　looked　at　me。　He　walked　over　to　a　table　against　the　wall。　〃This　is；〃　he　said；　and　took　the　cover　off　something　that　looked　like　a　radio　with　a　window　in　it。
　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃It's　the　first　product　of　the　Cord　Electronics　pany；〃　he　said　proudly。　〃We　knocked　it　out　in　the　converted　radar　division。　It's　a　television　set。〃
　〃Television？〃　I　asked。
　〃Pictures　broadcast　through　the　air　like　radio；〃　he　said。　〃It's　picked　up　on　that　screen；　like　home　movies。〃
　〃Oh；　that's　the　thing　that　Dumont　was　kicking　around　before　the　war。　It　doesn't　work。〃
　〃Does　now；〃　Mac　said。　〃It's　the　next　big　thing。　All　the　radio　and　electronics　panies　are　going　into　it。　RCA；　Columbia；　Emerson；　IT&T；　GE；　Philco。　All　of　them。　Want　to　see　how　it　works？〃
　〃Sure。〃
　He　walked　over　and　picked　up　the　phone。　〃Get　me　the　lab。〃　He　covered　the　mouthpiece。　〃I'll　have　them　put　something　on；〃　he　said。
　A　moment　later；　he　went　over　to　the　set　and　turned　a　knob。　A　light　flashed　behind　the　window；　then　settled　into　a　series　of　circles　and　lines。　Gradually；　letters　came　into　view。
　CORD　ELECTRONICS　PRESENTS…　
　Suddenly；　the　card　was　replaced　by　a　picture；　a　Western　scene　with　a　man　riding　a　horse　toward　the　camera。　The　camera　dollied　in　real　close　on　the　face　and　I　saw　it　was　Nevada。　I　recognized　the　scene；　too。　It　was　the　chase　scene　from　The　Renegade。　For　five　minutes；　we　watched　the　scene　in　silence。
　〃Well；　I'll　be　damned；〃　Nevada　said；　when　it　was　over。
　I　looked　across　at　Robair。　There　was　an　expression　of　rapt　wonder　on　his　face。　He　looked　at　me。　〃There's　what　I　call　a　miracle；　Mr。　Jonas；〃　he　said　softly。　〃Now　I　can　watch　a　movie　in　my　own　home　without　goin'　to　sit　in　no　nigger　heaven。〃
　〃So　that's　why　they　all　want　to　buy　my　old　pictures；〃　Nevada　said。
　I　looked　up　at　him。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃You　know　those　ninety…odd　pictures　we　made　and　I　own　now？〃
　I　nodded。
　〃People　been　after　me　to　sell　'em。　Offered　me　good　money　for　'em；　too。　Five　thousand　dollars　each。〃
　I　stared　at　him。　〃One　thing　I　learned　in　the　picture　business；〃　I　said。　〃Never　sell　outright　what　you　can　get　a　percentage　on。〃
　〃You　mean　rent　it　to　'em　like　I　do　to　a　theater？〃
　〃That's　right；〃　I　said。　〃I　know　those　broadcasting　panies。　If　they'll　buy　it　for　five；　they　plan　to　make　fifty　out　of　it。〃
　〃I'm　no　good　at　big　deals　like　that；〃　Nevada　said。　〃Would　you　be　willin'　to　handle　it　for　me；　Mac？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　Nevada。　I'm　no　agent。〃
　〃Go　ahead　and　do　it；　Mac；〃　I　said。　〃Remember　what　you　told　me　about　making　a　point　where　it　counts？〃
　He　smiled　suddenly。　〃O。K。；　Nevada。〃
　Suddenly；　I　was　tired。　I　slumped　back　in　my　chair。　Robair　was　at　my　side　instantly。　〃You　all　right；　Mr。　Jonas？〃
　〃I'm　just　tired；〃　I　said。
　〃Maybe　you　better　stay　at　the　apartment　tonight。　We　can　go　on　out　to　the　ranch　in　the　morning。〃
　I　looked　at　Robair。　The　idea　of　getting　into　a　bed　was　very　appealing。　My　ass　was　sore　from　the　wheel　chair。
　〃I'll　order　a　car；〃　Mac　said；　picking　up　the　phone。　〃You　can　drop　me　at　the　studio　on　your　way　into　town。　I've　got　some　work　to　finish　up　there。〃
　My　mind　kept　working　all　the　time　we　rode　toward　the　studio。　When　the　car　stopped　at　the　gates；　suddenly　everything　was　clear　to　me。
　〃We'll　have　to　do　something　about　a　replacement　for　Bonner；〃　Mac　said；　getting　out。　〃It　isn't　good　business　having　a　lawyer　run　a　studio。　I　don't　know　anything　about　motion　pictures。〃
　I　stared　at　him　thoughtfully。　He　was　right；　of　course。　But　then；　who　did？　Only　David；　and　he　was　gone。　I　didn't　care　any　more。　There　were　no　pictures　left　in　me；　no　one　I　wanted　to　place　up　there　on　the　screen　for　all　the　world　to　see。　And　back　in　the　office　I'd　just　left；　there　was　a　little　box　with　a　picture　window　and　soon　it　would　be　in　every　home。　Rich　or　poor。　That　little　box　was　really　going　to　chew　up　film；　like　the　theaters　had　never　been　able　to。　But　I　still　didn't　care。
　Even　when　I　was　a　kid；　when　I　was　through　with　a　toy；　I　was　through　with　it。　And　I'd　never　go　back　to　it。　〃Sell　the　theaters；〃　I　whispered　to　Mac。
　〃What？〃　he　shouted；　as　if　he　couldn't　believe　his　ears。　〃They're　the　only　end　of　this　business　that's　making　any　money。〃
　〃Sell　the　theaters；〃　I　repeated。　〃In　ten　years；　no　one　will　want　to　e　to　them；　anyway。　At　least；　not　the　way　they　have　up　to　now。　Not　when　they　can　see　movies　right　in　their　own　home。〃
　Mac　stared　at　me。　〃And　what　do　you　want　me　to　do　about　the　studio？〃　he　asked；　a　tinge　of　sarcasm　ing　into　his　voice。　〃Sell　that；　too？〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said　quietly。　〃But　not　now。　Ten　years　from　now；　maybe。　When　the　people　who　are　making　pictures　for　that　little　box　are　squeezed　and　hungry　for　space。　Sell　it　then。〃
　〃What　will　we　do　with　it　in　the　meantime？　Let　it　rot　while　we　pay　taxes　on　it？〃
　〃No；〃　I　said。　〃Turn　it　into　a　rental　studio　like　the　old　Goldwyn　lot。　If　we　break　even　or　lose　a　little；　I　won't　plain。〃
　He　stared　at　me。　〃You　really　mean　it？〃
　〃I　mean　it；〃　I　said；　looking　away　from　him　up　at　the　roof　over　the　stages。　For　the　first　time；　I　really　saw　it。　It　was　black　and　ugly　with　tar。　〃Mac；　see　that　roof？〃
　He　turned　and　looked；　squinting　against　the　setting　sun。
　〃Before　you　do　anything　else；〃　I　said　softly；　〃have　them　paint　it　white。〃
　I　pulled　my　head　back　into　the　car。　Nevada　looked　at　me　strangely。　His　voice　was　almost　sad。　〃Nothing's　changed；　has　it；　Junior？〃
　〃No；〃　I　said　wearily。　〃Nothing's　changed。〃
　
　8
　
　I　SAT　ON　THE　PORCH；　SQUINTING　OUT　INTO　THE　AFTERNOON　SUN。　Nevada　came　out　of　the　house　behind　me　and　dropped　into　a　chair。　He　pulled　a　plug　out　of　his　pocket　and　biting　off　a　hunk；　put　the　plug　back。　Then　from　his　other　pocket；　he　took　a　piece　of　wood　and　a　penknife　and　began　to　whittle。
　I　looked　at　him。　He　was　wearing　a　pair　of　faded　blue　levis。　A　sweat…stained　old　buckskin　shirt；　that　had　seen　better　days；　clung　to　his　deep　chest　and　broad　shoulders　and　he　had　a　red…and…white　kerchief　tied　around　his　neck　to　catch　the　perspiration。　Except　for　his　white　hair；　he　looked　as　I　always　remembered　him　when　I　was　a　boy；　his　hands　quick　and　brown　and　strong。
　He　looked　up　at　me　out　of　his　light　eyes。　〃Two　lost　arts；〃　he　said。
　〃What？〃
　〃Chewin'　an'　whittlin'；〃　he　said。
　I　didn't　answer。
　He　looked　down　at　the　piece　of　wood　in　his　hands。　〃Many's　the　evenin'　I　spent　on　the　porch　with　your　pa；　chewin'　an'　whittlin'。〃
　〃Yeah？〃
　He　turned　and　let　fly　a　stream　of　tobacco　juice　over　the　porch　rail　into　the　dust　below。　He　turned　back　to　me。　〃I　recall　one　night；〃　he　said。　〃Your　pa　an'　me；　we　were　settin'　here；　just　like　now。　It'd　been　a　real　bitcheroo　of　a　day。　One　of　them　scorchers　that　make　your　balls　feel　like　they're　drownin'　in　their　own　sweat。　Suddenly　he　looks　up　at　me　an'　says；　'Nevada；　anything　s