hr.thecarpetbaggers-第3节

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　That　made　it　about　three　o'clock。　I　checked　my　watch。　It　was　ten　after　three。　My　father　was　a　bottle…a…day　man。
　I　crossed　the　office　and　stopped　in　front　of　him。　I　looked　down　and　met　his　angry　glare。　〃Hello；　Father。〃
　His　ruddy　face　grew　even　redder。　The　cords　on　his　neck　stood　out　as　he　shouted；　〃Is　that　all　you　got　to　say　after　ruining　a　day's　production　and　scaring　the　shit　out　of　half　the　help　with　your　crazy　stunts？〃
　〃Your　message　was　to　get　down　here　in　a　hurry。　I　got　here　as　quickly　as　I　could；　sir。〃
　But　there　was　no　stopping　him　now。　He　was　raging。　My　father　had　that　kind　of　a　temper。　One　moment　he　would　be　still　and　quiet；　and　the　next；　higher　than　a　kite。
　〃Why　the　hell　didn't　you　get　out　of　that　hotel　room　when　McAllister　told　you？　What　did　you　go　to　the　hospital　for？　Do　you　know　what　you've　done？　Left　yourself　wide　open　for　criminal　charges　as　an　acplice　abetting　an　abortion。〃
　I　was　angry　now。　I　had　every　bit　as　much　of　a　temper　as　my　father。　〃What　was　I　supposed　to　do？　The　girl　was　bleeding　to　death　and　afraid。　Was　I　supposed　to　just　walk　out　of　there　and　leave　her　to　die　alone？〃
　〃Yes。　If　you　had　any　brains　at　all；　that's　just　what　you'd　have　done。　The　girl　died；　anyway；　and　your　staying　there　didn't　make　any　difference。　Now　those　goddam　bastards　outside　want　twenty　thousand　dollars　or　they'll　call　for　the　police！　You　think　I've　got　twenty　thousand　dollars　for　every　bitch　you　plug？　This　is　the　third　girl　in　a　year　you　got　caught　with！〃
　It　didn't　make　any　difference　to　him　that　the　girl　had　died。　It　was　the　twenty　grand。　But　then　I　realized　it　wasn't　the　money；　either。　It　went　far　deeper　than　that。
　The　bitterness　that　had　crept　into　his　voice　was　the　tip…off。　I　looked　at　him　with　a　sudden　understanding。　My　father　was　getting　old　and　it　was　eating　out　his　gut。　Rina　must　have　been　at　him　again。　More　than　a　year　had　passed　since　the　big　wedding　in　Reno　and　nothing　had　happened。
　I　turned　and　started　for　the　door　without　speaking。　Father　yelled　after　me。　〃Where　do　you　think　you're　going？〃
　I　looked　back　at　him。　〃Back　to　L。A。　You　don't　need　me　to　make　up　your　mind。　You're　either　going　to　pay　them　off　or　you're　not。　It　doesn't　make　any　difference　to　me。　Besides；　I　got　a　date。〃
　He　came　around　the　desk　after　me。　〃What　for？〃　he　shouted。　〃To　knock　up　another　girl？〃
　I　faced　him　squarely。　I　had　enough　of　his　crap。　〃Stop　plaining；　old　man。　You　ought　to　be　glad　that　someone　in　your　family　still　has　balls。　Otherwise；　Rina　might　think　there　was　something　wrong　with　all　of　us！〃
　His　face　twisted　with　rage。　He　lifted　both　hands　as　if　to　strike　me。　His　lips　drew　back　tightly　across　his　teeth　in　a　snarl；　the　veins　in　his　forehead　stood　out　in　red；　angry　welts。　Then；　suddenly；　as　an　electric　switch　cuts　off　the　light；　all　expression　on　his　face　vanished。　He　staggered　and　pitched　forward　against　me。
　By　reflex；　my　arms　came　out　and　I　caught　him。　For　a　brief　moment；　his　eyes　were　clear；　looking　into　mine。　His　lips　moved。　〃Jonas　…　my　son。〃
　Then　his　eyes　clouded　and　his　full　weight　came　on　me　and　he　slid　to　the　floor。　I　looked　down　at　him。　I　knew　he　was　dead　even　before　Nevada　rolled　him　over　and　tore　open　his　shirt。
　Nevada　was　kneeling　on　the　floor　beside　my　father's　body；　McAllister　was　on　the　telephone　calling　for　a　doctor　and　I　was　picking　up　the　bottle　of　Jack　Daniel's　when　Denby　came　in　through　the　door。
　He　shrank　back　against　the　door；　the　papers　in　his　hand　trembling。　〃My　God；　Junior；〃　he　said　in　a　horrified　voice。　His　eyes　lifted　from　the　floor　to　me。　〃Who's　going　to　sign　the　German　contracts？〃
　I　glanced　over　at　McAllister。　He　nodded　imperceptibly。　〃I　am；〃　I　answered。
　Down　on　the　floor；　Nevada　was　closing　my　father's　eyes。　I　put　down　the　bottle　of　whisky　unopened　and　looked　back　at　Denby。
　〃And　stop　calling　me　Junior；〃　I　said。
　
　4
　
　BY　THE　TIME　THE　DOCTOR　CAME；　WE　HAD　LIFTED　my　father's　body　to　the　couch　and　covered　it　with　a　blanket。　The　doctor　was　a　thin；　sturdy　man；　bald；　with　thick　glasses。　He　lifted　the　blanket　and　looked。　He　dropped　the　blanket。　〃He's　dead；　all　right。〃
　I　didn't　speak。　It　was　McAllister　who　asked　the　question　while　I　swung　to　and　fro　in　my　father's　chair。　〃Why？〃
　The　doctor　came　toward　the　desk。　〃Encephalic　embolism。　Stroke。　Blood　clot　hit　the　brain；　from　the　looks　of　him。〃　He　looked　at　me。　〃You　can　be　thankful　it　was　quick。　He　didn't　suffer。〃
　It　was　certainly　quick。　One　minute　my　father　was　alive；　the　next　moment　he　was　nothing；　without　even　the　power　to　brush　off　the　curious　fly　that　was　crawling　over　the　edge　of　the　blanket　onto　his　covered　face。　I　didn't　speak。
　The　doctor　sat　down　heavily　in　the　chair　opposite　me。　He　took　out　a　pen　and　a　sheet　of　paper。　He　laid　the　paper　on　the　desk。　Upside　down；　I　could　read　the　heading　across　the　top　in　bold　type。　DEATH　CERTIFICATE。　The　pen　began　to　scratch　across　the　paper。　After　a　moment；　he　looked　up。　〃O。K。　if　I　put　down　embolism　as　the　cause　of　death　or　do　you　want　an　autopsy？〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃Embolism's　O。K。　An　autopsy　wouldn't　make　any　difference　now。〃
　The　doctor　wrote　again。　A　moment　later；　he　had　finished　and　he　pushed　the　certificate　over　to　me。　〃Check　it　over　and　see　if　I　got　everything　right。〃
　I　picked　it　up。　He　had　everything　right。　Pretty　good　for　a　doctor　who　had　never　seen　any　of　us　before　today。　But　everybody　in　Nevada　knew　everything　about　the　Cords。　Age　67。　Survivors：　Wife；　Rina　Marlowe　Cord；　Son；　Jonas　Cord；　Jr。　I　slid　it　back　across　the　desk　to　him。　〃It's　all　right。〃
　He　picked　it　up　and　got　to　his　feet。　〃I'll　file　it　and　have　my　girl　send　you　copies。〃　He　stood　there　hesitantly；　as　if　trying　to　make　up　his　mind　as　to　whether　he　should　offer　some　expression　of　sympathy。　Evidently；　he　decided　against　it；　for　he　went　out　the　door　without　another　word。
　Then　Denby　came　in　again。　〃What　about　those　people　outside？　Shall　I　send　them　away？〃
　I　shook　my　head。　They'd　only　e　back　again。　〃Send　them　in。〃
　They　came　in　the　door；　the　girl's　father　and　mother；　their　faces　wearing　a　fixed　expression　that　was　a　strange　mixture　of　grief　and　sympathy。
　Her　father　looked　at　me。　〃I'm　sorry　we　couldn't　meet　under　happier　circumstances；　Mr。　Cord。〃
　I　looked　at　him。　The　man's　face　was　honest。　I　believe　he　really　meant　it。　〃I　am；　too；〃　I　said。
　His　wife　immediately　broke　into　sobs。　〃It's　terrible；　terrible；〃　she　wailed；　looking　at　my　father's　covered　body　on　the　couch。
　I　looked　at　her。　Her　daughter　had　resembled　her　but　the　resemblance　stopped　at　the　surface。　The　kid　had　had　a　refreshing　honesty　about　her；　this　woman　was　a　born　harpy。
　〃What　are　you　crying　about？〃　I　asked。　〃You　never　even　knew　him　before　today。　And　only　then　to　ask　him　for　money。〃
　She　stared　at　me　in　shock。　Her　voice　grew　shrill。　〃How　can　you　say　such　a　thing？　Your　own　father　lying　there　on　the　couch　and　after　what　you　did　to　my　daughter。〃
　I　got　to　my　feet。　The　one　thing　I　can't　stand　is　a　phony。　〃After　what　I　did　to　your　daughter？〃　I　shouted。　〃I　didn't　do　anything　to　your　daughter　that　she　didn't　want　me　to。　Maybe　if　you　hadn't　told　her　to　stop　at　nothing　to　catch　me；　she'd　be　alive　today。　But　no；　you　told　her　to　get　Jonas　Cord；　Jr；　at　any　cost。　She　told　me　you　were　already　planning　the　wedding！〃
　Her　husband　turned　to　her。　His　voice　was　trembling。　〃You　mean　to　tell　me　you　knew　she　was　pregnant？〃
　She　looked　at　him；　frightened。　〃No；　Henry；　no。　I　didn't　know。　I　only　said　to　her　it　would　be　nice　if　she　could　marry　him；　that's　all　I　said。〃
　His　lips　tightened；　and　for　a　second　I　thought　he　was　about　to　strike　her。　But　he　didn't。　Instead；　he　turned　back　to　me。　〃I'm　sorry；　Mr。　Cord。　We　won't　trouble　you　any　more。〃
　He　started　proudly　for　the　door。　His　wife　hurried　after　him。　〃But；　Henry；〃　she　cried。　〃Henry。〃
　〃Shut　up！〃　he　snapped；　opening　the　door　and　almost　pushing　her　through　it　in　front　of　him。　〃Haven't　you　said　enough　already？〃
　The　door　closed　behind　them　and　I　turned　to　McAllister。　〃I'm　not　in　the　clear　yet；　am　I？〃　
　He　shook　his　head。
　I　thought　for　a　moment。　〃Better　go　down　to　see　him　tomorrow　at　his　place　of　business。　I　think　he'll　give　you　a　release　now。　He　seems　like　an　honest　man。〃
　McAllister　smiled　slowly。　〃And　that's　how　you　figure　an　honest　man　will　act？〃
　〃That's　one　thing　I　learned　from　my　father。〃　Involuntarily　I　glanced　at　the　couch。　〃He　used　to　say　every　man　has　his　price。　For　some　it's　money；　for　some　it's　women；　for　others　glory。　But　the　honest　man　you　don't　have　to　buy　…　he　winds　up　costing　you　nothing。〃
　〃Your　father　was　a　practical　man；〃　McAllister　said。　
　I　stared　at　the　lawyer。　〃My　father　was　a　selfish；　greedy　son　of　a　bitch　who　wanted　to　grab　everything　in　the　world；〃　I　said。　〃I　only　hope　I'm　man　enough　to　fill　his　shoes。〃
　McAllister　rubbed　his　chin　thoughtfully。　〃You'll　do　all　right。〃
　I　gestured　toward　the　couch。　〃I　won't　always　have　him　there　to　help　me。〃
　McAllister　didn't　speak。　I　glanced　over　at　Nevada。　He　had　been　leaning　against　the　wall　silently　all　the　time。　His　eyes　flickered　under　the　veiled　lids。　He　took　out　a　pack　of　makin's　and　began　to　roll　a　cigarette。　I　turned　back　to　McAllister。　
　〃I'm　going　to　need　a　lot　of　help；〃　I　said。　
　McAllister　showed　his　interest　with　his　eyes。　He　didn't　speak。
　〃I'll　need　an　adviser；　a　consultant　and