hr.thecarpetbaggers-第93节

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　Nevada　smiled。　He　knew　from　Pierce's　answer　that　he　hadn't　even　thought　about　stories　yet。　〃The　important　thing　would　be　to　hang　the　series　on　a　character　people　can　believe　in。〃
　〃Exactly　how　I　felt　about　it；〃　Dan　exclaimed。　〃I　was　thinking　maybe　we'd　have　you　playing　yourself。　Each　time；　you'd　get　into　another　adventure。　You　know；　full　of　the　old　stunts；　tricks　and　shoot…outs。〃
　Nevada　shook　his　head。　〃Uh…uh。　I　can't　buy　that。　It　always　seems　phony。　Gene　Autry　and　Roy　Rogers　do　that　at　Republic。　Besides；　I　don't　think　anybody　else　would　believe　it。　Not　with　this　white　hair　of　mine。〃
　Pierce　looked　at　him。　〃We　could　always　dye　it　black。〃
　Nevada　smiled。　〃No；　thanks；〃　he　said。　〃I　kinda　got　used　to　it。〃
　〃We'll　e　up　with　it；〃　Dan　said。　〃Even　if　we　have　to　pick　up　something　from　Zane　Grey　or　Clarence　Mulford。　Just　you　say　the　word　and　we're　off。〃
　Nevada　got　to　his　feet。　〃Let　me　think　about　it　a　little；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　talk　it　over　with　Martha　and　let　you　know。〃
　〃I　heard　you　got　married　again；〃　Dan　said。　〃My　belated　congratulations。〃
　Nevada　started　for　the　door。　Halfway　there；　he　paused　and　looked　back。　〃By　the　way；〃　he　asked；　〃how's　Jonas？〃
　For　the　first　time　since　they　had　met；　Pierce　seemed　to　hesitate。　〃All　right；　I　guess。〃
　〃You　guess？〃　Nevada　asked。　〃Why？　Haven't　you　seen　him？〃
　〃Not　since　New　York；　about　two　years　ago；〃　Pierce　answered。　〃When　we　took　over　the　pany。〃
　〃And　you　haven't　seen　him　since？〃　Nevada　asked　incredulously。　〃Doesn't　he　ever　e　to　the　studio？〃
　Dan　looked　down　at　his　desk。　He　seemed　almost　embarrassed。　〃Nobody　sees　him　much　any　more。　Once　in　a　while；　if　we're　lucky；　he'll　talk　to　us　on　the　telephone。　Sometimes　he　es　here。　But　it's　always　late　at　night；　when　there's　nobody　around。　We　know　he's　been　here　by　the　messages　he　leaves。〃
　〃But　what　if　something　important　es　up？〃
　〃We　call　McAllister；　who　lets　Jonas　know　we　want　to　talk　to　him。　Sometimes　he　calls　us　back。　Most　of　the　time；　he　just　tells　Mac　how　he　wants　it　handled。〃
　Suddenly；　Nevada　had　the　feeling　that　Jonas　needed　him。　He　looked　across　the　room　at　Dan。　〃Well；　I　can't　make　up　my　mind　about　this　until　I　talk　to　Jonas。〃
　〃But　I　just　got　through　telling　you；　nobody　sees　him。〃
　〃You　want　me　to　do　the　pictures？〃　Nevada　asked。
　Pierce　stared　at　him。　〃He　may　not　even　be　in　this　country。　We　might　not　hear　from　him　for　a　month。〃
　Nevada　opened　the　door。　〃I　can　wait；〃　he　said。
　
　9
　
　〃ARE　YOU　STAYING　FOR　SUPPER；　DUVIDELE？〃
　〃I　can't；　Mama；〃　David　said。　〃I　just　came　by　to　see　how　you　were。〃
　〃How　am　I？　I'm　the　way　I　always　am。　My　arthritis　is　bothering　me。　Not　too　much；　not　too　little。　Like　always。〃
　〃You　should　get　out　in　the　sun　more　often。　For　all　the　sun　you　get；　you　might　as　well　be　living　back　in　New　York。〃
　〃A　son　I　got；〃　Mrs。　Woolf　said；　〃even　if　I　never　see　him。　Even　if　he　stays　in　a　hotel。　Once　every　three　months；　maybe；　he　es。　I　suppose　I　should　be　glad　he　es　at　all。〃
　〃Cut　it　out；　Mama。　You　know　how　busy　I　am。〃　
　〃Your　Uncle　Bernie　found　time　to　e　home　every　night；〃　his　mother　said。
　〃Times　were　different　then；　Mama；〃　he　said　lamely。　He　couldn't　tell　her　that　her　brother　had　been　known　all　over　Hollywood　as　the　matinee　man。　Besides；　Aunt　May　would　have　killed　him　if　he　stayed　out。　She　kept　a　closer　guard　on　him　than　the　government　kept　on　Fort　Knox。
　〃One　week　you're　here　already　and　this　is　only　the　second　time　you've　been　to　see　me。　And　not　even　once　for　supper！〃
　〃I'll　make　it　for　supper　soon；　Mama。　I　promise。〃
　She　fixed　him　with　a　piercing　glance。　〃Thursday　night；〃　she　said　suddenly。
　He　looked　at　her　in　surprise。　〃Thursday　night？　Why　Thursday　night；　all　of　a　sudden？〃
　A　mysterious　smile　came　over　her　face。　〃I　got　someone　I　want　you　should　meet；〃　she　said。　〃Someone　very　nice。〃
　〃Aw；　Mama；〃　he　groaned。　〃Not　another　girl？〃
　〃So　what's　wrong　with　meeting　a　nice　girl？〃　his　mother　asked　in　hurt　innocence。　〃She's　a　very　nice　girl；　David；　believe　me。　Money　her　family's　got。　A　college　girl；　too。〃
　〃But；　Mama；　I　don't　want　to　meet　any　girls。　I　haven't　the　time。〃
　〃Time　you　haven't　got？〃　his　mother　demanded。　〃Already　thirty　years　old。　It's　time　you　should　get　married。　To　a　nice　girl。　From　a　nice　family。　Not　to　spend　your　whole　life　running　around　in　night　clubs　with　those　shiksas。〃
　〃That's　business；　Mama。　I　have　to　go　out　with　them。〃
　〃Everything　he　wants　to　do　he　tells　me　is　business；〃　she　said　rhetorically。　〃When　he　doesn't　want　to　do；　that's　business；　too。　So　tell　me；　are　you　ing　to　dinner　or　not？〃
　He　stared　at　his　mother　for　a　moment；　then　shrugged　his　shoulders　resignedly。　〃All　right；　Mama。　I'll　e。　But　don't　forget；　I'll　have　to　leave　early。　I've　got　a　lot　of　work　to　do。〃
　She　smiled　in　satisfaction。　〃Good；〃　she　said。　〃So　don't　be　late。　By　seven　o'clock。　Sharp。〃
　There　was　a　message　to　call　Dan　Pierce　waiting　for　him　when　he　got　back　to　the　hotel。　〃What　is　it；　Dan？〃　he　asked；　when　he　got　him　on　the　telephone。
　〃Do　you　know　where　Jonas　is？〃
　David　laughed。　〃That　name　sounds　familiar。〃
　〃Quit　kidding；〃　Dan　said。　〃This　is　serious。　The　only　way　we'll　get　Nevada　to　make　those　Westerns　is　if　Jonas　talks　to　him。〃
　〃You　really　mean　he'll　go　for　the　deal？〃　David　asked。　He　hadn't　really　believed　that　Nevada　would。　He　didn't　need　the　money　and　everybody　knew　how　he　felt　about　quickies。
　〃He'll　go；〃　Dan　said；　〃after　he　talks　to　Jonas。〃
　〃I'd　like　to　talk　to　him　myself；〃　David　said。　〃The　government　is　starting　that　antitrust　business　again。〃
　〃I　know；〃　Dan　said。　〃I　got　the　unions　on　my　neck。　I　don't　know　how　long　I　can　keep　them　in　line。　You　can't　cry　poverty　to　them；　they　saw　the　last　annual　reports。　They　know　we're　breaking　even　now　and　should　show　a　profit　next　year。〃
　〃I　think　we　better　talk　to　Mac。　We'll　lay　it　on　the　line。　I　think　two　years　without　a　meeting　is　long　enough。〃
　But　McAllister　didn't　know　where　Jonas　was；　either。　As　David　put　down　the　telephone；　a　faint　feeling　of　frustration　ran　through　him。　It　was　like　working　in　a　vacuum。　Everywhere　you　turned；　there　was　nothing。　All　you　did　was　try　and　make　deals。　Deals。　Piled　one　on　top　of　the　other　like　a　pyramid　that　had　no　end。　You　traded　with　Fox；　Loew's；　RKO；　Paramount；　Warner。　You　played　their　theaters；　they　played　yours。　All　you　could　do　was　stand　on　one　foot；　then　on　the　other。
　He　wondered　why　Jonas　took　that　attitude　toward　them。　He　wasn't　like　that　with　his　other　interests。　Cord　Aircraft　was　rapidly　being　one　of　the　giants　of　the　industry。　Intercontinental　Airlines　was　already　the　largest　mercial　line　in　the　country。　And　Cord　Explosives　and　Cord　Plastics　were　successfully　peting　against　Du　Pont。
　But　when　it　came　to　the　picture　pany；　they　were　just　keeping　alive。　Sooner　or　later；　Jonas　would　have　to　face　up　to　it。　Either　he　wanted　to　stay　in　this　business　or　he'd　have　to　get　out。　You　had　to　keep　pushing　forward。　That　was　the　dynamics　of　action　in　the　picture　business。　If　you　stopped　pushing；　you　were　dead。
　And　David　had　done　all　the　pushing　he　could　on　his　own。　He'd　proved　that　the　pany　could　be　kept　alive。　But　if　they　were　ever　going　to　make　it　for　real；　they'd　have　to　e　up　with　something　really　big。　Deals　or　pictures　…　he　didn't　care　which。
　Actually；　he　preferred　deals。　They　were　safer　and　much　less　risky　than　big…budget　pictures。　Disney；　Goldwyn　and　Bonner　were　all　looking　for　new　distribution　outlets。　And　they　all　came　up　with　big　pictures；　which　grossed　big　and；　best　of　all；　were　pletely　financed　by　themselves。　He　was　still　waiting　for　replies　to　the　feelers　he'd　put　out　to　Goldwyn　and　Disney。　He'd　already　had　one　meeting　with　Maurice　Bonner。　But　the　approval　for　any　such　deal　had　to　e　from　Jonas。　It　could　e　from　no　one　else。
　Bonner　wanted　the　same　kind　of　setup　that　Hal　Wallis　had　at　Warner's；　or　Zanuck　had　over　at　Twentieth　Century…Fox　…　over…all　executive　supervision　of　the　program；　personal　production　of　his　own　four　major　projects　each　year；　stock　and　options　in　the　pany。
　It　was　a　stiff　price　to　pay　but　that　was　what　you　paid　if　you　wanted　the　best。　Skouras　hadn't　hesitated　when　he　wanted　Zanuck。　One　man　like　that　could　add　twenty　million　to　your　gross。　It　was　the　difference　between　existing　and　reaching　for　the　brass　ring。
　But　meanwhile；　where　was　Jonas？　Jonas　held　the　one　key　that　could　unlock　the　golden　door。
　
　〃There's　a　Mr。　Irving　Schwartz　calling；〃　his　secretary　said　on　the　inter。
　David　frowned。　〃What　does　he　want？　I　don't　know　any　Irving　Schwartz。〃
　〃He　says　he　knows　you；　Mr。　Woolf。　He　told　me　to　say　Needlenose。〃
　〃Needlenose！〃　David　exclaimed。　He　laughed。　〃Why　didn't　he　say　so　the　first　time？　Put　him　on。〃
　The　switch　clicked　as　the　girl　transferred　the　call。　〃Needlenose！〃　David　said。　〃How　the　hell　are　you？〃
　Needlenose　laughed　softly。　〃O。K。　And　you；　Davy？〃
　〃Fine。　I've　been　working　like　a　dog；　though。〃
　〃I　know；〃　Needlenose　said。　〃I　been　hearin'　lots　of　good　things　about　you。　Makes　a　guy　feel　good　when　he　sees　one　of　his　friends　from　the　old　neighborhood　make　it　big。〃
　〃Not　so　big。　It's　still　nothing　but　a　job。〃　This　was　beginning　to　sound　like　a　touch。　He　figured　rapidly　how　much　old　friends　were　worth。　Fifty　or　a　hundred？
　〃It's　an　important　job；　though。〃
　〃Enough　about　me；〃　David　said；　eager　to　change　the　subject。　〃What