hr.thecarpetbaggers-第95节

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　Just　then　the　doorbell　rang　and　David　heaved　a　sigh　of　relief。　〃Here　he　is　now；　Mama；〃　he　said；　starting　for　the　door。
　The　fall；　good…looking　young　man　who　stood　in　the　doorway　was　nothing　like　the　thin；　intense；　dark…eyed　boy　he　remembered。　In　place　of　the　sharp；　beaklike　proboscis　that　had　earned　him　his　nickname　was　a　fine；　almost　aquiline　nose　that　contrasted　handsomely　with　his　wide　mouth　and　lantern…like　jaw。　He　smiled　when　he　saw　David's　startled　expression。　〃I　went　to　a　face　factory　and　had　it　fixed。　It　wouldn't　look　good　I　should　walk　around　Beverly　Hills　with　an　East　Side　nose。〃　He　held　out　his　hand。　〃It's　good　to　see　you；　Davy。〃
　David　took　his　hand。　The　grip　was　firm　and　warm。　〃e　on　in；〃　he　said。　〃Mama's　ready　to　bust。　Dinner's　ready。〃
　They　went　into　the　living　room。　Mr。　Strassmer　got　to　his　feet　and　his　mother　looked　at　Needlenose　suspiciously。　David　glanced　around　quickly。　Rosa　was　not　in　the　room。　〃Mama；〃　he　said。　〃You　remember　Irving　Schwartz？〃
　〃Hello；　Mrs。　Woolf。〃
　〃Yitzchak　Schwartz；〃　she　said。　〃Sure　I　remember。　What　happened　to　your　nose？〃
　〃Mama；〃　David　protested。
　Needlenose　smiled。　〃That's　all　right；　David。　I　had　it　fixed；　Mrs。　Woolf。〃
　〃A　mishegass。　With　such　a　small　nose；　it's　a　wonder　you　can　breathe。　You　got　a　job；　Yitzchak？〃　she　demanded　belligerently。　〃Or　are　you　still　hanging　around　with　the　bums　by　Shocky's　garage？〃
　〃Mama！〃　David　said　quickly。　〃Irving　lives　out　here　now。〃
　〃So　it's　Irving　now。〃　His　mother's　voice　was　angry。　〃Fixing　his　nose　is　not　enough。　His　name；　too；　he's　got　to　fix。　What's　wrong　with　the　name　your　parents　gave　you　…　Isidore　…　hah？〃
　Needlenose　began　to　laugh。　He　looked　at　David。　〃I　see　what　you　mean；〃　he　said。　〃Nothing's　changed。　Nothing's　wrong　with　it；　Mrs。　Woolf。　Irving's　easier　to　spell。〃
　〃You'd　finish　school　like　my　son；　David；〃　she　retorted；　〃it　shouldn't　be　so　hard　to　spell。〃
　〃e　on；　Mrs。　Woolf。　David　promised　me　knaidlach。　I　couldn't　wait；　all　day　I　was　so　hungry　thinking　about　it。〃
　Mrs。　Woolf　stared　at　him　suspiciously。　〃You　be　a　good　boy；　now；〃　she　said；　somewhat　mollified；　〃and　every　Friday　you　e　for　knaidlach。''
　〃I　will；　Mrs。　Woolf。〃
　〃All　right；〃　she　said。　〃So　now　I'll　go　see　if　the　soup　is　hot。〃
　Rosa　came　into　the　room　just　as　David　was　about　to　introduce　Needlenose　to　the　Strassmers。　She　stopped　in　the　doorway；　a　look　of　surprise　on　her　face。　Then　she　smiled　and　came　into　the　room。　〃Why；　Mr。　Schwartz；〃　she　said。　〃How　nice　to　see　you。〃
　Irving　looked　up。　He　held　out　his　hand。　〃Hey；　Doc；〃　he　said。　〃I　didn't　know　you　knew　my　friend　David。〃
　She　took　his　hand。　〃We　just　met　this　evening。〃
　Irving　looked　at　David。　〃Doc　Strassmer　did　my　nose　retread。　She's　really　great；　David。　Did　you　know　she　did　that　job　on　Linda　Davis　last　year？〃
　David　looked　at　Rosa　curiously。　No　one　had　ever　said　anything　about　her　being　a　doctor。　And　the　Linda　Davis　operation　had　been　a　big　one。　The　actress's　face　had　been　cut　to　ribbons　in　an　automobile　accident；　yet　when　she　went　before　the　cameras　a　year　later；　there　wasn't　the　slightest　visible　trace　of　disfigurement。
　He　was　suddenly　aware　that　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Strassmer　were　staring　at　him　nervously。　He　smiled　at　Rosa。　〃Doctor；　you're　just　the　one　I　wanted　to　talk　to。　What　do　you　think　I　ought　to　do　about　the　terribly　empty　feeling　I　suddenly　got　in　my　stomach？〃
　She　looked　at　him　gratefully。　The　nervousness　was　gone　from　her　eyes　now　and　they　glinted　mischievously。　〃I　think　a　few　of　your　mother's　knaidlach　might　fix　that。〃
　〃Knaidlach？　Who　said　something　about　my　knaidlach？〃　his　mother　said　from　the　doorway。　She　bustled　into　the　room　importantly。　〃So　everybody　sit　down；〃　she　said。　〃The　soup's　on　the　table　and　already　it's　getting　cold。〃
　
　11
　
　WHEN　THEY　HAD　FINISHED　DINNER；　ROSA　LOOKED　AT　HER　WATCH。　〃You'll　have　to　excuse　me　for　a　little　while；〃　she　said。　〃I　have　to　run　over　to　the　hospital　to　see　a　patient。〃
　David　looked　at　her。　〃I'll　drive　you　over；　if　you　like。〃
　She　smiled。　〃You　don't　have　to　do　that。　I　have　my　own　car。〃
　〃It's　no　bother；〃　David　said　politely。　〃At　least；　let　me　keep　you　pany。〃
　Irving　got　to　his　feet。　〃I　have　to　be　going；　too；〃　he　said。　He　turned　to　Mrs。　Woolf。　〃Thank　you　for　a　delicious　dinner。　It　made　me　homesick。〃
　David's　mother　smiled。　〃So　be　a　good　boy；　Yitzchak；〃　she　said；　〃and　you　can　e　again。〃
　Rosa　smiled　at　David's　mother。　〃We　won't　be　long。〃
　〃Go；〃　Mrs。　Woolf　said。　〃Don't　you　children　rush。〃　She　glanced　beamingly　at　Rosa's　parents。　〃We　older　ones　have　a　lot　to　talk　about。〃
　〃I'm　sorry；　Irving；〃　David　said　as　they　came　out　of　the　apartment　house。　〃We　didn't　have　much　of　a　chance　to　talk。　Maybe　we　can　make　it　tomorrow？〃
　〃We　can　talk　right　now；〃　Irving　said　quietly。　〃I'm　sure　we　can　trust　Rosa。　Can't　we；　Doc？〃
　Rosa　made　a　gesture。　〃I　can　wait　in　the　car；〃　she　said　quickly。
　David　stopped　her。　〃No；　that's　all　right。〃　He　turned　back　to　Irving。　〃I　must　have　seemed　stupid　when　you　called　yesterday。　But　Dan　Pierce　mostly　handles　our　labor　relations。〃
　〃That's　O。K。；　Davy；〃　Irving　said。　〃I　figured　something　like　that。〃
　〃Dan　tells　me　we're　looking　down　the　throat　of　a　strike。　I　suppose　you　know　we　can't　afford　one。　It'll　bust　us。〃
　〃I　know；〃　Irving　answered。　〃And　I'm　trying　to　help。　But　I'm　in　a　spot　unless　we　can　work　out　some　kind　of　a　deal。〃
　〃What　kind　of　a　spot　can　you　be　in？　Nobody's　pressing　you　to　go　out　on　strike。　Your　members　are　just　getting　over　the　effects　of　the　depression　layoffs。〃
　〃Yeah。〃　Irving　nodded。　〃They　don't　want　to　strike　but　the　mies　are　moving　in。　And　they're　stirring　up　a　lot　of　trouble　about　how　the　picture　panies　are　keeping　all　the　gravy　for　themselves。　A　lot　of　people　are　listening。　They　hear　about　the　high　salaries　stars　and　executives　get　and　it　looks　good　to　them。　Why　shouldn't　they　get　a　little　of　it？　And　the　mies　keep　them　stirred　up。〃
　〃What　about　Bioff　and　Brown？〃
　〃They　were　pigs；〃　Irving　said　contemptuously。　〃One　side　wasn't　enough　for　them。　They　were　trying　to　take　it　from　both。　That's　why　we　dumped　them。〃
　〃You　dumped　them？〃　David　asked　skeptically。　〃I　thought　they　got　caught。〃
　Irving　stared　at　him。　〃Where　do　you　think　the　government　got　its　documentation　to　build　a　case？　They　didn't　find　it　layin'　around　in　the　street。〃
　〃It　seems　to　me　you're　trying　to　use　us　to　put　out　a　fire　your　own　people　started；〃　David　said。　〃You're　using　the　mies　as　an　excuse。〃
　Irving　smiled。　〃Maybe　we　are；　a　little。　But　the　munists　are　very　active　in　the　guilds。　And　the　entire　industry　just　signed　new　agreements　with　the　Screen　Directors　Guild　and　Screen　Writers　Guild　calling　for　the　biggest　increase　they　ever　got。　The　mies　are　taking　all　the　credit。　Now　they're　starting　to　move　in　on　the　craft　unions。　And　you　know　how　the　crafts　are。　They'll　figure　that　if　the　mies　can　do　it　for　the　guilds；　they　can　do　it　for　them。　The　craft…union　elections　are　ing　up　soon。　The　mies　are　putting　up　a　big　fight　and　if　we　don't　e　up　with　something　soon；　we're　going　to　be　on　the　outside　looking　in。　If　that　happens；　you'll　find　they're　a　lot　harder　to　deal　with　than　we　were。〃
　David　looked　at　him。　〃What　you're　suggesting；　then；　is　for　us　to　decide　who　we　want　to　deal　with　…　you　or　the　munists。　How　do　the　members　feel　about　it？　Haven't　they　got　anything　to　say？〃
　Irving's　voice　was　matter…of…fact。　〃Most　of　them　are　jerks；〃　he　said　contemptuously。　〃All　they　care　about　is　their　pay　envelope　and　who　promises　them　the　most。〃　He　took　out　a　package　of　cigarettes。　〃Right　now；　the　mies　are　beginning　to　look　real　good　to　them。〃
　David　was　silent　while　his　friend　lit　a　cigarette。　The　gold　lighter　glowed　briefly；　then　went　back　into　Irving's　pocket。　His　jacket　opened　slightly　and　David　saw　the　black　butt　of　a　gun　in　a　shoulder　holster。
　Gold　lighters　and　guns。　And　two　kids　from　the　East　Side　of　New　York　standing　in　a　warm　spring　night　under　the　California　stars　talking　about　money　and　power　and　munism。　He　wondered　what　Irving　got　out　of　it　but　he　knew　better　than　to　ask。　There　were　some　things　that　were　none　of　his　business。
　〃What　do　you　want　me　to　do？〃　he　asked。
　Irving　flicked　the　cigarette　into　the　gutter。　〃The　mies　are　asking　an　increase　of　twenty…five　cents　an　hour　and　a　thirty…five…hour　week。　We'll　settle　for　five　cents　an　hour　now；　another　nickel　next　year　and　a　thirty…seven…and…a…half…hour　work　week。〃　He　looked　into　David's　eyes。　〃Dan　Pierce　says　he　hasn't　the　authority　to　do　anything　about　it。　He　says　he　can't　get　to　Cord。　I　been　waiting　three　months。　I　can't　wait　any　longer。　You　sit　on　your　can；　the　strike　is　on。　You　lose　and　we　lose。　Only　you　lose　more。　Your　whole　pany　goes　down　the　drain。　We'll　still　get　lots　of　action　other　places。　The　only　real　winners　are　the　mies。〃
　David　hesitated。　He　had　no　more　authority　than　Dan　to　make　this　kind　of　deal。　Still；　there　wasn't　time　to　wait　for　Jonas。　Whether　Jonas　liked　it　or　not；　he'd　have　to　back　him　up。
　He　drew　in　his　breath。　〃It's　a　deal。〃
　Irving's　white　teeth　flashed　in　a　grin。　He　punched　David　lightly　on　the　shoulder。　〃Good　boy；〃　he　said。　〃I　didn't　think　I'd　have　any　trouble　making　you　see　the　light。　The　negotiating　mittee　has　a　meeting　with　Pierce　tomorrow　morning。　We'll　let　them　make　the　announcement。〃
　He　turned　to　Rosa。　〃Sorry　to　bust　in　on　your　p