hr.thecarpetbaggers-第123部分

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〃　He　looked　at　the　bottle　of　bourbon　on　the　desk。　〃You're　not　very　hospitable。　How　about　a　drink？〃
　I　looked　at　him　in　surprise。　Mac　wasn't　much　for　drinking。　Especially　during　working　hours。　I　pushed　the　bottle　and　a　glass　toward　him。　〃Help　yourself。〃
　He　poured　a　small　shot　and　swallowed　it　neat。　He　cleared　his　throat。　I　looked　at　him。　〃There's　one　other　postwar　plan　I　wanted　to　talk　to　you　about；〃　he　said　awkwardly。
　〃Go　ahead。〃
　〃Myself；〃　he　said　hesitantly。　〃I'm　not　a　young　man　any　more。　I　want　to　retire。〃
　〃Retire？〃　I　couldn't　believe　my　ears。　〃What　for？　What　in　hell　would　you　do？〃
　Mac　flushed　embarrassedly。　〃I've　worked　pretty　hard　all　my　life；〃　he　said。　〃I've　got　two　sons　and　a　daughter　and　five　grandchildren；　three　of　whom　I've　never　seen。　The　wife　and　I　would　like　to　spend　a　little　time　with　them；　get　to　know　them　before　it's　too　late。〃
　I　laughed。　〃You　sound　like　you　expect　to　kick　off　any　minute。　You're　a　young　man　yet。〃
　〃I'm　sixty…three。　I've　been　with　you　twenty　years。〃
　I　stared　at　him。　Twenty　years。　Where　had　they　gone？　The　Army　doctors　had　been　right。　I　wasn't　a　kid　any　more；　either。　〃We'll　miss　you　around　here；〃　I　said　sincerely。　〃I　don't　know　how　we'll　manage　without　you。〃　I　meant　it；　too。　Mac　was　the　one　man　I　felt　I　could　always　depend　on；　whenever　I　had　need　for　him。
　〃You'll　manage　all　right。　We've　got　over　forty　attorneys　working　for　us　now　and　each　is　a　specialist　in　his　own　field。　You're　not　just　one　man　any　more；　you're　a　big　pany。　You　have　to　have　a　big　legal　machine　to　take　care　of　you。〃
　〃So　what？〃　I　said。　〃You　can't　call　up　a　machine　in　the　middle　of　the　night　when　you're　in　trouble。〃
　〃This　machine　you　can。　It's　equipped　for　all　emergencies。〃
　〃But　what　will　you　do？　You　can't　tell　me　you'll　be　happy　just　lying　around　playing　grandpa。　You'll　have　to　have　something　to　occupy　your　mind。〃
　〃I've　thought　about　that；〃　he　said；　a　serious　look　ing　over　his　face。　〃I've　been　playing　around　so　long　with　corporate　and　tax　laws　that　I've　almost　forgotten　about　the　most　important　part　of　all。　The　laws　that　have　to　do　with　human　beings。〃　He　reached　for　the　bottle　again　and　poured　himself　another　small　drink。　It　wasn't　easy　for　him　to　sit　there　and　tell　me　what　he　was　thinking。
　〃I　thought　I'd　hang　my　shingle　outside　my　house　in　some　small　town。　Just　putter　around　with　whatever　happened　to　e　in　the　door。　I'm　tired　of　always　talking　in　terms　of　millions　of　dollars。　For　once；　I'd　like　to　help　some　poor　bastard　who　really　needs　it。〃
　I　stared　at　him。　Work　with　a　man　for　twenty　years　and　still　you　don't　know　him。　This　was　a　side　to　McAllister　that　I'd　never　even　suspected　existed。
　〃Of　course；　we'll　abrogate　all　of　the　contracts　and　agreements　between　us；〃　he　said。
　I　looked　at　him。　I　knew　he　didn't　need　the　money。　But　then；　neither　did　I。　〃Why　in　hell　should　we？　Just　show　up　at　the　board　of　directors'　meeting　every　few　months　so　at　least　I　can　see　you　once　in　a　while。〃
　〃Then　you…　you　agree？〃
　I　nodded。　〃Sure；　let's　give　it　a　spin　when　the　war　is　over。〃
　
　The　sheets　of　white　paper　grew　into　a　stack　as　he　skimmed　through　the　summary　of　each　of　the　contracts。　At　last；　Mac　was　finished　and　he　looked　up　at　me。　〃We　have　ample　protective…cancellation　clauses　in　all　the　contracts　except　one；〃　he　said。　〃That　one　is　based　on　delivery　before　the　end　of　the　war。〃
　〃Which　one　is　that？〃
　〃That　flying　boat　we're　building　for　the　Navy　in　San　Diego。〃
　I　knew　what　he　was　talking　about。　The　Centurion。　It　was　to　be　the　biggest　airplane　ever　built；　designed　to　carry　a　full　pany　of　one　hundred　and　fifty　men；　in　addition　to　the　twelve…man　crew；　two　light　amphibious　tanks　and　enough　mortar；　light　artillery；　weapons；　ammunition　and　supplies　for　an　entire　pany。　It　had　been　my　idea　that　a　plane　like　that　would　prove　useful　in　landing　raiding　parties　behind　the　lines　out　in　the　small　Pacific　islands。
　〃How　e　we　made　a　contract　like　that？〃
　〃You　wanted　it；〃　he　said。　〃Remember？〃
　I　remembered。　The　Navy　had　been　skeptical　that　the　big　plane　could　even　get　into　the　air；　so　I'd　pressured　them　into　making　a　deal　predicated　on　a　fully　tested　plane　before　the　war　ended。　That　was　over　seven　months　ago。
　Almost　immediately；　we'd　run　into　trouble。　Stress　tests　proved　that　conventional　metals　would　make　the　plane　too　heavy　for　the　engines　to　lift　into　the　air。　We　lost　two　months　there；　until　the　engineers　came　up　with　a　Fiberglas　pound　that　was　less　than　one　tenth　the　weight　of　metal　and　four　times　as　strong。　Then　we　had　to　construct　special　machinery　to　work　the　new　material。　I　even　brought　Amos　Winthrop　down　from　Canada　to　sit　in　on　the　project。　The　old　bastard　had　done　a　fantastic　job　up　there　and　had　a　way　of　bulling　a　job　through　when　no　one　else　was　able　to。
　The　old　leopard　hadn't　changed　any　of　his　spots；　either。　He　had　me　by　the　shorts　and　he　knew　it。　He　held　me　up　for　a　vice…presidency　in　Cord　Aircraft　before　he'd　e　down。
　〃How　much　are　we　in　for　up　to　now？〃　I　asked。
　Mac　looked　down　at　the　sheet。　〃Sixteen　million；　eight　hundred　seventy…six　thousand；　five　hundred　ninety…four　dollars　and　thirty…one　cents；　as　of　June　thirtieth。〃
　〃We're　in　trouble；〃　I　said；　reaching　for　the　telephone。　The　operator　came　on。　〃Get　me　Amos　Winthrop　in　San　Diego。　And　while　I'm　waiting　to　talk　to　him；　call　Mr。　Dalton　at　the　Inter…Continental　Airlines　office　in　Los　Angeles　and　ask　him　to　send　down　a　special　charter　for　me。〃
　''What's　the　trouble？〃　Mac　asked；　watching　me。
　〃Seventeen　million　dollars。　We're　going　to　blow　it　if　we　don't　get　that　plane　into　the　air　right　away。〃
　Then　Amos　came　on　the　phone。　〃How　soon　do　you　expect　to　get　The　Centurion　into　the　sky？〃　I　asked。
　〃We're　ing　along　pretty　good　now。　Just　the　finishing　touches。　I　figure　we　ought　to　be　able　to　lift　her　sometime　in　September　or　early　October。〃
　〃What's　missing？〃
　〃The　usual　stuff。　Mountings；　fittings；　polishing；　tightening。　You　know。〃
　I　knew。　The　small　but　important　part　that　took　longer　than　anything　else。　But　nothing　really　essential；　nothing　that　would　keep　the　plane　from　flying。　〃Get　her　ready；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　taking　her　up　tomorrow。〃
　〃Are　you　crazy？　We've　never　even　had　gasoline　in　her　tanks。〃
　〃Then　fill　her　up。〃
　〃But　the　hull　hasn't　been　water…tested　yet；〃　he　shouted。　〃How　do　you　know　she　won't　go　right　to　the　bottom　of　San　Diego　Bay　when　you　send　her　down　the　runway？〃
　〃Then　test　it。　You've　got　twenty…four　hours　to　make　sure　she　floats。　I'll　be　up　there　tonight；　if　you　need　a　hand。〃
　This　was　no　cost…plus；　money…guaranteed　project；　where　the　government　picked　up　the　tab；　win；　lose　or　draw。　This　was　my　money　and　I　didn't　like　the　idea　of　losing　it。
　For　seventeen　million　dollars；　The　Centurion　would　fly　if　I　had　to　lift　her　out　of　the　water　with　my　bare　hands。
　
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　I　HAD　ROBAIR　TAKE　ME　OUT　TO　THE　RANCH；　WHERE　I　TOOK　A　HOT　SHOWER　AND　CHANGED　MY　CLOTHES　BEFORE　I　GOT　ON　THE　PLANE　TO　SAN　DIEGO。　I　was　just　leaving　the　house　when　the　telephone　rang。
　〃It's　for　you；　Mr。　Jonas；〃　Robair　said。　〃Mr。　McAllister。〃
　I　took　the　phone　from　his　hand。　〃Yes；　Mac？〃
　〃Sorry　to　bother　you；　Jonas；　but　this　is　important。〃
　〃Shoot。〃
　〃Bonner　just　called　from　the　studio；〃　he　said。　〃He's　leaving　at　the　end　of　the　month　to　go　over　to　Paramount。　He's　got　a　deal　with　them　to　make　nothing　but　blockbusters。〃
　〃Offer　him　more　money。〃
　〃I　did。　He　doesn't　want　it。　He　wants　out。〃
　〃What　does　his　contract　say？〃
　〃It's　over　the　end　of　this　month；〃　he　said。　〃We　cant　hold　him　if　he　wants　to　go。〃
　〃To　hell　with　him；　then。　If　he　wants　to　go；　let　him。〃
　〃We're　in　a　hole；〃　Mac　said　seriously。　〃We'll　have　to　find　someone　to　run　the　studio。　You　can't　operate　a　motion…picture　pany　without　someone　to　make　pictures。〃
　That　was　nothing　I　didn't　know。　It　was　too　bad　that　David　Woolf　wasn't　ing　back。　I　could　depend　on　him。　He　felt　the　same　way　about　movies　that　I　did　about　airplanes。　But　he'd　caught　it　at　Anzio。
　〃I　want　to　make　San　Diego　tonight；〃　I　said。　〃Let　me　think　about　it　and　we'll　kick　it　around　in　your　office　in　L。A。　the　day　after　tomorrow。〃　I　had　bigger　worries　on　my　mind　just　now。　One　Centurion　cost　almost　as　much　as　a　whole　year's　production　at　the　studio。
　We　landed　at　the　San　Diego　Airport　about　one　o'clock　in　the　morning。　I　took　a　taxi　right　from　there　to　the　little　shipyard　we　had　rented　near　the　Naval　base。　I　could　see　the　lights　blazing　from　it　ten　blocks　away。　I　smiled　to　myself。　Leave　it　to　Amos　to　get　things　done。　He　had　a　night　crew　working　like　mad；　even　if　he　had　to　break　the　blackout　regulations　to　get　it　done。
　I　walked　around　the　big　old　boat　shed　that　we　were　using　for　a　hangar　just　in　time　to　hear　someone　yell；　〃Clear　the　runway！〃
　And　then　The　Centurion　came　out　of　the　hangar；　tail　first；　looking　for　all　the　world　like　an　ugly　giant　condor　flying　backward。　Like　a　greased　pig；　it　shot　down　the　runway　toward　the　water。　A　great　roar　came　from　the　hangar　and　I　was　almost　knocked　over　by　a　gang　of　men；　who　came　running　out　after　the　plane。　Before　I　knew　it；　they'd　passed　me　and　were　down　at　the　water's　edge。　I　saw　Amos　in　the　crowd　and　he　was　yelling　as　much　as　any　of　them。
　There　was　a　great　splash　as　The　Centurion　hit　the　water；　a　moment's　groaning　silence　as　the　tail　dipped　backward；　almost　covering　the　three　big　rudders；　and　then　a　triumphant　yell　as　she　straightened　herself　out　and　floated　easily　on　the　bay。　She　began　to　turn；　drifting　away　from　the　dock；　and　I　heard　the　whir　of　the　big　winches　as　they　spun　the　tie　lines；　drawing　her　back　in。
　The　men　were　still　yelling　when　I　got　to　Amos。　〃What　the　hell　do　you　think　you're　doing？〃　I　shouted；　trying　to　make　myself　heard　over　the　noise。
　〃What　you　told　me　to　do　…　water…test　her。〃
　〃You　damn　fool！　You　might've　sunk　her。　Why　didn't　you　get　a　pressure　tank？〃
　〃There　wasn't　time。　The　earliest　I　could've　got　one　was　three　days。　You　said　you　were　taking　her　up　tomorrow。〃
　The　winches　had　hauled　the　plane　partly　back　on　the　runway；　with　her　prow　out　of　the　water。　〃Wait　here　a　minute；〃　Amos　said；　〃I　gotta　get　the　men　to　work。　They're　all　on　triple　time。〃
　He　went　down　the　dock　to　where　a　workman　had　already　placed　a　ladder　against　the　side　of　the　giant　plane。　Scrambling　up　like　a　man　half　his　age；　Amos　opened　the　door　just　behind　the　cab