J R

  —I, I think she’s all right sir she . . .

  —You do do you Beaton? Had a little scare though didn’t you suppose she wasn’t, keeled over lying dead at your damn feet right now where would we be, damn Frenchman she married march in take over as the boy’s trustee guardian every other damn thing rob us all blind if this power isn’t prepared you get right out there and prepare it yourself don’t you do another damn thing till it’s signed sealed and delivered hear me?

  —Yeh yes sir . . .

  —And don’t you ever bring in another halfbaked proposition like this again, don’t you forget this Beaton.

  —I, I won’t sir . . .

  —He won’t either, Amy.

  —And I, I won’t either . . . she brought her eyes up as though from a glimpse of herself keeled over, lying dead at their feet—and he’s, Lucien he’s not a damn Frenchman he’s, he’s not even French I don’t know why you always have to say that he’s, he’s Swiss you know Lulu is Swiss . . .

  —He’s a lulu all right, stunt this Italian drug outfit of his just pulled on these patents tell me that’s not a lulu, any word on that Monty?

  —On Nobili? I think he’s ready to make a deal, have you cleared up anything with him yet Amy?

  —Think he’s in any damn hurry to clear things up? Long as they’re still married he’s got claims on the only damn things he married her for in the first place don’t he?

  —He’d never heard of Typhon Uncle John, he’d never heard of us or any of it when I met him, he was just . . .

  —Didn’t take him too damn long to find out, you don’t cut him down now Amy you’ll lose every damn thing you’ve got so will your boy, little stock deals of his we were damn lucky to get him out before he got us all put in jail.

  —Oh he, he was just showing off he didn’t know it was wrong, he just thought it was smart business and he wanted to show Daddy and all of you that he wasn’t just . . .

  —Didn’t know it was wrong, didn’t know it was against the damn law you mean using his . . .

  —But what does it matter! We’re separated aren’t we? and he’s not even . . .

  —Still see him don’t you?

  —When Francis comes down from school that’s all he, we just do it for Francis . . .

  —Do it for him damn it Amy can’t do things like that for him, grows up the only damn thing he’ll care about’s what you are not what you did . . .

  —Beaton? Come in . . .

  —It’s me Boss.

  —What is it Dave.

  —This press statement, I . . .

  —Just hold it Dave, take that call Miss Bulcke. Beaton? he went on over Davidoff’s shoulder,—those papers ready?

  —They were all ready yes sir, we just need her signature . . .

  —Monty told me he’d made the soccer team. Well? Proud of that aren’t you?

  She looked up to a gaze that seemed to end in his glasses where he sat hunched further, thumb plucking a nostril.—I’m just afraid he’ll get hurt, he’s so . . .

  —Do him good.

  —But he’s, even for seven he’s small and they have him playing against the . . .

  —Let him get banged around a little now Amy he may not have to go out and bang himself up later to prove his family don’t know what’s good for him, eh? Teaching school for five dollars a week out in the damn woods someplace just to show everybody he don’t even . . .

  —Please! can’t we ever just let, just let me sign whatever it is where should, how should I sign it Emily? Amy? isn’t my legal . . .

  —What do they call you at school, name that French lulu gave you?

  —Jewbert they pronounce it like you do, now where . . .

  —Right there yes Mrs ah, if you’ll sign just the way it is there we won’t need . . .

  —Not Stamper on the phone there was it?

  —No sir it was a Mister Duncan sir, he said he believed his wife had discussed their wish to retire with Mrs Selk and wanted to know when it would be convenient for you to . . .

  —Wouldn’t be, calls back tell him we’ll make the bank trustee of the stock till he and Vida decide what the devil to do about it, went to school with Zona only damn thing they studied’s lunching and the mandolin just make damn clear one business I’m not going broke in’s the book business, always thought Vida was so ashamed of all the damn money his family’d made in cement this trade publishing looked like the fastest way to get rid of it get hold of their p and I Beaton, see if they’ve got a five year consolidated statement worst run business in the country can’t run it right because there’s no damn way to budget for it, had any calls from Stamper Monty?

  —Not today no, Miss Bulcke that plane time have you checked it? And call that Pentagon number about my golf date Sunday . . .

  —Yes sir, the . . .

  —Get Stamper on the phone there Bulcke, said he’d call me here about this Dallas mortgage deal trying to pick up an outfit called JMI paid the big stockholders a few hundred thousand for options wants to borrow the whole damn seventeen million purchase price outright, thinks he can declare a twenty million cash dividend to his own outfit use it to pay the damn corporate dividend tax and pay off the loan want you to look into that outfit Beaton, may be buying himself a lawsuit . . .

  —Yes sir . . .

  —What is it now Dave.

  —Just this press release and your okay on this picture Boss, before it goes out with your bio . . . he flapped the glossy likeness at Mrs Joubert,—pretty classy looking guy . . .

  —Yes I, I wonder if I could have a glass of water.

  —Coming right up.

  —And Daddy I have to talk to you about Freddie isn’t there some way you . . .

  —They can’t reach Mister Stamper at his office sir, he’s . . .

  —Spends half his damn time answering police calls try his car, may be out fighting Indians hear about that yet Monty? Probably get hold of you on it when you get things squared away down there, got the bank backing this pipeline consortium he’s putting together says he’s found a bunch of damn Indians camped out square in their path look into that too Beaton, here get my arm . . .

  —I don’t think your gal here feels too well Boss, if oop!

  —Oh I’m sorry Mister Davidoff, I . . .

  —Just water don’t worry about it, I’m trying to get the Boss in to have a word with your, Boss? I think her gang in there would think it was pretty great if you could just take a minute to welcome them aboard, they . . .

  —Wait what’s all this, attributing the stock’s activity to long overdue technical adjustments taking place in, what am I supposed to be saying here.

  —I thought we should make it as general as possible Boss, the . . .

  —Who asked for a press statement on Diamond stock.

  —The, the press did, they . . .

  —Who’s paying you, the damn press?

  —No sir no, but . . .

  —Happens the people that are paying you want a statement on nickel futures ever hear of that?

  —Yes sir, we . . .

  —Stockpile requirements ever hear of that?

  —Yes yes sir the, we’re work . . .

  —Want to see it in the morning papers hear me? Where’s my damn hat . . .

  —Yes sir we, the government, I mean the Governor Boss, the Governor might like a look at our material for this book The Romance of Cobalt, we’re lining up a topflight name writer who can handle the whole . . .

  —Call me at the hospital after the hearings Monty, going in for these damn corneal transplants.

  —Can Mister Stamper reach you tonight at home sir?

  —Same train Bulcke haven’t missed that game since my last operation, Amy? Take care of yourself hear me?

  —Thank you Uncle John you, you do the same . . .

  —The Governor may get a look at the new painting we have for the lobby, a real topflight name painter we, here let me get the door for you sir . . .

  —Get out of the
way.

  —Right sir the, better get on deck about these lunches that gang looked pretty hungry and Boss, when you talk to them we’re playing up the idea of them as new owners I think we can put together a nice feature for the next Annual Report . . . he came sidestepping up the corridor beside them as though selling something on the street until a flight of yellow cut a corner ahead—oh Carol, that photographer checked in for pictures in the board room?

  ——two edged sword which at one fell swoop has severed the . . .

  —Oh Mister Davidoff . . . she’d reached the door, held it open,—Mister Eig . . .

  —Boss is right behind me I want these pictures lined up before he comes in and those box lunches, we get the ham and cheese? That gang looks pretty hungry this thing about over? Where’s Eigen tell him to turn off that projector where’s the photographer . . .

  ——riddled with red herrings and blind alleys . . .

  —Nobody’s in there the projector’s running by itself, Mis . . .

  —Can you, here. Lights? Somebody get the ow! here get up, sit over there . . . he spilled the hunched tenant from the chair at the head of the long table as heads rose from balled sweaters, Annual Reports, gum wrappers, to follow Mrs Joubert to a corner chair against the drapes.

  —Dave? We all set in here?

  —Oh, right Boss we just, Carol? You’ve got the picture off but the sound’s still on, that little white button . . .

  ——of industrial ingenuity rising like a glittering peak above the surface, for like the iceberg . . .

  —Hey didn’t we already see this movie someplace?

  —We getting tested on this Mrs Joubert?

  —Like remember where that tree’s falling right on top of you like?

  —All right boys and girls? or I should say Diamond shareowners, begging your pawdon . . . down the length of walnut his truckling glittered beneath expressions of intent vacancy.—The top man in your company has taken a minute to come in and welcome you aboard, this is Mister Moncrieff boys and girls reporting for work. That’s right reporting to you, you’re the owners aren’t you? The rest of us only work here, we work for you and all the other shareowners running your company exactly the way you want it run . . .

  ——Today, the riches which belong to us all . . .

  —that you and your other fellow Americans no longer play a passive part in our nation’s great economy, Carol . . .?

  ——we call knowhow, modern technological advances enabling the hand of man to . . .

  —By your active ownership you participate directly in our great free enterprise system, giving jobs to thousands of, Carol . . .!

  ——two edged swor . . .

  —One second, better turn that sound off myself . . .

  ——wedding of the grand alliance of technological knowhow and the free enterprise syssssrrrrp

  Faces surfaced from sweater wads, balled gum wrappers, glazed illustrations of the earth’s riches to turn to Mrs Joubert against the litter of shekels and denarii tentatively sitting her chair’s edge, hands crossed over crossed knees.—Perhaps we . . .

  —Could we ask some questions yet? a hand went up,—because I was just wondering . . .

  —Perhaps we can hear Mister Moncrieff first, I know he’s a very busy man . . . she raised her eyes the length of the table where he stood chin sunk on watered silk sequestering papers from the lounging thrust of a burst elbow.

  —Thank you. I want to welcome you all as Diamond stockholders, as ah, as Mister Davidoff said the company’s management and directors are your team. I see you all have copies of our Annual Report there so you know our earnings increased fifteen cents a share last year to a dollar ten. Our earnings this year and for the foreseeable future look even better and, yes since we’re working for you and the other stockholders you’ll see them reflected in your regular dividend checks I’m sure you all, I’m sure your teacher Mrs Joubert has explained all that to you . . . he cleared his throat as their faces turned to the cautious opening of the door—we’re, as I say we’re your team and this man, come in Beaton, you might not pick him for a lineman but when I’m carrying the ball there’s nobody I’d rather have out there running interference for me. I want you all to meet our Secretary and General Counsel Mister Beaton . . . and he inclined for a whispered confidence.—Yes well thank you all for coming in, I’m sorry I can’t spend more time with you now but . . . he saved his glasses from the hand abruptly thrust up at him,—if you have any more questions I’m sure Mister Davi . . .

  —I just wondered down here where it says . . .

  —All right everyone, we’ll have to let Mister Moncrieff . . .

  —The photographer? Davidoff reappeared, gaining speed.

  —No but just down here where it says the figures in these columns show stock beneficially owned based on information furnished by nominees and do not include stock held by family members of these nom . . .

  —What’s he got hold of there.

  —That’s the, must be our last proxy statement Boss a little kit we put together for them on the, boys and girls? We can’t get into too many details now, we just wanted you to meet the topflight managerial talent your directors have working here for you, we’re all here to keep your profits rolling in and even if you just have one share right now any time you think we’ve stepped out of line don’t forget that one share means you can haul us right up on the carpet and . . .

  —Don’t need to press that point Dave let’s just get the . . .

  —Is that what this here bylaws means where it says . . .

  —What’s, where’d they get that . . .

  —Must have ah, just dropped it in the kit Boss give them a feeling of, like joining a club isn’t it boys and girls that doesn’t mean you have to try to read every word though does it, you’d need a lawyer like your friend Mister Beaton here to explain it let’s just, one more second of Mister Moncrieff’s time let’s just ask him the secret of his success shall we?

  —Well I’d just say boys and girls, as long as you’re in the game you may as well play to win.

  —I hoped he’d say hire smart people, Davidoff winked disappointment past his shoulder to them.

  —That’s right hire smart people . . . he paused folding away his glasses from a glance down at the pencil stub grinding on the yellow pad,—but run things yourself.

  —Is that what you’re going to do at Washington?

  —What’s, where’d she . . .

  —Where this says here taking leave of his leading role in private industry to join the official family as undersec . . .

  —Where did, that in this damn kit too Dave?

  —Must have, one of the girls must have dropped it in we, boys and girls? That’s just a, it’s what we call a news release it’s just a story about something that’s going to happen and we write it to help out the newspapers so that when the . . .

  —Like you get to write this here news which it didn’t even happen yet?

  —Well that’s not exactly what, what I mean boys and girls a story like this we haven’t told anybody yet because Mister Moncrieff’s appointment hasn’t really been made yet officially so let’s, yes let’s keep it like a club secret shall we? One for all and, and I think I smell those box lunches . . .

  —All right everyone no more questions, let’s . . .

  —No but I just wanted to go to the boys’ room.

  —Here I’ll take him while we see about these box lunches . . . Hands went up everywhere.

  —Two at a time then, two at a time . . .

  —Here, here this way . . . he caught the bowl of a cropped head in one hand, the sweater’s gap at the narrow shoulder in the other steering an abrupt turn up the corridor, stopping to rattle keys.

  —How come you lock up the toilets.

  —It’s the executive washroom now just hurry up in there, come back and join the others . . .

  —Wait can we get out all right? Let’s see hey . . .

  —Try it see if it open
s from inside.

  —Okay it turns, they must be scared somebody’s going to steal their toilets look at this hey.

  —Push it, didn’t you ever see one?

  —All this hot air’s coming out hey look out, somebody’s in that one . . . they came up the row of metal doors stooped hands to calves, looking under.—These two . . .

  —Somebody forgot to flush mine. Shhh . . .

  —What.

  —Shhh, somebody just came in . . .

  —Damn fool don’t have the sense to avoid taxable income like the plague what the devil’d he think would happen . . . black shod feet crowned by gray cuffs shuffled up the rank of doors,—obsession he’s got about running low-cost operations didn’t even look at the damn tax angle did he?

  —I thought Wiles handled the whole thing for him . . . burnished bluchers followed, drawing heads down to rest on dropped wales of corduroy where they peered under the doors.

  —Damn it Monty think Frank Wiles would have let that happen? Situation like that got out and spent something could have turned his whole damn tax picture around let the damn government’s money work for him for a change how the devil’s he think the damn phone company got where they are . . . a urinal flushed emphatically and one black shod foot rose in a brief glimpse of hornpipe.—Don’t know the first simple damn rule there is buy for credit sell for cash now he wants the bank to step in and bail him out? Had any damn sense he would have taken what he could borrow against those assets when he had them, used that to build up their value where he could have borrowed enough to pick the whole damn thing up he’d have it to borrow against now . . . A toilet flushed.—That you in there Beaton?

  —Yes sir.

  —What’s the latest on Diamond.

  —Twenty sir.

  —Get Wiles tell him to buy at nineteen.

  A urinal flushed long and patiently.—I just don’t want any repercussions when this tender comes up, if . . .

  —Being sold on the open damn market isn’t it? Company buying from its own assets no damn legal question till its capitalization’s reduced by a third no need for any damn press statement on it either, make sure that what’s his name knows it where the devil’d he come from Monty.