— 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…