按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
them an answer。〃
Jonas sounded uninterested。 〃I've already told Mac what to do about that。 We'll be able to stall until after the war； when we ought to get a good price for the theaters。 There's always an inflation in real estate after a war。〃
〃What if we don't have a war？〃
〃We'll have a war；〃 Jonas said flatly。 〃Sometime within the next few years。 Hitler is going to find himself in a bind。 He'll have to expand or bust the whole phony prosperity he's brought to Germany。〃
Rosa felt a knot in her stomach。 It was one thing to feel that it was inevitable because you always kept hoping you were wrong。 But to put it as simply and concisely as Jonas 。 。 。 Sans emotion； one plus one equals two。 War。 And then there would be no place left to go。 Germany would rule the world。 Even her father said that the Fatherland was so far ahead of the rest of the world that it would take them a century to catch up。
She stared at David。 How could Americans know so little？ Did they honestly believe that they could escape this war unscathed？ How could he sit there talking business as if nothing were going to happen？ He was a Jew。 Didn't he； too； feel the shadow of Hitler falling across him？
She heard David chuckle。 〃Then we're in the same boat；〃 he said。 She stared at him in shocked surprise as he went on talking。 〃What we've done by virtue of enforced economies is to build a false economy for ourselves。 One in which we count as profit the savings produced by eliminating the waste from our own body。 But we haven't created any new sources of real profit。〃
〃And that's why you've been talking to Bonner？〃
She felt David start in surprise。 For the first time that evening； his voice wasn't assured。 〃Yes；〃 he answered。
〃I suppose you felt it was quite within your authority to initiate such discussions without prior consultations with me？〃 Jonas' voice was still quiet。
〃As far back as a year ago； I sent you a note asking your permission to talk to Zanuck。 I never received a reply and Zanuck signed with Fox。〃
〃If I'd wanted you to talk to him； I'd have let you know；〃 Jonas said sharply。 〃What makes you think Dan can't do what Bonner can？〃
David hesitated。 He ground his cigarette out in the ash tray on the arm rest beside him。 〃Two things；〃 he said cautiously。 〃I'm not knocking Dan。 He's proved himself an extremely able administrator and studio executive。 He has developed a program that keeps the factory working at maximum efficiency； but one of the things he lacks is the creative conceit of men like Bonner and Zanuck。 The ability to seize an idea and personally turn it into a great motion picture。〃
He stared at Jonas in the dark。 They passed a street lamp； which revealed Jonas for a moment； his eyes hooded； his face impassive。 〃Lack of creative conceit is the difference between a real producer and a studio executive； which Dan really is。 The creative conceit to make him believe he can make pictures better than anyone else and the ability to make others believe it； too。 To my mind； you showed more of it in the two pictures you made than Dan has in the fifty…odd pictures he's produced in the last two years。〃
〃And what's the second？〃 Jonas asked； ignoring the implied flattery of David's words。 Rosa smiled to herself as she realized that he'd accepted the remark as fact。
〃The second is money；〃 David replied。 〃Assuming Dan could develop this quality； it would take money to find out。 Five million dollars； to make two or three big pictures。 Money which you don't want to invest。 Bonner brings his own financing。 He'll make four pictures a year； and our own investment is minimal only the overhead on each。 Between distribution fees and profit…sharing； we can't get hurt； no matter what happens。 And his supervision of the rest of the program can do nothing but help us。〃
〃You've thought about what this would do to Dan？〃 Jonas asked。
David took a deep breath。 〃Dan is your responsibility； not mine。 My responsibility is to the pany。〃 He hesitated a moment。 〃There'd still be a lot Dan could do。〃
〃Not the way you want it；〃 Jonas said flatly。 〃No business can run with two heads。〃
David was silent。
Jonas' words cut sharply through the dark like a knife。 〃All right； make your deal with Bonner；〃 he said。 〃But it'll be up to you to get rid of Dan。〃
He turned in the jump seat。 〃You can take us back to Mr。 Woolf's car now； Robair。〃
〃Yes； Mr。 Cord。〃
Jonas turned back to them。 〃I saw Nevada earlier；〃 he said。 〃He'll make that series for us。〃
〃Good。 We'll begin checking story properties right away。〃
〃You don't have to；〃 Jonas said。 〃We settled that already。 I suggested to him we pick up the character Max Sand from The Renegade and take it from there。〃
〃How can we？ At the end of the picture； he rode off into the hills to die。〃
Jonas smiled。 〃We'll presume he didn't。 Suppose he lived； took another name and got religion。 And that he spends the rest of his life helping people who have no one else to turn to。 He uses his gun only as a last resort。 Nevada liked it。〃
David stared at Jonas。 Why shouldn't Nevada like it？ It captured the imagination immediately。 There wasn't a Western star in the business who wouldn't jump at the chance of making a series like that。 That was what he'd meant by creative conceit。 Jonas really had it。
The car came to a stop in front of the hospital。 Jonas leaned over and opened the door。 〃You get off here；〃 he said quietly。
The meeting was over。
They stood in front of his car and watched the big black limousine disappear down the driveway。 David opened the door and Rosa looked up at him。 〃It's been a big night； hasn't it？〃 she asked softly。
He nodded。 〃A very big night。〃
〃You don't have to take me back。 I can get a cab here。 I'll understand。〃
He looked down at her； his face serious； then he smiled。 〃What do you say we go someplace for a drink？〃
She hesitated a moment。 〃I have a cottage at Malibu；〃 she said。 〃It's not far from here。 We could go there if you'd like。〃
They were at the cottage in fifteen minutes。 〃Don't be upset at how the place looks；〃 she said； putting the key into the lock。 〃I haven't had time lately to straighten up。〃
She flicked on the light and he followed her into a large living room that was very sparsely furnished。 A couch； several occasional chairs； two small tables with lamps。 At one end was a fireplace； at the other a solid glass wall facing the ocean。 In front of it was an easel holding a half…finished oil painting。 A smock and palette lay on the floor。
〃What do you drink？〃 she asked。
〃Scotch； if you have it。〃
〃I have it。 Sit down while I get ice and glasses。〃
He waited until she went into another room； then crossed to the easel。 He looked at the painting。 It was a sunset over the Pacific； with wild red； yellow and orange hues over the almost black water。 He heard ice clink in a glass behind him and turned。 She held out a drink to him。
〃Yours？〃 he asked； taking the glass from her。
She nodded。 〃I'm not really good at it。 I play the piano the same way。 But it's my way of relaxing； of working off my frustrations over my incapabilities。 It's my way of pensating for not being a genius。〃
〃Not many people are；〃 he said。 〃But from what I've heard； you're a pretty good doctor。〃
She looked at him。 〃I suppose I am。 But I'm not good enough。 What you said tonight was very revealing。 And very true。〃
〃What was that？〃
〃About creative conceit； the ability to do what no other man can do。 A great doctor or surgeon must have it； too。〃 She shrugged her shoulders。 〃I'm a very good workman。 Nothing more。〃
〃You might be judging yourself unfairly。〃
〃No； I'm not；〃 she replied quickly。 〃I've studied under doctors who were geniuses and I've seen enough others to know what I'm talking about。 My father； in his own way； is a genius。 He can do things with plastics and ceramics that no other man in the world can。 Sigmund Freud； who is a friend of my father's； Picasso； whom I met in France； George Bernard Shaw； who lectured at my college in England … they are all geniuses。 And they all have that one quality in mon。 The creative conceit that enables them to do things that no other man before them could do。〃 She shook her head。 〃No； I know better。 I'm no genius。〃
He looked at her。 〃I'm not； either。〃
David turned toward the ocean as she came and stood beside him。 〃I've known some geniuses； too；〃 he said。 〃Uncle Bernie； who started Norman Pictures； was a genius。 He did everything it now takes ten men to do。 And Jonas Cord is a genius； too； in a way。 But I'm not sure yet in what area。 There are so many things he can do； it's a pity。〃
〃I know what you mean。 My father said almost the same thing about him。〃
He looked down at her。 〃It's sad； isn't it？〃 he said。 〃Two ordinary nongeniuses； standing here looking out at the Pacific Ocean。〃
A glint of laughter came into her eyes。 〃And such a big ocean； too。〃
〃The biggest；〃 he said solemnly。 〃Or so some genius said。 The biggest in the world。〃 He held up his glass。 〃Let's drink to that。〃
They drank and he turned again to the ocean。 〃It's warm； almost warm enough to swim。〃
〃I don't think the ocean would object if two just ordinary people went for a swim。〃
He looked at her and smil