Джеймс Кейн - Mignon

   YOU DON HAF BLEE ME ASK CAPIN GOOL HE

tell you about it, but Taylor he got the shoes. More

   TELL YOU ABAT IT BUT TALOR HE GOT SHOES MORE

soon, General.

   SOON GENL

Loyal Patriot

   LORL PATROT

“You win,” said the major, sitting down very heavily.

“Then,” I said, putting my exhibit back in my pocket, “if you’ll have the prisoner brought and sign an order for his release, I’ll tear up my letter to the General and forget the whole unfortunate incident.”

“... Afraid I can’t do that.”

“Why not, Major?”

“Identification of the informer puts a new light on the case, that’s true. It doesn’t change the evidence.”

“Your evidence is worthless. It proves nothing.”

“That’s up to a court to decide.”

“I’m sorry, sir. It’s up to you to decide.”

He looked startled, and I went on: “In the absence of habeas corpus, the Judge Advocate says if his evidence sustains the specification of a charge. I say your evidence doesn’t.”

“I say it does.”

“There’s also my evidence, Major.”

“... What do you mean, your evidence?”

“The bill I have in my wallet and this pasted-up note I just showed you are all I’ll need to prove collusion on your part, for a hundred-dollar bribe, with a skunk, to his profit, in the manufacture of a case against an innocent man.”

“I didn’t! I tell you I didn’t!”

“I know you didn’t. I ’ ll prove it just the same! ”

“Keep it quiet, Bill!” said Dan.

“WHY SHOULD I KEEP IT QUIET?” I bellowed.

When he closed the door quick, the way he did that other time, I felt things going my way, so when he put his arms around me and started wrestling me into my chair, I let him. And I listened intently as he said: “Bill, after all, there’s such a thing as showing some judgment. Your man’s not out, he’s in. And so long as he’s in, wild talk from you can’t help but hurt him. Now, are you going to be sensible, or aren’t you?”

“I am, it’s just what I want.”

“All right — then let’s start over.”

“Fine, we can all relax.”

I went over, patted her on the cheek. I kept on around, and patted Dan on the cheek. I patted Olsen on the cheek. I stood in front of the major, and when I saw that he would take it, patted him on the cheek. I went over to Burke and slapped him sharply on the cheek. Then I came back to my place and sat down. “So,” I said, “in a calm and reasonable way, let’s have a look at this thing. I’d call it a simple dilemma — with one horn and what we might call a handle. The handle is that the major, now that he knows the truth, can admit in a manly way that we all make mistakes and dismiss this case at once. The horn is that if he doesn’t dismiss the case, I have to submit this letter — we mustn’t forget that. The letter, once submitted, lets Olsen in, and also leaves him free to publish what’s been said here. And that brings in the Gooch Committee — we mustn’t forget them. And they bring in a Court of Inquiry — we mustn’t forget it . That’s as far as I’ll take it now, but we all have to realize, now that we’re being sensible, the backwash will be unpleasant. Mind, I don’t think the major was crooked — he was too self-righteous for that. To me, he’s an honest man, fair to middling dumb, who got himself sucked in, then couldn’t take himself out. Unfortunately, we have to go by the evidence, and my evidence—”

“Are you threatening me?” said the major.

“ Threatening you?” I yelled. “Goddam it, am I talking English or am I talking Choctaw? You get Mr. Landry up here, you dismiss this case right now, or you stupid son of a bitch I’M SENDING YOU TO PRISON!”

“Bill, stop it!” yelled Dan.

“Try stopping me!” I yelled back.

“Then all right,” whined the major. “I’ll have the case reviewed. You come back tomorrow, and—”

“I give you five minutes! Get Mr. Landry, or—”

“But I can’t—”

“GET HIM!” barked Dan.

The major knifed out into the hall, and then things began happening so fast they’re all mixed up in my memory. First she came running over, and in front of Dan, in front of Burke, in front of Olsen, and in front of the orderly, began kissing my hand. Then Mr. Landry was there, a leather valise in his hand, and she flew to his arms, kissing him and whispering to him in French. Then the major came back with papers for me to sign, and I told her take her father down and wait for me in the cab. They did, but not before Burke got in it, snarling at them in French, and she snarled back, but Mr. Landry answered quite mildly. Then Olsen left, very solemn, bowing to me and saying: “Your faithful cat’s-paw salutes you.” Then it was Burke, me, the major, and Dan, but when Burke tried to go Dan stepped over to block him, and told the major: “You’re holding this man, I think. You’d better — if you know what’s good for you.” Then the major was taking Burke down to the detention room, the orderly going too.

Then it was Dan and me. I held out my hand to thank him for everything, but he didn’t seem to see it. “Bill,” he said, “I won’t forget this day. I bring you in, I extend you courtesies out of personal regard — and then you play me tricks.”

“... I had a client to think of.”

“Oh, he counts more than a friend?”

“Dan, you make me feel bad.”

“Oh, please don’t — I make allowance.”

I supposed he was lining it up to take a crack at Mignon, and on purpose held my tongue so as not to give him the chance. He waited, and then when I said nothing went on: “You’re now in Red River cotton, which messes up everything that it touches — and everyone.”

“Oh no,” I said, “I’m not.”

“You think you’re not but you are.”

Mr. Landry got out of the cab in my honor and bowed me in, taking a seat on the other side of her, so she was in the middle. Their flat was on Royal Street, which is St. Charles extended, on the other side of Canal, so I told the driver take them there, “but stop first at the St. Charles Hotel, which is where I get out.” It seemed to me, considering the stakes of the game, that she could have spoken up: “ And me — I get out there too.” But what she said was: “And before you get to the hotel, you stop at Lavadeau’s — I get out there .” And then to her father she added: “I have to go to work.” He patted her hand, then told me, speaking across her: “Mr. Cresap, I haven’t thanked nearly enough for what you did — and I still have no faintest idea how you did it. Mignon has tried to tell me, but law is not her forte.”

“Nor mine,” I said. “A reporter was the key.”

“Ah! I begin to understand.”

“But I’ll be only too glad to explain. Why don’t you and Mrs. Fournet have dinner with me tonight, and I’ll give you the fine points?”

“Daughter?”

“Why — I’d like to. Yes.”

“Mr. Cresap, we’ll both be honored.”

“Then I’ll expect you around seven.”

We rode along, the sun out for a change, and I remarked on how nice it was to think of something besides shoes, which caused her suddenly to ask him: “Why did you buy those shoes? Didn’t you know they had to make trouble?”

“Daughter, they were cheap,” he told her.

“And that was the only reason?”

“At twenty-five cents a pair, a storekeeper couldn’t resist. They were Army rejects, mismated on size. But by taking a gross assorted, I was able to match them up, with only seven pair left over. At thirty-six dollars, plus burlap bags to ship in, plus freight, who wouldn’t have helped out those boys?”