William Gaddis - J R

— Read the newspapers do you, Beaton?

— Yes sir.

— May even have come across a little piece tucked away in the Times when they dropped this criminal indictment against the company officers?

— Why of, of course yes sir but since the indictment against the company itself was left standing I…

— And as of close of today’s business he’s got no more connection with the company than Rin Tin Tin who’s going to bring up this damn nonsense. Now what the devil’s Endo doing here.

— Yes sir since this recent decree allowing the Diamond tender on condition of the divestiture of Endo Appliance Company just came through from the Justice Department, I thought any question relating to the family interest in Diamond Cable might prompt further…

— Don’t mean they’re going to pick over Endo does it? Want somebody to ask him under oath when this Endo spinoff was first contemplated? No damn use to anybody just make sure you’ve got those patents reassigned put Dick Cutler on it, only damn thing this bunch will have their minds on’s conflict of interest, Broos going to lead him through it?

— Yes sir it shouldn’t present any difficulties, all his security holdings have been placed in the foundation accounts the papers are right here sir, we…

— Right where! by God Beaton that’s all I’ve been trying to get out of you here for the last hour.

— They’re right here yes sir your niece has, excuse me Mrs Joubert… he hurried the papers from her lap where she opened her bag for a handkerchief, caught it up eyes unblinking over its lavender border crumpled in her hand.

— You look tired Daddy, she said to him paused half turned from her as he might have at a window if there’d been one there, looking down, fingers long like those crumpling the handkerchief coursing the bridge of his nose as he brought his gaze past hers down the long line of her throat, — and Daddy if you’re leaving today I have to work things out more clearly for Francis, couldn’t we try to…

— Yes I know… his hand came down, left his lips pursed with concern.

— Because you know all of you know, the only thing I’ve ever…

— Beaton? just a minute Amy… and her hand, edging back a black fall of hair from her temple, hung there empty behind him. — This last option here, the one I just picked up have you…

— It’s yes sir it’s all taken care of we, I don’t think…

— What’s that Beaton?

— Oh, oh nothing sir Mister Mon…

— Look pretty damn rattled over nothing, that what you’re paid to talk about here? nothing?

— No sir no, I meant…

— What the devil did you mean, just said you’ve got all his stock distributed in these two foundations didn’t you?

— Yes sir it’s, we’re still waiting for delivery on one certificate from Mister Crawley but there’s no…

— Crawley? Probably got it listed in his street name down there out borrowing against it to buy another damn elephant gun why the devil’d you…

— No Uncle John? Excuse me we just left Mister Crawley, I think I happened to see it in his office a certificate made out to the Emily Cates Mon…

— Sounds like it how many shares.

— I don’t recall, it did seem rather large but…

— Don’t matter if it’s one damn share Beaton you send somebody right down there and get it hear me? Leave Crawley sitting on a plugged nickel he’d…

— But he was really awfully kind to us I don’t think you should make him sound…

— Didn’t call him a thief Amy he’s just not too damn bright, heard from Handler he thinks he’s got jungle rot leave him sitting on these certificates go down there someday when you need them find nothing but a damn ant hill what’s all this Beaton.

— Which the, yes sir yes since both foundations are being used as receptacles for these securities if any questions are addressed to Mister Moncrieff regarding their tax-exempt status I thought he would want to be familiar with the details of the…

— Seem to me one thing he don’t want to be’s too familiar with the damn details, no question on their status is there?

— No sir none, since the hospital is becoming sole recipient of any gifts and income accru…

— Any damn reason for him to say any more than that? Want more details they can go ask Infernal Revenue, Monty gets up there reciting all these damn details you’ll have the damn leftwing press on the doorstep asking what bank holds the hospital’s pension fund next damn thing they’ll be combing over the directors of this nonprofit health insurance program coming up with some damn story what’s insured’s not the public that’s paying the premiums but every doctor and surgeon in creation charging what he damn pleases hospital rates going through the roof because they all know they’ll get every damn penny’s that what you want?

— No sir no but, I thought…

— Didn’t think Beaton damn it if you’d thought you wouldn’t send him in there with every figure you can lay your damn hands on look at all this, think it’s a damn Patman hearing on these two foundations? Simple damn hearing to confirm a simple damn appointment in a simple damn post last thing they want to do’s embarrass the damn fool who appointed him, get him up there volunteering all this fill their mouths with a lot of irrelevant damn fool questions next thing they’ll have me up as a witness on control of the foundation assets drag in this issue of Diamond preferred and we’re back on the damn merrygoround with Infernal Revenue SEC and the whole damn leftwing press that what you want?

— No sir of course not but the, but of course the legal position regarding your original authorization of the preferred issue was carefully explored in terms of control of the foundations’ assets, and the decision that it appeared advisable for tax purposes that the preferred remain without voting rights only if four div…

— Know that damn it made the decision myself didn’t I? Think the fact it’s legal means these papers won’t be in there yapping about the public’s right to know all my damn business? Tell them it appeared advisable for tax purposes this preferred pays six percent semiannually don’t vote unless four dividends are missed any of their damn business why we’ve passed up the first three? Public that don’t know the damn difference between tax avoidance and tax evasion tell them you’ve wiped out thirty damn years’ capital gains tax with one unlimited gift to charity they’ll think you’re, what’s that Amy?

— Oh nothing, nothing I’ve…

— Never heard so much nothing somebody pick up that damn phone, if it’s Zona tell her I went to the toilet already throwing her weight around on this block of Boody’s Diamond common she’s sitting on, tender coming up might be just as damn easy to deal with Boody where the devil’s she at, last time I saw her she had a dirty neck.

— Still in Nepal I had a call from the cons…

— Had her picture in the paper too damn good place for her, law spreading from one state to the next like the damn plague gives eighteen-year-olds every legal right you can think of want you to look into that Beaton, get hold of what’s his name in the legislature see if there’s any damn way to slow it down.

— No ma’am he’s gone to, to the men’s room…

— Yes sir I’ve alread…

— While you’re at it some little wop up there just been named to head the state banking committee see where he stands on these bank charters in the damn suburbs might be able to bring him around, that her on the phone Bulcke?

— Yes sir that was Mrs Selk I told her you…

— Heard what you told her, wants you to get that girlhood home of hers made a national landmark once you’re in position down there Monty have to move the whole damn river, you tell me the date on this third dividend’s passed Beaton?