lrh.fortuneoffear-第31章

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ks　on　the　beach　and　black；　oily　smoke　drifting　around。
　　　He　went　back　into　the　bedroom　and　opened　the　drapes　there；　disclosing　a　stretch　of　desolate　Boardwalk；　deserted　except　for　a　TV　crew　that　was　shooting　something。
　　　Krak　was　sitting　on　the　side　of　the　bed；　half…dressed；　ruefully　regarding　the　scars　on　the　side　of　her　white　Moroccan　boot；　probably　caused　by　her　slide　down　the　laundry　chute。　She　looked　up。　〃They　certainly　don't　know　how　to　make　animals　grow　proper　hides。〃　She　threw　it　down　and　went　into　the　bathroom　and　spin…brushed　her　teeth。
　　　With　her　mouth　full　of　foam；　she　said；　〃Jettero；　who　is　this　'Whiz　Kid'　they　are　talking　about？〃
　　　Heller　was　picking　through　the　suitcase。　He　sighed。　He　said；　〃He's　the　dumbest　（bleepard）　in　a　business　deal　that　anybody　ever　met…begging　your　pardon；　miss。　You　wouldn't　want　to　know　him。〃
　　　She　rinsed　out　her　mouth　and　came　back　into　the　bedroom。　〃Will　all　this　help　us　to　get　home？〃　she　asked。
　　　〃We'll　be　lucky　if　we　don't　get　booted　off　this　planet　and　kicked　the　whole　twenty…two　light…years　back　home。〃
　　　She　went　into　a　slight　shock。　She　stood　there；　staring　at　him。　〃Oh；　dear；〃　she　said。　〃And　return　as　failures？〃
　　　I　knew　what　she　was　thinking　about：　Those　two　forged　〃Royal　Proclamations；〃　which　she'd　given　her　word　to　keep　from　Heller；　would　not　be　valid　if　the　mission　failed。　He　would　still　be　put　onto　dangerous　assignments；　she　thought；　and；　as　she　was　a　nonperson；　they　could　not　get　married。
　　　〃Oh；　dear；〃　she　said　again。　She　began　to　get　dressed。　Heller　was　still　poking　into　the　suitcase；　looking　glum。　The　Countess　Krak　got　into　her　chinchilla　coat；　put　on　her　white　fur　hat　and　picked　up　her　pocketbook。　At　the　door；　she　stopped　and　called　back；　〃I'm　going　to　see　Mamie　Boomp。　We　have　a　lot　to　talk　about。　See　you　later；　dear。〃　She　left。
　　　Well；　one　thing　I　didn't　want　to　hear　more　about　was　fashions；　fashions；　fashions　and　clothes；　clothes；　clothes。　What　the　homosexual　designers　were　proclaiming　would　be　spring　styles　was　my　idea　of　pure　static。　I　didn't　want　to　spoil　my　euphoria。　I　turned　off　her　viewer。　Heller's　depression　was　the　source　of　my　extreme　well…being。
　　　He　really　understood　he　had　plunged　himself　to　ruin。　The　neat；　gray　flannel　suit　and　silk　shirt　were　a　long　way　from　how　he　felt；　apparently。　He　dug；　out　of　the　bottom　of　the　grip；　a　suit　of　workman's　denim。　They　were　the　style　for　beachwear　and　maybe　he　had　thought　they'd　have　some　time　on　the　sand；　as　he　looked　at　the　cold；　gray　sea　from　time　to　time。
　　　Slowly；　he　began　to　get　dressed。　The　most　recent　denim　men's　styles　required　the　material　be　torn；　patched　and　grease…stained　like　true　workmen's　clothing。　And　although　he　might　now　be　dressed　in　the　beachwear　height　of　fashion；　my；　didn't　he　appear　a　ragged　wreck　as　he　looked　at　himself　in　the　mirror！
　　　Then　he　sat　for　a　long；　long　time；　staring　out　the　window　at　the　cold；　gray　sea。　What　a　treat　for　my　eyes！　Oh；　how　the　mighty　had　fallen！　He　not　only　hadn't　helped　their　precarious　situation　in　New　York；　he　had　bee　the　proud　possessor　of　incalculable　sums　of　utter　ruin。　I　enjoyed　it　and　enjoyed　it。　He　was　not　only　slowed　down；　he　was　going　backwards！
　　　He　looked　at　his　watch；　at　last。　It　registered　nearly　noon；　Eastern　Standard　Time。　I　remembered　that　noon　was　the　stated　time　of　foreclosure。　He　looked　at　the　door。　Then　he　looked　at　the　phone。　I　realized　that　he　had　been　waiting　around　for　news　from　Izzy。
　　　He　got　up　and　went　to　the　phone。　He　picked　it　up。　No　dial　tone。　Dead。　He　pushed　some　buttons　for　an　outside　line。　Still　dead。
　　　Aha！　I　knew　what　had　happened。　The　phones　had　been　shut　off　by　the　phone　pany！　A　surge　of　pleasure　raced　through　me。
　　　Heller　put　it　back　on　the　cradle。　Then　he　looked　at　the　bathroom。　The　lights　there　had　been　on　a　little　earlier。　He　went　in　and　threw　the　switch。　He　threw　another　switch。　Nothing　happened。　No　lights！
　　　Oh；　wonderful！　The　light　pany　had　shut　off　the　lights！
　　　He　turned　on　a　water　tap。　Nothing　happened！　Oho；　I　gloated。　The　water　pany　had　shut　the　water　off！
　　　He　went　over　to　a　radiator　and　felt　it。　Evidently　it　was　ice　cold。　The　furnaces　were　off！
　　　He　was　in　a　super…posh　Atlantic　City　high…rise　hotel…casino。　He　was；　in　fact；　the　proprietor。　And　all　the　utilities　were　shut　down　tight！
　　　I　gloated。　Given　time；　even　the　pipes　would　freeze！
　　　Glory；　glory！　Fate　was　driving　misfortune　in　with　a　sledgehammer！
　　　He　began　to　pace　slowly　back　and　forth；　occasionally　glancing　at　his　watch　and　then　at　the　door。　Once　he　said；　〃Izzy；　where　are　you？！〃
　　　Twelve…thirty　came。　The　room　must　be　getting　cold；　for　he　threw　his　trench　coat　over　his　shoulders。
　　　He　continued　to　pace。　He　continued　to　glance　at　his　watch。　Oh；　I　enjoyed　every　second　of　it！
　　　One　o'clock　came。　The　Countess　had　not　e　back。　No　slightest　sign　of　Izzy。　Heller　sank　down　in　a　chair。　〃Izzy；　you　have　deserted　me　and　I　don't　blame　you　one　bit。〃
　　　He　saw　some　smoke　rising　from　down　the　Boardwalk；　quite　a　distance　away。　He　went　to　the　window。　He　couldn't　see　it　very　well。　Some　sort　of　a　burning　vehicle。　There　was　smoke　drifting　also　from　the　direction　of　the　beach。　He　didn't　bother　to　go　into　the　sitting　room　and　look。　I　guessed　that　it　might　be　rioting　and　looting。
　　　One…ten。　A　knock　on　the　door。
　　　Heller　raced　across　and　opened　it。
　　　A　very　mournful　Izzy　stood　there。　He　looked　even　shabbier　than　usual。　The　Salvation　Army　Good　Will　overcoat　was　faded　and　shiny　with　wear。　His　briefcase　was　a　mottle　of　scuffs　with　paper　tears　showing　through。　And　he　looked　far　sadder　and　more　slumped　than　usual；　a　feat　which　was　nearly　impossible。　Heller　let　him　in。
　　　〃Oh；　Mr。　Jet；〃　said　Izzy。　〃I　told　you　not　to　do　anything　foolish。　I　have　never　heard　of　such　a　catastrophe　in　the　whole　history　of　business。　I　have　told　you　and　told　you　to　keep　your　name　off　corporations。　Now　you're　in　it　up　to　your　skull　top。　You　should　leave　business　to　me。〃
　　　Heller　sank　into　a　chair　and　put　his　head　in　his　hands。　〃I　know　that　now。〃
　　　〃You　should　have　known　it　yesterday。　Business　is　one　of　the　most　treacherous　tools　of　Fate。　But　it　is　my　fault。　I　saw　a　gleam　in　your　eye　and；　when　you　have　it；　you　always　go　out　and　get　people　to　shoot　at　you。　And　now　they've　used　submachine　guns；　cannons　and　even　a　hydrogen　bomb。　Oy；　what　rubble　and　wreckage！〃
　　　Heller　said；　miserably；　〃I　know。　I　know。　What　is　the　state　of　affairs　now？〃
　　　Izzy　said；　〃There　is　a　little　bit　of　nonpessimistic　news　which　I　don't　trust　and　bad　news　which　is　reliable。　So　I　will　give　you　the　bad　news　first。〃
　　　〃Probably；〃　said　Heller；　〃the　good　news　is　that　they　will　feed　me　breakfast　before　they　exterminate　me。　So　go　ahead。〃
　　　〃You　should　have　been　suspicious　when　they　let　you　win　so　much　for　so　long。　In　order　to　pay　the　bets　you　were　placing　with　such　wild　abandon；　they　dragged　down　every　casino's　cash；　every　bank　account　the　corporation　had。　They　even　wired　money　in　from　Las　Vegas。　They　also　collected　in　advance　from　all　hotel　guests。　They　exhausted　every　possible　source　of　cash　they　could　lay　their　hands　on　so　it　would　flow　back　to　them　through　you；　laundered　as　corporation　losses。
　　　〃The　corporation　cash…liquidity　picture　is　minus　millions　and　millions。　And　it　also　has　to　honor　the　IOU　markers　issued　like　an　avalanche　at　the　end　of　the　night；　and　so　we　e　to　the　nasty　subject　of　debt。
　　　〃Money　they　should　have　paid　for　utilities…phone；　lights；　water…for　months　has　been　going　into　their　pockets。　So　the　service　was　cut　off　today　on　all　these；　and　to　it　is　added　heating　oil。　It　even　includes　gasoline　charge　accounts　for　the　extensive　corporation　rolling　stock。
　　　〃All　staff　of　all　the　corporation's　numerous　businesses　are　unpaid　and　have　been　for　some　time。　The　government　IRS　withholding　tax　is　also　missing。
　　　〃The　money　which　went　into　the　staff　pension　funds　was　invested　in　businesses　which　mysteriously　failed；　and　so　the　pension　fund　has　to　be　made　up。
　　　〃All　state　and　local　taxes；　including　sales　tax；　are　owing　for　the　past　year。
　　　〃Most　of　the　hotel　equipment　is　on　time…payment　contracts　and　those　panies　want　to　take　the　equipment　back；　e