lrh.fortuneoffear-第33章

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ces。　It　spoiled　the　moment　for　me。　No　tomatoes！
　　　Mamie　Boomp；　in　a　resonant　voice；　shouted；　〃May　I　introduce　to　you　the　principal　stockholder　of　this　corporation：　This　sterling；　this　remarkable　naval　officer；　brought　to　you　at　great　expense；　who　has　e　sailing　up　in　his　shore　boat　just　to　talk　to　you　today。　I　give　you；　now；　the　star　of　stars；　the　friend　of　presidents；　the　one；　the　only；　the　real　JEROME　TERRANCE　WISTER！〃
　　　Tom…Tom；　sitting　at　the　traps；　had　begun　a　drum　roll。　It　was　crescendoing　up。
　　　Mamie；　voice　covered　by　the　roll；　said　in　Heller's　ear；　〃Just　say　'Yes。　I　approve。'　And　bow。　That's　all。　Nothing　else！〃
　　　With　a　mighty　cymbal　crash；　the　drum　roll　ended。
　　　Heller；　probably　shattered　by　the　cymbal　crash　and　stunned　unthinking　by　the　vast　and　silent　crowd；　in　a　loud　voice　said；　〃Yes！　I　approve！〃
　　　He　bowed。
　　　The　hall　exploded！
　　　PANDEMONIUM！
　　　Hats　and　caps　went　sailing　into　the　air。
　　　Yells　burst　from　the　thousands　of　throats！
　　　Then；　like　a　pack　of　hurtling　animals；　they　came　over　the　backs　of　chairs　and　up　and　onto　the　stage　in　a　screaming　mob。
　　　They　seized　Heller。　They　lifted　him　high　on　their　shoulders。　They　walked　him　all　around　the　stage　and　then　down　the　steps　and　all　around　the　convention　hall。
　　　And　all　the　time　they　were　screaming；　〃Hail　the　Chief！〃
　　　Abruptly　the　auditorium　lights　came　on！
　　　What　must　have　been　a　stage　electrician　sprang　up　to　a　balcony　platform　and　got　a　spotlight　going。　He　threw　it　onto　Heller　and　turned　it　blue　and　red　and　yellow　and　white。　Then　he　must　have　heard　a　signal　from　Mamie　for　he　swivelled　it　over　onto　her　on　the　stage。　She　was　holding　her　hands　up　to　mand　attention。　They　lifted　Heller　up　over　the　footlights　and　turned　their　faces　to　Mamie。
　　　In　a　voice　that　would　have　made　a　Greek　orator　roll　in　his　grave　with　envy；　Mamie　roared　out；　〃Now；　ladeeees　and　gentlemen；　you　proud　employees　of　the　newly　named　Lucky　Bonanza　Casino　Corporation！　Get　the　paddles　chunking；　the　yachts　flying！　Get　the　Boardwalk　swept　and　the　dice　and　wheels　rolling　in　the　dough。　Tote　that　barge　and　lift　that　roll！　In　short；　as　your　president　and　general　manager；　I　advise　you　to　get　back　to　work！　What　do　you　say？〃
　　　The　crowd　cheered！　It　rushed　out　of　the　auditorium；　on　its　way。
　　　Heller　looked　around　at　the　deserted　hall。　He　looked　at　Mamie　and　Tom…Tom　and　the　Countess。　He　asked　them；　wonderingly；　〃What　did　I　approve？〃
　　　The　others　had　their　minds　on　different　things。　Nobody　answered。
　　　Heller　asked；　〃How　did　the　lights　e　on？〃
　　　Tom…Tom　stopped　tightening　a　drumhead　and　looked　at　Heller　timidly。　He　said；　〃I　couldn't　go　to　the　utility　pany　offices　myself。　I　know　as　treasurer　I　should　handle　them；　but　I　wouldn't　know　if　I　was　paying　the　right　bank　notes　out；　so　I　sent　the　band　leader。　The　lights；　phone；　water　and　furnaces　should　all　be　on　shortly；　as　he　keeps　good　time。〃
　　　Heller　looked　around。　〃But　they　can't　start　gambling　in　the　casinos　or　even　make　change　in　the　stores。　There　isn't　any　cash。〃
　　　The　Countess　Krak　was　at　his　elbow。　〃I　didn't　tell　you；　dear；　as　you　seemed　so　busy。　But　I　put　three　sacks　of　that　money　in　a　ventilator　shaft。　It's　about　a　million　and　a　half；　they　guess。　I　gave　it　to　Mamie　so　she　could　get　your　corporation　going。〃
　　　Mamie　said；　〃And　it　is　really　appreciated；　honey。　It's　enough　to　pay　utilities；　get　money　in　the　cashier's　cages　and　fill　up　the　slot　machines　so　we　can　start　pulling　in　some　dough。〃
　　　Heller　asked　them；　〃What　did　I　approve？〃
　　　But　he　was　being　pushed　out　of　the　auditorium　by　Mamie。　They　got　to　the　lobby。
　　　It　was　jammed　with　newly　arriving　people！　MOBS！　There　were　four　long　lines　at　the　desk　where　clerks　were　swiftly　checking　them　in。
　　　Heller　looked　out　a　side　window。　The　parking　lot　was　jammed　with　newly　arrived　cars。　And　more　were　strung　out　down　the　road；　honking　their　way　forward　inch　by　inch。　He　said　to　Mamie；　〃Why　are　all　those　people　ing　in？〃
　　　She　said；　as　she　pushed　him　up　some　steps；　〃I　guess　it's　to　see　the　scene　of　the　battle。　It's　all　over　national　TV。　Burning　tanks；　exploding　landing　craft；　shot…down　planes。　The　wrecks　are　all　out　there；　real　and　authentic；　too！　The　PR　people　did　a　great　job　on　press…agenting　your　taking　Atlantic　City　by　storm。　They　even　used　some　film　clips　of　the　Normandy　D…day　landing　in　World　War　II。　It's　been　on　every　network　since　midmorning。　But　Atlantic　City　press　agents　have　always　been　tops。〃
　　　I　snorted。　Atlantic　City　press　agents　be　（bleeped）。　That　was　Madison！
　　　The　Countess　Krak　said；　〃Was　there　a　battle；　dear？　I　was　in　the　laundry　room　and　corridors。　I　did　hear　shooting。　But　I　didn't　know　you'd　been　down　on　the　beach。〃
　　　They　had　reached　the　former　office　of　capo　Gobbo　Piegare。　Mamie　inspected　the　place；　she　picked　a　beautifully　sculpted　black　hand　off　the　desk　and　dropped　it　in　the　wastebasket　and　dusted　off　her　fingers。　She　then　removed　Heller's　coat　and　sat　down　in　the　elegant；　yellow　desk　chair。　From　it　she　had　a　view　of　the　Boardwalk；　which　was　getting　noisier。
　　　She　tossed　the　jacket　to　Heller。　〃You　sure　are　clever；　sailor。　Having　a　stand…in　doing　autographs　for　you。　It　can　be　pretty　tiring；　as　stars　like　me　know　only　too　well。　But　listen；　sailor：　when　you　choose　a　double；　pick　one　that　looks　more　like　you。　I　can't　abide　buckteeth。〃
　　　〃Double？〃　said　Heller。　〃Where　is　the　double？〃
　　　Oh；　my　Gods。　I　certainly　smelled　Madison　here　in　his　relentless　search　for　front　page。
　　　〃Why；〃　said　Mamie；　〃he's　out　there　now　on　the　Boardwalk；　autographing　like　mad。　Clever　idea。　Wears　one　out　posing　for　TV　crews。　But　the　double　is　handling　it　well。〃
　　　The　Countess　said；　〃So　you　don't　have　to　go　out；　dear。〃
　　　Heller　peeked　through　the　window　down　at　the
　　　Boardwalk。　It　was　SWARMING　with　public　and　vendors　and　reporters　and　cameramen。　The　double；　Madison's　phony　〃Whiz　Kid〃…glasses；　big　jaw；　buckteeth　and　all…was　standing　on　a　wrecked　army…surplus　tank　while　some　effects　man　rekindled　the　flames　within　it。
　　　〃I　sure　won't；〃　said　Heller；　flinching。　He　turned　back　into　the　room。　〃Will　somebody　please；　please　tell　me　what　I　approved？〃
　　　Mamie　sat　up　in　the　sumptuous　desk　chair。　〃Well；　you　see；　none　of　the　staff　has　been　paid　for　ages。　And　they　know　the　corporation　can't　pay　them　and　it's　winter　and　there　are　no　jobs　open。〃　She　looked　at　him　questioningly　as　if　to　say；　did　he　really　want　to　know？
　　　〃Please　tell　me；〃　begged　Heller。
　　　〃Well；　in　short；　sailor；　I　told　them　that　if　you　approved　it；　they　could　have　100　percent　of　the　profits　of　the　whole　corporation　and　all　its　holdings；　after　expenses；　until　all　their　back　wages；　withholding　tax　and　pension　fund　was　caught　up。　After　that；　you　said　they　could　only　have　60　percent。　However；　that　won't　be　for　a　long；　long　time。〃
　　　Heller　sat　down　suddenly　in　a　chair。　And　well　he　might！　For；　to　all　intents　and　purposes；　so　far　as　ine　for　an　owner　was　concerned；　Atlantic　City　again　had　just　changed　hands！
　　　THE　WHOLE　ENTERPRISE　HAD　BEEN　TAKEN　OVER　BY　THE　STAFF！
　　　Mamie　went　on。　〃But　I　need　an　opinion　from　you　on　something　very　important。〃
　　　Breathlessly；　he　said；　〃What？〃
　　　Mamie　said；　persuasively；　〃Don't　you　think　I　should　order　my　name　put　up　in　lights　on　each　casino…hotel？　Real　big：　'Mamie　Boomp；　President　and　General　Manager。'　How　do　you　think　that　would　go　over？〃
　　　Very　faintly；　Heller　said；　〃Wonderful。〃　Then　after　a　little　he　turned　to　Countess　Krak；　〃Dear；　I　think　it's　time　we　went　back　to　New　York。〃
　　　Oh；　did　I　guffaw！　Heller's　venture　to　get　Izzy　out　of　debt　had　made　exactly　no　progress　at　all！　It　had　only　brought　more　trouble。　Moreover；　he　was　now　discouraged　and　of　very　low　morale。
　　　I　decided　then　and　there　to　stop　worrying　about　him　and　let　him　sink。　There　was　no　slightest　sign　that　he　would　do　anything　productive　or　active；　and　when　the　word　came　from　Lombar；　he　and　the　Countess　Krak　would　still　be　in　the　U。　S。　floundering　around。　They　didn't　have　a　prayer　of　pleting　before　I　could　get　the　word　and　kill　them　both！
　　　My　euphoria　revved　right　up　to　top…peak。　It　was　I　who　was　winning。　Me；　me；　me！

Chapter　2

　　　The　next　morning　m