five tales-第19章
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s shareholders。 Amusing spectacle when you came to think of it; a general meeting! Unique! Eighty or a hundred men; and five women; assembled through sheer devotion to their money。 Was any other function in the world so single…hearted。 Church was nothing to itso many motives were mingled there with devotion to one's soul。 A well…educated young manreader of Anatole France; and other writershe enjoyed ironic speculation。 What earthly good did they think they got by coming here? Half…past two! He put his watch back into his pocket; and passed into the Board… room。
There; the fumes of lunch and of a short preliminary meeting made cosy the February atmosphere。 By the fire four directors were conversing rather restlessly; the fifth was combing his beard; the chairman sat with eyes closed and red lips moving rhythmically in the sucking of a lozenge; the slips of his speech ready in his hand。 The secretary said in his cheerful voice: 〃Time; sir。〃
Old Heythorp swallowed; lifted his arms; rose with help; and walked through to his place at the centre of the table。 The five directors followed。 And; standing at the chairman's right; the secretary read the minutes; forming the words precisely with his curling tongue。 Then; assisting the chairman to his feet; he watched those rows of faces; and thought: 'Mistake to let them see he can't get up without help。 He ought to have let me read his speechI wrote it。'
The chairman began to speak:
〃It is my duty and my pleasure;' ladies and gentlemen; for the nineteenth consecutive year to present to you the directors' report and the accounts for the past twelve months。 You will all have had special notice of a measure of policy on which your Board has decided; and to which you will be asked to…day to give your adherenceto that I shall come at the end of my remarks。。。。〃
〃Excuse me; sir; we can't hear a word down here。〃
'Ah!' thought the secretary; 'I was expecting that。'
The chairman went on; undisturbed。 But several shareholders now rose; and the same speaker said testily: 〃We might as well go home。 If the chairman's got no voice; can't somebody read for him?〃
The chairman took a sip of water; and resumed。 Almost all in the last six rows were now on their feet; and amid a hubbub of murmurs the chairman held out to the secretary the slips of his speech; and fell heavily back into his chair。
The secretary re…read from the beginning; and as each sentence fell from his tongue; he thought: 'How good that is!' 'That's very clear!' 'A neat touch!' 'This is getting them。' It seemed to him a pity they could not know it was all his composition。 When at last he came to the Pillin sale he paused for a second。
〃I come now to the measure of policy to which I made allusion at the beginning of my speech。 Your Board has decided to expand your enterprise by purchasing the entire fleet of Pillin & Co。; Ltd。 By this transaction we become the owners of the four steamships Smyrna; Damascus; Tyre; and Sidon; vessels in prime condition with a total freight…carrying capacity of fifteen thousand tons; at the low inclusive price of sixty thousand pounds。 Gentlemen; de l'audace; toujours de l'audace!〃it was the chairman's phrase; his bit of the speech; and the secretary did it more than justice。 〃Times are bad; but your Board is emphatically of the opinion that they are touching bottom; and this; in their view; is the psychological moment for a forward stroke。 They confidently recommend your adoption of their policy and the ratification of this purchase; which they believe will; in the not far distant future; substantially increase the profits of the Company。〃 The secretary sat down with reluctance。 The speech should have continued with a number of appealing sentences which he had carefully prepared; but the chairman had cut them out with the simple comment: 〃They ought to be glad of the chance。〃 It was; in his view; an error。
The director who had combed his beard now rosea man of presence; who might be trusted to say nothing long and suavely。 While he was speaking the secretary was busy noting whence opposition was likely to come。 The majority were sitting owl…like…a good sign; but some dozen were studying their copies of the report; and three at least were making notesWestgate; for; instance; who wanted to get on the Board; and was sure to make himself unpleasantthe time…honoured method of vinegar; and Batterson; who also desired to come on; and might be trusted to support the Boardthe time…honoured method of oil; while; if one knew anything of human nature; the fellow who had complained that he might as well go home would have something uncomfortable to say。 The director finished his remarks; combed his beard with his fingers; and sat down。
A momentary pause ensued。 Then Messieurs Westgate and Batterson rose together。 Seeing the chairman nod towards the latter; the secretary thought: 'Mistake! He should have humoured Westgate by giving him precedence。' But that was the worst of the old man; he had no notion of the suaviter in modo! Mr。 Batterson thus unchainedwould like; if he might be so allowed; to congratulate the Board on having piloted their ship so smoothly through the troublous waters of the past year。 With their worthy chairman still at the helm; he had no doubt that in spite of the still lowhe would not say falling… barometer; and the…er…unseasonable climacteric; they might rely on weathering theerhe would not say storm。 He would confess that the present dividend of four per cent。 was not one which satisfied every aspiration (Hear; hear!); but speaking for himself; and he hoped for othersand here Mr。 Batterson looked roundhe recognised that in all the circumstances it was as much as they had the right erto expect。 But following the bold but to his mind prudent development which the Board proposed to make; he thought that they might reasonably; if not sanguinely; anticipate a more golden future。 (〃No; no!〃) A shareholder said; 'No; no!' That might seem to indicate a certain lack of confidence in the special proposal before the meeting。 (〃Yes!〃) From that lack of confidence he would like at once to dissociate himself。 Their chairman; a man of foresight and acumen; and valour proved on many a field andersea; would not have committed himself to this policy without good reason。 In his opinion they were in safe hands; and he was glad to register his support of the measure proposed。 The chairman had well said in his speech: 'de l'audace; toujours de l'audace!' Shareholders would agree with him that there could be no better motto for Englishmen。 Ahem!
Mr。 Batterson sat down。 And Mr。 Westgate rose: He wantedhe said to know more; much more; about this proposition; which to his mind was of a very dubious wisdom。。。。 'Ah!' thought the secretary; 'I told the old boy he must tell them more'。。。。 To whom; for instance; had the proposal first been made? To him!the chairman said。 Good! But why were Pillins selling; if freights were to go up; as they were told?
〃Matter of opinion。〃
〃Quite so; and in my opinion they are going lower; and Pillins were right to sell。 It follows that we are wrong to buy。〃 (〃Hear; hear!〃 〃No; no!〃) 〃Pillins are shrewd people。 What does the chairman say? Nerves! Does he mean to tell us that this sale was the result of nerves?〃
The chairman nodded。
〃That appears to me a somewhat fantastic theory; but I will leave that and confine myself to asking the grounds on which the chairman bases his confidence; in fact; what it is which is actuating the Board in pressing on us at such a time what I have no hesitation in stigmatising as a rash proposal。 In a word; I want light as well as leading in this matter。〃
Mr。 Westgate sat down。
What would the chairman do now? The situation was distinctly awkwardseeing his helplessness and the lukewarmness of the Board behind him。 And the secretary felt more strongly than ever the absurdity of his being an underling; he who in a few well…chosen words could so easily have twisted the meeting round his thumb。 Suddenly he heard the long; rumbling sigh which preluded the chairman's speeches。
〃Has any other gentleman anything to say before I move the adoption of the report?〃
Phe