dk.nightchills-第4部分

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　When　Dawson's　secretary　finally　ushered　Salsbury　into　the　great　man's　chambers；　it　was　as　if　she　were　showing　him　to　the　altar　in　a　hushed　cathedral。　Her　attitude　was　reverent。　The　outer　office　had　Muzak；　but　the　inner　office　had　pure　silence。　The　room　was　sparsely　furnished：　a　deep　blue　carpet；　two　somber　oil　paintings　on　the　white　walls；　two　chairs　on　this　side　of　the　desk；　one　chair　on　the　other　side　of　it；　a　coffee　table；　rich　blue　velvet　drapes　drawn　back　from　seven　hundred　square　feet　of　lightly　tinted　glass　that　overlooked　midtown　Manhattan。　The　secretary　bowed　out　almost　like　an　altar　boy　retreating　from　the　sanctuary。
　〃How　are　you；　Ogden？〃　He　reached　out　to　shake　hands。
　〃Fine。　Just　fine…Leonard。〃
　Dawson's　hand　was　hard　and　dry；　Salsbury's　was　damp。
　〃How's　Miriam？〃　He　noticed　Salsbury's　hesitation。　〃Not　ill？〃
　〃We　were　divorced；〃　Salsbury　said。
　〃I'm　sorry　to　hear　that。〃
　Was　there　a　trace　of　disapproval　in　Dawson's　voice？　Salsbury　wondered。　And　why　the　hell　should　I　care　if　there　is？
　〃When　did　you　split　up？〃　Dawson　asked。
　〃Twenty…five　years　ago…Leonard。〃　Salsbury　felt　as　if　he　ought　to　use　the　other　man's　last　name　rather　than　his　first；　but　he　was　determined　not　to　be　intimidated　by　Dawson　as　he　had　been　when　they　were　both　young　men。
　〃It　has　been　a　long　time　since　we've　talked；〃　Dawson　said。　〃That's　a　shame。　We　had　so　many　great　times　together。〃
　They　had　been　fraternity　brothers　at　Harvard　and　casual　friends　for　a　few　years　after　they　left　the　university。　Salsbury　could　not　remember　a　single　〃great〃　time　they　might　have　shared。　Indeed；　he　had　always　thought　of　the　name　H。　Leonard　Dawson　as　a　synonym　for　both　prudery　and　boredom。
　〃Have　you　remarried？〃　Dawson　asked。
　Dawson　frowned。　〃Marriage　is　essential　to　an　ordered　life。　It　gives　a　man　stability。〃
　〃You're　right；〃　Salsbury　said；　although　he　didn't　believe　it。　〃I've　been　the　worse　for　bachelorhood。〃
　Dawson　had　always　made　him　uneasy。　Today　was　no　exception。
　He　felt　ill　at　ease　partly　because　they　were　so　different　from　each　other。　Dawson　was　six　feet　two；　broad　in　the　shoulders；　narrow　at　the　hips；　athletic。　Salsbury　was　five　feet　nine；　slope…shouldered；　and　twenty　pounds　overweight。　Dawson　had　thick　graying　hair；　a　deep　tan；　clear　black　eyes；　and　matinee…idol　features；　whereas　Salsbury　was　pale　with　receding　hair　and　myopic　brown　eyes　that　required　thick　glasses。　They　were　both　fifty…four。　Of　the　two；　Dawson　had　weathered　the　years　far　better。
　Then　again；　Salsbury　thought；　he　began　with　better　looks　than　I　did。　With　better　looks；　more　advantages；　more　money。。。
　If　Dawson　radiated　authority；　Salsbury　radiated　servility。　In
　the　laboratory　on　his　own　familiar　turf；　Ogden　was　as　impressive　as　Dawson。　They　were　not　in　the　laboratory　now；　however；　and　he　felt　out　of　place；　out　of　his　class；　inferior。
　〃How　is　Mrs。　Dawson？〃
　The　other　man　smiled　broadly。　〃Wonderful！　Just　wonderful。　I've　made　thousands　of　good　decisions　in　my　life；　Ogden。　But　she　was　the　best　of　them。〃　His　voice　grew　deeper　and　more　solemn；　it　was　almost　theatrical　in　effect。　〃She's　a　good；　God…fearing；　church…loving　woman。〃
　You're　still　a　Bible　thumper；　Salsbury　thought。　He　suspected　that　this　might　help　him　achieve　what　he　had　e　here　to　do。
　They　stared　at　each　other；　unable　to　think　of　any　more　small　talk。
　〃Sit　down；〃　Dawson　said。　He　went　behind　the　desk　while　Salsbury　settled　in　front　of　it。　The　four　feet　of　polished　oak　between　them　further　established　Dawson's　dominance。
　Sitting　stiffly；　briefcase　on　his　knees；　Salsbury　looked　like　the　corporate　equivalent　of　a　lap　dog。　He　knew　he　should　relax；　that　it　was　dangerous　to　let　Dawson　see　how　easily　he　could　be　intimidated。　Nevertheless；　knowing　this；　he　could　only　pretend　relaxation　by　folding　his　hands　atop　his　briefcase。
　〃This　letter。　…　。〃　Dawson　looked　at　the　paper　on　his　blotter。
　Salsbury　had　written　the　letter；　and　he　knew　it　by　heart。
　Dear　Leonard：
　Since　we　left　Harvard；　you've　made　more　money　than　I　have。　However；　I　haven't　wasted　my　life。　After　decades　of　study　and　experimentation；　I　have　nearly　perfected　a　process　that　is　priceless。　The　proceeds　in　a　single　year　could　exceed　your　accumulated　wealth。　I　am　entirely　serious。
　Could　I　have　an　appointment　at　your　convenience？　You　won't　regret　having　given　it　to　me。
　Make　the　appointment　for　〃Robert　Stanley；〃　a　subterfuge　to　keep　my　name　out　of　your　date　book。　As　you　can　see　from　the　letterhead　on　this　stationery；　I　direct　operations　at　the　main　biochem　research　laboratory　for　Creative　Development　Associates；　a　subsidiary　of　Futurex　International。　If　you　know　the　nature　of　CDA's　business；　you　will　understand　the　need　for　circumspection。
　As　ever；　Ogden　Salsbury
　He　had　expected　to　get　a　quick　response　with　that　letter；　and　his　expectations　had　been　met。　At　Harvard；　Leonard　had　been　guided　by　two　shining　principles：　money　and　God。　Salsbury　had　supposed；　and　rightly；　that　Dawson　hadn't　changed。　The　letter　was　mailed　on　Tuesday。　Late　Wednesday　Dawson's　secretary　called　to　make　the　appointment。
　〃I　don't　ordinarily　sign　for　registered　letters；〃　Dawson　said　sternly。　〃I　accepted　it　only　because　your　name　was　on　it。　After　I　read　it　I　very　nearly　threw　it　in　the　trash。〃
　Salsbury　winced。
　〃Had　it　been　from　anyone　else；　I　would　have　thrown　it　away。　But　at　Harvard　you　were　no　braggart。　Have　you　overstated　your　case？〃
　〃You've　discovered　something　you　think　is　worth　millions？〃
　〃Yes。　And　more。〃　His　mouth　was　dry。
　Dawson　took　a　manila　folder　from　the　center　desk　drawer。　〃Creative　Development　Associates。　We　bought　that　pany　seven　years　ago。　You　were　with　it　when　we　made　the　acquisition。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　Leonard。〃
　As　if　he　had　not　noticed　Salsbury's　slip　of　the　tongue；　Dawson　said；　〃CDA　produces　puter　programs　for　universities　and　government　bureaus　involved　in　sociological　and　psychological　studies。〃　He　didn't　bother　to　page　through　the　report。　He　seemed　to　have　memorized　it。　〃CDA　also　does　research　for　government　and　industry。　It　operates　seven　laboratories　that　are　examining　the　biological；　chemical；　and　biochemical　causes　of　certain　sociological　and　psychological　phenomena。　You're　in　charge　of　the　Brockert　Institute　in　Connecticut。〃　He　frowned。　〃The　entire　Connecticut　facility　is　devoted　to　top　secret　work　for　the　Defense　Department。〃　His　black　eyes　were　exception…
　ally　sharp　and　clear。　〃So　secret；　in　fact；　that　even　I　couldn't　find　out　what　you're　doing　up　there。　Just　that　it's　in　the　general　field　of　behavior　modification。〃
　Clearing　his　throat　nervously；　Salsbury　wondered　if　Dawson　was　broadminded　enough　to　grasp　the　value　of　what　he　was　about　to　be　told。　〃Are　you　familiar　with　the　term　'subliminal　perception'？〃
　〃It　has　to　do　with　the　subconscious　mind。〃
　〃That's　right…as　far　as　it　goes。　I'm　afraid　I'm　going　to　sound　rather　pedantic；　but　a　lecture　is　in　order。〃
　Dawson　leaned　back　as　Salsbury　leaned　forward。　〃By　all　means。〃
　Extracting　two　eight…by…ten　photographs　from　the　briefcase；　Salsbury　said；　〃Do　you　see　any　difference　between　photo　A　and　photo　B？〃
　Dawson　examined　them　closely。　They　were　black　and　white　studies　of　Salsbury's　face。　〃They're　identical。〃
　〃On　the　surface；　yes。　They're　prints　of　the　same　photograph。〃
　〃What's　the　point？〃
　〃I'll　explain　later。　Hold　on　to　them　for　now。〃
　Dawson　stared　suspiciously　at　the　pictures。　Was　this　some　sort　of　game？　He　didn't　like　games。　They　were　a　waste　of　time。　While　you　were　playing　a　game；　you　could　just　as　easily　be　earning　money。
　〃The　human　mind；〃　Salsbury　said；　〃has　two　primary　monitors　for　data　input：　the　conscious　and　the　subconscious。〃
　〃My　church　recognizes　the　subconscious；〃　Dawson　said　affably。　〃Not　all　churches　will　admit　it　exists。〃
　Unable　to　see　the　point　of　that；　Salsbury　ignored　it。　〃These　monitors　observe　and　store　two　different　sets　of　data。　In　a　manner　of　speaking；　the　conscious　mind　is　aware　only　of　what　happens　in　its　direct　line　of　sight；　while　the　subconscious　has　peripheral　vision。　These　two　halves　of　the　mind　operate　independently　of　each　other；　and　often　in　opposition　to　each　other…〃
　〃Only　in　the　abnormal　mind；〃　Dawson　said。
　〃No；　no。　In　everyone's　mind。　Yours　and　mine　included。〃
　Disturbed　that　anyone　should　think　his　mind　performed　in　any　state　other　than　perfect　harmony　with　itself；　Dawson　started　to　speak。
　〃For　example；〃　Salsbury　said　quickly；　〃a　man　is　sitting　at　a　bar。　A　beautiful　woman　takes　the　stool　next　to　his。　With　conscious　intent　he　tries　to　seduce　her。　At　the　same　time；　however；　without　being　consciously　aware　of　it；　he　may　be　terrified　of　sexual　involvement。　He　may　be　afraid　of　rejection；　failure；　or　impotency。　With　his　conscious　mind　he　performs　as　society　expects　him　to　perform　in　the　pany　of　a　sexy　woman。　But　his　subconscious　works　effectively　against　his　conscious。　Therefore；　he　alienates　the　woman。　He　talks　too　loudly　and　brashly。　Although　he's　ordinarily　an　interesting　fellow；　he　bores　her　with　stock　market　reports。　He　spills　his　drink　on　her。　That　behavior　is　the　product　of　his　subconscious　fear。　His　outer　mind　says　'Go'　even　as　his　inner　mind　shouts　'Stop。'〃
　Dawson's　expression　was　sour。　He　didn't　appreciate　the　nature　of　the　example。　Nevertheless；　he　said；　〃Go　on。〃
　〃The　subcon