lrh.fortuneoffear-第53部分

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Only　half　a　dozen　phones　were　ringing　at　once　and　over　half　of　the　fifty　teletype　machines　were　idle。
　　　Madison　was　in　his　cluttered　office；　his　feet　on　his　desk；　a　placent　smile　upon　his　youthful；　sincere　and　earnest　face。
　　　〃Smith！〃　he　said。　〃e　in。　Sit　down。　I　haven't　seen　you　all　day。〃
　　　It　offended　me。　Wasn't　anybody　ever　going　to　notice；　when　I'd　been　gone　for　weeks；　months　even？
　　　I　suddenly　remembered　I　had　a　bone　to　pick　with　him。　〃You　certainly　weren't　very　smart　sending　Doctor　Crobe　away；〃　I　said　sourly。
　　　〃Phetus　P。　Crobe？〃　he　said；　laughing。
　　　〃The　doctor　you　had　put　away。〃
　　　〃Put　away？〃　he　said。　〃Why；　where'd　you　get　that　idea；　Smith？〃
　　　〃You　sent　for　the　wagon；〃　I　said。
　　　〃Oh；　I　get　it。　Your　men　didn't　e　back　and　see　me。　Right　after　they　carted　him　off；　I　was　on　the　phone　to　the　chief　psychiatrist　at　Bellevue。　Crobe　seemed　anxious　to　cut　things；　as　all　psychiatrists　are；　so　they　gave　him　his　own　laboratory　and　a　top　job　on　staff。　You　didn't　think　I'd　overlook　a　valuable　asset　like　that；　did　you？　Heaven　forbid。　What　would　the　media　do　for　horror　if　it　weren't　for　psychiatrists？　But　I've　got　to　build　him　up　before　I　can　use　him。　You　should　keep　track　of　things　better；　Smith。　And　I　do　wish　you　knew　more　about　public　relations　than　you　do。　It's　hard　to　work　with　amateurs。　That　loony　（bleep）　could　have　killed　me。　You　apparently　don't　know　much　about　psychiatrists　or　you　would　have　sent　him　directly　to　the　hospital　and　not　let　him　run　around　loose；　slashing　away　at　your　colleagues。　Psychiatry　is　for　the　public；　Smith。　Not　for　people　who　matter。〃
　　　I　saw　I　was　in　danger　of　being　hectored。　I　said；
　　　〃Don't　land　on　me　with　all　four　feet。　You're　in　no　position　to。　There's　a　grave　threat　growing　up　around　Wister　and　what　are　you　doing　about　him？　Next　to　nothing。　The　Atlantic　City　thing　was　weeks　ago　and　by　now　has　run　its　course。。。。〃
　　　Madison's　feet　came　down　off　the　desk。　He　sat　forward　in　amazement。　〃Run　its　course？　God　deliver　me　from　amateurs！　It's　been　getting　front　page　for　weeks　and　weeks。　It's　setting　an　all…time　record！　The　bulk　of　my　staff　is　down　at　Trenton；　New　Jersey；　stirring　it　up　again！〃
　　　He　grabbed　a　huge　fistful　of　clippings。　〃Look！　The　New　Jersey　governor　is　having　an　absolute　fit　about　the　theft　of　Atlantic　City　still！　He's　continued　to　maintain　that　it　is　part　of　New　Jersey　even　yet。　But　look　at　this；　the　riots　we　stirred　up：　the　citizens　there　are　refusing　now　to　pay　state　taxes。　We　got　a　dreadful　row　going　in　the　New　Jersey　legislature　and　the　Whiz　Kid　was　arrested　by　state　police　for　stealing　the　town。　And　look　at　this：　The　Whiz　Kid　hauled　before　the　legislature　and　the　whole　body　throwing　whiskey　bottles　at　him；　trying　to　get　him　to　promise　he　won't　sell　Atlantic　City　to　Nevada。〃
　　　He　grabbed　another　sheet；　〃And　look　at　tomorrow's　headlines！〃
　　　I　stared　at　the　layout　for　the　New　York　Grimes。　It　said：

WHIZ　KID　DECLARED　
AN　ORIGINAL　OWNER　
OF　ALL　NEW　JERSEY

　　　A　shocked　governor　today　was　brutally　brought　face　to　face　with　the　reality　that　not　just
　　　Atlantic　City　but　the　entire　state　of　New　Jersey　may　belong　to　J。　T。　Wister；　otherwise　known　as　the　〃Whiz　Kid〃　of　recent　notoriety。
　　　No　less　an　authority　than　Professor　Stringer　himself；　the　world's　leading　authority　on　genealogy　and　family　history；　has　issued　an　authoritative　warning　that　Wister　is　a　direct　descendant　of　Chief　Rancocas；　head　of　the　Lenni　Lenape　branch　of　the　Delaware　tribe；　the　original　owners　of　New　Jersey。
　　　The　Indian　name　Lenni　Lenape　means　〃Original　People。〃　From　this；　according　to　Dr。　Egghead；　the　State　Historian；　〃it　can　be　clearly　seen　that　the　word　original；　occurring　in　both　instances；　proves　the　claim。〃
　　　〃No　deed　of　transfer　or　record　of　sale　from　Chief　Rancocas　or　the　Lenni　Lenape　Indians　can　be　found　in　the　Trenton　Courthouse　files　or　archives；〃　said　the　State　Recorder　of　Deeds　at　this　fateful　meeting　last　night。　〃Therefore　it　must　be　concluded　that　the　entire　state　of　New　Jersey　still　belongs　to　the　original　owners。〃

　　　Before　I　could　finish　reading；　Madison　slapped　it　on　the　desk。　His　eyes　glowed。　〃The　next　day　after　that　story；　the　Whiz　Kid　is　going　to　order　the　original　settlers　out。　After　that　we　can　get　the　Indian　Bureau；　Department　of　the　Interior；　on　it　and　we　can　have　another　Battle　of　Wounded　Knee　and　get　a　headline　for　every　Federal　marshal　killed。　And　next　week　the　Whiz　Kid　will　escape　by　robbing　a　train。。。。〃
　　　That　startled　me。　I　said；　〃Where　does　this　train　e　from？　What's　it　doing　here？〃
　　　Madison　sat　back　with　a　superior　smile。　Rather　pitying。　〃Please　see　somebody　about　your　memory；　Smith。　I　distinctly　told　you　a　long　time　ago　that　I　am　trying　to　create　the　Jesse　James　image。　Don't　you　recall？　It's　the　best　immortal　one　handy。　You　just　don't　understand　public　relations　work；　Smith。〃
　　　He　had　needled　me　too　much。　I　said；　〃Listen；　Madison。　I　came　down　to　tell　you　that　the　Whiz　Kid　is　behind　this　women's…right…to…not…be…thermonuclear…bombed　bill。　It's　ing　right　up　before　the　UN　Security　Council。　He　got　it　through　the　General　Assembly　using　whores　to　lobby　for　it。〃
　　　〃Is　that　a　fact？〃　said　Madison；　idly。　I　put　a　bite　in　my　voice。　〃Yes；　it　is！　And　you　better　get　to　work　on　it！〃
　　　〃Nope；〃　said　Madison。　〃It　doesn't　fit　the　image。〃　〃But　my　Gods！〃　I　said。　〃It's　the　TRUTH！〃　Madison　gave　an　amused　laugh。　〃Truth？　What　does　PR　have　to　do　with　truth；　Smith？　News　today　is　entertainment。　Ask　NBC；　CBS；　ABC；　ask　all　the　major　papers。　They'll　tell　you。　News　is　the　biggest　entertainment　draw　in　the　world。　Now　let　me　ask　you；　how　can　you　entertain　anybody　by　telling　the　truth？　Preposterous！　No；　Smith；　you　just　don't　understand　the　modern　media　at　all。　Let's　leave　this　sort　of　thing　up　to　me；　shall　we？　And　then　we'll　have　18…point　MADISON　SCORES　AGAIN　exclamation　point　unquote。〃
　　　Acidly；　I　said；　〃You　forgot　the　front　quote。〃　He　said；　〃So　I　did。　Rewrite：　18…point　quote　get　the　hell　out　of　here；　Smith；　and　let　me　do　my　job！〃
　　　It　was　no　wonder　they　called　him　J。　Warbler　Madman。　I　left　before　he　started　frothing　at　the　mouth。　Even　rabies　was　tame　pared　to　the　bite　of　PR　men　and　the　media。
　　　But　I　was　worried。　None　of　them　really　seemed　to　get　the　danger　in　that　UN　bill。　If　the　Security　Council　passed　it；　Rockecenter　would　lose　all　his　thermonuclear　profit。　The　Octopus　Oil　monopoly　on　uranium　claims　would　be　worthless。　Lombar　would　be　raving。　And　even　worse；　that　Miss　Simmons　would　be　slobbering　all　over　Heller　as　a　prize　hero。
　　　I　was　worried！
　　　I　paced。
　　　Then　INSPIRATION！
　　　I　would　go　and　see　Miss　Simmons！

PART　FORTY…TWO
Chapter　1

　　　I　leaped　aboard　an　AA　train　and　soon　was　speeding　north。　My　rendezvous　with　destiny　would　set　off　a　chain　reaction　even　Heller　would　be　powerless　to　stop。
　　　The　roar；　roar；　roar　of　the　pounding　wheels　carried　me　relentlessly　forward；　oblivious　of　the　churning　crowd。　At　last　I　was　in　action。　My　mission　of　vengeance　would　be　fulfilled。　Blood；　red　blood；　would　pay　the　awful　price　of　putting　me　through　the　agonies　which　had　spent　my　energies　and　lacerated　my　soul。
　　　At　116th　Street　I　sprang　off。　With　stern　and　unrelenting　face　I　made　my　way　to　Empire　University。
　　　I　found　Miss　Simmons　in　the　Puppet　Building　of　the　Teachers　College。　She　was　sitting　at　a　classroom　desk。　She　had　a　wild　look　in　her　eyes…as　well　she　might；　haunted　and　destroyed　by　that　villain　Heller。
　　　She　didn't　have　her　glasses　on　and　I　knew　very　well　she　couldn't　see　without　them。　They　lay　upon　her　desk　and　I　covertly　laid　a　book　upon　them　as　I　sat　down。
　　　〃I'm　from　the　Morning　Press；〃　I　said。　〃I've　e　to　interview　you　about　the　Antinuclear　Protest　Marchers'　reaction　to　the　UN　bill　on　women's　thermonuclear　rights。〃
　　　She　peered　at　me。　She　said；　〃If　they　don't　pass　it；　we're　going　to　blow　the　UN　up；　New　York　Police　Tactical　Police　Force　or　no　New　York　Police　Tactical　Police
　　　Force。　I　am　president　of　the　marchers　now　and　what　I　say　GOES！〃　She　looked　for　her　glasses；　couldn't　find　them。　Then　she　added；　〃And　you　can　quote　me。〃
　　　〃There　are　black　forces　at　work　behind　that　bill；〃　I　said。
　　　〃I'll　hear　no　talk　against　minority　groups；〃　she　said。　〃The　Harlem　'I…Will…Arise'　Burial　Society　is　right　behind　us　to　the　grave。〃　She　patted　around；　still　looking　for　her　glasses。　〃Haven't　I　seen　you　someplace　before？　In　the　psychiatric　ward；　maybe？〃
　　　〃You　have　indeed；〃　I　said。　〃We're　fellow　revolutionaries。　I　am　from　the　PLO；　actually。　The　Morning　Press　is　just　my　agent　cover。〃
　　　〃Then　we　can　talk　freely；〃　said　Miss　Simmons。　〃Thermonuclear　bombing　has　got　to　stop　even　if　we　destroy　the　whole　world　to　do　it。　Didn't　I　meet　you　in　Psychology　13？〃
　　　〃You　did　indeed；〃　I　said。　〃I　sat　right　behind　you　and　cheered　you　on　all　the　way。〃
　　　〃Then　your　name　is　Throgapple；〃　she　said。　〃I　always　remember　my　classmates。〃
　　　〃Correct；〃　I　said。
　　　She　was　patting　around　trying　to　find　her　glasses　again　so　I　thought　I　had　better　distract　her。　〃What　are　you　teaching　here？〃　I　said；　pretending　to　indicate　the　book；　but　actually　moving　it　so　her　glasses　dropped　off　the　desk　into　my　hand。
　　　〃Postgraduate　deportment；〃　she　said。　〃These　young　teachers