jg.thefirm-第4部分

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　　With　forty…one　lawyers；　　was　the　fourth　largest　in　Memphis。　Its　members　did　not　advertise　or　seek　publicity。　They　were　clannish　and　did　not　fraternize　with　other　lawyers。　Their　wives　played　tennis　and　bridge　and　shopped　among　themselves。　Bendini；　Lambert　&　Locke　was　a　big　family；　of　sorts。　A　rather　rich　family。
　　At　10　A。M。　on　a　Friday；　　limo　stopped　on　Front　Street　and　Mr。　Mitchell　Y。　McDeere　emerged。　He　politely　thanked　the　driver；　and　watched　the　vehicle　as　it　drove　away。　His　first　limo　ride。　He　stood　on　the　sidewalk　next　to　a　streetlight　and　admired　the　quaint；　picturesque；　yet　somehow　imposing　home　of　the　quiet　Bendini　firm。　It　was　a　far　cry　from　the　gargantuan　steel…and…glass　erections　inhabited　by　New　York's　finest　or　the　enormous　cylinder　he　had　visited　in　Chicago。　But　he　instantly　knew　he　would　like　it。　It　was　less　pretentious。　It　was　more　like　himself。
　　Lamar　Quin　walked　through　the　front　door　and　down　the　steps。　He　yelled　at　Mitch　and　waved　him　over。　He　had　met　them　at　the　airport　the　night　before　and　checked　them　into　the　Peabody…〃the　South's　Grand　Hotel。〃
　　〃Good　morning；　Mitch！　How　was　your　night？〃　They　shook　hands　like　lost　friends。
　　〃Very　nice。　It's　a　great　hotel。〃
　　〃We　knew　you'd　like　it。　Everybody　likes　the　Peabody。〃
　　They　stepped　into　the　front　foyer；　where　a　small　billboard　greeted　Mr。　Mitchell　Y。　McDeere；　the　guest　of　the　day。　A　well…dressed　but　unattractive　receptionist　smiled　warmly　and　said　her　name　was　Sylvia　and　if　he　needed　anything　while　he　was　in　Memphis　just　let　her　know。　He　thanked　her。　Lamar　led　him　to　a　long　hallway　where　he　began　the　guided　tour。　He　explained　the　layout　of　the　building　and　introduced　Mitch　to　various　secretaries　and　paralegals　as　they　walked。　In　the　main　library　on　the　second　floor　a　crowd　of　lawyers　circled　the　mammoth　conference　table　and　consumed　pastries　and　coffee。　They　became　silent　when　the　guest　entered。
　　Oliver　Lambert　greeted　Mitch　and　introduced　him　to　the　gang。　There　were　about　twenty　in　all；　most　of　the　associates　in　；　and　most　barely　older　than　the　guest。　The　partners　were　too　busy；　Lamar　had　explained；　and　would　meet　him　later　at　a　private　lunch。　He　stood　at　the　end　of　the　table　as　Mr。　Lambert　called　for　quiet。
　　〃Gentlemen；　this　is　Mitchell　McDeere。　You've　all　heard　about　him；　and　here　he　is。　He　is　our　number　one　choice　this　year；　our　number　one　draft　pick；　so　to；　speak。　He　is　being　romanced　by　the　big　boys　in　New　York　and　Chicago　and　who　knows　where　else；　so　we　have　to　sell　him　on　our　little　firm　here　in　Memphis。〃　They　smiled　and　nodded　their　approval。　The　guest　was　embarrassed。
　　〃He　will　finish　at　Harvard　in　two　months　and　will　graduate　with　honors。　He's　an　associate　editor　of　the　Harvard　Law　Review。〃　This　made　an　impression；　Mitch　could　tell。　〃He　did　his　undergraduate　work　at　Western　Kentucky；　where　he　graduated　summa　cum　laude。〃　This　was　not　quite　as　impressive。　〃He　also　played　football　for　four　years；　starting　as　quarterback　his　junior　year。〃　Now　they　were　really　impressed。　A　few　appeared　to　be　in　awe；　as　if　staring　at　Joe　Namath。
　　The　senior　partner　continued　his　monologue　while　Mitch　stood　awkwardly　beside　him。　He　droned　on　about　how　selective　they　had　always　been　and　how　well　Mitch　would　fit　in。　Mitch　stuffed　his　hands　in　his　pockets　and　quit　listening。　He　studied　the　group。　They　were　young；　successful　and　affluent。　The　dress　code　appeared　to　be　strict；　but　no　different　than　New　York　or　Chicago。　Dark　gray　or　navy　wool　suits；　white　or　blue　cotton　button…downs；　medium　starch；　and　silk　ties。　Nothing　bold　or　nonconforming。　Maybe　a　couple　of　bow　ties；　but　nothing　more　daring。　Neatness　was　mandatory。　No　beards；　mustaches　or　hair　over　the　ears。　There　were　a　couple　of　wimps；　but　good　looks　dominated。
　　Mr。　Lambert　was　winding　down。　〃Lamar　will　give　Mitch　a　tour　of　our　offices；　so　you'll　have　a　chance　to　chat　with　him　later。　Let's　make　him　wele。　Tonight　he　and　his　lovely；　and　I　do　mean　lovely；　wife；　Abby；　will　eat　ribs　at　the　Rendezvous；　and　of　course　tomorrow　night　is　　dinner　at　my　place。　I'll　ask　you　to　be　on　your　best　behavior。〃　He　smiled　and　looked　at　the　guest。　〃Mitch；　if　you　get　tired　of　Lamar；　let　me　know　and　we'll　get　someone　more　qualified。〃
　　He　shook　hands　with　each　one　of　them　again　as　they　left；　and　tried　to　remember　as　many　names　as　possible。
　　〃Let's　start　the　tour；〃　Lamar　said　when　the　room　cleared。　〃This；　of　course；　is　a　library；　and　we　have　identical　ones　on　each　of　the　first　four　floors。　We　also　use　them　for　large　meetings。　The　books　vary　from　floor　to　floor；　so　you　never　know　where　your　research　will　lead　you。　We　have　two　full…time　librarians；　and　we　use　microfilm　and　microfiche　extensively。　As　a　rule；　we　don't　do　any　research　outside　the　building。　There　are　over　a　hundred　thousand　volumes；　including　every　conceivable　tax　reporting　service。　That's　more　than　some　law　schools。　If　you　need　a　book　we　don't　have；　just　tell　a　librarian。〃
　　They　walked　past　the　lengthy　conference　table　and　between　dozens　of　rows　of　books。　〃A　hundred　thousand　volumes；〃　Mitch　mumbled。
　　〃Yeah；　we　spend　almost　half　a　million　a　year　on　upkeep；　supplements　and　new　books。　The　partners　are　always　griping　about　it；　but　they　wouldn't　think　of　cutting　back。　It's　one　of　the　largest　private　law　libraries　in　the　country；　and　we're　proud　of　it。〃
　　〃It's　pretty　impressive。〃
　　〃We　try　to　make　research　as　painless　as　possible。　You　know　what　a　bore　it　is　and　how　much　time　can　be　wasted　looking　for　the　right　materials。　You'll　spend　a　lot　of　time　here　the　first　two　years；　so　we　try　to　make　it　pleasant。〃
　　Behind　a　cluttered　workbench　in　a　rear　corner；　one　of　the　librarians　introduced　himself　and　gave　a　brief　tour　of　the　puter　room；　where　a　dozen　terminals　stood　ready　to　assist　with　the　latest　puterized　research。　He　offered　to　demonstrate　the　latest；　truly　incredible　software；　but　Lamar　said　they　might　stop　by　later。
　　〃He's　a　nice　guy；〃　Lamar　said　as　they　left　the　library。　〃We　pay　him　forty　thousand　a　year　just　to　keep　up　with　the　books。　It's　amazing。〃
　　Truly　amazing；　thought　Mitch。
　　The　second　floor　was　virtually　identical　to　the　first；　third　and　fourth。　The　center　of　each　floor　was　filled　with　secretaries；　their　desks；　file　cabinets；　copiers　and　the　other　necessary　machines。　On　one　side　of　the　open　area　was　the　library；　and　on　the　other　was　a　configuration　of　smaller　conference　rooms　and　offices。
　　〃You　won't　see　any　pretty　secretaries；〃　Lamar　said　softly　as　they　watched　them　work。　〃It　seems　to　be　an　unwritten　firm　rule。　Oliver　Lambert　goes　out　of　his　way　to　hire　the　oldest　and　homeliest　ones　he　can　find。　Of　course；　some　have　been　here　for　twenty　years　and　have　forgotten　more　law　than　we　learned　in　law　school。〃
　　〃They　seem　kind　of　plump；〃　Mitch　observed；　almost　to　himself。
　　〃Yeah；　it's　part　of　the　overall　strategy　to　encourage　us　to　keep　our　hands　in　our　pockets。　Philandering　is　strictly　forbidden；　and　to　my　knowledge　has　never　happened。〃
　　〃And　if　it　does？〃
　　〃Who　knows。　The　secretary　would　be　fired；　of　course。　And　I　suppose　the　lawyer　would　be　severely　punished。　It　might　cost　a　partnership。　No　one　wants　to　find　out；　especially　with　this　bunch　of　cows。〃
　　〃They　dress　nice。〃
　　〃Don't　get　me　wrong。　We　hire　only　the　best　legal　secretaries　and　we　pay　more　than　any　other　firm　in　town。　You're　looking　at　the　best；　not　necessarily　the　prettiest。　We　require　experience　and　maturity。　Lambert　won't　hire　anyone　under　thirty。〃
　　〃One　per　lawyer？〃
　　〃Yes；　until　you're　a　partner。　Then　you'll　get　another；　and　by　then　you'll　need　one。　Nathan　Locke　has　three；　all　with　twenty　years'　experience；　and　he　keeps　them　jumping。〃
　　〃Where's　his　office？〃
　　〃Fourth　floor。　It's　off…limits。〃
　　Mitch　started　to　ask；　but　didn't。
　　The　corner　offices　were　twenty…five　by　twenty…five；　Lamar　explained；　and　occupied　by　the　most　senior　partners。　Power　offices；　he　called　them；　with　great　expectation。　They　were　decorated　to　each　individual's　taste　with　no　expense　spared　and　vacated　only　at　retirement　or　death；　then　fought　over　by　the　younger　partners。
　　Lamar　flipped　a　switch　in　one　and　they　stepped　inside；　closing　the　door　behind　them。　〃Nice　view；　huh；〃　he　said　as　Mitch　walked　to　the　windows　and　looked　^t　the　river　moving　ever　so　slowly　beyond　Riverside　Drive。
　　〃How　do　you　get　this　office？〃　Mitch　asked　as　he　admired　a　barge　inching　under　the　bridge　leading　to　Arkansas。
　　〃Takes　time；　and　when　you　get　here　you'll　be　very　wealthy；　and　very　busy；　and　you　won't　have　time　to　enjoy　the　view。〃
　　〃Whose　is　it？〃
　　〃Victor　Milligan。　He's　head　of　tax；　and　a　very　nice　man。　Originally　from　New　England；　he's　been　here　for　twenty…five　years　and　calls　Memphis　home。〃　Lamar　stuck　his　hands　in　his　pockets　and　walked　around　the　room。　〃The　hardwood　floors　and　ceilings　came　with　the　building；　over　a　hundred　years　ago。　Most　of　the　building　is　carpeted；　but　in　a　few　spots　the　wood　was　not　damaged。　You'll　have　the　option　of　rugs　and　carpet　when　you　get　here。〃
　　〃I　like　the　wood。　What　about　that　rug？〃
　　〃Some　kind　of　antique　Persian。　I　don't　know　its　history。　The　desk　was　used　by　his　great…grandfather；　who　was　a　judge　of　some　sort　in　Rhode　Island；　or　so　he　says。　He's　full　of　crap；　and　you　never　know　when　he's　blowing　smoke。