lrh.villainyvictorious- 第23节

NO　DECLARATION！
LEADERSHIP　OF
PRESIDENT
BRINGS　U。　S。　FROM
BRINK　OF　WAR！

The　four　men　went　into　bellows　of　laughter！
For　the　life　of　her　she　could　see　nothing　funny　in　it。
Somewhat　petulantly；　when　she　could　be　heard；　the　Countess　Krak　said；　〃You　might　at　least　tell　me　what　you're　laughing　at！〃
〃It's　for　the　wall　of　Jet's　study；〃　said　Bang…Bang。　〃We　had　it　specially　reprinted　and　framed。〃
That　told　her　nothing。　She　turned　to　Jettero。　〃And　it　was　mean　of　you　to　leave　me　hanging　in　midair　about　Bury　and　some　woman。〃
Jettero　laughed。　〃Well；　it　got　you　aboard　that　plane；　didn't　it？　And　without　a　word　of　argument　about　how　you　should　stay　in　Turkey。〃
That　made　her　laugh。　〃Oh；　Jettero！〃　she　said。　〃Living　with　you　has　its　moments！　Life　is　certainly　never　dull。　Now　please　tell　me　what　has　been　going　on。〃
They　were　all　sitting　down　eating　prawns　now　and　Jettero　began　to　tell　her　what　had　happened　in　New　York　and　Pokantickle　but　he　evidently　kept　leaving　out　pieces　of　it　that　had　to　do　with　how　he　had　acplished　certain　things　and　the　others　kept　stopping　him　and　correcting　him　and　well　before　he　was　finished；　she　was　scared　half　to　death　at　the　risks　he　had　taken。　She　managed　to　keep　herself　from　going　white　and　finally　said；　〃So　Rockecenter　is　dead。〃
〃No；　he's　not　dead；〃　said　Jettero。　〃He's　sitting　right　there；〃　and　he　pointed　to　Twoey。　〃Between　him　and　Izzy；　they　own　the　planet。〃　He　turned　to　him。　〃So　what　are　you　going　to　do　with　it；　boys？〃
〃Raise　pigs；〃　said　Twoey。
〃Now　there；〃　said　Jettero　to　the　Countess　Krak；　〃no　problems　at　all。　They've　got　it　all　worked　out。〃
〃Oh；　Jettero；　be　serious；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　sure　there's　some　kind　of　plan　or　program。〃
〃Yes；　ma'am！〃　said　Jettero。　〃You've　put　your　lovely　finger　right　on　it。　There　certainly　is。　At　four　o'clock　this　afternoon　we're　due　over　at　Bayonne。　And　it's　very　important　that　you　dress　well　and　look　very　proper　and　prim；　for　if　you　are　acceptable；　we　can　then　schedule　the　engagement　party。〃
〃Acceptable　to　WHOM？〃　she　wailed。
〃Well；　I　can't　call　her　by　her　title　yet　because　she　won't　be　invested　until　Saturday。　And　that's　the　other　thing　I've　got　to　take　up　with　her；　the　coronation　party。　And　we　have　to　decide　upon　the　date　of　the　engagement　party；　but　I　should　say　it　should　be　the　following　week。〃
〃Jettero；　I　feel　like　I　am　going　faintly　insane。〃
〃Blame　the　summer　weather；　not　me；〃　said　Jettero。
Balmor　came　to　the　door　just　then　and　said　to　Izzy；　〃Mr。　Bury　is　on　the　phone；　sir。　He　merely　wants　to　know　if　Mr。　Twoey　will　be　available　tomorrow　to　address　the　Swillerberger　Conference　that　will　now　be　held　at　the　White　House　in　the　afternoon。　He　says　he's　sorry　to　trouble　you　and　he　has　written　the　speech。　He　is　just　verifying。〃
〃There　better　be　some　item　on　the　agenda　about　pig　production；〃　said　Twoey。
〃Tell　Bury　he'll　be　there；〃　said　Izzy；　〃and　while　he's　on　the　phone　tell　him　to　hold　up　clearing　out　the　Rockecenter　offices　until　I　can　see　to　it　personally。〃
The　cat　had　been　trying　to　get　her　attention　and　the　Countess　was　very　glad　of　the　distraction。
The　rest　of　the　luncheon　went　off　in　a　blur　and　then；　dressed　somehow　and　feeling　she　looked　a　fright；　she　was　in　the　Silver　Spirit　with　Jettero；　escorted　by　two　army　tanks。
There　were　things　she　wanted　to　say　to　Jettero；　urgent　things；　but　he　had　the　window　down　and　the　roar　of　the　huge　monsters　made　it　hard　to　talk。　〃What　are　the　tanks　for？〃　she　said　in　desperation。
〃I　haven't　had　time　to　separate　from　service；〃　said　Jettero。
〃Do　they　always　escort　junior　officers　with　tanks？〃　said　the　Countess　Krak。
〃Well；　no；〃　said　Jettero。　〃They're　probably　afraid　that　I　will　forget　to　turn　in　my　sidearms。　One　signs　for　them；　you　know。〃
〃Jettero；　for　Heavens'　sakes；　be　serious！　I'm　worried　sick　about　this　Voltar　situation。〃
〃If　you　go　worrying　about　everything　all　the　time；　all　you　get　done　is　worrying；〃　said　Jettero。
〃Some　worry　is　necessary；〃　said　the　Countess。
〃You'll　never　be　a　bat　engineer；〃　said　Jettero。
〃I'm　not　trying　to　be　a　bat　engineer；〃　she　wailed。　〃I'm　trying　to　bee　the　wife　of　one。〃
〃Ah；　well；〃　said　Jettero；　〃it's　a　good　thing　you　decided　to　put　your　mind　on　that。　Here's　your　crucial　test。　We've　arrived。〃
They　had　pulled　up　in　front　of　a　high…rise　which　rose　grandly　beside　a　park。
Two　dark；　lean　Sicilian　men　carrying　submachine　guns　were　there；　looking　warily　at　the　tanks。　One　peered　into　the　Silver　Spirit　and　then　relaxed。
〃Oh；　it's　you；　kid！〃　he　said。　〃You　better　go　right　up。　This　place　has　been　in　an　uproar　all　day。〃
The　other　yelled　into　a　lobby；　〃Hey！　On　your　toes！　It's　the　kid　and　his　moll！〃
They　were　walking　through　a　mob　of　men　in　black　suits；　and　swarthy　faces　that　had　appeared　from　nowhere；　apparently　specially　to　get　a　look　at　her。　She　felt　she　was　wearing　everything　backwards　and　was　missing　a　slipper；　for　those　eyes　were　very　alert　and　appraising。
Then　a　whisper　reached　her；　〃Jesus；　kid；　where　did　you　find　HER？　Cristo；　is　she　a　movie　star　or　something？〃
It　made　her　feel　a　bit　better；　but　at　the　top　of　the　elevator；　a　booming　voice　was　heard　ing　down　the　hall；　〃I　don't　give　a　（bleep）；　you　（bleepard）！　Tell　those　sons　of　（bleepches）　in　Chicago　to　throw　their　God　（bleeped）　drugs　in　Lake　Michigan　and　begin　running　rum　or　I'll　put　a　hundred　hit　men　on　their　tails。　Now　get　the　hell　out　of　here。　I　think　I　heard　my　kid！〃
A　very　old　Italian；　beautifully　dressed；　lugging　a　briefcase；　fled　out　of　the　room；　almost　collided　with　Jettero；　looked　at　him　in　a　cautionary　way　and　said；　〃Take　it　easy　in　there。　She's　on　fire！〃
An　old　Sicilian　in　a　white　coat　hurried　up　and　gave　Jettero　a　reassuring　pat　and　ushered　them　into　a　salon　of　such　elegance　the　Countess　thought　for　an　instant　she　was　back　on　Voltar。
A　middle…aged　woman；　very　blond；　was　sitting　on　a　sofa　in　a　pose　of　elegance　and　decorum。　She　wore　a　gold…sequined　gown　and　was　idly　thumbing　through　a　fashion　magazine。　Then　she　looked　up　and　smiled　politely　and　said；　in　a　cultured　and　modulated　voice；　〃Ah；　Jerome。　How　nice　of　you　to　drop　in。〃　She　extended　a　hand　for　him　to　kiss　and　he　did　so。
〃Mrs。　Corleone；〃　he　said　with　his　most　courtly　Fleet　manners；　〃may　I　present　my　fiancee。〃
The　woman　languidly　unfolded　and　stood。　She　was　six　foot　six；　over　eight　inches　taller　than　Krak。
〃Ah；〃　she　said；　extending　her　hand；　〃You　are　the　Countess；　I　presume。〃
Krak's　head　spun。　What　was　ing　off　here？　How　did　this　woman　know　she　was　really　the　Countess　Krak？　No　one　else　on　Earth　knew　that！
The　giantess　was　looking　her　up　and　down　as　though　she　was　some　kind　of　a　horse。　And　then　apparently；　she　couldn't　keep　the　pose　up　any　longer　and　she　suddenly　put　her　arms　around　Krak　and　hugged　her　and　then　held　her　off　and　looked　at　her　and　then　hugged　her　again　and　said；　〃God　（bleep）　it；　Jerome；　this　is　the　most　beautiful　lady　I've　seen　in　all　my　life！〃　She　held　her　off　again。　〃God　（bleep）　it；　you're　more　gorgeous　than　a　Roxy　girl。　You'd　stop　the　show！〃　And　she　hugged　her　again　and　said；　〃God　（bleep）　it；　yes；　Jerome！　For　Christ's　sake；　marry　her　quick　before　she　gets　away！〃
After　a　while；　the　giantess　put　her　in　a　chair　like　Krak　was　some　kind　of　porcelain　and；　gazing　at　her　with　admiration；　offered　her　a　silver　box　with　Russian　cigarettes…which　of　course　Krak　didn't　smoke…and　called　for　cookies　and　milk　for　Jerome。
And　then　she　and　Jettero　began　to　discuss　the　details　of　the　engagement　party　and　decided　on　Madison　Square　Garden　and　that　it　would　be　a　week　after　the　coronation。　They　had　a　lot　of　trouble　with　the　guest　list　because　Mrs。　Corleone　had　not　yet　decided　what　to　do　with　the　mayor's　wife：　on　the　one　hand　she　wanted　her　there　and　on　the　other　she　didn't；　so　that　part　of　it　was　left　up　in　the　air。
They　were　finally　being　shown　out　and　Mrs。　Corleone　turned　to　Jettero　at　the　door。　She　said；　〃No　wonder　you　would　never　touch　those　girls　at　the　Gracious　Palms！〃
Kissed　on　both　cheeks　and　getting　into　the　Silver　Spirit　again；　the　Countess　Krak's　head　was　in　a　new　whirl。　What　girls？
To　the　clank　of　tanks　and　the　beat　of　a　police　helicopter　that　was　riding　escort　overhead；　Jettero　got　her　laughing　a　bit　about　his　unarmed…bat　class　at　the　UN's　〃favorite　hotel。〃　He　was　quite　witty　and　charming　about　it　and　she　forgave　him。　But　she　didn't　get　a　chance　to　talk　to　him　at　al