Книга только для ознакомления
. Uncle Jack had salary and bonuses so large that only a miser would want more money simply as money. His parents' accounts seemed in order -- they showed a huge balance; the megabuck Uncle Jack had handed him hardly made a dent. The only other withdrawals were for Grandfather and Grandmother Bradley, plus a few sums around the family or charge to the estates -- nothing important, another couple of megabucks.
Conclusion: Uncle Jack was boss, liked being boss, and meant to go on being boss if possible.
"Status" . . . Uncle Jack had high status and was fighting to keep it. Thorby felt that he understood him at last Uncle Jack put up with the overwork he complained about because he liked being boss -- just as captains and chief officers worked themselves silly, even though every member of a Free Trader family owned the same share. Uncle Jack was "chief officer" and didn't intend to surrender his supreme status to someone a third of his age who (let's face it!) wasn't competent for the work the status required.
In this moment of insight Thorby felt that he ought to sign those proxies for Uncle Jack, who had earned the job whereas Thorby had merely inherited it. Uncle Jack must have been terribly disappointed when he had turned up alive; it must have seemed an utterly unfair twist of fate.
Well, let him have it! Settle things and join the Guard.
But Thorby was not ready to back down to Judge Bruder
|
