Point of No Return by John P. Marquand Read Free Book Online

Whitaker was not there and the strange thing about it was that her tone of desperation was completely genuine, as genuine as though she had to sell some piece of furniture to pay the grocer. One part of him could smile but another part was honestly sympathetic. This was one of the things that the bank had taught him.
    â€œOh,” Charles said, and he was about to add that he was sorry, but he checked himself because he had learned that it made depositors angry if you became too actively sorry.
    â€œAnd we simply don’t know what to sell,” Mrs. Whitaker said. “We’ve been going over it and over it.”
    â€œI know,” Charles said. “It’s always difficult to make up one’s mind.”
    â€œWe would like to sell something that has a loss to it,” Mrs. Whitaker said, “but there literally isn’t anything. Everything shows a profit. Why don’t you ever leave us anything with losses?”
    Charles drummed his fingers softly on the desk and raised his eyes to the baroque ceiling with its new indirect lighting. It was a wonderful conversation and he wished he could tell Nancy about it but he knew enough not to gossip about clients, particularly large clients.
    â€œWell,” he said, “I see what you mean, but the object usually is to show a profit. Most of our friends like it better that way. There are still advantages to having a profit rather than a loss.”
    â€œAre there?” asked Mrs. Whitaker. “I know it’s so if you say so, but you’ve simply got to help us, Mr. Gray—anything you decide on—you will help us, won’t you?”
    â€œOf course I will,” Charles said, and his voice was gently reassuring. “That’s what I’m here for. Let me see, you have a number of short-term governments.”
    â€œI know. Mr. Whitaker doesn’t want to sell those,” Mrs. Whitaker said. “He refuses, absolutely.”
    â€œOh,” Charles said. “Why does he?”
    â€œBecause his father always said that you mustn’t be a bear on the United States,” Mrs. Whitaker said. “He says that we must back up the government no matter what it does. If we don’t back up the government, where will we be? I believe that, don’t you?”
    â€œI wouldn’t say it would be disloyal,” Charles said. “Short-term governments are about the same as cash. That’s the way they’re generally used.”
    â€œSuppose we try to think of something else,” Mrs. Whitaker said. “There must be something else.”
    â€œYes,” Charles said. “I’ll tell you what I’ll do. I’d better get a picture of the whole situation. If you’re not well enough to come in yourself, I could send Mr. Joyce over to see you.”
    â€œI don’t think Mr. Joyce has the experience, do you?” Mrs. Whitaker said. “I know he’s a charming young man, but he is still rather immature and he’s always so, well, so indefinite. And Mr. Thingamajig, what’s his name? The one Mr. Burton turned me over to the last time I came in, when you were out. He was indefinite too, and besides I thought he was a little chétif .”
    â€œWhom do you mean?” Charles asked. “I can’t exactly place him from your description.”
    â€œThat round-faced, pussycat man with glasses,” Mrs. Whitaker said. “The furtive, pussycat one.”
    â€œYou don’t mean Mr. Blakesley, do you?” Charles asked.
    â€œThat’s it,” said Mrs. Whitaker. “Mr. Blakesley.”
    Charles glanced across at Roger Blakesley, who was busy dictating.
    â€œI know him pretty well,” Charles said. “I wouldn’t say he was a pussycat.”
    â€œIt’s a compliment to you, Mr. Gray,” Mrs. Whitaker said, “that Hewett and I both want you to help us, and we simply have to find a hundred thousand dollars somewhere. It