"Robert A. Heinlein - I will fear no evil" - читать интересную книгу автора (Heinlein Robert A)

"Oh, no doubt," the old man said sweetly. "Meantime my respects to your
mother-in-law and tell her that Byram will go on making her rich even
though I've fired you."
Parkinson left abruptly. Others started to leave. Smith said mildly, "Jake,
how does a man get to be fifty years old without acquiring horse sense?
Only smart thing that lad ever did was pick a rich mother-in-law. Yes,
Hans?"
"Johann," Hans von Ritter said, leaning on the table and speaking directly
to the chairman, "I did not like your treatment of Parkinson."
"Thanks. You're honest with me to my face. Scarce these days."
"Removing him from the board is okay; he's an obstructionist. But there was
no need to humiliate him."
"I suppose not. One of my little pleasures, Hans. I don't have many these
days."
A Simplex footman rolled in, hung the vacated chairs on its rack, rolled out;
von Ritter continued: "1 have no intention of being treated that way. If you
want nothing but Yes men on your board, let us note that I control much
less than five percent of the voting stock. Do you want my resignation?"
"Good God, no! I need you, Hans-and Byram will need you still more. I can't
use trained seals; a man has to have the guts to disagree with me, or he's a
waste of space. But when a man bucks me,. I want him to do it intelligently.
You do. You've forced me to change my mind several times-not easy,
stubborn as I am. Now about this other-sit down. Eunice, whistle up that
easy chair for Dr. von Ritter."
The chair approached; von Ritter waved it back, it retreated. "No, I haven't
time to be cajoled. What do you want?" He straightened up; the boardroom

3
table folded its legs, turned on edge, and glided away through a slot in the
wall.
"Hans, I've surrounded myself with men who don't like me, not a Yes man
or trained seal among them. Even Byram-especially Byram-got his job by
contradicting me and being right. Except when he's been wrong and that's
why he needs men like you on the board. But Parkinson- I was entitled to
clip him-publicly-because he called for my resignation-publicly.
Nevertheless you are right, Hans; 'tit for tat' is childish. Twenty years ago-
even ten-I would never have humiliated a man. If a man operates by reflex,
as most do instead of using their noggins, humiliating him forces him to try
to get even. I know better. But I'm getting senile, as we all know."
Von Ritter said nothing. Smith Went on, "Will you stick?-and help keep
Byram steady?"
"Uh...I'll stick. As long as you behave yourself." He turned to leave.
"Fair enough. Hans? Will you dance at my wake?"
Von Bitter looked back and grinned. "I'd be delighted!"
"Thought so. Thanks, Hans. G'bye."
Smith said to Byram Teal, "Anything, son?"
"Assistant Attorney General coming from Washington tomorrow to talk to
you about our Machine Tools Division buying control of Homecrafts, Ltd. I
think-"
"To talk to you. If you can't handle him, I picked the wrong man. What