"No?"
"Course not! It's the anticipation! Why, the day you crashed my office ... you certainly looked lousy, but underneath those rags and whiskers you were just about the happiest, most vital guy I'd seen in years! That's because you were anticipating —"
It was true; Hale could look back and see that.
"And ever since then you've been sort of lifeless. Understand what I mean? You just sit back now. You're about the unhappiest guy in the world. You don't give a damn about what you own. Take it for granted —"
Hale had to be honest with himself; he did derive no pleasure from his material possessions. But that was because of Johnson's trickery. The victorious struggle against Lucifer and the philosophy of Hell gave him enough satisfaction to compensate for everything else.
"Why, hell, Bill ... Gloria's practically your whole life. Being with her's about the only fun you get!"
Hale tried not to wince visibly. His only pleasure! Lord! He had to love her, but his spell didn't blind him, which was unfortunate. If it had, he might not have been so disgusted as he watched the delight that she got out of brawls like this one.
"I'll tell you, Bill, my idea is that getting over the buying craze is a healthy thing."
"Yeah? Why?" asked Hale, his voice almost normal again.
"Well, here's my analysis. What happens when all of a sudden you can get anything you want? You buy like mad, naturally. But you get over it. I think all this excitement and ... well, call it subconscious misery are just transition. See what I mean? These folks will adjust themselves to prosperity. They'll develop a sense of proportion, when they see that a new hat or shoes or a bigger house isn't the main thing in life. Then they'll settle down and think of really important matters.
"They think they can stop at success, but they can't. Success looks big to anybody who hasn't got it; he thinks he can ride along the rest of his life enjoying it. He can't. He has to get another goal."
Hale had already discovered that phenomenon. He knew that after even such a huge victory as defeating Lucifer, he'd have to find another mountain to roll his boulder up. He'd do it, too. He'd invade the other half of Hell and snatch it from Lucifer. There was an aim vast enough for anyone: all Hell a Utopia! But even after that he wouldn't rest. There would always be more goals to anticipate.
"So I guess I'm not really worried about them, after all," said Banner. "The dictatorships are about ready to cave in. You notice they're still beating their chests and roaring, but they aren't making any more concrete demands. There's a real sign of weakness for you! We'll pile up a little surplus, but when the dictatorships fall we'll have all we can do supplying those poor devils." He nodded complacently and shoved his chair back. "Go ahead and give the little woman a whirl, son. That sounds like a nice dance number."
Hale got up and opened his arms to Gloria. Her shiver of joy touched him. Her yielding body and generous affection were, for the moment, ends in themselves.
Even Banner, for whose shrewd intelligence Hale had great respect, found Hale's hemisphere nearly perfect. The period of adjustment would soon be over; the surplus would find markets. Lucifer would finally be dethroned. What more could he ask?
THAT WEEK the dictatorships collapsed, with hardly a shot. The strong men simply disappeared, and their oppressive bureaucracies slumped into ruins, leaving Europe a starving wreck.
And that same week Hale got a telegram from Johnson, saying that he would return on the 26th, and would Hale please meet him at the airport.
The 26th — The date had some obscure significance for Hale. Was it the anniversary of his partnership? Probably something like that. It made no difference. All that counted was his own anticipation. Johnson's wire had sounded cheerful enough, or at least had not been abusive. But Hale was willing to bet that Lucifer's repulsively fat face wouldn't be quite so jovial. That was anticipation — meeting the vanquished all-powerful!
Chapter XXVIII
HALE STAGED it well. He and Gloria stood in solemn dignity at the edge of the enormous field. Walking across any field makes any figure seem crawling and insignificant. Therefore, he would let Johnson march, small and lonely, toward him over the airport.
If he had had complete control over such matters, he would not have taken Gloria along. She squirmed and craned her neck, anxious to see Johnson, which somewhat spoiled the effect. Nor would he have made it so bitingly cold. Much as he wanted to remain haughtily motionless, in somber majesty, he had to flap his arms and stamp his feet now and then. That reminded him that he would have to do something about the weather. Johnson was probably responsible for the condition that "Man is born to shiver and perspire," with, of course, just enough enjoyable weather to make the extremes more uncomfortable.
Alexander P. Johnson came out of the airliner and climbed heavily down the portable steps. Hale's heart pumped swiftly. At that distance there seemed to be no change. It was too far, Hale reasoned. Watch for the sagging shoulders, the plodding walk.
But, round head erect, belly heaving up and down at every step, Johnson marched toward him without a trace of self-consciousness, the soles of his shoes jerking up into clear view at every step. Hale had to admit that he appeared as confident as ever. When Johnson waved his short arm, Hale quivered. But he shrugged off his momentary qualm. Johnson would never show emotion, no matter how thoroughly he was defeated.
"William, my boy!" Johnson cried ecstatically, pumping Hale's hand. His voice was as professionally hearty as ever. "And little Gloria — beautiful and charming as always! Ah, what joy it is to see you both after so long!"
"It's nice seeing you, too, partner!" said Hale. If Johnson observed Hale's emphasis, he didn't show it. He nodded and showed his false teeth in a grin of pleasure. "I must get a newspaper immediately," he said. "Come into the waiting room with me." And he began waddling away, almost at a run.
That, Hale thought, was the first slip. Jolly as he seemed, Johnson couldn't entirely hide his concern. You bet he had to get a newspaper! To see where he could start wrecking, of course. Well, let him!
"Oh, before I forget," said Johnson, fumbling in the pockets of his tentlike overcoat. He handed two packages to Gloria and Hale. "Congratulations, William, on your birthday, and on the magnificent job you've done. This is just a small token of my satisfaction —" Before Hale could answer, he had darted inside and was racing toward the newsstand.
"Isn't he darling?" gushed Gloria, fumbling with the string. "Why didn't you tell me it was your birthday, Billie-willie?"
"I ... I forgot." The waiting room was comfortingly warm, but Hale was past noticing such trifles. Magnificent job? Certainly it was, but not from Johnson's point of view. What in hell did the devil mean?
JOHNSON held a paper wide open. "Ah, here it is," he said brightly. "Really, William, I had to hasten to get in at the kill. I left a number of interesting plans undeveloped, but I felt this was more important. Here —" He handed the paper to Hale, who read:
PAN-AMERICAN CREDIT CORP. IN
TEMPORARY RETRENCHMENT
The board of directors of the Pan-American Credit Corporation, in an official announcement, today gave out the information that momentary circumstances require a temporary restriction of further credit for expansion of business.
This transitory situation, as official spokesman for the corporation stated, should give rise to no misgivings. He warned that foreign interests, alarmed by the sudden gigantic productivity of the new world, might allege that in this briefly necessary action the Pan-American Credit Corporation, which is the largest coalition of its kind in the world, demonstrates lack of confidence in the future of the Americas.