The Glass Key Page #2

And you must be nice to him, Janet,

anyway until after the election.

All right, Dad, at least he'll be some laughs.

- Janet...

- Why weren't you at dinner?

With Madvig, I'd sooner cut my throat.

Look, I've got to have some money.

But I've already given you

every penny I have.

- Well, then ask Dad for a loan.

- I can't.

Oh, Taylor, why don't you stop gambling?

Don't go sanctimonious on me.

I'm not. But if you'd only stop for a while.

RALPH:
Taylor.

- Janet, do you mind, please?

- No.

Taylor, do you realise that you're attitude

toward Madvig is very embarrassing to me?

- I'm not running for Governor.

- Well, I am.

Your gambling, your night-clubbing

and your drunkenness has got to stop.

- Oh, that's just ducky.

- I mean it.

On Monday I'm gonna find you a job.

If that doesn't straighten you out, I'll...

- Where're you going?

- Out.

Thank you.

Hey, there's Ed Beaumont. Come on.

Come on in, Ed.

Want you to meet Janet Henry.

This is Ed Beaumont.

How do you do?

So you're Mr Madvig's assistant.

He's more my partner, I'd say.

Anything to eat, Ed?

Oh, Mr Henry, do you know Ed Beaumont?

Oh, yes, yes, I know who you are.

Oh, here are those figures

you wanted for Mr Henry.

Oh, yeah, thanks, Ed.

Won't to stay for coffee, Mr Beaumont?

Yeah, sure, come on.

Little drop of java will wake you up.

Some coffee for Mr Beaumont.

- And brandy?

- Thank you.

You know, Ed, I was just telling Janet,

Miss Henry here,

about the time I was

in the newspaper business.

Yes, you were saying you had a job at

The Observer, but you didn't say what it was.

Oh, well, it was sort of like

in the circulation department, you know.

You see, I used to go around the different

newsstands and I'd ask for a paper,

if the guy'd hand me The Observer,

that was okay.

If he'd hand me The Post, I'd slug him.

That was to teach him a lesson, you know?

Oh, you were sort of

an Observer missionary?

No, because a little while later,

I made the same deal with The Post.

Well, how could you serve

both newspapers, Paul?

You see, if the guy handed me The Observer,

I'd slug him for The Post.

If he hands me The Post, I'd slug him

for The Observer. It was very simple.

You certainly were

a two-fisted newspaper man, Mr Madvig.

Wasn't he, Mr Beaumont?

PAUL:
Yeah, but there was just one hitch.

I used to have to be very careful

about repeating.

But once I missed.

I remember it was on Third and Broadway,

I slugged a guy

for handing me The Observer.

About a week later, I got balled-up

and I found myself in the same spot.

Well, the guy hands me The Post

so I have to slug him again.

You should have seen the expression

on that fellow's face.

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