at all and go home." Less than a couple of hours previously, I recalled, Heissman had been making most disparaging remarks about Otto's mental capacities, but he'd backed him up against Captain Imrie and now here was Goin doing the same thing: both men knew which side of their bread required butter. "The losses to Olympus Productions will be enormous.”
“Don't be telling me that, Mr. Goin," Imrie said. `Mat you mean is that the losses to the insurance company-or companies-will be enormous.”
“Wrong," Stryker said and from his tone and attitude it was clear that directorial solidarity on the board of Olympus Productions was complete. "Severally and personally, all members of the cast and crew are insured. The film project-a guarantee as to its successful conclusion-was uninsurable, at least in terms of the premiums demanded. We, and we alone, bear the loss-and I would add that for Mr. Gerran, who is by far and away the biggest shareholder, the effects would be ruinous."
“I am very sorry about that." Captain Imrie seemed genuinely sympathetic but he didn't for a moment sound like a man who was preparing to abandon his position. "But that's your concern, I'm afraid. And I would remind you, Mr. Gerran, of what you yourself said earlier on this evening. "Health," you said, "is a damned sight more important than any profit we might make from this film. Wouldn't you say this is a case in point?"
"That's nonsense to say that," Goin said equably. He had the rare gift of being able to make potentially offensive statements in a quietly rational voice that somehow robbed them of all offence. ‘’Profit,’ you say, was the word Mr. Gerran used. Certainly, Mr. Gerran would willingly pass up any potential profit if the need arose, and that need wouldn't have to be very pressing or demanding. He's done it before." This was at variance with the impression I'd formed of Otto, but then Goin had known him many more years than I had days. "Even without profit we could still make our way by breaking even, which is as much as most film companies can hope for these days. But you're not talking-we're not talking-about lack of profit, we're talking about a total and nonrecoverable loss, a loss that would run into six figures and break us entirely. We've put our collective shirt on this one, Captain Imrie, yet you're talking airily of liquidating our company, putting dozens of technicians-and their families-on the breadline and damaging, very likely beyond repair, the careers of some very promising actors and actresses. And all of this for what? The remote chance-according to Dr. Marlowe, the very remote chance-that someone may fall ill again. Haven't you got things just a little bit out of proportion, Captain Imrie?"
If he had, Captain Imrie wasn't saying so. He wasn't saying anything. He didn't exactly have the look of a man who was thinking and thinking hard.
"Mr. Goin puts it very succinctly," Otto said. "Very succinctly indeed. And there's a major point that seems to have escaped you, Captain Imrie. You have reminded me of something I said earlier. May I remind you of something you said earlier. May I remind you--"
"And may I interrupt, Mr. Gerran," I said. I knew damn well what he was going to say and the last thing I wanted was to hear him say it. "Please. A peace formula, if you wish. You want to continue. So does Mr. Goin, so does Mr. Heissman. So do I-if only because my reputation as a doctor seems to depend on it. Tadeusz?"
"No question," said the Count. "Bear Island.”
“And, of course, it would be unfair to ask either Mr. Smith or Mr.
Stokes. So I propose-”
“This isn't Parliament, Dr. Marlowe," Imrie said. "Not even a local town council. Decisions aboard a vessel at sea are not arrived at by popular vote.”
“I've no intention that they should be. I suggest we draw up a document. I suggest we note Captain Imrie's proposals and
“Don't be telling me that, Mr. Goin," Imrie said. `Mat you mean is that the losses to the insurance company-or companies-will be enormous.”
“Wrong," Stryker said and from his tone and attitude it was clear that directorial solidarity on the board of Olympus Productions was complete. "Severally and personally, all members of the cast and crew are insured. The film project-a guarantee as to its successful conclusion-was uninsurable, at least in terms of the premiums demanded. We, and we alone, bear the loss-and I would add that for Mr. Gerran, who is by far and away the biggest shareholder, the effects would be ruinous."
“I am very sorry about that." Captain Imrie seemed genuinely sympathetic but he didn't for a moment sound like a man who was preparing to abandon his position. "But that's your concern, I'm afraid. And I would remind you, Mr. Gerran, of what you yourself said earlier on this evening. "Health," you said, "is a damned sight more important than any profit we might make from this film. Wouldn't you say this is a case in point?"
"That's nonsense to say that," Goin said equably. He had the rare gift of being able to make potentially offensive statements in a quietly rational voice that somehow robbed them of all offence. ‘’Profit,’ you say, was the word Mr. Gerran used. Certainly, Mr. Gerran would willingly pass up any potential profit if the need arose, and that need wouldn't have to be very pressing or demanding. He's done it before." This was at variance with the impression I'd formed of Otto, but then Goin had known him many more years than I had days. "Even without profit we could still make our way by breaking even, which is as much as most film companies can hope for these days. But you're not talking-we're not talking-about lack of profit, we're talking about a total and nonrecoverable loss, a loss that would run into six figures and break us entirely. We've put our collective shirt on this one, Captain Imrie, yet you're talking airily of liquidating our company, putting dozens of technicians-and their families-on the breadline and damaging, very likely beyond repair, the careers of some very promising actors and actresses. And all of this for what? The remote chance-according to Dr. Marlowe, the very remote chance-that someone may fall ill again. Haven't you got things just a little bit out of proportion, Captain Imrie?"
If he had, Captain Imrie wasn't saying so. He wasn't saying anything. He didn't exactly have the look of a man who was thinking and thinking hard.
"Mr. Goin puts it very succinctly," Otto said. "Very succinctly indeed. And there's a major point that seems to have escaped you, Captain Imrie. You have reminded me of something I said earlier. May I remind you of something you said earlier. May I remind you--"
"And may I interrupt, Mr. Gerran," I said. I knew damn well what he was going to say and the last thing I wanted was to hear him say it. "Please. A peace formula, if you wish. You want to continue. So does Mr. Goin, so does Mr. Heissman. So do I-if only because my reputation as a doctor seems to depend on it. Tadeusz?"
"No question," said the Count. "Bear Island.”
“And, of course, it would be unfair to ask either Mr. Smith or Mr.
Stokes. So I propose-”
“This isn't Parliament, Dr. Marlowe," Imrie said. "Not even a local town council. Decisions aboard a vessel at sea are not arrived at by popular vote.”
“I've no intention that they should be. I suggest we draw up a document. I suggest we note Captain Imrie's proposals and
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