She got up and kissed him again, and he relaxed in the large chair,
sipping contentedly at his drink, listening to her footsteps hurrying
away, the sound another indication that she was doing something for him.
He felt tired and easy. He let his mind relax with his body. The gadget,
the Confidet; that was going to work, he knew. It would erase the last
important bug in his operational efficiency, and then he might even
expand, the way he had wanted to all along. He closed his eyes for a
moment, tasting of his contentment, and then he heard the sound of his
dinner being placed on the dining room table, and he stood up briskly
and walked out of the library. He really was hungry, he realized. Not
only hungry but, he thought, he might make love to Mary that evening.
* * * * *
The first indication that the Confidet might be working, came three
weeks later, when Quay handed Cutter the report showing an efficiency
increase of 3.7 percent. "I think that should tell the story," Quay said
elatedly.
"Doesn't mean anything," Cutter said. "Could be a thousand other factors
besides that damned gimmick."
"But we've never been able to show more than one point five variance on
the administrative checks."
"The trouble with you, Quay," Cutter said brusquely, "is you keep
looking for miracles. You think the way to get things in this world is
to hope real hard. Nothing comes easy, and I've got half a notion to get
those damned silly things jerked out." He bent over his work, obviously
finished with Quay, and Quay, deflated, paced out of the office.
Cutter smiled inside the empty office. He liked to see Quay's enthusiasm
broken now and then. It took that, to mold a really good man, because
that way he assumed real strength after a while. If he got knocked down
and got up enough, he didn't fall apart when he hit a really tough
obstacle. Cutter was not unhappy about the efficiency figures at all,
and he knew as well as Quay that they were decisive.
Give it another two weeks, he thought, and if the increase was
comparable, then they might have a real improvement on their hands.
Those limp, jumpy creatures on the desks out there might actually start
earning their keep. He was thinking about that, what it would mean to
the total profit, when Lucile opened his door and he caught a glimpse of
the office outside, including the clerk with the sad, frightened eyes.
Even you, Linden, Cutter thought, we might even improve you.
The increase _was_ comparable after another two weeks. In fact, the
efficiency figure jumped to 8.9. Quay was too excited to be knocked down
this time, and Cutter was unable to suppress his own pleasure.
"This is really it this time, George," Quay said. "It really is. And
here." He handed Cutter a set of figures. "Here's what accounting
estimates the profit to be on this eight-nine figure."
Cutter nodded, his eyes thinning the slightest bit. "We won't see that
for a while."
"No," Quay said, "but we'll see it! We'll sure as hell see it! And if it
goes much higher, we'll absolutely balance out!"
"What does Bolen figure the top to be?"
"Ten percent."
"Why not thirty-six point eight?" Cutter said, his eyes bright and
narrow.