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At the boardrooht, a towering, Othello-like figure and one of two black executives present, raised his voice "Mrs D'Orsey and gentlemen Mr Rosselli" The hu slightly, as his eyes

passed over the group As always, his appearance seeure and the strong solidity of one to who He looked both parts, and dressed them: in statesman-banker black, with the inevitable vest, across its front a thin gold cha in and fob And it was striking how closely this m an resembled the first Rosselli, Giovanni who had founded the bank in the baseo It was Giovanni 's patrician head, with flowing silver hair and full mustache, which the bank reproduced on passbooks and travelers checks as a symbol of probity, and whose bust adorned Rosselli Plaza down below

The here-and-now Rosselli had the silver hair and mustache, almost as luxuriant Fashion across a century had revolved full circle But what no reproduction shoas the family drive which all Rossellis had possessed and which, with ingenuity and boundless energy, raised First Mercantile Ah, in Ben Rosselli the usual li veliness see with the aid of a cane; no one present had seen him do so before

Now he reached out, as if to pull one of the heavy directors' chairs toward hiht, who - was nearest,the chair-around, its high back to the boardroom table With a murmur of thanks the president settled into it

Ben Rosselli waved a hand to t he others 'this is in for If you like, pull chairs around Ah, thank you" The last-relass of sherry Thethe boardroom doors behind him

Someone moved a chair for Edwina D'Orsey, and a few others seated the

If was Alex Vandervoort who said, "We're obviously here to celebrate" He lass 'The question is what?"

Ben Rosselli again sly 'A wish this were a celebration, Alex It's siht help" He paused, and suddenly a new tension permeated the room It was evident to everyone now that this was no ordinaryFaces mirrored uncertainty, concern

"I'," Ben Rosselli said "My doctors tell ht all of you should know" He raised his own glass, contemplated it, and took a sip of sherry

Where the boardroom had been quiet before, now the silence was intense No one moved or spoke Exterior sounds intruded faintly; thehu jet plane climbed above the city

Old Ben leaned forward on his cane "Come now, let's not be embarrassed We're all old friends; it's why I called you here And, oh yes, to save anyone asking, what I've told you is definite; if I thought there was a chance it wasn't, I'd have waited longer The other thing youcancer, well advanced I'm told It's probable I won't see Christue showed More softly he added, "So now that you know, and as and when you choose, you can pass the word to others"

Edwina D'Orsey thought: there would be no choosing the time The moment the boardrooh the bank, and be yond, like prairie fire The neould affect many some emotionally, others more prosaically But mostly she was dazed and sensed the reaction of others was the same

"Mr Ben," one of the older men volunteered Pop Mon roe was a senior clerk in the-trust departuess you floored us good I reckon nobody knohat the hell to say"

There was a roan, of assent and sympathy

Above it, Roscoe Heyward injected smoothly, "What we can say, and must" there was a hint of reproof in the comptroller's voice, as if others should have waited to allow him to speak first "is that while this terrible news has shocked and saddened us, we pray there may be leeway and hope in the matter of time Doctors' opinions, as most of us know, are seldoreat deal in halting, even curing…"

"Roscoe, I said I'd been over all that," Ben Rossell! said, betraying his first trace of testiness "And as to doctors, I've had the best Wouldn't you expect me to?"

"Yes, I would," Heyward said "But we should reher power than doctors an d it lanced pointedly around the room "to pray to God for mercy, or at least more time than you believe"

The older et the impression God has already made up his mind"

Alex Vandenoort observed, "Ben, we're all upset I' I said earlier"

"About celebrating? Forget it! you didn't know" The old ood life; not everyone does, so surely that's a cause to celebrate" He patted his suit coat pockets, then looked around hiarette? Those doctors cut me off"