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’Well, soan, ’felt I should throw ed yourwith Charles Lesters wishesT interrupted Williarn, allowing a small note of surprise to enter his voice
Peter Parfitt raised his head a little ’The problem is not quite that easy, Mr Kane!
’Yes or no, Mr Parfitt? ’Yes, I shall stand against you,’ said Peter Parfitt suddenly, forcefully
Tespite tellingchainnan yourself?’
11 would like to be able to state my own,posidon,’ said Parfit ’before you assume too much This is not your board room yet, Mr Kane!
’Certainly, Mr Parfitt’
So far~ the one exactly as William had planned His own speech had been carefully prepared and delivered, and Peter Parfitt now laboured under the disadvantage of having lost the initiative, to say nothing of having been publicly called a liar
’Gentle for words ’Well,’ he said
The eyes had turned their gaze froave William the chance to relax and study the faces of the other directors
’Several members of the board approached me privately after I had dinner with Mr, Kane, and I felt that it was no more than my duty to consider their wishes and offer myself for election I have never at any time wanted to oppose the wishes of Mr Charles Lester, whom I always admired and respected Naturally, I would have informed Mr Kane of , but I confess to have been taken somewhat by surprise by today’s events!
He drew a deep breath and started again ’I have served Lester’s for twenty - two years, six of them as your vice - chairht to be considered for the chair I would be delighted if Mr Kane were to join the board, but I now find myself unable to back his appointment as chairman I hope my fellow - directors win find it pos - sible to support someone who has worked for this bank for over twenty years rather than elect an unknown outsider on the whiht by the death of his only soentlemen!
He sat down
In the circumstances, William was rather impressed by the speech, but Parfitt did not have the benefit of Mr Cohen’s advice on the power of the last word in a close contest Williaain
’Gentlemen, Mr Parfitt has pointed out that I am personally unknown to you 1, therefore, want none of you to be in any doubt as to the type of randson and the son of bankers I’ve been a banker all my life and it would beless than honest of hted to serve as the next chairman of I,ester’s If, on the other hand, after all you have heard today, you decide to back Mr Parfitt as chairman, so be it I shall return to Boston and serve my own bank quite happily I will, moreover, announce publicly that I have no wish to be the chairainst any clai the provisions of Charles Lestees wilL qIere are, however, no conditions on which I would be willing to serve on your board under Mr Parfitt I have no intention of being less than frank with you on that point I co, in Mr Parfites words, "an unknown outsider" I have however~ the advantage of being supported by a man who cannot be present today A man whom all of you respected and ad hasty decisions I therefore suggest this board wastes nowhom they wish to serve as the next chairman of Lestees If any of you have any doubts in your est you vote for Mr
Parfitt I shall not vote in this election entlemen, and I assume Mr Parfitt will not do so either’
’You cannot vote; said Peter Parfitt, angrily Tou are not a member of this board yet I am, and I shall vote’
’So be it, Mr Parfitt No one will ever be able to say you did not have the opportunity to gain every possible vote’
William waited for the effect of his words to sink in, and as a director as a stranger to Wiffiam, was about to interrupt, he continued, ’I will ask Mr Rodgers as company secretary to carry out the electoral procedure, and when you have coentlemen, perhaps you could pass the ballot papers back to hi out periodically during the entireslips around to each director
When each had written down the name of the candidate whom he supported, the slips were returned to him