The Fourth Estate

“Three hundred and fifty thousand? And they want more? Why?”

“Der Berliner hasn’t been on the streets for the last two days. Julius Hahn rang this morning to tell me that for the past forty-eight hours his electricity has been cut off.”

“What extraordinary bad luck,” said Armstrong, trying to look sympathetic.

“And to make matters worse,” added Arno, “he’s also lost his usual supply of paper from the Russian sector. He wanted to know if we’d been having the same problems.”

“What did you tell him?” asked Armstrong.

“That we haven’t had any trouble since you took over,” Arno replied. Armstrong smiled and rose from his chair.

“If they’re off the streets again tomorrow,” said Arno as Armstrong began walking toward the door, “we’ll have to print at least 400,000 copies.”

Armstrong closed the door behind him and repeated, “What extraordinary bad luck.”

16.

Sydney Morning Herald

30 January 1957

DANE’S CONTROVERSIAL DESIGN WINS OPERA HOUSE CONTEST

“But I’ve hardly seen you since we announced our engagement,” Susan said.

“I’m trying to bring out one newspaper in Adelaide and another in Sydney,” said Keith, turning over to face her. “It’s just not possible to be in two places at once.”

“It’s never possible for you to be in one place at once nowadays,” said Susan. “And if you get your hands on that Sunday paper in Perth, as I keep reading you’re trying to, I won’t even see you at the weekends.”

Keith realized that this wasn’t the time to tell her that he had already closed the deal with the owner of the Perth Sunday Monitor. He slipped out of bed without making any comment.

“And where are you off to now?” she asked as he disappeared into the bathroom.

“I’ve got a breakfast meeting in the city,” shouted Keith from behind a closed door.

“On a Sunday morning?”

“It was the only day he could see me. The man’s flown down from Brisbane specially.”

“But we’re meant to be spending the day sailing. Or had you forgotten that as well?”

“Of course I hadn’t forgotten,” said Keith as he came out of the bathroom. “That’s exactly why I agreed to a breakfast meeting. I’ll be home long before you’re ready to leave.”

“Like you were last Sunday?”

“That was different,” said Keith. “The Perth Monitor is a Sunday paper, and if I’m buying it, how can I find out what it’s like except by being there on the one day it comes out?”

“So you have bought it?” said Susan.

Keith pulled on his trousers, then turned to face her sheepishly. “Yes, subject to legal agreement. But it’s got a first class management team, so there should be no reason for me to have to go to Perth that often.”

“And the editorial staff?” asked Susan as Keith slipped on a sports jacket. “If this one follows the same pattern as every other paper you’ve taken over, you’ll be living on top of them for the first six months.”

“No, it won’t be that bad,” said Keith. “I promise you. Just be sure you’re ready to leave the moment I get back.” He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. “I shouldn’t be more than an hour, two at the most.” He closed the bedroom door before she had a chance to comment.

As Townsend climbed into the front of the car, his driver turned on the ignition.

“Tell me, Sam, does your wife give you a hard time about the hours you have to work for me?”