sidneysheldon.astrangerinthemirror-第14章

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　for　the　past　and　for　the　future。　He　wept　because　he　was　dead。　
　It　was　dawn　when　Toby　returned　to　the　white　stucco　bungalow　he　shared　with　Alice。　He　walked　into　the　bedroom　and　looked　down　at　her　sleeping　figure。　He　had　thought　that　she　would　be　the　open　sesame　to　the　magic　kingdom。　But　there　was　no　magic　kingdom。　Not　for　him。　He　would　leave。　
　He　had　no　idea　where　he　would　go。　He　was　almost　twenty　seven　years　old　and　he　had　no　future。　He　lay　down　on　the　couch；　exhausted。　He　closed　his　eyes；　listening　to　the　sounds　of　the　city　stirring　into　life。　The　morning　sounds　of　cities　are　the　same；　and　he　thought　of　Detroit。　
　His　mother。　She　was　standing　in　the　kitchen　cooking　apple　tarts　for　him。　He　could　smell　her　wonderful　musky　female　odor　mingled　with　the　smell　of　apples　cooking　in　butter；　and　she　was　saying；　God　wants　you　to　be　famous。　He　was　standing　alone　on　an　enormous　stage；　blinded　by　floodlights；　trying　to　remember　his　lines。　He　tried　to　speak　but　he　had　lost　his　voice。　He　grew　panicky。　There　was　a　great　rumbling　noise　from　the　audience；　and　through　the　blinding　lights　Toby　could　see　the　spectators　leaving　their　seats　and　running　toward　the　stage　to　attack　him；　to　kill　him。　Their　love　had　turned　to　hate。　They　were　surrounding　him；　grabbing　him；　chanting；　〃Toby！　Toby！　Toby！〃　Toby　suddenly　jerked　awake；　his　mouth　dry　with　fright。　Alice　Tanner　was　leaning　over　him；　shaking　him。　〃Toby！　Telephone。　It's　Clifton　Lawrence。〃　
　Clifton　Lawrence's　office　was　in　a　small；　elegant　building　on　Beverly　Drive；　just　south　of　Wilshire。　French　Impressionist　paintings　hung　from　the　carved　boiserie；　and　before　the　dark　green　marble　fireplace　a　sofa　and　some　antique　chairs　were　grouped　around　an　exquisite　tea　table。　Toby　had　never　seen　anything　like　it。　A　shapely；　redheaded　secretary　was　pouring　tea。　
　〃How　do　you　like　your　tea；　Mr。　Temple？〃　Mr。　Temple！　
　〃One　sugar；　please。〃　
　〃There　you　are。〃　A　little　smile　and　she　was　gone。　
　Toby　did　not　know　that　the　tea　was　a　special　blend　imported　from　Fortnum　and　Mason；　nor　that　it　was　steeping　in　Irish　Baleek；　but　he　knew　it　tasted　wonderful。　In　fact；　everything　about　this　office　was　wonderful；　especially　the　dapper　little　man　who　sat　in　an　armchair　studying　him。　Clifton　Lawrence　was　smaller　than　Toby　had　expected；　bur　he　radiated　a　sense　of　authority　and　power。　
　〃I　can't　tell　you　how　much　I　appreciate　your　seeing　me；〃　Toby　said。　〃I'm　sorry　I　had　to　trick　you　into　〃　
　Clifton　Lawrence　threw　his　head　back　and　laughed。　
　〃Trick　me？　I　had　lunch　with　Goldwyn　yesterday。　I　went　to　watch　you　last　night　because　I　wanted　to　see　if　your　talent　matched　your　nerve。　It　did。〃　
　〃But　you　walked　out　〃　Toby　exclaimed。　
　〃Dear　boy；　you　don't　have　to　eat　the　entire　jar　of　caviar　to　know　if　it's　good；　right？　I　knew　what　you　had　in　sixty　seconds。〃　
　Toby　felt　that　sense　of　euphoria　building　up　in　him　again。　After　the　black　despair　of　the　night　before；　to　be　lifted　to　the　heights　like　this；　to　have　his　life　handed　back　to　him　…　
　〃I　have　a　hunch　about　you；　Temple；〃　Clifton　Lawrence　said。　〃I　think　it　would　be　exciting　to　take　someone　young　and　build　his　career。　I've　desided　to　take　you　on　as　a　client。〃　
　The　feeling　of　joy　was　exploding　inside　Toby。　He　wanted　to　stand　up　and　scream　aloud。　Clifton　Lawrence　was　going　to　be　his　agent！　
　〃。。。handle　you　on　one　condition；〃　Clifton　Lawrence　was　saying。　〃That　you　do　exactly　as　I　tell　you。　I　don't　stand　for　temperament。　You　step　out　of　line　just　once；　and　we're　finished。　Do　you　understand？〃　
　Toby　nodded　quickly。　〃Yes；　sir。　I　understand。〃　
　〃The　first　thing　you　have　to　do　is　face　the　truth。〃　He　smiled　at　Toby　and　said；　〃Your　act　is　terrible。　Definitely　bottom　drawer。〃　
　It　was　as　though　Toby　had　been　kicked　in　the　stomach。　Clifton　Lawrence　had　brought　him　here　to　punish　him　for　that　stupid　phone　call；　he　was　not　going　to　handle　him。　He　。。。　But　the　little　agent　continued。　
　〃Last　night　was　amateur　night；　and　that's　what　you　arean　amateur。〃　Clifton　Lawrence　rose　from　his　chair　and　began　to　pace。　〃I'm　going　to　tell　you　what　you　have；　and　I'm　going　to　tell　you　what　you　need　to　bee　a　star。〃　
　Toby　sat　there。　
　〃Let's　start　with　your　material；〃　Clifton　said。　〃You　could　put　butter　and　salt　on　it　and　peddle　it　in　theater　lobbies。〃　
　〃Yes；　sir。　Well；　some　of　it　might　be　a　little　corny；　but　〃　
　〃Next。　You　have　no　style。〃　
　Toby　felt　his　hands　begin　to　clench。　〃The　audience　seemed　to〃　
　〃Next。　You　don't　know　how　to　move。　You're　a　lox。〃　Toby　said　nothing。　The　little　agent　walked　over　to　him；　looked　down　and　said　softly；　reading　Toby's　mind；　〃If　you're　so　bad；　what　are　you　doing　here？　You're　here　because　you've　got　something　that　money　can't　buy。　When　you　stand　up　on　that　stage；　the　audience　wants　to　eat　you　up。　They　love　you。　Do　you　have　any　idea　how　much　that　could　be　worth？〃　
　Toby　took　a　deep　breath　and　sat　back。　〃Tell　me。〃　
　〃More　than　you　could　ever　dream。　With　the　right　material　and　the　proper　kind　of　handling；　you　can　be　a　star。〃　Toby　sat　there；　basking　in　the　warm　glow　of　Clifton　Lawrence's　words；　and　it　was　as　though　everything　Toby　had　done　all　his　life　had　led　to　this　moment；　as　though　he　were　already　a　star；　and　it　had　all　happened。　Just　as　his　mother　had　promised　him。　
　〃The　key　to　an　entertainer's　success　is　personality；〃　Clifton　Lawrence　was　saying。　〃You　can't　buy　it　and　you　can't　fake　it。　You　have　to　be　born　with　it。　You're　one　of　the　lucky　ones；　dear　boy。〃　He　glanced　at　the　gold　Piaget　watch　on　his　wrist。　〃I've　set　up　a　meeting　for　you　with　O'Hanlon　and　Rainger　at　two　o'clock。　They're　the　best　edy　writers　in　the　business。　They　work　for　all　the　top　ics。〃　
　Toby　said　nervously；　〃I'm　afraid　I　haven't　much　mon　〃　Clifton　Lawrence　dismissed　it　with　a　wave　of　his　hand。　〃Not　to　worry；　dear　boy。　You'll　pay　me　back　later。〃　
　Long　after　Toby　Temple　had　left；　Clifton　Lawrence　sat　there　thinking　about　him；　smiling　to　himself　at　that　wide…eyed　innocent　face　and　those　trusting；　guileless　blue　eyes。　It　had　been　many　years　since　Clifton　had　represented　an　unknown。　All　his　clients　were　important　stars；　and　every　studio　fought　for　their　services。　The　excitement　had　long　since　gone。　The　early　days　had　been　more　fun；　more　stimulating。　It　would　be　a　challenge　to　take　this　raw；　young　kid　and　develop　him；　build　him　into　a　hot　property。　Clifton　had　a　feeling　that　he　was　really　going　to　enjoy　this　experience。　He　liked　the　boy。　He　liked　him　very　much　indeed。　
　The　meeting　took　place　at　the　Twentieth　Century…Fox　studios　on　Pico　Boulevard　in　West　Los　Angeles；　where　O'Hanlon　and　Rainger　had　their　offices。　Toby　had　expected　something　lavish；　on　the　order　of　Clifton　Lawrence's　suite；　but　the　writers'　quarters　were　drab　and　dingy；　located　in　a　small　wooden　bungalow　on　the　lot。　An　untidy；　middle…aged　secretary　in　a　cardigan　ushered　Toby　into　the　inner　office。　The　walls　were　a　dirty　applegreen；　and　the　only　adornment　was　a　battered　dart　board　and　a　〃plan　ahead〃　sign　with　the　last　three　letters　squeezed　together。　A　broken　Venetian　blind　partially　filtered　out　the　sun's　rays　that　fell　across　a　dirty　brown　carpet　worn　down　to　the　canvas。　There　were　two　scarred　desks；　back　to　back；　each　littered　with　papers　and　pencils　and　half…empty　cartons　of　cold　coffee。　
　〃Hi；　Toby。　Excuse　the　mess。　It's　the　maid's　day　off；〃　O'Hanlon　greeted　him。　〃I'm　O'Hanlon。〃　He　indicated　his　partner。　〃This　is　　er　…〃
　〃Rainger。〃　
　〃Ah；　yes。　This　is　Rainger。〃　
　O'Hanlon　was　large　and　rotund　and　wore　horn…rimmed　glasses。　Rainger　was　small　and　frail。　Both　men　were　in　their　thirties　and　had　been　a　successful　writing　team　for　ten　years。　In　all　the　time　that　Toby　was　to　work　with　them；　he　always　referred　to　them　as　〃the　boys〃。　
　Toby　said；　〃I　understand　you　fellas　are　going　to　write　some　jokes　for　me。〃　
　O'Hanlon　and　Rainger　exchanged　a　look。　Rainger　said；　〃Cliff　Lawrence　thinks　you　might　be　America's　new　sex　symbol。　Let's　see　what　you　can　do。　Have　you　got　an　act？〃　
　〃Sure；〃　Toby　replied。　He　remembered　what　Clifton　had　said　about　it。　Suddenly；　he　felt　diffident。　The　two　writers　sat　down　on　the　couch　and　crossed　their　turns。　
　〃Entertain　us；〃　O'Hanlon　said。　
　Toby　looked　at　them。　〃Just　like　that　？〃　
　〃What　would　you　like？〃　Rainger　asked。　
　〃An　introduction　from　a　sixty…pi