sidneysheldon.astrangerinthemirror-第31章

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d；　〃My　mother　was　an　idiot。〃　Jill　watched　a　procession　of　Harriet's　frances　e　and　go。　There　was　Nick　and　Bobby　add　John　and　Raymond；　until　finally　Jill　could　no　longer　keep　track　of　them。　A　few　months　after　they　had　moved　in　together；　Harriet　announced　that　she　was　pregnant。　〃I　think　it's　Leonard；〃　she　quipped；　〃but　you　know　they　all　look　alike　in　the　dark。〃　〃Where　is　Leonard？〃　〃He's　either　in　Omaha　or　Okinawa。　I　always　was　lousy　at　geography。〃　〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　〃I'm　going　to　have　my　baby。〃　Because　of　her　slight　figure；　Harriet's　pregnancy　became　obvious　in　a　matter　of　weeks　and　she　had　to　give　up　her　modeling　job。　Jill　found　a　job　in　a　supermarket　so　that　she　could　support　the　two　of　them。　　
　One　afternoon　when　Jill　returned　home　from　work；　she　found　a　note　from　Harriet。　It　read：　〃I've　always　wanted　my　baby　to　be　born　in　Hoboken。　Have　gone　back　home　to　my　folks。　I'll　bet　there's　a　wonderful　guy　there；　waiting　for　me。　Thanks　for　everything。〃　It　was　signed：　〃Harriet；　The　Nun。〃　
　The　apartment　had　suddenly　bee　a　lonely　place。
　
　　
　It　was　a　heady　time　for　Toby　Temple。　He　was　forty…two　years　old　and　owned　the　world。　He　joked　with　kings　and　golfed　with　Presidents；　but　his　millions　of　beer…drinking　fans　did　not　mind　because　they　knew　Toby　was　one　of　them；　their　champion　who　milked　all　the　sacred　cows；　ridiculed　the　high　and　mighty；　shattered　the　shibboleths　of　the　Establishment。　They　loved　Toby；　just　as　they　knew　that　Toby　loved　them。　He　spoke　about　his　mother　in　all　his　interviews；　and　each　time　she　became　more　saintlike。　It　was　the　only　way　Toby　could　share　his　success　with　her。　
　Toby　acquired　a　beautiful　estate　in　Bel…Air。　The　house　was　Tudor；　with　eight　bedrooms　and　an　enormous　staircase　and　hand…carved　paneling　from　England。　It　had　a　movie　theater；　a　game　room；　a　wine　cellar；　and　on　the　grounds　were　a　large　swimming　pool；　a　housekeeper's　cottage　and　two　guest　cottages。　He　bought　a　lavish　home　in　Palm　Springs；　a　string　of　racehorses　and　a　trio　of　stooges。　Toby　called　them　all　〃Mac〃　and　they　adored　him。　They　ran　errands；　chauffeured　him；　got　him　girls　at　any　hour　of　the　day　or　night；　took　trips　with　him；　gave　him　massages。　Whatever　the　master　desired；　the　three　Macs　were　always　there　to　give　him。　They　were　the　jesters　to　the　Nation's　Jester。　Toby　had　four　secretaries；　two　just　to　handle　the　enormous　flow　of　fan　mail。　His　private　secretary　was　a　pretty　twenty…one…year…old　honey…blonde　named　Sherry。　Her　body　had　been　designed　by　a　sex　maniac；　and　Toby　insisted　that　she　wear　short　skirts　with　nothing　under　them。　It　saved　them　both　a　lot　of　time。　
　The　premiere　of　Toby　Temple's　first　movie　had　gone　I　remarkably　well。　Sam　Winters　and　Clifton　Lawrence　were　also　in　the　theater。　Afterward　they　all　went　to　Chasen's　to　discuss　the　picture。　Toby　had　enjoyed　his　first　meeting　with　Sam　after　the　deal　had　been　made。　
　〃It　would　have　been　cheaper　if　you　had　returned　my　phone　calls；〃　Toby　said；　and　he　told　Sam　of　how　he　had　tried　to　reach　him。　
　〃My　tough　luck；〃　Sam　said；　ruefully。　Now；　as　they　sat　in　Chasen's；　Sam　turned　to　Clifton　Lawrence。　
　〃If　you　don't　take　an　arm　and　a　leg；　I'd　like　to　make　a　new　three…picture　deal　for　Toby。〃　
　〃Just　an　arm。　I'll　give　you　a　call　in　the　morning；〃　the　agent　said　to　Sam。　He　looked　at　his　watch。　〃I　have　to　run　along。〃　
　〃Where　you　going？〃　Toby　asked。　〃I'm　meeting　another　client。　I　do　have　other　clients；　dear　boy。〃　
　Toby　looked　at　him　oddly；　then　said；　〃Sure。〃　
　
　The　reviews　the　next　morning　were　raves。　Every　critic　predicted　that　Toby　Temple　was　going　to　be　as　big　a　star　in　movies　as　he　was　in　television。　Toby　read　all　the　reviews；　then　got　Clifton　Lawrence　on　the　phone。　
　〃Congratulations；　dear　boy；〃　the　agent　said。　〃Did　you　see　the　Reporter　and　Variety？　Those　reviews　were　love　letters。〃　
　〃Yeah。　It's　a　green…cheese　world；　and　I'm　a　big　fat　rat。　Can　I　have　any　more　fun　than　that？〃　
　〃I　told　you　you'd　own　the　world　one　day；　Toby；　and　now　you　do。　It's　all　yours。〃　There　was　a　deep　satisfaction　in　the　agent's　voice。　
　〃Cliff；　I'd　like　to　talk　to　you。　Can　you　e　over？〃　
　〃Certainly。　I'll　be　free　at　five　o'clock　and　〃　
　〃I　meant　now。〃　
　There　was　a　brief　hesitation；　then　Clifton　said；　〃I　have　appointments　until　〃　
　〃Oh；　if　you're　too　busy；　forget　it。〃　And　Toby　hung　up。　
　One　minute　later；　Clifton　Lawrence's　secretary　called　and　said；　〃Mr。　Lawrence　is　on　his　way　to　see　you；　Mr。　Temple。〃　
　Clifton　Lawrence　was　seated　on　Toby's　couch。　
　〃For　God's　sake；　Toby；　you　know　I'm　never　too　busy　for　you。　I　had　no　idea　you　would　want　to　see　me　today；　or　I　wouldn't　have　made　other　appointments。〃　
　Toby　sat　there　staring　at　him；　letting　him　sweat　it　out。　Clifton　cleared　his　throat　and　said；　〃e　on！　You're　my　favorite　client。　Didn't　you　know　that？〃　And　it　was　true；　Clifton　thought。　I　made　him。　He's　my　creation。　I'm　enjoying　his　success　as　much　as　he　is。　Toby　smiled。　
　〃Am　I　really。　Cliff？〃　He　could　see　the　tension　easing　out　of　the　dapper　little　agent's　body。　〃I　was　beginning　to　wonder。〃　
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　〃You've　got　so　many　clients　that　sometimes　I　think　you　don't　pay　enough　attention　to　me。〃　
　〃That's　not　true。　I　spend　more　time　〃　
　〃I'd　like　you　to　handle　just　me；　Cliff。〃　
　Clifton　smiled。　〃You're　joking。〃　
　〃No。　I'm　serious。〃　He　watched　the　smile　leave　Clifton's　face。　〃I　think　I'm　important　enough　to　have　my　own　agent　　and　when　I　say　my　own　agent；　I　don't　mean　someone　who's　too　busy　for　me　because　he　has　a　dozen　other　people　to　take　care　of。　It's　like　a　group　fuck；　Cliff。　Somebody　always　gets　left　with　a　hard…on。〃　
　Clifton　studied　him　a　moment；　then　said；　〃Fix　us　a　drink。〃　
　While　Toby　went　over　to　the　bar；　Clifton　sat　there；　thinking。　He　knew　what　the　real　problem　was；　and　it　was　not　Toby's　ego；　or　his　sense　of　importance。　It　had　to　do　with　Toby's　loneliness。　Toby　was　the　loneliest　man　Clifton　had　ever　known。　Clifton　had　watched　Toby　buy　women　by　the　dozens　and　try　to　buy　friends　with　lavish　gifts。　No　one　could　ever　pick　up　a　check　when　Toby　was　around。　Clifton　once　heard　a　musician　say　to　Toby；　
　〃You　don't　have　to　buy　love；　Toby。　Everybody　loves　you；　anyway。〃　Toby　winked　and　said；　
　〃Why　take　a　chance？〃　
　The　musician　never　worked　on　Toby's　show　again。　Toby　wanted　all　of　everybody。　He　had　a　need；　and　the　more　he　acquired　the　bigger　his　need　grew。　Clifton　had　heard　that　Toby　went　to　bed　with　as　many　as　half　a　dozen　girls　at　a　time；　trying　to　appease　the　hunger　in　him。　But　of　course；　it　did　not　work。　What　Toby　needed　was　one　girl；　and　he　had　not　found　her。　So　he　went　on　playing　the　numbers　game。　He　had　a　desperate　need　to　have　people　around　him　all　the　time。　Loneliness。　The　only　time　it　was　not　there　was　when　Toby　was　in　front　of　an　audience；　when　he　could　hear　the　applause　and　feel　the　love。　It　was　all　really　very　simple；　Clifton　thought。　When　Toby　was　not　on　stage；　he　carried　his　audience　with　him。　He　was　always　surrounded　by　musicians　and　stooges　and　writers　and　showgirls　and　down…and…out　ics；　and　everyone　else　he　could　gather　into　his　orbit。　And　now　he　wanted　Clifton　Lawrence。　All　of　him。　Clifton　handled　a　dozen　clients；　but　their　total　ine　was　not　a　great　deal　more　than　Toby's　ine　from　nightclubs；　television　and　motion　pictures；　for　the　deals　Clifton　had　been　able　to　make　for　Toby　were　phenomenal。　Nevertheless；　Clifton　did　not　make　his　decision　on　the　basis　of　money。　He　made　it　because　he　loved　Toby　Temple；　and　Toby　needed　him。　Just　as　he　needed　Toby。　Clifton　remembered　how　flat　his　life　had　been　before　Toby　came　into　it。　There　had　been　no　new　challenges　for　years。　He　had　been　coasting　on　old　successes。　And　he　thought　now　of　the　electric　excitement　around　Toby；　the　fun　and　laughter　and　the　deep　camaraderie　the　two　of　them　shared。　When　Toby　came　back　to　Clifton　and　handed　him　his　drink；　Clifton　raised　his　glass　in　a　toast　and　said；　〃To　the　two　of　us；　dear　boy。〃　
　
　It　was　the　season　of　successes　and　fun　and　parties；　and　Toby　was　always　〃on〃。　People　expected　him　to　be　funny。　An　actor　could　hide　behind　the　words　of　Shakespeare　or　Shaw　or　Moliere；　and　a　singer　could　count　on　the　help　of　Gershwin　or　Rodgers　and　Hart　or　Cole　Porter。　But　a　edian　was　naked。　His　only　weapon　was　his　wit。　Toby　Temple's　ad　libs　quickly　became　famous　around　Holl