merton of the movies-第10章

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〃Go　ahead；〃　said　Metta。　〃You　can　git　a　fine　look　at　yourself　in　the　tall　glass　in　the　old　lady's　bedroom。〃

Forthwith　he　went；　profaning　a　sanctuary；　to　survey　himself　in　a　glass　that　had　never　reflected　anything　but　the　discreet　arraying　of　his　employer's　lady。　He　looked　long　and　earnestly。　The　effect　was　quite　all　he　had　hoped。　He　lowered　the　front　of　the　broad…brimmed　hat　the　least　bit；　tightened　his　belt　another　notch　and　moved　the　holster　to　a　better　line。　He　looked　again。　From　feet　to　head　he　was　perfect。

Then；　slightly　crouching；　he　drew　his　revolver　from　the　holster　and　held　it　forward　from　the　hip；　wrist　and　forearm　rigidly　straight。

〃Throw　up　your　hands！〃

He　uttered　the　grim　words　in　a　low　tone；　but　one　facing　him　would　not　have　been　deceived　by　low　tones。　Steely…eyed；　grim　of　face；　relentless　in　all　his　bearing；　the　most　desperate　adversary　would　have　quailed。　Probably　even　Gashwiler　himself　would　have　quailed。　When　Buck　Benson　looked　and　spoke　thus　he　meant　it。

He　held　it　a　long；　breathless　moment　before　relaxing。　Then　he　tiptoed　softly　from　the　hallowed　confines　of　a　good　woman's　boudoir　and　clattered　down　the　back　stairs　to　the　kitchen。　He　was　thinking：　〃I　certainly　got　to　get　me　another　gun　if　I'm　ever　going　to　do　Two…　Gun　Benson　parts；　and　I　got　to　get　the　draw　down　better。　I　ain't　quick　enough　yet。〃

〃Well；　did　you　like　your　rig？〃　inquired　Metta　genially。

〃Oh；　it'll　do　for　the　stills　we're　shooting　to…day；〃　replied　the　actor。　〃Of　course　I　ought　to　have　a　rattlesnake…skin　band　on　my　hat；　and　the　things　look　too　new　yet。　And　say；　Metta；　where's　the　clothesline？　I　want　to　practise　roping　a　little　before　my　camera　man　gets　here。〃

〃My　stars！　You're　certainly　goin'　to　be　a　real　one；　ain't　you？〃

She　brought　him　the　clothesline；　in　use　only　on　Mondays。　He　re…　coiled　it　carefully　and　made　a　running　noose　in　one　end。

At　two　Lowell　Hardy　found　his　subject　casting　the　rope　at　an　inattentive　Dexter。　The　old　horse　stood　in　the　yard；　head　down；　one　foot　crossed　nonchalantly　before　the　other。　A　slight　tremor；　a　nervous　flickering　of　his　skin；　was　all　that　ensued　when　the　rope　grazed　him。　When　it　merely　fell　in　his　general　neighbourhood；　as　it　oftener　did；　Dexter　did　not　even　glance　up。

〃Good　stuff！〃　applauded　the　artist。　〃Now　just　stand　that　way；　holding　the　noose　out。　I　want　to　make　a　study　of　that。〃

He　rapidly　mounted　his　camera　on　a　tripod　and　put　in　a　plate。　The　study　was　made。　Followed　several　studies　of　the　fighting　face　of　Two…Gun　Benson；　grim　and　rigid；　about　to　shoot　from　the　hip。　But　these　were　minor　bits。　More　important　would　be　Buck　Benson　and　his　old　pal；　Pinto。　From　the　barn　Merton　dragged　the　saddle；　blanket；　and　bridle　he　had　borrowed　from　the　Giddings　House　livery　stable。　He　had　never　saddled　a　horse　before；　but　he　had　not　studied　in　vain。　He　seized　Dexter　by　a　wisp　of　his　surviving　mane　and　simultaneously　planted　a　hearty　kick　in　the　beast's　side；　with　a　command；　〃Get　around　there；　you　old　skate！〃　Dexter　sighed　miserably　and　got　around　as　ordered。　He　was　both　pained　and　astonished。　He　knew　that　this　was　Sunday。　Never　had　he　been　forced　to　work　on　this　day。　But　he　meekly　suffered　the　protrusion　of　a　bit　between　his　yellow　teeth；　and　shuddered　but　slightly　when　a　blanket　and　then　a　heavy　saddle　were　flung　across　his　back。　True；　he　looked　up　in　some　dismay　when　the　girth　was　tightened。　Not　once　in　all　his　years　had　he　been　saddled。　He　was　used　to　having　things　loose　around　his　waist。

The　girth　went　still　tighter。　Dexter　glanced　about　with　genuine　concern。　Someone　was　intending　to　harm　him。　He　curved　his　swanlike　neck　and　snapped　savagely　at　the　shoulder　of　his　aggressor；　who　kicked　him　again　in　the　aide　and　yelled；　〃Whoa；　there；　dang　you！〃

Dexter　subsided。　He　saw　it　was　no　use。　Whatever　queer　thing　they　meant　to　do　to　him　would　be　done　despite　all　his　resistance。　Still　his　alarm　had　caused　him　to　hold　up　his　head　now。　He　was　looking　much　more　like　a　horse。

〃There！〃　said　Merton　Gill；　and　as　a　finishing　touch　he　lashed　the　coiled　clothesline　to　the　front　of　the　saddle。　〃Now；　here！　Get　me　this　way。　This　is　one　of　the　best　things　I　dothat　is；　so　far。〃　Fondly　he　twined　his　arms　about　the　long；　thin　neck　of　Dexter；　who　tossed　his　head　and　knocked　off　the　cowboy　hat。　〃Never　mind　that　it's　out；〃　said　Merton。　〃Can't　use　it　in　this　scene。〃　He　laid　his　cheek　to　the　cheek　of　his　pet。　〃Well；　old　pal；　they're　takin'　yuh　from　me；　but　we　got　to　keep　a　stiff　upper　lip。　You　an'　me　has　been　through　some　purty　lively　times　together；　but　we　got　to　face　the　music　at　lastthere；　Lowell；　did　you　get　that？〃

The　artist　had　made　his　study。　He　made　three　others　of　the　same　affecting　scene　at　different　angles。　Dexter　was　overwhelmed　with　endearments。　Doubtless　he　was　puzzledto　be　kicked　in　the　ribs　at　one　moment；　the　next　to　be　fondled。　But　Lowell　Hardy　was　enthusiastic。　He　said　he　would　have　some　corking　studies。　He　made　another　of　Buck　Benson　preparing　to　mount　good　old　Pinto；　though；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　Buck；　it　appeared；　was　not　even　half　prepared　to　mount。

〃Go　on；　jump　on　him　now；〃　suggested　the　artist。　〃I'll　get　a　few　more　that　way。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know；〃　Merton　hesitated。　He　was　twenty…two　years　old；　and　he　had　never　yet　been　aboard　a　horse。　Perhaps　he　shouldn't　try　to　go　too　far　in　one　lesson。　〃You　see；　the　old　boy's　pretty　tired　from　his　week's　work。　Maybe　I　better　not　mount　him。　Say；　I'll　tell　you；　take　me　rolling　a　cigarette；　just　standing　by　him。　I　darned　near　forgot　the　cigarettes。〃

From　the　barn　he　brought　a　sack　of　tobacco　and　some　brown　papers。　He　had　no　intention　of　smoking；　but　this　kind　of　cigarette　was　too　completely　identified　with　Buck　Benson　to　be　left　out。　Lolling　against　the　side　of　Dexter；　he　poured　tobacco　from　the　sack　into　one　of　the　papers。　〃Get　me　this　way；〃　he　directed；　〃just　pouring　it　out。〃

He　had　not　yet　learned　to　roll　a　cigarette；　but　Gus　Giddings；　the　Simsbury　outlaw；　had　promised　to　teach　him。　Anyway；　it　was　enough　now　to　be　looking　keenly　out　from　under　his　hat　while　he　poured　tobacco　into　the　creased　paper　against　the　background　of　good　old　Pinto。　An　art　study　of　this　pose　was　completed。　But　Lowell　Hardy　craved　more　action；　more　variety。

〃Go　on。　Get　up　on　him；〃　he　urged。　〃I　want　to　make　a　study　of　that。〃

〃Well〃again　Merton　faltered〃the　old　skate's　tired　out　from　a　hard　week；　and　I'm　not　feeling　any　too　lively　myself。〃

〃Shucks！　It　won't　kill　him　if　you　get　on　his　back　for　a　minute；　will　it？　And　you'll　want　one　on　him　to　show；　won't　you？　Hurry　up；　while　the　light's　right。〃

Yes；　he　would　need　a　mounted　study　to　show。　Many　times　he　had　enacted　a　scene　in　which　a　director　had　looked　over　the　art　studies　of　Clifford　Armytage　and　handed　them　back　with　the　remark；　〃But　you　seem　to　play　only　society　parts；　Mr。　Armytage。　All　very　interesting；　and　I've　no　doubt　we　can　place　you　very　soon；　but　just　at　present　we're　needing　a　lead　for　a　Western；　a　man　who　can　look　the　part　and　ride。〃

Thereupon　he　handed　these　Buck　Benson　stills　to　the　man；　whose　face　would　instantly　relax　into　an　expression　of　pleased　surprise。

〃The　very　thing；〃　he　would　say。　And　among　those　stills；　certainly；　should　be　one　of　Clifford　Armytage　actually　on　the　back　of　his　horse。　He'd　chance　it。

〃All　right；　just　a　minute。〃

He　clutched　the　bridle　reins　of　Dexter　under　his　drooping　chin。　and　overcoming　a　feeble　resistance　dragged　him　alongside　the　watering　trough。　Dexter　at　first　thought　he　was　wished　to　drink；　but　a　kick　took　that　nonsense　out　of　him。　With　extreme　care　Merton　stood　upon　the　edge　of　the　trough　and　thrust　a　leg　blindly　over　the　saddle。　With　some　determined　clambering　he　was　at　last　seated。　His　feet　were　in　the　stirrups。　There　was　a　strange　light　in　his　eyes。　There　was　a　strange　light　in　Dexter's　eyes。　To　each　of　them　the　experience　was　not　only　without　precedent　but　rather　unpleasant。

〃Ride　him　out　in　the　middle　here；　away　from　that　well；〃　directed　the　camera　man。

〃Youyou　better　lead　him　out；〃　suggested　the　rider。　〃I　can　feel　him　tremble　already。　Hehe　might　break　down　under　me。〃

Metta　Judson；　from　the　back　porch；　here　came　into　the　piece　with　lines　that　the　author　had　assuredly　not　written　for　her。

〃Giddap；　there；　you　Dexter　Gashwiler；〃　called　Me