merton of the movies-第17章

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　bits　must　go　in　silence；　or　perhaps　be　interrupted　by　a　so…called　director　who　arrogates　to　himself　the　right　to　instill　into　us　the　rudiments　of　a　profession　in　which　we　had　grounded　ourselves　ere　yet　he　was　out　of　leading　strings。　Too　often；　naturally；　the　results　are　discouraging。〃

The　unabashed　girl　was　meantime　having　sprightly　talk　with　the　casting　director；　whom　she　had　hailed　through　the　window　as　Countess。　Merton；　somewhat　startled；　wondered　if　the　little　woman　could　indeed　be　of　the　nobility。

〃Hello；　Countess！　Say；　listen；　can　you　give　the　camera　a　little　peek　at　me　to…day；　or　at　pa　or　ma？　'No；　nothing　to…day；　dear。'〃　She　had　imitated　the　little　woman's　voice　in　her　accustomed　reply。　〃Well；　I　didn't　think　there　would　be。　I　just　thought　I'd　ask。　You　ain't　mad；　are　you？　I　could　have　gone　on　in　a　harem　tank　scene　over　at　the　Bigart　place；　but　they　wanted　me　to　dress　the　same　as　a　fish；　and　a　young　girl's　got　to　draw　the　line　somewhere。　Besides；　I　don't　like　that　Hugo　over　there　so　much。　He　hates　to　part　with　anything　like　money；　and　he'll　gyp　you　if　he　can。　Say；　I'll　bet　he　couldn't　play　an　honest　game　of　solitaire。　How'd　you　like　my　hair　this　way？　Like　it；　eh？　That's　good。　And　me　having　the　only　freckles　left　in　all　Hollywood。　Ain't　I　the　little　prairie　flower；　growing　wilder　every　hour？

〃Say；　on　the　level；　pa　needs　work。　These　days　when　he's　idle　he　mostly　sticks　home　and　tries　out　new　ways　to　make　prime　old　Kentucky　sour　mash　in　eight　hours。　If　he　don't　quit　he　is　going　to　find　himself　seeing　some　moving　pictures　that　no　one　else　can。　And　he's　all　worried　up　about　his　hair　going　off　on　top；　and　trying　new　hair　restorers。　You　know　his　latest？　Well；　he　goes　over　to　the　Selig　place　one　day　and　watches　horse　meat　fed　to　the　lions　and　says　to　himself　that　horses　have　plenty　of　hair；　and　it　must　be　the　fat　under　the　skin　that　makes　it　grow；　so　he　begs　for　a　hunk　of　horse　from　just　under　the　mane　and　he's　rubbing　that　on。　You　can't　tell　what　he'll　bring　home　next。　The　old　boy　still　believes　you　can　raise　hair　from　the　dead。　Do　you　want　some　new　stills　of　me？　I　got　a　new　one　yesterday　that　shows　my　other　expression。　Well；　so　long；　Countess。〃

The　creature　turned　to　her　parents。

〃Let's　be　on　our　way；　old　dears。　This　place　is　dead；　but　the　Countess　says　they'll　soon　be　shooting　some　tenement…house　stuff　up　at　the　Consolidated。　Maybe　there'll　be　something　in　it　for　someone。　We　might　as　well　have　a　look…in。〃

Merton　felt　relieved　when　the　Montague　family　went　out；　the　girl　in　the　lead。　He　approved　of　the　fine　old　father；　but　the　daughter　lacked　dignity　in　speech　and　manner。　You　couldn't　tell　what　she　might　say　next。

The　Montagues　were　often　there；　sometimes　in　full；　sometimes　represented　by　but　one　of　their　number。　Once　Mrs。　Montague　was　told　to　be　on　Stage　Six　the　next　morning　at　8：30　to　attend　a　swell　reception。

〃Wear　the　gray　georgette；　dearie；〃　said　the　casting　director；　〃and　your　big　pearls　and　the　lorgnon。〃

〃Not　forgetting　the　gold　cigarette　case　and　the　chinchilla　neck　piece；〃　said　Mrs。　Montague。　〃The　spare　parts　will　all　be　there；　Countess；　and　thanks　for　the　word。〃

The　elder　Montague　on　the　occasion　of　his　calls　often　found　time　to　regale　those　present　with　anecdotes　of　Lawrence　Barrett。

〃A　fine　artist　in　his　day；　sir；　none　finer　ever　appeared　in　a　hall　show。〃

And　always　about　his　once　superb　frock　coat　clung　the　scent　of　forbidden　beverages。　On　one　such　day　he　appeared　with　an　untidy　sprouting　of　beard；　accompanied　by　the　talkative　daughter。

〃Pa's　landed　a　part；〃　she　explained　through　the　little　window。　〃It's　one　of　those　we…uns　mountaineer　plays　with　revenooers　and　feuds；　one　of　those　plays　where　the　city　chap　don't　treat　our　Nell　rightyou　know。　And　they　won't　stand　for　the　crepe　hair；　so　pop　has　got　to　raise　a　brush　and　he's　mad。　But　it　ought　to　give　him　a　month　or　so；　and　after　that　he　may　be　able　to　peddle　the　brush　again；　you　can　never　tell　in　this　business；　can　you；　Countess？〃

〃It's　most　annoying；〃　the　old　gentleman　explained　to　the　bench　occupants。　〃In　the　true　art　of　the　speaking　stage　an　artificial　beard　was　considered　above　reproach。　Nowadays　one　must　descend　to　mere　physical　means　if　one　is　to　be　thought　worthy。〃




CHAPTER　V

A　BREACH　IN　THE　CITY　WALLS


During　these　weeks　of　waiting　outside　the　gate　the　little　woman　beyond　the　window　had　continued　to　be　friendly　but　not　encouraging　to　the　aspirant　for　screen　honours　late　of　Simsbury；　Illinois。　For　three　weeks　had　he　waited　faithfully；　always　within　call；　struggling　and　sacrificing　to　give　the　public　something　better　and　finer；　and　not　once　had　he　so　much　as　crossed　the　line　that　led　to　his　goal。

Then　on　a　Monday　morning　he　found　the　waiting…room　empty　and　his　friend　beyond　the　window　suffering　the　pangs　of　headache。　〃It　gets　me　something　fierce　right　through　here；〃　she　confided　to　him；　placing　her　finger…tips　to　her　temples。

〃Ever　use　Eezo　Pain　Wafers？〃　he　demanded　in　quick　sympathy。　She　looked　at　him　hopefully。

〃Never　heard　of　'em。〃

〃Let　me　get　you　some。〃

〃You　dear　thing；　fly　to　it！〃

He　was　gone　while　she　reached　for　her　purse；　hurrying　along　the　eucalyptus…lined　street　of　choice　home　sites　to　the　nearest　drug　store。　He　was　fearing　someone　else　might　bring　the　little　woman　another　remedy；　even　that　her　headache　might　go　before　he　returned　with　his。　But　he　found　her　still　suffering。

〃Here　they　are。〃　He　was　breathless。　〃You　take　a　couple　now　and　a　couple　more　in　half　an　hour　if　the　ache　hasn't　stopped。〃　〃Bless　your　heart！　Come　around　inside。〃　He　was　through　the　door　and　in　the　dimly　lit　little　office　behind　that　secretive　partition。　〃And　here's　something　else；〃　he　continued。　〃It's　a　menthol　pencil　and　you　take　this　cap　offsee？and　rub　your　forehead　with　it。　It'll　be　a　help。〃　She　swallowed　two　of　the　magic　wafers　with　the　aid　of　water　from　the　cooler；　and　applied　the　menthol。

〃You're　a　dear；〃　she　said；　patting　his　sleeve。　〃I　feel　better　already。　Sometimes　these　things　come　on　me　and　stay　all　day。〃　She　was　still　applying　the　menthol　to　throbbing　temples。　〃Say；　don't　you　get　tired　hanging　around　outside　there？　How'd　you　like　to　go　in　and　look　around　the　lot？　Would　you　like　that？〃

Would　he！　〃Thanks！〃　He　managed　it　without　choking；　〃If　I　wouldn't　be　in　the　way。〃

〃You　won't。　Go　onamuse　yourself。〃　The　telephone　rang。　Still　applying　the　menthol　she　held　the　receiver　to　her　ear。　〃No；　nothing　to…day；　dear。　Say；　Marie；　did　you　ever　take　Eezo　Pain　Wafers　for　a　headache？　Keep　'em　in　mindthey're　great。　Yes；　I'll　let　you　know　if　anything　breaks。　Goo'…by；　dear。〃

Merton　Gill　hurried　through　a　narrow　corridor　past　offices　where　typewriters　clicked　and　burst　from　gloom　into　the　dazzling　light　of　the　Holden　lot。　He　paused　on　the　steps　to　reassure　himself　that　the　great　adventure　was　genuine。　There　was　the　full　stretch　of　greensward　of　which　only　an　edge　had　shown　as　he　looked　through　the　gate。　There　were　the　vast　yellow…brick；　glass…topped　structures　of　which　he　had　seen　but　the　ends。　And　there　was　the　street　up　which　he　had　looked　for　so　many　weeks；　flanked　by　rows　of　offices　and　dressing　rooms；　and　lively　with　the　passing　of　many　people。　He　drew　a　long　breath　and　became　calculating。　He　must　see　everything　and　see　it　methodically。　He　even　went　now　along　the　asphalt　walk　to　the　corner　of　the　office　building　from　which　he　had　issued　for　the　privilege　of　looking　back　at　the　gate　through　which　he　had　so　often　yearningly　stared　from　across　the　street。

Now　he　was　securely　inside　looking　out。　The　watchman　sat　at　the　gate；　bent　low　over　his　paper。　There　was；　it　seemed；　more　than　one　way　to　get　by　him。　People　might　have　headaches　almost　any　time。　He　wondered　if　his　friend　the　casting　director　were　subject　to　them。　He　must　carry　a　box　of　the　Eezo　wafers。

He　strolled　down　the　street　between　the　rows　of　offices　and　the　immense　covered　stages。　Actors　in　costume　entered　two　of　these　and　through　their　open　doors　he　could　see　into　their　shadowy　interiors。　He　would　venture　there　later。　Just　now　he　wished　to　see　the　outside　of　things。　He　contrived　a　pace　not　too　swift　but　business…like　enough　to　convey　the　impression　that　he　was　rightfully　walking　this　forbidden　street。　He　seemed　to　be　going　some　place　where　it　w