merton of the movies-第20章

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be　and　made　me　swear　always　to　wear　it；　even　in　the　bath…tub；　so　I　let　myself　out　and　unlock　the　other　one　and　let　Herman　out　and　the　orchestra　discovers　us　and　chases　us　over　the　cliff；　and　then　along　comes　my　old　nurse　who　is　now　running　a　cigar　store　in　San　Pedro　and　she〃　Here　she　affected　to　discover　that　Mr。　Henshaw　no　longer　listened。

〃Why；　Mr。　Henshaw's　gone！〃　she　exclaimed　dramatically。　〃Boy；　boy；　page　Mr。　Henshaw。〃　Mr。　Henshaw　remained　oblivious。

〃Oh；　well；　of　course　I　might　have　expected　you　wouldn't　have　time　to　listen　to　my　poor　little　plot。　Of　course　I　know　it's　crude；　but　it　did　seem　to　me　that　something　might　be　made　out　of　it。〃　She　resumed　her　food。　Mr。　Henshaw's　companion　here　winked　at　her　and　was　seen　to　be　shaking　with　emotion。　Merton　Gill　could　not　believe　it　to　be　laughter；　for　he　had　seen　nothing　to　laugh　at。　A　busy　man　had　been　bothered　by　a　silly　girl　who　thought　she　had　the　plot　for　a　photodrama；　and　even　he；　Merton　Gill；　could　have　told　her　that　her　plot　was　impossibly　wild　and　inconsequent。　If　she　were　going　into　that　branch　of　the　art　she　ought　to　take　lessons；　the　way　Tessie　Kearns　did。　She　now　looked　so　mournful　that　he　was　almost　moved　to　tell　her　this；　but　her　eyes　caught　his　at　that　moment　and　in　them　was　a　light　so　curious；　so　alive　with　hidden　meanings；　so　eloquent　of　some　iron　restraint　she　put　upon　her　own　emotions；　that　he　became　confused　and　turned　his　gaze　from　hers　almost　with　the　rebuking　glare　of　Henshaw。　She　glanced　quickly　at　him　again；　studying　his　face　for　the　first　time。　There　had　been　such　a　queer　look　in　this　young　man's　eyes；　she　understood　most　looks；　but　not　that　one。

Henshaw　was　treating　the　late　interruption　as　if　it　had　not　been。　〃You　see；　Governor；　the　way　we　got　the　script　now；　they're　in　this　tomb　alone　for　the　nightunderstand　what　I　meanand　that's　where　the　kick　comes　for　the　audience。　They　know　he's　a　strong　young　fellow　and　she's　a　beautiful　girl　and　absolutely　in　his　powersee　what　I　mean？but　he's　a　gentleman　through　and　through　and　never　lays　a　hand　on　her。　Get　that？　Then　later　along　comes　this　Ben　Ali　Ahab〃

The　Montague　girl　glanced　again　at　the　face　of　the　strange　young　man　whose　eyes　had　held　a　new　expression　for　her；　but　she　and　Mr。　Henshaw　and　the　so…called　governor　and　all　those　other　diners　who　rattled　thick　crockery　and　talked　unendingly　had　ceased　to　exist　for　Merton　Gill。　A　dozen　tables　down　the　room　and　nearer　the　door　sat　none　other　than　Beulah　Baxter。　Alone　at　her　table；　she　gazed　raptly　aloft；　meditating　perhaps　some　daring　new　feat。　Merton　Gill　stared；　entranced；　frozen。　The　Montague　girl　perfectly　understood　this　look　and　traced　it　to　its　object。　Then　she　surveyed　Merton　Gill　again　with　something　faintly　like　pity　in　her　shrewd　eyes。　He　was　still　staring；　still　rapt。

Beulah　Baxter　ceased　to　look　aloft。　She　daintily　reached　for　a　wooden　toothpick　from　the　bowl　before　her　and　arose　to　pay　her　check　at　the　near…by　counter。　Merton　Gill　arose　at　the　same　moment　and　stumbled　a　blind　way　through　the　intervening　tables。　When　he　reached　the　counter　Miss　Baxter　was　passing　through　the　door。　He　was　about　to　follow　her　when　a　cool　but　cynical　voice　from　the　counter　said；　〃Hey；　Billain't　you　fergittin'　somepin'。〃

He　looked　for　the　check　for　his　meal；　it　should　have　been　in　one　hand　or　the　other。　But　it　was　in　neither。　He　must　have　left　it　back　on　his　tray。　Now　he　must　return　for　it。　He　went　as　quickly　as　he　could。　The　Montague　girl　was　holding　it　up　as　he　approached。　〃Here's　the　little　joker；　Kid；〃　she　said　kindly。

〃Thanks！〃　said　Merton。　He　said　it　haughtily；　not　meaning　to　be　haughty；　but　he　was　embarrassed　and　also　fearful　that　Beulah　Baxter　would　be　lost。　〃Exit　limping；〃　murmured　the　girl　as　he　turned　away。　He　hurried　again　to　the　door；　paid　the　check　and　was　outside。　Miss　Baxter　was　not　to　be　seen。　His　forgetfulness　about　the　check　had　lost　her　to　him。　He　had　meant　to　follow；　to　find　the　place　where　she　was　working；　and　look　and　look　and　look！　Now　he　had　lost　her。　But　she　might　be　on　one　of　those　stages　within　the　big　barns。　Perhaps　the　day　was　not　yet　lost。　He　crossed　the　street；　forgetting　to　saunter；　and　ventured　within　the　cavernous　gloom　beyond　an　open　door。　He　stood　for　a　moment；　his　vision　dulled　by　the　dusk。　Presently　he　saw　that　he　faced　a　wall　of　canvas　backing。　Beyond　this　were　low　voices　and　the　sound　of　people　moving。　He　went　forward　to　a　break　in　the　canvas　wall　and　at　the　same　moment　there　was　a　metallic　jar　and　light　flooded　the　enclosure。　From　somewhere　outside　came　music；　principally　the　low；　leisurely　moan　of　a　'cello。　A　beautiful　woman　in　evening　dress　was　with　suppressed　emotion　kneeling　at　the　bedside　of　a　sleeping　child。　At　the　doorway　stood　a　dark；　handsome　gentleman　in　evening　dress；　regarding　her　with　a　cynical　smile。　The　woman　seemed　to　bid　the　child　farewell；　and　arose　with　hands　to　her　breast　and　quivering　lips。　The　still…smiling　gentleman　awaited　her。　When　she　came　to　him；　glancing　backward　to　the　sleeping　child；　he　threw　about　her　an　elaborate　fur　cloak　and　drew　her　to　him；　his　cynical　smile　changing　to　one　of　deceitful　tenderness。　The　woman　still　glanced　back　at　the　child；　but　permitted　herself　to　be　drawn　through　the　doorway　by　the　insistent　gentleman。　From　a　door　the　other　side　of　the　bed　came　a　kind…faced　nurse。　She　looked　first　at　the　little　one　then　advanced　to　stare　after　the　departing　couple。　She　raised　her　hands　tragically　and　her　face　became　set　in　a　mask　of　sorrow　and　despair。　She　clasped　the　hands　desperately。

Merton　Gill　saw　his　nurse　to　be　the　Montague　mother。　〃All　right；〃　said　an　authoritative　voice。　Mrs。　Montague　relaxed　her　features　and　withdrew；　while　an　unkempt　youth　came　to　stand　in　front　of　the　still…grinding　camera　and　held　before　it　a　placard　on　which　were　numbers。　The　camera　stopped；　the　youth　with　the　placard　vanished。　〃Save　it；〃　called　another　voice；　and　with　another　metallic　jar　the　flood　of　light　was　turned　off。　The　'cello　ceased　its　moan　in　the　middle　of　a　bar。

The　watcher　recalled　some　of　the　girl's　chat。　Her　mother　had　a　character　bit　in　Her　Other　Husband。　This　would　be　it；　one　of　those　moving　tragedies　not　unfamiliar　to　the　screen　enthusiast。　The　beautiful　but　misguided　wife　had　been　saying　good…by　to　her　little　one　and　was　leaving　her　beautiful　home　at　the　solicitation　of　the　false　friend　in　evening　dressforgetting　all　in　one　mad　moment。　The　watcher　was　a　tried　expert；　and　like　the　trained　faunal　naturalist　could　determine　a　species　from　the　shrewd　examination　of　one　bone　of　a　photoplay。　He　knew　that　the　wife　had　been　ignored　by　a　husband　who　permitted　his　vast　business　interests　to　engross　his　whole　attention；　leaving　the　wife　to　seek　solace　in　questionable　quarters。　He　knew　that　the　shocked　but　faithful　nurse　would　presently　discover　the　little　one　to　be　suffering　from　a　dangerous　fever；　that　a　hastily　summoned　physician　would　shake　his　head　and　declare　in　legible　words；　〃Naught　but　a　mother's　love　can　win　that　tiny　soul　back　from　the　brink　of　Eternity。〃　The　father　would　overhear　this；　and　would　see　it　all　then：　how　his　selfish　absorption　in　Wall　Street　had　driven　his　wife　to　another。　He　would　pursue　her；　would　find　her　ere　yet　it　was　too　late。　He　would　discover　that　her　better　nature　had　already　prevailed　and　that　she　had　started　back　without　being　sent　for。　They　would　kneel　side　by　side；　hand　in　hand；　at　the　bedside　of　the　little　one；　who　would　recover　and　smile　and　prattle；　and　together　they　would　face　an　untroubled　future。

This　was　all　thrilling　to　Merton　Gill；　but　Beulah　Baxter　was　not　here；　her　plays　being　clean　and　wholesome　things　of　the　great　outdoors。　Far　down　the　great　enclosure　was　another　wall　of　canvas　backing；　a　flood　of　light　above　it　and　animated　voices　from　within。　He　stood　again　to　watch。　But　this　drama　seemed　to　have　been　suspended。　The　room　exposed　was　a　bedroom　with　an　open　window　facing　an　open　door；　the　actors　and　the　mechanical　staff　as　well　were　busily　hurling　knives　at　various　walls。　They　were　earnest　and　absorbed　in　this　curious　pursuit。　Sometimes　they　made　the　knife　penetrate　the　wall；　oftener　it　merely　struck　and　clattered　to　the　floor。　Five　knives　at　once　were　being　hurled　by　five　enthusiasts；　while　a　harried…looking　director　watched　and　cr