merton of the movies-第46章

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　so　much　money。　He　found　the　house　locked。　Probably　both　of　the　Pattersons　had　gone　out　into　society。　He　let　himself　in　and　began　to　follow　the　directions　of　the　Montague　girl。　The　bath；　clean　linen；　the　other　belted　suit；　already　pressed；　the　other　shoes；　the　buttoned；　cloth…　topped　ones；　already　polished！　He　felt　now　more　equal　to　the　encounter　with　a　heartless　society　woman。　But；　as　she　did　not　return；　he　went　out　in　obedience　to　a　new　hunger。

In　the　most　sumptuous　cafeteria　he　knew　of；　one　patronized　only　in　his　first　careless　days　of　opulence；　he　ate　for　a　long　time。　Roast　beef　and　potatoes　he　ordered　twice；　nor　did　he　forget　to　drink　the　milk　prescribed　by　his　benefactress。　Plenty　of　milk　would　make　him　more　than　ever　resemble　Harold　Parmalee。　And　he　commanded　an　abundance　of　dessert：　lemon　pie　and　apple　pie　and　a　double　portion　of　chocolate　cake　with　ice…cream。　His　craving　for　sweets　was　still　unappeased；　so　at　a　near…by　drug　store　he　bought　a　pound　box　of　candy。

The　world　was　again　under　his　feet。　Restored　to　his　rightful　domain；　he　trod　it　with　lightness　and　certainty。　His　mind　was　still　a　pleasant　jumble　of　money　and　food　and　the　Montague　girl。　Miles　of　gorgeous　film　flickered　across　his　vision。　An　experienced　alcoholic　would　have　told　him　that　he　enjoyed　a　coffee　〃hang…over。〃　He　wended　a　lordly　way　to　the　nearest　motion…picture　theatre。

Billed　there　was　the　tenth　installment　of　The　Hazards　of　Hortense。　He　passed　before　the　lively　portrayal　in　colours　of　Hortense　driving　a　motor　car　off　an　open　drawbridge。　The　car　was　already　halfway　between　the　bridge　and　the　water　beneath。　He　sneered　openly　at　the　announcement：　〃Beulah　Baxter　in　the　Sensational　Surprise　Picture　of　the　Century。〃　A　surprise　picture　indeed；　if　those　now　entering　the　theatre　could　be　told　what　he　knew　about　it！　He　considered　spreading　the　news；　but　decided　to　retain　the　superiority　his　secret　knowledge　gave　him。

Inside　the　theatre；　eating　diligently　from　his　box　of　candy；　he　was　compelled　to　endure　another　of　the　unspeakable　Buckeye　comedies。　The　cross…eyed　man　was　a　lifeguard　at　a　beach　and　there　were　social　entanglements　involving　a　bearded　father；　his　daughter　in　an　inconsiderable　bathing　suit；　a　confirmed　dipsomaniac；　two　social　derelicts　who　had　to　live　by　their　wits；　and　a　dozen　young　girls　also　arrayed　in　inconsiderable　bathing　suits。　He　could　scarcely　follow　the　chain　of　events；　so　illogical　were　they；　and　indeed　made　little　effort　to　do　so。　He　felt　far　above　the　audience　that　cackled　at　these　dreadful　buffooneries。　One　subtitle　read：　〃I　hate　to　kill　himmurder　is　so　hard　to　explain。〃

This　sort　of　thing；　he　felt　more　than　ever；　degraded　an　art　where　earnest　people　were　suffering　and　sacrificing　in　order　to　give　the　public　something　better　and　finer。　Had　he　not；　himself；　that　very　day；　completed　a　perilous　ordeal　of　suffering　and　sacrifice？　And　he　was　asked　to　laugh　at　a　crosseyed　man　posing　before　a　camera　that　fell　to　pieces　when　the　lens　was　exposed；　shattered；　presumably；　by　the　impact　of　the　afflicted　creature's　image！　This；　surely；　was　not　art　such　as　Clifford　Armytage　was　rapidly　fitting　himself；　by　trial　and　hardship；　to　confer　upon　the　public。

It　was　with　curiously　conflicting　emotions　that　he　watched　the　ensuing　Hazards　of　Hortense。　He　had　to　remind　himself　that　the　slim　little　girl　with　the　wistful　eyes　was　not　only　not　performing　certain　feats　of　daring　that　the　film　exposed；　but　that　she　was　Mrs。　Sigmund　Rosenblatt　and　crazy　about　her　husband。　Yet　the　magic　had　not　wholly　departed　from　this　wronged　heroine。　He　thought　perhaps　this　might　be　because　he　now　knew；　and　actually　liked；　that　talkative　Montague　girl　who　would　be　doing　the　choice　bits　of　this　drama。　Certainly　he　was　loyal　to　the　hand　that　fed　him。

Black　Steve　and　his　base　crew；　hirelings　of　the　scoundrelly　guardian　who　was　〃a　Power　in　Wall　Street；〃　again　and　again　seemed　to　have　encompassed　the　ruin；　body　and　soul；　of　the　persecuted　Hortense。　They　had　her　prisoner　in　a　foul　den　of　Chinatown；　whence　she　escaped　to　balance　precariously　upon　the　narrow　cornice　of　a　skyscraper；　hundreds　of　feet　above　a　crowded　thoroughfare。　They　had　her；　as　the　screen　said；　〃Depressed　by　the　Grim　Menace　of　Tragedy　that　Impended　in　the　Shadows。〃　They　gave　her　a　brief　respite　in　one　of　those　gilded　resorts　〃Where　the　Clink　of　Coin　Opens　Wide　the　Portals　of　Pleasure；　Where　Wealth　Beckons　with　Golden　Fingers；〃　but　this　was　only　a　trap　for　the　unsuspecting　girl；　who　was　presently；　sewed　in　a　plain　sack；　tossed　from　the　stern　of　an　ocean　liner　far　out　at　sea　by　creatures　who　would　do　anything　for　moneywho；　so　it　was　said；　were　Remorseless　in　the　Mad　Pursuit　of　Gain。

At　certain　gripping　moments　it　became　apparent　to　one　of　the　audience　that　Mrs。　Sigmund　Rosenblatt　herself　was　no　longer　in　jeopardy。　He　knew　the　girl　who　was；　and　profoundly　admired　her　artistry　as　she　fled　along　the　narrow　cornice　of　the　skyscraper。　For　all　purposes　she　was　Beulah　Baxter。　He　recalled　her　figure　as　being…　…not　exactly　stubby；　but　at　least　not　of　marked　slenderness。　Yet　in　the　distance　she　was　indeed　all　that　an　audience　could　demand。　And　she　was　honest；　while　Mrs。　Rosenblatt；　in　the　Majestic　Theatre　at　Peoria；　Illinois；　had　trifled　airily　with　his　faith　in　women　and　deceived　him　by　word　of　mouth。

He　applauded　loudly　at　the　sensational　finish；　when　Hortense；　driving　her　motor　car　at　high　speed　across　the　great　bridge；　ran　into　the　draw；　that　opened　too　late　for　her　to　slow　down；　and　plunged　to　the　cruel　waters　far　below。

Mrs。　Rosenblatt　would　possibly　have　been　a　fool　to　do　this　herself。　The　Montague　girl　had　been　insistent　on　that　point；　there　were　enough　things　she　couldn't　avoid　doing；　and　all　stars　very　sensibly　had　doubles　for　such　scenes　when　distance　or　action　permitted。　At　the　same　time；　he　could　never　again　feel　the　same　toward　her。　Indeed；　he　would　never　have　felt　the　same　even　had　there　been　no　Rosenblatt。　Art　was　art！

It　was　only　five　o'clock　when　he　left　the　picture　theatre；　but　he　ate　again　at　the　luxurious　cafeteria。　He　ate　a　large　steak；　drank　an　immense　quantity　of　milk；　and　bought　another　box　of　candy　on　his　way　to　the　Patterson　home。　Lights　were　on　there；　and　he　went　in　to　face　the　woman　he　had　so　long　kept　out　of　her　money。　She　would　probably　greet　him　coldly　and　tell　him　she　was　surprised　at　his　actions。

Yet　it　seemed　that　he　had　been　deceived　in　this　society　woman。　She　was　human；　after　all。　She　shook　hands　with　him　warmly　and　said　they　were　glad　to　see　him　back；　he　must　have　been　out　on　location；　and　she　was　glad　they　were　not　to　lose　him；　because　he　was　so　quiet　and　regular　and　not　like　some　other　motion…picture　actors　she　had　known。

He　told　her　he　had　just　put　in　a　hard　week　on　the　Holden　lot；　where　things　were　beginning　to　pick　up。　He　was　glad　she　had　missed　him；　and　he　certainly　had　missed　his　comfortable　room；　because　the　accommodations　on　the　lot　were　not　of　the　best。　In　fact；　they　were　pretty　unsatisfactory；　if　you　came　right　down　to　it；　and　he　hoped　they　wouldn't　keep　him　there　again。　And；　oh；　yeshe　was　almost　forgetting。　Here　was　ten　dollarshe　believed　there　were　two　weeks'　rent　now　due。　He　passed　over　the　money　with　rather　a　Clifford　Armytage　flourish。

Mrs。　Patterson　accepted　the　bill　almost　protestingly。　She　hadn't　once　thought　about　the　rent；　because　she　knew　he　was　reliable；　and　he　was　to　remember　that　any　time　convenient　to　him　would　always　suit　her　in　these　matters。　She　did　accept　the　bill；　still　she　was　not　the　heartless　creature　he　had　supposed　her　to　be。

As　he　bade　her　good…night　at　the　door　she　regarded　him　closely　and　said；　〃Somehow　you　look　a　whole　lot　older；　Mr。　Armytage。〃

〃I　am；〃　replied　Mr。　Armytage。

*　*　*　*　*　*　*

Miss　Montague；　after　parting　with　her　protege　had　walked　quickly；　not　without　little　recurrent　dance　stepsas　if　some　excess　of　joy　would　ever　and　again　overwhelm　herto　the　long　office　building　on　the　Holden　lot；　where　she　entered　a　door　marked　〃Buckeye　Comedies。　Jeff　Baird；　Manager。〃　The　outer　office　was　vacant；　but　through　the　open　door　to　another　room　she　observed　Baird　at　his　desk；　his　head　bent　low　over　certain　sheets　of　yellow　paper。　He　was　a　bulky；　rather　phlegmatic　looking　man；　with　a　parrot…like　crest　of　gray　hair。