merton of the movies-第47章

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yellow　paper。　He　was　a　bulky；　rather　phlegmatic　looking　man；　with　a　parrot…like　crest　of　gray　hair。　He　did　not　look　up　as　the　girl　entered。　She　stood　a　moment　as　if　to　control　her　excitement；　then　spoke。

〃Jeff；　I　found　a　million　dollars　for　you　this　morning。〃

〃Thanks！〃　said　Mr。　Baird；　still　not　looking　up。　〃Chuck　it　down　in　the　coal　cellar；　will　you？　We're　littered　with　the　stuff　up　here。〃

〃On　the　level；　Jeff。〃

Baird　looked　up。　〃On　the　level？〃

〃You'll　say　so。〃

〃Shoot！〃

〃Well；　he's　a　small…town　hick　that　saved　up　seventy…two　dollars　to　come　here　from　Goosewallow；　Michigan；　to　go　into　pictures…took　a　correspondence　course　in　screenacting　and　all　that；　and　he　went　broke　and　slept　in　a　property　room　down　in　the　village　all　last　week；　no　eats　at　all　for　three；　four　days。　I'd　noticed　him　around　the　lot　on　different　sets；　something　about　him　that　makes　you　look　a　second　time。　I　don't　know　what　it　is…kind　of　innocent　and　bug…eyed　the　way　he'd　rubber　at　things；　but　all　the　time　like　as　if　he　thought　he　was　someone。　Well；　I　keep　running　across　him　and　pretty　soon　I　notice　he's　up　against　it。　He　still　thinks　he's　someone；　and　is　very　up…stage　if　you　start　to　kid　him　the　least　bit；　but　the　signs　are　there；　all　right。　He's　up　against　it　good　and　hard。

〃All　last　week　he　got　to　looking　worse　and　worse。　But　he　still　had　his　stage　presence。　Say；　yesterday　he　looked　like　the　juvenile　lead　of　a　busted　road　show　that　has　walked　in　from　Albany　and　was　just　standing　around　on　Broadway　wondering　who　he'd　consent　to　sign　up　with　for　forty　weekssee　what　I　mean？…hungry　but　proud。　He　was　over　on　the　Baxter　set　last　night　while　I　was　doing　the　water　stuff；　and　you'd　ought　to　see　him　freeze　me　when　I　suggested　a　sandwich　and　a　cup　o'　coffee。　It　was　grand。

〃Well；　this　morning　I'm　back　for　a　bar　pin　of　Baxter's　I'd　lost；　and　there　he　is　again；　no　overcoat；　shivering　his　teeth　loose；　and　all　in。　So　I　fell　for　him。　Took　him　up　for　some　coffee　and　eggs；　staked　him　to　his　room　rent；　and　sent　him　off　to　get　cleaned　and　barbered。　But　before　he　went　he　cut　loose　and　told　me　his　history　from　the　cradle　to　Hollywood。

〃I'd　'a'　given　something　good　if　you'd　been　at　the　next　table。　I　guess　he　got　kind　of　jagged　on　the　food；　see？　He'd　tell　me　anything　that　run　in　his　mind；　and　most　of　it　was　good。　You'll　say　so。　I'll　get　him　to　do　it　for　you　sometime。　Of　all　the　funny　nuts　that　make　this　lot！　Well；　take　my　word　for　it；　that's　all　I　ask。　And　listen　here；　JeffI'm　down　to　cases。　There's　something　about　this　kid；　like　when　I　tell　you　I'd　always　look　at　him　twice。　And　it's　something　rich　that　I　won't　let　out　for　a　minute　or　two。　But　here's　what　you　and　me　do；　right　quick：

〃The　kid　was　in　that　cabaret　and　gambling…house　stuff　they　shot　last　week　for　The　Blight　of　Broadway；　and　this　something　that　makes　you　look　at　him　must　of　struck　Henshaw　the　way　it　did　me；　for　he　let　him　stay　right　at　the　edge　of　the　dance　floor　and　took　a　lot　of　close…　ups　of　him　looking　tired　to　death　of　the　gay　night　life。　Well；　you　call　up　the　Victor　folks　and　ask　can　you　get　a　look　at　that　stuff　because　you're　thinking　of　giving　a　part　to　one　of　the　extras　that　worked　in　it。　Maybe　we　can　get　into　the　projection　room　right　away　and　you'll　see　what　I　mean。　Then　I　won't　have　to　tell　you　the　richest　thing　about　it。　Now！〃she　took　a　long　breath〃will　you？〃

Baird　had　listened　with　mild　interest　to　the　recital；　occasionally　seeming　not　to　listen　while　he　altered　the　script　before　him。　But　he　took　the　telephone　receiver　from　its　hook　and　said　briefly　to　the　girl：　〃You　win。　Hello！　Give　me　the　Victor　office。　Hello！　Mr。　Baird　speaking〃

The　two　were　presently　in　the　dark　projection　room　watching　the　scenes　the　girl　had　told　of。

〃They　haven't　started　cutting　yet；〃　she　said　delightedly。　〃All　his　close…ups　will　be　in。　Goody！　There's　the　lad…get　him？　Ain't　he　the　actin'est　thing　you　ever　saw？　Now　wait…you'll　see　others。〃

Baird　watched　the　film　absorbedly。　Three　times　it　was　run　for　the　sole　purpose　of　exposing　to　this　small　audience　Merton　Gill's　notion　of　being　consumed　with　ennui　among　pleasures　that　had　palled。　In　the　gambling…hall　bit　it　could　be　observed　that　he　thought　not　too　well　of　cigarettes。　〃He　screens　well；　too；〃　remarked　the　girl。　〃Of　course　I　couldn't　be　sure　of　that。〃

〃He　screens　all　right；〃　agreed　Baird。

〃Well；　what　do　you　think？〃

〃I　think　he　looks　like　the　first　plume　on　a　hearse。〃

〃He　looks　all　of　that；　but　try　again。　Who　does　he　remind　you　of？　Catch　this　next　one　in　the　gambling　hellget　the　profile　and　the　eyebrows　and　the　chinthere！〃

〃Why〃　Baird　chuckled。　〃I'm　a　Swede　if　he　don't　look　like〃

〃You　got　it！〃　the　girl　broke　in　excitedly。　〃I　knew　you　would。　I　didn't　at　first；　this　morning；　because　he　was　so　hungry　and　needed　a　shave；　and　he　darned　near　had　me　bawling　when　he　couldn't　hold　his　cup　o'　coffee　except　with　two　hands。　But　what　d'you　think？pretty　soon　he　tells　me　himself　that　he　looks　a　great　deal　like　Harold　Parmalee　and　wouldn't　mind　playing　parts　like　Parmalee；　though　he　prefers　Western　stuff。　Wouldn't　that　get　you？〃

The　film　was　run　again　so　that　Baird　could　study　the　Gill　face　in　the　light　of　this　new　knowledge。

〃He　does；　he　does；　he　certainly　doesif　he　don't　look　like　a　No。　9　company　of　Parmalee　I'll　eat　that　film。　Say；　Flips；　you　did　find　something。〃

〃Oh；　I　knew　it；　didn't　I　tell　you　so？〃

〃But；　listendoes　he　know　he's　funny？〃

〃Not　in　a　thousand　years！　He　doesn't　know　anything's　funny；　near　as　I　can　make　him。〃

They　were　out　in　the　light　again；　walking　slowly　back　to　the　Buckeye　offices。

〃Get　this；〃　said　Baird　seriously。　〃You　may　think　I'm　kidding；　but　only　yesterday　I　was　trying　to　think　if　I　couldn't　dig　up　some　guy　that　looked　more　like　Parmalee　than　Parmalee　himself　doesjust　enough　more　to　get　the　laugh；　see？　And　you　spring　this　lad　on　me。　All　he　needs　is　the　eyebrows　worked　up　a　little　bit。　But　how　about　himwill　he　handle？　Because　if　he　will　I'll　use　him　in　the　new　five…reeler。〃

〃Will　he　handle？〃　Miss　Montague　echoed　the　words　with　deep　emphasis。　〃Leave　him　to　me。　He's　got　to　handle。　I　already　got　twenty…five　bucks　invested　in　his　screen　career。　And；　Jeff；　he'll　be　easy　to　work；　except　he　don't　know　he's　funny。　If　he　found　out　he　was；　it　might　queer　himsee　what　I　mean？　He's　one　of　that　kindyou　can　tell　it。　How　will　you　use　him？　He　could　never　do　Buckeye　stuff。〃

〃Sure　not。　But　ain't　I　told　you？　In　this　new　piece　Jack　is　stage　struck　and　gets　a　job　as　valet　to　a　ham　that's　just　about　Parmalee's　type；　and　we　show　Parmalee　acting　in　the　screen；　but　all　straight　stuff；　you　understand。　Unless　he's　a　wise　guy　he'll　go　all　through　the　piece　and　never　get　on　that　it's　funny。　See；　his　part's　dead　straight　and　serious　in　a　regular　drama；　and　the　less　he　thinks　he's　funny　the　bigger　scream　he'll　be。　He's　got　to　be　Harold　Parmalee　acting　right　out；　all　over　the　set；　as　serious　as　the　lumbagoget　what　I　mean？〃

〃I　got　you；〃　said　the　girl；　〃and　you'll　get　him　to…morrow　morning。　I　told　him　to　be　over　with　his　stills。　And　he'll　be　serious　all　the　time；　make　no　mistake　there。　He's　no　wise　guy。　And　one　thing；　Jeff；　he's　as　innocent　as　a　cupcustard；　so　you'll　have　to　keep　that　bunch　of　Buckeye　roughnecks　from　riding　him。　I　can　tell　you　that　much。　Once　they　started　kidding　him；　it　would　be　all　off。〃

〃And；　besides〃　She　hesitated　briefly。　〃Somehow　I　don't　want　him　kidded。　I'm　pretty　hard…boiled；　but　he　sort　of　made　me　feel　like　a　fifty…year…old　mother　watching　her　only　boy　go　out　into　the　rough　world。　See？〃

〃I'll　watch　out　for　that；〃　said　Baird。




CHAPTER　XII

ALIAS　HAROLD　PARMALEE


Merton　Gill　awoke　to　the　comforting　realization　that　he　was　between　sheets　instead　of　blankets；　and　that　this　morning　he　need　not　obscurely　leave　his　room　by　means　of　a　window。　As　he　dressed；　however；　certain　misgivings；　to　which　he　had　been　immune　the　day　before；　gnawed　into　his　optimism。　He　was　sober　now。　The　sheer　intoxication　of　food　after　fasting；　of　friendly　concern　after　so　long　a　period　when　no　one　had　spoken　him　kindly　or　otherwise；　had　evaporated。　He　felt　the　depression　following　success。

He　had　been　rescued　from　death　by　starvation；　but　had　anything　more　than　this　come　about？　Had　he　not　fed　upon　the　charity　of　a　st