merton of the movies-第54章

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ng　you　to　give　up　mopping　places；　and　you're　telling　him　every　little　helps。

〃All　right；　break。　Get　to　mopping；　Mother；　but　keep　on　crying。　He　stops　for　a　long　look　at　you。　He　seems　to　be　saying　that　some　day　he　will　take　you　out　of　such　work。　Now　he's　back　at　his　desk。　All　right。　But　we'll　do　it　once　more。　And　a　little　more　pathos；　Merton；　when　you　take　the　old　lady　in　your　arms。　You　can　broaden　it。　You　don't　actually　break　down；　but　you　nearly　do。〃

The　scene　was　rehearsed　again；　to　Baird's　satisfaction；　and　the　cameras　ground。　Merton　Gill　gave　the　best　that　was　in　him。　His　glad　look　at　first　beholding　the　old　lady；　the　yearning　of　his　eyes　when　his　arms　opened　to　enfold　her；　the　tenderness　of　his　embrace　as　he　murmured　soothing　words；　the　lingering　touch　of　his　hand　as　he　left　her；　the　manly　determination　of　the　last　look　in　which　he　showed　a　fresh　resolve　to　release　her　from　this　toil；　all　were　eloquent　of　the　deepest　filial　devotion　and　earnestness　of　purpose。

Back　at　his　desk　he　was　genuinely　pitying　the　old　lady。　Very　lately；　it　was　evident；　she　had　been　compelled　to　play　in　a　cabaret　scene；　for　she　smelled　strongly　of　cigarettes；　and　he　could　not　suppose　that　she；　her　eyes　brimming　with　anguished　mother　love；　could　have　relished　these。　He　was　glad　when　it　presently　developed　that　his　own　was　not　to　be　a　smoking　part。

〃Now　the　dissipated　brother's　coming　on；〃　explained　Baird。　〃He'll　breeze　in；　hang　up　his　hat；　offer　you　a　cigarette；　which　you　refuse；　and　show　you　some　money　that　he　won　on　the　third　race　yesterday。　You　follow　him　a　little　way　from　the　desk；　telling　him　he　shouldn't　smoke　cigarettes；　and　that　money　he　gets　by　gambling　will　never　do　him　any　good。　He　laughs　at　you；　but　you　don't　mind。　On　your　way　back　to　the　desk　you　stop　by　your　mother；　and　she　gets　up　and　embraces　you　again。

〃Take　your　time　about　itshe's　your　mother；　remember。〃

The　brother　entered。　He　was　indeed　dissipated　appearing；　loudly　dressed；　and　already　smoking　a　cigarette　as　he　swaggered　the　length　of　the　shop　to　offer　Merton　one。　Merton　refused　in　a　kindly　but　firm　manner。　The　flashy　brother　now　pulled　a　roll　of　bills　from　his　pocket　and　pointed　to　his　winning　horse　in　a　racing　extra。　The　line　in　large　type　was　there　for　the　close…up〃Pianola　Romps　Home　in　Third　Race。〃

Followed　the　scene　in　which　Merton　sought　to　show　this　youth　that　cigarettes　and　gambling　would　harm　him。　The　youth　remained　obdurate。　He　seized　a　duster　and；　with　ribald　action；　began　to　dust　off　the　rows　of　cooked　food　on　the　counters。　Again　the　son　stopped　to　embrace　his　mother；　who　again　wept　as　she　enfolded　him。　The　scene　was　shot。

Step　by　step；　under　the　patient　coaching　of　Baird；　the　simple　drama　unfolded。　It　was　hot　beneath　the　lights；　delays　were　frequent　and　the　rehearsals　tedious；　yet　Merton　Gill　continued　to　give　the　best　that　was　in　him。　As　the　day　wore　on；　the　dissipated　son　went　from　bad　to　worse。　He　would　leave　the　shop　to　place　money　on　a　horse　race；　and　he　would　seek　to　induce　the　customers　he　waited　on　to　play　at　dice　with　him。　A　few　of　them　consented；　and　one；　a　coloured　man　who　had　come　to　purchase　pigs'…feet；　won　at　this　game　all　the　bills　which　the　youth　had　shown　to　Merton　on　entering。

There　were　moments　during　this　scene　when　Merton　wondered　if　Baird　were　not　relapsing　into　Buckeye　comedy　depths；　but　he　saw　the　inevitable　trend　of　the　drama　and　the　justification　for　this　bit　of　gambling。　For　the　son；　now　penniless；　became　desperate。　He　appealed　to　Merton　for　a　loan；　urging　it　on　the　ground　that　he　had　a　sure　thing　thirtyto…one　shot　at　Latonia。　At　least　these　were　the　words　of　Baird；　as　he　directed　Merton　to　deny　the　request　and　to　again　try　to　save　the　youth　from　his　inevitable　downfall。　Whereupon　the　youth　had　sneered　at　Merton　and　left　the　place　in　deep　anger。

There　followed　the　scene　with　the　boy's　sister；　only　daughter　of　the　rich　delicatessen　merchant；　who　Merton　was　pleased　to　discover　would　be　played　by　the　Montague　girl。　She　entered　in　a　splendid　evening　gown；　almost　too　splendid；　Merton　thought；　for　street　wear　in　daylight；　though　it　was　partially　concealed　by　a　rich　opera　cloak。　The　brother　being　out；　Merton　came　forward　to　wait　upon　her。

〃It's　like　this；〃　Baird　explained。　〃She's　just　a　simple　New　York　society　girl；　kind　of　shallow　and　heartless；　because　she　has　never　been　aroused　nor　anything；　see？　You're　the　first　one　that's　really　touched　her　heart；　but　she　hesitates　because　her　father　expects　her　to　marry　a　count　and　she's　come　to　get　the　food　for　a　swell　banquet　they're　giving　for　him。　She　says　where's　her　brother；　and　if　anything　happened　to　him　it　would　break　her　heart。　Then　she　orders　what　she　wants　and　you　do　it　up　for　her；　looking　at　her　all　the　time　as　if　you　thought　she　was　the　one　girl　in　the　world。

〃She　kind　of　falls　for　you　a　little　bit；　still　she　is　afraid　of　what　her　father　would　say。　Then　you　get　bolder；　see？　You　come　from　behind　the　counter　and　begin　to　make　love；　talking　as　you　come　outso…and…　so；　so…and…so；　so…and…soMiss　Hoffmeyer；　I　have　loved　you　since　the　day　I　first　set　eyes　on　youso…and…so；　so…and…so；　so…and…so；　I　have　nothing　to　offer　but　the　love　of　an　honest　manshe's　falling　for　it；　see？　So　you　get　up　close　and　grab　hercave…man　stuff。　Do　a　good　hard　clenchshe's　yours　at　last；　she　just　naturally　sags　right　down　on　to　you。　You've　got　her。

〃Do　a　regular　Parmalee。　Take　your　time。　You're　going　to　kiss　her　and　kiss　her　right。　But　just　as　you　get　down　to　it　the　father　busts　in　and　says　what's　the　meaning　of　this；　so　you　fly　apart　and　the　father　says　you're　discharged；　because　his　daughter　is　the　affianced　wife　of　this　Count　Aspirin；　see？　Then　he　goes　back　to　the　safe　and　finds　all　the　money　has　been　taken；　because　the　son　has　sneaked　in　and　grabbed　out　the　bundle　and　hid　it　in　the　ice…box　on　his　way　out；　taking　only　a　few　bills　to　get　down　on　a　horse。　So　he　says　call　the　policebut　that's　enough　for　now。　Go　ahead　and　do　that　love　scene　for　me。〃

Slowly　the　scene　was　brought　to　Baird's　liking。　Slowly；　because　Merton　Gill　at　first　proved　to　be　diffident　at　the　crisis。　For　three　rehearsals　the　muscular　arm　of　Miss　Montague　had　most　of　the　clenching　to　do。　He　believed　he　was　being　rough　and　masterful；　but　Baird　wished　a　greater　show　of　violence。　They　had　also　to　time　this　scene　with　the　surreptitious　entrance　of　the　brother；　his　theft　of　the　money　which　he　stuffed　into　a　paper　sack　and　placed　in　the　ice…　box；　and　his　exit。

The　leading　man　having　at　last　proved　that　he　could　be　Harold　Parmalee　even　in　this　crisis；　the　scene　was　extended　to　the　entrance　of　the　indignant　father。　He　was　one　of　those　self…made　men　of　wealth；　Merton　thought；　a　short；　stout　gentleman　with　fiery　whiskers；　not　at　all　fashionably　dressed。　He　broke　upon　the　embrace　with　a　threatening　stick。　The　pair　separated；　the　young　lover　facing　him；　proud；　erect；　defiant；　the　girl　drooping　and　confused。

The　father　discharged　Merton　Gill　with　great　brutality；　then　went　to　the　safe　at　the　back　of　the　room；　returning　to　shout　the　news　that　he　had　been　robbed　by　the　man　who　would　have　robbed　him　of　his　daughter。　It　looked　black　for　Merton。　Puzzled　at　first；　he　now　saw　that　the　idolized　brother　of　the　girl　must　have　taken　the　money。　He　seemed　about　to　declare　this　when　his　nobler　nature　compelled　him　to　a　silence　that　must　be　taken　for　guilt。

The　erring　brother　returned；　accompanied　by　several　customers。　〃Bring　a　detective　to　arrest　this　man；〃　ordered　the　father。　One　of　the　customers　stepped　out　to　return　with　a　detective。　Again　Merton　was　slightly　disquieted　at　perceiving　that　the　detective　was　the　cross…eyed　man。　This　person　bustled　about　the　place；　tapping　the　cooked　meats　and　the　cheeses；　and　at　last　placed　his　hand　upon　the　shoulder　of　the　supposed　thief。　Merton；　at　Baird's　direction；　drew　back　and　threatened　him　with　a　blow。　The　detective　cringed　and　said：　〃I　will　go　out　and　call　a　policeman。〃

The　others　now　turned　their　backs　upon　the　guilty　man。　Even　the　girl　drew　away　after　one　long；　agonized　look　at　the　lover　to　whose　embrace　she　had　so　lately　submitted。　He　raised　his　arms　to　her　in　mute　appeal　as　she　moved　away；　then　dropped　them　at　his　side。

〃Give　her　all　you　got　in　a　look；〃　directed　Baird。　〃You're　saying：　'I　go　to　a