merton of the movies-第7章

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Her　public　was　very　dear　to　her。　She　was　delighted　to　meet　it　here；　face　to　face；　heart　to　heart。　She　clasped　her　own　slender　hands　over　her　own　heart　as　she　said　this；　and　there　was　a　pathetic　little　catch　in　her　voice　as　she　waved　farewell　kisses　to　the　throng。　Many　a　heart　besides　Merton's　beat　more　quickly　at　knowing　that　she　must　rush　out　to　the　high…powered　roadster　and　be　off　at　eighty　miles　an　hour　to　St。　Louis；　where　another　vast　audience　would　the　next　day　be　breathlessly　awaiting　her　personal　appearance。

Merton　had　felt　abundantly　repaid　for　his　journey。　There　had　been　inspiration　in　this　contact。　Little　he　minded　the　acid　greeting；　on　his　return；　of　a　mere　Gashwiler；　spawning　in　his　low　mind　a　monstrous　suspicion　that　the　dying　aunt　had　never　lived。

Now　he　read　in　his　magazines　other　intimate　interviews　by　other　talented　young　women　who　had　braved　the　presence　of　other　screen　idols　of　both　sexes。　The　interviewers　approached　them　with　trepidation；　and　invariably　found　that　success　had　not　spoiled　them。　Fine　artists　though　they　were；　applauded　and　richly　rewarded；　yet　they　remained　simple；　unaffected；　and　cordial　to　these　daring　reporters。　They　spoke　with　quiet　dignity　of　their　work；　their　earnest　efforts　to　give　the　public　something　better　and　finer。　They　wished　the　countless　readers　of　the　interviews　to　comprehend　that　their　triumphs　had　come　only　with　infinite　work　and　struggle；　that　the　beautiful　comes　only　through　suffering　and　sacrifice。　At　lighter　moments　they　spoke　gayly　of　their　palatial　homes；　their　domestic　pets；　their　wives　or　husbands　and　their　charming　children。　They　all　loved　the　great　out…of…doors；　but　their　chief　solace　from　toil　was　in　this　unruffled　domesticity　where　they　could　forget　the　worries　of　an　exacting　profession　and　lead　a　simple　home　life。　All　the　husbands　and　wives　were　more　than　thatthey　were　good　pals；　and　of　course　they　read　and　studied　a　great　deal。　Many　of　them　were　wild　about　books。

He　was　especially　interested　in　the　interview　printed　by　Camera　with　that　world　favourite；　Harold　Parmalee。　For　this　was　the　screen　artist　whom　Merton　most　envied；　and　whom　he　conceived　himself　most　to　resemble　in　feature。　The　lady　interviewer；　Miss　Augusta　Blivens；　had　gone　trembling　into　the　presence　of　Harold　Parmalee；　to　be　instantly　put　at　her　ease　by　the　young　artist's　simple；　unaffected　manner。　He　chatted　of　his　early　struggles　when　he　was　only　too　glad　to　accept　the　few　paltry　hundreds　of　dollars　a　week　that　were　offered　him　in　minor　parts；　of　his　quick　rise　to　eminence；　of　his　unceasing　effort　to　give　the　public　something　better　and　finer；　of　his　love　for　the　great　out…of…doors；　and　of　his　daily　flight　to　the　little　nest　that　sheltered　his　pal　wife　and　the　kiddies。　Here　he　could　be　truly　himself；　a　man's　man；　loving　the　simple　things　of　life。　Here；　in　his　library；　surrounded　by　his　books；　or　in　the　music　room　playing　over　some　little　Chopin　prelude；　or　on　the　lawn　romping　with　the　giant　police　dog；　he　could　forget　the　public　that　would　not　let　him　rest。　Nor　had　he　been　spoiled　in　the　least；　said　the　interviewer；　by　the　adulation　poured　out　upon　him　by　admiring　women　and　girls　in　volume　sufficient　to　turn　the　head　of　a　less　sane　young　man。

〃There　are　many　beautiful　women　in　the　world。〃　pursued　the　writer；　〃and　I　dare　say　there　is　not　one　who　meets　Harold　Parmalee　who　does　not　love　him　in　one　way　or　another。　He　has　mental　brilliancy　for　the　intellectuals；　good　looks　for　the　empty…headed；　a　strong　vital　appeal；　a　magnetism　almost　overwhelming　to　the　susceptible；　and　an　easy　and　supremely　appealing　courtesy　for　every　woman　he　encounters。〃

Merton　drew　a　long　breath　after　reading　these　earnest　words。　Would　an　interviewer　some　day　be　writing　as　much　about　him？　He　studied　the　pictures　of　Harold　Parmalee　that　abundantly　spotted　the　article。　The　full　face；　the　profile；　the　symmetrical　shoulders；　the　jaunty　bearing；　the　easy；　masterful　smile。　From　each　of　these　he　would　raise　his　eyes　to　his　own　pictured　face　on　the　wall　above　him。　Undoubtedly　he　was　not　unlike　Harold　Parmalee。　He　noted　little　similarities。　He　had　the　nose；　perhaps　a　bit　more　jutting　than　Harold's；　and　the　chin；　even　more　prominent。

Possibly　a　director　would　have　told　him　that　his　Harold　Parmalee　beauty　was　just　a　trifle　overdone；　that　his　face　went　just　a　bit　past　the　line　of　pleasing　resemblance　and　into　something　else。　But　at　this　moment　the　aspirant　was　reassured。　His　eyes　were　pale；　under　pale　brows；　yet　they　showed　well　in　the　prints。　And　he　was　slightly　built；　perhaps　even　thin；　but　a　diet　rich　in　fats　would　remedy　that。　And　even　if　he　were　quite　a　little　less　comely　than　Parmalee；　he　would　still　be　impressive。　After　all；　a　great　deal　depended　upon　the　acting；　and　he　was　learning　to　act。

Months　ago；　the　resolution　big　in　his　heart；　he　had　answered　the　advertisement　in　Silver　Screenings；　urging　him　to　〃Learn　Movie　Acting；　a　fascinating　profession　that　pays　big。　Would　you　like　to　know；〃　it　demanded；　〃if　you　are　adapted　to　this　work？　If　so；　send　ten　cents　for　our　Ten…Hour　Talent…Prover；　or　Key　to　Movie…Acting　Aptitude；　and　find　whether　you　are　suited　to　take　it　up。〃

Merton　had　earnestly　wished　to　know　this；　and　had　sent　ten　cents　to　the　Film　Incorporation　Bureau；　Station　N；　Stebbinsville；　Arkansas。　The　Talent…Prover；　or　Key　to　Movie…Acting　Aptitude；　had　come；　he　had　mailed　his　answers　to　the　questions　and　waited　an　anguished　ten　days；　fearing　that　he　would　prove　to　lack　the　required　aptitude　for　this　great　art。　But　at　last　the　cheering　news　had　come。　He　had　every　aptitude　in　full　measure；　and　all　that　remained　was　to　subscribe　to　the　correspondence　course。

He　had　felt　weak　in　the　moment　of　his　relief　from　this　torturing　anxiety。　Suppose　they　had　told　him　that　he　wouldn't　do？　And　he　had　studied　the　lessons　with　unswerving　determination。　Night　and　day　he　had　held　to　his　ideal。　He　knew　that　when　you　did　this　your　hour　was　bound　to　come。

He　yawned　now；　thinking；　instead　of　the　anger　expressions　he　should　have　been　practising；　of　the　sordid　things　he　must　do　to…morrow。　He　must　be　up　at　five；　sprinkle　the　floor；　sweep　it；　take　down　the　dust　curtains　from　the　shelves　of　dry　goods；　clean　and　fill　the　lamps；　then　station　outside　the　dummies　in　their　raiment。　All　day　he　would　serve　customers；　snatching　a　hasty　lunch　of　crackers　and　cheese　behind　the　grocery　counter。　And　at　night；　instead　of　twice　watching　The　Hazards　of　Hortense；　he　must　still　unreasonably　serve　late　customers　until　the　second　unwinding　of　those　delectable　reels。

He　suddenly　sickened　of　it　all。　Was　he　not　sufficiently　versed　in　the　art　he　had　chosen　to　practise？　And　old　Gashwiler　every　day　getting　harder　to　bear！　His　resolve　stiffened。　He　would　not　wait　much　longeronly　until　the　savings　hidden　out　under　the　grocery　counter　had　grown　a　bit。　He　made　ready　for　bed；　taking；　after　he　had　undressed；　some　dumb…bell　exercises　that　would　make　his　shoulders　a　trifle　ire　like　Harold　Parmalee's。　This　rite　concluded；　he　knelt　by　his　narrow　cot　and　prayed　briefly。

〃Oh；　God；　make　me　a　good　movie　actor！　Make　me　one　of　the　best！　For　Jesus'sake；　amen！〃




CHAPTER　III

WESTERN　STUFF


Saturday　proved　all　that　his　black　forebodings　had　pictured　ita　day　of　sordid；　harassing　toil；　toil；　moreover；　for　which　Gashwiler；　the　beneficiary；　showed　but　the　scantest　appreciation。　Indeed；　the　day　opened　with　a　disagreement　between　the　forward…looking　clerk　and　his　hide…bound　reactionary。　Gashwiler　had　reached　the　store　at　his　accustomed　hour　of　8：30　to　find　Merton　embellishing　the　bulletin　board　in　front　with　legends　setting　forth　especial　bargains　of　the　day　to　be　had　within。

Chalk　in　hand；　he　had　neatly　written；　〃See　our　new　importation　of　taffetas；　2。59　the　yard。〃　Below　this　he　was　in　the　act　of　putting　down；　〃Try　our　choice　Honey…dew　spinach；　20　cts。　the　can。〃　〃Try　our　Preferred　Chipped　Beef；　58　cts。　the　pound。〃

He　was　especially　liking　that　use　of　〃the。〃　It　sounded　modern。　Yet　along　came　Gashwiler；　as　if　seeking　an　early　excuse　to　nag；　and　criticized　this。

〃Why　don't　you　say　'a　yard；'　'a　can；'　'a　pound'？〃　he　demanded　harshly。　〃What's　the　sense　of　that　there　'the'　stuff？　Looks　to　me　like　just　putting　on　a　few　airs。　You　keep　to　plain　language　and　our　patr