merton of the movies-第76章

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e；　saying　I　was　an　artist　and　all　like　that；　and　a　certain　Los　Angeles　society　woman　that　you　can　bet　never　says　things　she　don't　mean；　she　told　me　she　saw　lots　of　places　in　this　piece　that　I　was　funnier　than　any　cross…eyed　man　that　ever　lived。　〃And　what　happens　this　morning？〃　Hands　in　pockets　he　swaggered　to　and　fro　past　the　couch。

〃Well；　nothing　happens　this　morning　except　people　coming　around　to　sign　me　up　for　three　hundred　and　fifty　a　week。　One　of　'em　said　not　an　hour　agohe's　a　big　producer；　toothat　Baird　ought　to　be　paying　me　seven　hundred　and　fifty　because　I　earned　every　cent　of　it。　Of　course　I　didn't　want　to　say　anything　the　other　day；　with　you　pretending　to　know　so　much　about　contracts　and　all　thatI　just　thought　I'd　let　you　go　on；　seeing　you　were　so　smartand　I　signed　what　you　told　me　to。　But　I　know　I　should　have　held　offwith　this　Bamberger　coming　over　from　the　Bigart　when　I　was　hardly　out　of　bed；　and　says　will　three　hundred　and　fifty　a　week　interest　me　and　promising　he'll　give　me　a　chance　to　do　that　spur　act　again　that　was　the　hit　of　the　piece〃

He　broke　off；　conscious　suddenly　that　the　girl　had　for　some　time　been　holding　a　most　peculiar　stare　rigidly　upon　him。　She　had　at　first　narrowed　her　right　eye　at　a　calculating　angle　as　she　listened；　but　for　a　long　time　now　the　eyes　had　been　widened　to　this　inexplicable　stare　eloquent　of　many　hidden　things。

As　he　stopped　his　speech；　made　ill　at　ease　by　the　incessant　pressing　of　the　look；　he　was　caught　and　held　by　it　to　a　longer　silence　than　he　had　meant　to　permit。　He　could　now　read　meanings。　That　unflinching　look　incurred　by　his　smooth　bluster　was　a　telling　blend　of　pity　and　of　wonder。

〃So　you　know；　do　you；〃　she　demanded；　〃that　you　look　just　enough　too　much　like　Harold　Parmalee　so　that　you're　funny？　I　mean。〃　she　amended；　seeing　him　wince；　〃that　you　look　the　way　Parmalee　would　look　if　he　had　brains？〃

He　faltered　but　made　a　desperate　effort　to　recover　his　balance。

〃And　besides；　what　difference　does　it　make？　If　we　did　good　pictures　we'd　have　to　sell　'em　to　a　mob。　And　what's　a　mob？　It's　fifteen　years　old　and　nothing　but　admirons；　or　something　like　that；　like　Muriel　Mercer　that　wouldn't　know　how　much　are　two　times　two　if　the　neighbours　didn't　get　it　to　her〃

Again　he　had　run　down　under　her　level　look。　As　he　stopped；　the　girl　on　the　couch　who　had　lain　with　the　blankets　to　her　neck　suddenly　threw　them　aside　and　sat　up。　Surprisingly　she　was　not　garbed　in　sick…bed　apparel。　She　seemed　to　be　fully　dressed。

A　long　moment　she　sat　thus；　regarding　him　still　with　that　slow　look；　unbelieving　yet　cherishing。　His　eyes　fell　at　last。

〃Merton！〃　he　heard　her　say。　He　looked　up　but　she　did　not　speak。　She　merely　gave　a　little　knowing　nod　of　the　head　and　opened　her　arms　to　him。　Quickly　he　knelt　beside　her　while　the　mothering　arms　enfolded　him。　A　hand　pulled　his　head　to　her　breast　and　held　it　there。　Thus　she　rocked　gently；　the　hand　gliding　up　to　smooth　his　hair。　Without　words　she　cherished　him　thus　a　long　time。　The　gentle　rocking　back　and　forth　continued。

〃It'sit's　like　that　other　time　you　found　me〃　His　bluster　had　gone。　He　was　not　sure　of　his　voice。　Even　these　few　words　had　been　hard。　He　did　not　try　more。

〃There；　there；　there！〃　she　whispered。　〃It's　all　right；　everything's　all　right。　Your　mother's　got　you　right　here　and　she　ain't　ever　going　to　let　you　gonever　going　to　let　you　go。〃

She　was　patting　his　head　in　rhythm　with　her　rocking　as　she　snuggled　and　soothed　him。　There　was　silence　for　another　interval。　Then　she　began　to　croon　a　song　above　him　as　she　rocked；　though　the　lyric　was　plainly　an　improvisation。

〃Did　he　have　his　poor　old　mother　going　for　a　minute？　Yes；　he　did。　He　had　her　going　for　a　minute；　for　a　minute。　Yes；　he　had　her　going　good　for　a　minute。

〃But　oh；　he　won't　ever　fool　her　very　long；　very　long；　not　very　long；　because　he　can't　fool　his　dear　old　mother　very　long；　very　long；　and　he　can　bet　on　that；　bet　on　that；　so　he　can；　bet　a　lot　of　money　on　that；　that；　that！〃　Her　charge　had　grown　still　again；　but　she　did　not　relax　her　tightened　arms。

〃Say；〃　he　said　at　last。

〃Well；　honey。〃

〃You　know　those　benches　where　we　wait　for　the　cars？〃

〃Do　I　know　them？〃　The　imperative　inference　was　that　she　did。

〃I　looked　at　the　store　yesterday。　The　sign　down　there　says　'Himebaugh's　dignified　system　of　deferred　payments。'〃

〃Yes；　yes；　I　know。〃

〃Well；　I　saw　another　good　placeit　says　'The　house　of　lucky　rings'…　…you　knowrings！〃

〃Sure；　I　know。　That's　all　right。〃

〃Well；〃　he　threw　off　the　arms　and　got　to　his　feet。　She　stood　up　then。

〃Well；　all　right！〃

They　were　both　constrained　now。　Both　affected　an　ease　that　neither　felt。　It　seemed　to　be　conceded　without　words　that　they　must　very　lightly　skirt　the　edges　of　Merton　Gill's　screen　art。　They　talked　a　long　tune　volubly　of　other　things：　of　the　girl's　illness　from　which　she　now　seemed　most　happily　to　have　recovered；　of　whether　she　was　afraid　of　himshe　professed　still　to　beof　the　new　watch　whose　beauties　were　newly　admired　when　it　had　been　adjusted　to　its　owner's　wrist；　of　finances　they　talked；　and　even；　quite　simply；　of　accessible　homes　where　two　could　live　as　cheaply　as　one。

It　was　not　until　be　was　about　to　go；　when　he　stood　at　the　door　while　the　girl　readjusted　his　cravat；　smoothed　his　hair；　and　administered　a　final　series　of　pats　where　they　seemed　most　needed；　that　he　broke　ever　so　slightly　through　the　reserve　which　both　had　felt　congealing　about　a　certain　topic。

〃You　know；〃　he　said；　〃I　happened　to　remember　the　title　of　a　book　this　morning；　a　book　I　used　to　see　back　in　the　public　library　at　home。　It　wasn't　one　I　ever　read。　Maybe　Tessie　Kearns　read　it。　Anyway；　she　had　a　poem　she　likes　a　lot　written　by　the　same　man。　She　used　to　read　me　good　parts　of　it。　But　I　never　read　the　book　because　the　title　sounded　kind　of　wild；　like　there　couldn't　be　any　such　thing。　The　poem　had　just　a　plain　name；　it　was　called　'Lucile；'　but　the　book　by　the　same　man　was　called　'The　Tragic　Comedians。'　You　wouldn't　think　there　could　be　a　tragic　comedian　would　you？well；　look　at　me。〃

She　looked　at　him；　with　that　elusive；　remote　flickering　back　in　her　eyes；　but　she　only　said；　〃Be　sure　and　come　take　me　out　to　dinner。　To…night　I　can　eat。　And　don't　forget　your　overcoat。　And　listen　don't　you　dare　go　into　Himebaugh's　till　I　can　go　with　you。〃

One　minute　after　he　had　gone　the　Montague　girl　was　at　the　telephone。

〃Hello！　Mr。　Baird；　please。　Is　this　Mr。　Baird？　Well；　Jeff；　everything's　jake。　Yeah。　The　poor　thing　was　pretty　wild　when　he　got　here。　First　he　began　to　bluff。　He'd　got　an　earful　from　someone；　probably　over　on　the　lot。　And　he　put　it　over　on　me　for　a　minute；　too。　But　he　didn't　last　good。　He　was　awful　broke　up　when　the　end　came。　Bless　his　heart。　But　you　bet　I　kissed　the　hurt　place　and　made　it　well。　How　about　him　now？　Jeff；　I'm　darned　if　I　can　tell　except　he's　right　again。　When　he　got　here　he　was　some　heart…broke　and　some　mad　and　some　set　up　on　account　of　things　he　hears　about　himself。　I　guess　he's　that　way　still；　except　I　mended　the　heart…break。　I　can't　quite　make　him　outhe's　like　a　book　where　you　can't　guess　what's　coming　in　the　next　chapter；　so　you　keep　on　reading。　I　can　see　we　ain't　ever　going　to　talk　much　about　itnot　if　we　live　together　twenty　years。　What's　that？　Yeah。　Didn't　I　tell　you　he　was　always　getting　me；　somehow？　Well；　now　I'm　got。　Yeah。　We're　gonna　do　an　altar　walk。　What？　Oh；　right　away。　Say；　honest；　Jeff；　I'll　never　have　an　easy　minute　again　while　he's　out　of　my　sight。　Helpless！　You　said　it。　Thanks；　Jeff。　I　know　that；　old　man。　Good…by！〃




CHAPTER　XX

ONWARD　AND　UPWARD


At　the　first　showing　of　the　Buckeye　company's　new　five…reel　comedy　Five　Reels…500　Laughsentitled　Brewing　Trouble；　two　important　members　of　its　cast　occupied　balcony　seats　and　one　of　them　throughout　the　piece　brazenly　applauded　the　screen　art　of　her　husband。　〃I　don't　care　who　sees　me；〃　she　would　reply　ever　and　again　to　his　whispered　protests。

The　new　piece　proved　to　be　a　rather　broadly　stressed　burlesque　of　the　type　of　picture　drama　that　has　done　so　much　to　endear　the　personality　of　Edgar　Wayne　to　his　public。　It　was　accorded　a　hearty　reception。　There　was　nothing　to　which　it　might　be　compared　save　the　company's　previous　Hearts　on　Fire；　and　it　seemed　t