merton of the movies-第16章

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seats。　No；　no；　Annie；　you're　at　the　head；　I　told　you。　Tom；　you're　at　the　foot　and　start　the　rough…house　when　you　get　the　tray　in　the　neck。　Now；　all　set。〃

Merton　Gill　was　about　to　leave　this　distressing　scene　but　was　held　in　spite　of　himself　by　the　voice　of　a　newcomer。

〃Hello；　Jeff！　Atta　boy！〃

He　knew　without　turning　that　the　Montague　girl　was　again　at　his　elbow。　He　wondered　if　she　could　be　following　him。

〃Hello；　Flips！　How's　the　kid？〃　The　producer　had　turned　cordially　to　her。　〃Just　in　time　for　the　breakaway　stuff。　See　how　you　like　it。〃

〃What's　the　big　idea？〃

〃Swell　reception　at　the　Maison　de　Glue；　with　the　waiters　on　roller　skates　in　honour　of　rich　Uncle　Rollo　Glue。　The　head　waiter　starts　the　fight　by　doing　a　fall　with　his　tray。　Tom　gets　the　tray　in　the　neck　and　soaks　the　nearest　man　banquet　goes　flooey。　Then　we　go　into　the　chase　stuff。〃

〃Which　is　Uncle　Rollo？〃

〃That's　him　at　the　table；　with　the　herbaceous　border　under　his　chin。〃

〃Is　he　in　the　fight？〃

〃I　think　so。　I　was　going　to　rehearse　it　once　more　to　see　if　I　could　get　a　better　idea。　Near　as　I　can　see　now；　everybody　takes　a　crack　at　him。〃

〃Well；　maybe。〃　Montague　girl　seemed　to　be　considering。　〃Say；　how　about　this；　Jeff？　He's　awful　hungry；　see；　and　he's　begun　to　eat　the　celery　and　everything　he　can　reach；　and　when　the　mix…up　starts　he　just　eats　on　and　pays　no　attention　to　it。　Never　even　looks　up；　see　what　I　mean？　The　fight　spreads　the　whole　length　of　the　table；　right　around　Rollo　half…a…dozen　murders　are　going　on　and　he　just　eats　and　pays　no　attention。　And　he's　still　eating　when　they're　all　down　and　out；　and　don't　know　a　thing　till　Charlie　or　someone　crowns　him　with　the　punch…bowl。　How　about　it？　Ain't　there　a　laugh　in　that？〃　Baird　had　listened　respectfully　and　now　patted　the　girl　on　a　shoulder。

〃Good　work；　Kid！　That's　a　gag；　all　right。　The　little　bean's　sparking　on　all　six；　ain't　it？　Drop　around　again。　We　need　folks　like　you。　Now；　listen；　Rolloyou　there；　Rollo；　come　here　and　get　this。　Now；　listenwhen　the　fight　begins〃

Merton　Gill　turned　decisively　away。　Such　coarse　foolery　as　this　was　too　remote　from　Beulah　Baxter　who；　somewhere　on　that　lot；　was　doing　something　really；　as　her　interview　had　put　it；　distinctive　and　worth　while。

He　lingered　only　to　hear　the　last　of　Baird's　instructions　to　Rollo　and　the　absurd　guests；　finding　some　sinister　fascination　in　the　man's　talk。　Baird　then　turned　to　the　girl；　who　had　also　started　off。

〃Hang　around；　Flips。　Why　the　rush？〃

〃Got　to　beat　it　over　to　Number　Pour。〃

〃Got　anything　good　there？〃

〃Nothing　that　will　get　me　any　billing。　Been　waiting　two　hours　now　just　to　look　frenzied　in　a　mob。〃

〃Well；　say；　come　around　and　see　me　some　time。〃

〃All　right；　Jeff。　Of　course　I'm　pretty　busy。　When　I　ain't　working　I've　got　to　think　about　my　art。〃

〃No；　this　is　on　the　level。　Listen；　now；　sister；　I　got　another　two　reeler　to　pull　off　after　this　one；　then　I'm　goin'　to　do　something　new；　see？　Got　a　big　idea。　Probably　something　for　you　in　it。　Drop　in　t'　the　office　and　talk　it　over。　Come　in　some　time　next　week。　'F　I　ain't　there　I'll　be　on　the　lot　some　place。　Don't　forget；　now。〃

Merton　Gill；　some　distance　from　the　Buckeye　set；　waited　to　note　what　direction　the　Montague　girl　would　take。　She　broke　away　presently；　glanced　brazenly　in　his　direction；　and　tripped　lightly　out　the　nearest　exit。　He　went　swiftly　to　one　at　the　far　end　of　the　building；　and　was　again　in　the　exciting　street。　But　the　afternoon　was　drawing　in　and　the　street　had　lost　much　of　its　vivacity。　It　would　surely　be　too　late　for　any　glimpse　of　his　heroine。　And　his　mind　was　already　cluttered　with　impressions　from　his　day's　adventure。　He　went　out　through　the　office；　meaning　to　thank　the　casting　director　for　the　great　favour　she　had　shown　him；　but　she　was　gone。　He　hoped　the　headache　had　not　driven　her　home。　If　she　were　to　suffer　again　he　hoped　it　would　be　some　morning。　He　would　have　the　Eezo　wafers　in　one　pocket　and　a　menthol　pencil　in　the　other。　And　she　would　again　extend　to　him　the　freedom　of　that　wonderful　city。

In　his　room　that　night　he　tried　to　smooth　out　the　jumble　in　his　dazed　mind。　Those　people　seemed　to　say　so　many　things　they　considered　funny　but　that　were　not　really　funny　to　any　one　else。　And　moving…picture　plays　were　always　waiting　for　something；　with　the　bored　actors　lounging　about　in　idle　apathy。　Still　in　bis　ears　sounded　the　drone　of　the　sawmill　and　the　deep　purr　of　the　lights　when　they　were　put　on。　That　was　a　funny　thing。　When　they　wanted　the　lights　on　they　said　〃Kick　it；〃　and　when　they　wanted　the　lights　off　they　said　〃Save　it！〃　And　why　did　a　boy　come　out　after　every　scene　and　hold　up　a　placard　with　numbers　on　it　before　the　camera？　That　placard　had　never　shown　in　any　picture　he　had　seen。　And　that　queer　Montague　girl；　always　turning　up　when　you　thought　you　had　got　rid　of　her。　Still；　she　had　thrown　that　knife　pretty　well。　You　had　to　give　her　credit　for　that。　But　she　couldn't　be　much　of　an　actress；　even　if　she　had　spoken　of　acting　with　Miss　Baxter；　of　climbing　down　cables　with　her　and　falling　off　cliffs。　Probably　she　was　boasting；　because　he　had　never　seen　any　one　but　Miss　Baxter　do　these　things　in　her　pictures。　Probably　she　had　some　very　minor　part。　Anyway；　it　was　certain　she　couldn't　be　much　of　an　actress　because　she　had　almost　promised　to　act　in　those　terrible　Buckeye　comedies。　And　of　course　no　one　with　any　real　ambition　or　capacity　could　consider　such　a　thing　descending　to　rough　horse…play　for　the　amusement　of　the　coarser　element　among　screen　patrons。

But　there　was　one　impression　from　the　day's　whirl　that　remained　clear　and　radiant：　He　had　looked　at　the　veritable　face　of　his　heroine。　He　began　his　letter　to　Tessie　Kearns。　〃At　last　I　have　seen　Miss　Baxter　face　to　face。　There　was　no　doubt　about　its　being　her。　You　would　have　known　her　at　once。　And　how　beautiful　she　is！　She　was　looking　up　and　seemed　inspired；　probably　thinking　about　her　part。　She　reminded　me　of　that　beautiful　picture　of　St。　Cecelia　playing　on　the　piano。　。　。　。〃




CHAPTER　VI

UNDER　THE　GLASS　TOPS


He　approached　the　office　of　the　Holden　studios　the　following　morning　with　a　new　air　of　assurance。　Formerly　the　mere　approach　had　been　an　adventure；　the　look　through　the　gate；　the　quick　glimpse　of　the　privileged　ones　who　entered；　the　mingling；　later；　with　the　hopeful　and　the　near…hopeless　ones　who　waited。　But　now　his　feeling　was　that　he　had；　somehow；　become　a　part　of　that　higher　life　beyond　the　gate。　He　might　linger　outside　at　odd　moments；　but　rightfully　he　belonged　inside。　His　novitiate　had　passed。　He　was　one　of　those　who　threw　knives　or　battled　at　the　sawmill　with　the　persecuter　of　golden…　haired　innocence；　or　lured　beautiful　women　from　their　homes。　He　might　be　taken；　he　thought；　for　an　actor　resting　between　pictures。

At　the　gate　he　suffered　a　momentary　regret　at　an　error　of　tactics　committed　the　evening　before。　Instead　of　leaving　the　lot　by　the　office　he　should　have　left　by　the　gate。　He　should　have　strolled　to　this　exit　in　a　leisurely　manner　and　stopped；　just　inside　the　barrier；　for　a　chat　with　the　watchman；　a　chat；　beginning　with　the　gift　of　a　cigar；　which　should　have　impressed　his　appearance　upon　that　person。　He　should　have　remarked　casually　that　he　had　had　a　hard　day　on　Stage　Number　Four；　and　must　now　be　off　to　a　good　night's　rest　because　of　the　equally　hard　day　to…morrow。　Thus　he　could　now　have　approached　the　gate　with　confidence　and　passed　freely　in；　with　a　few　more　pleasant　words　to　the　watchman　who　would　have　no　difficulty　in　recalling　him。

But　it　was　vain　to　wish　this。　For　all　the　watchman　knew　this　young　man　had　never　been　beyond　the　walls　of　the　forbidden　city；　nor　would　he　know　any　reason　why　the　besieger　should　not　forever　be　kept　outside。　He　would　fix　that　next　time。

He　approached　the　window　of　the　casting　office　with　mingled　emotions。　He　did　not　hope　to　find　his　friend　again　stricken　with　headache；　but　if　it　chanced　that　she　did　suffer　he　hoped　to　be　the　first　to　learn　of　it。　Was　he　not　fortified　with　the　potent　Eezo　wafers；　and　a　new　menthol　pencil；　even　with　an　additional　remedy　of　tablets　that　the　druggist　had　strongly　recommended？　It　was；　therefore；　not　with　any　actual；　crude　disappointment　that　he　learned　of　his　friend's　perfect　well…being。　She　smiled　pleasantly　at　him；　the　telephone　receiver　at　one　ear。　〃Nothing　to…day；　dear；〃　she　said　and　put　down　the　instrument。

Yes；　the　headache　was　gone；　vanquished　by　his　remedies。　She　was　fine；　thank　you。　No；　the　headaches　didn't　come　often。　It　might　be　weeks　before　she　had　another　attack。　No；　of　course　she　couldn't　be　certain　of　this。　And　indeed　she　would　be　sure　to　let　him　know　at　the　very　first　sign　of　their　recurrence。

He　looked　over　his　patient　with　real　anxiety；　a　solicitude　from　the　bottom　of　which　he　was　somehow　unable　to　expel　the　last　trace　of　a　lingering　hope　that　would　have　dismayed　the　little　womannot　hope；　exactly；　but　something　almost　like　it　which　he　would　only　translate　to　himself　as　an　earnest　desire　that　he　might　be　at　hand　when　the　dread　indisposition　did　attack　her。　Just　now　there　could　be　no　doubt　that　she　was　free　from　pain。

He　thanked　her　profusely　for　her　courtesy　of　the　day　before。　He　had　seen　wonderful　things。　He　had　learned　a　lot。　And　he　wanted　to　ask　her　something；　assuring　himself　that　he　was　alone　in　the　waiting　room。　It　was　this：　did　she　happen　to　knowwas　Miss　Beulah　Baxter　married？

The　little　woman　sighed　in　a　tired　manner。　〃Baxter　married？　Let　me　see。〃　She　tapped　her　teeth　with　the　end　of　a　pencil；　frowning　into　her　vast　knowledge　of　the　people　beyond　the　gate。　〃Now；　let　me　think。〃　But　this　appeared　to　be　without　result。　〃Oh；　I　really　don't　know；　I　forget。　I　suppose　so。　Why　not？　She　often　is。〃

He　would　have　asked　more　questions；　but　the　telephone　rang　and　she　listened　a　long　time；　contributing　a　〃yes；　yes；〃　of　understanding　at　brief　intervals。　This　talk　ended；　she　briskly　demanded　a　number　and　began　to　talk　in　her　turn。　Merton　Gill　saw　that　for　the　time　he　had　passed　from　her　life。　She　was　calling　an　agency。　She　wanted　people　for　a　diplomatic　reception　in　Washington。　She　must　have　a　Bulgarian　general；　a　Serbian　diplomat；　two　French　colonels；　and　a　Belgian　captain；　all　in　uniform　and　all　good　types。　She　didn't　want　just　anybody；　but　types　that　would　stand　out。　Holden　studios　on　Stage　Number　Two。　Before　noon；　if　possible。　All　right；　then。　Another　bell　rang；　almost　before　she　had　hung　up。　〃Hello；　Grace。　Nothing　to…day；　dear。　They're　out　on　location；　down　toward　Venice；　getting　some　desert　stuff。　Yes；　I'll　let　you　know。〃

Merton　Gill　had　now　to　make　way　at　the　window　for　a　youngish；　weary…　looking　woman　who　had　once　been　prettier；　who　led　an　elaborately　dressed　little　girl　of　five。　She　lifted　the　child　to　the　window。　〃Say　good…morning　to　the　beautiful　lady；　Toots。　Good…morning；　Countess。　I'm　sure　you　got　something　for　Toots　and　me　to…day　because　it's　our　birthdayboth　born　on　the　same　daywhat　do　you　think　of　that？　Any　little　thing　will　help　us　out　a　lothow　about　it？〃

He　went　outside　before　the　end　of　this　colloquy；　but　presently　saw　the　woman　and　her　child　emerge　and　walk　on　disconsolately　toward　the　next　studio。　Thus　began　another　period　of　waiting　from　which　much　of　the　glamour　had　gone。　It　was　not　so　easy　now　to　be　excited　by　those　glimpses　of　the　street　beyond