merton of the movies-第52章

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The　house　filled　slowly。　People　sauntered　to　their　seats　as　if　the　occasion　were　ordinary；　even　when　the　seats　were　occupied　and　the　orchestra　had　played；　there　ensued　the　annoying　delays　of　an　educational　film　and　a　travelogue。　Upon　this　young　actor's　memory　would　be　forever　seared　the　information　that　the　conger　eel　lays　fifteen　million　eggs　at　one　time　and　that　the　inhabitants　of　Upper　Burmah　have　quaint　native　pastimes。　These　things　would　stay　with　him；　but　they　were　unimportant。　Even　the　prodigal　fecundity　of　the　conger　eel　left　him　cold。

He　gripped　the　arms　of　his　seat　when　the　cast　of　Hearts　on　Fire　was　flung　to　the　screen。　He　caught　his　own　name　instantly；　and　was　puzzled。　〃Clifford　ArmytageBy　Himself。〃　Someone　had　bungled　that；　but　no　matter。　Then　at　once　he　was　seeing　that　first　scene　of　his。　As　a　popular　screen　idol　he　breakfasted　in　his　apartment；　served　by　a　valet　who　was　a　hero　worshipper。

He　was　momentarily　disquieted　by　the　frank　adoration　of　the　cross…　eyed　man　in　this　part。　While　acting　the　scene；　he　remembered　now　that　he　had　not　always　been　able　to　observe　his　valet。　There　were　moments　when　he　seemed　over…emphatic。　The　valet　was　laughed　at。　The　watcher's　sympathy　went　out　to　Baird；　who　must　be　seeing　his　serious　effort　taken　too　lightly。

There　came　the　scene　where　he　looked　at　the　photograph　album。　But　now　his　turning　of　the　pages　was　interspersed　with　close…ups　of　the　portraits　he　regarded　so　admiringly。　And　these　astonishingly　proved　to　be　enlarged　stills　of　Clifford　Armytage；　the　art　studies　of　Lowell　Hardy。　It　was　puzzling。　On　the　screen　he　capably　beamed　the　fondest　admiration；　almost　reverent　in　its　intensityand　there　would　appear　the　still　of　Merton　bidding　an　emotional　farewell　to　his　horse。　The　very　novelty　of　it　held　him　for　a　momentGashwiler's　Dexter　actually　on　the　screen！　He　was　aroused　by　the　hearty　laughter　of　an　immense　audience。

〃It's　Parmalee；〃　announced　a　hoarse　neighbour　on　his　right。　〃He's　imitatin'　Harold！　Say；　the　kid's　clever！〃

The　laughter　continued　during　the　album　scene。　He　thought　of　Baird；　somewhere　in　that　audience；　suffering　because　his　play　was　made　fun　of。　He　wished　he　could　remind　him　that　scenes　were　to　follow　which　would　surely　not　be　taken　lightly。　For　himself；　he　was　feeling　that　at　least　his　strong　likeness　to　Parmalee　had　been　instantly　admitted。　They　were　laughing；　as　the　Montague　girl　had　laughed　that　first　morning；　because　the　resemblance　was　so　striking。　But　now　on　the　screen；　after　the　actor's　long　fond　look　at　himself；　came　the　words；　〃The　Only　Man　He　Ever　Loved。〃

Laughter　again。　The　watcher　felt　himself　grow　hot。　Had　Baird　been　betrayed　by　one　of　his　staff？

The　scene　with　the　letters　followed。　Clothes　baskets　of　letters。　His　own　work；　as　he　opened　a　few　from　the　top；　was　all　that　he　could　have　wished。　He　was　finely　Harold　Parmalee；　and　again　the　hoarse　neighbour　whispered；　〃Ain't　he　got　Parmalee　dead；　though？〃

〃Poor；　silly　little　girls！〃　the　screen　exclaimed；　and　the　audience　became　noisy。　Undoubtedly　it　was　a　tribute　to　his　perfection　in　the　Parmalee　manner。　But　he　was　glad　that　now　there　would　come　acting　at　which　no　one　could　laugh。　There　was　the　delicatessen　shop；　the　earnest　young　cashier　and　his　poor　old　mother　who　mopped。　He　saw　himself　embrace　her　and　murmur　words　of　encouragement；　but　incredibly　there　were　giggles　from　the　audience；　doubtless　from　base　souls　who　were　impervious　to　pathos。　The　giggles　coalesced　to　a　general　laugh　when　the　poor　old　mother；　again　mopping　on　the　floor；　was　seen　to　say；　〃I　hate　these　mopping　mothers。　You　get　took　with　house…maid's　knee　in　the　first　reel。〃

Again　he　was　seized　with　a　fear　that　one　of　Baird's　staff　had　been　clumsy　with　subtitles。　His　eyes　flew　to　his　own　serious　face　when　the　silly　words　had　gone。

The　drama　moved。　Indeed　the　action　of　the　shadows　was　swifter　than　he　supposed　it　would　be。　The　dissolute　son　of　the　proprietor　came　on　to　dust　the　wares　and　to　elicit　a　laugh　when　he　performed　a　bit　of　business　that　had　escaped　Merton　at　the　time。　Against　the　wire　screen　that　covered　the　largest　cheese　on　the　counter　he　placed　a　placard；　〃Dangerous。　Do　not　Annoy。〃

Probably　Baird　had　not　known　of　this　clowning。　And　there　came　another　subtitle　that　would　dismay　Baird　when　the　serious　young　bookkeeper　enacted　his　scene　with　the　proprietor's　lovely　daughter；　for　she　was　made　to　say：　〃You　love　above　your　station。　Ours　is　125th　Street；　you　get　off　at　59th。〃

He　was　beginning　to　feel　confused。　A　sense　of　loss；　of　panic；　smote　him。　His　own　part　was　the　intensely　serious　thing　he　had　played；　but　in　some　subtle　way　even　that　was　being　made　funny。　He　could　not　rush　to　embrace　his　old　mother　without　exciting　laughter。

The　robbery　of　the　safe　was　effected　by　the　dissolute　son；　the　father　broke　in　upon　the　love　scene；　discovered　the　loss　of　his　money；　and　accused　an　innocent　man。　Merton　felt　that　he　here　acted　superbly。　His　long　look　at　the　girl　for　whom　he　was　making　the　supreme　sacrifice　brought　tears　to　his　own　eyes；　but　still　the　witless　audience　snickered。　Unobserved　by　the　others；　the　old　mother　now　told　her　son　the　whereabouts　of　the　stolen　money；　and　he　saw　himself　secure　the　paper　sack　of　bills　from　the　ice…box。　He　detected　the　half…guilty　look　of　which　he　had　spoken　to　Baird。　Then　he　read　his　own　incredible　speech〃I　better　take　this　cool　million。　It　might　get　that　poor　lad　into　trouble！〃　Again　the　piece　had　been　hurt　by　a　wrong　subtitle。　But　perhaps　the　audience　laughed　because　it　was　accustomed　to　laugh　at　Baird's　productions。　Perhaps　it　had　not　realized　that　he　was　now　attempting　one　of　the　worth…while　things。　This　reasoning　was　refuted　as　he　watched　what　occurred　after　he　had　made　his　escape。

His　flight　was　discovered；　policemen　entered；　a　rapid　search　behind　counters　ensued。　In　the　course　of　this　the　wire　screen　over　the　biggest　cheese　was　knocked　off　the　counter。　The　cheese　leaped　to　the　floor；　and　the　searchers；　including　the　policemen；　fled　in　panic　through　the　front　door。　The　Montague　girl；　the　last　to　escape；　was　seen　to　announce；　〃The　big　cheese　is　looseit's　eating　all　the　little　ones！〃

A　band　of　intrepid　firemen；　protected　by　masks　and　armed　with　axes；　rushed　in。　A　terrific　struggle　ensued。　The　delicatessen　shop　was　wrecked。　And　through　it　all　the　old　mother　continued　to　mop　the　floor。　Merton　Gill；　who　had　first　grown　hot；　was　now　cold。　Icy　drops　were　on　his　chilled　brow。　How　had　Hearts　on　Fire　gone　wrong？

Then　they　were　in　the　great　open　spaces　of　the　Come　All　Ye　dance　hall。　There　was　the　young　actor　in　his　Buck　Benson　costume；　protecting　his　mother　from　the　brutality　of　a　Mexican；　getting　his　man　later　by　firing　directly　into　a　mirrorBaird　had　said　it　would　come　right　in　the　exposure；　but　it　hadn't。　And　the　witless　cackled。

He　saw　his　struggle　with　the　detective。　With　a　real　thrill　he　saw　himself　bear　his　opponent　to　the　ground；　then　hurl　him　high　and　far　into　the　air；　to　be　impaled　upon　the　antlers　of　an　elk's　head　suspended　back　of　the　bar。　He　saw　himself　lightly　dust　his　sleeves　after　this　feat；　and　turn　aside　with　the　words；　〃That's　one　Lodge　he　can　join。〃

Then　followed　a　scene　he　had　not　been　allowed　to　witness。　There　swung　Marcel；　the　detective；　played　too　emphatically　by　the　cross…　eyed　man。　An　antler　point　suspended　him　by　the　seat　of　his　trousers。　He　hung　limply　a　moment；　then　took　from　his　pocket　a　saw　with　which　he　reached　up　to　contrive　his　release。　He　sawed　through　the　antler　and　fell。　He　tried　to　stand　erect；　but　appeared　to　find　this　impossible。　A　subtitle　announced：　〃He　had　put　a　permanent　wave　in　Marcel。〃

This　base　fooling　was　continuously　blown　upon　by　gales　of　stupid　laughter。　But　not　yet　did　Merton　Gill　know　the　worst。　The　merriment　persisted　through　his　most　affecting　bit；　the　farewell　to　his　old　pal　outsidehow　could　they　have　laughed　at　a　simple　bit　of　pathos　like　that？　But　the　watching　detective　was　seen　to　weep　bitterly。

〃Look　a'　him　doin'　Buck　Benson；〃　urged　the　hoarse　neighbour　gleefully。　〃You　got　to　hand　it　to　that　kidsay；　who　is　he；　anyway？〃

Followed　the　thrilling　leap　from　a　second…story　window　to　the　back　of　the　waiting　pal。　The　leap　began　thrillingly；　but　not　only　was　it　shown　that　the　escaping　man　had　donned　a　coat　and　a　false　mustache　in　the　course　of　his　fall；　but　at　its　end　he　was　revealed　slowly；　very　slowly；　clambering　into　the　saddle！

They　had　used　here；　he　saw；　one　of　those　slow　cameras　that　seem　to　suspend　all　action　interminably；　a　cruel　device　in　this　instance。　And　for　his　actual　escape；　when　he　had　ridden　the　horse　beyond　camera　range　at　a　safe　walk；　they　had　used　another　camera　that　gave　the　effect　of　intense　speed。　The　old　horse　had　walked；　but　with　an　air　of　swiftness　that　caused　the　audience　intense　delight。

Entered　Marcel；　the　detective；　in　another　scene　Merton　had　not　watched。　He　emerged　from　the　dance…hall　to　confront　a　horse　that　remained；　an　aged　counterpart　of　the　horse　Merton　had　ridden　off。　Marcel　stared　intently　into　the　beast's　face；　whereupon　it　reared　and　plunged　as　if　terrified　by　the　spectacle　of　the　cross…eyed　man。

Merton　recalled　the　horse　in　the　village　that　had　seemed　to　act　so　intelligently。　Probably　a　shot…gun　had　stimulated　the　present　scene。　The　detective　thereupon　turned　aside；　hastily　donned　his　false　mustache　and　Sherlock　Holmes　cap；　and　the　deceived　horse　now　permitted　him　to　mount。　He；　too；　walked　off　to　the　necromancy　of　a　lens　that　multiplied　his　pace　a　thousandfold。　And　the　audience　rocked　in　its　seats。

One　horse　still　remained　before　the　dance…hall。　The　old　mother　emerged。　With　one　anguished　look　after　the　detective；　she　gathered　up　her　disreputable　skirts　and　left　the　platform　in　a　flying　leap　to　land　in　the　saddle。　There　was　no　trickery　about　the　speed　at　which　her　horse；　belaboured　with　the　mop…pail；　galloped　in　pursuit　of　the　others。　A　subtitle　recited〃She　has　watched　her　dear　ones　leave　the　old　nest　flat。　Now　she　must　go　out　over　the　hills　and　mop　the　other　side　of　them！〃

Now　came　the　sensational　capture　by　lasso　of　the　detective。　But　the　captor　had　not　known　that；　as　he　dragged　his　quarry　at　the　rope's　end；　the　latter　had　somehow　possessed　himself　of　a　sign　which　he　later　walked　in　with；　a　sign　reading；　〃Join　the　Good　Roads　Movement！〃　nor　that　the　faithful　old　mother　had　ridden　up　to　deposit　her　inverted　mop…pail　over　his　head。

Merton　Gill　had　twice　started　to　leave。　He　wanted　to　leave。　But　each　time　he　found　himself　chained　there　by　the　evil　fascination　of　this　monstrous　parody。　He　remained　to　learn　that　the　Montague　girl　had　come　out　to　the　great　open　spaces　to　lead　a　band　of　train…robbers　from　the　〃Q。T。　ranche。〃

He　saw　her　ride　beside　a　train　and　cast　her　lasso　over　the　stack　of　the　locomotive。　He　saw　her　pony　settle　back　on　its　haunches　while　the　rope　grew　taut　and　the　train　was　forced　to　a　halt。　He　saw　the　passengers　lined　up　by　the　wayside　and　forced　to　part　with　their　valuables。　Later；　when　the　band　returned　to　the　ranche　with　their　booty；　he　saw　the　dissolute　brother；　after　the　treasure　was　divided；　winning　it　back　to　the　family　coffers　with　his　dice。　He　saw　the　stricken　father　playing　golf　on　his　bicycle　in　grotesque　imitation　of　a　polo　player。

And　still；　so　incredible　the　revealment；　he　had　not　in　the　first　shock　of　it　seemed　to　consider　Baird　in　a