sidneysheldon.astrangerinthemirror-第18节

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　〃How　are　things？〃　
　As　though　nothing　were　wrong。　As　Sam　looked　at　the　boyish；　smiling　young　face；　it　occurred　to　him　that　Bert　Firestone　was　a　psycho。　Talented；　maybe　even　a　genius；　but　a　certifiable　lunatic。　And　five　million　dollars　of　the　pany's　money　was　in　his　hands。　
　〃I　hear　there's　a　problem　with　the　new　set；〃　Sam　said。　〃Let's　straighten　it　out。〃　
　Bert　Firestone　smiled　lazily　and　said；　〃There's　nothing　to　straighten　out；　Sam。　The　set　won't　work。〃　Sam　exploded。　
　〃What　the　hell　are　you　talking　about？　We　gave　you　exactly　what　you　ordered。　You　did　the　sketches　yourself。　Now　you　tell　me　what's　wrong　with　it！〃　
　Firestone　looked　at　him　and　blinked。　〃Why；　there's　nothing　wrong　with　it。　It's　just　that　I've　changed　my　mind。　I　don't　want　a　castle。　I've　decided　that's　not　the　right　ambience。　Do　you　know　what　I　mean？　Tins　is　Ellen　and　Mike's　farewell　scene。　I'd　like　to　have　Ellen　e　to　visit　Mike　on　the　deck　of　his　ship　as　he's　getting　ready　to　sail。〃　
　Sam　stared　at　him。　〃We　don't　have　a　ship　set；　Bert。〃　
　Bert　Firestone　stretched　his　arms　and　smiled　lazily　and　said；　〃Build　one　for　me；　Sam。〃　
　〃Sure；　I'm　pissed　off；　too；〃　Rudolph　Hergershom　said；　over　the　long…distance　line；　〃but　you　can't　replace　him；　Sam。　We're　in　too　deep　now。　We　have　no　stars　in　the　picture。　Bert　Firestone's　our　star。〃　
　〃Do　you　know　how　far　over　the　budget　he's　　？〃　
　〃I　know。　And　like　Goldwyn　said；　'I'll　never　use　the　son　af　a　bitch　again；　until　I　need　him。'　We　need　him　to　finish　this　picture。〃　
　〃It's　a　mistake；〃　Sam　argued。　〃He　shouldn't　be　allowed　to　get　away　with　this。〃　
　〃Sam　　do　you　like　the　stuff　Firestone　has　shot　so　far？〃　
　Sam　had　to　be　honest。　〃It's　great。〃　
　〃Build　him　his　ship。〃　
　
　The　set　was　ready　in　ten　days；　and　Bert　Firestone　put　There's　Always　Tomorrow　pany　back　into　production。　Crash　turned　out　to　be　the　top　grosser　of　the　year。　
　The　next　problem　was　Tessie　Brand。　Tessie　was　the　hottest　singer　in　show　business。　It　had　been　a　coup　when　Sam　Winters　had　managed　to　sign　her　to　the　three…picture　deal　at　Pan…Pacific　Studios。　While　the　other　studios　were　negotiating　with　Tessie's　agents；　Sam　had　quietly　down　to　New　York；　seen　Tessie's　show　and　taken　her　out　to　supper　afterward。　The　supper　had　lasted　until　seven　o'clock　the　following　morning。　Tessie　Brand　was　one　of　the　ugliest　girls　Sam　had　ever　seen；　and　probably　the　most　talented。　It　was　the　talent　that　won　out。　The　daughter　of　a　Brooklyn　tailor；　Tessie　had　never　had　a　singing　lesson　in　her　life。　But　when　she　walked　onto　a　stage　and　began　belting　out　a　song　in　a　voice　that　rocked　the　rafters；　audiences　went　wild。　Tessie　had　been　an　understudy　in　a　flop　Broadway　musical　that　had　lasted　only　six　weeks。　On　closing　night；　the　ingenue　made　the　mistake　of　phoning　in　sick　and　staying　home。　Tessie　Brand　made　her　debut　that　evening；　singing　her　heart　out　to　the　sprinkling　of　people　in　the　audience。　Among　them　happened　to　be　Paul　Varrick；　a　Broadway　producer。　He　starred　Tessie　in　his　next　musical。　She　turned　the　show；　which　was　fair；　into　a　smash。　The　critics　ran　out　of　superlatives　trying　to　describe　the　incredible；　ugly　Tessie　and　her　amazing　voice。　She　recorded　her　first　single　record。　Overnight　it　became　number　one。　She　did　an　album；　and　it　sold　two　million　copies　in　the　first　month。　She　was　Queen　Midas；　for　everything　she　touched　turned　to　gold。　Broadway　producers　and　record　panies　were　making　their　fortunes　with　Tessie　Brand；　and　Hollywood　wanted　in　on　the　action。　Their　enthusiasm　dimmed　when　they　got　a　look　at　Tessie's　face；　but　her　box…office　figures　gave　her　an　irresistible　beauty。　After　spending　five　minutes　with　her；　Sam　knew　how　he　was　going　to　handle　her。　
　〃What　makes　me　nervous；〃　Tessie　confessed　to　Sam　the　first　night　they　met；　〃is　how　I'm　gonna　look　on　that　great　big　screen。　I'm　ugly　enough　life…sized；　right？　All　the…studios　tell　they　can　make　me　look　beautiful；　but　I　think　that's　a　load　of　horse　shit。〃　
　〃It　is　a　load　of　horse　shit；〃　Sam　said。　Tessie　looked　at　him　in　surprise。　
　〃Don't　let　anyone　try　to　change　you；　Tessie。　They'll　ruin　you。〃　
　〃Yeah？〃　
　〃When　MGM　signed　Danny　Thomas；　Louie　Mayer　wanted　him　to　get　a　nose　job。　Instead；　Danny　quit　the　studio。　He　knew　that　what　he　had　to　sell　was　himself。　That's'　what　you　have　to　sell　　Tessie　Brand；　not　some　plastic　stranger　up　there。〃　
　〃You're　the　first　one　who's　leveled　with　me；〃　Tessie　said。　〃You're　a　real　Mensch。　You　married？〃　
　〃No；〃　Sam　said。　
　〃Do　you　fool　around？〃　Sam　laughed。　
　〃Never　with　singers　　I　have　no　ear。〃　
　〃You　wouldn't　need　an　ear。〃　Tessie　smiled。　〃I　like　you。〃　
　〃Do　you　like　me　well　enough　to　make　some　movies　with　me？〃　
　She　looked　at　him　and　said；　〃Yeah。〃　
　〃Wonderful。　I'll　work　out　the　deal　with　your　agent。〃　
　She　stroked　Sam's　hand　and　said；　〃Are　you　sure　you　don't　fool　around？〃　
　Tessie　Brand's　first　two　pictures　went　through　the　box…office　roof。　She　received　an　Academy　nomination　for　the　first　gone　and　was　awarded　the　golden　Oscar　for　the　second。　Audiences　all　over　the　world　lined　up　at　motion…picture　theaters　to　see　Tessie　and　to　hear　that　incredible　voice。　She　had　everything。　She　was　funny；　she　could　sing　and　she　could　pet。　Her　ugliness　turned　out　to　be　an　asset；　because　audiences　identified　with　it。　Tessie　Brand　became　a　surrogate　for　all　the　unattractive；　the　unloved；　the　unwanted。　Tessie　married　the　leading　man　in　her　first　picture；　divorced　him　after　the　retakes　and　married　the　leading　man　in　her　next　picture。　Sam　had　heard　rumors　that　this　marriage　too　was　sinking；　but　Hollywood　was　a　hotbed　of　gossip。　He　paid　no　attention；　for　he　felt　that　it　was　none　of　his　business。　As　it　turned　our；　he　was　mistaken。　
　Sam　was　talking　on　the　phone　to　Barry　Herman；　Tessie's　agent。　
　〃What's　the　problem；　Barry？〃　
　〃Tessie's　new　picture。　She's　not　happy；　Sam。''　
　Sam　felt　his　temper　rising。　〃Hold　it！　Tessie　approved　producer；　the　director　and　the　shooting　script。　We've　got　sets　built　and　we're　ready　to　roll。　There's　no　way　she　can　walk　away　now。　I'll　〃　
　〃She　doesn't　want　to　walk　away。〃　
　Sam　was　taken　aback。　〃What　the　hell　does　she　want？〃　
　〃She　wants　a　new　producer　on　the　picture。〃　
　Sam　yelled　into　the　phone。　〃She　what？〃　
　〃Ralph　Dastin　doesn't　understand　her。〃　
　〃Dastin's　one　of　the　best　producers　in　the　business。　She's　to　have　him。〃　
　〃I　couldn't　agree　with　you　more；　Sam。　But　the　scheme's　wrong。　She　won't　make　the　picture　unless　he's　out。〃　
　〃She's　got　a　contract；　Barry。〃　
　〃I　know　that；　sweetheart。　And；　believe　me；　Tessie　has　every　intention　of　honoring　it。　As　long　as　she's　physically　able。　It's　just　that　she　gets　nervous　when　she's　unhappy　and　she　can't　seem　to　remember　her　lines。〃　
　〃I'll　call　you　back；〃　Sam　said　savagely。　
　He　slammed　down　the　phone。　The　god　damned　bitch！　There　was　no　reason　to　fire　Dastin　from　the　picture。　He　had　probably　refused　to　go　to　bed　with　her；　or　something　equally　ridiculous。　He　said　to　Ludlle；　
　〃Ask　Ralph　Dastin　to　e　up　here。〃　
　Ralph　Dastin　was　an　amiable　man　in　his　fifties。　He　had　started　as　a　writer　and　had　eventually　bee　a　producer。　His　movies　had　taste　and　charm。　
　〃Ralph；〃　Sam　began；　〃I　don't　know　how　to　〃　
　Dastin　held　up　his　hand。　〃You　don't　have　to　say　it；　Sam。　I　was　on　my　way　up　here　to　tell　you　I'm　quitting。〃　
　〃What　the　hell's　going　on？〃　Sam　demanded。　
　Dastin　shrugged。　〃Our　star's　got　an　itch。　She　wants　someone　else　to　scratch　it。〃　
　〃You　mean　she　has　your　replacement　already　picked　out？〃　
　〃Jesus；　where　have　you　been　　on　Mars？　Don't　you　read　the　gossip　columns？〃　
　〃Not　if　I　can　help　it。　Who　is　he？〃　
　〃It's　not　a　he。〃　
　Sam　sat　down；　slowly。　〃What？〃　
　〃It's　the　costume　designer　on　Tessie's　picture。　Her　name　is　Barbara　Carter　　like　the　little　liver　pills。〃　
　〃Are　you　sure　about　this？〃　Sam　asked。　
　〃You're　the　only　one　in　the　entire　Western　Hemisphere　who　doesn't　know　it。〃　
　Sam　shook　his　head。　〃I　always　thought　Tessie　was　straight。〃　
　〃Sam；　life's　a　cafeteria。　Tessie's　a　hungry　girl。〃　
　〃Well；　I'm　not　about　to　put　a　god　damned　female　costume　designer　in　charge　of　a　four…million…dollar　picture。〃　
　Dastin　grinned。　〃You　just　said　the　wrong　thing。〃　
　〃What　does　that　mean？〃　
　〃It　means　that　part　of　Tessie's　pitch　is　that　women　aren't　given　a　fair　chance　in　this　business。　Your　little　star　has　bee　very　feminist…minded。〃　
　〃I　won't　do　it；〃　Sam　said。　
　〃Suit　yourself。　But　I'll　give　you　some　free　advice。　It's　the　only　way　you're　ever　going　to　get　this　picture　made。〃　
　
　Sam　telephoned　Barry　Herman。　
　〃Tell　Tessie　that　Ralph　Dastin　walked　off　the　picture；〃　Sam　said。　
　〃She'll　be　pleased　to　hear　that。〃　
　Sam　gritted　his　teeth；　then　asked；　〃Did　she　have　anyone　else　in　mind　to　produce　the　picture？〃　
　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　she　did；〃　Herman　said　smoothly。　〃Tessie　has　discovered　a　very　talented　young　girl　who　she　feels　is　ready　for　a　challenge　like　this。　Under　the　guidance　of　'someone　as　brilliant　as　you；　Sam　〃　
　〃Cut　out　the　mercial；〃　Sam　said。　〃Is　that　the　bottom　dine？〃　
　〃I'm　afraid　it　is；　Sam。　I'm　sorry。〃　
　
　Barbara　Carter　had　a　pretty　face　and　a　good　figure　and；　as　far　as　Sam　could　tell；　was　pletely　feminine。　He　watched　her　as　she　took　a　seat　on　the　leather　couch　in　his　office　and　daintily　crossed　her　long；　shapely　legs。　When　she　spoke；