sidneysheldon.astrangerinthemirror-第24节

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　There　was　polite　applause　as　Toby　rose　to　his　feet　and　walked　over　to　the　microphone。　He　looked　out　at　the　audience；　then　turned　to　the　President　of　the　United　States。　The　President　was　a　simple；　homespun　man。　He　did　not　believe　in　what　he　called　top…hat　diplomacy。　〃People　to　people；〃　he　had　said　in　a　nationwide　speech；　〃that's　what　we　shed。　We've　got　to　quit　depending　on　puters　and　start　listening　our　instincts　again。　When　I　sit　down　with　the　heads　of　foreign　powers；　I　like　to　negotiate　by　the　seat　of　my　pants。〃　had　bee　a　popular　phrase。　
　Now　Toby　looked　at　the　President　of　the　United　States　and　said；　his　voice　choked　with　pride；　
　〃Mr。　President；　I　can't　tell　you　what　a　thrill　it　is　for　me　to　be　up　here　on　the　me　podium　with　the　man　who　has　the　whole　world　wired　to　his　ass。〃　
　There　was　a　shocked　hush　for　a　long　moment；　then　the　President　grinned；　guffawed；　and　the　audience　suddenly　exploded　with　laughter　and　applause。　From　that　moment　on；　Toby　could　do　no　wrong。　He　attacked　the　senators　in　the　from；　the　Supreme　Court；　the　press。　They　adored　it。　They　roared　and　howled；　because　they　knew　Toby　did　not　really　meant　a　word　of　what　he　said。　It　was　excruciatingly　funny　how　these　insults　ing　from　that　boyish；　innocent　face。　There　were　foreign　ministers　there　that　night。　Toby　addressed　them　in　a　double…talk　version　of　their　own　languages　that　sounded　so　real　that　they　were　nodding　in　agreement。　He　was　an　idiot…savant；　reeling　off　patter　that　praised　them；　berated　them；　and　the　meaning　of　his　wild　gibberish　was　so　dear　that　every　person　in　the　room　understood　what　Toby　was　saying。　He　received　a　standing　ovation。　The　President　walked　straight　to　Toby　and　said；　
　〃That　was　brilliant；　absolutely　brilliant。　We　giving　a　little　supper　at　the　White　House　Monday　night；　Toby；　and　I'd　be　delighted。。。〃　
　The　following　day；　all　the　newspapers　wrote　about　Toby　Temple's　triumph。　His　remarks　were　quoted　everywhere。　He　was　asked　to　entertain　at　the　White　House。　There　he　was　even　bigger　sensation。　Important　offers　began　pouring　in　from　over　the　world。　Toby　played　the　Palladium　in　London；　have　a　mand　performance　for　the　Queen；　he　was　asked　to　induct　symphony　orchestras　for　charity　and　to　serve　on　the　National　Arts　mittee。　He　played　golf　with　the　President　frequently　and　was　invited　to　dinner　at　the　White　House　again　and　again。　Toby　met　legislators　and　governors　and　the　heads　of　America's　largest　corporations。　He　insulted　them　all；　and　the　more　he　attacked　them；　the　more　charmed　they　were。　They　adored　having　Toby　around；　turning　his　acerbic　wit　loose　on　their　guests。　Toby's　friendship　became　a　symbol　of　prestige　among　the　Brahmins。　The　offers　that　were　ing　in　were　phenomenal。　Clifton　Lawrence　was　as　excited　about　them　as　Toby；　and　Clifton's　excitement　had　nothing　to　do　with　business　or　money。　Toby　Temple　had　been　the　most　wonderful　thing　that　had　happened　to　him　in　years；　for　he　felt　as　though　Toby　were　his　son。　He　had　spent　more　time　on　Toby's　career　than　on　any　of　his　other　clients；　but　it　had　been　worth　it。　Toby　had　worked　hard；　had　perfected　his　talent　until　it　shone　like　a　diamond。　And　he　was　appreciative　and　generous；　something　that　was　rare　in　this　business。　
　〃Every　top　hotel　in　Vegas　is　after　you；〃　Clifton　Lawrence　told　Toby。　〃Money　is　no　object。　They　want　you；　period。　I　have　scripts　on　my　desk　from　Fox；　Universal；　Pan…Pacific　　all　starring　parts。　You　can　do　a　tour　of　Europe；　any　guest　shot　you　want；　or　you　can　have　your　own　television　show　on　any　of　the　networks。　That　would　still　give　you　time　to　do　Vegas　and　a　picture　a　year。〃　
　〃How　much　could　I　make　with　my　own　television　show；　Cliff？〃　
　〃I　think　I　can　push　them　up　to　ten　thousand　a　week　for　an　hour　variety　show。　They'll　have　to　give　us　a　firm　two　years；　maybe　three。　If　they　want　you　badly　enough；　they'll　go　for　it。〃　
　Toby　leaned　back　on　the　couch；　exulting。　Ten　thousand　a　show；　say　forty　shows　a　year。　In　three　years；　that　would　e　to　over　one　million　dollars　for　telling　the　world　what　he　thought　of　it！　He　looked　over　at　Clifton。　The　little　agent　was　trying　to　play　it　cool；　but　Toby　could　see　that　he　was　eager。　He　wanted　Toby　to　make　the　television　deal。　Why　not？　Clifton　could　pick　up　a　hundred　and　twenty　thousand　dollar　mission　for　Toby's　talent　and　sweat。　Did　Clifton　really　deserve　that　kind　of　money？　He　had　never　had　to　work　his　ass　in　filthy　little　clubs　or　have　drunken　audiences　throw　empty　beer　bottles　at　him　or　go　to　greedy　quacks　in　nameless　lages　to　have　a　clap　treated　because　the　only　girls　available　are　the　raddled　whores　around　the　Toilet　Circuit。　What　did　Clifton　Lawrence　know　of　the　cockroach…ridden　rooms　and　the　greasy　food　and　the　endless　procession　of　all…night　bus　sides　going　from　one　hell…hole　to　another？　He　could　never　understand。　One　critic　had　called　Toby　an　overnight　success；　and　Toby　had　laughed　aloud。　Now；　sitting　in　Clifton　Lawrence's　office；　be　said；　
　〃I　want　my　own　television　show。〃　
　
　Six　weeks　later；　the　deal　was　signed　with　Consolidated　Broadcasting。　
　〃The　network　wants　a　studio　to　do　the　deficit　financing；〃　Clifton　Lawrence　told　Toby。　〃I　like　the　idea　because　I　can　parlay　it　into　a　picture　deal。〃
　〃Which　studio？〃　
　〃Pan…Pacific。〃　
　Toby　frowned。　〃Sam　Winters？〃　
　〃That's　right。　For　my　money；　he's　the　best　studio　head　in　the　business。　Besides；　he　owns　a　property　I　want　for　you；　The　Kid　Goes　West。〃　
　Toby　said；　〃I　was　in　the　army　with　Winters。　Okay。　But　he　owes　me　one。　Shaft　the　bastard！〃　
　
　Clifton　Lawrence　and　Sam　Winters　were　in　the　steam　room　in　the　gymnasium　at　Pan…Pacific　Studios；　breathing　in　the　eucalyptus　scent　of　the　heated　air。　
　〃This　is　the　life；〃　the　little　agent　sighed。　〃Who　needs　money？〃　
　Sam　grinned。　〃Why　don't　you　talk　like　that　when　we're　negotiating；　Cliff？〃　
　〃I　don't　want　to　spoil　you；　dear　boy。〃　
　〃I　hear　that　you　made　a　deal　with　Toby　Temple　at　Consolidated　Broadcasting。〃　
　〃Yeah。　Biggest　deal　they've　ever　made。〃　
　〃Where　are　you　going　to　get　the　deficit　financing　for　the　show？〃　
　〃Why；　Sam？〃　
　〃We　could　be　interested。　I　might　even　throw　in　a　picture　deal。　I　just　bought　a　edy　called　The　Kid　Goes　West。　It　hasn't　been　announced　yet。　I　think　Toby'd　be　perfect　for　it。〃　
　Clifton　Lawrence　frowned　and　said；　〃Shit！　I　wish　I'd　known　about　this　earlier；　Sam。　I've　made　a　deal　at　MGM。〃　
　〃Have　you　closed　yet？〃　
　〃Well；　practically。　I　gave　them　my　word。。。〃　
　Twenty　minutes　later；　Clifton　Lawrence　had　negotiated　a　lucrative　arrangement　for　Toby　Temple　in　which　PanPadfic　Studios　would　produce　〃The　Toby　Temple　Show〃　and　star　him　in　The　Kid　Goes　West。　The　negotiations　could　have　gone　on　longer；　but　the　steam　room　had　bee　unbearably　hot。　
　One　of　the　stipulations　in　Toby　Temple's　contract　was　that　he　did　not　have　to　e　to　rehearsals。　Toby's　stand…in　would　work　with　the　guest　stars　in　the　sketches　and　dance　routines；　and　Toby　would　appear　for　the　final　rehearsal　and　taping。　In　this　way；　Toby　could　keep　his　part　fresh　and　exciting。　
　On　the　afternoon　of　the　show's　premiere；　in　September；　1956；　Toby　walked　into　the　theater　on　Vine　Street　where　the　show　would　be　taped　and　sat　watching　the　run…through。　When　it　was　over；　Toby　took　his　stand…in's　place。　Suddenly　the　theater　was　filled　with　electricity。　The　show　came　to　life　and　crackled　and　sparkled。　And　when　it　was　taped　that　evening　and　went　on　the　air；　forty　million　people　watched　it。　It　was　as　though　television　had　been　made　for　Toby　Temple。　In　close　up；　he　was　even　more　adorable；　and　everyone　wanted　him　in　his　living　room。　The　show　was　an　instant　success。　It　jumped　to　number　one　in　the　Nielsen　Ratings；　and　there　it　firmly　remained。　Toby　Temple　was　no　longer　a　star。　He　had　bee　a　superstar。　
　
　　
　Hollywood　was　more　exciting　than　Jill　Castle　had　ever　dreamed。　She　went　on　sightseeing　tours　and　saw　the　outside　of　the　stars'　homes。　And　she　knew　that　one　day　she　would　have　a　beautiful　home　in　Bel…Air　or　Beverly　Hills。　Meanwhile；　Jill　lived　in　an　old　rooming　house；　an　ugly　two…story　wooden　structure　that　had　been　converted　into　an　even　uglier　twelvebedroom　house　with　tiny　bedrooms。　Her　room　was　inexpensive　which　meant　that　she　could　stretch　out　the　two　hundred　dollars　she　had　saved　up。　The　house　was　located　on　Bronson；　a　few　minutes　from　Hollywood　and　Vine　Street；　the　heart　of　Hollywood；　and　was　convenient　to　the　motion…picture　studios。　There　was　another　feature　about　the　house　that　attracted　Jill。　There　were　a　dozen　roomers；　and　all　of　them　were　either　trying　to　get　into　pictures；　were　working　in　pictures　as　extras　or　bit　players　or　had　retired　from　the　Business。　The　old…timers　floated　around　the　house　in　yellowed　robes　and　curlers；　frayed　suits　and　scuffed　shoes　that　would　no　longer　take　a　shine。　
　The　roomers　looked　used　up；　rather　than　old。　There　was　a　mon　living　room　with　battered　and　sprung　furniture　where　they　all　gathered　in　the　evening　to　exchange　gossip。　Everyone　gave　Jill　advice；　most　of　it　contradictory。　
　〃The　way　to　get　into　pictures；　honey；　is　you　find　yourself　an　AD　who　likes　you。〃　This　from　a　sour…faced　lady　who　had　recently　been　fired　from　a　television　series。　
　〃What's　an　AD？〃　Jill　asked。　
　〃An　assistant　director。〃　In　a　tone　that　pitied　Jill's　ignorance。　〃He's　the　one　who　hires　the　supes。〃　
　Jill　was　too　embarrassed