sidneysheldon.astrangerinthemirror-第7节
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e learned。 He did four and five shows a day at small theaters named the Gem and the Odeon and the Empire and the Star。 And he learned。 And； finally； one of the things that Toby Temple learned was that he could spend the rest of his life playing the Toilet Circuit； unknown and undiscovered。 But an event occurred that made the whole matter academic。
On a cold Sunday afternoon in early December in 1941； Toby was playing a five…a…day act at the Dewey Theatre on Fourteenth Street in New York。 There were eight acts on the bill； and part of Toby's job was to introduce them。 The first show went well。 During the second show； when Toby introduced the Flying Kanazawas； a family of Japanese acrobats； the audience began to hiss them。 Toby retreated backstage。
〃What the hell's the matter with them out there？〃 he asked。
〃Jesus； haven't you heard？ The Japs attacked Pearl Harbor a few hours ago；〃 the stage manager told him。
〃So what？〃 Toby asked。 〃Look at those guys they're great。〃
The next show； when it was the turn of the Japanese troupe； Toby went out on stage and said；
〃Ladies and gentlemen； it's a great privilege to present to you。 fresh from their triumph in Manila the Flying Filipinos！〃
The moment the audience saw the Japanese troupe； they began to hiss。 During the rest of the day Toby turned them into the Happy Hawaiians； the Mad Mongolians and； finally； the Eskimo Flyers。 But he was unable to save them。 Nor； as it turned out； himself。 When he telephoned his father that evening； Toby learned that there was a letter waiting for him at home。 It began； 〃Greetings〃； and was signed by the President。 Six weeks later； Toby was sworn into the United States Army。 The day he was inducted； his head was pounding so hard that he was barely able to take the oath。
The headaches came often； and when they happened； little Josephine felt as though two giant hands were squeezing her temples。 She tried not to cry； because it upset her mother。 Mrs。 Czinski had discovered religion。 She had always secretly felt that in some way she and her baby were responsible for the death of her husband。 She had wandered into a revival meeting one afternoon； and the minister had thundered；
〃You are all soaked in sin and wickedness。 The God that holds you over the pit of Hell like a loathsome insect over a fire abhors you。 You hang by a slender thread； every damned one of you； and the flames of His wrath will consume you unless you repent！〃 Mrs。 Csinski instantly felt better； for she knew that she was hearing the word of the Lord。
''This a punishment from God because we killed your father；〃 her mother would tell Josephine； and while she was too young to understand what the words meant； she knew that she had done something bad； and she wished she knew what it was； so that she could tell her mother that she was
In the beginning； Toby Temple's war was a nightmare。 In the army he was a nobody； a serial number in a uniform like millions of others； faceless； nameless； anonymous。
He was sent to basic training camp in Georgia and then shipped out to England； where his outfit was assigned to a camp in Sussex。 Toby told the sergeant he wanted to see the manding general。 He got as far as a captain。 The captain's name was Sam Winters。 He was a dark…plexioned； intelligent…looking man in his early thirties。
〃What's your problem； soldier？〃
〃It's like this。 Captain；〃 Toby began。 〃I'm an entertainer。 I'm in show business。 That's what I did in civilian life。〃
Captain Winters smiled at his earnestness。 〃What exactly do you do？〃 he asked。
〃A little of everything；〃 Toby replied。 〃I do imitations and parodies and。。 。〃 He saw the look in the captain's eyes and ended lamely； 〃Things like that。〃
〃Where have you worked？〃
Toby started to speak； then stopped。 It was hopeless。 The captain would only be impressed by places like New York and Hollywood。 〃No place you would have heard of；〃 Toby replied。 He knew now that he was wasting his time。
Captain Winters said； 〃It's not up to me； but I'll see what I can do。〃
〃Sure；〃 Toby said。 〃Thanks a lot； Captain。〃 He gave a salute and exited。
Captain Sam Winters sat at his desk； thinking about Toby long after the boy had gone。 Sam Winters had enlisted because he felt that this was a war that had to be fought and had to be won。 At the same time he hated it for what it was doing to young kids like Toby Temple。 But if Temple really had talent； it would e through sooner or later； for talent was like a frail flower growing under solid rock。 In the end； nothing could stop it from bursting through and blooming。 Sam Winters had given up a good job as a motion…picture producer in Hollywood to go into the army。 He had produced several successful pictures for Pan…Pacific Studios and had seen dozens of young hopefuls like Toby Temple e and go。 The least they deserved was a chance。
Later that afternoon he spoke to Colonel Beech about Toby。 〃I think we should let Special Services audition him；〃 Captain Winters said。 〃I have a feeling he might be good。 God knows the boys are going to need all the entertainment they can get。〃
Colonel Beech stared up at Captain Winters and said coolly； 〃Right； Captain。 Send me a memo on it。〃 He watched as Captain Winters walked out the door。 Colonel Beech was a professional soldier； a West Point man； and the son of a West Point man。 The Colonel despised all civilians； and to him Captain Winters was a civilian。 Putting on a uniform and captain's bars did not make a man a soldier。 When Colonel Beech received Captain Winters's memo on Toby Temple； he glanced at it； then savagely scribbled across it； 〃request denied〃； and initialed it。 He felt better。
What Toby missed most was the lack of an audience。 He needed to work on his sense of liming； his skills。 He would tell jokes and do imitations and routines at every opportunity。 It did not matter whether his audience was two GIs doing guard duty with him in a lonely field； a busload of soldiers on their way into town or a dishwasher on KP。 Toby had to make them laugh； win their applause。 Captain Sam Winters watched one day as Toby went through one of his routines in the recreation hall。 Afterward； he went up to Toby and said； 〃I'm sorry your transfer didn't work out； Temple。 I think you have talent。 When the war's over； if you get to Hollywood； look me up。〃 He grinned and added； 〃Assuming I still have a job out there。〃 The following week Toby's battalion was sent into bat。
In later years； when Toby recalled die war； what he remembered were not the battles。 At Samt…Lo he had been a smash doing a mouth…sync act to a Bing Crosby record。 At Aachen he had sneaked into the hospital and told jokes to the wounded for two hours before the nurses threw him out。 He remembered with satisfaction that one GI had laughed so hard all his stitches had broken open。 Metz was where he had bombed out； but Toby felt that that was only because the audience was jittery about the Nazi planes flying overhead。
The fighting that Toby did was incidental。 He was cited for bravery in the capture of a German mand post。 Toby had really had no idea what was going on。 He had been playing John Wayne； and had gotten so earned away that it was all over before he had time to be frightened。 To Toby； it was the entertaining that was important。
In Cherbourg he visited a whorehouse with a couple of friends； and while they were upstairs； Toby stayed in the parlor doing a routine for the madame and two of her girls。 When he had finished； the madame sent him upstairs； on the house。
That was Toby's war。 All in all； it was not a bad war； and time went by very quickly。 When the war ended； it was 1945 and Toby was almost twenty…five years old。 In appearance he had not aged one day。 He had the same sweet face and beguiling blue eyes； and that helpless air of innocence about him。 Everyone was talking about going home。 There was a bride waiting in Kansas City； a mother and father in Bayonne； a business in St。 Louis。 There was nothing waiting for Toby。 Except Fame。 He decided to go to Hollywood。 It was time that God made good on His promise。
〃Do you know God？ Have you seen the face of Jesus？ I have seen Him； brothers and sisters； and I have heard His voice； but He speaks only to those who kneel before Him and confess their sins。 God abhors the unrepentant。 The bolo of God's wrath is bent and the flaming arrow of His righteous anger is pointed at your wicked hearts； and at any moment He will let go and the arrow of His retribution shall smite your hearts！ Look up to Him now； before it is too late！〃
Josephine looked up toward the top of the tent； terrified； expecting to see a flaming arrow shooting at her。 She clutched her mother's hand； but her mother was unaware of it。 Her face was flushed and her eyes were bright with fervor。 〃Praise Jesus！〃 the congregation roared。 The revival meetings were held in a huge tent； on the outskirts of Odessa； and Mrs。 Czinski took Josephine to all of them。 The preacher's pulpit was a wooden platform raised six feet above the ground。 Immediately in front of the platform was the glory pen； where sinners were brought to repent and experience conversion。 Beyond the pen were rows and rows of hard
