merton of the movies-第14节

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n；　and　my　different　capabilities；　and　what　I　can　do　and　everything。

I　had　a　long　talk　to…day　with　the　lady　out　in　front　that　hires　the　actors；　and　she　was　very　friendly；　but　said　it　might　be　quite　some　time；　because　only　two　companies　on　the　lot　were　shooting　to…day；　and　she　said　if　Gashwiler　had　promised　to　keep　my　old　job　for　me　to　be　sure　and　not　forget　his　address；　and　it　was　laughable　that　she　should　say　such　a　thing；　because　I　would　not　be　liable　to　forget　his　address　when　I　lived　there　so　long。　She　must　have　thought　I　was　very　forgetful；　to　forget　that　address。

There　is　some　great　scenery　around　this　place；　including　many　of　the　Rocky　Mtns。　etc。　that　make　it　look　beautiful；　and　the　city　of　Los　Angeles　is　bigger　than　Peoria。　I　am　quite　some　distance　out　of　the　centre　of　town；　and　I　have　a　nice　furnished　room　about　a　mile　from　the　Holden　studios；　where　I　will　be　hired　after　a　few　more　companies　get　to　shooting　on　the　lot。　There　is　an　electric　iron　in　the　kitchen　where　one　can　press　their　clothes。　And　my　furnished　room　is　in　the　house　of　a　Los　Angeles　society　woman　and　her　husband　who　came　here　from　Iowa。　Their　little　house　with　flowers　in　front　of　it　is　called　a　bungalow。　The　husband；　Mr。　Patterson；　had　a　farm　in　Iowa；　six　miles　out　from　Cedar　Falls；　and　he　cares　little　for　society；　but　the　wife　goes　into　society　all　the　time；　as　there　is　hardly　a　day　just　now　that　some　society　does　not　have　its　picnic；　and　one　day　it　will　be　the　Kansas　Society　picnic　and　the　next　day　it　will　be　the　Michigan　Society　having　a　picnic；　or　some　other　state；　and　of　course　the　Iowa　Society　that　has　the　biggest　picnic　of　all；　and　Mr。　Patterson　says　his　wife　can　go　to　all　these　society　functions　if　she　wants；　but　he　does　not　care　much　for　society；　and　he　is　thinking　of　buying　a　half　interest　in　a　good　soft…drink　place　just　to　pass　the　time　away；　as　he　says　after　the　busy　life　he　has　led　he　needs　something　to　keep　him　busy；　but　his　wife　thinks　only　of　society。

I　take　my　meals　out　at　different　places；　especially　at　drug　stores。　I　guess　you　would　be　surprised　to　see　these　drug　stores　where　you　can　go　in　and　sit　at　the　soda　counter　and　order　your　coffee　and　sandwiches　and　custard　pie　and　eat　them　right　there　in　the　drug　store；　but　there　are　other　places；　too；　like　cafeterias；　where　you　put　your　dishes　on　a　tray　and　carry　it　to　your　own　table。　It　is　all　quite　different　from　Simsbury；　and　I　have　seen　oranges　growing　on　the　trees；　and　there　are　palm　trees；　and　it　does　not　snow　here；　but　the　grass　is　green　and　the　flowers　bloom　right　through　the　winter；　which　makes　it　very　attractive　with　the　Rocky　Mtns。　standing　up　in　the　distance；　etc。

Well；　Tessie；　you　must　excuse　this　long　letter　from　your　old　friend；　and　write　me　if　any　company　has　accepted　Passion's　Perils　and　I　might　have　a　chance　to　act　in　that　some　day；　and　I　will　let　you　know　when　my　first　picture　is　released　and　the　title　of　it　so　you　can　watch　out　for　it　when　it　comes　to　the　Bijou　Palace。　I　often　think　of　the　old　town；　and　would　like　to　have　a　chat　with　you　and　my　other　old　friends；　but　I　am　not　homesick；　only　sometimes　I　would　like　to　be　back　there；　as　there　are　not　many　people　to　chat　with　here　and　one　would　almost　be　lonesome　sometimes　if　they　could　not　be　at　the　studio。　But　I　must　remember　that　work　and　struggle　and　sacrifice　are　necessary　to　give　the　public　something　better　and　finer　and　become　a　good　screen　actor。　So　no　more　at　present；　from　your　old　friend；　and　address　Clifford　Armytage　at　above　number；　as　I　am　going　by　my　stage　name；　though　the　lady　at　the　Holden　lot　said　she　liked　my　old　name　better　and　called　me　that；　and　it　sounded　pretty　good；　as　I　have　not　got　used　to　the　stage　name　yet。

He　felt　better　after　this　chat　with　his　old　friend；　and　the　following　morning　he　pressed　a　suit　in　the　Patterson　kitchen　and　resumed　his　vigil　outside　the　gate。　But　now　from　time　to　time；　at　least　twice　a　day；　he　could　break　the　monotony　of　this　by　a　call　at　the　little　window。

Sometimes　the　woman　beyond　it　would　be　engrossed　with　the　telephone　and　would　merely　look　at　him　to　shake　her　head。　At　others；　the　telephone　being　still；　she　would　engage　him　in　friendly　talk。　She　seemed　to　like　him　as　an　occasional　caller；　but　she　remained　smilingly　skeptical　about　his　immediate　success　in　the　pictures。　Again　and　again　she　urged　him　not　to　forget　the　address　of　Giggenholder　or　Gooshswamp　or　whoever　it　might　be　that　was　holding　a　good　job　for　him。　He　never　failed　to　remind　her　that　the　name　was　Gashwiler；　and　that　he　could　not　possibly　forget　the　address　because　he　had　lived　at　Simsbury　a　long　time。　This　always　seemed　to　brighten　the　woman's　day。　It　puzzled　him　to　note　that　for　some　reason　his　earnest　assurance　pleased　her。

As　the　days　of　waiting　passed　he　began　to　distinguish　individuals　among　the　people　who　went　through　the　little　outer　room　or　sat　patiently　around　its　walls　on　the　hard　bench；　waiting　like　himself　for　more　companies　to　start　shooting。　Among　the　important…looking　men　that　passed　through　would　be　actors　that　were　now　reaping　the　reward　of　their　struggle　and　sacrifice；　actors　whom　he　thrilled　to　recognize　as　old　screen　friends。　These　would　saunter　in　with　an　air　of　fine　leisure；　and　their　manner　of　careless　but　elegant　dress　would　be　keenly　noted　by　Merton。　Then　there　were　directors。　These　were　often　less　scrupulously　attired　and　seemed　always　to　be　solving　knotty　problems。　They　passed　hurriedly　on；　brows　drawn　in　perplexity。　They　were　very　busy　persons。　Those　on　the　bench　regarded　them　with　deep　respect　and　stiffened　to　attention　as　they　passed；　but　they　were　never　observed　by　these　great　ones。

The　waiting　ones　were　of　all　ages；　mostly　women；　with　but　a　sprinkling　of　men。　Many　of　the　women　were　young　or　youngish；　and　of　rare　beauty；　so　Merton　Gill　thought。　Others　were　elderly　or　old；　and　a　few　would　be　accompanied　by　children；　often　so　young　that　they　must　be　held　on　laps。　They；　too；　waited　with　round　eyes　and　in　perfect　decorum　for　a　chance　to　act。　Sometimes　the　little　window　would　be　pushed　open　and　a　woman　beckoned　from　the　bench。　Some　of　them　greeted　the　casting　director　as　an　old　friend　and　were　still　gay　when　told　that　there　was　nothing　to…day。　Others　seemed　to　dread　being　told　this；　and　would　wait　on　without　daring　an　inquiry。　Sometimes　there　would　be　a　little　flurry　of　actual　business。　Four　society　women　would　be　needed　for　a　bridge　table　at　8：30　the　next　morning　on　Stage　Number　Five。　The　casting　director　seemed　to　know　the　wardrobe　of　each　of　the　waiters；　and　would　select　the　four　quickly。　The　gowns　must　be　smartit　was　at　the　country　house　of　a　rich　New　Yorkerand　jewels　and　furs　were　not　to　be　forgotten。　There　might　be　two　days'　work。　The　four　fortunate　ladies　would　depart　with　cheerful　smiles。　The　remaining　waiters　settled　on　the　bench；　hoping　against　hope　for　another　call。

Among　the　waiting…room　hopefuls　Merton　had　come　to　know　by　sight　the　Montague　family。　This　consisted　of　a　handsome　elderly　gentleman　of　most　impressive　manner；　his　wife；　a　portly　woman　of　middle　age；　also　possessing　an　impressive　manner；　and　a　daughter。　Mr。　Montague　always　removed　his　hat　in　the　waiting　room；　uncovering　an　abundant　cluster　of　iron…gray　curls　above　a　noble　brow。　About　him　there　seemed　ever　to　linger　a　faint　spicy　aroma　of　strong　drink；　and　he　would　talk　freely　to　those　sharing　the　bench　with　him。　His　voice　was　full　and　rich　in　tone；　and　his　speech；　deliberate　and　precise；　more　than　hinted　that　he　had　once　been　an　ornament　of　the　speaking　stage。　His　wife；　also；　was　friendly　of　manner；　and　spoke　in　a　deep　contralto　somewhat　roughened　by　wear　but　still　notable。

The　daughter　Merton　did　not　like。　She　was　not　unattractive　in　appearance；　though　her　features　were　far　off　the　screen…heroine　model；　her　nose　being　too　short；　her　mouth　too　large；　her　cheekbones　too　prominent；　and　her　chin　too　square。　Indeed；　she　resembled　too　closely　her　father；　who；　as　a　man；　could　carry　such　things　more　becomingly。　She　was　a　slangy　chit；　much　too　free　and　easy　in　her　ways；　Merton　considered；　and　revealing　a　self…confidence　that　amounted　almost　to　impudence。　Further；　her　cheeks　were　brown；　her　brief　nose　freckled；　and　she　did　not　take　the　pains　with　her　face　that　most　of　the　beautiful　young　women　who　waited　there　had　so　obviously　taken。　She　was　a　harum…scarum　baggage　with　no　proper　respect　for　any　one；　he　decided；　especially　after　the　day　she　had　so　rudely　accosted　one　of　the　passing　directors。　He　was　a　more　than　usually　absorbed　director；　and　with　drawn　brows　would　have　gone　unseeing　through　the　waiting　room　when　the　girl　hailed　him。

〃Oh；　Mr。　Henshaw；　one　moment　please！〃

He　glanced　up　in　some　annoyance；　pausing　with　his　hand　to　the　door　that　led　on　to　his　proper　realm。

〃Oh；　it's　you；　Miss　Montague！　Well；　what　is　it？　I'm　very；　very　busy。〃

〃Well；　it's　something　I　wanted　to　ask　you。〃　She　quickly　crossed　the　room　to　stand　by　him；　tenderly　flecking　a　bit　of　dust　from　his　coat　sleeve　as　she　began；　〃Say；　listen；　Mr。　Henshaw：　Do　you　think　beauty　is　a　curse　to　a　poor　girl？〃

Mr。　Henshaw　scowled　down　into　the　eyes　so　confidingly　lifted　to　his。

〃That's　something　you　won't　ever　have　to　worry　about；〃　he　snapped；　and　was　gone；　his　brows　again　drawn　in　perplexity　over　his　work。

〃You're　not　angry　wit