merton of the movies-第17节
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deckhouse forward。 They glanced at the newcomer but with a cheering absence of curiosity or even of interest。 He sauntered past them with a polite but not…too…keen interest。 The yacht would be an expensive one。 The deck fittings were elaborate。 A glance into the captain's cabin revealed it to be fully furnished； with a chart and a sextant on the mahogany desk。
〃Where's the bedding for this stateroom？〃 asked one of the men。
〃I got a prop…rustler after it；〃 one of the others informed him。
They strolled aft and paused by an iron standard ingeniously swung from the deck。
〃That's Burke's idea；〃 said one of the men。 〃I hadn't thought about a steady support for the camera； of course if we stood it on deck it would rock when the ship rocked and we'd get no motion。 So Burke figures this out。 The camera is on here and swings by that weight so it's always straight and the rocking registers。 Pretty neat； what？〃
〃That was nothing to think of〃 said one of the other men； in apparent disparagement。 〃I thought of it myself the minute I saw it。〃 The other two grinned at this； though Merton Gill； standing by； saw nothing to laugh at。 He thought the speaker was pretty cheeky； for of course any one could think of this device after seeing it。 He paused for a final survey of his surroundings from this elevation。 He could see the real falseness of the sawmill he had just left； he could also look into the exposed rear of the railway station； and could observe beyond it the exposed skeleton of that New York street。 He was surrounded by mockeries。
He clambered down the ladder and sauntered back to the street of offices。 He was by this time confident that no one was going to ask him what right he had in there。 Now； too； he became conscious of hunger and at the same moment caught the sign 〃Cafeteria〃 over a neat building hitherto unnoticed。 People were entering this； many of them in costume。 He went idly toward the door； glanced up； looked at his watch； and became； to any one curious about him； a man who had that moment decided he might as well have a little food。 He opened the screen door of the cafeteria； half expecting it to prove one of those structures equipped only with a front。 But the cafeteria was practicable。 The floor was crowded with little square polished tables at which many people were eating。 A railing along the side of the room made a passage to the back where food was served from a counter to the proffered tray。 He fell into line。 No one had asked him how he dared try to eat with real actors and actresses and apparently no one was going to。 Toward the end of the passage was a table holding trays and napkins the latter wrapped about an equipment of cutlery。 He took his tray and received at the counter the foods he designated。 He went through this ordeal with difficulty because it was not easy to keep from staring about at other patrons。 Constantly he was detecting some remembered face。 But at last； with his laden tray he reached a vacant table near the centre of the room and took his seat。 He absently arranged the food before him。 He could stare at leisure now。 All about him were the strongly marked faces of the film people； heavy with makeup； interspersed with hungry civilians； who might be producers； directors； camera men； or mere artisans； for the democracy of the cafeteria seemed ideal。
At the table ahead of his he recognized the man who had been annoyed one day by the silly question of the Montague girl。 They had said he was a very important director。 He still looked important and intensely serious。 He was a short； very plump man； with pale cheeks under dark brows； and troubled looking gray hair。 He was very seriously explaining something to the man who sat with him and whom he addressed as Governor； a merry…looking person with a stubby gray mustache and little hair； who seemed not too attentive to the director。
〃You see； Governor； it's this way： the party is lost on the desert understand what I meanand Kempton Ward and the girl stumble into this deserted tomb just at nightfall。 Now here's where the big kick comes〃
Merton Gill ceased to listen for there now halted at his table； bearing a laden tray； none other than the Montague girl； she of the slangy talk and the regrettably free manner。 She put down her tray and seated herself before it。 She had not asked permission of the table's other occupant； indeed she had not even glanced at him； for cafeteria etiquette is not rigorous。 He saw that she was heavily made up and in the costume of a gypsy； he thought； a short vivid skirt； a gay waist； heavy gold hoops in her ears； and dark hair massed about her small head。 He remembered that this would not be her own hair。 She fell at once to her food。 The men at the next table glanced at her； the director without cordiality； but the other man smiled upon her cheerfully。
〃Hello； Flips！ How's the girl？〃
〃Everything's jake with me； Governor。 How's things over at your shop？〃
〃So； so。 I see you're working。〃
〃Only for two days。 I'm just atmosphere in this piece。 I got some real stuff coming along pretty soon for Baxter。 Got to climb down ten stories of a hotel elevator cable； and ride a brake…beam and be pushed off a cliff and thrown to the lions； and a few other little things。〃
〃That's good； Flips。 Come in and see me some time。 Have a little chat。 Ma working？〃
〃Yeahgot a character bit with Charlotte King in Her Other Husband。〃 〃Glad to hear it。 How's Pa Montague？〃
〃Pa's in bed。 They've signed him for Camillia of the Cumberlands； providing he raises a brush； and just now it ain't long enough for whiskers and too long for anything else； so he's putterin' around with his new still。〃
〃Well； drop over sometime； Flips； I'm keeping you in mind。〃
〃Thanks； Governor。 Say〃 Merton glanced up in time to see her wink broadly at the man； and look toward his companion who still seriously made notes on the back of an envelope。 The man's face melted to a grin which he quickly erased。 The girl began again：
〃Mr。 Henshawcould you give me just a moment； Mr。 Henshaw？〃 The serious director looked up in quite frank annoyance。
〃Yes； yes； what is it； Miss Montague？〃
〃Well； listen； Mr。 Henshaw； I got a great idea for a story； and I was thinking who to take it to and I thought of this one and I thought of that one； and I asked my friends； and they all say take it to Mr。 Henshaw； because if a story has any merit he's the one director on the lot that can detect it and get every bit of value out of it； so I thoughtbut of course if you're busy just now〃
The director thawed ever so slightly。 〃Of course； my girl； I'm busy… …but then I'm always busy。 They run me to death here。 Still； it was very kind of your friends； and of course〃
〃Thank you； Mr。 Henshaw。〃 She clasped her hands to her breast and gazed raptly into the face of her coy listener。
〃Of course I'll have to have help on the details； but it starts off kind of like this。 You see I'm a Hawaiian princess〃 She paused； gazing aloft。
〃Yes； yes； Miss Montaguean Hawaiian princess。 Go on； go on！〃
〃Oh； excuse me； I was thinking how I'd dress her for the last spool in the big fire scene。 Well； anyway； I'm this Hawaiian princess； and my father； old King Mauna Loa； dies and leaves me twenty…one thousand volcanoes and a billiard cue〃
Mr。 Henshaw blinked rapidly at this。 For a moment he was dazed。 〃A billiard cue； did you say？〃 he demanded blankly。
〃Yes。 And every morning I have to go out and ram it down the volcanoes to see are they all rightand〃
〃Tush； tush！〃 interrupted Mr。 Henshaw scowling upon the playwright and fell again to his envelope； pretending thereafter to ignore her。
The girl seemed to be unaware that she had lost his attention。 〃And you see the villain is very wealthy； he owns the largest ukelele factory in the islands； and he tries to get me in his power； but he's foiled by my fiance； a young native by the name of Herman Schwarz； who has invented a folding ukelele； so the villain gets his hired Hawaiian orchestra to shove Herman down one of the volcanoes and me down another； but I have the key around my neck； which Father put there when I was a babe and made me swear always to wear it； even in the bath…tub； so I let myself out and unlock the other one and let Herman out and the orchestra discovers us and chases us over the cliff； and then along comes my old nurse who is now running a cigar store in San Pedro and she〃 Here she affected to discover that Mr。 Henshaw no longer listened。
〃Why； Mr。 Henshaw's gone！〃 she exclaimed dramatically。 〃Boy； boy； page Mr。 Henshaw。〃 Mr。 Henshaw remained oblivious。
〃Oh； well； of course I might have expected you wouldn't have time to listen to my poor little plot。 Of course I know it's crude； but it did seem to me that something might be made out of it。〃 She resumed her food。 Mr。 Henshaw's companion here winked at her and was seen to be shaking with emotion。 Merton Gill could not believe it to be laughter； for he had seen nothing to laugh at。 A busy man had been bothered by a silly girl who thought she had the plot for a photodrama； and even he； Merton Gill； could have told her that her plot was impossibly wild and inconsequent。 If she were going into that branch of the art she ought to take lessons； the way Tes
