merton of the movies-第19节

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Jack　leaped　through　the　window　to　a　crouch；　weapon　in　hand。　The　knife　quivered　in　the　wall　above　him　as　he　shot。

〃Fine　and　dandy。　Some　class；　I'll　say。　All　right；　Jack。　Get　back。　We'll　gun　this　little　scene　right　here　and　now。　All　ready；　Jack；　all　ready　Miss　Montaguecamera！one；　two；　threecome　in；　Jack。〃　Again　the　knife　quivered　in　the　wall　above　his　head　even　while　he　crouched　to　shoot　at　the　treacherous　Mexican　who　had　thrown　it。

〃Good　work；　Flips。　Thanks　a　whole　lot。　We'll　do　as　much　for　you　some　time。〃

〃You're　entirely　welcome；　Mr。　Burke。　No　trouble　to　oblige。　How　you　coming？〃

〃Coming　good。　This　thing's　going　to　be　a　knockout。　I　bet　it'll　gross　a　million。　Nearly　done；　too；　except　for　some　chase　stuff　up　in　the　hills。　I'll　do　that　next　week。　What　you　doing？〃

〃Oh；　everything's　jake　with　me。　I'm　over　on　Number　FourToys　of　Destinyputting　a　little　pep　into　the　mob　stuff。　Laid　out　for　two　hours；　waiting　for　somethingI　don't　know　what。〃

Merton　Gill　passed　on。　He　confessed　now　to　a　reluctant　admiration　for　the　Montague　girl。　She　could　surely　throw　a　knife。　He　must　practise　that　himself　sometime。　He　might　have　stayed　to　see　more　of　this　drama　but　he　was　afraid　the　girl　would　break　out　into　more　of　her　nonsense。　He　was　aware　that　she　swept　him　with　her　eyes　as　he　turned　away　but　he　evaded　her　glance。　She　was　not　a　person；　he　thought；　that　one　ought　to　encourage。

He　emerged　from　the　great　building　and　crossed　an　alley　to　another　of　like　size。　Down　toward　its　middle　was　the　usual　wall　of　canvas　with　half…a…dozen　men　about　the　opening　at　one　corner。　A　curious　whirring　noise　came　from　within。　He　became　an　inconspicuous　unit　of　the　group　and　gazed　in。　The　lights　were　on；　revealing　a　long　table　elaborately　set　as　for　a　banquet；　but　the　guests　who　stood　about　gave　him　instant　uneasiness。　They　were　in　the　grossest　caricatures　of　evening　dress；　both　men　and　women；　and　they　were　not　beautiful。　The　gowns　of　the　women　were　grotesque　and　the　men　were　lawless　appearing；　either　as　to　hair　or　beards　or　both。　He　divined　the　dreadful　thing　he　was　stumbling　upon　even　before　he　noted　the　sign　in　large　letters　on　the　back　of　a　folding　chair：　〃Jeff　Baird's　Buckeye　Comedies。〃　These　were　the　buffoons　who　with　their　coarse　pantomime；　their　heavy　horse…play；　did　so　much　to　debase　a　great　art。　There；　even　at　his　side；　was　the　arch　offender；　none　other　than　Jeff　Baird　himself；　the　man　whose　regrettable　sense　of　so…called　humour　led　him　to　make　these　low　appeals　to　the　witless。　And　even　as　he　looked　the　cross…eyed　man　entered　the　scene。　Garbed　in　the　weirdly　misfitting　clothes　of　a　waiter；　holding　aloft　a　loaded　tray　of　dishes；　he　entered　on　roller　skates；　to　halt　before　Baird　with　his　uplifted　tray　at　a　precarious　balance。

〃All　right；　that's　better；〃　said　Baird。　〃And；　Gertie；　listen：　don't　throw　the　chair　in　front　of　him。　That's　out。　Now　we'll　have　the　entrance　again。　You　other　boys　on　the　rollers；　there〃　Three　other　basely　comic　waiters　on　roller　skates　came　to　attention。

〃Follow　him　in　and　pile　up　on　him　when　he　makes　the　grand　spillsee　what　I　mean？　Get　your　trays　loaded　now　and　get　off。　Now　you　other　people；　take　your　seats。　No；　no；　Annie；　you're　at　the　head；　I　told　you。　Tom；　you're　at　the　foot　and　start　the　rough…house　when　you　get　the　tray　in　the　neck。　Now；　all　set。〃

Merton　Gill　was　about　to　leave　this　distressing　scene　but　was　held　in　spite　of　himself　by　the　voice　of　a　newcomer。

〃Hello；　Jeff！　Atta　boy！〃

He　knew　without　turning　that　the　Montague　girl　was　again　at　his　elbow。　He　wondered　if　she　could　be　following　him。

〃Hello；　Flips！　How's　the　kid？〃　The　producer　had　turned　cordially　to　her。　〃Just　in　time　for　the　breakaway　stuff。　See　how　you　like　it。〃

〃What's　the　big　idea？〃

〃Swell　reception　at　the　Maison　de　Glue；　with　the　waiters　on　roller　skates　in　honour　of　rich　Uncle　Rollo　Glue。　The　head　waiter　starts　the　fight　by　doing　a　fall　with　his　tray。　Tom　gets　the　tray　in　the　neck　and　soaks　the　nearest　man　banquet　goes　flooey。　Then　we　go　into　the　chase　stuff。〃

〃Which　is　Uncle　Rollo？〃

〃That's　him　at　the　table；　with　the　herbaceous　border　under　his　chin。〃

〃Is　he　in　the　fight？〃

〃I　think　so。　I　was　going　to　rehearse　it　once　more　to　see　if　I　could　get　a　better　idea。　Near　as　I　can　see　now；　everybody　takes　a　crack　at　him。〃

〃Well；　maybe。〃　Montague　girl　seemed　to　be　considering。　〃Say；　how　about　this；　Jeff？　He's　awful　hungry；　see；　and　he's　begun　to　eat　the　celery　and　everything　he　can　reach；　and　when　the　mix…up　starts　he　just　eats　on　and　pays　no　attention　to　it。　Never　even　looks　up；　see　what　I　mean？　The　fight　spreads　the　whole　length　of　the　table；　right　around　Rollo　half…a…dozen　murders　are　going　on　and　he　just　eats　and　pays　no　attention。　And　he's　still　eating　when　they're　all　down　and　out；　and　don't　know　a　thing　till　Charlie　or　someone　crowns　him　with　the　punch…bowl。　How　about　it？　Ain't　there　a　laugh　in　that？〃　Baird　had　listened　respectfully　and　now　patted　the　girl　on　a　shoulder。

〃Good　work；　Kid！　That's　a　gag；　all　right。　The　little　bean's　sparking　on　all　six；　ain't　it？　Drop　around　again。　We　need　folks　like　you。　Now；　listen；　Rolloyou　there；　Rollo；　come　here　and　get　this。　Now；　listenwhen　the　fight　begins〃

Merton　Gill　turned　decisively　away。　Such　coarse　foolery　as　this　was　too　remote　from　Beulah　Baxter　who；　somewhere　on　that　lot；　was　doing　something　really；　as　her　interview　had　put　it；　distinctive　and　worth　while。

He　lingered　only　to　hear　the　last　of　Baird's　instructions　to　Rollo　and　the　absurd　guests；　finding　some　sinister　fascination　in　the　man's　talk。　Baird　then　turned　to　the　girl；　who　had　also　started　off。

〃Hang　around；　Flips。　Why　the　rush？〃

〃Got　to　beat　it　over　to　Number　Pour。〃

〃Got　anything　good　there？〃

〃Nothing　that　will　get　me　any　billing。　Been　waiting　two　hours　now　just　to　look　frenzied　in　a　mob。〃

〃Well；　say；　come　around　and　see　me　some　time。〃

〃All　right；　Jeff。　Of　course　I'm　pretty　busy。　When　I　ain't　working　I've　got　to　think　about　my　art。〃

〃No；　this　is　on　the　level。　Listen；　now；　sister；　I　got　another　two　reeler　to　pull　off　after　this　one；　then　I'm　goin'　to　do　something　new；　see？　Got　a　big　idea。　Probably　something　for　you　in　it。　Drop　in　t'　the　office　and　talk　it　over。　Come　in　some　time　next　week。　'F　I　ain't　there　I'll　be　on　the　lot　some　place。　Don't　forget；　now。〃

Merton　Gill；　some　distance　from　the　Buckeye　set；　waited　to　note　what　direction　the　Montague　girl　would　take。　She　broke　away　presently；　glanced　brazenly　in　his　direction；　and　tripped　lightly　out　the　nearest　exit。　He　went　swiftly　to　one　at　the　far　end　of　the　building；　and　was　again　in　the　exciting　street。　But　the　afternoon　was　drawing　in　and　the　street　had　lost　much　of　its　vivacity。　It　would　surely　be　too　late　for　any　glimpse　of　his　heroine。　And　his　mind　was　already　cluttered　with　impressions　from　his　day's　adventure。　He　went　out　through　the　office；　meaning　to　thank　the　casting　director　for　the　great　favour　she　had　shown　him；　but　she　was　gone。　He　hoped　the　headache　had　not　driven　her　home。　If　she　were　to　suffer　again　he　hoped　it　would　be　some　morning。　He　would　have　the　Eezo　wafers　in　one　pocket　and　a　menthol　pencil　in　the　other。　And　she　would　again　extend　to　him　the　freedom　of　that　wonderful　city。

In　his　room　that　night　he　tried　to　smooth　out　the　jumble　in　his　dazed　mind。　Those　people　seemed　to　say　so　many　things　they　considered　funny　but　that　were　not　really　funny　to　any　one　else。　And　moving…picture　plays　were　always　waiting　for　something；　with　the　bored　actors　lounging　about　in　idle　apathy。　Still　in　bis　ears　sounded　the　drone　of　the　sawmill　and　the　deep　purr　of　the　lights　when　they　were　put　on。　That　was　a　funny　thing。　When　they　wanted　the　lights　on　they　said　〃Kick　it；〃　and　when　they　wanted　the　lights　off　they　said　〃Save　it！〃　And　why　did　a　boy　come　out　after　every　scene　and　hold　up　a　placard　with　numbers　on　it　before　the　camera？　That　placard　had　never　shown　in　any　picture　he　had　seen。　And　that　queer　Montague　girl；　always　turning　up　when　you　thought　you　had　got　rid　of　her。　Still；　she　had　thrown　that　knife　pretty　well。　You　had　to　give　her　credit　for　that。　But　she　couldn't　be　much　of　an　actress；　even　if　she　had　spoken　of　acting　with　Miss　Baxter；　of　climbing　down　cables　with　her　and　falling　off　cliffs。　Probably　she　was　boasting；　because　he　had　never　seen　any　one　but　Miss　Baxter　do　these　things　in　her　pictures。　Probably　she　had　some　very　minor　part。　Anyway；　it　was　certain　she　couldn't　be　much　of　an　actress　because　she　had　almost　promised　to　act　in　those　terrible　Buckeye　comedies。　And　of　course　no　one　with　any　real　ambition　or　capacity　could　consider　such　a　thing　descending　to　rough　horse…play　for　the　amusement　of　the　coarser　element　among　screen　patrons。

But　there　was　one　impression　from　the　day's　whirl　that　remained　clear　and　radiant：　He　had　looked　at　the　veritable　face　of　his　heroine。　He　began　his　letter　to　Tessie　Kearns。　〃At　last　I　have　seen　Miss　Baxter　face　to　face。　There　was　no　doubt　about　its　being　her。　You　would　have　known　her　at　once。　And　how　beautiful　she　is！　She　was　looking　up　and　seemed　inspired；　probably　thinking　about　her　part。　She　reminded　me　of　that　beautiful　picture　of　St。　Cecelia　playing　on　the　piano。　。　。　。〃




CHAPTER　VI

UNDER　THE　GLASS　TOPS


He　approached　the　office　of　the　Holden　studios　the　following