merton of the movies-第20节

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UNDER　THE　GLASS　TOPS


He　approached　the　office　of　the　Holden　studios　the　following　morning　with　a　new　air　of　assurance。　Formerly　the　mere　approach　had　been　an　adventure；　the　look　through　the　gate；　the　quick　glimpse　of　the　privileged　ones　who　entered；　the　mingling；　later；　with　the　hopeful　and　the　near…hopeless　ones　who　waited。　But　now　his　feeling　was　that　he　had；　somehow；　become　a　part　of　that　higher　life　beyond　the　gate。　He　might　linger　outside　at　odd　moments；　but　rightfully　he　belonged　inside。　His　novitiate　had　passed。　He　was　one　of　those　who　threw　knives　or　battled　at　the　sawmill　with　the　persecuter　of　golden…　haired　innocence；　or　lured　beautiful　women　from　their　homes。　He　might　be　taken；　he　thought；　for　an　actor　resting　between　pictures。

At　the　gate　he　suffered　a　momentary　regret　at　an　error　of　tactics　committed　the　evening　before。　Instead　of　leaving　the　lot　by　the　office　he　should　have　left　by　the　gate。　He　should　have　strolled　to　this　exit　in　a　leisurely　manner　and　stopped；　just　inside　the　barrier；　for　a　chat　with　the　watchman；　a　chat；　beginning　with　the　gift　of　a　cigar；　which　should　have　impressed　his　appearance　upon　that　person。　He　should　have　remarked　casually　that　he　had　had　a　hard　day　on　Stage　Number　Four；　and　must　now　be　off　to　a　good　night's　rest　because　of　the　equally　hard　day　to…morrow。　Thus　he　could　now　have　approached　the　gate　with　confidence　and　passed　freely　in；　with　a　few　more　pleasant　words　to　the　watchman　who　would　have　no　difficulty　in　recalling　him。

But　it　was　vain　to　wish　this。　For　all　the　watchman　knew　this　young　man　had　never　been　beyond　the　walls　of　the　forbidden　city；　nor　would　he　know　any　reason　why　the　besieger　should　not　forever　be　kept　outside。　He　would　fix　that　next　time。

He　approached　the　window　of　the　casting　office　with　mingled　emotions。　He　did　not　hope　to　find　his　friend　again　stricken　with　headache；　but　if　it　chanced　that　she　did　suffer　he　hoped　to　be　the　first　to　learn　of　it。　Was　he　not　fortified　with　the　potent　Eezo　wafers；　and　a　new　menthol　pencil；　even　with　an　additional　remedy　of　tablets　that　the　druggist　had　strongly　recommended？　It　was；　therefore；　not　with　any　actual；　crude　disappointment　that　he　learned　of　his　friend's　perfect　well…being。　She　smiled　pleasantly　at　him；　the　telephone　receiver　at　one　ear。　〃Nothing　to…day；　dear；〃　she　said　and　put　down　the　instrument。

Yes；　the　headache　was　gone；　vanquished　by　his　remedies。　She　was　fine；　thank　you。　No；　the　headaches　didn't　come　often。　It　might　be　weeks　before　she　had　another　attack。　No；　of　course　she　couldn't　be　certain　of　this。　And　indeed　she　would　be　sure　to　let　him　know　at　the　very　first　sign　of　their　recurrence。

He　looked　over　his　patient　with　real　anxiety；　a　solicitude　from　the　bottom　of　which　he　was　somehow　unable　to　expel　the　last　trace　of　a　lingering　hope　that　would　have　dismayed　the　little　womannot　hope；　exactly；　but　something　almost　like　it　which　he　would　only　translate　to　himself　as　an　earnest　desire　that　he　might　be　at　hand　when　the　dread　indisposition　did　attack　her。　Just　now　there　could　be　no　doubt　that　she　was　free　from　pain。

He　thanked　her　profusely　for　her　courtesy　of　the　day　before。　He　had　seen　wonderful　things。　He　had　learned　a　lot。　And　he　wanted　to　ask　her　something；　assuring　himself　that　he　was　alone　in　the　waiting　room。　It　was　this：　did　she　happen　to　knowwas　Miss　Beulah　Baxter　married？

The　little　woman　sighed　in　a　tired　manner。　〃Baxter　married？　Let　me　see。〃　She　tapped　her　teeth　with　the　end　of　a　pencil；　frowning　into　her　vast　knowledge　of　the　people　beyond　the　gate。　〃Now；　let　me　think。〃　But　this　appeared　to　be　without　result。　〃Oh；　I　really　don't　know；　I　forget。　I　suppose　so。　Why　not？　She　often　is。〃

He　would　have　asked　more　questions；　but　the　telephone　rang　and　she　listened　a　long　time；　contributing　a　〃yes；　yes；〃　of　understanding　at　brief　intervals。　This　talk　ended；　she　briskly　demanded　a　number　and　began　to　talk　in　her　turn。　Merton　Gill　saw　that　for　the　time　he　had　passed　from　her　life。　She　was　calling　an　agency。　She　wanted　people　for　a　diplomatic　reception　in　Washington。　She　must　have　a　Bulgarian　general；　a　Serbian　diplomat；　two　French　colonels；　and　a　Belgian　captain；　all　in　uniform　and　all　good　types。　She　didn't　want　just　anybody；　but　types　that　would　stand　out。　Holden　studios　on　Stage　Number　Two。　Before　noon；　if　possible。　All　right；　then。　Another　bell　rang；　almost　before　she　had　hung　up。　〃Hello；　Grace。　Nothing　to…day；　dear。　They're　out　on　location；　down　toward　Venice；　getting　some　desert　stuff。　Yes；　I'll　let　you　know。〃

Merton　Gill　had　now　to　make　way　at　the　window　for　a　youngish；　weary…　looking　woman　who　had　once　been　prettier；　who　led　an　elaborately　dressed　little　girl　of　five。　She　lifted　the　child　to　the　window。　〃Say　good…morning　to　the　beautiful　lady；　Toots。　Good…morning；　Countess。　I'm　sure　you　got　something　for　Toots　and　me　to…day　because　it's　our　birthdayboth　born　on　the　same　daywhat　do　you　think　of　that？　Any　little　thing　will　help　us　out　a　lothow　about　it？〃

He　went　outside　before　the　end　of　this　colloquy；　but　presently　saw　the　woman　and　her　child　emerge　and　walk　on　disconsolately　toward　the　next　studio。　Thus　began　another　period　of　waiting　from　which　much　of　the　glamour　had　gone。　It　was　not　so　easy　now　to　be　excited　by　those　glimpses　of　the　street　beyond　the　gate。　A　certain　haze　had　vanished；　leaving　all　too　apparent　the　circumstance　that　others　were　working　beyond　the　gate　while　Merton　Gill　loitered　outside；　his　talent；　his　training；　ignored。　His　early　air　of　careless　confidence　had　changed　to　one　not　at　all　careless　or　confident。　He　was　looking　rather　desperate　and　rather　unbelieving。　And　it　daily　grew　easier　to　count　his　savings。　He　made　no　mistakes　now。　His　hoard　no　longer　enjoyed　the　addition　of　fifteen　dollars　a　week。　Only　subtractions　were　made。

There　came　a　morning　when　but　one　bill　remained。　It　was　a　ten…dollar　bill；　bearing　at　its　centre　a　steel…engraved　portrait　of　Andrew　Jackson。　He　studied　it　in　consternation；　though　still　permitting　himself　to　notice　that　Jackson　would　have　made　a　good　motion…picture　typethe　long；　narrow；　severe　face；　the　stiff　uncomprising　mane　of　gray　hair；　probably　they　would　have　cast　him　for　a　feuding　mountaineer；　deadly　with　his　rifle；　or　perhaps　as　an　inventor　whose　device　was　stolen　on　his　death…bed　by　his　wicked　Wall　Street　partner；　thus　leaving　his　motherless　daughter　at　the　mercy　of　Society's　wolves。

But　this　was　not　the　part　that　Jackson　played　in　the　gripping　drama　of　Merton　Gill。　His　face　merely　stared　from　the　last　money　brought　from　Simsbury；　Illinois；　and　the　stare　was　not　reassuring。　It　seemed　to　say　that　there　was　no　other　money　in　all　the　world。　Decidedly　things　must　take　a　turn。　Merton　Gill　had　a　quite　definite　feeling　that　he　had　already　struggled　and　sacrificed　enough　to　give　the　public　something　better　and　finer。　It　was　time　the　public　realized　this。

Still　he　waited；　not　even　again　reaching　the　heart　of　things；　for　his　friend　beyond　the　window　had　suffered　no　relapse。　He　came　to　resent　a　certain　inconsequence　in　the　woman。　She　might　have　had　those　headaches　oftener。　He　had　been　led　to　suppose　that　she　would；　and　now　she　continued　to　be　weary　but　entirely　well。

More　waiting　and　the　ten…dollar　bill　went　for　a　five　and　some　silver。　He　was　illogically　not　sorry　to　be　rid　of　Andrew　Jackson；　who　had　looked　so　tragically　skeptical。　The　five…dollar　bill　was　much　more　cheerful。　It　bore　the　portrait　of　Benjamin　Harrison；　a　smooth；　cheerful　face　adorned　with　whiskers　that　radiated　success。　They　were　little　short　of　smug　with　success。　He　would　almost　rather　have　had　Benjamin　Harrison　on　five　dollars　than　the　grim…faced　Jackson　on　ten。　Still；　facts　were　facts。　You　couldn't　wait　as　long　on　five　dollars　as　you　could　on　ten。

Then　on　the　afternoon　of　a　day　that　promised　to　end　as　other　days　had　ended；　a　wave　of　animation　swept　through　the　waiting　room　and　the　casting　office。　〃Swell　cabaret　stuff〃　was　the　phrase　that　brought　the　applicants　to　a　lively　swarm　about　the　little　window。　Evening　clothes；　glad　wraps；　cigarette　cases；　vanity…boxesthe　Victor　people　doing　The　Blight　of　Broadway　with　Muriel　MercerStage　Number　Four　at　8：30　to…morrow　morning。　There　seemed　no　limit　to　the　people　desired。　Merton　Gill　joined　the　throng　about　the　window。　Engagements　were　rapidly　made；　both　through　the　window　and　over　the　telephone　that　was　now　ringing　those　people　who　had　so　long　been　told　that　there　was　nothing　to…day。　He　did　not　push　ahead　of　the　women　as　some　of　the　other　men　did。　He　even　stood　out　of　the　line　for　the　Montague　girl　who　had　suddenly　appeared　and　who　from　the　rear　had　been　exclaiming：　〃Women　and　children　first！〃

〃Thanks；　old　dear；〃　she　acknowledged　the　courtesy　and　beamed　through　the　window。　〃Hullo；　Countess！〃　The　woman　nodded　briefly。　〃All　right；　Flips；　I　was　just　going　to　telephone　you。　Henshaw　wants　you　for　some　baby…vamp　stuff　in　the　cabaret　scene　and　in　the　gambling　hell。　Better　wear　that　salmon…pink　chiffon　and　the　yellow　curls。　Eight…　thirty；　Stage　Four。　Goo'…by。〃

〃Thanks；　Countess！　Me　for　the　jumping　tintypes　at　the　hour　named。　I'm　glad　enough　to　be　doing　even　third　business。　How　about　Ma？〃

〃Sure！　Tell　her　grand…dame　stuff；　chaperone　or　something；　the　gray　georgette　and　all　her　pearls　and　the　cigarette　case。〃

〃I'