merton of the movies-第23节

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This　little　friend　of　mine　can　act　all　around　her。　She'd　be　a　star　if　only　she　was　better　lookin'。　You　bet　Mercer　don't　allow　any　lookers　on　the　same　set　with　her。　Do　you　make　that　one　at　the　table　with　her　now？　Just　got　looks　enough　to　show　Mercer　off。　Mercer's　swell…lookin'；　I'll　give　her　that；　but　for　actin'say；　all　they　need　in　a　piece　for　her　is　just　some　stuff　to　go　in　between　her　close…ups。　Don't　make　much　difference　what　it　is。　Oh；　look！　There　comes　the　dancers。　It's　Luzon　and　Mario。〃

Merton　Gill　looked。　These　would　be　hired　dancers　to　entertain　the　pleasure…mad　throng；　a　young　girl　with　vine　leaves　in　her　hair　and　a　dark　young　man　of　barbaric　appearance。　The　girl　was　clad　in　a　mere　whisp　of　a　girdle　and　shining　breast　plates；　while　the　man　was　arrayed　chiefly　in　a　coating　of　dark　stain。　They　swirled　over　the　dance　floor　to　the　broken　rhythm　of　the　orchestra；　now　clinging；　now　apart；　working　to　a　climax　in　which　the　man　poised　with　his　partner　perched　upon　one　shoulder。　Through　the　megaphone　came　instructions　to　applaud　the　couple；　and　Broadway　applaudedall　but　Merton　Gill；　who　stared　moodily　into　his　coffee　cup　or　lifted　bored　eyes　to　the　scene　of　revelry。　He　was　not　bored；　but　his　various　emotions　combined　to　produce　this　effect　very　plausibly。　He　was　dismayed　at　this　sudden　revelation　of　art　in　the　dance　so　near　him。　Imogene　Pulver　had　once　done　an　art　dance　back　in　Simsbury；　at　the　cantata　of　Esther　in　the　vestry　of　the　Methodist　church；　and　had　been　not　a　little　criticised　for　her　daring；　but　Imogene　had　been　abundantly　clad；　and　her　gestures　much　more　restrained。　He　was　trying　now　to　picture　how　Gashwiler　would　take　a　thing　like　this；　or　Mrs。　Gashwiler；　for　that　matter！　One　glimpse　of　those　practically　unclad　bodies　skipping　and　bounding　there　would　probably　throw　them　into　a　panic。　They　couldn't　have　sat　it　through。　And　here　he　was；　right　up　in　front　of　them；　and　not　turning　a　hair。

This　reflection　permitted　something　of　the　contemptuous　to　show　in　the　random　glances　with　which　he　swept　the　dancers？　He　could　not　look　at　them　steadily；　not　when　they　were　close；　as　they　often　were。　Also；　he　loathed　the　cigarette　he　was　smoking。　The　tolerant　scorn　for　the　Gashwilers　and　his　feeling　for　the　cigarette　brought　him　again　into　favourable　notice。　He　heard　Henshaw；　but　did　not　look　up。

〃Get　another　flash　here；　Paul。　He's　rather　a　good　little　bit。〃　Henshaw　now　stood　beside　him。　〃Hold　that；〃　he　said。　〃No；　wait。〃　He　spoke　to　Merton's　companion。　〃You　change　seats　a　minute　with　Miss　Montague；　as　if　you'd　got　tired　of　himsee　what　I　mean？　Miss　MontagueMiss　Montague。〃　The　Spanish　girl　arose；　seeming　not　wholly　pleased　at　this　bit　of　directing。　The　Montague　girl　came　to　the　table。　She　was　a　blithesome　sprite　in　a　salmon…pink　dancing　frock。　Her　blonde　curls　fell　low　over　one　eye　which　she　now　cocked　inquiringly　at　the　director。

〃You're　trying　to　liven　him　up；〃　explained　Henshaw。　〃That's　all　baby…vamp　him。　He'll　do　the　rest。　He's　quite　a　good　little　bit。〃

The　Montague　girl　flopped　into　the　chair；　leaned　roguishly　toward　Merton　Gill；　placed　a　small　hand　upon　the　sleeve　of　his　coat　and　peered　archly　at　him　through　beaded　lashes；　one　eye　almost　hidden　by　its　thatch　of　curls。　Merton　Gill　sunk　low　in　his　chair；　cynically　tapped　the　ash　from　his　tenth　cigarette　into　the　coffee　cup　and　raised　bored　eyes　to　hers。　〃That's　itshoot　it；　Paul；　just　a　flash。〃

The　camera　was　being　wheeled　toward　them。　The　Montague　girl；　with　her　hand　still　on　his　arm；　continued　her　wheedling；　though　now　she　spoke。

〃Why；　look　who's　here。　Kid；　I　didn't　know　you　in　your　stepping…out　clothes。　Say；　listen；　why　do　you　always　upstage　me？　I　never　done　a　thing　to　you；　did　I？　Go　on；　now；　give　me　the　fishy　eye　again。　How'd　you　ace　yourself　into　this　first　row；　anyway？　Did　you　have　to　fight　for　it？　Say；　your　friend'll　be　mad　at　me　putting　her　out　of　here；　won't　she？　Well；　blame　it　on　the　gelatin　master。　I　never　suggested　it。　Say；　you　got　Henshaw　going。　He　likes　that　blighted　look　of　yours。〃

He　made　no　reply　to　this　chatter。　He　must　keep　in　the　picture。　He　merely　favoured　her　with　a　glance　of　fatigued　indifference。　The　camera　was　focused。

〃All　ready；　you　people。　Do　like　I　said；　now。　Lights；　camera！〃

Merton　Gill　drew　upon　his　cigarette　with　the　utmost　disrelish；　raised　the　cold　eyes　of　a　disillusioned　man　to　the　face　of　the　leering　Montague　girl；　turned　aside　from　her　with　every　sign　of　apathy；　and　wearily　exhaled　the　smoke。　There　seemed　to　be　but　this　one　pleasure　left　to　him。

〃Cut！〃　said　Henshaw；　and　somewhere　lights　jarred　off。　〃Just　stick　there　a　bit；　Miss　Montague。　We'll　have　a　couple　more　shots　when　the　dancing　begins。〃

Merton　resented　this　change。　He　preferred　the　other　girl。　She　lured　him　but　not　in　so　pronounced；　so　flagrant　a　manner。　The　blight　of　Broadway　became　more　apparent　than　ever　upon　his　face。　The　girl's　hand　still　fluttered　upon　his　sleeve　as　the　music　came　and　dancers　shuffled　by　them。

〃Say；　you're　the　actin'　kid；　all　right。〃　She　was　tapping　the　floor　with　the　heel　of　a　satin　slipper。　He　wished　above　all　things　that　she　wouldn't　call　him　〃Kid。〃　He　meditated　putting　a　little　of　Broadway's　blight　upon　her　by　saying　in　a　dignified　way　that　his　real　name　was　Clifford　Armytage。　Still；　this　might　not　blight　her　you　couldn't　tell　about　the　girl。

〃You　certainly　are　the　actin'est　kid　on　this　set；　I'll　tell　the　lot　that。　Of　course　these　close…ups　won't　mean　much；　just　about　one　second；　or　half　that　maybe。　Or　some　hick　in　the　cuttin'　room　may　kill　'em　dead。　Come　on；　give　me　the　fish…eye　again。　That's　it。　Say；　I'm　glad　I　didn't　have　to　smoke　cigarettes　in　this　scene。　They　wouldn't　do　for　my　type；　standin'　where　the　brook　and　river　meet　up。　I　hate　a　cigarette　worse'n　anything。　YouI　bet　you'd　give　up　food　first。〃

〃I　hate　'em；　too；〃　he　muttered　grudgingly；　glad　to　be　able　to　say　this；　even　though　only　to　one　whose　attentions　he　meant　to　discourage。　〃If　I　have　to　smoke　one　more　it'll　finish　me。〃

〃Now；　ain't　that　the　limit？　Too　bad；　Kid！〃

〃I　didn't　even　have　any　of　my　own。　That　Spanish　girl　gave　me　these。〃

The　Montague　girl　glanced　over　his　shoulder　at　the　young　woman　whose　place　she　had　usurped。　〃Spanish；　eh？　If　she's　Spanish　I'm　a　Swede　right　out　of　Switzerland。　Any…way；　I　never　could　like　to　smoke。　I　started　to　learn　one　summer　when　I　was　eight。　Pa　and　Ma　and　I　was　out　with　a　tent　Tom…show；　me　doing　Little　Eva；　and　between　acts　I　had　to　put　on　pants　and　come　out　and　do　a　smoking　song；　all　about　a　kid　learning　to　smoke　his　first　cigar　and　not　doin'　well　with　it；　see？　But　they　had　to　cut　it　out。　Gosh；　what　us　artists　suffer　at　times！　Pa　had　me　try　it　a　couple　of　years　later　when　I　was　doin'　Louise　the　blind　girl　in　the　Two　Orphans；　playin'　thirty　cents　top。　It　was　a　good　song；　all　right；　with　lots　of　funny　gags。　I'd　'a'　been　the　laughing　hit　of　the　bill　if　I　could　'a'　learned　not　to　swallow。　We　had　to　cut　it　out　again　after　the　second　night。　Talk　about　entering　into　your　part。　Me？　I　was　too　good。〃

If　the　distant　camera　glanced　this　way　it　caught　merely　the　persistent　efforts　of　a　beautiful　debutante　who　had　not　yet　felt　the　blight　of　Broadway　to　melt　the　cynicism　of　one　who　suffered　it　more　and　more　acutely　each　moment。　Her　hand　fluttered　on　his　sleeve　and　her　left　eye　continuously　beguiled　him　from　under　the　overhanging　curl。　As　often　as　he　thought　it　desirable　he　put　the　bored　glance　upon　her；　though　mostly　he　stared　in　dejection　at　the　coffee　cup　or　the　empty　wine　glass。　He　was　sorry　that　she　had　had　that　trouble　with　the　cigar；　but　one　who　as　Little　Eva　or　poor　persecuted　Louise；　the　blind　girl；　had　to　do　a　song　and　dance　between　the　acts　must　surely　come　from　a　low　plane　of　art。　He　was　relieved　when；　at　megaphoned　directions；　an　elderly　fop　came　to　whirl　her　off　in　the　dance。　Her　last　speech　was：　〃That　poor　Henshawthe　gelatin　master'll　have　megaphone…lip　by　to…night。〃

He　was　left　alone　at　his　table。　He　wondered　if　they　might　want　a　close…up　of　him　this　way；　uncompanioned；　jaded；　tired　of　it　all；　as　if　he　would　be　saying：　〃There's　always　the　river！〃　But　nothing　of　this　sort　happened。　There　was　more　dancing；　more　close…ups　of　Muriel　Mercer　being　stricken　with　her　vision　of　tenement　misery　under　the　foul　glare　of　a　middle…aged　roue　inflamed　with　wine。　And　there　was　a　shot　of　Muriel　perceiving　at　last　the　blight　of　Broadway　and　going　to　a　table　at　which　sat　a　pale；　noble…looking　young　man　with　a　high　forehead；　who　presently　led　her　out　into　the　night　to　the　real　life　of　the　worthy　poor。　Later　the　deserted　admirer　became　again　a　roue　inflamed　with　wine　and　submitted　to　a　close…up　that　would　depict　his　baffled　rage。　He　clenched　his　hands　in　this　and　seemed　to　convey；　with　a　snarling　lift　of　his　lip；　that　the　girl　would　yet　be　his。　Merton　Gill　had　ceased　to　smoke。　He　had　sounded　on　Broadway　even　the　shallow　pleasure　of　cigarettes。　He　was　thoroughly　blighted。

At　last　a　megaphoned　announcement　from　the　assistant　director　dismissing　the　extras；　keeping　the　star；　the　lead；　and　a　few　small…　part　people；　to　clean　up　medium　shots；　〃dramatics；〃　and　other　work　requiring　no　crowd。　〃All　you　extra　people　here　to…morrow　morning；　eight…thirty；　same　clothes　and　make…up。〃　There　was　a　quick　breaking　up　of　the　revelry。　The　Broadway　pleasure…se