merton of the movies-第26节

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g；　but　with　him　there　was　always　a　very　definite　something　to…day　which　he　would　specify；　in　short　words　if　the　occasion　seemed　to　demand。　There　was　not　only　a　definite　something　every　day　but　a　definite　if　not　considerable　sum　of　money　to　be　paid　over　every　Saturday　night；　and　in　the　meantime　three　very　definite　and　quite　satisfying　meals　to　be　freely　partaken　of　at　stated　hours　each　day。

The　leisure　enforced　by　truly　creative　screen　art　was　often　occupied　now　with　really　moving　pictures　of　Metta　Judson　placing　practicable　food　upon　the　Gashwiler　table。　This　had　been　no　table　in　a　gilded　Broadway　resort；　holding　empty　coffee　cups　and　half　empty　wine　glasses；　passed　and　repassed　by　apparently　busy　waiters　with　laden　trays　who　never　left　anything　of　a　practicable　nature。　Doubtless　the　set　would　not　have　appealed　to　Henshaw。　He　would　never　have　been　moved　to　take　close…ups；　even　for　mere　flashes；　of　those　who　ate　this　food。　And　yet；　more　and　more　as　the　days　went　by；　this　old…time　film　would　unreel　itself　before　the　eager　eyes　of　Merton　Gill。　Often　now　it　thrilled　him　as　might　have　an　installment　of　The　Hazards　of　Hortense；　for　the　food　of　his　favourite　pharmacy　was　beginning　to　pall　and　Metta　Judson；　though　giving　her　shallow　mind　to　base　village　gossip；　was　a　good　cook。　She　became　the　adored　heroine　of　an　apparently　endless　serial　to　be　entitled　The　Hazards　of　Clifford　Armytage；　in　which　the　hero　had　tragically　little　to　do　but　sit　upon　a　bench　and　wait　while　tempting　repasts　were　served。

Sometimes　on　the　little　bench　around　the　eucalyptus　tree　he　would　run　an　entire　five…thousand…foot　program　feature；　beginning　with　the　Sunday　midday　dinner　of　roast　chicken；　and　abounding　in　tense　dramatic　moments　such　as　corned…beef　and　cabbage　on　Tuesday　night；　and　corned…beef　hash　on　Wednesday　morning。　He　would　pause　to　take　superb　closeups　of　these；　the　corned　beef　on　its　spreading　platter　hemmed　about　with　boiled　potatoes　and　turnips　and　cabbage；　and　the　corned　beef　hash　with　its　richly　browned　surface。　The　thrilling　climax　would　be　the　roast　of　beef　on　Saturday　night；　with　close…ups　taken　in　the　very　eye　of　the　camera；　of　the　mashed　potatoes　and　the　apple　pie　drenched　with　cream。　And　there　were　close…ups　of　Metta　Judson；　who　had　never　seriously　contemplated　a　screen　career；　placing　upon　the　table　a　tower　of　steaming　hot　cakes；　while　a　platter　of　small　sausages　loomed　eloquently　in　the　foreground。

With　eyes　closed　he　would　run　this　film　again　and　again；　cutting　here；　rearranging　sequences；　adding　trims　from　suddenly　remembered　meals　of　the　dead　past；　devising　more　intimate　close…ups；　such　as　the　one　of　Metta　withdrawing　pies　from　the　oven　or　smoothing　hot　chocolate　caressingly　over　the　top　of　a　giant　cake；　or　broiling　chops；　or　saying　in　a　large…lettered　subtitleartistically　decorated　with　cooked　foods〃How　about　some　hot　coffee；　Merton？〃

He　became　an　able　producer　of　this　drama。　He　devised　a　hundred　sympathetic　little　touches　that　Henshaw　would　probably　never　have　thought　of。　He　used　footage　on　a　mere　platter　of　steak　that　another　director　might　have　ignored　utterly。　He　made　it　grippingthe　supreme　heart…interest　drama　of　his　season　a　big　thing　done　in　a　big　way；　and　yet　censor…proof。　Not　even　the　white…souled　censors　of　the　great　state　of　Pennsylvania　could　have　outlawed　its　realism；　brutal　though　this　was　in　such　great　moments　as　when　Gashwiler　carved　the　roast　beef。　So　able　was　his　artistry　that　Merton's　nostrils　would　sometimes　betray　himhe　could　swear　they　caught　rich　aromas　from　that　distant　board。

Not　only　had　the　fare　purveyed　by　his　favourite　pharmacy　put　a　blight　upon　him　equal　to　Broadway's　blight；　but　even　of　this　tasteless　stuff　he　must　be　cautious　in　his　buying。　A　sandwich；　not　too　meaty　at　the　centre；　coffee　tasting　strangely　of　other　things　sold　in　a　pharmacy；　a　segment　of　pie　fairseeming　on　its　surface；　but　lacking　the　punch；　as　he　put　it；　of　Metta　Judson's　pie；　a　standardized；　factory…made；　altogether　formal　and　perfunctory　pie　these　were　the　meagre　items　of　his　accustomed　luncheon　and　dinner。

He　had　abandoned　breakfast；　partly　because　it　cost　money　and　partly　because　a　gentleman　in　eastern　Ohio　had　recently　celebrated　his　hundred　and　third　birthday　by　reason；　so　he　confided　to　the　press；　of　having　always　breakfasted　upon　a　glass　of　clear　cold　water。　Probably　ham　and　eggs　or　cornedbeef　hash　would　have　cut　him　off　at　ninety；　and　water　from　the　tap　in　the　Patterson　kitchen　was　both　clear　and　cold。　It　was　not　so　much　that　he　cared　to　live　beyond　ninety　or　so；　but　he　wished　to　survive　until　things　began　to　pick　up　on　the　Holden　lot；　and　if　this　did　bring　him　many　more　years；　well　and　good。　Further；　if　the　woman　in　the　casting　office　persisted；　as　she　had　for　ten　days；　in　saying　〃Nothing　yet〃　to　inquiring　screen　artists；　he　might　be　compelled　to　intensify　the　regime　of　the　Ohio　centenarian。　Perhaps　a　glass　of　clear　cold　water　at　night；　after　a　hearty　midday　meal　of　drugstore　sandwiches　and　pie；　would　work　new　wonders。

It　seemed　to　be　the　present　opinion　of　other　waiters　on　the　extra　bench　that　things　were　never　going　to　pick　up　on　the　Holden　lot　nor　on　any　other　lot。　Strongly　marked　types；　ready　to　add　distinction　to　the　screen　of　painted　shadows；　freely　expressed　a　view　that　the　motion…picture　business　was　on　the　rocks。　Unaffected　by　the　optimists　who　wrote　in　the　picture　magazines；　they　saw　no　future　for　it。　More　than　one　of　them　threatened　to　desert　the　industry　and　return　to　previous　callings。　As　they　were　likely　to　put　it；　they　were　going　to　leave　the　pictures　flat　and　go　back　to　type…writing　or　selling　standard　art…works　or　waiting　on　table　or　something　where　you　could　count　on　your　little　bit　every　week。

Under　the　eucalyptus　tree　one　morning　Merton　Gill；　making　some　appetizing　changes　in　the　fifth　reel　of　Eating　at　Gashwiler's；　was　accosted　by　a　youngish　woman　whom　he　could　not　at　first　recall。　She　had　come　from　the　casting　office　and　paused　when　she　saw　him。

〃Hello；　I　thought　it　was　you；　but　I　wasn't　sure　in　them　clothes。　How　they　coming？〃

He　stared　blankly；　startled　at　the　sudden　transposition　he　had　been　compelled　to　make；　for　the　gleaming　knife　of　Gashwiler；　standing　up　to　carve；　had　just　then　hovered　above　the　well…browned　roast　of　beef。　Then　he　placed　the　speaker　by　reason　of　her　eyes。　It　was　the　Spanish　girl；　his　companion　of　the　gilded　cabaret；　later　encountered　in　the　palatial　gambling　hell　that　ate　like　a　cancer　at　the　heart　of　New　Yorkprobably　at　the　corner　of　Broadway　and　Fifth　Avenue。

He　arose　and　shook　hands　cordially。　He　had　supposed；　when　he　thought　of　the　girl　at　all；　that　she　would　always　be　rather　Spanish；　an　exotic　creature　rather　garishly　dressed；　nervously　eager；　craving　excitement　such　as　may　be　had　in　cabarets　on　Broadway；　with　a　marked　inclination　for　the　lighter　life　of　pleasure。　But　she　wore　not　so　much　as　a　rose　in　her　smoothly　combed　hair。　She　was　not　only　not　excited　but　she　was　not　exciting。　She　was　plainly　dressed　in　skirt　and　shirtwaist　of　no　distinction；　her　foot…gear　was　of　the　most　ordinary；　and　well　worn；　and　her　face　under　a　hat　of　no　allure　was　without　make…up；　a　commonplace；　somewhat　anxious　face　with　lines　about　the　eyes。　But　her　voice　as　well　as　her　eyes　helped　him　to　recall　her。

She　spoke　with　an　effort　at　jauntiness　after　Merton　had　greeted　her。　〃That's　one　great　slogan；　'Business　as　Usual！'　ain't　it？　Well；　it's　business　as　usual　here；　so　I　just　found　out　from　the　Countessas　usual；　rotten。　I　ain't　had　but　three　days　since　I　seen　you　last。〃

〃I　haven't　had　even　one；〃　he　told　her。

〃No？　Say；　that's　tough。　You're　registered　with　the　Service　Bureau；　ain't　you？〃

〃Well；　I　didn't　do　that；　because　they　might　send　me　any　place；　and　I　sort　of　wanted　to　work　on　this　particular　lot。〃　Instantly　he　saw　himself　saving　Beulah　Baxter；　for　the　next　installment；　from　a　fate　worse　than　death；　but　the　one…time　Spanish　girl　did　not　share　this　vision。

〃Oh；　well；　little　I　care　where　I　work。　I　had　two　days　at　the　Bigart　in　a　hop…joint　scene；　and　one　over　at　the　United　doin'　some　board…　walk　stuff。　I　could　'a'　had　another　day　there；　but　the　director　said　I　wasn't　just　the　type　for　a　chick　bathing…suit。　He　was　very　nice　about　it。　Of　course　I　know　my　legs　ain't　the　best　part　of　meI　sure　ain't　one　of　them　like　the　girl　that　says　she's　wasted　in　skirts。〃　She　grinned　ruefully。

He　felt　that　some　expression　of　sympathy　would　be　graceful　here；　yet　he　divined　that　it　must　be　very　discreetly；　almost　delicately；　worded。　He　could　easily　be　too　blunt。

〃I　guess　I'd　be　pretty　skinny　in　a　bathing…suit　myself；　right　now。　I　know　they　won't　be　giving　me　any　such　part　pretty　soon　if　I　have　to　cut　down　on　the　meals　the　way　I　been　doing。〃

〃Oh；　of　course　I　don't　mean　I'm　actually　skinny〃

He　felt　he　had　been　blunt；　after　all。

〃Not　to　say　skinny。〃　she　went　on；　〃butwell；　you　knowmore　like　home…folks；　I　guess。　Anyway；　I　got　no　future　as　a　bathing　beauty　none　whatever。　And　this　walkin'　around　to　the　different　lots　ain't　helpin'　me　any；　either。　Of　course　it　ain't　as　if　I　couldn't　go　back　to　the　insurance　office。　Mr。　Gropp；　he's　office　manager；　he　was　very　nice　about　it。　He　says；　'I　wish　you　all　the　luck　in　the　world；　girlie；　and　remember　your　job　as　filin'　clerk　will　always　be　here