merton of the movies-第44节

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〃Now；　Merton；〃　directed　the　girl；　〃take　that　same　pose　again；　like　you　did　for　me；　the　way　you　are　in　this　picture。〃

As　Merton　adjusted　himself　to　the　Parmalee　pose　she　handed　the　picture　to　Baird。　〃Now；　Jeff；　I　ask　youain't　that　Harold　to　the　lifeain't　it　so　near　him　that　you　just　have　to　laugh　your　head　off？〃

It　was　even　so。　Baird　and　the　girl　both　laughed　convulsively；　the　former　with　rumbling　chuckles　that　shook　his　frame。　When　he　had　again　composed　himself　he　said；　〃Well；　Mr。　Gill；　I　think　you　and　I　can　do　a　little　business。　I　don't　know　what　your　idea　about　a　contract　is；　but〃

Merton　Gill　quickly　interrupted。　〃Well；　you　see　I'd　hardly　like　to　sign　a　contract　with　you；　not　for　those　mere　comedies　you　do。　I'll　do　anything　to　earn　a　little　money　right　now　so　I　can　pay　back　this　young　lady；　but　I　wouldn't　like　to　go　on　playing　in　such　things；　with　cross…eyed　people　and　waiters　on　roller　skates；　and　all　that。　What　I　really　would　like　to　do　is　something　fine　and　worth　while；　but　not　clowning　in　mere　Buckeye　comedies。〃

Mr。　Baird；　who　had　devoted　the　best　part　of　an　active　career　to　the　production　of　Buckeye　comedies；　and　who　regarded　them　as　at　least　one　expression　of　the　very　highest　art；　did　not　even　flinch　at　these　cool　words。　He　had　once　been　an　actor　himself。　Taking　the　blow　like　a　man；　he　beamed　upon　his　critic。　〃Exactly；　my　boy；　don't　you　think　I'll　ever　ask　you　to　come　down　to　clowning。　You　might　work　with　me　for　years　and　I'd　never　ask　you　to　do　a　thing　that　wasn't　serious。　In　fact；　that's　why　I'm　hoping　to　engage　you　now。　I　want　to　do　a　serious　picture；　I　want　to　get　out　of　all　that　slap…stick　stuff；　see？　Something　fine　and　worth　while；　like　you　say。　And　you're　the　very　actor　I　need　in　this　new　piece。〃

〃Well；　of　course；　in　that　case〃　This　was　different；　he　made　it　plain　that　in　the　case　of　a　manager　striving　for　higher　things　he　was　not　one　to　withhold　a　helping　hand。　He　was　beginning　to　feel　a　great　sympathy　for　Baird　in　his　efforts　for　the　worth　while。　He　thawed　somewhat　from　the　reserve　that　Buckeye　comedies　had　put　upon　him。　He　chatted　amiably。　Under　promptings　from　the　girl　he　spoke　freely　of　his　career；　both　in　Simsbury　and　in　Hollywood。　It　was　twelve　o'clock　before　they　seemed　willing　to　let　him　go；　and　from　time　to　time　they　would　pause　to　gloat　over　the　stills。

At　last　Baird　said　cheerily；　〃Well；　my　lad；　I　need　you　in　my　new　piece。　How'll　it　be　if　I　put　you　on　my　payroll；　beginning　to…day；　at　forty　a　week？　How　about　it；　hey？〃

〃Well；　I'd　like　that　first　rate；　only　I　haven't　worked　any　to…day；　you　shouldn't　pay　me　for　just　coming　here。〃

The　manager　waved　a　hand　airily。　〃That's　all　right；　my　boy；　you've　earned　a　day's　salary　just　coming　here　to　cheer　me　up。　These　mere　comedies　get　me　so　down　in　the　dumps　sometimes。　And　besides；　you're　not　through　yet。　I'm　going　to　use　you　some　more。　Listen；　now〃　The　manager　had　become　coldly　businesslike。　〃You　go　up　to　a　little　theatre　on　Hollywood　Boulevardyou　can't　miss　itwhere　they're　running　a　Harold　Parmalee　picture。　I　saw　it　last　night　and　I　want　you　to　see　it　to…day；　Better　see　it　afternoon　and　evening　both。〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　Merton。

〃And　watch　Parmalee。　Study　him　in　this　picture。　You　look　like　him　already；　but　see　if　you　can　pick　up　some　of　his　tricks；　see　what　I　mean？　Because　it's　a　regular　Parmalee　part　I'm　going　to　have　you　do；　see？　Kind　of　a　society　part　to　start　with；　and　then　we　work　in　some　of　your　Western　stuff　at　the　finish。　But　get　Parmalee　as　much　as　you　can。　That's　all　now。　Oh；　yes；　and　can　you　leave　these　stills　with　me？　Our　publicity　man　may　want　to　use　them　later。〃

〃All　right；　Mr。　Baird；　I'll　do　just　what　you　say；　and　of　course　you　can　keep　the　stills　as　long　as　I　got　an　engagement　with　you；　and　I'm　very　glad　you're　trying　to　do　something　really　worth　while。〃

〃Thanks；〃　said　Baird；　averting　his　face。

The　girl　followed　him　into　the　hall。　〃Great　work；　boy；　and　take　it　from　me；　you'll　go　over。　Say；　honest　now；　I'm　glad　clear　down　into　my　boots。〃　She　had　both　his　hands　again；　and　he　could　see　that　her　eyes　were　moist。　She　seemed　to　be　an　impressionable　little　thing；　hysterical　one　minute　while　looking　at　a　bunch　of　good　stills；　and　sort　of　weepy　the　next。　But　he　was　beginning　to　like　her；　in　spite　of　her　funny　talk　and　free　ways。

〃And　say；〃　she　called　after　him　when　he　had　reached　the　top　of　the　stairs；　〃you　know　you　haven't　had　much　experience　yet　with　a　bunch　of　hard…boiled　troupers；　many　a　one　will　be　jealous　of　you　the　minute　you　begin　to　climb；　and　maybe　they'll　get　fresh　and　try　to　kid　you；　see？　But　don't　you　mind　itgive　it　right　back　to　them。　Or　tell　me　if　they　get　too　raw。　Just　remember　I　got　a　mean　right　when　I　swing　free。〃

〃All　right；　thank　you；〃　he　replied；　but　his　bewilderment　was　plain。

She　stared　a　moment；　danced　up　to　him；　and　seized　a　hand　in　both　of　hers。　〃What　I　mean　son；　if　you　feel　bothered　any　timeby　anything　just　come　to　me　with　it；　see？　I'm　in　this　piece；　and　I'll　look　out　for　you。　Don't　forget　that。〃　She　dropped　his　hand；　and　was　back　in　the　office　while　he　mumbled　his　thanks　for　what　he　knew　she　had　meant　as　a　kindness。

So　she　was　to　be　in　the　Baird　piece；　she；　too；　would　be　trying　to　give　the　public　something　better　and　finer。　Still；　he　was　puzzled　at　her　believing　he　might　need　to　be　looked　out　for。　An　actor　drawing　forty　dollars　a　week　could　surely　look　out　for　himself。　He　emerged　into　the　open　of　the　Holden　lot　as　one　who　had　at　last　achieved　success　after　long　and　gruelling　privation。　He　walked　briefly　among　the　scenes　of　this　privation；　pausing　in　reminiscent　mood　before　the　Crystal　Palace　Hotel　and　other　outstanding　spots　where　he　had　so　stoically　suffered　the　torments　of　hunger　and　discouragement。

He　remembered　to　be　glad　now　that　no　letter　of　appeal　had　actually　gone　to　Gashwiler。　Suppose　he　had　built　up　in　the　old　gentleman's　mind　a　false　hope　that　he　might　again　employ　Merton　Gill？　A　good　thing　he　had　held　out！　Yesterday　he　was　starving　and　penniless；　to…　day　he　was　fed　and　on　someone's　payroll　for　probably　as　much　money　a　week　as　Gashwiler　netted　from　his　entire　business。　From　sheer　force　of　association；　as　he　thus　meditated；　he　found　himself　hungry；　and　a　few　moments　later　he　was　selecting　from　the　food　counter　of　the　cafeteria　whatever　chanced　to　appeal　to　the　eyeno　weighing　of　prices　now。

Before　he　had　finished　his　meal　Henshaw　and　his　so…called　Governor　brought　their　trays　to　the　adjoining　table。　Merton　studied　with　new　interest　the　director　who　would　some　day　be　telling　people　that　he　had　been　the　first　to　observe　the　aptitude　of　this　new　starhad；　in　fact；　given　him　a　lot　of　footage　and　close…ups　and　medium　shots　and　〃dramatics〃　in　The　Blight　of　Broadway　when　he　was　a　mere　extra　before　he　had　made　himself　known　to　the　public　in　Jeff　Baird's　first　worth…while　piece。

He　was　strongly　moved；　now；　to　bring　himself　to　Henshaw's　notice　when　he　heard　the　latter　say；　〃It's　a　regular　Harold　Parmalee　part；　good　light　comedy；　plenty　of　heart　interest；　and　that　corking　fight　on　the　cliff。〃

He　wanted　to　tell　Henshaw　that　he　himself　was　already　engaged　to　do　a　Harold　Parmalee　part；　and　had　been　told；　not　two　hours　ago；　that　he　would　by　most　people　be　taken　for　Parmalee's　twin　brother。　He　restrained　this　impulse；　however；　as　Henshaw　went　on　to　talk　of　the　piece　in　hand。

It　proved　to　be　Robinson　Crusoe；　which　he　had　already　discussed。　Or；　rather；　not　Robinson　Crusoe　any　longer。　Not　even　Robinson　Crusoe；　Junior。　It　was　to　have　been　called　Island　Passion；　he　learned；　but　this　title　had　been　amended　to　Island　Love。

〃They're　getting　fed　up　on　that　word　'passion；'〃　Henshaw　was　saying；　〃and　anyhow；　'love'　seems　to　go　better　with　'island；'　don't　you　think；　Governor？　'Desert　Passion'　was　all　rightthere's　something　strong　and　intense　about　a　desert。　But　'island'　is　different。〃

And　it　appeared　that　Island　Love；　though　having　begun　as　Robinson　Crusoe；　would　contain　few　of　the　outstanding　features　of　that　tale。　Instead　of　Crusoe's　wrecked　sailing…ship；　there　was　a　wrecked　steam　yacht；　a　very　expensive　yacht　stocked　with　all　modern　luxuries；　nor　would　there　be　a　native　Friday　and　his　supposed　sister　with　the　tattooed　shoulder；　but　a　wealthy　young　New　Yorker　and　his　valet　who　would　be　good　for　comedy　on　a　desert　island；　and　a　beautiful　girl；　and　a　scoundrel　who　would　in　the　last　reel　be　thrown　over　the　cliffs。

Henshaw　was　vivacious　about　the　effects　he　would　get。　〃I've　been　wondering；　Governor；〃　he　continued；　〃if　we're　going　to　kill　off　the　heavy；　whether　we　shouldn't　plant　it　early　that　besides　wanting　this　girl　who's　on　the　island；　he's　the　same　scoundrel　that　wronged　the　young　sister　of　the　lead　that　owns　the　yacht。　See　what　I　mean？…it　would　give　more　conflict。〃

〃But　here〃　The　Governor　frowned　and　spoke　after　a　moment's　pause。　〃Your　young　New　Yorker　is　rich；　isn't　he？　Fine　old　family；　and　all　that；　how　could　he　have　a　sister　that　would　get　wronged？　You　couldn't　do　it。　If　he's　got　a　wronged　sister；　he'd　have　to　be　a　workingman　or　a　sailor　or　something。　And　she　couldn't　be　a　New　York　society　girl；　she'd　have　to　be　working　some　place；　in　a　store　or　officedon't　you　see？　How　could　you　have　a　swell　young　New　Yorker　with　a　wronged　sister？　Real　society　girls　never　get　wronged　unless　their