merton of the movies-第45节

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h　a　wronged　sister？　Real　society　girls　never　get　wronged　unless　their　father　loses　his　money；　and　then　it's　never　anything　serious　enough　to　kill　a　heavy　for。　Nothat's　out。〃　〃Wait；　I　have　it。〃　Henshaw　beamed　with　a　new　inspiration。　〃You　just　said　a　sailor　could　have　his　sister　wronged；　so　why　not　have　one　on　the　yacht；　a　good　strong　type；　you　know；　and　his　little　sister　was　wronged　by　the　heavy；　and　he'd　never　known　who　it　was；　because　the　little　girl　wouldn't　tell　him；　even　on　her　death…bed；　but　he　found　the　chap's　photograph　in　her　trunk；　and　on　the　yacht　he　sees　that　it　was　this　same　heavyand　there　you　are。　Revengesee　what　I　mean？　He　fights　with　the　heavy　on　the　cliff；　after　showing　him　the　little　sister's　picture；　and　pushes　him　over　to　death　on　the　rocks　belowget　it？　And　the　lead　doesn't　have　to　kill　him。　How　about　that？〃　Henshaw　regarded　his　companion　with　pleasant　anticipation。

The　Governor　again　debated　before　he　spoke。　He　still　doubted。　〃Say；　whose　show　is　this；　the　lead's　or　the　sailor's　that　had　the　wronged　sister？　You'd　have　to　show　the　sailor　and　his　sister；　and　show　her　being　wronged　by　the　heavythat'd　take　a　big　cabaret　set；　at　least…　…and　you'd　have　to　let　the　sailor　begin　his　stuff　on　the　yacht；　and　then　by　the　time　he'd　kept　it　up　a　bit　after　the　wreck　had　pulled　off　the　fight；　where　would　your　lead　be？　Can　you　see　Parmalee　playing　second　to　this　sailor？　Why；　the　sailor'd　run　away　with　the　piece。　And　that　cabaret　set　would　cost　money　when　we　don't　need　it　just　keep　those　things　in　mind　a　little。〃

〃Well；〃　Henshaw　submitted　gracefully；　〃anyway；　I　think　my　suggestion　of　Island　Love　is　better　than　Island　Passionkind　of　sounds　more　attractive；　don't　you　think？〃

The　Governor　lighted　a　cigarette。　〃Say；　Howard；　it's　a　wonderful　business；　isn't　it？　We　start　with　poor　old　Robinson　Crusoe　and　his　goats　and　parrot　and　man　Friday；　and　after　dropping　Friday's　sister　who　would　really　be　the　Countess　of　Kleig；　we　wind　up　with　a　steam…　yacht　and　a　comic　butler　and　call　it　Island　Love。　Who　said　the　art　of　the　motion　picture　is　in　its　infancy？　In　this　case　it'll　be　plumb　senile。　Well；　go　ahead　with　the　boys　and　dope　out　your　hogwash。　Gosh！　Sometimes　I　think　I　wouldn't　stay　in　the　business　if　it　wasn't　for　the　money。　And　remember；　don't　you　let　a　single　solitary　sailor　on　that　yacht　have　a　wronged　sister　that　can　blame　it　on　the　heavy；　or　you'll　never　have　Parmalee　playing　the　lead。〃

Again　Merton　Gill　debated　bringing　himself　to　the　notice　of　these　gentlemen。　If　Parmalee　wouldn't　play　the　part　for　any　reason　like　a　sailor's　wronged　sister；　he　would。　It　would　help　him　to　be　known　in　Parmalee　parts。　Still；　he　couldn't　tell　how　soon　they　might　need　him；　nor　how　soon　Baird　would　release　him。　He　regretfully　saw　the　two　men　leave；　however。　He　might　have　missed　a　chance　even　better　than　Baird　would　give　him。

He　suddenly　remembered　that　he　had　still　a　professional　duty　to　perform。　He　must　that　afternoon；　and　also　that　evening；　watch　a　Harold　Parmalee　picture。　He　left　the　cafeteria；　swaggered　by　the　watchman　at　the　gate…he　had　now　the　professional　standing　to　silence　that　fellow…and　made　his　way　to　the　theatre　Baird　had　mentioned。

In　front　he　studied　the　billing　of　the　Parmalee　picture。　It　was　〃Object；　Matrimony…a　Smashing　Comedy　of　Love　and　Laughter。〃　Harold　Parmalee；　with　a　gesture　of　mock　dismay；　seemed　to　repulse　a　bevy　of　beautiful　maidens　who　wooed　him。　Merton　took　his　seat　with　a　dismay　that　was　not　mock；　for　it　now　occurred　to　him　that　he　had　no　experience　in　love　scenes；　and　that　an　actor　playing　Parmalee　parts　would　need　a　great　deal　of　such　experience。　In　Simsbury　there　had　been　no　opportunity　for　an　intending　actor　to　learn　certain　little　niceties　expected　at　sentimental　moments。　Even　his　private　life　had　been　almost　barren　of　adventures　that　might　now　profit　him。

He　had　sometimes　played　kissing　games　at　parties；　and　there　had　been　the　more　serious　affair　with　Edwina　May　Pulver…nights　when　he　had　escorted　her　from　church　or　sociables　to　the　Pulver　gate　and　lingered　in　a　sort　of　nervously　worded　ecstasy　until　he　could　summon　courage　to　kiss　the　girl。　Twice　this　had　actually　happened；　but　the　affair　had　come　to　nothing；　because　the　Pulvers　had　moved　away　from　Simsbury　and　he　had　practically　forgotten　Edwina　May；　forgotten　even　the　scared　haste　of　those　embraces。　He　seemed　to　remember　that　he　had　grabbed　her　and　kissed　her；　but　was　it　on　her　cheek　or　nose？

Anyway；　he　was　now　quite　certain　that　the　mechanics　of　this　dead　amour　were　not　those　approved　of　in　the　best　screen　circles。　Never　had　he　gathered　a　beauteous　girl　in　his　arms　and　very　slowly；　very　accurately；　very　tenderly；　done　what　Parmalee　and　other　screen　actors　did　in　their　final　fade…outs。　Even　when　Beulah　Baxter　had　been　his　screen　ideal　he　had　never　seen　himself　as　doing　more　than　save　her　from　some　dreadful　fate。　Of　course；　later；　if　he　had　found　out　that　she　was　unwed

He　resolved　now　to　devote　special　study　to　Parmalee's　methods　of　wooing　the　fair　creature　who　would　be　found　in　his　arms　at　the　close　of　the　present　film。　Probably　Baird　would　want　some　of　that　stuff　from　him。

From　the　very　beginning　of　〃Object；　Matrimony〃　it　was　apparent　that　the　picture　drama　would　afford　him　excellent　opportunities　for　studying　the　Parmalee　technique　in　what　an　early　subtitle　called　〃The　Eternal　Battle　of　the　Sexes。〃　For　Parmalee　in　the　play　was　Hubert　Throckmorton；　popular　screen　idol　and　surfeited　with　the　attentions　of　adoring　women。　Cunningly　the　dramatist　made　use　of　Parmalee's　own　personality；　of　his　screen　triumphs；　and　of　the　adulation　lavished　upon　him　by　discriminating　fair　ones。　His　breakfast　tray　was　shown　piled　with　missives　amply　attesting　the　truth　of　what　the　interviewer　had　said　of　his　charm。　All　women　seemed　to　adore　Hubert　Throckmorton　in　the　drama；　even　as　all　women　adored　Harold　Parmalee　in　private　life。

The　screen　revealed　Throckmorton　quite　savagely　ripping　open　the　letters；　glancing　at　their　contents　and　flinging　them　from　him　with　humorous　shudders。　He　seemed　to　be　asking　why　these　foolish　creatures　couldn't　let　an　artist　alone。　Yet　he　was　kindly；　in　this　half…humorous；　half…savage　mood。　There　was　a　blending　of　chagrin　and　amused　tolerance　on　his　face　as　the　screen　had　him　murmur；　casting　the　letter　aside；　〃Poor；　Silly　Little　Girls！〃

From　this　early　scene　Merton　learned　Parmalee's　method　of　withdrawing　the　gold　cigarette　case；　of　fastidiously　selecting　a　cigarette；　of　closing　the　case　and　of　absentlythinking　of　other　matterstamping　the　gold…tipped　thing　against　the　cover。　This　was　an　item　that　he　had　overlooked。　He　should　have　done　that　in　the　cabaret　scene。　He　also　mastered　the　Parmalee　trick　of　withdrawing　the　handkerchief　from　the　cuff　of　the　perfectly　fitting　morning　coat。　That　was　something　else　he　should　have　done　in　The　Blight　of　Broadway。　Little　things　like　that；　done　right；　gave　the　actor　his　distinction。

The　drama　progressed。　Millionaire　Jasper　Gordon；　〃A　Power　in　Wall　Street；〃　was　seen　telephoning　to　Throckmorton。　He　was　entreating　the　young　actor　to　spend　the　week…end　at　his　palatial　Long　Island　country　home　to　meet　a　few　of　his　friends。　The　grim　old　Wall　Street　magnate　was　perturbed　by　Throckmorton's　refusal；　and　renewed　his　appeal。　He　was　one　of　those　who　always　had　his　way　in　Wall　Street；　and　he　at　length　prevailed　upon　Throckmorton　to　accept　his　invitation。　He　than　manifested　the　wildest　delight；　and　he　was　excitedly　kissed　by　his　beautiful　daughter　who　had　been　standing　by　his　side　in　the　sumptuous　library　while　he　telephoned。　It　could　be　seen　that　the　daughter；　even　more　than　her　grim　old　father；　wished　Mr。　Throckmorton　to　be　at　the　Long　Island　country　home。

Later　Throckmorton　was　seen　driving　his　high…powered　roadster；　accompanied　only　by　his　valet；　to　the　Gordon　country　home　on　Long　Island；　a　splendid　mansion　surrounded　by　its　landscaped　grounds　where　fountains　played　and　roses　bloomed　against　the　feathery　background　of　graceful　eucalyptus　trees。　Merton　Gill　here　saw　that　he　must　learn　to　drive　a　high…powered　roadster。　Probably　Baird　would　want　some　of　that　stuff；　too。

A　round　of　country…house　gaieties　ensued；　permitting　Throckmorton　to　appear　in　a　series　of　perfectly　fitting　sports　costumes。　He　was　seen　on　his　favourite　hunter；　on　the　tennis　courts；　on　the　first　tee　of　the　golf　course；　on　a　polo　pony；　and　in　the　mazes　of　the　dance。　Very　early　it　was　learned　that　the　Gordon　daughter　had　tired　of　mere　social　triumphs　and　wished　to　take　up　screen　acting　in　a　serious　way。　She　audaciously　requested　Throckmorton　to　give　her　a　chance　as　leading　lady　in　his　next　great　picture。

He　softened　his　refusal　by　explaining　to　her　that　acting　was　a　difficult　profession　and　that　suffering　and　sacrifice　were　necessary　to　round　out　the　artist。　The　beautiful　girl　replied　that　within　ten　days　he　would　be　compelled　to　admit　her　rare　ability　as　an　actress；　and　laughingly　they　wagered　a　kiss　upon　it。　Merton　felt　that　this　was　the　sort　of　thing　he　must　know　more　about。

Throckmorton　was　courteously　gallant　in　the　scene。　Even　when　he　said；　〃Shall　we　put　up　the　stakes　now；　Miss　Gordon？〃　it　could　be　seen　that　he　was　jesting。　He　carried　this　light　manner　through　minor　scenes　with　the　beautiful　young　girl　friends　of　Miss　Gordon　wh