merton of the movies-第54节

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ng　inventor；　sustained　by　the　unfaltering　trust　of　mother　and　sister；　he　would　perfect　certain　mechanical　devices　that　would　bring　him　fame；　fortune；　and　the　love　of　a　pure　New　York　society　girl。　It　was　a　humble　little　room　containing　a　work…bench　that　held　his　tools　and　a　table　littered　with　drawings　over　which　he　bent　until　late　hours　of　the　night。

At　this　table；　simple；　unaffected；　deeply　earnest；　he　was　shown　as　the　dreaming　young　inventor；　perplexed　at　moments；　then；　with　brightening　eyes；　making　some　needful　change　in　the　drawings。　He　felt　in　these　scenes　that　he　was　revealing　a　world　of　personality。　And　he　must　struggle　to　give　a　sincere　interpretation　in　later　scenes　that　would　require　more　action。　He　would　show　Baird　that　he　had　not　watched　Edgar　Wayne　without　profit。

Another　interior　was　of　the　neat　living　room　of　the　humble　home。　Here　were　scenes　of　happy　family　life　with　the　little　sister　and　the　fond　old　mother。　The　Montague　girl　was　a　charming　picture　in　her　simple　print　dress　and　sunbonnet　beneath　which　hung　her　braid　of　golden　hair。　The　mother　was　a　sweet　old　dear；　dressed　as　Baird　had　promised。　She　early　confided　to　Merton　that　she　was　glad　her　part　was　not　to　be　a　mopping　part。　In　that　case　she　would　have　had　to　wear　knee…pads；　whereas　now　she　was　merely；　she　said；　to　be　a　tired　business　woman。

Still　another　interior　was　of　her　kitchen　where　she　busily　carried　on　her　fruit…canning　activities。　Pots　boiled　on　the　stove　and　glass　jars　were　filled　with　her　product。　One　of　the　pots；　Merton　noticed；　the　largest；　had　a　tightly　closed　top　from　which　a　slender　tube　of　copper　went　across　one　corner　of　the　little　room　to　where　it　coiled　in　a　bucket　filled　with　water；　whence　it　discharged　its　contents　into　bottles。

This；　it　seemed；　was　his　mother's　improved　grape　juice；　a　cooling　drink　to　tempt　the　jaded　palates　of　the　city　folks　up　at　the　big　hotel。

The　laboratory　of　the　young　inventor　was　abundantly　filmed　while　the　earnest　country　boy　dreamed　hopefully　above　his　drawings　or　tinkered　at　metal　devices　on　the　work…bench。　The　kitchen　in　which　his　mother　toiled　was　repeatedly　shot；　including　close…ups　of　the　old　mother's　ingenious　contrivancesespecially　of　the　closed　boiler　with　its　coil　of　copper　tubingby　which　she　was　helping　to　save　the　humble　home。

And　a　scene　in　the　neat　living　room　with　its　old…fashioned　furniture　made　it　all　too　clear　that　every　effort　would　be　required　to　save　the　little　home。　The　cruel　money…lender；　a　lawyer　with　mean…looking　whiskers；　confronted　the　three　shrinking　inmates　to　warn　them　that　he　must　have　his　money　by　a　certain　day　or　out　they　would　go　into　the　streets。　The　old　mother　wept　at　this；　and　the　earnest　boy　took　her　in　his　arms。　The　little　sister；　terrified　by　the　man's　rough　words；　also　flew　to　this　shelter；　and　thus　he　defied　the　intruder；　calm；　fearless；　dignified。　The　money　would　be　paid　and　the　intruder　would　now　please　remember　that；　until　the　day　named；　this　little　home　was　their　very　own。

The　scoundrel　left　with　a　final　menacing　wave　of　his　gnarled　hand；　left　the　group　facing　ruin　unless　the　invention　could　be　perfected；　unless　Mother　could　sell　an　extraordinary　quantity　of　fruit　or　improved　grape　juice　to　the　city　folks；　or；　indeed；　unless　the　little　sister　could　do　something　wonderful。

She；　it　now　seemed；　was　confident　she　also　could　help。　She　stood　apart　from　them　and　prettily　promised　to　do　something　wonderful。　She　asked　them　to　remember　that　she　was　no　longer　a　mere　girl；　but　a　woman　with　a　woman's　determination。　They　both　patted　the　little　thing　encouragingly　on　the　back。

The　interiors　possible　on　the　Holden　lot　having　been　finished；　they　motored　each　day　to　a　remote　edge　of　the　city　where　outside　locations　had　been　found　for　the　humble　farmhouse　and　the　grand　hotel。　The　farmhouse　was　excellently　chosen；　Merton　thought；　being　the　neat；　unpretentious　abode　of　honest；　hard…working　people；　but　the　hotel；　some　distance　off；　was　not　so　grand；　he　thought；　as　Baird's　new　play　seemed　to　demand。　It　was　plainly　a　hotel；　a　wooden　structure　with　balconies；　but　it　seemed　hardly　to　afford　those　attractions　that　would　draw　wealthier　element　from　New　York。　He　forebore　to　warn　Baird　of　this；　however；　fearing　to　discourage　a　manager　who　was　honestly　striving　for　the　serious　in　photodrama。

His　first　exterior　scene　saw　him；　with　the　help　of　Mother　and　little　sister；　loading　the　one　poor　motor　car　which　the　family　possessed　with　Mother's　products。　These　were　then　driven　to　the　hotel。　The　Montague　girl　drove　the　car；　and　scenes　of　it　in　motion　were　shot　from　a　car　that　preceded　them。

They　arrived　before　the　hotel；　Merton　was　directed　to　take　from　the　car　an　iron　weight　attached　to　a　rope　and　running　to　a　connection　forward　on　the　hood。　He　was　to　throw　the　weight　to　the　ground；　plainly　with　the　notion　that　he　would　thus　prevent　the　car　from　running　away。　The　simple　device　was；　in　fact；　similar　to　that　used；　at　Gashwiler's　strict　orders；　on　the　delivery　wagon　back　in　Simsbury；　for　Gashwiler　had　believed　that　Dexter　would　run　away　if　untethered。　But　of　course　it　was　absurd；　Merton　saw；　to　anchor　a　motor　car　in　such　a　manner；　and　he　was　somewhat　taken　aback　when　Baird　directed　this　action。

〃It's　all　right；〃　Baird　assured　him。　〃You're　a　simple　country　boy；　and　don't　know　any　better；　so　do　it　plumb　serious。　You'll　be　smart　enough　before　the　show's　over。　Go　ahead；　get　out；　grab　the　weight；　throw　it　down；　and　don't　look　at　it　again；　as　if　you　did　this　every　time。　That's　it。　You're　not　being　funny；　just　a　simple　country　boy　like　Wayne　was　at　first。〃　He　performed　the　action；　still　with　some　slight　misgiving。　Followed　scenes　of　brother　and　sister　offering　Mother's　wares　to　the　city　folks　idling　on　the　porch　of　the　hotel。　Each　bearing　a　basket　they　were　caught　submitting　the　jellies　and　jams。　The　brother　was　laughed　at；　even　sneered　at；　by　the　supercilious　rich；　the　handsomely　gowned　women　and　the　dissipated　looking　men。　No　one　appeared　to　wish　his　jellies。

The　little　sister　had　better　luck。　The　women　turned　from　her；　but　the　men　gathered　about　her　and　quickly　bought　out　the　stock。　She　went　to　the　car　for　more　and　the　men　followed　her。　To　Merton；　who　watched　these　scenes；　the　dramatist's　intention　was　plain。　These　men　did　not　really　care　for　jellies　and　jams；　they　were　attracted　solely　by　the　wild…rose　beauty　of　the　little　country　girl。　And　they　were　plainly　the　sort　of　men　whose　attentions　could　mean　no　good　to　such　as　she。

Left　on　the　porch；　he　was　now　directed　to　approach　a　distinguished　looking　old　gentleman；　probably　a　banker　and　a　power　in　Wall　Street；　who　read　his　morning　papers。　Timidly　he　stood　before　this　person；　thrusting　forward　his　basket。　The　old　gentleman　glanced　up　in　annoyance　and　brutally　rebuffed　the　country　boy　with　an　angry　flourish　of　the　paper　he　read。

〃You're　hurt　by　this　treatment；〃　called　Baird；　〃and　almost　discouraged。　You　look　back　over　your　shoulder　to　where　sister　is　doing　a　good　business　with　her　stuff；　and　you　see　the　old　mother　back　in　her　kitchen；　working　her　fingers　to　the　bonewe'll　have　a　flash　of　that；　see？and　you　try　again。　Take　out　that　bottle　in　the　corner　of　the　basket；　uncork　it；　and　try　again。　The　old　man　looks　up…he's　smelled　something。　You　hold　the　bottle　toward　him　and　you're　saying　so…and…so；　so…and…so；　so…and…so；　'Oh；　Mister；　if　you　knew　how　hard　my　poor　old　mother　works　to　make　this　stuff！　Won't　you　please　take　a　little　taste　of　her　improved　grape　juice　and　see　if　you　don't　want　to　buy　a　few　shillings'　worth'so…and…so；　so…and…so；　so…and…　sosee　what　I　mean？　That's　it；　look　pleading。　Think　how　the　little　home　depends　on　it。〃

The　old　gentleman；　first　so　rude；　consented　to　taste　the　improved　grape　juice。　He　put　the　bottle　to　his　lips　and　tilted　it。　A　camera　was　brought　up　to　record　closely　the　look　of　pleased　astonishment　that　enlivened　his　face。　He　arose　to　his　feet；　tilted　the　bottle　again；　this　time　drinking　abundantly。　He　smacked　his　lips　with　relish；　glanced　furtively　at　the　group　of　women　in　the　background；　caught　the　country　boy　by　a　sleeve　and　drew　him　farther　along　the　porch。

〃He's　telling　you　what　fine　stuff　this　grape　juice　is；〃　explained　Baird；　〃saying　that　your　mother　must　be　a　wonderful　old　lady；　and　he'll　drop　over　to　meet　her；　and　in　the　meantime　he　wants　you　to　bring　him　all　this　grape　juice　she　has。　He'll　take　it；　she　can　name　her　own　price。　He　hands　you　a　ten　dollar　bill　for　the　bottle　he　has　and　for　another　in　the　basketthat's　it；　give　it　to　him。　The　rest　of　the　bottles　are　jams　or　something。　You　want　him　to　take　them；　but　he　pushes　them　back。　He's　saying　he　wants　the　improved　grape　juice　or　nothing。　He　shows　a　big　wad　of　bills　to　show　he　can　pay　for　it。　You　look　glad　nowthe　little　home　may　be　saved　after　all。〃

The　scene　was　shot。　Merton　felt　that　he　carried　it　acceptably。　He　had　shown　the　diffident　pleading　of　the　country　boy　that　his　mother's　product　should　be　at　least　tasted；　his　frank　rejoicing　when　the　old　gentleman　approved　of　it。　He　was　not　so　well　satisfied　with　the　work　of　the　Montague　girl　as　his　innocent　little　sister。　In　her　sale　of　Mother's　jellies　to　the　city　men；　in　her　acceptance　of　their　attentions；　she　appeared　to　be　just　the　least　bit　bold。　It　seemed　almost　as　if　she　wished　to　attrac