merton of the movies-第6节

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not　always　be　making　narrow　escapes；　and　it　seemed　that　she　was　almost　more　delightful　in　this　staid　domestic　life。　Here；　away　from　her　professional　perils；　she　was；　it　seemed；　〃a　slim　little　girl　with　sad　eyes　and　a　wistful　mouth。〃

The　picture　moved　him　strongly。　More　than　ever　he　was　persuaded　that　his　day　would　come。　Even　might　come　the　day　when　it　would　be　his　lot　to　lighten　the　sorrow　of　those　eyes　and　appease　the　wistfulness　of　that　tender　mouth。　He　was　less　sure　about　this。　He　had　been　unable　to　learn　if　Beulah　Baxter　was　still　unwed。　Silver　Screenings；　in　reply　to　his　question；　had　answered；　〃Perhaps。〃　Camera；　in　its　answers　to　correspondents；　had　said；　〃Not　now。〃　Then　he　had　written　to　Photo　Land：　〃Is　Beulah　Baxter　unmarried？〃　The　answer　had　come；　〃Twice。〃　He　had　been　able　to　make　little　of　these　replies；　enigmatic；　ambiguous；　at　best。　But　he　felt　that　some　day　he　would　at　least　be　chosen　to　act　with　this　slim　little　girl　with　the　sad　eyes　and　wistful　mouth。　He；　it　might　be；　would　rescue　her　from　the　branches　of　the　great　eucalyptus　tree　growing　hard　by　the　Fifth　Avenue　mansion　of　the　scoundrelly　guardian。　This；　if　he　remembered　well　her　message　about　hard　work。

He　recalled　now　the　wondrous　occasion　on　which　he　had　travelled　the　nearly　hundred　miles　to　Peoria　to　see　his　idol　in　the　flesh。　Her　personal　appearance　had　been　advertised。　It　was　on　a　Saturday　night；　but　Merton　had　silenced　old　Gashwiler　with　the　tale　of　a　dying　aunt　in　the　distant　city。　Even　so；　the　old　grouch　had　been　none　too　considerate。　He　had　seemed　to　believe　that　Merton's　aunt　should　have　died　nearer　to　Simsbury；　or　at　least　have　chosen　a　dull　Monday。

But　Merton　had　held　with　dignity　to　the　point；　a　dying　aunt　wasn't　to　be　hustled　about　as　to　either　time　or　place。　She　died　when　her　time　cameeven　on　a　Saturday　nightand　where　she　happened　to　be；　though　it　were　a　hundred　miles　from　some　point　more　convenient　to　an　utter　stranger。　He　had　gone　and　thrillingly　had　beheld　for　five　minutes　his　idol　in　the　flesh；　the　slim　little　girl　of　the　sorrowful　eyes　and　wistful　mouth；　as　she　told　the　vast　audienceit　seemed　to　Merton　that　she　spoke　solely　to　himby　what　narrow　chance　she　had　been　saved　from　disappointing　it。　She　had　missed　the　train；　but　had　at　once　leaped　into　her　high…powered　roadster　and　made　the　journey　at　an　average　of　sixty…five　miles　an　hour；　braving　death　a　dozen　times。　For　her　public　was　dear　to　her；　and　she　would　not　have　it　disappointed；　and　there　she　was　before　them　in　her　trim　driving　suit；　still　breathless　from　the　wild　ride。

Then　she　told　themMerton　especiallyhow　her　directors　had　again　and　again　besought　her　not　to　persist　in　risking　her　life　in　her　dangerous　exploits；　but　to　allow　a　double　to　take　her　place　at　the　more　critical　moments。　But　she　had　never　been　able　to　bring　herself　to　this　deception；　for　deception；　in　a　way；　it　would　be。　The　directors　had　entreated　in　vain。　She　would　keep　faith　with　her　public；　though　full　well　she　knew　that　at　any　time　one　of　her　dare…　devil　acts　might　prove　fatal。

Her　public　was　very　dear　to　her。　She　was　delighted　to　meet　it　here；　face　to　face；　heart　to　heart。　She　clasped　her　own　slender　hands　over　her　own　heart　as　she　said　this；　and　there　was　a　pathetic　little　catch　in　her　voice　as　she　waved　farewell　kisses　to　the　throng。　Many　a　heart　besides　Merton's　beat　more　quickly　at　knowing　that　she　must　rush　out　to　the　high…powered　roadster　and　be　off　at　eighty　miles　an　hour　to　St。　Louis；　where　another　vast　audience　would　the　next　day　be　breathlessly　awaiting　her　personal　appearance。

Merton　had　felt　abundantly　repaid　for　his　journey。　There　had　been　inspiration　in　this　contact。　Little　he　minded　the　acid　greeting；　on　his　return；　of　a　mere　Gashwiler；　spawning　in　his　low　mind　a　monstrous　suspicion　that　the　dying　aunt　had　never　lived。

Now　he　read　in　his　magazines　other　intimate　interviews　by　other　talented　young　women　who　had　braved　the　presence　of　other　screen　idols　of　both　sexes。　The　interviewers　approached　them　with　trepidation；　and　invariably　found　that　success　had　not　spoiled　them。　Fine　artists　though　they　were；　applauded　and　richly　rewarded；　yet　they　remained　simple；　unaffected；　and　cordial　to　these　daring　reporters。　They　spoke　with　quiet　dignity　of　their　work；　their　earnest　efforts　to　give　the　public　something　better　and　finer。　They　wished　the　countless　readers　of　the　interviews　to　comprehend　that　their　triumphs　had　come　only　with　infinite　work　and　struggle；　that　the　beautiful　comes　only　through　suffering　and　sacrifice。　At　lighter　moments　they　spoke　gayly　of　their　palatial　homes；　their　domestic　pets；　their　wives　or　husbands　and　their　charming　children。　They　all　loved　the　great　out…of…doors；　but　their　chief　solace　from　toil　was　in　this　unruffled　domesticity　where　they　could　forget　the　worries　of　an　exacting　profession　and　lead　a　simple　home　life。　All　the　husbands　and　wives　were　more　than　thatthey　were　good　pals；　and　of　course　they　read　and　studied　a　great　deal。　Many　of　them　were　wild　about　books。

He　was　especially　interested　in　the　interview　printed　by　Camera　with　that　world　favourite；　Harold　Parmalee。　For　this　was　the　screen　artist　whom　Merton　most　envied；　and　whom　he　conceived　himself　most　to　resemble　in　feature。　The　lady　interviewer；　Miss　Augusta　Blivens；　had　gone　trembling　into　the　presence　of　Harold　Parmalee；　to　be　instantly　put　at　her　ease　by　the　young　artist's　simple；　unaffected　manner。　He　chatted　of　his　early　struggles　when　he　was　only　too　glad　to　accept　the　few　paltry　hundreds　of　dollars　a　week　that　were　offered　him　in　minor　parts；　of　his　quick　rise　to　eminence；　of　his　unceasing　effort　to　give　the　public　something　better　and　finer；　of　his　love　for　the　great　out…of…doors；　and　of　his　daily　flight　to　the　little　nest　that　sheltered　his　pal　wife　and　the　kiddies。　Here　he　could　be　truly　himself；　a　man's　man；　loving　the　simple　things　of　life。　Here；　in　his　library；　surrounded　by　his　books；　or　in　the　music　room　playing　over　some　little　Chopin　prelude；　or　on　the　lawn　romping　with　the　giant　police　dog；　he　could　forget　the　public　that　would　not　let　him　rest。　Nor　had　he　been　spoiled　in　the　least；　said　the　interviewer；　by　the　adulation　poured　out　upon　him　by　admiring　women　and　girls　in　volume　sufficient　to　turn　the　head　of　a　less　sane　young　man。

〃There　are　many　beautiful　women　in　the　world。〃　pursued　the　writer；　〃and　I　dare　say　there　is　not　one　who　meets　Harold　Parmalee　who　does　not　love　him　in　one　way　or　another。　He　has　mental　brilliancy　for　the　intellectuals；　good　looks　for　the　empty…headed；　a　strong　vital　appeal；　a　magnetism　almost　overwhelming　to　the　susceptible；　and　an　easy　and　supremely　appealing　courtesy　for　every　woman　he　encounters。〃

Merton　drew　a　long　breath　after　reading　these　earnest　words。　Would　an　interviewer　some　day　be　writing　as　much　about　him？　He　studied　the　pictures　of　Harold　Parmalee　that　abundantly　spotted　the　article。　The　full　face；　the　profile；　the　symmetrical　shoulders；　the　jaunty　bearing；　the　easy；　masterful　smile。　From　each　of　these　he　would　raise　his　eyes　to　his　own　pictured　face　on　the　wall　above　him。　Undoubtedly　he　was　not　unlike　Harold　Parmalee。　He　noted　little　similarities。　He　had　the　nose；　perhaps　a　bit　more　jutting　than　Harold's；　and　the　chin；　even　more　prominent。

Possibly　a　director　would　have　told　him　that　his　Harold　Parmalee　beauty　was　just　a　trifle　overdone；　that　his　face　went　just　a　bit　past　the　line　of　pleasing　resemblance　and　into　something　else。　But　at　this　moment　the　aspirant　was　reassured。　His　eyes　were　pale；　under　pale　brows；　yet　they　showed　well　in　the　prints。　And　he　was　slightly　built；　perhaps　even　thin；　but　a　diet　rich　in　fats　would　remedy　that。　And　even　if　he　were　quite　a　little　less　comely　than　Parmalee；　he　would　still　be　impressive。　After　all；　a　great　deal　depended　upon　the　acting；　and　he　was　learning　to　act。

Months　ago；　the　resolution　big　in　his　heart；　he　had　answered　the　advertisement　in　Silver　Screenings；　urging　him　to　〃Learn　Movie　Acting；　a　fascinating　profession　that　pays　big。　Would　you　like　to　know；〃　it　demanded；　〃if　you　are　adapted　to　this　work？　If　so；　send　ten　cents　for　our　Ten…Hour　Talent…Prover；　or　Key　to　Movie…Acting　Aptitude；　and　find　whether　you　are　suited　to　take　it　up。〃

Merton　had　earnestly　wished　to　know　this；　and　had　sent　ten　cents　to　the　Film　Incorporation　Bureau；　Station　N；　Stebbinsville；　Arkansas。　The　Talent…Prover；　or　Key　to　Movie…Acting　Aptitude；　had　come；　he　had　mailed　his　answers　to　the　questions　and　waited　an　anguished　ten　days；　fearing　that　he　would　prove　to　lack　the　required　aptitude　for　this　great　art。　But　at　last　the　cheering　news　had　come。　He　had　every　aptitude　in　full　measure；　and　all　that　remained　was　to　subscribe　to　the　correspondence　course。

He　had　felt　weak　in　the　moment　of　his　relief　from　this　torturing　anxiety。　Suppose　they　had　told　him　that　he　wouldn't　do？　And　he　had　studied　the　lessons　with　unswerving　determination。　Night　and　day　he　had　held　to　his　ideal。　He　knew　that　when　you　did　this　your　hour　was　bound　to　come。

He　yawned　now；　thinking；　instead　of　the　anger　expressions　he　should　have　been　practising；　of　the　sordid　things　he　must　do　to…morrow。　He　must　be　up　at　five；　sprinkle　the　floor；　sweep　it；　take　down　the　dust　curtains　from　the　shelves　of　dry　goods；　clean　and　fill　the　lamps；　then　station　outsid