merton of the movies-第65节

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l　alight。　But　the　light　stayed；　and　at　last　he　nerved　himself　for　a　possible　encounter。　He　let　himself　in　softly；　still　hoping　he　could　gain　his　room　undiscovered；　but　Mrs。　Patterson　framed　herself　in　the　lighted　door　of　the　living　room　and　became　exclamatory　at　sight　of　him。

And　he　who　had　thought　to　stand　before　these　people　in　shame　to　receive　their　condolences　now　perceived　that　his　trial　would　be　of　another　but　hardly　less…distressing　sort。　For　somehow；　so　dense　were　these　good　folks；　that　he　must　seem　to　be　not　displeased　with　his　own　performance。　Amazingly　they　congratulated　him；　struggling　with　reminiscent　laughter　as　they　did　so。

〃And　you　never　told　us　you　was　one　of　them　funny　comedians；〃　chided　Mrs。　Patterson。　〃We　thought　you　was　just　a　beginner；　and　here　you　got　the　biggest　part　in　the　picture！　Say；　the　way　you　acted　when　you'd　pick　yourself　up　after　them　spurs　threw　youI'll　wake　up　in　the　night　laughing　at　that。〃

〃And　the　way　he　kept　his　face　so　straight　when　them　other　funny　ones　was　cutting　their　capers　all　around　him；〃　observed　Mr。　Patterson。

〃Yes！　wasn't　it　wonderful；　Jed；　the　way　he　never　let　on；　keeping　his　face　as　serious　as　if　he'd　been　in　a　serious　play？〃

〃I　like　to　fell　off　my　seat；〃　added　Mr。　Patterson。

〃I'll　tell　you　something；　Mr。　Armytage；〃　began　Mrs。　Patterson　with　a　suddenly　serious　manner　of　her　own；　〃I　never　been　one　to　flatter　folks　to　their　faces　unless　I　felt　it　from　the　bottom　of　my　heartI　never　been　that　kind；　when　I　tell　a　person　such…and…such　about　themselves　they　can　take　it　for　the　truth's　own　truth；　so　you　can　believe　me　nowI　saw　lots　of　times　in　that　play　to…night　when　you　was　even　funnier　than　the　cross…eyed　man。〃

The　young　actor　was　regarding　her　strangely；　seemingly　he　wished　to　acknowledge　this　compliment　but　could　find　no　suitable　words。　〃Yes；　you　can　blush　and　hem　and　haw；〃　went　on　his　critic；　〃but　any　one　knows　me　I'll　tell　you　I　mean　it　when　I　talk　that　wayyes；　sir；　funnier　than　the　cross…eyed　man　himself。　My；　I　guess　the　neighbours'll　be　talking　soon's　they　find　out　we　got　someone　as　important　as　you　be　in　our　spare…roomand；　Mr。　Armytage；　I　want　you　to　give　me　a　signed　photograph　of　yourself；　if　you'll　be　so　good。〃

He　escaped　at　last；　dizzy　from　the　maelstrom　of　conflicting　emotions　that　had　caught　and　whirled　him。　It　had　been　impossible　not　to　appear；　and　somehow　difficult　not　to　feel；　gratified　under　this　heartfelt　praise。　He　had　been　bound　to　appear　pleased　but　incredulous；　even　when　she　pronounced　him　superior；　at　times；　to　the　cross…eyed　manthough　the　word　she　used　was　〃funnier。〃

Betrayed　by　his　friends；　stricken；　disconsolate；　in　a　panic　of　despair；　he　had　yet　seemed　glad　to　hear　that　he　had　been　〃funny。〃　He　flew　to　the　sanctity　of　his　room。　Not　again　could　he　bear　to　be　told　that　the　acting　which　had　been　his　soul's　high　vision　was　a　thing　for　merriment。

He　paced　his　room　a　long　time；　a　restless；　defenceless　victim　to　recurrent　visions　of　his　shame。　Implacably　they　returned　to　torture　him。　Reel　after　reel　of　the　ignoble　stuff；　spawned　by　the　miscreant；　Baird；　flashed　before　him；　a　world　of　base　painted　shadows　in　which　he　had　been　the　arch　offender。

Again　and　again　he　tried　to　make　clear　to　himself　just　why　his　own　acting　should　have　caused　mirth。　Surely　he　had　been　serious；　he　had　given　the　best　that　was　in　him。

And　the　groundlings　had　guffawed！

Perhaps　it　was　a　puzzle　he　could　never　solve。　And　now　he　first　thought　of　the　new　piece。

This　threw　him　into　fresh　panic。　What　awful　things；　with　his　high　and　serious　acting；　would　he　have　been　made　to　do　in　that？　Patiently；　one　by　one；　he　went　over　the　scenes　in　which　he　had　appeared。　Dazed；　confused；　his　recollection　could　bring　to　him　little　that　was　ambiguous　in　them。　But　also　he　had　played　through　Hearts　on　Fire　with　little　suspicion　of　its　low　intentions。

He　went　to　bed　at　last；　though　to　toss　another　hour　in　fruitless　effort　to　solve　this　puzzle　and　to　free　his　eyes　of　those　flashing　infamies　of　the　night。　Ever　and　again　as　he　seemed　to　become　composed；　free　at　last　of　tormenting　visions；　a　mere　subtitle　would　flash　in　his　brain；　as　where　the　old　mother；　when　he　first　punished　her　insulter；　was　made　by　the　screen　to　call　out；　〃Kick　him　on　the　knee…cap；　too！〃

But　the　darkness　refreshed　his　tired　eyes；　and　sun　at　last　brought　him　a　merciful　outlet　from　a　world　in　which　you　could　act　your　best　and　still　be　funnier　than　a　cross…eyed　man。

He　awakened　long　past　his　usual　hour　and　occupied　his　first　conscious　moments　in　convincing　himself　that　the　scandal　of　the　night　before　had　not　been　a　bad　dream。　The　shock　was　a　little　dulled　now。　He　began　absurdly　to　remember　the　comments　of　those　who　had　appeared　to　enjoy　the　unworthy　entertainment。　Undoubtedly　many　people　had　mentioned　him　with　warm　approval。　But　such　praise　was　surely　nothing　to　take　comfort　from。　He　was　aroused　from　this　retrospection　by　a　knock　on　his　door。　It　proved　to　be　Mr。　Patterson　bearing　a　tray。　〃Mrs。　P。　thought　that　you　being　up　so　late　last　night　mebbe　would　like　a　cup　of　coffee　and　a　bite　of　something　before　you　went　out。〃　The　man's　manner　was　newly　respectful。　In　this　house；　at　least；　Merton　Gill　was　still　someone。

He　thanked　his　host；　and　consumed　the　coffee　and　toast　with　a　novel　sense　of　importance。　The　courtesy　was　unprecedented。　Mrs。　Patterson　had　indeed　been　sincere。　And　scarcely　had　he　finished　dressing　when　Mr。　Patterson　was　again　at　the　door。

〃A　gentleman　downstairs　to　see　you；　Mr。　Armytage。　〃He　says　his　name　is　Walberg　but　you　don't　know　him。　He　says　it's　a　business　matter。〃

〃Very　well；　I'll　be　down。〃　A　business　matter？　He　had　no　business　matters　with　any　one　except　Baird。

He　was　smitten　with　a　quick　and　quite　illogical　fear。　Perhaps　he　would　not　have　to　tear　up　that　contract　and　hurl　it　in　the　face　of　the　manager　who　had　betrayed　him。　Perhaps　the　manager　himself　would　do　the　tearing。　Perhaps　Baird；　after　seeing　the　picture；　had　decided　that　Merton　Gill　would　not　do。　Instantly　he　felt　resentful。　Hadn't　he　given　the　best　that　was　in　him？　Was　it　his　fault　if　other　actors　had　turned　into　farce　one　of　the　worth…while　things？

He　went　to　meet　Mr。　Walberg　with　this　resentment　so　warm　that　his　greeting　of　the　strange　gentleman　was　gruff　and　short。　The　caller；　an　alert；　businesslike　man；　came　at　once　to　his　point。　He　was；　it　proved；　not　the　representative　of　a　possibly　repenting　Baird。　He　was；　on　the　contrary；　representing　a　rival　producer。　He　extended　his　cardThe　Bigart　Comedies。

〃I　got　your　address　from　the　Holden　office；　Mr。　Armytage。　I　guess　I　routed　you　out　of　bed；　eh？　Well；　it's　like　this；　if　yon　ain't　sewed　up　with　Baird　yet；　the　Bigart　people　would　like　to　talk　a　little　business　to　you。　How　about　it？〃

〃Business？〃　Mr。　Armytage　fairly　exploded　this。　He　was　unhappy　and　puzzled；　in　consequence；　unamiable。

〃Sure；　business；〃　confirmed　Mr。　Walberg。　〃I　understand　you　just　finished　another　five…reeler　for　the　Buckeye　outfit；　but　how　about　some　stuff　for　us　now？　We　can　give　you　as　good　a　company　as　that　one　last　night　and　a　good　line　of　comedy。　We　got　a　gag　man　that　simply　never　gets　to　the　end　of　his　string。　He's　doping　out　something　right　now　that　would　fit　you　like　a　gloveand　say；　it　would　be　a　great　idea　to　kind　a'　specialize　in　that　spur　act　of　yours。　That　got　over　big。　We　could　work　it　in　again。　An　act　like　that's　good　for　a　million　laughs。〃

Mr。　Armytage　eyed　Mr。　Walberg　coldly。　Even　Mr。　Walberg　felt　an　extensive　area　of　glaciation　setting　in。

〃I　wouldn't　think　of　it；〃　said　the　actor；　still　gruffly。

〃Do　you　mean　that　you　can't　come　to　the　Bigart　at　allon　any　proposition？〃

〃That's　what　I　mean；〃　confirmed　Mr。　Armytage。

〃Would　three　hundred　and　fifty　a　week　interest　you？〃

〃No；〃　said　Mr。　Armytage；　though　he　gulped　twice　before　achieving　it。

Mr。　Walberg　reported　to　his　people　that　this　Armytage　lad　was　one　hard…boiled　proposition。　He'd　seen　lots　of　'em　in　his　time；　but　this　bird　was　a　wonder。

Yet　Mr。　Armytage　was　not　really　so　granitic　of　nature　as　the　Bigart　emissary　had　thought　him。　He　had　begun　the　interview　with　a　smouldering　resentment　due　to　a　misapprehension；　he　had　been　outraged　by　a　suggestion　that　the　spurs　be　again　put　to　their　offensive　use；　and　he　had　been　stunned　by　an　offer　of　three　hundred　and　fifty　dollars　a　week。　That　was　all。

Here　was　a　new　angle　to　the　puzzles　that　distracted　him。　He　was　not　only　praised　by　the　witless；　but　he　had　been　found　desirable　by　certain　discerning　overlords　of　filmdom。　What　could　be　the　secret　of　a　talent　that　caused　people；　after　viewing　it　but　once；　to　make　reckless　offers？

And　another　thingwhy　had　he　allowed　Baird　to　〃sew　him　up〃？　The　Montague　girl　again　occupied　the　foreground　of　his　troubled　musings。　She；　with　her　airs　of　wise　importance；　had　helped　to　sew　him　up。　She　was　a　helpless　thing；　after　all；　and　false　of　nature。　He　would　have　matters　out　with　her　this　very　day。　But　first　he　must　confront　Baird　in　a　scene　of　scorn　and　reprobation。

On　the　car　he　became　aware　that　far　back　in　remote　caverns　of　his　mind　there　ran　a　teasing　memory　of　some　book　on　the　shelves　of　the　Simsbury　public　library。　He　was　sure　it　was　not　a　book　he　had　read。　It　was　merely　the　title　that　hid　itself。　Only　this　had　ever　interested　him；　an