merton of the movies- 第4部分

〃You　ask　of　my　wife；〃　he　was　saying。　〃But　she　is　more　than　a　wife　she　is　my　best　pal；　and；　I　may　add；　she　is　also　my　severest　critic。〃

He　broke　off　here；　for　an　obsequious　Japanese　butler　entered　with　a　tray　of　cooling　drinks。　The　tray　would　be　gleaming　silver；　but　he　was　uncertain　about　the　drinks；　something　with　long　straws　in　them；　probably。　But　as　to　anything　alcoholic；　nowWhile　he　was　trying　to　determine　this　the　general…delivery　window　was　opened　and　the　interview　had　to　wail。　But；　anyway；　you　could　smoke　where　you　wished　in　that　house；　and　Gashwiler　couldn't　smoke　any　closer　to　his　house　than　the　front　porch。　Even　trying　it　there　he　would　be　nagged；　and　fussily　asked　why　he　didn't　go　out　to　the　barn。　He　was　a　poor　fish；　Gashwiler；　a　country　storekeeper　without　a　future。　A　clod！

Merton；　after　waiting　in　line；　obtained　his　mail；　consisting　of　three　magazinesPhoto　Land；　Silver　Screenings；　and　Camera。　As　he　stepped　away　he　saw　that　Miss　Tessie　Kearns　stood　three　places　back　in　the　line。　He　waited　at　the　door　for　her。　Miss　Kearns　was　the　one　soul　in　Simsbury　who　understood　him。　He　had　confided　to　her　all　his　vast　ambitions；　she　had　sympathized　with　them；　and　her　never…failing　encouragement　had　done　not　a　little　to　stiffen　his　resolution　at　odd　times　when　the　haven　of　Hollywood　seemed　all　too　distant。　A　certain　community　of　ambitions　had　been　the　foundation　of　this　sympathy　between　the　two；　for　Tessie　Kearns　meant　to　become　a　scenario　writer　of　eminence；　and；　like　Merton；　she　was　now　both　studying　and　practising　a　difficult　art。　She　conducted　the　millinery　and　dressmaking　establishment　next　to　the　Gashwiler　Emporium；　but　found　time；　as　did　Merton；　for　the　worthwhile　things　outside　her　narrow　life。

She　was　a　slight；　spare　little　figure；　sedate　and　mouselike；　of　middle　age　and；　to　the　village；　of　a　quiet；　sober　way　of　thought。　But；　known　only　to　Merton；　her　real　life　was　one　of　terrific　adventure；　involving　crime　of　the　most　atrocious　sort；　and　contact　not　only　with　the　great　and　good；　but　with　loathsome　denizens　of　the　underworld　who　would　commit　any　deed　for　hire。　Some　of　her　scenarios　would　have　profoundly　shocked　the　good　people　of　Simsbury；　and　she　often　suffered　tremors　of　apprehension　at　the　thought　that　one　of　them　might　be　enacted　at　the　Bijou　Palace　right　there　on　Fourth　Street；　with　her　name　brazenly　announced　as　author。　Suppose　it　were　Passion's　Perils！　She　would　surely　have　to　leave　town　after　that！　She　would　be　too　ashamed　to　stay。　Still　she　would　be　proud；　also；　for　by　that　time　they　would　be　calling　her　to　Hollywood　itself。　Of　course　nothing　so　distressingor　so　grandhad　happened　yet；　for　none　of　her　dramas　had　been　accepted；　but　she　was　coming　on。　It　might　happen　any　time。

She　joined　Merton；　a　long　envelope　in　her　hand　and　a　brave　little　smile　on　her　pinched　face。

〃Which　one　is　it？〃　he　asked；　referring　to　the　envelope。

〃It's　Passion's　Perils。〃　she　answered　with　a　jaunty　affectation　of　amusement。　〃The　Touchstone…Blatz　people　sent　it　back。　The　slip　says　its　being　returned　does　not　imply　any　lack　of　merit。〃

〃I　should　think　it　wouldn't！〃　said　Merton　warmly。

He　knew　Passion's　Perils。　A　company　might　have　no　immediate　need　for　it；　but　its　rejection　could　not　possibly　imply　a　lack　of　merit；　because　the　merit　was　there。　No　one　could　dispute　that。

They　walked　on　to　the　Bijou　Palace。　Its　front　was　dark；　for　only　twice　a　week；　on　Tuesdays　and　Saturdays；　could　Simsbury　muster　a　picture　audience；　but　they　could　read　the　bills　for　the　following　night。　The　entrance　was　flanked　on　either　side　by　billboards；　and　they　stopped　before　the　first。　Merton　Gill's　heart　quickened　its　beats；　for　there　was　billed　none　other　than　Beulah　Baxter　in　the　ninth　installment　of　her　tremendous　serial；　The　Hazards　of　Hortense。

It　was　going　to　be　good！　It　almost　seemed　that　this　time　the　scoundrels　would　surely　get　Hortense。　She　was　speeding　across　a　vast　open　quarry　in　a　bucket　attached　to　a　cable；　and　one　of　the　scoundrels　with　an　ax　was　viciously　hacking　at　the　cable's　farther　anchorage。　It　would　be　a　miracle　if　he　did　not　succeed　in　his　hellish　design　to　dash　Hortense　to　the　cruel　rocks　below。　Merton；　of　course；　had　not　a　moment's　doubt　that　the　miracle　would　intervene；　he　had　seen　other　serials。　So　he　made　no　comment　upon　the　gravity　of　the　situation；　but　went　at　once　to　the　heart　of　his　ecstasy。

〃The　most　beautiful　woman　on　the　screen；〃　he　murmured。

〃Well；　I　don't　know。〃

Miss　Kearns　appeared　about　to　advance　the　claims　of　rival　beauties；　but　desisted　when　she　saw　that　Merton　was　firm。

〃None　of　the　rest　can　touch　her；〃　he　maintained。　〃And　look　at　her　nerve！　Would　your　others　have　as　much　nerve　as　that？〃

〃Maybe　she　has　someone　to　double　in　those　places；〃　suggested　the　screen…wise　Tessie　Kearns。

〃Not　Beulah　Baxter。　Didn't　I　see　her　personal　appearance　that　time　I　went　to　Peoria　last　spring　on　purpose　to　see　it？　Didn't　she　talk　about　the　risks　she　look　and　how　the　directors　were　always　begging　her　to　use　a　double　and　how　her　artistic　convictions　wouldn't　let　her　do　any　such　thing？　You　can　bet　the　little　girl　is　right　there　in　every　scene！〃

They　passed　to　the　other　billboard。　This　would　be　the　comedy。　A　painfully　cross…eyed　man　in　misfitting　clothes　was　doing　something　supposed　to　be　funnypushing　a　lawn　mower　over　the　carpet　of　a　palatial　home。

〃How　disgusting！〃　exclaimed　Miss　Kearns。

〃Ain't　it？〃　said　Merton。　〃How　they　can　have　one　of　those　terrible　things　on　the　same　bill　with　Miss　BaxterI　can't　understand　it。〃

〃Those　censors　ought　to　suppress　this　sort　of　buffoonery　instead　of　scenes　of　dignified　passion　like　they　did　in　Scarlet　Sin；〃　declared　Tessie。　〃Did　you　read　about　that？〃

〃They　sure　ought；〃　agreed　Merton。　〃These　comedies　make　me　tired。　I　never　see　one　if　I　can　help　it。〃

Walking　on；　they　discussed　the　wretched　public　taste　and　the　wretched　actors　that　pandered　to　it。　The　slap…stick　comedy；　they　held；　degraded　a　fine　and　beautiful　art。　Merton　was　especially　severe。　He　always　felt　uncomfortable　at　one　of　these　regrettable　exhibitions　when　people　about　him　who　knew　no　better　laughed　heartily。　He　had　never　seen　anything　to　laugh　at；　and　said　as　much。

They　crossed　the　street　and　paused　at　the　door　of　Miss　Kearns'　shop；　behind　which　were　her　living　rooms。　She　would　to…night　go　over　Passion's　Perils　once　more　and　send　it　to　another　company。

〃I　wonder；〃　she　said　to　Merton；　〃if　they　keep　sending　it　back　because　the　sets　are　too　expensive。　Of　course　there's　the　one　where　the　dissipated　English　nobleman；　Count　Blessingham；　lures　Valerie　into　Westminster　Abbey　for　his　own　evil　purposes　on　the　night　of　the　old　earl's　murderthat's　expensivebut　they　get　a　chance　to　use　it　again　when　Valerie　is　led　to　the　altar　by　young　Lord　Stonecliff；　the　rightful　heir。　And　of　course　Stonecliff　Manor；　where　Valerie　is　first　seen　as　governess；　would　be　expensive；　but　they　use　that　in　a　lot　of　scenes；　too。　Still；　maybe　I　might　change　the　locations　around　to　something　they've　got　built。〃

〃I　wouldn't　change　a　line；〃　said　Merton。　〃Don't　give　in　to　'em。　Make　'em　take　it　as　it　is。　They　might　ruin　your　picture　with　cheap　stuff。〃

〃Well；〃　the　authoress　debated；　〃maybe　I'll　leave　it。　I'd　especially　hate　to　give　up　Westminster　Abbey。　Of　course　the　scene　where　she　is　struggling　with　Count　Blessingham　might　easily　be　made　offensive　it's　a　strong　scenebut　it　all　comes　right。　You　remember　she　wrenches　herself　loose　from　his　grasp　and　rushes　to　throw　herself　before　the　altar；　which　suddenly　lights　up；　and　the　scoundrel　is　afraid　to　pursue　her　there；　because　he　had　a　thorough　religious　training　when　a　boy　at　Oxford；　and　he　feels　it　would　be　sacrilegious　to　seize　her　again　while　the　light　from　the　altar　shines　upon　her　that　way；　and　so　she's　saved　for　the　time　being。　It　seems　kind　of　a　shame　not　to　use　Westminster　Abbey　for　a　really　big　scene　like　that；　don't　you　think？〃

〃I　should　say　so！〃　agreed　Merton　warmly。　〃They　build　plenty　of　sets　as　big　as　that。　Keep　it　in！〃

〃Well；　I'll　take　your　advice。　And　I　shan't　give　up　trying　with　my　other　ones。　And　I'm　writing　to　another　set　of　peoplesee　here。〃　She　took　from　her　handbag　a　clipped　advertisement　which　she　read　to　Merton　in　the　fading　light；　holding　it　close　to　her　keen　little　eyes。　〃Listen！　'Five　thousand　photoplay　ideas　needed。　Working　girl　paid　ten　thousand　dollars　for　ideas　she　had　thought　worthless。　Yours　may　be　worth　more。　Experience　unnecessary。　Information　free。　Producers'　League　562；　Piqua；　Ohio。'　Doesn't　that　sound　encouraging？　And　it　isn't　as　if　I　didn't　have　some　experience。　I've　been　writing　scenarios　for　two　years　now。〃

〃We　both　got　to　be　patient；〃　he　pointed　out。　〃We　can't　succeed　all　at　once；　just　remember　that。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　patient；　and　I'm　determined；　and　I　know　you　are；　too；　Merton。　But　the　way　my　things　keep　coming　backwell；　I　guess　we'd　both　get　discouraged　if　it　wasn't　for　our　sense　of　humour。〃

〃I　bet　we　would；〃　agreed　Merton。　〃And　good…night！〃

He　went　on　to　the　Gashwiler　Emporium　and　let　himself　into　the　dark　store。　At　the　moment　he　was　bewailing　that　the　next　installment　of　The　Hazards　of　Hortense　would　be　shown　on　a　Saturday　night；　for　on　those　nights　the　store　kept　open　until　nine　and　he　could　see　it　but　once。　On　a　Tuesday　night　he　would　have　watched　it　twice；　in　spite　of　the　so…called　comedy　unjustly　sharing　the　bill　with　it。

Lighting　a　match；　he　made　his　way　through　the　silent　store；　through　the　stock　room　that　had　so　lately　been　the　foul　lair　of　Snake　le　Vasquez；　and　into　his　own　personal　domain；　a　square　partitioned　off　from　the　stockroom　in　which　were　his　cot；　the　table　at　which　he　studied　the　art　of　screen　acting；　and　his　other　little　belongings。　He　often　called　this　his　den。　He　lighted　a　lamp　on　the　table　and　drew　the　chair　up　to　it。

On　the　boards　of　the　partition　in　front　of　him　were　pasted　many　presentments　of　his　favourite　screen　actress；　Beulah　Baxter；　as　she　underwent　the　nerve…racking　Hazards　of　Hortense。　The　intrepid　girl　was　seen　leaping　from　the　seat　of　her　high…powered　car　to　the　cab　of　a　passing　locomotive；　her　chagrined　pursuers　in　the　distant　background。　She　sprang　from　a　high　cliff　into　the　chill　waters　of　a　storm…tossed　sea。　Bound　to　the　back　of　a　spirited　horse；　she　was　raced　down　the　steep　slope　of　a　rocky　ravine