merton of the movies- 第6部分

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　outside　the　dummies　in　their　raiment。　All　day　he　would　serve　customers；　snatching　a　hasty　lunch　of　crackers　and　cheese　behind　the　grocery　counter。　And　at　night；　instead　of　twice　watching　The　Hazards　of　Hortense；　he　must　still　unreasonably　serve　late　customers　until　the　second　unwinding　of　those　delectable　reels。

He　suddenly　sickened　of　it　all。　Was　he　not　sufficiently　versed　in　the　art　he　had　chosen　to　practise？　And　old　Gashwiler　every　day　getting　harder　to　bear！　His　resolve　stiffened。　He　would　not　wait　much　longeronly　until　the　savings　hidden　out　under　the　grocery　counter　had　grown　a　bit。　He　made　ready　for　bed；　taking；　after　he　had　undressed；　some　dumb…bell　exercises　that　would　make　his　shoulders　a　trifle　ire　like　Harold　Parmalee's。　This　rite　concluded；　he　knelt　by　his　narrow　cot　and　prayed　briefly。

〃Oh；　God；　make　me　a　good　movie　actor！　Make　me　one　of　the　best！　For　Jesus'sake；　amen！〃




CHAPTER　III

WESTERN　STUFF


Saturday　proved　all　that　his　black　forebodings　had　pictured　ita　day　of　sordid；　harassing　toil；　toil；　moreover；　for　which　Gashwiler；　the　beneficiary；　showed　but　the　scantest　appreciation。　Indeed；　the　day　opened　with　a　disagreement　between　the　forward…looking　clerk　and　his　hide…bound　reactionary。　Gashwiler　had　reached　the　store　at　his　accustomed　hour　of　8：30　to　find　Merton　embellishing　the　bulletin　board　in　front　with　legends　setting　forth　especial　bargains　of　the　day　to　be　had　within。

Chalk　in　hand；　he　had　neatly　written；　〃See　our　new　importation　of　taffetas；　2。59　the　yard。〃　Below　this　he　was　in　the　act　of　putting　down；　〃Try　our　choice　Honey…dew　spinach；　20　cts。　the　can。〃　〃Try　our　Preferred　Chipped　Beef；　58　cts。　the　pound。〃

He　was　especially　liking　that　use　of　〃the。〃　It　sounded　modern。　Yet　along　came　Gashwiler；　as　if　seeking　an　early　excuse　to　nag；　and　criticized　this。

〃Why　don't　you　say　'a　yard；'　'a　can；'　'a　pound'？〃　he　demanded　harshly。　〃What's　the　sense　of　that　there　'the'　stuff？　Looks　to　me　like　just　putting　on　a　few　airs。　You　keep　to　plain　language　and　our　patrons'll　like　it　a　lot　better。〃　Viciously　Merton　Gill　rubbed　out　the　modern　〃the〃　and　substituted　the　desired　〃a。〃

〃Very　well；〃　he　assented；　〃if　you'd　rather　stick　to　the　old…　fashioned　way；　but　I　can　tell　you　that's　the　way　city　stores　do　it。　I　thought　you　might　want　to　be　up　to　date；　but　I　see　I　made　a　great　mistake。〃

〃Humph！〃　said　Gashwiler；　unbitten　by　this　irony。　〃I　guess　the　old　way's　good　enough；　long's　our　prices　are　always　right。　Don't　forget　to　put　on　that　canned　salmon。　I　had　that　in　stock　for　nearly　a　year　nowand　say　it's　twenty　cents　'a'　can；　not　'the'　can。　Also　say　it's　a　grand　reduction　from　thirty…five　cents。〃

That　was　always　the　way。　You　never　could　please　the　old　grouch。　And　so　began　the　labour　that　lasted　until　nine　that　night。　Merton　must　count　out　eggs　and　weigh　butter　that　was　brought　in。　He　must　do　up　sugar　and　grind　coffee　and　measure　dress　goods　and　match　silks；　he　must　with　the　suavest　gentility　ask　if　there　would　not　be　something　else　to…day；　and　he　must　see　that　babies　hazardously　left　on　counters　did　not　roll　off。

He　lived　in　a　vortex　of　mental　confusion；　performing　his　tasks　mechanically。　When　drawing　a　gallon　of　kerosene　or　refolding　the　shown　dress　goods；　or　at　any　task　not　requiring　him　to　be　genially　talkative；　he　would　be　saying　to　Miss　Augusta　Blivens　in　far…off　Hollywood；　〃Yes；　my　wife　is　more　than　a　wife。　She　is　my　best　pal；　and；　I　may　also　add；　my　severest　critic。〃

There　was　but　one　break　in　the　dreary　monotony；　and　that　was　when　Lowell　Hardy；　Simsbury's　highly　artistic　photographer；　came　in　to　leave　an　order　for　groceries。　Lowell　wore　a　soft　hat　with　rakish　brim；　and　affected　low　collars　and　flowing　cravats；　the　artistic　effect　of　these　being　heightened　in　his　studio　work　by　a　purple　velvet　jacket。　Even　in　Gashwiler's　he　stood　out　as　an　artist。　Merton　received　his　order；　and　noting　that　Gashwiler　was　beyond　earshot　bespoke　his　services　for　the　following　afternoon。

〃Say；　Lowell；　be　on　the　lot　at　two　sharp　to…morrow；　will　you？　I　want　to　shoot　some　Western　stuffsome　stills。〃

Merton　thrilled　as　he　used　these　highly　technical　phrases。　He　had　not　read　his　magazines　for　nothing。

Lowell　Hardy　considered；　then　consented。　He　believed　that　he；　too；　might　some　day　be　called　to　Hollywood　after　they　had　seen　the　sort　of　work　he　could　turn　out。　He　always　finished　his　art　studies　of　Merton　with　great　care；　and　took　pains　to　have　the　artist's　signature　entirely　legible。　〃All　right；　Mert；　I'll　be　there。　I　got　some　new　patent　paper　I'll　try　out　on　these。〃

〃On　the　lot　at　two　sharp　to　shoot　Western　stuff；〃　repeated　Merton　with　relish。

〃Righto！〃　assented　Lowell；　and　returned　to　more　prosaic　studio　art。

The　day　wore　itself　to　a　glad　end。　The　last　exigent　customer　had　gone；　the　curtains　were　up；　the　lights　were　out；　and　at　five　minutes　past　nine　the　released　slave；　meeting　Tessie　Kearns　at　her　front　door；　escorted　her　with　a　high　heart　to　the　second　show　at　the　Bijou　Palace。　They　debated　staying　out　until　after　the　wretched　comedy　had　been　run；　but　later　agreed　that　they　should　see　this；　as　Tessie　keenly　wished　to　know　why　people　laughed　at　such　things。　The　antics　of　the　painfully　cross…eyed　man　distressed　them　both；　though　the　mental　inferiors　by　whom　they　were　surrounded　laughed　noisily。　Merton　wondered　how　any　producer　could　bring　himself　to　debase　so　great　an　art；　and　Tessie　wondered　if　she　hadn't；　in　a　way；　been　aiming　over　the　public's　head　with　her　scenarios。　After　all；　you　had　to　give　the　public　what　it　wanted。　She　began　to　devise　comedy　elements　for　her　next　drama。

But　The　Hazards　of　Hortense　came　mercifully　to　soothe　their　annoyance。　The　slim　little　girl　with　a　wistful　smile　underwent　a　rich　variety　of　hazards；　each　threatening　a　terrible　death。　Through　them　all　she　came　unscathed；　leaving　behind　her　a　trail　of　infuriated　scoundrels　whom　she　had　thwarted。　She　escaped　from　an　underworld　den　in　a　Chicago　slum　just　in　the　nick　of　time；　cleverly　concealing　herself　in　the　branches　of　the　grea