merton of the movies-第52部分

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rried　and　I　thought　I　might　as　well。　He　was　the　only　one　I　hadn't　been　afraid　of。　So　we　got　engaged。　I　was　still　kind　of　afraid　to　marry　any　one；　but　being　engaged　was　all　right。　I　know　we'd　got　along　together；　too；　but　then　he　got　his　with　a　motorcycle。

〃Kind　of　funny。　He'd　do　anything　on　that　machine。　He'd　jump　clean　over　an　auto　and　he'd　leap　a　thirty…foot　ditch　and　he　was　all　set　to　pull　a　new　one　for　Jeff　Baird　when　it　happened。　Jeff　was　going　to　have　him　ride　his　motorcycle　through　a　plate…glass　window。　The　set　was　built　and　everything　ready　and　then　the　merry　old　sun　don't　shine　for　three　days。　Every　morning　Bert　would　go　over　to　the　lot　and　wait　around　in　the　fog。　And　this　third　day；　when　it　got　too　late　in　the　afternoon　to　shoot　even　if　the　sun　did　show；　he　says　to　me；　'c'mon；　hop　up　and　let's　take　a　ride　down　to　the　beach。'　So　I　hop　to　the　back　seat　and　off　we　start　and　on　a　ninety…foot　paved　boulevard　what　does　Bert　do　but　get　caught　in　a　jam？　It　was　an　ice　wagon　that　finally　bumped　us　over。　I　was　shook　up　and　scraped　here　and　there。　But　Bert　was　finished。　That's　the　funny　part。　He'd　got　it　on　this　boulevard；　but　back　on　the　lot　he'd　have　rode　through　that　plate…　glass　window　probably　without　a　scratch。　And　just　because　the　sun　didn't　shine　that　day；　I　wasn't　engaged　any　more。　Bert　was　kind　of　like　some　old　sea…captain　that　comes　back　to　shore　after　risking　his　life　on　the　ocean　in　all　kinds　of　storms；　and　falls　into　a　duck…pond　and　gets　drowned。〃

She　sat　a　long　time　staring　out　over　the　landscape；　still　holding　his　hand。　Inside　the　fence　before　the　farmhouse　three　of　the　New　York　villains　were　again　engaged　in　athletic　sports；　but　she　seemed　oblivious　of　these。　At　last　she　turned　to　him　again　with　an　illumining　smile。

〃But　I　was　dead　in　love　once　before　that；　and　that's　how　I　know　just　how　you　feel　about　Baxter。　He　was　the　preacher　where　we　used　to　go　to　church。　He　was　a　good　one。　Pa　copied　a　lot　of　his　stuff　that　he　uses　to　this　day　if　he　happens　to　get　a　preacher　part。　He　was　the　loveliest　thing。　Not　so　young；　but　dark；　with　wonderful　eyes　and　black　hair；　and　his　voice　would　go　all　through　you。　I　had　an　awful　case　on　him。　I　was　twelve；　and　all　week　I　used　to　think　how　I'd　see　him　the　next　Sunday。　Say；　when　I'd　get　there　and　he'd　be　working　doing　pulpit　stuffhe'd　have　me　in　kind　of　a　trance。

〃Sometimes　after　the　pulpit　scene　he'd　come　down　right　into　the　audience　and　shake　hands　with　people。　I'd　almost　keel　over　if　he'd　notice　me。　I'd　be　afraid　if　he　would　and　afraid　if　he　wouldn't。　If　he　said　'And　how　is　the　little　lady　this　morning？'　I　wouldn't　have　a　speck　of　voice　to　answer　him。　I'd　just　tremble　all　over。　I　used　to　dream　I'd　get　a　job　workin'　for　him　as　extra；　blacking　his　shoes　or　fetching　his　breakfast　and　things。

〃It　was　the　real　thing；　all　right。　I　used　to　try　to　pray　the　way　he　didasking　the　Lord　to　let　me　do　a　character　bit　or　something　with　him。　He　had　me　going　all　right。　You　must　'a'　been　that　way　about　Baxter。　Sure　you　were。　When　you　found　she　was　married　and　used　a　double　and　everything；　it　was　like　I'd　found　this　preacher　shooting　hop　or　using　a　double　in　his　pulpit　stuff。〃

She　was　still　again；　looking　back　upon　this　tremendous　episode。

〃Yes；　that's　about　the　way　I　felt；〃　he　told　her。　Already　his　affair　with　Mrs。　Rosenblatt　seemed　a　thing　of　his　childhood。　He　was　wondering；　rather；　if　the　preacher　could　have　been　the　perfect　creature　the　girl　was　now　picturing　him。　It　would　not　have　displeased　him　to　learn　that　this　refulgent　being　had　actually　used　a　double　in　his　big　scenes；　or　had　been　guilty　of　mere　human　behaviour　at　odd　moments。　Probably；　after　all；　he　had　been　just　a　preacher。　〃Uncle　Sylvester　used　to　want　me　to　be　a　preacher；〃　he　said；　with　apparent　irrelevance；　〃even　if　he　was　his　own　worst　enemy。〃　He　added　presently；　as　the　girl　remained　silent；　〃I　always　say　my　prayers　at　night。〃　He　felt　vaguely　that　this　might　raise　him　to　the　place　of　the　other　who　had　been　adored。　He　was　wishing　to　be　thought　well　of　by　this　girl。

She　was　aroused　from　her　musing　by　his　confession。　〃You　do？　Now　ain't　that　just　like　you？　I'd　have　bet　you　did　that。　Well；　keep　on；　son。　It's　good　stuff。〃

Her　serious　mood　seemed　to　pass。　She　was　presently　exchanging　tart　repartee　with　the　New　York　villains　who　had　perched　in　a　row　on　the　fence　to　be　funny　about　that　longcontinued　holding　of　hands　in　the　motor　car。　She　was　quite　unembarrassed；　however；　as　she　dropped　the　hand　with　a　final　pat　and　vaulted　to　the　ground　over　the　side　of　the　car。

〃Get　busy；　there！〃　she　ordered。　〃Where's　your　understanderwhere's　your　top…mounter？〃　She　became　a　circus　ringmaster。　〃Three　up　and　a　roll　for　yours；〃　she　commanded。　The　three　villains　aligned　themselves　on　the　lawn。　One　climbed　to　the　shoulders　of　the　other　and　a　third　found　footing　on　the　second。　They　balanced　there；　presently　to　lean　forward　from　the　summit。　The　girl　played　upon　an　imaginary　snare　drum　with　a　guttural；　throaty　imitation　of　its　roll；　culminating　in　the　〃boom！〃　of　a　bass…drum　as　the　tower　toppled　to　earth。　Its　units；　completing　their　turn　with　somersaults；　again　stood　in　line；　bowing　and　smirking　their　acknowledgments　for　imagined　applause。

The　girl；　a　moment　later；　was　turning　hand…springs。　Merton　had　never　known　that　actors　were　so　versatile。　It　was　an　astounding　profession；　he　thought；　remembering　his　own　registration　card　that　he　had　filled　out　at　the　Holden　office。　His　age；　height；　weight；　hair；　eyes；　and　his　chest　and　waist　measures；　these　had　been　specified；　and　then　he　had　been　obliged　to　write　the　short　〃No〃　after　ride；　drive；　swim；　danceto　write　〃No〃　after　〃Ride？〃　even　in　the　artistically　photographed　presence　of　Buck　Benson　on　horseback！

Yet　in　spite　of　these　disabilities　he　was　now　a　successful　actor　at　an　enormous　salary。　Baird　was　already　saying　that　he　would　soon　have　a　contract　for　him　to　sign　at　a　still　larger　figure。　Seemingly　it　was　a　profession　in　which　you　could　rise　even　if　you　were　not　able　to　turn　hand…springs　or　were　more　or　less　terrified　by　horses　and　deep　water　and　dance　music。

And　the　Montague　girl；　who；　he　now　fervently　hoped；　would　not　be　killed　while　doubling　for　Mrs。　Rosenblatt；　was　a　puzzling　creature。　He　thought　his　hand　must　still　be　warm　from　her　enfolding　of　it；　even　when　work　was　resumed　and　he　saw　her；　with　sunbonnet　pushed　back；　stand　at　the　gate　of　the　little　farmhouse　and　behave　in　an　utterly　brazen　manner　toward　one　of　the　New　York　clubmen　who　was　luring　her　up　to　the　great　city。　She；　who　had　just　confided　to　him　that　she　was　afraid　of　men；　was　now　practically　daring　an　undoubted　scoundrel　to　lure　her　up　to　the　great　city　and　make　a　lady　of　her。　And　she　had　been　afraid　of　all　but　a　clergyman　and　a　stunt　actor！　He　wondered　interestingly　if　she　were　afraid　of　Merton　Gill。　She　seemed　not　to　be。

On　another　day　of　long　waits　they　ate　their　lunch　from　the　cafeteria　box　on　the　steps　of　the　little　home　and　discussed　stage　names。　〃I　guess　we　better　can　that　'Clifford　Armytage'　stuff；〃　she　told　him　as　she　seriously　munched　a　sandwich。　〃We　don't　need　it。　That's　out。　Merton　Gill　is　a　lot　better　name。〃　She　had　used　〃we〃　quite　as　if　it　were　a　community　name。

〃Well；　if　you　think　so〃　he　began　regretfully；　for　Clifford　Armytage　still　seemed　superior　to　the　indistinction　of　Merton　Gill。

〃Sure；　it's　a　lot　better；〃　she　went　on。　〃That　'Clifford　Armytage'　say；　it　reminds　me　of　just　another　such　feckless　dub　as　you　that　acted　with　us　one　time　when　we　all　trouped　in　a　rep　show；　playing　East　Lynne　and　such　things。　He　was　just　as　wise　as　you　are；　and　when　he　joined　out　at　Kansas　City　they　gave　him　a　whole　book　of　the　piece　instead　of　just　his　sides。　He　was　a　quick　study；　at　that；　only　he　learned　everybody's　part　as　well　as　his　own；　and　that　slowed　him。　They　put　him　on　in　Waco；　and　the　manager　was　laid　up；　so　they　told　him　that　after　the　third　act　he　was　to　go　out　and　announce　the　bill　for　the　next　night；　and　he　learned　that　speech；　too。

〃He　got　on　fine　till　the　big　scene　in　the　third　act。　Then　he　went　bloody　because　that　was　as　far　as　he'd　learned；　so　he　just　left　the　scene　cold　and　walked　down　to　the　foots　and　bowed　and　said；　'Ladies　and　gentlemen；　we　thank　you　for　your　attendance　here　this　evening　and　to…morrow　night　we　shall　have　the　honour　of　presenting　Lady　Audley's　Secret。'

〃With　that　he　gave　a　cold　look　to　the　actors　back　of　him　that　were　gasping　like　fish；　and　walked　off。　And　he　was　like　you　in　another　way　because　his　real　name　was　Eddie　Duffy；　and　the　lovely　stage　name　he'd　picked　out　was　Clyde　Maltravers。〃

〃Well；　Clifford　Armytage　is　out；　then；〃　Merton　announced；　feeling　that　he　had　now　buried　a　part　of　his　dead　self　in　a　grave　where　Beulah　Baxter；　the　wonder…woman；　already　lay　interred。　Still；　he　was　conscious　of　a　certain　relief。　The　stage　name　had　been　bothersome。

〃It　ain't　as　if　you　had　a　name　like　mine；〃　the　girl　went　on。　〃I　simply　had　to　have　help。〃

He　wondered　what　her　own　name　was。　He　had　never　heard　her　called　anything　but　the　absurd　and　undignified　〃Flips。〃　She　caught　the　question　he　had　looked。

〃Well；　my　honest…to…God　name　is　Sarah　Nevada　Montague；　Sarah　for　Ma　and　Nevada　for　Reno　where　Ma　had　to　stop　off　for　meshe　was　out　of　the　company　two　weeksand　if　you　ever　tell　a　soul　I'll　have　the　law　on　you。　That　was　a　fine　way　to　abuse　a　helpless　baby；　wasn't　it？〃

〃But　Sarah　is　all　right。　I　like　Sarah。〃

〃Do　you；　Kid？〃　She　patted　his　hand。　〃All　right；　then；　but　it's　only　for　your　personal　use。〃

〃Of　course　the　Nevada〃　he　hesitated。　〃It　does　sound　kind　of　like　a　geography　lesson　or　something。　But　I　think　I'll　call　you　Sarah；　I　mean　when　we're　alone。〃　〃Well；　that's　more　than　Ma　ever　does；　and　you　bet　it'll　never　get　into　my　press　notices。　But　go　ahead　if　you　want　to。〃

〃I　will；　Sarah。　It　sounds　more　like　a　true　woman　than　'Flips。'〃

〃Bless　the　child's　heart；〃　she　murmured；　and　reached　across　the　lunch　box　to　pat　his　hand　again。

〃You're　a　great　little　patter；　Sarah；〃　he　observed　with　one　of　his　infrequent　attempts　at　humour。

On　still　another　day；　while　they　idled　between　scenes；　she　talked　to　him　about　salaries　and　contracts；　again　with　her　important　air　of　mothering　him。

〃After　this　picture；〃　she　told　him；　〃Jeff　was　going　to　sew　you　up　with　a　long…time　contract；　probably　a