sidneysheldon.astrangerinthemirror-第13部分

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a　glass　of　beer。　The　floor　show　took　place　in　a　small　cleared　area　at　the　far　end　of　the　room；　where　three　bored　musicians　played。　A　homosexual　singer　opened　the　show；　followed　by　an　acrobatic　dancer　in　a　leotard；　and　then　a　stripper　who　worked　with　a　somnolent　cobra。　
　Toby　sat　at　a　table　in　the　back　of　the　room　with　Clifton　Lawrence　and　O'Hanlon　and　Rainger；　watching　the　other　acts；　listening　to　the　audience；　trying　to　gauge　its　mood。　
　〃Beer　drinkers；〃　Toby　said　contemptuously。　
　Clifton　started　to　retort；　then　looked　at　Toby's　face　aad　checked　himself。　Toby　was　scared。　Clifton　knew　that　Toby　had　played　places　like　this　before；　but　this　time　was　different。　This　was　the　test。　Clifton　said　gently；　
　〃If　you　can　put　the　beer　drinkers　in　your　pocket；　the　champagne　crowd　will　be　a　pushover。　These　people　work　hard　all　day；　Toby。　When　they　go　out　at　night；　they　want　their　nickel's　worth。　If　you　can　make　them　laugh；　you　can　make　anyone　laugh。〃　
　At　that　moment；　Toby　heard　the　bored　voice　announce　his　name。　
　〃Give　'em　hell；　tiger！　〃　O'Hanlon　said。　Toby　was　on。　
　
　He　stood　on　the　stage；　on　guard　and　tense；　appraising　the　audience　like　a　wary　animal　sniffing　for　danger　in　a　forest。　An　audience　was　a　beast　with　a　hundred　heads；　each　one　different；　and　he　had　to　make　the　beast　laugh。　He　took　a　deep　breath。　Love　me；　he　prayed。　He　went　into　his　act。　And　no　one　was　listening　to　him。　No　one　was　laughing。　Toby　could　feel　the　flop　sweat　begin　to　pop　out　on　his　forehead。　The　act　was　not　working。　He　kept　his　smile　pasted　on　and　went　on　talking　over　the　loud　noise　and　conversation。　He　could　not　get　their　attention。　They　wanted　the　naked　broads　back。　They　had　been　exposed　on　too　many　Saturday　nights　to　too　many　talentless；　unfunny　edians。　Toby　kept　talking；　in　the　face　of　their　indifference。　He　went　on　because　there　was　nothing　else　he　could　do。　He　looked　out　and　saw　Clifton　Lawrence　and　the　boys；　watching　him　with　worried　expressions。　Toby　continued。　There　was　no　audience　in　the　room；　people；　talking　to　one　another；　discussing　their　problems　their　lives。　For　all　they　cared；　Toby　Temple　could　have　been　a　million　miles　away。　Or　dead。　His　throat　was　dry　now　for　fear；　and　it　was　being　hard　to　get　the　words　out。　From　the　corner　of　his　eye；　Toby　saw　the　manager　start　toward　the　bandstand。　He　was　going　to　begin　the　music；　pull　the　plug　on　him。　It　was　all　over。　Toby's　palms　were　wet　and　his　bowels　had　turned　to　water。　He　could　feel　hot　urine　trickle　down　his　leg。　He　was　so　nervous　that　he　was　beginning　to　mix　tip　his　words。　He　did　not　dare　look　at　Clifton　Lawrence　or　the　writers。　He　was　too　filled　with　shame。　The　manager　was　at　the　bandstand；　talking　to　the　musicians。　They　glanced　over　at　Toby　and　nodded。　Toby　went　on；　talking　desperately；　wanting　it　to　be　over；　wanting　to　run　away　somewhere　and　hide。　A　middle…aged　woman　seated　at　a　table　directly　in　front　of　Toby　giggled　at　one　of　his　jokes。　Her　panions　stopped　to　listen。　Toby　kept　talking；　in　a　frenzy。　The　others　at　the　table　were　listening　now；　laughing。　And　then　the　next　table。　And　the　next。　And；　slowly；　the　talking　began　to　the　down。　They　were　listening　to　him。　The　laughs　were　starting　to　e；　long　and　regular；　and　they　were　getting　bigger；　and　building；　and　building。　The　people　in　the　room　had　bee　an　audience。　And　he　had　them。　He　fucking　had　them！　It　no　longer　mattered　that　he　was　in　a　cheap　saloon　filled　with　beer…drinking　slobs。　All　that　mattered　was　their　laughter；　and　their　love。　It　came　out　on　Toby　in　waves。　First　he　had　them　laughing；　then　he　had　them　screaming。　They　had　never　heard　anything　like　him；　not　in　this　crummy　place；　not　anywhere。　They　applauded　and　they　jeered　and　before　they　were　through；　they　damned　near　tore　the　place　apart。　They　were　witnessing　the　birth　of　a　phenomenon。　Of　course；　they　could　not　know　that。　But　Clifton　Lawrence　and　O'Hanlon　and　Rainger　knew　it。　And　Toby　Temple　knew　it。　God　had　finally　e　through。　
　
　Reverend　Damian　shoved　the　blazing　torch　into　Josephiine's　face　and　screamed；　〃O　God　Almighty；　burn　away　the　evil　in　this　sinful　child；〃　and　the　congregation　roared　〃Amen！〃　And　Josephine　could　feel　the　flame　licking　at　her　face　and　the　Reverend　Damian　yelled　out；　〃Help　this　sinner　exorcise　the　Devil；　0　God。　We　will　pray　him　out；　we　will　burn　him　out；　we　will　drown　him　out；〃　and　hands　grabbed　Josephine；　and　her　face　was　suddenly　plunged　into　a　wooden　tub　of　cold　water；　and　she　was　held　under　while　voices　chanted　into　the　night　air；　beseeching　the　Almighty　One　for　His　help；　and　Josephine　struggled　to　get　loose；　fighting　for　breath；　and　when　they　finally　pulled　her　out；　half…conscious；　the　Reverend　Damian　declared；　〃We　thank　you；　sweet　Jesus；　for　your　mercy。　She　is　saved！　She　is　saved！〃　And　there　was　great　rejoicing；　and　everyone　was　raised　in　spirit。　Except　Josephine；　whose　headaches　became　worse。　
　　
　〃I've　gotten　you　a　booking　in　Las　Vegas；〃　Clifton　Lawice　told　Toby。　〃I've　arranged　for　Dick　Landry　to　work　on　ur　act。　He's　the　best　nightclub　director　in　the　business。〃　
　〃Fantastic！　Which　hotel？　The　Flamingo？　The　Thunderbird？〃　
　〃The　Oasis。〃　
　〃The　Oasis！〃　Toby　looked　at　Cliff　to　see　if　he　was　ang。　
　〃I　never　〃　。　
　〃I　know。〃　Cliff　smiled。　〃You　never　heard　of　it。　Fair　enough。　They　never　heard　of　you。　They're　really　not　booking　youthey're　booking　me。　They're　taking　my　word　that　u're　good。〃　
　〃Don't　worry；〃　Toby　promised。　〃I　will　be。〃　
　Toby　broke　the　news　to　Alice　Tanner　about　his　Las　Vegas　booking　just　before　he　was　to　leave。　
　〃I　know　you're　to　be　a　big　star；〃　she　said。　〃It's　your　time。　They'll　prey　you；　darling。〃　She　hugged　him　and　said；　〃When　do　we　go；　and　what　do　I　wear　to　the　opening　night　of　a　young　ic　genius？〃　
　Toby　shook　his　head　ruefully。　〃I　wish　I　could　take　you；　honey。　The　trouble　is　I'll　be　working　night　and　day　thinking　a　lot　of　new　material。〃　
　She　tried　to　conceal　her　disappointment。　〃I　understand。〃　
　it　held　him　tighter。　〃How　long　will　you　be　gone？〃　
　〃I　don't　know　yet。　You　see；　it's　kind　of　an　open　booking。〃　
　She　felt　a　small　stab　of　worry；　but　she　knew　that　she　was　being　silly。　〃Call　me　the　moment　you　can；〃　she　said。　Toby　kissed　her　and　danced　out　the　door。　
　
　It　was　as　though　Las　Vegas；　Nevada；　had　been　created　for　the　sole　pleasure　of　Toby　Temple。　He　felt　it　the　moment　he　saw　the　town。　It　had　a　marvelous　kinetic　energy　that　he　responded　to；　a　pulsating　power　that　matched　the　power　burning　inside　him。　Toby　flew　in　with　O'Hanlon　and　Rainger；　and　when　they　arrived　at　the　airport；　a　limousine　from　the　Oasis　Hotel　was　waiting　for　them。　It　was　Toby's　first　taste　of　the　wonderful　world　that　was　soon　to　be　his。　He　enjoyed　leaning　back　in　the　huge　car　and　having　the　chauffeur　ask；　
　〃Did　you　have　a　nice　flight；　Mr。　Temple？〃　
　There　was　always　the　little　people　who　could　smell　a　success　even　before　it　happened；　Toby　thought。　
　〃It　was　the　usual　bore；〃　Toby　said　carelessly。　He　caught　the　smile　that　O'Hanlon　and　Rainger　exchanged；　and　he　grinned　back　at　them。　He　felt　very　close　to　them。　They　were　all　a　fame；　the　best　god　damned　team　in　show　business。　The　Oasis　was　off　the　glamorous　strip；　far　removed　from　the　more　famous　hotels。　As　the　limousine　approached　the　hotel；　Toby　saw　that　it　was　not　as　large　or　as　fancy　as　the　Flamingo　or　the　Thunderbird；　but　it　had　something　better；　much　better。　It　had　a　giant　marquee　in　front　that　read：　OPENING　SEPT。　4TH　LILI　WALLACE　TOBY　TEMPLE　
　Toby's　name　was　in　dazzling　letters　that　seemed　a　hundred　feet　high。　No　sight　was　as　beautiful　as　this　in　the　whole　goddamned　world。　
　〃Look　at　that！〃　he　said　in　awe。　O'Hanlon　glanced　at　the　sign　and　said；　
　〃Yeah！　How　about　that？　Lili　Wallace！〃　And　he　laughed。　〃Don't　worry；　Toby。　After　the　opening　you'll　be　on　top　of　her。〃　
　The　manager　of　the　Oasis；　a　middle…aged；　sallow…faced　man　named　Parker；　greeted　Toby　and　personally　escorted　him　to　his　suite；　fawning　all　the　way。　
　〃I　can't　tell　you　how　pleased　we　are　to　have　you　with　us；　Mr。　Temple。　If　there's　a　anything　at　all　you　needanythingjust　give　me　a　call。〃　
　The　wele；　Toby　realized；　was　for　Clifton　Lawrence。　This　was　the　first　time　the　fabulous　agent　had　deigned　to　book　someone　of　his　clients　into　this　hotel。　The　manager　of　the　Oasis　hoped　that　now　the　hotel　would　get　some　of　Lawrence's　fantastically　big　stars。　
　The　suite　was　enormous。　It　consisted　of　three　bedrooms；　large　living　room；　a　kitchen；　a　bar　and　a　terrace。　On　a　table　in　the　living　room　were　bottles　of　assorted　liquors；　flowers　and　a　large　bowl　of　fresh　fruit　and　cheeses；　pliments　of　the　management。　
　〃I　hope　this　will　be　satisfactory；　Mr。　Temple；〃　Parker　said。　
　Toby　looked　around　and　thought　of　all　the　dreary　little　cockroach…ridden　fleabag　hotel　rooms　he　had　lived　in。　
　〃Yeah。　t's　okay。〃
　〃Mr。　Landry　checked　in　an　hour　ago。　I've　arranged　to　the　Mirage　Room　for　your　rehearsal　at　three　o'clock。〃　
　〃Thanks。〃　
　〃Remember；　if　there's　anything　at　all　you　need　〃　And　the　manager　bowed　himself　out。　Toby　stood　there；　savoring　his　surroundings。　He　was　to　live　in　places　like　this　for　the　rest　of　his　life。　He'll　have　it　all　　the　broads；　the　money；　the　applause。　Mostly　the　applause。　People　sitting　out　there　laughing　and　cheering　and　loving　him。　That　was　his　food　and　drink。　He　did　not　need　anything　else。　
　
　Dick　Landry　was　in　his　late　twenties；　a　slight；　thin　man　with　an　alopecian　head　and　long；　graceful　legs。　He　had　started　out　as　a　gypsy　on　Broadway　and　had　graduated　from　the　chorus　to　lead　dancer　to　choreographer　to　director。　Landry　had　taste　and　a　sense　of　what　an　audience　wanted。　He　could　not　make　a　bad　act　good；　but　he　could　make　it　look　good；　and　if　he　was　given　a　good　act；　he　could　make　it　sensational。　
　Until　ten　days　ago；　Landry　had　never　heard　of　Toby　Temple；　and　the　only　reason　Landry　had　cut　into　his　frantic　schedule　e　to　Las　Vegas　and　stage　Temple's　act　was　because　
　
　Toby　dropped　his　spoon。　
　〃A　thousand　a　week？　That's　fantastic。　Cliff！〃　
　〃And　I've　had　a　couple　of　feelers　from　the　Thunderbird　and　the　El　Rancho　Hotel。〃　
　〃Already？〃　Toby　asked；　elated。　
　〃Don't　wet　your　pants。　It's　just　to　play　the　lounge。〃　He　smiled。　〃It's　the　old　story；　Toby。　To　me　you're　a　headliner；　and　to　you　you're　a　headliner　　but　to　a　headliner；　are　you　a　headliner？〃　He　stood　up。　〃I　have　to　catch　a　plane　t