merton of the movies-第25章

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ust　be　a　little　dulled。

〃Now；　Paul；　get　about　three　medium　shots　along　here。　There's　a　good　tableget　that　bunch。　And　not　quite　so　solemn；　people；　don't　overdo　it。　You　think　you're　having　a　good　time；　even　if　it　does　turn　to　ashes　in　your　mouthnow；　ready；　lights！　Camera！〃

〃I　like　Western　stuff　better；〃　confided　Merton　to　his　companion。　She　considered　this；　though　retaining　her　arch　manner。　〃Well；　I　don't　know。　I　done　a　Carmencita　part　in　a　dance…hall　scene　last　month　over　to　the　Bigart；　and　right　in　the　mi'st　of　the　fight　I　get　a　glass　of　somethin'　all　over　my　gown　that　practically　rooned　it。　I　guess　I　rather　do　this　refined　cabaret　stuffat　least　you　ain't　so　li'ble　to　roon　a　gown。　Still　and　all；　after　you　been　warmin'　the　extra　bench　for　a　month　one　can't　be　choosy。　Say；　there's　the　princ'ples　comin'　on　the　set。〃

He　looked　around。　There；　indeed；　was　the　beautiful　Muriel　Mercer；　radiant　in　an　evening　frock　of　silver。　At　the　moment　she　was　putting　a　few　last　touches　to　her　perfect　face　from　a　make…up　box　held　by　a　maid。　Standing　with　her　was　another　young　woman；　not　nearly　so　beautiful；　and　three　men。　Henshaw　was　instructing　these。　Presently　he　called　through　his　megaphone：　〃You　people　are　excited　by　the　entrance　of　the　famous　Vera　Vanderpool　and　her　friends。　You　stop　drinking；　break　off　your　talk；　stare　at　hersee　what　I　mean？she　makes　a　sensation。　Music；　lights；　camera！〃

Down　the　set；　escorted　by　a　deferential　head…waiter；　came　Muriel　Mercer　on　the　arm　of　a　middle…aged　man　who　was　elaborately　garnished　but　whose　thin　dyed　mustaches；　partially　bald　head；　and　heavy　eyes；　proclaimed　him　to　Merton　Gill　as　one　who　meant　the　girl　no　good。　They　were　followed　by　the　girl　who　was　not　so　beautiful　and　the　other　two　men。　These　were　young　chaps　of　pleasing　exterior　who　made　the　progress　laughingly。　The　five　were　seated　at　a　table　next　the　dancing　space　at　the　far　end。　They　chatted　gayly　as　the　older　man　ordered　importantly　from　the　head…waiter。　Muriel　Mercer　tapped　one　of　the　younger　men　with　her　plumed　fan　and　they　danced。　Three　other　selected　couples　danced　at　the　same　time；　though　taking　care　not　to　come　between　the　star　and　the　grinding　camera。　The　older　man　leered　at　the　star　and　nervously　lighted　a　gold…tipped　cigarette　which　he　immediately　discarded　after　one　savage　bite　at　it。　It　could　be　seen　that　Vera　Vanderpool　was　the　gayest　of　all　that　gay　throng。　Upon　her　as　yet　had　come　no　blight　of　Broadway；　though　she　shrank　perceptibly　when　the　partially　bald　one　laid　his　hand　on　her　slender　wrist　as　she　resumed　her　seat。　Food　and　wine　were　brought。　Vera　Vanderpool　drank；　with　a　pretty　flourish　of　her　glass。

Now　the　two　cameras　were　moved　forward　for　close…ups。　The　older　man　was　caught　leering　at　Vera。　It　would　surely　be　seen　that　he　was　not　one　to　trust。　Vera　was　caught　with　the　mad　light　of　pleasure　in　her　beautiful　eyes。　Henshaw　was　now　speaking　in　low　tones　to　the　group；　and　presently　Vera　Vanderpool　did　a　transition。　The　mad　light　of　pleasure　died　from　her　eyes　and　the　smile　froze　on　her　beautiful　mouth。　A　look　almost　of　terror　came　into　her　eyes；　followed　by　a　pathetic　lift　of　the　upper　lip。　She　stared　intently　above　the　camera。　She　was　beholding　some　evil　thing　far　from　that　palace　of　revels。

〃Now　they'll　cut　back　to　the　tenement…house　stuff　they　shot　last　week；〃　explained　the　Spanish　girl。

〃Tenement　house？〃　queried　Merton。　〃But　I　thought　the　story　would　be　that　she　falls　in　love　with　a　man　from　the　great　wind…swept　spaces　out　West；　and　goes　out　there　to　live　a　clean　open　life　with　him　that's　the　way　I　thought　it　would　beout　there　where　she　could　forget　the　blight　of　Broadway。〃

〃No；　Mercer　never　does　Western　stuff。　I　got　a　little　girl　friend　workin'　with　her　and　she　told　me　about　this　story。　Mercer　gets　into　this　tenement　house　down　on　the　east　side；　and　she's　a　careless　society　butterfly；　but　all　at　once　she　sees　what　a　lot　of　sorrow　there　is　in　this　world　when　she　sees　these　people　in　the　tenement　house；　starving　to　death；　and　sick　kids　and　everything；　and　this　little　friend　of　mine　does　an　Italian　girl　with　a　baby　and　this　old　man　here；　he's　a　rich　swell　and　prominent　in　Wall　Street　and　belongs　to　all　the　clubs；　but　he's　the　father　of　this　girl's　child；　only　Mercer　don't　know　that　yet。　But　she　gets　aroused　in　her　better　nature　by　the　sight　of　all　this　trouble；　and　she　almost　falls　in　love　with　another　gentleman　who　devotes　all　his　time　to　relieving　the　poor　in　these　tenementsit　was　him　who　took　her　therebut　still　she　likes　a　good　time　as　well　as　anybody；　and　she's　stickin'　around　Broadway　and　around　this　old　guy　who's　pretty　good　company　in　spite　of　his　faults。　But　just　now　she　got　a　shock　at　remembering　the　horrible　sights　she　has　seen；　she　can't　get　it　out　of　her　mind。　And　pretty　soon　she'll　see　this　other　gentleman　that　she　nearly　fell　in　love　with；　the　one　who　hangs　around　these　tenements　doing　good　he'll　be　over　at　one　of　them　tables　and　she'll　leave　her　party　and　go　over　to　his　table　and　say；　'Take　me　from　this　heartless　Broadway　to　your　tenements　where　I　can　relieve　their　suffering；'　so　she　goes　out　and　gets　in　a　taxi　with　him；　leaving　the　old　guy　with　not　a　thing　to　do　but　pay　the　check。　Of　course　he's　mad；　and　he　follows　her　down　to　the　tenements　where　she's　relieving　the　poorjust　in　a　plain　black　dressand　she　finds　out　he's　the　real　father　of　this　little　friend　of　mine's　child；　and　tells　him　to　go　back　to　Broadway　while　she　has　chosen　the　better　part　and　must　live　her　life　with　these　real　people。　But　he　sends　her　a　note　that's　supposed　to　be　from　a　poor　woman　dying　of　something；　to　come　and　bring　her　some　medicine；　and　she　goes　off　alone　to　this　dive　in　another　street；　and　it's　the　old　guy　himself　who　has　sent　the　note；　and　he　has　her　there　in　this　cellar　in　his　power。　But　the　other　gentleman　has　found　the　note　and　has　follered　her；　and　breaks　in　the　door　and　puts　up　a　swell　fight　with　the　old　guy　and　some　toughs　he　has　hired；　and　gets　her　off　safe　and　sound；　and　so　they're　married　and　live　the　real　life　far　away　from　the　blight　of　Broadway。　It's　a　swell　story；　all　right；　but　Mercer　can't　act　it。　This　little　friend　of　mine　can　act　all　around　her。　She'd　be　a　star　if　only　she　was　better　lookin'。　You　bet　Mercer　don't　allow　any　lookers　on　the　same　set　with　her。　Do　you　make　that　one　at　the　table　with　her　now？　Just　got　looks　enough　to　show　Mercer　off。　Mercer's　swell…lookin'；　I'll　give　her　that；　but　for　actin'say；　all　they　need　in　a　piece　for　her　is　just　some　stuff　to　go　in　between　her　close…ups。　Don't　make　much　difference　what　it　is。　Oh；　look！　There　comes　the　dancers。　It's　Luzon　and　Mario。〃

Merton　Gill　looked。　These　would　be　hired　dancers　to　entertain　the　pleasure…mad　throng；　a　young　girl　with　vine　leaves　in　her　hair　and　a　dark　young　man　of　barbaric　appearance。　The　girl　was　clad　in　a　mere　whisp　of　a　girdle　and　shining　breast　plates；　while　the　man　was　arrayed　chiefly　in　a　coating　of　dark　stain。　They　swirled　over　the　dance　floor　to　the　broken　rhythm　of　the　orchestra；　now　clinging；　now　apart；　working　to　a　climax　in　which　the　man　poised　with　his　partner　perched　upon　one　shoulder。　Through　the　megaphone　came　instructions　to　applaud　the　couple；　and　Broadway　applaudedall　but　Merton　Gill；　who　stared　moodily　into　his　coffee　cup　or　lifted　bored　eyes　to　the　scene　of　revelry。　He　was　not　bored；　but　his　various　emotions　combined　to　produce　this　effect　very　plausibly。　He　was　dismayed　at　this　sudden　revelation　of　art　in　the　dance　so　near　him。　Imogene　Pulver　had　once　done　an　art　dance　back　in　Simsbury；　at　the　cantata　of　Esther　in　the　vestry　of　the　Methodist　church；　and　had　been　not　a　little　criticised　for　her　daring；　but　Imogene　had　been　abundantly　clad；　and　her　gestures　much　more　restrained。　He　was　trying　now　to　picture　how　Gashwiler　would　take　a　thing　like　this；　or　Mrs。　Gashwiler；　for　that　matter！　One　glimpse　of　those　practically　unclad　bodies　skipping　and　bounding　there　would　probably　throw　them　into　a　panic。　They　couldn't　have　sat　it　through。　And　here　he　was；　right　up　in　front　of　them；　and　not　turning　a　hair。

This　reflection　permitted　something　of　the　contemptuous　to　show　in　the　random　glances　with　which　he　swept　the　dancers？　He　could　not　look　at　them　steadily；　not　when　they　were　close；　as　they　often　were。　Also；　he　l