hr.thecarpetbaggers-第114节

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　When　the　clothing　arrived；　I　had　them　leave　it　in　his　bedroom。　Then　the　buzzer　sounded　again　and　I　cursed　to　myself　as　I　went　to　the　door。　I　was　beginning　to　feel　like　a　bloody　butler。　I　opened　the　door。　〃Hello；　Mr。　Cord。〃
　It　was　a　child's　voice。　I　looked　down　in　surprise。　Jo…Ann　was　standing　next　to　Monica；　clutching　the　doll　I　had　given　her　in　one　hand　and　her　mother's　coat　in　the　other。
　〃McAllister　sent　me　a　telegram；　on　the　train；〃　Monica　explained。　〃He　said　you'd　probably　be　here。　Did　you　find　Amos？〃
　I　stared　at　her　dumbly。　Mac　must　be　losing　his　marbles。　He　must　have　known　there　was　a　three…hour　layover　in　Chicago　and　that　Monica　would　show　up　here。　What　if　I　didn't　want　to　see　her？
　〃Did　you　find　Amos？〃　Monica　repeated。
　〃Yes；　I　found　him。〃
　〃Oh；　goody；〃　Jo…Ann　suddenly　exclaimed；　spotting　the　breakfast　table。　〃I'm　hungry。〃　She　ran　past　me　and　climbing　up　on　a　chair；　picked　up　a　piece　of　toast。　I　stared　after　her　in　surprise。
　Monica　looked　up　at　me　apologetically。　〃I'm　sorry；　Jonas；〃　she　said。　〃You　know　how　children　are。〃
　〃You　said　we'd　have　breakfast　with　Mr。　Cord；　Mommy。〃
　Monica　blushed。　〃Jo…Ann！〃
　〃It's　all　right；〃　I　said。　〃Won't　you　e　in？〃
　She　came　into　the　room　and　I　closed　the　door。　〃I'll　order　some　breakfast　for　you；〃　I　said；　going　to　the　telephone。
　Monica　smiled。　〃Just　coffee　for　me；〃　she　said；　taking　off　her　coat。
　〃Is　the　doctor　here　yet；　Jonas？〃
　Monica　stared。
　I　stared。
　Jennie　stood　in　the　open　doorway；　her　long　blond　hair　spilling　down　over　the　dark　mink　coat；　which　she　held　wrapped　around　her　like　a　robe。　Her　bare　neck　and　legs　made　it　obvious　she　wore　nothing　beneath　it。
　The　smile　had　gone　from　Monica's　face。　Her　eyes　were　cold　as　she　turned　to　me。　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Jonas；〃　　she　said　stiffly。　〃I　should　have　known　from　experience　to　call　before　I　came　up。〃
　She　crossed　the　room　and　took　the　child's　hand。　〃e　on；　Jo…Ann。〃
　They　were　almost　to　the　door　before　I　found　my　voice。　〃Wait　a　minute；　Monica；〃　I　said　harshly。
　Amos'　voice　cut　me　off。　〃Ah；　just　in　time；　child；〃　he　said　calmly。　〃We　can　leave　together。〃
　I　turned　to　look　at　him。　The　sick；　dirty　old　man　we　had　found　in　the　bar　last　night　had　disappeared。　It　was　the　Amos　of　old　who　stood　there；　dressed　neatly　in　a　gray；　pin…striped；　double…breasted　suit；　with　a　dark　chesterfield　thrown　casually　over　his　arm。　He　was　every　inch　the　senior　executive；　the　man　in　charge。
　There　was　a　faintly　malicious　smile　on　his　lips　as　he　crossed　the　room　and　turned；　his　hand　on　the　door。　〃My　children　and　I　do　not　wish　to　impose…　〃　He　paused　and　bowed　slightly　in　the　direction　of　Jennie。　Angrily　I　started　toward　the　door。　I　opened　it　and　heard　the　elevator　doors　open　and　close；　then　there　was　silence　in　the　hall。
　〃I'm　sorry；　Jonas；〃　Jennie　said。　〃I　didn't　mean　to　louse　things　up　for　you。〃
　I　looked　at　her。　Her　eyes　were　large　with　sympathy。　〃You　didn't　do　anything；〃　I　said。　〃Things　were　loused　up　a　long　time　ago。〃
　I　went　to　the　bar　and　poured　myself　a　drink。　All　the　good　feeling　had　gone。　This　was　the　last　time　I'd　ever　play　the　good　Samaritan。　I　swallowed　the　drink　and　turned　back　to　Jennie。　〃Did　you　ever　get　laid　in　a　mink　coat？〃　I　asked　angrily。
　There　was　sadness　and　understanding　on　her　face。　〃No。〃
　I　poured　myself　another　drink　and　swallowed　it。　We　stood　there；　looking　at　each　other　silently　across　the　room　for　a　moment。　Finally；　I　spoke。　〃Well？〃
　Her　eyes　still　on　mine；　she　nodded　slowly。　Then　she　raised　her　arms　and　held　them　out　toward　me；　the　coat　falling　open；　away　from　her　naked　body。　When　she　spoke；　there　was　a　note　in　her　voice　as　if　she'd　always　known　that　this　was　the　way　it　was　going　to　be。　〃e　to　mother；　baby；〃　she　whispered　gently。
　
　The　Story　of
JENNIE　DENTON
　…
　Book　Eight
　
　1
　
　JENNIE　WALKED　THROUGH　THE　CURTAINED　DOORWAY　INTO　THE　CAMERA　and　the　director　shouted；　〃Cut！　Wrap　it　up！〃　And　it　was　over。
　She　stood　there　for　a　moment；　dazed；　blinking　her　eyes　for　a　moment　as　the　powerful　kliegs　dimmed。　Then　the　oppressive　August　heat　came　down　on　her　and　she　felt　faint。　She　reached　out　a　hand　to　steady　herself。　As　if　from　a　distance；　she　heard　the　giant　sound　stage　turn　into　bedlam。　It　seemed　that　everybody　was　laughing　and　talking　at　once。
　Someone　pressed　a　glass　of　water　into　her　hands。　She　drank　it　quickly；　gratefully。　Suddenly；　she　began　to　shiver；　feeling　a　chill；　and　the　dresser　quickly　threw　a　robe　over　her　shoulders；　covering　the　diaphanous　costume。　〃Thank　you；〃　she　whispered。
　〃You're　wele；　Miss　Denton；〃　the　dresser　said。　He　looked　at　her　peculiarly　for　a　moment。　〃You　feeling　all　right？〃
　〃I'm　fine；〃　Jennie　said。　She　felt　cold　perspiration　breaking　out　on　her　forehead。　The　dresser　gestured　and　the　make…up　man　hurried　up。　He　swabbed　at　her　face　quickly　with　a　moist　sponge。　The　faint　aroma　of　witch　hazel　came　up　in　her　nostrils　and　she　began　to　feel　better。
　〃Miss　Denton；〃　the　make…up　man　said；　〃you'd　better　lie　down　for　a　while。　You're　exhausted。〃
　Docilely　she　let　him　lead　her　back　to　the　small　portable　dressing　room。　She　looked　back　over　her　shoulder　as　she　went　in。　The　bottles　were　out　and　the　whisky　flowing。　Everyone　was　gathered　around　the　director；　shouting　congratulations；　supplying　him　with　the　adoration　they　felt　necessary　to　insure　their　employment　on　his　next　picture。　Already；　they　seemed　to　have　forgotten　her。
　She　closed　the　door　behind　her　and　stretched　out　on　the　cot。　She　closed　her　eyes　wearily。　The　three　months　the　picture　was　supposed　to　take　had　stretched　out　into　five。　Five　months　of　day…and…night　shooting；　of　exhaustion；　of　getting　up　at　five　o'clock　in　the　morning　and　falling　into　bed　like　a　stone　at　midnight；　and　sometimes　later。　Five　months；　until　all　the　meaning　that　had　been　in　the　script　was　lost　in　a　maze　of　retakes；　rewrites　and　plain　confusion。
　She　began　to　shiver　again　and　pulled　the　light　wool　blanket　up　over　her　and　lay　there　trembling。　She　closed　her　eyes。　She　turned　on　her　side；　drawing　her　knees　up　and　hugging　herself。　Slowly　the　heat　from　her　body　condensed　around　her　and　she　began　to　feel　better。
　When　she　opened　her　eyes；　Ilene　Gaillard　was　seated　on　a　chair　opposite。　She　hadn't　even　heard　her　e　into　the　small　room。　〃Hello；〃　Jennie　said；　sitting　up。　〃Was　I　asleep　long？〃
　Ilene　smiled。　〃About　an　hour。　You　needed　it。〃
　〃I　feel　so　silly；〃　Jennie　said。　〃I　usually　don't　go　off　like　that。　But　I　felt　so　weak。〃
　〃You've　been　under　a　terrible　strain。　But　you　have　nothing　to　worry　about。　When　this　picture　es　out；　you're　going　to　be　a　big　star　…　one　of　the　biggest。〃
　〃I　hope　so；〃　Jennie　said　humbly。　She　looked　at　Ilene。　〃When　I　think　of　all　those　people；　how　hard　they　worked　and　how　much　they　put　into　the　picture。　I　couldn't　bear　it　if　I　turned　out　to　be　a　disappointment　to　them。〃
　〃You　won't。　From　what　I　saw　of　the　rushes；　you　were　great。〃　Ilene　got　to　her　feet　and　looked　down　at　Jennie。　〃I　think　you　could　use　a　hot　drink。〃
　Jennie　smiled　when　she　saw　Ilene　take　down　the　can　of　cocoa。　〃Chocolate？〃
　〃Why　not？〃　Ilene　said。　〃It　will　give　you　more　energy　than　tea。　Besides；　you　don't　have　to　worry　about　your　diet　any　more。　The　picture　is　finished。〃
　〃Thank　God　for　that；〃　Jennie　said；　standing　up。　〃One　more　lunch　of　cottage　cheese　and　I　was　ready　to　throw　up。〃　She　crossed　the　tiny　room　to　the　closet。　〃I　might　as　well　get　out　of　this。〃
　Ilene　nodded。　She　watched　as　Jennie　slipped　out　of　the　costume　…　the　sheer；　flowing　silk　harem　pantaloons；　the　diaphanous　gauze　blouse　and　gold…beaded　blue　velvet　jacket　that　had　been　her　costume　in　the　last　scene。　She　scanned　the　girl's　figure　appreciatively；　her　designer's　eyes　pleased　with　what　she　saw。
　She　was　glad　now　that　Jonas　had　sent　for　her。　She　had　not　felt　that　way　at　first。　She　hadn't　wanted　to　e　back　to　Hollywood；　back　to　the　gossip；　the　jockeying　for　importance；　the　petty　jealousies。　But　most　of　all；　she　hadn't　wanted　to　e　back　to　the　memories。
　But　as　she'd　studied　the　photograph；　something　about　the　girl　had　drawn　her　back。　She　could　understand　what　Jonas　had　seen　in　her。　There　was　something　of　Rina　about　her　but　she　also　had　a　quality　that　was　peculiarly　her　own。
　It　wasn't　until　she'd　studied　the　photograph　a　long　while　that　she　realized　what　it　was。　It　was　the　strangely　ascetic　translucence　that　shone　from　the　photograph　despite　its　purely　sensuous　appeal。　The　eyes　in　the　picture　looked　out　at　you　with　the　clear　innocence　of　a　child；　behind　their　worldly　knowledge。　It　was　the　face　of　a　girl　who　had　kept　her　soul　untouched；　no　matter　what　she　had　experienced。
　Jennie　fastened　her　brassière　and　pulled　the　thick　black　sweater　down　until　it　met　the　top　of　her　baggy　slacks。　She　sat　down　and　took　the　cup　of　steaming　chocolate　from　Ilene。　〃Suddenly；　I'm　empty；〃　she　said；　sipping　at　it。　〃I'm　all　used　up。〃
　Ilene　smiled　and　tasted　her　own　cup　of　chocolate。　〃Everyone　feels　like　that　when　a　picture　is　finished。〃
　〃I　feel　that　I　could　never　make　another　movie；〃　Jennie　continued　thoughtfully。　〃That　another　part　wouldn't　make　any　sense　to　me　at　all。　Somehow；　it's　like　all　of　me　went　into　this　picture　and　I've　nothing　left　at　all。〃
　Ilene　smiled　again。　〃That　will　disappear　the　moment　they　put　the　next　script　into　your　hands。〃
　〃Do　you　think　so？〃　Jennie　asked。