hr.thecarpetbaggers-第39节

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　crazily。　Every　other　moment；　I　could　see　his　lips　move　in　silent　curses；　then　he　would　spin　the　dials　again。
　〃Something　wrong　with　the　machine？〃　I　asked。　
　He　looked　up　at　me。　I　could　tell　from　his　look　he　didn't　know　who　I　was。　〃There's　nothing　wrong　with　the　machine；〃　he　said。　
　〃Something's　bothering　you？〃
　〃Look；　buddy；〃　he　said。　〃We　both　need　our　jobs；　right？〃　
　I　nodded。
　〃When　the　boss　tells　yuh　to　make　somebody　look　good；　yuh　do　what　he　says　…　yuh　don't　ask　no　questions。　Right？〃　
　〃Right；〃　I　said。
　〃Well；　I'm　doin'　my　best。　But　I　ain't　God。　I　can't　change　the　sound　of　voices。〃
　I　stared　at　him；　a　kind　of　dismay　creeping　over　me。　I　had　only　Rina's　word　that　Nevada's　voice　test　had　been　O。K。　〃You　mean　Nevada　Smith？〃
　He　shook　his　head。　〃Naah；〃　he　said　contemptuously。　〃He's　O。K。　It's　the　dame。　She　es　over　so　nasal　it　sounds　like　her　voice　is　ing　out　of　her　eyeballs。〃
　The　sound　man　turned　back　to　his　machine。　I　reached　over　and　snatched　the　earphones　off　his　head。　He　turned　angrily。　〃What　the　hell's　the　idea？〃
　But　I　had　them　on　by　then　and　there　was　nothing　he　could　do　but　stand　there。　Nevada　was　speaking。　His　voice　came　through　fine　…　there　was　a　good　sound　to　it。　Then　Cynthia　Randall　began　to　speak　and　I　didn't　know　whether　to　believe　my　eyes　or　my　ears。
　Her　voice　had　all　the　irritating　qualities　of　a　cat　wailing　on　the　back　fence；　with　none　of　the　sexual　implications。　It　shivered　its　way　down　my　spine。　A　voice　like　that　could　put　an　end　to　sex；　even　in　the　fanciest　house　in　New　Orleans。　I　ripped　the　earphones　from　my　head　and　thrust　them　into　the　sound　man's　astonished　hands。　I　started　out　on　the　set。　A　man　grabbed　at　me　but　I　angrily　pushed　him　aside。
　A　voice　yelled；　〃Cut！〃　and　a　sudden　silence　fell　over　the　set。　Everyone　was　staring　at　me　with　strangely　startled　expressions。
　I　was　seething。　All　I　knew　was　that　someone　had　played　me　for　a　patsy　and　I　didn't　like　it。　I　think　the　girl　knew　why　I　was　there。　A　look　of　caution　appeared　in　her　eyes；　even　as　she　tried　to　bring　a　smile　to　her　lips。
　Bernie　Norman　hurried　onto　the　set。　A　flicker　of　relief　showed　in　her　face　and　I　knew　the　whole　story。　She　reached　for　Bernie's　arm　as　he　turned　toward　me。　〃Mr。　Cord；〃　he　asked；　〃is　anything　wrong？〃
　〃Yeah；〃　I　said　grimly。　〃Her。　Get　her　off　the　set。　She's　fired！〃
　〃You　just　can't　do　that；　Mr。　Cord！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃She　has　a　contract　for　this　picture！〃
　〃Maybe　she　has；〃　I　admitted；　〃but　not　with　me。　It　wasn't　my　pen　she　squeezed　the　last　drop　of　ink　out　of。〃
　Bernie　stared　at　me；　the　pale　ing　up　underneath　his　tan。　He　knew　what　I　was　talking　about。　〃This　is　highly　irregular；〃　he　protested。　〃Miss　Randall　is　a　very　important　star。〃
　〃I　don't　care　if　she's　the　Mother　of　God；〃　I　interrupted。　I　held　out　my　wrist　and　looked　down　at　the　watch　and　then　back　up　at　him。　〃You've　got　exactly　five　minutes　to　get　her　off　this　set　or　I'll　close　down　this　picture　and　hit　you　with　the　biggest　lawsuit　you　ever　had！〃
　
　I　sat　down　on　the　canvas　chair　with　my　name　on　it　and　looked　around　the　now　deserted　set。　Only　a　few　people　hovered　about；　moving　like　disembodied　ghosts　at　a　banquet。　I　looked　over　at　the　sound　man　hunched　over　his　control　board；　his　earphones　still　glued　to　his　head。　I　closed　my　eyes　wearily。　It　was　after　ten　o'clock　at　night。
　I　heard　footsteps　approaching　and　opened　my　eyes。　It　was　Dan　Pierce。　He'd　been　on　the　phone　trying　to　borrow　a　star　from　one　of　the　other　studios。　〃Well？〃　I　asked。
　He　shook　his　head　negatively。　〃No　dice。　MGM　wouldn't　lend　us　Garbo。　They're　planning　a　talking　picture　for　her　themselves。〃
　〃What　about　Marion　Davies？〃　
　〃I　just　hung　up　on　her。　She　loves　the　part　but　it　isn't　the　kind　of　thing　she　feels　she　can　do。　Maybe　we　should've　stuck　with　Cynthia　Randall。　It's　costing　you　thirty　grand　a　day　to　sit　around　like　this。〃
　I　lit　the　cigarette　and　stared　up　at　him。　〃I'd　rather　drop　it　now　than　be　laughed　out　of　the　theater　and　lose　it　all　later。〃
　〃Maybe　we　could　bring　an　actress　in　from　New　York？〃　
　〃We　haven't　the　time；〃　I　said。　〃Ten　days；　three　hundred　grand。〃
　Just　then；　Rina　came　up　with　some　sandwiches。　〃I　thought　you'd　be　hungry；〃　she　said；　〃so　I　sent　out　for　these。〃
　I　took　one　and　bit　into　it　somberly。　She　turned　and　gave　one　to　the　second　man。　〃Thanks；　Miss　Marlowe。〃
　〃You're　wele；〃　she　said　and　walked　back　to　where　she'd　been　sitting　with　Nevada。
　〃Too　bad　you　can't　find　one　that　sounds　like　her；〃　the　sound　man　mumbled　through　a　mouthful　of　sandwich。　
　I　looked　at　him。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　
　〃She's　got　somethin'　in　her　voice　that　gets　yuh；〃　he　said。　〃If　it　came　through　on　the　sound　track　like　that；　you'd　have　them　falling　out　of　the　balconies。〃　
　I　stared　at　him　now。　〃You　mean　Rina？〃　
　He　nodded　and　swallowed　his　mouthful。　〃Yeah。〃　A　slow；　meaningful　grin　came　to　his　lips。　〃An'　if　I　ain't　crazy；　she'd　photograph　like　a　roll　in　the　hay；　too。　She's　all　woman。〃　
　I　turned　to　Dan。　〃What　do　you　think？〃　
　〃It's　possible；〃　he　admitted　cautiously。　
　〃Then；　let's　go；〃　I　said；　getting　to　my　feet。　〃Thirty　grand　a　day　is　a　lot　of　money。〃
　Rina　took　it　as　a　big　joke　when　I　asked　her　to　speak　a　few　of　the　lines　into　the　microphone。　She　still　didn't　think　I　meant　it　when　I　called　the　crew　back　for　a　full…scale　screen　test。　I　don't　think　she　took　me　seriously　at　all　until　we　sat　in　the　screening　room　at　two　that　morning　and　watched　her　and　Nevada　play　one　scene。
　I'd　never　seen　anything　like　her　on　the　screen　before。　Whatever　it　was　she　had；　it　was　twice　as　strong　up　there　on　the　screen。　She　just　plain　made　your　mouth　water。
　I　turned　to　her。　〃Go　home　and　go　to　bed。　I　want　you　in　wardrobe　at　six　o'clock　tomorrow　morning。　We　start　shooting　at　nine。〃
　She　shook　her　head。　〃Uh…uh；　Jonas。　The　joke's　gone　far　enough。　I　won't　have　any　part　of　it。〃
　〃You　be　on　that　set　ready　to　shoot　at　nine！〃　I　said　grimly。　〃You're　the　one　who　called；　not　me；　remember？〃
　I　looked　at　Nevada。　There　was　a　puzzled　expression　on　his　face。　And　something　about　the　clear　innocence　in　his　eyes　hit　me　wrong。　〃And　you　better　see　to　it　that　she　shows　up！〃　I　said　angrily。　
　I　turned　and　stormed　out　of　the　projection　room；　leaving　them　staring　after　me　with　shocked　faces。
　
　8
　
　I　OPENED　ONE　EYE　SLOWLY　AND　PEERED　AT　my　wrist　watch。　Two　o'clock！　I　sat　up　quickly　and　the　pain　almost　split　my　skull。　I　groaned　out　loud　and　the　door　opened。
　It　was　Dan；　already　dressed　in　cream…colored　slacks　and　a　loud　sports　shirt。　He　held　a　glass　of　what　looked　like　tomato　juice。　〃Here；〃　he　said。　〃Drink　it　down；　pal。　It'll　wash　the　fuzz　away。〃
　I　lifted　the　glass　to　my　lips。　It　tasted　awful　going　down　but　he　was　right。　A　moment　later；　my　head　began　to　clear。　I　looked　around　the　bedroom。　It　was　a　shambles。　〃Where　are　the　girls？〃　I　asked。
　〃I　paid　them　off　an'　sent　them　home。〃
　〃Good。〃　I　got　to　my　feet　woozily。　〃I　gotta　get　down　to　the　studio。　They　were　going　to　start　shooting　at　nine。〃
　Dan　smiled。　〃I　called　and　told　them　you　were　tied　up　but　would　get　down　there　this　afternoon。　I　figured　it　was　better　if　you　got　some　sleep。　That　was　a　hectic　night。〃
　I　grinned　at　him。　It　sure　was。
　Dan　and　I　had　really　tied　one　on　the　night　before。　I'd　met　him　ing　off　the　set　and　offered　to　give　him　a　lift　downtown。　But　on　the　way　we'd　decided　to　stop　and　eat。　I　was　wound　up　tighter　than　a　dollar　watch　and　he'd　offered　to　help　me　unwind。　Steaks　at　a　spot　he　knew；　which　ought　to　have　been　closed　but　wasn't；　along　with　bourbon　and　later　the　works。　The　works　came　out　of　his　little　black　book；　which　all　agents　seem　to　carry。　I'd　unwound　all　right　but　now　I　wondered　if　they'd　ever　be　able　to　wind　me　up　again。
　His　Jap　houseboy　had　shirred　eggs　and　sausages　ready　when　I　came　out　of　the　shower。　I　was　starved。　I　ate　six　eggs　and　about　a　dozen　of　the　little　bangers。　When　I　put　down　my　fourth　cup　of　coffee　Dan　smiled　and　asked；　〃How　are　yuh　feeling　now？〃
　I　grinned　back　at　him。　〃I　never　felt　better　in　my　life。〃　It　was　true。　For　once　I　felt　relaxed　and　loose。　There　wasn't　the　usual　tightening　in　my　gut　as　I　thought　about　the　day。　〃You　said　something　about　getting　down　to　business？〃
　We'd　talked　the　night　before；　more　than　I　usually　did　with　a　stranger。　But　Dan　Pierce　was　different。　He　was　a　type　I　hadn't　encountered　before　and　he　fascinated　me。　He　was　tough；　shrewd　and　knew　what　he　wanted。　I　was　in　over　my　head　and　I　knew　it。　I　wouldn't　be　for　long；　but　until　I　got　the　hang　of　it　I　could　use　someone　like　Dan　Pierce。　
　〃I　sold　my　agency　this　morning　to　MCA。〃　
　〃What　for？〃
　〃Because　I'm　ing　in　with　you。〃
　〃Aren't　you　jumping　the　gun　a　little？〃　I　asked。　〃I'm　only　in　for　this　one　picture。　What'll　you　do　after　that？〃
　Dan　smiled。　〃That's　what　you　say。　It　even　might　be　what　you　really　believe；　right　now。　But　I　know　different。　You　got　a　feel　for　this　business　…　a　natural　feel　for　it　that　not　many　people　have。　And　there's　a　challenge　that　you　can't　resist。　You　just　found　another　gambling　game。　You'll　stick。〃
　I　sipped　at　the　coffee。　It　was　strong　and　black；　just　the　way　I　liked　it。　〃And　just　how　do　you　figure　you　can　help？〃　I　asked。
　〃Because　I　know　all　the　angles　in　this　business；　all　the　dirty　tricks　it　would　take　you　a　long　time　to　find　out　about。　You're　a　busy　man　and　time's　t