hr.thecarpetbaggers-第42节
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10
WE PLETED THE PICTURE IN FOUR WEEKS。 Nevada knew what was happening but he never said a word。 Two weeks after that； we held the first sneak preview at a theater out in the valley。
I got there late and the studio publicity man let me in。 〃There are only a few seats left on the side； Mr。 Cord；〃 he apologized。
I looked down at the orchestra。 There was a section roped off in the center for studio guests。 It was jammed。 Everybody at the studio from Norman on down was there。 They were all waiting for me to fall on my ass。
I went up into the balcony just as the lights went down and the picture came on。 I found my way in the dark to a seat in the middle of a bunch of youngsters and looked up at the screen。
My name looked funny up there。
JONAS CORD PRESENTS…
But the feeling left when the credits were over and the picture began。 After ten minutes had passed I started to sense a restlessness in the kids around me。 〃Aw； shit；〃 I heard one of them whisper。 〃I thought this was gonna be somethin' different。 It's just another friggin' Western。〃
Then Rina came on screen。 Five minutes later； when I looked around me； the kids' faces were staring up at the screen； their mouths partly open； their expressions rapt。 There wasn't a sound except their breathing。 Next to me sat a boy holding a girl's hand tightly in his lap。 When Rina finally pulled Nevada down onto the bed with her； I could feel the kid squirm。 He whispered； 〃Jesus！〃
I reached for a cigarette and began to smile。 Nobody had to tell me this picture was box office。 When I came down into the lobby after it was over； Nevada was standing in the corner surrounded by kids and signing autographs。 I looked for Rina。 She was at the other end of the lobby surrounded by reporters。 Bernie Norman was hovering over her like a proud father。
Dan was standing in the center of a circle of men。 He looked up as I came over。 〃You were right； Jonas；〃 he cried jubilantly。 〃She creamed 'em。 We'll gross ten million dollars！〃
I gestured and he followed me out to my car。 〃When this is over；〃 I said； 〃bring Rina to my hotel。〃
He stared at me。 〃It's still eating yuh； isn't it？〃
〃Don't lecture me； just do as I say！〃
〃What if she won't e？〃
〃She'll e；〃 I said grimly。 〃Just tell her it's collection day！〃
It was one o'clock in the morning and I was halfway through a bottle of bourbon when the knock came on the door。 I went over and opened it。
Rina walked into the room and I closed the door。 She turned to face me。 〃Well？〃
I gestured toward the bedroom。 She looked at me for a moment； then shrugged her shoulders and nonchalantly started for the bedroom。 〃I told Nevada I was ing here；〃 she said over her shoulder。
I spun her around violently。 〃What the hell did you do a damnfool thing like that for？〃
Her eyes appraised me calmly。 〃Nevada and I are going to get married。 I told him I wanted to be the first to tell you。〃
I couldn't believe my ears。 〃No！〃 I shouted hoarsely。 〃You can't。 I won't let you。 He's an old man； he's through。 You'll be the biggest star in the business when this picture es out。〃
〃I know。〃
〃If you know； then why？ You don't need him。 You don't need anybody。〃
〃Because when I needed him； he helped me；〃 she said evenly。 〃Now it's my turn。 He needs me。〃
〃He needs you？ Why？ Because he was too proud to do his own crawling？〃
〃That's not true and you know it！〃
〃Making you a star was my idea！〃
〃I didn't ask you for it；〃 Rina said angrily。 〃I didn't even want it。 Don't think I didn't see what you were doing。 Cutting down his part in his own picture； building me up as a monument to your own ego while you were ruining him！〃
〃I didn't see you trying to stop me；〃 I said。 〃We both know he's on the way out。 There's a new kind of cowboy over at one of the studios。 A singing cowboy。 He uses a guitar instead of a gun！〃
〃You know everything； don't you！〃 Her hand slashed angrily out at my face。 I could feel its sting even as she spoke。 〃That's why he needs me more than ever！〃
I exploded and grabbed her by the shoulders； shaking her violently。 〃What about me？ Why do you think I went into this？ Not for Nevada。 For you！ Did you ever stop to think that when I came rushing up here to see you； that maybe I needed you？〃
She stared into my eyes angrily。
〃You'll never need anybody； Jonas； only yourself。 Otherwise； you wouldn't have left your wife down there all by herself。 If you had any feelings at all； even pity； you'd have gone down there； or had her e up here。〃
〃You leave my wife out of this！〃
She turned to pull away and the front of her dress tore down to her waist。 I stared at her。 Her breasts rose and fell and I could feel the fever climb up in me。 〃Rina！〃 I crushed my mouth down on hers。 〃Rina； please。〃
Her mouth moved for a moment as she struggled to get away from me； then she was pressing herself closer and closer； her arms around my neck。 That's the way we were when the door behind me opened。 〃Get outa here！〃 I said hoarsely； without bothering to turn around。
〃Not this time； Jonas！〃
I gave Rina a shove toward the bedroom； then turned around slowly to face my father…in…law and another man。 Behind them was Monica； standing in the doorway。 I stared at her。 She had a belly way out to here。
The hollow echo of triumph was in Amos Winthrop's voice as he spoke。 〃Ten grand was too much to give me to send her away before。〃 He chuckled quietly。 〃How much do you think it'll cost you to get rid of her now？〃
As I stared at Monica； I began to curse myself silently。 No wonder Amos Winthrop could laugh。 I'd known Monica for less than a month before we got married。 Even to my untrained eyes； she was at least five months' pregnant。 That meant she was two months gone when she married me。
I cursed myself again。 There's no fool like a young fool … my old man always used to say。 And； as usual； my father was right。
That wasn't my cake she was baking in her oven。
The Story of
RINA MARLOWE
…
Book Four
1
CAREFULLY RINA CLOSED THE MAGAZINE； turning down the corner of the page that she had been reading； and let it drop on the white sheet that covered her。
〃Did you want something； dear？〃 Ilene's voice came from the deep armchair near the bed。
Rina turned to look at her。 Ilene's face was thinned by concern。 〃No；〃 Rina said。 〃What time is it？〃
Ilene looked down at her watch。 〃Three o'clock。〃
〃Oh；〃 Rina said。 〃What time did the doctor say he'd e？〃
〃Four；〃 Ilene answered。 〃There's nothing I can get for you？〃
Rina shook her head。 〃No； thanks。 I'm fine。〃 She picked up the magazine again； riffled through the pages； then threw it back on the coverlet。 〃I wish to hell they'd let me out of here！〃
Ilene was out of the chair now。 She looked down at Rina from the side of the bed。 〃Don't fret；〃 she said quickly。 〃You'll be out soon enough。 Then you'll wish you were still here。 I heard that the studio's just waiting for you to get out so they can put you to work in Madame Pompadour。〃
Rina sighed。 〃Not that old chestnut again。 Every time they get stuck for a picture； they take that one down off the shelf and dust it off。 Then they make a big announcement and as soon as they get all the trade stories and publicity they can； back it goes on the shelf。〃
〃Not this time；〃 Ilene said earnestly。 〃I spoke to Bernie Norman in New York yesterday。 He has a new writer on it and said the script was shaping up great。 He says it's got social significance now。〃
Rina smiled。 〃Social significance？ Who's writing it … Eugene O'Neill？〃
Ilene stared at her。 〃You knew all the time。〃
Rina shook her head。 〃No； I didn't。 It was just a wild guess。 Has Bernie really got O'Neill？〃
Ilene nodded。 〃He expects to have a copy of the script sent over to you as soon as O'Neill is finished。〃
Despite herself； Rina was impressed。 Maybe this time； Bernie really meant it。 She felt a surge of excitement flow into her。 O'Neill was a writer； not an ordinary Hollywood hack。 He could make something of the story。 Then the excitement drained out of her； leaving her even more weary than before。 Social significance。 Everything that was done these days bore the tag。 Ever since Roosevelt took office。
〃What time is it？〃
〃Ten after three；〃 Ilene answered。
Rina leaned back against the pillow。 〃Why don't you go out and get a cup of coffee？〃
Ilene smiled。 〃I'm all right。〃
〃You've been here all day。〃
〃I want to be here；〃 Ilene answered。
〃You go。〃 Rina closed her eyes。 〃I think I'll take a little nap before the doctor es。〃
Ilene stood there for a moment； until she heard the soft； shallow breath of rest。 Then gently she straightened the covers and looked into Rina's face。 The large eyes were closed； the cheeks thin and drawn tightly across the high cheekbones。 There was a faintly blue pallor beneath the California tan。 She reached down and brushed the white…blond hair back from Rina's forehead； then quickly kissed the tired mouth and left the room。
The nurse seated in the outer room looked up。 〃I'm going down for a cup of coffee；〃 Ilene said。 〃She's sleeping。〃
The nurse smiled with professional assurance。 〃Don't worry； Miss Gaillard；〃 she said。 〃Sleep is the best thing for her。〃
Il
