merton of the movies-第53节

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　the　new　piece。　I'll　play　safe　by　shooting　the　most　of　that　before　the　other　one　is　released。　And　he'll　still　be　playing　straight　in　a　serious　heart　drama。　Fancy　that；　Armand！〃




CHAPTER　XV

A　NEW　TRAIL


One　genial　morning　a　few　days　later　the　sun　shone　in　across　the　desk　of　Baird　while　he　talked　to　Merton　Gill　of　the　new　piece。　It　was　a　sun　of　fairest　promise。　Mr。　Gill's　late　work　was　again　lavishly　commended；　and　confidence　was　expressed　that　he　would　surpass　himself　in　the　drama　shortly　to　be　produced。

Mr。　Baird　spoke　in　enthusiastic　terms　of　this；　declaring　that　if　it　did　not　prove　to　be　a　knock…outa　clean…up　picturethen　he；　Jeff　Baird；　could　safely　be　called　a　Chinaman。　And　during　the　time　that　would　elapse　before　shooting　on　the　new　piece　could　begin　he　specified　a　certain　study　in　which　he　wished　his　actor　to　engage。

〃You've　watched　the　Edgar　Wayne　pictures；　haven't　you？〃

〃Yes；　I've　seen　a　number　of　them。〃

〃Like　his　work？that　honest　country…boy…loving…hismother…and…　little…sister　stuff；　wearing　overalls　and　tousled　hair　in　the　first　part；　and　coming　out　in　city　clothes　and　eight　dollar　neckties　at　the　last；　with　his　hair　slicked　back　same　as　a　seal？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　I　like　it。　He's　fine。　He　has　a　great　appeal。〃

〃Good！　That's　the　kind　of　a　part　you're　going　to　get　in　this　new　piece。　Lots　of　managers　in　my　place　would　say　'No…he's　a　capable　young　chap　and　has　plenty　of　talent；　but　he　lacks　the　experience　to　play　an　Edgar　Wayne　part。'　That's　what　a　lot　of　these　Wisenheimers　would　say。　But　menot　so。　I　believe　you　can　get　away　with　this　part；　and　I'm　going　to　give　you　your　chance。〃

〃I'm　sure　I　don't　know　how　to　thank　you；　Mr。　Baird；　and　I'll　try　to　give　you　the　very　best　that　is　in　me〃

〃I'm　sure　of　that；　my　boy；　you　needn't　tell　me。　But　nowwhat　I　want　you　to　do　while　you　got　this　lay…off　between　pieces；　chase　out　and　watch　all　the　Edgar　Wayne　pictures　you　can　find。　There　was　one　up　on　the　Boulevard　last　week　I'd　like　you　to　watch　half…a…dozen　times。　It　may　be　at　another　house　down　this　way；　or　it　may　be　out　in　one　of　the　suburbs。　I'll　have　someone　outside　call　up　and　find　where　it　is　to…day　and　they'll　let　you　know。　It's　called　Happy　Homestead　or　something　snappy　like　that；　and　it　kind　of　suggests　a　layout　for　this　new　piece　of　mine；　see　what　I　mean？　It'll　suggest　things　to　you。

〃Edgar　and　his　mother　and　little　sister　live　on　this　farm　and　Edgar　mixes　in　with　a　swell　dame　down　at　the　summer　hotel；　and　a　villain　tries　to　get　his　old　mother's　farm　and　another　villain　takes　his　little　sister　off　up　to　the　wicked　city；　and　Edgar　has　more　trouble　than　would　patch　Hell　a　mile；　see？　But　it　all　comes　right　in　the　end；　and　the　city　girl　falls　for　him　when　she　sees　him　in　his　stepping…out　clothes。

〃It's　a　pretty　little　thing；　but　to　my　way　of　thinking　it　lacks　strength；　not　enough　punch　to　it。　So　we're　sort　of　building　up　on　that　general　idea；　only　we'll　put　in　the　pep　that　this　piece　lacked。　If　I　don't　miss　my　guess；　you'll　be　able　to　show　Wayne　a　few　things　about　serious　actingespecially　after　you've　studied　his　methods　a　little　bit　in　this　piece。〃

〃Well；　if　you　think　I　can　do　it；〃　began　Merton；　then　broke　off　in　answer　to　a　sudden　thought。　〃Will　my　mother　be　the　same　actress　that　played　it　before；　the　one　that　mopped　all　the　time？〃

〃Yes；　the　same　actress；　but　a　different　sort　of　mother。　Sheshe's　more　enterprising；　she's　a　sort　of　chemist；　in　a　way；　puts　up　preserves　and　jellies　for　the　hotel。　She　never　touches　a　mop　in　the　whole　piece　and　dresses　neat　from　start　to　finish。〃

〃And　does　the　cross…eyed　man　play　in　it？　Sometimes；　in　scenes　with　him；　I'd　get　the　idea　I　wasn't　really　doing　my　best。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　I　know。〃　Baird　waved　a　sympathetic　hand。　〃Poor　old　Jack。　He's　trying　hard　to　do　something　worth　while；　but　he's　played　in　those　cheap　comedy　things　so　long　it's　sort　of　hard　for　him　to　get　out　of　it　and　play　serious　stuff；　if　you　know　what　I　mean。〃

〃I　know　what　you　mean；〃　said　Merton。

〃And　he's　been　with　me　so　long　I　kind　of　hate　to　discharge　him。　You　see；　on　account　of　those　eyes　of　his；　it　would　be　hard　for　him　to　get　a　job　as　a　serious　actor；　so　I　did　think　I'd　give　him　another　part　in　this　piece　if　you　didn't　object；　just　to　sort　of　work　him　into　the　worth…while　things。　He's　so　eager　for　the　chance。　It　was　quite　pathetic　how　grateful　he　looked　when　I　told　him　I'd　try　him　once　more　in　one　of　the　better　and　finer　things。　And　a　promise　is　a　promise。〃

〃Still；　Merton；　you're　the　man　I　must　suit　in　this　cast；　if　you　say　the　word　I'll　tell　Jack　he　must　go；　though　I　know　what　a　blow　it　will　be　to　him〃

〃Oh；　no；　Mr。　Baird；〃　Merton　interrupted　fervently；　〃I　wouldn't　think　of　such　a　thing。　Let　the　poor　fellow　have　a　chance　to　learn　something　better　than　the　buffoonery　he's　been　doing。　I'll　do　everything　I　can　to　help　him。　I　think　it　is　very　pathetic；　his　wanting　to　do　the　better　things；　it's　fine　of　him。　And　maybe　some　day　he　could　save　up　enough　to　have　a　good　surgeon　fix　his　eyes　right。　It　might　be　done；　you　know。〃

〃Now　that's　nice　of　you；　my　boy。　It's　kind　and　generous。　Not　every　actor　of　your　talent　would　want　Jack　working　in　the　same　scene　with　him。　And　perhaps；　as　you　say；　some　day　he　can　save　up　enough　from　his　wages　to　have　his　eyes　fixed。　I'll　mention　it　to　him。　And　this　reminds　me；　speaking　of　the　cast；　there's　another　member　who　might　bother　some　of　these　fussy　actors。　She's　the　girl　who　will　take　the　part　of　your　city　sweetheart。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　she　isn't　exactly　the　type　I'd　have　picked　for　the　part；　because　she's　rather　a　large；　hearty　girl；　if　you　know　what　I　mean。　I　could　have　found　a　lot　who　were　better　lookers；　but　the　poor　thing　has　a　bedridden　father　and　mother　and　a　little　crippled　brother　and　a　little　sister　that　isn't　well；　and　she's　working　hard　to　send　them　all　to　schoolI　mean　the　children；　not　her　parents；　so　I　saw　the　chance　to　do　her　a　good　turn；　and　I　hope　you'll　feel　that　you　can　work　harmoniously　with　her。　I　know　I'm　too　darned　human　to　be　in　this　business〃　Baird　looked　aside　to　conceal　his　emotion。

〃I'm　sure；　Mr。　Baird；　I'll　get　along　fine　with　the　young　lady；　and　I　think　it's　fine　of　you　to　give　these　people　jobs　when　you　could　get　better　folks　in　their　places。〃

〃Well；　well；　we'll　say　no　more　about　that；〃　replied　Baird　gruffly；　as　one　who　had　again　hidden　his　too…impressionable　heart。　〃Now　ask　in　the　outer　office　where　that　Wayne　film　is　to…day　and　catch　it　as　often　as　you　feel　you're　getting　any　of　the　Edgar　Wayne　stuff。　We'll　call　you　up　when　work　begins。〃

He　saw　the　Edgar　Wayne　film；　a　touching　story　in　which　the　timid；　diffident　country　boy　triumphed　over　difficulties　and　won　the　love　of　a　pure　New　York　society　girl；　meantime　protecting　his　mother　from　the　insulting　sneers　of　the　idle　rich　and　being　made　to　suffer　intensely　by　the　apparent　moral　wreck　of　his　dear　little　sister　whom　a　rich　scoundrel　lured　to　the　great　city　with　false　promises　that　he　would　make　a　fine　lady　of　her。　Never　before　had　he　studied　the　acting　method　of　Wayne　with　a　definite　aim　in　view。　Now　he　watched　until　he　himself　became　the　awkward　country　boy。　He　was　primed　with　the　Wayne　manner；　the　appealing　ingenuousness；　the　simple　embarrassments；　the　manly　regard　for　the　old　mother；　when　word　came　that　Baird　was　ready　for　him　in　the　new　piece。

This　drama　was　strikingly　like　the　Wayne　piece　he　had　watched；　at　least　in　its　beginning。　Baird；　in　his　striving　for　the　better　things；　seemed　at　first　to　have　copied　his　model　almost　too　faithfully。　Not　only　was　Merton　to　be　the　awkward　country　boy　in　the　little　hillside　farmhouse；　but　his　mother　and　sister　were　like　the　other　mother　and　sister。

Still；　he　began　to　observe　differences。　The　little　sisterplayed　by　the　Montague　girlwas　a　simple　farm　maiden　as　in　the　other　piece；　but　the　mother　was　more　energetic。　She　had　silvery　hair　and　wore　a　neat　black　dress；　with　a　white　lace　collar　and　a　cameo　brooch　at　her　neck；　and　she　embraced　her　son　tearfully　at　frequent　intervals；　as　had　the　other　mother；　but　she　carried　on　in　her　kitchen　an　active　business　in　canning　fruits　and　putting　up　jellies；　which；　sold　to　the　rich　people　at　the　hotel；　would　swell　the　little　fund　that　must　be　saved　to　pay　the　mortgage。　Also；　in　the　present　piece；　the　country　boy　was　to　become　a　great　inventor；　and　this　was　different。　Merton　felt　that　this　was　a　good　touch；　it　gave　him　dignity。

He　appeared　ready　for　work　on　the　morning　designated。　He　was　now　able　to　make　up　himself；　and　he　dressed　in　the　country…boy　costume　that　had　been　provided。　It　was　perhaps　not　so　attractive　a　costume　as　Edgar　Wayne　had　worn；　consisting　of　loose…fitting　overalls　that　came　well　above　his　waist　and　were　fastened　by　straps　that　went　over　the　shoulders；　but；　as　Baird　remarked；　the　contrast　would　be　greater　when　he　dressed　in　rich　city　clothes　at　the　last。　His　hair；　too；　was　no　longer　the　slicked…back　hair　of　Parmalee；　but　tousled　in　country　disorder。

For　much　of　the　action　of　the　new　piece　they　would　require　an　outside　location；　but　there　were　some　interiors　to　be　shot　on　the　lot。　He　forgot　the　ill…fitting　overalls　when　shown　his　attic　laboratory　where；　as　an　ambitious　young　inventor；　sustained　by　the　unfaltering　trust　of　mother　and　sister；　he　would　perfect　certain　mecha