hr.thecarpetbaggers-第70部分

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　She　took　the　costume　and　held　it　while　Rina　began　to　undress。　Rina　turned　her　back　as　she　slipped　out　of　her　dress　and　struggled　into　the　tight…fitting　costume。　〃Whew！〃　she　gasped。　〃Maybe　I　shouldn't　have　eaten　those　sandwiches！〃
　Ilene　stepped　back　and　studied　the　costume。　〃Better　step　up　on　the　pedestal；〃　she　said。　〃There　are　a　few　things　I'll　have　to　do。〃
　Quickly　she　chalked　out　the　alterations。　〃O。K。；〃　she　said。　〃Let's　try　the　next　one。〃
　Rina　reached　behind　her　to　unfasten　the　hooks。　One　of　them　stuck。　〃You'll　have　to　help　me；　Ilene。　I　can't　get　out　of　this　thing。〃
　Rina　stepped　down　from　the　pedestal　and　turned　her　back　to　Ilene。　Deftly　Ilene　freed　the　hook。　The　cloth　parted　quickly　and　her　fingers　brushed　against　Rina's　naked　back。　They　tingled　with　the　firm；　warm　touch　of　her　flesh。　Ilene　felt　the　rush　of　blood　to　her　temples。　She　stepped　back　quickly　as　if　she　had　touched　a　hot　iron。　Too　many　times　had　she　been　tempted　to　let　a　thing　like　this　get　her　into　trouble。　It　had　taken　too　many　years　to　get　this　job。
　Rina　dropped　the　top　of　the　costume　to　her　waist　and　struggled　to　get　the　tights　over　her　hips。　She　looked　at　Ilene。　〃I'm　afraid　you'll　have　to　help　me　again。〃
　Ilene　kept　her　face　a　mask。　〃Step　back　on　the　pedestal；〃　she　said　through　stiff　lips。
　Rina　got　back　on　the　pedestal　and　turned　toward　her。　Ilene　tugged　at　the　garment；　her　fingers　burning　where　they　touched　Rina。　At　last；　the　tights　gave　way　and　Ilene　felt　Rina　shiver　as　her　hand　accidentally　brushed　the　soft　silken　pubis。
　〃Are　you　cold？〃　Ilene　asked；　stepping　back。
　Rina　stared　at　her　for　a　moment；　then　averted　her　eyes。　〃No；〃　she　answered　in　a　low　voice；　stepping　out　of　the　tights。　She　picked　them　up　and　held　them　toward　Ilene。
　Ilene　reached　for　the　costume；　touched　Rina's　hand　and　suddenly　couldn't　let　it　go。　She　looked　up　at　Rina　steadily；　her　heart　choking　inside　her。
　Rina　shivered　again。　〃No；〃　she　whispered；　her　eyes　still　looking　away。　〃Please；　don't。〃
　Ilene　felt　as　if　she　were　in　a　dream。　Nothing　seemed　real。　〃Look　at　me；〃　she　said。
　Slowly　Rina　turned　her　head。　Their　eyes　met　and　Ilene　could　sense　her　trembling。　She　saw　Rina's　nipples　burst　forth　upon　her　breasts　like　awakening　red　flowers　on　a　white　field。
　She　moved　toward　her　and　buried　her　face　in　the　pale　soft　flax　between　her　hips。　They　were　very　still　for　a　moment；　then　she　felt　Rina's　hand　lightly　brushing　across　her　hair。　She　stepped　back　and　Rina　came　down　into　her　arms。
　Ilene　felt　the　hot　tears　suddenly　push　their　way　into　her　eyes。　〃Why？〃　she　cried　wildly。　〃Why　did　you　have　to　marry　him？〃
　
　As　usual；　Nevada　awoke　at　four　thirty　in　the　morning；　pulled　on　a　pair　of　worn　Levi's　and　went　down　to　the　stables。　As　usual；　on　his　way　out；　he　closed　the　connecting　door　between　their　rooms　to　let　Rina　know　he　had　gone　out。
　The　wrangler　was　waiting　with　a　steaming　mug　of　bitter　black　range　coffee。　Their　conversation　followed　the　routine　morning　pattern　as　Nevada　felt　the　hot　coffee　scald　its　way　down　to　his　stomach。
　The　mug　empty；　and　Nevada　in　the　lead；　they　walked　through　the　stable；　looking　into　each　stall。　At　the　end　was　Whitey's　stall。　Nevada　came　to　a　stop　in　front　of　it。　〃Mornin'；　boy；〃　he　whispered。
　The　palomino　stuck　its　head　over　the　gate　and　looked　at　Nevada　with　large；　intelligent　eyes。　It　nuzzled　against　Nevada's　hand；　searching　for　the　lump　of　sugar　it　knew　would　appear　there。　It　wasn't　disappointed。
　Nevada　opened　the　gate　and　went　into　the　stall。　He　ran　his　hands　over　the　sleek；　glistening　sides　of　the　animal。　〃We're　gettin'　a　little　fat；　boy；〃　he　whispered。　〃That's　because　we　haven't　had　much　to　do　lately。　I　better　take　you　out　for　a　little　exercise。〃
　Without　speaking；　the　wrangler　handed　him　the　big　saddle　that　lay　crosswise　on　the　partition　between　the　stalls。　Nevada　slung　it　over　the　horse's　back　and　cinched　it　tight。　He　placed　the　bit　in　the　mouth　and　led　the　animal　out　of　the　stable。　In　front　of　the　white…painted　wooden　building；　he　mounted　up。
　He　rode　down　the　riding　trail　to　the　small　exercise　track　he　had　built　at　the　foot　of　the　hill　in　back　of　the　house。　He　could　see　the　gray　spires　of　the　roof　as　he　rode　past。　Mechanically　he　put　the　horse　through　its　paces。
　The　item　he　had　read　in　Variety　came　to　his　mind。　His　lip　curved　at　the　irony。　Here　he　was　with　the　biggest…grossing　picture　of　the　year　and　not　once　during　that　whole　period　had　anyone　approached　him　about　beginning　another。　The　day　of　the　big　Western　movie　was　over。　It　was　too　expensive。
　At　least　he　wasn't　the　only　one；　he　thought。　Mix；　Maynard；　Gibson；　Holt　…　they　were　all　in　the　same　boat。　Maynard　had　tried　to　fight　it。　He　made　a　series　of　quickies　for　Universal；　which　took　about　five　days　to　plete。　Nevada　had　seen　one　of　them。　Not　for　him。　The　picture　was　choppy　and　the　sound　worse。　Half　the　time；　you　couldn't　even　understand　what　the　actors　were　saying。
　Tom　Mix　had　tried　something　else。　He'd　taken　a　Wild…West　show　to　Europe　and；　if　the　trade　papers　were　right；　he　and　his　horse；　Tony；　had　knocked　them　dead。　Maybe　that　was　worth　thinking　about。　The　troop　he　had　on　the　road　was　still　doing　all　right。　If　he　went　out　with　it；　it　would　do　even　better。　It　was　that　or　take　up　the　guitar。
　That　was　the　new　Western　…　a　singing　cowboy　and　a　guitar。　He　felt　a　vague　distaste　even　as　he　thought　about　it。　That　chubby　little　Gene　Autry　had　made　it　big。　The　only　problem；　he'd　heard　from　one　of　the　wranglers；　was　to　keep　him　from　falling　off　his　horse。　Tex　Ritter　was　doing　all　right　at　Columbia；　too。
　Nevada　looked　up　again　at　the　house。　That　was　the　biggest　stupidity　of　all　…　a　quarter…million…dollar　trap。　It　took　more　than　twenty　servants　to　keep　it　running　and　ate　up　money　like　a　pack　of　prairie　wolves　devouring　a　stray　steer。　He　quickly　reviewed　his　ine。
　The　cattle　ranch　in　Texas　had　just　started　to　pay　off　when　the　depression　hit　and　now　he　was　lucky　if　it　broke　even。　His　royalties　on　the　sale　of　Nevada　Smith　toys　and　cowboy　suits　had　dwindled　as　children　shifted　their　fickle　loyalties　to　other　stars。　All　that　was　left　was　his　share　of　the　Wild…West　show　and　the　Nevada　divorce　ranch。　That　brought　in　at　most　two　thousand　a　month。　The　house　alone　cost　him　six　thousand　a　month　just　to　keep　going。
　Rina　had　offered　to　share　the　expenses　but　he'd　refused；　feeling　it　was　a　man's　responsibility　to　pay　the　bills。　But　now；　even　with　the　bank　loans　for　The　Renegade　paid　off；　he　knew　it　wouldn't　be　possible　to　keep　the　house　going　without　dipping　further　into　his　capital。　The　sensible　thing　was　to　get　rid　of　it。
　He'd　have　to　take　a　loss。　Thalberg　over　at　Metro　had　offered　him　a　hundred　and　fifty　thousand。　That　way；　at　least；　he'd　save　the　broker's　fee。
　He　made　up　his　mind。　There　was　no　use　sitting　around；　waiting　for　the　telephone　to　ring。　He'd　go　out　on　the　road　with　the　show　and　sell　the　house。　He　began　to　feel　better。　He　decided　to　tell　Rina　when　she　got　back　from　the　studio　that　night。
　The　telephone　on　the　pole　against　the　far　rail　began　to　ring　loudly。　He　walked　his　horse　over　to　it。　〃Yes？〃
　〃Mr。　Smith？〃
　It　was　the　voice　of　the　butler。　〃Yes；　James；〃　he　said。
　〃Mrs。　Smith　would　like　you　to　join　her　for　breakfast　in　the　Sun　Room。〃
　Nevada　hesitated。　Strange　how　quickly　the　servants　recognized　who　was　important　in　the　family。　James　now　used　the　same　distant　formal　manner　of　speaking　to　him　that　he　had　once　used　in　speaking　to　Rina。
　He　heard　the　butler　clear　his　throat。　〃Shall　I　tell　Mrs。　Smith　you　will　be　up；　sir？〃　he　asked。　〃I　think　she's　expecting　some　photographers　from　Screen　Stars　magazine。〃
　So　that　was　it。　Nevada　felt　a　stirring　of　resentment　inside　him。　This　was　the　first　time　in　months　that　Rina　had　called　him　for　breakfast　and　it　took　a　publicity　layout　to　do　it。　Almost　immediately；　he　regretted　the　way　he　felt。　After　all；　it　wasn't　her　fault。　She'd　been　working　day　and　night　for　months。
　〃Tell　her　I'll　be　up　as　soon　as　I　stable　the　horse；〃　he　said。
　
　〃Just　one　more　shot　of　you　pouring　coffee　for　Nevada；〃　the　photographer　said；　〃and　we're　finished。〃
　Nevada　picked　up　his　cup　and　extended　it　across　the　table　to　Rina。　She　lifted　the　silver　coffeepot　and　poised　it　over　the　cup。　Professionally　and　automatically；　the　smiles