sidneysheldon.astrangerinthemirror-第12部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　''Quite　a　few；〃　Mrs。　Tanner　agreed。　She　glanced　at　the　card　she　held　in　her　hand。　
　〃Toby　Temple。〃　
　〃You　probably　haven't　heard　the　name；''　he　explained；　〃because　for　the　last　couple　of　years；　I've　been　　〃　
　〃Playing　repertory　in　England。〃　
　He　nodded。　〃Right〃　
　Alice　Tanner　looked　at　him　and　said　quietly；　〃Mr。　Temple；　Americans　are　not　permitted　to　play　in　English　repertory。　British　Actors　Equity　doesn't　allow　it。〃　
　Toby　felt　a　sudden　sinking　sensation　in　the　pit　of　his　stomach。　〃You　might　have　checked　first　and　saved　us　both　this　embarrassment。　I'm　sorry；　but　we　only　enroll　professional　talent　here。〃　She　started　back　toward　her　desk。　The　interview　was　over。　
　〃Hold　it！　〃　His　voice　was　like　a　whiplash。　She　turned　in　astonishment。　At　that　instant；　Toby　had　no　idea　what　he　was　going　to　say　or　do。　He　only　knew　that　his　whole　future　was　hanging　in　the　balance。　The　woman　standing　in　front　of　him　was　the　stepping…stone　to　everything　he　wanted；　everything　he　had　worked　and　sweated　for；　and　he　was　not　going　to　let　her　stop　him。　
　〃You　don't　judge　talent　by　rules；　lady！　Okayso　I　haven't　acted。　And　why？　Because　people　like　you　won't　give　me　a　chance。　You　see　what　I　mean？〃　It　was　W。　C。　Fields's　voice。　Alice　Tanner　opened　her　mouth　to　interrupt　him；　but　Toby　never　gave　her　the　opportunity。　He　was　Jimmy　Cagney　telling　her　to　give　the　poor　kid　a　break；　and　James　Stewan　agreeing　with　him；　and　Clark　Gable　saying　he　was　dying　to　work　with　the　kid　and　Cary　Grant　adding　that　he　thought　the　boy　was　brilliant。　A　host　of　Hollywood　stars　was　in　that　con！　and　they　were　all　saying　funny　things；　things　that　Toby　Temple　had　never　thought　of　before。　The　words；　the　kes　poured　out　of　him　in　a　frenzy　of　desperation。　He　was　man　drowning　in　the　darkness　of　his　own　oblivion；　clinging　via　life　raft　of　words；　and　the　words　were　all　that　were　keep　him　afloat。　He　was　soaked　in　perspiration；　running　around　the　room；　imitating　the　movement　of　each　character　who　was　Bring。　He　was　manic；　totally　outside　of　himself；　forgetting　here　he　was　and　what　he　was　here　for　until　he　heard　Alice　Tanner　saying；　
　〃Stop　it！　Stop　it！〃　Tears　of　laughter　were　streaming　down　her　face。　〃Stop　it！〃　she　repeated；　gasping　for　breath。　And　slowly；　Toby　came　down　to　earth。　Mrs。　Tanner　had　taken　out　a　handkerchief　and　was　wiping　her　eyes。　〃Youyou're　insane；〃　she　said。　〃Do　you　know　that？〃　
　Toby　stared　at　her；　a　feeling　of　elation　slowly　filling　him；　exalting　him。　〃You　liked　it；　huh？〃　
　Alice　Tanner　shook　her　head　and　took　a　deep　breath　to　hold　her　laughter　and　said；　〃Not　　not　very　much。〃　
　Toby　looked　at　her；　filled　with　rage。　She　had　been　laughg　at　him；　not　with　him。　He　had　been　making　a　fool　of　himself。　
　〃Then　what　were　you　laughing　at？〃　Toby　demanded。　
　She　smiled　and　said　quietly；　〃You。　That　was　the　most　Frenetic　performance　I've　ever　seen。　Somewhere；　hidden　beneath　all　those　movie　stars；　is　a　young　man　with　a　lot　of　talent。　You　don't　have　to　imitate　other　people。　You're　naturally　any。〃　
　Toby　felt　his　anger　begin　to　seep　away。　
　〃I　think　one　day　you　could　be　really　good　if　you're　willing　to　work　hard　at　it。　Are　you？〃　
　He　gave　her　a　slow；　beatific　grin　and　said；　〃Let's　roll　up　our　sleeves　and　go　to　work。〃　
　
　
　Josephine　worked　very　hard　Saturday　morning；　helping　her　mother　clean　the　house。　At　noon　Cissy　and　some　other　friends　picked　her　up　to　take　her　on　a　picnic。　Mrs。　Csinski　watched　Josephine　being　driven　off　in　the　long　limousine　filled　with　the　children　of　the　Oil　People。　She　thought：　　〃One　day　something　bad　is　going　to　happen　to　Josephine。　I　shouldn't　let　her　be　with　those　people。　They're　the　Devil's　children。〃　And　she　wondered　if　there　was　a　devil　in　Josephine。　She　would　talk　to　the　Reverend　Damian。　He　would　know　what　to　do。　
　
　Actors　West　was　divided　into　two　sections：　the　Showcase　group；　which　consisted　of　the　more　experienced　actors；　and　the　Workshop　group。　It　was　the　Showcase　actors　who　staged　plays　that　were　covered　by　the　studio　talent　scouts。　Toby　had　been　put　with　the　Workshop　actors。　Alice　Tanner　had　told　him　that　it　might　be　six　months　or　a　year　before　he　would　be　ready　to　do　a　Showcase　play。　Toby　found　the　classes　interesting；　but　the　magic　ingredient　was　missing：　the　audience；　the　applauders；　the　laughters；　the　people　who　would　adore　him。　
　In　the　weeks　since　Toby　had　begun　classes；　he　had　seen　very　little　of　the　head　of　the　school。　Occasionally；　Alice　Tanner　Would　drop　into　the　Workshop　to　watch　improvisations　and　give　a　word　of　encouragement；　or　Toby　would　run　into　her　on　his　way　to　class。　But　he　had　hoped　for　something　more　intimate。　He　found　himself　thinking　about　Alice　Tanner　a　great　deal。　She　was　what　Toby　thought　of　as　a　classy　dame；　and　that　appealed　to　him；　he　felt　it　was　what　he　deserved。　The　idea　of　her　crippled　leg　had　bothered　him　at　first；　but　it　had　slowly　begun　to　take　on　a　sexual　fascination。　Toby　talked　to　her　again　about　putting　him　in　a　Showcase　play　where　the　critics　and　talent　scouts　could　see　him。　〃You're　not　ready　yet；〃　Alice　Tanner　told　him。　She　was　standing　in　his　way；　keeping　him　from　his　success。　I　have　to　do　something　about　that；　Toby　decided。　
　A　Showcase　play　was　being　staged；　and　on　the　opening　night　Toby　was　seated　in　a　middle　row　next　to　a　student　named　Karen；　a　fat　little　character　actress　from　his　class。　Toby　had　played　scenes　with　Karen；　and　he　knew　two　things　about　her：　she　never　wore　underclothes　and　she　had　bad　breath。　She　had　done　everything　but　send　up　smoke　signals　to　let　Toby　know　that　she　wanted　to　go　to　bed　with　him；　but　he　had　pretended　not　to　understand。　Jesus；　he　thought；　fucking　her　would　be　like　being　sucked　into　a　tub　of　hot　lard。　
　As　they　sat　there　waiting　for　the　curtain　to　go　up；　Karen　excitedly　pointed　out　the　critics　from　the　Los　Angeles　Times　and　Herald…Express；　and　the　talent　scouts　from　Twentieth　Century…Fox；　MGM　and　Warner　Brothers。　It　enraged　Toby。　They　were　here　to　see　the　actors　up　on　the　stage；　while　he　sat　in　the　audience　like　a　dummy。　He　had　an　almost　uncontrollable　impulse　to　stand　up　and　do　one　of　his　routines；　dazzle　them；　show　them　what　real　talent　looked　like。　The　audience　enjoyed　the　play；　but　Toby　was　obsessed　with　the　talent　scouts；　who　sat　within　touching　distance；　the　men　who　held　his　future　in　their　hands。　Well；　if　Actors　West　was　the　lure　to　bring　them　to　him；　Toby　would　use　it；　but　he　had　no　intention　of　waiting　six　months；　or　even　six　weeks。　
　The　following　morning；　Toby　went　to　Alice　Tanner's　office。　
　〃How　did　you　like　the　play？〃　she　asked。　
　〃It　was　wonderful；〃　Toby　said。　〃Those　actors　are　really　great。〃　He　gave　a　self…deprecating　smile。　〃I　see　what　you　mean　when　you　say　I'm　not　ready　yet。〃　
　〃They've　had　more　experience　than　you；　that's　all；　but　you　have　a　unique　personality。　You're　going　to　make　it。　Just　be　patient。〃　
　He　sighed。　〃I　don't　know。　Maybe　I'd　be　better　off　forgetting　the　whole　thing　and　selling　insurance　or　something。〃　
　She　looked　at　him　in　quick　surprise。　〃You　mustn't；〃　she　said。　
　Toby　shook　his　head。　〃After　seeing　those　pros　last　night；　I　　I　don't　think　I　have　it。〃　
　〃Of　course　you　have；　Toby。　I　won't　let　you　talk　like　that。〃　
　In　her　voice　was　the　note　he　had　been　waiting　to　hear。　It　was　not　a　teacher　talking　to　a　pupil　now；　it　was　a　woman　talking　to　a　man；　encouraging　him；　caring　about　him。　Toby　felt　a　small　thrill　of　satisfaction。　He　shrugged　helplessly。　
　〃I　don't　know；　anymore。　I'ts　all　rifle　in　this　town。　I　have　no　one　to　talk　to。〃　
　〃You　can　always　talk　to　me；　Toby。　I'd　like　to　be　your　friend。〃　He　could　hear　the　sexual　huskiness　e　into　her　voice。　Toby's　blue　eyes　held　all　the　wonder　in　the　world　as　he　gazed　at　her。　As　she　watched　him；　he　walked　over　and　locked　the　office　door。　He　returned　to　her；　fell　on　his　knees；　buried　his　head　in　her　lap　and；　as　her　fingers　touched　his　hair；　he　slowly　lifted　her　skirt；　exposing　the　poor　thigh　encased　in　the　cruel　steel　brace。　Gently　removing　the　brace；　he　tenderly　kissed　the　red　marks　left　by　the　steel　bars。　Slowly；　he　unfastened　her　garter　belt；　all　the　time　telling　Alice　of　his　love　and　his　need　of　her；　and　kissed　his　way　down　to　the　moist　lips　exposed　before　him。　He　carried　her　to　the　deep　leather　couch　and　made　love　to　her。　That　evening；　Toby　moved　in　w