sidneysheldon.astrangerinthemirror-第26部分

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　She　said　nothing；　just　watching　him　with　her　intelligent　gray　eyes。　
　〃I'm　going　to　marry　her；〃　David　said。　She　shook　her　head　slowly。
　　〃I　can't　let　you　make　a　mistake　like　that；　David。〃　
　〃You　don't　really　know　Josephine。　She's　　〃　
　〃I'm　sure　she's　a　lovely　girl。　But　she's　not　suitable　to　be　a　Kenyon　wife。　Cissy　Topping　would　make　you　happy。　And　if　you　married　her；　it　would　make　me　happy。〃　
　He　took　her　frail　hand　in　his　and　said；　〃I　love　you　very　much；　Mother；　but　I'm　capable　of　making　my　own　decisions。〃　
　〃Are　you　really？〃　she　asked　softly。　〃Do　you　always　do　the　right　thing？〃　
　He　stared　at　her　and　she　said；　
　〃Can　you　always　be　trusted　to　act　properly；　David？　Not　to　lose　your　head？　Not　to　do　terrible　〃　
　He　snatched　his　hand　away。　
　〃Do　you　always　know　what　you're　doing；　son？〃　Her　voice　was　even　softer　now。　
　〃Mother；　for　God's　sake！〃　
　〃You've　done　enough　to　this　family　already；　David。　Don't　burden　me　any　further。　I　don't　think　I　could　bear　it。〃　
　His　face　was　white。　
　〃You　know　I　didn't　　I　couldn't　help〃　
　〃You're　too　old　to　send　away　again。　You're　a　man　now。　I　want　you　to　act　like　one。〃　
　His　voice　was　anguished。　〃I　　I　love　her　〃　
　She　was　seized　with　a　spasm；　and　David　summoned　the　doctor。　Later；　he　and　the　doctor　had　a　talk。　
　〃I'm　afraid　your　mother　hasn't　much　longer；　David。〃　
　And　so　the　decision　was　made　for　him。　He　went　to　see　Cissy　Topping。　
　〃I'm　in　love　with　someone　else；〃　David　said。　〃My　mother　always　thought　that　you　and　I　〃　
　〃So　did　I；　darling。〃　
　〃I　know　it's　a　terrible　thing　to　ask；　but　　would　you　be　killing　to　marry　me　until　　until　my　mother　dies；　and　then　live　me　a　divorce？〃　
　Cissy　looked　at　him　and　said　softly；　〃If　that's　what　you　want；　David。〃　
　He　felt　as　though　an　unbearable　weight　had　been　lifted　from　his　shoulders。　
　〃Thank　you。　Cissy；　I　can't　tell　you　how　much〃　
　She　smiled　and　said；　〃What　are　old　friends　for？〃　
　The　moment　David　left。　Cissy　Topping　telephoned　David's　mother。　All　she　said　was；　〃It's　all　arranged。〃　
　The　one　thing　David　Kenyon　had　not　anticipated　was　that　Josephine　would　hear　about　the　forthing　marriage　before　he　could　explain　everything　to　her。　When　David　arrived　at　Josephine's　home；　he　was　met　at　the　door　by　Mrs。　Czinsky。　
　〃I'd　like　to　see　Josephine；〃　he　said。　She　glared　at　him　with　eyes　filled　with　malicious　triumph。　
　〃The　Lord　Jesus　shall　overe　and　smite　down　His　enemies；　and　the　wicked　shall　be　damned　forever。〃　
　David　said　patiently；　〃I　want　to　talk　to　Josephine。〃　
　〃She's　gone；〃　Mrs。　Czinsld　said。　〃She's　gone　away！〃　
　
　The　dusty　Greyhound　Odessa…El　Paso…San　Bemardino…Los　Angeles　bus　pulled　into　the　Hollywood　depot　on　Vine　Street　at　seven　a。m。；　and　somewhere　during　the　fifteen…hundred…mile；　two…day　journey；　Josephine　Czinski　had　bee　Jill　Castle。　Outwardly；　she　looked　like　the　same　person。　It　was　inside　that　she　had　changed。　Something　in　her　was　gone。　The　laughter　had　died。　The　moment　she　had　heard　the　news；　Josephine　knew　that　she　must　escape。　She　began　to　mindlessly　throw　her　clothes　into　a　suitcase。　She　had　no　idea　where　she　was　going　or　what　she　would　do　when　she　got　there。　She　only　knew　that　she　had　to　get　away　from　this　place　at　once。　It　was　when　she　was　walking　out　of　her　bedroom　and　saw　the　photographs　of　the　movie　stars　on　her　wall　that　she　suddenly　knew　where　she　was　going。　Two　hours　later；　she　was　on　the　bus　for　Hollywood。　Odessa　and　everyone　in　it　receded　in　her　mind；　fading　faster　and　faster　as　the　bus　swept　her　toward　her　new　destiny。　She　tried　to　make　herself　forget　her　raging　headache。　Perhaps　she　should　have　seen　a　doctor　about　the　terrible　pains　in　her　head。　But　now　she　no　longer　cared。　That　was　part　of　her　past；　and　she　was　sure　they　would　go　away。　From　now　on　life　was　going　to　be　wonderful。　Josephine　Czinski　was　dead。　Long　live　Jill　Castle。　
　
BOOK　TWO　
　Toby　Temple　became　a　superstar　because　of　the　unlikely　position　of　a　paternity　suit；　a　ruptured　appendix　and　the　president　of　the　United　States。　
　The　Washington　Press　Club　was　giving　its　annual　dinner；　and　the　guest　of　honor　was　the　President。　It　was　a　prestigious　dinner　attended　by　the　Vice…President；　senators；　cabinet　members；　Chief　Justices　and　anyone　else　who　could　buy；　bestow　or　steal　a　ticket。　Because　the　event　was　always　given　national　press　coverage；　the　job　of　master　of　ceremonies　bee　a　highly　prized　plum。　
　This　year；　one　of　America's　edians　had　been　chosen　to　direct　the　show。　One　week　after　he　had　accepted；　he　was　named　defendant　in　a　paternity　affair　involving　a　fifteen…year…old　girl。　On　the　advice　of　his　attorney；　the　edian　immediately　left　the　country　for　an　indefinite　vacation。　The　dinner　mittee　turned　to　their　number　two　choice；　a　popular　motion…picture　and　television　star。　He　arrived　in　Washington　the　night　before　the　dinner。　The　following　afternoon；　on　the　day　of　the　banquet；　his　agent　phoned　to　announce　that　the　actor　was　in　the　hospital；　undergoing　emergency　surgery　for　a　burst　appendix。　There　were　only　six　hours　left　before　the　dinner。　The　mittee　frantically　went　through　a　list　of　possible　replacents。　The　important　names　were　busy　doing　a　movie　or　a　television　show；　or　were　too　far　away　to　get　to　Washington　in　time。　One　by　one；　the　candidates　were　eliminated　and　finally；　at　the　bottom　of　the　list；　the　name　of　Toby　Temple　appeared。　A　mittee　member　shook　his　head。　
　〃Temple's　a　nightclub　ic。　He's　too　wild。　We　wouldn't　dare　turn　him　loose　on　the　President。〃　
　〃He'd　be　all　right　if　we　could　get　him　to　tone　down　his　material。〃　
　The　chairman　of　the　mittee　looked　around　and　said；　〃I'll　tell　you　what's　great　about　him；　fellows。　He's　in　New　York　City　and　he　can　be　here　in　an　hour。　The　god　damned　dinner　is　tonight！〃　
　That　was　how　the　mittee　selected　Toby　Temple。　
　
　As　Toby　looked　around　the　crowded　banquet　hall；　he　thought　to　himself　that　if　a　bomb　were　dropped　here　tonight；　the　federal　government　of　the　United　States　would　be　leaderless。　The　President　was　seated　in　the　center　of　the　speakers'　table　on　the　dais。　Half　a　dozen　Secret　Service　men　stood　behind　him。　In　the　last…minute　rush　of　putting　everything　together；　no　one　had　remembered　to　introduce　Toby　to　the　President；　but　Toby　did　not　mind。　The　President　will　remember　me；　Toby　thought。　
　He　recalled　his　meeting　with　Downey；　the　chairman　of　the　dinner　mittee。　Downey　had　said；　
　〃We　love　your　humor；　Toby。　You're　very　funny　when　you　attack　people。　However〃　He　had　paused　to　clear　his　throat。　〃This　is　　er　　a　sensitive　group　here　tonight。　Don't　get　me　wrong。　It's　not　that　they　can't　take　a　little　joke　on　themselves；　but　everything　said　in　this　room　tonight　is　going　to　be　reported　by　the　news　media　all　over　the　world。　Naturally；　none　of　us　wants　anything　said　that　would　hold　the　President　of　the　United　States　or　members　of　Congress　up　to　ridicule。　In　other　words；　we　want　you　to　be　funny；　but　we　don't　want　you　to　get　anyone　mad。〃　
　〃Trust　me。〃　Toby　had　smiled。　
　The　dinner　plates　were　being　cleared　and　Downey　was　standing　in　front　of　the　microphone。　〃Mr。　President；　honored　guests；　it's　my　pleasure　to　introduce　to　you　our　master　of　ceremonies；　one　of　our　brightest　young　edians；　Mr。　Toby　Temple！〃　
　There　was　polite　applause　as　Toby　rose　to　his　feet　and　walked　over　to　the　microphone。　He　looked　out　at　the　audience；　then　turned　to　the　President　of　the　United　States。　The　President　was　a　simple；　homespun　man。　He　did　not　believe　in　what　he　called　top…hat　diplomacy。　〃People　to　people；〃　he　had　said　in　a　nationwide　speech；　〃that's　what　we　shed。　We've　got　to　quit　depending　on　puters　and　start　listening　our　instincts　again。　When　I　sit　down　with　the　heads　of　foreign　powers；　I　like　to　negotiate　by　the　seat　of　my　pants。〃　had　bee　a　popular　phrase。　
　Now　Toby　looked　at　the　President　of　the　United　States　and　said；　his　voice　choked　with　pride；　
　〃Mr。　President；　I　can't　tell　you　what　a　thrill　it　is　for　me　to　be　up　here　on　the　me　podium　with　the　man　who　has　the　whole　world　wired　to　his　ass。〃　
　There　was　a　shocked　hush　for　a　long　moment；　then　the　President　grinned；　guffawed；　and　the　audience　suddenly　exploded　with　laughter　and　applause。　From　that　moment　on；　Toby　could　do　no　wrong。　He　attacked　the　senators　in　the　from；　the　Supreme　Court；　the　press。　They　adored　it。　T