hr.thecarpetbaggers-第118部分

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exacting　and　difficult　portrayal。　It　is　unfortunate　indeed　that　the　makers　of　the　motion　picture　thought　it　necessary　to　include　certain　scenes　which　we　felt　could　very　easily　have　been　omitted　without　impairment　to　the　story　of　the　Magdalen。　But　on　the　whole；　we　were　extremely　pleased　that　in　these　troubled　times；　so　noble　a　demonstration　of　the　Redeeming　Grace　to　be　found　in　the　Love　of　Our　Lord　is　available　for　all　to　see。
　Now　I　must　close　for　I　am　soon　due　in　Surgery。　Since　the　war；　all　of　us　in　the　school；　and　in　the　hospital；　are　working　double　shifts　due　to　the　shortages　of　help。　But　with　Our　Lord's　Grace；　we　shall　redouble　our　poor　efforts　to　extend　His　Mercy。
　The　Reverend　Mother　extends　to　you　Her　Most　Gracious　blessing　and　prays　that　you　may　continue　to　find　success　and　happiness　in　your　new　career。
　 Sincerely　yours　in　J。　C。；
　 SISTER　M。　CHRISTOPHER
　
　A　vision　of　the　sister's　austere；　observant　face　flashed　through　her　mind；　together　with　a　twinge　of　nostalgia　for　the　years　she　had　spent　at　the　college。　Somehow；　it　seemed　such　a　long　time　ago。　It　was　as　if　she　were　a　pletely　different　person　from　the　wide…eyed；　nervous　girl　who　first　appeared　in　the　Reverend　Mother's　office。
　She　remembered　the　quiet　hours　of　study　and　the　long　hours　of　training　and　the　exhausting　hours　of　sheer　drudgery　in　the　hospital。　There　had　been　times　when　she'd　cry　out　of　sheer　frustration　at　her　inability　to　learn　all　that　was　taught　her。　It　was　during　those　moments　that　the　mask　of　austerity　would　disappear　from　the　sister's　face　and　she　would　place　her　hand　fortingly　on　the　girl's　shoulder。　〃Work　hard　and　pray　hard；　Jennie；〃　she'd　say　gently；　〃and　you　will　learn。　You　have　the　true　gift　of　healing　within　you。〃
　And　she　would　feel　forted　and　her　strength　would　be　renewed　as　she　saw　how　unsparingly　the　sister　gave　of　herself　to　all；　both　patients　and　students。　It　seemed　that　no　matter　what　hour　of　the　day　or　night　Jennie　was　on　duty；　Sister　Christopher　was　always　nearby。
　Jennie　reached　for　a　cigarette。　All　of　them　must　be　working　terribly　hard　if　the　sister　mentioned　it　in　a　letter。　Sister　Christopher　was　never　given　to　make　much　of　her　own　efforts。　A　feeling　of　uselessness　swept　through　Jennie　as　she　thought　of　the　paratively　easy　life　she　led。　She　looked　down　at　her　strong；　lean　hands。　She　did　so　little　with　them　now。　The　knowledge　that　was　in　them　seemed　to　tingle　in　her　fingertips。　There　must　be　something　she　could　do　to　help　the　sisters。
　There　was。　She　reached　for　the　telephone　at　the　same　time　she　had　the　idea　and　dialed　quickly。　〃Rosa？　This　is　Jennie。〃
　〃How　are　you；　Jennie？　David　told　me　how　you　almost　broke　up　the　United　States　Army　with　the　Hope　show。〃
　Jennie　laughed。　〃The　poor　kids　have　been　away　from　women　too　long。〃
　〃Don't　hand　me　that。　The　trade　papers　said　you　were　great。〃
　〃Don't　tell　me　David's　got　you　reading　them？〃
　〃Sure　thing；〃　Rosa　said。　〃Isn't　that　what　every　wife　in　the　business　does？　It's　the　only　way　they　can　keep　track　of　what　their　husbands　are　doing。〃
　〃How's　little　Bernie？〃
　〃Why　don't　you　e　over　for　dinner　one　night　and　see　for　yourself？　It's　been　a　long　time。〃
　〃I　will。　Soon。〃
　〃Do　you　want　to　talk　to　David？〃
　〃If　he's　there；〃　Jennie　said　politely。
　〃Good…by；　dear；〃　Rosa　said；　〃and　dinner　real　soon？　Here's　David。〃
　〃How's　the　pride　and　joy　of　the　Norman　lot？〃
　〃Fine。　I'm　sorry　to　disturb　you　at　home；　David；　but　I　had　a　little　problem　I　thought　you　could　advise　me　on。〃
　His　voice　became　serious。　〃Shoot。〃
　She　cleared　her　throat。　〃I　went　to　St。　Mary's　College　of　Nursing　on　a　scholarship　and　I　was　wondering　if　I　could　arrange　with　the　studio　to　take　something　out　of　my　pay　check　each　week　and　send　it　to　them　the　way　they　do　with　the　Motion　Picture　Relief　Fund。　It　would　be　sort　of　paying　them　back　a　little　for　all　they　did　for　me。〃
　〃That's　easy。〃　David　laughed；　a　kind　of　relief　in　his　voice。　〃Just　send　a　note　to　my　office　tomorrow　morning　telling　me　how　much　you　want　taken　off　and　we'll　do　the　rest。　Anything　else？〃
　〃No；　that's　all。〃
　〃Good。　Now；　you　e　to　dinner　like　Rosa　said。〃
　〃I　will；　David。　Good…by。〃
　She　put　down　the　telephone　and　looked　at　the　letter　again。　She　began　to　feel　better。　At　least；　even　if　she　couldn't　be　there　herself　to　help；　her　money　would　do　some　good。　She　put　down　the　letter　and　picking　up　the　manila　envelope；　ripped　it　open。　She　had　been　right。　It　was　a　script；　a　long　one。
　Curiously　she　read　the　title　on　the　blue　cover。　Aphrodite；　a　screenplay　based　on　a　novel　by　Pierre　Louys。　She　opened　the　script　to　the　first　page　and　a　note　fell　out。　It　was　brief　and　to　the　point。
　
　DEAR　MISS　DENTON：
　It　has　been　a　long　time　since　you　made　a　motion　picture　and　I　believe　you　were　wise　to　wait　for　the　proper　script　with　which　to　follow　up　your　tremendous　success　in　The　Sinner。
　Aphrodite；　I　believe；　is　that　script。　It　is　the　one　property　I　have　seen　that　has　the　scope　and　the　quality　to　add　luster　to　your　career。　I　shall　be　most　interested　in　your　reaction。
　 Sincerely；
　 DAN　PIERCE
　
　She　folded　the　letter　and　put　it　back　in　the　script。　That　Dan　Pierce　was　a　cutie。　He　knew　better　than　to　submit　the　script　to　the　studio　in　the　usual　manner。　She　picked　up　the　script　and　started　upstairs　to　her　room。　She　would　read　it　in　bed　after　dinner。
　
　14
　
　DEAR　MR。　PIERCE：
　Thank　you　for　sending　me　the　enclosed　script　of　Aphrodite；　which　I　am　returning。　It　is　a　most　interesting　screenplay。　However；　it　is　not　one　that　I　should　particularly　care　to　do。
　 JENNIE　DENTON
　
　She　wondered　whether　she　had　been　right　in　so　summarily　dismissing　the　script。　She　had　mixed　feelings　about　it。　At　night；　in　bed；　reading　it　for　the　first　time；　she　could　not　put　it　down。　There　was　a　fascination　about　the　story　that　brought　to　her　mind　Standhurst's　description　of　the　courtesan　who　helped　rule　the　world。　The　screenplay　seemed　to　capture　the　sensual　imagery　and　poetry　of　the　original　work　and　yet　bring　it　all　within　the　limitations　and　confines　of　the　Motion　Picture　Code。　Yet；　the　more　she　read；　the　less　enthusiastic　she　became。
　There　was　not　one　single　line　or　scene　that　could　be　found　objectionable。　On　the　surface。　Yet；　beneath　the　surface；　there　was　an　acute　awareness　of　the　erotic　byplay　that　would　subtly　work　on　an　audience's　subconscious。　By　the　time　she　reached　the　end　of　the　screenplay；　she　felt　this　was　the　writer's　only　purpose。
　She　fell　asleep；　oddly　disturbed；　and　awoke　still　disturbed。　At　the　studio；　the　next　morning；　she'd　sent　to　the　library　for　a　copy　of　the　original　novel；　then　spent　all　of　that　day　and　part　of　the　next　reading　it。　After　that；　she　again　read　the　screenplay。　It　was　not　until　then　that　she　realized　how　boldly　the　beauty　and　purpose　of　the　story　had　been　distorted。
　Still；　there　was　no　doubt　in　her　mind　that　it　could　be　made　into　a　great　motion　picture。　And　even　less　doubt　that　the　actress　who　played　Aphrodite　would　bee　the　most　talked　about　and　important　actress　of　that　season。　The　Aphrodite　of　the　script　was　truly　the　goddess　and　woman　who　was　all　things　to　all　men。
　But　that　was　not　enough。　For；　nowhere　in　the　screenplay　could　she　find　the　soul　of　Aphrodite；　the　one　moment　of　spiritual　love　and　contemplation　that　would　lift　her　out　of　herself　and　make　her　one　truly　with　the　gods。　She　was　beautiful　and　warm　and　clever　and　loving　and　even　moral；　according　to　her　own　concept。　But　she　was　a　whore；　no　better　than　any　since　time　immemorial；　no　better　than　any　Jennie　had　known；　no　better　than　Jennie　herself　had　been。　And　something　inside　Jennie　was　appalled　by　what　she　had　read。　For；　in　another　time　and　another　place；　she　saw　herself　…　what　she　had　been　and　what　she　still　remained。
　She　put　the　envelope　on　the　dressing　table　and　pressed　the　button　for　a　messenger　just　as　the　telephone　rang。　She　picked　it　up。　It　was　not　until　she　heard　his　voice　that　she　knew　how　much　she'd　missed　him。　〃Jonas！　Where　are　you？　When　did　you　get　in？〃
　〃I'm　at　the　plant　in　Burbank。　I　want　to　see　you。〃
　〃Oh；　Jonas；　I　want　to　see　you；　too。　It　will　seem　like　such　a　long　day。〃
　〃Why　wait　until　tonight？　Can't　you　e　over　here　for　lunch？〃
　〃You　know　I　can。〃
　〃One　o'clock？〃
　〃I'll　be　there；〃　she　said；　putting　down　the　telephone。
　
　〃You　can　leave　it　here；　John；〃　Jonas　said。　〃We'll　help　ourselves。〃
　〃Yes；　Mr。　Cord。〃　The　porter　looked　at　Jennie；　then　back　at　Jonas。　〃Would　it；〃　he　began　hesitantly；　〃would　it　be　all　right　if　I　troubled　Miss　Denton　for　her　autograph？〃
　Jonas　laughed。　〃Ask　her。〃
　The　porter　looked　inquiringly　at　Jennie。　She　smiled　and　nodded。　He　took　a　pencil　and　paper　from　his　pocket　and　quickly　she　scrawled　her　name　on　it。　〃Thank　you；　Miss　Denton。〃
　Jennie　laughed　as　the　door　closed　behind　him。　〃Signing　my　autograph　always　makes　me　feel　like　a　queen。〃　She　looked　around　the　office。　〃This　is　nice。〃
　〃It's　not　mine；〃　Jonas　said；　pouring　coffee　into　two　cups。　〃It's　Forrester's。　I'm　just　using　it　while　he's　away。〃
　〃Oh；〃　she　said　curiously。　〃Where　is　yours？〃
　〃I　don't　have　any；　except　the　one　that　used　to　be　my　father's　in　the　old　plant　in　Nevada。　I'm　never　in　any　one　place　long　enough　to　really　need　one。〃　He　pulled　a　chair　around　near　her　and　sat　down。　He　drank　his　coffee　and　looked　at　her　quietly。
　She　could　feel　an　embarrassed　blush　creeping　over　her　face。　〃Do　I　look　all　right？　Is　my　make…up　smeared　or　something？〃
　He　shook　his　head　and　smiled。　〃No。　You　look　fine。〃
　She　sipped　at　her　coffee　and　an　awkward　silence　came　between　them。　〃What　have　you　been　doing？〃　she　asked。
　〃Thinking；　mostly。　About　us；〃　he　answered；　looking　at　her　steadily。　〃You。　Me。　This　last　time　I　was　away　from　you；　for　the　first　time　in　my　life　I　was　lonely。　Nothing　was　right。　I　wanted　to　see　no　other　girls。　Only　you。〃
　Her　heart　seemed　to　swell；　choking　her。　She　felt；　somehow；　that　if　she　tried　to　move；　she　would　faint。　Jonas　put　his　hand　in　his　pocket　and　came　out　with　a　small　box；　which　he　handed　to　her。　She　stared　down　at　it　dumbly。　The　small　gold　letters　stared　up　at　her。　Van　Cleef　&　Arpels。
　Her　fingers　trembled　as　she　opened　it。　The　beautifully　cut　heart…shaped　diamond　suddenly　released　its　radiance。　〃I　want　to　marry　you；〃　he　said　softly。
　She　felt　the　hot；　grateful　tears　push　their　way　into　her　eyes　as　she　looked