hr.thecarpetbaggers-第119部分

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you；〃　he　said　softly。
　She　felt　the　hot；　grateful　tears　push　their　way　into　her　eyes　as　she　looked　at　him。　Her　lips　trembled　but　she　could　not　speak。
　It　was　the　headline　and　lead　story　in　Louella's　column　the　next　day。　The　telephone　had　been　ringing　in　her　dressing　room　all　morning；　until　finally　she'd　asked　the　switchboard　to　screen　all　her　calls。　The　operator's　voice　had　a　new　respect　in　it。　As　Jennie　started　to　put　the　telephone　down　the　operator　said；　〃Miss　Denton？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃The　girls　on　the　switchboard　all　wish　you　the　best　of　luck。〃
　Jennie　felt　a　sudden　happy　rush　of　warmth　go　through　her。　〃Why；　thank　you。〃
　Later　in　the　afternoon；　Rosa　called。　〃I'm　so　happy　for　both　of　you。〃
　〃I'm　in　a　daze；〃　Jennie　laughed；　looking　down　at　the　diamond　sparkling　on　her　finger。
　〃You　know　that　dinner　invitation？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃David　and　I　were　just　thinking。　How　would　you　like　to　make　it　an　engagement　party？　At　Romanoff's　with　all　the　trimmings。〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃　Jennie　hesitated。　〃I'd　better　check　with　Jonas。〃
　Rosa　laughed。　〃Jonas？　Who's　he？　Only　the　groom。　Nobody　ever　asks　the　groom　what　he　wants。　It　doesn't　have　to　be　a　big　party；　if　you　don't　want　one。〃
　〃All　right。〃　Jennie　laughed。　〃You've　twisted　my　arm。〃
　〃And　you'll　have　a　chance　to　show　off　your　engagement　ring。　I　hear　it's　a　real　smasher。〃
　Jennie　held　out　her　hand　and　the　diamond　winked　at　her。　〃It's　very　nice；〃　she　said。
　〃Bernie　is　yelling　for　his　dinner。　I'll　call　you　at　home　tonight　and　we'll　make　the　arrangements。〃
　〃Thanks；　Rosa。　'By。〃
　There　was　a　strange　car　parked　in　the　driveway　when　she　got　home　from　the　studio　that　night。　She　drove　into　the　garage　and　entered　the　house　through　the　back　door。　If　it　was　another　reporter；　she　didn't　want　to　see　him。　The　Mexican　woman　was　in　the　kitchen。　〃A　Se？or　Pierce　is　in　the　living　room；　se？orita。
　What　could　he　want；　she　wondered。　Perhaps　he　hadn't　received　the　script　yet　and　had　dropped　by　for　it。　Pierce　was　seated　in　a　deep　chair；　a　copy　of　the　script　open　on　his　lap。　He　got　to　his　feet　and　nodded。　〃Miss　Denton。〃
　〃Mr。　Pierce。　Did　you　get　the　script？　I　sent　it　out　several　days　ago。〃
　He　smiled。　〃I　got　it。　But　I　thought　perhaps　we　might　discuss　it　further。　I'm　hoping　I　can　talk　you　into　changing　your　mind。〃
　She　shook　her　head。　〃I　don't　think　so。〃
　〃Before　we　talk　about　it；〃　he　said　quickly；　〃may　I　offer　my　congratulations　on　your　engagement？〃
　〃Thank　you。　But　now　I　must　ask　you　to　excuse　me。　I　do　have　an　appointment。〃
　〃I'll　only　take　a　few　minutes　of　your　time。〃　He　bent　over　and　picked　up　a　small　carrying　case　that　had　been　lying　on　the　floor　behind　the　chair。
　〃But；　really；　Mr。　Pierce…　〃
　〃I'll　only　be　a　few　minutes。〃　There　was　a　peculiar　sureness　in　his　voice。　It　was　as　if　he　knew　she　would　not　dare　to　refuse　him。　He　pressed　a　button　and　the　top　of　the　carrying　case　popped　open。　〃Do　you　know　what　this　is；　Miss　Denton？〃　he　asked。
　She　didn't　answer。　She　was　beginning　to　get　angry。　If　this　was　his　idea　of　a　joke；　she　wasn't　going　to　like　it。　〃It's　an　eight…millimeter　projector；〃　he　said　in　a　conversational　tone；　as　he　snapped　on　a　lens。　〃The　kind　ordinarily　used　for　the　showing　of　home　movies。〃
　〃Very　interesting。　But　I　hardly　see　what　it　has　to　do　with　me。〃
　〃You　will；〃　he　promised；　looking　up。　His　eyes　were　cold。　He　turned；　looking　for　an　electrical　outlet。　He　found　one　against　the　wall　behind　the　chair　and　swiftly　plugged　the　cord　from　the　projector　into　it。
　〃I　think　that　white　wall　across　from　you　will　do　very　well　for　a　screen；　don't　you？〃　He　turned　the　projector　toward　it　and　flicked　a　switch。　〃I　took　the　liberty　of　putting　on　the　reel　of　film　before　I　came　here。〃
　The　whir　of　film　sounded　and　Jennie　turned　to　watch　the　picture　being　thrown　against　the　wall。　The　scene　showed　two　naked　girls　on　a　couch；　their　arms　around　each　other；　their　faces　hidden。　A　warning　bell　echoed　in　her　mind。　There　was　something　curiously　familiar　about　the　scene。
　〃I　got　this　film　from　a　friend　of　mine　in　New　Orleans。〃　Pierce's　voice　came　casually　from　behind　her　as　a　man　walked　into　the　scene。　He；　too；　was　nude　and　one　of　the　girls　turned　toward　him；　facing　directly　into　the　camera。
　Unconsciously　Jennie　let　out　a　gasp。　The　girl　was　herself。　Then　she　remembered。　It　had　been　that　time　in　New　Orleans。　She　turned　to　stare　at　Dan　Pierce；　her　face　white。
　〃You　were　photogenic　even　then。　You　should　have　made　sure　there　was　no　camera。〃
　〃There　wasn't　any；〃　she　gasped。　〃Aida　would　never　have　permitted　it。〃　She　stared　at　him　silently；　her　mouth　and　throat　suddenly　dry。
　He　pressed　a　switch　and　as　the　film　stopped；　the　light　faded。　〃I　can　see　you're　not　very　interested　in　home　movies。〃
　〃What　do　you　want？〃　she　asked。
　〃You。〃　He　began　to　close　up　the　machine。　〃But　not　in　the　usual　sense；〃　he　added　quickly。　〃I　want　you　to　play　Aphrodite。〃
　〃And　if　I　don't　choose　to？〃
　〃You're　lovely；　you're　a　star；　you're　engaged；〃　he　said　casually。　〃You　might　not　be　any　of　the　three　if　this　film　should　happen　to　fall　into　the　wrong　hands。　Together　with　a　summary　of　your　professional　activities。〃　His　cold　eyes　flashed　at　her。　〃No　man；　even　one　as　crazy　as　Jonas　Cord；　wants　to　marry　the　town　whore。〃
　〃I'm　under　contract　to　Norman。　My　contract　doesn't　allow　me　to　make　any　outside　pictures。〃
　〃I　know；〃　Dan　said　calmly。　〃But　I'm　sure　Cord　would　authorize　the　purchase　of　this　script　if　you　asked　him。　Bonner　will　make　the　picture。〃
　〃What　if　he　won't？　Jonas　has　pretty　definite　ideas　about　pictures。〃
　A　faint　smile　came　to　his　lips。　〃Then；　make　him　change　them。〃
　She　drew　in　her　breath　slowly。　〃And　if　I　do？〃
　〃Why；　then　you　get　the　film；　of　course。〃
　〃The　negative；　too？〃
　He　nodded。
　〃How　do　I　know　that　there　are　no　dupes？〃
　His　eyebrows　went　up　approvingly。　〃I　see　you've　learned；〃　he　said。　〃I　paid　five　thousand　dollars　for　that　little　can　of　film。　And　I　wouldn't　have　done　that　if　I　hadn't　been　sure　there　were　no　other　copies。　Besides；　why　kill　the　goose？　We　may　want　to　do　business　together　again　sometime。〃
　He　packed　up　the　projector。　〃I'll　leave　the　script　with　you。〃
　She　didn't　answer。
　He　turned；　his　hand　on　the　door；　and　looked　back。　〃I　told　you　I'd　only　be　a　few　minutes；〃　he　said。
　
　15
　
　DAN　PIERCE　GOT　TO　HIS　FEET；　RAPPING　HIS　CUP　WITH　A　TINY　SPOON。　He　surveyed　the　table　owlishly。　He　was　drunk；　happy　drunk；　as　much　on　success　as　on　the　Scotch　whisky　he　had　so　generously　imbibed。
　He　nodded　his　head　as　they　all　looked　up　at　him。　〃Dan　Pierce　doesn't　forget　who　his　friends　are。　He　does　things　righ'。　I　brought　the　engaged　couple　each　a　presen'。〃　He　turned；　snapping　his　fingers。
　〃Yes；　Mr。　Pierce；〃　the　ma？tre　d'　said　quickly。　He　gestured　and　a　waiter　came　up　with　two　packages；　looked　down　at　the　tag　on　each　and　deposited　the　large　gold…wrapped　box　in　front　of　Jonas；　the　smaller　silver…wrapped　package　by　Jennie。
　〃Thank　you；　Dan；〃　Jonas　said。
　〃Open　it　up；　Jonas；〃　Dan　said　drunkenly。　〃I　wan'　ev'ybody　to　see　the　presents。〃
　Jennie　felt　a　strange　foreboding。　〃We'll　open　them　later；　Dan。〃
　〃No；〃　he　said　insistently。　〃Now。〃
　She　looked　around　the　table。　They　were　all　watching　curiously。　She　looked　at　Jonas。　He　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　smiled　at　her。　She　started　to　open　her　gift。　It　was　wrapped　so　tight；　she　reached　for　a　knife　to　cut　it　just　as　Jonas　finished　taking　the　wrapping　from　his。　〃Hey；〃　Jonas　said；　laughing；　as　he　held　it　up　for　all　to　see。　〃A　magnum　of　champagne！〃
　Her　present　was　in　a　small　but　beautifully　inlaid　mahogany　case。　She　opened　it　and　stared　down；　feeling　the　color　drain　from　her　face。　Jonas　took　the　case　from　her　hands　and　held　it　up　for　everyone　to　see。　〃It's　a　set　of　English　razors；〃　he　said　and　grinned　at　Dan。　〃The　waiter　must　have　got　the　labels　mixed。　Thanks　again；　Dan。〃
　Abruptly　Pierce　sat　down。　He　was　smiling。
　Jennie　felt　them　all　watching　her。　She　raised　her　head　and　looked　around　the　table。　It　was　as　if　she　knew　what　they　were　thinking。　Of　the　twelve　other　couples　seated　around　the　large　table；　she　had　known　five　of　the　men　before　she'd　made　the　test。　Irving　Schwartz；　Bonner；　three　others；　who　were　top…ranking　executives　with　other　panies。　The　other　seven　men　all　knew。　Some　of　their　wives；　too。　She　could　see　it　in　their　eyes。　In　only　two　of　the　men　could　she　see　any　sympathy。　David　and　Nevada　Smith。
　David　she　could　understand。　But　she　did　not　understand　why　Nevada　should　feel　sorry　for　her。　He　scarcely　knew　her。　He　had　always　seemed　so　quiet；　even　shy；　when　they　met　at　the　studio。　But　now　there　was　a　wild　sort　of　anger　deep　in　his　black　Indian　eyes　as　he　looked　from　her　to　Dan　Pierce。
　Thirteen　men；　she　thought　and　all　but　one　of　them　knew　her　for　what　she'd　been。　And　the　thirteenth　was　the　unlucky　one。　He　was　going　to　marry　her。　She　felt　a　light　touch　on　her　arm。　Rosa's　voice　broke　the　silence　that　threatened　to　engulf　her。　〃I　think　it's　about　time　we　went　to　the　little　girl's　room。〃
　Jennie　nodded　dumbly　and　followed　her　from　the　table　silently。　She　could　feel　the　eyes　of　other　diners　following　her。　Without　even　returning　their　glances；　she　recognized　several　other　men　she　had　known　and　saw　their　wise；　knowing　smiles。　She　began　to　feel　sick。　Rosa　drew　the　curtain　in　front　of　the　small　alcove　in　the　corner　as　Jennie　sank　silently　onto　the　couch。　Rosa　lit　a　cigarette　and　handed　it　to　her。
　Jennie　looked　up　at　her；　the　cigarette　in　her　fingers　already　forgotten。　The　tears　started　to　e　into　her　eyes。　〃Why？〃　she　asked　in　a　hurt；　bewildered　voice。　〃I　don't　understand。　What　did　I　ever　do　to　him？〃
　She　began　to　cry　silently　as　Rosa　sat　down　beside　her　and　drew　her　head　down　to　her　shoulder。
　
　Dan　Pierce　chuckled　to　himself　as　he　threaded　his　way　to　his　car　through　the　dark　and　deserted　parking　lot。　Wait　until　he　told　the　story　in　the　locker　room　at　Hillcrest　tomorrow　morning。　The　men　would　laugh　their　heads　off。　None　of　them　really　liked　Jonas；　anyway。
　True；　they　tolerated　him。　But　they　didn't　accept　him。　There　was　a　difference。　They　all　respected　Jonas'　success　but　they　wouldn't　lift　a　finger　to　help　him。　Not　like　they　would　for　Dan　Pierce　if　he　needed　their　help；　which　he　didn't。　He　was　one　of　them；　he'd　grown　up　in　the　business　with　them。　They　had　their　rules。　They　stuck　together。
　Wait　until　he　told　them　ho