hr.thecarpetbaggers-第60部分

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　Thank　God；　this　was　the　last　scene。　It　was　the　one　in　front　of　the　cabin　when　the　girl　opens　the　door　in　the　morning　and　finds　the　two　men　dead；　the　younger　man　having　killed　the　older；　then　himself；　when　he　realized　the　depths　to　which　the　girl　had　led　him。　All　she　had　to　do　was　look　at　the　two　men　and　cry　a　little；　then　walk　off　into　the　desert。　Simple。　Nothing　could　go　wrong　with　that。　Ten　minutes　and　it　would　be　over。
　〃Places！〃
　The　two　actors　stretched　out　in　front　of　the　cabin　door。　An　assistant　director　and　the　script　girl　quickly　checked　their　positions　with　photographs　of　the　scene　previously　made　and　made　a　few　corrections。　The　hand　of　one　actor　was　in　the　wrong　place；　a　smudge　had　appeared　on　the　cheek　of　the　other。
　Norman　saw　Dunbar　nod。　〃Roll　'em！〃　There　was　silence　for　a　moment　as　the　scene　plate　was　shot；　then　Dunbar　called　quietly；　〃Action。〃
　Norman　smiled　to　himself。　This　was　a　cinch。　There　wasn't　even　any　sound　to　louse　this　one　up。　Slowly　the　door　of　the　cabin　began　to　open。　Rina　stepped　out　and　looked　down　at　the　two　men。
　Norman　swore　to　himself。　You'd　think　at　least　the　shmuck　would　have　enough　sense　to　rip　her　dress　a　little。　After　all；　it　was　supposed　to　be　out　on　the　desert。　But　no；　the　dress　went　right　up　to　her　neck　like　it　was　the　middle　of　the　winter。　The　finest　pair　of　tits　in　the　whole　business　Dunbar　had　to　work　with　and　he　kept　them　hidden。
　The　big　camera　began　to　dolly　in　for　a　close…up。　Rina　raised　her　head　slowly　and　looked　into　the　camera。　A　moment　passed。　Another　moment。　〃Cry；　damn　you！〃　Dunbar　screamed。　〃Cry！〃
　Rina　blinked　her　eyes。　Nothing　happened。
　〃Cut！〃　Dunbar　yelled。　He　walked　out　on　the　set；　stepping　over　one　of　the　prostrate　men　to　reach　her。　He　looked　at　Rina　for　a　moment。　〃In　this　scene；　you're　supposed　to　cry；　remember？〃　he　asked　sarcastically。
　She　nodded　silently。
　He　turned　around　and　went　back　to　his　place　beside　the　camera。　Rina　went　back　into　the　cabin；　closing　the　door　behind　her。　Again　the　assistant　director　and　the　script　girl　checked　the　positions；　then　walked　off　the　set。
　〃Roll　'em！〃
　〃Scene　three　seventeen；　take　two！〃　The　plateman　called　and　stepped　away　from　in　front　of　the　camera　quickly。
　〃Action！〃
　Everything　happened　exactly　as　before　until　the　moment　Rina　looked　into　the　camera。　She　stared　into　it　for　a　moment。　Unwinking。　Dry　eyes。　Then；　suddenly；　she　stepped　aside。
　〃Cut！〃　Dunbar　called。　He　started　out　onto　the　stage　again。
　〃I'm　sorry；　Claude；〃　Rina　said。　〃I　just　can't。　We'd　better　use　make…up。〃
　〃Make…up！〃　the　eager　assistant　director　yelled。　〃Bring　the　tears！〃
　Norman　nodded。　There　was　no　use　wasting　money。　On　screen；　nobody　could　tell　the　difference。　Besides；　the　phony　tears　photographed　even　better　…　they　rolled　down　the　cheeks　like　oiled　ball　bearings。
　Dunbar　turned。　〃No　make…up！〃
　〃No　make…up！〃　his　assistant　echoed　loudly。　〃Hold　the　tears！〃
　Dunbar　looked　at　Rina。　〃This　is　the　last　scene　of　the　picture；〃　he　said。　〃Two　men　are　dead　because　of　you　and　all　I　want　is　one　lousy　little　tear。　Not　because　you　feel　sorry　for　them　or　for　yourself。　It's　just　to　let　me　know　that　somewhere　inside　you；　you　still　have　a　soul。　Not　much；　just　enough　to　show　you're　a　woman；　not　an　animal。　Understand？〃
　Rina　nodded。
　〃O。K。；　then；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃Let's　take　it　from　the　top。〃　He　walked　back　to　his　place　beside　the　camera。　He　bent　slightly　forward；　peering　intensely　as　Rina　came　out　the　door。　She　looked　down　at　the　men；　then　up　as　the　camera　began　to　dolly　in　close。　〃Now！〃　Dunbar's　voice　was　almost　a　whisper。　〃Cry！〃
　Rina　stared　into　the　approaching　camera。　Nothing　happened。
　〃Cut！〃　Dunbar　yelled。　He　strode　angrily　into　the　scene。　〃What　the　fuck　kind　of　a　woman　are　you？〃　he　screamed　at　her。
　〃Please；　Claude；〃　she　begged。
　He　stared　at　her　coldly。　〃For　five　months　we　were　making　this　picture。　I've　worked　day　and　night；　for　only　one　reason。　You　wanted　to　prove　you　were　an　actress。　Well；　I've　done　all　I　could。　I'm　not　going　to　destroy　the　integrity　of　this　picture　in　the　last　scene　because　of　your　inadequacy。　You　want　to　be　an　actress　…　well；　prove　it！　Act！〃
　He　turned　his　back　on　her　and　walked　away。　Norman　covered　his　face　with　his　hands。　Ten　thousand　dollars　a　day　this　was　costing　him。　He　should　have　known　better。
　〃Action！〃
　He　opened　his　fingers　and　peered　through　them　at　the　scene。　This　time；　he　could　hear　Dunbar　speaking　to　Rina　in　a　low　voice。
　〃That's　right；　that's　right；　now　you　walk　out。　You　look　down　and　see　them。　First　at　Paul；　then　at　Joseph。　You　see　the　gun　in　Joseph's　hand　and　you　know　what　has　happened。　Now　you　begin　to　look　up。　You're　thinking；　they're　dead。　Maybe　you　didn't　love　them　but　you　lived　with　them；　you　used　them。　Maybe　for　a　moment　one　of　them　brings　back　a　piece　of　your　memory　…　the　memory　you　lost　and　never　recovered。　But　for　a　fraction　of　a　second；　the　veil　lifts。　And　it's　your　father；　or　your　brother；　or　maybe　the　child　you　never　had；　lying　there　in　the　sand　at　your　feet。　The　tears　start　up　in　your　eyes。〃
　Slowly　Norman's　hands　slipped　away　from　his　face。　He　held　his　breath　as　he　moved　toward　the　side　away　from　the　camera；　which　blocked　his　view。　Rina　was　crying。　Real　tears。
　Dunbar　was　still　whispering。　〃The　tears　have　e　but　the　veil　has　dropped　again　and　you　can't　remember　why　you　are　crying。　The　tears　stop　and　your　eyes　are　dry。　Now　you　turn　and　look　out　into　the　desert。　Out　there　in　the　lonely　sand　someone　is　waiting；　someone　with　your　memory。　You　will　find　that　person　out　there。　Then　you'll　really　know　who　you　are。　You　begin　to　walk　out　into　the　desert　。　。　。　slowly　。　。　。　slowly　。　。　。　slowly。〃
　Dunbar's　voice　faded　as　Rina　began　to　walk　away；　even　the　proud；　straight　shape　of　her　back　calling　for　pity。　Norman　looked　around　him。　The　crew　were　staring　at　Rina。　They　had　forgotten　everything　on　the　set　except　her。　He　felt　a　moisture　in　his　eyes。　The　damn　scene　had　even　got　to　him。
　〃Cut！〃　Dunbar's　voice　was　a　hoarse；　triumphant　shout。　〃Print　it！〃　He　slumped　back　into　his　chair；　exhausted。
　The　stage　turned　into　bedlam；　with　everybody　applauding。　Even　the　hard…bitten　veterans　of　the　crew　were　grinning。　Norman　ran　out　onto　the　stage。　He　grabbed　Rina's　hand　excitedly。　〃You　were　wonderful；　baby！〃　he　said。　〃Magnificent！〃
　Rina　looked　at　him。　For　a　moment；　it　seemed　as　if　she　were　far　away；　then　her　eyes　cleared。　She　looked　toward　Dunbar；　seated　in　his　chair；　surrounded　by　the　camera　crew　and　his　assistants；　then　back　at　Norman。　〃Do　you　really　think　so？〃
　〃Would　I　say　it　if　I　didn't　mean　it；　baby？〃　he　replied；　smiling。　〃You　know　me　better　than　that。　Now；　you　take　a　good　couple　of　weeks'　rest。　I　got　Scheherazade　all　set　to　go。〃
　She　turned　away　from　him　and　watched　Dunbar；　who　was　approaching　them　slowly；　the　lines　of　exhaustion　showing　clearly　on　his　thin；　forty…year…old　face。　〃Thank　you；〃　she　said；　taking　Dunbar's　hand。
　He　smiled　wearily。　〃You're　a　great　actress；　Miss　Marlowe；〃　he　said；　formal　once　again；　now　that　their　work　was　over。　〃It　was　a　privilege　working　with　you。〃
　Rina　stared　at　him　for　a　moment；　a　new　vitality　flowing　into　her。　〃You're　out　on　your　feet；〃　she　said；　concern　in　her　voice。
　〃I'll　be　all　right　with　some　rest；〃　he　said　quickly。　〃I　don't　think　I've　slept　a　night　through　since　the　picture　began。〃
　〃We'll　soon　fix　that；〃　Rina　said　confidently。　〃Ilene。〃
　From　somewhere　in　the　crowd；　Ilene　suddenly　appeared。　〃Call　James　and　have　him　prepare　the　guest　room　for　Mr。　Dunbar。〃
　〃But；　Miss　Marlowe；〃　the　director　protested。　〃I　can't　put　you　to　all　that　trouble！〃
　〃Do　you　think　I'd　let　you　go　back　to　that　empty　hotel　room　the　way　you're　feeling？〃　Rina　demanded。
　〃But　I　promised　Mother　I'd　call　her　the　moment　the　picture　was　finished。〃
　〃You　can　call　her　there。〃　Rina　laughed。　〃We　do　have　telephones；　really。〃
　Norman　clapped　Dunbar　on　the　shoulder。　〃You　do　like　Rina　says；　Dunbar。　You　can　use　the　rest。　You　still　got　ten　weeks　of　editing　in　front　of　you。　But　don't　worry；　you　got　a　great　picture　here。　I　wouldn't　be　surprised　if　you　both　get　Academy　Awards！〃
　Norman　didn't　believe　it　when　he　said　it；　but　that　was　exactly　the　way　it　turned　out。
　
　19
　
　NELIA　DUNBAR；　SIXTY…THREE　YEARS　OLD　AND　STRONG　AS　THE　PROVERBIAL　ROCK；　crossed　the　room　and　looked　down　at　her　son。　〃That　horrible　creature；〃　she　said　quietly。
　She　slipped　into　the　seat　beside　her　son　and　took　his　head　on　her　shoulder。　Absently　she　stroked　his　forehead。　〃I　was　wondering　how　long　it　would　take　you　to　see　her　in　her　true　light；〃　she　said。　〃I　told　you　not　to　marry　her。〃
　Claude　didn't　answer。　There　was　no　need　to。　There　was　a　familiar　safety　in　his　mother's　arms。　There　always　had　been。　Even　when　he　was　a　child　and　had　e　running　home　from　school　when　the　boys　ganged　up　on　him。　His　mother　knew　him。　He　didn't　have　to　tell　her　when　he　was　troubled。　Instinctively　she　had　moved　out　to　California　after　his　marriage　to　Rina。
　He　had　never　been　very　strong；　always　frail　and　thin；　and　the　intense　nervousness　of　his　creative　spurts　left　him　drained　and　exhausted。　At　times　like　that；　his　mother　would　see　to　it　that　he　took　to　his　bed　…　for　weeks　on　end；　sometimes。　She　would　serve　him　his　meals；　bring　him　the　newspapers；　read　to　him　from　the　books　they　both　loved。
　Often　he　felt　that　these　were　the　happiest　moments　of　his　life。　Here　in　the　gentle　pastels　of　the　room　his　mother　had　decorated　for　him；　he　felt　warm　and　fortable　and　at　ease。　Everything　he　wanted　was　at　his　fingertips。　The　dirtiness　and　petty　meanness　of　the　world　were　safely　locked　away　outside　the　walls　of　that　room。
　His　father　had　never　been　more　than　a　vague　nebulous　shadow。　He　could　scarcely　remember　him；　for　he　had　died　when　Claude　was　only　five。　His　father's　death　had　caused　scarcely　a　noticeable　ripple　in　the　course　of　their　lives；　for　they　were　left　well　off。　They　weren't　wealthy　but　never　was　there　want。
　〃You　go　back　to　the　house　and　get　what　few　things　you　need；〃　his　mother　said。　〃You　can　spend　the　night　here。　In　the　morning；　we'll　see　about　a　divorce。〃
　He　raised　his　head　from　his　mother's　shoulder　and　looked　at　her。　〃But；　Mother；　I　wouldn't　even　know　what　to　say　to　a　lawyer。〃
　〃Don't　worry；〃　his　mother　said　confidently。　〃I'll　take　care　of　everything。〃
　He　could　feel　a　great　weight　lifting　from　his　sh