hr.thecarpetbaggers-第92部分

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　He　looked　at　her　and　laughed。　He　opened　the　door　to　his　cottage　and　they　went　past　his　secretary　into　his　private　office。　David　walked　around　behind　his　desk　and　sat　down。
　She　seated　herself　in　a　leather　chair　in　front　of　his　desk。　The　thoughtful　expression　was　still　on　his　face。　She　took　out　a　cigarette　and　lit　it。
　〃What　did　you　think　of　the　test？〃　he　asked。
　She　smiled。　〃Now　I　understand　why　she's　driving　all　the　men　crazy；〃　she　answered。　〃The　way　that　sheet　clung　to　her　when　she　came　out　of　the　water　was　the　most　suggestive　thing　I　ever　saw。〃
　〃Forget　that　scene。　If　it　weren't　in　the　test；　what　would　you　think　of　her？〃
　She　dragged　on　the　cigarette　and　the　smile　left　her　face。　〃I　thought　she　was　wonderful。　She　almost　tore　my　heart　out　in　that　scene　where　all　you　saw　was　Jesus'　feet　walking；　the　bottom　of　the　Cross　dragging　along　as　she　crawled　in　the　dirt　after　Him；　trying　to　kiss　His　feet。　I　found　myself　crying　with　her。〃　She　was　silent　for　a　moment。　〃Were　those　real　tears　or　make…up？〃
　David　stared　at　her。　〃They　were　real　tears；〃　he　said。　〃They　don't　use　make…up　tears　in　tests。〃
　He　felt　his　excitement　begin　to　hammer　inside　him。　In　her　own　way；　Rosa　had　given　him　the　answer。　He　hadn't　felt　like　this　since　he'd　first　seen　Rina　Marlowe　on　the　screen。　They'd　all　been　too　blinded　by　the　baptismal　scene　to　see　it。
　He　pulled　a　buck　slip　from　the　holder　on　his　desk　and　began　to　write　on　it。　Rosa　watched　him　for　a　moment；　then　walked　around　the　desk　and　looked　down　curiously　over　his　shoulder。　He　had　already　finished　his　scribbling　and　was　reaching　for　the　telephone。
　JONAS…
　I　THINK　IT'S　ABOUT　TIME　WE　GOT　BACK　INTO　THE　PICTURE　BUSINESS。　LET　ME　HEAR　FROM　YOU。
　DAVID
　〃Get　me　McAllister；　in　Reno；〃　David　said　into　the　telephone。　He　looked　up　at　Rosa　and　smiled。　She　smiled　back　and　returned　to　her　chair。
　〃Hello；　Mac；〃　David　said；　his　voice　firm　and　forceful。　〃Two　questions　you　can　answer　for　me。〃
　A　feeling　of　pride　began　to　run　through　her。　She　was　glad　she'd　e　down　to　the　studio。　This　was　a　facet　of　her　husband　she　had　never　known　before。
　〃First；〃　David　said　into　the　telephone；　〃can　I　sign　an　actress　to　a　contract　with　Cord　Explosives？　I　have　specific　reasons　for　not　wanting　to　sign　her　with　us。　Important　reasons。〃　David　relaxed　slightly。
　〃Good。　Next　question。　I　have　some　film　I　want　Jonas　to　see　right　away。　Can　you　get　it　to　him？〃
　He　waited　a　moment。　〃Can't　ask　for　anything　more　than　that。　I'll　have　the　film　at　your　L。A。　office　in　two　hours。　Thanks；　Mac。　Good…by。〃
　He　pressed　down　the　bar　on　the　telephone　and　raised　it　again。　〃Miss　Wilson；　get　me　Jess　Lee　in　printing　and　developing；　then　e　right　in　here。〃
　He　held　onto　the　telephone　and　reached　for　a　cigarette。　He　put　it　in　his　mouth。　She　leaned　across　the　desk　with　a　match。　He　drew　in　on　the　cigarette　and　smiled　at　her。
　〃Jess；〃　he　said；　as　the　door　opened　and　his　secretary　came　in。　〃I'm　shooting　down　a　buck　slip　to　you。　I　want　you　to　photograph　it　on　the　title　card　and　splice　it　onto　the　end　of　the　Jennie　Denton　test；　right　away。〃
　David　covered　the　mouthpiece　with　his　hand。　〃Take　that　buck　slip　down　to　Jess　Lee　yourself；〃　he　said　to　the　secretary；　indicating　the　paper　on　his　desk。　She　picked　it　up　silently　and　walked　out。
　〃I　know　it's　a　wild　test；　Jess；〃　he　said　into　the　phone。　〃Make　up　one　print　with　my　buck　slip　and　shoot　it　right　over　to　Mr。　McAllister's　secretary　at　Cord　Aircraft。　It's　got　to　be　there　by　noon。〃
　〃You've　made　up　your　mind？〃
　He　nodded。　〃I'm　playing　a　long　shot；〃　he　said。　〃If　I'm　wrong；　it　won't　matter　which　of　them　wins。　I　lose。〃
　Rosa　smiled。　〃There　es　a　time　like　that　in　every　operation。　You're　the　surgeon；　you　hold　the　knife　and　the　patient　is　open　before　you。　According　to　the　book；　there　are　many　things　you　can　do；　many　ways　you　can　go。　But　you　have　only　one　way　to　go　…　the　right　way。　So　you　make　the　decision。　Your　way。　No　matter　what　the　pressures　are；　no　matter　what　the　books　say。　You　have　to　go　your　own　way。〃　She　looked　at　him；　still　smiling。　〃Is　that　what　you're　doing；　David？〃　she　asked　gently。　〃Going　your　own　way？〃
　He　looked　at　her；　marveling　at　her　insight　and　knowledge。　〃Yes；〃　he　said　unhesitantly。　〃I'm　going　my　own　way。〃
　He　had　never　thought　of　it　quite　like　that。　She　was　right；　though。　He　was　on　his　own　now。
　
　Jennie　was　sitting　at　her　desk　in　the　living　room；　writing　checks　for　the　monthly　bills；　when　the　door　chime　rang。　She　heard　the　Mexican　woman　waddle　past　her　on　the　way　to　answer　it。　She　frowned；　looking　down　at　the　desk。
　She'd　been　a　fool；　she　thought　bitterly；　letting　herself　be　talked　into　that　screen　test。　She　should　have　known　the　John　was　only　shooting　his　mouth　off。　Now　they　were　laughing　their　heads　off　all　over　Hollywood。　At　least　four　other　Johns　had　called　her　up；　sarcastically　congratulating　her　on　her　screen　test。　They'd　all　seen　it。
　She　had　known　she　wasn't　an　actress。　Why　the　hell　had　she　fallen　for　the　gag？　Just　like　every　stage…struck　kid　that　came　out　here。　But　she　thought　she　was　too　wise。　She'd　never　fall　into　a　trap　like　that。　Then　she'd　gone　for　it；　just　like　all　the　others。
　She　should　have　known　the　moment　she　stood　in　front　of　the　cameras　that　it　wasn't　for　her。　But　she'd　read　the　script。　Mary　Magdalene。　At　first；　she'd　almost　died　laughing。　No　wonder　Bonner　had　thought　of　her。　It　was　type…casting　of　a　high　order。
　Then　something　of　the　story　had　got　to　her。　She'd　felt　moved　and　shaken。　She'd　lost　herself　in　the　part　and　there　were　times　when　she　cried　while　the　cameras　were　on　her。　And　that　was　something　she　hadn't　done　since　she　was　a　little　girl。　No　wonder　they　were　laughing。　She'd　have　laughed　herself　if　it　had　been　anyone　else。　The　whore　crying　for　the　whore。　She　never　should　have　listened。　The　week　had　gone　by　and　there　hadn't　been　even　a　word　from　Bonner。
　The　heavy　footsteps　of　the　Mexican　woman　sounded　behind　her。　She　looked　around。　The　servant's　beady　eyes　were　inscrutable。　〃Se？or　Woolf　está　aquí。〃
　Woolf。　She　knew　no　one　by　that　name。　Maybe　he　was　the　new　man　from　the　cops。　They'd　told　her　a　new　man　was　ing　around　to　pick　up　the　pay…off。
　〃De　las　películas；〃　the　servant　added　quickly。
　〃Oh。〃　She　nodded。　〃Tráigale　aquí。〃　She　turned　back　to　her　desk　as　the　servant　moved　away。　Quickly　Jennie　made　a　neat　pile　of　the　bills　and　put　them　in　a　drawer。　She　turned　in　her　chair　just　as　the　Mexican　returned　with　a　young　man。
　She　looked　coldly　at　him；　rising　from　her　chair。　〃Bonner　sent　you？〃
　〃No；〃　he　said。　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　Bonner　doesn't　even　know　I'm　here。〃
　〃Oh。〃　She　knew　now　why　he　had　e。　〃You　saw　the　test？〃
　He　nodded。
　Her　voice　grew　even　colder。　〃Then　you　might　as　well　go；〃　she　said。　〃I　see　no　one　except　by　appointment。〃
　A　faint　smile　tugged　at　his　lips。　She　grew　even　angrier。　〃And　you　can　tell　Bonner　for　me　that　he'd　better　stop　showing　that　test　around　town　or　he'll　regret　it。〃
　He　laughed；　then　his　face　grew　serious。　〃I've　already　done　that；　Miss　Denton。〃
　〃You　have？〃　She　felt　her　anger　dissipating。　〃A　thing　like　that　could　ruin　my　business。〃
　〃I　think　you're　out　of　that　business；〃　he　said　quietly。
　She　stared　at　him；　her　eyes　large。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　you　don't　understand；〃　he　said；　taking　a　card　from　his　pocket　and　handing　it　to　her。　She　looked　down　at　it。　It　was　an　expensive　engraved　card。　DAVID　WOOLF；　it　read　simply；　and　down　in　one　corner；　the　words：　EXECUTIVE　VICE…PRESIDENT。　Below　that　was　the　name　of　the　motion…picture　pany　Bonner　was　connected　with。　Now　she　remembered　who　he　was。　She'd　read　about　him　in　the　papers。　The　bright　young　man。　Cord's　boy　wonder。　She　looked　up　at　him。
　The　faint　smile　was　playing　around　his　lips　again。　〃Would　you　like　to　play　Mary　Magdalene？〃
　Suddenly；　she　was　nervous。　〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said　hesitantly。　〃I　thought　…　it　was　all　a　kind　of　joke　to　Bonner。〃
　〃Perhaps　it　was；〃　David　Woolf　said　quickly。　〃I　don't　know　what　he　thought。　But　it's　no　joke　to　me。　I　think　you　can　be　a　great　star。〃　He　was　silent　for　a　moment。　〃And　my　wife　does；　too。〃
　She　looked　at　him　questioningly。
　〃Rosa　Strassmer。　She　knew　you　at　the　hospital　four　years　ago。〃
　A　light　came　into　her　eyes。　〃You　mean　Dr。　Strassmer？　The　one　who　performed　the　skin　graft　on　Linda　Davis'　face？〃
　He　nodded　again；　smiling。　〃I　was　chief　nurse　in　surgery　that　day；〃　she　said。　〃She　was　great。〃
　〃Thank　you。　Now；　would　you　like　to　play　Mary　Magdalene？〃
　Suddenly；　she　wanted　to　more　than　anything　else　in　the　world。　〃Yes。〃
　〃I　hoped　that　would　be　your　answer；〃　he　said；　taking　a　folded　sheet　of　paper　from　his　inside　pocket。　〃How　much　did　Bonner　say　he　would　pay　you？〃
　〃Two　thousand　a　week。〃
　He　already　had　the　pen　in　his　hand　and　was　writing　on　the　sheet　of　paper。　〃Wait　a　minute；　Mr。　Woolf；〃　she　said　quickly。　〃I　know　Bonner　only　meant　it　as　a　gag。　You　don't　have　to　pay　me　that　much。〃
　〃Perhaps　he　did。　But　I　don't。　He　said　two　thousand；　that's　what　you'll　get。〃　He　finished　writing　and　handed　the　contract　to　her。　〃You'd　better　read　that　carefully。〃
　She　looked　down　at　the　printed　form。　The　only　thing　written　on　it　was　her　name　and　the　salary　figure。　〃Do　I　have　to？〃
　David　nodded。　〃I　think　you　should；〃　he　said。　〃Contracts　are　easy　to　sign　but　not　that　easy　to　get　out　of。〃
　Jennie　sank　back　into　the　chair　and　began　to　read　the　contract。　〃I　notice　it's　with　Cord　Explosives。〃
　〃That's　standard　practice　with　us。　Cord　owns　the　pany。〃
　〃Oh。〃　She　finished　reading　and　reached　for　a　pen。　Quickly　she　signed　her　name　and　handed　the　contract　back　to　him。　〃Now　what　do　we　do？〃　she　asked；　smiling。
　He　put　the　contract　into　his　pocket。　〃The　first　thing　we　do　is　change　your　name。〃
　〃What's　the　matter　with　it？〃
　〃Too　many　people　will　recognize　it；〃　he　said。　〃It　might　prove　embarrassing　later。〃
　Jennie　thought　for　a　moment；　then　laughed。　〃I　don't　give　a　damn；〃　she　said。　〃Do　you？〃
　David　shook　his　head。　〃Not　if　you　don't。〃
　She　laughed　again。　Let　the　Johns　eat　their　hearts　out　over　what　they　were　missing。
　He　looked　around　the　room。　〃Do　you　own　or　rent　this？〃　he　asked。
　〃Rent。〃
　〃Good；〃　he　said。　〃Close　down　and　go　away　for　a　while。　Out　on　the　desert。　Palm　Springs；　maybe。　Don't　let　anyone　know　where　you　are　except　me。〃
　〃O。K。；〃　she　said。　〃What　do　I　do　then？〃
　〃You　wait；〃　he　s