sidneysheldon.astrangerinthemirror-第12部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　On　the　morning　of　the　show；　Toby　waited　until　class　was　over　and　walked　up　to　Karen；　the　fat　actress　who　had　sat　next　to　him　during　the　play。　
　〃Would　you　do　me　a　favor？〃　he　asked　casually。　　
　〃Sure；　Toby。〃　Her　voice　was　surprised　and　eager。　
　Toby　stepped　back　to　get　away　from　her　breath。
　〃I'm　gulling　a　gag　on　an　old　friend　of　mine。　I　want　you　to　telephone　Clifton　Lawrence's　secretary　and　tell　her　you're　Sam　Goldwyn's　secretary；　and　that　Mr。　Goldwyn　would　like　Mr。　Lawrence　to　e　to　the　show　tonight　to　see　a　brilliant　new　ic。　There'll　be　a　ticket　waiting　for　him　at　the　box　office。〃　
　Karen　stared　at　him。　〃Jesus；　old　lady　Tanner　would　have　my　head。　You　know　she　never　allows　outsiders　at　the　Workshop　shows。〃　
　〃Believe　me；　it'll　be　all　right。〃　He　took　her　arm　and　squeezed　it。　〃You　busy　this　afternoon？〃　
　She　swallowed；　her　breath　ing　a　little　faster。　〃Not　not　if　you'd　like　to　do　something。〃　
　〃I'd　like　to　do　something。〃　
　Three　hours　later；　an　ecstatic　Karen　made　the　phone　call。　
　
　The　auditorium　was　filled　with　actors　from　the　various　classes　and　their　guests；　but　the　only　person　Toby　had　eyes　for　was　the　man　who　sat　in　an　aisle　seat　in　the　third　row。　Toby　had　been　in　a　panic；　fearful　that　his　ruse　would　not　work。　Surely　a　man　as　clever　as　Clifton　Lawrence　would　see　through　the　trick。　But　he　had　not。　He　was　here。　
　A　boy　and　girl　were　on　stage　now；　doing　a　scene　from　The　Sea　Gull。　Toby　hoped　they　would　not　drive　Clifton　Lawrence　out　of　the　theater。　Finally；　the　scene　was　finished；　and　the　actors　took　their　bows　and　left　the　stage。　It　was　Toby's　turn。　Alice　suddenly　appeared　at　his　side　in　the　wings；　whispering；　
　〃Good　luck；　darling〃；　unaware　that　his　luck　was　silting　in　the　audience。　
　〃Thanks；　Alice。〃　
　Toby　breathed　a　silent　prayer；　straight　ened　his　shoulders；　bounced　out　on　stage　and　smiled　boyishly　at　the　audience。　
　〃Hello；　there。　I'm　Toby　Temple。　Hey；　did　you　ever　stop　to　think　about　names；　and　how　our　parents　choose　them？　It's　crazy。　I　asked　my　mother　why　she　named　me　Toby。　She　said　she　took　one　look　at　my　mug；　and　that　was　it。〃　His　look　was　what　got　the　laugh。　Toby　appeared　so　innocent　and　wistful；　standing　up　there　on　that　stage；　that　they　loved　him。　The　jokes　he　told　where　terrible；　but　somehow　that　did　not　matter。　He　was　so　vulnerable　that　they　wanted　to　protect　him；　and　they　did　it　with　their　applause　and　their　laughter。　It　was　like　a　gift　of　love　that　flowed　into　Toby；　filling　him　with　an　almost　unbearable　exhilaration。　He　was　Edward　G。　Robinson　and　Jimmy　Cagney；　and　Cagney　was　saying；　〃You　dirty　rat！　Who　do　you　think　you're　giving　orders　to？〃　And　Robinson's；　〃To　you；　you　punk。　I'm　Little　Caesar。　I'm　the　boss。　You're　nuthin'。　Do　you　know　what　that　means？〃　〃Yeah；　you　dirty　rat。　You're　the　boss　of　nuthin'。〃　A　roar。　The　audience　adored　Toby。　Bogart　was　there；　snarling；　〃I'd　spit　in　your　eye；　punk；　if　my　lip　wasn't　stuck　over　my　teeth。〃　And　the　audience　was　enchanted。　Toby　gave　them　his　Peter　Lorre。　〃I　saw　this　little　girl　in　her　room；　playing　with　it；　and　I　got　excited。　I　don't　know　what　came　over　me。　I　couldn't　help　myself。　I　crept　into　her　room；　and　I　pulled　the　rope　tighter　and　tighter；　and　I　broke　her　yoyo。〃　A　big　laugh。　He　was　rolling。　He　switched　over　to　Laurel　and　Hardy；　and　a　movement　in　the　audience　caught　his　eye　and　he　glanced　up。　Clifton　Lawrence　was　walking　out　of　the　theater。　The　rest　of　the　evening　was　a　blur　to　Toby。　
　When　the　show　was　over；　Alice　Tanner　came　up　to　Toby。　〃You　were　wonderful；　darling！　I。。。〃　
　He　could　not　bear　to　look　at　her；　to　have　anyone　look　at　him。　He　wanted　to　be　alone　with　his　misery；　to　try　to　cope　with　the　pain　that　was　tearing　him　apart。　His　world　had　collapsed　around　him。　He　had　had　his　chance；　and　he　had　failed。　Clifton　Lawrence　had　walked　out　on　him；　had　not　even　waited　for　him　to　finish。　Clifton　Lawrence　was　a　man　who　knew　talent；　a　professional　who　handled　the　best。　If　Lawrence　did　not　think　Toby　had　anything。。。　He　felt　sick　to　his　stomach。　
　〃I'm　going　for　a　walk；〃　he　said　to　Alice。　
　He　walked　down　Vine　Street　and　Gower；　past　Columbia　Pictures　and　RKO　and　Paramount。　All　the　gates　were　locked。　　
　He　walked　along　Hollywood　Boulevard　and　looked　up　at　the　huge　mocking　sign　on　the　hill　that　said；　〃hollywoodland〃。　There　was　no　Hollywoodland。　It　was　a　state　of　mind；　a　phony　dream　that　lured　thousands　of　otherwise　normal　people　into　the　insanity　of　trying　to　bee　a　star。　The　word　Hollywood　had　bee　a　loadstone　for　miracles；　a　trap　that　seduced　people　with　wonderful　promises；　siren　songs　of　dreams　fulfilled；　and　then　destroyed　them。　Toby　walked　the　streets　all　night　long；　wondering　what　he　was　going　to　do　with　his　life。　His　faith　in　himself　had　been　shattered　and　he　felt　rootless　and　adrift。　He　had　never　imagined　himself　doing　anything　other　than　entertaining　people；　and　if　he　could　not　do　that；　all　that　was　left　for　him　were　dull；　monotonous　jobs　where　he　would　be　caged　up　for　the　rest　of　his　life。　Mr。　Anonymous。　No　one　would　ever　know　who　he　was。　He　thought　of　the　long；　dreary　years；　the　bitter　loneliness　of　a　thousand　nameless　towns；　of　the　people　who　had　applauded　him　and　laughed　at　him　and　loved　him。　Toby　wept。　He　wept　for　the　past　and　for　the　future。　He　wept　because　he　was　dead。　
　It　was　dawn　when　Toby　returned　to　the　white　stucco　bungalow　he　shared　with　Alice。　He　walked　into　the　bedroom　and　looked　down　at　her　sleeping　figure。　He　had　thought　that　she　would　be　the　open　sesame　to　the　magic　kingdom。　But　there　was　no　magic　kingdom。　Not　for　him。　He　would　leave。　
　He　had　no　idea　where　he　would　go。　He　was　almost　twenty　seven　years　old　and　he　had　no　future。　He　lay　down　on　the　couch；　exhausted。　He　closed　his　eyes；　listening　to　the　sounds　of　the　city　stirring　into　life。　The　morning　sounds　of　cities　are　the　same；　and　he　thought　of　Detroit。　
　His　mother。　She　was　standing　in　the　kitchen　cooking　apple　tarts　for　him。　He　could　smell　her　wonderful　musky　female　odor　mingled　with　the　smell　of　apples　cooking　in　butter；　and　she　was　saying；　God　wants　you　to　be　famous。　He　was　standing　alone　on　an　enormous　stage；　blinded　by　floodlights；　trying　to　remember　his　lines。　He　tried　to　speak　but　he　had　lost　his　voice。　He　grew　panicky。　There　was　a　great　rumbling　noise　from　the　audience；　and　through　the　blinding　lights　Toby　could　see　the　spectators　leaving　their　seats　and　running　toward　the　stage　to　attack　him；　to　kill　him。　Their　love　had　turned　to　hate。　They　were　surrounding　him；　grabbing　him；　chanting；　〃Toby！　Toby！　Toby！〃　Toby　suddenly　jerked　awake；　his　mouth　dry　with　fright。　Alice　Tanner　was　leaning　over　him；　shaking　him。　〃Toby！　Telephone。　It's　Clifton　Lawrence。〃　
　Clifton　Lawrence's　office　was　in　a　small；　elegant　building　on　Beverly　Drive；　just　south　of　Wilshire。　French　Impressionist　paintings　hung　from　the　carved　boiserie；　and　before　the　dark　green　marble　fireplace　a　sofa　and　some　antique　chairs　were　grouped　around　an　exquisite　tea　table。　Toby　had　never　seen　anything　like　it。　A　shapely；　redheaded　secretary　was　pouring　tea。　
　〃How　do　you　like　your　tea；　Mr。　Temple？〃　Mr。　Temple！　
　〃One　sugar；　please。〃　
　〃There　you　are。〃　A　little　smile　and　she　was　gone。　
　Toby　did　not　know　that　the　tea　was　a　special　blend　imported　from　Fortnum　and　Mason；　nor　that　it　was　steeping　in　Irish　Baleek；　but　he　knew　it　tasted　wonderful。　In　fact；　everything　about　this　office　was　wonderful；　especially　the　dapper　little　man　who　sat　in　an　armchair　studying　him。　Clifton　Lawrence　was　smaller　than　Toby　had　expected；　bur　he　radiated　a　sense　of　authority　and　power。　
　〃I　can't　tell　you　how　much　I　appreciate　your　seeing　me；〃　Toby　said。　〃I'm　sorry　I　had　to　trick　you　into　〃　
　Clifton　Lawrence　threw　his　head　back　and　laughed。　
　〃Trick　me？　I　had　lunch　with　Goldwyn　yesterday。　I　went　to　watch　you　last　night　because　I　wanted　to　see　if　your　talent　matched　your　nerve。　It　did。〃　
　〃But　you　walked　out　〃　Toby　exclaimed。　
　〃Dear　boy；　you　don't　have　to　eat　the　entire　jar　of　caviar　to　know　if　it's　good；　right？　I　knew　what　you　had　in　sixty　seconds。〃　
　Toby　felt　that　sense　of　euphoria　building　up　in　him　again。　After　the　black　despair　of　the　night　before；　to　be　lifted　to　the　heights　like　this；　to　have　his　life　handed　back　to　him　…　
　〃I　have　a　hunch　about　you；　Temple；〃　Clifton　Lawrence　said。　〃I　think　it　would　be　exciting　to　take　someone　young　and　build　his　career。　I've　desided　to　take　you　on　as　a　client。〃　
　The　feeling　of　joy　was　exploding　inside　Toby。　He　wanted　to　stand　up　and　scream　aloud。　Clifton　Lawrence　was　going　to　be　his　agent！　
　〃。。。handle　you　on　one　condition；〃　Clifton　Lawrence　was　saying。　〃That　you　do　exactly　as　I　tell　you。　I　don't　stand　for　temperament。　You　step　out　of　line　just　once；　and　we're　finished。　Do　you　understand？〃　
　Toby　nodded　quickly。　〃Yes；　sir。　I　understand。〃　
　〃The　first　thing　you　have　to　do　is　face　the　truth。〃　He　smiled　at　Toby　and　said；　〃Your　act　is　terrible。　Definitely　bottom　drawer。〃　
　It　was　as　though　Toby　had　been　kicked　in　the　stomach。　Clifton　Lawrence　had　brought　him　here　to　punish　him　for　that　stupid　phone　call；　he　was　not　going　to　handle　him。　He　。。。　But　the　little　agent　continued。　
　〃Last　night　was　amateur　night；　and　that's　what　you　arean　amateur。〃　Clifton　Lawrence　rose　from　his　chair　and　began　to　pace。　〃I'm　going　to　tell　you　what　you　have；　and　I'm　goi