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！
Sam glanced at Jill； puzzled。 She had not seemed to him the kind of girl capable of such a selfless act。 Perhaps he had misjudged her。
〃What are your plans？〃 he asked Toby。 〃I suppose you'll want to rest and 〃
〃He's going back to work；〃 Jill said。 〃Toby's too talented to be sitting around doing nothing。〃
〃I'm raring to go；〃 Toby agreed。
〃Perhaps Sam has a project for you；〃 Jill suggested。
They were both watching him。 Sam did not want to discourage Toby； but neither did he want to hold out any false hopes。 It was not possible to make a picture with a star unless you got insurance on him； and no pany was going to insure Toby Temple。
〃There's nothing in the shop at the moment；〃 Sam said carefully。 〃But I'll certainly keep an eye open。〃
〃You're afraid to use him； aren't you？〃 It was as though she was reading his mind。
〃Certainly not。〃 But they both knew he was lying。 No one in Hollywood would take a chance on using Toby Temple again。
Toby and Jill were watching a young edian on television。
〃He's rotten；〃 Toby snorted。 〃Damn it； I wish I could get back on the air。 Maybe I oughta get an agent。 Somebody who could check around town and see what's doing。〃
〃No！〃 Jill's tone was firm。 〃We're not going to let anyone peddle you。 You're not some bum looking for a job。 You're Toby Temple。 We're going to make them e to you。〃
Toby smiled wryly and said； 〃They're not beating down the doors； baby。〃
〃They will be；〃 Jill promised。 〃They don't know what shape you're in。 You're better now than you ever were。 We just have to show them。〃
〃Maybe I should pose in the nude for one of those magazines。〃
Jill was not listening。 〃I have an idea；〃 she said slowly。 〃A one…man show。〃
〃Huh？〃
〃A one…man show。〃 There was a growing excitement in her voice。 〃I'm going to book you into the Hunrington Hartford Theatre。 Everybody in Hollywood will e。 After that； they'll start beating down the doors！〃
And everybody in Hollywood did e： producers； directors； stars； critics all the people in show business who mattered。 The theater on Vine Street had long since been sold out； and hundreds of people had been turned away。 There was a cheering mob outside the lobby when Toby and Jill arrived in a chauffeur…driven limousine。 He was their Toby Temple。 He had e back to them from the dead； and they adored him more than ever。 The audience inside the theater was there partly out of respect for a man who had been famous and great； but mostly out of curiosity。 They were there to pay final tribute to a dying hero； a burnt…out star。 Jill had planned the show herself。 She had gone to O'Hanlon and Rainger； and they had written some brilliant material； beginning with a monologue kidding the town for burying Toby while he was still alive。 Jill had approached a song…writing team that had won three Academy Awards。 They had never written special material for anyone； but when Jill said；
〃Toby insists you're the only writers in the world who。。。〃
Dick Landry； the director； flew in from London to stage the show。 Jill had assembled the finest talent she could find to back up Toby； but in the end everything would depend on the star himself。 It was a one…man show； and he would be alone on that stage。 The moment finally arrived。 The house lights dimmed； and the theater was filled with that expectant hush that precedes the ringing up of the curtain； the silent prayer that on this night magic would happen。
It happened。 As Toby Temple strolled out onto the stage； his gait strong and steady； that familiar impish smile lighting up that boyish face； there was a momentary silence and then a wild explosion of applause and yelling； a standing ovation that rocked the theater for a full five minutes。 Toby stood there； waiting for the pandemonium to subside； and when the theater was finally still； he said； 〃You call that a reception？〃 And they roared。 He was brilliant。 He told stories and sang and danced； and he attacked everybody； and it was as though he had never been gone。 The audience could not get enough of him。 He was still a superstar； but now he was something more； he had bee a living legend。 The Variety review the next day said； 〃They came to bury Toby Temple； but they stayed to praise him and cheer him。 And how he deserved it！ There is no one in show business who has the old master's magic。 It was an evening of ovations； and no one who was fortunate enough to be there is likely ever to forget that memorable。。。〃 The Hollywood Reporter review said； 〃The audience was there to see a great star e back； but Toby Temple proved he had never been away。〃 All the other reviews were in the same panegyric vein。 From that moment on； Toby's phones rang constantly。 Letters and telegrams poured in with invitations and offers。 They were beating the doors down。
Toby repeated his one…man show in Chicago and in Washington and New York； everywhere he went； he was a sensation。 There was more interest in him now than there had ever been。 In a wave of affectionate nostalgia； Toby's old movies were shown at art theaters and at universities。 Television stations had a Toby Temple Week and ran his old variety shows。 There were Toby Temple dolls and Toby Temple games and Toby Temple puzzles and jokebooks and T…shirts。 There were endorsements for coffee and cigarettes and toothpaste。 Toby did a cameo in a musical picture at Universal and was signed to do guest appearances on all the big variety shows。 The networks had writers at work； peting to develop a new Toby Temple Hour。 The sun was out once more； and it was shining on Jill。 There were parties again； and receptions and this ambassador and that senator and private screenings and。。。 Everybody wanted them for everything。 They were given a dinner at the White House； an honor usually reserved for heads of state。 They were applauded wherever they appeared。 But now it was Jill they were applauding； as well as Toby。 The magnificent story of what she had done； her feat of singlehandedly nursing Toby bade to health against all odds； had stirred the imagination of the world。 It was hailed by the press as the love story of the century。 Time Magazine put them both on the cover； with a glowing tribute to Jill in the acpanying story。
A five…million…dollar deal was made for Toby to star in a new weekly television variety show； starting in September； only twelve weeks away。
〃We'll go to Palm Springs so that you can rest until then；〃 Jill said。
Toby shook his head。 〃You've been shut in long enough。 We're going to live a little。〃 He put his arms around her and added； 〃I'm not very good with words； baby； unless they're jokes。 I don't know how to tell you what I feel about you。 I I just want you to know that I didn't start living until the day I met you。〃 And he abruptly turned away； so that Jill could not see the tears in his eyes。
Toby arranged to tour his one…man show in London； Paris and the greatest coup of all Moscow。 Everyone was fighting to sign him。 He was as big a cult figure in Europe as he was in America。
They were out on the fill； on a sunny； sparkling day； headed for Catalina。 There were a dozen guests aboard the boat； among them Sam Winters and O'Hanlon and Rainger； who had been selected as the head writers on Toby's new television show。 They were all in the salon； playing games and talking。 Jill looked around and noticed that Toby was missing。 She went out on deck。 Toby was standing at the railing； staring at the sea。 Jill walked up to him and said；
〃Are you feeling all right？〃
〃Just watching the water； baby。〃
〃It's beautiful； isn't it？〃
〃If you're a shark。〃 He shuddered。 〃That's not the way I want to die。 I've always been terrified of drowning。〃
She put her hand in his。 〃What's bothering you？〃
He looked at her。 〃I guess I don't want to die。 I'm afraid of what's out there。 Here； I'm a big man。 Everybody knows Toby Temple。 But out there。。。？ You know my idea of Hell？ A place where there's no audience。〃
The Friars Club gave a Roast with Toby Temple as the guest of honor。 A dozen top ics were on the dais； along with Toby and Jill； Sam Winters and the head of the network that Toby had signed with。 Jill was asked to stand up and take a bow。 It became a standing ovation。 They're cheering me； Jill thought。 Not Toby。 Me！ The master of ceremonies was the host of a famous nighttime television talk show。
〃I can't tell you how happy I am to see Toby here；〃 he said。 〃Because if we weren't honoring him here tonight； we'd be holding this banquet at Forest Lawn。〃 Laughter。 〃And believe me； the food's terrible there。 Have you ever eaten at Forest Lawn？ They serve leftovers from the Last Supper。〃 Laughter。 He turned to Toby。 〃We really are proud of you； Toby。 I mean that。 I understand you've been asked to donate a part of your body to science。 They're going to put it in a jar at the Harvard Medical School。 The only problem so far is that they haven't been able to find a jar big enough to hold it。〃 Roars。 When Toby got up for his rebuttal； he topped them all。 Everyone agreed that it was the best Roast the Friars had ever held。
Clifton Lawrence was in the audience that night。 He was seated at a table in the back of the room near the kitchen with the other unimporta