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！
He needed a bath after the look I gave him。 I didn't answer。
〃Is it true that you bought out Norman Pictures just to get control of her contract？〃
I made it into the limousine but they were still popping questions at me。 The car began to roll。 A motorcycle cop cut in front of us and opened up his siren。 We picked up speed as the traffic in front of us melted away。
〃I'm sorry about Rina； Jonas；〃 Buzz said。 〃I didn't know she was your father's wife。〃
I looked at him。 〃Where'd you find out？〃
〃It's in the papers；〃 he said。 〃The Norman studio had it in their press release； together with the story about your flying out here to see her。〃
I shut my lips tight。 That was the picture business for you。 They were like ghouls hovering around a grave。
〃I've got a container of coffee and a sandwich here if you want it。〃
I reached for the coffee。 The black stuff was hot and I could feel it reach down inside me。 I turned and looked out the window。 My back began to throb and ache again。
I wondered if I could wait until we got to the hospital before I went to the bathroom。
The Colton Sanitarium is more like a hotel than a hospital。 It's set back high in the Pacific Palisades； overlooking the ocean。 In order to reach it； you e off the Coast Highway onto a narrow winding road and there's a guard standing at the iron gate。 You get past him only after showing the proper credentials。
Dr。 Colton is no California quack。 He's just a shrewd man who's recognized the need for a truly private hospital。 Movie stars go there for everything from having a baby to taking the cure； plastic surgery to nervous breakdowns。 And once inside the iron gate； they can breathe safely and relax； for no reporter has ever been known to get inside。 They can feel certain that no matter what they've gone there for； the only word that will ever reach the outside world will be theirs。
The gateman was expecting us； for he began to open the gate the minute he spotted the motorcycle cop。 Reporters shouted at us and photographers tried to take pictures。 One of them even clung to the running board until we got inside the gate。 Then a second guard suddenly appeared and lifted the man off bodily。
I turned to Buzz。 〃They never give up； do they？〃
Buzz's face was serious。 〃From now on； you'd better get used to it； Jonas。 Everything you do will be news。〃
I stared at him。 〃Nuts；〃 I said。 〃That's only for today。 Tomorrow it'll be somebody else。〃
Buzz shook his head。 〃You haven't seen the papers or listened to the radio today。 You're a national figure。 Something about what you were doing caught the public imagination。 Radio stations gave your flight progress every half hour。 Tomorrow the Examiner begins running your life story。 Nothing like you has swept the country since Lindbergh。〃
〃What makes you say that？〃
He smiled。 〃Today's Examiner trucks。 They've got billboards with your picture。 'Read the life story of Hollywood's man of mystery … Jonas Cord。 By Adela Rogers St。 Johns。' 〃
I stared at him。 I guess I would have to get used to it。 St。 Johns was Hearst's top syndicated sob sister。 That meant the old man up at San Simeon had put the finger of approval on me。 From now on； I would be living in a fish bowl。
The car stopped and a doorman appeared。 〃If you'll kindly step this way； Mr。 Cord；〃 he said respectfully。
I followed him up the steps into the hospital。 The white…uniformed nurse behind the desk smiled at me。 She indicated a black； leather…bound register。 〃If you please； Mr。 Cord；〃 she said。 〃It's a rule of the hospital that all visitors have to sign in。〃
I signed the register quickly as she pressed a button underneath the counter。 A moment later； another nurse appeared at the desk。 〃If you'll e with me； Mr。 Cord；〃 she said politely； 〃I'll take you to Miss Marlowe's suite。〃
I followed her to a small bank of elevators at the rear of the lobby。 She pressed the button and looked up at the indicator。 A frown of annoyance crossed her face。 〃I'm sorry to inconvenience you； Mr。 Cord； but we'll have to wait a few minutes。 Both elevators are up at the operating room。〃
A hospital was a hospital no matter how hard you tried to make it look like a hotel。 I looked around the lobby until I located what I was looking for。 It was a door marked discreetly GENTLEMEN。
I pulled a cigarette from my pocket as the elevator doors closed behind us。 Inside； it smelled like every other hospital。 Alcohol； disinfectant； formaldehyde。 Sickness and death。 I struck a match and held it to my cigarette； hoping the nurse wouldn't notice my suddenly trembling fingers。
The elevator stopped and the door rolled open。 We stepped out into a clean hospital corridor。 I dragged deeply on the cigarette as I followed the nurse。 She stopped in front of a door。 〃I'm afraid you'll have to put out that cigarette； Mr。 Cord。〃
I looked up at a small orange sign：
NO SMOKING ALLOWED
OXYGEN IN USE INSIDE！
I took another drag and put it out in a receptacle next to the door。 I stood there； suddenly afraid to go inside。 The nurse reached around me and opened the door。 〃You may go in now； Mr。 Cord。〃
The door swung open； revealing a small anteroom。 Another nurse was seated in an armchair； reading a magazine。 She looked up at me。 〃e in； Mr。 Cord；〃 she said in a falsely cheerful tone。 〃We've been expecting you。〃
I crossed the threshold slowly。 I heard the door close behind me and the footsteps of my escort disappearing。 There was another door opposite the entrance。 The nurse crossed to it。 〃Miss Marlowe's in here；〃 she said。
I stood in the doorway。 At first； I couldn't see her。 Ilene Gaillard； a doctor and another nurse were standing next to the bed； their backs toward me。 Then； as if activated by some signal； they all turned at once。 I walked toward the bed。 The nurse moved away and Ilene and the doctor separated slightly to make room for me。 Then I saw her。
A clear plastic tent was suspended over her head and shoulders and she seemed to be sleeping。 All but her face was pletely covered with a heavy white bandage； which hid all her shining white…blond hair。 Her eyes were closed and I could see a faint blue tinge under the flesh of the lids。 The skin was drawn tightly across her high cheekbones； leaving a hollow around her sunken cheeks； so that you had the feeling that the flesh beneath had disappeared。 Her wide mouth； usually so warm and vivid； was pale and drawn back slightly from her even white teeth。
I stood there silently for a moment。 I couldn't see her breathe。 I looked at the doctor。 He shook his head。 〃She's alive； Mr。 Cord；〃 he whispered； 〃but just barely。〃
〃May I speak to her？〃
〃You can try； Mr。 Cord。 But don't be disappointed if she doesn't answer。 She's been like this for the last ten hours。 And if she should answer； Mr。 Cord； she may not recognize you。〃
I turned back to her。 〃Rina；〃 I said quietly。 〃It's me； Jonas。〃
She lay there quietly； not moving。 I put my hand under the plastic tent and found hers。 I pressed it。 It felt cool and soft。 Suddenly everything came to a wild stop inside me。 Her hand was cool。 She was already dead。 She was dead。
I sank to my knees beside the bed。 I pushed the plastic aside and leaned over her。 〃Please； Rina！〃 I begged wildly。 〃It's me； Jonas。 Please； don't die！〃
I felt a slight pressure from her hand。 I looked down at her； the tears streaming down my cheeks。 The movement of her hand grew a little stronger。 Then her eyes opened slowly and she was looking up into my face。
At first； her eyes were vague and far away。 Then they cleared and her lips curved into a semblance of a smile。 〃Jonas；〃 she whispered。 〃I knew you'd e。〃
〃All you ever had to do was whistle。〃
Her lips pursed but no sound came out。 〃I never could learn to whistle；〃 she whispered。
The doctor's voice came from behind me。 〃You'd better get some rest now； Miss Marlowe。〃
Rina's eyes went past my shoulder to him。 〃No；〃 she whispered。 〃Please。 I haven't much time left。 Let me speak to Jonas。〃
I turned to look at the doctor。 〃All right；〃 he said。 〃But just for a moment。〃
I heard the door click behind me； then I looked down at Rina。 Her hand lifted slightly and stroked my cheek。 I caught her fingers and pressed them to my lips。
〃I had to see you； Jonas。〃
〃Why did you wait so long； Rina？〃
〃That's why I had to see you；〃 she whispered。 〃To explain。〃
〃What good are explanations now？〃
〃Please try to understand； Jonas。 I loved you from the moment I first saw you。 But I was afraid。 I've been a jinx to everyone who ever loved me。 My mother and my brother died because they loved me。 My father died of a broken heart in prison。〃
〃That wasn't your fault。〃
〃I pushed Margaret down the stairs and killed her。 I killed my baby even before it was born； stole Nevada's career from him； and Claude mitted suicide because of what I was doing to him。〃
〃Those things just happened。 You weren't to blame。〃
〃I was！〃 she insisted hoarsely。 〃Look what I did to you； to your marriage。 I should never have e to your hotel that night。〃
〃That was my fault。 I made you。〃
〃Nobody made me；〃 she whispered。 〃I came because I wanted to。 When she came； I knew how wrong I was。〃
〃Why？〃 I asked bitterly。 〃Just because she had