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！
routine of the past four years。
〃Get your hat。 It's your life chance。 Wait till you see your name in
two… foot electrics over the front of every big…time house in the country。
You've got music in you。 Tie to me and you're made。〃 He turned to the
woman beside him。 〃Isn't that so； Rube？〃
〃Sure。 Look at ME！〃 One would not have thought there could be
so much subtle vindictiveness in a fat blonde。
Sammett whipped out a watch。 〃Just three quarters of an hour。
Come on； girlie。〃
His conversation had been conducted in an urgent undertone； with side
glances at the fat man with the megaphone。 Terry approached him now。
〃I'm leaving now；〃 she said。
〃Oh； no； you're not。 Six o'clock is your quitting time。〃
In which he touched the Irish in Terry。 〃Any time I quit is my
quitting time。 She went in quest of hat and coat much as the girl had
done whose place she had taken early in the day。 The fat man followed
her； protesting。 Terry； putting on her hat； tried to ignore him。 But he
laid one plump hand on her arm and kept it there； though she tried to shake
him off。
〃Now； listen to me。 That boy wouldn't mind grinding his heel on
your face if he thought it would bring him up a step。 I know'm。 See
that walking stick he's carrying？ Well； compared to the yellow stripe
that's in him； that cane is a Lead pencil。 He's a song tout； that's all he is。〃
Then； more feverishly； as Terry tried to pull away： 〃Wait a minute。
You're a decent girl。 I want toWhy； he can't even sing a note without
you give it to him first。 He can put a song over； yes。 But how？ By
flashing that toothy grin of his and talking every word of it。 Don't you…
52
… Page 53…
ONE BASKET
…〃
But Terry freed herself with a final jerk and whipped around the
counter。 The two； who had been talking together in an undertone； turned
to welcome her。 〃We've got a half…hour。 Come on。 It's just over to
Clark and up a block or so。〃
The University Inn； that gloriously intercollegiate institution which
welcomes any graduate of any school of experience； was situated in the
basement； down a flight of stairs。 Into the unwonted quiet that reigns
during the hour of low potentiality； between five and six； the three went；
and seated themselves at a table in an obscure corner。 A waiter brought
them things in little glasses； though no order had been given。 The
woman who had been Ruby Watson was so silent as to be almost wordless。
But the man talked rapidly。 He talked well； too。 The same quality that
enabled him； voiceless though he was； to boost a song to success was
making his plea sound plausible in Terry's ears now。
〃I've got to go and make up in a few minutes。 So get this。 I'm not
going to stick down in this basement eating house forever。 I've got too
much talent。 If I only had a voiceI mean a singing voice。 But I haven't。
But then； neither had Georgie Cohan； and I can't see that it wrecked his
life any。 Now listen。 I've got a song。 It's my own。 That bit you played
for me up at Gottschalk's is part of the chorus。 But it's the words that'll
go big。 They're great。 It's an aviation song； see？ Airplane stuff。
They're yelling that it's the airyoplanes that're going to win this war。 Well；
I'll help 'em。 This song is going to put the aviator where he belongs。
It's going to be the big song of the war。 It's going to make ‘Tipperary'
sound like a Moody and Sankey hymn。 It's the〃
Ruby lifted her heavy…lidded eyes and sent him a meaning look。 〃Get
down to business； Leon。 I'll tell her how good you are while you're
making up。〃
He shot her a malignant glance； but took her advice。 〃Now what I've
been looking for for years is somebody who has got the music knack to
give me the accompaniment just a quarter of a jump ahead of my voice；
see？ I can follow like a lamb； but I've got to have that feeler first。 It's
more than a knack。 It's a gift。 And you've got it。 I know it when I see
53
… Page 54…
ONE BASKET
it。 I want to get away from this night…club thing。 There's nothing in it
for a man of my talent。 I'm gunning for bigger game。 But they won't
sign me without a tryout。 And when they hear my voice they Well； if
me and you work together we can fool 'em。 The song's great。 And my
make…up's one of these aviation costumes to go with the song； see？ Pants
tight in the knee and baggy on the hips。 And a coat with one of those
full…skirt whaddyoucall… 'ems〃
〃Peplums；〃 put in Ruby； placidly。
〃Sure。 And the girls'll be wild about it。 And the words！〃 He
began to sing； gratingly off key：
Put on your sky clothes； Put on your fly clothes； And
take a trip with me。 We'll sail so high Up in the sky
We'll drop a bomb from Mercury。
〃Why； that's awfully cute！〃 exclaimed Terry。 Until now her opinion
of Mr。 Sammett's talents had not been on a level with his。
〃Yeah； but wait till you hear the second verse。 That's only part of the
chorus。 You see； he's supposed to be talking to a French girl。 He says：
‘I'll parlez…vous in Francais plain You'll answer； 〃Cher
Americain；〃 We'll both 。 。 。'〃
The six…o'clock lights blazed up suddenly。 A sad…looking group of
men trailed in and made for a corner where certain bulky； shapeless
bundles were soon revealed as those glittering and tortuous instruments
which go to make a jazz band。
〃You better go； Lee。 The crowd comes in awful early now； with all
these buyers in town。〃
Both hands on the table； he half rose； reluctantly； still talking。 〃I've
got three other songs。 They make Gottschalk's stuff look sick。 All I