sidneysheldon.astrangerinthemirror-第4部分

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　〃Toby。。。〃　His　mother　was　speaking；　her　voice　stern　and　cold。　〃Did　you　go　to　bed　with　this　girl？〃　
　Toby　swallowed；　took　a　deep　breath　and　mumbled；　
　〃Yes；　Mother。〃　
　〃Then　you　will　marry　her。〃　There　was　finality　in　her　tone。　She　looked　at　the　sobbing；　puffy…eyed　girl。　〃Is　that　what　you　want？〃　
　〃Y…yes；〃　Eileen　cried。　〃I　love　Toby。〃　She　turned　to　Toby。　〃They　made　me　tell。　I　didn't　want　to　give　them　your　name。〃　
　Her　father；　the　police　sergeant；　announced　to　the　room　at　large；　〃My　daughter's　only　sixteen。　It's　statutory　rape。　He　could　be　sent　to　jail　for　the　rest　of　his　miserable　life。　But　if　he's　going　to　marry　her。。。〃　
　They　all　turned　to　look　at　Toby。　He　swallowed　again　and　said；　〃Yes；　sir。　I　　I'm　sorry　it　happened。〃　During　the　silent　ride　home　with　his　mother；　Toby　sat　at　her　side；　miserable；　knowing　how　much　he　had　hurt　her。　Now　he　would　have　to　find　a　job　to　support　Eileen　and　the　child。　He　would　probably　have　to　go　to　work　in　the　butcher　shop　and　forget　his　dreams；　all　his　plans　for　the　future。　
　When　they　reached　the　house；　his　mother　said　to　him；　〃e　upstairs。〃　
　Toby　followed　her　to　his　room；　steeling　himself　for　a　lecture。　As　he　watched；　she　took　out　a　suitcase　and　began　packing　his　clothes。　Toby　stared　at　her；　puzzled。　
　〃What　are　you　doing。　Mama？〃　
　〃Me？　I'm　not　doing　anything。　You　are。　You're　going　away　from　here。〃　She　stopped　and　turned　to　face　him。　〃Did　you　think　I　was　going　to　let　you　throw　your　life　away　on　that　nothing　of　a　girl？　So　you　took　her　to　bed　and　she's　going　to　have　a　baby。　That　proves　two　things　　that　you're　human；　and　she's　stupid！　Oh；　no　　no　one　traps　my　son　into　marriage。　God　meant　you　to　be　a　big　man；　Toby。　You'll　go　to　New　York；　and　when　you're　a　famous　star；　you'll　send　for　me。〃　
　He　blinked　back　tears　and　flew　into　her　arms；　and　she　cradled　him　in　her　enormous　bosom。　Toby　suddenly　felt　lost　and　frightened　at　the　thought　of　leaving　her。　And　yet；　there　was　an　excitement　within　him；　the　exhilaration　of　embarking　on　a　new　life。　He　was　going　to　be　in　Show　Business。　He　was　going　to　be　a　star；　he　was　going　to　be　famous。　His　mother　had　said　so。　
　
　In　1939　New　York　City　was　a　mecca　for　the　theater。　The　Depression　was　over。　President　Franklin　Roosevelt　had　promised　that　there　was　nothing　to　fear　but　fear　itself；　that　America　would　be　the　most　prosperous　nadon　on　earth；　and　so　it　was。　Everyone　had　money　to　spend。　There　were　thirty　shows　playing　on　Broadway；　and　all　of　them　seemed　to　be　hits。　Toby　arrived　in　New　York　with　a　hundred　dollars　his　mother　had　given　him。　Toby　knew　he　was　going　to　be　rich　and　famous。　He　would　send　for　his　mother　and　they　would　live　in　a　beautiful　penthouse　and　she　would　e　to　the　theater　every　night　to　watch　the　audience　applaud　him。　In　the　meanme；　he　had　to　find　a　job。　He　went　to　the　stage　doors　of　all　the　Broadway　theaters　and　told　them　about　the　amateur　contests　he　had　won　and　how　talented　he　was。　They　threw　him　out。　During　the　weeks　that　Toby　hunted　for　a　job；　he　sneaked　into　theaters　and　nightclubs　and　watched　the　top　performers　work；　particularly　the　edians。　He　saw　Ben　Blue　and　Joe　E。　Lewis　and　Frank　Fay。　Toby　knew　that　one　day　he　would　be　better　than　all　of　them。　His　money　running　out；　he　took　a　job　as　a　dishwasher。　He　telephoned　his　mother　every　Sunday　morning；　when　the　rates　were　cheaper。　She　told　Toby　about　the　furor　caused　by　his　running　away。　〃You　should　see　them；〃　his　mother　said。　〃The　policeman　es　over　here　in　his　squad　car　every　night。　The　way　he　carries　on；　you　would　think　we　were　all　gangsters。　He　keeps　asking　where　you　are。〃　
　〃What　do　you　tell　him？〃　Toby　asked　anxiously。　〃The　truth。　That　you　slunk　away　like　a　thief　in　the　night；　and　that　if　I　ever　got　my　hands　on　you　I　would　personally　wring　your　neck。〃　Toby　laughed　aloud。　
　During　the　summer；　Toby　managed　to　get　a　job　as　an　assistant　to　a　magician；　a　beady…eyed；　untalented　mountebank　who　performed　under　the　name　of　the　Great　Merlin。　They　played　a　series　of　second…rate　hotels　in　the　Catskills；　and　Toby's　primary　job　was　to　haul　the　heavy　paraphernalia　in　and　out　of　Merlin's　station　wagon；　and　to　guard　the　props；　which　consisted　of　six　white　rabbits；　three　canaries　and　two　hamsters。　Because　of　Merlin's　fears　that　the　props　would　〃get　eaten〃；　Toby　was　forced　to　live　with　them　in　rooms　the　size　of　broom　closets；　and　it　seemed　to　Toby　that　the　whole　summer　consisted　of　one　overpowering　stench。　He　was　in　a　state　of　physical　exhaustion　from　carrying　the　heavy　cabinets　with　trick　sides　and　bottoms　and　running　after　props　that　were　constantly　escaping。　He　was　lonely　and　disappointed。　He　sat　staring　at　the　dingy；　little　rooms；　wondering　what　he　was　doing　here　and　how　this　was　going　to　get　him　started　in　show　business。　He　practiced　his　imitations　in　front　of　the　mirror；　and　his　audience　consisted　of　Merlin's　smelly　little　animals。　
　One　Sunday　as　the　summer　was　drawing　to　a　dose；　Toby　made　his　weekly　telephone　call　home。　This　time　it　was　his　father　who　answered。　
　〃It's　Toby；　Pop。　How　are　you？〃　
　There　was　a　silence。　
　〃Hello！　Are　you　there？〃　
　〃I'm　here；　Toby。〃　Something　in　his　father's　voice　chilled　Toby。　
　〃Where's　Mom？〃　
　〃They　took　her　to　the　hospital　last　night。〃　Toby　clutched　the　receiver　so　hard　that　it　almost　broke　in　his　fist。　
　〃What　happened　to　her？〃　
　〃The　doctor　said　it　was　a　heart　attack。〃　
　Nol　Not　his　mother！　〃She's　going　to　be　all　right；〃　Toby　demanded。　〃Isn't　she？〃　He　was　screaming　into　the　mouthpiece。　〃Tell　me　she's　going　to　be　all　right；　goddam　you！〃　
　From　a　million　miles　away　he　could　hear　his　father　crying。　〃She　　she　died　a　few　hours　ago；　son。〃　
　The　words　washed　over　Toby　like　white…hot　lava；　burning　him；　scalding　him；　until　his　body　felt　as　though　it　were　on　fire。　His　father　was　lying。　She　couldn't　be　dead。　They　had　a　pact。　Toby　was　going　to　be　famous　and　his　mother　was　going　to　be　at　his　side。　There　was　a　beautiful　penthouse　waiting　for　her；　and　a　limousine　and　chauffeur　and　furs　and　diamonds。。。　He　was　sobbing　so　hard　he　could　not　breathe。　
　He　heard　the　distant　voice　saying；　〃Toby！　Toby！〃　
　〃I'm　on　my　way　home。　When　is　the　funeral？〃　
　〃Tomorrow；〃　his　father　said。　〃But　you　mustn't　e　here。　They'll　be　expecting　you；　Toby。　Eileen　is　going　to　have　her　baby　soon。　Her　father　wants　to　kill　you。　They'll　be　looking　for　you　at　the　funeral。〃　
　So　he　could　not　even　say　good…bye　to　the　only　person　in　the　world　he　loved。　Toby　lay　in　his　bed　all　that　day；　remembering。　The　images　of　his　mother　were　so　vivid　and　alive。　She　was　in　the　kitchen；　cooking；　telling　him　what　an　important　man　he　was　going　to　be；　and　at　the　theater；　sitting　in　the　front　row　and　calling　out；　〃Mein　Himmel！　What　a　talented　boy！〃　And　laughing　at　his　imitations　and　jokes。　And　packing　his　suitcase。　When　you're　a　famous　star；　you'll　send　for　me。　He　lay　there；　numbed　with　grief；　thinking；　I'll　never　forget　this　day。　Not　as　long　as　I　live。　August　the　fourteenth；　1939。　This　is　the　most　important　day　of　my　life。　
　He　was　right。　Not　because　of　the　death　of　his　mother　but　because　of　an　event　that　was　taking　place　in　Odessa；　Texas；　fifteen　hundred　miles　away。　
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　The　hospital　was　an　anonymous　four…storey　building；　the　color　of　charity。　Inside　was　a　rabbit　warren　of　cubicles　designed　to　diagnose　sickness；　alleviate　it；　cure　it　or　sometimes　bury　it。　It　was　a　medical　supermarket；　and　there　was　something　there　for　everyone。　It　was　four　a。m。；　the　hour　of　quiet　death　or　fitful　sleep。　　
　A　time　for　the　hospital　staff　to　have　a　respite　before　girding　for　the　battles　of　another　day。　The　obstetrical　team　in　Operating　Room　4　was　in　trouble。　What　had　started　out　as　a　routine　delivery　had　suddenly　turned　into　an　emergency。　Up　until　the　actual　delivery　of　the　baby　of　Mrs。　Karl　Czinski；　everything　had　been　normal。　Mrs。　Czinski　was　a　healthy　woman　in　her　prime；　with　wide　peasant　hips　that　were　an　obstetrician's　dream。　Accelerated　contractions　had　begun；　and　things　were　moving　along　according　to　schedule。　〃Breech　delivery；〃　Dr。　Wilson；　the　obstetrician；　announced。　The　words　caused　no　alarm。　Although　only　three　percent　of　births　are　breech　deliveries　　the　lower　part　of　the　infant　emerging　first　　they　are　usually　handled　with　ease。　There　are　three　types　of　breech　deliveries：　spontaneous；　where　no　help　is　required；　assisted；　where　the　obstetrician　lends　nature　a　hand；　and　a　plete　〃breakup〃；　where　the　baby　is　wedged　in　the　mother's　womb。　
　Dr。　Wilson　noted　with　satisfaction　that　this　was　going　to　be　a　spontaneous　delivery；　the　simplest　kind。　He　watched　the　baby's　feet　emerge；　followed　by　two　small　legs。　There　was　another　contraction　from　the　mother；　and　the　baby's　thighs　appeared。　〃We're　almost　there；〃　Dr。　Wilson　said　encouragingly。　〃Bear　down　once　more。〃　Mrs。　Czinski　did。　Nothing　happened。　He　frowned。　〃Try　again。　Harder。〃　Nothing。　Dr。　Wilson　placed　his　hands　on　the　baby's　legs　and　tugged；　very　gently。　There　was　no　movement。　He　squeezed　his　hand　past　the　baby；　through　the　narrow　passage　into　the　uterus；　and　began　to　explore。　Beads　of　perspiration　suddenly　appeared　on　his　forehead。　The　maternity　nurse　moved　close　to　him　and　mopped　his　brow。　
　〃We've　got　a　problem；〃　Dr。　Wilson　said；　in　a　low　voice。　
　Mrs。　Czinski　heard。　〃What's　wrong？〃　she　asked。　
　〃Everything's　fine。〃　
　Dr。　Wilson　reached　in　fart