Two-Face. Ernest Dudley

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СКАЧАТЬ Bob’s club, but she’s got pneumonia, or mumps, or run off with some millionaire, or something! Anyway, she won’t be there!”

      “Bad luck.”

      “Yes, it’ll ruin his opening night. She was the big attraction.”

      “What’ll he do?”

      “That’s what he’s called me about. Wants me to talk to Mirielle, the Bright Girl of Paris. Try and get her to appear at his club.”

      “But she’d want the earth!”

      “Rosy Gordon was to get that! Money’s no object with Bob. Got plenty of cash behind him. He wants the biggest drawing-card possible, and he’ll pay for it! But I’m pretty sure Mirielle won’t be any use. She’s under contract here, sure as anything. There’s no one else I can think of.”

      “What a nuisance the tall, dark and handsome Bob Raymond is!”

      “You’ve met him, haven’t you?”

      “And heard all about him, too! Champion breaker of women’s hearts!”

      “He’s a gay young lad! I don’t mind him, he’s amusing.”

      “And so terribly attractive!”

      “A poisonous reptile!” muttered Leo, without taking his eye from his pencil.

      Julia and Larry laughed. Larry’s grin turned into a yawn.

      “Well, I’m hitting the hay! Sorry to be unsociable, and all that! But I’m tired.”

      “Yes, of course, dear. You go on along—you can worry about young Raymond’s pretty lady in the morning…”

      CHAPTER 4

      But Larry’s first thought when he awoke at half-past eight next day was not for any pretty lady, or Bob Raymond’s troubles.

      He awoke thinking of Mitsi, and for a moment wondered if she had invaded his dreams. But he couldn’t remember dreaming at all, about anybody, he’d slept so soundly.

      “Brat’s getting on my mind, or something,” he said to himself, as he made his way to the bathroom. The idea annoyed him a little, he didn’t like having things on his mind.

      He turned on the taps, found his shaving things, and started to think about how he could help Bob Raymond out of his mess. He felt sure Mirielle wouldn’t agree to leave Paris.

      On his way back to his bedroom, he heard voices in Leo’s studio. Leo’s and Mitsi’s voices. He opened the studio door and poked his head round it.

      “’Morning, early birds!”

      “Good morning, Mister Lazybones!” she laughed at him.

      Leo said: “There’s no breakfast for you, the child’s bolted the lot! And serve you right, you should get up at a respectable hour!”

      “How are you feeling?” he asked her.

      “Most well, thank you.”

      “Is this hideous man with the beard amusing you?”

      “Yes, very much.” And she laughed again.

      He left them, glad to know that she was feeling better and happier. She would be all right in a day or two. Then they would think of something she could do. Find her a decent job of work, and all that.

      Larry’s fears about Mirielle were realized at midday, when he called upon the revue star. London could not offer her more than Paris, she said. And in any case she was under contract to stay with her show till it closed. She was very charming, but quite definite.

      He cudgelled his brains on his way back to the Greens’ flat. It must be someone sensational, someone who would draw all London to Bob’s club, like a great magnet attracting pins. Who was there? He could think of no star like that who would be obtainable at such impossibly short notice.

      He was not in too good a humour when he arrived, he hated being beaten by anything. And it looked as if the Bob Raymond mess was going to beat him.

      No one was in the sitting-room. But there was the murmur of Julia’s, Leo’s and Mitsi’s voices coming from the studio.

      As he went in, Julia was saying: “Leo, it’s simply marvellous! Amazing!”

      He opened his mouth to speak, but said nothing, just stood staring at the figure who stood facing him. Stared as if he could not believe what he saw.

      The figure was Mitsi.

      She stood on the model’s daïs, and about her was draped some clinging material. It revealed every line of her figure, while it cunningly enhanced the soft and alluring curves of her slim, enchantingly graceful body.

      Her head was thrown back and turned to one side so that her profile and the curve of her slender neck were clear cut against the light. He caught his breath at the pure beauty of it.

      Julia’s and her brother’s backs were turned to him. Leo worked carefully at the huge canvas which stood beside the girl. His sister watched in an attitude of tense absorption the strong, decisive movements of his brush.

      Mitsi’s eyes were closed, and none of them heard him enter.

      He found his voice, and went towards them. “May I see?”

      Julia swept round to greet him, and Mitsi uttered a little cry, turning her head to him as she did so.

      Leo muttered: “Of course, you would have to come in and upset her! Don’t take any notice of him, Mitsi, my girl, and turn your head again!”

      Larry stood beside Julia.

      “Isn’t it wonderful?” she breathed.

      He nodded, astonished. Surprised as he was by the living picture of the girl who confronted him, the picture on the canvas completely took his breath away.

      Leo had performed a miracle.

      He had painted Mitsi as she was, posed on the daïs. But he had done more than that. More than emphasized the beauty and the seductive symmetry of her with skilfully applied colours, shadows and highlights.

      He had transformed her face.

      Simply by changing the colour of her hair from nondescript mouse colour to pale, shimmering gold, he had given her a new face. Brought out the contour of her cheeks to fascinating perfection by slanting her eyebrows slightly, by careful shading. Her mouth was warm and soft. Her eyes deep, mysterious pools.

      Yet, despite his brilliant effect, Leo had remained absolutely faithful in essentials to his model. Had simply stripped off her dowdy, disfiguring clothes. Given her face a golden halo of hair, subtly added a new beauty to her features.

      The resemblance remained, definite and unmistakable. It was Mitsi who gazed at Larry from the canvas.

      Mitsi Linden re-created.

      “It’s—it’s СКАЧАТЬ