Chapter 8 chapter eight

As soon as the war was over, Michael managed to get demobilized, and then went on stage to act.He returns to the stage a much better actor than he left it.The breezy demeanor he had acquired in the army worked well.He was a healthy, lively, normal man, with a big smile and a good laugh.He's perfect for parlor comedy.His soft voice can give special effect to a witty line, and while he's never quite realistic about a courtship, he can deliver a wry love scene, a proposal as if it were a joke, or a The confession of love seems to be making fun of oneself, and the audience finds it quite interesting after watching it.He never tries to play other roles, always himself.He is good at playing playboys, gentleman gamblers, Janissaries and young villains with a good side.Managers love him.He is hardworking and follows directions.He doesn't care much about the role as long as he can get the job.He strives for the salary he thinks he deserves, but if he can't, it's better to do less than to be idle.

He arranges his plans carefully.Influenza spread in the first winter after the war.Both his father and mother are dead.He had inherited about four thousand pounds, and with his own and Julia's savings, they had a joint capital of seven thousand pounds.But theater rents had skyrocketed, as had actors' salaries and stagehands' wages, so operating theaters was much more expensive than it had been before the war.What used to be enough to start a business is not enough now.The only way was to find a rich man to join them with, so that a failure or two at first would not drive them out of the circle.It is said that you can always find a fool in this city who writes a check for a good amount of money to put on a play for you, but when you get to the actual problem, you will find that there is an important condition, that is, the protagonist must be someone he is interested in. A certain beauty will be in charge.Some years ago, Michael and Julia used to joke that a rich old lady would fall in love with him and help him run the theater.But he knew early on that it was impossible to find a rich old lady to support a young actor married to an actress and absolutely faithful to his wife.In the end, the money was offered by a rich woman, not an old lady, but she was interested not in him, but in Julia.

Mrs. de Vries was a widow.She was a short, stout woman with a fine Jewish nose and fine Jewish eyes, full of energy.The attitude is unrestrained, timid, and somewhat masculine.She loves drama.In Jimmy.At the moment when it seemed that Langton would have to close his repertory theatre, she helped him several times; so that when Julia and Michael decided to try their luck in London, Langton once wrote to her asking her Take great care of them. Before that she had seen Julia at Middlepool.She held parties so that these young actors could meet some theater managers, and invited them to live in her luxury villa near Guildford, and they There, I enjoyed a luxurious life that I never dreamed of.She didn't like Michael very much.Julia kept accepting Dolly.De Vries filled her apartment and the dressing room she used with flowers, and Dolly gave her many gifts, such as purses, small handbags, necklaces of semi-precious stones, jewelry Needles, etc., she was rightly pleased; but she only pretended not to know that Dolly's generosity was not at all due to admiration for her acting abilities.

When Michael went out to fight, Dolly insisted on inviting her to live in her apartment in Montague Square, but Julia refused her with all the words of deep gratitude, and Dolly could only sigh, shed tears, and love more she.When Roger was born, Julia asked her to be the child's godmother. For some time Michael wondered in his mind whether it was possible for Dolly.De Vries would put up the money they needed to get in, but he was shrewd enough to see that she might be investing for Julia, not him.Julia would not ask her. She's been so good to us, it's hard for me to ask her, and it would be a shame if she refused.

The risk was worth the risk, and besides, she wouldn't mind losing the money.I am convinced that if you are willing to try, you will be able to convince her. Julia knew she could, too.Michael was so simple-minded in places that she felt it unnecessary to point out obvious facts to him. However, since he has made up his mind, he will never give up if he does not implement it.They were going to Guildford for the weekend with Dolly, and after the Saturday Night Show they drove there in the new car Julia had given Michael as a birthday present.It is a warm and beautiful night.Michael had paid, though it hurt when he wrote the cheque, for the option rights to three plays that they both liked, and he had heard of a theater they could buy relatively cheaply.All the conditions for starting a business are available except capital.He urged Julia to take advantage of the wonderful opportunities this weekend offered.

Then go and tell her yourself, Julia said impatiently. I told you, I won't do it. She won't take out the money for me.You can make her spin around your little finger. We now know a little bit about what it takes to finance new plays.People finance new plays for two reasons, either because they want fame or because they have a crush on someone.A lot of people talk about art, but you don't see them actually handing over their money unless they want to get something out of it. Well, let's try to give Dolly the fame she wants. That happened to be not what she was after. What do you mean by that?

Can't you guess? It started to dawn on him, and he slowed down in amazement.Could what Julia suspects be true?He never thought that Dolly liked him so much, and as for saying that she fell in love with him, he had never thought about it.Julia had sharp eyes, of course, and nothing escaped her eyes, but she was also a jealous little thing, and always thought that a lot of women were slavishly infatuated with him.It was true that Dolly had given him a pair of cuff links for Christmas, but he thought it was only because she had given Julia a brooch worth at least two hundred pounds, so that he would not feel left out and neglected.It might just be her ruse.But he could honestly say that he had never done anything that would make her think there was something going on between them.Julia couldn't help giggling.

No, baby, she doesn't love you. Julia saw where he was going, and it embarrassed him.You can't hide anything from this woman. Then why didn't you make it clear to me earlier?Thank God, I hope you can be understood. Julia made it clear to him. I've never heard such absurd things, he exclaimed.What a dirty mind you have, Julia! Don't talk nonsense, dear. I don't believe a word of it.After all, I have eyes on my head.Do you mean that I really can't see it?She had never seen him so excited before.Even if it is true, I think you can be more careful yourself.This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I think it would be foolish not to take it.

Claudio and Isabella in "Tit for Tat" (Note). (Note) In Shakespeare's comedy "Measure for Measure", Claudio was sentenced to death for having a child with his lover without marriage. Lu begged for forgiveness, and An became lustful after seeing the beauty, and proposed to Yi that if she obeyed, she would agree to forgive her brother.Yi went to prison and told her brother that he asked her sister to sacrifice her virginity to save his life. What the hell are you talking about, Julia.Hell, I'm a gentleman. Whoever offends me will be punished. For the rest of the journey, they drove in the silence that seemed to precede the storm.Mrs. de Vries was up late, waiting for them.

I won't go to bed until you're here,' she said, taking Julia in her arms and kissing her on both cheeks.She shook Michael's hand briskly. The next morning, Julia leaned back in bed and read the Sunday paper happily.She read first the drama news, then the gossip column, after that the women's pages, and finally skimmed over the world headlines.She didn't read book reviews; she would never understand why so much space was wasted publishing them. Michael, who lived in the room next door to hers, came in to say good morning, and went out into the garden.Presently there was a light knock on her door, and Dolly entered.Her big black eyes were shining brightly.She sat down on the bed and took Julia's hand.

Honey, I just talked to Michael.I'm going to give you the money to start running the theater. Julia's heart was beating suddenly. Ah, you can't.Michael shouldn't have asked you.I won't ask for it.You have been so good to us. Dolly leaned over and kissed Julia on the lips.Her voice was lower than usual, and a little trembling. Oh my baby, don't you know I'd do anything for you?How wonderful it will be, it will bring us closer and how proud I will be of you. They heard Michael coming down the corridor whistling, and as he entered the room Dolly turned to him with big, teary eyes. I just told her. He was beaming with excitement. What a noble woman!He sat down on the other side of the bed and took Julia's free hand.What do you say, Julia? She thought for a moment and glanced at him. Vous I'avez voulu, Georges Dandin. (Note: French, which means this is what you want to do, Georges Dandin, quoted from Molière's comedy "George Dandin", scene one, scene seven.) what did you say? Molière. The partnership was signed, and Michael hired an advertising agent as soon as he had registered the theater for its fall opening.A short story was sent to the newspapers, announcing the start of a new business, so Michael and his advertising agent started to prepare for the newspapers to interview him and Julia.Photographs of them, individually and together, some with Roger, appeared in various weekly magazines.The family atmosphere should be used as appropriate as possible.They couldn't decide which of the three scripts they had was the best to do first.Then, one afternoon, while Julia was sitting in her bedroom reading a novel, Michael came in with a manuscript in his hand. Hello, I want you to read this play right away.It was just delivered by an agent.I think it could be a hit.It's just that we must respond immediately. Julia put down her novel. I am studying now. I go downstairs.After you finish reading, call me and I will come up to discuss with you.There's a wonderful character here that you can play. Julia read quickly, skimming over scenes that did not concern her, and very carefully when the heroine's part was, of course, her part.She read the last page and rang for her maid (that is, the dresser) to tell Michael that she was waiting for his consultation. Well, what do you think? The script is good.I don't see the possibility of it being successful. He heard a little doubt in her tone. So what's the problem?The role couldn't be better.I mean, that's exactly the kind of role you can play better than anyone.There are a lot of comedy elements in it, and there are more emotional dramas you want. It was the best part, I know; the problem was the hero. Well, the leading actor is also very good. I know; but he's fifty, and if you make him younger, you'll take the whole point of the play out of the question.You don't want to play the role of a middle-aged man, do you? But I didn't want to play this role in the first place.There's only one person who's best for it, Monte.Vernon.We can get him.I play George. That's a small role.You can't play that. Why not? But I think the purpose of our own theater is to have both of us play the leading role. Hey, I don't give a shit about that.It doesn't matter to me as long as we can find a script for you to play the star role.Maybe in the next script, there will be a good role played by me. Julia leaned back in her chair, ready tears welling up in her eyes and running down her cheeks. Ah, I have no conscience. He smiled, and his smile was still charming.He came to her, knelt beside her, and took her in his arms. God bless, what's the matter with that old lady now? She looked at him now and wondered why he had attracted her so madly in love before.Now the thought of having sex with him made her sick.Luckily he was comfortable sleeping in the bedroom she had bought him furnished.He was not a man who took his sex life very seriously, and he found it lessening the burden that Julia no longer demanded of him.He likes to think that she lost her libido after having a baby, and he has to say he'd expected that and just regretted that they didn't have a baby sooner.Two or three times, out of intimacy rather than sexual desire, he proposed to resume their married life. She always used various reasons to shirk, either because she was tired, or she was not feeling well, or there were two scenes to be performed the next day, let alone He said that he had to try on clothes in the morning, but he took it calmly anyway.Julia was much easier to live with than before, she was no longer noisy, and he was happier than ever.How satisfying his marriage is, looking at other people's marriages, one can't help but consider himself one of the rare lucky ones.Julia is kind and clever, as clever as a monkey; you can tell her anything you want.It's as good a mate as a man can find, my friend.He would say it would be better to spend a day alone with her than a round of golf. Julia was surprised to find herself feeling a strange pity for not loving him anymore.She was a kind woman and knew what a blow it would be to him to find out that she didn't take him very seriously.She still flatters him.She noticed that for a long time he listened with satisfaction to her compliments on his fine nose and fine eyes.She was secretly amused, seeing how much praise he had received.She tried to compliment him.But now she saw more of his thin lips without curves.As he grows older, his mouth becomes more and more unsightly, and in his old age, there will be only a straight line with no life left.His frugality, which had earlier seemed an amusing and at the same time rather touching character, repelled her now.People often have trouble in their stage careers, and when they get sympathy and kind words from Michael, they get very little cash.He took out a guinea and thought himself extremely generous, while spending a five-pound note seemed to him extravagant.He soon found that Julia's management of the house was a wasteful one, and he insisted on saving her effort by taking the housekeeping into his own hands.Since then, waste has been eliminated.Every penny counted.Julia could not understand why the servants would stay with them.They kept it because Michael had been so kind to them.His earnestness, gaiety, and geniality made them want nothing more than to please him, and the cook found a butcher's shop where meat could be bought a penny a pound cheaper than elsewhere, and that pleased him, as did she.Julia could not help laughing at the strange contrast between his penchant for saving money and the freewheeling, spendthrift characters he so brilliantly played on the stage.She had often thought he would not feel the urge to be generous; and now, as if it were only natural, he decided to step aside himself so that she might have her chance.She was so touched from the bottom of her heart that she was speechless.She deeply blamed herself for how much time she always thought about him.