df.theedge-第13部分

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　take　you；　and　since　the　Jockey　Club　are　our　clients；　we　do　what　the　client　asks。'
　　'Are　you　going　on　the　train？'　I　asked。
　　'Yes；　I　am。　There　has　to　be　someone　from　the　pany　to　sort　out　the　crises。'
　　'And　how　good　are　you　at　secrets？'
　　'I　keep　half　a　dozen　before　breakfast　every　day。'
　　Her　telephone　rang　quietly　and　she　answered　it　in　a　quiet　voice；　adding　her　murmur　to　the　hum　of　other　murmurs　all　round　the　room。　I　realized　that　the　quiet　was　a　deliberate　policy；　as　otherwise　they　would　all　have　been　shouting　at　the　tops　of　their　lungs　and　not　hearing　a　word　their　callers　said。
　　'Yes；'　she　was　saying。　'Out　at　Mimico　before　ten。　Four　dozen；　yes。　Load　them　into　the　special　dining　car。　Right。　Good。'　She　put　the　phone　down　and　without　pause　said　to　me；　'What　secret　do　you　want　kept？'
　　'That　I'm　employed　by　the　Jockey　Club。。。　to　deal　with　crises。'
　　'Oh。'　It　was　a　long　sound　of　understanding。　'All　right；　it's　a　secret。'　She　reflected　briefly。　'The　actors　are　holding　a　run…through　right　now；　not　far　away。　I've　got　to　see　them　some　time　today；　so　it　may　as　well　be　at　once。　What　do　you　want　me　to　tell　them？'
　　'I'd　like　you　to　say　that　your　pany　are　putting　me　on　the　train　as　a　trouble…spotter；　because　a　whole　train　of　racing　people　is　a　volatile　mass　looking　for　an　excuse　to　explode。　Say　it's　a　form　of　insurance。'
　　'Which　it　is；'　she　said。
　　'Well；　yes。　And　I　also　want　to　solve　your　problem　of　the　forty…ninth　seat。　I　want　to　go　on　the　train　as　a　waiter。'
　　She　didn't　blink　but　nodded。　'Yes；　OK。　Good　idea。　Quite　often　we　put　one　of　the　actors　in　as　a　waiter；　but　not　actually　on　this　trip；　luckily。　The　rail　pany　are　very　helpful　when　we　ask。　I'll　fix　it。　e　on；　then；　there's　such　a　lot　still　to　do。'
　　She　moved　quickly　without　seeming　to；　and　presently　we　were　skimming　round　corners　in　her　small　blue　car；　pulling　up　with　a　jerk　outside　the　garage　of　a　large　house。
　　The　rehearsal；　if　you　could　call　it　that；　was　actually　going　on　in　the　garage　itself；　which　held　no　car　but　a　large　trestle　table；　a　lot　of　folding　chairs；　a　portable　gas　heater　and　about　ten　men　and　women　standing　in　groups。
　　Nell　introduced　me　without　mentioning　my　name。　'We're　taking　him　on　the　train　as　pany　eyes　and　ears。　Anything　you　think　might　turn　into　trouble；　tell　him　or　me。　He's　going　as　a　service　attendant；　which　will　mean　he　can　move　everywhere　through　the　train　without　questions。　OK？　Don't　tell　the　paying　passengers　he's　one　of　us。'
　　They　shook　their　heads。　Keeping　the　true　facts　from　the　passengers　was　their　daily　occupation。
　　'OK；'　Nell　said　to　me。　'I'll　leave　you　here。　Phone　me　later。'　She　put　a　large　envelope　she　was　carrying　on　to　the　table；　waved　to　the　actors　and　vanished；　and　one　of　them；　a　man　of　about　my　own　age　with　a　mop…head　of　tight；　light　brown　curls　came　forward；　shook　my　hand　and　said；　'She's　the　best　in　the　business。　My　name's　David　Flynn；　by　the　way；　but　call　me　Zak。　That's　my　name　in　the　mystery。　From　now　on；　we　call　each　other　by　the　mystery　names；　so　as　not　to　make　mistakes　in　front　of　the　passengers。　You'd　better　have　an　acting　name；　too。　How　about。。。　um。。。　Tommy？'
　　'It's　all　right　by　me。'
　　'Right；　everybody；　this　is　Tommy；　a　waiter。'
　　They　nodded；　smiling；　and　I　was　introduced　to　them　one　by　one　by　the　names　they　would　use　on　the　train。
　　'Mavis　and　Walter　Bricknell；　racehorse　owners。'　They　were　middle…aged；　dressed　like　the　others　in　jeans　and　causal　sweaters。　'They're　married　in　real　life　too。'
　　David/Zak　went　briskly　along　the　row；　an　enormously　positive　person；　wasting　no　time。　'Ricky。。。　a　groom　in　the　mystery；　though　he'll　be　travelling　with　the　racegoers；　not　the　grooms。　His　part　in　the　mystery　finishes　at　Winnipeg；　and　he'll　be　getting　off　there。　This　is　Raoul；　racehorse　trainer　for　the　Bricknells；　their　guest　on　the　train。　Ben；　he's　an　old　groom　who　has　ridden　a　few　races。'　Ben　grinned　from　a　small；　deeply…lined　face；　looking　the　part。　'This　is　Giles：　don't　be　taken　in　by　his　good　looks；　he's　our　murderer。　This　is　Angelica；　who　you　won't　see　much　of　as　she's　the　first　victim。　And　Pierre；　he's　a　pulsive　gambler　in　love　with　the　Bricknells'　daughter；　Donna；　and　this　is　Donna。　And　last；　this　is　James　Winterbourne；　he's　a　big　noise　in　the　Ontario　Jockey　Club。'
　　I　don't　think　I　jumped。　The　big　name　in　the　Ontario　Jockey　Club　wore　a　three…day　beard　and　a　red　trilby　hat；　which　he　lifted　to　me　ceremoniously。　'Alas；'　he　said；　I'm　not　travelling。　My　part　ends　with　giving　the　train　an　official　blessing。　Too　bad。'
　　David/Zak　said　to　me；　'We're　walking　through　the　first　scene　now。　Everyone　knows　what　to　do。　This　is　Union　Station。　This　is　the　gathering　point　for　the　passengers。　They're　all　here。　Right；　guys；　off　we　go。'
　　Mavis　and　Walter　said；　'We're　chatting　to　other　passengers　about　the　trip。'
　　Pierre　and　Donna　said；　'We're　having　a　quiet　row。'
　　Giles　said；　'I'm　being　nice　to　the　passengers。'
　　Angelica：　'I　am　looking　for　someone　called　Steve。　I　ask　the　passengers　if　they've　seen　him。　He　is　supposed　to　be　travelling；　but　he　hasn't　turned　up。'
　　Raoul　said；　'I　put　my　two　cents'　worth　into　Pierre　and　Donna's　quarrel　as　I　want　to　break　them　up　so　I　can　marry　her　myself。　For　her　father's　money；　of　course。'
　　Pierre　said；　'Which　I　furiously　point　out。'
　　Donna：　'Which　I　don't　like；　and　am　near　to　tears。'
　　Ben：　'I　ask　Raoul　for　a　hand…out；　which　I　don't　get。　I　tell　a　lot　of　people　he's　stingy；　after　I　worked　for　him　all　those　years。　The　passengers　are　to　find　me　a　nuisance。　I　tell　them　I'm　travelling　on　the　racegoers'　part　of　the　train。'
　　James　Winterbourne　said；　'I　ask　for　attention　and　tell　everybody　that　we　have　horses；　grooms；　racegoers　and　all　your　owners　and　friends　on　the　train。　I　hope　everyone　will　have　a　great　time　on　this　historic　reenactment；　etc。；　etc。；　for　the　glory　of　Canadian　racing。'
　　Ricky　said；　'I　arrive。　One　of　the　station　staff…　who　will　be　Jimmy　（not　here　now）　in　staff　uniform…tries　to　stop　me；　but　I　run　in　among　the　passengers；　bleeding　all　over　the　place；　shouting　that　some　thugs　tried　to　hijack　one　of　the　horses　off　the　train；　but　I　shouted　and　the　maintenance　men　in　the　loading　yard　chased　them　away。　I　think　the　owners　should　know。'
　　Zak　said；　'Jimmy　runs　off　to　fetch　me　and　I　stride　in　and　tell　everyone　not　to　be　worried；　all　the　horses　are　safe　and　on　the　train；　but　to　make　sure　things　are　all　right　in　future　I　will　go　on　the　train　myself。　I　am　the　top　security　agent　for　the　railway。'　He　looked　round　the　pany　'All　right　so　far？　Then　James　Winterbourne　calms　everyone　down　and　tells　them　to　board　the　train　at　Gate　6；　Track　7。　I'll　check　that　that's　still　right；　on　Sunday　morning；　but　that's　what　we've　been　told　so　far。'
　　The　Bricknells　said；　'We　ask　you　which　horse　they　were　trying　to　hijack；　but　you　don't　know。　We　try　to　find　Ricky；　to　ask　him。　He's　not　our　groom；　but　we　are　always　anxious　sort　of　people。'
　　'Right；'　Zak　said。　'So　we　are　all　board。　It'll　take　a　good　half　hour。　Ricky　gets　bandaged　by　Nell　in　plain　view；　beside　the　train。　The　train　leaves　at　twelve。　Then　everyone　gathers　shortly　afterwards　in　the　dining　room　for　champagne。　We　do　scene　two　next；　just　before　lunch。'
　　They　'walked　through'　scene　two；　which　was　shorter　and　chiefly　established　Zak　as　being　in　charge；　and　had　Ricky　ing　to　say　that　he　didn't　know　which　of　the　horses　the　horse…nappers　had　been　making　for。。。　they　had　e　into　the　horse　car　wearing　masks；　brandishing　clubs。。。。　Ricky　had　been　alone　out　there　in　the　loading　yard　as　all　the　other　grooms　had　gone　back　to　the　station's　coffee　shop。
　　The　Bricknells　were　a…twitter。　Angelica　was　distraught　that　Steve　hadn't　turned　up。　Who　cared　about　a　horse；　where　was　Steve。
　　Who　was　Steve？　Zak　asked。　Angelica　said　he　was　her　business　manager。　What　business？　Zak　asked。　None　of　yours；　Angelica　tartly　said。
　　'Right；'　Zak　said；　'about　now　it　has　dawned　on　the　thickest　passenger　that　this　is　all　fiction。　They'll　be　smiling。　So　lunch　is　next。　Everyone　gets　the　afternoon　to　relax。　Our　next　scene　is　during　drinks　before　dinner。　That's　the　one　we　rehearsed　before　Nell　came。　Right。　We　may　have　to　change　things　a　bit　as　we　go　along；　so　we'll　do　the　rest　of　the　final　walk…throu