df.theedge-第20部分

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　　I　spotted　Mavis　and　Walter　Bricknell　being　fussy　and　anxious　as　intended；　and　saw　and　heard　Angelica　asking　if　anyone　had　seen　Steve。
　　'Who's　Steve？'　I　asked　Zak。　'I　forget。'
　　'Her　lover。　He　misses　the　train。'
　　Pierre　and　Donna　began　to　have　their　row　which　made　a　different　bunch　of　passengers　unfortable。　Zak　laughed。　'Good；'　he　said；　'that's　great。'
　　Giles…the…murderer；　who　had　been　in　the　coffee　shop；　strolled　along　into　the　melee　and　started　being　frightfully　nice　to　old　ladies。　Zak　snapped　his　fingers　even　faster　and　started　humming。
　　The　crowd　parted　and　shifted　a　little　and　through　the　gap　I　saw　Julius　Apollo　Filmer；　another　murderer；　being　frightfully　nice　to　a　not…so…old　lady；　Daffodil　Quentin。
　　I　took　a　deep　breath；　almost　of　awe；　almost　on　a　tremble。　Now　that　it　was　really　beginning；　now　that　I　was　going　to　be　near　him；　I　felt　as　strung　up　and　as　energized　as　Zak；　and　no　doubt　suffered　the　same　pelling　anxiety　that　things　shouldn't　go　wrong。
　　Daffodil　was　playfully　patting　Filmer's　hand。
　　Yuk；　I　thought。
　　Ben　the　actor　appeared　beside　them　and　started　his　piece；　and　I　saw　Filmer　turn　a　bland　face　towards　him　and　watched　his　mouth　shape　the　unmistakable　words；　'Go　away。　'Ben　backed　off。　Very　wise；　I　thought。　The　crowd　came　together　again　and　hid　Filmer　and　his　flower　and　I　felt　the　tension　in　my　muscles　subside；　and　realized　I　hadn't　known　I　had　tensed　them。　Have　to　watch　that；　I　thought。
　　The　Lorrimores　had　arrived；　each　wearing　yesterday's　expression：　pleasant；　aloof；　supercilious；　sulky。　Mercer　was　entering　into　the　spirit　of　things；　Bambi　also　but　more　coolly。　Sheridan　looked　as　if　he　thought　he　was　slumming。The　young　daughter；　Xanthe；　could　have　been　quite　pretty　if　she'd　smiled。
　　James　Winterbourne；　actor；　had　discarded　his　red　felt　trilby　and　had　shaved　off　the　stubble　and　was　drifting　around　being　weling　in　his　role　as　a　member　of　the　Jockey　Club。　And　the　real　Jockey　Club　was　there；　I　saw；　in　the　person　of　Bill　Baudelaire；　who　was　known　to　one　or　two　of　the　owners　with　whom　he　was　chatting。　I　wondered　how　much　he　would　fret　if　he　didn't　see　me　among　the　passengers；　and　I　hoped　not　much。
　　Nell　emerged　from　the　noise　of　the　crowd　and　came　across　towards　us；　a　clipboard　clasped　to　her　chest；　her　eyes　shining。　She　wore　another　severe　suit；　grey　this　time　over　a　white　blouse；　but　perhaps　in　honour　of　the　occasion　had　added　a　long　twisted　rope　of　coral；　pearls　and　crystal。
　　'It's　all　happening；'　she　said。　'I　can　hardly　believe　it；　after　all　these　months。　I　won't　kiss　you　both；　I'm　not　supposed　to　know　you　yet；　but　consider　yourselves　kissed。　It's　all　going　very　well。　Pierre　and　Donna　are　having　a　humdinger　of　a　row。　How　does　she　manage　to　cry　whenever　she　wants　to？　Is　that　the　suitcase　for　Vancouver？　Put　it　over　there　with　those　others　which　are　being　checked　right　through。　Mercer　Lorrimore　is　sweet；　I'm　so　relieved。　We　haven't　had　any　disasters　yet；　but　there　must　be　one　on　the　way。　I'm　as　high　as　a　kite　and　there's　no　champagne　in　the　orange　juice。'
　　She　stopped　for　breath　and　a　laugh　and　I　said；　'Nell；　if　Bill　Baudelaire　asks　you　if　I'm　here；　just　say　yes；　don't　say　where。'
　　She　was　puzzled　but　too　short　of　time　to　argue。　'Well　。。。　OK。'
　　'Thanks。'
　　She　nodded　and　turned　to　go　and　take　care　of　the　passengers；　and　the　James　Winterbourne　character　came　out　to　meet　her　and　also　to　talk　to　Zak。
　　'It's　too　much；'　he　plained；　'the　real　goddam　Chairman　of　the　Ontario　Jockey　Club　has　turned　up　to　do　the　'bon　voyage'　bit　himself。　I'm　out　of　a　job。'
　　'We　did　ask　him　first；'　Nell　said。　'We　suggested　it　right　at　the　beginning；　before　it　all　grew　so　big。　He's　obviously　decided　he　should　be　here　after　all。'
　　'Yes；　but。。。　what　about　my　fee？'
　　'You'll　get　it；'　Zak　said　resignedly。　'Just　go　back　and　jolly　things　along　and　tell　everyone　what　a　great　trip　they're　going　to　have。'
　　'I've　been　doing　that；'　he　grumbled；　but　returned　obediently　to　his　task。
　　'As　a　matter　of　fact；'　Nell　said；　her　brow　wrinkling；　'I　suppose　I　did　get　a　message　days　ago　to　say　the　Chairman　was　ing；　but　I　didn't　know　it　meant　him。　I　didn't　know　who　it　meant。　It　was　a　message　left　for　me　while　I　was　out。　'The　Colonel　is　ing。'　I　didn't　know　any　colonels。　Is　the　Chairman　a　colonel？'
　　'Yes；'　I　said。
　　'Oh　well；　no　harm　done。　I'd　better　go　and　see　if　he　needs　anything。'　She　hurried　off；　unperturbed。
　　Zak　sighed。　'I　could　have　saved　myself　that　fee。'
　　'How　do　you　mean？'
　　'Oh；　Merry　&　Co　pay　me　a　lump　sum　to　stage　the　mystery。　I　engage　the　actors　and　pay　them；　and　whatever　is　left　at　the　end　is　mine。　Not　much；　sometimes。'
　　Voices　were　suddenly　raised　over　in　the　crowd　and　people　began　scattering　to　the　edges　of　the　area；　clearing　the　centre　and　falling　silent。　Zak　and　I　instinctively　went　nearer；　he　in　front；　I　in　his　shadow。
　　On　the　floor；　sprawling；　lay　the　actor　Raoul；　with　Donna　and　Pierre　bending　down　to　help　him　up。　Raoul　dabbed　at　his　nose　with　the　back　of　his　hand；　and　everyone　could　see　the　resulting　scarlet　streak。
　　Mavis　Bricknell　began　saying　loudly　and　indignantly；　'He　hit　him。　He　hit　him。　That　young　man　hit　our　trainer　in　the　face。　He　had　no　right　to　knock　him　down。'
　　She　was　pointing　at　Sheridan　Lorrimore；　who　had　turned　his　back　on　the　scene。
　　I　glanced　at　Zak　for　enlightenment。
　　'That；'　he　said　blankly；　'wasn't　in　the　script。'
　　Nell　smoothed　it　over。
　　Sheridan　Lorrimore　could　be　heard　saying　furiously　and　fortissimo　to　his　father；　'How　the　hell　could　I　know　they　were　acting？　The　fellow　was　being　a　bore。　I　just　bopped　him　one。　He　deserved　it。　The　girl　was　crying。　And　he　was　crowding　me；　pushing　against　me。　I　didn't　like　it。'
　　His　father　murmured　something。
　　'Apologize？'　Sheridan　said　in　a　high　voice。　'Apol…oh；　all　right。　I　apologize。　Will　that　do？'
　　Mercer　drew　him　away　to　a　corner；　and　slowly；　haltingly；　the　general　good　humour　resurfaced。　Ironic　pliments　were　paid　to　Pierre；　Donna　and　Raoul　for　the　potency　and　effect　of　their　acting　and　Raoul　played　for　sympathy　and　looked　nobly　forgiving；　holding　a　handkerchief　to　his　nose　and　peering　at　it　for　blood；　of　which　there　seemed　to　be　not　much。
　　Zak　cursed　and　said　that　Pierre　had　in　fact　been　going　to　knock　Raoul　to　the　ground　at　a　slightly　later　time；　and　now　that　would　have　to　be　changed。　I　left　him　to　his　problems　because　it　was　ing　up　to　the　time　when　Emil　had　said　the　crew　should　board　the　train；　and　I　was　due　back　in　the　coffee　shop。
　　The　carrot　cakes　had　been　reduced　to　crumbs　and　the　coffee　cups　were　empty。　The　bussed　consignment　of　grooms　had　arrived　and　were　sitting　in　a　group　wearing　Race　Train　T…shirts　above　their　jeans。　Emil　looked　at　his　watch　and　another　crew　member　arrived　and　said　the　puter　in　the　crews'　room　downstairs　was　showing　that　the　special　train　had　just　pulled　into　the　station；　Gate　6；　Track　7；　as　expected。
　　'Bon；'　Emil　said；　smiling。　'Then；　Tommy；　your　duties　begin。'
　　Everyone　picked　up　their　travelling　bags　and　in　a　straggle　more　than　a　group　walked　back　towards　the　passengers'　assembly　area。　As　we　approached　we　could　hear　the　real　Chairman　of　the　Ontario　Jockey　Club　weling　everyone　to　the　adventure　and　we　could　see　Zak　and　the　other　actors　waiting　for　him　to　finish　so　that　they　could　get　on　with　the　mystery。
　　Jimmy　the　actor　was　dressed　in　a　maroon　VIA　Rail　station　uniform；　Zak　was　intent；　and　Ricky；　due　on　in　gory　glory　at　any　moment；　was　checking　in　a　small　handmirror　that　'blood'　was　cascading　satisfactorily　from　a　gash　on　his　head
　　Zak　flashed　a　glance　at　the　crew；　saw　me　and　gave　me　a　thumbs…up　sign　The　Chairman　wound　up　to　applause。　Zak　tapped　Ricky；　who　had　put　the　mirror　in　his　pocket；　and　Ricky　went　into　the　'I've　been　attacked'　routine　most　convincingly
　　Emil；　the　crew　and　I　wasted　no　time　watching。　We　went　on　past　and　came　to　Gate　6；　which　was　basically　a　staircase　leading　to　ground　level；　where　the　rails　were。　Even　though　it　was　high　morning；　the　light　was　dim　and　artificial　outside　as　acres　of　arched　roof　far　above　kept　out　the　Canadian　weather。
　　The　great　train　was　standing　there；　faintly　hissing；　silver；　immensely　heavy；　stretching　away　in　both　directions　for　as　far　as　one　coul