df.theedge-第30部分

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d　the　bedheads　of　about　eight　inches　wide；　enough　in　Filmer's　case　for　two　suits。　Another　two　jackets　hung　on　hangers　on　pegs　on　the　wall。
　　I　searched　quickly　through　all　the　pockets；　but　they　were　mostly　empty。　There　was　only；　in　one　inner　pocket；　a　receipt　for　a　watch　repair　which　I　replaced　where　I　found　it。
　　There　were　no　drawers：　more　or　less　everything　else　had　to　be　in　his　suitcase　which　stood　against　the　wall。　With　an　eye　on　the　corridor　outside；　I　tried　one　of　the　latches　and　wasn't　surprised　to　find　it　locked。
　　That　left　only　a　tiny　cupboard　above　the　hanging　space；　in　which　Julius　Apollo　had　stored　a　black　leather　toilet　bag　and　his　brushes。
　　On　the　floor　below　his　suits；　pushed　to　the　back　of　the　hanging　space；　I　found　his　briefcase。
　　I　put　my　head　out　of　the　door　which　was　directly　beside　the　hanging　space；　and　looked　up　and　down　the　corridor。
　　No　one　in　sight。
　　I　went　down　on　hands　and　knees；　half　in　and　half　out　of　the　doorway；　with　an　excuse　ready　of　looking　for　a　coin　I'd　dropped。　I　put　a　hand　into　the　hanging　space　and　drew　the　briefcase　to　the　front；　and　it　was　of　black　crocodile　skin　with　gold　clasps；　as　I'd　seen　at　Nottingham　races。
　　The　fact　of　its　presence　was　all　I　was　going　to　learn　however；　as　it　had　revolving　bination　locks　which　were　easy　enough　to　undo；　but　only　if　one　had　two　hours　to　spend　on　each　lock；　which　I　hadn't。　Whether　or　not　the　briefcase　still　contained　whatever　Horfitz　had　given　Filmer　at　Nottingham　was　anyone's　guess；　and　dearly　though　I　would　have　liked　to　look　at　the　contents；　I　didn't　want　to　risk　any　more　at　that　point。　I　pushed　the　black　case　deep　into　the　hanging　space　again；　stood　up　outside　the　door；　closed　it　and　went　back　to　the　scenes　of　jollity　to　the　rear。
　　It　was；　by　this　time；　nearly　midnight。　The　Youngs　were　standing　up　in　the　dining　room；　ready　to　go　to　bed。　Xanthe　however；　alarmed　by　the　departure　of　her　new…found　friend；　was　practically　clinging　to　Mrs　Young　and　with　an　echo　of　the　earlier　hysteria　was　saying　that　she　couldn't　possibly　sleep　in　the　private　car；　she　would　have　nightmares；　she　would　to　be　too　scared　to　stay；　she　was　sure　whoever　had　uncoupled　the　car　before　would　do　it　again　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　and　they　would　all　be　killed　when　the　Canadian　crashed　into　them；　because　the　Canadian　was　still　there　behind　us；　wasn't　it；　wasn't　it？
　　Yes；　it　was。
　　Mrs　Young　did　her　best　to　soothe　her；　but　it　was　impossible　not　to　respect　her　fears。　She　had　undoubtedly　nearly　been　killed。　Mrs　Young　told　her　that　the　madman　who　had　mischievously　unhitched　the　car　was　hours　behind　us　in　Carder；　but　Xanthe　was　beyond　reassurance。
　　Mrs　Young　appealed　to　Nell；　asking　if　there　was　anywhere　else　that　Xanthe　could　sleep；　and　Nell；　consulting　the　ever…present　clipboard；　shook　her　head　doubtfully。
　　'There's　an　upper　berth　in　a　section；'　she　said　slowly；　'but　it　only　has　a　curtain；　and　no　facilities　except　at　the　end　of　the　car；　and　it's　hardly　what　Xanthe's　used　to。。'
　　'I　don't　care；'　Xanthe　said　passionately。　'I'll　sleep　on　the　floor　or　on　the　seats　in　the　lounge；　or　anywhere。　I'll　sleep　in　that　upper　berth。。。　please　let　me。'
　　'I　don't　see　why　not；　then；'　Nell　said。　'What　about　night　things？'
　　'I'm　not　going　into　our　car　to　fetch　them。　I'm　not。'
　　'All　right；'　Nell　said。　'I'll　go　and　ask　your　mother。'
　　Mrs　Young　stayed　with　Xanthe；　who　was　again　faintly　trembling；　until　at　length　Nell　returned　with　both　a　small　grip　and　Bambi。
　　Bambi　tried　to　get　her　daughter　to　change　her　mind；　but　predictably　without　success。　I　thought　it　unlikely　that　Xanthe　would　ever　sleep　in　that　car　again；　so　strong　was　her　present　reaction。　She；　Bambi；　Nell　and　the　Youngs　made　their　way　past　me　without　looking　at　me　and　continued　on　along　the　corridor　beside　the　kitchen；　going　to　inspect　the　revised　quarters　which　I　knew　were　in　the　sleeping　car　forward　of　Filmer's。
　　After　a　while　Bambi　and　Nell　returned　alone；　and　Bambi　with　an　unexcited　word　of　gratitude　to　Nell　walked　a　few　paces　forward　and　stopped　beside　her　son；　who　had　done　nothing　to　fort　or　help　his　sister　and　was　now　sitting　alone。
　　'e　along；　Sheridan；'　she　said；　her　tone　without　peremptoriness　but　also　without　affection。　'Your　father　asks　you　to　e。'
　　Sheridan　gave　her　a　look　of　hatred　which　seemed　not　in　the　least　to　bother　her。　She　stood　patiently　waiting　until；　with　exceedingly　bad　grace；　he　got　to　his　feet　and　followed　her　homewards。
　　Bambi；　it　seemed　to　me；　had　taught　herself　not　to　care　for　Sheridan　so　as　not　to　be　hurt　by　him。　She　too；　like　Mercer；　must　have　suffered　for　years　from　his　boorish　behaviour　in　public；　and　she　had　distanced　herself　from　it。　She　didn't　try　to　buy　the　toleration　of　the　victims　of　his　rudeness；　as　Mercer　did：　she　ignored　the　rudeness　instead。
　　I　wondered　which　had　e　first；　the　chill　and　disenchantment　of　her　worldly　sophistication；　or　the　lack　of　warmth　in　her　son：　and　perhaps　there　was　ice　in　both　of　them；　and　the　one　had　reinforced　the　other。　Bambi；　I　thought；　was　a　highly　inappropriate　name　for　her；　she　was　no　innocent　wide…eyed　smooth…skinned　fawn　but　an　experienced；　aloof；　good…looking　woman　in　the　skin　of　minks。
　　Nell；　watching　them　go；　sighed　and　said；　'She　didn't　kiss　Xanthe　goodnight；　you　know；　or　give　her　even　a　hug　to　fort　her。　Nothing。　And　Mercer's　so　nice。'
　　'Forget　them。'
　　'Yes。。。。　You　do　realize　the　press　will　be　down　on　this　train　like　a　pack　of　hunting　lions　at　the　next　stop。'
　　'Lionesses；'　I　said。
　　'What？'
　　'It's　the　females　who　hunt　in　a　pack。　One　male　sits　by；　watching；　and　takes　the　lion's　share　of　the　kill。'
　　'I　don't　want　to　know　that。'
　　'Our　next　stop；'　I　said；　'will　be　fifteen　minutes　at　White　River　in　the　middle　of　the　night。　After　the　delay；　we'll　aim　to　arrive　at　four…oh…five；　depart　four…twenty。'
　　'And　after　that？'
　　'Except　for　a　three…minute　pause　in　a　back…of…beyond；　we　stop　at　Thunder　Bay　for　twenty…five　minutes　at　ten…fifty　tomorrow　morning。'
　　'Do　you　know　the　whole　timetable　by　heart？'
　　'Emil　told　me　to　learn　it。　He　was　right　when　he　said　the　question　I　would　have　to　answer　most　was　'When　do　we　reach　so　and　so'。。。　and　if　I　were　a　regular　waiter　he　said　I　would　know　the　answers；　even　though　we're　thirty…five　minutes　earlier　everywhere　than　the　regular　Canadian。'
　　'Emil　is　cute；'　she　said。
　　I　looked　at　her　in　surprise。　I　wouldn't　have　thought　of　Emil　as　cute。　Small；　neat；　bright　and　generous；　yes。　'Cute？'　I　asked。
　　'I　would　hope；'　she　said；　'that　you　don't　think　so。'
　　'No。'
　　'Good。'　She　was　relieved；　I　saw。
　　'Weren't　you　sure？'　I　asked　curiously。　'Am　I　so。。。　ambivalent？'
　　'Well。。。'　There　was　a　touch　of　embarrassment。　'I　didn't　mean　to　get　into　this　sort　of　conversation；　really　I　didn't。　But　if　you　want　to　know；　there's　something　about　you　that's　secret。。。　ultra…private。。。　as　if　you　didn't　want　to　be　known　too　well。　So　I　just　wondered。　I'm　sorry。。。'
　　'I　shall　shower　you　with　ravening　kisses。'
　　She　laughed。　'Not　your　style。'
　　'Wait　and　see。'　And　two　people　didn't；　I　thought；　drift　into　talking　like　that　after　knowing　each　other　for　such　a　short　while　unless　there　was　immediate　trust　and　liking。
　　We　were　standing　in　the　tiny　lobby　between　the　kitchen　and　the　dining　room；　and　she　still　has　the　clipboard　clasped　to　her　chest。　She　would　have　to　put　it　down；　I　thought　fleetingly；　before　any　serious　ravening　could　take　place。
　　'You　always　have　jokes　in　your　eyes；'　she　said。　'And　you　never　tell　them。'
　　'I　was　thinking　about　how　you　use　your　clipboard　as　chain　mail。'
　　Her　own　eyes　widened。　'A　lousy　man　in　the　magazine　office　squeezed　my　breast。。。　Why　am　I　telling　you？　It　was　years　ago。　Why　should　I　care？　Anyway；　where　else　would　you　carry　a　clipboard？'
　　She　put　it　down；　all　the　same；　on　the　counter；　but　we　didn't　talk　much　longer　as　the　revellers　from　the　rear　began　ing　through　to　go　to　the　bedrooms。　I　retreated　into　the　kitchen　and　I　could　hear　people　asking　Nell　what　time　they　could　have　breakfast。
　　'Between　seven　and　nine…thirty；'　she　said。　'Sleep　well；　everybody。'　She　put　her　head　into　the　kitchen。　'Same　to　you；　sleep　well。　I'm　off　to　bed。'
　　'Goodnight；'　I　said；　smiling。
　　'Aren't