df.theedge-第53部分

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。　And　that's　because　my　cousin　Susan　Lorrimore；　back　in　the　summer；　she's　seventeen；　she　ran　off　with　their　chauffeur's　son　and　they　got　married　and　there　was　an　earthquake　in　the　family。　And　I　can　see　why　she　did；　they　kept　leaving　her　alone　in　that　huge　house　and　going　to　Europe　and　she　was　bored　out　of　her　skull　and；　anyway；　it　seems　their　chauffeur's　son　is　all　brains　and　cute；　too；　and　she　sent　me　a　card　saying　she　didn't　regret　a　thing。　My　mother　is　scared　to　death　that　I'll　run　off　with　some。。。'
　　She　stopped　abruptly；　looked　at　me　a　little　wildly　and　sprang　to　her　feet。
　　'I　forgot；'　she　said。　'I　sort　of　forgot　you　are。。。'
　　'It's　all　right；'　I　said；　standing　also。　'Really　all　right。'
　　'I　guess　I　talk　too　much。'　She　was　worried　and　unsure。　'You　won't。。。'
　　'No。　Not　a　word。'
　　'Cumber　told　me　I　ought　to　mind　my　tongue；'　she　said　resentfully。　'He　doesn't　know　what　it's　like　living　in　a　mausoleum　with　everyone　glowering　at　each　other　and　Daddy　trying　to　smile。'　She　swallowed。　'What　would　you　do'；　she　demanded；　'if　you　were　me？'
　　'Make　your　father　laugh。'
　　She　was　puzzled。　'Do　you　mean。。。　make　him　happy？'
　　'He　needs　your　love；'　I　said。　I　gestured　to　the　path　back　to　the　Chateau。　'If　you'd　like　to　go　on　first；　I'll　follow　after。'
　　'e　with　me；'　she　said。
　　'No。　Better　not。'
　　In　an　emotional　muddle　that　I　hadn't　much　helped；　she　tentatively　set　off；　looking　back　twice　until　a　bend　in　the　path　took　her　out　of　sight；　and　I　sat　down　again　on　the　bench；　although　growing　cold　now；　and　thought　about　what　she'd　said；　and　felt　grateful；　as　ever　and　always；　for　Aunt　Viv。
　　There　wasn't　much　wrong　with　Xanthe；　I　thought。　Lonely；　worried；　only　half　understanding　the　adult　world；　needing　reassurance；　she　longed　primarily　for　exactly　what　Mercer　himself　wanted；　a　friendly　united　family。　She　hadn't　thought　of　affronting　her　parents　by　cuddling　up　to　a　waiter：　very　much　the　reverse。　She　had　tried　to　put　me　into　a　difficult　position：　had　been　without　guile　or　tricks。　I　wouldn't　have　minded　having　a　younger　sister　like　her　that　I　could　take　places　for　her　to　have　fun。　I　hoped　she　would　learn　to　live　in　peace　with　her　money；　and　thought　that　a　month　or　so　of　serving　other　people　in　a　good　crew　like　Emil；　Oliver　and　Cathy　would　be　the　best　education　she　could　get。
　　After　a　while　I　scanned　the　whole　Chateau　and　its　gardens　with　the　binoculars　but　I　couldn't　see　Filmer；　which　wasn't　really　surprising；　and　in　the　end　I　set　off　again　to　walk；　and　detoured　up　on　to　the　foot　of　the　glacier；　trudging　on　the　cracked；　crunchy；　grey…brown…green　fringe　of　the　frozen　river。
　　Laurentide　Ice；　one　of　the　passengers　had　knowledgeably　said　early　on；　was　the　name　given　to　one　of　the　last　great　polar　ice　sheets　to　cover　most　of　Canada　twenty　thousand　years　before。　Daffodil；　nodding；　had　said　her　husband　had　named　the　horse　because　he　was　interested　in　prehistory；　and　she　was　going；　to　call　her　next　horse　Cordilleran　Ice；　the　sheet　that　had　covered　the　Rockies。　Her　husband　would　have　been　pleased；　she　said。　I　could　be　standing　at　that　moment　on　prehistoric　Cordilleran　Ice　perhaps；　I　thought；　but　if　glaciers　moved　faster　than　history；　perhaps　not。　Anyway；　it　gave　a　certain　perspective　to　the　concerns　of　Julius　Apollo。
　　Back　at　the　Chateau；　I　went　upstairs　and　drafted　a　new　scene　for　the　script；　and　I'd　barely　finished　when　Zak　came　knocking　to　enquire　for　it。　We　went　into　his　room　where　the　cast　had　already　gathered　for　the　rehearsal；　and　I　looked　round　their　seven　faces　and　asked　if　we　still　had　the　services　of　begging　Ben；　who　was　missing　from　the　room。　No；　we　didn't；　Zak　said。　He　had　gone　back　to　Toronto。　Did　it　matter？
　　'No。　not　really。　He　might　have　been　useful　as　a　messenger；　but　I　expect　you　can　pretend　a　messenger。'
　　They　nodded。
　　'Right；'　Zak　said；　looking　at　his　watch。　'We're　on　stage　in　two　and　a　half　hours。　What　do　we　do？'
　　'First；'　I　said；　'Raoul　starts　a　row　with　Pierre　Raoul　is　furious　to　have　been　discovered　to　be　Angelica's　husband；　and　he　says　he　positively　knows　Pierre　owes　thousands　in　gambling　debts　which　he　can't　pay。　and　he　knows　who　he　owes　it　to；　and　he　says　that　that　man　is　known　to　beat　people　up　who　don't　pay。'
　　Raoul　and　Pierre　nodded。　'I'll　put　in　some　detail；'　Raoul　said。　'I'll　say　the　debts　are　from　illegal　racing　bets；　and　I've　been　told　because　they　were　on　the　Bricknells'　horses；　OK？'
　　'OK？'　Zak　said　to　me。
　　'Yes；　OK。　Then　Raoul　taunts　Pierre　that　his　only　chance　of　getting　the　money　is　to　marry　Donna；　and　Walter　Bricknellsays　that　if　Donna's　so　stupid　as　to　marry　Pierre；　he　will　not　give　her　a　penny。　He　will　in　no　circumstances　pay　Pierre's　debts。'
　　They　all　nodded。
　　'At　that　point。　Mavis　Bricknell　es　screaming　into　the　cocktail　room　saying　that　all　her　beautiful　jewels　have　been　stolen。'
　　They　all　literally　sat　up。　Mavis　laughed　and　clapped　her　hands。　'Who's　stolen　them？'　she　said。
　　'All　in　good　time；'　I　smiled。　'Raoul　accuses　Pierre；　Pierre　accuses　Raoul；　and　they　begin　to　shove　each　other　around；　letting　all　their　mutual　hatred　hang　out。　Finally　Zak　steps　in；　breaks　it　up；　and　says　they　will　all　go　and　search　both　Pierre's　room　and　Raoul's　room　for　the　jewels。　Zak；　Raoul；　Pierre　and　Mavis　go　off。'
　　They　nodded。
　　'That　leaves；'　I　said；　'Donna；　Walter　Bricknell　and　Giles　in　the　cocktail　room。　Donna　and　Walter　have　another　argument　about　Pierre；　Donna　stifles　a　few　tears　and　then　Giles　es　out　of　the　audience　to　support　Donna　and　say　she's　been　having　a　bad　experience；　and　he　thinks　it's　time　for　a　little　good　feeling　all　round。'
　　Giles　said；　'OK；　good。　Here　we　go。'
　　'Then；'　I　said；　'Zak　and　the　others　return。　They　haven't　found　the　jewels。　Giles　begins　to　fort　Mavis　as　well。　Mavis　says　she　lived　for　her　collection；　she　loved　every　piece。　She's　distraught。　She　goes　on　a　bit。'
　　'Lovely；'　Mavis　said。
　　'Walter；'　I　went　on；　'says　he　can't　see　any　point　in　jewellery。　His　jewellery　is　his　horses。　He　lives　for　his　horses。　He　says　extravagantly　that　if　he　couldn't　go　racing　to　watch　his　horses；　he'd　rather　die。　He'd　kill　himself　if　he　couldn't　have　horses。'
　　Walter　frowned　but　eagerly　nodded。　He　hadn't　had　much　of　a　part　so　far：　it　would　give　him　a　big　scene　of　his　own；　even　if　one　difficult　to　make　convincing。
　　'Walter　then　says　Raoul　is　ruining　his　pleasure　in　his　horses；　and　ruining　the　journey　for　everyone；　and　he　gives　him　the　formal　sack　as　his　trainer。　Raoul　protests；　and　says　he　hasn't　deserved　to　be　fired。　Walter　says　Raoul　is　probably　a　murderer　and　a　jewel　thief　and　has　been　cheating　him　with　his　horses。　Raoul　in　a　rage　tries　to　attack　Walter。　Zak　hauls　him　off。　Zak　tells　everyone　to　cool　down。　He　says　he　will　organize　a　search　of　everyone's　bedrooms　to　see　if　the　jewels　can　be　found；　and　he　will　consult　with　the　hotel's　detective　and　call　in　the　police　if　necessary。　Everyone　looks　as　if　they　don't　want　the　police。　End　of　scene。'
　　I　waited　for　their　adverse　ments　and　altering　suggestions；　but　there　were　very　few。　I　handed　my　outline　to　Zak　who　went　over　it　again　bit　by　bit　with　the　actors　concerned；　and　they　all　started　murmuring；　making　up　their　own　words。
　　'And　what　happens　tomorrow？'　Zak　asked　finally。　'How　do　we　sort　it　all　out？'
　　'I　haven't　written　it　down　yet；'　I　said。
　　'But　you　do　have　it　in　mind？　Could　you　write　it　this　evening？'
　　I　nodded　twice。
　　'Right；'　he　said。　'We'd　better　all　meet　here　tomorrow　after　breakfast。　We'll　have　to　do　a　thorough　walk　through；　maybe　two　or　even　three；　to　make　sure　we　get　it　all　right。　Tie　up　the　loose　ends；　that　sort　of　thing。　And　don't　forget；　everybody；　tomorrow　we'll　be　back　in　the　dining　car。　Not　so　much　room　for　fighting　and　so　on；　so　make　it　full　of　action　tonight。'
　　'Tomorrow　Pierre　gets　shot；'　I　said。
　　'Oh　boy；　oh　boy；'　Pierre　said。
　　'But　not　fatally。　You　can　go　on　talking。'
　　'Better　and　better。'
　　'But　you'll　need　some　blood。'
　　'Great；'　Pierre　said。　'How　much？'
　　'Well。。。'　I　laughed。　'I'll　let　you　decide　where　the　bullet　goes；　and　how　much　gore　you　think　the　passengers　can　stand；　but　you'd　better　be　to　going　to　live；　at　the　end　of　it。'
　　They　wanted　to　know　what　else　I　had　in　store；　but　I　wouldn't　tell　th