df.theedge-第57部分

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　　miserations　were　expressed　for　Mavis；　the　passengers　entering　into　the　fantasy　with　zest。　Mavis　accepted　them　gratefully。
　　Raoul　came　bursting　into　the　dining　car；　furious　with　Walter　Bricknell　who　was　looking　upset　enough　already。
　　It　was　too　much；　Raoul　loudly　said。　It　was　bad　enough　Walter　firing　him　as　his　trainer　when　he　had　done　nothing　to　deserve　it；　but　now　he　had　found　out　that　Walter　had　sent　a　letter　from　the　Chateau　to　the　racing　authorities　saying　his　horse；　Calculator；　wouldn't　be　running　in　his；　Walter's；　name　at　Vancouver；　and　that　Raoul　wouldn't　be　credited　as　trainer。
　　'It's　unfair；'　he　shouted。　'I've　trained　the　horse　to　the　minute　for　that　race。　I've　won　five　races　with　him　for　you。　You're　cheating　me。　You're　damned　ungrateful。　I'm　going　to　plain　to　the　Jockey　Club。'
　　Walter　looked　stony。　Raoul　had　another　go。　Walter　said　he　would　do　what　he　liked；　Calculator　was　his。　If　he　wanted　to　sell　it。。。　or　give　it　away。。。　that　was　entirely　his　own　business　and　nobody　else's。
　　'You　said　yesterday；'　Raoul　yelled；　'that　if　you　didn't　have　horses；　if　you　couldn't　go　racing；　you'd　kill　yourself。　So　kill　yourself。　Is　that　what　you're　going　to　do？'
　　Everyone　looked　at　Walter　in　shocked　disbelief。
　　Zak　invited　Walter　to　explain。　Walter　said　it　was　none　of　Zak's　business。　Everything　on　the　train　was　his　business；　Zak　said。　'Could　we　all　please　know；'　he　asked　Walter；　'who　the　new　owner　of　Calculator　is　going　to　be？'
　　No；　no　one　could　ask。　Mavis；　bewildered；　did　ask。　Walter　was　rude　to　her；　which　no　one　liked。　Walter　realized　that　no　one　liked　it；　but　said　he　couldn't　help　it；　he　was　getting　rid　of　Calculator；　and　since　the　horse　was　in　his　name　only；　not　Mavis's；　she　couldn't　do　anything　about　it。　Mavis　began　to　cry。
　　Donna　went　to　her　mother's　defence　and　verbally　attacked　her　father。
　　'You　be　quiet；'　he　said　angrily。　'You've　done　enough　harm。'
　　Pierre　put　his　arm　round　Donna's　shoulders　and　told　Walter　not　to　talk　to　his　daughter　that　way。　He；　Pierre；　would　borrow　some　money　to　pay　his　gambling　debts；　he　said；　and　really　work　this　time　and　save　until　it　was　paid　off；　and　he　would　never　let　Donna　take　a　penny　from　her　father；　and　when　he　was　out　of　debt　he　and　Donna　would　get　married　and　there　was　nothing　Walter　could　do　to　stop　them。
　　'Oh；　Pierre；'　Donna　wailed；　and　hid　her　face　against　his　chest。　Pierre；　in　snow…white　shirt…sleeves；　put　both　arms　round　her；　stroked　her　hair　and　looked　very　manly；　handsome　and　protective。　The　audience　approved　of　him　with　applause。
　　'Oh；　goody；'　Cathy　said　from　beside　me。　'Isn't　he　cute？'
　　'He　sure　is。'
　　We　were　standing　in　the　little　lobby；　watching　from　the　shadows　and；　by　a　malign　quirk　of　fate；　all　the　faces　I　was　most　interested　in　were　sitting　with　their　backs　to　me。　Filmer's　neck；　not　far　off；　was　rigid　with　tension；　and　Cumber　Young；　one　table　further　along；　had　got　pulsively　to　his　feet　when　Raoul　had　told　Walter　to　kill　himself；　and　only　slowly　subsided；　with　Rose　talking　to　him　urgently。　Mercer；　just　over　midway　along；　sitting　against　the　far　right…hand　side　wall；　had　his　head　bowed；　not　watching　the　action。　He　couldn't　help　but　hear；　however。　The　actors　were　all　courting　laryngitis；　making　sure　that　those　in　the　furthest　corners　weren't　left　out。
　　Mavis　had　a　go　at　Walter；　first　angry；　then　pleading；　then　saying　she　might　as　well　leave　him；　she　obviously　didn't　count　with　him　any　more。　She　prepared　to　go。　Walter；　stung　beyond　bearing；　muttered　something　to　her　that　stopped　her　dead。
　　'What？'　she　said。
　　Walter　muttered　again。
　　'He　says　he's　being　blackmailed；'　Mavis　said　in　a　high　voice。　'How　can　anyone　blackmail　someone　into　getting　rid　of　a　horse？'
　　Filmer；　pinned　against　the　left…hand　wall　by　the　Unwins　in　the　aisle　seats；　sat　as　if　with　a　rod　up　his　backbone。　Mercer　turned　his　head　to　stare　at　Walter。　Mercer　had　his　back　towards　Filmer；　and　I　wondered　whether　he'd　sat　that　way　round　on　purpose　so　as　not　to　see　his　recent　friend。　He　was　sitting　beside　Sheridan　and　opposite　Bambi。　Xanthe　sat　opposite　her　brother；　both　in　aisle　seats。　I　could　see　both　of　the　female　faces；　where　I　wanted　to　see　the　male。　I　would　have　done　better；　I　supposed；　to　have　watched　from　the　far　end；　but　on　the　other　hand　they　might　have　seen　me　watching：　watching　them　instead　of　the　action。
　　Walter；　under　pressure；　said　loudly　that　yes；　he　was　being　blackmailed；　and　by　the　very　nature　of　blackmail　he　couldn't　say　what　about。。。　he　categorically　refused　to　discuss　it　further。　He　had　good　and　sufficient　reasons　and　he　was　angry　and　upset　enough　about　losing　his　horse　without　everyone　attacking　him。
　　And　who　was　he　losing　it　to？　Zak　asked。　Because　whoever's　name　turned　up　on　the　race…card　at　Vancouver　as　the　owner；　he　or　she　would　be　the　blackmailer。
　　Heads　nodded。　Walter　said　it　wasn't　so。　The　blackmailer　had　just　said　he　must　give　the　horse　away。
　　'Who　to？'　Zak　asked　insistently。　Tell　us。　We'll　soon　know。　We'll　know　at　the　races　on　Tuesday。'
　　Walter；　defeated；　said；　'I'm　giving　the　horse　to　Giles。'
　　General　consternation　followed。　Mavis　objected。　Giles　was　a　very　nice；　forting　fellow；　but　they　hardly　knew　him；　she　said。
　　Raoul　said　bitterly　that　Walter　should　have　given　him　the　horse。　He'd　worked　so　hard。。。
　　Giles　said　that　Walter　had　asked　him；　Giles；　to　have　the　horse；　and　of　course　he'd　said　yes。　After　the　race　on　Tuesday；　he　would　decide　Calculator's　future。
　　Walter　looked　stony。　Giles　was　being　frightfully　nice。
　　Donna　suddenly　detached　herself　from　Pierre　and　said　rather　wildly；　'No；　Daddy；　I　wouldn't　let　you　do　it。　I　understand　what's　happening。。。　I　won't　let　it　happen。'
　　Walter　told　her　thunderously　to　shut　up。　Donna　wouldn't　be　stopped。　It　was　her　fault　that　her　father　was　being　blackmailed　and　she　wouldn't　let　him　give　his　horse　away。
　　'Be　quiet；'　Walter　ordered。
　　'I　stole　Mother's　jewels；'　she　said　miserably　to　everyone。　'I　stole　them　to　pay　Pierre's　debts。　They　said　he　would　be　beaten　up　if　he　didn't　pay。　Those　jewels　were　going　to　be　mine　anyway；　one　day；　they're　in　Mother's　will。。。　so　I　was　only　stealing　from　myself　really。。。　but　then；　he　guessed。。。'
　　'Who　guessed？'　Zak　demanded。
　　'Giles；'　she　said。　'He　saw　me　ing　out　of　Mother's　room。　I　suppose　I　looked　scared。。。　maybe　guilty。　I　had　her　jewels　in　a　tote　bag。　I　suppose　it　was　afterwards；　when　Mother　came　to　say　someone　had　stolen　them；　that　he　guessed。。。。　He　made　me　give　them　to　him。。。　he　said　he'd　have　me　arrested　otherwise；　and　my　parents　wouldn't　like　that。。。'
　　'Stop　him！'　Zak　yelled　peremptorily　as　Giles　made　a　dash　for　the　lobby；　and　Raoul；　a　big　fellow；　intercepted　him　and　twisted　his　arm　up　behind　his　back。　Giles　displayed　pain。
　　Zak　invited　Walter　to　talk。
　　Walter；　distressed；　said　that　Giles　had　threatened　to　prove　publicly　that　Donna　had　stolen　the　jewels　if　Walter　wouldn't　give　him　the　horse。　Even　if　Walter　refused　to　press　charges　against　his　daughter；　Giles　had　said；　everyone　would　know　she　was　a　thief。　Walter　confessed　that　Giles　had　said；　'What　is　one　horse　against　your　daughter's　reputation？'　Walter　thought　he'd　had　no　choice。
　　Donna　wept。　Mavis　wept。　Half　the　audience　wept。
　　Filmer　was　rigid。　Also　Mercer；　Bambi　and　Sheridan；　all　unmoving　in　their　seats。
　　'It　wasn't　sensible　to　love　your　daughter　so　much；'　Raoul　said。　'She　stole　the　jewels。　You　shouldn't　cover　up　for　her。　Look　where　it　got　you。　Into　the　hands　of　a　blackmailer；　and　losing　the　horse　you　love。　And　did　you　think　it　would　stop　there；　with　just　one　horse？　You've　got　two　more　in　my　care；　don't　forget。'
　　'Stop　it；'　Mavis　said；　defending　Walter　now。　'He's　a　wonderful　man　to　give　up　his　dearest　possession　to　save　his　daughter。'
　　'He's　a　fool；'　Raoul　said。
　　During　this　bit；　Zak　came　to　the　lobby　as　if　to　receive　a　message　and　went　back　into　the　centre　of　the　dining　car　opening　an　envelope　and　reading　the　contents。
　　He　said　the　letter　was　from　Ben；　who　had　begged　for　money；　did　they　remember？　They　remembered。
　　Ben；　Zak　said；　had　run　away　off　the　train　because　he　　was　frightened；　but　he　had　left　this　letter　to　be　opened　after　he'd　gone。　Zak　read　the　letter　portentously　aloud。
　　'I　know　who　ki