df.theedge-第70部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　'Why　not？'
　　'Because　most　of　my　work　depends　on　anonymity。　My　bosses　don't　want　people　like　Filmer　to　know　I　exist。'
　　He　nodded　slowly　with　prehension。　'I　won't　tell。'
　　He　stood　up　and　shook　my　hand。　'What　do　they　pay　you？'　he　asked。
　　I　smiled。　'Enough。'
　　'I　wish　Sheridan　had　been　able　to　have　a　job。　He　couldn't　stick　at　anything。'　He　sighed。　'I'll　believe　that　what　he　did　this　morning　was　for　us。　〃Sorry；　Dad。。。　〃'
　　Mercer　looked　me　in　the　eyes　and　made　a　simple　statement；　without　defensiveness；　without　apology。
　　'I　loved　my　son；'　he　said。
　　On　Monday　morning；　I　want　to　Vancouver　station　to　back　up　George　Burley　in　the　rail　pany's　dual　enquiry　into　the　hot　box　and　the　suicide。
　　I　was　written　down　as　T。　Titmuss；　Acting　Crew；　which　amused　me　and　seemed　to　cover　several；　interpretations。　George　was　stalwart　and　forthright；　with　the　ironic　chuckles　subdued　to　merely　a　gleam。　He　was　a　railwayman　of　some　prestige；　I　was　glad　to　see；　who　was　treated　with　respect　if　not　quite　deference；　and　his　were　the　views　they　listened　to。
　　He　gave　the　railway　investigators　a　photograph　of　Johnson　and　said　that　while　he　hadn't　actually　seen　him　pour　liquid　into　the　radio；　he　could　say　that　it　was　in　this　man's　roomette　that　he　had　awakened　bound　and　gagged；　and　he　could　say　that　it　was　this　man　who　had　attacked　Titmuss；　when　he；　Titmuss；　went　back　to　plant　the　flares。
　　'Was　that　so？　'　they　asked　me。　Could　I　identify　him　positively？
　　'Positively；'　I　said
　　They　moved　on　to　Sheridan's　death。　A　sad　business；　they　said。　Apart　from　making　a　record　of　the　time　of　the　occurrence　and　the　various　radio　messages；　there　was　little　to　be　done。　The　family　had　made　no　plaint　to　or　about　the　railway　pany　Any　other　conclusions　would　have　to　be　reached　at　the　official　inquest。
　　'That　wasn't　too　bad；　eh？'。'　George　said　afterwards。
　　'Would　you　e　in　uniform　to　the　races？'　I　asked。
　　'If　that's　what　you　want　'
　　'Yes；　please　'　I　gave　him　a　card　with　directions　and　instructions　and　a　pass　cajoled　from　Nell　to　get　him　in　through　the　gates。
　　'See　you　tomorrow；　eh？'
　　I　nodded　　'At　eleven　o'clock。'
　　We　went　our　different　ways；　and　with　some　reluctance　but　definite　purpose　I　sought　out　a　doctor　remended　by　the　hotel　and　presented　myself　for　inspection
　　The　doctor　was　thin；　growing　old　and　inclined　to　make　jokes　over　his　half…moon　glasses。
　　'Ah；'　he　said；　when　I'd　removed　my　shirt。　'Does　it　hurt　when　you　cough？　'
　　'It　hurts　when　I　do　practically　anything；　as　a　matter　of　fact。'
　　'We'd　better　have　a　wee　X…ray　then；　don't　you　think？'
　　I　agreed　to　the　X…ray　and　waited　around　for　ages　until　he　reappeared　with　a　large　sheet　of　celluloid　which　he　clipped　in　front　of　a　light。
　　'Well；　now；'　he　said；　'the　good　news　is　that　we　don't　have　any　broken　ribs　or　chipped　vertebrae。'
　　'Fine。'　I　was　relieved　and　perhaps　a　bit　surprised。
　　'What　we　do　have　is　a　fractured　shoulder　blade。'
　　I　stared　at　him。　'I　didn't　think　that　was　possible。'
　　'Anything's　possible；'　he　said　'See　that；'　he　pointed；　'that's　a　real　grand…daddy　of　a　break　Goes　right　across；　goes　right　through　The　bottom　part　of　your　left　scapula；'　he　announced　cheerfully；　'is　to　all　intents　and　purposes　detached　from　the　top　'
　　'Um；'　I　said　blankly。　'What　do　we　do　about　it？'
　　He　looked　at　me　over　the　half…moons。　'Rivets；'　he　said；　'might　be　extreme；　don't　you　think'　Heavy　strapping；　immobility　for　two　weeks；　that'll　do　the　trick。'
　　'What　about；'　I　said；　'if　we　do　nothing　at　all？　Will　it　mend？　'
　　'Probably。　Bones　are　remarkable。　Young　bones　especially。　You　could　try　a　sling。　You'd　be　more　fortable　though；　if　you　let　me　strap　your　arm　firmly　skin　to　skin　to　your　side　and　chest；　under　your　shirt。'
　　I　shook　my　head　and　said　I　wanted　to　go　on　a　sort　of　honeymoon　to　Hawaii。
　　'People　who　go　on　honeymoons　with　broken　bones；'　he　said　with　a　straight　face；　'must　be　ready　to　giggle　'
　　I　giggled　there　and　then　I　asked　him　for　a　written　medical　report　and　the　X…ray；　and　paid　him　for　them；　and　bore　away　my　evidence。
　　Stopping　at　a　pharmacy　on　my　way　back　to　the　hotel；　I　bought　an　elbow…supporting　sling　made　of　wide　black　ribbon；　which　I　tried　on　for　effect　in　the　shop；　and　which　made　things　a　good　deal　better。　I　was　wearing　it　when　I　opened　my　door　in　the　evening；　first　to　the　Brigadier　on　his　arrival　from　Heathrow；　and　then　to　Bill　Baudelaire；　from　Toronto。
　　Bill　Baudelaire　looked　around　the　sitting　room　and　mented　to　the　Brigadier　about　the　lavishness　of　my　expense　account。
　　'Expense　account；　my　foot！'　the　Brigadier　said；　drinking　my　Scotch。　'He's　paying　for　it　himself。'
　　Bill　Baudelaire　looked　shocked。　'You　can't　let　him；'　he　said。
　　'Didn't　he　tell　you？'　the　Brigadier　laughed。　'He's　as　rich　as　Croesus。'
　　'No。。。　he　didn't　tell　me。'
　　'He　never　tells　anybody。　He's　afraid　of　it。'
　　Bill　Baudelaire；　with　his　carroty　hair　and　pitted　skin；　looked　at　me　with　acute　curiosity。
　　'Why　do　you　do　this　job？'　he　said。
　　The　Brigadier　gave　me　no　time　to　answer。　'What　else　would　he　do　to　pass　the　time？　Play　backgammon？　This　game　is　better。　Isn't　that　it；　Tor？'
　　'This　game　is　better；'　I　agreed。
　　The　Brigadier　smiled。　Although　shorter　than　Bill　Baudelaire；　and　older　and　leaner；　and　with　fairer；　thinning　hair；　he　seemed　to　fill　more　of　the　room。　I　might　be　three　inches　taller　than　he；　but　I　had　the　impression　always　of　looking　up　to　him；　not　down。
　　'To　work；　then；'　he　suggested。　'Strategy；　tactics；　plan　of　attack。'
　　He　had　brought　some　papers　from　England；　though　some　were　still　to　e；　and　he　spread　them　out　on　the　coffee　table　so　that　all　of　us；　leaning　forward；　could　see　them。
　　'It　was　a　good　guess　of　yours；　Tor；　that　the　report　on　the　cats　was　a　puter　print…out；　because　of　its　lack　of　headings。　The　Master　of　the　college　had　a　call　from　Mercer　Lorrimore　at　eight　this　morning。。。　must　have　been　midnight　here。。。　empowering　him　to　tell　us　everything；　as　you'd　asked。　The　Master　gave　us　the　name　of　the　veterinary　pathology　lab　he'd　employed　and　sent　us　a　fax　of　the　letter　he'd　received　from　them。　Is　that　the　same　as　the　one　in　Filmer's　briefcase；　Tor？'。
　　He　pushed　a　paper　across　and　I　glanced　at　it。　'Identical；　except　for　the　headings。'
　　'Good。　The　path　lab　confirmed　they　kept　the　letter　stored　in　their　puter　but　they　don't　know　yet　how　anyone　outside　could　get　a　print…out。　We're　still　trying。　So　are　they。　They　don't　like　it　happening。'
　　'How　about　a　list　of　their　employees；'　I　said；　'including　temporary　secretaries　or　wizard　hacker　office　boys？'
　　'Where　do　you　get　such　language？'　the　Brigadier　protested。　He　produced　a　sheet　of　names。　'This　was　the　best　they　could　do。'
　　I　read　the　list。　None　of　the　names　was　familiar。
　　'Do　you　really　need　to　know　the　connection？'　Bill　Baudelaire　asked。
　　'It　would　be　neater；'　I　said。
　　The　Brigadier　nodded。　'John　Millington　is　working　on　it。　We're　talking　to　him　by　telephone　before　tomorrow's　meeting。　Now；　the　next　thing；'　he　turned　to　me。　'That　conveyance　you　saw　in　the　briefcase。　As　you　suggested；　we　checked　the　number　SF　90155　with　the　Land　Registry。'　He　chuckled　with　all　George　Burley's　enjoyment。　'That　alone　would　have　been　worth　your　trip。'
　　He　explained　why。　Bill　Baudelaire　said；　'We've　got　him；　then；'　with　great　satisfaction：　and　the　joint　manders…in…Chief　began　deciding　in　which　order　they　would　fire　off　their　accumulated　salvoes。
　　Julius　Apollo　walked　into　a　high…up　private　room　in　Exhibition　Park　racecourse　on　Tuesday　morning　to　sign　and　receive；　as　he　thought；　certification　that　he　was　the　sole　owner　of　Laurentide　Ice；　which　would　run　in　his　name　that　afternoon。
　　The　room　was　the　President　of　the　racecourse's　conference　room；　having　a　desk　attended　by　three　fortable　armchairs　at　one　end；　with　a　table　surrounded　by　eight　similar　chairs　at　the　other。　The　doorway　from　the　passage　was　at　mid…point　between　the　groupings；　so　that　one　turned　right　to　the　desk；　left　to　the　conference　table。　A　fawn　carpet　covered　the　floor；　horse　pictures　covered　the　walls；　soft　yellow　leather　covered　the　armchairs：　a　cross　between　fort　and　practicality；　without　windows　but　with　interesting　spot…lighting　from　recesse