alistairmaclean.bearisland-第22部分

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screwed　the　deckhead　lamp。
　This　I　dropped　on　the　deck　from　gradually　increasing　heights　starting　with　about　a　foot　or　so　until　a　shake　of　the　lamp　dose　by　my　car　let　me　hear　the　unmistakable　tinkle　of　a　broken　filament。　I　screwed　the　now　useless　lamp　back　into　its　holder；　took　up　my　briefcase；　closed　the　door　and　made　for　the　bridge。
　The　weather；　I　observed　during　my　very　hurried　passage　across　the　upper　deck　and　up　the　bridge　ladder；　hadn't　improved　in　the　slightest。
　I　had　the　vague　impression　that　the　seas　were　moderating　slightly　but　that　may　have　been　because　of　the　fact　that　I　was　feeling　so　tired　that　I　was　no　longer　capable　of　registering　impressions　accurately。　But　one　aspect　of　the　weather　was　beyond　question：　the　almost　horizontally　driving　snow　had　increased　to　the　extent　that　the　masthead　light　was　no　more　than　an　intermittent　glow　in　the　gloom　above。
　Allison　was　at　the　wheel；　spending　more　time　looking　at　the　radarscope　than　at　the　pass　and；　visibility　being　what　it　was；　I　could　see　his　point。
　I　said：　〃Do　you　know　where　the　captain　keeps　his　crew　lists？　In　his　cabin？〃
　〃No。〃　He　glanced　over　his　shoulder。　〃In　the　charthouse　there。〃　He　hesitated　。　〃Why　would　you　want　those；　Dr。　Marlowe？〃
　I　pulled　a　death　certificate　from　the　briefcase　and　held　it　close　to　the　binnacle　light。　Allison　pressed　his　lips。
　〃Top　drawer；　port　locker。〃
　I　found　the　lists；　entered　up　the　name；　address；　age；　place　of　birth；　religion　；　and　next　of　kin　of　each　of　the　three　dead　men；　replaced　the　book　and　made　my　way　down　to　the　saloon。　Half　an　hour　had　elapsed　since　I'd　left　Gerran；　his　three　co…directors　and　the　Count　sitting　there；　and　there　all　five　still　were；　seated　round　a　table　and　studying　cardboard　covered　folders　spread　on　the　table　before　them。　A　pile　of　those　lay　on　the　table；　some　more　were　scattered　on　the　floor　where　the　rolling　of　the　ship　had　obviously　precipitated　them。　The　Count　looked　at　me　over　the　rim　of　his　glass：　his　capacity　for　brandy　was　phenomenal。
　〃Still　abroad；　my　dear　fellow？　You　do　labour　on　our　behalf。　Much　more　of　this　and　I　suggest　that　you　be　co…opted　as　one　of　our　directors。〃
　〃Here's　one　cobbler　that　sticks　to　his　last。〃　I　looked　at　Gerran。　〃Sorry　to　interrupt；　but　I've　some　forms　to　fill　up。　If　I'm　interrupting　some　private　session…〃
　〃Nothing　private　going　on　here；　I　assure　you。〃　It　was　Goin　who　answered。　〃Merely　studying　our　shooting　script　for　the　next　fortnight。　All　the　cast　and　crew　will　have　one　tomorrow。　Like　a　copy？〃
　〃Thank　you。　After　I've　finished　this。　Afraid　my　cabin　light　has　gone　on　the　blink　and　I'm　not　much　good　at　writing　by　the　light　of　matches。〃
　〃We're　just　leaving。〃　Otto　was　still　looking　grey　and　very　tired　but　he　was　mentally　tough　enough　to　keep　going　long　after　his　body　had　told　him　to　stop。　I　think　we　could　all　do　with　a　good　night's　sleep。〃
　〃It's　what　I　would　prescribe。　You　could　postpone　your　departure　for　five　minutes？〃
　If　necessary；　of　course。〃
　〃We've　promised　Captain　Imrie　a　guarantee　or　affidavit　or　what　will　you　exonerating　him　from　all　blame　if　we　have　any　further　outbreaks　of　mysterious　illness。　He　wants　it　on　his　breakfast　table；　and　he　wants　it　signed。　And　as　Captain　Imrie　will　be　up　at　4　A。m。　and　I　suspect　his　breakfast　will　be　correspondingly　early；　I　suggest　it　would　be　more　convenient　if　you　all　signed　it　now。〃
　They　nodded　agreement。　I　sat　at　a　nearby　table　and　in　my　〃best　handwriting　；　which　was　pretty　bad；　and　best　legal　jargon；　which　was　awful；　I　drafted　a　statement　of　responsibility　which　I　thought　would　meet　the　case。　The　others　apparently　thought　so　too　or　were　too　tired　to　care；　for　they　signed　with　only　a　cursory　glance　at　what　I　had　written。　The　Count　signed　too　and　I　didn't　as　much　as　raise　an　eyebrow。　It　had　never　even　crossed　my　mind　that　the　Count　belonged　to　those　elevated　directorial　ranks；　I　had　thought　that　the　more　highly　regarded　cameramen；　of　which　the　Count　was　undoubtedly　one；　were　invariably　free…lance　and　therefore　ineligible　for　election　to　any　film　pany　board。　But；　at　least；　it　helped　to　explain　his　lack　of　proper　respect　for　Otto。
　〃And　now；　to　bed。〃　Goin　eased　back　his　chair。　‘You；　too；　Doctor？〃
　〃After　I've　filled　out　the　death　certificates。〃
　〃An　unpleasant　duty。〃　Goin　handed　me　a　folder。　〃This　might　help　amuse　you　afterwards。〃
　I　took　it　from　him　and　Gerran　heaved　himself　upright　with　the　usual　massive　effort。　〃Those　funerals；　Dr。　Marlowe。　The　burials　at　sea。　What　time　do　they　take　place？〃
　〃First　light　is　customary。〃　Otto　closed　his　eyes　in　suffering。　〃After　what　you've　been　through；　Mr。　Gerran；　I'd　advise　you　to　give　it　a　miss。　Rest　as　long　as　possible　tomorrow。〃
　〃You　really　think　so？〃　I　nodded　and　Otto　removed　his　mask　of　suffering。
　‘You　will　stand　in　for　me；　John？〃
　〃Of　course；〃　Goin　said。　〃Good　night；　Doctor。　Thank　you　for　your　cooperation！'
　〃Yes；　yes；　thank　you；　thank　you；〃　Otto　said。
　They　trooped　off　unsteadily　and　I　fished　out　my　death　certificate　forms　and　filled　them　out。　I　put　those　in　one　sealed　envelope；　the　signed　affidavit　…I　just　in　time　remembered　to　add　my　own　signature…in　another；　addressed　them　to　Captain　Imrie　and　took　them　up　to　the　bridge　to　ask　Allison　to　hand　them　over　to　the　captain　when　he　came　on　watch　at　four　in　the　morning。　Allison　wasn't　there。　Instead；　Smithy；　heavily　clad　and　muffled　almost　to　the　eyebrows；　was　sitting　on　a　high　stool　before　the　wheel。　He　wasn't　touching　the　wheel；　which　periodically　spun　clockwise　and　counterclockwise　as　of　its　own　accord；　and　he'd　turned　up　the　rheostat。　He　looked　pale　and　had　dark　circles　under　his　eyes　but　he　didn't　have　a　sick　look　about　him　any　more。　His　recuperative　powers　were　quite　remarkable。
　〃Automatic　pilot；〃　he　explained；　almost　cheerfully；　〃and　all　the　lights　of　home。　Who　needs　night　sight　in　zero　visibility？〃
　〃You　ought　to　be　in　bed；〃　I　said　shortly。
　〃I've　just　e　from　there　and　I'm　just　going　there。　First　Officer　Smith　is　not　yet　his　old　self　and　he　knows　it。　just　e　up　to　check　position　and　give　Allison　a　break　for　coffee。　Also；　I　thought　I　might　find　you　here。　You　weren't　in　your　cabin！'
　〃I'm　here　now。　What　did　you　want　to　see　me　about？〃
　〃Otard…Dupuy；〃　he　said。　〃How　does　that　sound？〃
　〃It　sounds　fine！〃　Smithy　slid　off　his　stool　and　headed　for　the　cupboard　where　Captain　Imrie　kept　his　private　store　of　restoratives。　〃But　you　weren't　hunting　the　ship　to　offer　me　a　brandy。〃
　〃No。　Tell　you　the　truth；　I've　been　trying　to　figure　out　some　things。　No　dice　with　the　figuring；　if　I　was　bright　enough　for　that　I'd　be　too　bright　to　be　where　I　am　now。　Thought　you　could　help　me。〃　He　handed　me　a　glass。
　〃We　should　make　a　great　team；〃　I　said。
　He　smiled　briefly。　〃Three…；　dead　and　four　half　dead。　Food　poisoning。　What　poisoning？〃
　I　told　him　the　story　about　the　sporing　anaerobes；　the　one　I'd　given　Haggerty。　But　Smithy　wasn't　Haggerty。
　〃Mighty　selective　poison；　isn't　it？　Clobbers　A　and　kills　him；　passes　up　B；　clobbers　C　and　doesn't　kill　him；　passes　up　D　and　so　on。　And　we　all　had　the　same　food　to　cat。〃
　〃Poisons　are　notoriously　unpredictable。　Six　people　at　a　picnic　can　cat　the　same　infected　food：　three　can　land　in　hospital　while　the　others　don't　feel　a　twinge。〃
　〃So；　some　people　get　tummy　aches　and　some　don't。　But　that's　a　bit　different　from　saying　that　a　poison　that　is　deadly　enough　to　kill；　and　to　kill　violently　and　quickly；　is　going　to　leave　others　entirely　unaffected。　No　doctor　but　I　flat　out　don't　believe　it。〃
　〃I　find　it　a　bit　odd　myself。　You　have　something　in　mind？〃
　〃Yes。　The　poisoning　was　deliberate。〃
　〃Deliberate？〃　I　sipped　some　more　of　the　Otard…Dupuy　while　I　wondered　how　far　to　go　with　Smithy。　Not　too　far；　I　thought；　not　yet。　I　said：　〃Of　course　it　was　deliberate。　And　so　easily　done。　Take　our　poisoner。　He　has　this　little　bag　of　poison。　Also；　he　has　this　little　magic　wand。　He　waves　it　and　turns　himself　invisible　and　then　flits　around　the　dining　tables。　A　pinch　for　Otto；　none　for　me；　a　pinch　for　you；　a　pinch　for　Oakley；　no　pinches　for；　say；　Heissman　and　Stryker；　a　double　pinch　for　Antonio；　none　for　the　girls；　a　pinch　for　the　Duke；　two　each　for　Moxen　and　Scott；　and　so　on。　A　wayward　and　capricious　lad；　our　invisible　friend：　Or　would　you　call　it　being　selective？〃
　I　don