alistairmaclean.bearisland-第25部分

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　〃I　don't　know。　I　think　he　was。　Maybe　he's　divorced。　Why　do　you　ask　so　many　questions　about　him？〃
　〃Because　Fin　a　typically　knowing；　prying　sawbones　and　I　like　to　know　as　much　as　possible　about　people　who　are　or　may　be　my　patients。　For　instance；　I　know　enough　about　Lonnie　now　never　to　give　him　a　brandy　if　he　were　in　need　of　a　restorative　for　it　wouldn't　have　the　slightest　effect。〃
　She　smiled　and　closed　her　eyes。　Conversation　over。　I　took　another　steamer　rug　from　under　my　seat；　wrapped　it　around　me…the　temperature　in　the　saloon　was　noticeably　dropping…and　picked　up　the　folder　that　Goin　had　given　me。　I　turned　to　page　1；　which；　apart　from　being　titled　B　Island；　started　off　without　any　preamble。
　〃It　is　widely　maintained；〃　it　read；　〃that　Olympus　Productions　is　approaching　the　making　of　this；　its　latest　production；　in　conditions　so　restrictive　as　to　amount　to　an　aura　of　almost　total　secrecy。　Allegations　to　this　effect　have　subsequently　made　their　appearance　in　popular　and　trade　presses　and　in　light　of　the　absence　of　production　office　denials　to　the　contrary　those　uncorroborated　assertions　have　achieved　a　considerable　degree　of　substance　and　credence　which　one　might　regard；　in　the　circumstances；　as　being　a　psychological　inevitability。〃　I　read　through　this　rubbish　again；　a　travesty　of　the　Queen's　English　fit　only　for　the　columns　of　the　more　learned　Sunday　papers；　and　then　I　got　it：　they　were　making　a　hush…hush　picture　and　didn't　care　who　knew。　And　very　good　publicity　it　was　for　the　film；　too；　I　thought；　but；　no；　I　was　doing　the　boys　an　injustice。　Or　so　the　boys　said。　The　article　continued：
　〃Other　cinematic　productions〃…I　assumed　he　meant　films…〃have　been　approached　and；　on　occasion；　even　executed　under　conditions　of　similar　secrecy　but　those　other　and；　one　is　afraid；　spurious　sub　rosa　ventures　have　had　for　their　calculated　aim　nothing　less；　regrettably；　than　the　extraction　of　the　maximum　free　publicity。　This；　we　insist；　and　with　some　pride；　is　not　the　objective　of　Olympus　Productions。〃　Good　old　Olympus；　this　I　had　to　see；　a　cinema　pany　who　didn't　want　free　publicity：　next　thing　we'd　have　the　Bank　of　England　turning　its　nose　up　at　the　sound　of　the　word　money。〃　〃Our　frankly　cabalistic　approach　to　this　production；　which　has　given　rise　to　so　much　intrigued　and　largely　ill…informed　speculation；　has；　in　fact；　been　imposed　upon　us　by　considerations　of　the　highest　importance：　the　handling　of　this；　a　story　which　in　the　wrong　hands　might　well　generate　potentially　and　dangerously　explosive　international　repercussions；　calls　for　the　utmost　in　delicacy　and　finesse；　essential　qualities　for　the　creation　of　what　we　confidently　expect　will　be　hailed　as　a　cinematic　masterpiece；　but　qualities　which　even　we　feel…nay；　are　certain…would　not　be　able　to　overe　the　immense　damage　done　by…and　we　are　certain　of　this…the　world…wide　furore　that　would　immediately　and　automatically　follow　the　premature　leaking　of　the　story　we　intend　to　film。
　〃We　are　confident；　however；　that　when…there　is　no　〃If…this　production　is　made　in　our　own　way；　in　our　own　time；　and　under　the　very　strictest　security　conditions…this　is　why　we　have　gone　to　the　quite　extraordinary　lengths　of　obtaining　notarised　oaths　of　secrecy　from　every　member　of　the　cast　and　crew　of　the　film　project　under　discussion；　including　the　managing　director　and　his　co…directors…we　will　have　upon　our　hands；　when　this　production　is　presented　to　a　public；　which　will　have　been　geared　by　that　time　to　the　highest　degree　of　expectancy；　a　tour　de　force　of　so　unparalleled　an　order　that　the　justification　for…〃
　Mary　Stuart　sneezed　and　I　blessed　her；　twice；　once　for　her　health　and　once　for　the　heaven…sent　interruption　of　the　reading　of　this　modestly　phrased　manifesto。　I　glanced　at　her　again　just　as　she　sneezed　again。　She　was　sitting　in　a　curiously　huddled　fashion；　hands　clasped　tightly　together；　her　face　white　and　pinched。　I　laid　down　the　Olympus　manifesto；　unwrapped　my　rug；　crossed　the　saloon　in　a　zigzag　totter　which　resulted　from　the　now　very　pronounced　pitching　of　the　Morning　Rose；　sat　beside　her　and　took　her　hands　in　mine。　They　were　icily　cold。
　〃You're　freezing；〃　I　said　somewhat　unnecessarily。
　〃I'm　all　right。　I'm　just　a　bit　tired。〃
　〃Why　don't　you　go　below　to　your　cabin？　It's　at　least　twenty　degrees　warmer　down　there　and　you'll　never　sleep　up　here　if　you　have　to　keep　bracing　yourself　all　the　time　from　falling　off　your　seat。〃
　〃No。　I　don't　sleep　down　there　either。　I've　hardly　slept　since…〃　She　broke　off。　〃And　I　don't　feel　nearly　so…so　queasy　up　here。　Please。〃
　I　don't　give　up　easily。　I　said：　〃Then　at　least　take　my　corner　scat；　you'll　be　much　more　fortable　there。〃
　She　took　her　hands　away。　〃Please。　Just　leave　me！'
　I　gave　up。　I　left　her。　I　took　three　wavering　steps　in　the　direction　of　my　scat；　halted　in　irritation；　turned　back　to　her　and　hauled　her　none　too　gently　to　her　feel？。　She　looked　at　me；　not　speaking；　in　tired　surprise；　and　continued　to　say　nothing；　and　to　offer　no　resistance；　as　I　led　her　across　to　my　corner；　brought　out　another　two　steamer　rugs；　cocooned　her　in　those；　lifted　her　feel？　onto　the　settee　and　sat　beside　her。　She　looked　up　at　me　for　a　few　seconds；　her　gaze　transferring　itself　from　my　right　eye　to　my　left　and　back　again；　then　she　turned　her　face　to　me；　closed　her　eyes　and　slid　one　of　her　icy　hands　under　my　jacket。　During　all　this　performance　she　didn't　speak　once　or　permit　any　expression　to　appear　on　her　face　and　I　would　have　been　deeply　moved　by　this　touching　trust　in　me　were　it　not　for　the　reflection　that　if　it　were　her　purpose　or　instructions　to　keep　as　close　an　eye　as　possible　on　me　she　could　hardly；　even　in　her　most　optimistic　moments　；　have　hoped　to　arrive　at　a　situation　where　she　could　keep　an　eye　within　half　an　inch　of　my　shirt　front。　I　couldn't　even　take　a　deep　breath　without　her　knowing　all　about　it。　On　the　other　hand；　if　she　were　as　innocent　as　the　driven　snow　that　had　now　pletely　obscured　the　plate　glass　not　six　inches　from　my　head；　then　it　was　less　than　likely　that　any　illdisposed　citizen　or　citizens　would　contemplate　taking　action　of　a　violent
　So　and　permanent　nature　against　me　as　long　as　I　had　Mary　Stuart　practically　sitting　on　my　lap。　It　was；　I　thought；　a　pretty　even　trade。　I　looked　down　at　the　half…hidden　lovely　face　and　reflected　that　I　was　possibly　having　a　shade　the　better　of　the　deal。　I　reached　for　my　own　rug；　draped　it　round　my　shoulders　in　Navaho　style；　picked　up　the　Olympus　manifesto　again　and　continued　to　read。　The　next　two　pages　were　largely　a　hyperbolic　expansion　of　what　had　gone　before　with　the　writer…I　assumed　it　was　Heissman…harping　on　at　nauseating　length　on　the　twin　themes　of　the　supreme　artistic　merit　of　the　production　and　the　necessity　for　absolute　secrecy。　After　this　self…adulatory　exercise；　the　writer　got　down　to　facts。
　〃After　long　consideration；　and　the　close　examination　and　subsequent　rejection　of　a　very　considerable　number　of　possible　alternatives；　we　finally　decided　upon　Bear　Island　as　the　location　for　this　project。　We　are　aware　that　all　of　you；　and　this　includes　the　entire　crew　of　the　Morning　Rose　from　Captain　Imrie　downwards；　believed　that　we　were　heading　for　a　destination　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　Lofoten　Islands　off　northern　Norway　and　it　was　not　exactly；　shall　we　say；　through　fortuitous　circumstance；　that　this　rumour　was　gaining　some　currency　in　certain　quarters　in　London　immediately　prior　to　our　departure。　We　make　no　apologies　for　what　may　superficially　appear　to　be　an　unwarranted　deception　for　it　was　essential　to　our　purposes　and　the　maintenance　of　secrecy　that　this　subterfuge　be　adopted。
　〃For　the　following　brief　description　of　Bear　Island　we　are　indebted　to　the　Royal　Geographical　Society　of　Oslo；　who　have　also　furnished　us　with　a　translation。〃　That　was　a　relief；　just　as　long　as　the　translator　wasn't　Heissman　I　might　be　able　to　get　it　on　the　first　reading。　〃This　information；　it　is　perhaps　superfluous　to　add；　was　obtained　for　us　through　the　good　offices　of　a　third　party　entirely　unconnected　with　Olympus　Productions；　a　noted　ornithologist　who　must　remain　entirely　incognito。　It　may　be　mentioned　in　the　passing　that　the　Norwegian　Government　has　given　us　permission　to　film　on　the　island。　We　understand　that　it　is　their　understanding　t