alistairmaclean.bearisland-第50部分

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　I　asked　Mary　here　if　she　could　lift　a　rock　like　that　above　her　head　and　she　said　don't　be　ridiculous。〃
　〃〃Unless　she's　an　Olympic　weight…lifter　in　disguise；　well；　yes；　you　are　ridiculous。　She　couldn't。　Why？〃
　〃Well；　just　look　at　her。〃　He　nodded　across　at　the　other　Mary。　〃Skin　and　bone；　just　skin　and　bone。　Now　how…〃
　I　wouldn't　let　Allen　hear　you。〃
　〃You　know　what　I　mean。　A　rock　that　size。　〃Murderess；〃　Judith　Haynes　called　her。　Well；　so　OK；　she　was　out　there　looking　with　the　others；　but　how　on　earth…〃
　I　think　Miss　Haynes　had　something　else　in　mind；〃　I　said。　I　left　them；　beckoned　to　Allen　then　turned　to　Smithy　who　was　sitting　close　by。　I　require　a　surgery　assistant。　Feeling　up　to　it　now？〃
　〃Sure。〃　He　rose。　〃Anything　to　take　my　mind　off　Captain　Imrie　and　the　report　be　must　be　writing　out　about　me　right　now。〃
　There　was　nothing　I　could　do　to　Allen's　face　that　nature　couldn't　do　better　so　I　concentrated　on　the　gash　on　the　back　of　his　head。　I　froze　it；　shaved　the　area　around　it　and　jerked　my　head　to　Smithy　to　have　a　look。
　He　did　this　and　his　eyes　widened　a　little　but　he　said　nothing。　I　put　eight　stitches　in　the　wound　and　covered　it　with　plaster。　During　all　of　this　we　hadn't　exchanged　a　word　and　Allen　was　obviously　very　conscious　of　this。　He　said：　〃You　haven't　got　much　to　say　to　me；　have　you；　Dr。　Marlowe？〃
　〃A　good　tradesman　doesn't　talk　on　the　job。〃
　〃You're　just　thinking　what　all　the　others　are　thinking；　aren't　you？〃
　I　don't　know。　I　don't　know　what　all　the　others　are　thinking。　Well；　that's　it。　Just　b　your　hair　straight　back　and　no　one　will　know　you're　prematurely　bald。〃
　〃Yes。　Thank　you。〃　He　turned　and　faced　me；　hesitated　and　said：　It　does　look　pretty　black　against　me；　doesn't　it？〃
　〃Not　to　a　doctor。〃
　‘You…you　mean　you　don't　think　I　did　it？〃
　〃It's　not　a　matter　of　thinking。　It's　a　matter　of　knowing。　Look；　all　in　all　you've　had　a　pretty　rough　day；　you're　more　shaken　up　than　you　realise　and　when　that　anaesthetic　wears　off　you're　going　to　hurt　a　bit。　Your　cubicle's　next　to　mine；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Yes；　but…〃
　〃Go　and　lie　down　for　a　couple　of　hours。〃
　〃Yes；　but…〃
　〃And　I'll　send　Mary　through　when　I've　finished　with　her。〃
　He　made　to　speak；　then　nodded　wearily　and　left。　Smithy　said：　〃That　was　nasty。　The　back　of　his　head；　I　mean。　It　must　have　been　one　helluva　clout。〃
　〃He's　been　lucky　that　his　skull　isn't　fractured。　Doubly　lucky　in　that　he's　not　even　concussed。〃
　〃Uh…huh。〃　Smithy　thought　for　a　moment。　〃Look；　I'm　not　a　doctor　and　I'm　not　very　good　at　Goining　phrases　but　doesn't　this　put　a　rather　different　plexion　upon　matters？〃
　〃I　am　a　doctor　and　it　does。〃
　He　thought　some　more。　〃Especially　when　you　have　a　close　look　at　Stryker？〃
　〃Especially　that。〃
　I　brought　Mary　Darling　in。　She　was　very　pale；　still　apprehensive　and　had　a　little　girl　lost　look　about　her　but　she　had　herself　under　control。　She　looked　at　Smithy；　made　as　if　to　speak；　hesitated；　changed　her　mind　and　let　me　get　on　with　doing　what　I　could。　I　cleaned　and　disinfected　the　scratches；　taped　them　up　carefully　and　said：　〃It'll　itch　like　fury　for　a　bit　but　if　you　can　resist　the　temptation　to　haul　the　plasters　off　then　you'll　have　no　scars。
　〃Thank　you；　Doctor。　I'll　try。〃　She　looked　very　wan。　〃Can　I　speak　to　you；　please？〃
　〃Of　course。〃　She　looked　at　Smithy　and　I　said：　‘You　can　speak　freely。
　I　promise　you　it　will　go　no　further。〃
　〃Yes；　yes；　I　know；　but…〃
　〃Mr。　Gerran　is　dispensing　free　Scotch　out　there；〃　Smithy　said　and　made　for　the　door。　〃I'd　never　forgive　myself　if　I　passed　up　an　experience　that　can　happen　only　once　in　a　lifetime。〃
　She　had　me　by　the　lapels　even　before　Smithy　had　the　door　fully　closed　behind　him。　There　was　a　frantic　worry　in　her　face；　a　sick　misery　in　the　eyes　that　made　me　realise　just　how　much　it　had　cost　her　to　maintain　her　posure　while　Smithy　had　been　there。
　〃Allen　didn't　do　it；　Dr。　Marlowe！　He　didn't；　I　know　he　didn't；　I　swear　he　didn't。　I　know　things　look　awful　for　him；　the　fight　they　had　this　morning　；　and　now　this　other　fight　and　that　button　in…in　Mr。　Stryker's　hand　and　everything。　But　I　know　he　didn't；　he　told　me　he　didn't；　Allen　couldn't　tell　a　lie；　he　wouldn't　tell　me　a　lie！　And　he　couldn't　hurt　anything；　I　mean　just　not　kill　anybody；　I　mean　hurt　anybody；　he　just　couldn't　do　it！　And　I　didn't　do　it。〃　Her　fists　clenched　until　the　knuckles　showed　she　was　even；　for　some　odd　reason；　trying　to　shake　me　now　and　tears　were　rolling　down　her　face；　whatever　she'd　known　in　her　short　life　hadn't　prepared　her　for　times　and　situations　like　those。　She　shook　her　head　in　despair。　I　didn't；　I　didn't！　A　murderess；　that's　what　she　called　me！　In　front　of　everybody；　she　called　me　a　murderess！　I　couldn't　kill　anybody；　Dr。　Marlowe。。。I。。。〃
　〃Mary。〃　I　stopped　the　hysterical　flow　by　the　simple　process　of　putting　my　fingers　across　her　lips。　I　seriously　doubt　whether　you　could　dispose　of　a　fly　without　worrying　yourself　sick　afterwards。　You　and　Allen　together　well；　if　it　were　a　particularly　obnoxious　fly　you　just　might　manage　it。　I　wouldn't　bet　on　it；　though。〃
　She　took　my　hand　away　and　stared　at　me：　〃Dr。　Marlowe；　do　you　mean…〃
　I　mean　you're　a　silly　young　goose。　Together；　you　make　a　fine　pair　of　silly　young　geese。　It's　not　that　I　just　don't　believe　that　Allen　or　you　had　anything　to　do　with　Stryker's　death。　I　know　you　hadn't。〃
　She　sniffed　a　bit　and　then　she　said：　〃You're　an　awfully　kind　person；　Dr。　Marlowe。　I　know　you're　trying　to　help　us…〃
　〃Oh；　do　shut　up；〃　I　said。　I　can　prove　it。〃
　〃Prove　it？　Prove　it？〃　There　was　some　hope　in　the　sick　eyes；　she　didn't　know　whether　to　believe　me　or　not；　and　then　it　seemed　that　she　decided　not　to；　for　she　shook　her　head　again　and　said　numbly：　〃She　said　I　killed　him。〃
　〃Miss　Haynes　was　speaking　figuratively；〃　I　said；　which　is　not　the　same　thing　at　all；　and　even　then　she　was　wrong。　What　she　meant　was　that　you　were　the　precipitating　factor　in　her　husband's　death；　which　of　course　you　weren't。〃
　〃Precipitating　factor？〃
　〃Yes。〃　I　took　her　hands　from　my　now　badly　crushed　lapels；　held　them　in　mine　and　looked　at　her　in　my　best　avuncular　fashion。　〃Tell　me；　Mary　darling；　have　you　ever　dallied　in　the　moonlight　with　Michael　Stryker？〃
　〃Me？　Have　I？〃
　〃Mary！〃
　〃Yes；〃　she　said　miserably。　I　mean　no；　no　I　didn't。〃
　〃That's　very　clear；〃　I　said。　〃Let's　put　it　this　way。　Did　you　ever　give　Miss　Haynes　reason　to　suspect　that　you　had　been？　Dallying；　I　mean。〃
　〃Yes。〃　She　sniffed　again。　〃No。　I　mean　he　did。〃　I　kept　my　baffled　expression　in　cold　storage　and　looked　at　her　encouragingly。　〃He　called　me　into　his　cabin；　just　the　day　we　left　Wick；　that　was。　He　was　alone　there。　He　said　that　he　wanted　to　discuss　some　things　about　the　film　with　me。〃
　〃A　change　from　etchings；〃　I　said。
　She　looked　at　me　unprehendingly　and　went　on：　〃But　it　wasn't　about　the　film　he　wanted　to　talk。　You　must　believe　me；　Dr。　Marlowe。　You　must！〃
　I　believe　you。〃
　〃He　closed　the　door　and　grabbed　me　and　then…〃
　〃Spare　my　unsullied　mind　the　grisly　details。　When　the　villain　was　forcing　his　unwele　attentions　upon　you　there　came　the　pit…a…pat　of　feminine　footsteps　in　the　corridor　outside　whereupon　the　villain　rapidly　assumed　a　position　where　you　appeared　to　be　forcing　your　unwele　attentions　upon　him　and　when　the　door　opened…to　reveal；　of　course；　none　other　than　his　better　half…there　he　was；　fending　off　the　licentious　young　continuity　girl　and　crying；　〃No；　no；　Nanette；　control　yourself；　this　can　never　be〃　or　words　to　that　effect。〃
　〃More　or　less。〃　She　looked　more　miserable　than　ever；　then　her　eyes　widened。　〃How　did　you　know？〃
　〃The　Strykers　of　this　world　are　pretty　thick　upon　the　ground。　The　ensuing　scene　must　have　been　pretty　painful。〃
　〃There　were　two　scenes；〃　she　said　dully。　〃Something　like　it　happened　on　the　upper　deck　the　following　night。　She　said　she　was　going　to　report　me　to　her　father…Mr。　Gerran。　He　said…not　when　she　was　there；　of　course　…that　if　I　tried　to　make　trouble　he'd　have　me　fired。　He　was　a　director；　you　know。　Later；　when　I　got；　well；　friendly　with　Allen；　he　said　he'd　get　us　both　fired　if　need　be　and　make　sure　that　neither　of　us　would　ever　again　get　a　job　in　films。　Allen　said　that　this　was　all　wrong；　why　should　we　accept　this　when　neither　of　us　had　done　anything　so…〃
　〃So　he　tried　to　make　him　see　the