df.theedge-第30部分

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k　some　of　it。
　　Some　horses　drink　a　lot　of　water。。。　but　they're　a　bit　fussy。　They　won't　touch　it　if　they　don't　like　the　smell　If　there's　traces　of　soap　in　it；　for　instance；　or　oil。　They'd　only　drink　doped　water　if　it　smelled　all　right　to　them
　　'You　know　a　lot　about　it；'　George　mented
　　'I've　spent　most　of　my　life　near　horses；　one　way　and　another　'
　　We　reached　his　office　where　he　said　he　had　some　paperwork　to　plete　before　we　stopped　fairly　soon　for　ten　minutes　at　Kenora。　We　would　be　there　at　five…twenty；　he　said。　We　were　running　thirty　minutes　behind　the　Canadian。　There　were　places　the　race　train　didn't　really　need　to　stop；　he　said；　except　to　keep　pace　with　the　Canadian。　We　needed　always　to　stop　where　the　trains　were　serviced　for　water；　trash　and　fuel。
　　I　had　nowhere　on　our　journey　to　and　from　the　horse　car　seen　the　man　with　the　gaunt　face　George　had　pointed　someone　out　to　me　in　the　dayniter；　but　he　was　not　the　right　person　grey　haired；　but　too　ill…looking；　too　old　The　man　I　was　looking　for；　I　thought；　was　fifty…something；　maybe　less；　still　powerful；　not　in　decline。
　　In　a　vague　way；　I　thought；　he　had　reminded　me　of　Derry　Welfram。　Less　bulky　than　the　dead　frightener；　and　not　as　smooth；　but　the　same　stamp　of　man。　The　sort　Filmer　seemed　to　seek　out　naturally。
　　I　sat　for　an　hour　in　my　roomette　looking　out　at　the　unvarying　scenery　and　trying　to　imagine　anything　else　that　Filmer　might　have　paid　to　have　done。　It　was　all　the　wrong　way　round；　I　thought'　it　was　more　usual　to　know　the　crime　and　seek　the　criminal；　than　to　know　the　criminal　and　seek　his　crime。
　　The　four　sample　bottles　of　water　stood　in　their　plastic　carrier　on　my　roomette　floor。　To　have　introduced　something　noxious　into　that　tank；　gaunt…face　would　certainly　have　to　have　bribed　a　groom。　He　wasn't　one　of　the　grooms　himself；　though　perhaps　he　had　been　one；　somewhere；　some　time。　The　grooms　on　the　train　were　all　younger；　thinner　and　from　what　I'd　seen　of　them　in　their　uniform　T…shirts　less　positive。　I　couldn't　imagine　any　of　them　having　the　nerve　to　stand　up　to　Filmer　and　demand　their　money。
　　I　spent　the　brief　stop　at　the　small　town　of　Kenora　hanging　out　of　the　open　doorway　past　George's　office；　watching　him；　on　the　station　side　of　the　train；　walk　a　good　way　up　and　down　outside　while　he　checked　that　all　looked　well。　The　Lorrimores'　car；　it　appeared；　was　still　firmly　tacked　on。　Up　behind　the　engine；　two　baggage　handlers　were　loading　a　small　pile　of　boxes。　I　hung　out　of　the　door　on　the　other　side　of　the　train　for　a　while；　but　no　one　was　moving　out　there　at　all。
　　George　climbed　back　on　board　and　closed　the　doors；　and　presently　we　set　off　again　our　last　stop　before　Winnipeg。
　　I　wished　intensely　that　I　had　the　power　to　see　into　Filmer's　mind。　I　ached　to　foresee　what　he　was　planning。　I　felt　blind；　and　longed　for　second　sight。　Failing　such　superhuman　qualities；　however；　there　was　only　as　usual　ordinary　observation　and　patience；　and　they　both　seemed　inadequate　and　tame。
　　I　went　along　to　the　dining　car　where　I　found　that　Zak　had　already　positioned　some　of　the　actors　at　the　tables　for　the　cocktail…hour　double…length　scene。　He　and　Nell　were　agreeing　that　after　the　scene　the　actors　would　leave　again　（all　except　Giles…the…murderer）；　even　though　they　didn't　like　being　banished　all　the　time　and　were　plaining　about　it。
　　Emil；　laying　tablecloths；　said　that　wine　alone　was　included　in　the　fare；　all　other　cocktails　having　to　be　paid　for；　and　perhaps　I'd　better　just　serve　the　wine；　he　and　Oliver　and　Cathy　would　do　the　rest。　Fine　by　me；　I　said；　distributing　ashtrays　and　bud　vases。　I　could　set　the　wine　glasses　also；　Emil　said。　Glasses　for　red　wine　and　for　white　at　each　place。
　　The　passengers　drifted　in　from　their　rooms　and　the　dome　car　and　fell　into　by　now　predictable　patterns　of　seating。　Even　though　to　my　mind　Bambi　Lorrimore　and　Daffodil　Quentin　were　as　patible　as　salt　and　strawberries；　the　two　women　were　again　positioned　opposite　each　other；　bound　there　by　the　attraction　between　their　men。　When　I　put　the　wine　glasses　on　their　table；　Mercer　and　Filmer　were　discussing　world…wide　breeding　in　terms　of　exchange　rates。
　　Daffodil　told　Bambi　there　was　a　darling　little　jewellery　store　in　Winnipeg。
　　Xanthe　was　still　clinging　to　Mrs　Young。　Mr　Young　looked　exceedingly　bored。
　　Sheridan　had　struck　up　an　acquaintanceship　with　the　actor…murderer　Giles；　a　slightly　bizarre　eventuality　which　might　have　odd　consequences。
　　The　Upper　Gumtree　Unwins　and　the　Flokati　couple　seemed　locked　in　mon　interest：　whether　the　instant　friendship　would　wither　after　their　mutual　race　would　be　Wednesday　evening's　news。
　　Most　of　the　other　passengers　I　knew　only　vaguely；　by　face　more　than　by　name。　I'd　learned　their　names　only　to　the　extent　that　they　owned　horses　in　the　horse　car　or　had　touched　bases　with　Filmer；　which　came　to　only　about　half。　They　were　all　in　general　pleasant　enough；　although　one　of　the　men　sent　nearly　everything　back　to　the　kitchen　to　be　reheated；　and　one　of　the　women　pushed　the　exceptional　food　backwards　and　forwards　across　her　plate　with　flicking　movements　of　her　fork；　sternly　remarking　that　plain　fare　was　all　anyone　needed　for　godliness。　What　she　was　doing　among　the　racing　fraternity；　I　never　found　out。
　　Zak's　long　scene　began　with　impressive　fireworks　as　soon　as　everyone　in　the　dining　car　had　been　served　with　a　drink。
　　A　tall　man　dressed　in　the　full　scarlet　traditional　uniform　of　the　Royal　Canadian　Mounted　Police　strode　into　the　dining　car　and　in　a　conversation…stopping　voice　said　he　had　some　serious　information　for　us。　He　had　e　aboard　at　Kenora；　he　said；　because　the　body　of　a　groom　from　this　train　called　Ricky　had　been　found　lying　beside　the　railway　lines　near　Thunder　Bay。　He　had　been　wearing　his　Race　Train　T…shirt；　and　he　had　identification　in　his　pocket。
　　The　passengers　looked　horrified。　The　Mountie's　impressive　presence　dominated　the　whole　place　and　he　sounded　undoubtedly　authentic。　He　understood；　he　said；　that　the　groom　had　been　attacked　earlier；　in　Toronto；　when　he　foiled　the　kidnapping　of　a　horse；　but　he　had　insisted　on　making　the　journey　nevertheless；　having　been　bandaged　by　a　Miss　Richmond。　Was　that　correct？
　　Nell　demurely　said　that　it　was。
　　Among　the　actual　owners　of　the　horses；　disbelief　had　set　in　the　quickest　Mercer　Lorrimore　enjoyed　the　joke　Mounties；　when　investigating；　didn't　nowadays　go　around　dressed　for　parades
　　'But　we　are　in　Manitoba；'　Mercer　could　be　heard　saying　in　a　lull；　'they've　got　that　right。　We　passed　the　boundary　with　Ontario　a　moment　ago。　The　Mounted　Police's　territory　starts　right　there　'
　　'You　seem　to　know　all　about　it；'　our　Mountie　said。　'What　do　you　know　about　this　dead　groom？'
　　'Nothing；'　Mercer　said　cheerfully。
　　I　glanced　briefly　at　Filmer。　His　face　was　hard；　his　neck　rigid；　his　eyes　narrow；　and　I　though　in　a　flash　of　Paul　Shacklebury；　the　lad　dead　in　his　ditch。　Stable　lads　in　England。。　grooms　in　Canada　same　job。　What　had　Paul　Shacklebury　known　about　Filmer。。。　same　old　unanswerable　question。
　　'And　why　was　he　killed？'　the　Mountie　asked。　'What　did　he　know？''
　　I　risked　a　glance；　looked　away；　Filmer's　mouth　was　a　tight　line。　The　answer　to　the　question　had　to　be　in　his　tautly…held　head　at　that　moment　and　it　was　as　inaccessible　to　me　as　Alpha　Centauri。
　　Zak　suggested　that　Ricky　had　identified　one　of　the　hijackers。　Perhaps；　he　said；　the　hijackers　had　e　on　the　train。　Perhaps　they　were　among　the　racegoers；　waiting　another　chance　to　kidnap　their　quarry。
　　Filmer's　neck　muscles　slowly　relaxed；　and　I　realized　that　for　a　moment　he　must　have　suspected　that　the　scene　had　been　specifically　aimed　at　him。　Perhaps　he　spent　a　lot　of　his　time　reacting　in　that　way　to　the　most　innocent　of　remarks。
　　Mavis　and　Walter　Bricknell　demanded　that　the　Mountie　should　keep　their　own　precious　horse　safe。
　　The　Mountie　brushed　them　aside。　He　was　taking　over　the　enquiry　into　the　death　of　Angelica　Standish；　he　said。　Two　deaths　connected　to　the　same　train　could　be　no　coincidence。　What　was　the　connection　between　Angelica　and　Ricky？
　　Zak　said　that　he　was　in　charge　of　the　Angelica　investigation
　　No　longer；　said　the　Mountie。　We　were　now　in　the　province　of　Manitoba；　not　Ontario。　His　territory；　exclusively。
　　Zak's　intended　scene　of　investigation　into　Angelica's　murder　had　been　upstaged　by　the　reality　of　the　Lornmores'　car　and　then　aborted　by　the　long　stop　at　Thunder　Bay。　Passing　the　questioning　to　the　Mountie　bridged　the　void　neatly；　and　the　Mountie　told　us　that　the　reason　that　Steve；　Angelica's　business　manager；　also　her　lover；　had　not　turned　up　at　Toronto　station　was　because　he　too　was　dead；　struck　down　in　his　apartment　by　blows　to　the　head　with　a　mallet。
　　The　audience　received　the　news　of　still　more　carnage　with　round　eyes。　The　said　Steven；　the　Mountie　went　on；　seemed　to　have　been　in　bed　asleep　at　the　time　of　his　murder；　and　the　Ontario　police　were　wanting　to　interview　Angelica　Standish　as　a　suspect
　　'But　she's　dead！'　Mavis　Bricknell　said。
　　After　a　pause；　Donna　said　she　and　Angelica　had　talked　for　maybe　two　hours　between　Toronto　and　Sudbury；　and　Donna　was　sure　Angelica　couldn't　have　murdered　Steve；　she　was　lost　without　him。
　　Maybe；　the　Mountie　said；　but　if　she　was　as　upset　as　all　that；　why　had　she　e　on　the　train　at　all？　Couldn't　it　have　been　to　escape　from　having　to　realize　that　she's　killed　her　lover？
　　Giles…the…murderer　calmly　enquired　whether　any　murder　weapon　had　been　found　after　Angelica　had　been　killed。
　　Also；　Pierre　asked；　wouldn't　Angelica's　murderer　have　been　covered　with　blood？　The　whole　toilet　partment　had　been　splashed。
　　Zak　and　the　Mountie　exchanged　glances。　The　Mountie　said　grudgingly　that　a　blood…covered　rolled…up　sheet　of　plastic　had　been　found　on　the　track　near　the　area　where　Angelica　must　have　been　battered；　and　it　could　have　been　used　as　a　poncho；　and　it　was　being　investigated　for　blood　type　and　fingerprints。
　　Donna　said　couldn't　Steve　and　Angelica　both　have　been　killed　by　a　mallet？　That　would　make　her　innocent；　wouldn't　it？　She　couldn't　believe　that　anyone　as　nice　as　Angelica　could　have　been　mixed　up　in　an　insurance　swindle。
　　What？　What　insurance　swindle？
　　I　glance　involuntarily　at　Daffodil；　but　if　there　had　been　a　flicker　of　her　eyelids