df.theedge-第33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！


　in　between。　Please　would　you　tell　the　Brigadier　that　one…five…one　is　the　bination　that　unlocks　the　right…hand　latch　of　a　black　crocodile　briefcase。　We　have　three　unknowns　on　the　left。'
　　'Good　gracious；'　she　said。
　　'Could　you　say　I　would　appreciate　his　instructions？'
　　'I　could；　young　man。　Why　don't　you　just　steal　the　briefcase　and　take　your　time？'
　　I　laughed。　'I've　thought　of　that；　but　I'd　better　not。　Ornot　yet；　anyway。　If　the　numbers　have　any　logic；　this　way　is　safest。'
　　'Val　would　presumably　prefer　you　didn't　get　arrested。'
　　Or　murdered；　perhaps；　I　thought。
　　'I　would　say；'　I　agreed；　'that　getting　myself　arrested　would　lose　me　my　job。'
　　'You'd　no　longer　be　invisible？'
　　'Quite　right。'
　　'And　I'm　afraid；'　she　said；　'that　I　have　some　more　negative　news　for　you。'
　　'What　is　it？'　I　asked。
　　'Bill　says　the　samples　of　water　you　sent　him　were　just　that；　water。'
　　'That's　good　news；　actually。'
　　'Oh？　Well；　good；　then。'
　　I　reflected。　'I　think　I'll　phone　you　again　this　evening　before　we　leave　Winnipeg。'
　　'Yes；　do；'　she　agreed。　'The　further　west　you　go　the　bigger　the　time　change　and　the　longer　it　takes　to　get　replies　from　Val　Catto。'
　　'Mm。'
　　Mrs　Baudelaire　couldn't　ring　the　Brigadier　in　the　middle　of　his　night；　nor　in　the　middle　of　hers。　Toronto；　where　she　lived；　was　five　hours　behind　London；　Winnipeg　six；　Vancouver　eight。　At　breakfast　time　in　Vancouver；　London's　office　workers　began　travelling　home。　Confusing　for　carrier　pigeons。
　　'Good　luck；'　she　said。　'I'll　talk　to　you　later。'
　　I　was　used　by　now　to　her　abrupt　disappearances。　I　put　my　receiver　down；　hearing　only　silence　on　the　line；　and　wondered　what　she　looked　like；　and　how　deeply　she　was　ill。　I　would　go　back　to　Toronto；　I　thought；　and　see　her。
　　I　sped　again　on　the　bus　to　the　races　and　found　that　overnight　Assiniboia　Downs　had　sprouted　all　the　ballyhoo　of　Woodbine；　T…shirt　stalls；　banners　and　besashed　bosoms　Supporting　Canadian　Racing　included。
　　I　again　spent　most　of　the　afternoon　looking　for　gaunt…face；　ing　in　the　end　to　the　conclusion　that　whatever　he　was　doing　on　the　train　he　wasn't　travelling　because　of　an　overpowering　interest　in　racing。　The　racegoers　from　the　train　were　on　the　whole　easily　identifiable　as　they　all　seemed　to　have　been　issued　with　large　red　and　white　rosettes　with　Race　Train　Passenger　emblazoned　on　them　in　gold　and　the　rosettes　proved　not　to　be　confined　to　those　in　the　front　half　of　the　train　because　I　came　across　Zak　wearing　one　too；　and　he　told　me　that　everyone　had　been　given　one；　the　owners　included；　and　where　was　mine。
　　I　didn't　know　about　them；　I　said。　Too　bad；　he　said；　because　they　entitled　everyone　to　free　entry；　free　race…cards　and　free　food。　They　were　gifts　from　the　racecourse；　he　said。　Nell　should　have　one　for　me；　he　thought。
　　I　asked　him　how　the　scene　from　the　mystery　had　fared　that　morning；　as　Nell　had　described　what　had　happened　the　day　before。
　　'A　lot　better　without　that　bastard　Sheridan。'
　　'Wasn't　he　there？'
　　'I　got　Nell　to　tell　his　father　that　if　Sheridan　came　to　breakfast　we　wouldn't　be　putting　on　our　scene；　and　it　did　the　trick。　No　Sheridan。'　He　grinned。　'No　Lorrimores　at　all；　in　fact。'　He　looked　around。　'But　they're　all　here；　Sheridan　included。　They　were　getting　out　of　a　stretch　limo　when　we　rolled　up　in　our　private　bus。　That's　where　we　were　given　these　rosettes；　on　the　bus。　How　did　you　get　here；　then？'
　　'On　a　public　bus。'
　　'Too　bad。'
　　His　batteries　were　running　at　half…speed；　neither　highly　charged　up　nor　flat。　Under　the　mop　of　curls　his　face；　without　the　emphasizing　make…up　he　wore　perpetually　on　the　train；　looked　younger　and　more　ordinary：　it　was　David　Flynn　who　was　at　the　races；　not　Zak。'Are　all　the　actors　here？　'　I　asked。
　　'Oh；　sure。　We　have　to　know　what　happens　here　today。　Have　to　be　able　to　talk　about　it　to　the　owners　tonight。　Don't　forget；　it's　a　racing　mystery；　after　all。'
　　I　thought　that　I　had　forgotten；　in　a　way。　The　real　mystery　that　I　was　engaged　in　tended　to　crowd　the　fiction　out。
　　'What　are　you　betting　on　in　our　race？　'　he　asked。　'I　suppose　Premiere　will　win。　What　do　you　think？'
　　'Upper　Gumtree；'　I　said。
　　'It's　supposed　to　be　half　asleep；'　he　objected。
　　'It's　got　a　nice　face；'　I　said。
　　He　looked　at　me　sideways。　'You're　crazy；　you　know　that？'
　　'I　am　but　mad　north…north…west。'
　　'When　the　wind　is　southerly；'　he　said　promptly；　'I　know　a　hawk　from　a　handsaw。'　He　laughed。　There　isn't　an　actor　born　who　doesn't　hope　to　play　Hamlet。'
　　'Have　you　ever？'
　　'Only　in　school。　But　once　learned；　never　forgotten。　Shall　I　give　you　my　〃To　be　or　not　to　be〃？'
　　'No。'
　　'You　slay　me。　See　you　tonight。'
　　He　went　off　with　a　medium　spring　to　his　step　and　I　saw　him　later　with　his　arms　round　Donna's　shoulders；　which　wasn't　（as　far　as　I　knew）　in　his　script。
　　Most　of　the　owners　came　down　from　the　Clubhouse　to　watch　the　saddling　of　the　runners　in　the　Jockey　Club　Race　Train　Stakes；　and　all　the　sportier　of　them　wore　the　rosettes。Filmer　didn't：　there　was　no　lightheartedness　in　him。　Daffodil　however　had　fastened　hers　to　her　cleavage；　the　red；　white　and　gold　popping　out　now　and　again　past　the　long…haired　chinchillas。　Mrs　Young　wore　hers　boldly　on　her　lapel。　Mr　Young's　wasn't　in　sight。
　　The　Unwins；　resetted；　were　showing　uninhibited　pleasure　in　Upper　Gumtree；　who　did　in　fact　have　a　nice　face；　and　wasn't　unacceptably　sleepy。　Upper　Gumtree's　trainer　hadn't　made　the　journey　from　Australia；　and　nor　had　his　usual　jockey：　Canadian　substitutes　had　been　found。　The　Unwins　beamed　and　patted　everyone　within　reach　including　the　horse；　and　Mr　Unwin　in　his　great　antipodean　accent　could　be　heard　calling　his　jockey　'son'；　even　though　the　rider　looked　older　by　far　than　the　owner。
　　In　the　next　stall　along　things　were　a　great　deal　quieter。　Mercer　Lorrimore；　unattended　by　the　rest　of　his　family；　talked　pleasantly　with　his　trainer；　who　had　e　from　Toronto；　and　shook　hands　with　his　jockey；　the　same　one　who　had　ridden　for　him　at　Woodbine。　Premiere；　the　favourite；　behaved　like　a　horse　that　had　had　a　fuss　made　of　him　all　him　life；　almost；　I　thought　fancifully；　as　arrogantly　as　Sheridan。
　　The　owners　of　Flokati　were　showing　Mavis　and　Walter　Bricknell…type　behaviour；　fluttering　about　in　a　nervous　anxiety　that　would　be　bound　to　effect　the　horse　if　it　went　on　too　long。　Their　ineffective…looking　trainer　was　trying　to　stop　the　owners　from　straightening　the　number　cloth；　tidying　the　forelock　over　the　headband；　tweaking　at　the　saddle　and　shoving　their　big　rosettes　with　every　ill…judged　movement　near　the　horse's　affronted　nostrils。　A　riot；　really。　Poor　Mr　and　Mrs　Flokati；　owning　the　horse　looked　an　agony；　not　a　joy。
　　Mr　and　Mrs　Young；　like　Mercer　Lorrimore；　had　shipped　their　Winnipeg　runners；　two　of　them；　by　road。　They；　old　hands　at　the　owning　game；　stood　by　with　calm　interest　while　their　pair；　Soluble　and　Slipperclub；　were　readied；　Mrs　Young　speaking　with　her　sweet　expression　to　one　to　the　jockeys；　Mr　Young　more　impassively　to　the　other。
　　Daffodil　Quentin's　runner；　Pampering；　had　been　flown　in　with　five　others　owned　by　people　on　the　train；　all　of　whom　were　strolling　around　with　rosettes　and　almost　permanently　smiling　faces。　This　was；　after　all；　one　of　the　highlights　of　their　journey；　the　purpose　behind　the　pizzazz。　I　learned　that　the　Manitoba　Racing　mission　had　moreover　by　midafternoon　given　each　of　them　not　only　a　champagne　reception　and　a　splendid　lunch　but　also；　as　a　memento；　a　framed　group　photograph　of　all　the　owners　on　the　trip。　They　were　living　their　memories；　I　thought；　here　and　now。
　　Television　cameras　all　over　the　place　recorded　everything　both　for　news　items　that　evening　and　for　the　two…hour　Support　Canadian　Racing　programme　which　posters　everywhere　announced　was　being　made　for　a　gala　showing　coast　to　coast　after　the　triple　had　been　pleted　in　Vancouver。
　　The　Winnipeg　runners　went　out　on　to　the　track　to　bugle　fanfares　and　cheers　from　the　stands　and　were　pony…escorted　to　the　starting　gate。
　　Mercer　Lorrimore's　colours；　red　and　white　like　the　resetted　he　had　pinned　on　gamely　For　the　Sake　of　Canadian　Racing；　could　be　seen　entering　the　outermost　stall。　Daffodil's　pale　blue　and　dark　green　were　innermost。　Upper　Gumtree；　carrying　orange　and　black；　started　dead　centre　of　the　eleven　runners　and　came　out　of　the　stalls　heading　a　formation　like　an　arrow。
　　I　was　watching　from　high　up；　from　the　upper　part　of　the　grandstand；　above　the　Clubhouse　floor　to　which　the　owners　had　returned　in　a　chattering　flock　to　watch　the　race。　Through　my　binoculars…camera　the　colours　down　on　the　track　in　the　chilly　sunshine　looked　sharp　and　bright；　the　race　easy　on　that　account　to　read。
　　The　arrow　formation　soon　broke　up　into　a　ragged　line；　with　Premiere　on　the　outside；　Pampering　on　the　inner　and　Upper　Gumtree　still　just　in　front。　The　Youngs'　pair；　split　by　the　draw；　nevertheless　came　together　and　raced　the　whole　way　side　by　side　like　twins。　Flokati；　in　pink；　made　for　the　rails　as　if　needing　them　to　steer　by；　and　four　of　the　other　runners　boxed　him　in。
　　Going　past　the　stands　for　the　first　time；　the　Unwins'　Upper　Gumtree　still　showed　in　front　but　with　Premiere　almost　alongside；　Pampering　was　on　the　inside　tugging　his　jockey's　arms　out。　Doing　their　best　for　the　glory　of　Canada；　the　whole　field　of　eleven　swept　round　the　bend　and　went　down　the　far　side　as　if　welded　together；　and　it　still　seemed　when　they　turned　for　home　that　that　was　how　they　might　finish；　in　a　knot。
　　They　split　apart　in　the　straight；　one　group　swinging　wide；　the　red　and　white　of　Premiere　spurting　forward　with　the　Youngs'　pair　at　his　quarters　and　Upper　Gumtree　swerving　dramatically　through　a　gap　to　take　the　rails　well　ahead　of　Pampering。
　　The　crowd　bounced　up　and　down。　The　money　was　on　Premiere。　The　yelling　could　have　been　heard　in　Montreal。　The　Canadian　racing　authorities　were　again　getting　a　rip…roaring　brilliant　finish　to　a　Race　Train　Stakes。。。　and　Mercer；　putting　his　brave　face　on　it；　again　came　in　second。
　　It　was　the　Unwins；　in　the　stratosphere　of　ecstasy；　who　led　Upper　Gumtree　into　the　winners'　circle。　The　Unwins　from　Australia　who　were　hugging　and　kissing　everyone　near　enough　（including　the　horse）。　The　Unwins　who　had　their　photographs　taken　each　side