df.theedge-第44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！


　　I　reflected。　'On　the　bus；　I　should　think。'
　　'OK。　That　bus　goes　from　outside　the　staff　annexe　at　three…thirty…five。　Take　your　bag　with　you。'
　　'All　right。　Thanks。'
　　'The　whole　train；　with　the　horses　and　racegoers　and　everything；　es　up　from　Banff　to　arrive　at　Lake　Louise　station　at　four…fifteen。　That　gives　the　passengers　plenty　of　time　to　board　and　go　to　their　bedrooms　again　and　begin　to　unpack　fortably　before　we　leave　Lake　Louise　on　the　dot　of　four…thirty…five。　The　regular　Canadian　es　along　behind　us　as　before　and　leaves　Lake　Louise　at　ten　past　five；　so　we　have　to　make　sure　everyone　is　boarded　early　so　that　our　train　can　leave　right　on　time。'
　　'Understood。'
　　'I'm　going　to　tell　all　this　to　the　passengers　at　breakfast；　and　also　that　at　five…thirty　we're　serving　champagne　and　canapes　to　everyone　in　the　dining　car；　and　at　six　we'll　have　the　solution　to　the　mystery；　and　after　that　cocktails　for　those　who　want　them；　and　then　the　gala　banquet。　Then　the　actors　return　for　photos　and　post…mortems　over　cognac。　It　all　sounds　like　hell。'
　　I　laughed。　'It　will　all　work　beautifully。'
　　'I'm　going　into　a　nunnery　after　this。'
　　'There　are　better　places。'
　　'Where；　for　instance？'
　　'Hawaii？'
　　There　was　a　sudden　silence　on　the　line。　Then　she　said；　'I　have　to　be　back　at　my　desk。。。'
　　'We　could　take　the　desk　too。'
　　She　giggled。　'I'll　find　out　about　shipment。'
　　'Done；　then？'
　　'No。。。　I　don't　know。。。　I'll　let　you　know　in　Vancouver。'
　　'Vancouver；'　I　said；　'is　tomorrow　morning。'
　　'After　the　race；　then。'
　　'And　before　the　red…eye　special。'
　　'Do　you　ever　give　up？'
　　'It　depends；'　I　said；　'on　the　signals。'
　　
　　
　　　Chapter　Sixteen
　　　
　　Filmer　clung　closely　to　his　briefcase　during　the　transit　from　Chateau　to　train　at　Lake　Louise；　although　he　had　allowed　his　larger　suitcase　to　be　brought　down　with　everyone　else's　to　be　arranged　side　by　side　in　a　long　line　at　the　station；　waiting　to　be　lifted　aboard　by　porters。
　　From　among　the　bunch　of　crew　members；　Emil；　Oliver；　Cathy；　Angus；　Simone；　the　barman　and　the　sleeping…car　attendants；　I　watched　Filmer　and　most　of　the　passengers　disembark　from　the　bus　and　check　that　their　bags　were　in　the　line…up。　The　Lorrimores；　arriving　separately　with　their　chauffeur；　brought　their　cases　with　them；　the　chauffeur　stacking　them　in　an　aloof　little　group。
　　A　freight　train　clanked　by；　seemingly　endless。　A　hundred　and　two　grain　cars；　Cathy　said；　counting。　A　whole　lot　of　bread。
　　I　thought　about　Mrs　Baudelaire　to　whom　I'd　been　talking　just　before　leaving　the　Chateau。
　　'Bill　said　to　tell　you；'　she　said；　'that　Lenny　Higgs　did　turn　to　jelly　and　is　being　safely　taken　care　of；　and　a　new　groom　has　been　engaged　for　Laurentide　Ice　with　the　approval；　by　telephone；　of　his　trainer。　They　told　the　trainer　that　Lenny　Higgs　had　done　a　bunk。　Bill　has　left　Winnipeg　and　has　e　back　to　Toronto。　He　says　he　has　been　consulting　with　the　Colonel　as　a　matter　of　urgency；　and　they　agree　that　Bill　will　see　Mrs　Daffodil　Quentin　as　soon　as　possible。　Does　that　all　make　sense？'
　　'Indeed　it　does；'　I　said　fervently。
　　'Good；　then。'
　　'Is　Bill　still　going　to　Vancouver？　'　I　asked。
　　'Oh；　yes；　I　think　so。　Monday　evening；　I　believe；　ready　for　the　race　on　Tuesday。　He　said　he　would　be　back　here　again　on　Wednesday。　All　these　time　changes　can't　be　good　for　anybody。'
　　'Canada　is　so　huge。'
　　'Five　thousand　five　hundred　and　fourteen　kilometres　from　side　to　side；'　she　said　primly。
　　I　laughed。　'Try　me　in　miles。'
　　'You'll　have　to　do　your　own　sums；　young　man。'
　　I　did　them　later；　out　of　curiosity：　three　thousand　four　hundred　and　twenty…six　miles；　and　a　quarter。
　　She　asked　if　I　had　any　more　questions；　but　I　couldn't　think　of　any；　and　I　said　I　would　talk　to　her　again　from　Vancouver　in　the　morning。
　　'Sleep　well；'　she　said　cheerfully。
　　'You　too。'
　　'Yes。'　There　was　reservation　in　her　voice；　and　I　realized　that　she　probably　never　slept　well　herself。
　　'Sweet　dreams；　then；'　I　said。
　　'Much　easier。　Goodnight。'
　　She　gave　me　no　time；　as　usual；　to　answer。
　　The　train　hooted　in　the　distance：　one　of　the　most　haunting　of　seductive　sounds　to　a　wanderer。　That；　and　the　hollow　breathy　boom　of　departing　ships。　If　I　had　any　addiction；　it　was　to　the　setting　off；　not　the　arrival。
　　Headlights　bright　in　the　ripening　afternoon　sunlight；　the　huge　yellow…fronted　engine　slowed　into　the　station　with　muted　thunder；　one　of　the　engineers；　as　he　passed　us；　looking　down　from　his　open　window。　The　engineers　were　the　only　crew　that　hadn't　e　the　whole　way　from　Toronto；　each　stretch　of　track　having　its　own　specialists。
　　There　being　no　sidings　at　Lake　Louise；　the　abbreviated　train　that　had　brought　us　there　had　been　returned　to　Banff　for　the。　two　mountain　days；　with　George　Burley　going　with　it；　in　charge。　He　returned　now　with　the　whole　train；　his　cheerful　round　figure　climbing　down　in　the　station　and　greeting　the　passengers　like　long…lost　friends。
　　With　a　visible　lifting　of　spirits　and　freshening　enjoyment；　the　whole　party　returned　upwards　to　their　familiar　quarters；　the　Lorrimores；　a　glum　quartet　stepping　on　to　their　private　railed　platform　entrance　at　the　very　rear　of　everything；　being　the　only　sad　note　Nell　went　along　to　speak　to　them；　to　try　to　cheer　them　up。　Mercer　stopped；　answered；　smiled：　the　others　simply　went　on　inside。　Why　bother　with　them；　I　thought。　One　would　get　no　thanks。　Yet　one　would　always　bother；　somehow；　for　Mercer；　the　blind　saint。
　　Filmer　boarded　through　the　open　door　at　the　end　of　his　sleeping　car　and　through　his　window　I　saw　him　moving　about　in　his　room。　Hanging　up　jackets。　Washing　his　hands。　Ordinary　things。　What　made　one　man　good；　I　wondered；　and　another　man　bad。　one　man　to　seek　to　build；　the　other　to　frighten　and　destroy。　The　acid　irony　was　that　the　bad　might　feel　more　satisfied　and　fulfilled　than　the　good。
　　I　walked　along　to　the　car　where　my　roomette　was；　dumped　my　bag　there　and　took　my　raincoat　to　reveal　the　familiar　livery　beneath。　Only　one　more　night　of　Tommy。　One　dinner；　one　breakfast。　Pity；　I　thought；　I'd　been　getting　quite　fond　of　him。
　　George　came　swinging　aboard　as　the　train　moved　off　in　its　quiet　way；　and　he　greeted　me　with　a　pleased　chuckle。
　　'We're　lucky　to　have　heat　on　this　train；　eh？'　he　said。
　　'Why？'I　asked　'It's　very　warm。'
　　'They　couldn't　start　the　boiler。'　He　seemed　to　think　it　a　great　joke。　'You　know　why？'
　　I　shook　my　head。
　　'No　fuel　'
　　I　looked　blank　'Well。。。　they　could　surely　fill　up？'
　　'You　bet　your　life；'　he　said　'Only　the　tank　had　been　filled　two　days　ago；　eh？；　when　we　went　down　to　Banff。　Or　was　supposed　to　have　been。　So　we　had　a　look；　and　there　were　a　few　drips　trickling　from　the　bottom　dram　which　is　only　opened　for　sluicing　through　the　tank；　which　isn't　done　often；　eh？'　He　looked　at　me　expectantly；　his　eyes　bright。
　　'Someone　stole　the　fuel？'
　　He　chuckled。　'Either　stole　it　from　the　tank；　or　never　loaded　it　in　the　first　place；　and　opened　the　dram　to　be　misleading。'
　　'Was　there　a　lot　of　oil　on　the　ground？'　I　asked。
　　'Not　a　bad　detective；　are　you？　Yes；　there　was。'
　　'What　do　you　think；　then？'
　　'I　think　they　never　loaded　the　right　amount；　probably　just　enough　to　get　us　a　fair　way　out　of　Lake　Louise；　then　they　opened　the　drain　a　bit　to　persuade　us　the　fuel　had　run　away　by　accident　along　the　track；　eh？　Only　they　got　it　wrong。　Opened　the　drain　too　much。'　The　laugh　vibrated　in　his　throat。　'What　a　fuss；　eh？；　if　the　train　went　cold　in　the　mountains！　The　horses　would　freeze。　What　a　panic！'
　　'You　don't　seem　too　worried。'
　　'It　didn't　happen；　did　it。　？'
　　'No；　I　guess　it　didn't。'
　　'We　would　have　filled　the　tank　again　at　Revelstoke；　anyway；'　he　said。　'It　would　have　ruined　this　gala　banquet　of　yours；　eh？　But　no　more　would　have　died。　Doubt　if　they'd　even　have　got　frostbite；　not　like　they　might　in　January。　The　air　temperature　up　here　will　fall　below　zero　after　sunset；　soon；　but　the　track　goes　through　the　valleys；　not　up　the　peaks；　eh？　And　there'd　be　no　wind　chill　factor；　inside　the　cars。'
　　'Very　unfortable；　though。'
　　'Very。'　His　eyes　gleamed。　'I　left　them　all　buzzing　around　like　a　wasp's　nest　in　Banff；　trying　to　find　out　who　did　it。'
　　I　wasn't　as　insouciant　as　he　was　I　said；　'Is　there　anything　else　that　can　go　wrong　with　this　train？　Is　there　for　instance　any　water　in　the　boiler？'
　　'Never　you　mind；'　he　said　fortingly。　'We　checked　the　water。　The　top　tap　ran。　That　tank's　full；　just　as　it　should　be。　The　boiler　won't　blow　up。'
　　'What　about　the　engine？'
　　'We　checked　every　inch　of　everything；　eh？　But　it　was　just　some　greedy　ordinary　crook　stealing　that　oil。'
　　'Like　the　ordinary　crook　who　unhitched　the　Lorrimores'　car？'
　　He　thought　it　over　sceptically。　'I'll　grant　you　that　this　particular　train　might　attract　psychos；　as　the　publicity　would　be　that　much　greater；　and　more　pleasing　to　them；　but　there　is　no　visible　connection　between　the　two　things。'　He　chuckled。　'People　will　steal　anything；　not　just　oil。　Someone　stole　eight　of　those　blue　leather　chairs　in　the　dining　car；　once。　Drove　up　to　the　dining　car　while　it　was　standing　unused　in　the　sidings　at　Mimico　in　Torento；　drove　up　in　a　van　saying　Furniture　Repairs　on　the　side；　and　simply　loaded　up　eight　good　chairs；　eh？　Last　that　was　ever　seen　of　them。'
　　He　turned　away　towards　the　paperwork　spread　out　on　his　table；　and　I　left　him　to　go　along　to　the　dining　car；　but　I'd　taken　only　two　paces　when　I　remember　gaunt…face；　and　I　fetched　his　photograph　and　went　back　to　George。
　　'Who　is　he？'　he　asked；　frowning　slightly。　'Yes；　I'd　say　he　might　be　on　the　train。　He　was　down　in　Banff；　in　the　sidings。。。'　He　thought；　trying　to　remember。　'This　afternoon；　eh？'　he　exclaimed　suddenly。　'That's　it。　While　they　were　joining　up　the　train。　See；　the　horses　had　e　up　from　Calgary　this　morning　as　the　first　car　of　a　freight　train。　They　dropped　the　horse　car　in　the　sidings。　Then　our　engine　picked　up　the　horse　car　and　then　the　racegoers'　cars。。。　He　concentrated。　'This　man；　he　was　down　on　the　ground；　rapping　on　the　horse…car　door　with　a　stick；　and　when　the　dragon…lady　came　to　the　door　and　asked　what　he　wanted；　he　said　he　had　a　message　for　the　groom　looking　after　the　grey　horse；　so　the　dragon…lady　told　him　to　wait　and　s