df.theedge-第58部分

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estifies　that　the　man　who　frightened　him；　by　telling　him　he　would　be　sent　to　prison　where　he　would　catch　AIDS　and　die；　that　man　is　an　ex…baggage　handler　once　employed　by　VIA　Rail；　name　of　Alex　Mitchell　McLachlan。'
　　'　What？'　For　the　first　time　there　was　fear　in　Filmer's　voice；　and　I　found　it　sweet。
　　'Lenny　Higgs　positively　identifies　him　from　this　photograph。'　There　was　a　pause　while　Bill　Baudelaire　handed　it　over。　'This　man　travelled　in　the　racegoers'　part　of　the　train　under　the　name　of　Johnson。　During　yesterday；　the　photograph　was　shown　widely　to　VIA　employees　in　Toronto　and　Montreal；　and　he　was　several　times　identified　as　Alex　McLachlan。'
　　There　was　silence　where　Filmer　might　have　spoken。
　　'You　were　observed　to　be　speaking　to　McLachlan。。。'
　　'You　bet　you　were；'　Daffodil　interrupted。　'You　were　talking　to　him。。。　arguing　with　him。。。　at　Thunder　Bay；　and　I　didn't　like　the　look　of　him。　This　is　his　picture。　I　identify　it　too。　You　used　him　to　frighten　Lenny；　and　you　told　me　Lenny　would　give　evidence　against　me；　and　I　didn't　know　you'd　frightened　the　poor　boy　with　such　a　terrible　threat。　You　told　me　he　hated　me　and　would　be　glad　to　tell　lies　about　me。。。'　The　enormity　of　it　almost　choked　her。　'I　don't　know　how　you　can　live　with　yourself。　I　don't　know　how　anyone　can　be　so　full　of　sin。'
　　Her　voice　resonated　with　the　full　old　meaning　of　the　word：　an　offence　against　God。　It　was　powerful；　I　thought；　and　it　had　silenced　Filmer　pletely。
　　'It　may　e　as　an　anti…climax；'　the　Brigadier　said　after　a　pause；　'but　we　will　now　digress　to　another　matter　entirely。　One　that　will　be　the　subject　of　a　full　Stewards'　enquiry　at　the　Jockey　Club；　Portland　Square；　in　the　near　future。　I　refer　to　the　ownership　of　a　parcel　of　land　referred　to　in　the　Land　Registry　as　SF90155。'
　　The　Brigadier　told　me　later　that　it　was　at　that　point　that　Filmer　turned　grey　and　began　to　sweat。
　　'This　parcel　of　land；'　his　military　voice　went　on；　'is　known　as　West　Hillside　Stables；　Newmarket。　This　was　a　stables　owned　by　Ivor　Horfitz　and　run　by　his　paid　private　trainer　in　such　a　dishonest　manner　that　Ivor　Horfitz　was　barred　from　racing…and　racing　stables…for　life。　He　was　instructed　to　sell　West　Hillside　Stables；　as　he　couldn't　set　foot　there；　and　it　was　presumed　that　he　had。　However；　the　new　owner　in　his　turn　wants　to　sell　and　has　found　a　buyer；　but　the　buyer's　lawyers'　searches　have　been　very　thorough；　and　they　have　discovered　that　the　stables　were　never　Horfitz's　to　sell。　They　belonged；　and　they　still　do　legally　belong；　to　you；　Mr　Filmer。'
　　There　was　a　faint　sort　of　groan　which　might　have　e　from　Filmer。
　　'That　being　so；　we　will　have　to　look　into　your　relationship　with　Ivor　Horfitz　and　with　the　illegal　matters　that　were　carried　on　for　years　at　West　Hillside　Stables。　We　also　have　good　reason　to　believe　that　Ivor　Horfitz's　son；　Jason；　knows　you　owned　the　stables　and　were　concerned　in　its　operation；　and　that　Jason　let　that　fact　out　to　his　friend；　the　stable　lad　Paul　Shacklebury　who；　as　you　will　remember；　was　the　subject　of　your　trial　for　conspiracy　to　murder；　which　took　place　earlier　this　year。'
　　There　was　a　long　long　silence。
　　Daffodil's　voice　said；　murmuring；　'I　don't　understand　any　of　this；　do　you？'
　　Mercer；　as　quietly；　answered：　'They've　found　a　way　of　warning　him　off　for　life。'
　　'Oh　good；　but　it　sounds　so　dull。'
　　'Not　to　him；'　Mercer　murmured。
　　'We'll　now　return；'　Bill　Baudelaire's　voice　said　more　loudly；　'to　the　matter　of　your　attempt　to　wreck　the　train。'　He　coughed。　'Will　you　please　e　in；　Mr　Burley。'
　　I　smiled　at　George　who　had　been　listening　to　the　Horfitz　part　in　non…prehension　and　the　rest　in　horrified　amazement。
　　'We're　on；'　I　said；　removing　my　raincoat　and　laying　it　on　a　serving　counter。　'After　you。'
　　He　and　I；　the　last　in　the　pantry；　went　through　the　door。　He　was　wearing　his　grey　uniform　and　carrying　his　Conductor's　cap。　I　was　revealed　in　Tommy's　grey　trousers；　grey　and　white　shirt；　deep　yellow　waistcoat　and　tidy　striped　tie。　Polished；　pressed；　laundered；　brushed：　a　credit　to　VIA　Rail。
　　Julius　Filmer　saw　the　Conductor　and　a　waiter　he'd　hardly　noticed　in　his　preoccupation　with　his　own　affairs。　The　Brigadier　and　Bill　Baudelaire　saw　the　waiter　for　the　first　time；　and　there　was　an　awakening　and　realization　on　each　of　their　faces。　Although　I'd　told　them　by　now　that　I'd　worked　with　the　crew；　they　hadn't　truly　understood　how　perfect　had　been　the　bright　camouflage。
　　'Oh；　that's　who　you　are！'　exclaimed　Daffodil　who　was　sitting　now　in　one　of　the　chairs　round　the　conference　table。　'I　couldn't　place　you；　outside。'
　　Mercer　patted　her　hand　which　lay　on　the　table；　and　gave　me　the　faintest　of　smiles　over　her　head。　The　three　Vancouver　big…wigs　took　me　at　face　value；　knowing　no　different。
　　'Would　you　e　forward；　please；'　Bill　Baudelaire　said。
　　George　and　I　both　advanced　past　the　conference　table　until　we　were　nearer　the　desk。　The　two　Directors　were　seated　behind　the　desk；　Filmer　in　the　chair　in　front　of　it。　Filmer's　neck　was　rigid；　his　eyes　were　dark；　and　the　sweat　ran　down　his　temples。
　　'The　Conductor；　George　Burley；'　Bill　Baudelaire　said；　'yesterday　gave　VIA　Rail　an　account　of　three　acts　of　sabotage　against　the　race　train。　Disaster　was　fortunately　averted　on　all　three　occasions；　but　we　believe　that　all　these　dangerous　situations　were　the　work　of　Alex　McLachlan　who　was　acting　on　your　instructions　and　was　paid　by　you。'
　　'No；'　Filmer　said　dully。
　　'Our　enquiries　are　not　yet　plete；'　Bill　Baudelaire　said；　'but　we　know　that　the　VIA　Rail　offices　in　Montreal　were　visited　three　or　four　weeks　ago　by　a　man　answering　in　general　to　your　description　who　said　he　was　researching　for　a　thesis　on　the　motivations　of　industrial　sabotage。　He　asked　for　the　names　of　any　railroad　saboteurs　so　that　he　could　interview　them　and　see　what　made　them　tick。　He　was　given　a　short　list　of　people　no　longer　to　be　employed　on　the　railroads　in　any　capacity。'
　　Heads　would　roll；　the　VIA　Rail　executive　had　said。　That　list；　although　to　be　found　in　every　railway　station　office　in　the　country；　should　never　have　been　given　to　an　outsider。
　　'McLachlan's　name　is　on　that　list；'　Bill　Baudelaire　observed。
　　Filmer　said　nothing。　The　realization　of　total　disaster　showed　in　every　line　of　his　body；　in　every　twitch　in　his　face。
　　'As　we　said；'　Bill　Baudelaire　went　on；　'McLachlan　travelled　on　the　train　under　the　name　of　Johnson。　During　the　first　evening；　at　a　place　called　Cartier；　he　uncoupled　Mr　Lorrimore's　private　car　and　left　it　dead　and　dark　on　the　track。　The　railroad　investigators　believe　he　waited　in　the　vicinity　to　see　the　next　train　along；　the　regular　transcontinental　Canadian；　e　and　crash　into　the　Lorrimores'　car。　He　had　always　been　around　to　watch　the　consequences　of　his　sabotage　in　the　past：　acts　he　had　been　sent　to　prison　for　mitting。　When　the　race　train　returned　to　pick　up　the　Lorrimores'　car；　he　simply　reboarded　and　continued　on　the　journey。'
　　'He　shouldn't　have　done　it；'　Filmer　said。
　　'We　know　that。　We　also　know　that　in　speech　you　continually　mixed　up　Winnipeg　with　Vancouver。　You　instructed　McLachlan　to　wreck　the　train　before　Winnipeg；　when　you　meant　before　Vancouver。'
　　Filmer　looked　dumbfounded。
　　'That's　right；'　Daffodil　said；　sitting　up　straight；　'Winnipeg　and　Vancouver。　He　got　them　mixed　up　all　the　time。'
　　'In　Banff；'　Bill　Baudelaire　said；　'someone　loosened　the　drain　plug　on　the　fuel　tank　for　the　boiler　that　provides　steam　heat　for　the　train。　If　it　hadn't　been　discovered；　the　train　would　have　had　to　go　through　a　freezing　evening　in　the　Rockies　without　heat　for　horses　or　passengers。　Mr　Burley；　would　you　tell　us　at　first　hand　about　both　of　these　occurrences；　please？'
　　George　gave　his　accounts　of　the　uncoupling　and　the　missing　fuel　with　a　railwayman's　outrage　quivering　in　his　voice。
　　Filmer　looked　shrunken　and　sullen。
　　'During　that　last　evening；'　Bill　Baudelaire　said；　'you　decided　to　cancel　your　instructions　to　McLachlan　and　you　went　forward　to　speak　to　him。　You　had　a　disagreement　with　him。　You　told　him　to　do　no　more；　but　you　had　reckoned　without　McLachlan。　He　really　is　a　perpetual　saboteur。　You　misunderstood　his　mentality。　You　could　start　him　off；　but　you　couldn't　stop　him。　You　were　responsible　for　putting　him　on　the　train　to　wreck　it；　and　we　will　make　that　responsibility　stick。'
　　Filmer　began　weakly　to　protest；　but　Bill　Baudelaire　gave　him　no　respite。
　　'Your　man；　McLachlan；'　he　said；　'knocked　out　the　Conductor　and　left　him　tied　up　and　gagged　in　the　roomette　he　had　been　given　in　the　name　of　Johnson。　McLachlan　then　put　the　radio　out　of　order　by　pouring　liquid　into　it。　These　acts　were　necessary；　as　he　saw　it；　because　he　had　already；　at　a　place　called　Revelstoke；　removed　oily　waste　from　the　journal…box　holding　one　of　the　axles　under　the　horse　car。　One　of　two　things　could　then　happen：　if　the　train　crew　failed　to　notice　the　axle　getting　red　hot；　the　axle　would　break；　cause　damage；　possibly　derail　the　train。　If　it　were　discovered；　the　train　would　stop　for　the　axle　to　be　cooled。　In　either　case；　the　Conductor　would　radio　to　the　despatcher　in　Vancouver；　who　would　radio　to　the　Conductor　of　the　regular　train；　the　Canadian；　ing　along　behind；　to　tell　him　to　stop；　so　that　there　shouldn't　be　a　collision。　Is　that　clear？'
　　It　was　pellucid　to　everyone　in　the　room。
　　'The　train　crew；'　he　went　on；　'did　discover　the　hot　axle　and　the　engineers　stopped　the　train。　No　one　could　find　the　Conductor；　who　was　tied　up　in　Johnson's　roomette。　No　one　could　radio　to　Vancouver　as　the　radio　wouldn't　work。　The　only　recourse　left　to　the　crew　was　to　send　a　man　back　along　the　line　to　light　flares；　to　stop　the　Canadian　in　the　old　historic　way。'　He　paused　briefly。　'McLachlan；　a　railwayman；　knew　this　would　happen；　so　when　the　train　stopped　he　went　himself　along　the　track；　armed　himself　with　a　piece　of　wood　and　lay　in　wait　for　whomever　came　with　the　flares。'
　　Filmer　stared　darkly；　hearing　it　for　the　first　time。
　　'McLachlan　attacked　the　man　with　the　flares；　but　by　good　fortune　failed　to　knock　him　out。　It　was　this　man　here　who　was　sent　with　the　flares。'　He　nodded　in　my　direction。　'He　succeeded　in　lighting　the　flares　and　stopping　the　Canadian。'　He　paused　and　said　to　me；　'Is　that　correct？'
　　'Yes；　sir；'　I　said。　Word　p