cb.damnationgame-第11部分

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about　them；　however；　Pearl　was　offering　further　gastronomic　details。　〃He　often　gets　hungry　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　or　so　Nick　used　to　say。　He　keeps　such　funny　hours；　you　see。〃　〃Who's　Nick？〃　〃Your　predecessor。　He　left　just　before　Christmas。　I　quite　liked　him；　but　Bill　said　he　got　a　little　light…fingered。〃　〃I　see。〃　She　shrugged。　〃Still；　you　can't　tell；　can　you？　I　mean；　he…〃　She　halted　in　midsentence；　quietly　cursing　her　tongue；　and　covered　her　embarrassment　by　coaxing　the　eggs　out　of　the　pan　and　onto　the　plate　to　join　the　food　she'd　already　assembled　there。　Marty　finished　her　thought　out　loud　for　her。
　　〃He　didn't　look　like　a　thief；　is　that　what　you　were　going　to　say？〃　〃I　didn't　mean　it　like　that；〃　she　insisted；　transferring　the　plate　from　stove　to　table。　〃Careful；　the　plate's　hot。〃　Her　face　had　gone　the　color　of　her　hair。
　　〃It's　all　right；〃　Marty　told　her。
　　〃I　liked　Nick；〃　she　reiterated。　〃Really　I　did。　I've　broken　one　of　the　eggs。　I'm　sorry。〃　Marty　looked　down　at　the　full　plate。　One　of　the　yolks　had　indeed　broken　and　was　pooling　around　a　fried　tomato。
　　〃Looks　fine　to　me；〃　he　said　with　genuine　appetite；　and　set　to　eating。　Pearl　refilled　his　mug；　found　a　cup　for　herself；　filled　that；　and　sat　down　with　him。
　　〃Bill　speaks　very　highly　of　you；〃　she　said。
　　〃I　wasn't　sure　he'd　taken　to　me　at　first。〃　〃Oh；　yes；〃　she　said；　〃very　much。　Partly　because　of　your　boxing；　of　course。　He　used　to　be　a　professional　boxer　himself。〃　〃Really？〃　〃I　thought　he'd　have　told　you。　This　is　thirty　years　ago。　Before　he　worked　for　Mr。　Whitehead。　You　want　some　toast？〃　〃If　there's　some　going。〃　She　got　up　and　cut　two　slices　of　white　bread；　then　slipped　them　into　the　toaster。　She　hesitated　a　moment　before　returning　to　the　table。　〃I　really　am　sorry；〃　she　said。
　　〃About　the　egg？〃　〃About　mentioning　Nick　and　thieving…〃　〃I　asked；〃　Marty　replied。　〃Besides；　you've　every　right　to　be　cautious。　I'm　an　ex…con。　Not　even　ex；　really。　I　could　go　back　if　I　put　a　foot　wrong〃…he　loathed　saying　this；　as　if　the　mere　speaking　of　the　words　made　the　possibility　more　real…〃but　I'm　not　going　to　let　Mr。　Toy　down。　Or　myself。　OK？〃　She　nodded；　clearly　relieved　that　nothing　had　been　soured　between　them；　and　sat　down　again　to　finish　her　coffee。　〃You're　not　like　Nick；〃　she　said；　〃I　can　tell　that　already。〃　〃Was　he　odd？〃　Marty　said。　〃Glass　eye　or　something？〃　〃Well；　he　wasn't…〃　She　seemed　to　regret　this　fresh　line　of　conversation　before　it　was　begun。　〃It's　no　matter；〃　she　said；　dismissing　it。
　　〃No。　Go　on。〃　〃Well；　for　what　it's　worth；　I　think　he　had　debts。〃　Marty　tried　not　to　register　anything　but　the　mildest　interest。　But　something　must　have　showed　in　his　eyes；　a　flicker　of　panic　perhaps。　Pearl　frowned。
　　〃What　sort　of　debts？〃　he　asked；　lightly。
　　The　toast　popped　up；　claiming　Pearl's　attention。　She　crossed　to　fetch　the　slices　and　brought　them　back　to　the　table。　〃Excuse　fingers；〃　she　said。
　　〃Thanks。〃　〃I　don't　know　how　much　he　owed。〃　〃No；　I　don't　mean　how　big；　I　meant　。　。　。　where　did　they　e　from？〃　Was　he　making　this　sound　like　an　idle　inquiry；　he　wondered；　or　was　she　able　to　see　from　the　way　he　clutched　his　fork；　or　his　sudden　loss　of　appetite；　that　this　was　a　significant　question？　He　had　to　ask　it；　however　it　might　seem　to　her。　She　thought　for　a　moment　before　answering。　When　she　did；　there　was　something　of　the　street…corner　gossip　in　her　slightly　lowered　voice；　whatever　came　next　was　to　be　a　secret　between　them。
　　〃He　used　to　e　down　here　at　all　times　of　the　day　and　make　telephone　calls。　He　told　me　he　was　calling　people　in　the　business…he　was　a　stuntman；　you　see；　or　had　been…but　I　soon　cottoned　on　that　he　was　making　bets。　It's　my　guess　that's　where　the　debts　came　from。　Gambling。〃　Somehow　Marty　had　known　the　answer　before　it　came。　It　begged；　of　course；　another　question：　was　it　just　coincidence　that　Whitehead　had　employed　two　bodyguards；　both；　at　some　point　in　their　lives；　gamblers？　Both…it　now　appeared…thieves　for　their　hobby？　Toy　had　never　shown　much　interest　in　that　aspect　of　Marty's　life。　But　then　maybe　all　the　salient　facts　were　in　the　file　that　Somervale　had　always　carried：　the　psychologist's　reports；　the　trial　transcripts；　everything　Toy　would　ever　need　to　know　about　the　pulsion　that　had　driven　Marty　to　theft。　He　tried　to　shrug　off　the　disfort　he　felt　about　all　this。　What　the　hell　did　it　matter？　It　was　old　news；　he　was　healthy　now。
　　〃You　finished　with　your　plate？〃　〃Yes；　thanks。〃　〃More　coffee？〃　〃I'll　get　it。〃　Pearl　took　the　plate　from　in　front　of　Marty；　scraped　the　uneaten　food　onto　a　second　plate…〃For　the　birds；〃　she　said…and　started　to　load　plates；　cutlery　and　pans　alike　into　the　dishwasher。　Marty　refilled　his　mug　and　watched　her　at　work。　She　was　an　attractive　woman；　middle…age　suited　her。
　　〃How　many　staff　does　Whitehead　have　altogether？〃　〃Mr。　Whitehead；〃　she　said；　gently　correcting　him。　〃Staff？　Well；　there's　me。　I　e　and　go　like　I　said。　And　there's　Mr。　Toy；　of　course。〃　〃He　doesn't　live　here　either；　right？〃　〃He　stays　overnight　when　they　have　conferences　here。〃　〃Is　that　regular？〃　〃Oh；　yes。　There's　a　lot　of　meetings　go　on　in　the　house。　People　in　and　out　all　the　time。　That's　why　Mr。　Whitehead's　so　security　conscious。〃　〃Does　he　ever　go　down　to　London？〃　〃Not　now；〃　she　said。　〃He　used　to　jet　around　quite　a　bit。　Off　to　New　York　or　Hamburg　or　some　such　place。　But　not　now。　Now　he　just　stays　here　all　year　round　and　makes　the　rest　of　the　world　e　to　him。　Where　was　I？〃　〃Staff。〃　〃Oh；　yes。　The　place　used　to　swarm　with　people。　Security　staff；　servants；　upstairs　maids。　But　then　he　went　through　a　very　suspicious　patch。　Thought　one　of　them　might　poison　him　or　murder　him　in　his　bath。　So　he　sacked　them　all：　just　like　that。　Said　he　was　happier　with　just　a　few　of　us：　the　ones　he　trusted。　That　way　he　wasn't　surrounded　by　people　he　didn't　know。〃　〃He　doesn't　know　me。〃　〃Maybe　not　yet。　But　he's　canny：　like　nobody　I've　ever　met。〃　The　telephone　rang。　She　picked　it　up。　He　knew　it　must　be　Whitehead　on　the　other　end。　Pearl　looked　caught　in　the　act。
　　〃Oh　。　。　。　yes。　It's　my　fault。　I　kept　him　talking。　Right　away。〃　The　receiver　was　quickly　replaced。　〃Mr。　Whitehead's　waiting　for　you。　You'd　better　hurry。　He's　with　the　dogs。〃
　　
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　　The　kennels　were　located　behind　a　group　of　outhouses…once　stables；　perhaps…two　hundred　yards　to　the　back　of　the　main　house。　A　sprawling　collection　of　breeze…block　sheds　and　wire…mesh　enclosures；　they　had　been　built　simply　to　fulfill　their　function；　with　no　thought　for　architectural　felicities；　they　were　an　eyesore。
　　It　was　chilly　out　in　the　open　air；　and　crossing　the　crusty　grass　toward　the　kennels　Marty　had　rapidly　regretted　his　shirtsleeves。　But　there'd　been　an　urgency　in　Pearl's　voice　as　she　sent　him　on　his　way；　and　he　didn't　want　to　leave　Whitehead…no；　he　must　learn　to　think　of　the　man　as　Mr。　Whitehead…waiting　longer　than　he　already　had。　As　it　was；　the　great　man　seemed　unruffled　by　his　late　arrival。
　　〃I　thought　we'd　take　a　look　at　the　dogs　this　morning。　Then　maybe　we'll　make　a　tour　of　the　grounds；　yes？〃　〃Yes；　Sir。〃　He　was　dressed　in　a　heavy　black　coat；　the　thick　fur　collar　of　which　cradled　his　head。
　　〃You　like　dogs？〃　〃You　asking　me　honestly；　sir？〃　〃Of　course。〃　〃Not　much。〃　〃Was　your　mother　bitten；　or　were　you？〃　There　was　a　twitch　of　a　smile　in　the　bloodshot　eyes。
　　〃Neither　of　us　that　I　can　remember；　sir。〃　Whitehead　grunted。　〃Well　you're　about　to　meet　the　tribe；　Strauss；　whether　you　like　them　or　not。　It's　important　they　get　to　recognize　you。　They're　trained　to　tear　intruders　apart。　We　don't　want　them　making　any　mistakes。〃　A　figure　had　emerged　from　one　of　the　larger　sheds；　carrying　a　choke　chain。　It　took　two　glances　for　Marty　to　work　out　whether　the　newer　was　male　or　female。　The　cropped　hair；　the　shabby　anorak　and　the　boots　all　suggested　masculinity；　but　there　was　something　in　the　molding　of　the　face　that　betrayed　the　illusion。
　　〃This　is　Lillian。　She　looks　after　the　dogs。〃　The　woman　nodded　a　greeting　without　even　glancing　at　Marty。
　　At　her　appearance　several　dogs…large；　shaggy　Alsatians…had　emerged　from　the　kennels　into　the　concrete　run；　and　were　sniffing　at　her　through　the　wire；　whining　a　wele。　She　shushed　them　unsuccessfully；　the　wele　escalated　into　barks；　and　now　one　or　two　were　standing　on　their　hind　legs；　man…height　against　the　mesh；　their　tails　wagging　furiously。　The　din　worsened。
　　〃Be　quiet；〃　she　snapped　across　to　them；　and　almost　all　were　chastened　into　silence。　One　male；　however；　larger　than　the　rest；　still　stood　against　the　wire；　demanding　attention；　until　Lillian　drew　off　her　leather　glove　and　put　her　fingers　through　the　mesh　to　scratch　his　deep…furred　throat。
　　〃Martin　here　has　taken　over　in　Nick's　stead；〃　said　Whitehead。　〃He'll　be　here　all　the　time　from　now　on。　I　thought　he　should　meet　the　dogs；　and　have　the　dogs　meet　him。〃　〃Makes　sense；〃　Lillian　replied；　without　enthusiasm。
　　〃How　many　are　there？〃　Marty　inquired。
　　〃Fully　grown？　Nine。　Five　males；　four　females。　This　is　Saul；〃　she　said；　speaking　of　the　dog　she　was　still　stroking。　〃He's　the　oldest；　and　the　biggest。　The　male　over　in　the　corner　is　Job。　He's　one　of　Saul's　sons。　He's　not　too　well　at　the　moment。〃　Job　had　half…lain　down　in　the　corner　of　the　enclosure　and　was　licking　his　testicles　with　some　enthusiasm。　He　seemed　to　know　he　had　bee　the　center　of　conversation；　because　he　looked　up　from　his　toilet　for　a　moment。　In　the　look　he　gave　them　there　was　everything　Marty　hated　about　the　species：　the　threat；　the　shiftiness；　the　barely　subdued　resentment　of　its　masters。
　　〃The　bitches　are　over　there…〃　There　were　two　dogs　trotting　up　and　down　the　length　of　the　enclosure。
　　〃…the　lighter　one's　Dido；　and　the　darker's　Zoe。〃　It　was　odd　to　hear　these　brutes　called　by　such　names；　it　seemed　wholly　inappropriate。　And　surely　they　resented　the　woman's　christenings；　mocked　her；　probably；　behind　her　back。
　　〃e　over　here；〃　Lillian　said；　summoning　Marty　as　she　might　one　of　her　pack。　Like　them；　he　came。
　　〃Said；〃　she　said　to　the　animal　behind　the　wire；　〃this　is　a　friend。　e　closer；〃　she　told　Marty；　〃he　can't　smell　you　from　over　there。〃　The　dog　had　dropped　down　onto　all　fours。　Marty　approached　the　wire　cautiously。
　　〃Don't　be　afraid。　Go　right　up　to　him。　Let　him　get　a　good　sniff　of　you。〃　〃They　don't　like　fear；〃　said　Whitehead。　〃Isn't　that　right；　Lillian？〃　〃That's