alistairmaclean.bearisland-第18节

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　Haggerty　looked　at　me　again　and　this　time　he　didn't　look　away。　Reluctantly　；　he　removed　his　hand　from　the　little　man's　collar　and　just　stood　there；　glaring　and　breathing　heavily；　momentarily；　it　seemed；　at　a　loss　for　words。
　Sandy　wasn't。　After　he'd　massaged　his　throat　a　bit　to　see　if　it　were　still　intact；　he　addressed　a　considerable　amount　of　unprintable　invective　to　Haggerty；　then　continued；　shouting：　〃You　see？　You　heard；　you　great　big　ugly　baboon。　It's　the　courts　for　you。　Assault　and　battery；　mate；　and　it'll　cost　you…〃
　〃Shut　up；〃　I　said　wearily。　〃I　didn't　see　a　thing　and　he　didn't　lay　a　finger　on　you。　Be　happy　you're　still　breathing。〃　I　looked　at　Sandy　consideringly。　I　didn't　really　know　him；　I　knew　next　to　nothing　about　him；　I　wasn't　even　sure　whether　I　liked　him　or　not。　Like　Allen　and　the　late　Antonio；　if　Sandy　had　another　name　no　one　seemed　to　know　what　it　was。
　He　claimed　to　be　a　Scot　but　had　a　powerful　Liverpool　accent。　He　was　a　strange；　undersized；　wizened　leprechaun　of　a　man；　with　a　wrinkled　walnut　brown　face　and　head…his　pate　was　gleamingly　bald…and　stringy　white　hair　that　started　about　earlobe　level　and　cascaded　in　unbed　disarray　over　his　thin　shoulders。　He　had　quick…moving　and　almost　weasel　like　eves　but　maybe　that　was　unfair　to　him；　it　may　have　been　the　effect　of　the　steel…legged　rimless　glasses　that　he　affected。　He　was　given　to　claiming；　when　under　the　influence　of　gin　which　was　as　often　as　not；　that　he　not　only　didn't　know　his　birthday；　he　didn't　even　know　the　year　in　which　he　had　been　born；　but　put　it　around　1919　or　1920。　The　consensus　of　informed　shipboard　opinion　put　the　date；　not　cruelly；　at　1900　or　slightly　earlier。
　I　noticed　for　the　first　time　that　there　were　some　tins　of　sardines　and　pilchards　on　the　deck；　and　a　larger　one　of　corned　beef。　〃Aha！〃　I　said。　〃The　midnight　skulker　strikes　again。〃
　〃What　was　that？〃　Haggerty　said　suspiciously。
　〃You　couldn't　have　given　our　friend　here　a　big　enough　helping　for　dinner；〃　I　said。
　It　wasn't　for　myself。〃　Sandy；　under　stress；　had　a　high…pitched　squeak　of　a　voice。　I　swear　it　wasn't。　You　see…'
　I　ought　to　throw　the　little　runt　over　the　side。　Little　sneaking　robbing　bastard　that　he　is。　Down　here；　up　to　his　thieves〃　tricks；　the　minute　my　back's　turned。　And　who's　blamed　for　the　theft；　eh；　tell　me　that；　who's　blamed　for　the　theft？　Who's　got　to　account　to　the　captain　for　the　missing　supplies？　Who's　got　to　make　the　loss　good　from　his　own　pocket？　And　who's　going　to　get　his　pay　docked　for　not　locking　the　galley　door？〃　Haggerty's　blood　pressure；　as　he　contemplated　the　injustices　of　life；　was　clearly　rising　again。　〃To　think；〃　he　said　bitterly；　〃that　I've　always　trusted　my　fellow　man。　I　ought　to　break　his　bloody　neck。〃
　〃Well；　you　can't　do　that　now；〃　I　said　reasonably。　〃You　can't　expect　me；　as　a　professional　man；　to　perjure　myself　in　the　witness　box。　Besides；　there's　no　harm　done；　nothing　stolen。　You've　no　losses　to　pay　for；　so　why　get　in　bad　with　Captain　Imrie？〃　I　looked　at　Sandy；　then　at　the　tins　on　the　floor。
　〃Was　that　all　you　stole？〃
　I　swear　to　God…？'
　〃Oh；　do　be　quiet。〃　I　said　to　Haggerty：　〃Where　was　he；　what　was　he　doing　when　you　came　in？〃
　〃He'd　his　bloody　great　long　nose　stuck　in　the　big　fridge　there；　that　was　what　he　was　doing。　Caught　him　red　handed；　I　did。〃
　I　opened　the　refrigerator　door。　Inside　it　was　packed　with　a　large　number　of　items　of　very　restricted　variety…butter；　cheeses；　long…life　milk；　bacon；　and　tinned　meats。　That　was　all。　I　said　to　Sandy：　〃e　here。　I　want　to　look　through　your　clothes。〃
　〃You　want　to　look　through　my　clothes？〃　Sandy　had　taken　heart　from　his　providential　deliverance　from　the　threat　of　physical　violence　and　the　knowledge　that　he　would　not　now　be　reported　to　those　in　authority。　〃And　who　do　you　think　you　are　then？　A　bleedin　cop？　The　CID；　eh？〃
　〃Just　a　doctor。　A　doctor　who's　trying　to　find　out　why　three　people　died　tonight。〃　Sandy　stared　at　me；　his　eyes　widening　behind　his　rimless　glasses　sand　his　lower　jaw　fell　down。　〃Didn't　you　know　that　Moxen　and　Scott　were　dead？　The　two　stewards'；〃
　〃Aye；　I'd　heard。〃　He　ran　his　tongue　over　his　lips。　〃What's　that　got　to　do　with　me？〃
　〃I'm　not　sure。　Not　yet。〃
　〃You　can't　pin　that　on　me。　What　are　you　talking　about'：〃　Sandy's　brief　moment　of　truculence　was　vanished　as　if　it　had　never　been。　〃I've　nothing　to　do…〃
　〃Three　men　died　and　four　almost　did。　They　died　or　nearly　died　from　food　poisoning。　Food　es　from　the　galley。　I'm　interested　in　people　who　make　unauthorised　visits　to　the　galley。〃　I　looked　at　Haggerty。　I　think　we'd　better　have　Captain　Imrie　along　here。〃
　…No！　Christ；　no！〃　Sandy　was　close　to　panic。　〃Mr。　Gerran　would　kill　me…〃
　〃e　here。〃　He　came　to　me；　the　last　resistance　gone。　I　went　through　his　pockets　but　there　was　no　trace　of　the　only　instrument　he　could　have　used　to　infect　foodstuffs　in　the　refrigerator；　a　hypodermic　syringe。　I　said：
　〃What　were　you　going　to　do　with　those　tins？〃
　〃They　weren't　for　me。　I　told　you。　What　would　I　want　with　them？　I　don't　eat　enough　to　keep　a　mouse　alive。　Ask　anyone。　They'll　tell　you。〃
　I　didn't　have　to　ask　anyone。　What　he　said　was　perfectly　true：　Sandy；　like　Lonnie　Gilbert；　depended　almost　exclusively　upon　the　Distillers　Ltd。　to　maintain　his　calorific　quota。　But　he　could　still　have　been　using　those　tins　of　meat　as　an　insurance；　as　a　red　herring；　if　he'd　been　caught　out　as　he　had　been。
　〃Who　were　the　tins　for；　then？〃
　〃The　Duke。　Cecil。　I've　just　been　to　his　cabin。　He　said　he　was　hungry。
　No；　he　didn't。　He　said　he　was　going　to　be　hungry　〃cos　you'd　put　him　on　tea　and　toast　for　three　days。〃　I　thought　back　to　my　interview　with　the　Duke。　I'd　only　used　the　tea　and　toast　threat　to　extract　information　from　him　and　it　wasn't　until　now　that　I　recalled　that　I　had　forgotten　to　withdraw　the　threat。　This　much　of　Sandy's　story　had　to　be　true。
　〃The　Duke　asked　you　to　get　some　supplies　for　him？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃You　told　him　you　were　going　to　get　them？〃
　〃No。　I　wanted　to　surprise　him。　I　wanted　to　see　his　face　when　I　turned　up　with　the　tins。〃
　Impasse。　He　could　be　telling　the　truth。　He　could　equally　well　be　using　the　story　as　a　cloak　for　other　and　more　sinister　activities。　I　couldn't　tell　and　probably　would　never　know。　I　said：　〃You　better　go　and　tell　your　friend　the　Duke　that　he'll　be　back　on　a　normal　diet　as　from　breakfast。〃
　〃You　mean…I　can　go？〃
　If　Mr。　Haggerty　doesn't　wish　to　press　a　charge。〃
　I　wouldn't　lower　myself。〃　Haggerty　clamped　his　big　hand　round　the　back　of　Sandy's　neck　with　a　grip　tight　enough　to　make　the　little　man　squeal　in　pain。　〃If　I　ever　catch　you　within　sniffing　distance　of　my　galley　again　I　won't　just　squeeze　your　neck；　I'll　break　the　bloody　thing。〃　Haggerty　marched　him　to　the　door；　literally　threw　him　out　and　returned。　〃Got　off　far
　too　easy　if　you　ask　me；　sir。〃
　〃He's　not　worth　your　ire；　Mr。　Haggerty。　He's　probably　telling　the　truth　not　that　that　makes　him　any　less　a　sneak　thief。　Moxen　and　Scott　ate　here　tonight　after　the　passengers　had　dinner？〃
　〃Every　night。　Waiting　staff　usually　cat　before　the　guests…they　preferred　it　the　other　way　round。〃　With　the　departure　of　Sandy；　Haggerty　was　looking　a　very　troubled　and　upset　man；　the　loss　of　two　stewards　had　clearly　shaken　him　badly　and　was　almost　certainly　responsible　for　the　violence　of　his　reaction　towards　Sandy。
　I　think　I've　traced　the　source　of　the　poison。　I　believe　the　horse…radish　was　contaminated　with　a　very　unpleasant　organism　called　Clostridium　botulinum；　a　sporing　anaerobe　found　most　monly　in　garden　soil。〃
　I'd　never　heard　of　such　a　case　of　contamination　but　that　didn't　make　it　impossible。　〃No　possible　reflection　on　you…it's　totally　undetectable　before；　during；　and　after　cooking。　Were　there　any　leftovers　tonight？〃
　Some。　I　made　a　casserole　for　Moxen　and　Scott　and　put　the　rest　away。〃
　〃Away？〃
　〃For　throwing。　There　wasn't　enough　to　reuse　for　anything。〃
　〃So　it's　gone。〃　Another　door　locked。
　〃On　a　night　like　this？　No　fear。　The　gash　is　scaled　in　polythene　bags；
　then　they're　punctured　and　go　over　the　side…in　the　morning。〃
　The　door　had　opened　again。　〃You　mean　it's　still　here？〃
　〃Of　course。〃　He　nodded　towards　a　rectangular　plastic　box　secured　to　the　bulkhead　by　butterfly　nuts。　〃There。〃
　I　crossed　to　the　box　and　lifted　the　lid。　Haggerty　said：　‘You'll　be　going　to　analyse　it；　is　that　it？〃
　〃That's　what　I　intended。　Rather；　to　keep　it　for　analysis。〃　I　dropped　the　lid。　〃That　won't　be　possible　now。　The　bin's　empty。〃
　〃Empty？　Over　the　side…in　this　weather？〃　Haggerty　came　and　unnecessarily　checked　the　bin　for　himself。　〃Bloody　funny。　And　against　regulations。〃
　〃Perhaps　your　assistant…〃
　〃Charlie。　That　bone…idle　lay　about。　Not　him。　Besides；　he's　off…duty　tonight　。〃　Haggerty　scratched　the　grey　bristle　of　his　hair。　〃Lord　knows　why　they　did　it　but　it　must　have　been　Moxen　or　Scott。〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃It　must　have　been。〃
　I　was　so　tired　that　I　could　think　of　nothing　other　than　my　cabin　and　my　bunk。　I　was　so　tired　that　it　wasn't　until　I　had　arrived　at　my　cabin　and　looked　on　the　bare　bunk　that　I　recalled　that　all　my　blankets　had　been　taken　away　for　Smithy　and　Oakley。　I　glanced　idly　at　the　small　table　where　I'd　left　the　toxicological　books　that　I　had　been　consulting　and　my　tiredness
　very　suddenly　left　me。
　The　volume　on　Medical　jurisprudence　t