alistairmaclean.bearisland-第30节
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hought you might not be levelling with me。 I'm worried stiff now。 Because I know you're not。〃
〃Because I've taken up ornithology？〃 I said mildly。
〃That among other things。 This wholesale poisoning； now。 I've had time to think； just a bit。 Of course you couldn't have had any idea who the poisoner was…it's hardly conceivable that if you knew the person who had done in that Italian boy that you'd have let him do the same to six others； two of whom were to die。 In fact you couldn't even have been sure that the whole thing wasn't accidental； the poisoning was on so apparently haphazard a basis。〃
〃Thank You kindly；〃 I said。 My opinion of Smithy had fallen sharply。
〃Except that it wasn't on an apparently haphazard basis。 It was haphazard That was last night。〃 It was as if he hadn't heard me。 〃Then you couldn't have had any idea。 Now you can。 Things have happened； haven't they？〃
〃What things？〃 My opinion of Smithy had risen sharply。 He was sure that there was mayhem afoot； but why？ Was he making a mental short list； guessing as to who might be the handy lad with the aconite…not that he could possibly know the poison used was aconite…wondering where he had got it； where he kept it now； where he had learned to prepare it so skilfully that it could indetectably be introduced into food？ And not only who was the poisoner but why was the poisoner acting as he did？ And why the random nature of the poisoning？ Was he basing his guesses just on my stealthy behaviour？
〃Lots of things； not all of which have necessarily lately happened； just things that have e to light or seem odd in view of what we might call recent developments。 For instance； why have Captain Imrie and Mr。 Stokes been chosen for the job instead of any two young and efficient yacht and charter skippers and engineers who usually find themselves unemployed at this time of year？ Because they're so old and so soaked in Scotch and rum that they can't tell the time of day twenty hours out of the twenty…four。 They just don't see what goes on and even if they were to they'd probably attach no significance to it anyway。〃
I didn't put down my glass； look keenly at Smithy or in any other way indicate that I was not listening with undivided attention。 But I was。 This thought had never occurred to me。
Smithy continued。 I said last night that I thought the presence of Mr。 Gerran and his pany up here at this time in the year was a bit odd。 I don't think so any more。 I think it's damned peculiar and calls for some sort of rational explanation from your friend Otto； which we're not likely to get。〃
〃He's not my friend；〃 I said。
〃And this。〃 He pulled out a copy of the Olympus Productions manifesto。 〃A load of meaningless rubbish that old smoothie Goin has been inflicting on everybody in sight。 Have you…〃
〃Goin？ A smoothie？〃
〃An untrustworthy； time…serving； money…grubbing smoothie with his two hands never on speaking terms and I'd say that even if he weren't a professional accountant。〃
〃Maybe he'd better not be my friend either；〃 I said。
〃All this ridiculous secrecy they harp on in this clap…trap。 To protect the importance of their damned screenplay。 A hundred gets one it's a screen to protect something an awful lot more important than their screenplay。 Another hundred gets one that there's no screenplay in the bank vaults they speak of for the reason that there is no screenplay。 And their shooting schedule for Bear Island。 Have you read that？ It's not even ic。 Just a lot of unrelated incidents about caves； and mysterious motorboats and shooting dummy submarines and climbing cliffs and falling into the sea and dying in Arctic snows that any Eve…year…old could have dreamed up。
〃You've got a very suspicious mind； Smithy；〃 I said。
〃Have I not？ And this young Polish actress； the blonde one…〃
〃Latvian。 Mary Stuart。 What of her？〃
〃A strange one。 Aloof and alone。 Never mixes。 But …when there's illness on the bridge； or in Otto's cabin or in the cabin of that young lad they call the Duke； who's there？ Who but our friend Mary Stuart。〃
〃She's a kind of Samaritan。 Would you be so conspicuous if you wanted to avoid attention？〃
〃Might be the very best way to achieve it。 But if that's not the case why make a point of being so damned inconspicuous just now when meeting Heissman in a blizzard on the afterdeck？〃
I would very much rather； I thought； have Smith for me than against me。 I said： 〃A romantic assignation； perhaps？〃
〃With Heissman？〃
〃You're not a girl； Smithy。〃
〃No。〃 He grinned briefly。 〃But I've met 〃em； Why are all the big nobs on the management side so pally with Otto in public and so critical in private？ Why is a cameraman a director？ Why…〃
〃flow did you know that？〃
〃Uh…huh。 So you knew too。 Because Captain Imrie showed me this guarantee thing that you and the directors of Olympus had signed： the Count had signed as one of them。 Why is the director； this Divine fellow who is supposed to be so good at his job so scared of Otto； while Lonnie； who is not only a permanent alcoholic layabout but latches on to Otto's private hooch supplies with impunity； doesn't give a damn about him？〃
〃Tell me； Smithy；〃 I said； 〃Just how much time have you been devoting lately to steering and navigating this boat？〃
〃Hard to say。 just about as much time； I would say； as you have been to the practice of medicine。〃
I didn't say 〃Touche〃 or anything like that； I just let Smithy pour some more of the aconite…free drink into my glass and looked out the window at the grey swirling icy world beyond。 So many whys； Smithy； so many whys。 Why had Mary been foregathering clandestinely with Heissman when the Heissman I'd observed last night had been so clearly unwell as to be unable to indulge in any skullduggery…not that this ruled out the chilling possibility that Heissman might be one of two or more who held life so lightly and might easily be either a principal or a go…between？
Why had Otto； though himself a poisoning victim； reacted so violently including having been violently ill…when he'd heard that Antonio had been a poisoning victim？ Had Cecil's larder raid been as innocuous as he had claimed？ Had Sandy's？ Who had checked on the aconitine article； disposed of the leftovers in the galley； been in my cabin during the night and searched my baggage？ Why had he searched my baggage？ This extremely active poisoner； the same man； perhaps； who had doctored the Scotch bottle； clobbered me and been responsible for Halliday's death？
Again； was there more than one of them？ And if Halliday had died accidentally； as I was sure he had； then why had he e to the saloon； where his visit； I was equally sure； had not been accidental？
It was all so full of 〃ifs〃 and 〃buts〃 that I was beginning to clutch at ridiculous straws rather than fight my way through the impenetrable fog。
What accounted for Lonnie's diatribe…for it had amounted to no less against Judith Haynes to the effect that she detested all mankind； especially when they were womankind。 No doubt Miss Haynes was as capable of being catty and jealous as many other otherwise likeable females are but one would have thought that she had too much going for her in the way of wealth； success； fame； position； and looks to have to bother too much about despising every woman she met。 But if that were so； why had she cold…shouldered Mary darling？
But what could that have to do with murder？ I didn't know； but nothing the slightest bit odd； I thought gloomily； could be dismissed out of hand as having nothing to do with the very odd goings…on aboard the Morning Rose。 Were Jungbeck and Heyter； for instance； to be considered as being possibly under suspicion because one had recently followed me from the saloon…especially as Conrad had earlier thrown a degree of suspicion on them by disclaiming all knowledge of them as actors？ Or did this factor of apparently throwing suspicion bring Conrad himself under just the tiniest cloud？ Dammit to hell； I thought wearily； if I keep on thinking like this I'll he casting young Allen as the master poisoner just because he'd told me that he'd once studied chemistry； briefly； at university。
〃A penny for your thoughts； Dr。 Marlowe。〃 Smithy wasn't very much of a one for letting his face act as a front man for his mind。
〃Don't throw your money away。 What thoughts？〃
〃Two thoughts。 Two kinds of thoughts。 All the thoughts you're having about all the things you're not telling me and all the guilty thoughts you're having about not telling me them。〃
〃It's like a rule of nature；〃 I said。 〃Some people are always more liable to have injustices done to them than others。〃
〃So you've told me all your thoughts？〃
〃No。 But the ones I haven't told aren't worth the telling。 Now； if I had some facts…'
〃So you admit something is pretty far wrong？〃
〃Of course。〃
〃And you've told me everything you know； just not everything you think？〃
〃Of course。〃
I speak in sorrow；〃 Smithy said； 〃for my lost illusions about the medical profession。〃 He reached up under the hood of my parka； pulled down the scarf around my neck and stared at what was by now the great multicoloured and blood…encrusted weal on my neck。 〃Jesus！ That is something。
What happened to you？〃
I fell。〃
〃The Marlow
