alistairmaclean.bearisland-第6节

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　〃No；　I　didn't。〃　I　paused。　〃We　live　in　a　democracy；　Mr。　Conrad；　the　land　of　the　free。　You　don't　have　to　sell　yourselves　in　the　slave　market。〃
　〃Don't　we　just！　What　do　you　know　about　the　film　industry？〃
　〃Nothing。〃
　〃Obviously。　It's　in　the　most　depressed　state　in　its　history。　Eighty　percent　of　the　technicians　and　actors　unemployed。　I'd　rather　work　for　pennies　than　starve。〃　He　scowled；　then　his　natural　good　humour　reasserted　itself。　〃Tell　him　that　his　prop　and　stay；　that　indomitable　leading　man；　Charles　Conrad　；　is　fit　and　well。　Not　happy；　mind　you；　just　fit　and　well。　To　be　happy　I'd　have　to　see　him　fall　over　the　side。〃
　I'll　tell　him　all　of　that。〃　I　looked　around　the　room。　The　Three　Apostles；　mercifully；　were　refreshing　themselves　with　ginger　ale：　most　of　the　audience　were　likewise　refreshing　themselves　though　clearly　in　need　of　something　stronger　than　ginger　ale。　I　said　to　Conrad：　〃This　little　lot　will　get　to　market。〃
　Instant　mass　diagnosis？〃
　〃It　takes　practice。　It　also　saves　time。　Who's　missing？〃
　〃Well。〃　He　glanced　around。　〃There's　Heissman…〃
　〃I've　seen　him。　And　Neal　Divine。　And　Lonnie。　And　Mary　Stuart…not　that　I'd　expect　her　to　be　here　anyway。
　〃Our　beautiful　but　snooty　young　Slav；　eh？〃
　〃I'll　go　halfway　with　that。　You　don't　have　to　be　snooty　to　avoid　people！'
　〃I　like　her　too。〃　I　looked　at　him。　I'd　only　spoken　to　him　twice；　briefly。　I　could　see　he　meant　what　he　said。　He　sighed。　I　wish　she　were　my　leading　lady　instead　of　our　resident　Mata　Hari。〃
　〃You　can't　be　referring　to　the　delectable　Miss　Haynes？
　I　can　and　I　am；〃　he　said　moodily。　〃Feminies　fatales　wear　me　out。　You'll　observe　she's　not　among　those　present。　I'll　bet　she's　in　bed　with　those　two　damned　floppy…cared　hounds　of　hers；　all　of　them　having　the　vapours　and　high　on　smelling　salts。〃
　〃Who　else　is　missing？〃
　〃Antonio。〃　He　was　smiling　again。　〃According　to　the　Count…he's　his　cabin…mate…Antonio　is　in　extremis　and　unlikely　to　see　the　night　out。〃
　〃He　did　leave　the　dining　room　in　rather　a　hurry。〃　I　left　Conrad　and　joined　the　Count　at　his　table。　The　Count；　with　a　lean　aquiline　face；　black　pencil　moustache；　bar…straight　black　eyebrows　and　greying　hair　brushed　straight　back　from　his　forehead　appeared　to　be　in　more　than　tolerable　health。　He　held　a　very　large　measure　of　brandy　in　his　hand　and　I　did　not　have　to　ask　to　know　that　it　would　be　the　very　best　cognac　obtainable　for　the　Count　was　a　renowned　connoisseur　of　everything　from　blondes　to　caviare；　as　precisely　demanding　a　perfectionist　in　the　pursuit　of　the　luxuries　of　life　as　he　was　in　the　performance　of　his　duties　which　may　have　helped　to　make　him　what　he　was；　the　best　lighting　cameraman　in　the　country　and　probably　in　Europe。　Nor　did　I　have　to　wonder　where　he　had　obtained　the　cognac　from：　rumour　had　it　that　he　had　known　Otto　Gerran　a　very　long　time　indeed　or　at　least　long　enough　to　bring　his　own　private　supplies　along　with　him　whenever　Otto　went　on　safari。　Count　Tadeusz　Leszczynski…which　nobody　ever　called　him　because　they　couldn't　pronounce　it…had　learned　a　great　deal　about　life　since　he　had　parted　with　his　huge　Polish　estates；　precipitately　and　forever；　in　mid…September　1939。
　〃Evening；　Count；〃　I　said。　〃At　least；　you　look　fit　enough。〃
　〃…Tadeusz〃　to　my　peers。　In　robust　health；　I'm　glad　to　say。　I　take　the　properly　prophylactic　precautions。〃　He　touched　the　barely　perceptible　bulge　in　his　jacket。　〃You　will　join　me　in　some　prophylaxis？　Your　penicillins　and　Aureomycins　are　but　witches〃　brews　for　the　credulous。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃Duty　rounds；　I'm　afraid。　Mr。　Gerran　wants　to　know　just　how　ill　this　weather　is　making　people。〃
　〃Ah！　Our　Otto　himself　is　fit？〃
　〃Reasonably。〃
　〃One　can't　have　everything。〃
　〃Conrad　tells　me　that　your　roommate　Antonio　may　require　a　visit。〃
　〃What　Antonio　requires　is　a　gag；　a　strait　jacket；　and　a　nursemaid；　in　that　order。　Rolling　around；　sick　all　over　the　floor；　groaning　like　some　miscreant　stretched　out　on　the　rack。〃　The　Count　wrinkled　a　fastidious　nose。
　〃Most　upsetting；　most。〃
　I　can　well　imagine　it。〃
　〃For　a　man　of　delicate　sensibilities；　you　understand。〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　I　simply　had　to　leave！'
　〃Yes。　I'll　have　a　look　at　him。〃　I'd　just　pushed　my　chair　back　to　the　limit　of　its　securing　chain　when　Michael　Stryker　sat　down　in　a　chair　beside　me。　Stryker；　a　full　partner　in　Olympus　Productions；　bined　the　two　jobs；　normally　separate；　of　production　designer　and　construction　manager　Gerran　never　lost　the　opportunity　to　economise。　He　was　a　tall；　dark；　and　undeniably　handsome　man　with　a　clipped　moustache　and　could　readily　have　been　mistaken　for　a　matinee　idol　of　the　mid…　〃30s　were　it　not　for　the　fashionably　long　and　untidy　hair　that　obscured　about　ninety　percent　of　the　polo…necked　silk　sweater　which　he　habitually　affected。　He　looked　tough；　was　unquestionably　cynical　and；　from　what　little　I　had　heard　of　him；　totally　amoral。　He　was　also　possessed　of　the　dubious　distinction　of　being　Gerran's　son…in…law。
　〃Seldom　we　see　you　abroad　at　this　late　hour；　Doctor；〃　he　said。　He　screwed　a　long　black　Russian　cigarette　into　an　onyx　holder　with　all　the　care　of　a　precision　engineer　fitting　the　tappets　on　a　Rolls…Royce　engine；　then　held　it　up　to　the　light　to　inspect　the　results。　〃Kind　of　you　to　join　the　masses；　esprit　de　corps　and　what　have　you。〃　He　lit　his　cigarette；　blew　a　cloud　of　noxious　smoke　across　the　table　and　looked　at　me　consideringly。
　〃On　second　thoughts；　no。　You're　not　the　esprit　de　corps　type。　We　more　or　less　have　to　be。　You　don't。　I　don't　think　you　could。　Too　cool；　too　detached　；　too　clinical；　too　observant…and　a　loner。　Right？〃
　〃It's　a　pretty　fair　description　of　a　doctor！'
　Here　in　an　official　capacity；　eh？〃
　I　suppose　so。〃
　〃I'll　wager　that　old　goat　sent　you。〃
　〃Mr。　Gerran　sent　me！〃　It　was　being　increasingly　apparent　to　me　that　Otto　Gerran's　senior　associates　were　unlikely　ever　to　clamour　for　the　privilege　of　voting　him　into　the　Hall　of　Fame。
　〃That's　the　old　goat　I　mean。〃　Stryker　looked　thoughtfully　at　the　Count。
　〃A　strange　and　unwonted　solicitude　on　the　part　of　our　Otto；　wouldn't　you　say；　Tadeusz？　I　wonder　what　lies　behind　it？〃
　The　Count　produced　a　chased　silver　flask；　poured　himself　another　generous　measure　of　cognac；　smiled　and　said　nothing。　I　said　nothing　either　because　I'd　already　decided　that　I　knew　the　answer　to　that　one：　even　later　on；　in　retrospect；　I　could　not　and　did　not　blame　myself　for　I　had　arrived　at　a　conclusion　on　the　basis　of　the　only　facts　then　available　to　me。　I　said　to　Stryker：　〃Miss　Haynes　is　not　here。　Is　she　all　right？〃
　〃No；　I'm　afraid　she's　no　sailor。　She's　pretty　much　under　the　weather　but　what's　a　man　to　do？　She's　pleading　for　sedatives　or　sleeping　drugs　and　asking　that　I　send　for　you；　but　of　course　I　had　to　say　no。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃My　dear　chap；　she's　been　living　on　drugs　ever　since　we　came　aboard　this　damned　hell　ship。〃　It　was　as　well　for　his　health；　I　thought；　that　Captain　Imrie　and　Mr。　Stokes　weren't　sitting　at　the　same　table。　〃Her　own　seasick　tablets　one　moment；　the　ones　you　doled　out　the　next；　pep　pills　in　between　and　barbiturates　for　dessert。　Well；　you　know　what　would　happen　if　she　took　sedatives　or　more　drugs　on　top　of　that　lot。〃
　〃No；　I　don't。　Tell　me。〃
　〃Eh？〃
　〃Does　she　drink？　Heavily；　I　mean〃
　〃Drink？　No。　I　mean；　she　never　touches　the　stuff。〃
　I　sighed。　〃Why　don't　cobblers　stick　to　their　own　lasts？　I'll　leave　films　to　you；　you　leave　medicine　to　me。　Any　first　year　medical　student　could　tell　you…well；　never　mind。　Does　she　know　what　kind　of　tablets　she's　taken　today　and　how　many…not　that　it　could　have　been　all　that　many　or　she'd　have　been　unconscious　by　now〃
　I　should　imagine　so。〃
　I　pushed　back　my　chair。　〃She'll　be　asleep　in　fifteen　minutes。〃
　〃Are　you　sure？　I　mean…〃
　〃Which　is　her　room？〃
　〃First　on　the　right　in　the　passageway。〃
　〃And　yours？〃　I　asked　the　Count。
　〃First　left。〃
　I　nodded；　rose；　left；　knocked　on　the　first　door　on　the　right　and　went　inside　in　response　to　a　barely　heard　murmur。　Judith　Haynes　was　sitting　propped　up　in　her　bed　with；　as　Conrad　had　predicted；　a　dog　on　either　side　of　her…two　rather　beautiful　and　beautifully　groomed　cocker　spaniels：　I　could　not；　however；　catch　any　trace　of　smelling　salts。　She　blinked　at　me　with　her　rather　splendid　green　eyes　and　gave　me　a　wan　smile；　at　once　tremulous　and　brave。　My　heart　stayed　where　it　was。
　〃It　was　kind　of　you　to　e；　Doctor。〃　She　had　one　of　those　dark　molasses　voices；　as　effective　at　close　personal　quarters　as　it　was　in　a　darkened　cinema。　She　was　wearing　a　pink　quilted　bedjacket　which　clashed　violently　with　the　colour　of　her　hair　and；　high　round　her　Deck；　a　green　chiffon　scarf；　which　didn't。　Her　face　was　alabaster　white。　〃Michael　said　you　couldn't　help。〃
　〃Mr。　Stryker　was　being　overcautious。〃　I　sat　down　on　the　edge　of　the　mattress　and　took　her　wrist。　The　cocker　spaniel　next　me　growled　deep　in　its　throat　and　bared　its　teeth。　〃If　that　dog　bites　me；　I'll　clobber　it。〃
　〃Rufus　wouldn't　harm　a　fly；　would　you；　Rufus；　darling？〃　It　wasn't　flies　I　was　worried　about　but　I　kept　silence　and　she　went　on　with　a　sad　smile：　〃Are　you　allergic　to　dogs；　Dr。　Marlowe？〃
　〃I'm　allergic　to　dog　bites。〃
　The　smile　faded　until　her　face　was　just　sad。　I　knew　nothing　about　Judith　Haynes　except　what　I'd　heard　at　secondhand　and　as　all　I'd　heard