alistairmaclean.bearisland-第61节

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It's　no　secret。　I　knew　him　well　in　prewar　Vienna。　Why　do　you…〃
　〃You　were　in　the　film　business　then？〃
　〃Yes　and　no。〃　He　smiled　in　an　oddly　quizzical　fashion。　〃Again　it's　on　the　record。　In　the　halcyon　days；　my　dear　fellow；　when　Count　Tadeusz　Leswzynski…that's　me…was；　if　not　exactly　a　name　to　be　conjured　with；　at　least　a　man　of　considerable　means；　I　was　Otto's　angel；　his　first　backer。〃
　Again　a　smile；　this　time　amused。　〃Why　do　you　think　I'm　a　member　of　the　board？〃
　〃What　do　you　know　of　the　circumstances　of　Heissman's　sudden　disappearance　from　Vienna　in　I939〃
　The　Count　stopped　being　amused。　I　said：　〃So　that's　not　on　the　record。〃
　I　paused　to　see　if　he　would　say　anything　and　when　he　didn't　I　went　on：　〃Watch　your　back；　Count。〃
　〃My…my　back？〃
　〃That　part　of　the　anatomy　that's　so　subject　to　being　pierced　by　sharp　objects　or　rapidly　moving　blunt　ones。　Or　has　it　not　occurred　that　the　board　of　Olympus　are　falling　off。　their　lofty　perches　like　so　many　stricken　birds？　One　lying　dead　outside；　another　lying　dead　inside　and　two　more　at　peril　or　perhaps　even　perished　on　the　high　seas。　What　makes　you　think　you　should　be　so　lucky？　Beware　the　slings　and　arrows；　Tadeusz。　And　you　might　tell　Neal　Divine　and　Lonnie　to　beware　of　the　same　things；　at　least　while　I'm　gone。　Especially　Lonnie…I'd　be　glad　if　you　made　sure　he　doesn't　step　outside　this　cabin　in　my　absence。　Very　vulnerable　things；　backs。〃
　The　Count　sat　in　silence　for　some　moments；　his　face　not　giving　any　thing　away；　then　he　said：　〃I'm　sure　I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about。〃
　I　never　for　a　moment　thought　you　would。〃　I　tapped　the　bulky　pocket　of　his　anorak。　〃That's　where　it　should　be；　not　lying　about　uselessly　in　your　cabin。〃
　〃What　for　heaven's　sake？〃
　〃Your　9…mm。　Beretta　automatic。〃
　I　left　the　Count　on　this　suitably　enigmatic　note　and　moved　across　to　where　Lonnie　was　making　hay　while　the　sun　shone。　The　hand　that　held　his　glass　shook　with　an　almost　constant　tremor　and　his　eyes　were　glassy　but　his　speech　was　as　intelligible　and　lucid　as　ever。
　〃And　once　again　our　medical　Lochinvar　or　was　it　Launcelot　gallops　forth　to　the　rescue；〃　Lonnie　intoned。　I　can't　tell　you；　my　dear　boy；　how　my　heart　fills　with　pride…〃
　〃Stay　inside　when　I'm　gone；　Lonnie。　Don't　go　beyond　that　door。　Not　once。　Please。　For　me。〃
　〃Merciful　heavens！〃　Lonnie　hiccoughed　on　a　grand　scale。　〃One　would　think　I　am　in　danger。〃
　〃You　are。　Believe　me；　you　are。〃
　〃Me？　Me？〃　He　was　genuinely　baffled。　〃And　who　would　wish　ill　to　poor　old　harmless　Lonnie？〃
　〃You'd　be　astonished　at　the　people　who　would　wish　ill　to　poor　old　harmless　Lonnie。　Dispensing　for　the　moment　with　your　homilies　about　the　innate　kindness　of　human　nature；　will　you　promise　me；　really　promise　me；　that　you　won't　go　out　tonight？〃
　〃This　is　so　important　to　you；　then；　my　boy？〃
　It　is。
　〃Very　well。　With　this　gnarled　hand　on　a　vat　of　the　choicest　malt…？'
　I　left　him　to　get　on　with　what　promised　to　be　a　very　lengthy　promise　indeed　and　approached　Conrad　and　Mary　Stuart　who　seemed　to　be　engaged　in　an　argument　that　was　as　low…pitched　as　it　was　intense。　They　broke　off。　and　Mary　Stuart　put　a　beseeching　hand　on　my　arm。　She　said：　〃Please；　Dr。　Marlowe。　Please　tell　Charles　not　to　go。　He'll　listen　to　you；　I　know　he　will。〃　She　shivered。　I　just　know　that　something　awful　is　going　to　happen　tonight。〃
　〃You　may　well　be　right　at　that；〃　I　said。　〃Mr。　Conrad；　you　are　not　expendable。〃
　I　could；　I　immediately　realised；　have　lighted　upon　a　more　fortunate　turn　of　phrase。　Instead　of　looking　at　Conrad　she　kept　looking　at　me　and　the　implications　of　what　I'd　said　dawned　on　me　quite　some　time　after　they　had　clearly　dawned　on　her。　She　put　both　hands　on　my　arm；　looked　at　me　with　dull　and　hopeless　eyes　then　turned　and　walked　towards　her　cubicle。
　〃Go　after　her；〃　I　said　to　Conrad。　〃Tell　her…〃
　〃No　point。　I'm　going。　She　knows　it。〃
　〃Go　after　her　and　tell　her　to　open　her　window　and　put　that　black　box　I　gave　her　on　the　snow　outside。　Then　close　her　window。〃　
　Conrad　looked　at　me　closely；　made　as　if　to　speak；　then　left。　He　was　nobody's　fool；　he　hadn't　even　given　a　nod　that　could　have　been　interpreted　as　acknowledgement。
　He　was　back　within　a　minute。　We　pulled　on　all　the　outer　clothes　we　could　and　furnished　ourselves　with　four　of　the　largest　torches。　On　the　way　to　the　door；　Mary　Darling　rose　from　where　she　was　sitting　beside　a　still　badly　battered　Allen。　〃Mr。　Marlowe。〃
　I　put　my　head　to　where　I　figured　her　ear　lay　behind　the　tangled　platinum　hair　and　whispered：　〃I'm　wonderful？〃
　She　nodded　solemnly；　eyes　sad　behind　the　huge　horn…rimmed　glasses；　and　kissed　me。　I　didn't　know　what　the　audience　thought　of　this　little　vignette　and　didn't　much　care：　probably　a　last　tender　farewell　to　the　good　doctor　before　he　moved　out　forever　into　the　outer　darkness。　As　the　door　closed　behind　us；　Conrad　said　plainingly：　〃She　might　have　kissed　me　too。〃
　I　think　you've　done　pretty　well　already；〃　I　said。　He　had　the　grace　to　keep　silent。　With　our　torches　off。　we　moved　across　to　what　shelter　was　offered　to　the　now　quite　heavily　falling　snow　by　the　provisions　hut　and　remained　there　for　two　or　three　minutes　until　we　were　quite　certain　that　no　one　had　it　in　mind　to　follow　us。　Then　we　moved　round　the　side　of　the　main　cabin　and　picked　up　the　black　box　outside　Mary　Stuart's　window。　She　was　standing　there　and　I'm　quite　sure　she　saw　us　but　she　made　no　gesture　or　any　attempt　to　wave　goodbye：　it　seemed　as　if　the　two　Marys　had　but　one　thought　in　mon。
　We　made　our　way　through　the　snow　and　the　darkness　down　to　the　jetty；　stowed　the　black　box　securely　under　the　stern　sheets；　started　up　the　outboard…5…1/2　horsepower　only；　but　enough　for　a　fourteen…footer…and　cast　off。　As　we　came　round　the　northern　arm　of　the　jetty　Conrad　said：　〃Christ；　it's　as　black　as　the　earl　of　hell's　waistcoat。　How　do　you　propose　to　set　about　it？〃
　〃Set　about　what？〃
　〃Finding　Heissman　and　pany；　of　course。〃
　〃I　couldn't　care　if　I　never　saw　that　lot　again；〃　I　said　candidly。　〃I've　no　intention　of　trying　to　find　them。　On　the　contrary；　all　our　best　efforts　are　going　to　be　brought　to　bear　to　avoid　the　While　Conrad　was　silently　mulling　over　this　volte…face；　I　took　the　boat；　the　motor　throttled　right　back　for　prudence's　sake；　just　over　a　hundred　yards　out　until　we　were　close　into　the　northern　shore　of　the　Sor…Hamna　and　cut　the　engine。　As　the　boat　drifted　to　a　stop　I　went　foreword　and　eased　anchor　and　rope　over　the　side。
　〃According　to　the　chart；〃　I　said；　〃there　are　three　fathoms　here。　According　to　the　experts；　that　should　mean　about　fifty　feel？　of　rope　to　prevent　us　from　drifting。　So；　fifty　feel？。　And　as　we're　against　the　land　and　so　can't　be　Silhouetted；　that　should　make　us　practically　invisible　to　anyone　approaching　from　the　south。　No　smoking；　of　course。〃
　Very　funny；〃　Conrad　said。　Then；　after　a　pause；　he　went　on　carefully：　〃Who　are　you　expecting　to　approach　from　the　south？〃
　〃Snow　White　and　the　seven　dwarfs。〃
　〃All　right；　all　right。　So　you　don't　think　there's　anything　wrong　with　them？〃
　I　think　there's　a　great　deal　wrong　with　them；　but　not　in　the　sense　you　mean。
　〃Ah！〃　There　was　a　silence　which　I　took　to　be　a　very　thoughtful　one　on　his　part。　〃Speaking　of　Snow　White。〃
　〃Yes？〃
　〃How　about　whiling　away　the　time　by　telling　me　a　fairy　story？〃
　So　I　told　everything　I　knew　or　thought　I　knew　and　he　listened　in　plete　silence　throughout。　When　I　finished　I　waited　for　ment　but　none　came　so　I　said：　〃I　have　your　promise　that　you　won't　clobber　Heissman　on　sight？〃
　〃Reluctantly　given；　reluctantly　given。〃　He　shivered。　Jesus；　it's　cold。〃
　〃It　will　be。　Listen。〃
　At　first　faintly；　intermittently；　through　the　falling　snow　and　against　the　northerly　wind；　came　the　sound　of　an　engine；　closing：　within　two　minutes　the　exhaust　beat　was　sharp　and　distinct。　Conrad　said：　〃Well；　would　you　believe　it。　They　got　their　motor　fixed。〃
　We　remained　quietly　where　we　were；　bobbing　gently　at　anchor　and　shivering　in　the　deepening　cold；　as　Heissman's　boat　rounded　the　northern　arm　of　the　jetty　and　cut　its　engine。　Heissman；　Goin；　and　Jungbeck　didn't　just　tie　up　and　go　ashore　immediately；　they　remained　by　the　jetty　for　over　ten　minutes。　It　was　impossible　to　see　what　they　were　doing；　the　darkness　and　the　snow　made　it　impossible　to　see　even　the　most　shadowy　outlines　of　their　forms；　but　several　times　we　could　see　the　flickering　of　torch　beams　behind　the　jetty　arm；　several　times　I　heard　distinctly　metallic　thuds　and；　twice；　I　imagined　I　heard　the　splash　of　something　heavy　entering　the　water。　Finally；　we　saw　three　pinpoints　of　light　move　along　the　main　arm　of　the　jetty　and　disappear　in　the　direction　of　the　cabin。
　Conrad　said：　I　suppose；　at　this　stage；　I　should　have　some　intelligent　questions　to　us！〃
　〃And　I　should　have　some　intelligent　answers。　I　think　we'll　have　them　soon。　Get　that　anchor　in；　will　you？〃
　I　started　up　the　outboard　again　and；　keeping　it　at　its　lowest　revolutions；　moved　eastwards　for　another　two　hundred　yards　then　turned　south　until；　calculating　that　the　bination　of　distance　and　the　northerly　wind　had　taken　us　safely　out　of　earshot　of　the　cabin；　I　judged　the　moment　had　e　to　open　the　throttle　to　its　maximum。
　Navigating；　if　that　was　the　word　for　it；　was　easier　than　I　had　thought　it　would　be。　We'd　been　out　more　than　long　enough