df.theedge-第9节
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n given for Bill Baudelaire。 He answered himself at the first ring； rather to my surprise； and said yes； he'd had a telex to confirm I was on my way。 He had a bass voice with a lot of timbre even over the wires and was softly Canadian in accent。
He asked where I would be in an hour and said he would e around then to brief me on the matter in hand； and I gathered from his circumspect sentences that he wasn't alone and didn't want to be understood。 Just like home； I thought fortably； and unpacked a few things； and。 showered off the journey and awaited events。
Outside； the deepening orange of the autumn sunshine was turning the green copper roofs of the turreted stone government buildings to a transient shimmering gold； and I reflected； watching from the windows； that I'd much liked this graceful city when I'd been here before。 I was filled with a serene sense of peace and contentment； which I remembered a few times in the days lying ahead。
Bill Baudelaire came when the sky had grown dark and I'd switched on the lights； and he looked round the suite with quizzical eyebrows。
'I'm glad to see old Val has staked you to rooms befitting a rich young owner。'
I smiled and didn't enlighten him。 He'd shaken my hand when I opened the door to him and looked me quickly； piercingly up and down in the way of those used to assessing strangers instantly and with no inhibitions about letting them know it。
I saw a man of plain looks but positive charm； a solid man much younger than the Brigadier； maybe forty； with reddish hair； pale blue eyes and pale skin pitted by the scars of old acne。 Once seen； I thought； difficult to forget。
He was wearing a dark grey business suit with a cream shirt and a red tie out of step with his hair； and I wondered if he were colour…blind or simply liked the effect。
He walked straight across the sitting room； sat in the armchair nearest to the telephone and picked up the receiver。
'Room service？' he said。 'Please send up as soon as possible a bottle of vodka and。。。 er。。。' He raised his eyebrows in my direction； in invitation。
'Wine；' I said。 'Red。 Bordeaux preferably。'
Bill Baudelaire repeated my request with a ceiling price and disconnected。
'You can put the drinks on your expense sheet and I'll initial it；' he said。 'You do have an expense sheet； I suppose？'
'I do in England。'
'Then start one here； of course。 How are you paying the hotel bills？'
'By credit card。 My own。'
'Is that usual？ Never mind。 You give all the bills to me when you've paid them； along with your expense sheet； and Val and I will deal with it。'
'Thank you；' I said。 Val would have a fit； I thought； but then on second thoughts； no he probably wouldn't。 He would pay me the agreed budget； fair was fair。
'Sit down；' Bill Baudelaire said； and I sat opposite him in another armchair； crossing one knee over the other。 The room seemed hot to me with the central heating； and I wasn't wearing a jacket。 He considered me for a while； his brow furrowing with seeming uncertainty。
'How old are you？' he said abruptly。
'Twenty…nine。'
'Val said you were experienced。' It wasn't exactly a question； nor a matter of disbelief。
'I've worked for him for three years。'
'He said you would look this part。。。 and you do。' He sounded more puzzled than pleased； though。 'You seem so polished。。。 I suppose it's not what I expected。'
I said； 'If you saw me in the cheaper sections of a racecourse； you would think I'd been born there； too。'
His face lightened into a smile。 'Right； then。 I'll accept that。 Well； I've brought you a whole lot of papers。' He glanced at the large envelope that he had put on the table beside the telephone。 'Details about the train and about some of the people who'll be on it； and details about the horses and the arrangements for those。 This has all been an enormous undertaking。 Everyone has worked very hard on it。 It's essential that it retains a good； substantial； untarnished image from start to finish。 We're hoping for increased world…wide awareness of Canadian racing。 Although we do of course hit world headlines with theQueen's Plate in June or July； we want to draw more international horses here。 We want to put our programmes more on the map。 Canada's a great country。 We want to maximize our impact on the international racing circuit。'
'Yes；' I said； 'I do understand。' I hesitated。 'Do you have a public relations firm working on it？'
'What？ Why do you ask？ Yes； we do； as a matter of fact。 What difference does it make？'
'None； really。 Will they have a representative on the train？'
'To minimize negative incidents？ No； not unless。。。' he stopped and listened to what he'd said。 'I'm using their jargon； damn it。 I'll watch that。 So easy to repeat what they say。'
A knock on the door announced the drinks in charge of an ultra…polite slow…moving waiter who knew where to find ice and mixers in the room's own refrigerator。 The waiter took his deliberate time over uncorking the wine； and Bill Baudelaire； stifling impatience； said we would do the pouring ourselves。 When the tortoise waiter had gone he gestured to me to help myself； and on his own account fixed a lengthy splash of vodka over a tumblerful of cubes。
He had suggested to the Brigadier that I should meet him first here in Ottawa； as he had business in that city which couldn't be postponed。 It would also； they both thought； be more securely private； as everyone going on the train in the normal way would be collecting in Toronto。
'You and I；' Bill Baudelaire said over his vodka； 'will fly to Toronto tomorrow evening on separate planes； after you've spent the day absorbing all the material I've brought you and asking any questions that arise。 I propose to drop by your sitting room here again at two o'clock for a final briefing。'
'Will I be able to get in touch with you fairly easily after tomorrow？' I asked。 'I'd like to be able to。'
'Yes； indeed。 I'm not going on the train myself； as of course you know； but I'll be at Winnipeg for the races there； and at Vancouver。 And at Toronto； of course。 I've outlined everything。 You'll find it in the package。 We can't really discuss anything properly until you've read it。'
'All right。'
'There's one unwele piece of news； however； that isn't in there because I heard it too late to include。 It seems Julius Filmer had bought a share in one of the horses travelling on the train。 The partnership was registered today and I was told just now by telephone。 The Ontario Racing mission is deeply concerned； but we can't do anything about it。 No regulations have been broken。 They won't let people who've been convicted of felonies such as arson； fraud or illegal gambling own horses； but Filmer hasn't been convicted of anything。'
'Which horse？' I said。
'Which horse？ Laurentide Ice。 Quite useful。 You can read about it in there。' He nodded to the package。 'The problem is that we made a rule that only owners could go along to the horse car to see the horses。 We couldn't have everyone tramping about there； both for security reasons and for preventing the animals being upset。 We thought the only fort left to us about Filmer's being on the train was that he wouldn't have access to the horse car； and now he will。'
'Awkward。'
'Infuriating。' He refilled his glass with the suppressed violence of his frustration。 'Why for God's sake couldn't that goddam crook have kept his snotty nose out。 He's trouble。 We all know it。 He's planning something。 He'll ruin the whole thing。 He practically said as much。' He looked me over and shook his head。 'No offence to you； but how are you going to stop him？'
'It depends what needs to be stopped。'
His face lightened suddenly to a smile as before。 'Yes； all right； we'll wait and see。 Val said you don't miss things。 Let's hope he's right。'
He went away after a while and with a great deal of interest I opened the package and found it absolutely fascinating from start to finish。
The Great Transcontinental Mystery Race Train'； as emblazoned in red on the gold cover of the glossy prospectus； had indeed entailed an enormous amount of organization。 Briefly； the enterprise offered to the racehorse owners of the world a chance to race a horse in Toronto； to go by train to Winnipeg； and race a horse there； to stop for two nights at a hotel high in the Rockies； and to continue by train to Vancouver； where they might again race a horse。 There was acmodation for eleven horses on the train； and for forty…eight human VIP passengers。
At Toronto； Winnipeg and Vancouver there would be overnight stays in top…class hotels。 Transport from train to hotels to races and back to the train was also included as required。 The entire trip would last from lunch at Toronto races on the Saturday； to the end of the special race day at Vancouver ten days later。
On the train there would be special sleeping cars； a special dining car； two private chefs and a load of good wine。 People who owned their own private rail cars could； as in the past； apply for them to be joined to the train。
Every possible extra luxury would be available if requested in advance； and in addition； for enter
