df.theedge-第23部分

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　　Time　told　me　more　immediately　that　it　was　five…thirty；　the　hour　of　return　to　the　dining　room；　and　I　returned　to　find　every　single　seat　already　taken；　the　passengers　having　learned　fast。　Lateers　stood　in　the　entrances；　looking　forlorn。
　　Filmer；　I　saw　at　once；　was　placed　opposite　Mercer　Lorrimore。　Daffodil　beside　him；　was　opposite　Bambi　who　was　being　coolly　gracious。
　　Xanthe　was　still　sitting　across　from　Mrs　Young；　now　rejoined　by　her　husband。　Sheridan；　as　far　as　I　could　see；　was　absent。　Giles…the…murderer　was　present；　sitting　with　the　Youngs　and　Xanthe；　being　nice。
　　Emil；　Oliver；　Cathy　and　I　went　round　the　tables　pouring　wine；　tea　or　coffee　into　glasses　or　cups　on　small　trays　with　small　movements；　and　when　that　was　done　Zak　bounded　into　the　midst　of　things；　vibrating　with　fresh　energy；　to　get　on　with　the　mystery。
　　I　didn't　listen　in　detail　to　it　all；　but　it　revolved　round　Pierre　and　Donna；　and　Raoul　the　racehorse　trainer　who　wanted　to　marry　her　money。　Zak　had　got　round　the　pre…empted　Pierre…hitting…Raoul…to…the…ground　routine　by　having　Donna　slap　Raoul's　face　instead；　which　she　did　with　a　gusto　that　brought　gasps　from　the　audience。　Donna　was　clearly　established　as　the　wittering　Bricknells'　besotted　daughter；　with　Raoul　obviously　Mavis's　favourite；　and　Pierre　despised　as　a　no…good　pulsive　gambler。　Mother　and　daughter　went　into　a　sharp　slanging　match；　with　Walter　fussing　and　trying　to　stop　them。　Mavis；　in　the　end；　started　crying。
　　I　looked　at　the　passenger's　faces。　Even　though　they　knew　this　lot　were　all　actors；　they　were　transfixed。　Soap　opera　had　e　to　life　within　touching　distance。　Racing　people；　I'd　always　thought；　were　among　the　most　cynical　in　the　world；　yet　here　some　of　the　most　experienced　of　them　were　moved　and　involved　despite　themselves。
　　Zak；　keeping　up　the　tension；　said　that　at　the　last　of　our　brief　stops　at　minor　stations　he　had　been　handed　a　telex　about　Angelica's　missing　friend　Steve。　Was　Angelica　present'　Everyone　looked　around；　and　no；　she　wasn't。　Never　mind；　Zak　said；　would　someone　please　tell　her　that　she　must　telephone　Steve　from　Sudbury；　as　he　had　serious　news　for　her。
　　A　lot　of　people　nodded。　It　was　amazing。
　　Dressed　in　silk　and　ablaze　with　jewellery；　apparently　to　prove　that　Donna's　inheritance　was　no　myth；　Mavis　Bricknell　stumbled　off　towards　the　toilet　room　at　the　dome　car's　entrance　saying　she　must　repair　the　ravages　to　her　face；　and　presently　she　came　back；　screaming　loudly。
　　Angelica；　it　appeared；　was　lying　on　the　lavatory　floor；　extremely　dead。　Zak　naturally　bustled　to　investigate；　followed　by　a　sizeable　section　of　the　audience。　Some　of　them　soon　came　back　smiling　weakly　and　looking　unsettled。
　　'She　can't　really　be　dead；'　someone　said　solemnly。　'But　she　certainly　looks　it。'
　　There　was　a　lot　of　'blood'　all　over　the　small　partment；　it　appeared；　with　Angelica's　battered　head　in　shadow　beyond　the　essential　facility　Angelica's　eyes　were　just　visible　staring　at　the　wall；　unblinking。　'How　can　she　do　that？''　several　said。
　　Zak　came　back；　looked　around　him；　and　beckoned　to　me。
　　'Stand　in　front　of　that　door；　will　you；　and　don't　let　anyone　go　in？'
　　I　nodded　and　went　through　the　crowd　towards　the　dome　car。　Zak　himself　was　calling　everyone　back　into　the　dining　room；　saying　they　should　all　stay　together　until　we　reached　Sudbury；　which　would　be　soon。　I　could　hear　Nell's　voice　announcing　calmly　that　everyone　had　time　for　another　drink。　There　would　be　an　hour's　stop　in　Sudbury　for　everyone　to　stretch　their　legs　if　they　wanted　to；　and　dinner　would　be　served　as　soon　as　the　rain　started　again。
　　I　went　across　the　clattering；　windy　linkage　space　between　the　dining　and　dome　cars　and　stood　outside　the　toilet　room。　I　wasn't　actually　pleased　with　Zak　as　I　didn't　want　to　risk　being　identified　as　an　actor；　but　that；　I　supposed；　would　be　a　great　deal　better　than　the　truth。It　was　boring　in　the　passage　but　also；　it　proved；　necessary；　as　one　or　two　passengers　came　back　for　a　look　at　the　corpse。　They　were　good　humoured　enough　when　turned　away。　Meanwhile　the　corpse；　who　must　have　had　to　blink　in　the　end；　could　be　heard　flushing　water　within。
　　When　we　began　to　slow　down　I　knocked　on　the　door。　'Message　from　Zak；'　I　said。
　　The　door　opened　a　fraction。　Angelica's　greasepaint　make…up　was　a　pale　bluish　grey；　her　hair　a　mass　of　tomato　ketchup。
　　'Lock　the　door；'　I　said。　'Zak　will　be　along。　When　you　hear　his　voice　outside；　unlock　it。'
　　'Right；'　she　said；　sounding　cheerfully　alive。　'Have　a　nice　trip。'
　　
　　
　　
　　　Chapter　Eight
　　
　　Angelica　left　the　train　on　a　stretcher　in　the　dusk　under　bright　station　lights；　her　tomato　head　half　covered　by　a　blanket；　and　one　lifeless　hand；　with　red　fingernails　and　sparkling　rings；　artistically　drooping　out　of　concealment　on　the　side　where　the　train's　passengers　were　able　to　look　on　with　fascination。
　　I　watched　the　scene　through　the　window　of　George　Burley's　office　while　I　talked　to　Bill　Baudelaire's　mother　on　the　telephone。
　　The　conversation　had　been　a　surprise　from　the　beginning；　when　a　light　young　female　voice　had　answered　my　call。
　　'Could　I　speak　to　Mrs　Baudelaire；　please？'　I　said。
　　'Speaking。'
　　'I　mean。。。　Mrs　Baudelaire　senior。'
　　'Any　Mrs　Baudelaire　who　is　senior　to　me　is　in　her　grave；'　she　announced。　'Who　are　you？'
　　'Tor　Kelsey。'
　　'Oh　yes；'　she　replied　instantly。　'The　invisible　man。'
　　I　half　laughed。
　　'How　do　you　do　it？'　she　asked。　'I'm　dying　to　know。'
　　'Seriously？'
　　'Of　course；　seriously。'
　　'Well。。。　say　if　someone　serves　you　fairly　often　in　a　shop；　you　recognize　them　when　you're　in　the　shop；　but　if　you　meet　them　somewhere　quite　different；　like　at　the　races；　you　can't　remember　who　they　are。'
　　'Quite　right。　It's　happened　to　me　often。'
　　'To　be　easily　recognized；'　I　said；　'you　have　to　be　in　your　usual　environment。　So　the　trick　about　invisibility　is　not　to　have　a　usual　environment。'
　　There　was　a　pause；　then　she　said；　'Thank　you。　It　must　be　lonely。'
　　I　couldn't　think　of　an　answer　to　that；　but　was　astounded　by　her　perception。
　　'The　interesting　thing　is；'　I　said；　'that　it's　quite　different　for　the　people　who　work　in　the　shop。　When　they　get　to　know　their　customers；　they　recognize　them　easily　anywhere　in　the　world。　So　the　racing　people　I　know；　I　recognize　everywhere。　They　don't　know　that　I　exist。。。　and　that's　invisibility。'
　　'You　are；'　she　said；　'an　extraordinary　young　man。'
　　She　stumped　me　again。
　　'But　Bill　knew　you　existed；'　she　said；　'and　he　told　me　he　didn't　recognize　you　face　to　face。'
　　'He　was　looking　for　the　environment　he　knew。。。　straight　hair；　no　sunglasses；　a　good　grey　suit；　collar　and　tie。'
　　'Yes；'　she　said。　'If　I　meet　you；　will　I　know　you？'
　　'I'll　tell　you。'
　　'Pact。'
　　This；　I　thought　with　relief　and　enjoyment；　was　some　carrier　pigeon。
　　'Would　you　give　Bill　some　messages？'　I　asked。
　　'Fire　away。　I'll　write　them　down。'
　　'The　train　reaches　Winnipeg　tomorrow　evening　at　about　seven…thirty；　and　everyone　disembarks　to　go　to　hotels。　Please　would　you　tell　Bill　I　will　not　be　staying　at　the　same　hotel　as　the　owners；　and　that　I　will　again　not　be　going　to　the　President's　lunch；　but　that　I　will　be　at　the　races；　even　if　he　doesn't　see　me。'
　　I　paused。　She　repeated　what　I'd　said。
　　'Great；'　I　said。　'And　would　you　ask　him　some　questions？'
　　'Fire　away。'
　　'Ask　him　for　general　information　on　a　Mr　and　Mrs　Young　who　own　a　horse　called　Sparrowgrass。'
　　'It's　on　the　train；'　she　said。
　　'Yes；　that's　right。'　I　was　surprised；　but　she　said　Bill　had　given　her　a　list　to　be　a　help　with　messages。
　　'Ask　him；'　I　said；　'if　Sheridan　Lorrimore　has　ever　been　in　any　trouble　that　he　knows　of；　apart　from　assaulting　an　actor　at　Toronto；　that　should　have　resulted　in　Sheridan　going　to　jail。'
　　'Gracious　me。　The　Lorrimores　don't　go　to　jail。'
　　'So　I　gathered；'　I　said　dryly；　'and　would　you　also　ask　which　horses　are　running　at　Winnipeg　and　which　at　Vancouver；　and　which　in　Bill's　opinion　is　the　really　best　horse　on　the　train；　not　necessarily　on　form；　and　which　has　the　best　chance　of　winning　either　race。'
　　'I　don't　need　to　ask　Bill　the　first　question；　I　can　answer　that　for　you　right　away；　it's　on　this　list。　Nearly　all　the　eleven　horses；　nine　to　be　exact；　are　running　at　Vancouver。　Only　Upper　Gumtree　and　Flokati　run　at　Winnipeg。　As　for　the　second；　in　my　own　opinion　neither　Upper　Gumtree　nor　Flokati　will　win　at　Winnipeg　because　Mercer　Lorrimore　is　shipping　his　great　horse　Premiere　by　horse…van。'
　　'Um。。。'　I　said。　'You　follow　racing　quite　a　bit？'
　　'My　dear　young　man；　didn't　Bill　tell　you？　His　father　and　I　owned　and　ran　the　Ontario　Raceworld　magazine　for　years　before　we　sold　it　to　a　conglomerate。'
　　'I　see；'　I　said　faintly。
　　'And　as　for　the　Vancouver　race；'　she　went　on　blithely；　'Laurentide　Ice　might　as　well　melt　right　now；　but　Sparrowgrass　and　Voting　Right　are　both　in　with　a　good　chance。　Sparrowgrass　will　probably　start　favourite　as　his　form　is　consistently　good；　but　as　you　ask；　very　likely　the　best　horse；　the　one　with　most　potential　for　the　future；　is　Mercer　Lorrimore's　Voting　Right；　and　I　would　give　that　one　the　edge。'
　　'Mrs　Baudelaire；'　I　said；　'you　are　a　gem。'
　　'Beyond　the　price　of　rubies；'　she　agr