df.theedge-第27部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


e　couldn't　possibly　sleep　in　the　private　car；　she　would　have　nightmares；　she　would　to　be　too　scared　to　stay；　she　was　sure　whoever　had　uncoupled　the　car　before　would　do　it　again　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　and　they　would　all　be　killed　when　the　Canadian　crashed　into　them；　because　the　Canadian　was　still　there　behind　us；　wasn't　it；　wasn't　it？
　　Yes；　it　was。
　　Mrs　Young　did　her　best　to　soothe　her；　but　it　was　impossible　not　to　respect　her　fears。　She　had　undoubtedly　nearly　been　killed。　Mrs　Young　told　her　that　the　madman　who　had　mischievously　unhitched　the　car　was　hours　behind　us　in　Carder；　but　Xanthe　was　beyond　reassurance。
　　Mrs　Young　appealed　to　Nell；　asking　if　there　was　anywhere　else　that　Xanthe　could　sleep；　and　Nell；　consulting　the　ever…present　clipboard；　shook　her　head　doubtfully。
　　'There's　an　upper　berth　in　a　section；'　she　said　slowly；　'but　it　only　has　a　curtain；　and　no　facilities　except　at　the　end　of　the　car；　and　it's　hardly　what　Xanthe's　used　to。。'
　　'I　don't　care；'　Xanthe　said　passionately。　'I'll　sleep　on　the　floor　or　on　the　seats　in　the　lounge；　or　anywhere。　I'll　sleep　in　that　upper　berth。。。　please　let　me。'
　　'I　don't　see　why　not；　then；'　Nell　said。　'What　about　night　things？'
　　'I'm　not　going　into　our　car　to　fetch　them。　I'm　not。'
　　'All　right；'　Nell　said。　'I'll　go　and　ask　your　mother。'
　　Mrs　Young　stayed　with　Xanthe；　who　was　again　faintly　trembling；　until　at　length　Nell　returned　with　both　a　small　grip　and　Bambi。
　　Bambi　tried　to　get　her　daughter　to　change　her　mind；　but　predictably　without　success。　I　thought　it　unlikely　that　Xanthe　would　ever　sleep　in　that　car　again；　so　strong　was　her　present　reaction。　She；　Bambi；　Nell　and　the　Youngs　made　their　way　past　me　without　looking　at　me　and　continued　on　along　the　corridor　beside　the　kitchen；　going　to　inspect　the　revised　quarters　which　I　knew　were　in　the　sleeping　car　forward　of　Filmer's。
　　After　a　while　Bambi　and　Nell　returned　alone；　and　Bambi　with　an　unexcited　word　of　gratitude　to　Nell　walked　a　few　paces　forward　and　stopped　beside　her　son；　who　had　done　nothing　to　fort　or　help　his　sister　and　was　now　sitting　alone。
　　'e　along；　Sheridan；'　she　said；　her　tone　without　peremptoriness　but　also　without　affection。　'Your　father　asks　you　to　e。'
　　Sheridan　gave　her　a　look　of　hatred　which　seemed　not　in　the　least　to　bother　her。　She　stood　patiently　waiting　until；　with　exceedingly　bad　grace；　he　got　to　his　feet　and　followed　her　homewards。
　　Bambi；　it　seemed　to　me；　had　taught　herself　not　to　care　for　Sheridan　so　as　not　to　be　hurt　by　him。　She　too；　like　Mercer；　must　have　suffered　for　years　from　his　boorish　behaviour　in　public；　and　she　had　distanced　herself　from　it。　She　didn't　try　to　buy　the　toleration　of　the　victims　of　his　rudeness；　as　Mercer　did：　she　ignored　the　rudeness　instead。
　　I　wondered　which　had　e　first；　the　chill　and　disenchantment　of　her　worldly　sophistication；　or　the　lack　of　warmth　in　her　son：　and　perhaps　there　was　ice　in　both　of　them；　and　the　one　had　reinforced　the　other。　Bambi；　I　thought；　was　a　highly　inappropriate　name　for　her；　she　was　no　innocent　wide…eyed　smooth…skinned　fawn　but　an　experienced；　aloof；　good…looking　woman　in　the　skin　of　minks。
　　Nell；　watching　them　go；　sighed　and　said；　'She　didn't　kiss　Xanthe　goodnight；　you　know；　or　give　her　even　a　hug　to　fort　her。　Nothing。　And　Mercer's　so　nice。'
　　'Forget　them。'
　　'Yes。。。。　You　do　realize　the　press　will　be　down　on　this　train　like　a　pack　of　hunting　lions　at　the　next　stop。'
　　'Lionesses；'　I　said。
　　'What？'
　　'It's　the　females　who　hunt　in　a　pack。　One　male　sits　by；　watching；　and　takes　the　lion's　share　of　the　kill。'
　　'I　don't　want　to　know　that。'
　　'Our　next　stop；'　I　said；　'will　be　fifteen　minutes　at　White　River　in　the　middle　of　the　night。　After　the　delay；　we'll　aim　to　arrive　at　four…oh…five；　depart　four…twenty。'
　　'And　after　that？'
　　'Except　for　a　three…minute　pause　in　a　back…of…beyond；　we　stop　at　Thunder　Bay　for　twenty…five　minutes　at　ten…fifty　tomorrow　morning。'
　　'Do　you　know　the　whole　timetable　by　heart？'
　　'Emil　told　me　to　learn　it。　He　was　right　when　he　said　the　question　I　would　have　to　answer　most　was　'When　do　we　reach　so　and　so'。。。　and　if　I　were　a　regular　waiter　he　said　I　would　know　the　answers；　even　though　we're　thirty…five　minutes　earlier　everywhere　than　the　regular　Canadian。'
　　'Emil　is　cute；'　she　said。
　　I　looked　at　her　in　surprise。　I　wouldn't　have　thought　of　Emil　as　cute。　Small；　neat；　bright　and　generous；　yes。　'Cute？'　I　asked。
　　'I　would　hope；'　she　said；　'that　you　don't　think　so。'
　　'No。'
　　'Good。'　She　was　relieved；　I　saw。
　　'Weren't　you　sure？'　I　asked　curiously。　'Am　I　so。。。　ambivalent？'
　　'Well。。。'　There　was　a　touch　of　embarrassment。　'I　didn't　mean　to　get　into　this　sort　of　conversation；　really　I　didn't。　But　if　you　want　to　know；　there's　something　about　you　that's　secret。。。　ultra…private。。。　as　if　you　didn't　want　to　be　known　too　well。　So　I　just　wondered。　I'm　sorry。。。'
　　'I　shall　shower　you　with　ravening　kisses。'
　　She　laughed。　'Not　your　style。'
　　'Wait　and　see。'　And　two　people　didn't；　I　thought；　drift　into　talking　like　that　after　knowing　each　other　for　such　a　short　while　unless　there　was　immediate　trust　and　liking。
　　We　were　standing　in　the　tiny　lobby　between　the　kitchen　and　the　dining　room；　and　she　still　has　the　clipboard　clasped　to　her　chest。　She　would　have　to　put　it　down；　I　thought　fleetingly；　before　any　serious　ravening　could　take　place。
　　'You　always　have　jokes　in　your　eyes；'　she　said。　'And　you　never　tell　them。'
　　'I　was　thinking　about　how　you　use　your　clipboard　as　chain　mail。'
　　Her　own　eyes　widened。　'A　lousy　man　in　the　magazine　office　squeezed　my　breast。。。　Why　am　I　telling　you？　It　was　years　ago。　Why　should　I　care？　Anyway；　where　else　would　you　carry　a　clipboard？'
　　She　put　it　down；　all　the　same；　on　the　counter；　but　we　didn't　talk　much　longer　as　the　revellers　from　the　rear　began　ing　through　to　go　to　the　bedrooms。　I　retreated　into　the　kitchen　and　I　could　hear　people　asking　Nell　what　time　they　could　have　breakfast。
　　'Between　seven　and　nine…thirty；'　she　said。　'Sleep　well；　everybody。'　She　put　her　head　into　the　kitchen。　'Same　to　you；　sleep　well。　I'm　off　to　bed。'
　　'Goodnight；'　I　said；　smiling。
　　'Aren't　you　going？'
　　'Yes；　in　a　while。'
　　'When　everything's。。。　safe？'
　　'You　might　say　so。'
　　'What　exactly　does　the　Jockey　Club　expect　you　to　Jo？'
　　'See　trouble　before　it　es。'
　　'But　that's　practically　impossible。'
　　'Mm；'　I　said。　'I　didn't　foresee　anyone　uncoupling　the　Lorrimores。'
　　'You'll　be　fired　for　that；'　she　said　dryly；　'so　if　you　sleep；　sleep　well。'
　　'Tor　would　kiss　you；'　I　said。　'Tommy　can't。'
　　'I'll　count　it　done。'
　　She　went　away　blithely；　the　clipboard　again　in　place：　a　habit；　I　supposed；　as　much　as　a　defence。
　　I　walked　back　to　the　bar　and　wasted　time　with　the　barman。　The　intent　poker　school　looked　set　for　an　all…night　session；　the　dancing　was　still　causing　laughter　in　the　lounge　and　the　northern　lights　were　entrancing　the　devotees　in　the　dome。　The　barman　yawned　and　said　he'd　be　closing　the　bar　soon。　Alcohol　stopped　at　midnight。
　　I　heard　Daffodil's　voice　before　I　saw　her；　so　that　when　Filmer　came　past　the　door　of　the　bar　I　was　bending　down　with　my　head　below　the　counter　as　if　to　be　tidying　things　there。　I　had　the　impression　they　did　no　more　than　glance　in　as　they　passed；　as　Filmer　was　saying　'。。。　when　we　get　to　Winnipeg。'　'You　mean　Vancouver；'　Daffodil　said。　'Yes；　Vancouver。'　'You　always　get　them　mixed。。。'　Her　voice；　which　had　been　raised；　as　his　had　been；　so　as　to　be　heard　while　one　of　them　walked　ahead　of　the　other；　died　away　as　they　passed　down　the　corridor；　presumably　en　route　to　bed。
　　Giving　them　time　to　say　goodnight；　as　Daffodil's　room　was　one　of　the　three　just　past　the　bar；　I　slowly　followed。　They　were　nowhere　in　sight　as　I　went　through　to　the　dining　car；　and　Filmer　seemed　to　have　gone　straight　to　his　room；　as　there　was　a　thread　of　light　shining　along　the　bottom　of　his　door；　but　Daffodil；　I　discovered；　had　after　all　not。　Instead　of　being　cosily　tucked　up　in　her　bunk　near　the　bar；　she　surprisingly　came　walking　towards　me　from　the　sleeping　car　forward　of　Filmer's；　her　diamonds　lighting　small　bright　fires　with　every　step。
　　I　stood　back　to　let　her　pass；　but　she　shimmered　to　a　stop　before　me　and　said；　'Do　you　know　where　Miss　Lorrimore　is　sleeping？'
　　'In　the　car　you've　just　e　from；　madam；'　I　answered　helpfully。
　　'Yes；　but　where？　I　told　her　parents　that　I　would　make　sure　she　was　all　right。'
　　'The　sleeping…car　attendant　will　know；'　I　said。　'If　you　would　like　to　follow　me？'
　　She　nodded　assent　and　as　I　turned　to　lead　the　way　I　thought　that　at　close　quarters　she　was　probably　younger　than　I'd　assumed；　or　else　that　she　was　older　but　immature：　an　odd　impression；　fleeting　and　gone。
　　The　middle…aged　sleeping…car　attendant　was　dozing　but　dressed。　He　obligingly　showed　Daffodil　the　upper　berth　where　Xanthe　was　sleeping；　but　the　thick　felt　curtains　were　closely　fastened；　and　when　Daffodil　called　the　girl's　name　quietly；　there　was　no　response。　The　slightly　fatherly　attendant　said　he　was　sure　she　was　safely　asleep；　as　he'd　seen　her　returning　from　the　washroom　at　the　end　of　the　car　and　climbing　up　to　her　bunk。
　　'I　guess　that　will　do；'　Daffodil　said