alistairmaclean.bearisland-第20部分

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　〃We've　promised　Captain　Imrie　a　guarantee　or　affidavit　or　what　will　you　exonerating　him　from　all　blame　if　we　have　any　further　outbreaks　of　mysterious　illness。　He　wants　it　on　his　breakfast　table；　and　he　wants　it　signed。　And　as　Captain　Imrie　will　be　up　at　4　A。m。　and　I　suspect　his　breakfast　will　be　correspondingly　early；　I　suggest　it　would　be　more　convenient　if　you　all　signed　it　now。〃
　They　nodded　agreement。　I　sat　at　a　nearby　table　and　in　my　〃best　handwriting　；　which　was　pretty　bad；　and　best　legal　jargon；　which　was　awful；　I　drafted　a　statement　of　responsibility　which　I　thought　would　meet　the　case。　The　others　apparently　thought　so　too　or　were　too　tired　to　care；　for　they　signed　with　only　a　cursory　glance　at　what　I　had　written。　The　Count　signed　too　and　I　didn't　as　much　as　raise　an　eyebrow。　It　had　never　even　crossed　my　mind　that　the　Count　belonged　to　those　elevated　directorial　ranks；　I　had　thought　that　the　more　highly　regarded　cameramen；　of　which　the　Count　was　undoubtedly　one；　were　invariably　free…lance　and　therefore　ineligible　for　election　to　any　film　pany　board。　But；　at　least；　it　helped　to　explain　his　lack　of　proper　respect　for　Otto。
　〃And　now；　to　bed。〃　Goin　eased　back　his　chair。　‘You；　too；　Doctor？〃
　〃After　I've　filled　out　the　death　certificates。〃
　〃An　unpleasant　duty。〃　Goin　handed　me　a　folder。　〃This　might　help　amuse　you　afterwards。〃
　I　took　it　from　him　and　Gerran　heaved　himself　upright　with　the　usual　massive　effort。　〃Those　funerals；　Dr。　Marlowe。　The　burials　at　sea。　What　time　do　they　take　place？〃
　〃First　light　is　customary。〃　Otto　closed　his　eyes　in　suffering。　〃After　what　you've　been　through；　Mr。　Gerran；　I'd　advise　you　to　give　it　a　miss。　Rest　as　long　as　possible　tomorrow。〃
　〃You　really　think　so？〃　I　nodded　and　Otto　removed　his　mask　of　suffering。
　‘You　will　stand　in　for　me；　John？〃
　〃Of　course；〃　Goin　said。　〃Good　night；　Doctor。　Thank　you　for　your　cooperation！'
　〃Yes；　yes；　thank　you；　thank　you；〃　Otto　said。
　They　trooped　off　unsteadily　and　I　fished　out　my　death　certificate　forms　and　filled　them　out。　I　put　those　in　one　sealed　envelope；　the　signed　affidavit　…I　just　in　time　remembered　to　add　my　own　signature…in　another；　addressed　them　to　Captain　Imrie　and　took　them　up　to　the　bridge　to　ask　Allison　to　hand　them　over　to　the　captain　when　he　came　on　watch　at　four　in　the　morning。　Allison　wasn't　there。　Instead；　Smithy；　heavily　clad　and　muffled　almost　to　the　eyebrows；　was　sitting　on　a　high　stool　before　the　wheel。　He　wasn't　touching　the　wheel；　which　periodically　spun　clockwise　and　counterclockwise　as　of　its　own　accord；　and　he'd　turned　up　the　rheostat。　He　looked　pale　and　had　dark　circles　under　his　eyes　but　he　didn't　have　a　sick　look　about　him　any　more。　His　recuperative　powers　were　quite　remarkable。
　〃Automatic　pilot；〃　he　explained；　almost　cheerfully；　〃and　all　the　lights　of　home。　Who　needs　night　sight　in　zero　visibility？〃
　〃You　ought　to　be　in　bed；〃　I　said　shortly。
　〃I've　just　e　from　there　and　I'm　just　going　there。　First　Officer　Smith　is　not　yet　his　old　self　and　he　knows　it。　just　e　up　to　check　position　and　give　Allison　a　break　for　coffee。　Also；　I　thought　I　might　find　you　here。　You　weren't　in　your　cabin！'
　〃I'm　here　now。　What　did　you　want　to　see　me　about？〃
　〃Otard…Dupuy；〃　he　said。　〃How　does　that　sound？〃
　〃It　sounds　fine！〃　Smithy　slid　off　his　stool　and　headed　for　the　cupboard　where　Captain　Imrie　kept　his　private　store　of　restoratives。　〃But　you　weren't　hunting　the　ship　to　offer　me　a　brandy。〃
　〃No。　Tell　you　the　truth；　I've　been　trying　to　figure　out　some　things。　No　dice　with　the　figuring；　if　I　was　bright　enough　for　that　I'd　be　too　bright　to　be　where　I　am　now。　Thought　you　could　help　me。〃　He　handed　me　a　glass。
　〃We　should　make　a　great　team；〃　I　said。
　He　smiled　briefly。　〃Three…；　dead　and　four　half　dead。　Food　poisoning。　What　poisoning？〃
　I　told　him　the　story　about　the　sporing　anaerobes；　the　one　I'd　given　Haggerty。　But　Smithy　wasn't　Haggerty。
　〃Mighty　selective　poison；　isn't　it？　Clobbers　A　and　kills　him；　passes　up　B；　clobbers　C　and　doesn't　kill　him；　passes　up　D　and　so　on。　And　we　all　had　the　same　food　to　cat。〃
　〃Poisons　are　notoriously　unpredictable。　Six　people　at　a　picnic　can　cat　the　same　infected　food：　three　can　land　in　hospital　while　the　others　don't　feel　a　twinge。〃
　〃So；　some　people　get　tummy　aches　and　some　don't。　But　that's　a　bit　different　from　saying　that　a　poison　that　is　deadly　enough　to　kill；　and　to　kill　violently　and　quickly；　is　going　to　leave　others　entirely　unaffected。　No　doctor　but　I　flat　out　don't　believe　it。〃
　〃I　find　it　a　bit　odd　myself。　You　have　something　in　mind？〃
　〃Yes。　The　poisoning　was　deliberate。〃
　〃Deliberate？〃　I　sipped　some　more　of　the　Otard…Dupuy　while　I　wondered　how　far　to　go　with　Smithy。　Not　too　far；　I　thought；　not　yet。　I　said：　〃Of　course　it　was　deliberate。　And　so　easily　done。　Take　our　poisoner。　He　has　this　little　bag　of　poison。　Also；　he　has　this　little　magic　wand。　He　waves　it　and　turns　himself　invisible　and　then　flits　around　the　dining　tables。　A　pinch　for　Otto；　none　for　me；　a　pinch　for　you；　a　pinch　for　Oakley；　no　pinches　for；　say；　Heissman　and　Stryker；　a　double　pinch　for　Antonio；　none　for　the　girls；　a　pinch　for　the　Duke；　two　each　for　Moxen　and　Scott；　and　so　on。　A　wayward　and　capricious　lad；　our　invisible　friend：　Or　would　you　call　it　being　selective？〃
　I　don't　know　what　I'd　call　it；〃　Smithy　said　soberly。　〃But　I　know　what　I'd　call　you…devious；　off…putting；　side…tracking；　and　altogether　protesting　too　much　Without　offence；　of　course。〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　I　wouldn't　rate　you　as　anybody's　fool。　You　can't　tell　me　that　you　haven't　had　some　thoughts　along　those　lines。〃
　I　had。　But　because　I've　been　thinking　about　it　a　lot　longer　than　you；　I've　dismissed　them。　Motive；　opportunity；　means…impossible　to　find　any。　Don't　you　know　that　the　first　thing　a　doctor　does　when　he's　called　in　to　a　case　of　accidental　poisoning　is　to　suspect　that　it's　not　accidental？〃
　
〃So　you're　satisfied。〃
　〃As　can　be。〃
　I　see。〃　He　paused。　〃Do　you　know　we　have　a　transmitter　in　the　radio　office　that　can　reach　just　about　any　place　in　the　Northern　Hemisphere？
　I've　got　a　feeling　we're　going　to　have　to　use　it　soon。〃
　〃What　on　earth　for？〃
　〃Help。〃
　〃Help？〃
　〃Yes。　You　know。　The　thing　you　require　when　you're　in　trouble。　I　think　we　need　help　now。　Any　more　funny　little　accidents　and　I'll　be　damn　certain　we　need　help。〃
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　I　said。　〃You're　way　beyond　me。　Besides；　Britain's　a　long；　long　way　away　from　us　now。〃
　〃The　NATO　Atlantic　forces　aren't。　They're　carrying　out　fleet　exercises　somewhere　off　the　North　Cape。〃
　〃You're　well　informed；〃　I　said。
　〃It　pays　to　be　well　informed　when　I'm　talking　to　someone　who　claims　to　be　as　satisfied　as　can　be　over　three　very　mysterious　deaths　when　I'm　certain　that　someone　would　never　rest　and　could　never　be　satisfied　until　he　knew　exactly　how　those　three　people　had　died。　I've　admitted　I'm　not　very　bright　but　don't　pletely　underestimate　what　little　intelligence　I　have。〃
　I　don't。　And　don't　overestimate　mine。　Thanks　for　the　Otard…Dupuy。〃
　I　went　to　the　starboard　screen　door。　The　Morning　Rose　was　still　rolling　and　pitching　and　shaking　and　shuddering　as　she　battered　her　way　northwards　through　the　wild　seas　but　it　was　no　longer　possible　to　see　the　windtorn　waters　below：　we　were　in　a　world　now　that　was　almost　pletely　opaque；　a　blind　and　bitter　world　of　driving　white；　a　world　of　snowy　darkness　that　began　and　ended　at　scarcely　an　arm's…length　distance。　I　looked　down　at　the　wing　bridge　deck　and　in　the　pale　light　of　wash　from　the　wheelhouse　I　could　see　footprints　in　the　snow。　There　was　only　one　set　of　them；　sharp　and　clearly　limned　as　if　they　had　been　made　only　seconds　previously。　Somebody　had　been　there；　for　a　moment　I　was　certain　that　someone　had　been　there；　listening　to　Smith　and　myself　talking。　Then　I　realised　there　was　only　one　set；　the　set　I　had　made　myself　and　they　hadn't　been　filled　in　or　even　blurred　because　the　blizzard　driving　horizontally　across　the　wind　dodger　was　clearing　the　deck　at　my　feel？。　Sleep；　I　thought；　and　sleep　now：　for　with　that　lack　of　sleep；　the　tiring　events　of　the　past　few　hours；　the　sheer　physical　exhaustion　induced　by　the　violent　weather　and　Smithy's　dark　forebodings；　I　was　beginning　to　imagine　things。　I　realised　that　Smithy　was　at　my　shoulder。
　〃You　levelling　with　me；　Dr。　Marlowe？〃
　〃Of　course。　Or　do　you　think　Fin　the　invisible　Borgia　who's　flitting　around；　a　little　pinch　here；　a　little　pinch　there？〃
　〃No；　I　don't。　I　don't　think　you're　levelling　with　me；　either。〃　His　voice　was　sombre。　〃Maybe　someday　you　are　going　to　wish　you　were。〃
　Someday　I　was　going　to　wish　I　had　for　then　I　wouldn't　have　had　to　leave　Smithy　behind　in　Bear　Island。
　Back　in　the　saloon；　I　picked　up　the　booklet　Goin　had　given　me；　went　to　the　corner　settee；　found　myself　a　steamer　blanket；　decided　I　didn't　require　it　yet　and　wedged　myself　into　the　corner；　my　feel？　fortably　on　a　swivel　chair　belonging　to　the　nearest　table。　I　picked　up；　without　much　interest；　the　cardboard　file　and　was　debating　whether　to　open　it　when　the　lee　door　opened　and　Mary　Stuart　came　in。　There　was　snow　on　the　tangled　corn…coloured　hair　and　she　was　wearing　a　heavy　weed　coat。
　〃So　this　is　where　you　are。〃　She　banged　the　door　shut　and　looked　at　me　almost　accusingly。　
　〃This；〃　I　acknowledged；　〃is　where　I　am