alistairmaclean.bearisland-第32部分

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ameraman's　or　director's　dream：　but　Otto's　luck　was　running　true　to　form；　those　driving　gusts　of　snow；　which　would　in　any　event　have　driven　straight　into　the　camera　lens　and　pletely　obscured　it；　more　often　than　not　obscured　the　cliffs　themselves。
　Due　north　lay　the　highest　cliffs　of　the　island；　the　dolomite　battlements　of　the　Hambergfiell　dropping　like　a　stone　into　the　spume…topped　waves　that　lashed　its　base；　with；　standing　out　to　sea；　an　imposing　rock　needle　thrusting　up　at　least　250　feet？：　to　the　northeast；　and　less　than　a　mile　distant；　stood　the　equally　magnificent　Bird　Fell　cliffs　with；　clustered　at　their　foot；　an　incredible　series　of　high　stacks。。　pinnacles　and　arches　that　could　only　have　been　the　handiwork　of　some　Herculean　sculptor；　at　once　both　blind　and　mad。
　All　this　we…about　ten　others　and　myself…could　see　purely　by　courtesy　of　the　fact　that　we　were　on　the　bridge　which　had　its　foreword　screen　windows　equipped　with　a　high…speed　Kent　clear…view　screen　directly　in　front　of　the　helmsman…which　at　this　particular　moment　was　Smithy；While　on　either　side　were　two　very　large　windscreen　wipers　which　coped　rather　less　effectively　with　the　gusting　snow。
　I　was　standing　with　Conrad；　Lonnie；　and　Mary　Stuart　in　front　of　the　port　wiper。　Conrad；　who　was　by　no　means　as　dashing　in　real　life　as　he　was　on　the　screen；　appeared　to　have　struck　up　some　kind　of　diffident　friendship　with　Mary　which；　I　reflected；　was　as　well　for　her　social　life　as　she'd　barely　spoken　to　me　since　the　morning　of　the　previous　day；　which　might　have　been　interpreted　as　being　a　bit　graceless　of　her　considering　I'd　incurred　a　large　variety　of　aches　and　cramps　in　preventing　her　from　falling　to　the　floor　during　most　of　the　preceding　night。　She　hadn't　exactly　avoided　me　in　the　past　twenty…four　hours　but　neither　had　she　sought　me　Out；　maybe　she　had　certain　things　on　her　mind；　such　as　her　conscience　and　her　unforgivable　treatment　of　me：　nor　had　I　exactly　sought　her　out　for　I；　too；　had　a　couple　of　things　on　my　mind；　the　first　of　which　was　herself。
　I　had　developed　towards　her　a　markedly　ambivalent　feeling：　while　I　had　to　be　grateful　to　her　for　having；　however　unwittingly；　saved　my　life　because　her　aversion　to　Scotch　had　prevented　me　from　having　the　last　nightcap　I'd　ever　have　had　in　this　world；　at　the　same　time　she'd　prevented　me　from　moving　around　and；　just　possibly；　stumbling　upon　the　lad　who　had　been　wandering　about　in　the　middle　watches　with　ill…intent　in　his　heart　and　a　sledgehammer　in　his　hand。　That　she；　and　for　whomsoever　she　worked；　knew　beyond　question　that　I　was　a　person　who　might　have　reason　to　be　abroad　at　inconvenient　hours　I　no　longer　doubted。　And　the　second　thing　in　my　mind　was　the　〃whomsoever〃：　I　no　longer　doubted　that　it　was　Heissman　and　perhaps　he　didn't　even　stand　in　need　of　an　acplice：　doctors；　by　the　nature　of　their　profession；　are　even　　more　fallible　and　liable　to　error　than　the　average　run　of　mankind　and　I　might　well　have　been　in　error　when　I'd　seen　him　on　his　bed　in　pain　and　him　unfit　to　move　around。　Moreover；　Goin　apart；　he　was　the　only　man　with　a　cabin　to　himself　and　so　able　to　sally　out　and　return　undetected　by　a　roommate。
　And；　of　course；　there　was　always　this　mysterious　Siberian　background　of　his。　None　of　which；　not　even　his　secret　meeting　with　Mary　Stuart；　was　enough　to　hang　a　cat　on。
　Lonnie　touched　my　arm　and　I　turned。　He　smelt　like　a　distillery。　He　said：　〃Remember　what　we　were　talking　about？　Two　nights　ago。〃
　〃We　talked　about　a　lot　of　things。〃
　〃Bars。〃
　〃Don't　you　ever　think　of　anything　else；　Lonnie？　Bars？　What　bars？〃
　In　the　great　hereafter；〃　Lonnie　said　solemnly。　〃Do　you　think　there　are　any　there？　In　heaven；　I　mean。　I　mean；　you　couldn't　very　well　call　it　heaven　if　there　are　no　bars　there；　now　could　you？　I　mean；　I　wouldn't　call　it　an　act　of　kindness　to　send　an　old　man　like　me　to　a　prohibition　heaven；　now　would　you。　It　wouldn't　be　kind。〃
　〃I　don't　know；　Lonnie。　On　biblical　evidence　I　should　expect　there　would　be　some　wine　around。　And　lots　of　milk　and　honey。〃　Lonnie　looked　pained。　〃What　leads　you　to　expect　that　you're　ever　going　to　be　faced　with　the　problem？〃
　I　was　but　posing　a　hypothetical　question。〃　The　old　man　spoke　with　dignity。　〃It　would　be　positively　un…Christian　to　send　me　there。　God；　I'm　thirsty。　Unkind；　is　what　I　mean。　I　mean；　charity　is　the　greatest　of　Christian　virtues。〃　He　shook　his　head　sadly。　〃An　act　of　the　greatest　uncharity；　my　dear　boy；　the　very　negation　of　the　spirit　of　kindness。〃　Lonnie　gazed　out　through　a　side　window　at　the　fantastically　shaped　islets　of　Keilhous　Of；　Hesteinen；　and　Stappen；　now　directly　off　our　port　beam　and　less　than　half　a　mile　distant。　His　face　was　set　in　lines　of　tranquil　sacrifice。　He　was　as　drunk　as　an　owl。
　〃You　do　believe　in　this　kindness；　Lonnie？〃　I　said　curiously。　After　a　lifetime　in　the　cinema　business　I　didn't　see　how　he　possibly　could。〃
　〃What　else　is　there；　my　dear　boy。〃
　〃Even　to　those　who　don't　deserve　it'；〃
　〃Ah！　Now。　There　is　the　point。　Those　are　the　ones　who　deserve　it　most。〃
　〃Even　Judith　Haynes？〃
　He　looked　as　if　I　had　struck　him　and　when　I　saw　the　expression　on　his　face　I　felt　as　if　I　had　struck　him；　even　although　I　felt　his　to　be　a　mysteriously　exaggerated　reaction。　I　reached　out　a　hand　even　as　I　was　about　to　apologise　for　I　knew　not　what　but　he　turned　away；　a　curious　sadness　on　his　face；　and　left　the　bridge。
　〃Now　I've　seen　the　impossible；〃　Conrad　said。　He　wasn't　smiling　but　he　wasn't　being　censorious　either。　〃Someone　has　at　last　given　offence　to　Lonnie　Gilbert。〃
　〃One　has　to　work　at　it；〃　I　said。　〃I've　transgressed　against　Lonnie's　creed。
　He　thinks　that　I'm　unkind。〃
　〃Unkind〃　Mary　Stuart　laid　a　hand　on　the　arm　I　was　using　to　steady　myself。　The　skin　under　the　brown　eyes　was　perceptibly　darker　than　it　had　been　thirty…six　hours　ago　and　was　even　beginning　to　look　puffy　and　the　whites　of　the　eyes　themselves　were　dulled　and　slightly　tinged　with　red。　She　hesitated；　as　if　about　to　say　something；　then　her　gaze　shifted　to　a　point　over　my　left　shoulder。　I　turned。
　Captain　Imrie　closed　the　starboard　wheelhouse　door　behind　him。　Insofar　as　it　was　possible　to　detect　the　shift　and　play　of　expression　on　that　splendidly　bewhiskered　and　bearded　face　it　seemed　that　the　captain　was　upset；　even　agitated。　He　crossed　directly　to　Smithy　and　spoke　to　him　in　a　low　and　urgent　voice。　Smithy　registered　surprise　then　shook　his　head。　Captain　Imrie　spoke　again；　briefly。　Smithy　shrugged　his　shoulders；　then　said　something　in　return。　Both　men　looked　at　me　and　I　knew　there　was　more　trouble　ing；　if　not　actually　arrived；　if　for　no　reason　other　than　that　so　far　nothing　untoward　had　happened　with　which　I　hadn't　been　directly　or　indirectly　concerned。　Captain　Imrie　fixed　me　with　his　piercing　blue　eyes；　jerked　his　head　with　most　uncharacteristic　peremptoriness　towards　the　chartroom　door　and　headed　for　it　himself。　I　shrugged　my　own　shoulders　in　apology　to　Mary　and　Conrad　and　followed。　Captain　Imrie　closed　the　door　behind　me。
　〃More　trouble；　mister。〃　I　didn't　much　care　for　the　way　he　called　me　（mister。〃　〃One　of　the　film　crew；　John　Halliday；　has　disappeared。〃
　〃Disappeared　where？〃　It　wasn't　a　very　intelligent　question　but　then　it　wasn't　meant　to　be。
　〃That's　what　I'd　like　to　know。〃　I　didn't　much　care　for　the　way　he　looked　at　me　either。
　〃He　can't　just　have　disappeared。　I　mean；　you've　searched　for　him？〃
　〃We've　searched　for　him；　all　right。〃　The　voice　was　harsh　with　strain。
　Trom　anchor　locker　to　stern　post。　He's　not　aboard　the　Morning　Rose。〃
　〃My　God；〃　I　said。　〃This　is　awful。〃　I　looked　at　him　in　what　I　hoped　registered　as　puzzlement。　Tut　why　tell　me　all　this？〃
　Because　I　thought　you　might　be　able　to　help　us。〃
　〃Help　you？　I'd　like　to；　but　how？　I　assume　that　you　can　only　be　approaching　me　in　my　medical　capacity　and　I　can　assure　you　that　there's　absolutely　nothing　in　what　I've　seen　of　him　or　read　in　his　medical　history…〃
　I　wasn't　approaching　you　in　your　bloody　medical　capacity！〃　Captain　Imrie　had　started　to　breathe　very　heavily。　〃I　just　thought　you　might　help　me　in　other　ways。　Bloody　strange；　isn't　it；　mister；　that　you've　been　in　the　thick　of　everything　that's　been　happening？〃　I'd　nothing　to　say　to　this；　I'd　just　been　thinking　the　same　thing　myself。　〃How　it　was　you　who　just　〃happened〃　to　find　Antonio　dead。　How　it　was　you　who　just　〃happened〃　to　go　to　the　bridge　when　Smith　and　Oakley　were　ill。　How　it　was　you　who　went　straight　to　the　stewards〃　cabin　in　the　crew　quarters。　Next　thing；　I　suppose；　you'd　have　gone　straight　to　Mr。　Gerran's　cabin　and　found　him　dead　also；　if　Mr。　Goin　hadn't　had　the　good　luck　to　go　there　first。　And　isn't　it　bloody　strange；　mister；　that　a　doctor；　the　one　person　who　could　have　helped　those　people　and　seemingly　couldn't；　is　the　one　person　aboard　with　enough　medical　knowledge　to　make　them　sick　in　the　first　place？〃
　No　question…looking　at　it　from　his　angle…Captain　Imrie　was　developing　quite　a　reasonable　point　of　view。　I　was　more　than　vaguely　surprised　to　find　that　he　was　capable　of　developing　a　point　of　view　in　the　first　place。
　Clearly；　I'd　been　underestimating　him：　just　how　much　I　was　immediately　to　realise。
　〃And　just　why　were　you　spending　so　much　time　in　the　galley　late　the　night　before　last…when　I　was　in　my　bed；　damn　you？　The　place　where　all　the　poi