alistairmaclean.bearisland-第44部分

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wn　him　well　enough　by　then　to　realise　that　he　was　incapable　of　either　dissimulation　or　duplicity：　he　looked　as　sad　as　he　sounded。
　〃Lonnie；〃　I　said；　〃you　never　cease　to　astonish　me。〃　I　lit　the　oil　stove；　put　some　water　on　to　heat；　then　turned　to　Stryker。　Both　Smithy　and　Conrad　were　waiting　and　words　were　unnecessary。　Lonnie　insisted　on　ing　with　us；　to　open　doors　and　hold　a　flashlight：　we　left　Stryker　in　the　tractor　shed　and　went　back　to　the　main　cabin。　Smithy　and　Conrad　went　inside　but　Lonnie　showed　no　intentions　of　following　them。　He　stood　there　as　if　deep　in　thought；　seemingly　oblivious　of　a　wind　now　strong　enough　to　have　to　lean　against；　of　a　thickening　driving　snow　now　approaching　the　proportions　of　a　blizzard；　of　the　intense　and　steadily　deepening　cold。　I　think　I'll　stay　out　here　a　bit；〃　he　said。　〃Nothing　like　a　little　fresh　air　to　clear　the　head。〃
　〃No；　indeed；〃　I　said。　I　took　the　torch　from　him　and　directed　its　beam　at　the　nearest　hut。　In　there。　On　the　left。〃　Wherever　else　Olympus　Productions　may　have　fallen　short　in　the　missariat　department；　it　hadn't　been　in　the　line　of　alcoholic　stimulants。
　〃My　dear　fellow。〃　He　retrieved　his　torch　with　a　firm　grasp。　I　personally　supervised　its　storage。〃
　〃And　not　even　a　lock　to　contend　with；〃　I　said。
　〃And　what　if　there　was？　Otto　would　give　me　the　key。〃
　〃Otto　would　give　you　a　key？〃　I　said　carefully。
　〃Of　course。　Do　you　think　I'm　a　professional　safe…cracker　who　goes　around　festooned　with　strings　of　skeleton　keys？　Who　do　you　think　gave　me　the　keys　to　the　lounge　locker　on　the　Morning　Rose　
　〃Otto　did？〃　I　said　brightly。
　〃Of　course。〃
　〃What　kind　of　blackmail　are　you　using；　Lonnie？〃
　〃Otto　is　a　very　very　kind　man；〃　Lonnie　said　seriously。　I　thought　I'd　told　you　that？〃
　〃I'd　just　forgotten。〃　I　watched　him　thoughtfully　as　he　plodded　purposefully　through　the　deep　snow　towards　the　provisions　hut；　then　went　inside　the　main　cabin。　Most　of　the　people　inside；　now　that　Stryker　had　gone；　had　transferred　their　attention　to　Allen　who　was　clearly　self…consciously　aware　of　this；　for　he　no　longer　had　his　arm　around　Mary　although　he　still　dabbed　at　her　cheek　with　a　handkerchief。　Conrad；　who　had　clearly　bee　more　than　a　little　smitten　by　Mary　Stuart　for　he'd　sought　out　her　pany　whenever　possible　in　the　past　two　days；　was　sitting　beside　her　chafing　one　of　her　hands…I　assumed　she'd　been　plaining　of　the　temperature　which　was　still　barely　above　freezing…and　although　she　seemed　half…reluctant　and　was　smiling　in　some　embarrassment；　she　wasn't　objecting　to　the　extent　of　making　a　song　and　dance　about　it。　Otto；　Goin；　the　Count；　and　Divine　were　talking　in　low　voices　near　one　of　the　oil　stoves：　Divine；　not　surprisingly；　was　there　not　in　the　capacity　of　a　contributor　to　the　conversation　but　as　a　bartender　for　he　was　laying　out　glasses　and　bottles　under　Otto's　fussy　direction。　Otto　beckoned　me　across。
　〃After　what　we've　just　been　through；〃　he　said；　I　think　we're　all　badly　in　need　of　a　restorative。〃　That　Otto　should　be　lashing　out　so　recklessly　with　his　private　supplies　was　sufficient　indication　of　the　extent　to　which　he　had　been　shaken。　〃It　will　also　give　us　time　to　decide　what　to　do　with　him。〃
　〃Who？〃
　〃Allen；　of　course。〃
　〃Ah。　Well；　I'm　sorry；　I'm　afraid　you　gentlemen　will　have　to　count　me　out　for　both　drink　and　deliberations。〃　I　nodded　to　Allen　and　Mary　Darling；　both　of　whom　were　watching　us　with　some　degree　of　apprehension。
　〃A　little　patching　up　to　do　there。　Excuse　me。〃
　I　took　the　now　hot　water　from　the　oil　stove；　brought　it　into　my　cubicle；　put　a　white　cloth　on　the　rickety　table　that　was　there；　laid　out　a　basin；　instruments；　and　what　medicaments　I　thought　I'd　require　then　returned　to　where　Conrad　and　Mary　Stuart　were　sitting　in　the　main　body　of　the　cabin。
　Like　all　the　other　little　groups　in　the　cabin　they　were　talking　in　voices　so　low　as　to　be　virtually　whispering；　whether　from　a　desire　for　privacy　or　because　they　still　felt　themselves　to　be　in　the　presence　of　death　I　didn't　know。　Conrad；　to　my　plete　lack　of　surprise；　was　now　industriously　massaging　her　other　hand　and　as　that　was　her　left　or　faraway　one　I　assumed　that　he　hadn't　had　to　fight　for　it。
　I　said：　〃I'm　sorry　to　interrupt　the　first　aid　but　I　want　to　patch　up　young　Allen　a　bit。　I　wonder　if　〃Mary　dear　will　look　after　Mary　darling　for　a　bit？〃
　〃Mary　dear？〃　Conrad　raised　an　enquiring　eyebrow。
　〃To　distinguish　her　from　Mary　darling；〃　I　explained。　〃It's　what　I　call　her　when　we're　alone　in　the　long　watches　of　the　night。〃　She　smiled　slightly　but　that　was　her　only　reaction。
　〃Mary　dear；〃　Conrad　said　appreciatively。　I　like　it。　May　I　call　you　that？〃
　I　don't　know；〃　she　said　mock…seriously。　〃Perhaps　it's　copyright。〃
　〃He　can　have　the　patent　under　licence；〃　I　said。　I　can　always　rescind　it。　What　were　you　two　being　so　conspiratorial　about？〃
　〃Ah；　yes；〃　Conrad　said。　〃Your　opinion；　Doe。　That　stone　out　there；　I　mean　the　lump　of　rock　Stryker　was　clobbered　with。　I'd　guess　the　weight　about　seventy　pounds。　Would　you？〃
　〃The　same。〃
　I　asked　Mary　here　if　she　could　lift　a　rock　like　that　above　her　head　and　she　said　don't　be　ridiculous。〃
　〃〃Unless　she's　an　Olympic　weight…lifter　in　disguise；　well；　yes；　you　are　ridiculous。　She　couldn't。　Why？〃
　〃Well；　just　look　at　her。〃　He　nodded　across　at　the　other　Mary。　〃Skin　and　bone；　just　skin　and　bone。　Now　how…〃
　I　wouldn't　let　Allen　hear　you。〃
　〃You　know　what　I　mean。　A　rock　that　size。　〃Murderess；〃　Judith　Haynes　called　her。　Well；　so　OK；　she　was　out　there　looking　with　the　others；　but　how　on　earth…〃
　I　think　Miss　Haynes　had　something　else　in　mind；〃　I　said。　I　left　them；　beckoned　to　Allen　then　turned　to　Smithy　who　was　sitting　close　by。　I　require　a　surgery　assistant。　Feeling　up　to　it　now？〃
　〃Sure。〃　He　rose。　〃Anything　to　take　my　mind　off　Captain　Imrie　and　the　report　be　must　be　writing　out　about　me　right　now。〃
　There　was　nothing　I　could　do　to　Allen's　face　that　nature　couldn't　do　better　so　I　concentrated　on　the　gash　on　the　back　of　his　head。　I　froze　it；　shaved　the　area　around　it　and　jerked　my　head　to　Smithy　to　have　a　look。
　He　did　this　and　his　eyes　widened　a　little　but　he　said　nothing。　I　put　eight　stitches　in　the　wound　and　covered　it　with　plaster。　During　all　of　this　we　hadn't　exchanged　a　word　and　Allen　was　obviously　very　conscious　of　this。　He　said：　〃You　haven't　got　much　to　say　to　me；　have　you；　Dr。　Marlowe？〃
　〃A　good　tradesman　doesn't　talk　on　the　job。〃
　〃You're　just　thinking　what　all　the　others　are　thinking；　aren't　you？〃
　I　don't　know。　I　don't　know　what　all　the　others　are　thinking。　Well；　that's　it。　Just　b　your　hair　straight　back　and　no　one　will　know　you're　prematurely　bald。〃
　〃Yes。　Thank　you。〃　He　turned　and　faced　me；　hesitated　and　said：　It　does　look　pretty　black　against　me；　doesn't　it？〃
　〃Not　to　a　doctor。〃
　‘You…you　mean　you　don't　think　I　did　it？〃
　〃It's　not　a　matter　of　thinking。　It's　a　matter　of　knowing。　Look；　all　in　all　you've　had　a　pretty　rough　day；　you're　more　shaken　up　than　you　realise　and　when　that　anaesthetic　wears　off　you're　going　to　hurt　a　bit。　Your　cubicle's　next　to　mine；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Yes；　but…〃
　〃Go　and　lie　down　for　a　couple　of　hours。〃
　〃Yes；　but…〃
　〃And　I'll　send　Mary　through　when　I've　finished　with　her。〃
　He　made　to　speak；　then　nodded　wearily　and　left。　Smithy　said：　〃That　was　nasty。　The　back　of　his　head；　I　mean。　It　must　have　been　one　helluva　clout。〃
　〃He's　been　lucky　that　his　skull　isn't　fractured。　Doubly　lucky　in　that　he's　not　even　concussed。〃
　〃Uh…huh。〃　Smithy　thought　for　a　moment。　〃Look；　I'm　not　a　doctor　and　I'm　not　very　good　at　Goining　phrases　but　doesn't　this　put　a　rather　different　plexion　upon　matters？〃
　〃I　am　a　doctor　and　it　does。〃
　He　thought　some　more。　〃Especially　when　you　have　a　close　look　at　Stryker？〃
　〃Especially　that。〃
　I　brought　Mary　Darling　in。　She　was　very　pale；　still　apprehensive　and　had　a　little　girl　lost　look　about　her　but　she　had　herself　under　control。　She　looked　at　Smithy；　made　as　if　to　speak；　hesitated；　changed　her　mind　and　let　me　get　on　with　doing　what　I　could。　I　cleaned　and　disinfected　the　scratches；　taped　them　up　carefully　and　said：　〃It'll　itch　like　fury　for　a　bit　but　if　you　can　resist　the　temptation　to　haul　the　plasters　off　then　you'll　have　no　scars。
　〃Thank　you；　Doctor。　I'll　try。〃　She　looked　very　wan。　〃Can　I　speak　to　you；　please？〃
　〃Of　course。〃　She　looked　at　Smithy　and　I　said：　‘You　can　speak　freely。
　I　promise　you　it　will　go　no　further。〃
　〃Yes；　yes；　I　know；　but…〃
　〃Mr。　Gerran　is　dispensing　free　Scotch　out　there；〃　Smithy　said　and　made　for　the　door。　〃I'd　never　forgive　myself　if　I　passed　up　an　experience　that　can　happen　only　once　in　a　lifetime。〃
　She　had　me　by　the　lapels　even　before　Smithy　had　the　door　fully　closed　behind　him。　There　was　a　frantic　worry　in　her　face；　a　sick　misery　in　the　eyes　that　made　me　realise　just　how　much　it　had　cost　her　to　maintain　her　posure　while　Smithy　had　been　there。
　〃Allen　didn't　do　it；　Dr。　Marlowe！　He　didn't；　I　know　he　didn't；　I　swear　he　didn't。　I　know　things　look　awful　for　him；　the　fight　they　had　this　morning　；　and　now　this　other　fight　and　that　button　in…in　Mr。　Stryker's　hand　and　everything。　But　I　know　he　didn't；　he　told　me　he　didn't；　Allen　couldn't　tell　a　lie；　he　wouldn't　tell　me　a　lie！　And　he　couldn't　hurt　anything；　I　mean　just　not　kill　anybody；　I　mean　hurt　anybody；　he　just　coul