alistairmaclean.bearisland-第55部分

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　There　was　a　prolonged　silence；　then　Lonnie　said　in　a　voice　so　low　that　it　was　a　barely　heard　whisper：　〃That's　not　what　I　was　told。〃
　〃Tra　sure　it　wasn't；　Unnic。　lly　car；　yes。　But　I　wasn't　driving　it。　Michael　wasn't　driving　it。〃
　〃But…you　won't　deny　that　my　daughters　were…well；　incapable；　that　night。　And　that　you　were　too。　And　that　you　made　them　that　way？〃
　〃Ttn　not　denying　anything。　We　all　had　too　much　to　drink　that　night　…that's　why　I've　never　drunk　since；　Lonnie。　I　don't　know　who　was　responsible。　All　I　know　is　that　Michael　and　I　never　left　the　house。　Good　God；　do　you　think　I　have　to　tell　you　this…now；　that　Michael　is　dead？〃
　〃No。　No；　you　don't。　Then…then　who　was　driving　your　car？〃
　〃Two　other　people。　Two　men。〃
　〃Two　men？　And　you've　been　protecting　them　all　those　years。〃　〃Protecting？　No；　I　wouldn't　use　the　word　〃protecting。〃　Except　inadvertently。　No；　I　didn't　put　that　well；　I　mean…well；　any　protection　given　was　just　incidental　to　something　else　we　really　wanted。　Our　own　selfish　ends；　I　suppose　you　could　call　it。　Everybody　knows　well　enough　that　Michael　and　I…well；　we　weren't　criminals　but　we　always　had　an　eye　on　the　main　chance。〃
　〃Two　men。〃　It　was　almost　as　if　Lonnie　hadn't　been　listening　to　a　word　she'd　said。　〃Two　men。　You　must　know　them。〃
　Another　silence；　then　she　said　quietly：　〃Of　course。〃
　Once　more　an　infuriating　silence；　I　even　stopped　breathing　in　case　I　were　to　miss　the　next　few　words。　But　I　wasn't　given　the　chance　either　to　miss　them　or　to　hear　them　for　a　harsh　and　hostile　voice　behind　me　said：　〃What　in　the　devil　do　you　think　you　are　doing　here；　sir？〃
　I　refrained　from　doing　what　I　felt　like　doing；　which　was　to　let　loose　with　a　few　choice　and　uninhibited　phrases；　turned　and　looked　up　to　find　Otto's　massively　pear…shaped　bulk　looming　massively　above　me。　His　fists　were　clenched；　his　puce　plexion　had　darkened　dangerously；　his　eyes　were　glaring　and　his　lips　were　clamped　in　a　thin　line　that　threatened　to　disappear　at　any　moment。
　〃You　look　upset；　Mr。　Gerran；〃　I　said。　〃In　point　of　fact；　I　was　eavesdropping。〃　I　pushed　myself　to　my　feel？；　dusted　off。　the　knees　of　my　trousers；　straightened　and　dusted　off。　my　hands。　I　can　explain　everything。〃
　〃I'm　waiting　for　your　explanation。〃　He　was　fractionally　more　livid　than　ever。　It　should　be　interesting；　Dr。　Marlowe。〃
　I　only　said　I　can　explain　everything。　Can；　Mr。　Gerran。　That　doesn't　mean　I've　got　any　intention　of　explaining　anything。　e　to　that；　what　are　you　doing　here？〃
　〃What　am　I　What　am　I？　He　spluttered　into　outraged　speechlessness；　the　year's　top　candidate　for　an　instant　coronary。　〃God　damn　your　impudence；　sir！　I'm　about　to　go　on　watch！　What　are　you　doing　at　my　daughter's　door？　I'm　surprised　you're　not　looking　through　that　keyhole；　Marlowe；　instead　of　listening　at　it！〃
　I　don't　have　to　look　through　keyholes；〃　I　said　reasonably。　〃Miss　Haynes　is　my　patient　and　I'm　a　doctor。　If　I　want　to　see　her　I　just　open　the　door　and　walk　in。　Well；　then；　now　that　you're　on　watch；　I'll　be　on　my　way。　Bed。　I'm　tired。〃
　〃Bed！　Bed！　By　God；　I　swear　this；　Marlowe；　you'll　regret…who's　in　there　with　her？〃
　〃Lonnie　Gilbert。〃
　〃Lonnie　Gilbert！　What　in　the　name　of　hell…stand　aside；　sir！　Let　me　pass！〃
　I　barred　his　way…physically。　It　was　like　stopping　a　small　tank　upholstered　in　Dunlopillo　but　I　had　the　advantage　of　having　my　back　to　the　wall　and　he　brought　up　a　foot　short　of　the　door。　I　wouldn't；　if　I　were　you。　They're　having　a　rather　painful　moment；　in　there。　Lost；　one　might　say；　in　the　far　from　sweet　remembrance　of　things　past。〃
　〃What　the　devil　do　you　mean？　What　are　you　trying　to　tell　me；　you　eavesdropper？〃
　〃I'm　not　trying　to　tell　you　anything。　Maybe；　though；　you'd　tell　me　something？　Maybe　you　would　like　to　tell　me　something　about　that　car　crash…I　assume　that　it　must　have　been　in　California…in　which　Lonnie　Gilbert's　wife　and　two　children　were　killed　a　long；　long　time　ago？〃
　He　stopped　being　livid。　He　even　stopped　being　his　normal　puce。　Colour　drained　from　his　face　to　leave　it　ugly　and　mottled　and　stained　with　grey。　〃Car　crash？〃　He'd　a　much　better　control　over　his　voice　than　he　had　over　his　plexion。　〃What　do　you　mean　car　crash；　sir？〃
　I　don't　know　what　I　mean。　That's　why　I'm　asking　you。　I　heard　Lonnie；　just　snippets；　talking　about　his　family's　fatal　car　crash　and　as　your　daughter　seemed　to　know　something　about　it　I　assumed　you　would；　too。〃
　I　don't　know　what　he's　talking　about。　Nor　you。〃　Otto；　who　seemed　suddenly　to　have　lost　all　his　inquisitorial　predilections；　wheeled　and　walked　up　the　passage　to　the　centre　of　the　cabin。　I　followed　and　walked　to　the　outer　door。　Smithy　was　in　for　a　hike；　I　thought；　no　doubt　about　it　now。　Although　the　cold　was　as　intense　as　ever；　the　snow　had　stopped；　the　west　wind　dropped　away　to　no　more　than　an　icily　gentle　breeze…the　fact　that　we　were　now　in　the　lee　of　the　Antarcticflell　might　have　accounted　for　that…and　there　were　quite　large　patches　of　star…studded　sky　all　around。　There　was　a　curious　lightness；　a　luminescence　in　the　atmosphere；　too　much　to　be　accounted　for　by　the　presence　of　stars　alone。　I　walked　out　a　few　paces　until　I　was　clear　of　the　main　cabin　and　low　to　the　south　I　could　see　a　three…quarter　moon　riding　in　an　empty　sky。
　I　went　back　inside　and　as　I　closed　the　door　I　saw　Lonnie　crossing　the　main　living　area；　heading；　I　assumed；　for　his　cubicle。　He　walked　uncertainly；　like　a　man　not　seeing　too　well；　and　as　he　went　by　close　to　me　I　could　see　that　his　eyes　were　masked　in　tears：　I　would　have　given　a　lot　to　know　just　what　it　had　been　that　had　been　responsible　for　those　tears。　It　was　a　mark　of　Lonnie's　…emotional　upset　that　he　did　not　so　much　as　glance　at　the　still　three…quarter　full　bottle　of　Scotch　on　the　small　table　by　which　Otto　was　sitting。　He　didn't　even　so　much　as　look　at　Otto：　more　extraordinarily　still　Otto　didn't　even　look　up　at　Lonnie's　passing。　In　the　mood　he'd　been　in　when　he'd　accosted　me　outside　his　daughter's　door　I'd　have　expected　him　to　question　Lonnie　pretty　closely；　probably　with　both　hands　around　the　old　man's　neck：　but　Otto's　mood；　clearly；　had　undergone　a　considerable　sea　change。
　I　was　walking　towards　Luke；　bent　on　rousing　the　faithful　watch　dog　from　his　slumbers；　when　Otto　suddenly　heaved　his　bulk　upright　and　made　his　way　down　the　passage　towards　his　daughter's　cubicle。　I　didn't　even　hesitate；　in　for　a　penny；　in　for　a　pound。　I　followed　him　and　took　up　my　by　now　accustomed　station　outside　Judith　Haynes's　door　although　this　time　I　didn't　have　to　have　recourse　to　the　keyhole　again　as　Otto；　in　what　was　presumably　his　agitation；　had　left　the　door　considerately　ajar。　Otto　was　addressing　his　daughter　in　a　low　harsh　voice　that　was　noticeably　lacking　in　filial　affection。
　〃What　have　you　been　saying；　you　young　she…devil？　What　have　you　been　saying？　Car　crash？　Car　crash？　What　lies　have　you　been　telling　Gilbert；　you　blackmailing　little　bitch？〃
　〃Get　out　of　here！〃　Judith　Haynes　had　abandoned　the　use　of　her　dull　and　expressionless　voice；　although　probably　involuntarily。　〃Leave　me；　you　horrible；　evil；　old　man。　Get　out；　get　out；　get　out！〃
　I　leaned　more　closely　to　the　crack　between　door　and　jamb。　It　wasn't　every　day　one　had　the　opportunity　to　listen　to　those　family　tete…e…tetes。
　〃By　God；　and　I'll　not　have　my　own　daughter　cross　me。〃　Otto　had　forgotten　the　need　to　talk　in　a　low　voice。　〃I've　put　up　with　more　than　enough　from　you　and　that　other　idle　worthless　bastard　of　a　blackmailer。　What　did　you…〃
　〃You　dare　to　talk　of　Michael　like　that？〃　Her　voice　had　gone　very　quiet　and　I　shivered　involuntarily　at　the　sound　of　it。　〃You　talk　of　him　like　that　and　he's　lying　dead。　Murdered。　My　husband。　Well；　Father　dear；　can　I　tell　you　about　something　you　don't　know　that　I　know　he　was　blackmailing　you　with。　Shall　I；　Father　dear？　And　shall　I　tell　it　to　Johann　Heissman；　too？〃
　There　was　a　silence；　then　Otto　said：　〃You　venomous　little　bitch！〃　He　sounded　as　if　he　was　trying　to　choke　himself。
　Venomous！　Venomous！〃　She　laughed；　a　cracked　and　chilling　sound。
　〃ing　from　you；　that's　rich。　e　now；　Daddy　dear；　surely　you　remember　I938…why；　even　I　can　remember　it。　Poor　old　Johann；　he　ran；　and　ran；　and　ran；　and　all　the　time　he　ran　the　wrong　way。　Poor　Uncle　Johann。
　That's　what　you　taught　me　to　call　him　then；　wasn't　it；　Daddy　dear？　Uncle　Johann。〃
　I　left；　not　because　I　had　heard　all　that　I　wanted　to　hear　but　because　I　thought　that　this　was　a　conversation　that　was　not　going　to　last　very　long　and　I　could　foresee　a　degree　of　awkwardness　arising　if　Otto　caught　me　outside　his　daughter's　door　a　second　time。　Besides…I　checked　the　time　Jungbeck；　Otto's　watchmate；　was　due　to　make　his　appearance　just　at　that　moment　and　I　didn't　want　him　to　find　me　where　I　was　and；　very　likely；　lose　no　time　in　telling　his　boss　about　it。　So　I　returned　to　Luke；　decided　that　there　was　no　point　in　awakening　him　only　to　tell　him　to　go　to　sleep　again；　poured　myself　a　sort　of　morning　nightcap　and　was　about　to　savour　it　when　I　heard　a　feminine　voice　scream　〃Get　out；　get　out；　get　out〃　and　saw　Otto　emerging　hurriedly　from　his　daughter's　cubicle　and　as　hurriedly　close　the　door　behind　him。　He　waddled　swiftly　into　the　middle　of　the　cabin；　seized　the　whisky　bottle　without　as　much　as　by…your…leave…true；　it　was　his　own；　but　he　didn't　know　that…poured　himself　a　brimming　meas