alistairmaclean.bearisland-第9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！


d…blown　hair。　They　saw　me；　hesitated；　looked　at　each　other　and　made　to　leave；　but　I　waved　them　in　and　they　came；　closing　the　door　behind　them。　They　staggered　across　to　my　table；　sat　down；　pushed　the　hair　from　their　faces　and　I　identified　them　as　Mary　Darling；　our　continuity　girl；　and　Allen…nobody　knew　whether　he　had　another　name　or　whether　that　was　his　first　or　second　one…the　clapper…loader。　He　was　a　very　earnest　youth　who　had　recently　been　asked　to　leave　his　university。　He　was　an　intelligent　lad　but　easily　bored。　Intelligent　but　a　bit　short　on　wisdom…he　regarded　film…making　as　the　most　glamorous　job　on　earth。
　〃Sorry　to　break　in　on　you　like　this；　Dr。　Marlowe。〃　Allen　was　very　apologetic　；　very　respectful。　〃We　had　no　idea…to　tell　you　the　truth　we　were　both　looking　for　a　place　to　sit　down。〃
　〃And　now　you've　found　a　place。　I'm　just　leaving。　Try　some　of　Mr。　Gerran's　excellent　Scotch…you　both　look　as　if　you　could　do　with　a　little。〃　They　did；　indeed；　look　very　pale。
　〃No；　thank　you；　Dr。　Marlowe。　We　don't　drink。〃　Mary　Darling…everyone　called　her　Mary　darling…was　cast　in　an　even　more　earnest　mould　than　Allen　and　had　a　very　prim　voice　to　go　with　it。　She　had　very　long　straight　almost　platinum　hair　that　fell　any　old　how　down　her　back　and　that　clearly　hadn't　been　submitted　to　the　attentions　of　a　hairdresser　for　years：　she　must　have　broken　Antonio's　heart。　She　wore　a　habitually　severe　expression；　enormous　horn…rimmed　glasses；　no　makeup…not　even　lipstick…and　had　about　her　a　businesslike；　petent；　no…nonsense；　I…can…take…care…of　myself…thank…you　attitude　that　was　so　transparently　false　that　no　one　had　the　heart　to　call　her　bluff。
　〃No　room　at　the　inn？〃　I　asked。
　〃Well；〃　Mary　Darling　said；　〃It's　not　very　private　down　in　the　recreation　room；　is　it？　As　for　those　three　young…young'
　〃The　Three　Apostles　do　their　best；〃　I　said　mildly。　〃Surely　the　lounge　was　empty？〃
　〃It　was　not。〃　Allen　tried　to　look　disapproving　but　I　thought　his　eyes　crinkled。　〃There　was　a　man　there。　In　his　pyjamas。　Mr。　Gilbert。〃
　He　had　a　big　bunch　of　keys　in　his　hands。〃　Mary　Darling　paused；
　pressed　her　lips　together；　and　went　on：　〃He　was　trying　to　open　the　doors　where　Mr。　Gerran　keeps　all　his　bottles。〃
　〃That　sounds　like　Lonnie；〃　I　agreed。　It　was　none　of　my　business。　If　Lonnie　found　the　world　so　sad　and　so　wanting　there　was　nothing　much　I　or　anybody　could　do　about　it：　I　just　hoped　that　Otto　didn't　catch　him　at　it。　I　said　to　Mary：　〃You　could　always　try　your　cabin。〃
　〃Oh；　no！　We　couldn't　do　that！〃
　〃No；　I　suppose　not。〃　I　tried　to　think　why　not；　but　I　was　too　old。　I　took　my　leave　and　passed　through　the　stewards〃　pantry　into　the　galley。　It　was　small；　cow…pact；　immaculately　clean；　a　minor　culinary　symphony　in　stainless　steel　and　white　tile。　At　this　late　hour　I　had　expected　it　to　be　deserted；　but　it　wasn't：　Haggerty；　the　chief　cook；　with　his　regulation　chef's　hat　foursquare　on　his　greying　clipped　hair；　was　bent　over　some　pots　on　a　stove。　He　turned　round；　looked　at　me　in　mild　surprise。
　〃Evening；　Dr。　Marlowe。〃　He　smiled。　〃Carrying　out　a　medical　inspection　of　my　kitchen？〃
　〃With　your　permission；　yes。〃
　He　stopped　smiling。　〃I'm　afraid　I　do　not　understand；　sir。〃　He　could　be　very　stiff；　could　Haggerty；　twenty…five…odd　years　in　the　Royal　Navy　had　left　their　mark。
　〃I'm　sorry。　just　a　formality。　We　seem　to　have　a　case　of　food　poisoning　aboard。　I'm　just　looking　around。〃
　〃Food　poisoning！　Not　from　this　galley；　I　can　assure　you。　Never　had　a　case　in　my　life。〃　Haggerty's　injured　professional　pride　quite　overcame　any　humanitarian　concern　he　might　have　had　about　the　identity　of　the　victim　or　how　severe　his　case　was。　〃Twenty…seven　years　as　a　cook　in　the　Andrew；　Dr。　Marlowe；　last　six　as　chief　on　a　carrier；　and　if　I'm　to　be　told　I　don't　run　a　hygienic　galley…〃
　〃Nobody's　telling　you　anything　of　the　sort。〃　I　used　to　him　the　tone　he　used　to　me。　〃Anyone　can　see　the　place　is　spotless。　If　the　contamination　came　from　this　galley；　it　won't　be　your　fault。〃
　It　didn't　e　from　this　galley。〃　Haggerty　had　a　square　ruddy　face　and　periwinkle　blue　eyes：　the　plexion；　suffused　with　anger；　was　now　two　shades　deeper　and　the　eyes　hostile。　〃Excuse　me；　I'm　busy。〃　He　turned　his　back　and　started　rattling　his　pots　about。　I　do　not　like　people　turning　their　backs　on　me　when　I　am　talking　to　them　and　my　instinctive　reaction　was　to　make　him　face　me　again　but　I　reflected　that　his　pride　had　been　wounded；　justifiably　so　from　his　point　of　view；　so　I　contented　myself　with　the　use　of　words。
　〃Working　very　late；　Mr。　Haggerty'
　〃Dinner　for　the　bridge；〃　he　said　stiffly。　〃Mr。　Smith　and　the　bosun。　They　change　watches　at　eleven　and　eat　together　then。〃
　〃Let's　hope　they're　both　fit　and　well　by　twelve。〃
　He　turned　round　very　slowly。　〃What's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃
　I　mean　that　what's　happened　once　can　happen　again。　You　know　you　haven't　expressed　the　slightest　interest　in　the　identity　of　the　person　who's　been　poisoned　or　how　ill　that　person　is？〃
　I　don't　know　what　you　mean；　sir。〃
　I　find　it　very　peculiar。　Especially　as　the　person　became　violently　ill　just　after　eating　food　prepared　in　this　galley。〃
　I　take　orders　from　Captain　Imrie；〃　he　said　obliquely。　〃Not　from　passengers。
　‘You　know　where　the　captain　is　at　this　time　of　night。　In　bed　and　very；　very　sound　asleep。　It's　no　secret。　Wouldn't　you　like　to　e　with　me　and　see　what　you've　done？　To　look　at　this　poisoned　person。〃　It　wasn't　very　nice　of　me　but　I　didn't　see　what　else　I　could　do。
　〃To　see　what　I've　done！〃　He　turned　away　again；　deliberately　placed　his　pots　to　one　side　and　removed　his　chef's　hat。　〃This　had　better　be　good；　Doctor。〃
　I　led　the　way　below　to　Antonio's　cabin　and　unlocked　the　door。　The　smell　was　revolting。　Antonio　lay　as　I　had　left　him；　except　that　he　looked　a　great　deal　more　dead　now　than　he　had　done　before：　the　blood　had　drained　from　face　and　hands　leaving　them　a　transparent　white。　I　turned　to　Haggerty。
　〃Good　enough？〃
　Haggerty's　face　didn't　turn　white　because　ruddy　faces　with　a　mass　of　broken　red　veins　don't　turn　that　way；　but　it　did　bee　a　peculiar　muddy　brick　colour。　He　stared　down　at　the　dead　man　for　perhaps　ten　seconds；　then　turned　away　and　walked　quickly　up　the　passage。　I　locked　the　door　and　followed；　staggering　from　side　to　side　of　the　passage　as　the　Morning　Rose　rolled　wickedly　in　the　great　troughs。　I　made　my　erratic　way　through　the　dining　saloon；　picked　up　the　Black　Label　from　Captain　Imrie's　wrought…iron　stand；　smiled　pleasantly　at　Mary　Darling　and　Allen…Cod　knows　what　thoughts　were　in　their　minds　as　I　passed　through…and　returned　to　the　galley。　Haggerty　joined　me　after　thirty　seconds。　He　was　looking　ill　and　I　knew　he　had　been　ill。　I　had　no　doubt　that　he　had　seen　a　great　deal　during　his　lifetime　at　sea　but　there　is　something　peculiarly　horrifying　about　the　sight　of　a　man　who　has　died　violently　from　poisoning。　I　poured　him　three　fingers　of　Scotch　and　he　downed　it　at　a　gulp。　He　coughed；　and　either　the　coughing　or　the　Scotch　brought　some　colour　back　to　his　face。
　〃What　was　it？〃　His　voice　was　husky。　〃What…what　kind　of　poison　could　kill　a　man　like　that？　God；　I've　never　seen　anything　so　awful。〃
　I　don't　know。　That's　what　I　want　to　find　out。　May　I　look　round　now？〃
　〃Christ；　yes。　Don't　rub　it　in；　Doctor…well；　I　didn't　know；　did　I？　What　do　you　want　to　see　first？〃
　〃It's　ten　past　eleven；〃　I　said。
　〃Ten　past…my　God；　I'd　forgotten　all　about　the　bridge。〃　He　prepared　the　bridge　dinner　with　remarkable　speed　and　efficiency…two　cans　of　orange　juice；　a　tin　opener；　a　flask　of　soup；　and　then　the　main　course　in　snap…lidded　metal　canteens。　Those　he　dumped　in　a　wicker　basket　along　with　cutlery　and　two　bottles　of　beer　and　the　whole　preparation　took　just　over　a　minute。
　While　he　was　away…which　wasn't　for　more　than　two　minutes…I　examined　what　little　open　food　supplies　Haggerty　carried　in　his　galley；　both　on　shelves　and　in　a　large　refrigerator。　Even　had　I　been　capable　of　it；　which　I　wasn't；　I'd　no　facilities　aboard　for　analysing　food；　so　I　had　to　rely　on　sight；　taste；　and　smell。　There　was　nothing　amiss　that　I　could　see。　As　Haggerty　had　said；　he　ran　a　hygienic　galley；　immaculate　food　in　immaculate　containers。
　Haggerty　returned。　I　said；　〃Tonight's　menu；　again。〃
　〃Orange　juice　or　pineapple　juice；　oxtail…〃
　〃All　tinned？〃　He　nodded。　〃Let's　see　some。〃　I　opened　two　tins　of　each；　six　in　all；　and　sampled　them　under　Haggerty's　now　very　apprehensive　eye。　They　tasted　the　way　those　tinned　products　usually　taste；　which　is　to　say　that　they　didn't　taste　of　anything　very　much　at　all；　but　all　perfectly　innocuous　in　their　pallid　fashion。
　〃Main　course？〃　I　said。　〃Lamb　chops；　Brussels；　horse…radish；　boiled　potatoes？〃
　〃Right。　But　these　things　aren't　kept　here。〃　He　took　me　to　the　adjacent　cool　room；　where　the　fruits　and　vegetables　were　stored；　thence　below　to　the　cold　room；　where　sides　of　beef　and　pork　and　mutton　swung　eerily　from　steel　hooks　in　the　harsh　light　of　naked　bulbs。　I　found　precisely　what　I　had　expected　to　find；　nothing；　told　Haggerty　that　whatever　had　happened　was　clearly　no　fault　of　his；　then　made　my　way　to　the　upper　deck　and　along　an　interior　passage　till　I　came　to　Captain　Imrie's　cabin。　I　tried　the　handle；　but　it　was　locked。　I　knocked　several　times；　without　result。　I　hammered　it　until　my　knuckles　rebelled；　then　kicked　it；　all　with　the