alistairmaclean.bearisland-第25章

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　〃Maybe　he'd　better　not　be　my　friend　either；〃　I　said。
　〃All　this　ridiculous　secrecy　they　harp　on　in　this　clap…trap。　To　protect　the　importance　of　their　damned　screenplay。　A　hundred　gets　one　it's　a　screen　to　protect　something　an　awful　lot　more　important　than　their　screenplay。　Another　hundred　gets　one　that　there's　no　screenplay　in　the　bank　vaults　they　speak　of　for　the　reason　that　there　is　no　screenplay。　And　their　shooting　schedule　for　Bear　Island。　Have　you　read　that？　It's　not　even　ic。　Just　a　lot　of　unrelated　incidents　about　caves；　and　mysterious　motorboats　and　shooting　dummy　submarines　and　climbing　cliffs　and　falling　into　the　sea　and　dying　in　Arctic　snows　that　any　Eve…year…old　could　have　dreamed　up。
　〃You've　got　a　very　suspicious　mind；　Smithy；〃　I　said。
　〃Have　I　not？　And　this　young　Polish　actress；　the　blonde　one…〃
　〃Latvian。　Mary　Stuart。　What　of　her？〃
　〃A　strange　one。　Aloof　and　alone。　Never　mixes。　But　…when　there's　illness　on　the　bridge；　or　in　Otto's　cabin　or　in　the　cabin　of　that　young　lad　they　call　the　Duke；　who's　there？　Who　but　our　friend　Mary　Stuart。〃
　〃She's　a　kind　of　Samaritan。　Would　you　be　so　conspicuous　if　you　wanted　to　avoid　attention？〃
　〃Might　be　the　very　best　way　to　achieve　it。　But　if　that's　not　the　case　why　make　a　point　of　being　so　damned　inconspicuous　just　now　when　meeting　Heissman　in　a　blizzard　on　the　afterdeck？〃
　I　would　very　much　rather；　I　thought；　have　Smith　for　me　than　against　me。　I　said：　〃A　romantic　assignation；　perhaps？〃
　〃With　Heissman？〃
　〃You're　not　a　girl；　Smithy。〃
　〃No。〃　He　grinned　briefly。　〃But　I've　met　〃em；　Why　are　all　the　big　nobs　on　the　management　side　so　pally　with　Otto　in　public　and　so　critical　in　private？　Why　is　a　cameraman　a　director？　Why…〃
　〃flow　did　you　know　that？〃
　〃Uh…huh。　So　you　knew　too。　Because　Captain　Imrie　showed　me　this　guarantee　thing　that　you　and　the　directors　of　Olympus　had　signed：　the　Count　had　signed　as　one　of　them。　Why　is　the　director；　this　Divine　fellow　who　is　supposed　to　be　so　good　at　his　job　so　scared　of　Otto；　while　Lonnie；　who　is　not　only　a　permanent　alcoholic　layabout　but　latches　on　to　Otto's　private　hooch　supplies　with　impunity；　doesn't　give　a　damn　about　him？〃
　〃Tell　me；　Smithy；〃　I　said；　〃Just　how　much　time　have　you　been　devoting　lately　to　steering　and　navigating　this　boat？〃
　〃Hard　to　say。　just　about　as　much　time；　I　would　say；　as　you　have　been　to　the　practice　of　medicine。〃
　I　didn't　say　〃Touche〃　or　anything　like　that；　I　just　let　Smithy　pour　some　more　of　the　aconite…free　drink　into　my　glass　and　looked　out　the　window　at　the　grey　swirling　icy　world　beyond。　So　many　whys；　Smithy；　so　many　whys。　Why　had　Mary　been　foregathering　clandestinely　with　Heissman　when　the　Heissman　I'd　observed　last　night　had　been　so　clearly　unwell　as　to　be　unable　to　indulge　in　any　skullduggery…not　that　this　ruled　out　the　chilling　possibility　that　Heissman　might　be　one　of　two　or　more　who　held　life　so　lightly　and　might　easily　be　either　a　principal　or　a　go…between？
　Why　had　Otto；　though　himself　a　poisoning　victim；　reacted　so　violently　including　having　been　violently　ill…when　he'd　heard　that　Antonio　had　been　a　poisoning　victim？　Had　Cecil's　larder　raid　been　as　innocuous　as　he　had　claimed？　Had　Sandy's？　Who　had　checked　on　the　aconitine　article；　disposed　of　the　leftovers　in　the　galley；　been　in　my　cabin　during　the　night　and　searched　my　baggage？　Why　had　he　searched　my　baggage？　This　extremely　active　poisoner；　the　same　man；　perhaps；　who　had　doctored　the　Scotch　bottle；　clobbered　me　and　been　responsible　for　Halliday's　death？
　Again；　was　there　more　than　one　of　them？　And　if　Halliday　had　died　accidentally；　as　I　was　sure　he　had；　then　why　had　he　e　to　the　saloon；　where　his　visit；　I　was　equally　sure；　had　not　been　accidental？
　It　was　all　so　full　of　〃ifs〃　and　〃buts〃　that　I　was　beginning　to　clutch　at　ridiculous　straws　rather　than　fight　my　way　through　the　impenetrable　fog。
　What　accounted　for　Lonnie's　diatribe…for　it　had　amounted　to　no　less　against　Judith　Haynes　to　the　effect　that　she　detested　all　mankind；　especially　when　they　were　womankind。　No　doubt　Miss　Haynes　was　as　capable　of　being　catty　and　jealous　as　many　other　otherwise　likeable　females　are　but　one　would　have　thought　that　she　had　too　much　going　for　her　in　the　way　of　wealth；　success；　fame；　position；　and　looks　to　have　to　bother　too　much　about　despising　every　woman　she　met。　But　if　that　were　so；　why　had　she　cold…shouldered　Mary　darling？
　But　what　could　that　have　to　do　with　murder？　I　didn't　know；　but　nothing　the　slightest　bit　odd；　I　thought　gloomily；　could　be　dismissed　out　of　hand　as　having　nothing　to　do　with　the　very　odd　goings…on　aboard　the　Morning　Rose。　Were　Jungbeck　and　Heyter；　for　instance；　to　be　considered　as　being　possibly　under　suspicion　because　one　had　recently　followed　me　from　the　saloon…especially　as　Conrad　had　earlier　thrown　a　degree　of　suspicion　on　them　by　disclaiming　all　knowledge　of　them　as　actors？　Or　did　this　factor　of　apparently　throwing　suspicion　bring　Conrad　himself　under　just　the　tiniest　cloud？　Dammit　to　hell；　I　thought　wearily；　if　I　keep　on　thinking　like　this　I'll　he　casting　young　Allen　as　the　master　poisoner　just　because　he'd　told　me　that　he'd　once　studied　chemistry；　briefly；　at　university。
　〃A　penny　for　your　thoughts；　Dr。　Marlowe。〃　Smithy　wasn't　very　much　of　a　one　for　letting　his　face　act　as　a　front　man　for　his　mind。
　〃Don't　throw　your　money　away。　What　thoughts？〃
　〃Two　thoughts。　Two　kinds　of　thoughts。　All　the　thoughts　you're　having　about　all　the　things　you're　not　telling　me　and　all　the　guilty　thoughts　you're　having　about　not　telling　me　them。〃
　〃It's　like　a　rule　of　nature；〃　I　said。　〃Some　people　are　always　more　liable　to　have　injustices　done　to　them　than　others。〃
　〃So　you've　told　me　all　your　thoughts？〃
　〃No。　But　the　ones　I　haven't　told　aren't　worth　the　telling。　Now；　if　I　had　some　facts…'
　〃So　you　admit　something　is　pretty　far　wrong？〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　〃And　you've　told　me　everything　you　know；　just　not　everything　you　think？〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　I　speak　in　sorrow；〃　Smithy　said；　〃for　my　lost　illusions　about　the　medical　profession。〃　He　reached　up　under　the　hood　of　my　parka；　pulled　down　the　scarf　around　my　neck　and　stared　at　what　was　by　now　the　great　multicoloured　and　blood…encrusted　weal　on　my　neck。　〃Jesus！　That　is　something。
　What　happened　to　you？〃
　I　fell。〃
　〃The　Marlowes　of　this　world　don't　fall。　They're　pushed。　Where　did　you　fall？〃　I　didn't　much　care　for　the　all　but　imperceptible　accent　on　the　word　〃fall。〃
　〃Upper　deck。　Port　side。　I　struck　my　neck　on　the　storm　sill　of　the　saloon　door。〃
　〃Did　you　now？　I　would　say　that　this　was　caused　by　what　the　criminologists　call　a　solid　object。　A　very　solid　object　about　half…an…inch　wide　and　sharp…edged。　The　saloon　door　sill　is　three　inches　wide　and　made　of　sorborubber。　All　the　storm　doors　on　the　Morning　Rose　are…it's　to　make　them　totally　windproof　and　waterproof。　Or　perhaps　you　hadn't　noticed？　The　way　you　perhaps　haven't　noticed　that　John　Halliday；　the　unit's　still　photographer；　is　missing？〃
　〃How　do　you　know？〃　He'd　shaken　me　this　time；　not　just　a　little；　or　my　face　would　have　shown　it；　but　so　much　that　I　knew　my　features　stayed　rigidly　fixed　in　the　same　expression。
　〃You　don't　deny　it？〃
　I　don't　know。　How　do　you？〃
　I　went　down　to　see　the　props　man；　this　elderly　lad　they　call　Sandy。　I'd　heard　he　was　sick　and…〃
　〃Why　did　you　go？〃
　〃If　it　matters；　because　he's　not　the　sort　of　person　that　people　visit　very　much。　He　doesn't　seem　liked。　Seems　a　bit　hard　to　be　sick　and　unpopular　at　the　same　time。〃　I　nodded；　this　would　be　in　character　with　Smithy。　I　asked　him　where　his　roommate　Halliday　was　as　I　hadn't　seen　him　at　breakfast。　Sandy　said　he'd　gone　for　breakfast。　I　didn't　say　anything　to　Sandy　but　this　made　me　a　bit　curious　so　I　had　a　look　in　the　recreation　room。　He　wasn't　there　either；　so　I　got　curiouser　and　curiouser　until　I'd　searched　the　Morning　Rose　twice　from　end　to　end。　I　think　I　covered　every　nook　and　cranny　in　the　vessel　where　even　a　stray　seagull　could　be　hiding　and　you　can　take　my　word　for　it；　Halliday's　not　in　the　Morning　Rose。〃
　〃Reported　this　to　the　captain？〃
　〃Well；　well；　what　an　awful　lot　of　reaction。　No；　I　haven't　reported　it　to　the　captain。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃Same　reason　as　you　haven't。　If　I　know　my　Captain　Imrie；　he'd　at　once　declare　that　there　was　no　clause　in　that　agreement　you　signed　that　was　binding　on　this　particular　case；　that　saying　that　foul　play　wasn't　involved　in　this　case　also　would　be　altogether　too　much　of　a　good　thing　and　turn　the　Morning　Rose　straight　for　Hammerfest！〃　Smithy　looked　at　me　deadpan　over　the　rim　of　his　glass。　〃I'm　rather　curious　to　see　what　does　happen　when　we　get　to　Bear　Island。〃
　〃It　might　be　interesting。〃
　Very　nonmittal。　It　might；　says　he　thoughtfully；　be　equally　interesting　to　provoke　some　kind　of　reaction　in　Dr。　Marlowe。　just　once。　Just　for　the　record…my　own　private　record。　I　wonder　if　I　could　do　it。　Do　you　remember　I　said　on　the　bridge　in　the　very　early　hours　of　this　morning　that　we　might　just　possibly　have　to　call　for　help　and　that　if　we　had　to　we　had　a　transmitter　here　that　could　reach　almost　anywhere　in　the　Northern　Hemisphere。　Not；　perhaps；　my　exact　words；　but　the　gist　is　accurate！'
　〃The　gist　is　accurate。〃　Even　to　myself　the　repetition　of　the　words　sounded　mechanical　and　I　had　to　make　a　conscious　effort　not　to　shiver　as　an　ice…shod　centipede　started　up　a　fandango　between　my　shoulder　blades。
　〃Well；　we　can　call　for　help　till　we're　blue　in　the　face；　this　transmitter　here　can　no　longer　reach　as　far　as　the　galley。〃　For　once；　almost　unbelievably；　Smithy's　face　was　registering　an　emotion　other　than　amusement。　His　face　tight　with　anger；　he　produced　a　screwdriver　from　his　pocket　and　turned　to　the　big　steel…blue　receiver…transmitter　on　the　inner　bulkhead。
　〃Do　you　always　carry　a　screwdriver　about　with　you？〃　The　sheer　banality　of　the　question　made　it　apposite　in　the　circumstances。
　〃Only　when　I　call　up　the　radio　station　at　Tunheim　in　northeast　Bear　Island　and　get　no　reply。　And　that's　no　ordinary　radio　station；　it's　an　official　Norwegian　Government　base。〃　Smithy　set　to　work　on　the　faceplate　screws。　〃I've　already　had　this　damned　thing　off　about　an　hour　ago。　You'll　see　in　a　jiffy　why　I　put　it　back　on　again。〃
　While　I　was　waiting　for　this　jiffy　to　pass　I　recalled　our　conversation　on　the　bridge　in　the　very　early　hours　of　the　morning；　the　time　he'd　referred　to　the　radio　and　the　relative　closeness…and；　by　inference；　the　availability　…of　the　NATO　Atlantic　forces。　It　had　been　immediately　afterwards　that　I'd　looked　through　the　starboard　screen　door　and　seen　the　sharp　fresh　footprints　in　the　snow；　footprints；　I'd　been　immediately　certain；　that　had　been　made　by　an　eavesdropper；　a　preposterous　idea　I'd　almost　as　quickly　put　out　of　my　mind　when　I'd　appreciated　that　there　had　been　only　one　set　of　footprints　there；　those　which　I'd　made　myself。　For　some　now　inexplicable　reason　it　had　never　occurred　to　me　that　any　person　clever　enough　to　have　been　responsible　for　the　series　of　undetected　crimes　that　had　taken　place　aboard　the　Morning　Rose　would　have　been　far　too　clever　to　have　overlooked　the　blinding　obviousness　of　the　advantage　that　lay　in　using　footsteps　already　there。　The　footsteps　had；　indeed；　been　newly　made；　our　ubiquitous　friend　had　been　abroad　again。
　Smithy　removed　the　last　of　the　screws　and；　not　without　some　effort；　re