df.theedge-第26部分

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　　He　pushed　again　quite　hard　and　as　I　turned　away　I　heard　him　snigger　and　say；　'You　have　to　kick　'em；　you　know。'
　　I　went　into　the　dome　car　and　stood　behind　the　bar　with　the　bartender；　and　felt　furious　with　Sheridan；　not　for　his　outrageous　behaviour　but　because　he　was　getting　me　noticed。　Filmer　had　been　sitting　with　his　back　to　me；　it　was　true；　but　near　enough　to　overhear。
　　Mercer　Lorrimore　appeared　tentatively　in　the　bar　doorway　and　came　in　when　he　saw　me。
　　'I　apologize　for　my　son；'　he　said　wearily；　and　I　had　a　convincing　impression　that　he'd　apologized　countless　times　before。　He　pulled　out　his　wallet；　removed　a　twenty…dollar　note　from　it　and　offered　me　the　money。
　　'Please　don't；'　I　said。　'There's　no　need。'
　　'Yes；　yes。　Take　it。'
　　I　saw　he　would　feel　better　if　I　did；　as　if　paying　money　would　somehow　excuse　the　act。　I　thought　he　should　stop　trying　to　buy　pardons　for　his　son　and　pay　for　mental　treatment　instead。　But　then；　perhaps　he　had。　There　was　more　wrong　with　Sheridan　than　ill…temper；　and　it　had　been　obvious　to　his　father　for　a　long　time。
　　I　didn't　approve　of　what　he　was　doing；　but　if　I　refused　his　money　I　would　be　more　and　more　visible；　so　I　took　it；　and　when　he　had　gone　off　in　relief　back　towards　the　dining　car　I　gave　it　to　the　barman。
　　'What　was　that　all　about？'　he　asked　curiously；　pocketing　the　note　without　hesitation。　When　I　explained；　he　said；　'You　should　have　kept　the　money。　You　should　have　charged　him　triple。'
　　'He　would　have　felt　three　times　as　virtuous；'　I　said；　and　the　barman　looked　at　me　blankly。
　　I　didn't　go　back　to　the　dining　car　but　forward　into　the　lounge；　where　again　the　sight　of　my　yellow　waistcoat　stirred　a　few　thirsts；　which　I　did　my　best　to　acmodate。　The　barman　was　by　now　mellow　and　helpful　and　said　we　were　rapidly　running　out　of　the　ice　that　had　e　aboard　in　bags　in　Sudbury。
　　Up　in　the　dome；　the　uncoupling　of　the　private　car　had　given　way　to　speculation　about　whether　the　northern　lights　would　oblige：　the　weather　was　right；　apparently。　I　took　a　few　drinks　up　there　（including　some　for　Zak　and　Donna；　which　amused　them）；　and　on　my　way　down　the　stairs　saw　the　backs　of　Mercer　and　Bambi；　Filmer　and　Daffodil；　as　they　walked　through　the　lounge　towards　the　door　to　the　private　car。　Mercer　stood　aside　to　let　Bambi　lead　the　other　two　through　the　short　noisy　joining　section；　and　then；　before　going　himself；　he　looked　back；　saw　me　and　beckoned。
　　'Bring　a　bowl　of　ice；　will　you？'　he　said　when　I　reached　him。　'To　the　saloon。'
　　'Yes；　sir；'　I　said。
　　He　nodded　and　departed；　and　I　relayed　the　request　to　the　barman　who　shook　his　head　and　said　he　was　down　to　six　cubes。　I　knew　there　were　other　bags　of　cubes　in　the　kitchen　refrigerator；　so；　feeling　that　I　had　been　walking　the　train　for　a　lifetime；　I　went　along　through　the　dining　room。　to　fetch　some。
　　There　weren't　many　people　still　in　there；　though　Xanthe　was　still　being　forted　and　listened　to　by　Mrs　Young。　Nell　sat　opposite　Sheridan　Lorrimore　who　seemed　to　be　telling　her　that　he　had　wrapped　his　Lamborgini　round　a　tree　recently　and　had　ordered　a　new　one。
　　'Tree？'　Nell　said；　smiling。
　　He　looked　at　her　unprehendingly。　Sheridan　wasn't　a　great　one　for　jokes。　I　fetched　a　bag　of　ice　and　a　bowl　from　the　kitchen；　swayed　back　to　the　bar　and　in　due　course　took　the　bowl　of　ice　（on　a　tray）　to　the　saloon。
　　The　four　of　them　were　sitting　in　armchairs；　Bambi　talking　to　Daffodil；　Mercer　to　Filmer。
　　Mercer　said　to　me；　'You'll　find　glasses　and　cognac　in　the　cupboard　in　the　dining　room。　And　Benedictine。　Bring　them　along　here；　will　you？'
　　'Yes；　sir。'
　　Filmer　paid　me　no　attention。　In　the　neat　dining　room；　the　cupboards　had　glass　fronts　with　pale　green　curtains　inside　them。　In　one　I　found　the　bottles　and　glasses　as　described；　and　took　them　aft。
　　Filmer　was　saying；　'Will　Voting　Right　go　on　to　the　Breeders'　Cup　if　he　wins　at　Winnipeg？'
　　'He's　not　running　at　Winnipeg；'　Mercer　said。　'He　runs　at　Vancouver。'
　　'Yes；　I　meant　Vancouver。'
　　Daffodil　with　enthusiasm　was　telling　a　cool　Bambi　that　she　should　try　some　face　cream　or　other　that　helped　with　wrinkles。
　　'Just　leave　everything；'　Mercer　said　to　me。　'We'll　pour。'
　　'Yes；　sir；'　I　said；　and　retreated　as　he　began　the　ultimate　heresy　of　sloshing　Remy　Martin's　finest　on　to　rocks。
　　Mercer　would　know　me　everywhere　on　the　train；　I　thought；　but　none　of　the　other　three　would。　I　hadn't　met　Filmer's　eyes　all　day；　had　been　careful　not　to；　and　it　seemed　to　me　that　his　attention　had　been　exclusively　focused　upon　what　he　had　now　achieved；　a　visiting…terms　acquaintanceship　with　Mercer　Lorrimore。
　　There　was　now　loud　music　in　the　lounge；　with　two　couples　trying　to　dance　and　falling　over　with　giggles　from　the　perpetual　motion　of　the　dance…floor。　Up　in　the　dome；　aurora　borealis　was　doing　its　flickering　fiery　best　on　the　horizon；　and　in　the　bar　there　was　a　group　playing　poker　in　serious　silent　concentration。　Playing　for　thousands；　the　barman　said。Between　the　bar　and　the　dining　room　there　were　three　bedrooms；　and　in　one　of　those；　with　the　door　open；　was　a　sleeping…car　attendant；　dressed　exactly　like　myself。
　　'Hello；'　he　said；　as　I　paused　in　the　doorway。　'e　to　help？'
　　'Sure；'　I　said。　'What　do　I　do？'
　　'You're　the　actor；　aren't　you？'　he　asked。
　　'It's　hush　hush。'
　　He　nodded。　'I　won't　say　a　word。'
　　He　was　of　about　my　own　age；　perhaps　a　bit　older；　pleasant　looking　and　cheerful。　He　showed　me　how　to　fold　up　the　ingenious　mechanism　of　the　daytime　armchairs　and　slide　them　under　a　bed　which　pulled　out　from　the　wall。　A　top　bunk　was　then　pulled　down　from　the　ceiling；　plete　with　ladder。　He　straightened　the　bedclothes　and　laid　a　wrapped　chocolate　truffle　on　each　pillow；　a　goodnight　blessing。
　　'Neat；　'I　said。　
　　He　had　only　one　more　room　to　do；　he　said；　and　he　should　have　finished　long　before　this　but　he'd　been　badly　delayed　in　the　car　on　the　other　side　of　the　dining　car；　which　he　had　in　his　care　also。
　　I　nodded…and　several　thoughts　arrived　simultaneously　in　a　rush　on　my　mental　doorstep。　They　were　that　Filmer's　bedroom　was　in　that　car。　Filmer　was　at　that　moment　with　the　Lorrimores。　The　only　locks　on　the　bedroom　doors　were　inside；　in　the　form　of　bolts　to　ensure　privacy。　There　was　no　way　of　preventing　anyone　from　walking　in　if　a　room　were　empty。
　　I　went　along　to　the　sleeping　car　on　the　far　side　of　the　kitchen　and　opened　the　door　of　the　abode　of　Julius　Apollo。
　　
　　
　　
　　　Chapter　Nine
　　
　　By　virtue　of　having　paid　double　and　possibly　treble；　Filmer　had　a　double　bedroom　all　to　himself。　Only　the　lower　bunk　had　been　prepared　for　the　night：　the　upper　was　still　in　the　ceiling。
　　For　all　that　he　could　be　expected　to　stay　in　the　Lorrimores'　car　for　at　least　fifteen　more　minutes　I　felt　decidedly　jittery；　and　I　left　the　door　open　so　that　if　he　did　e　back　unexpectedly　I　could　say　I　was　merely　checking　that　everything　was　in　order。　My　uniform　had　multiple　advantages。
　　The　bedrooms　were　small；　as　one　would　expect；　though　in　the　daytime；　with　the　beds　folded　away；　there　was　fortable　space。　There　was　a　washbasin　in　full　view；　with　the　rest　of　the　plumbing　in　a　discreet　little　closet。　For　hanging　clothes　there　was　a　slot　behind　the　bedheads　of　about　eight　inches　wide；　enough　in　Filmer's　case　for　two　suits。　Another　two　jackets　hung　on　hangers　on　pegs　on　the　wall。
　　I　searched　quickly　through　all　the　pockets；　but　they　were　mostly　empty。　There　was　only；　in　one　inner　pocket；　a　receipt　for　a　watch　repair　which　I　replaced　where　I　found　it。
　　There　were　no　drawers：　more　or　less　everything　else　had　to　be　in　his　suitcase　which　stood　against　the　wall。　With　an　eye　on　the　corridor　outside；　I　tried　one　of　the　latches　and　wasn't　surprised　to　find　it　locked。
　　That　left　only　a　tiny　cupboard　above　the　hanging　space；　in　which　Julius　Apollo　had　stored　a　black　leather　toilet　bag　and　his　brushes。
　　On　the　floor　below　his　suits；　pushed　to　the　back　of　the　hanging　space；　I　found　his　briefcase。
　　I　put　my　head　out　of　the　door　which　was　directly　beside　the　hanging　space；　and　looked　up　and　down　the　corridor。
　　No　one　in　sight。
　　I　went　down　on　hands　and　knees；　half　in　and　half　out　of　the　doorway；　with　an　excuse　ready　of　looking　for　a　coin　I'd　dropped。　I　put　a　hand　into　the　hanging　space　and　drew　the　briefcase　to　the　front；　and　it　was　of　black　crocodile　skin　with　gold　clasps；　as　I'd　seen　at　Nottingham　races。
　　The　fact　of　its　presence　was　all　I　was　going　to　learn　however；　as　it　had　revolving　bination　locks　which　were　easy　enough　to　undo；　but　only　if　one　had　two　hours　to　spend　on　each　lock；　which　I　hadn't。　Whether　or　not　the　briefcase　still　contained　whatever　Horfitz　had　given　Filmer　at　Nottingham　was　anyone's　guess；　and　dearly　though　I　would　have　liked　to　look　at　the　contents；　I　didn't　want　to　risk　any　more　at　that　point。　I　pushed　the　black　case　deep　into　the　hanging　space　again；　stood　up　outside　the　door；　closed　it　and　went　back　to　the　scenes　of　jollity　to　the　rear。
　　It　was；　by　this　time；　nearly　midnight。　The　Youngs　were　standing　up　in　the　dining　room；　ready　to　go　to　bed。　Xanthe　however；　alarmed　by　the　departure　of　her　new…found　friend；　was　practically　clinging　to　Mrs　Young　and　with　an　echo　of　the　earlier　hysteria　was　saying　that　she　couldn't　possibly