df.theedge-第32部分

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when　I　came　near　him。
　　All　of　the　grooms；　except　one　who　was　asleep　on　some　hay　bales；　had　chosen　not　to　sit　in　the　car　with　their　charges；　and　I　imagined　it　was　because　of　Leslie　Brown's　daunting　presence：　racing　lads　on　the　whole　felt　a　panionable　devotion　to　their　horses；　and　I　would　have　expected　more　of　them　to　be　sitting　on　the　hay　bales　during　the　day。
　　'What　happens　at　night　on　the　train？'　I　asked　Leslie　Brown。　'Who　guards　the　horses　then？'
　　'I　do；'　she　said　tartly。　'They've　given　me　a　roomette　or　some　such；　but　I　take　this　thing　seriously。　I　slept　in　here　last　night；　and　will　do　so　again　after　Winnipeg；　and　after　Lake　Louise。　I　don't　see　why　you're　so　worried　about　anyone　slipping　past　me。'　She　frowned　at　me；　not　liking　my　suspicions。　'When　I　go　to　the　bathroom；　I　leave　one　groom　in　here　and　lock　the　horses'　car　door　behind　me。　I'm　never　away　more　than　a　few　minutes。　I　insist　on　one　of　the　grooms　being　in　here　at　all　times。　I　am　very　well　aware　of　the　need　for　security；　and　I　assure　you　that　the　horses　are　well　guarded。'
　　I　regarded　her　thin　obstinate　face　and　knew　she　believed　to　her　determined　soul　in　what　she　said。
　　'As　for　the　barns　at　Winnipeg　and　the　stabling　at　Calgary；'　she　added　righteously；　'they　are　someone　else's　responsibility。　I　can't　answer　for　what　happens　to　the　horses　there。'　She　was　implying；　plain　enough；　that　no　one　else　could　be　trusted　to　be　as　thorough　as　herself。
　　'Do　you　ever　have　any　fun；　Ms　Brown？'　I　asked。
　　'What　do　you　mean？'　she　said；　raising　surprised　eyebrows。　'All　this　is　fun。'　She　waved　a　hand　in　general　round　the　horse　car。　'I'm　having　the　time　of　my　life。'　And　she　wasn't　being　ironic：　she　truly　meant　it。
　　'Well；'　I　said　a　little　feebly；　'then　that's　fine。'
　　She　gave　two　sharp　little　nods；　as　if　that　finished　the　matter；　which　no　doubt　it　did；　except　that　I　still　looked　for　gaps　in　her　defences。　I　wandered　one　more　time　round　the　whole　place；　seeing　the　sunlight　slant　in　through　the　barred　unopenable　windows　（which　would　keep　people　out　as　well　as　horses　in）；　smelling　the　sweet　hay　and　the　faint　musty　odour　of　the　horses　themselves；　feeling　the　swirls　of　fresh　air　ing　from　the　rows　of　small　ventilators　along　the　roof；　hearing　the　creaking　and　rushing　noises　in　the　car's　fabric　and　the　grind　of　the　electricity…generating　wheels　under　the　floor。
　　In　that　long；　warm；　friendly　space　there　were　animals　worth　at　present　a　total　of　many　millions　of　Canadian　dollars：　worth　more　if　any　of　them　won　at　Winnipeg　or　Vancouver。　I　stood　for　a　long　while　looking　at　Voting　Right。　If　Bill　Baudelaire's　mother　knew　her　onions；　in　this　undistinguished…looking　bay　lay　the　dormant　seed　of　greatness。
　　Maybe　she　was　right。　Vancouver　would　tell。
　　I　turned　away；　cast　a　last　assessing　glance　at　Laurentide　Ice；　who　looked　coolly　back；　thanked　the　enthusiastic　dragon　for　her　co…operation　（prim　acknowledgement）　and　began　a　slow　walk　back　through　the　train；　looking　for　gaunt…face。
　　I　didn't　see　him。　He　could　have　been　behind　any　of　the　closed　doors。　He　wasn't　in　the　forward　dome　car；　upstairs　or　down；　nor　in　the　open　dayniter。　I　sought　out　and　consulted　separately　with　three　of　the　sleeping…car　attendants　in　the　racegoers'　sleeping　cars　who　frowned　in　turn　and　said　that　first；　the　sort　of　jacket　I　was　describing　was　worn　by　thousands；　and　second；　everyone　tended　to　look　gaunt　outside　in　the　cold　air。　All　the　same；　I　said；　if　they　came　across　anyone　fitting　that　description　in　their　care；　please　would　they　tell　George　Burley　his　name　and　room　number。
　　Sure；　they　each　said；　but　wasn't　this　an　odd　thing　for　an　actor　to　be　asking？　Zak；　I　improvised　instantly　at　the　first　enquiry；　had　thought　the　gaunt　man　had　an　interesting　face　and　he　wanted　to　ask　if　he　could　use　him　in　a　scene。　Ah；　yes；　that　made　sense。　If　they　found　him；　they　would　tell　George。
　　When　I　got　back　to　George；　I　told　him　what　I'd　asked。　He　wrinkled　his　brow。　'I　saw　a　man　like　that　at　Thunder　Bay；'　he　said。　'But　I　probably　saw　several　men　like　that　in　all　this　trainload。　What　do　you　want　him　for？'
　　I　explained　that　I'd　told　the　sleeping…car　attendants　that　Zak　wanted　to　use　him　in　a　scene。
　　'But　you？'　George　said。　'What　do　you　want　him　for　yourself？'
　　I　looked　at　him　and　he　looked　back。　I　was　wondering　how　far　I　should　trust　him　and　had　an　unfortable　impression　that　he　knew　what　I　was　thinking。
　　'Well；'　I　said　finally；　'he　was　talking　to　someone　I'm　interested　in。'
　　I　got　a　long　bright　beam　from　the　shiny　eyes。
　　'Interested　in。。。　in　the　line　of　duty？'
　　'Yes。'
　　He　didn't　ask　who　it　was　and　I　didn't　tell　him。　I　asked　him　instead　if　he　himself　had　talked　to　any　of　the　owners'　party。
　　'Of　course　I　have；'　he　said。　'I　always　greet　passengers　eh？；　when　they　board。　I　tell　them　I'm　the　Conductor；　tell　them　where　my　office　is；　tell　them　if　they've　any　problems　to　bring　them　to　me。'
　　'And　do　they？　Have　they？'
　　He　chuckled。　'Most　of　the　plaints　go　to　your　Miss　Richmond；　and　she　brings　them　to　me。'
　　'Miss　Richmond。。。'　I　repeated。
　　'She's　your　boss；　isn't　she？　Tall　pretty　girl　with　her　hair　in　a　plait　today；　eh？'
　　'Nell；　'I　said。
　　'That's　right。　Isn't　she　your　boss？'
　　'Colleague。'
　　'Right；　then。　The　sort　of　problems　the　owners'　party　have　had　on　this　trip　so　far　are　a　tap　that　won't　stop　dripping；　a　blind　that　won't　stay　down　in　one　of　the　bedrooms；　eh？；　and　a　lady　who　thought　one　of　her　suitcases　had　been　stolen；　only　it　turned　up　in　someone　else's　room。'　He　beamed。　'Most　of　the　owners　have　been　along　to　see　the　horses。　When　they　see　me；　they　stop　to　talk。'
　　'What　do　they　say？'　I　asked。　'What　sort　of　things？'
　　'Only　what　you'd　expect。　The　weather；　the　journey；　the　scenery。　They　ask　what　time　we　get　to　Sudbury；　eh？　Or　Thunder　Bay；　or　Winnipeg；　or　whatever。'
　　'Has　anyone　asked　anything　that　was　different；　or　surprised　you？'
　　'Nothing　surprises　me；　sonny。'　He　glowed　with　irony　and　bonhomie。　'What　would　you　expect　them　to　ask？
　　I　shrugged　in　frustration。　'What　happened　before　Thunder　Bay　that　shouldn't　have？''The　Lorrimores'　car；　eh？'
　　'Apart　from　that。'
　　'You　think　something　happened？'
　　'Something　happened；　and　I　don't　know　what；　and　it's　what　I'm　here　to　prevent。'
　　He　thought　about　it；　then　said；　'When　it　turns　up；　you'll　know；　eh？'
　　'Maybe。'
　　'Like　if　someone　put　something　in　the　food；　eh？；　sooner　or　later　everyone　will　be　ill。'
　　'George！'　I　was　dumbstruck。
　　He　chuckled。　'We　had　a　waiter　once　years　ago　who　did　that。　He　had　a　grudge　against　the　world。　He　put　handfuls　of　ground…up　laxative　pills　into　the　chocolate　topping　over　ice　cream　and　watched　the　passengers　eat　it；　and　they　all　had　diarrhoea。　Dreadful　stomach　pains。　One　woman　had　to　go　to　hospital。　She'd　had　two　helpings。　What　a　to…do；　eh？'
　　'You've　frightened　me　stiff；'　I　said　frankly。　'Where　do　they　keep　the　fodder　for　the　horses？'
　　He　stared；　his　perpetual　smile　fading。
　　'Is　that　what　you're　afraid　of？　Something　happening　to　the　horses？'
　　'It's　a　possibility。'
　　'All　the　fodder　is　in　the　horse　car；'　he　said；　'except　for　some　extra　sacks　of　those　cubes　most　of　the　horses　are　having；　which　are　in　the　baggage　car。　Some　of　the　horses　have　their　own　special　food　brought　along　with　them；　sent　by　their　trainers。　One　of　the　grooms　had　a　whole　set　of　separate　bags　labelled；　〃Sunday　evening〃；　〃Monday　morning〃　and　so　on。　He　was　showing　them　to　me。'
　　'Which　horse　was　that　for？'
　　'Um。。。　the　one　that　belongs　to　that　Mrs　Daffodil　Quentin；　I　think。　The　groom　said　one　of　her　horses　died　of　colic　or　some　such　recently；　from　eating　the　wrong　things；　and　the　trainer　didn't　want　any　more　accidents；　so　he'd　made　up　the　feeds　himself。'
　　'You're　brilliant；　George。'
　　His　ready　laugh　came　back。
　　'Don't　forget　the　water　tank；　eh？　You　can　lift　the　lid　。。。　where　the　plank　floats；　remember？　You　could　dope　all　those　horses　at　once　with　one　quick　cupful　of　mischief；　couldn't　you？　'
　　
　　
　　
　　　Chapter　Eleven
　　
　　Leslie　Brown　told　us　adamantly　that　no　one　could　possibly　have　tampered　with　either　the　fodder　or　the　water。
　　'When　did　the　grooms　last　fill　the　buckets？'　I　asked。
　　During　the　morning；　she　said。　Each　groom　filled　the　bucket　for　his　own　horse；　when　he　wanted　to。　All　of　them　had　been　in　there；　seeing　to　their　charges。
　　The　horses'　drinking…water　tank　had　been　topped　up；　she　said；　by　a　hosepipe　from　the　city's　water　supply　during　the　first　twenty　minutes　of　our　stop　in　Thunder　Bay；　in　a　procedure　that　she　herself　had　supervised。
　　George　nodded　and　said　the　whole　train　had　been　re…watered　at　that　point。
　　'Before　Thunder　Bay；'　I　said；　'could　anyone　have　put　anything　in　the　water？'
　　'Certainly　not。　I've　told　you　over　and　over　again；　I　am　here　all　the　time。'
　　'And　how　would　you　rate　all　the　grooms　for　trustworthiness？'　I　said。
　　She　opened　her　mouth　and　closed　it　again　and　gave　me　a　hard　look。
　　'I　am　here　to　supervise　them；'　she　said。　'I　didn't　know　any　of　them　before　yesterday。　I　don't　know　if　any　of　them　could　be　bribed　to　poison　the　water。　Is　that　what　you　want？'
　　'It's　realistic；'　I　said　with　a　smile。
　　She　was　unsoftened；　unsoftenable
　　'My　chair；　as　you　see；'　she　said　ca