df.theedge-第37部分

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　　'What　are　you　betting　on　in　our　race？　'　he　asked。　'I　suppose　Premiere　will　win。　What　do　you　think？'
　　'Upper　Gumtree；'　I　said。
　　'It's　supposed　to　be　half　asleep；'　he　objected。
　　'It's　got　a　nice　face；'　I　said。
　　He　looked　at　me　sideways。　'You're　crazy；　you　know　that？'
　　'I　am　but　mad　north…north…west。'
　　'When　the　wind　is　southerly；'　he　said　promptly；　'I　know　a　hawk　from　a　handsaw。'　He　laughed。　There　isn't　an　actor　born　who　doesn't　hope　to　play　Hamlet。'
　　'Have　you　ever？'
　　'Only　in　school。　But　once　learned；　never　forgotten。　Shall　I　give　you　my　〃To　be　or　not　to　be〃？'
　　'No。'
　　'You　slay　me。　See　you　tonight。'
　　He　went　off　with　a　medium　spring　to　his　step　and　I　saw　him　later　with　his　arms　round　Donna's　shoulders；　which　wasn't　（as　far　as　I　knew）　in　his　script。
　　Most　of　the　owners　came　down　from　the　Clubhouse　to　watch　the　saddling　of　the　runners　in　the　Jockey　Club　Race　Train　Stakes；　and　all　the　sportier　of　them　wore　the　rosettes。Filmer　didn't：　there　was　no　lightheartedness　in　him。　Daffodil　however　had　fastened　hers　to　her　cleavage；　the　red；　white　and　gold　popping　out　now　and　again　past　the　long…haired　chinchillas。　Mrs　Young　wore　hers　boldly　on　her　lapel。　Mr　Young's　wasn't　in　sight。
　　The　Unwins；　resetted；　were　showing　uninhibited　pleasure　in　Upper　Gumtree；　who　did　in　fact　have　a　nice　face；　and　wasn't　unacceptably　sleepy。　Upper　Gumtree's　trainer　hadn't　made　the　journey　from　Australia；　and　nor　had　his　usual　jockey：　Canadian　substitutes　had　been　found。　The　Unwins　beamed　and　patted　everyone　within　reach　including　the　horse；　and　Mr　Unwin　in　his　great　antipodean　accent　could　be　heard　calling　his　jockey　'son'；　even　though　the　rider　looked　older　by　far　than　the　owner。
　　In　the　next　stall　along　things　were　a　great　deal　quieter。　Mercer　Lorrimore；　unattended　by　the　rest　of　his　family；　talked　pleasantly　with　his　trainer；　who　had　e　from　Toronto；　and　shook　hands　with　his　jockey；　the　same　one　who　had　ridden　for　him　at　Woodbine。　Premiere；　the　favourite；　behaved　like　a　horse　that　had　had　a　fuss　made　of　him　all　him　life；　almost；　I　thought　fancifully；　as　arrogantly　as　Sheridan。
　　The　owners　of　Flokati　were　showing　Mavis　and　Walter　Bricknell…type　behaviour；　fluttering　about　in　a　nervous　anxiety　that　would　be　bound　to　effect　the　horse　if　it　went　on　too　long。　Their　ineffective…looking　trainer　was　trying　to　stop　the　owners　from　straightening　the　number　cloth；　tidying　the　forelock　over　the　headband；　tweaking　at　the　saddle　and　shoving　their　big　rosettes　with　every　ill…judged　movement　near　the　horse's　affronted　nostrils。　A　riot；　really。　Poor　Mr　and　Mrs　Flokati；　owning　the　horse　looked　an　agony；　not　a　joy。
　　Mr　and　Mrs　Young；　like　Mercer　Lorrimore；　had　shipped　their　Winnipeg　runners；　two　of　them；　by　road。　They；　old　hands　at　the　owning　game；　stood　by　with　calm　interest　while　their　pair；　Soluble　and　Slipperclub；　were　readied；　Mrs　Young　speaking　with　her　sweet　expression　to　one　to　the　jockeys；　Mr　Young　more　impassively　to　the　other。
　　Daffodil　Quentin's　runner；　Pampering；　had　been　flown　in　with　five　others　owned　by　people　on　the　train；　all　of　whom　were　strolling　around　with　rosettes　and　almost　permanently　smiling　faces。　This　was；　after　all；　one　of　the　highlights　of　their　journey；　the　purpose　behind　the　pizzazz。　I　learned　that　the　Manitoba　Racing　mission　had　moreover　by　midafternoon　given　each　of　them　not　only　a　champagne　reception　and　a　splendid　lunch　but　also；　as　a　memento；　a　framed　group　photograph　of　all　the　owners　on　the　trip。　They　were　living　their　memories；　I　thought；　here　and　now。
　　Television　cameras　all　over　the　place　recorded　everything　both　for　news　items　that　evening　and　for　the　two…hour　Support　Canadian　Racing　programme　which　posters　everywhere　announced　was　being　made　for　a　gala　showing　coast　to　coast　after　the　triple　had　been　pleted　in　Vancouver。
　　The　Winnipeg　runners　went　out　on　to　the　track　to　bugle　fanfares　and　cheers　from　the　stands　and　were　pony…escorted　to　the　starting　gate。
　　Mercer　Lorrimore's　colours；　red　and　white　like　the　resetted　he　had　pinned　on　gamely　For　the　Sake　of　Canadian　Racing；　could　be　seen　entering　the　outermost　stall。　Daffodil's　pale　blue　and　dark　green　were　innermost。　Upper　Gumtree；　carrying　orange　and　black；　started　dead　centre　of　the　eleven　runners　and　came　out　of　the　stalls　heading　a　formation　like　an　arrow。
　　I　was　watching　from　high　up；　from　the　upper　part　of　the　grandstand；　above　the　Clubhouse　floor　to　which　the　owners　had　returned　in　a　chattering　flock　to　watch　the　race。　Through　my　binoculars…camera　the　colours　down　on　the　track　in　the　chilly　sunshine　looked　sharp　and　bright；　the　race　easy　on　that　account　to　read。
　　The　arrow　formation　soon　broke　up　into　a　ragged　line；　with　Premiere　on　the　outside；　Pampering　on　the　inner　and　Upper　Gumtree　still　just　in　front。　The　Youngs'　pair；　split　by　the　draw；　nevertheless　came　together　and　raced　the　whole　way　side　by　side　like　twins。　Flokati；　in　pink；　made　for　the　rails　as　if　needing　them　to　steer　by；　and　four　of　the　other　runners　boxed　him　in。
　　Going　past　the　stands　for　the　first　time；　the　Unwins'　Upper　Gumtree　still　showed　in　front　but　with　Premiere　almost　alongside；　Pampering　was　on　the　inside　tugging　his　jockey's　arms　out。　Doing　their　best　for　the　glory　of　Canada；　the　whole　field　of　eleven　swept　round　the　bend　and　went　down　the　far　side　as　if　welded　together；　and　it　still　seemed　when　they　turned　for　home　that　that　was　how　they　might　finish；　in　a　knot。
　　They　split　apart　in　the　straight；　one　group　swinging　wide；　the　red　and　white　of　Premiere　spurting　forward　with　the　Youngs'　pair　at　his　quarters　and　Upper　Gumtree　swerving　dramatically　through　a　gap　to　take　the　rails　well　ahead　of　Pampering。
　　The　crowd　bounced　up　and　down。　The　money　was　on　Premiere。　The　yelling　could　have　been　heard　in　Montreal。　The　Canadian　racing　authorities　were　again　getting　a　rip…roaring　brilliant　finish　to　a　Race　Train　Stakes。。。　and　Mercer；　putting　his　brave　face　on　it；　again　came　in　second。
　　It　was　the　Unwins；　in　the　stratosphere　of　ecstasy；　who　led　Upper　Gumtree　into　the　winners'　circle。　The　Unwins　from　Australia　who　were　hugging　and　kissing　everyone　near　enough　（including　the　horse）。　The　Unwins　who　had　their　photographs　taken　each　side　of　their　panting　winner；　now　covered　across　the　shoulders　by　a　long；　triumphant　blanket　of　flowers。　The　Unwins　who　received　the　trophy；　the　cheque　and　the　speeches　from　the　President　of　the　racecourse　and　the　top　brass　of　the　Jockey　Club；　whose　memories　of　the　day　would　be　the　sweetest。
　　Feeling　pleased　for　them；　I　lowered　the　binoculars　through　which　I'd　been　able　to　see　even　the　tears　on　Mrs　Unwin's　cheeks；　and　there　below　me　and　in　front　of　the　grandstand　was　the　man　with　the　gaunt　face　looking　up　towards　the　Clubhouse　windows。
　　Almost　trembling　with　haste；　I　put　the　binoculars　up　again；　found　him；　activated　the　automatic　focus；　pressed　the　button；　heard　the　quiet　click　of　the　shutter：　had　him　in　the　bag。
　　It　had　been　my　only　chance。　Even　before　the　film　had　wound　on；　he'd　looked　down　and　away；　so　that　I　could　see　only　his　forehead　and　his　grey　hair；　and　within　two　seconds；　he'd　walked　towards　the　grandstand　and　out　of　my　line　of　vision。
　　I　had　no　idea　how　long　he'd　been　standing　there。　I'd　been　too　diverted　by　the　Unwins'　rejoicings。　I　went　down　from　the　upper　grandstand　as　fast　as　I　could；　which　was　far　too　slowly　because　everyone　else　was　doing　the　same　thing。
　　Down　on　ground　level　again；　I　couldn't　see　gaunt…face　anywhere。　The　whole　crowd　was　on　the　move：　one　could　get　no　length　of　view。　The　Race　Train　event　had　been　the　climax　of　the　programme　and　although　there　was　one　more　race　on　the　card；　no　one　seemed　to　be　much　interested。　A　great　many　red　and　white　rosettes；　baseball　caps；　T…shirts　and　balloons　were　on　their　way　out　of　the　gates。
　　The　Unwins'　entourage　was　disappearing　into　the　Clubhouse　entrance；　no　doubt　for　more　champagne　and　Press　interviews；　and　probably　all　the　other　owners　would　be　in　there　with　them。　If　gaunt…face　had　been　looking　up　at　the　Clubroom　windows　in　the　hope　of　seeing　Filmer…or　of　Filmer　seeing　him…maybe　Filmer　would　e　down　to　talk　to　him　and　maybe　I　could　photograph　them　both　together；　which　might　one　day　prove　useful。　If　I　simply　waited；　it　might　happen。
　　I　simply　waited。
　　Filmer　did　eventually　e　down；　but　with　Daffodil。　They　weren't　approached　by　gaunt…face　They　climbed　into　their　chauffeured　car　and　were　whisked　away　to　heaven　knew　where；　and　I　thought　frustratedly　about　time　and　the　little　of　it　there　was　left　in　Winnipeg。　It　was　already　nearly　six　o'clock；　and　I　wouldn't　be　able　to　find　a　one…hour　photo　lab　open　anywhere　that　evening；　and　I　had　to　return　to　the　Sheraton　to　collect　my　bag；　and　be　back　on　the　train　by　seven…thirty　or　soon　after。
　　I　retreated　to　the　men's　room　and　took　the　film　out　of　the　binoculars…camera；　and　wrote　a　short　note　to　go　with　it。　Then　I　twisted　the　film　and　note　together　into　a　paper　towel　and　went　out　to　try　to　find　Bill　Baudelaire；　reckoning　it　might　be　all　right　to　speak　to　him　casually　down　on　ground　level　since　Filmer　wasn't　there　to　see。　I'd　caught　sight　of　him　in　the　distance　from　time　to　time　all　afternoon；　but　now　when　I　wanted　him　his　red　hair　wasn't　anywhere　around。
　　Zak　came