df.theedge-第50部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

he　passengers。
　　'What's　he　done？　Anything　yet？'
　　'Frightened　a　groom　into　leaving。'
　　He　stared。　'Not　much　of　a　crime；　eh？'　His　eyes　laughed。　'He　won't　do　much　jail　time　for　that。'
　　I　had　to　agree　with　him。　I　left　him　to　his　enjoyment　of　human　failures　and　went　towards　the　dining　car；　passing　as　I　did　so　the　friendly　sleeping…car　attendant　who　was　again　resting　himself　in　the　corridor；　watching　the　changing　perspectives　of　the　snowy　giants。
　　'I　don't　see　this　usually；'　he　said　in　greeting。　'I　don't　usually　e　further　west　than　Winnipeg。　Grand；　isn't　it？'
　　I　agreed。　Indeed　it　was。
　　'What　time　do　you　bring　the　beds　down？　'　I　asked。
　　'Any　time　after　the　passengers　have　all　gone　along　to　the　dining　car。　Half　of　them　are　in　their　rooms　here；　now；　changing。　I've　just　taken　extra　towels　to　two　of　them。'
　　'I'll　give　you　a　hand　with　the　beds　later；　if　you　like。'
　　'Really？'　He　was　surprised　and　pleased。　That　would　be　great。'
　　'If　you　do　your　dome…car　rooms　first；'　I　said；　'then　when　you　e　back　through　the　dining　car；　I'll　follow　you　and　we　can　do　these。'
　　'You　don't　have　to；　you　know。'
　　'Makes　a　nice　change　from　waiting　at　table。'
　　'And　your　scene；'　he　said；　smiling　in　understanding；　'what　about　that？'
　　'That　es　later；'　I　promised　him。
　　'All　right；　then。　Thanks　very　much。'
　　'Pleasure；'　I　said；　and　swung　along　past　Filmer's　closed　door；　through　the　heavy　doors　of　the　cold　and　draughty　join；　into　the　heat　of　the　corridor　beside　the　kitchen；　and　finally　to　the　little　lobby　between　kitchen　door　and　tables　where　Emil；　Oliver　and　Cathy　were　busy　unboxing　the　champagne　flutes。
　　I　picked　up　a　cloth　and　began　polishing。　The　other　three　smiled。
　　In　the　hissing　heat　of　the　kitchen；　Angus　and　Simone　were　arguing；　Angus　having　asked　Simone　to　shell　a　bowlful　of　hard…boiled　eggs　which　she　refused　to　do；　saying　he　must　do　it　himself。
　　Emil　raised　amused　eyebrows。　'She　is　getting　crosser　as　time　goes　by。　Angus　is　a　genius　and　she　doesn't　like　it。'
　　Angus；　as　usual　seeming　to　have　six　hands　all　busy　at　once；　proved　to　be　making　dozens　of　fresh　canapes　on　baking　trays　ready　for　ten　minutes　in　a　scorching　oven。　Crab　and　brie　together　in　thin　layers　of　pastry；　he　said　of　one　batch；　and　chicken　and　tarragon　in　another；　cheese　and　bacon　in　a　third。　Simone　stood　with　her　hands　on　her　hips；　a　hoity…toity　tilt　to　her　chin。　Angus　had　begun　ignoring　her　pletely；　which　was　making　things　worse。
　　The　passengers　as　usual　came　to　the　dining　car　well　before　the　appointed　hour；　but　seemed　perfectly　happy　just　to　sit　and　wait。　The　theatrical　entertainment　outside　the　windows　anyway　claimed　all　eyes　and　tongues　until　the　shadows　grew　long　in　the　valleys　and　only　the　peaks　were　lit　with　slowly　fading　intensity；　until　they　too　were　extinguished　into　darkness。　Evening　came　swift　and　early　in　the　mountains；　twilight　being　a　matter　of　a　lingering　lightness　in　the　sky；　night　growing　upwards　from　the　earth。
　　A　real　shame；　most　of　the　passengers　plained　to　Nell；　that　the　train　went　through　the　best　scenery　in　Canada　in　the　dark。　Someone　in　a　newspaper；　they　were　saying　as　I　distributed　the　champagne　glasses；　had　said　that　it　was　as　if　the　French　kept　the　lights　off　in　the　Louvre；　in　Paris。　Nell　said　she　was　really　sorry；　she　didn't　write　the　timetables；　and　she　hoped　everyone　had　been　able　to　see　a　mountain　or　two　at　Lake　Louise；　which　everyone　had；　of　course。　Most　had　gone　up　one；　Sulphur　Mountain；　to　the　windy　summit；　in　four…seater　glass　containers　on　wires。　Others　had　said　no　way；　and　stayed　at　the　bottom。　Filmer；　sitting　this　time　with　the　ultra…rich　owners　of　Redi…Hot；　was　saying　pleasantly　that　no；　he　hadn't　been　on　the　bus　tour；　he'd　been　content　to　take　his　exercise　in　the　gym　at　Lake　Louise。
　　Filmer　had　e　into　the　dining　room　from　the　dome…car　end；　not　from　his　bedroom；　and　he　arrived　wearing　a　private　smirk　which　sent　unfortable　shivers　along　my　nerves。　Any　time　Julius　Apollo　looked　as　pleased　with　himself　as　that；　it　was　sure　to　mean　trouble。
　　The　Lorrimores　arrived　in　a　group　and　sat　together　at　one　table；　the　offspring　both　looking　mutinous　and　the　parents　glum。　Xanthe；　it　was　clear；　hadn't　yet　made　Mercer　laugh。　Rose　and　Cumber　Young　were　with　the　Upper　Gumtree　Unwins　and　the　Flokati　people　were　with　the　owners　of　Wordmaster。　It　was　interesting；　I　thought；　that　the　owners　of　the　horses　tended　to　be　attracted　to　each　other；　much　as　if　they　belonged　to　a　brotherhood　which　clung　naturally　together。
　　Perhaps　Filmer　had　understood　that。　Perhaps　it　was　why　he　had　made　such　efforts　to　go　on　the　train　as　an　owner：　because　being　an　owner　of　one　of　the　horses　gave　him　standing；　gave　him　credibility；　gave　him　a　power　base。　If　that　was　what　he　intended；　he　had　achieved　it。　Everyone　on　the　train　knew　Mr　Julius　Filmer。
　　Emil　popped　the　champagne　corks。　Angus　whizzed　his　succulent　hot　appetizers　from　oven　to　serving　trays；　seeming　to　summon　from　nowhere　the　now　peeled　and　sliced　eggs　topped　with　caviar　and　lemonskin　twists　on　melba　toast　circles。　We　set　off　from　the　kitchen　in　a　small　procession；　Emil　and　I　pouring　the　bubbles；　Oliver　and　Cathy　doing　the　skilful　stuff　with　silver　serving　tongs；　giving　everyone　little　platefuls　of　the　hors…d'oeuvre　they　preferred。
　　Nell　was　laughing　at　me　silently。　Well；　she　would。　I　kept　a　totally　straight　face　while　filling　her　glass　and　also　that　of　Giles　who　was　sitting　beside　her　in　the　aisle　seat；　ready　for　action。
　　'Thank　you；'　Giles　said　in　a　bored　voice　when　his　glass　was　full。
　　'My　pleasure；　sir；'　I　said。
　　He　nodded。　Nell　smothered　her　laughing　mouth　against　her　glass　and　the　people　sitting　opposite　her　noticed　nothing　at　all。
　　When　I　reached　the　Lorrimores；　Xanthe　was　perceptibly　anxious。　I　poured　into　Bambi's　glass　and　said　to　Xanthe；　'For　you；　miss？'
　　She　gave　me　a　flicker　of　a　glance。　'Can　I　have　Coke？　'
　　'Certainly；　miss。'
　　I　poured　champagne　for　Mercer　and　for　Sheridan；　and　went　back　to　the　kitchen　for　the　Coke。
　　'You　have　to　pay　for　it；'　Xanthe　said　jerkily　to　her　father　when　I　returned。
　　'How　much？'　Mercer　asked。　I　told　him；　and　he　paid。　'Thank　you；'　he　said。
　　'A　pleasure；　sir。'
　　He　looked　abstracted；　not　his　usual　placatory　self。　Xanthe　risked　another　semi…frightened　glance　at　me　and　seemed　to　be　greatly　reassured　when　I　didn't　refer　in　any　way　to　our　encounter　above　the　lake。　The　most　I　gave　her　was　the　faintest　of　deferential　smiles；　which　even　her　mother　couldn't　have　disapproved　of；　if　she　had　seen　it：　but　she；　like　Mercer；　seemed　more　than　usually　preoccupied。
　　I　went　on　to　the　next　table　and　hoped　that　Filmer's　smirk　and　Mercer's　gloom　were　not　connected；　although　I　was　afraid　that　they　might　be。　The　smirk　had　been　followed　into　the　dining　room　by　the　gloom。
　　When　Angus's　canapes　had　been　devoured　to　the　last　melting　morsel　and　the　champagne　glasses　refilled；　Zak　arrived　with　a　flourish　for　the　long　wrap…up　scene。　First　of　all；　he　said；　he　had　to　announce　that　a　thorough　search　of　the　rooms　in　the　Chateau　had　produced　no　sign　of　Mavis　Bricknell's　jewels。
　　miserations　were　expressed　for　Mavis；　the　passengers　entering　into　the　fantasy　with　zest。　Mavis　accepted　them　gratefully。
　　Raoul　came　bursting　into　the　dining　car；　furious　with　Walter　Bricknell　who　was　looking　upset　enough　already。
　　It　was　too　much；　Raoul　loudly　said。　It　was　bad　enough　Walter　firing　him　as　his　trainer　when　he　had　done　nothing　to　deserve　it；　but　now　he　had　found　out　that　Walter　had　sent　a　letter　from　the　Chateau　to　the　racing　authorities　saying　his　horse；　Calculator；　wouldn't　be　running　in　his；　Walter's；　name　at　Vancouver；　and　that　Raoul　wouldn't　be　credited　as　trainer。
　　'It's　unfair；'　he　shouted。　'I've　trained　the　horse　to　the　minute　for　that　race。　I've　won　five　races　with　him　for　you。　You're　cheating　me。　You're　damned　ungrateful。　I'm　going　to　plain　to　the　Jockey　Club。'
　　Walter　looked　stony。　Raoul　had　another　go。　Walter　said　he　would　do　what　he　liked；　Calculator　was　his。　If　he　wanted　to　sell　it。。。　or　give　it　away。。。　that　was　entirely　his　own　business　and　nobody　else's。
　　'You　said　yesterday；'　Raoul　yelled；　'that　if　you　didn't　have　horses；　if　you　couldn't　go　racing；　you'd　kill　yourself。　So　kill　yourself。　Is　that　what　you're　going　to　do？'
　　Everyone　looked　at　Walter　in　shocked　disbelief。
　　Zak　invited　Walter　to　explain。　Walter　said　it　was　none　of　Zak's　business。　Everything　on　the　train　was　his　business；　Zak　said。　'Could　we　all　please　know；'　he　asked　Walter；　'who　the　new　owner　of　Calculator　is　going　to　be？'
　　No；　no　one　could　ask。　Mavis；　bewildered；　did　ask。　Walter　was　rude　to　her；　which　no　one　liked。　Walter　realized　that　no　one　liked　it；　but　said　he　couldn't　help　it；　he　was　getting　rid　of　Calculator；　and　since　the　horse　was　in　his　name　only；　not　Mavis's；　she　couldn't　do　anything　about　it。　Mavis　began　to　cry。
　　Donna　went　to　her　mother's　defence　and　verbally　attacked　her　father。
　　'You　be　quiet；'　he　said　angrily。　'You've　done　enough　harm。'
　　Pierre　put　his　arm　round　Donna's　shoulders　and　told　Walter　not　to　talk　to　his　daughter　that　way。　He；　Pierre；　would　borrow　some　money　to　pay　his　gambling　debts；　he　said；　and　really　work　this　time　and　save　until　it　was　paid　off；　and　he