cb.damnationgame-第10节
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It was almost pletely dark outside and in； without the lawn lights on； the grounds were pitch。 But Whitehead still sat； facing the black window； watching。
〃It's all there； of course；〃 he said。
〃What is？〃 〃The trees； the lawn。 When dawn es tomorrow they'll be waiting。〃 〃Yes； of course。〃 〃You know； as a child I thought somebody came and took the world away in the night and then came back and unrolled it all again the following morning。〃 He stirred in his seat； his hand moved to his head。 Impossible to see what he was doing。
〃The things we believe as children： they never leave us； do they？ They're just waiting for time to roll around； and us to start believing in them all over again。 It's the same old patch； Bill。 You know？ I mean； we think we move on； we get stronger； we get wiser； but all the time we're standing on the same patch。〃 He sighed； and looked around at Toy。 Light from the hallway fawned through the door； which Toy had left slightly ajar。 By it； even across the room； Whitehead's eyes and cheeks glittered with tears。
〃You'd better put on the light； Bill；〃 he said。 Yes。〃 〃And bring up Strauss。〃 There was no sign of his distress apparent in his voice。 But then Joe was an expert at disguising his feelings； Toy knew that of old。 He could close down the hoods of his eyes and seal up his mouth； and not even a mindreader could work out what he was thinking。 It was a skill he'd used to devastating effect in the boardroom： nobody ever knew which way the old fox would jump。 He'd learned the technique playing cards； presumably。 That； and how to wait。
11
They had driven through the electric gates of Whitehead's estate and into another world。 Lawns laid out immaculately on either side of the sepia…graveled driveway； a distant aspect of woodland off to the right； which disappeared behind a line of cypresses as they bore around toward the house itself。 It was late afternoon by the time they arrived； but the mellowing light only enhanced the charm of the place； its formality offset by a rising mist that blurred the scalpel edge of grass and tree。
The main building was less spectacular than Marty had anticipated； just a large； Georgian country house； solid but plain； with modern extensions sprawling away from the main structure。 They drove past the front door； with its white pillared porch； to a side entrance； and Toy invited him through into the kitchen。
〃Put your bags down and help yourself to some coffee；〃 he said。 〃I'm just going up to see the boss man。 Make yourself fortable。〃 Alone for the first time since leaving Wandsworth Marty felt unfortable。 The door was open at his back； there were no locks on the windows； no officers patrolling the corridors beyond the kitchen。 It was paradoxical； but he felt unprotected； almost vulnerable。 After a few minutes he got up from the table； switched on the fluorescent light （night was falling quickly； and there were no automatic switches here） and poured himself a mug of black coffee from the percolator。 It was heavy and slightly bitter； brewed and rebrewed he guessed； not like the insipid stuff he was used to。
It was twenty…five minutes before Toy came back in； apologized for the delay； and told him that Mr。 Whitehead would see him now。
〃Leave your bags；〃 he said。 〃Luther will see to them。〃 Toy led the way from the kitchen； which was part of the extension； into the main house。 The corridors were gloomy； but everywhere Marty's eye was amazed。 The building was a museum。 Paintings covered the walls from floor to ceiling； on the tables and shelves were vases and ceramic figurines whose enamels gleamed。 There was no time to linger； however。 They wove through the maze of halls； Marty's sense of direction more confounded with every turn； until they reached the study。 Toy knocked； opened the door； and ushered Marty in。
With little but a badly remembered photograph of Whitehead to build upon； Marty's portrait of his new employer had been chiefly invention…and totally wrong。 Where he'd imagined frailty； he found robustness。 Where he'd expected the eccentricity of a recluse he found a furrowed； subtle face that scanned him； even as he entered the study； with efficiency and humor。
〃Mr。 Strauss；〃 said Whitehead； 〃wele。〃 Behind Whitehead； the curtains were still open； and through the window the floodlights suddenly came on； illuminating the piercing green of the lawns for a good two hundred yards。 It was like a conjurer's trick； the sudden appearance of this sward； but Whitehead ignored it。 He walked toward Marty。 Though he was a large man； and much of his bulk had turned to fat； the weight sat on his frame quite easily。 There was no sense of awkwardness。 The grace of his gait； the almost oiled smoothness of his arm as he extended it to Marty； the suppleness of the proffered fingers； all suggested a man at peace with his physique。
They shook hands。 Either Marty was hot； or the other man cold： Marty immediately took the error to be his。 A man like Whitehead was surely never too hot or too cold； he controlled his temperature with the same ease he controlled his finances。 Hadn't Toy dropped into their few exchanges in the car the fact that Whitehead had never been seriously ill in his life？ Now Marty was face…to…face with the paragon he could believe it。 Not a whisper of flatulence would dare this man's bowels。
〃I'm Joseph Whitehead；〃 he said。 〃Wele to the Sanctuary。〃 〃Thank you。〃 〃You'll have a drink？ Celebrate。〃 〃Yes； please。〃 〃What will it be？〃 Marty's mind suddenly went blank； and he found himself gaping like a stranded fish。 It was Toy； God save him； who suggested： 〃Scotch？〃 〃That'd be fine。〃 〃The usual for me；〃 said Whitehead。 〃e and sit down； Mr。 Strauss。〃 They sat。 The chairs were fortable； not antiques； like the tables in the corridors； but functional； modern pieces。 The entire room shared this style： it was a working environment； not a museum。 The few pictures on the dark blue walls looked； to Marty's uneducated eye； as recent as the furniture they were large and slapdash。 The most prominently placed； and the most representational； was signed Matisse； and pictured a bilious pink Woman sprawled on a bilious yellow chaise tongue。
〃Your whisky。〃 Marty accepted the glass Toy was offering。
〃We had Luther buy you a selection of new clothes； they're up in your room；〃 Whitehead was telling Marty。 〃Just a couple of suits； shirts and so on； to start with。 Later on； we'll maybe send you out shopping for yourself。〃 He drained his glass of neat vodka before continuing。 〃Do they still issue suits to prisoners； or did they discontinue that？ Smacks of the poorhouse； I suppose。 Wouldn't be too tactful in these enlightened times。 People might begin to think you were criminals by necessity…〃 Marty wasn't at all sure about this line of chat： was Whitehead making fun of him？ The monologue went on； its tenor quite friendly； while Marty tried to sort out irony from straightforward opinion。 It was difficult。 He was reminded； in the space of a few minutes listening to Whitehead talk； of how much subtler things were on the outside。 By parison with this man's shifting； richly inflected talk the cleverest conversationalist in Wandsworth was an amateur。 Toy slipped a second large whisky into Marty's hand； but he scarcely noticed。 Whitehead's voice was hypnotic； and strangely soothing。
〃Toy has explained your duties to you； has he？〃 〃Yes； I think so。〃 〃I want you to make this house your home； Strauss。 Bee familiar with it。 There are one or two places that will be out…of…bounds to you； Toy will tell you where。 Please observe those constraints。 The rest of the place is at your disposal。〃 Marty nodded； and downed his whisky； it ran down his gullet like quicksilver。
〃Tomorrow 。 。 。〃 Whitehead stood up； the thought unfinished； and returned to the window。 The grass shone as though freshly painted。
〃。 。 。 we'll take a walk around the place； you and I。〃 〃Fine。〃 〃See what's to be seen。 Introduce you to Bella； and the others。〃 There was more staff？ Toy hadn't mentioned them； but inevitably there would be others here： guards； cooks； gardeners。 The place probably swarmed with functionaries。
〃e talk to me tomorrow； eh？〃 Marty drained the rest of his scotch and Toy gestured that he should stand up。 Whitehead seemed suddenly to have lost interest in them both。 His assessment was over； at least for today； his thoughts were already elsewhere； his stare directed out of the window at the gleaming lawn。
〃Yes； sir。 Tomorrow。〃 〃But before you e…〃 Whitehead said； glancing around at Marty。
〃Yes； sir。〃 〃Shave off your mustache。 Anybody would think you'd got something to hide。〃
12
Toy gave Marty a perfunctory tour of the house before taking him upstairs； promising a more thorough walkabout when time wasn't so pressing。 Then he delivered Marty to a long； airy room on the top story； and at the side of the house。
〃This is yours；〃 he said。 Luther had left the suitcase and the plastic bag on the bed； their tattiness looked out of place in the sleek utility of the room。 It had； like the study； contemporary fittings。
〃It's a bit bare at the moment；〃 said Toy。 〃So do whatever you want with it。 If you've got photographs…〃 〃Not real
