alistairmaclean.bearisland-第34节

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　〃Was　she？〃　He　tried　to　smile　and　winced。　〃Well；　all　right。〃
　I　left　and　went　to　Stryker's　cabin。　He　answered　my　knock　and　his　face　didn't　have　wele　written　all　over　it。　I　looked　at　the　still　bleeding　cut。
　〃Want　me　to　have　a　look　at　that？〃　Judith　Haynes；　clad　in　a　fur　parka　and　trousers　and　looking　rather　like　a　red…haired　Eskimo；　was　sitting　on　the　cabin's　only　chair；　her　two　cocker　spaniels　in　her　lap。　Her　dazzling　smile　was　in　momentary　abeyance。
　No。〃
　〃It　might　scar。〃　I　didn't　give　a　damn　whether　it　scarred　or　not。
　〃Oh。〃　The　factor　of　his　appearance；　it　hadn't　been　too　hard　to　guess；　was　of　importance　to　Stryker。　I　entered；　closed　the　door；　examined　and　dabbed　the　cut；　put　on　astringent　and　applied　a　plaster。　I　said：　〃Look；　I'm　not　Captain　Imrie。　Did　you　have　to　bang　that　boy　like　that？　You　could　have　flattened　him　with　a　tap。〃
　〃You　were　there　when　I　told　Captain　Imrie　that　it　was　a　purely　personal　matter。〃　I'd　have　to　revise　my　psychological　thinking；　clearly　neither　my　freely　offered　medical　assistance　nor　my　reasonableness　of　approach　nor　the　implied　flattery　had　had　the　slightest　mollifying　effect。　〃Having　MD　hung　round　your　neck　doesn't　give　you　the　right　to　ask　impertinent　prying　questions。　Remember　what　else　I　said　to　Imrie？〃
　〃You'd　be　obligated　if　I　minded　my　own　damned　business？〃
　〃Exactly。〃
　〃I'll　bet　young　Allen　feels　that　way　too。〃
　〃That　young　Allen　deserves　all　he　got；〃　Judith　Haynes　said。　Her　tone　wasn't　any　more　friendly　than　Stryker's。　I　found　what　she　said　interesting　for　two　reasons。　She　was　widely　supposed　to　loathe　her　husband　but　there　was　no　evidence　of　it　here：　and　here　might　lie　a　more　fruitful　source　for　enquiry　for；　clearly；　she　wasn't　as　good　at　keeping　her　emotions　and　tongue　under　wraps　as　her　husband　was。
　〃How　do　you　know；　Miss　Haynes？　You　weren't　there。〃
　I　didn't　have　to　be。　I…〃
　〃Darling！〃　Stryker's　voice　was　abrupt；　warning。　
　〃Can't　trust　your　wife　to　speak　for　herself；　is　that　it？〃　I　said。　His　big　fists　balled　but　I　ignored　him　and　looked　again　at　Judith　Haynes。　〃Do　you　know　there's　a　little　girl　up　in　the　saloon　crying　her　eyes　out　over　what　your　big　tough　husband　did　to　that　kid？　Does　that　mean　nothing　to　you？〃
　〃If　you're　talking　about　that　little　bitch　of　a　continuity　girl　she　deserves　all　that　es　her　way　too。〃
　〃Darling！〃　Stryker's　voice　was　urgent。　I　stared　at　Judith　Haynes　in　disbelief　but　I　could　see　she　meant　what　she　said。　Her　red　slash　of　a　mouth　was　contorted　into　a　line　as　straight　and　as　thin　as　the　edge　of　a　ruler；　the　once　beautiful　green　eyes　were　venomous　and　the　face　ugly　in　its　contorted　attempts　to　conceal　some　hatred　or　viciousness　or　poison　in　the　mind。　It　was　an　almost　frightening　display　of　what　must　have　been　a　very；　very　rare　public　exhibition　of　what　powerful　rumour　in　the　film　world　to　which　I　now　partially　apologised　for　my　former　mental　strictures　maintained　to　be　a　fairly　constant　private　amalgam　of　the　peasant　shrew　and　the　screaming　fishwife。
　〃That…harmless…child？〃　I　spaced　the　words　in　slow　incredulity。　〃A　bitch？〃
　〃A　tramp；　a　little　tramp！　A　slut！　A　little　gutter…'
　〃Stop　it！〃　Stryker's　voice　was　a　lash；　but　it　had　strained　overtones。　I　had　the　feeling　that　only　desperation　would　make　him　talk　to　his　wife　in　this　fashion。
　〃Yes；　stop　it；〃　I　said。　〃I　don't　know　what　the　hell　you're　talking　about；　Miss　Haynes；　and　I'm　damned　sure　you　don't　either。　All　I　know　is　you're　sick。〃
　I　turned　to　go。　Stryker　barred　my　way。　He'd　lost　a　little　colour　from　his　cheeks。
　〃Nobody　talks　to　my　wife　that　way。〃　His　lips　hardly　moved　as　he　spoke。
　I　was　suddenly　sick　of　the　Strykers。　I　said：　〃I've　insulted　your　wife？〃
　〃Unforgivably。〃
　〃And　so　I've　insulted　you？〃
　‘You're　getting　the　point；　Marlowe。〃
　〃And　anyone　who　insults　you　gets　what's　ing　to　them。　That's　what　you　said　to　Captain　Imrie。〃
　〃That's　what　I　said。〃
　I　see。〃
　〃I　thought　you　might。〃　He　still　barred　my　way。
　〃And　if　I　apologise？〃
　〃An　apology？〃　He　smiled　coldly。　〃Let's　try　one　out　for　size；　shall　we？〃
　I　turned　to　Judith　Haynes。　I　said：　I　don't　know　what　the　hell　you're　talking　about；　Miss　Haynes；　and　I'm　damned　sure　you　don't　either。　All　I　know　is　you're　sick。〃
　Her　face　looked　as　if　invisible　claws　had　sunk　deep　into　both　cheeks　all　the　way　from　temple　to　chin　and　dragged　back　the　skin　until　it　was　stretched　drum…tight　over　the　bones。　I　turned　to　face　Stryker。　His　facial　skin　didn't　look　tight　at　all。　The　strikingly　handsome　face　wasn't　handsome　any　more；　the　contours　seemed　to　have　sagged　and　jellied　and　the　cheeks　were　bereft　of　colour。　I　brushed　by　him；　opened　the　door　and　stopped。
　〃You　poor　bastard；〃　I　said。　〃Don't　worry。　Doctors　never　tell。〃
　I　was　glad　to　make　my　way　up　to　the　clean　biting　cold　of　the　upper　deck。
　I'd　left　something　sick　and　unhealthy　and　more　than　vaguely　unclean　down　there　behind　me　and　I　didn't　have　to　be　a　doctor　to　know　what　the　sickness　was。　The　snow　had　eased　now　and　as　I　looked　out　over　the　weather　side…the　port　side…I　could　see　that　we　were　leaving　one　promontory　about　a　half　mile　behind　on　the　port　quarter　while　another　was　ing　up　about　the　same　distance　ahead　on　the　port　bow。　Kapp　Kolthoff　and　Kapp；　Malmgren；　I　knew　from　the　chart；　so　we　had　to　be　steaming　northeast　across　the　Evjebukta。　The　cliffs　here　were　less　high；　but　we　were　even　more　deeply　into　their　lee　than　twenty　minutes　previously　and　the　sea　had　moderated　even　more。　We　had　less　than　three　miles　to　go。
　I　looked　up　at　the　bridge。　The　weather；　obviously；　was　improving　considerably　or　interest　and　curiosity　had　been　stimulated　by　the　close　proximity　of　our　destination；　for　there　was　now　a　small　knot　of　people　on　either　wing　of　the　bridge　but　with　hoods　so　closely　drawn　as　to　make　features　indistinguishable。　I　became　aware　that　there　was　a　figure　standing　close　by　me　huddled　up　against　the　fore　superstructure　of　the　bridge。　It　was　Mary　Darling　with　the　long　tangled　blond　tresses　blowing　in　every　direction　of　the　pass。　I　went　towards　her；　put　my　arm　round　her　with　the　ease　born　of　recent　intensive　practice；　and　tilted　her　face。　Red　eyes；　tear…splotched　cheeks；　a　little　woebegone　face　half…hidden　behind　the　enormous　spectacles：　the　slut；　the　bitch；　the　little　tramp。
　〃Mary　darling；〃　I　said。　〃What　are　you　doing　here？　It's　far　too　cold。　You　should　be　inside　or　below。〃
　I　wanted　to　be　alone。〃　There　was　still　the　catch　of　a　dying　sob　in　her　voice。　〃And　Mr。　Gilbert　kept　wanting　to　give　me　brandy…and；　well…？'
　She　shuddered。
　〃So　you've　left　Lonnie　alone　with　the　restorative。　That'll　be　an　eminently　satisfactory　all…round　conclusion　as　far　as　Lonnie…？'
　〃Dr。　Marlowe！〃　She　became　aware　of　the　arm　round　her　and　made　a　half…hearted　attempt　to　break　away。　〃People　will　see　us！〃
　〃I　don't　care；〃　I　said。　I　want　the　whole　world　to　know　of　our　love。'
　‘You　want　the　whole…〃　She　looked　at　me　in　consternation；　her　normally　big　eyes　huge　behind　her　glasses；　then　came　the　first　tremulous　beginnings　of　a　smile。　〃Oh；　Dr。　Marlowe！〃
　〃There's　a　young　man　below　who　wants　to　see　you　immediately；〃　I　said。
　〃Oh！〃　The　smile　vanished；　heaven　knows　what　gravity　of　import　she　found　in　my　words。　〃Is　he…I　mean；　he'll　have　to　go　to　hospital；　won't　he？〃
　〃He'll　be　up　and　around　this　afternoon。〃
　〃Really？　Really　and　truly？〃
　If　you're　calling　my　professional　petence　into　question…？'
　〃Oh；　Dr。　Marlowe　Then　what…why　does　he…'
　I　should　imagine　he　wants　you　to　hold　his　hand。　I'm　putting　myself　in　his　shoes；　of　course。〃
　〃Oh；　Dr。　Marlowe！　Will　it…I　mean　in　his　cabin…〃
　〃Do　I　have　to　drag　you　down　there？〃
　〃No。〃　She　smiled。　I　don't　think　that　will　be　necessary。〃　She　hesitated。
　〃Dr。　Marlowe？〃
　〃Yes？〃
　I　think　you're　wonderful。　I　really　do。〃
　〃Hoppit。〃
　She　smiled；　almost　happily　now；　and　hopped　it。　I　wished　I　even　fractionally　shared　her　opinion　of　me；　for　if　I　was　in　a　position　to　do　so　there　would　be　a　good　number　fewer　of　dead　and　sick　and　injured　around。
　But　I　was　glad　of　one　thing；　I　hadn't　had　to　hurt　Mary　Darling　as　I'd　feared　I　might；　there　had　been　no　need　to　ask　her　any　of　the　questions　that　had　half…formed　in　my　mind　even　as　I　had　left　the　Strykers〃　cabin。　If　she　were　even　remotely　capable　of　being　any　of　those　things　that　Judith　Haynes　had；　for　God　knew　what　misbegotten　reasons；　accused　her　of　being；　then　she　had　no　right　to　be　in　the　film　industry　as　a　continuity　girl；　she　was　in　more　than　a　fair　way　to　making　her　fame　and　fortune　as　one　of　the　great　actresses　of　our　time。　Besides；　I　didn't　have　to　ask　any　questions　now；　not　where　she　and　Allen　and　the　Strykers　were　concerned：　it　was　hard　to　say　whether　my　contempt　for　Michael　Stryker　was　greater　than　my　pity。
　I　remained　where　I　was　for　a　few　minutes　watching　some　crew　members　who　had　just　e　on　to　the　foredeck　begin　to　remove　the　no　longer　necessary　lashings　from　the　deck　cargo；　strip　off　tarpaulins　and　set　slings　in　places；　while　another　two　set　about　clearing　away　the　big　fore　derrick　and　testing　the　winch。　Clearly；　Captain　Imrie　had　no　intention　of　wasting　any　time　whatsoever　upon　our　arrival：　he　wanted；　and　understandably；　to　be　gone　with　all　dispatch。　I　went　aft　to　the　saloon。
　Lonnie　was　the　sole　occupant；　alone　but　not　lonely；　not　as　long　as　he　had　that　bottle　of　Hi