df.theedge-第14章

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ght。　We　may　have　to　change　things　a　bit　as　we　go　along；　so　we'll　do　the　rest　of　the　final　walk…throughs　in　one　of　the　bedrooms；　a　day　at　a　time。'
　　The　others　thought　this　reasonable　and　began　to　put　on　their　coats。
　　'Don't　you　have　a　script？'　I　asked　Zak。
　　'Not　formal　works　to　learn；　if　that's　what　you　mean。　No。　We　all　know　what　we've　got　to　establish　in　each　scene；　and　we　improvise。　When　we　plan　a　mystery；　the　actors　get　a　brief　outline　of　what's　going　to　happen　and　basically　what　sort　of　people　they　are；　then　they　invent　their　own　imaginary　life　stories；　so　that　if　any　passenger　asks　questions　in　conversations；　they　have　the　answers　ready。　I'd　advise　you　to　do　it；　too。　Invent　a　background；　a　childhood。。。　as　near　as　possible　to　the　real　thing　is　always　easiest。'
　　Thanks　for　the　tip；'　I　said。　'Will　you　let　me　know　your　plans　each　day；　and　also　tell　me　instantly　if　anything　odd　happens　you　don't　expect？　Even　small　things；　really。'
　　'Yes；　sure。　Ask　Nell；　too。　She　knows　the　story。　And　there　are　some　actors　who　weren't　here　today　because　they　don't　get　activated　until　later　on　the　trip。　They're　on　the　passenger　list。　Nell　will　point　them　out。'
　　He　stifled　a　yawn　and　looked　suddenly　very　tired；　a　plete　contrast　to　two　minutes　earlier；　and　I　suspected　he　was　one　of　those　people　who　could　turn　energy　on　and　off　like　a　tap。　One　of　Aunt　Viv's　best　friends　had　been　an　elderly　actor　who　could　walk　down　to　the　theatre　like　a　tired　old　pensioner　and　go　out　on　the　stage　and　make　the　audience's　hair　stand　on　end　with　his　power。
　　David　Flynn；　offering　me　a　lift　if　I　needed　one；　was　beginning　to　move　with　a　sort　of　lassitude　that　one　would　never　have　seen　in　Zak。　He　picked　up　Nell's　large　envelope；　opened　it　and　distributed　its　contents　to　the　others：　luggage　labels　saying　'Merry　&　Co'；　and　photocopied　sheets　of　'Information　and　Advice　to　Passengers'。
　　Scene　dressing；　I　supposed。　I　asked　him　if　he　would　be　going　anywhere　near　the　Merry　&　Co　office　and　he　said　he　would　detour　that　way　and　was　as　good　as　his　word。
　　'Do　you　do　this　all　the　time？'　I　asked　on　the　way。
　　'Act；　do　you　mean？　Or　mysteries？'
　　'Either。'
　　'Anything　I'm　offered；'　he　said　frankly。　'Plays。　mercials。　Bit　parts　in　series。　But　I　do　mostly　mysteries　now　that　they're　so　popular；　and　nearly　all　for　Merry　&　Co。　I　write　the　stories　to　suit　the　occasion。　I　was　engaged　for　a　doctors'　convention　last　week；　so　we　did　a　medical　crime。　Just　now　it's　racing。　Next　month　I've　got　to　think　up　something　for　a　fishing　club　weekend　train　trip　to　Halifax。　It　keeps　me　employed。　It　pays　the　bills。　It's　quite　good　fun。　It's　not　Stratford…upon…Avon。'
　　'What　about　the　other　actors？'　I　asked。　'The　ones　in　the　garage。'
　　'Much　the　same。　It's　work。　They　like　the　train　trips；　even　if　it　does　mean　shouting　all　the　scenes　against　the　wheel　noise　when　we're　going　along；　because　the　dining　cars　are　so　long。　Not　by　any　means　the　right　shape　for　a　stage。　We　don't　always　use　the　same　actors；　it　depends　on　the　characters；　but　they're　all　friendly；　we　never　take　anyone　who　can't　get　along。　It's　essential　to　be　tolerant　and　generous；　to　make　our　sort　of　improvisation　work。'
　　'I'd　no　idea　mysteries　were　such　an　industry。'
　　He　gave　a　small　sideways　smile。　'They　have　a　lot　in　England　too；　these　days。'
　　'Um。。。　I　said；　as　he　braked　to　a　halt　outside　the　Merry　&　Co　offices。　'How　English　do　I　sound　to　you？'
　　'Very。　An　educated　Englishman　in　an　expensive　suit。'
　　'Well；　the　original　plan　was　for　me　to　go　on　the　train　as　a　wealthy　owner。　What　would　you　think　of　my　accent　if　I　were　dressed　as　a　waiter　in　a　deep…yellow　waistcoat？'
　　'Harvest　gold；　that's　what　they　call　that　colour；'　he　said　thoughtfully。　'I　wouldn't　notice　your　accent　so　much；　perhaps。　There　are　thousands　of　English　immigrants　in　this　country；　after　all。　You'll　get　by　all　right；　I　should　think。'
　　I　thanked　him　for　the　lift　and　got　out　of　the　car。　He　yawned　and　turned　that　into　a　laugh；　but　I　reckoned　the　tiredness　was　real。　'See　you　Sunday；　Tommy；'　he　said；　and　I　dryly　said；　'Sure　thing；　Zak。'　He　drove　away　with　a　smile　and　I　went　into　the　Merry　&　Co　office　where　the　earlier　calm　had　broken　up　into　loud　frenetic　activity　on　several　telephones。
　　'How　could　twenty…five　of　our　bikers　all　burst　their　tyres　at　once？'
　　'They　won't　reach　Nuits　St　George　tonight。'
　　'Any　suggestions　for　alternative　hotels？'
　　'Where　do　we　find　fifty　new　tyres；　assorted；　in　France？　They've　cut　them　to　ribbons；　they　say。'
　　'It　was　sabotage。　It　has　to　be。'
　　'They　rode　over　a　cattle…grid　which　had　spikes。'
　　Nell　was　sitting　at　her　desk　talking　on　her　telephone；　one　hand　pressed　to　her　free　ear　to　block　out　the　clamour。
　　'Why　didn't　the　fools　pick　up　their　bikes　and　walk　across？'
　　'Nobody　told　them。　It　was　a　new　grid。　Where　is　Nuits　St　George？　Can't　we　get　a　bus　to　go　and　pick　up　the　bikes？　What　bus　pany　do　we　use　in　that　part　of　France？'
　　'Why　isn't　our　French　office　dealing　with　all　this？'
　　I　sat　on　Nell's　client　chair　and　waited。　The　hubbub　subsided：　the　crisis　was　sorted。　Somewhere　in　Burgundy；　the　bikers　would　be　transported　to　their　dinners　on　sturdier　wheels；　and　new　tyres　would　be　found　in　the　morning。
　　Nell　put　her　receiver　down。
　　'You　arrange　cycling　tours？'　I　said。
　　'Sure。　And　trips　up　Everest。　Not　me　personally；　I　do　mysteries。　Do　you　need　something？'
　　'Instructions。'
　　'Oh；　yes。　I　talked　to　VIA。　No　problems。'
　　VIA　Rail；　I　had　discovered；　was　the　pany　that　operated　Canada's　passenger　trains；　which　didn't　mean　that　it　owned　the　rails　or　the　stations。　Nothing　was　simple　on　the　railways。
　　'VIA；'　Nell　said；　'are　expecting　you　to　turn　up　at　Union　Station　tomorrow　morning　at　ten　to　get　fitted　for　a　uniform。　Here's　who　you　ask　for。'　She　passed　me　a　slip　of　paper。　'They've　got　hand…picked　service　people　going　on　this　trip；　and　they'll　show　you　what　to　do　when　you　meet　them　at　the　station　on　Sunday　morning。　You'll　board　the　train　with　them。'
　　'What　time？'　I　asked。
　　'The　train　es　into　the　station　soon　after　eleven。　The　chefs　and　crew　board　soon　after。　Passengers　board　at　eleven…thirty；　after　the　reception　in　the　station　itself。　The　train　leaves　at　twelve。　That's　thirty…five　minutes　earlier　than　the　regular　daily　train；　the　Canadian；　which　will　be　on　our　heels　as　far　as　Winnipeg。'
　　'And　the　horses　will　have　boarded；　I　gather；　out　in　a　loading　area。'
　　'Yes；　at　Mimico；　about　six　miles　away。　That's　where　they　do　maintenance　and　cleaning　and　put　the　trains　together。　Everything　will　be　loaded　there。　Food；　wine；　flowers；　everything　for　the　owners。'
　　'And　the　grooms？'
　　'No；　not　them。　They're　being　shipped　back　to　the　station　by　bus　after　they've　settled　the　horses　in。　And　you　might　like　to　know　we've　another　addition　to　the　train；　a　cousin　of　our　boss；　name　of　Leslie　Brown；　who's　going　as　horsemaster；　to　oversee　the　horses　and　the　grooms　and　keep　everything　up　that　end　in　good　order。'
　　'Which　end？'
　　'Behind　the　engine。　Apparently　horses　travel　better　there。　No　swaying。'
　　While　she　was　talking；　she　was　sorting　postcards　into　piles：　postcards　with　names　and　numbers　on。
　　'Do　you　have　a　plan　of　the　train？'　I　asked。
　　She　glanced　up　briefly　and　didn't　exactly　say　I　was　a　thundering　nuisance；　but　looked　as　if　she　thought　it。　Still；　she　shuffled　through　a　pile　of　papers；　pulled　out　a　single　sheet　and　pushed　it　across　the　desk　towards　me。
　　'This　is　what　we've　asked　for；　and　what　they　say　we'll　get；　but　the　people　at　Mimico　sometimes　change　things；'　she　said。
　　I　picked　up　the　paper　and　found　it　was　written　in　a　column。
　　Engine
　　Generator/boiler　Baggage　car
　　Horse　car
　　Grooms/sleeping
　　Grooms/dining/dome
　　（Racegoers）Sleeping
　　Sleeping
　　〃Sleeping
　　〃Dayniter
　　Dining
　　26　24　16
　　8　4　78　if　full
　　（Owners）　Sleeping　（Green）　〃　Sleeping　（Manor）　〃　Sleeping　（Mount）　〃　Special　dining
　　Dome　car　（Park）　〃　Private　car
　　（Owners　includes　actors；　pany　and
　　VIA　executives；　chefs　and　service　crew；
　　most　in　Green。　）
　　'Do　you　have　a　plan　of　who　sleeps　where？'　I　asked。
　　For　answer　she　shuffled　through　the　same　pile　as　before　and　gave　me　two　sheets　stapled　together。　I