df.theedge-第52章
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I came to a place where a bench had been placed before a stunning panorama of lake； the Chateau and the mountain behind it； it was warm enough also to pause and sit down。 I brushed some raindrops off the seat and slouched on the bench； hands in pockets； gazed vaguely on the picture…postcard spectacle； mind in second gear on Filmer。
I could see figures walking about by the shore in the Chateau garden； and thought without hurry of perhaps bringing out the binoculars to see if any of them was Julius Apollo。 Not that it would have been of much help； I supposed； if he'd been there。 He wouldn't be doing anything usefully criminal under the gaze of the Chateau's serried ranks of windows。
Someone with quiet footsteps came along the path from the shelter of the trees and stopped； looking down at the lake。 Someone female。
I glanced at her incuriously； seeing a backview of jeans； blue Parka； white trainers and a white woollen hat with two scarlet pompoms： and then she turned round； and I saw that it was Xanthe Lorrimore。
She looked disappointed to find the bench already occupied。
'Do you mind if I sit here？' she said。 'It's a long walk。 My legs are tired。'
'No； of course not。' I stood up and brushed the raindrops off the rest of the bench； making a drier space for her。
'Thanks。' She flopped down in adolescent gawkiness and I took my own place again； with a couple of feet between us。
She frowned。 'Haven't I seen you before？' she asked。 'Are you on the train？'
'Yes； miss；' I said； knowing that there was no point in denying it； as she would see me again and more clearly in the dining room。 'I'm one of the crew。'
'Oh。' She began as if automatically to get to her feet； and then； after a moment； decided against it out of tiredness and relaxed。 'Are you；' she said slowly； keeping her distance； 'one of the waiters？'
'Yes； Miss Lorrimore。'
'The one who told me I had to pay for a Coke？'
'Yes； I'm sorry。'
She shrugged and looked down at the lake。 'I suppose；' she said in a disgruntled voice； 'all this is pretty special； but what I really feel is bored。'
She had thick almost straight chestnut hair which curved at the ends over her shoulders； and she had clear fine skin and marvellous eyebrows。 She was going to be beautiful； I thought； with maturity； unless she let the sulky cast of her mouth spoil not just her face but her life。
'I sometimes wish I was poor like you；' she said。 'It would make everything simple。' She glanced at me。 'I suppose you think I'm crazy to say that。' She paused。 'My mother would say I shouldn't be talking to you anyway。'
I moved as if to stand up。 'I'll go away； if you like；' I said politely。
'No； don't。' She was unexpectedly vehement and surprised even herself。 'I mean。。。 there's no one else to talk to。 I mean。。。 well。'
'I do understand；' I said。
'Do you？' She was embarrassed。 'I was going to go on the bus； really。 My parents think I'm on the bus。 I was going with Rose。。。 Mrs Young。。。 and Mr Young。 But he。。。' She almost stopped； but the childish urge in her to talk was again running strong； sweeping away discretion。 'He's never as nice to me as she is。 I think he's tired of me。 Cumber； isn't that a stupid name？ It's Cumberland； really。 That's somewhere in England where his parents went on their honeymoon； Rose says。 Albert Cumberland Young； that's what his name is。 Rose started calling him Cumber when they met because she thought it sounded cosier； but he isn't cosy at all； you know； he's stiff and stern。' She broke off and looked down towards the Chateau。 'Why do all those Japanese go on their honeymoons together？'
'I don't know；' I said。
'Perhaps they'll all call their children Lake Louise。'
'They could do worse。'
'What's your name？' she asked。
'Tommy； Miss Lorrimore。'
She made no ment。 She was only half easy in my pany； too conscious of my job。 But above all； she wanted to talk。
'You know my brother； Sheridan？' she said。
I nodded。
'The trouble with Sheridan is that we're too rich。 He thinks he's better than everyone else because he's richer。' She paused。 'What do you think of that？' It was part a challenge； part a desperate question； and I answered her from my own heart。
'I think it's very difficult to be very rich very young。'
'Do you really？' She was surprised。 'It's what everyone wants to be。'
'If you can have everything； you forget what it's like to need。 And if you're given everything； you never learn to save。'
She brushed that aside。 'There's； no point in saving。 My grandmother left me millions。 And Sheridan too。 I suppose you think that's awful。 He thinks he deserves it。 He thinks he can do anything he likes because he's rich。'
'You could give it away；' I said； 'if you think it's awful。'
'Would you？'
I said regretfully； 'No。'
'There you are； then。'
'I'd give some of it away。'
'I've got trustees and they won't let me。'
I smiled faintly。 I'd had Clement Cornborough。 Trustees； he'd told me once austerely； were there to preserve and increase fortunes； not to allow them to be squandered； and no； he wouldn't allow a fifteen…year…old boy to fund a farm for pensioned…off racehorses。
'Why do you think it's difficult to be rich？' she demanded。 'It's easy。'
I said neutrally； 'You said just now that if you were poor； life would be simple。'
'I suppose I did。 I suppose I didn't mean it。 Or not really。 I don't know if I meant it。 Why is it difficult to be rich？'
'Too much temptation。 Too many available corruptions。'
'Do you mean drugs？'
'Anything。 Too many pairs of shoes。 Self…importance。'
She put her feet up on the bench and hugged her knees； looking at me over the top。 'No one will believe this conversation。' She paused。 'Do you wish you were rich？'
It was an unanswerable question。 I said truthfully in evasion； 'I wouldn't like to be starving。'
'My father says；' she announced； 'that one's not better because one's richer； but richer because one's better。'
'Neat。'
'He always says things like that。 I don't understand them sometimes。'
'Your brother Sheridan；' I said cautiously； 'doesn't seem to be happy。'
'Happy！' She was scornful。 'He's never happy。 I've hardly seen him happy in his whole life。 Except that he does laugh at people sometimes。' She was doubtful。 'I suppose if he laughs； he must be happy。 Only he despises them； that's why he laughs。 I wish I liked Sheridan。 I wish I had a terrific brother who would look after me and take me places。 That would be fun。 Only it wouldn't be with Sheridan； of course； because it would end in trouble。 He's been terrible on this trip。 Much worse than usual。 I mean； he's embarrassing。' She frowned； disliking her thoughts。
'Someone said；' I said without any of my deep curiosity showing； 'that he had a bit of trouble in England。'
'Bit of trouble！ I shouldn't tell you； but he ought to be in jail； only they didn't press charges。 I think my father bought them off。。。 and anyway； that's why Sheridan does what my parents say； right now； because they threatened to let him be prosecuted if he as much as squeaks。'
'Could he still be prosecuted？' I asked without emphasis。
'What's a statute of limitations？'
'A time limit；' I said； 'after which one cannot be had up for a particular bit of law…breaking。'
'In England？'
'Yes。'
'You're English； aren't you？' she asked。
'Yes。'
'He said； 〃Hold your breath； the statute of limitations is out of sight。 〃'
'Who said？'
'An attorney； I think。 What did he mean？ Did he mean Sheridan is。。。 is。。。'
'Vulnerable？'
She nodded。 '。。。 for ever？'
'Maybe for a long time。'
'Twenty years？' An unimaginable time； her voice said。
'It would have to have been bad。'
'I don't know what he did；' she said despairingly。 'I only know it's ruined this summer。 Absolutely ruined it。 And I'm supposed to be in school right now； only they made me e on this train because they wouldn't leave me in the house alone。 Well； not alone； but alone except for the servants。 And that's because my cousin Susan Lorrimore； back in the summer； she's seventeen； she ran off wit
