rr.thebrentfordtriangle-第31章

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　extended　this　very　appendage　towards　the　garage　doorhandle；　but　Norman　barred　his　way。
　'Nothing　to　concern　yourself　about；'　he　said；　'nothing　I　cannot　handle。'
　'Oh；　no　trouble；　I　assure　you。　Nothing　I　like　better　than　getting　to　grips　with　a　monkey　wrench　and　a　set　of　allan　keys。'
　'No；　no；'　said　Norman；　'I　think　not；　it　is　growing　late　now　and　I　have　to　be　up　early　in　the　morning。'
　'No　problem　then；　I　have　no　a。m。　appointments；　to　me　the　night　is　yet　young。　Leave　me　the　garage　key　and　I　will　post　it　through　your　letter…box　as　soon　as　I　am　done。'
　'You　are　kindness　personified；'　said　Norman；　'but　I　could　not　impose　upon　you　in　such　a　fashion。　My　conscience　would　not　allow　it。　I　will　just　lock　up　and　then　we　shall　stroll　home　together。'　He　stooped　to　refasten　the　padlock。
　'You'd　better　switch　the　light　off　before　you　go；'　said　Jim　Pooley。
　Norman's　hand　hovered　over　the　padlock。　A　look　of　terrible　indecision　crossed　his　face。
　'Allow　me；'　said　John　Omally；　thrusting　the　shopkeeper　aside　and　taking　the　handle　firmly　in　two　hands。　'I　should　just　like　to　have　a　look　at　this　car　of　yours　before　we　depart。'
　'Please　don't；'　whined　the　shopkeeper；　but　it　was　too　late。　The　door　flew　upwards　and　the　light　from　the　lock…up　garage　flooded　the　street；　exposing　Norman's　secret　to　the　world。
　Pooley　took　a　step　backwards。　'My　God；'　was　all　that　he　had　to　say。
　Omally；　however；　was　made　of　sterner　stuff。　'Now；　there　we　have　a　thing；'　he　said；　nudging　the　cowering　shopkeeper。　'Now　there　we　have　a　thing　indeed。'
　Norman's　brain　was　reeling；　but　he　did　his　best　to　affect　an　attitude　of　bland　posure。　'There；　then；'　he　said；　'satisfied？　Now　if　you　don't　mind；　it　is　growing　late。'
　Omally　stepped　forward　into　the　garage　and　pointed　upwards。　'Norman；'　he　said；　'there　is　a　camel　asleep　in　your　rafters。'
　'Camel？'　said　Norman。　'Camel？　I　don't　see　any　camel。'
　'It　is　definitely　a　camel；'　said　John。　'If　it　were　a　dromedary　it　would　have　but　one　hump。'
　'You　have　been　drinking；　I　believe；'　said　Norman。　'I　can　assure　you　that　there　is　nothing　here　but　a　Morris　Minor　with　a　tetchy　gearbox。　I　have　read　of　folk　suffering　such　hallucinations　when　they　have　imbibed　too　freely。　e；　let　us　depart；　we　shall　speak　no　more　of　these　things。'
　'It's　definitely　a　camel；'　said　Jim。
　'Dear　me；'　said　Norman　shaking　his　head；　'another　victim　of　Bacchus；　and　so　young。'
　'Why　is　it　in　the　rafters？'　Pooley　asked。　'I　was　always　of　the　opinion　that　camels　preferred　to　nest　at　ground　level　and　in　somewhat　sunnier　climes。'
　'Perhaps　it　is　a　new　strain？'　said　Omally。　'Perhaps　Norman　has　created　some　new　strain　of　camel　which　he　is　attempting　to　keep　secret　from　the　world？　Such　a　camel　would　no　doubt　revolutionize　desert　travel。'
　Norman　chewed　upon　his　lip。　'Please　be　careful　where　you　stand；　Omally；'　he　said。　'Some　of　the　primer　on　the　bonnet　is　still　wet。'
　Omally　put　his　arm　about　the　shopkeeper's　shoulder。　'Why　not　just　make　this　easy　on　yourself？'　he　asked。
　'Although　I　accept　that　mentally　you　are　a　fearsome　adversary；　surely　you　must　realize　that　the　game　is　up？　Cease　this　folly；　I　beg　you。'
　'Don't　scuff　the　spare　wheel　with　your　hobnails；'　said　Norman。
　Pooley　raised　his　hand　to　speak。　'If　I　might　make　a　suggestion；'　he　said；　'I　think　that　the　matter　could　be　easily　settled　with　a　little　practical　demonstration。'
　'Yes？'　said　Norman　doubtfully。
　'Well；　you　suggest　that　Omally　and　I　are　suffering　some　kind　of　mental　aberration　regarding　this　camel。'
　'You　are。'
　'And　we　say　that　your　Morris　Minor　is　only　notable　for　its　plete　and　utter　invisibility。'
　'Huh！'
　Pooley　drew　out　his　pocket　lighter　and　struck　fire。　'You　rev　up　your　Morris；'　he　said；　'and　I　shall　toast　the　feet　of　my　camel。'
　'No；　no！'　Norman　leapt　into　life。　'Not　toast　his　feet；　not　toast　the　feet　of　my　Simon。'
　'The　camel　has　it；'　said　Jim　Pooley。
　Norman　sank　to　his　knees　and　began　to　sob　piteously。　Omally　suggested　that　Jim　should　lower　the　garage　door　and　this　he　did。
　'e；　e；'　said　Omally　to　the　crumpled　shopkeeper；　'there　is　no　need　for　this　undignified　behaviour。　Clearly　we　have　intruded　upon　some　private　business。　We　have　no　wish　to　interfere；　we　are　men　of　discretion；　aren't　we；　Jim？'
　'Noted　for　it。'
　'Not　men　to　take　advantage　of　such　a　situation　are　we；　Jim？'
　'Certainly　not。'
　'Even　though　this　manifestation　is　clearly　of　such　singularity　that　any　newspaper　reporter　worthy　of　his　salt　would　pay　handsomely　for　an　exclusive。'
　'Say　no　more；'　moaned　Norman　between　sobs。　'Name　your　price。　I　am　a　poor　man　but　we　can　possibly　e　to　some　arrangement。　A　higher　credit　rating；　perhaps。'
　Omally　held　up　his　hand。　'Sir；'　he　said；　'are　you　suggesting　that　I　would　stoop　to　blackmail？　That　I　would　debase　the　quality　of　our　long…standing　friendship　with　vile　extortion？'
　'Such　I　believe　to　be　the　case；'　said　Norman　dismally。
　'Well　then；'　said　Omally；　rubbing　his　hands　together；　'let　us　get　down　to　business；　I　have　a　proposition　to　put　to　you。'
　
　18
　After　leaving　Norman's　garage　in　the　early　hours　of　the　morning；　Pooley　found　little　joy　in　the　forts　of　his　cosy　bed。　He　had　listened　with　awe　and　not　a　little　terror　to　the　amazing　revelations　which　Omally　had　skilfully　wrung　from　the　shopkeeper。　Although　Jim　had　plaintively　reiterated　that　the　Earth…balancing…pyramid　theory　which　Norman　had　overheard；　that　lunchtime　so　long　ago；　was　gleaned　from　the　pages　of　an　old　ic　book；　as　usual　nobody　had　listened　to　him。　What　small；　fitful　periods　of　sleep　he　had　managed　were　made　frightful　with　dreams　of　great　floating　camels；　materializing　pyramids　and　invading　spacemen。
　At　around　six　o'clock　Pooley　gave　the　whole　thing　up　as　a　bad　job；　dragged　on　an　overcoat；　thrust　a　trilby　hat　on　to　his　hirsute　head；　and　trudged　off　round　to　the　Professor's　house。
　The　old　man　sat　as　ever　at　his　desk；　studying　his　books；　and　no　doubt　preparing　himself　for　the　worst。　He　waved　Pooley　to　an　armchair　without　looking　up　and　said；　'I　hope　you　are　not　going　to　tell　me　that　during　the　few　short　hours　that　you　have　been　gone　you　have　solved　the　thing。'
　'Partially；'　said　Jim　without　enthusiasm。　'But　I　think　John　should　take　full…credit　this　time。'
　The　old　man　shook　his　head。　'Do　you　ever　feel　that　we　are　not　altogether　the　masters　of　our　own　destinies？'　he　asked。
　'No；'　said　Jim。　'Never。'
　'And　so；　what　do　you　have　to　tell　me？'
　'You　will　not　like　it。'
　'Do　I　ever？'
　Pooley　eyed　the　whisky　decanter　as　a　source　of　inspiration　but　his　stomach　made　an　unspeakable　sound。
　'Would　you　care　to　take　breakfast　with　me；　Jim？'　the　Professor　asked。　'I　generally　have　a　little　something　at　about　this　time。'
　'I　would　indeed；'　said　Jim。　'Truly　I　am　as　ravenous　as　Ganesha's　rat。'
　The　Professor　tinkled　a　small　Burmese　brass　bell；　and　within　a　few　seconds　there　came　a　knocking　at　the　study　door　which　announced　the　arrival　of　Professor　Slobe's　elderly　retainer　Gammon；　bearing　an　overlarge　butler's　tray　loaded　to　the　gun　whales　with　breakfast　for　two。
　It　was　Pooley's　turn　to　shake　his　head。　'How　could　he　possibly　know　that　I　was　here？'
　Professor　Slobe　smiled。　'You　ask　me　to　give　away　my　secrets？'　he　said；　somewhat　gaily。　'Where　would　I　be　if　you　deny　me　my　mystique？'
　'You　have　mystique　enough　for　twenty；'　said　Jim。
　'Then　I　will　share　this　one　with　you；　for　it　is　simplicity　itself。'　He　rang　the　small　bell　again　and　Gammon；　looking　up　from　the　coffee　he　was　pouring　into　the　fine　Dresden　china　cups；　said；　'Certainly；　sir；　two　lumps　it　is。'
　'It　is　a　code　with　the　bell…ringing；'　said　the　enlightened　Jim。
　The　Professor　nodded　his　old　head。　'You　have　found　me　out；'　said　he。　In　reality；　of　course；　Pooley　had　done　nothing　of　the　kind。
　Gammon　departed　at　a　mental　mand；　closing　the　door　behind　him。　Pooley　set　about　the　demolition　of　the　steaming　tray　load。　Between　great　chewings　and　swallowings；　he　did　his　best　to　relate　to　the　Professor　all　that　he　had　seen　and　heard　that　night。
　Professor　Slobe　picked　delicately　at　his　morning　repast　and　listened　to　it　all　with　the　greatest　interest。　When　Pooley　had　finished　his　long；　rambling；　and　not　a　little　confused　monologue；　he　rose　from　his　chair　and　took　out　a　Turkish　cigarette　from　the　polished　h