rr.thebrentfordtriangle-第35章

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　'I　have　called　you　here；　gentlemen；'　said　Professor　Slobe；　'because　we　have　almost　run　out　of　time。　We　must　act　with　some　haste　if　we　are　to　act　at　all。'
　'You　have　reached　a　solution　then？'　asked　Jim　hopefully。
　'Possibly。'　The　old　gentleman　made　a　so…so　gesture　with　a　pale　right　hand。　'Although　I　am　backing　a　rank　outsider。'
　'I　am　not　a　man　to　favour　long　odds　myself；'　said　Omally；　'unless；　of　course；　I　have　a　man　on　the　inside。'
　'Quite　so。　Believe　me；　I　have　given　this　matter　a　very　great　deal　of　thought。　I　have　possibly　expended　more　mental　energy　upon　it　than　I　have　ever　done　upon　any　other　problem。　I　feel　that　I　might　have　e　up　with　a　solution；　but　the　plan　relies　on　a　goodly　number　of　factors　working　to　our　favour。　It　is；　as　you　might　reasonably　expect；　somewhat　fraught　with　peril。'
　'Tell　us　the　worst　then；'　said　Omally。　'I　think　you　can　call　us　mitted。'
　'Thank　you；　John。　In　essence　it　is　simplicity　itself。　This　worries　me　a　little；　possibly　because　it　lacks　any　of　those　conceits　of　artistic　expression　which　my　vanity　holds　so　dearly。　It　is；　in　fact；　a　very　dull　and　uninspired　plan。'
　'But　nevertheless　fraught　with　peril？'
　'Sadly　yes。　Under　my　instruction；　Soap　Distant　has　turned　the　allotments　into　a　veritable　minefield。　The　explosive　used　is　of　my　own　formulation；　and　I　can　vouch　for　its　efficiency。　I　intend　to　detonate　it　as　the　first　craft　land。　We　may　not　be　able　to　get　all　of　the　invading　vessels；　you　understand；　but　if　we　can　take　out　one　or　two　of　the　lead　ships　then　I　think　that　it　will　give　us　the　edge。'
　'But　what　about　the　rest　of　them？'　asked　Pooley。
　'That　is　where　we　must　trust　very　much　to　psychology。　These　beings　have　travelled　a　very　long　way　to　return　to　their　home　world。　As　you　are　well　aware；　it　no　longer　exists。　When　they　discover　this；　they　will　logically　be　asking　themselves　the　big　〃Why〃。　They　are　being　guided　here　by　the　municating　beacon　in　the　Swan；　but　if　the　first　craft　to　land　are　instantly　destroyed；　then　I　feel　it　reasonable　to　assume　that　they　will　draw　their　own　conclusions。　They　will　reason　that　the　men　of　Earth　have　evolved　into　a　superior　force；　which　is　capable　of　destroying　entire　planets；　should　it　so　wish。
　I　can　only　hope　that　they　will　hastily　take　themselves　elsewhere。　They　have　a　long；　long　way　to　call　for　reinforcements；　should　any　actually　exist。'
　'I　can　accept　that　in　theory；'　said　Omally；　'but　with　some　reservations。　There　are　a　goodly　number　of　ifs　and　buts　to　it。'
　'I　accept　it　wholeheartedly；'　said　Jim。　'My　name　has　so　far　gone　unmentioned　and　that　suits　me　well　enough。'
　'There　are　one　or　two　little　matters　to　be　cleared　up；'　said　Professor　Slobe　somewhat　pointedly。　'That　is　where　you　e　in。'
　'This　would　be　the　fraught　with　peril　side　of　it　I　expect；'　said　Jim　dismally。
　Professor　Slobe　nodded。　'There　is　the　small　matter　of　the　municating　beacon　in　the　Swan。　It　will　have　to　be　switched　off。　We　cannot　afford　to　have　the　Cereans　here　giving　the　game　away；　now　can　we？'
　Jim　shook　his　head　gloomily。　'I　suppose　not；'　he　said。
　'We　have　only　one　opportunity　to　deal　with　the　thing　and　that　is　tomorrow　night。'
　'I　have　to　play　in　the　finals　tomorrow　night；'　Norman　plained。　'Omally　here　promised　I　would　do　so。'
　'You　haven't　fulfilled　your　side　of　the　bargain　yet；'　said　the　voice　behind　the　beard。　'The　machine　still　hums；　you　have　done　nothing。'
　'I　haven't　had　a　chance　yet。　I　can't　get　in　there；　I'm　barred；　don't　you　remember？'
　'Steady　on　now；'　said　Professor　Slobe；　raising　a　pale　hand。　'All　can　be　reconciled。'
　'The　machine　cannot　be　broken；'　said　Jim。　'Be　assured　of　it。　We　are　doomed。'
　'I　can　vouch　for　the　fact　that　it　cannot　be　destroyed　from　within　the　Swan；'　said　the　Professor；　'because　I　have　already　tried。'
　'e　again？'　said　Pooley。
　'Fair　dos；'　said　Professor　Slobe。　'You　surely　do　not　believe　that　I　have　been　idle？'　All　present　shook　their　heads　vigorously。　'My　retainer；　Gammon；　despite　his　advanced　years　and　decrepit　appearance；　is　a　master　of　disguise。　Twice　he　has　visited　the　Swan　with　a　view　to　disabling　the　device。　Firstly；　he　arrived　in　the　guise　of　a　brewery　representative　e　to　check　the　electrics。　He　assured　me　that　the　machine　cannot　be　switched　off　in　any　manner　whatever　and　also　that　Neville　has　no　love　whatever　for　brewery　representatives。　Later；　he　returned　as　an　engineer　e　to　service　the　device　prior　to　switching　it　off。　This　time　he　received　a　three…course　meal　on　the　house；　washed　down　with　half　a　bottle　of　champagne；　but　still　met　with　plete　failure。　Even　a　diamond…tipped　drill　could　not　penetrate　the　machine's　shell。'
　'I　told　you　we　were　doomed；'　said　Pooley。　'I　am　for　a　Jack　Palance　mask　and　a　dark　suit；　me。'
　Norman　shifted　uneasily　in　his　chair。　'I　really　think　I　must　be　going；'　he　said。　'I　can't　do　anything　if　I　cannot　get　inside　the　machine。　Feel　free　to　contact　me　at　any　time；　but　for　now；　goodbye。'
　'Not　so　fast；'　said　Professor　Slobe。　'I　have　given　the　matter　much　thought；　and　feel　that　I　have　found　the　solution。'
　'Can　I　go　anyway？'　Norman　asked。　'I　do　have　to　be　up　early　in　the　morning。'
　'Test…driving　your　Morris？'　Omally　asked。　The　shopkeeper　slumped　back　into　his　chair。
　'We　are　dealing；'　said　Professor　Slobe；　'with　beings　who；　although　possessed　of　superior　intelligence；　are　not　altogether　dissimilar　to　ourselves。　They　are　of　the　opinion　that　we　are　a　rising；　but　still　inferior　race。　They　might　have　your　card　marked；　Pooley；　but　I　doubt　whether　they　have　contemplated　open　sabotage。　Certainly　their　machine　is　outwardly　protected。　But　it　might　have　its　weakness　if　attacked　from　a　different　direction。'
　'How　so？'　Pooley　asked。
　'From　behind。　The　thing　is　faced　against　the　wall　of　the　Swan。　My　belief　is　that　if　we　break　through　from　behind　we　might　find　little　resistance。'
　'What；　through　the　wall　of　Archie　Karachi's　Curry　Garden？　I　can't　see　Kali's　Curry　King　giving　us　the　go…ahead　on　that　one。'
　'But　Archie　Karachi　is　a　member　of　the　Swan's　darts　team。　I　myself　have　seen　the　sign　on　his　door；　〃Closed　for　Business　All　Day　Thursday〃。'
　Pooley　tweaked　the　end　of　a　moustachio　whose　length　would　have　brought　a　jealous　glance　from　Salvador　Dali　himself。　'With　all　the　noise　in　the　Swan；'　said　he；　'nobody　is　going　to　pay　much　attention　to　a　bit　of　banging　next　door。'
　'My　thoughts　entirely。　We　will　need　a　spy　on　the　inside　though；　just　to　keep　an　eye　out。　Gammon　will　take　care　of　that　side　of　it。　When　we　have　broken　through　to　the　machine　it　will　be　down　to　you；　Norman；　to　deal　with　it　appropriately。'
　'No　problem　there；'　said　the　shopkeeper；　blowing　on　his　fingertips。　'There　is　no　machine　built　which　I　cannot　get　to　grips　with。'
　'You　might　find　a　surprise　or　two　when　we　open　it。'
　'Child's　play；'　said　Norman　with　sudden　bravado。　He　was　quite　warming　to　the　idea　of　all　this。　He　had　never　liked　Archie　Karachi　very　much；　and　the　thought　of　knocking　down　his　kitchen　wall　held　great　appeal。　Also；　if　this　machine　was　everything　the　Professor　seemed　to　think　it　was；　it　was　bound　to　contain　a　few　serviceable　ponents。　'Just　lead　me　to　it。'
　Omally　chuckled　behind　his　whiskers。　'Bravo；　Norman；'　said　the　Professor；　smiling　profusely。　'Now；　if　you　will　pardon　me；　I　suggest　that　we　bring　this　meeting　to　a　close；　I　have　several　loose　ends　still　to　tie　up。'
　The　old　man　took　a　scrap　of　paper　from　his　pocket　and　held　it　to　each　man　in　turn。　'We　will　meet　tomorrow；　seven…thirty　p。m。　sharp　at　this　address。　Please　do　not　speak　it　aloud。'
　The　three　men　mitted　the　thing　to　memory。　With　the　briefest　of　goodbyes　and　no　hand…shaking；　they　took　their　leave。
　Professor　Slobe　closed　the　French　windows　behind　them　and　bolted　the　shutters。　'Now；'　he　said；　turning　upon　the　silent　room；　'will　you　make　yourself　known　to　me　of　your　own　accord；　Mr　Poe；　or　must　I　summon　you　into　visibility？'
　'I　should　prefer　that　we　did　it　the　easy　way；'　said　Edgar　Allan　Poe。　'We　have　much　to　speak　of。'
　
　22
　Neville　the　part…time　barman　took　up　his　mail　from　the　mat　and　thrust　it　into　his　dressing…gown　pocket。　Amongst　the　bills　and　circulars　were　no　less　than　three　postcards　sporting　rooftop　views　of　Brentford；　but　the　barman　did　not　give　these　even　a　cursory　glance。
　He　had　been　up　half　th