alistairmaclean.bearisland-第48章

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　〃And　Michael？　My　son…in…law？　He's…I　mean…〃
　〃You　saw　him；〃　I　said　almost　irritably。　〃He's　dead；　of　course　he's　dead。〃
　〃But　how…but　how…〃
　〃He　was　murdered。〃　
　There　were　one　or　two　involuntary　exclamations；　the　shocked　indrawing　of　breath；　then　a　silence　that　became　intensified　with　the　passing　of　seconds　by　the　hissing　of　the　Coleman　lamps。　I　didn't　even　bother　to　look　up　to　see　what　the　individual　reactions　might　be　for　I　knew　by　now　that　I'd　learn　nothing　that　way。　I　just　looked　at　the　unconscious　woman　and　didn't　know　what　to　think。　Stryker；　the　tough　urbane；　cynical　Stryker　had；　in　his　own　way；　been　terrified　of　this　woman。　Had　it　been　because　of　the　power　she　had　wielded　as　Otto's　daughter；　his　knowledge　that　his　livelihood　was　entirely　dependent　on　her　most　wayward　whim；　and　I　could　imagine　few　more　gifted　exponents　of　the　wayward　whim　than　Judith　Haynes？　Had　it　been　because　of　her　pathological　jealousy　which　I　knew　beyond　all　question　to　exist；　because　of　the　instant　bitchiness　which　could　allegedly　range　from　the　irrational　to　the　insane　or　had　she　held　over　his　head　the　threat　of　some　nameless　blackmail　which　could　bring　him　at　once　to　his　knees？　Had　he；　in　his　own　way；　even　loved　his　wife　and　hoped　against　hopeless　hope　that　she　might　reciprocate　some　of　this　and　been　prepared　to　suffer　any　humiliation；　any　insult；　in　the　hope　that　he　might　achieve　this　or　part　of　it？　I'd　never　know　but　the　questions　were　academic　anyway；　Stryker　no　longer　concerned　me；　I　was　only　turning　them　over　in　my　mind　wondering　in　what　way　they　could　throw　any　light　on　Judith　Haynes's　totally　unexpected　reaction　to　Stryker's　death。　She　had　despised　him；　she　must　have　despised　him　for　his　dependence　upon　her；　his　weakness；　his　meek　acceptance　of　insult；　the　fear　he　had　displayed　before　me；　for　the　emptiness　and　nothingness　that　had　lain　concealed　behind　so　impressively　masculine　a　facade。　But　had　she　loved　him　at　the　same　time；　loved　him　for　what　he　had　been　or　might　have　been；　or　was　she　just　desolated　at　the　loss　of　her　most　cherished　whipping　boy；　the　one　sure　person　in　the　world　upon　whom　she　knew　she　could　with　impunity　vent　her　wayward　spleen　whenever　the　fancy　took　her？　Even　without　her　awareness　of　it　he　might　have　bee　an　integral；　an　indispensable　part　of　her　existence；　an　insidiously　woven　warp　in　the　weft　of　her　being；　always　dependable；　always　there；　always　ready　to　hand　when　she　most　needed　him　even　when　that　need　was　no　more　than　to　absorb　the　grey　corrosive　poison　eating　away　steadily　at　the　edges　of　her　mind。　Even　the　most　tarnished　cornerstone　can　support　the　most　crumbling　edifice：　take　that　away　and　the　house　es　tumbling　down。　The　traumatic　reaction　to　Stryker's　death　could；　paradoxically；　be　the　clinching　manifestation　of　a　plete　and　irredeemable　selfishness：　the　as　yet　unrealised　realisation　that　she　was　the　most　pitiful　of　all　creatures；　a　person　totally　alone。
　Judith　Haynes　stirred　and　her　eyes　fluttered　open。　Memory　came　back　and　she　shuddered。　I　eased　her　to　a　sitting　position　and　she　looked　dully　around　her。
　〃Where　is　he？〃　I　had　to　strain　to　hear　the　words。
　〃It's　all　right；　Miss　Haynes；〃　I　said；　and；　just　to　pound　that　fatuous　statement；　added：　〃We'll　look　after　him。〃
　〃Where　is　he？〃　she　moaned。　〃He's　my　husband；　my　husband。　I　want　to　see　him。〃
　〃Better　not；　Miss　Haynes。〃　Goin　could　be　surprisingly　gentle。　〃As　Dr。　Marlowe　says；　we'll　take　care　of　things。　You've　seen　him　already　and　no　good　can　e…〃
　〃Bring　him　in。　Bring　him　in。〃　A　voice　devoid　of　life　but　the　will　absolute。　I　must　see　him　again。〃
　I　rose　and　went　to　the　door。　The　Count　barred　my　way。　His　aquiline　aristocratic　features　held　a　mixture　of　revulsion　and　horror。　‘You　can't　do　that。　It's　too　ghastly…it's…it's　macabre。〃
　〃What　do　you　think　that　I　think　it　is？〃　I　felt　savage　but　I　know　I　didn't　sound　that　way；　I　think　I　only　sounded　tired。　If　I　don't　bring　him　in；　she'll　just　go　outside　again。　It's　not　much　of　a　night　for　being　outside。〃
　So　we　brought　him　in；　the　same　three　of　us；　Jungbeck　and　Conrad　and　myself；　and　we　laid　him　on　his　back　so　that　the　fearful　wound　in　the　occiput　didn't　show。　Judith　Haynes　rose　from　her　camp　cot；　moved　slowly　towards　him　like　a　person　in　a　dream　and　sank　to　her　knees。　Without　moving；　she　looked　at　him　for　some　moments　then　reached　out　and　gently　touched　the　gashed　face。　No　one　spoke；　no　one　moved。　Not　without　effort；　she　pulled　his　right　arm　close　in　to　his　side；　made　to　do　the　same　with　his　left；　noticed　that　the　Est　was　still　clenched　and　carefully　prised　it　open。
　A　brown　circular　object　lay　in　the　palm　of　his　hand。　She　took　it；　placed　it　in　the　palm　of　her　own　hand；　straightened…still　on　her　knees…and　swung　in　a　slow　semicircle　showing　us　what　she　held。　Then；　her　hand　outstretched　towards　him；　she　looked　at　Allen。　We　all　looked　at　Allen。　The　brown　leather　button　in　her　hand　matched　the　still　remaining　buttons　on　Allen's　tom　coat。
　
　9
　
　I'm　not　sure　how　long　the　silence　went　on；　a　silence　that　the　almost　intolerable　hiss　of　the　lamps　and　the　ululating　moan　of　the　south　wind　served　only　to　deepen。　It　must　have　lasted　at　least　ten　seconds；　although　it　seemed　many　times　as　long；　a　seemingly　interminable　period　of　time　during　which　nobody　moved　and　nothing　moved；　not　even　eyes；　for　Allen's　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　button　in　Judith　Haynes's　hand　in　fascinated　unprehension　；　while　every　other　eye　in　the　room　was　on　Allen。　That　one　small　leather…covered　button　held　us　all　in　thrall。
　Judith　Haynes　was　the　first　to　move。　She　rose；　very　slowly；　as　if　it　called　for　a　tremendous　effort　of　both　mind　and　muscle；　and　stood　there　for　a　moment；　as　if　irresolute。　She　seemed　quiet　now　and　very　resigned　and　because　this　was　the　wrong　reaction　altogether　I　looked　past　her　towards　Conrad　and　Smithy　and　caught　the　eyes　of　both。　Conrad　lowered　his　eyes　briefly　as　if　in　acknowledgement　of　a　signal；　Smithy　shifted　his　gaze　towards　Judith　Haynes　and　when　she　began　to　move　away　from　the　body　of　her　husband　both　of　them　moved　casually　towards　each　other　to　block　off。　her　clearly　intended　approach　to　Allen。　Judith　Haynes　stopped；　looked　at　them　and　smiled。
　〃That　won't　be　necessary　at　all；〃　she　said。　She　tossed　the　button　to　Allen　who　caught　it　in　involuntary　reaction。　He　held　it　in　his　hand；　staring　at　it；　then　looked　up　in　perplexity　at　Judith　Haynes；　who　smiled　again。
　〃You'll　be　needing　that；　won't　you？〃　she　said　and　walked　in　the　direction　of　her　allocated　room。
　I　relaxed　and　was　aware　that　others　were　doing　so　also；　for　I　could　hear　the　slow　exhalation　of　breaths　of　those　standing　closest　to　me。　I　looked　away　from　Judith　Haynes　to　Allen　and　that　was　a　mistake　because　I　had　relaxed　too　soon；　I'd　been　instinctively　aware　that　the　seemingly　quiet　and　sad　resignation　had　been　wholly　out　of　character　but　had　put　it　down　to　the　effects　of　the　shattering　shock　she　had　just　received。
　〃You　killed　him；　you　killed　him！〃　Her　voice　was　an　insane　scream　but　no　more　insane　than　the　demented　fury　with　which　she　was　attacking　Mary　Darling　who　had　already　stumbled　over　backwards；　the　other　woman　falling　on　top　of　her；　clawing　viciously　with　hooked　fingers。　〃You　bitch；　you　whore；　you　filthy　slut；　you…you　murderess！　You're　the　person　who　killed　him！　You　killed　my　husband！　You！　You！〃　Sobbing　and　shrieking　maniacal　invective　at　the　terrified　and　momentarily　paralysed　Mary　Darling　who　had　already　lost　her　big　horn…rimmed　spectacles；　Judith　Haynes　wound　one　hand　round　the　unfortunate　Mary's　hair　and　was　reaching　for　her　eyes　with　the　other　when　Smithy　and　Conrad　got　to　her。　Both　were　big　strong　men　but　she　fought　with　such　crazed　and　tigerish　ferocity　…and　they　had　at　the　same　time　to　cope　with　two　equally　hysterical　dogs　that　it　took　them　quite　some　seconds　to　pull　her　clear　and　even　then　she　clung　with　the　strength　of　madness　to　Mary's　hair；　a　grip　that　Smithy　ruthlessly　and　without　hesitation　broke　by　squeezing　her　wrist　until　she　shrieked　with　pain。　They　dragged　her　upright　and　she　continued　to　scream　hysterically　with　all　the　strength　of　her　lungs；　no　longer　attempting　even　to　mouth　words；　just　that　horrible　nerve…drilling　shrieking　like　some　animal　in　its　dying　agony；　then　the　sound　abruptly　ceased；　her　legs　buckled　a