alistairmaclean.bearisland-第53章

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th　but　not　the　whole　truth　but　only　the　killer　himself　would　know　that　and　as　he　was　already　on　to　me　his　opinion　was　unimportant　because　he　couldn't　possibly　voice　it。　〃Mr。　Smith　is　in　the　clear　because　not　only　was　he　unconscious　at　the　time；　he　was　a　nearly　fatal　victim　of　the　poisoner's　activities　and　its　hardly　likely　that　he　would　go　around　poisoning　himself。〃
　〃Then　that　lets　me　out；　Dr。　Marlowe！〃　The　Duke's　voice　was　a　cracked　falsetto；　hoarse　with　strain。　It　wasn't　me；　it　couldn't…〃
　〃Agreed；　Cecil；　it　wasn't　you。　Apart　from　the　fact　that　you　were　another　poisoning　victim　I　don't　think…well；　I'm　not　being　physically　disparaging　but　I'd　think　it　very　unlikely　that　you　could　have　hoisted　that　rock　that　was　used　to　kill　Stryker。　Mr。　Gerran；　too；　is　above　suspicion：　not　only　was　he　poisoned　but　he　was　in　the　cabin　here　at　the　time　of　Stryker's　death。　Allen　obviously；　could　have　had　nothing　to　do　with　it　and　neither　did　Mr。　Goin　here；　although　you'll　have　to　take　my　word　for　that。〃
　〃What　does　that　mean；　Dr。　Marlowe？〃　Goin's　voice　was　steady。
　〃Because　when　you　first　saw　Stryker's　body　you　turned　as　white　as　the　proverbial　sheet。　People　can　do　lots　of　things　with　their　bodies　but　they　can't　switch　on　and　off　the　epidermal　blood　supply　at　will。　Had　you　been　prepared　for　the　sight　you　saw　you　wouldn't　have　changed　colour。　You　did。　So　you　weren't　prepared。　Our　two　Marys　here　we'll　have　to　leave　out　of　the　reckoning　for　it　would　have　been　a　physical　impossibility　for　either　of　them　to　have　attacked　Stryker　with　that　rock。　And　Miss　Haynes；　of　course；　doesn't　e　into　the　reckoning　at　all。　Which；　by　my　count；　leaves　thirteen　potential　suspects　in　all。〃　I　looked　round　the　cabin　and　counted。
　〃That's　right。　Thirteen。　Let's　hope　it's　going　to　be　a　very　unlucky　number　for　one　of　you。〃
　〃Dr。　Marlowe；〃　Goin　said。　I　think　you　should　consider　withdrawing　your　resignation。
　〃Consider　it　withdrawn。　I　was　beginning　to　wonder　what　I'd　do　for　food　anyway。〃　I　looked　at　my　now　empty　glass　then　at　Otto。　〃Seeing　that　I'm　now　back　on　the　strength；　as　it　were；　would　it　be　in　order…〃
　〃Of　course；　of　course。〃　Otto；　looking　stricken；　sunk　heavily　onto　a　providentially　sturdy　stool　and　insofar　as　it　was　possible　for　over　two　hundred　weights　of　lard　to　look　like　a　punctured　balloon；　he　looked　like　a　punctured　balloon。　〃Dear　God；　this　is　ghastly。　One　of　us　here　is　a　murderer。　One　of　us　here　has　killed　five　people！〃　He　shivered　violently　although　the　temperature　had　by　this　time　risen　well　above　freezing　point。　〃Five　people。　Dead。　And　the　man　who　did　it　is　here！〃
　I　lit　a　cigarette；　sipped　a　little　more　of　Otto's　Scotch　and　waited　for　some　further　contributions　to　the　conversation。　Outside；　the　wind　had　strengthened　until　it　was　now　a　high　and　lonesome　moaning　sound　that　set　the　teeth　on　edge；　a　moan　that　regularly　climbed　up　the　register　into　a　weird　and　eldritch　whistling　as　the　wind　gusted　and　fell　away：　everyone　appeared　to　be　listening　to　it　and　listening　intently；　a　weirdly　appropriate　litany　for　the　fear　and　the　horror　that　was　closing　in　on　their　minds；　a　fit　requiem　for　the　dead　Stryker。　A　whole　minute　dragged　by　and　no　one　spoke　so　I　took　up　the　conversational　burden　again。
　〃The　implications　will　not　have　escaped　you；〃　I　said。　〃At　least；　when　you　have　had　as　much　time　to　think　about　them　as　I've　had；　they　won't。
　Stryker　is　dead…and　so　are　four　others。　Who　should　want　them　dead？　Why　should　they　have　dieX　Is　there　a　reason；　a　purpose　behind　those　slayings？　Have　we　a　psychopathic　murderer　amongst　us？　If　there　is　a　purpose；　has　it　been　achieved：〃　If　it　hasn't…or　if　the　killer　is　a　psychopath…which　one　of　us　is　going　to　be　next？　Who　is　going　to　die　tonight？
　Who　is　going　to　go　to　his　cubicle　tonight　knowing　that　anyone；　a　crazed　killer；　it　may　be；　is　going　to　enter　at　any　time…or　even；　possibly　one's　own　roommate　may　be　waiting　his　turn　with　a　knife　or　a　suffocating　pillow？
　In　fact；　I　should　think　that　the　roommate　possibility　might　be　by　far　the　more　likely…for　who　would　do　anything　so　crazily　obvious　as　that？　Except；　of　course；　a　crazy　man。　SO；　before　us；　we　have　what　you　might　call　a　sleepless　vigil。　Perhaps　we　can　all　keep　it　up　for　one　night。　But　for　twenty…two　nights…can　we　keep　it　up　for　twenty…two　nights？　Is　there　any　one　of　us　here　who　can　be　sure　of　still　being　alive　when　the　Morning　Rose　returns？〃
　From　their　expressions　and　the　profound　silence　that　greeted　this　last　question　it　was　apparent　that　no　one　was　prepared　to　express　any　such　certainty。　When　I　came　to　consider　it　myself；　instead　of　just　asking　them　to　do　so；　I　realised　that　the　question　of　continued　existence　applied　more　particularly　and　more　strongly　to　myself　than　to　any　of　the　others　for　if　the　killer　were　no　wayward　psycho　who　struck　out　as　the　fancy　took　him　but　was　an　ice…cold　and　calculating　murderer　with　a　definite　objective　in　view　then　I　was　convinced　that　I　was　first　on　his　calling　list。　I　didn't　for　a　moment　think　that　any　attempt　to　dispose　of　me　would　be　because　that　was　any　part　of　the　kilICT'S　preconceived　plans　but　solely　because　I　represented　a　threat　to　those　plans。
　〃And　how　are　we　going　to　port　ourselves　from　now　on？〃　I　said。　〃Do　we　now　polarize　into　two　groups；　the　nine　acknowledged　innocent　giving　a　very　wide　berth　and　a　leery　eye　to　the　thirteen　potentially　guilty　even　although　this　is　going　to　be　a　mite　hard　on；　say；　twelve　of　the　latter？　Shall　we　be　like　oil　and　water　and　resolutely　refuse　to　mix？　Or　about　your　shooting　plans　for　tomorrow。　Mr。　Gerran　and　the　Count；　I　believe；　are　heading　for　the　fells　tomorrow；　a　goodie　and　a　potential　baddic…Mr。　Gerran　is　going　to　make　sure　that　he　has　at　least　another　goodie　along　with　him　to　watch　his　back？　Heissman　is　taking　the　workboat　to　reconnoitre　possible　locations　along　the　Sor…Hamna　and　perhaps　a　bit　farther　south。　I　believe　Jungbeck　and　Heyter　here　have　volunteered　to　go　along　with　him。　Three　of　those；　you　note；　whose　innocence　is　not　proved。　Any　white　sheep　going　to　go　along　with　black　wolf　or　wolves　who　may　e　back　and　sorrowfully　explain　that　the　poor　sheep　fell　over　the　side　and　that　in　spite　of　their　heroic　efforts　the　poor　fellow　perished　miserably。　And　those　splendid　precipices　at　the　south　of　the　island…one　little　well…timed　nudge；　a　deft　clicking　together　of　the　ankles…well；　sixteen　hundred　feel？　is　a　considerable　drop；　especially　when　you　bear　in　mind　that　it's　straight　down　all　the　way。　A　perplexing　and　a　difficult　problem；　isn't　it；　gentlemen？〃
　〃This　is　preposterous；〃　Otto　said　loudly。　〃Absolutely　preposterous。〃
　〃Isn't　it？〃　I　said。　〃A　pity　we　can't　ask　Stryker　his　opinion　about　that。　Or　the　opinions　of　Antonio　and　Halliday　and　Moxen　and　Scott。　When　your　pale　ghost　looks　down　from　the　limbo；　Mr。　Gerran；　and　watches　you　being　lowered　into　a　hole　in　the　frozen　snow…do　you　think　it　will　still　look　preposterous？〃
　Otto　shuddered　and　reached　for　the　bottle。　〃Mat　in　God's　name　are　we　going　to　do？〃
　〃I've　no　idea；〃　I　said。　〃You　heard　what　I　just　said　to　Mr。　Goin。　I　have　reverted　to　the　position　of　employee。　I　haven't　got　my　shirt　on　this　film　as　I　heard　Mr。　Goin　say　to　Captain　Imrie　that　you　had。　I'm　afraid　this　is　a　decision　to　arrive　at　a　directorial　level…well；　the　three　directors　that　are　still　capable　of　making　decisions。〃
　〃Would　our　employee　mind　telling　us　what　he　means？〃　Goin　tried　to　smile　but　it　didn't　e　off；　his　heart　wasn't　in　it。
　〃Do　you　want　to　go　ahead　with　shooting　all　your　scenes　up　here　or　don't　you？　It's　up　to　you。　If　we　all　stay　here　in　the　cabin　permanently；　at　least　half　a　dozen　awake　at　any　given　time；　looking　with　all　their　eyes　and　listening　with　all　their　ears；　then　the　chances　are　high　that　we'll　all　still　be　in　relatively　mint　condition　by　the　time　the　twenty…two　days　are　up。　On　the　other　hand；　of　course；　that　means　that　you　won't　get　any　of　your　film　shot　and　you'll　lose　all　your　investment。　It's　a　problem　I　wouldn't　like　to　have　to　face。　That's　excellent　Scotch　you　have　there；　Mr。　Gerran。〃
　I　can　see　that　you　appreciate　it。〃　Otto　would　have　liked　a　touch　of　asperity　in　his　voice　but　all　he　managed　to　do　was　to　sound　worried。
　〃Don't　be　so　mean。〃　I　helped　myself。　〃Those　are　times　that　try　men's　souls。〃　I　wasn't　really　listening　to