df.theedge-第8章

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tience；　said　we　would　do　the　pouring　ourselves。　When　the　tortoise　waiter　had　gone　he　gestured　to　me　to　help　myself；　and　on　his　own　account　fixed　a　lengthy　splash　of　vodka　over　a　tumblerful　of　cubes。
　　He　had　suggested　to　the　Brigadier　that　I　should　meet　him　first　here　in　Ottawa；　as　he　had　business　in　that　city　which　couldn't　be　postponed。　It　would　also；　they　both　thought；　be　more　securely　private；　as　everyone　going　on　the　train　in　the　normal　way　would　be　collecting　in　Toronto。
　　'You　and　I；'　Bill　Baudelaire　said　over　his　vodka；　'will　fly　to　Toronto　tomorrow　evening　on　separate　planes；　after　you've　spent　the　day　absorbing　all　the　material　I've　brought　you　and　asking　any　questions　that　arise。　I　propose　to　drop　by　your　sitting　room　here　again　at　two　o'clock　for　a　final　briefing。'
　　'Will　I　be　able　to　get　in　touch　with　you　fairly　easily　after　tomorrow？'　I　asked。　'I'd　like　to　be　able　to。'
　　'Yes；　indeed。　I'm　not　going　on　the　train　myself；　as　of　course　you　know；　but　I'll　be　at　Winnipeg　for　the　races　there；　and　at　Vancouver。　And　at　Toronto；　of　course。　I've　outlined　everything。　You'll　find　it　in　the　package。　We　can't　really　discuss　anything　properly　until　you've　read　it。'
　　'All　right。'
　　'There's　one　unwele　piece　of　news；　however；　that　isn't　in　there　because　I　heard　it　too　late　to　include。　It　seems　Julius　Filmer　had　bought　a　share　in　one　of　the　horses　travelling　on　the　train。　The　partnership　was　registered　today　and　I　was　told　just　now　by　telephone。　The　Ontario　Racing　mission　is　deeply　concerned；　but　we　can't　do　anything　about　it。　No　regulations　have　been　broken。　They　won't　let　people　who've　been　convicted　of　felonies　such　as　arson；　fraud　or　illegal　gambling　own　horses；　but　Filmer　hasn't　been　convicted　of　anything。'
　　'Which　horse？'　I　said。
　　'Which　horse？　Laurentide　Ice。　Quite　useful。　You　can　read　about　it　in　there。'　He　nodded　to　the　package。　'The　problem　is　that　we　made　a　rule　that　only　owners　could　go　along　to　the　horse　car　to　see　the　horses。　We　couldn't　have　everyone　tramping　about　there；　both　for　security　reasons　and　for　preventing　the　animals　being　upset。　We　thought　the　only　fort　left　to　us　about　Filmer's　being　on　the　train　was　that　he　wouldn't　have　access　to　the　horse　car；　and　now　he　will。'
　　'Awkward。'
　　'Infuriating。'　He　refilled　his　glass　with　the　suppressed　violence　of　his　frustration。　'Why　for　God's　sake　couldn't　that　goddam　crook　have　kept　his　snotty　nose　out。　He's　trouble。　We　all　know　it。　He's　planning　something。　He'll　ruin　the　whole　thing。　He　practically　said　as　much。'　He　looked　me　over　and　shook　his　head。　'No　offence　to　you；　but　how　are　you　going　to　stop　him？'
　　'It　depends　what　needs　to　be　stopped。'
　　His　face　lightened　suddenly　to　a　smile　as　before。　'Yes；　all　right；　we'll　wait　and　see。　Val　said　you　don't　miss　things。　Let's　hope　he's　right。'
　　He　went　away　after　a　while　and　with　a　great　deal　of　interest　I　opened　the　package　and　found　it　absolutely　fascinating　from　start　to　finish。
　　The　Great　Transcontinental　Mystery　Race　Train'；　as　emblazoned　in　red　on　the　gold　cover　of　the　glossy　prospectus；　had　indeed　entailed　an　enormous　amount　of　organization。　Briefly；　the　enterprise　offered　to　the　racehorse　owners　of　the　world　a　chance　to　race　a　horse　in　Toronto；　to　go　by　train　to　Winnipeg；　and　race　a　horse　there；　to　stop　for　two　nights　at　a　hotel　high　in　the　Rockies；　and　to　continue　by　train　to　Vancouver；　where　they　might　again　race　a　horse。　There　was　acmodation　for　eleven　horses　on　the　train；　and　for　forty…eight　human　VIP　passengers。
　　At　Toronto；　Winnipeg　and　Vancouver　there　would　be　overnight　stays　in　top…class　hotels。　Transport　from　train　to　hotels　to　races　and　back　to　the　train　was　also　included　as　required。　The　entire　trip　would　last　from　lunch　at　Toronto　races　on　the　Saturday；　to　the　end　of　the　special　race　day　at　Vancouver　ten　days　later。
　　On　the　train　there　would　be　special　sleeping　cars；　a　special　dining　car；　two　private　chefs　and　a　load　of　good　wine。　People　who　owned　their　own　private　rail　cars　could；　as　in　the　past；　apply　for　them　to　be　joined　to　the　train。
　　Every　possible　extra　luxury　would　be　available　if　requested　in　advance；　and　in　addition；　for　entertainment　along　the　way；　an　intriguing　mystery　would　be　enacted　on　board　and　at　the　stop…overs；　which　passengers　would　be　invited　to　solve。
　　I　winced　a　shade　at　that　last　piece　of　information：　keeping　eyes　on　Filmer　would　be　hard　enough　anyhow　without　all　sorts　of　imaginary　mayhem　going　on　around　him。　He　himself　was　mystery　enough。
　　Special　races；　I　read；　had　been　introduced　into　the　regular　programmes　at　Woodbine　racecourse；　Toronto；　at　Assiniboia　Downs；　Winnipeg；　and　at　Exhibition　Park；　Vancouver。　The　races　had　been　framed　to　be　ultra…attractive　to　the　paying　public；　with　magnificent　prize　money　to　please　the　owners。　The　owners　of　the　horses　and　indeed　all　the　train　passengers　would　be　given　VIP　treatment　at　all　the　racecourses；　including　lunch　with　the　presidents。
　　It　wasn't　to　be　expected　that　owners　would　want　to　run　the　horses　on　the　train　three　times　in　so　short　a　span。
　　Any　owner　was　free　to　run　a　horse　just　once。　Any　owner　（or　any　other　passenger　on　the　train）　was　free　to　bring　any　other　of　his　horses　to　Toronto；　Winnipeg　or　Vancouver　by　road　or　by　air　to　run　in　the　special　races。　The　trip　was　to　be　a　lighthearted　junket　for　the　visitors；　a　celebration　of　racing　in　Canada。
　　In　smaller　print　after　all　that　trumpeting　came　the　information　that　acmodation　was　available　also　for　one　groom　for　each　horse。　If　owners　wanted　space　for　extra　attendants；　would　they　please　specify　early。　Grooms　and　other　attendants　would　have　their　own　dining　and　sleeping　cars　and　their　own　separate　entertainments。
　　Stabling　had　been　reserved　at　Toronto；　Winnipeg　and　Vancouver　for　the　horses　going　by　train；　and　they　would　be　able　to　exercise　normally　at　all　three　places。　In　addition；　during　the　passengers'　visit　to　the　mountains；　the　horses　would　be　stabled　and　exercised　in　Calgary。　The　good　care　of　the　horses　was　of　prime　importance；　and　a　veterinarian　would　be　at　once　helicoptered　to　the　train　if　his　services　should　bee　necessary　between　scheduled　stops。
　　Next　in　the　package　was　a　pencilled　note　from　Bill　Baudelaire：
　　All　eleven　horse　places　were　sold　out　within　two　weeks　of　the　first　major　announcement。
　　All　forty…eight　VIP　passenger　places　were　sold　within　a　month。
　　There　are　dozens　of　entries　for　the　special　races。
　　This　is　going　to　be　a　success！
　　After　that　came　a　list　of　the　eleven　horses；　with　past　form；　followed　by　a　list　of　their　owners；　with　nationalities。　Three　owners　from　England　（including　Filmer）；　one　from　Australia；　three　from　the　United　States　and　five　from　Canada　（including　Filmer's　partner）。
　　The　owners；　with　husbands；　wives；　families　and　friends；　had　taken　up　twenty…seven　of　the　forty…eight　passenger　places。　Four　of　the　remaining　twenty…one　places　had　also　been　taken　by　well…known　Canadian　owners　（identified　by　a　star　against　their　names）；　and　Bill　Baudelaire；　in　a　note　pencilled　at　the　bottom　of　this　passenger　list　had　put；　'Splendid　response　from　our　appeal　to　our　owners　to　support　the　project！'
　　There　were　no　trainers　mentioned　on　the　passenger　list；　and　in　fact　I　later　learned　that　the　trainers　were　making　their　own　way　by　air　as　usual　to　Winnipeg　and　Vancouver；　presumably　because　the　train　trip　was　too　time…consuming　and　expensive。
　　Next　in　the　package　came　a　bunch　of　hand…outs　from　the　three　racecourses；　from　the　Canadian　railway　pany　and　from　the　four　hotels；　all　shiny　pamphlets　extolling　their　individual　excellencies。　Finally；　a　fat　brochure　with　good　colour　plates　put　together　by　the　travel　organizers　in　charge　of　getting　the　show　on　the　railroad；　a　job　which　seemed　well　within　their　powers　since　they　apparently　also　arranged　safaris　to　outer　deserts；　treks　to　the　Poles　and　tours　to　anywhere　anyone　cared　to　go。
　　They　also　staged　mysteries　as　entertainment；　evenings；　weekends；　moving　or　stationary。　They　were　experts　from　much　practice。
　　For　the　Great　Transcontinental　Mystery　Race　Train；　they　said；　they　had　arranged　something　extra…special。　'A　mystery　that　will　grab　you　by　the　throat。　A　stunning　experience。　All　around　you　the　story　will　unfold。　Clues　will　appear。　BE　ON　YOUR　GUARD。'
　　Oh　great；　I　thought　wryly。　But　they　hadn't　finished。　There　was　a　parting　shot。
　　'BEWARE！　MANY　PEOPLE　ARE　NOT　WHAT　THEY　SEEM。'
　　
　　
　　　Chapter　Four
　　
　　'How　can　they　stage　a　play　on　a　train？'　I　asked　Bill　Baudelaire　the　next　day。　'I　wouldn't　have　thought　it　would　work。'
　　'Mysteries　are　very　popular　in　Canada。　Very　fashionable；'　he　said；　'and　they　don't　exactly　stage　a　play。　Some　of　the　passengers　will　be　actors　and　they　will　make　the　story　evolve。　I　went　to　a　dinner　party。。。　a　mystery　dinner　party。。。　not　long　ago；　and　some　of　the　guests　were　actors；　and　before　we　knew　where　we　were；　we　were　all　caught　up　in　a　string　of　events；　just　as　if　it　were　real。　Quite　amazing。　I　went　because　my　wife　wanted　to。　I　didn't　think　I　would　enjoy　it　in　the　least；　but　I　did。'
　　'Some　of　the　passengers。。。'　I　repeated　slowly。　'Do　you　know　which　ones？'
　　'No；　I　don't；'　he　said；　more　cheerfully　than　I　liked。　That's　part　of　the　fun　for　everyone；　trying　to　spot　the　actors。'
　　I　liked　it　less　and　less。
　　'And　of　course　the　actors　may　be　hiding　among　the　other　lot　of　passengers　until　their　turn　to　appear　es。'
　　'What　other　lot　of　passengers？'　I　said　blankly。
　　'The　racegoers。'　He　looked　at　my　face。　'Doesn't　it　say　anything　about　them　in　the　package？'
　　'No；　it　doesn't。'
　　'Ah。'　He　reflected　briefly。　'Well；　in　order　to　make　the　trip　economically　viable；　the　rail　pany　said　we　should　add　our　own　party　to　the　regular　train　which　sets　off　every　day　from　Toronto　to　Vancouver；　which　is　called　the　Canadian。　We　didn't　want　to　do　that　because　it　would　have　meant　we　couldn't　stop　the　train　for　two　nights　in　Winnipeg　and　again　for　the　mountains；　and　although　the　carriages　could　be　unhitched　and　left　in　a　siding；　we'd　be　faced　with　security　problems。　But　our　own　special　train　was　proving　extremely；　almost　impossibly；　expensive。　So　we　advertised　a　separate　excursion。。。　a　racegoing　trip　and　now　we　have　our　own　train。　But　it　has　been　expanded；　with　three　or　four　more　sleeping　cars；　another　dining　car；　and　a　dayniter　or　two　according　to　how　many　tickets　they　sell　in　the　end。　We　had　an　enormous　response　from　people　who　didn't　want　to　pay　what　the　owners　are　paying　but　would　like　to　go　to　the　races　across　Canada　on　vacation。　They　are　buying　their　tickets　for　the　train　at　the　normal　fare　and　making　their　own　arrangements　at　the　stops。。。　and　we　call　these　passengers　the　racegoers；　for　convenience。'
　　I　signed。　I　supposed　it　made　sense。　'What's　a　dayniter？'　I　said。
　　'A　car　with　reclining　seats；　not　bedrooms。'
　　'And　how　many　people　altogether　will　be　travelling？'
　　'Difficult　to　say。　Start　with　forty…eight　owners。。。　we　call　them　owners　to　distinguish　them　from　the　racegoers　。。。　and　the　grooms。　Then　the　actors　and　the　people　from　the　travel　pany。　Then　the　train　crew　and　stewards；　waiters；　chefs　and　so　on。　With　all　the　racegoers。。。　well；　perhaps　about　two　hundred　people　altogether。　We　won't　know　until　we　start。　Probably　not　then；　unless　we　actually　count。'
　　I　could