按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
a scattering of grey hairs。 Bald； blond； tangled and trimmed； but no Filmer。
He wasn't in the downstairs lounge； and he wasn't in the bar where the poker school was as usual in progress； oblivious to the scenery。 That left only the Lorrimores' car。。。。 He had to be with Mercer； Bambi and Sheridan。 Xanthe was with Rose and Cumber Young； watching the approach of the distant white peaks under a cloudless sky。
I walked irresolutely back towards Filmer's bedroom； wondering whether the disinclination I felt to enter it was merely prudence or otherwise plain fear； and being afraid it was the latter。
I would have to do it； I thought； because if I didn't I'd spend too much of my life regretting it。 A permanent D minus in the balance sheet。 By the time I left the dining room and started along the corridor past the kitchen； I was already feeling breathless； already conscious of my heart； and it was not in any way good for self…confidence。 With a dry mouth I crossed the chilly shifting join between cars； opening and closing the doors； every step bringing me nearer to the risky mitment。
Filmer's was the first room in the sleeping car beyond the kitchen。 I rounded the corner into the corridor with the utmost reluctance and was just about to put my hand to the door handle when the sleeping…car attendant； dressed exactly as I was； came out of his roomette at the other end of the car； saw me； waved and started walking towards me。
With craven relief I went slowly towards him； and he said； 'Hi；' and how was I doing。
He was the familiar one who'd told me about Filmer's private breakfast； who'd shown me how to fold and unfold the armchairs and bunks； the one who looked after both the car we were in and the three bedrooms； Daffodil's among them； in the dome car。 He had all afternoon and nothing to do and was friendly and wanted to talk； and he made it impossible for me to shed him and get back to my nefarious business。
He talked about Daffodil and the mess she had made of her bedroom。
'Mess？ '
'If you ask me；' he said； nodding； 'she'd had a bottle of vodka in her suitcase。。。。 There was broken glass all over the place。 Broken vodka bottle。 And the mirror over the washbasin。 In splinters。 All over the place。 I'd guess she threw the vodka bottle at the mirror and they both broke。'
'A bore for you to have to clear that up；' I said。
He seemed surprised。 'I didn't clear it。 It's still like that。 George can take a look at it。' He shrugged。 'I don't know if the pany will charge for her for it。 Shouldn't be surprised。'
He looked over my shoulder at someone ing into the car from the dining car。
'Afternoon； sir；' he said。
There was no reply from behind me。 I turned my head and saw Filmer's backview going into his bedroom。
Dear God； I thought in horror： I would have been in there with his briefcase open； reading his papers。 I felt almost sick。
I sensed more than saw Filmer e out of his bedroom again and walk towards us。
'Can I help you； sir？' the sleeping…car attendant said； going past me； towards him。
'Yes。 What do we do about our bags at Lake Louise？'
'Leave it to me； sir。 We're collecting everyone's cases and transporting them to the Chateau。 They'll be delivered to your room in the Chateau； sir。'
'Good；' Filmer said； and went back into his lair； closing the door。 Beyond the merest flicker of a glance at about waist level； he hadn't looked at me at all。
'We did the same with the bags at Winnipeg；' the sleeping…car attendant said to me resignedly。 'You'd think they'd learn。'
'Perhaps they will by Vancouver。'
'Yeah。'
I left him after a while and went and sat in my own roomette and did some deep breathing and thanked every guardian angel in the firmament for my deliverance； and in particular the angel in the sleeping…car attendant's yellow waistcoat。
Outside the window； the promise of the mountains became an embrace； rocky hillsides covered with tall narrow pines crowding down to the railway line winding through the valley of the Bow River。 There were thick untidy collections of twigs sitting like Ascot hats on the top of a good many telegraph poles； which looked quite extraordinary； one of the passengers had said the hats were osprey nests； and that the poles were made with platforms on especially to acmodate them。 Brave birds； I thought； laying their eggs near to the roaring trains。 Hair…raising entertainment for the hatchlings。
Our speed had slowed from the brisk prairie rattle to a grunting uphill slither； the train taking two hours to cover the seventy miles from Calgary to Banff。 When it stopped there； in the broad part of the valley； the snow…topped peaks were suddenly revealed as standing around in a towering； glistening； uneven ring； the quintessential mountains rising in bare majestic rocky grandeur from the thronging forested courtier foothills。 I felt then； as most people do； the strong lure of high mysterious frozen places and； Filmer or not； I found myself smiling with pleasure； lighthearted to the bone。
It had been noticeably warm in Calgary； owing； it was said； to the north winds blowing down from the mountains； but in Banff it was suitably cold。 The engine huffed and puffed about and split the train in two； taking the racegoers and all the front part off to a siding and ing back to pick up just the owners' quarters； the three sleeping cars； the dining car； the dome car and the Lorrimores。 Abbreviated and much lighter； these remains of the train climbed at good speed for another three…quarters of an hour and triumphantly drew up beside the log…cabin station of Lake Louise。
With great cheerfulness the passengers disembarked； shivering even in their coats after the warmth of the cars； but full of expectation； Daffodil forgotten。 They filed on to a waiting bus； while their suitcases were loaded into a separate truck。 I clung to a fraction of hope that Filmer would leave his briefcase to be ferried in that fashion； but when he emerged from the train the case went with him； clutched firmly in his fist。
I told Nell I would walk up the mile or so from the station so as not to arrive until everyone had booked in and cleared the lobby。 She said I could travel up anyway with the crew in their own bus； but I entrusted my bag to her keeping and in my grey regulation raincoat； buttoned to the neck； I enjoyed the fresh cold air and the deepening harvest gold of the late afternoon sunlight。 When I reached the lobby of the grand Chateau； it was awash with polite young Japanese couples on honeymoon； not the Unwins； the Youngs and the Flokatis。
Nell was sprawled in a lobby armchair as if she would never be able to summon the energy to rise again； and I went and sat beside her before she'd realized I was there。
'Is everyone settled？' I asked。
She sighed deeply and made no attempt at moving。 'The suite I had reserved for the Lorrimores had been given to someone else half an hour before we got here The people are not budging； the management are not apologizing； and Bambi is not pleased。'
'I can imagine。'
'On the other hand； we are sitting with our backs to one of the greatest views on earth。'
I twisted round and looked over the back of the chair； and saw； between thronging Japanese； black and white mountains； a turquoise blue lake； green pines and an advancing glacier； all looking like painted stage scenery； awesomely close and framed by the windows。
'Wow；' I said； impressed。
'It won't go away；' Nell said； after a while。 'It'll all still be there tomorrow。'
I flopped back into the chair。 'It's amazing。'
'It's why people have been ing here to stare for generations。'
'I expected altogether more snow；' I said。
'It'll be knee…deep by Christmas。'
'Do you have any time off here？' I asked。
She looked at me sideways。 'Five seconds now and then； but almost no privacy。'
I sighed lightly； having expected nothing else。 She was the focus； the centre round which the tour revolved： the most visible person； her behaviour vivisected。
'Your room is in one of the wings。' she said； handing me a card with a number on it。 'You just have to sign in at the desk and they'll give you the key。 Your bag should be up there already。 Most of the actors are in that wing。 None of the owners。'
'Are you？'
'No。'
She didn't say where her room was； and I didn't ask。 'Where will you eat？' she said doubtfully。 'I mean。。。 will you sit with the actors in the dining room？'
I shook my head。
'But not with the owners。。。'
'It's a lonely old life；' I said。
She looked at me with sudden sharp attention； and I thought ruefully that I'd told her a good deal too much。
'Do you mean；' she asked slowly； 'that you do this all the time？ Play a part？ Not just on the train？'
'No；' I smiled。 'I work alone。 That's all I meant。'
She almost shivered。 'Are you ever yourself？'
'Sundays and Mondays。'
'Alone？'
'Well。。。 yes。'
Her eyes； steady and grey； looked only moderately troubled。 'You don't seem unhappy；' she observed； 'being lonely。'
'Of course not。 I choose it； mostly。 But not when there's an alluring alternative hiding behind a clipboard。'
The armour lay on her lap at that moment； off duty。 She smoothed a hand over it； trying not to laugh。
'Tomorrow；' she said； retreating into mon sense； 'I'm escorting a bus load of passengers to a glacier； then to lunch in Banff； then up a mountain in cable cars。'
'And may it keep fine for you。'
'The Lorrimores have a separate chauffeur…driven car。'
'Has anyone else？'
'Not since Mrs Quentin's left。'
'Poor old Daffodil； 'I said。
'Poor？' Nell exclaimed。 'Did you know she smashed the mirror in her room？'
'Yes； I heard。 Is Mr Filmer going on the bus trip？'
'I don't know yet。 He wanted to know if there's an exercise gym because he likes lifting weights。 The bus is simply available for anyone who wants to go。 I won't know everyone who'll be on it until we set off。'
I would have to watch the departure； I thought； and that could be difficult as I would be half familiar to all of them by now and could hardly stand around invisibly for very long。
'The Unwins have e down into the hall and are heading towards me；' Nell said； looking away from me。
'Right。'
I stood up without haste； took the card she'd given me to the desk； and signed the register。 Behind me； I could hear the Unwins' Australian voices telling her they were going for a stroll by the shore and it was the best trip they'd ever taken。 When I turned round； holding my own key； they were letting themselves out through the glass doors to the garden。
I paused again beside Nell who was now standing up。 'Maybe I'll see you；' I said。
'Maybe。'
I smiled at her eyes。 'If anything odd happens。。。'
She nodded。 'You're in room six sixty…two。'
'After Vancouver；' I said； 'what then？'
'After the races I'm booked straight back to Toronto on the red…eye special。'
'What's the red…eye special？'
'The overnight flight。'
'So soon？'
'How was I to know I wouldn't want to？'
'That'll do fine；' I said； 'for now。'
'Don't get ideas；' Nell said sedately； 'above your lowly station。'
She moved away with a mischievous glint and I went contentedly up to the sixth floor in the wing where there were no owners； and found that the room allocated to me was near the end of the passage and next door to Zak's。
His door was wide open with Donna and Pierre standing half in； half out。
'e on in；' Donna said； seeing me。 'We're just walking through tonight's scene。'
'And we've a hell of a crisis on our hands；' Pierre said。 'We need all the input we can get。'
'But Zak might not。。。' I began。
He came to the door himself。 'Zak is taking suggestions from chimpanzees；' he said。
'OK。 I'll just take off my coat。' I pointed。 'I'm in the room next along。'
I went into my room which proved to have the same sweeping view of the mountains； the lake； the trees； and the glacier； and it was if anything more spectacular than in the lobby from being higher up I took off the raincoat and the uniform it had hidden； put on a tracksuit and trainers； and returned to Zak's fray。