04-01-04-三十九级台阶 [21]
， and instead of explaining the mistake to him quietly and sensibly， I just hit out wildly at Marmaduke's stupid face. I felt much happier when he was lying on his back in the road. Then a general fight started， until the policeman got hold of me. I heard him ask what the matter was， and Marmaduke，talking through his broken teeth，told him that I was Hannay the murderer.
I was so angry that I pushed the policeman one way and one of Marmaduke's friends the other， and ran as fast as I could. There was shouting behind me，but I had escaped. I ran all the way to Sir Walter's house， walked up to the door and rang. I hoped the door would open quickly.
It did.
'I must see Sir Walter，'I said to the servant. 'It's desper ately important. '
The servant let me in，and then shut the door behind me. 'Sir Walter is in a meeting，sir. Perhaps you will wait. '
There was a telephone and one or two chairs in the hall，and I sat down there.
'Listen，'I whispered to the servant. 'I'm in a bit of trouble，but I'm working for Sir Walter. If anyone comes to the door and asks for me， tell them I'm not here. '
There was a sudden ringing at the door， and he went to open it. He told them whose house it was，and that nobody could come in，and then shut the door.
* * *
A few minutes later there was another ring at the door， and the servant did not hesitate to let this visitor in. Everybody knew his face from the newspapers—a square， grey beard and bright blue eyes Lord Alloa，the First Sea Lord，and head of the British Navy.
He was shown into a room at the end of the hall. I sat there for twenty minutes. Surely the meeting would end soon；Royer must leave for Portsmouth by eleven o'clock.
Then the door opened again and the First Sea Lord came out. He walked past me， and in passing he looked at me and for a second I looked into his eyes. It was only for a second，but my heart jumped. The First Sea Lord had never seen me before， but in his eyes I saw that he recognized me. Then he passed me and was out of the door into the street.
I picked up the telephone book and looked up the number of Lord Alloa's house. I spoke to one of his servants.
'Is Lord Alloa at home？'I asked.
'Yes， but he's ill and has been in bed all day. Do you want to leave a message， sir？'
I put down the telephone and sat down， shaking. My part in this business was not finished. I walked straight into the room where the others were meeting.
Sir Walter looked surprised and annoyed. 'I'm afraid that this is not a good time， Mr Hannay. '
'I think it is，'I answered. 'Tell me， please， who left this room a minute ago. '
'Lord Alloa，'said Sir Walter，looking angrier.
'It Was not，'I cried. 'It looked like him but it was not him. It was a man who recognized me， who has seen me in the last month. I've just telephoned Lord Alloa' s house and he's been ill in bed all day. '
'Who…'someone asked.
'The Black Stone，'I cried， sitting down，and looking at five frightened men.
■ 8 黑石来了
第二天早晨我下楼吃早饭，看到瓦尔特爵士正在看密码信。看来他没有昨天那么怡然自得。
“您上床之后我又忙了一个小时。”他说。“我安排一个叫罗耶的法国人早一天来。他五点钟就到伦敦。但我觉得只变变日期没什么大用。如果敌人已知道他要来的话，他们就可能发现计划已经变了。要是知道他要来的消息是如何泄露出去的就好了。”
我一边吃，他一边说。他把这么多重要的秘密都告诉我，出人意料。
“海军的作战计划难道不能变一变吗？”我问道。
“可以的，”他说。“但是我们尽量不变。变起来相当困难，而且有些变化是做不到的。而最大的问题是他们不会在大街上偷这个计划。他们会设法神不知鬼不觉地搞到计划的细节，那样罗耶返回巴黎时还觉得一切仍然密不透风。”
“那么我们就必须帮助他直到他回去，”我说。
“饭后他会到我伦敦的家来见我们：还有海军的惠特克、我本人、亚瑟·德鲁爵士、温斯坦利将军。海军第一大臣，也就是海军的首脑，生病了，可能来不了。惠特克要把一些重要文件交给罗耶，然后用车把罗耶送到朴次茅斯，在那儿海军的船把他送回法国。一路上都会有人监护他。惠特克拿着文件在会见罗耶之前也有人监护。我们能做的就这么多，我看不出能出什么纰漏。但是因为卡罗里德斯被杀，我觉得很没底。”
早饭后他叫我今天替他开车。
“您了解这是些什么人，所以我不想冒险。”
到伦敦我们首先去苏格兰场，在那儿见到一个相貌威严的警察。
“我给您带来了兰厄姆谋杀案的凶手。”瓦尔特爵士说。
那个警察笑了。“您要真带来就好了。我猜您是哈内先生。有那么几天我们对您很感兴趣。”
“哈内先生会让您重新感兴趣的，麦吉利夫雷。但他的故事要等二十四个小时再说。而我想让您告诉哈内先生说您不会逮捕他了。”
“当然不会逮捕了。”警察转身对我说：“您的寓所和仆人都在等着您，可大概您不想回那去了。”
我和瓦尔特爵士离开那里，他告诉我这一天剩下的时间没我的事了。“哈内，明天请来看我。无需我说，一切要保守秘密。您最好别抛头露面。要是您那个黑石的朋友们看到您，恐怕就麻烦了。”
而我不知道干些什么。重作自由人我很不习惯。我进了一家上等餐馆去吃午饭，可仍然感到惴惴不安。每逢有人看我，我就疑心他们想到了那件谋杀案。我心事重重地围着伦敦逛来逛去。我晓得罗耶现在已经在英格兰，而且肯定会发生什么骇人听闻的事件，而只有我才能制止。然而现在不关我的事了。
我不想回寓所。将来不回不行，而现在我决定今晚在旅馆里过夜。
我在另一家餐馆里吃晚饭，计划完事后就到瓦尔特爵士家去
I was so angry that I pushed the policeman one way and one of Marmaduke's friends the other， and ran as fast as I could. There was shouting behind me，but I had escaped. I ran all the way to Sir Walter's house， walked up to the door and rang. I hoped the door would open quickly.
It did.
'I must see Sir Walter，'I said to the servant. 'It's desper ately important. '
The servant let me in，and then shut the door behind me. 'Sir Walter is in a meeting，sir. Perhaps you will wait. '
There was a telephone and one or two chairs in the hall，and I sat down there.
'Listen，'I whispered to the servant. 'I'm in a bit of trouble，but I'm working for Sir Walter. If anyone comes to the door and asks for me， tell them I'm not here. '
There was a sudden ringing at the door， and he went to open it. He told them whose house it was，and that nobody could come in，and then shut the door.
* * *
A few minutes later there was another ring at the door， and the servant did not hesitate to let this visitor in. Everybody knew his face from the newspapers—a square， grey beard and bright blue eyes Lord Alloa，the First Sea Lord，and head of the British Navy.
He was shown into a room at the end of the hall. I sat there for twenty minutes. Surely the meeting would end soon；Royer must leave for Portsmouth by eleven o'clock.
Then the door opened again and the First Sea Lord came out. He walked past me， and in passing he looked at me and for a second I looked into his eyes. It was only for a second，but my heart jumped. The First Sea Lord had never seen me before， but in his eyes I saw that he recognized me. Then he passed me and was out of the door into the street.
I picked up the telephone book and looked up the number of Lord Alloa's house. I spoke to one of his servants.
'Is Lord Alloa at home？'I asked.
'Yes， but he's ill and has been in bed all day. Do you want to leave a message， sir？'
I put down the telephone and sat down， shaking. My part in this business was not finished. I walked straight into the room where the others were meeting.
Sir Walter looked surprised and annoyed. 'I'm afraid that this is not a good time， Mr Hannay. '
'I think it is，'I answered. 'Tell me， please， who left this room a minute ago. '
'Lord Alloa，'said Sir Walter，looking angrier.
'It Was not，'I cried. 'It looked like him but it was not him. It was a man who recognized me， who has seen me in the last month. I've just telephoned Lord Alloa' s house and he's been ill in bed all day. '
'Who…'someone asked.
'The Black Stone，'I cried， sitting down，and looking at five frightened men.
■ 8 黑石来了
第二天早晨我下楼吃早饭，看到瓦尔特爵士正在看密码信。看来他没有昨天那么怡然自得。
“您上床之后我又忙了一个小时。”他说。“我安排一个叫罗耶的法国人早一天来。他五点钟就到伦敦。但我觉得只变变日期没什么大用。如果敌人已知道他要来的话，他们就可能发现计划已经变了。要是知道他要来的消息是如何泄露出去的就好了。”
我一边吃，他一边说。他把这么多重要的秘密都告诉我，出人意料。
“海军的作战计划难道不能变一变吗？”我问道。
“可以的，”他说。“但是我们尽量不变。变起来相当困难，而且有些变化是做不到的。而最大的问题是他们不会在大街上偷这个计划。他们会设法神不知鬼不觉地搞到计划的细节，那样罗耶返回巴黎时还觉得一切仍然密不透风。”
“那么我们就必须帮助他直到他回去，”我说。
“饭后他会到我伦敦的家来见我们：还有海军的惠特克、我本人、亚瑟·德鲁爵士、温斯坦利将军。海军第一大臣，也就是海军的首脑，生病了，可能来不了。惠特克要把一些重要文件交给罗耶，然后用车把罗耶送到朴次茅斯，在那儿海军的船把他送回法国。一路上都会有人监护他。惠特克拿着文件在会见罗耶之前也有人监护。我们能做的就这么多，我看不出能出什么纰漏。但是因为卡罗里德斯被杀，我觉得很没底。”
早饭后他叫我今天替他开车。
“您了解这是些什么人，所以我不想冒险。”
到伦敦我们首先去苏格兰场，在那儿见到一个相貌威严的警察。
“我给您带来了兰厄姆谋杀案的凶手。”瓦尔特爵士说。
那个警察笑了。“您要真带来就好了。我猜您是哈内先生。有那么几天我们对您很感兴趣。”
“哈内先生会让您重新感兴趣的，麦吉利夫雷。但他的故事要等二十四个小时再说。而我想让您告诉哈内先生说您不会逮捕他了。”
“当然不会逮捕了。”警察转身对我说：“您的寓所和仆人都在等着您，可大概您不想回那去了。”
我和瓦尔特爵士离开那里，他告诉我这一天剩下的时间没我的事了。“哈内，明天请来看我。无需我说，一切要保守秘密。您最好别抛头露面。要是您那个黑石的朋友们看到您，恐怕就麻烦了。”
而我不知道干些什么。重作自由人我很不习惯。我进了一家上等餐馆去吃午饭，可仍然感到惴惴不安。每逢有人看我，我就疑心他们想到了那件谋杀案。我心事重重地围着伦敦逛来逛去。我晓得罗耶现在已经在英格兰，而且肯定会发生什么骇人听闻的事件，而只有我才能制止。然而现在不关我的事了。
我不想回寓所。将来不回不行，而现在我决定今晚在旅馆里过夜。
我在另一家餐馆里吃晚饭，计划完事后就到瓦尔特爵士家去