04-01-04-三十九级台阶 [27]
， one was fat，one was dark and thin. They could be the three men I had seen in Scotland，but I could see nothing to prove it.
'Well，'said the old man politely，'are you sure now that we are not murderers，or are you going to take us to the police station？'
There was nothing to do except call in the men outside and arrest them， or say I had made a mistake and leave. And I couldn't decide.
'While we're waiting，let's have a game of cards，' said the fat one. 'It will give Mr Hannay time to think，and we need a fourth player. Will you play？'
I agreed，but everything suddenly seemed unreal. We went into another room，where there was a table and cards. The window was open and the moon was shining on the cliffs and the sea. We played and they talked. I'm usually quite good at cards，but that night I played extremely badly.
* * *
Then something woke me up.
The old man put his cards down for a moment and sat back in his chair with his hand on his knee. It was a movement I had seen before，in that farm on the moors， with two servants with guns behind me. Suddenly my head cleared and I looked at the three men differently.
It was ten o'clock.
The three faces seemed to change in front of my eyes. The thin dark man was the murderer. His knife had killed Scudder. The fat man had been the First Sea Lord last night.
But the old man was the worst. How had I ever thought he looked kind and friendly？ His eyes were cold and evil and frightening. I went on playing， but I hated him more and more with every card.
'Look at the time，Bob，said the old man. 'Don't forget you've got a train to catch. He must be in London tonight，'he said， turning to me. His voice now sounded completely false.
'I'm afraid he must wait，'I said.
'Oh， no！'said the thin man. 'I thought you'd finished with that. I must go. You can have my address. '
'No，'I said，'you must stay. '
I think then they realized they were in real trouble. I looked at the old man and I saw his eyes hood like a hawk.
I blew my whistle.
Immediately the lights went out. Someone held me to my chair.
'Quickly，Franz，'somebody shouted in German，'the boat，the boat！'I saw two policemen on the grass behind the house.
The thin dark man jumped through the window and was across the grass before anybody could stop him. I was fighting the old man，and more police came into the room. I saw them holding the fat man. But the thin man was at the top of the steps. I waited，holding the old man，for the time it would take the thin man to get to the sea.
Suddenly，the old man escaped from me and ran to the wall of the room. From underneath the ground I heard an explosion. The cliff and the steps had been blown up.
The old man looked at me with wild， crazy eyes.
'He is safe，'he cried. 'You cannot follow him. The Black Stone has won. '
This old man was more than just a paid spy. Those hooded eyes shone with a deep，burning love for his country. But as the police took him away，I had one more thing to say.
'Your friend has not won. We put our men on the Ariadne an hour ago. '
* * *
Seven weeks later，as all the world knows，we went to war. I joined the army in the first week. But I did my best work， I think， before I put on uniform.
■ 10 海边相遇
六月的清晨天空一碧如洗，我站在布拉盖特一家旅馆外面眺望着大海。海上有一艘船，看得出来是某种军舰。麦吉里夫雷当过海军知道是什么军舰。我给瓦尔特爵士送了个信，问必要时这艘军舰能否帮助我们。
早饭后我们在拉福下面的海滩上散步。麦吉里夫雷数着峭壁上的六条台阶，而我则始终隐蔽着。
他数台阶让我等了一个小时，看到他手里拿着一张纸向我走来时，我感到忐忑不安。
他念数字：“三十四、三十五、三十九、四十二、四十七、二十一。”我差点跳起来狂喊。
我们马上回布拉盖特。麦吉里夫雷从伦敦调来了六个警察。然后他离开去看那三十九级台阶顶上的房子。
他带回来的消息不好也不坏。那所房子叫特拉法尔加别墅，主人是个叫阿普尔顿的老人。此时他就在那里。左邻右舍都不太认识他。麦吉里夫雷当时已到了房子的后门，装作缝纫机推销员。那里有三个仆人，他找厨师讲话。他搞确实了那女厨师一无所知。邻家正在建造新房，那是瞭望的绝好地方；房子的另一边是一片空地。房子的庭院相当荒芜，但是个藏身的理想之处。
我拿着一架望远镜，找了个隐蔽的好地方，从那里监视那所房子。望了一会儿，看到一个老头离开房子走进峭壁顶上的后庭院。他坐下来读报，但时不时向大海张望。我想他在看那艘军舰。我观察了他半个小时，直到他回房去吃午饭。后来我也回旅馆吃午饭了。
我感到心里没底。这个老头有可能是我在荒原的农舍里见过的那个。可是海边住着数百个老人，他也有可能不过是正在度假的一位慈祥老者而已。
午饭后我坐在旅馆前看着大海；后来我看到了一样以前没见过的东西，我感到来了精神。一艘快艇向岸边驶来，停在离拉福数百米的地方。我和麦吉里夫雷赶到港口，搞了一只船，整个下午都在那儿钓鱼。
我们钓到不少鱼，后来，大约四点钟，我们过去看那艘快艇。看起来像是一艘摩托艇，船名叫阿里亚德妮。水手正在洗船，我过去和他攀谈，他肯定是英国人。我们又如此这般地和另一个水手谈起来，就天气说了一大堆。
'Well，'said the old man politely，'are you sure now that we are not murderers，or are you going to take us to the police station？'
There was nothing to do except call in the men outside and arrest them， or say I had made a mistake and leave. And I couldn't decide.
'While we're waiting，let's have a game of cards，' said the fat one. 'It will give Mr Hannay time to think，and we need a fourth player. Will you play？'
I agreed，but everything suddenly seemed unreal. We went into another room，where there was a table and cards. The window was open and the moon was shining on the cliffs and the sea. We played and they talked. I'm usually quite good at cards，but that night I played extremely badly.
* * *
Then something woke me up.
The old man put his cards down for a moment and sat back in his chair with his hand on his knee. It was a movement I had seen before，in that farm on the moors， with two servants with guns behind me. Suddenly my head cleared and I looked at the three men differently.
It was ten o'clock.
The three faces seemed to change in front of my eyes. The thin dark man was the murderer. His knife had killed Scudder. The fat man had been the First Sea Lord last night.
But the old man was the worst. How had I ever thought he looked kind and friendly？ His eyes were cold and evil and frightening. I went on playing， but I hated him more and more with every card.
'Look at the time，Bob，said the old man. 'Don't forget you've got a train to catch. He must be in London tonight，'he said， turning to me. His voice now sounded completely false.
'I'm afraid he must wait，'I said.
'Oh， no！'said the thin man. 'I thought you'd finished with that. I must go. You can have my address. '
'No，'I said，'you must stay. '
I think then they realized they were in real trouble. I looked at the old man and I saw his eyes hood like a hawk.
I blew my whistle.
Immediately the lights went out. Someone held me to my chair.
'Quickly，Franz，'somebody shouted in German，'the boat，the boat！'I saw two policemen on the grass behind the house.
The thin dark man jumped through the window and was across the grass before anybody could stop him. I was fighting the old man，and more police came into the room. I saw them holding the fat man. But the thin man was at the top of the steps. I waited，holding the old man，for the time it would take the thin man to get to the sea.
Suddenly，the old man escaped from me and ran to the wall of the room. From underneath the ground I heard an explosion. The cliff and the steps had been blown up.
The old man looked at me with wild， crazy eyes.
'He is safe，'he cried. 'You cannot follow him. The Black Stone has won. '
This old man was more than just a paid spy. Those hooded eyes shone with a deep，burning love for his country. But as the police took him away，I had one more thing to say.
'Your friend has not won. We put our men on the Ariadne an hour ago. '
* * *
Seven weeks later，as all the world knows，we went to war. I joined the army in the first week. But I did my best work， I think， before I put on uniform.
■ 10 海边相遇
六月的清晨天空一碧如洗，我站在布拉盖特一家旅馆外面眺望着大海。海上有一艘船，看得出来是某种军舰。麦吉里夫雷当过海军知道是什么军舰。我给瓦尔特爵士送了个信，问必要时这艘军舰能否帮助我们。
早饭后我们在拉福下面的海滩上散步。麦吉里夫雷数着峭壁上的六条台阶，而我则始终隐蔽着。
他数台阶让我等了一个小时，看到他手里拿着一张纸向我走来时，我感到忐忑不安。
他念数字：“三十四、三十五、三十九、四十二、四十七、二十一。”我差点跳起来狂喊。
我们马上回布拉盖特。麦吉里夫雷从伦敦调来了六个警察。然后他离开去看那三十九级台阶顶上的房子。
他带回来的消息不好也不坏。那所房子叫特拉法尔加别墅，主人是个叫阿普尔顿的老人。此时他就在那里。左邻右舍都不太认识他。麦吉里夫雷当时已到了房子的后门，装作缝纫机推销员。那里有三个仆人，他找厨师讲话。他搞确实了那女厨师一无所知。邻家正在建造新房，那是瞭望的绝好地方；房子的另一边是一片空地。房子的庭院相当荒芜，但是个藏身的理想之处。
我拿着一架望远镜，找了个隐蔽的好地方，从那里监视那所房子。望了一会儿，看到一个老头离开房子走进峭壁顶上的后庭院。他坐下来读报，但时不时向大海张望。我想他在看那艘军舰。我观察了他半个小时，直到他回房去吃午饭。后来我也回旅馆吃午饭了。
我感到心里没底。这个老头有可能是我在荒原的农舍里见过的那个。可是海边住着数百个老人，他也有可能不过是正在度假的一位慈祥老者而已。
午饭后我坐在旅馆前看着大海；后来我看到了一样以前没见过的东西，我感到来了精神。一艘快艇向岸边驶来，停在离拉福数百米的地方。我和麦吉里夫雷赶到港口，搞了一只船，整个下午都在那儿钓鱼。
我们钓到不少鱼，后来，大约四点钟，我们过去看那艘快艇。看起来像是一艘摩托艇，船名叫阿里亚德妮。水手正在洗船，我过去和他攀谈，他肯定是英国人。我们又如此这般地和另一个水手谈起来，就天气说了一大堆。