# ■ 2 The milkman starts his travels

I sat down in an armchair and felt very sick. After about five minutes I started shaking. The poor white face with its staring eyes was too much for me，so I got a tablecloth and covered it. Then I took the whisky bottle and drank several mouthfuls. I had seen men die violently before. I had killed a few myself in the Matabele war；but this was different. After a few more minutes I managed to calm myself down a little. I looked at my watch and saw that it was halfpast ten. I searched the flat carefully，but there was nobody there. Then I locked the doors and windows.

By this time I was beginning to think more clearly. It looked bad for me-that was clear. It was now certain that Scudder's story was true-the proof was lying under the tablecloth. His enemies had found him and made sure of his silence. But he had been in my flat for four days，and they must think he had told his story to me. So I would be the next to die. It might be that night，or the next day，or the day after，but it was sure to happen.

Then I thought of another problem. I could call the police now，or go to bed and wait for Paddock to discover the body and call them in the morning. But what would the police think？What story would I tell them about Scudder？I had lied to Paddock about him，and my story would be hard to believe. They would arrest me for murder，and I had no real friends in England to help me. Perhaps that was part of the plan. An English prison would be a safe place for me until the 15th of June.

Even if the police did believe my story，I would still be helping Scudder's enemies. Karolides would stay at home，which was what they wanted. Scudder's death had made me certain that his story was true；now I felt responsible for continuing his work. I hate to see a good man beaten，and if I carried on in Scudder's place，the murderers might not win.

I decided I must disappear，and remain hidden until just before the 15th of June. Then I must contact some government people and tell them Scudder's story. I wished he had told me more，and that I had listened more carefully to what he had told me. There was a risk that the government would not believe me，but it was my best chance. Perhaps more evidence would appear which would help me to make my story believable.

It was now the 24th of May，so I had twenty days of hiding. Two groups of people would be looking for meScudder's enemies，who would want to kill me，and the police，who would want me for Scudder's murder. There was going to be a chase，and，surprisingly，I was almost happy about this. I did not want to sit in one place and wait. If I could move，the situation did not seem so bad.

I wondered if Scudder had any papers which would give me more information about his business. I lifted off the table-cloth and searched him. There were only a few coins in his trouser pockets. There was no sign of the little black notebook. I supposed his murderer had taken that.

When I turned from the body，I noticed that all the cupboards were open. Scudder had been a very careful man，and always kept the place tidy. Someone had been searching for something，and perhaps for the notebook. I went round the flat and found that everything had been searched-the insides of books，cupboards，boxes，even the pockets of my clothes. There was no sign of the notebook，so Scudder's enemies had probably found it in the end.

Then I got out a map of Britain. My plan was to find some wild country. I was used to Africa，and I would feel trapped in the city. I thought Scotland would probably be best，because my family came from Scotland and I could pretend to be a Scotsman easily. The other possibility was to be a German tourist；my father had worked with Germans and I had spoken German often as a boy. But it would probably be better to be a Scotsman in Scotland. I decided to go to Galloway，which，from the map，seemed to be the nearest wild part of Scotland.

In the railway timetable I found a train from London at seven-ten in the morning，which would get me to Galloway in the late afternoon. The problem was getting to the station，as I was certain that Scudder's enemies were watching the building. I thought about this problem，had a good idea，went to bed，and slept for two hours.

I got up at four o'clock. The first light of a summer morning was in the sky and the birds were starting to sing. I put on some old clothes which I used for country walking and some strong walking boots. I pushed another shirt and a toothbrush into my pockets. I had taken a lot of money out of the bank in case Scudder needed it，so I took that as well. Then I cut my long moustache as short as possible.

Paddock arrived every morning at seven-thirty. But at about twenty to seven I knew the milkman would come；the noise of the milk bottles usually woke me up. He was a young man with a very short moustache，and he wore a white coat. He was my only chance.

I had a breakfast of biscuits and whisky and by the time I had finished it was about six o'clock. I got my pipe and started to fill it from my tobacco jar. As I put my fingers into the tobacco，I touched something hard，and pulled out Scudder's little black book.

This seemed a good sign. I lifted the cloth and looked at Scudder's peaceful face. 'Goodbye，my friend，'I said；'I'm going to do my best for you. Wish me good luck. '

Six-thirty passed，then six-forty，but still the milkman did not come. Why，oh why，was this the morning he had to be late？

At fourteen minutes to seven I heard him. I opened the door quickly，and he jumped a bit when he saw me.

Come in a moment，'I said，and we went back into the hall. 'I can see you're a man who likes a bit of fun. Can you help me？Lend me your hat and coat for a minute and you can have this. '

He looked at the money in my hand and smiled. 'What do you want my clothes for？'he asked.

It's a game，'I said. 'I haven't time to explain now，but to win I've got to be a milkman for ten minutes. You'll be a bit late，but you'll get the money for your time. '

All right！'he said. 'I like a game myself. Here you are. '

I put on his blue hat and white coat，picked up the empty milk bottles，shut my door and went downstairs，whistling.

At first I thought the street was empty. Then I saw a man walking slowly towards me. As he passed，he looked up at a window in the house opposite，and I saw a face look back at him.

I crossed the street，still whistling，and then turned down a little side street. As I dropped the hat，coat and milk bottles behind a wall，I heard a church clock；it was seven o'clock.

I ran to the station as fast as I could. It was just ten past seven when I reached the platform. I had no time to buy a ticket；the train was already moving. I jumped into the last carriage.

■ 2 送奶員開始旅行

我坐在扶手椅上，感到很噁心。五分鐘後開始顫慄。我受不了那張可憐的、慘白的臉和直瞪蹬的眼睛，因此，拿了一塊桌布把它蓋起來。然後抄起威士忌酒瓶喝了幾口。以前我見過暴死的，在麥特比爾戰爭中也親手殺過幾個人；但這回卻有所不同。又過了幾分鐘我才使自己稍微平靜一點。看了看錶，是十點半。我仔細地把寓所搜查了一遍，沒發現什麼人。然後就把門窗都鎖起來。

直到此刻我才開始比較冷靜地思考。情況對我不利——這很顯然。斯卡德爾所言肯定不虛——證據就在桌布下面躺著。他的敵人找到了他，使他徹底沉默了。然而他在我寓所呆了四天，他們肯定認為他把事情告訴了我。所以下一個大概就輪到我死了。可能在今天晚上，可能在明天，也可能在後天，但我是死定了。

接著我考慮了另一個問題。我可以現在就報警，或者上床睡覺，等帕多克早晨來發現了屍體再報警。可是警察會怎麼想呢？我該如何向警察講斯卡德爾的事呢？關於斯卡德爾的事我已經對帕多克撒了謊，因此我的話很難令人相信。他們會以謀殺的罪名逮捕我，在英格蘭我又沒有好朋友幫忙。也許這正是他們計劃的一部分。在英國監獄呆到六月十五日對我來說倒是最安全。

即使警察相信我的話，我仍然是幫了斯卡德爾敵人的忙。卡羅裡德斯就會留在國內，這正中他們的下懷。斯卡德爾的死使我確信他的話不假；我覺得現在有責任把他的事做下去。看到好人被打敗我心有不甘，而如果我代替斯卡德爾幹下去，那些凶手也許就不能得手。

我決定必須躲起來，一直藏到六月十五日前。然後我得找政府的人，把斯卡德爾的事告訴他們。我真希望當初他多說點，或者我對他的話聽仔細點。如果政府的人不相信我就要冒險了，但我只有這個最佳機會。也許將來證據會多一些，使我的話叫人相信。

現在是五月二十四日，所以我要躲二十天。有兩撥人要找我——一撥是斯卡德爾的敵人，他們找我想要殺我；另一撥是警察，他們找我是為斯卡德爾的謀殺案。追蹤馬上就要開始，不知怎麼的，我反倒為此有點樂滋滋的。我不想坐等別人來抓。如果我有所行動，情況未必那麼糟糕。

我想斯卡德爾有沒有留下什麼文件，使我能多瞭解一些他乾的事。我揭開桌布把他搜查了一遍。他褲兜裡只有幾個硬幣。那個小黑筆記本不見了。我猜是那些凶手拿走了。

我扭過頭去，發現所有的櫥櫃都打開了。斯卡德爾向來十分細心，總是把屋子保持得很整潔。肯定有人找過什麼東西，多半是找那個小黑筆記本。我在各屋轉了一圈，發現什麼都被搜查了一遍——書本、櫥櫃、盒子、甚至我的衣服口袋。仍然不見那個小黑筆記本，可見斯卡德爾的敵人最後很可能找到了它。

然後我拿出英國地圖。我打算找一個人煙稀少的地方。我已經習慣了非洲的生活，在城市會覺得不自由。我想蘇格蘭也許最理想，因為我老家是蘇格蘭，我可以不費吹灰之力地冒充蘇格蘭人。另外一種可能是扮成德國旅遊者；我父親曾和德國人共過事，我還是個孩子的時候就經常講德語。但在蘇格蘭裝蘇格蘭人很可能要好一點。我決定去加洛韋，從地圖上看那裡是最近的蘇格蘭荒原。

火車時刻表上，有一輛從倫敦來的火車早晨七點十分到站，坐上火車傍晚就可以到加洛韋。問題是如何到車站去，因為我肯定斯卡德爾的敵人在監視這座大樓。我把這件事斟酌了一番，想出個好辦法，於是上床睡了兩個小時。

我四點鐘起床。夏日凌晨的第一縷晨光在天空閃爍，鳥兒也開始鳴囀。我穿上鄉間散步時穿的舊衣服而且帶著幾雙走路穿的結實靴子。在口袋裡又塞進一件襯衣和一柄牙刷。當初，我從銀行取出一大筆錢，以備斯卡德爾不時之需，也一塊兒帶上。然後我把自己的長鬍子儘可能剪短。

帕多克每天早晨七點半到。我知道大約六點四十送奶員就會來；奶瓶的碰撞聲常常把我吵醒。他是個年輕人，留著小鬍子，穿一件白外套。他是我逃脫的唯一機會。

早飯我吃了點餅乾，喝了點威士忌，吃完飯大約六點鐘。我掏出菸斗，從煙罐裡取出煙裝滿菸斗。我的手指剛摸到煙，感覺碰到什麼硬東西，一拉拉出斯卡德爾的小黑筆記本。

看來這是個好徵兆。我把桌布掀開，望著斯卡德爾安詳的臉。“朋友，再見了，”我說，“為你的事我會盡最大努力。祝我好運吧。”

六點半過去了，六點四十又過去了，可是送奶員還沒來。這是怎麼回事，為什麼他非得今天早晨遲到不可？

到六點四十六分他來了。我急忙把門打開，他看到我嚇了一跳。

“請進來一下，”我說，我們回到大廳。“我看得出來您是個喜歡開點玩笑的人。您能幫我個忙嗎？請把您的帽子和外衣借我一下，您可以穿我的。”

他看著我手裡的錢，笑了。“您借我的衣服幹什麼？”他問道。

“玩個遊戲，”我回答，“現在沒時間解釋，要贏我就非扮十分鐘的送奶員不可。您會誤點時間，這點錢給您作補償吧。”

“好吧，”他說，“我自己也喜歡玩遊戲。給您衣服。”

我戴上他的藍帽子，穿上他的白外衣，提起空奶瓶，關上門，吹著口哨走下樓去。

我原以為街上空無一人。後來看到有個人慢慢向我走來。他過去時，抬頭望著對面房子的窗戶，我看到窗口有一張臉也望著他。

我仍然吹著口哨穿過那條街，然後拐進一條小道。把帽子，外衣和牛奶瓶扔在牆後，這時我聽到教堂的鐘聲；正好七點。

我儘快奔到車站。趕到站臺，恰好七點十分。火車已經開動；沒有時間買票了。我一蹦跳上最後一節車廂。