11 The Public Enquiry 
　  
　　Two days later，the Enquiry began．Scientists came from London to ask questions about the disease that was killing the seals．Before he had gone to Scotland，John had been to see David Wilson about the Enquiry．David Wilson had asked John to speak for the company． 
　　'You're our chief biologist，John，'he said．'You're an im-portant man．They'll believe you．' 
　　John said nothing．He didn't want to speak at the Enquiry，but he knew he had to．David Wilson smiled．Or at least，his mouth smiled．But his eyes watched John carefully，all the time，like the cold eyes of a fish． 
　　'Think carefully about what you say，John．If you say the wrong thing next week，hundreds of people will lose their jobs．And the first person to lose his job will be you，John．I promise you that．' 
　　The Enquiry room was crowded．There were a lot of journal-ists and photographers there，and a lot of people from the town and the factory too．John's train was late，and he caught a taxi from the station．When he came into the room，he saw Simon，sitting with the journalists．Christine was near him，with Andrew and some young people from Greenworld．John smiled at her，but she didn't smile back．She looks very white and ill，he thought．It's probably the baby．He remembered how ill his wife Rachel had been in the mornings，before Christine was born，and he smiled sadly to himself． 
　　'Mr John Duncan，please！' 
　　He walked to the front of the room．As he sat down，he saw David Wilson's cold，grey eyes watching him from the other side of the room．That man should be up here instead，he thought．He should tell his own lies． 
　　A lawyer began to ask him questions．At first it was easy．John explained how long he had worked for the company，and how much paint the factory produced．Then the lawyer asked about the waste products． 
　　'These are very dangerous chemicals，aren't they？'the lawyer said． 
　　'Well yes，of course，'John answered．'Most chemicals are dangerous if people aren't careful with them．But we're very careful with them in our factory．Everyone wears special cloth-ing．We haven't had a single serious accident in three years．' 
　　'I'm pleased to hear it，'said the lawyer．'But what hap-pens outside the factory？Do you really put these very danger-ous chemicals into the river？' 
　　'Yes，we do，'said John．There was a noise in the room．Someone near Christine shouted something angrily，and a po-licewoman told him to be quiet．John went on．'Of course we put these chemicals in the river，but we don't put a lot in．Only two or three hundred litres every day．That's not much．And we check the river all the time—three times every day．There are usually only two parts per million，or less，in the water near the factory，and there is much less downstream．That's not dangerous．' 
　　'Not dangerous，Mr Duncan？'said the lawyer slowly．'Are you sure？' 
　　'Yes，I am，'John said．He looked up，at the hundreds of eyes watching him．David Wilson's eyes，Christine's eyes，Simon's． 
　　'I understand'，the lawyer said slowly，'that there has been an experiment with some rats．Some mother rats were given these chemicals in their drinking water，and some of their babies were born without legs．Is that right，Mr Duncan？' 
　　John looked at the lawyer for the first time．He was a small，uninteresting-looking man in grey clothes，with grey hair and a thin face．He looks like a rat himself，John thought．The man's eyes were small and bright，and for some strange reason he had a newspaper in his hand．John began to feel afraid of him． 
　　'Yes，'he said．'That's right．But rats are much smaller than people，and they were given nearly five parts per million in their drinking water for ten days．That's very different．No one drinks the river water．It goes straight out to sea．' 
　　He looked at the lawyer，and waited for the question about the seals．But it didn't come．Instead，the lawyer said：'So you won't be worried，Mr Duncan，if someone falls into the river by accident，and drinks a lot of river water．Your own daughter，for example．There's no danger in an accident like that—is that right？' 
　　John looked at Christine across the room．How big her eyes look in that white face，he thought．It must be because of the baby． 
　　'No，'he said．'There's no danger at all．' 
　　There was the sound of voices in the room．The lawyer smiled a small，rat-like smile．He held his newspaper out to-wards John． 
　　'You've been away in Scotland，Mr Duncan，'he said．'Have you seen this？' 
　　As John read the newspaper，his hands began to shake，and he had to hold the side of the table．There was a picture of Christine，standing up in a boat near the factory，and another picture of her lying in an ambulance，with Simon beside her．The headline said： 
BIOLOGIST'S DAUGHTER NEARLY 
DROWNS IN RIVER 
　　There was a long silence．He tried to read the newspaper carefully，but there was something wrong with his eyes．And his head was full of pictures of Christine in the river，drowning．And his wife，Rachel，drowning in the storm，long ago． 
　　He shook his head quickly from side to side，then took his glasses off and cleaned them． 
　　'No，'he said in a quiet voice．I haven't read this before． ' 
　　'It's all right，Mr Duncan，'said the lawyer softly．'Your daughter is safe．Her husband saved her，and she hasn't lost her baby．But she did drink a lot of river water．It was near the factory，too．You're not worried about that，are you？' 
　　The lawyer's bright eyes were staring at him，like a rat that has just seen its food．Behind him，David Wilson suddenly stood up． 
　　'That is a terrible question！'he shouted into the silence．'You can't ask a man questions like that！Of course he's wor-ried about his daughter！You must stop this Enquiry at once！' 
　　'Just a minute，Mr Wilson，'said the lawyer．'Mr Duncan can go in a minute．He just has to answer one question．Are you worried，because your daughter has drunk so much river water，Mr Duncan？Are you worried about her baby？' 
　　John Duncan stared at the lawyer with fear in his eyes．Sud-denly he hated him．He picked up the newspaper and threw it into the little man's rat-like face．'Yes！'he shouted wildly．'Yes！Yes！Yes！Of course I'm worried about the baby！Of course it's dangerous！Now let me go！' 
　　He ran down the room，out of the door，into the street．A hundred staring eyes watched him go．  
　 
11 公众听证会 
　  
　　两天后，听证会开始。来自伦敦的科学家就海豹死亡的病因提了问题。约翰在去苏格兰之前曾为听证会见了大卫·威尔逊。大卫·威尔逊要约翰代表公司说话。 
　　“你是我们的主管生物学家，约翰，”他说。“你是一个重要人物，他们会相信你。” 
　　约翰什么也没说。他不想在听证会上讲话，但他知道他必须讲。大卫·威尔逊笑了，至少他的嘴是在笑。但他的眼睛像冰冷的鱼眼自始至终小心地望着约翰。 
　　“仔细想想你要说的，约翰。如果下周你说错了，几百人将失去工作，而第一个失业的将是你，约翰，我敢向你保证这一点。” 
　　听证会大厅挤满了人，有很多记者和摄影师，还有许多从镇上和工厂来的人。约翰的火车误点，他从车站搭了一辆出租车。当他进屋时，看见了西蒙与记者们坐在一起。克里斯汀在他附近，还有安德鲁及绿色世界的一些年青人。约翰冲她微笑，但她没有理他。她看上去非常苍白虚弱，他这样想。也许是因为孩子。他记得他的妻子雷切尔在生克里斯汀前的那些早晨也很虚弱，他自己苦笑着。 
　　“约翰·邓肯先生，请！” 
　　他走到大厅前面。当他要坐下时，他看到大卫·威尔逊那双冷酷、灰暗的眼睛正从屋子的另一边望着他。那个人本应在此，他想，他应该讲述他自己的谎言。 
　　一个律师开始向他提问。一开始很容易，约翰解释了他在公司工作多久，工厂生产多少油漆。然后律师问到废料。 
　　“这是非常危险的化学物质，是吗？”律师问道。 
　　“是的，当然，”约翰答道。“如果人们不小心谨慎，大部分化学制品都有危险。但是在我们工厂我们对它们非常谨慎。每个人都穿特制的服装，3年里我们没发生一件重大事故。” 
　　“听你这么说我非常满意，”律师说。“但是在工厂外发生了什么？你们真的往河里倒了这些非常危险的化学制品吗？” 
　　“是的，”约翰说。屋里传出嘈杂声。克里斯汀的附近有人气愤地喊着什么，一个女警察让他安静。约翰继续说：“当然我们把它们倒入水中，但不多，每天仅仅两三百公升，那不算多。而且我们一日三次一直检测河水。工厂附近水中通常只含百万分之二或更少的成分，下游就更少了。那不危险。” 
　　“不危险吗，邓肯先生？”律师慢慢地说，“你敢肯定吗？” 
　　“是的，我敢肯定，”约翰说。他抬起头，望着几百双正在注视着他的眼睛。大卫·威尔逊的眼睛，克里斯汀的眼睛，西蒙的眼睛。 
　　“我知道，”律师缓慢地说，“曾经有一个用老鼠做的实验。一些母鼠喝了带有这些化学物品的水，它们的一些幼崽儿生出来没有腿，这是真的吗，邓肯先生？” 
　　约翰第一次看了一下律师。他个头矮小，貌不惊人，穿着灰色衣服，灰色头发，瘦长的脸。约翰认为他看上去自己就像一只老鼠。那人的眼睛很小，但敏锐，出于某种奇怪的原因，他手里拿着一份报纸，约翰开始对他产生畏惧。 
　　“是的，”他说，“你说得对。但老鼠比人小得多，而且它们10天中一直喝含有将近百万分之五成分的水。这是绝对不同的。没人喝河水，河水直接流出去进入大海。” 
　　他望着律师，等着他问关于海豹的问题，但是律师没有问，而是说：“所以你就不担心，邓肯先生，假如有人意外地坠入河中并喝了许多河水，比如你自己的女儿。难道这样的意外没有危险吗？” 
　　约翰望着屋子另一边的克里斯汀。他在想，她那苍白脸上的眼睛显得那么的大，这一定是由于怀孕。 
　　“没有，”他说，“根本就没有危险。” 
　　屋里开始有说话的声音，律师露出细微的老鼠般的笑容。他向约翰举出他的报纸。 
　　他说：“你去了苏格兰，邓肯先生，你看过这报道吗？” 
　　当约翰读报纸时，他的手开始颤抖，他不得不抓住桌子的一边。上面有一张克里斯汀的照片，她站在工厂附近的一只船上，另一张照片是她躺在救护车里，西蒙在她身旁。标题是：  
生物家的女儿险遭溺死  
　　很长一段时间的寂静。他努力仔细读报纸，但他的眼前一片模糊，他满脑子都是克里斯汀在河中被淹的情景以及很久以前他妻子雷切尔在暴风雨中被淹的情景。 
　　他很快地摇动着脑袋，然后摘掉眼镜，擦拭起来。 
　　“没有，”他轻声地回答，“我以前没有看过。” 
　　“这没关系，邓肯先生，”律师温和地说。“你的女儿很安全。她丈夫救了她，她没有失去她的孩子。但是她确实喝了不少河水，而且是工厂附近的河水，你难道不担心吗？” 
　　律师明亮的眼睛紧盯着他，像老鼠刚看见它的食物一样。在他的后面大卫·威尔逊突然站起来。 
　　“那是一个糟糕的提问！”他的叫喊打破了沉默，“你不能对一个人这样提问！他当然担心他的女儿！你必须立即停止听证会！” 
　　“等一等，威尔逊先生，”律师说，“邓肯先生一会儿就可以走，他只需回答一个问题。你为你女儿喝了那么多河水而担忧吗，邓肯先生？你为她的孩子担忧吗？” 
　　约翰·邓肯盯着律师，眼里充满恐惧。突然间，他憎恨他。他抬起报纸朝着那个矮人的鼠脸上扔去。“是的！”他疯狂地叫喊，“是的！是的！是的！我当然担心孩子！那当然危险！现在让我走！” 
　　他跑下会场，出了大门，来到街上。100双凝视着的眼睛望着他离去。 
　　　    


 