alistairmaclean.icestationzebra-第15部分

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e　machines　for　five　minutes　without　turning　a　hair。〃
　 Swanson　looked　at　me；　then　turned　away　without　a　word。　I　followed　him　to　the　unoccupied　diving　stand。　From　the　bridge…access　hatch　we　could　hear　the　howl　of　the　storm；　the　grinding　ice　with　its　boom　and　scream　that　spanned　the　entire　register　of　hearing。　Swanson　said；　〃Zabrinski　put　it　very　well。。　。　。　I　wonder　how　long　this　damned　storm　is　going　to　last？〃
　 〃Too　long。　I　have　a　medical　kit　in　my　cabin；　a　fifty…ounce　flask　of　medicinal　alcohol；　and　cold…weather　clothes。　Could　you　supply　me　with　a　thirty…pound　package　of　emergency　rations；　high…protein；　high…calory　concentrates？　Benson　will　know　what　I　mean。〃
　 〃Do　you　mean　what　I　think　you　mean？〃　Swanson　said　slowly。　〃Or　am　I　just　going　nuts？〃
　 〃What's　this　about　going　nuts？〃　Hansen　had　just　e　through　the　doorway　leading　to　the　for'ard　passageway；　and　the　grin　on　his　face　was　clear　enough　indication　that　though　he'd　caught　Swanson's　last　words；　he'd　caught　neither　the　intonation　nor　the　expression　on　the　captain's　face。　〃Very　serious　state　of　affairs；　going　nuts。　I'll　have　to　assume　mand　and　put　you　in　irons；　Captain。　Something　about　it　in　regulations；　I　daresay。〃
　 〃Dr。　Carpenter　is　proposing　to　sling　a　bag　of　provisions　on　his　back　and　proceed　to　Drift　Station　Zebra　on　foot。〃
　 〃You've　picked　them　up　again？〃　For　the　moment；　Hansen　had　forgotten　me。　〃You　really　got　them？　And　a　crossbearing？〃
　 〃Just　this　minute。　We've　hit　it　almost　on　the　nose。　Five　miles；　Raeburn　says。〃
　 〃My　God！　Five　miles。　Only　five　miles！〃　Then　the　elation　vanished　from　voice　and　face　as　if　an　internal　switch　had　been　touched。　〃In　weather　like　this；　it　might　as　well　be　five　hundred。　Even　old　Amundsen　couldn't　have　moved　ten　yards　through　this　stuff。〃
　 〃Dr。　Carpenter　evidently　thinks　he　can　improve　on　AmundSen's　standards；〃　Swanson　said　dryly。　〃He's　talking　about　walking　there。〃
　 Hansen　looked　at　me　for　a　long　and　considering　moment；　then　turned　back　to　Swanson。　〃I　think　maybe　it's　Doc　Carpenter　we　should　be　locking　up　in　irons。〃
　 〃I　think　maybe　it　is；〃　Swanson　said。
　 〃Look；〃　I　said。　〃There　are　men　out　there　on　Drift　Station　Zebra。　Maybe　not　many；　not　now；　but　there　are　some。　One；　anyway。　Men　a　long　way　past　being　sick。　Dying　men。　To　a　dying　man；　it　takes　only　the　very　smallest　thing　to　spell　out　the　difference　between　life　and　death。　I'm　a　doctor；　I　know。　The　smallest　thing。　An　ounce　of　alcohol；　a　few　ounces　of　food；　a　hot　drink；　some　medicine。　Then　they'll　live。　Without　those　little　things；　they　will　surely　die。　They're　entitled　to　what　smallest　aid　they　can　get；　and　I'm　entitled　to　take　whatever　risks　I　care　to　to　see　they　get　it。　I'm　not　asking　anyone　else　to　go；　all　I'm　asking　is　that　you　implement　the　terms　of　your　orders　from　Washington　to　give　me　all　possible　assistance　without　endangering　the　〃Dolphin〃　or　its　crew。　Threatening　to　stop　me　is　not　my　idea　of　giving　assistance。　And　I　am　not　asking　you　to　endanger　your　submarine　or　the　lives　of　your　men。〃
　 Swanson　gazed　at　the　floor。　I　wondered　what　he　was　thinking：　the　best　way　to　stop　me；　his　orders　from　Washington；　or　the　fact　that　he　was　the　only　man　who　knew　that　the　mandant　on　Zebra　was　my　brother。　He　said　nothing。
　 〃You　must　stop　him；　Captain；〃　Hansen　said　urgently。　〃Any　other　man　you　saw　putting　a　pistol　to　his　head　or　a　razor　to　his　throat；　you'd　stop　that　man。　This　isn't　any　different。　He's　out　of　his　mind：　he　wants　to　mit　suicide。〃　He　tapped　the　bulkhead　beside　him。　〃Good　God；　Doc；　why　do　you　think　we　have　the　sonar　operators　in　here　on　duty　even　when　we're　stopped。　So　that　they　can　tell　us　when　the　ice　wall　on　the　far　side　of　the　polynya　starts　to　close　in　on　us；　that's　why。　And　that's　because　it's　impossible　for　any　man　to　last　thirty　seconds　on　the　bridge　or　see　an　inch　against　the　ice　storm　up　there。　Just　take　a　quick　twenty…second　trip　up　there；　up　on　the　bridge；　and　you'll　change　your　mind　fast　enough；　I　guarantee。〃
　 〃We've　just　e　down　from　the　bridge；〃　Swanson　said　niatter…of…factly。
　 〃And　he　still　wants　to　go？　It's　like　I　say；　he's　crazy。〃
　 〃We　could　drop　down　now；〃　Swanson　said。　〃We　have　the　position。　Perhaps　we　can　find　a　polynya　within　a　mile　or　half　a　mile　of　Zebra。　That　would　be　a　different　proposition　altogether。〃
　 〃Perhaps　you　could　find　a　needle　in　a　haystack；〃　I　said。　〃It　took　you　six　hours　to　find　this　one；　and　even　at　that　we　were　lucky。　And　don't　talk　about　torpedoes：　the　ice　in　this　area　is　rafted　anything　up　to　a　hundred　feet　in　depth。　Pretty　much　all　over。　You'd　be　as　well　trying　to　blast　your　way　through　with　a　twenty…two。　Might　be　twelve　hours；　might　be　days　before　we　could　break　through　again。　I　can　get　there　in　two；　three　hours。〃
　 〃〃If〃　you　don't　freeze　to　death　in　the　first　hundred　yards；〃　Hansen　said。　〃〃If〃　you　don't　fall　down　a　ridge　and　break　your　leg。　〃If〃　you　don't　get　blinded　in　a　few　minutes。　〃If〃　you　don't　fall　into　a　newly　opened　polynya　that　you　can't　see；　where　you'll　either　drown　or；　if　you　manage　to　get　out；　freeze　solid　in　thirty　seconds。　And　even　if　you　do　survive　all　those　things；　I'd　be　grateful　if　you'd　explain　to　me　exactly　how　you　propose　to　find　your　way　blind　to　a　place　five　miles　away。　You　can't　carry　a　damn　great　gyro　weighing　about　half　a　ton　on　your　back；　and　a　magnetic　pass　is　useless　in　those　latitudes。　The　magnetic　north　pole　is　a　good　deal　〃south〃　of　where　we　are　now　and　a　long　way　to　the　west。　Even　if　you　〃did〃　get　some　sort　of　bearing　from　it；　in　the　darkness　and　the　ice　storm　you　could　still　miss　the　campor　what's　left　of　itby　only　a　hundred　yards　and　never　know　it。　And　even　if　by　one　chance　in　a　million　you　do　manage　to　find　your　way　there；　how　on　earth　do　you　ever　expect　to　find　your　way　back　again？　Leave　a　paper　trail？　A　five…mile　ball　of　twine？　'Crazy'　is　hardly　the　word　for　it。〃
　 〃I　may　break　a　leg；　drown　or　freeze；〃　I　conceded。　〃I'll　take　my　chance　on　that。　Finding　my　way　there　and　back　is　no　great　trick。　You　have　a　radio　bearing　on　Zebra　and　know　exactly　where　it　lies。　You　can　take　a　radio　bearing　on　any　transmitter。　All　I　have　to　do　is　tote　a　receivertransmitter　radio　along　with　me；　keep　in　touch　with　you；　and　you　can　keep　me　on　the　same　bearing　as　Zebra。　It's　easy。〃
　 〃It　would　be；〃　Hansen　said；　〃except　for　one　little　thing。　We　don't　have　any　such　radio。〃
　 〃I　have　a　twenty…mile　walkie…talkie　in　my　case；〃　I　said。
　 〃Coincidence；　coincidence；〃　Hansen　murmured。　〃Just　happened　to　bring　it　along；　no　doubt。　I'll　bet　you　have　all　sorts　of　funny　things　in　that　case　of　yours；　haven't　you；　Doc？〃
　 〃What　Dr。　Carpenter　has　in　his　case　is　really　no　business　of　ours；〃　Swanson　said　in　mild　reproof。　He　hadn't　thought　so　earlier。　〃What　does　concern　us　is　his　intention　to　do　away　with　himself。　You　really　can't　expect　us　to　consent　to　this　ridiculous　proposal；　Dr。　Carpenter。〃
　 〃No　one's　asking　you　to　consent　to　anything；〃　I　said。　〃Your　consent　is　not　required。　All　I'm　asking　you　to　do　is　stand　to　one　side。　And　to　arrange　for　that　food…provision　package　for　me。　If　you　won't　I'll　have　to　manage　without　it。〃
　 I　left　and　went　to　my　cabin。　Hansen's　cabin；　rather。　But　even　though　it　wasn't　my　cabin　that　didn't　stop　me　from　turning　the　key　in　the　lock　as　soon　as　I　had　passed　through　the　door。
　 Working　on　the　likely　supposition　that　if　Hansen　did　e　down　soon　he　wasn't　going　to　be　very　pleased　to　find　the　door　of　his　own　cabin　locked　against　him；　I　wasted　no　time。　I　spun　the　bination　lock　on　my　suitcase　and　opened　the　lid。　At　least　three　quarters　of　the　available　space　was　taken　up　by　Arctic　survival　clothing；　the　very　best　that　money　could　buy。　It　hadn't　been　my　money　that　had　bought　it。
　 I　stripped　off　the　outer　clothes　I　was　wearing；　pulled　on　long　underwear；　a　wool　shirt　and　corduroy　trousers；　then　a　triple…knit　wool　parka　lined　with　pure　silk。　The　parka　wasn't　quite　standard；　it　had　a　curiously　shaped　suede…lined　pocket　below　and　slightly　to　the　front　of　the　left　armpit；　and　a　differently　shaped　suede…lined　pocket　on　the　right…hand　side。　I　dug　swiftly　to　the　bottom　of　my　case　and　brought　up　three　separate　items。　The　first　of　these；　a　nine…millimeter　Mannlicher…Schoenauer　automatic；　fitted　into　the　left…hand　pocket　as　securely　and　strongly　as　if　the　pocket　had　been　specially　designed　for　it；　which　indeed　it　had；　the　other　items；　spare　magazine　clips；　fitted　as　neatly　into　the　right…hand　pocket。
　 The　rest　of　the　dressing　didn't　take　long。　Two　pairs　of　heavy…knit　woollen　socks；　felt　undershoes；　and　then　the　furs　caribou　for　the　outer　parka　and　trousers；　wolverine　for　the　hood；　sealskin　for　the　boots；　and　reindeer　for　the　gloves；　which　were　pulled　on　over　other　layers　of　silk　gloves　and　woollen　mittens。　Maybe　a　polar　bear　would　have　had　a　slight　edge　over　me　when　it　came　to　being　equipped　to　survive　an　Arctic　blizzard；　but　there　wouldn't　have　been　much　in　it。
　 I　hung　snow　mask　and　goggles　around　my　neck；　stuck　a　rubberized　water…proof　flashlight　into　the　inside　pocket　of　my　fur　parka；　unearthed　my　walkie…talkie；　and　closed　the　case。　I　set　the　bination　again。　There　was　no　need　to　set　the　bination　any　more；　not　now　that　I　had　the　Mannlicher…Schoenauer　under　my　arm；　but　it　would　give　Swanson　something　to　do　while　I　was　away。　I　shoved　my　medicine　case　and　a　steel　flask　of　alcohol　in　a　rucksack　and　unlocked　the　door。
　 Swanson　was　exactly　where　I'd　left　him　in　the　control　room。　So　was　Hansen。　So　were　two　others　who　had　not　been　there　when　I　had　left：　Rawlings　and　Zabrinski。　Hansen；　Rawlings；　and　Zabrinski；　the　three　biggest　men　in　the　ship。　The　last　time　I'd　seen　them　together　was　when　Swanson　had　summoned　them　up　from　the　〃Dolphin〃　in　the　Holy　Loch　to　see　to　it　that　I　didn't　do　anything　he　didn't　want　me　to　do。　Maybe　mander　Swanson　had　a　one…track　mind。　Hansen；　Rawlings　and　Zahrinski。　They　looked　bigger　than　ever。
　 I　said　to　Swanson；　〃Do　I　get　those　iron　rations　or　not？〃
　 〃One　last　formal　statement；〃　Swanson　said。　His　first　thoughts；　as　I　came　waddling　into　the　control　center；　must　have　been　that　a　grizzly　bear　was　loose　inside　his　submarine；　but　he　hadn't　batted　an　eyelid。　〃For　the　record。　Your　intentions　are　suicidal；　your　chances　nonexistent。　I　cannot　give　my　consent。〃
　 〃All　right；　your　statement　is　on　record；　witnesses　and　all。　The　iron　rations。〃
　 〃I　cannot　give　my　cons