alistairmaclean.icestationzebra-第28部分

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　 He　didn't　have　to　add　any　cautions　about　gentleness。　The　diving　officer　took　her　up　like　floating　thistledown　until　we　felt　a　gentle　bump。
　 〃Hold　her　there；〃　Swanson　said。　He　peered　at　the　TV　screen；　but　the　water　was　so　opaque　that　all　definition　vanished　halfway　up　the　sail。　He　nodded　to　the　diving　officer。　〃Kick　her　uphard。〃
　 pressed　air　roared　into　the　ballast　tanks。　Seconds　passed　without　anything　happening；　then　all　at　once　the　〃Dolphin〃　shuddered　as　something　very　heavy　and　very　solid　seemed　to　strike　the　hull。　A　moment's　pause；　another　solid　shock；　and　then　we　could　see　the　edge　of　a　giant　segment　of　ice　sliding　down　the　face　of　the　TV　screen。
　 〃Well；　now；　I　believe　I　might　have　had　a　point　there；〃　Swanson　remarked。　〃We　seem　to　have　hit　a　crack　between　two　chunks　of　ice　almost　exactly　in　the　middle。　Depth？〃
　 〃Forty…five。〃
　 〃Fifteen　feet　showing。　And　I　don't　think　we　can　expect　to　lift　the　hundreds　of　tons　of　ice　lying　over　the　rest　of　the　hull。　Plenty　of　positive　buoyancy？〃
　 〃All　we'll　ever　want。〃
　 〃Then　we'll　call　it　a　day。　Okay；　quartermaster；　away　you　go　up　top　and　tell　us　what　the　weather　is　like。〃
　 I　didn't　wait　to　hear　what　the　weather　was　like。　I　was　interested　enough　in　it；　but　I　was　even　more　interested　in　making　sure　that　Hansen　didn't　e　along　to　his　cabin　in　time　to　find　me　putting　on　the　Mannlicher…Schoenauer　along　with　my　furs。　But　this　time　I　stuck　it　not　in　its　special　holster　but　in　the　outside　pocket　of　my　caribou　trousers。　I　thought　it　might　e　in　handier　there。
　
　
　 It　was　exactly　noon　when　I　clambered　over　the　edge　of　the　bridge　and　used　a　dangling　rope　to　slide　down　a　great　rafted　chunk　of　ice　that　slanted　up　almost　to　the　top　of　the　sail。　The　sky　had　about　as　much　light　in　it　as　a　late　twilight　in　winter　when　the　sky　is　heavy　with　gray　cloud。　The　air　was　as　bitter　as　ever；　but；　for　all　that；　the　weather　had　improved。　The　wind　was　down　now；　backed　around　to　the　northeast；　seldom　gusting　at　more　than　twenty　mph；　the　ice　spicules　rising　no　more　than　two　or　three　feet　above　the　ice　cap。　Nothing　to　tear　your　eyes　out。　To　be　able　to　see　where　you　were　going　on　that　damned　ice　cap　made　a　very　pleasant　change。
　 There　were　eleven　of　us　altogether：　mander　Swanson　himself；　Dr。　Benson；　eight　enlisted　men　and　myself。　Four　of　the　men　were　carrying　stretchers　with　them。
　 Even　700　pounds　of　the　highest　grade　conventional　explosive　on　the　market　hadn't　managed　to　do　very　much　damage　to　the　ice　in　that　lead。　Over　an　area　of　seventy　yards　square　or　thereabouts　the　ice　had　fractured　into　large　fragments　curiously　uniform　in　size　and　roughly　hexagonal　in　shape　but　fallen　back　so　neatly　into　position　that　you　couldn't　have　put　a　hand　down　most　of　the　cracks　between　the　adjacent　fragments　of　ice：　many　of　the　cracks；　indeed；　were　already　beginning　to　e　together。　A　poor　enough　performance　for　a　torpedo　warheaduntil　you　remembered　that　though　most　of　its　disruptive　power　must　have　been　directed　downward；　it　had　still　managed　to　lift　and　fracture　a　chunk　of　the　ice　cap　weighing　maybe　5；000　tons。　Looked　at　that　way；　it　didn't　seem　such　a　puny　effort　after　all。　Maybe　we'd　been　pretty　lucky　to　achieve　what　we　had。
　 We　walked　across　to　the　eastern　edge　of　the　lead；　scrambled　up　onto　the　ice　pack　proper；　and　turned　around　to　get　our　bearings；　to　line　up　on　the　unwavering　white　finger　of　the　searchlight　that　reached　straight　up　into　the　gloom　of　the　sky。　No　chance　of　getting　lost　this　time。　While　the　wind　stayed　quiet　and　the　spicules　stayed　down；　you　could　see　that　lamp　in　the　window　ten　miles　away。
　 We　didn't　even　need　to　take　any　bearings。　A　few　steps　away　and　up　from　the　edge　of　the　lead　and　we　could　see　it　at　once。　Drift　Station　Zebra。　Three　huts；　one　of　them　badly　charred；　five　blackened　skeletons　of　what　had　once　been　huts。　Desolation。
　 〃So　that's　it；〃　Swanson　said　in　my　ear。　〃Or　what's　left　of　it。　I've　e　a　long　way　to　see　this。〃
　 〃You　nearly　went　a　damned　sight　longer　and　never　saw　it；〃　I　said。　〃To　the　floor　of　the　Arctic；　I　mean。　Pretty；　isn't　it？〃
　 Swanson　shook　his　head　slowly　and　moved　on。　There　were　only　a　hundred　yards　to　go。　I　led　the　way　to　the　nearest　intact　hut；　opened　the　door；　and　walked　inside。
　 The　hut　was　about　thirty　degrees　warmer　than　the　last　time　I　had　been　there；　but　still　bitterly　cold。　Only　Zabrinski　and　Rawlings　were　awake。　The　hut　smelled　of　burnt　fuel；　disinfectant；　iodine；　morphine　and　a　peculiar　aroma　arising　from　a　particularly　repulsive…looking　hash　that　Rawlings　was　industriously　churning　around　in　a　large　iron　pot　on　the　low　stove。
　 〃Ah；　there　you　are；〃　Rawlings　said　conversationally。　He　might　have　been　greeting　a　neighbor　who'd　phoned　a　minute　previously　to　see　if　he　could　e　across　to　borrow　the　lawn　mower；　rather　than　greeting　men　he'd　been　fairly　certain　he'd　never　see　again。　〃The　timing　is　perfectjust　about　to　ring　the　dinner　bell；　Captain。　Care　for　some　Maryland　chickenI　think？〃　
　 〃Not　just　at　the　moment；　thank　you；〃　Swanson　said　politely。　〃Sorry　about　the　ankle；　Zabriaski。　How　is　it？〃
　 〃Just　fine；　Captain；　just　fine。　In　a　plaster　cast。〃　He　thrust　out　a　foot；　stiffly。　〃The　doc　hereDr。　Jollyfixed　me　up　real　nice。　Had　much　trouble　last　night？〃　This　was　for　me。
　 〃Dr。　Carpenter　had　a　great　deal　of　trouble　last　night；〃　Swanson　said。　〃And　we've　had　a　considerable　amount　since。　But　later。　Bring　that　stretcher　in　here。　You　first；　Zabrinski。　As　for　you；　Rawlings；　you　can　stop　making　like　Escoffier。　The　〃Dolphin's〃　less　than　a　couple　of　hundred　yards　from　here。　We'll　have　you　all　aboard　in　half　an　hour。〃
　 I　heard　a　shuffling　noise　behind　me。　Dr。　Jolly　was　on　his　feet；　helping　Captain　Folsom　to　his。　Folsom　looked　even　weaker　than　he　had　yesterday；　his　face；　bandaged　though　it　was；　certainly　looked　worse。　
　 〃Captain　Folsom；〃　I　said　by　way　of　introduction。　〃Dr。　Jolly。　This　is　mander　Swanson；　captain　of　the　〃Dolphin〃。　Dr。　Benson。〃
　 〃'〃Dr〃。'　Benson；　you　said；　old　boy？〃　Jolly　lifted　an　eyebrow。　〃My　word；　the　pill…rolling　petition's　getting　a　little　fierce　in　these　parts。　And　'mander。'　By　Jove；　but　we're　glad　to　see　you　fellows。〃　The　bination　of　the　rich　Irish　brogue　and　the　English　slang　of　the　twenties　fell　more　oddly　than　ever　on　my　ear；　he　reminded　me　of　educated　Singhalese　I'd　met　with　their　precise；　lilting；　standard　southern　English　interlarded　with　the　catch　phrases　of　forty　years　ago。　Topping；　old　bean；　simply　too　ripping　for　words。
　 〃I　can　understand　that。〃　Swanson　smiled。　He　looked　around　at　the　huddled；　unmoving　men　on　the　floor；　men　who　might　have　been　living　or　dead　but　for　the　immediate　and　smoky　condensation　from　their　shallow　breathing；　and　his　smile　faded。　He　said　to　Captain　Folsom；　〃I　cannot　tell　you　how　sorry　I　am。　This　has　been　a　dreadful　thing。〃
　 Folsom　stirred　and　said　something；　but　we　couldn't　make　out　what　it　was。　Although　his　shockingly　burnt　face　had　been　bandaged　since　I'd　seen　him　last；　it　didn't　seem　to　have　done　him　any　good；　he　was　talking　inside　his　mouth；　all　right；　but　the　ravaged　cheek　and　mouth　had　bee　so　paralyzed　that　his　speech　didn't　emerge　as　any　recognizable　language。　The　good　side　of　his　face；　the　left；　was　twisted　and　furrowed；　and　the　eye　above　almost　pletely　shut。　This　had　nothing　to　do　with　any　sympathetic　neuro…muscular　reaction　caused　by　the　wickedly　charred　right　cheek。　The　man　was　in　agony。　I　said　to　Jolly；　〃No　morphine　left？〃　I'd　left　him；　I'd　thought；　with　more　than　enough　of　it。…
　 〃Nothing　left；〃　he　said　tiredly。　〃I　used　it　all。　All　of　it。〃
　 〃Dr。　Jolly　worked　all　through　the　night；〃　Zabrinski　said　quietly。　〃Eight　hours。　Rawlings　and　himself　and　Kinnaird。　They　never　stopped　once。〃
　 Benson　had　his　medical　kit　open。　Jolly　saw　it　and　smiled；　a　smile　of　relief；　a　smile　of　exhaustion。　He　was　in　far　worse　shape　than　he'd　been　the　previous　evening。　He　hadn't　had　all　that　much　in　him　when　he'd　started。　But　he'd　worked。　He'd　worked　a　solid　eight　hours。　He'd　even　fixed　up　Zabrinski's　ankle。　A　good　doctor。　Conscientious。　Hippocratic；　anyway。　He　was　entitled　to　relax。　Now　that　there　were　other　doctors　here；　he'd　relax。　But　not　before。
　 He　began　to　ease　Folsom　into　a　sitting　position　and　I　helped　him。　He　slid　down　himself；　his　back　to　the　wall。　〃Sorry　and　all　that；　you　know；〃　he　said。　His　bearded　frost…bitten　face　twisted　into　the　semblance　of　a　grin。　〃A　poor　host。〃
　 〃You　can　leave　everything　to　us　now；　Dr。　Jolly；〃　Swanson　said　quietly。　〃You've　got　all　the　help　that's　going。　One　thing。　All　those　men　fit　to　be　moved？〃
　 〃I　don't　know。〃　Jolly　rubbed　an　arm　across　bloodshot；　smudged　eyes。　〃I　don't　know。　One　or　two　of　them　slipped　pretty　far　back　last　night。　It's　the　cold。　Those　two。　Pneumonia；　I　think。　Something　an　injured　man　could　fight　off　in　a　few　days　back　home　can　be　fatal　here。　It's　the　cold；〃　he　repeated。　〃Uses　up　ninety　per　cent　of　his　energy；　not　in　fighting　illness　and　infection；　but　just　generating　enough　heat　to　stay　alive。〃
　 〃Take　it　easy；〃　Swanson　said。　〃Maybe　we'd　better　change　our　minds　about　that　half…hour　to　get　you　all　aboard。　Who's　first　for　the　ambulance；　Dr。　Benson？〃　Not　Dr。　Carpenter。　Dr。　Benson。　Well；　Benson　was　his　own　ship's　doctor。　But　pointed；　all　the　same。　A　regrettable　coolness；　as　sudden　in　its　onset　as　it　was　marked　in　degree；　had　appeared　in　his　attitude　toward　me；　and　I　didn't　have　to　be　beaten　over　the　head　with　a　heavy　club　to　guess　at　the　reason　for　the　abrupt　change。
　 〃Zabrinski；　Dr。　Jolly；　Captain　Folsom；　and　this　man　here；〃　Benson　said　promptly。
　 〃Kinnaird；　radio　operator；〃　Kinnaird　identified　himself。　〃We　never　thought　you'd　make　it；　mate。〃　This　to　me。　He　dragged　himself　somehow　to　his　feet　and　stood　there　swaying。　〃I　can　walk。〃
　 〃Don't　argue；〃　Swanson　said　curtly。　〃Rawlings；　stop　stirring　that　filthy　mush　and　get　to　your　feet。　Go　with　them。　How　long　would　it　take　you　to　run　a　cable　from　the　boat；　fix　up　a　couple　of　big　electric　heaters　in　here；　some　lights？〃
　 〃Alone？〃
　 〃All　the　help　you　want；　man。〃
　 〃Fifteen　minutes。　I　could　rig　a　phone；　sir。〃
　 〃That　would　be　useful。　When　the　stretcher　bearers　e　back；　bring　blankets；　sheets；　hot　water。　Wrap　the　water　containers　in　the　blankets。　Anything　else；　Dr。　Benson？〃
　 〃Not　now；　sir。〃
　 〃That's　it；　then。　Away　you　go。〃
　 Rawlings　lifted　the　spoon　from　the　pot；　tasted　it；