alistairmaclean.icestationzebra-第7部分

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　 We　began　to　work　our　way　aft　and　had　reached　the　mess　hail　when　a　sailor　came　up　and　said　that　the　captain　wanted　to　see　me。　I　followed　him　up　the　wide　central　stairway　into　the　control　room；　Dr。　Benson　a　few　paces　behind　to　show　that　he　wasn't　being　too　inquisitive。　mander　Swanson　was　waiting　for　me　by　the　door　of　the　radio　room。
　 〃Morning；　Doctor。　Sleep　well？〃
　 〃Fifteen　hours。　What　do　you　think？　And　breakfasted　even　better。　What's　up；　mander？〃　Something　was　up；　that　was　for　sure：　for　once；　mander　Swanson　wasn't　smiling。
　 〃Message　ing　through　about　Drift　Station　Zebra。　Has　to　be　decoded　first；　but　that　should　take　only　minutes。〃　Decoding　or　not；　it　seemed　to　me　that　Swanson　already　had　a　fair　idea　of　the　content　of　that　message。
　 〃When　did　we　surface？〃　I　asked。　A　submarine　loses　radio　contact　as　soon　as　it　submerges。
　 〃Not　since　we　left　the　Clyde。　We're　close　to　three　hundred　feet　down　right　now。〃
　 〃This　is　a　〃radio〃　message　that's　ing　through？〃
　 〃What　else？　Times　have　changed。　We　still　have　to　surface　to　transmit　but　we　can　receive　down　to　our　maximum　depth。　Somewhere　in　Connecticut　is　the　world's　largest　radio　transmitter；　using　an　extremely　low　frequency；　which　can　contact　us　at　this　depth　far　more　easily　than　any　other　radio　station　can　contact　a　surface　ship。　While　we're　waiting；　e　and　meet　the　drivers。〃
　 He　introduced　me　to　some　of　his　control…center　crewas　with　Benson；　it　seemed　to　be　a　matter　of　plete　indifference　to　him　whether　it　was　officer　or　enlisted　manand　finally　stopped　by　an　officer　sitting　just　aft　of　the　periscope　stand；　a　youngster　who　looked　as　if　he　should　still　be　in　high　school。　〃Will　Raeburn；〃　Swanson　said。　〃Normally　we　pay　no　attention　to　him　but　after　we　move　under　the　ice　he　bees　the　most　important　man　on　the　ship。　Our　navigation　officer。　Are　we　lost；　Will？〃
　 〃We're　just　there；　Captain。〃　He　pointed　to　a　tiny　pinpoint　of　light　on　the　Norwegian　Sea　chart　spread　out　beneath　the　glass　on　the　plotting　table。　〃Gyro　and　sins　are　checking　to　a　hair。〃
　 〃'Sins'？〃　I　said。
　 〃You　may　well　look　surprised；　…　Dr。　Carpenter；〃　Swanson　said。　〃Lieutenant　Raeburn　here　is　far　too　young　to　have　any　sins。　He　is　referring　to　S。I。N。S。Ship's　Inertial　Navigational　Systema　device　once　used　for　guiding　intercontinental　missiles　and　now　adapted　for　submarine　use；　specifically　nuclear　submarines。　No　point　in　my　elaborating：　Will's　ready　to　talk　your　head　off　about　it　if　he　manages　to　corner　you。〃　He　glanced　at　the　chart　position。　〃Are　we　getting　there　quickly　enough　to　suit　you；　Doctor？〃
　 〃I　still　don't　believe　it；〃　I　said。
　 〃We　cleared　the　Holy　Loch　a　little　earlier　than　I　expected；　before　seven；〃　Swanson　admitted。　〃I　had　intended　to　carry　out　some　slow…time　dives　to　adjust　trim；　but　it　wasn't　necessary。　Even　the　lack　of　twelve　torpedoes　up　in　the　nose　didn't　make　her　as　stern…heavy　as　I'd　expected。　She's　so　damned　big　that　a　few　tons　more　or　less　or　here　or　there　doesn't　seem　to　make　any　difference　to　her。　So　we　just　came　barreling　on　up〃
　 He　broke　off　to　accept　a　signal　sheet　from　a　sailor；　and　read　through　it　slowly；　taking　his　time　about　it。　Then　ho　jerked　his　head；　walked　to　a　quiet　corner　of　the　control　center；　and　faced　me　as　I　came　up　to　him。　He　still　wasn't　smiling。
　 〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　said。　〃Major　Halliwell；　the　mandant　of　the　drift　station　。　。　。　You　said　last　night　he　was　a　very　close　friend　of　yours？〃
　 I　felt　my　mouth　begin　to　go　dry。　I　nodded；　and　took　the　message　from　him。　It　read：
　
　 A　further　radio　message；　very　broken　and　difficult　to　decipher；　was　received　0945　Greenwich　Mean　Time　from　Drift　Ice　Station　Zebra　by　the　British　trawler　〃Morning　Star〃；　the　vessel　that　picked　up　the　previous　broadcast。　Message　stated　that　Major　Halliwell；　Officer　manding；　and　three　others；　unnamed；　critically　injured　or　dead；　no　indication　who　or　how　many　of　the　four　are　dead。　Others；　number　again　unknown；　suffering　severely　from　burns　and　exposure。　Some　message　about　food　and　fuel；　atmospheric　conditions　and　weakness　in　transmission　made　it　quite　indecipherable。　Understood　from　very　garbled　signal　that　survivors　in　one　hut　unable　to　move　because　of　weather。　Words　〃ice　storm〃　clearly　picked　up。　Apparent　details　of　wind　speed　and　temperature；　but　unable　to　make　out。
　 〃Morning　Star〃　several　times　attempted　contact　Drift　Station　Zebra　immediately　afterward。　No　acknowledgment。
　 〃Morning　Star〃；　at　request　of　British　Admiralty；　has　abandoned　fishing　grounds　and　is　moving　closer　in　to　Barrier　to　act　as　listening　post。　Message　ends。
　
　 I　folded　the　paper　and　handed　it　back　to　Swanson。　He　said　again；　〃Sorry　about　this；　Carpenter。〃
　 〃Critically　injured　or　dead；〃　I　said。　〃In　a　burnt…out　station　on　the　ice　cap　in　winter；　what's　the　difference？〃　My　voice　fell　upon　my　ears　as　the　voice　of　another　man；　a　voice　flat　and　lifeless；　a　voice　empty　of　all　emotion。　〃Johnny　Halliwell　and　three　of　his　men。　Johnny　Halliwell。　Not　the　kind　of　man　you　would　meet　often；　mander。　A　remarkable　man。　Left　school　at　fifteen；　when　his　parents　died；　to　devote　himself　to　the　support　of　a　brother　eight　years　younger　than　himself。　He　saved；　he　scraped；　he　sacrificed；　he　devoted　many　of　the　best　years　of　his　life　to　doing　everything　for　his　younger　brother；　including　putting　him　through　a　six…year　university　course。　Not　till　then　did　he　think　of　himself；　not　till　then　did　he　get　married。　He　leaves　a　lovely　wife　and　three　marvelous　kids。　Two　nieces　and　a　nephew　not　yet　six　months　old。〃
　 〃Two　nieces〃　He　broke　off　and　stared　at　me。　〃Good　God；　your　brother？　〃Your〃　brother？〃　He　didn't；　for　the　moment；　seem　to　find　anything　peculiar　in　the　difference　of　surname。
　 I　nodded　silently。　Young　Lieutenant　Raeburn　approached　us；　an　odd　expression　of　anxiety　on　his　face；　but　Swanson　abruptly　waved　him　away　without　even　glancing　in　his　direction。　He　shook　his　head　slowly　and　was　still　shaking　it　when　I　said　abruptly：　〃He's　tough。　He　may　be　one　of　the　survivors。　He　may　live。　We　must　get　Drift　Station　Zebra's　position。　We　〃must〃　get　it。〃
　 〃Maybe　they　haven't　got　it　themselves；〃　Swanson　said。　I　could　see　that　he　was　grateful　for　something　to　talk　about。　〃It　〃is〃　a　drifting　station；　remember。　The　weather　being　what　it　is；　it　may　have　been　days　since　they　got　their　last　fixes；　and　for　all　we　know；　their　sextants；　chronometers　and　radio　direction　finders　have　been　lost　in　the　fire。〃
　 〃They　must　know　what　their　latest　fix　was；　even　though　it　was　a　week　ago。　They　must　have　a　fairly　accurate　idea　of　the　speed　and　direction　of　their　drift。　They'll　be　able　to　provide　approximate　data。　The　〃Morning　Star〃　must　be　told　to　keep　transmitting　non…stop　with　a　continuous　request　for　their　position。　If　you　surface　now；　can　you　contact　the　〃Morning　Star？〃〃
　 〃I　doubt　it。　The　trawler　must　be　the　best　part　of　a　thousand　miles　north　of　us。　His　receiver　wouldn't　be　big　enough　to　pull　us　inwhich　is　another　way　of　saying　that　our　transmitter　is　too　small。〃
　 〃The　B。B。C。　have　…plenty　of　transmitters　that　are　big　enough。　So　have　the　Admiralty。　Please　ask　one　or　the　other　to　contact　the　〃Morning　Star〃　and　ask　it　to　make　a　continuous　send　for　Zebra's　position。〃
　 〃They　could　do　that　themselves　direct。〃
　 〃Sure　they　could。　But　they　couldn't　hear　the　reply。　The　〃Morning　Star〃　canif　there's　any　reply。　And　she's　getting　closer　to　them　all　the　time。〃
　 〃We'll　surface　now；〃　Swanson　nodded。　He　turned　away　from　the　chart　table　we'd　been　standing　beside　and　headed　for　the　diving　stand。　As　he　passed　the　plotting　table　he　said　to　the　navigator：　〃What　was　it　you　wanted；　Will？〃
　 Lieutenant　Raeburn　turned　his　back　on　me　and　lowered　his　voice；　but　my　hearing　has　always　been　a　little　abnormal。　He　whispered：　〃Did　you　see　his　face；　Captain？　I　thought　he　was　going　to　haul　off　and　sock　you。〃
　 〃I　thought　the　same　thing　myself；〃　Swanson　murmured。　〃For　a　moment。　But　I　think　I　just　happened　to　be　in　his　line　of　vision；　that's　all。〃
　 I　went　forward　to　my　cabin　and　lay　down　in　the　cot。
　
　
　3
　
　 〃There　it　is；　then；〃　said　Swanson。　〃That's　the　Barrier。〃
　 The　〃Dolphin〃；　heading　due　north；　her　great　cylindrical　bulk　at　one　moment　pletely　submerged；　the　next　showing　clear　as　she　rolled　heavily　through　the　steep　quartering　seas；　was　making　less　than　three　knots　through　the　water；　the　great　nuclear…powered　engines　providing　just　enough　thrust　to　the　big　twin　eight…foot　propellers　to　provide　steerage　way　and　no　more。　Thirty　feet　below　where　we　stood　on　the　bridge　the　finest　sonar　equipment　in　the　world　was　ceaselessly　probing　the　waters　all　around　us　but　even　so　Swanson　was　taking　no　chances　on　the　effects　of　collision　with　a　drifting　ice　block。　The　noon…day　Arctic　sky　was　so　overcast　that　the　light　was　no　better　than　that　of　late　dusk。　The　bridge　thermometer　showed　the　sea　temperature　to　be　28°F。；　the　air　temperatureI　6°F。　The　gale…force　wind　from　the　northeast　was　snatching　the　tops　off　the　rolling　steel…gray　waves　and　subjecting　the　steep…walled　sides　of　the　great　conning　tower〃sail；〃　the　crew　called　itto　the　ceaseless　battering　of　a　bullet…driven　spray　that　turned　to　solid　ice　even　as　it　struck。　The　cold　was　intense。
　 Shivering　uncontrollably；　wrapped　in　a　heavy　duffel　coat　and　oilskins　and　huddled　against　the　illusory　shelter　of　the　canvas　wind…dodger；　I　followed　the　line　of　Swanson's　pointing　ann；　even　above　the　high；　thin；　shrill　whine　of　the　wind　and　the　drum…fire　of　the　flying　spray　against　the　sail；　I　could　hear　the　violent　chattering　of　his　teeth。　Less　than　two　miles　away　a　long；　thin；　grayish…white　line；　at　that　distance　apparently　smooth　and　regular；　seemed　to　stretch　the　entire　width　of　the　northern　horizon。　Fd　seen　it　before　and　it　wasn't　much　to　look　at　but　it　was　a　sight　a　man　never　got　used　to；　not　because　of　itself　but　because　of　what　it　represented：　the　beginning　of　the　polar　ice　cap　that　covered　the　top　of　the　world；　at　this　time　of　year　a　solid；　pacted　mass　of　ice　that　stretched　clear　from　where　we　lay　right　across　to　Alaska　on　the　other　side　of　the　world。　And　we　had　to　go　under　that　mass。　We　had　to　go　under　it　to　find　men　hundreds　of　miles　away；　men　who　might　be　already　dying；　men　who　might　be　already　dead。　Who　probably　were　dead。　Men；　dying　or　dead；　whom　we　had　to　seek　out　by　guess　and　by　God　in　that　great　wasteland　of　ice　stretch