alistairmaclean.nightwithoutend-第13节

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　on　it；　and　though　I　felt　unaccountably　uneasy　about　the　idea；　I　raised　no　objection。
　
　That　left　five　empty　bunks　among　six　men…Jackstraw；　Joss　and　I　could　sleep　reasonably　enough　in　our　furs。　Inevitably；　there　was　some　magnanimous　argument　over　the　allocation　of　these　bunks；　but　Corazzini　settled　the　argument　by　producing　a　coin　and　beginning　to　toss　for　it。　He　himself　lost　in　the　end；　but　accepted　defeat　and　the　prospect　of　a　cold　unfortable　night　on　the　floor　with　amiable　grace。
　
　When　they　were　all　settled　down；　I　picked　up　a　torch　and　our　weather　log　book；　glanced　at　Joss　and　made　for　the　trap。　Zagero　turned　in　his　bunk　to　look　at　me。
　
　〃What　gives；　Dr　Mason？　Especially　at　this　hour　of　night；　what　gives？〃
　
　〃Weather　reports；　Mr　Zagero。　That's　why　we're　here；　remember？　And　I'm　already　three　hours　late　with　these。〃
　
　〃Even　tonight？〃
　
　〃Even　tonight。　Continuity　is　the　most　important　thing　in　weather　observation。〃
　
　〃Sooner　you　than　me。〃　He　shivered。　〃If　it's　only　half　as　cold　outside　as　it　is　in　here。〃
　
　He　turned　his　back；　and　Joss　rose　to　bis　feet。　He'd　correctly　interpreted　my　look；　and　I　knew　he　was　consumed　with　curiosity。
　
　〃I'll　e　with　you；　sir。　Better　have　a　last　look　at　the　dogs。〃
　
　We　didn't　bother　looking　at　either　the　dogs　or　the　weather　instruments。　We　went　straight　towards　the　tractor　and　huddled　under　the　tarpaulin　for　what　miserable　shelter　it　could　afford。　True；　the　wind　had　eased；　but　it　was　colder　than　ever：　the　long　winter　night　was　beginning　to　close　down　on　the　ice…cap。
　
　〃It　stinks；〃　Joss　said　flatly。　〃The　whole　set…up　stinks。〃
　
　〃To　high　heaven；〃　I　agreed。　〃But　it's　finding　out　where　the　smell　es　from　that　the　trouble　lies。〃
　
　〃This　fairy　tale　of　yours　about　magnetic　storms　and　passes　and　radios；〃　he　went　on。　〃What　was　the　idea？〃
　
　〃I'd　previously　said　I　knew　something　they　didn't。　I　did。　But　when　it　came　to　the　bit　I　knew　I'd　be　better　to　keep　it　to　myself。　You　know　how　this　damnable　cold　slows　up　your　mind　…1　should　have　realised　it　sooner。〃
　
　〃Realised　what？〃
　
　That　I　should　keep　it　to　myself。〃
　
　〃Keep　what；　for　heaven's　sake？〃
　
　〃Sorry；　Joss。　Not　trying　to　build　up　suspense。　The　reason　none　of　them　knew　anything　about　the　crash　until　after　it　had　happened　is　that　they　were　all　doped。　As　far　as　I　could　see；　all　of　them；　or　nearly　all；　were　under　the　influence　of　some　sleeping　drug　or　narcotic。〃
　
　In　the　darkness　I　could　almost　feel　him　staring　at　me。　After　a　long　time　he　said　softly；　〃You　wouldn't　say　this　unless　you　were　sure　of　it。〃
　
　〃I　am　sure　of　it。　Their　reactions；　their　dazed　fumbling　back　to　reality…and；　above　all；　the　pupils　of　their　eyes。　Unmistakable。　Some　kind　of　sleeping　tablet　mixtures；　of　the　fast…acting　kind。　What　is　known　to　the　trade；　I　believe；　as　Mickey　Finns。〃
　
　〃But…〃　Joss　broke　off。　He　was　still　trying　to　orientate　his　mind　to　this　new　line　of　thought。　〃But…they　would　be　bound　to　know　of　it；　to　be　aware　that　they　had　been　doped；　when　they　came　to。〃
　
　〃In　normal　circumstances；　yes。　But　they　came　to　in　what　was；　to　say　the　least；　most　abnormal　circumstances。　I'm　not　saying　that　they　didn't　experience　any　symptoms　of　weakness；　dizziness　and　lassitude…they　must　have　done…and　what　more　natural　than　that　they　should　ascribe　any　such　unusual　physical　or　mental　symptoms　to　the　effects　of　the　crash。　And　what　more　natural；　too；　than　that　they　should　conceal　these　symptoms　as　best　they　could…　and　refrain　from　mentioning　them？　They　would　be　ashamed　to　admit　or　discuss　weaknesses…it's　a　very　human　trait　to　show　to　your　neighbours　the　very　best　face　you　can　put　on　in　times　of　emergency　or　danger。〃
　
　Joss　didn't　reply　at　once。　The　implications　of　all　this；　as　I'd　found　out　for　myself；　took　no　little　time　for　digestion；　so　I　let　him　take　his　time　and　waited；　listening　to　the　lost　and　mournful　wailing　of　the　wind；　the　rustling　hiss　of　millions　of　ice　spicules　scudding　across　the　frozen　snow　of　the　ice…cap；　and　my　own　thoughts　were　in　keeping　with　the　bleak　misery　of　the　night。
　
　〃It's　not　possible；〃　Joss　muttered　at　length。　I　could　hear　his　teeth　chattering　with　the　cold。　〃You　can't　have　some　maniac　rushing　around　an　aircraft　cabin　with　a　hypo　needle　or　dropping　fizz…balls　into　their　gin　and　tonics。　You　think　they　were　all　doped？〃
　
　〃Just　about。〃
　
　〃But　how　could　anyone…〃
　
　〃A　moment；　Joss；〃　I　interrupted。　〃What　happened　to　the　RCA？〃
　
　〃What？〃　The　sudden　switch　caught　him　momentarily　off…balance。　〃What　happened…you　mean；　how　did　it　go　for　a　burton？　I've　no　idea　at　all；　sir。　All　I　know　is　that　these　hinges　couldn't　have　been　knocked　into　the　wall　accidentally…not　with　radio　and　equipment　weighing　about　180　pounds　sitting　on　top　of　them。　Someone　shoved　them　in。　Deliberately。〃
　
　〃And　the　only　person　anywhere　near　it　at　the　time　was　the　stewardess；　Margaret　Ross。　Everyone　agreed　on　that。〃
　
　〃Yes；　but　why　in　the　name　of　heaven　should　anyone　want　to　do　a　crazy　thing　like　that？〃
　
　〃I　don't　know；〃　I　said　wearily。　〃There's　a　hundred　things　I　don't　know。　But　I　do　know　she　did　it。。　。　。　And　who's　in　the　best　position　to　spike　the　drinks　of　aircraft　passengers？〃
　
　〃Good　God！〃　I　could　hear　the　sharp　hissing　intake　of　breath。　〃Of　course。　Drinks…or　maybe　the　sweets　they　hand　out　at　take…off。〃
　
　〃No。〃　I　shook　my　head　definitely　in　the　darkness。　〃Barley　sugar　is　too　weak　a　covering…up　agent　to　disguise　the　taste　of　a　drug。　Coffee；　more　likely。〃
　
　〃It　must　have　been　her；〃　Joss　said　slowly。　〃It　must　have　been。　But…but　she　acted　as　dazed　and　abnormal　as　any　of　the　others。　More　so；　if　anything。〃
　
　〃Maybe　she'd　reason　to；〃　I　said　grimly。　〃e　on；　let's　get　back　or　we'll　freeze　to　death。　Tell　Jackstraw　when　you　get　him　by　himself。〃
　
　Inside　the　cabin；　I　propped　the　hatch　open　a　couple　of　inches　…with　fourteen　people　inside；　extra　ventilation　was　essential。　Then　I　glanced　at　the　thermograph：　it　showed　48°　below　zero…eighty　degrees　of　frost。
　
　I　lay　down　on　the　floor；　pulled　my　parka　hood　tight　to　keep　my　ears　from　freezing；　and　was　asleep　in　a　minute。
　
　
　CHAPTER　FOUR…Monday　6　A。M。…6　P。M。
　
　For　the　first　time　in　four　months　I　had　forgotten　to　set　the　alarm…clock　before　I　went　to　sleep；　and　it　was　late　when　I　awoke；　cold　and　stiff　and　sore　all　over　from　the　uneven　hardness　of　the　wooden　floor。　It　was　still　dark　as　midnight…two　or　three　weeks　had　passed　since　the　rim　of　the　sun　had　shown　above　the　horizon　for　the　last　time　that　year；　and　all　the　light　we　had　each　day　was　two　or　three　hours　dim　twilight　round　noon…but　a　glance　at　the　luminous　face　of　my　watch　showed　me　that　it　was　nine…thirty。
　
　I　pulled　the　torch　out　from　my　parka；　located　the　oil…lamp　and　lit　it。　The　light　was　dim；　scarcely　reaching　the　far　corners　of　the　cabin；　but　sufficient　to　show　the　mummy…like　figures　lying　huddled　on　the　bunks　and　sprawled　grotesquely　across　the　floor；　their　frozen　breath　clouding　before　their　faces　and　above　their　heads；　then　condensing　on　the　cabin　walls。　The　walls　themselves　were　sheeted　with　ice　which　had　extended　far　out　across　the　roof；　in　places　reaching　the　skylights；　a　condition　largely　brought　about　by　the　cold　heavy　air　that　had　flooded　down　the　opened　hatchway　during　the　night：　the　outside　temperature　registered　on　the　drum　at　54°　below　zero。
　
　Not　everyone　was　asleep：　most　of　them；　I　suspected；　had　slept　but　little；　the　numbing　cold　had　seen　to　that：　but　they　were　as　warm　in　their　bunks　as　they　would　be　anywhere　else　and　nobody　showed　any　inclination　to　move。　Things　would　be　better　when　the　cabin　heated　up　a　little。
　
　I　had　trouble　starting　the　stove…even　though　it　was　gravity　fed　from　a　tank　above　and　to　one　side　of　it；　the　fuel　oil　had　thickened　up　in　the　cold…but　when　it　did　catch　it　went　with　a　roar。　I　turned　both　burners　up　to　maximum；　put　on　the　water　bucket　that　had　lain　on　the　floor　all　night　and　was　now　nearly　a　solid　mass　of　ice；　pulled　on　snow…mask　and　goggles　and　clambered　up　the　hatchway　to　have　a　look　at　the　weather。
　
　The　wind　had　died　away　almost　pletely…I'd　known　that　from　the　slow　and　dispirited　clacking　of　the　anemometer　cups　…and　the　ice…drift；　which　at　times　could　reach　up　several　hundred　feet　into　the　sky；　was　no　more　than　gentle　puffs　of　dust　stirring　lazily　and　spectrally；　through　the　feeble　beam　of　my　torch；　across　the　glittering　surface　of　the　ice…cap。　The　wind；　such　as　it　was；　still　held　out　to　the　east。　The　cold；　too；　was　still　intense；　but　more　bearable　than　it　had　been　on　the　previous　night。　In　terms　of　the　effect　of　cold　on　human　beings　in　the　Arctic；　absolute　temperature　is　far　from　being　the　deciding　factor：　wind　is　just　as　important　…every　extra　mile　per　hour　is　equivalent　to　a　one　degree　drop　in　temperature…and　humidity　far　more　so。　Where　the　relative　humidity　is　high；　even　a　few　degrees　below　zero　can　bee　intolerable。　But　today　the　wind　was　light　and　the　air　dry。　Perhaps　it　was　a　good　omen。。　。　。　After　that　morning；　I　never　believed　in　omens　again。
　
　When　I　got　below；　Jackstraw　was　on　his　feet；　presiding　over　the　coffee…pot。　He　smiled　at　me；　and　his　face　was　as　fresh　and　rested　as　if　he'd　had　nine　hours　on　a　feather　bed　behind　him。　But　then　Jack…straw　never　showed　fatigue　o