alistairmaclean.nightwithoutend-第15节

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　from　now　on　I　would　watch　her　every　possible　minute　of　the　day。　I　looked　at　her　again；　covertly；　and　she　was　staring　vacantly　at　one　of　the　glowing　embers　of　the　stove。　Planning　her　next　move；　no　doubt；　planning　it　as　cleverly　as　the　last：　asking　me　last　night　about　the　pilot's　chances　of　survival；　doubtless　to　decide　whether　he　would　have　to　be　killed　or　could　safely　be　left　to　die；　had　been　clever　enough；　but　insisting　on　sleeping　next　to　the　man　she　had　meant　to　kill　had　been　nothing　short　of　brilliant。　On　that　account　alone　no　one　would　ever　suspect　her；　even　if　the　fact　that　it　had　been　murder　became　known。　And　it　wouldn't：　I　intended　keeping　that　to　myself。　Or　did　she　suspect　I　suspected？　Heaven　only　knew。　All　I　knew　was　that　she　must　be　playing　for　tremendous　stakes。　Or　that　she　was　mad。
　
　It　was　just　after　eleven　o'clock。　Joss　and　Jackstraw　were　in　a　corner　by　themselves；　stripping　down　the　smashed　transmitter；　while　the　rest　were　grouped　in　a　large　semi…circle　round　the　stove。　They　looked　wan　and　sickly　and　were　sitting　very　still　indeed。　They　looked　unwell　because　the　first　greyness　of　the　noon　twilight　was　stealing　through　our　rimed　skylights　and　it　did　unflattering　things　to　any　plexion：　and　they　sat　so　still　because　I　had　just　explained　to　them　in　detail　exactly　what　their　situation　was；　and　they　didn't　like　it　one　little　bit。　Neither　did　I。
　
　〃Let's　get　this　quite　straight；　Dr　Mason。〃　Corazzini　leant　forward；　his　lean　brown　face　intent　and　serious。　He　was　worried　all　right；　but　he　wasn't　scared。　Corazzini　didn't　look　as　if　he　would　scare　easily：　I　had　the　idea　that　he　would　be　a　pretty　good　man　to　have　around。　〃The　others　left　here　three　weeks　ago　in　a　big　modern　Sno…Cat；　and　aren't　expected　back　for　another　three　weeks。　You've　overstayed　your　wele　on　the　ice…cap；　you　say；　and　things　have　been　cut　a　trifle　too　fine…you　had　already　started　rationing　yourselves　to　make　your　food　spin　out　until　they　returned。　With　thirteen　of　us　here　we　have　food　for　less　than　five　days。　Therefore　we　may　be　a　fortnight　without　food　before　they　return。〃　He　smiled；　but　there　was　no　humour　in　it。　〃My　arithmetic　is　correct；　Dr　Mason？〃
　
　〃It　is；　unfortunately。〃
　
　〃How　long　would　the　tractor　you　have　take　to　get　to　the　coast？〃
　
　〃There's　no　guarantee　that　it　ever　would。　I　told　you；　it's　falling　to　pieces。　I'll　show　you　later。　Maybe　a　week…given　the　right　conditions。　Any　bad　weather　would　stop　it　in　its　tracks。〃
　
　〃You　doctors　are　all　the　same；〃　Zagero　drawled。　〃Always　spreadin'　sweet　cheerfulness　and　light。　Why　don't　we　wait　for　the　other　machine　to　get　back？〃
　
　〃Indeed？〃　Senator　Brewster　said　heavily。　〃And　how　do　you　propose　to　live　in　the　meanwhile；　Mr　Zagero？〃
　
　〃People　can　live　for　longer　than　fourteen　days　without　food；　Senator；〃　Zagero　said　cheerfully。　〃Think　what　it　would　do　for　that　figure　of　yours。　Tush；　Senator；　you　surprise　me。　Too　gloomy　by　half。〃
　
　〃Not　in　this　case；〃　I　said　flatly。　〃The　Senator　is　right。　Sure　you　can　live　a　long　time　without　food　in　normal　conditions。　You　might　even　do　it　here…if　you　had　proper　day　clothes　and　night　coverings。　You　haven't…and　how　many　of　you　have　stopped　shivering　since　you　came　here？　Cold　burns　up　your　energy　and　depletes　your　reserves　at　a　fantastic　pace。　Do　you　want　me　to　list　all　the　Arctic　and　Antarctic　explorers…and　Himalayan　climbers　…who　have　died　within　forty…eight　hours　of　their　food　running　out？　And　don't　kid　yourselves　about　the　life…giving　warmth　of　this　cabin。　The　floor　temperature　is　about　zero　now…and　that's　as　hot　as　it's　likely　to　get。〃
　
　〃You　said　there　was　a　radio　on　your　old　tractor；〃　Corazzini　said　abruptly。　〃What　range　does　it　have？　Couldn't　you　possibly　reach　your　friends…or　your　Uplavnik　base…with　that？〃
　
　I　nodded　in　Joss's　direction。　〃There's　the　man　to　ask。〃
　
　〃I　heard；〃　Joss　said　without　enthusiasm。　〃Do　you　think　I'd　be　trying　to　salvage　this　wreckage；　Mr　Corazzini；　if　there　was　any　chance？　It's　an　eight…watt　transmitter　with　hand…cranked　generator　and　battery　receiver；　it　came　out　of　the　ark　and　was　never　meant　for　anything　more　than　walkie…talkie　use。〃
　
　〃But　what　is　its　range？〃　Corazzini　persisted。
　
　〃Impossible　to　say。〃　Joss　shrugged。　〃You　know　how　it　is　with　transmission　and　reception。　One　day　you　can　hardly　pick　up　the　BBC　a　hundred　miles　away；　another　you　can　pick　up　a　taxi…cab　at　twice　the　distance；　if　you　have　the　right　receiver。　All　depends　on　conditions。　This　one？　Hundred　miles；　maybe…hundred　fifty　in　perfect　conditions。　In　the　present　conditions；　you'd　be　better　with　a　megaphone。　I'll　have　a　go　with　it　this　afternoon；　perhaps。　Might　as　well　waste　my　time　that　way　as　any　other。〃　Joss　turned　away　and　it　was　obvious　that；　as　far　as　he　was　concerned；　the　subject　was　closed。
　
　〃Perhaps　your　friends　will　move　within　transmission　range？〃　Corazzini　suggested。　〃After　all；　you　said　they're　not　much　more　than　a　couple　of　hundred　miles　away。〃
　
　〃And　I　said　they'll　be　staying　there。　They've　set　up　their　equipment　and　instruments　and　they　won't　move　until　they　have　to。　They're　too　short　of　petrol　for　that。〃
　
　〃They　can　refuel　here；　of　course？〃
　
　〃That's　no　worry。〃　I　jerked　a　thumb　towards　the　tunnel。　〃There's　eight　hundred　gallons　out　there。〃
　
　〃I　see。〃　Corazzini　looked　thoughtful　for　a　moment；　then　went　on。　〃Please　don't　think　I'm　being　annoyingly　persistent。　I　just　want　to　eliminate　possibilities。　I　believe　you　have…or　have　had　…a　radio　schedule　with　your　friends。　Won't　they　worry　if　they　fail　to　hear　from　you？〃
　
　〃Hillcrest…that's　the　scientist　in　charge…never　worries　about　anything。　And　unfortunately；　their　own　radio；　a　big　long…range　job；　is　giving　trouble…they　said　a　couple　of　days　ago　that　the　generator　brushes　were　beginning　to　give　out…and　the　nearest　spares　are　here。　If　they　can't　raise　us；　they'll　probably　blame　themselves。　Anyway；　they　know　we're　safe　as　houses　here。　Why　on　earth　should　they　worry？〃
　
　〃So　what　do　we　do？〃　Solly　Levin　asked　querulously。　〃Starve　to　death　or　start　hikin'？〃
　
　〃Succinctly　and　admirably　put；〃　Senator　Brewster　boomed。　〃In　a　nutshell；　one　might　say。　I　propose　we　set　up　a　small　mittee　to　investigate　the　possibilities…〃
　
　〃This　isn't　Washington；　Senator；〃　I　said　mildly。　〃Besides；　we　already　have　a　mittee…Mr　London；　Mr　Nielsen　and　myself。〃
　
　〃Indeed？〃　It　seemed　to　be　the　Senator's　favourite　word；　and　long　years　of　practice　had　matched　it　perfectly　to　the　lift　of　his　eyebrows。　〃You　will　remember；　perhaps；　that　we　have　rather　a　personal　stake　in　this　also？〃
　
　〃I'm　unlikely　to　forget　it；〃　I　said　dryly。　〃Look；　Senator；　if　you　were　adrift　in　a　hurricane　and　were　picked　up　by　a　ship；　would　you　presume　to　advise　the　captain　and　his　officers　of　the　course　they　should　adopt　to　survive　the　hurricane？〃
　
　〃That's　not　the　point。〃　Senator　Brewster　puffed　out　his　cheeks。　〃This　is　not　a　ship…〃
　
　〃Shut　up！〃　It　was　Corazzini　who　spoke；　his　voice　quiet　and　hard；　and　I　could　suddenly　understand　why　he　had　reached　the　top　in　his　own　particularly　tough　and　petitive　business。　〃Or　Mason　is　absolutely　right。　This　is　their　own　backyard；　and　our　lives　should　be　left　in　the　hands　of　experts。　I　take　it　you　have　already　reached　a　decision；　Dr　Mason？〃
　
　〃I　reached　it　last　night。　Joss…Mr　London…stays　here　to　contact　the　others　when　they　return。　He　will　be　left　enough　food　for　three　weeks。　We　take　the　remainder；　and　we　leave　tomorrow。〃
　
　〃Why　not　today？〃
　
　〃Because　the　tractor　is　at　present　unfit　for　winter　travel；　especially　travel　with　ten　passengers。　It's　still　got　the　canvas　hood　on　it　that　it　had　when　we　hauled　stuff　up　from　the　coast。　We　have　the　prefabricated　wooden　sides　and　top　that　we　need　to　arcticise　it；　plus　the　bunks　and　portable　stove；　but　it　will　take　several　hours。〃
　
　〃We　start　on　that　now？〃
　
　〃Soon。　But　first　your　luggage。　We'll　go　out　to　the　plane　now；　and　bring　that　back。〃
　
　〃Thank　goodness　for　that；〃　Mrs　Dansby…Gregg　said　stiffly。　〃I　was　beginning　to　think　I'd　never　see　my　stuff　again。〃
　
　〃Oh；　you　will；〃　I　said。　〃Briefly。〃
　
　〃Just　what　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　she　asked　suspiciously。
　
　〃I　mean　that　you'll　all　put　on　as　many　clothes　as　you're　able　to　stagger　about　in；〃　I　said。　〃Then　you　have　a　small　attache…case　for　your　valuables；　if　you　have　any。　The　rest　of　the　stuff　we'll　have　to　abandon。　This　is　no　Cook's　tour。　We'll　have　no　room　on　the　tractor。〃
　
　〃But…but　I　have；　clothes　worth　hundreds　of　pounds；〃　she　protested　angrily。　〃Hundreds？…Thousands　would　be　nearer　it。　I　have　a　Balenciaga　alone　that　cost　over　five　hundred　pounds；　not　to　mention…〃
　
　〃How　much　do　you　reckon　your　own　life　is　worth？〃　Zagero　said　shortly。　He　grinned。　〃Or　maybe　we　should　abandon　you　and　save　the　Balenciaga。　Better　still；　wear　it　on　top　of　everything…you　know；　how　the　well…dressed　woman　leaves　the　ice…cap。〃
　
　〃Excruciatingly　funny。〃　She　stared　at　him　icily。
　
　〃Frequently　fracture　myself；〃　Zagero　agreed。　〃Can　I　give　you　a　hand　with　the　stuff；　Doc？〃
　
　〃You　stay　here；　Johnny　Zagero！〃　Solly　Levin　jumped　up　in　agitation。　〃One　little　slip　on　that　ice…〃
　
　〃Calm　yourself；　calm　yourself。〃　Zagero　patted　his　shoulder。　〃Merely　goin'　in　a　supervisory　capacity；　Solly。　How　about　it；　Doc？〃