alistairmaclean.nightwithoutend-第24节

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　〃Unclasp　your　hands；　Miss　LeGarde；　you're　not　included　in　this　little　lot。　No；　I'm　not　crazy。　I'm　as　sane　as　you　are；　and　if　you　want　evidence　of　my　sanity　you'll　find　it　out　on　the　plane　there　…or　buried　out　on　the　ice…cap：　the　captain　of　the　plane　with　a　bullet　through　his　spine；　the　passenger　in　the　rear　with　a　bullet　through　his　heart　and　the　second　officer　smothered　to　death。　Yes；　smothered。　Not　cerebral　haemorrhage；　as　I　said：　he　was　murdered　in　his　sleep。　Believe　me；　Miss　LeGarde？　Or　would　it　take　a　personal　tour　of　the　plane　to　convince　you？〃
　
　She　didn't　speak　at　once。　Nobody　spoke。　Everyone　was　too　stunned；　too　busy　fighting　incredulity　and　trying　to　assimilate　the　meaning　of　the　shocking　news　I'd　given　them…everyone；　that　is；　except　two。　But　though　I　scanned　eight　faces　with　an　intensity　with　which　I　had　never　before　examined　people　I　saw　nothing　…not　the　slightest　off…beat　gesture；　the　tiniest　guilty　reaction。　As　for　what　I'd　secretly　hoped　for…a　guilty　interchange　of　glances　…well；　the　idea　now　seemed　hopelessly；　laughably　improbable。　Whoever　the　killers　were；　they　were　in　perfect　control　of　themselves。　I　felt　despair　touch　me；　a　sure　knowledge　of　defeat。
　
　〃I　must　believe　you。〃　Marie　LeGarde　spoke　as　slowly　as　before；　but　her　voice　was　unsteady　and　her　face　drained　of　colour。　She　looked　at　Margaret　Ross。　〃You　knew　of　this；　my　dear？〃
　
　〃Half　an　hour　ago；　Miss　LeGarde。　Dr　Mason　thought　I　had　done　it。〃
　
　〃Good　God！　How…how　utterly　ghastly！　How　horrible！　Two　of　us　murderers。〃　From　her　position　by　the　stove；　Marie　LeGarde　glanced　round　the　eight　seated　people；　then　looked　quickly　away。　〃Suppose…suppose　you　tell　us　everything；　Dr　Mason。〃
　
　I　told　them　everything。　On　the　way　back　from　the　plane　with　Miss　Ross　I　had　debated　this　with　myself…the　question　of　secrecy　or　not。　The　no　secrecy　decision　had　won　hands　down：　keeping　quiet　wouldn't　fool　the　killers…they　knew　I　knew：　no　secrecy　would　mean　each　and　every　one　of　the　passengers　inn　watching　the　others　like　hawks；　making　my　task　of　constant　vigilance　all　that　much　easier；　the　killers'　chance　of　making　mischief　all　that　more　difficult。
　
　〃You　will　stand　up　one　at　a　time；〃　I　said　when　I'd　finished。　〃Mr　London　will　search　you　for　your　guns。　And　please　don't　forget　…1　know　I'm　dealing　with　desperate　men。　I'm　prepared　to　act　accordingly。　When　your　turn　es　stand　very　still　indeed　and　make　no　suspicious　move；　not　the　slightest。　I'm　not　very　good　with　a　pistol；　and　I　shall　have　to　aim　at　the　middle　of　your　bodies　to　make　certain。〃
　
　〃I　believe　you　would　at　that；〃　Corazzini　said　thoughtfully。
　
　〃It　doesn't　matter　what　you　believe；〃　I　said　coldly。　〃Just　don't　be　the　one　to　find　out。〃
　
　Joss　started　on　Zagero。　He　searched　him　thoroughly　…1　could　see　the　anger　on　Zagero's　face；　but　his　eyes　didn't　leave　my　gun　…and　found　nothing。　He　moved　on　to　Solly　Levin。
　
　〃Might　I　ask　why　I'm　being　excused？〃　Marie　LeGarde　asked　suddenly。
　
　〃You？〃　I　said　shortly。　My　eyes　didn't　move　from　Solly。　〃Marie　LeGarde？　Don't　be　so　damned　silly！〃
　
　〃The　choice　of　words　and　tone　of　voice　leave　a　lot　to　be　desired。〃　Her　voice　was　soft　and　warm；　though　still　shaky。　〃But　I've　never　had　a　greater　pliment。　All　the　same；　I　insist　on　being　searched：　I　don't　want　to　be　the　one　under　a　cloud　if　the　guns　don't　turn　up。〃
　
　And　the　guns　didn't　turn　up。　Joss　finished　searching　the　men；　Margaret　Ross　the　women…Mrs　Dansby…Gregg　under　icy　protest…and　neither　found　anything。　Joss　looked　at　me；　his　face　empty　of　all　expression。
　
　〃Get　their　luggage；〃　I　said　harshly。　〃The　small　cases　they're　taking　with　them。　We'll　try　these。〃
　
　〃You're　wasting　your　time；　Dr　Mason；〃　Nick　Corazzini　said　quietly。　To　any　characters　smart　enough　to　guess　that　you　were　going　to　frisk　them；　the　next　move　would　stick　out　a　mile。　A　child　could　guess　it。　You　might　find　those　guns　you　talk　about　hidden　on　the　tractor　or　the　sledges　or　buried　under　a　couple　of　inches　of　snow；　ready　to　be　picked　up　whenever　required；　but　you　won't　find　them　in　our　grips。　A　thousand　to　one；　in　dollars；　that　you　don't。〃
　
　〃Maybe　you're　right；〃　I　said　slowly。　〃On　the　other　hand；　if　I　were　one　of　the　killers　and　did　have　a　gun　in　my　case…well；　that's　exactly　the　way　I'd　talk　too。〃
　
　〃As　you　said　to　Miss　LeGarde　just　now；　don't　be　so　damned　silly！〃　He　jumped　to　his　feet；　walked　over　to　a　corner　of　the　cabin　under　the　watchful　eyes　of　Jackstraw　and　myself；　picked　up　a　handful　of　small　cases　and　dumped　them　on　the　floor　before　me；　his　own　nearest　me。　〃Where　are　you　going　to　start？　There's　mine；　that's　the　Reverend's　robe　case；　this〃…he　picked　it　up　and　looked　at　the　initials…'this　is　the　Senator's　brief…case。　I　don't　know　whose　the　last　is。〃
　
　〃Mine；〃　Mrs　Dansby…Gregg　said　coldly。
　
　Corazzini　grinned。　〃Ah；　the　Balenciaga。　Well；　Doc；　who…〃　He　broke　off；　straightened　slowly；　and　gazed　up　through　the　skylight。　〃What…what　the　devil　is　happening　up　there？〃
　
　〃Don't　try　to　pull　any　fast　stuff；　Corazzini；〃　I　said　quickly。　〃Jackstraw's　gun…〃
　
　〃The　hell　with　Jackstraw's　gun！〃　he　snapped　impatiently。　〃Have　a　look　for　yourself。〃
　
　I　motioned　him　out　of　the　way　and　had　a　look。　Two　seconds　later　I　had　thrust　my　automatic　into　Joss's　hand　and　was　on　my　way　up　top。
　
　The　airliner　was　a　blazing　torch　in　the　darkness　of　the　night。　Even　at　that　distance　of　half　a　mile　and　against　the　light　wind；　I　could　clearly　hear　the　fierce　roaring　and　crackling　of　the　flames　…not　flames；　rather；　but　one　great　solid　column　of　fire　that　seemed　to　spring　from　the　wings　and　centre　of　the　fuselage　and　reach　up　clear　and　smokeless　and　sparkless　two　hundred　feet　into　the　night　sky；　brushing　its　blood…red　stain　across　the　snow　for　hundreds　of　yards　around；　transforming　the　rest　of　the　still　ice…sheathed　fuselage　into　a　vast　effulgent　diamond；　a　million　constantly　shifting　points　of　refracted　white　and　red　and　blue　and　green　that　glittered　and　gleamed　with　an　eye…dazzling　scintillating　brilliance　that　no　jewels　on　earth　could　have　matched。　It　was　a　fantastically　beautiful　spectacle；　but　I'd　had　time　to　watch　it　for　barely　ten　seconds　when　the　dazzling　coloured　irradiation　turned　into　a　blaze　of　white；　the　central　flame　leapt　up　to　twice；　almost　three　times　its　original　height　and；　two　or　three　seconds　later；　the　roar　of　the　exploding　petrol　tanks　came　at　me　across　the　frozen　stillness　of　the　ice…cap。
　
　Almost　at　once　the　flames　seemed　to　collapse　in　upon　themselves　and　the　perimeter　of　the　blood…red　circle　of　snow　shrank　almost　to　vanishing　point；　but　I　waited　to　see　no　more。　I　dropped　down　into　the　cabin；　pulling　the　hatch　shut　behind　me；　and　looked　at　Jackstraw。
　
　〃Any　chance　at　all　of　accounting　for　the　presence　of　our　various　friends　here　during　the　past　half…hour？〃
　
　〃I'm　afraid　not；　Dr　Mason。　Everyone　was　on　the　move　all　the　time；　finishing　off　the　tractor　body　or　bringing　up　the　stores　and　petrol　drums　and　lashing　them　on　the　sledge。〃　He　glanced　up　through　the　skylight。　〃The　plane；　wasn't　it？〃
　
　〃　'Was'　is　right。〃　I　glanced　at　the　stewardess。　〃My　apologies；　Miss　Ross。　You　did　hear　somebody　out　there。〃
　
　〃You　mean…you　mean　it　wasn't　an　accident？〃　Zagero　asked。
　
　There's　a　fair　chance　that　you　know　damned　well　that　it　wasn't；　I　thought。　Aloud；　I　said：　〃It　was　no　accident。〃
　
　〃So　there　goes　your　evidence；　eh？〃　Corazzini　asked。　〃The　pilot　and　Colonel　Harrison；　I　mean。〃
　
　〃No。　The　nose　and　tail　of　the　plane　are　still　intact。　I　don't　know　what　the　reason　could　be…but　I'm　sure　there's　a　damned　good　one。　And　you　can　put　these　bags　away；　Mr　Corazzini。　We're　not；　as　you　say；　playing　with　children　or　amateurs。〃
　
　There　was　silence　while　Corazzini　returned　the　bags；　then　Joss　looked　at　me　quizzically。
　
　〃Well；　that　explains　one　thing　at　least。〃
　
　〃The　messed…up　explosives？〃　I　remembered　with　chagrin　how　I　had　listened　to　the　abnormally　loud　hissing　out　by　the　plane；　but　had　ignored　it。　Someone　who　had　known　very　clearly　what　he　was　doing　had　led　a　fuse　into　petrol　lines　or　tanks　or　carburettors。　〃It　certainly　does。〃
　
　〃What's　all　this　about　explosives　and　fuses？〃　Senator　Brewster　demanded。　It　was　the　first　word　he　had　spoken　since　Jackstraw　had　scared　the　wits　out　of　him；　and　even　yet　the　colour　wasn't　all　back　in　his　face。
　
　〃Somebody　stole　the　fuses　to　set　fire　to　the　plane。　For　all　I　know　it　may　have　been　you。〃　I　held　up　my　hand　to　still　his　outraged　spluttering　and　went　on　wearily：　〃It　may　equally　well　have　been　one　of　the　other　seven　of　you。　I　don't　know。　All　I　know　is　that　the　person　or　persons　responsible　for　the　murders　were　responsible　for　the　theft　of　the　fuses。　And　for　the　smashing　of　the　radio　valves。　And　for　the　theft　of　the　condensers。〃
　
　〃And　for　the　theft　of　the　sugar；〃　Joss　put　in。　〃Though　heaven　only　knows　why　they　should　want　to　steal　that。〃
　
　〃Sugar！〃　I　exclaimed；　and　then　the　question　died　in　my　throat。　I　happened　to　be　looking　straight　at　the　little　Jew；　Theodore　Mahler；　and　the　nervous　start　he　gave；　the　quick　flicker　of　his　eyes　in　Joss's　direction；　was　unmistakable。　I　knew　I　couldn't　have　imagined　it。　But　I　looked　away　quickly；　before　he　could　see　my　face。
　
　〃Our　last　bag；〃　Joss　explained。　〃Maybe　thirty　pounds