alistairmaclean.nightwithoutend-第39节

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　〃I　think　that's　exactly　the　way　you　expected　me　to　think；〃　I　said　wearily。　〃But　I'm　learning；　I'm　learning。　One　more　job；　Corazzini；　if　you　would。　Tie　their　feet。〃
　
　〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　Zagero　asked　tightly。
　
　〃Don't　worry。　The　executioner　will　collect　his　fee。　From　now　on　you　and　Levin　ride；　with　your　feet　tied；　in　the　front　of　the　tractor　sled…and　with　a　gun　on　you　all　the　time。　。　。　。　What　is　it；　Miss　LeGarde？〃
　
　〃Are　you　sure；　Peter？〃　It　was　the　first　time　she　had　spoken　for　hours；　and　I　could　see　that　even　that　tiny　effort　tired　her。　〃He　doesn't　look　like　a　murderer。〃　The　tone　of　her　voice　accurately　reflected　the　expressions　of　consternation　and　shocked　disbelief　on　half　a　dozen　faces：　Zagero　had　spared　no　effort　to　make　himself　popular　with　everyone。
　
　〃Does　anybody　here？〃　I　demanded。　〃The　best　murderers　never　do。〃　I　then　explained　to　her…and　the　others…all　I　knew　and　had　suspected　about　everything。　It　shook　them；　especially　the　facts　of　the　spiking　of　the　petrol　and　of　Hillcrest　having　been；　at　one　time；　only　a　few　hours　behind　us：　and　by　the　time　I　was　finished　I　could　see　that　there　was　as　little　doubt　in　their　minds　about　Zagero's　guilt　as　there　was　in　mine。
　
　Two　hours　later；　well　down　the　slope　from　the　Vindeby　Nunataks；　I　stopped　and　set　up　the　radio　gear。　I　reckoned　that　we　were　now　less　than　a　hundred　miles　from　the　coast；　and　for　half　an　hour　tried　to　raise　our　base　at　Uplavnik。　We　had　no　success；　but　I　had　hardly　expected　any：　the　radio　shack　at　the　base　was　manned　only　by　one　operator；　he　couldn't　be　expected　to　be　on　watch　all　the　time；　and　obviously　his　call…up　bell　wasn't　set　for　the　frequency　I　was　using。
　
　At　four　o'clock　exactly　I　got　through　to　Hillcrest。　This　time　I　hadn't　bothered　to　move　the　radio　out　of　hearing　range　…1　was　actually　leaning　against　the　tractor　cabin　as　I　spoke…and　every　word　said；　both　by　Hillcrest　and　myself；　could　be　clearly　heard。　But　it　didn't　matter　any　more。
　
　The　first　thing　I　did；　of　course；　was　to　tell　him　that　we　had　got　our　men。　Even　as　I　spoke；　my　own　voice　sounded　curiously　flat　and　lifeless。　I　should；　I　suppose；　have　been　exultant　and　happy；　but　the　truth　was　that　I　had　suffered　too　much；　both　physically　and　psychologically；　in　the　past　few　days；　exhaustion　lay　over　me　like　a　smothering　blanket；　the　reaction　from　the　strain　of　those　days　was　beginning　to　set　in；　the　awareness　was　clearly　with　me　that　we　weren't　out　of　the　wood　by　a　long　way　yet；　the　lives　of　Marie　LeGarde　and　Mahler　were　now　the　uppermost　thoughts　in　my　mind；　and；　to　be　perfectly　honest；　I　also　felt　curiously　deflated　because　I　had　developed　a　considerable　liking　for　Zagero　and　the　revelation　of　his　true　character　had　been　more　of　a　shock　to　me　than　I　would　have　been　prepared　to　admit　to　anyone。
　
　Hillcrest's　reactions；　I　must　admit；　were　all　that　could　have　been　wished　for；　but　when　I　asked　him　about　his　progress　the　enthusiasm　vanished　from　his　voice。　They　were　still　bogged　down；　it　seemed；　and　progress　had　been　negligible。　There　was　no　word　yet　of　passenger　lists　or　of　what　the　plane　had　carried　that　had　been　so　important。　The　Triton；　the　aircraft…carrier；　had　insulin　aboard　and　would　fly　it　up　to　Uplavnik。　A　landing　barge　was　moving　into　Uplavnik　through　an　ice　lead　and　was　expected　to　arrive　tomorrow　and　unload　the　tractor　it　was　carrying；　which　would　move　straight　out　to　meet　us。　Two　ski…planes　and　two　search　bombers　had　been　looking　for　us；　but　failed　to　locate　us　…we'd　probably　been　traversing　the　Vindeby　Nunataks　at　the　time　。　。　。　His　voice　went　on　and　on；　but　I　hadn't　heard　anything　he'd　said　in　the　past　minute　or　so。　I　had　just　remembered　something　I　should　have　remembered　a　long　time　ago。
　
　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　I　called。　〃I've　just　thought　of　something。〃
　
　I　climbed　inside　the　tractor　cabin　and　shook　Mahler。　Fortunately；　he　was　only　asleep…from　the　look　of　him　an　hour　or　two　ago　I'd　have　said　the　collapse　was　due　any　minute。
　
　〃Mr　Mahler；〃　I　said　quickly。　〃You　said　you　worked　for　an　oil　pany？〃
　
　〃That's　right。〃　He　looked　at　me　in　surprise。　〃Socony　Mobil　Oil　Co。；　in　New　Jersey。〃
　
　〃As　what？〃　There　were　a　hundred　things　he　could　have　been　that　were　of　no　use　to　me。
　
　〃Research　chemist。　Why？〃
　
　I　sighed　in　relief；　and　explained。　When　I'd　finished　telling　him　of　Hillcrest's　solution　to　his　troubles…distilling　the　petrol…I　asked　him　what　he　thought　of　it。
　
　〃It's　as　good　a　way　as　any　of　mitting　suicide；〃　he　said　grimly。　〃What　does　he　want　to　do…send　himself　into　orbit？　It　only　requires　one　weak　spot　in　the　can　he's　trying　to　heat。。　。　。　Besides；　the　evaporation　range　of　petrol　is　so　wide…anything　from　30　degrees　centigrade　to　twice　the　temperature　of　boiling　water　…that　it　may　take　him　all　day　to　get　enough　to　fill　a　cigarette　lighter。〃
　
　〃That　seems　to　be　more　or　less　the　trouble；〃　I　agreed。　〃Is　there　nothing　he　can　do？〃
　
　〃Only　one　thing　he　can　do…wash　it。　What　size　drums　does　your　petrol　e　in？〃
　
　Ten　gallon。〃
　
　〃Tell　him　to　pour　out　a　couple　of　gallons　and　replace　with　water。　Stir　well。　Let　it　stand　for　ten　minutes　and　then　syphon　off　the　top　seven　gallons。　It'll　be　as　near　pure　petrol　as　makes　no　difference。〃
　
　〃As　easy　as　that！〃　I　said　incredulously。　I　thought　of　Hillcrest's　taking　half　an　hour　to　distil　a　cupful。　〃Are　you　sure；　Mr　Mahler？〃
　
　〃It　should　work；〃　he　assured　me。　Even　the　strain　of　a　minute's　speaking　had　been　too　much　for　him；　his　voice　was　already　no　more　than　a　husky　whisper。　〃Sugar　is　insoluble　in　petrol…it　just　dissolves　in　the　small　amounts　of　water　present　in　petrol；　small　enough　to　be　held　in　suspension。　But　if　you've　plenty　of　water　it'll　sink　to　the　bottom；　carrying　the　sugar　with　it。〃
　
　〃If　I'd　the　Nobel　Science　Prize；　I'd　give　it　to　you　right　now；　Mr　Mahler。〃　I　rose　to　my　feet。　〃If　you've　any　more　suggestions　to　make；　for　heaven's　sake　let　me　know。〃
　
　〃I've　one　to　make　now；〃　he　smiled；　but　he　was　almost　gasping　for　breath。　〃It's　going　to　take　your　friend　a　pretty　long　time　to　melt　the　snow　to　get　all　the　water　he　needs　to　wash　the　petrol。〃　He　nodded　towards　the　tractor　sled；　visible　through　the　gap　in　the　canvas　screen。　〃We're　obviously　carrying　far　too　much　fuel。　Why　don't　you　drop　some　off　for　Captain　Hillcrest…why；　in　fact；　didn't　you　drop　some　off　last　night；　when　you　first　heard　of　this？〃
　
　I　stared　at　him　for　a　long　long　moment；　then　turned　heavily　for　the　door。
　
　〃I'll　tell　you　why；　Mr　Mahler；〃　I　said　slowly。　〃It's　because　I'm　the　biggest　damned　prize　idiot　in　this　world；　that's　why。〃
　
　And　I　went　out　to　tell　Hillcrest　just　how　idiotic　I　was。
　
　
　CHAPTER　TEN…Thursday　4　P。M。…Friday　6　P。M。
　
　Jackstraw；　Corazzini　and　I　took　turns　at　driving　the　Citroen　all　through　that　evening　and　the　following　night。　The　engine　was　beginning　to　run　rough；　the　exhaust　was　developing　a　peculiar　note　and　it　was　being　increasingly　difficult　to　engage　second　gear。　But　I　couldn't　stop；　I　daren't　stop。　Speed　was　life　now。
　
　Mahler　had　gone　into　collapse　shortly　after　nine　o'clock　that　evening；　and　from　the　collapse　had　gradually　moved　into　the　true　diabetic　a。　I　had　done　all　I　could；　all　anyone　could；　but　heaven　only　knew　it　was　little　enough。　He　needed　bed；　heat；　fluids；　stimulants；　sugar　by　mouth　or　injection。　Both　suitable　stimulants　and　the　heat　were　pletely　lacking；　the　lurching；　narrow；　hard　wooden　bunk　was　poor　substitute　for　any　bed；　despite　his　great　thirst　he　had　found　it　increasingly　difficult　to　keep　down　the　melted　snow　water；　and　I　had　no　means　of　giving　an　intravenous　injection。　For　the　others　in　the　cabin　it　was　distressing　to　watch　him；　distressing　to　listen　to　the　dyspnoea…the　harsh　laboured　breathing　of　a。　Unless　we　could　get　the　insulin　in　time；　I　knew　no　power　on　earth　could　prevent　death　from　supervening　in　from　one　to　three　days…in　these　unfavourable　conditions；　a　day　would　be　much　more　likely。
　
　Marie　LeGarde；　too；　was　weakening　with　dangerous　speed。　It　was　with　increasing　difficulty　that　she　could　force　down　even　the　smallest　mouthfuls　of　food；　and　spent　most　of　her　time　in　restless　troubled　sleep。　Having　seen　her　on　the　stage　and　marvelled　at　her　magnificent　vitality；　it　now　seemed　strange　to　me　that　she　should　go　under　so　easily。　But　her　vitality　had　really　been　a　manifestation　of　a　nervous　energy：　she　had　little　of　the　physical　resources　necessary　to　cope　with　a　situation　like　this；　and　I　had　frequently　to　remind　myself　that　she　was　an　elderly　woman。　Not　that　any　such　reminder　was　needed　when　one　saw　her　face：　it　was　haggard　and　lined　and　old。
　
　But　worried　though　I　was　about　my　patients；　Jackstraw　was　even　more　deeply　concerned　with　the　weather。　The　temperature　had　been　steadily　rising　for　many　hours　now；　the　moaning　ululation　of　the　ice…cap　wind；　which　had　been　absent　for　over　two　days；　was　increasing　in　intensity　with　every　hour　that　passed；　and　the　skies　above　were　dark　and　heavy　with　black　drifting　clouds　of　snow。　And　when；　just　after　midnight；　the　wind…speed　passed　fifteen　miles　an　hour；　the　wind　began　to　pick　up　the　drift　off　the　ice…cap。
　
　I　knew　what　Jackstraw　was　afraid　of；　though　I　myself　had　never　experienced　it。　I　had　heard　of　the　katabatic　winds　of　Greenland；　the　equivalent　of　the　f