alistairmaclean.icestationzebra-第10节

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n〃　who　doesn't　get　a　little　bit　scared　when　we　move　in　under　the　ice。　I　know　I　do。　I　think　this　is　the　finest　ship　in　the　world；　Dr。　Carpenter；　but　there　are　still　a　hundred　things　that　can　go　wrong　with　it；　and　if　anything　happens　to　the　reactor　or　the　steam　turbines　or　the　electrical　generators；　then　we're　already　in　our　coffin　and　the　lid　screwed　down。　The　ice　pack　above　is　the　coffin　lid。　In　the　open　sea；　most　of　those　things　don't　matter　a　damn：　we　just　surface　or　go　to　snorkel　depth　and　proceed　on　our　diesels。　But　for　diesels　you　need　air　and　there's　no　air　under　the　ice　pack。　So　if　anything　hap。　pens　we　either　find　a　polynya　to　surface　in；　one　chance　in　ten　thousand　at　this　time　of　year；　before　our　standby　battery　gives　Out；　or。　。　。　well；　that's　it。〃
　 〃This　is　all　very　encouraging；〃　I　said。
　 〃Isn't　it？〃　He　smiled；　none　too　soon　for　me。　〃It'll　never　happen。　What's　the　worthy　Benson　making　all　the　racket　about？〃
　 〃Here　it　is；〃　Benson　called。　〃The　first　drift　block。　And　another。　And　another！　e　and　have　a　look；　Doctor。〃
　 I　had　a　look。　The　stylus；　making　a　faint；　soft　hissing　sound；　was　no　longer　tracing　out　a　continuously　horizontal　line；　but　was　moving　rapidly　up　and　down　across　the　paper；　tracing　out　the　outline　of　the　block　of　ice　passing　astern　above　us。　Another　thin；　straight　line；　more　agitated　vertical　movements　of　the　stylus；　and　again　another　block　of　ice　had　gone。　Even　as　I　watched；　the　number　of　thin；　horizontal　lines　became　fewer　and　fewer　and　shorter　and　shorter　until　eventually　they　disappeared　altogether。
　 〃That's　it；　then；〃　Swanson　nodded。　〃We'll　take　her　deep　now；　real　deep；　and　open　up　all　the　stops。〃
　
　
　 When　mander　Swanson　had　said　he　was　going　to　hurry；　he'd　meant　every　word　of　it。　In　the　early　hours　of　the　following　morning　I　was　awakened　from　a　deep　sleep　by　a　heavy　hand　on　my　shoulder。　I　opened　my　eyes；　blinked　against　the　glare　of　the　overhead　light；　then　saw　Lieutenant　Hansen。
　 〃Sorry　about　the　beauty　sleep；　Doc；〃　he　said　cheerfully。　〃But　this　is　it。〃
　 〃This　is　what？〃　I　said　irritably。
　 〃85°　35'　north；　21　°20'　eastthe　last　estimated　position　of　Drift　Station　Zebra。　At　least；　the　last　estimated　position　with　estimated　correction　for　polar　drift。〃
　 〃Already？〃　I　glanced　at　my　watch；　not　believing　it。　〃We're　there　already？〃
　 〃We　have　not；〃　Hansen　said　modestly；　〃been　idling。　The　skipper　suggests　you　e　along　and　watch　us　at　work。〃
　 〃I'll　be　right　with　you。〃　When　and　if　the　〃Dolphin〃　managed　to　break　through　the　ice　and　began　to　try　her　one…in…amillion　chance　of　contacting　Drift　Station　Zebra；　I　wanted　to　be　there。
　 We　left　Hansen's　cabin　and　had　almost　reached　the　control　room　when　I　lurched；　staggered；　and　would　have　fallen　but　for　a　quick　grab　at　a　hand　rail　that　ran　along　one　side　of　the　passageway。　I　hung　on　grimly　as　the　〃Dolphin〃　banked　violently　sideways　and　around　like　a　fighter　plane　in　a　tight　turn。　In　my　experience；　no　submarine　had　ever　been　able　to　begin　to　behave　even　remotely　in　that　fashion。　I　understood　now　the　reasons　for　the　safety　belts　on　the　diving…control　seats。
　 〃What　the　hell's　up？〃　I　said　to　Hansen。　〃Avoiding　some　underwater　obstruction　ahead？〃
　 〃Must　be　a　possible　polynya。　Some　place　where　the　ice　is　thin；　anyway。　As　soon　as　we　spot　a　possible　like　that；　we　e　around　like　a　dog　chasing　its　own　tail；　just　so　we　don't　miss　it。　It　makes　us　very　popular　with　the　crew；　especially　when　they're　drinking　coffee　or　soup。〃
　 We　went　into　the　control　room。　mander　Swanson；　flanked　by　the　navigator　and　another　man；　was　bent　over　the　plotting　table；　examining　something　intently。　Farther　aft；　a　man　at　the　surface　fathometer　was　reading　out　ice…thickness　figures　in　a　quiet；　unemotional　voice。　mander　Swanson　looked　up　from　the　chart。
　 〃Morning；　Doctor。　John；　I　think　we　may　have　something　here。〃
　 Hansen　crossed　to　the　plot　and　peered　at　it。　There　didn't　seem　to　be　much　to　peer　ata　tiny　pinpoint　of　light　shining　through　the　glass　top　of　the　plot　and　a　squared　sheet　of　chart　paper　marked　by　a　most　unseamanlike　series　of　wavering　black　lines　traced　out　by　a　man　with　a　pencil　following　the　track　of　the　tiny　moving　light。　There　were　three　red　crosses　superimposed　on　the　paper；　two　very　close　together；　and　just　as　Hansen　was　examining　the　paper　the　crewman　manning　the　ice　machineDr。　Benson's　enthusiasm　for　his　toy　did　not；　it　appeared；　extend　to　the　middle　of　the　night　called　out　〃'Marl！〃　Immediately　the　black　pencil　was　exchanged　for　a　red　and　a　fourth　cross　made。
　 〃'Think'　and　'may'　are　just　about　right；　Captain；〃　Hansen　said。　〃It　looks　awfully　narrow　to　me。〃
　 〃It　looks　the　same　way　to　me；　too；〃　Swanson；　admitted。　〃But　it's　the　first　break　in　the　heavy　ice　that　we've　had　in　an　hour；　almost。　And　the　further　north　we　go；　the　poorer　our　chances。　Let's　give　it　a　try。　Speed？〃
　 〃One　knot；〃　Raeburn　said。
　 〃All　back　one　third；〃　Swanson　said。　No　sharp　imperatives；　not　ever；　in　the　way　Swanson　gave　his　orders；　more　a　quiet　and　conversational　suggestion；　but　there　was　no　mistaking　the　speed　with　which　one　of　the　crewmen　strapped　into　the　diving…stand　bucket　seat　leaned　forward　to　telegraph　the　order　to　the　engine　room。　〃Left　full　rudder。〃
　 Swanson　bent　over　to　check　the　plot；　closely　watching　the　tiny　pinpoint　of　light　and　the　tracing　pencil　move　back　toward　the　approximate　center　of　the　elongated　triangle　formed　by　the　four　red　crosses。　〃All　stop；〃　he　went　on。　〃Rudder　amidships。〃　A　pause；　then：　〃All　ahead　one　third。　No。　All　stop。〃
　 〃Speed　zero；〃　Raeburn　said。
　 〃Twenty…one　twenty　feet；〃　Swanson　said　to　the　diving　officer。　〃But　gently；　gently。〃
　 A　strong；　steady　hum　echoed　in　the　control　center。　I　asked　Hansen；　〃Blowing　ballast？〃
　 He　shook　his　head。　〃Just　pumping　the　stuff　out。　Gives　a　far　more　precise　control　of　rising　speed　and　makes　it　easier　to　keep　the　sub　on　an　even　keel。　Bringing　a　stopped　sub　up　on　a　dead　even　keel　is　no　trick　for　beginners。　Conventional　subs　never　try　this　sort　of　thing。〃
　 The　pumps　stopped。　There　came　the　sound　of　water　flooding　back　into　the　tanks　as　the　diving　officer　slowed　up　at　the　rate　of　ascent。　The　sound　faded。
　 〃Secure　flooding；〃　the　diving　officer　said。　〃Steady　on　one　hundred　feet。〃
　 〃Up　periscope；〃　Swanson　said　to　the　crewman　by　his　side。　An　overhead　lever　was　engaged；　and　we　could　hear　the　hiss　of　high…pressure　oil　as　the　hydraulic　piston　began　to　lift　the　starboard　periscope　off　its　seating。　The　gleaming　cylinder　rose　slowly　against　the　pressure　of　the　water　outside　until　finally　the　foot　of　the　periscope　cleared　its　well。　Swanson　opened　the　hinged　hand　grips　and　peered　through　the　eye…piece。
　 〃What　does　he　expect　to　see　in　the　middle　of　the　night　at　this　depth？〃　I　asked　Hansen。
　 〃Never　can　tell。　It's　rarely　pletely　dark；　as　you　know。　Maybe　a　moon；　maybe　only　stars；　but　even　starlight　will　show　as　a　faint　glow　through　the　ice…if　the　ice　is　thin　enough。〃
　 〃What's　the　thickness　of　the　ice　above；　in　this　rectangle？〃
　 〃The　sixty…four…dollar　question；〃　Hansen　admitted；　〃and　the　answer　is　that　we　don't　know。　To　keep　that　ice　machine　to　a　reasonable　size；　the　graph　scale　has　to　be　very　small。　Anything　between　four　and　forty　inches。　Four　inches　we　go　through　like　the　icing　on　a　wedding　cake：　forty　inches　and　we　get　a　very　sore　head　indeed。〃　He　nodded　across　to　Swanson。　〃Doesn't　look　so　good。　That　grip　he's　twisting　is　to　tilt　the　periscope　lens　upward　and　that　button　is　for　focusing。　Means　he's　having　trouble　in　finding　anything。〃
　 Swanson　straightened。　〃Black　as　the　earl　of　hell's　waistcoat；〃　he　said　conversationally。　〃Switch　on　hull　and　sail　floodlights。〃
　 He　stooped　and　looked　again。　For　a　few　seconds　only。　〃Pea　soup。　Thick　and　yellow　and　strong。　Can't　see　a　thing。　Let's　have　the　camera；　shall　we？〃
　 I　looked　at　Hansen；　who　nodded　to　a　white　screen　that　had　just　been　unshuttered　on　the　opposite　bulkhead。　〃All　mod　cons；　Doc；　Closed…circuit　TV。　Camera　is　deck　mounted　under　toughened　glass　and　can　be　remote…controlled　to　look　up　or　around。〃
　 〃You　could　do　with　a　new　camera；　couldn't　you？〃　The　TV　screen　was　gray；　fuzzy；　featureless。
　 〃Best　that　money　can　buy；〃　Hansen　said。　〃It's　the　water。　Under　certain　conditions　of　temperature　and　salinity；　it　bees　almost　pletely　opaque　when　flood…lit。　Like　driving　into　a　heavy　fog　with　your　headlights　full　on。〃
　 〃Floodlights　off；〃　Swanson　said。　The　screen　became　quite　blank。　〃Floodlights　on。〃　The　same　drifting；　misty　gray　as　before。　Swanson　sighed　and　turned　to　Hansen。　〃Well；　John？〃
　 〃If　I　were　paid　for　imagining　things；〃　Hansen　said　carefully；　〃I　could　imagine　I　see　the　top　of　the　sail　in　that　left　corner。　Pretty　murky　out　there；　Captain。　Blindman's　buff；　is　that　it？〃
　 〃Russian　roulette；　I　prefer　to　call　it。〃　Swanson　had　the　clear；　unworried　face　of　a　man　contemplating　a　Sunday　afternoon　in　a　deck　chair。　〃Are　we　holding　position？〃
　 〃I　don't　know。〃　Raeburn　looked　up　from　the　plot。　〃It's　difficult　to　be　sure。〃
　 〃Sanders？〃　This　to　the　man　at　the　ice　machine。
　 〃Thin　ice；　sir。　Still　thin　ice。〃
　 〃Keep　calling。　Down　periscope。〃　He　folded　the　handles　up　and　turned　to　the　diving　officer。　〃Take　her　up　like　we　were　carrying　a　crate　of　eggs　atop　the　sail　and　didn't　want　to　crack　even　one　of　them。〃
　 The　pumps　started　again。