alistairmaclean.icestationzebra-第13节
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ing like a shimmering mirage fading and dying in some ice…bound desert。 But this was no trick of the eye or imagination； it was the result of a ground…level ice storm that rose and swirled and subsided at the dictates of an icy wind that was never less than strong and sometimes gusted up to gale force； a wind that drove before it a swirling rushing fog of billions of needle…pointed ice spicules。 For the most part； standing as we were on the bridge twenty feet above the level of the icethe rest of the 〃Dolphin〃 might never have existed； as far as the eye could tellwe were above this billowing ground swell of ice particlesbut occasionally the wind gusted strongly； and the spicules lifted； drummed demoniacally against the already ice…sheathed starboard side of the sail； drove against the few exposed inches of our skin with all the painfully stinging impact of a sand blaster held at arm's length。 But； unlike a sand blaster； the pain…filled shock of those spear…tipped spicules was only momentary； each wasp…like sting carried with it its own ice…cold anesthetic； and all surface sensation was quickly lost。 Then the wind would drop； the furious rattling on the sail would fade and in the momentary contrast of nearsilence we could hear the stealthy rustling as of a million rats advancing as the ice spicules brushed their blind way across the iron…hard surface of the polar cap。 The bridge thermometer stood at 21°F 530 of frost。 If I were a promoter interested in developing a summer holiday resort； I thought； I wouldn't pay very much attention to this place。
Rawlings and I stamped our feet； flailed our arms across our chests； shivered non…stop； took what little shelter we could from the canvas wind…break； rubbed our goggles constantly to keep them clear； and never once； except when the ice spicules drove into our faces； stopped examining every quarter of the horizon。 Somewhere out there on those frozen wastes was a lost and dying group of men whose lives might depend upon so little a thing as the momentary misting…up of our goggles。 We stared out over those shifting ice sands until our eyes ached。 But that was all we had for it： just aching eyes。 We saw nothing； nothing at all。 The ice cap remained empty of all signs of life。 Dead。
When our relief came； Rawlings and I got below with all the speed our frozen and stiffened limbs would allow。 I found mander Swanson sitting on a canvas stool outside the radio room； I stripped off Outer clothes； face coverings； and goggles； took a steaming mug of coffee that had appeared from nowhere； and tried not to hop around too much as the blood came … pounding back into my arms and legs。
〃How did you cut yourself like that？〃 Swanson asked； concern in his voice。 〃You've a half…inch streak of blood right across your forehead。〃
〃Flying ice； it just looks bad。〃 I felt tired and pretty low。 〃We're wasting our time transmitting。 If the men on Zebra were without any shelter； it's no wonder all signals ceased long ago。 Without food and shelter； no one could last more than a few hours in that place。 Neither Rawlings nor I is a wilting hot…house flower but after half an hour up there we've both just about had it。〃
〃I don't know；〃 Swanson said thoughtfully。 〃Look at Amundsen。 Look at Scott； at Peary。 They 〃walked〃 all the way to the Poles。〃
〃A different breed of men； Captain。 Either that or the sun shone for them。 All I know is that half an hour is too long to be up there。 Fifteen minutes is enough for anyone。〃
〃Fifteen minutes it shall be。〃 He looked at me； his face carefully devoid of all expression。 〃You haven't much hope？〃
〃If they're without shelter； I've none。〃
〃You told me they had an emergency power pack of Nife cells for powering their transmitter；〃 he murmured。 〃You also said those batteries will retain their charge indefinitelyyears； if necessaryirrespective of the weather conditions under which they are stored。 They must have been using that battery a few days ago when they sent out their first S。O。S。 It wouldn't be finished already。〃
His point was so obvious that I didn't answer。 The battery Wasn't finished； the men were。
〃I agree with you；〃 he went on quietly。 〃We're wasting our time。 Maybe we should just pack up and go home。 If we can't raise them； we'll never find them。〃
〃Maybe not。 But you're forgetting your directive from Washington； mander。〃 …
〃How do you mean？〃
〃Remember？ I'm to be extended every facility and all aid short of actually endangering the safety of the submarine and the lives of the crew。 At the present moment we're doing neither。 If we fail to raise them； I'm prepared for a twentymile sweep on foot arouna this spot in the hope of locating them。 If that fails； we could move to another polynya and repeat the search。 The search area isn't all that big； there's a fair chance； but a chance； that we might locate the station eventually。 I'm prepared to stay up here all winter till we do find them。〃
〃You don't call that endangering the lives of my men？ Making extended searches of the ice cap； on foot； in midwinter？〃
〃Nobody said anything about endangering the lives of your men。〃 …
〃You meanyou mean you'd go it alone？〃 Swanson stared down at the deck and shook his head。 〃I don't know what to think。 I don't know whether to say you're crazy or whether to say I'm beginning to understand why they whoever 'they' may bepicked you for the job； Dr。 Carpenter。〃 He sighed； then regarded me thoughtfully。 〃One moment you say there's no hope； the next that you're prepared to spend the winter here； searching。 If you don't mind my saying so； Doctor； it just doesn't make sense。〃
〃Stiff…necked pride；〃 I said。 〃I don't like throwing my hand in on a job before I've even started it。 I don't know what the attitude of the U。 S。 Navy is on that sort of thing。〃
He gave me another speculative glance； I could see that he believed me the way a fly believes the spider on the web who has just offered him safe acmodation for the night。 He smiled。 He said： 〃The U。 S。 Navy doesn't take offense all that easily； Dr。 Carpenter。 I suggest you catch a couple of hours' sleep while you can。 You'll need it if you're going to start walking toward the North Pole。〃
〃How about yourself？ You haven't been to bed at all tonight。〃
〃I think I'll wait a while。〃 He nodded toward the door of the radio room。 〃Just in case anything es through。〃
〃What are they sending？ Just the call sign？〃
〃Plus request for position and a rocket； if they have either。 I'll let you know immediately anything es through。 Good night； Dr。 Carpenter。 Or； rather； good morning。〃
I rose heavily and made my way to Hansen's cabin。
The atmosphere around the 8：00 a。m。 breakfast table in the wardroom was less than festive。 Apart from the officer on deck and the engineer lieutenant on watch； all the 〃Dolphin's〃 officers were there； some just risen from their bunks； some just heading for them； none of them talking in anything more than monosyllables。 Even the ebullient Dr。 Benson was remote and withdrawn。 It seemed pointless to ask whether any contact had been established with Drift Station Zebra； it was painfully obvious that it hadn't。 And that after almost five hours of continuous sending。 The sense of despondency and defeat； the unspoken knowledge that time had run out for the survivors of Drift Station Zebra hung heavy over the wardroom。
No one hurried over his mealthere was nothing to hurry forbut by and by they rose one by one and drifted off； Dr。 Benson to his sick…bay call； the young torpedo officer； Lieutenant Mills； to supervise the efforts of his men who had been working twelve hours a day for the past two days to iron out the faults in the suspect torpedoes； a third to relieve Hansen； who had the watch； and three others to their bunks。 That left only Swanson； Raeburn and myself。 Swanson； I knew； hadn't been to bed at all the previous night； but for all that he had the rested； clear…eyed look of a man with eight solid hours behind him。
The steward； Henry； had just brought in a fresh pot of coffee when we heard the sound of running footsteps in the passageway outside and the quartermaster burst into the wardroom。 He didn't quite manage to take the door off its hinges； but that was only because the Electric Boat pany put good； solid hinges on the doors of their submarines。
〃We got it made！〃 he shouted； and then； perhaps recollectmg that enlisted men were expected to conduct themselves with rather more decorum in the wardroom； 〃We've raised them； Captain； we've raised them！〃
〃What！〃 Swanson could move twice as fast as his fortable figure suggested； and he was already half out of his chair。
〃We are in radio contact with Drift Ice Station Zebra； sir；〃 Ellis said formally。
mander Swanson got to the radio room first； but only because he had a head start on Raeburn and myself。 Two operators were on watch； both leaning forward toward their transmitters； one with his head bent low； the other with his cocked to one side； as if those attitudes of concentrated listening helped them to isolate and amplify the slightest sound ing through the earphones clamped to their heads。 One of them was scribbling away mechanically on a …message pad。 〃DSY；〃 he was writing down； 〃〃D
