alistairmaclean.icestationzebra-第17节

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　 〃And　he　still　wants　to　go？　It's　like　I　say；　he's　crazy。〃
　 〃We　could　drop　down　now；〃　Swanson　said。　〃We　have　the　position。　Perhaps　we　can　find　a　polynya　within　a　mile　or　half　a　mile　of　Zebra。　That　would　be　a　different　proposition　altogether。〃
　 〃Perhaps　you　could　find　a　needle　in　a　haystack；〃　I　said。　〃It　took　you　six　hours　to　find　this　one；　and　even　at　that　we　were　lucky。　And　don't　talk　about　torpedoes：　the　ice　in　this　area　is　rafted　anything　up　to　a　hundred　feet　in　depth。　Pretty　much　all　over。　You'd　be　as　well　trying　to　blast　your　way　through　with　a　twenty…two。　Might　be　twelve　hours；　might　be　days　before　we　could　break　through　again。　I　can　get　there　in　two；　three　hours。〃
　 〃〃If〃　you　don't　freeze　to　death　in　the　first　hundred　yards；〃　Hansen　said。　〃〃If〃　you　don't　fall　down　a　ridge　and　break　your　leg。　〃If〃　you　don't　get　blinded　in　a　few　minutes。　〃If〃　you　don't　fall　into　a　newly　opened　polynya　that　you　can't　see；　where　you'll　either　drown　or；　if　you　manage　to　get　out；　freeze　solid　in　thirty　seconds。　And　even　if　you　do　survive　all　those　things；　I'd　be　grateful　if　you'd　explain　to　me　exactly　how　you　propose　to　find　your　way　blind　to　a　place　five　miles　away。　You　can't　carry　a　damn　great　gyro　weighing　about　half　a　ton　on　your　back；　and　a　magnetic　pass　is　useless　in　those　latitudes。　The　magnetic　north　pole　is　a　good　deal　〃south〃　of　where　we　are　now　and　a　long　way　to　the　west。　Even　if　you　〃did〃　get　some　sort　of　bearing　from　it；　in　the　darkness　and　the　ice　storm　you　could　still　miss　the　campor　what's　left　of　itby　only　a　hundred　yards　and　never　know　it。　And　even　if　by　one　chance　in　a　million　you　do　manage　to　find　your　way　there；　how　on　earth　do　you　ever　expect　to　find　your　way　back　again？　Leave　a　paper　trail？　A　five…mile　ball　of　twine？　'Crazy'　is　hardly　the　word　for　it。〃
　 〃I　may　break　a　leg；　drown　or　freeze；〃　I　conceded。　〃I'll　take　my　chance　on　that。　Finding　my　way　there　and　back　is　no　great　trick。　You　have　a　radio　bearing　on　Zebra　and　know　exactly　where　it　lies。　You　can　take　a　radio　bearing　on　any　transmitter。　All　I　have　to　do　is　tote　a　receivertransmitter　radio　along　with　me；　keep　in　touch　with　you；　and　you　can　keep　me　on　the　same　bearing　as　Zebra。　It's　easy。〃
　 〃It　would　be；〃　Hansen　said；　〃except　for　one　little　thing。　We　don't　have　any　such　radio。〃
　 〃I　have　a　twenty…mile　walkie…talkie　in　my　case；〃　I　said。
　 〃Coincidence；　coincidence；〃　Hansen　murmured。　〃Just　happened　to　bring　it　along；　no　doubt。　I'll　bet　you　have　all　sorts　of　funny　things　in　that　case　of　yours；　haven't　you；　Doc？〃
　 〃What　Dr。　Carpenter　has　in　his　case　is　really　no　business　of　ours；〃　Swanson　said　in　mild　reproof。　He　hadn't　thought　so　earlier。　〃What　does　concern　us　is　his　intention　to　do　away　with　himself。　You　really　can't　expect　us　to　consent　to　this　ridiculous　proposal；　Dr。　Carpenter。〃
　 〃No　one's　asking　you　to　consent　to　anything；〃　I　said。　〃Your　consent　is　not　required。　All　I'm　asking　you　to　do　is　stand　to　one　side。　And　to　arrange　for　that　food…provision　package　for　me。　If　you　won't　I'll　have　to　manage　without　it。〃
　 I　left　and　went　to　my　cabin。　Hansen's　cabin；　rather。　But　even　though　it　wasn't　my　cabin　that　didn't　stop　me　from　turning　the　key　in　the　lock　as　soon　as　I　had　passed　through　the　door。
　 Working　on　the　likely　supposition　that　if　Hansen　did　e　down　soon　he　wasn't　going　to　be　very　pleased　to　find　the　door　of　his　own　cabin　locked　against　him；　I　wasted　no　time。　I　spun　the　bination　lock　on　my　suitcase　and　opened　the　lid。　At　least　three　quarters　of　the　available　space　was　taken　up　by　Arctic　survival　clothing；　the　very　best　that　money　could　buy。　It　hadn't　been　my　money　that　had　bought　it。
　 I　stripped　off　the　outer　clothes　I　was　wearing；　pulled　on　long　underwear；　a　wool　shirt　and　corduroy　trousers；　then　a　triple…knit　wool　parka　lined　with　pure　silk。　The　parka　wasn't　quite　standard；　it　had　a　curiously　shaped　suede…lined　pocket　below　and　slightly　to　the　front　of　the　left　armpit；　and　a　differently　shaped　suede…lined　pocket　on　the　right…hand　side。　I　dug　swiftly　to　the　bottom　of　my　case　and　brought　up　three　separate　items。　The　first　of　these；　a　nine…millimeter　Mannlicher…Schoenauer　automatic；　fitted　into　the　left…hand　pocket　as　securely　and　strongly　as　if　the　pocket　had　been　specially　designed　for　it；　which　indeed　it　had；　the　other　items；　spare　magazine　clips；　fitted　as　neatly　into　the　right…hand　pocket。
　 The　rest　of　the　dressing　didn't　take　long。　Two　pairs　of　heavy…knit　woollen　socks；　felt　undershoes；　and　then　the　furs　caribou　for　the　outer　parka　and　trousers；　wolverine　for　the　hood；　sealskin　for　the　boots；　and　reindeer　for　the　gloves；　which　were　pulled　on　over　other　layers　of　silk　gloves　and　woollen　mittens。　Maybe　a　polar　bear　would　have　had　a　slight　edge　over　me　when　it　came　to　being　equipped　to　survive　an　Arctic　blizzard；　but　there　wouldn't　have　been　much　in　it。
　 I　hung　snow　mask　and　goggles　around　my　neck；　stuck　a　rubberized　water…proof　flashlight　into　the　inside　pocket　of　my　fur　parka；　unearthed　my　walkie…talkie；　and　closed　the　case。　I　set　the　bination　again。　There　was　no　need　to　set　the　bination　any　more；　not　now　that　I　had　the　Mannlicher…Schoenauer　under　my　arm；　but　it　would　give　Swanson　something　to　do　while　I　was　away。　I　shoved　my　medicine　case　and　a　steel　flask　of　alcohol　in　a　rucksack　and　unlocked　the　door。
　 Swanson　was　exactly　where　I'd　left　him　in　the　control　room。　So　was　Hansen。　So　were　two　others　who　had　not　been　there　when　I　had　left：　Rawlings　and　Zabrinski。　Hansen；　Rawlings；　and　Zabrinski；　the　three　biggest　men　in　the　ship。　The　last　time　I'd　seen　them　together　was　when　Swanson　had　summoned　them　up　from　the　〃Dolphin〃　in　the　Holy　Loch　to　see　to　it　that　I　didn't　do　anything　he　didn't　want　me　to　do。　Maybe　mander　Swanson　had　a　one…track　mind。　Hansen；　Rawlings　and　Zahrinski。　They　looked　bigger　than　ever。
　 I　said　to　Swanson；　〃Do　I　get　those　iron　rations　or　not？〃
　 〃One　last　formal　statement；〃　Swanson　said。　His　first　thoughts；　as　I　came　waddling　into　the　control　center；　must　have　been　that　a　grizzly　bear　was　loose　inside　his　submarine；　but　he　hadn't　batted　an　eyelid。　〃For　the　record。　Your　intentions　are　suicidal；　your　chances　nonexistent。　I　cannot　give　my　consent。〃
　 〃All　right；　your　statement　is　on　record；　witnesses　and　all。　The　iron　rations。〃
　 〃I　cannot　give　my　consent　because　of　a　new　and　dangerous　development。　One　of　our　electronics　technicians　was　carrying　out　a　routine　calibration　test　on　the　ice　machine　just　now　and　an　overload　coil　didn't　function。　Electric　motor　burnt　out。　No　spares：　it　will　have　to　be　rewired。　You　realize　what　that　means。　If　we're　forced　to　drop　down；　I　can't　find　my　way　to　the　top　again。　Then　it's　curtains　for　everybody　everybody　left　above　the　ice；　that　is。〃
　 I　didn't　blame　him　for　trying；　but　I　was　vaguely　disappointed　in　him：　he'd　had　time　to　think　up　a　better　one　than　that。　I　said；　〃The　iron　rations；　mander。　Do　I　get　them？〃
　 〃You　intend　to　go　through　with　this？　After　what　I've　said？〃
　 〃Oh；　for　God's　sake。　I'll　do　without　the　food。〃
　 〃My　executive　officer；　torpedoman　Rawlings　and　radioman　Zabrinski；〃　Swanson　said　formally；　〃don't　like　this。〃
　 〃I　can't　help　what　they　like　or　don't　like。〃
　 〃They　feel　that　they　can't　let　you　go　through　with　it；〃　he　persisted。
　 They　were　more　than　big。　They　were　huge。　I　could　get　past　them　the　way　a　lamb　gets　past　a　starving　lion。　I　had　a　gun；　all　right；　but　with　that　one…piece　parka　I　was　wearing　I'd　practically　have　to　undress　myself　to　get　at　it；　and　Hansen；　in　that　Holy　Loch　canteen；　had　shown　just　how　quickly　he　could　react　when　he　saw　anyone　making　a　suspicious　move；　And　even　if　I　did　get　my　gun　out；　what　then？　Men　like　Hansen；　like　Rawlings　and　Zabrinski；　didn't　scare。　I　couldn't　bluff　them　with　a　gun。　And　I　couldn't　use　the　gun。　Not　against　men　who　were　just　doing　their　duty。
　 〃They　〃won't〃　let　you　go　through　with　it；〃　Swanson　went　on；　〃unless；　that　is；　you　permit　them　to　acpany　you；　which　they　have　volunteered　to　do。〃
　 〃Volunteered。〃　Rawlings　sniffed。　〃You；　you　and　you。〃
　 〃I　don't　want　them；〃　I　said。
　 〃Gracious；　ain't　he？〃　Rawlings　asked　of　no　one　in　particular。　〃You　might　at　least　have　said　thanks；　Doc。〃
　 〃You　are　putting　the　lives　of　your　men　in　danger；　mander　Swanson。　You　know　what　your　orders　said。〃
　 〃Yes。　I　also　know　that　in　Arctic　travels；　as　in　mountaineering　and　exploring；　a　party　always　has　double　the　chances　of　the　individual。　I　also　know　that　if　it　became　known　that　we　had　permitted　a　civilian　doctor　to　set　off　on　his　own　for　Drift　Station　Zebra　while　we　were　all　too　scared　to　stir　from　our　nice　warm　sub；　the　name　of　the　U。　S。　Navy　would　bee　pretty　muddy。〃
　 〃What　do　your　men　think　of　your　making　them　risk　their　lives　to　save　the　good　name　of　the　submarine　service？〃
　 〃You　heard　the　captain；〃　Rawlings　said。　〃We're　volunteers。　Look　at　Zabrinski　there：　anyone　can　see　that　he's　a　man　cast　in　a　heroic　mold。〃
　 〃Have　you　thought　of　what　happens；〃　I　said；　〃if　the　ice　closes　in　when　we're　away　and　the　captain　has　to　take　the　ship　down？〃
　 〃Don't　even　mention　it；〃　Zabrinski　urged。　〃I'm　not　all　that　heroic。〃
　 I　gave　up。　I'd　no　option　but　to　give　up。　Besides；　like　Zabrinski；　I　wasn't　all　that　heroic　and　I　suddenly　realized　that　I　would　be　very　glad　indeed　to　have　those　three　men　along　with　me。
　
　
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