alistairmaclean.icestationzebra-第24节

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gale…force　wind；　so　that　for　every　laborious　plodding　step　we　had　made　on　our　way　to　Zebra　we　now　covered　five；　with　so　little　a　fraction　of　our　earlier　toil　that　at　first　it　seemed　all　but　effortless。　We　had　no　trouble　in　seeing　where　we　were　going；　no　fear　of　falling　into　an　open　lead　or　of　crippling　ourselves　against　some　unexpected　obstacle；　for　with　our　useless　goggles　removed　and　powerful　flashlight　beams　dancing　erratically　ahead　of　us　as　we　jog…trotted　along；　visibility　was　seldom　less　than　five　yards；　more　often　nearer　ten。　Those　were　the　physical　aids　that　helped　us　on　our　way　but　even　more　sharply　powerful　as　a　spur　to　our　aching　legs　was　that　keen　and　ever…growing　fear　that　dominated　our　minds　to　the　exclusion　of　all　else；　the　fear　that　mander　Swanson　had　already　been　pelled　to　drop　down　and　that　we　would　be　left　to　die　in　that　shrieking　wasteland：　with　our　lacking　both　shelter　and　food；　the　old　man　with　the　scythe　would　not　be　keeping　us　waiting　too　long。
　 We　ran；　but　we　did　not　run　too　fast；　for　to　have　done　that　would　have　been　to　have　the　old　man　tapping　us　on　the　shoulder　in　very　short　order　indeed。　In　far　sub…zero　temperatures；　there　is　one　thing　that　the　Eskimo　avoids　as　he　would　the　plagueoverexertion；　in　those　latitudes　more　deadly；　even；　than　the　plague　itself。　Too　much　physical　effort　while　wearing　heavy　furs　inevitably　results　in　sweat；　and　when　the　effort　ceases；　as　eventually　cease　it　must；　the　sweat　freezes　on　the　skin：　the　only　way　to　destroy　that　film　of　ice　is　by　further　exertion；　producing　even　more　sweat；　the　beginnings　of　a　vicious　and　steadily　narrowing　circle　that　can　have　only　one　end。　So　though　we　ran　it　was　only　at　a　gentle　jog…trot；　hardly　more　than　a　fast　walk；　we　took　every　possible　precaution　against　overheating。
　 After　half　an　hour；　perhaps　a　little　more；　I　called　for　a　brief　halt　in　the　shelter　of　a　steep　ice　wall。　Twice　in　the　past　two　minutes　Hansen　had　stumbled　and　fallen　where　there　hadn't　appeared　to　be　any　reason　to　stumble　and　fall：　and　I　had　noticed　that　my　own　legs　were　more　unsteady　than　the　terrain　warranted。
　 〃How　are　you　making　out？〃　I　asked。
　 〃Pretty　bushed；　Doc。〃　He　sounded　it；　too；　his　breathing　quick　and　rasping　and　shallow。　〃But　don't　write　me　off　yet。　How　far　do　you　think　we've　e？〃
　 〃Three　miles；　near　enough。〃　I　patted　the　ice　wall　behind　us。　〃When　we've　had　a　couple　of　minutes；　I　think　we　should　try　climbing　this。　Looks　like　a　pretty　tall　hummock　to　me。〃
　 〃To　try　to　get　into　the　clear　above　the　ice　storm？〃　I　nodded　my　head　and　he　shook　his。　〃Won't　do　any　good；　Doc。　This　ice　storm　must　be　at　least　twenty　feet　thick；　and　even　if　you　do　get　above　it　the　〃Dolphin〃　will　still　be　below　it。　She's　only　got　the　top　of　her　sail　clear　above　the　ice。〃
　 〃I've　been　thinking；〃　I　said。　〃We've　been　so　lost　in　our　own　woes　and　sorrows　that　we've　forgotten　about　mander　Swanson。　I　think　we've　been　guilty　of　underestimating　him　pretty　badly。〃
　 〃It's　likely　enough。　Right　now　I'm　having　a　fulitime　job　worrying　about　Lieutenant　Hansen。　What's　on　your　mind？〃
　 〃Just　this。　The　chances　are　better　than　fifty…fifty　that　Swanson　believes　we're　on　our　way　back　to　the　〃Dolphin〃。　After　all；　he's　been　ordering　us　to　return　for　quite　some　time。　And　if　he　thinks　we　didn't　get　the　order　because　something　has　happened　to　us　or　to　the　radio；　he'll　still　figure　that　we　will　be　returning。〃
　 〃Not　necessarily。　Radio　or　not；　we　might　still　be　heading　for　Drift　Station　Zebra。〃
　 〃No。　Definitely　not。　He'll　be　expecting　us　to　be　smart　enough　to　figure　it　the　way　he　would；　and　smart　enough　to　see　that　that　is　the　way　〃he〃　would　figure　it。　He　would　know　that　if　our　radio　broke　down　before　we　got　to　Zebra；　it　would　be　suicidal　for　us　to　try　to　find　it　without　radio　bearingbut　that　it　〃wouldn't〃　be　suicidal　for　us　to　try　to　make　it　back　to　the　〃Dolphin〃；　for　he　would　be　hoping　that　we　would　have　sufficient　savvy　to　guess　that　he　would　put　a　lamp　in　the　window　to　guide　the　lost　sheep　home。〃
　 〃My　God；　Doc；　I　think　you've　got　it！　Of　course　he　would；　of　course　he　would。　God；　what　am　I　using　for　brains？〃　He　straightened　and　turned　to　face　the　ice　wall。
　 Pushing　and　pulling；　we　made　it　together　to　the　top。　The　summit　of　the　rafted　ice　hummock　was　less　than　twenty　feet　above　the　level　of　the　ice　pack　and　not　quite　high　enough。　We　were　still　below　the　surface　of　that　gale…driven　river　of　ice　spicules。　Occasionally；　for　a　brief　moment　of　time；　the　wind　force　would　ease　fractionally　and　let　us　have　a　brief　glimpse　of　the　clear　sky　above：　but　only　occasionally　and　for　a　fraction　of　a　second。　And　if　there　was　anything　to　be　seen　in　that　time；　we　couldn't　see　it。
　 〃There'll　be　other　hummocks；〃　I　shouted　in　Hansen's　ear。　〃Higher　hummocks。〃　He　nodded　without　answering。　I　couldn't　see　the　expression　on　his　face　but　I　didn't　have　to　see　it。　The　same　thought　was　in　both　our　minds：　we　could　see　nothing　because　there　was　nothing　to　see。　mander　Swanson　hadn't　put　a　lamp　in　the　window；　for　the　window　was　gone；　the　〃Dolphin〃　forced　to　dive　to　avoid　being　crushed　by　the　ice。
　 Five　times　in　the　next　twenty　minutes　we　climbed　hummocks；　and　five　times　we　climbed　down；　each　time　more　dejected；　more　defeated。　By　now　I　was　pretty　far　gone；　moving　in　a　pain…filled　nightmare：　Hansen　was　in　even　worse　shape；　lurching　and　staggering　around　like　a　drunken　man。　As　a　doctor；　I　knew　well　the　hidden　and　unsuspected　resources　that　an　exhausted　man　could　call　on　in　times　of　desperate　emergency；　but　I　knew　too　that　those　resources　are　not　limitless　and　that　we　were　pretty　close　to　the　end。　And　when　that　end　came　we　would　just　lie　down　in　the　lee　of　an　ice　wall　and　wait　for　the　old　man　to　e　along：　he　wouldn't　keep　us　waiting　long。
　 Our　sixth　hummock　all　but　defeated　us。　It　wasn't　that　it　was　hard　to　climbit　was　well　ridged　with　foot　and　hand　holdsbut　the　sheer　physical　effort　of　climbing　came　very　close　to　defeating　us。　And　then　I　dimly　began　to　realize　that　part　of　the　effort　was　owing　to　the　fact　that　this　was　by　far　the　highest　hummock　we　had　found　yet。　Some　colossal　pressures　had　concentrated　on　this　one　spot；　rafting　and　logjamming　the　ice　pack　until　it　had　risen　a　clear　thirty　feet　above　the　general　level；　the　giant　underwater　ridge　beneath　must　have　stretched　down　close　to　two　hundred　feet　toward　the　black　floor　of　the　Arctic。
　 Eight　feet　below　the　summit　our　heads　were　in　the　clear：　on　the　summit　itself；　holding　on　to　each　other　for　mutual　support　against　the　gale；　we　could　look　down　on　the　ice　storm　whirling　by　just　beneath　our　feet；　a　fantastic　sight：　a　great　gray…white　sea　of　undulating　turbulence；　a　giant　rushing　river　that　stretched　from　horizon　to　horizon。　Like　so　much　else　in　the　high　Arctic；　the　scene　had　an　eerie　and　terrifying　strangeness　about　it；　a　mindless　desolation　that　belonged　not　to　earth　but　to　some　alien　and　long…dead　planet。
　 We　scanned　the　horizon　to　the　west　until　our　eyes　ached。　Nothing。　Nothing　at　all。　Just　that　endless　desolation。　From　due　north　to　due　south；　through　1800；　we　searched　the　surface　of　that　great　river：　and　still　we　saw　nothing。　Three　minutes　passed。　Still　nothing。　I　began　to　feel　the　ice　running　in　my　blood。
　 On　the　remote　off…chance　that　we　might　already　have　bypassed　the　〃Dolphin〃　to　the　north　or　south；　I　turned　and　peered　toward　the　east。　It　wasn't　easy；　for　that　gale　of　wind　brought　tears　to　the　eyes　in　an　instant　of　time；　but　at　least　it　wasn't　impossible；　we　no　longer　had　to　contend　with　the　needlepointed　lances　of　the　ice　spicules。　I　made　another　slow　180°　sweep　of　the　eastern　horizon；　and　again；　and　again。　Then　I　caught　Hansen's　arm。
　 〃Look　there；〃　I　said。　〃To　the　northeast。　Maybe　a　quarter　of　a　mile　away；　maybe　half。　Can　you　see　anything？〃
　 For　several　seconds　Hansen　squinted　along　the　direction　of　my　outstretched　hand；　then　shook　his　head。　〃I　see　nothing。　What　do　you　think　you　see？〃
　 〃I　don't　know。　I'm　not　sure。　I　can　imagine　I　see　a　very　faint　touch　of　luminescence　on　the　surface　of　the　ice　storm　there；　maybe　just　a　fraction　of　a　shade　whiter　than　the　rest。〃
　 For　a　full　half…minute　Hansen　stared　out　through　cupped　hands。　Finally　he　said；　〃It's　hopeless。　I　don't　see　it。　But　then　my　eyes　have　been　acting　up　on　me　for　the　past　halfhour。　But　I　can't　even　〃imagine〃　I　see　anything。〃
　 I　turned　away　to　give　my　streaming　eyes　a　rest　from　that　icy　wind　and　then　looked　again。　〃Damn　it；〃　I　said；　〃I　can't　be　sure　that　there　is　anything　there；　but　I　can't　be　sure　that　there　isn't；　either。〃
　 〃What　do　you　think　it　would　be？〃　Hansen's　voice　was　dispirited；　with　overtones　of　hopelessness。　〃A　light？〃
　 〃A　searchlight　shining　vertically　upward。　A　searchlight　that's　not　able　to　penetrate　that　ice　storm。〃
　 〃You're　kidding　yourself；　Doc；〃　Hansen　said　wearily。　〃The　wish　father　to　the　thought。　Besides；　that　would　mean　that　we　had　already　passed　the　〃Dolphin〃。　It's　not　possible。〃
　 〃It's　not　impossible。　Ever　since　we　started　climbing　those　damned　ice　hummocks　I've　lost　track　of　time　and　space。　It　〃could〃　be。〃
　 〃Do　you　still　see　it？〃　The　voice　was　empty；　uninterested；　be　didn't　believe　me　and　he　was　just　making　words。
　 〃Maybe　my　eyes　are　acting　up；　too；〃　I　admitted。　〃But；　damn　it；　I'm　still　not　sure　that　I'm　not　right。〃
　 〃e　on；　Doc；　let's　go。〃