rm.thenightboat-第37部分

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　alarms　and　screaming。。。〃　He　caught　himself；　his　eyes　softened　a　fraction　and　he　stabbed　the　cigarette　out　in　an　ashtray。　〃Forgive　me；〃　he　said。　〃I　didn't　mean　to　go　into　that。〃
　　〃No；〃　Moore　said；　still　stunned。　〃I　understand。　But　how　is　it　you　came　to　be　on　Jamaica？〃
　　Schiller　absentmindedly　wiped　his　lips　with　the　back　of　his　hand；　it　was　a　habit　he　had　kept　over　the　years。　All　the　men　who　held　bridge　watch　on　U…boats　had　done　it　to　varying　degrees；　wiping　away　salt　crust　as　the　sea　spray　thundered　against　the　iron　bulwark；　again　and　again；　a　hundred　thousand　times　a　day。　Another　link　with　the　dead；　he　realized；　touching　his　mouth。　〃I　live　on　Jamaica　now；〃　Schiller　said。　〃I　came　back　in　the　late　fifties　to　teach　history　and　the　German　language　at　the　University　of　the　West　Indies　at　Mona。　At　least　that's　what　I　first　told　myself。　I　think　perhaps　I　really　returned　to　the　Caribbean　because　of　the　boat。〃
　　Moore　waited　for　him　to　continue；　but　when　Schiller　was　silent　he　asked；　〃The　boat？　Why？〃
　　〃Because；〃　Schiller　said；　with　an　effort；　〃as　long　as　I　shall　live　I　will　be　a　crewman。。。　the　last　crewman　of　that　boat。〃　He　felt　along　the　sides　of　the　paperweight　again　and　then　put　it　down。　〃I　was　never　a　loyal　patriot　to　the　Nazi　cause；　and　perhaps　I　realized　all　along　that　Hitler　was　driving　our　country　to　utter　ruin。　But　for　a　brief　instant　of　history。。。　a　very　brief　instant。。。　we　were　glorious；　like　a　flame　burning　itself　into　oblivion。　That　I　will　never　forget。〃
　　The　room　was　still；　there　was　a　steady　drone　of　insects　outside；　and　the　breeze　sang　through　the　screen　door　mesh　in　a　soft　whisper。　〃I　don't　believe　you've　told　me　your　name；〃　Schiller　said。
　　〃David　Moore；〃　the　other　man　told　him；　putting　the　glass　of　rum　down　and　getting　to　his　feet。　He　switched　on　a　lamp；　in　the　sudden　light　the　German　looked　more　aged　than　he　was。　His　eyes　were　filled　with　memories。
　　〃I　would　very　much　like　a　drink；〃　Schiller　said。　〃Sometimes　I　need　it；　you　know。〃
　　〃Yes。　Me　too。〃　Moore　poured　rum　into　another　glass　and　gave　it　to　the　man。
　　Schiller　took　it　gratefully；　sipped　at　it；　and　then　listened　to　the　song　of　the　insects。　He　stood　up；　went　to　the　door；　and　stared　out　across　the　darkening　harbor。　〃A　beautiful　island；〃　he　said　after　another　moment。　He　did　not　turn　back　toward　Moore。　〃You　do　know　that　my　U…boat　almost　destroyed　it？〃
　　〃Yes；　I　do。〃
　　〃Do　you。。。　feel　any　bitterness？〃
　　〃Some　would。〃
　　Schiller　nodded。　〃An　honest　answer。　This　island　lay　within　our　patrol　grid；　you　see；　and　we　were　ordered　to　shell　the　naval　yards。　We　knew　the　British　were　repairing　some　of　their　ships　there。。。　and；　well；　it　was　war。。。〃
　　Moore　sat　down　again；　watching　the　man。
　　〃I　remember。。。〃　Schiller　said　quietly；　〃I　stood　on　the　bridge　during　the　first　shelling；　and　I　counted　the　explosions　on　shore。　I　felt　so　distant　and　detached　from　what　was　happening。　I　knew　we　were　destroying　human　beings；　yes；　but　still。。。　they　were　the　enemy。　On　that　particular　night　the　subchasers　didn't　e；　and　the　shelling　seemed　to　go　on　for　hours。　Oh；　there　were　shore　batteries　firing　back；　but　we　lay　beyond　their　range；　and　we　watched　the　flames　grow　against　the　night　like　wild　red　flowers　on　a　field　of　black　velvet。　The　mander　observed　through　his　binoculars；　and　after　he　ordered　cease　fire；　when　the　echoes　of　the　deck　gun　had　finally　all　died　away；　we　could　hear　the　screaming。。。〃　Schiller　was　quiet　for　a　long　time；　Moore　stared　at　him。　〃When　the　mander　was　satisfied；　we　continued　our　patrol。〃
　　〃And　you　never　felt　remorse　over　something　like　that？〃　Moore　asked。
　　Schiller　turned　toward　him；　his　brow　furrowed；　as　if　pondering　a　question　he　couldn't　fully　understand。　〃It　was　my　duty；〃　he　said。　〃But　be　assured　I　paid　for　it；　yes；　and　many　times　again。　We　returned　to　the　area　some　days　later；　the　mander　suspected　work　had　been　done　to　repair　the　yards；　and　he　wished　to　shell　them　again；　before　the　work　could　be　pleted。　Some　distance　from　your　island　the　watch　sighted　a　ship；　moving　slowly　just　ahead；　we　submerged　and　tracked　it　for　some　time。　It　was　a　freighter。　We　attacked　with　torpedoes；　but　the　warships　lying　in　your　harbor　were　alerted　by　the　flares　and　caught　us　from　behind。　I　was　on　deck　at　the　time；　along　with　the　man　I've　already　mentioned。　We　were　swept　off　in　the　crash　dive。。。〃　He　paused；　staring　out　toward　the　sea。
　　〃What　happened　to　the　boat？〃
　　〃I　don't　know；〃　the　German　whispered。　〃Or　rather　I　should　say；　I'm　not　certain。〃　He　drank　from　his　glass。　〃The　subchasers　circled　the　area　in　which　the　boat　had　gone　down；　and　they　began　to　release　their　charges。　Their　Asdic　and　sensor　devices　had　targeted　my　boat　and　they　hammered　at　it；　hour　after　hour。　All　this　I　was　forced　to　observe　from　the　deck　of　one　of　the　British　ships　after　I'd　been　hauled　into　a　dinghy。　The　sea　boiled　like　a　volcanic　crater；　vomiting　up　sand　and　coral　and　fish　blown　to　pieces。　I　thought　about　the　men　inside　the　U…boat；　hoping　to　find　safety　beneath　tons　of　water。
　　〃A　depth…charge　attack　is　a　savage　thing；　Mr。　Moore。　You　hear　the　iron　bend　under　the　detonations；　and　you　pray　to　God　it　will　not　bend　too　much　and　that　the　rivets　will　stay　sealed。　A　thread　of　water　bursting　through　a　pin…hole　break　can　cut　a　man's　head　off　at　the　greater　depths；　and　a　rivet　can　ricochet　like　a　bullet；　pass　through　flesh　and　bone　and　metal　bulkheads。　And　the　noise。。。　the　thundering　shriek　of　underwater　explosions；　the　squeal　of　an　iron　plate；　the　sound　of　the　Asdic　beams　like　handfuls　of　gravel　tossed　against　the　sides　of　the　boat。〃　He　shuddered　and　looked　away。　〃But　you　must　not　make　a　sound。　You　must　hold　back　your　fear　and　the　screams　that　threaten　to　burst　from　your　throat。　Because　if　you　scream　the　men　with　earphones　at　their　stations　perhaps　three　hundred　feet　above　will　hear　you；　and　they　will　send　more　charges　tumbling　down　to　seek　you　out。　It　is　a　vicious　game；　a　war　of　taut　nerves；　when　water　bees　the　enemy　instead　of　the　protector　and　a　single　cry　can　seal　your　death　warrant。
　　〃For　two　days　the　British　subchasers　kept　up　their　attack；　they　knew　they　had　the　boat　trapped；　and　though　there　were　long　periods　of　silence　the　explosions　always　resumed。　They　dropped　what　seemed　like　a　thousand　depth　charges；　then　waited　for　the　sound　of　a　cough；　or　a　rattling　bucket；　or　the　hissing　of　breath　through　clenched　teeth；　or　the　shrill　scream　of　imploding　iron。〃　His　eyes　were　wild；　and　they　unnerved　Moore。　〃But　the　U…boat　never　surfaced。　There　was　some　oil；　but　nothing　to　indicate　a　direct　hit。　From　what　I　could　understand　the　British　Asdic　had　lost　the　boat；　as　if　it　had　suddenly　vanished；　but　they　were　still　certain　it　remained　down　there。　Somewhere。〃
　　Moore　remembered　his　dive　vividly　in　that　moment…the　mountain　of　sand　and　coral；　and　the　jagged　remnants　of　what　had　once　been　an　underwater　ledge　overhead。　Perhaps　the　U…boat　mander　had　tried　to　escape　the　enemy　by　rising　along　the　Abyss　wall；　instead　of　sinking　lower；　and　then　had　lodged　the　submarine　beneath　that　ledge　to　hide　from　the　sensors。　And　perhaps　at　the　same　instant　a　crewman　had　operated　a　lever　that　had　delivered　pressed　air　to　the　buoyancy　tanks。　The　concussions　had　caused　the　ledge　to　collapse；　burying　the　submarine　under　tons　of　sand。　That　would　account　for　its　disappearance。　Then　the　men　would　have　been　imprisoned；　waiting　hour　after　hour　for　the　air　to　give　out；　as　the　gases　and　the　stench　collected　and　suffocated　them。　When　enough　sand　had　shifted　away　from　the　hulk；　aided　by　the　hurricane　and　that　final　charge　blast；　the　remaining　pressed　air　had　lifted　the　U…boat。
　　〃In　time；〃　Schiller　was　saying　quietly；　〃the　subchasers　gave　up　their　hunt。　I　was　questioned　and　put　into　prison　where　I　remained　until　the　war's　end。　I　returned　to　Germany；　to　Berlin。　I　remember　walking　the　streets　to　my　parents'　house。　There　was　hardly　anything　left。　A　lone　chimney；　the　front　wall　and　door　still　standing　like　a　facade。　And　across　the　door；　in　bright…red　paint；　someone　had　scrawled　'The　Schiller　Family　Is　Dead。'〃　He　blinked；　looking　away　from　the　other　man。　〃They'd　been　killed　in　an　air　raid。〃
　　〃I'm　sorry。〃
　　〃No；　no。　It　was　war；　you　see。〃　He　finished　the　rum　and　put　the　glass　down。　〃Where　is　the　boat　now？〃
　　〃In　the　yard。〃
　　Schiller　smiled　grimly　and　nodded。　〃Strange；　isn't　it；　how　the　fates　work？　Perhaps；　after　all　this　time；　my　boat　has　a　destiny　still。〃
　　〃Destiny？〃　Moore　was　taken　aback　by　his　use　of　the　word。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　　Schiller　shrugged。　〃Where　will　the　hulk　go？　Some　maritime　museum？　Or　even　the　British　Museum　itself？　It's　a　possibility；　I　would　think。　So　my　boat　is　not　yet　dead　after　all；　is　it？　Perhaps　it　will　sit　in　a　huge　hall　of　warfare　on　a　linoleum　floor　surrounded　by　great　artillery　pieces　and　even　an　old；　battle…torn　Panzer　tank。　Further　down　the　exhibit　there　will　be　a　shining　Spitfire；　or　perhaps　a　reconditioned　Junkers。　It　will　be　a　place　for　old　men　to　e　and　relive　their　days　of　glory　as　they　slip　toward　senility；　young　people　will　e　too；　but　they'll　fail　to　understand　any　of　it；　and　they'll　laugh　and　point　and　wonder　how　any　of　this　ancient　junk　could　ever　have　been　useful　at　all。〃
　　〃Useful！〃　Moore　snorted。
　　Schiller　stared　at　him　for　a　long　time；　then　finally　dropped　his　gaze。　Yes；　the　man　was　probably　right。　Now　it　could　only　be　a　battered；　rusted　shade　of　what　it　once　had　been；　filled　with　seawater　and　ghosts。
　　〃In　March　of　1942；〃　he　said；　in　a　voice　so　low　Moore　could　barely　hear　him；　〃it　was　the　most　awesome　weapon　I　had　ever　beheld。　I　saw　it　at　night；　after　I'd　been　transferred　from　another　boat；　and　the　lights　in　Kiel　harbor　where　it　was　moored　burned　a　dim　yellow　to　save　power。　The　mist　had　e　in　from　the　sea；　and　it　hung　over　the　boat　in　thick　gray　strands；　the　diesels　were　in　operation；　their　noise　echoing　across　the　water；　making　the　pilings　tremble　under　my　feet。　I　watched　the　mist　being　drawn　in　through　the　diesel　intakes　along　the　superstructure。　From　where　I　stood　the　periscope　towers　seemed　to　vanish　into　the　sky；　there　were　men　already　at　work　on　the　decks；　and　through　the　open　forward　hatch　a　column　of　smoky　white　light　filtered　out。　It　was　a　magnificent　sight；　preparing　for　sea　duty。　I　can　never　forget　it；　nor　do　I　wish　to。　Yet。。。　I