alistairmaclean.nightwithoutend-第22部分

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　〃The　choice　of　words　and　tone　of　voice　leave　a　lot　to　be　desired。〃　Her　voice　was　soft　and　warm；　though　still　shaky。　〃But　I've　never　had　a　greater　pliment。　All　the　same；　I　insist　on　being　searched：　I　don't　want　to　be　the　one　under　a　cloud　if　the　guns　don't　turn　up。〃
　
　And　the　guns　didn't　turn　up。　Joss　finished　searching　the　men；　Margaret　Ross　the　women…Mrs　Dansby…Gregg　under　icy　protest…and　neither　found　anything。　Joss　looked　at　me；　his　face　empty　of　all　expression。
　
　〃Get　their　luggage；〃　I　said　harshly。　〃The　small　cases　they're　taking　with　them。　We'll　try　these。〃
　
　〃You're　wasting　your　time；　Dr　Mason；〃　Nick　Corazzini　said　quietly。　To　any　characters　smart　enough　to　guess　that　you　were　going　to　frisk　them；　the　next　move　would　stick　out　a　mile。　A　child　could　guess　it。　You　might　find　those　guns　you　talk　about　hidden　on　the　tractor　or　the　sledges　or　buried　under　a　couple　of　inches　of　snow；　ready　to　be　picked　up　whenever　required；　but　you　won't　find　them　in　our　grips。　A　thousand　to　one；　in　dollars；　that　you　don't。〃
　
　〃Maybe　you're　right；〃　I　said　slowly。　〃On　the　other　hand；　if　I　were　one　of　the　killers　and　did　have　a　gun　in　my　case…well；　that's　exactly　the　way　I'd　talk　too。〃
　
　〃As　you　said　to　Miss　LeGarde　just　now；　don't　be　so　damned　silly！〃　He　jumped　to　his　feet；　walked　over　to　a　corner　of　the　cabin　under　the　watchful　eyes　of　Jackstraw　and　myself；　picked　up　a　handful　of　small　cases　and　dumped　them　on　the　floor　before　me；　his　own　nearest　me。　〃Where　are　you　going　to　start？　There's　mine；　that's　the　Reverend's　robe　case；　this〃…he　picked　it　up　and　looked　at　the　initials…'this　is　the　Senator's　brief…case。　I　don't　know　whose　the　last　is。〃
　
　〃Mine；〃　Mrs　Dansby…Gregg　said　coldly。
　
　Corazzini　grinned。　〃Ah；　the　Balenciaga。　Well；　Doc；　who…〃　He　broke　off；　straightened　slowly；　and　gazed　up　through　the　skylight。　〃What…what　the　devil　is　happening　up　there？〃
　
　〃Don't　try　to　pull　any　fast　stuff；　Corazzini；〃　I　said　quickly。　〃Jackstraw's　gun…〃
　
　〃The　hell　with　Jackstraw's　gun！〃　he　snapped　impatiently。　〃Have　a　look　for　yourself。〃
　
　I　motioned　him　out　of　the　way　and　had　a　look。　Two　seconds　later　I　had　thrust　my　automatic　into　Joss's　hand　and　was　on　my　way　up　top。
　
　The　airliner　was　a　blazing　torch　in　the　darkness　of　the　night。　Even　at　that　distance　of　half　a　mile　and　against　the　light　wind；　I　could　clearly　hear　the　fierce　roaring　and　crackling　of　the　flames　…not　flames；　rather；　but　one　great　solid　column　of　fire　that　seemed　to　spring　from　the　wings　and　centre　of　the　fuselage　and　reach　up　clear　and　smokeless　and　sparkless　two　hundred　feet　into　the　night　sky；　brushing　its　blood…red　stain　across　the　snow　for　hundreds　of　yards　around；　transforming　the　rest　of　the　still　ice…sheathed　fuselage　into　a　vast　effulgent　diamond；　a　million　constantly　shifting　points　of　refracted　white　and　red　and　blue　and　green　that　glittered　and　gleamed　with　an　eye…dazzling　scintillating　brilliance　that　no　jewels　on　earth　could　have　matched。　It　was　a　fantastically　beautiful　spectacle；　but　I'd　had　time　to　watch　it　for　barely　ten　seconds　when　the　dazzling　coloured　irradiation　turned　into　a　blaze　of　white；　the　central　flame　leapt　up　to　twice；　almost　three　times　its　original　height　and；　two　or　three　seconds　later；　the　roar　of　the　exploding　petrol　tanks　came　at　me　across　the　frozen　stillness　of　the　ice…cap。
　
　Almost　at　once　the　flames　seemed　to　collapse　in　upon　themselves　and　the　perimeter　of　the　blood…red　circle　of　snow　shrank　almost　to　vanishing　point；　but　I　waited　to　see　no　more。　I　dropped　down　into　the　cabin；　pulling　the　hatch　shut　behind　me；　and　looked　at　Jackstraw。
　
　〃Any　chance　at　all　of　accounting　for　the　presence　of　our　various　friends　here　during　the　past　half…hour？〃
　
　〃I'm　afraid　not；　Dr　Mason。　Everyone　was　on　the　move　all　the　time；　finishing　off　the　tractor　body　or　bringing　up　the　stores　and　petrol　drums　and　lashing　them　on　the　sledge。〃　He　glanced　up　through　the　skylight。　〃The　plane；　wasn't　it？〃
　
　〃　'Was'　is　right。〃　I　glanced　at　the　stewardess。　〃My　apologies；　Miss　Ross。　You　did　hear　somebody　out　there。〃
　
　〃You　mean…you　mean　it　wasn't　an　accident？〃　Zagero　asked。
　
　There's　a　fair　chance　that　you　know　damned　well　that　it　wasn't；　I　thought。　Aloud；　I　said：　〃It　was　no　accident。〃
　
　〃So　there　goes　your　evidence；　eh？〃　Corazzini　asked。　〃The　pilot　and　Colonel　Harrison；　I　mean。〃
　
　〃No。　The　nose　and　tail　of　the　plane　are　still　intact。　I　don't　know　what　the　reason　could　be…but　I'm　sure　there's　a　damned　good　one。　And　you　can　put　these　bags　away；　Mr　Corazzini。　We're　not；　as　you　say；　playing　with　children　or　amateurs。〃
　
　There　was　silence　while　Corazzini　returned　the　bags；　then　Joss　looked　at　me　quizzically。
　
　〃Well；　that　explains　one　thing　at　least。〃
　
　〃The　messed…up　explosives？〃　I　remembered　with　chagrin　how　I　had　listened　to　the　abnormally　loud　hissing　out　by　the　plane；　but　had　ignored　it。　Someone　who　had　known　very　clearly　what　he　was　doing　had　led　a　fuse　into　petrol　lines　or　tanks　or　carburettors。　〃It　certainly　does。〃
　
　〃What's　all　this　about　explosives　and　fuses？〃　Senator　Brewster　demanded。　It　was　the　first　word　he　had　spoken　since　Jackstraw　had　scared　the　wits　out　of　him；　and　even　yet　the　colour　wasn't　all　back　in　his　face。
　
　〃Somebody　stole　the　fuses　to　set　fire　to　the　plane。　For　all　I　know　it　may　have　been　you。〃　I　held　up　my　hand　to　still　his　outraged　spluttering　and　went　on　wearily：　〃It　may　equally　well　have　been　one　of　the　other　seven　of　you。　I　don't　know。　All　I　know　is　that　the　person　or　persons　responsible　for　the　murders　were　responsible　for　the　theft　of　the　fuses。　And　for　the　smashing　of　the　radio　valves。　And　for　the　theft　of　the　condensers。〃
　
　〃And　for　the　theft　of　the　sugar；〃　Joss　put　in。　〃Though　heaven　only　knows　why　they　should　want　to　steal　that。〃
　
　〃Sugar！〃　I　exclaimed；　and　then　the　question　died　in　my　throat。　I　happened　to　be　looking　straight　at　the　little　Jew；　Theodore　Mahler；　and　the　nervous　start　he　gave；　the　quick　flicker　of　his　eyes　in　Joss's　direction；　was　unmistakable。　I　knew　I　couldn't　have　imagined　it。　But　I　looked　away　quickly；　before　he　could　see　my　face。
　
　〃Our　last　bag；〃　Joss　explained。　〃Maybe　thirty　pounds。　It's　gone。　I　found　what　little　was　left　of　it…just　a　handful　lying　on　the　floor　of　the　tunnel…mixed　up　with　the　smashed　valves。〃
　
　I　shook　my　head　and　said　nothing。　The　reason　for　this　last　theft　I　couldn't　even　begin　to　imagine。
　
　Supper　that　night　was　a　sketchy　affair…soup；　coffee　and　a　couple　of　biscuits　each　as　the　only　solids。　The　soup　was　thin；　the　biscuits　no　more　than　a　bite　and　the　coffee；　for　me　at　any　rate；　all　but　undrinkable　without　sugar。
　
　And　the　meal　was　as　silent　as　it　was　miserable；　conversation　being　limited　to　what　was　absolutely　necessary。　Time　and　again　I　would　see　someone　turn　to　his　neighbour　and　make　to　say　something；　then　his　lips　would　clamp　tightly　shut；　the　expression　drain　out　of　his　face　as　he　turned　away　without　a　word：　with　almost　everyone　thinking　that　his　or　her　neighbour　might　be　a　murderer；　or；　what　was　almost　as　bad；　that　his　or　her　neighbour　might　be　thinking　that　he　was　a　murderer；　the　meal　was　by　all　odds　the　most　awkward　and　unfortable　that　I'd　ever　had。　Or；　that　is；　the　first　part　of　it　was：　but　by　and　by　I　came　to　the　conclusion　that　I'd　a　great　deal　more　to　worry　about　than　the　niceties　of　social　intercourse。
　
　After　the　meal　I　rose；　pulled　on　parka　and　gloves；　picked　up　the　searchlight；　told　Jackstraw　and　Joss　to　e　with　me　and　headed　for　the　trap…door。　Zagero's　voice　stopped　me。
　
　〃Where　you　goin'；　Doc？〃
　
　〃That's　no　concern　of　yours。　Well；　Mrs　Dansby…Gregg？〃
　
　〃Shouldn't　you…shouldn't　you　take　the　rifle　with　you？〃
　
　〃Don't　worry。〃　I　smiled　thinly。　〃With　everyone　watching　everyone　else　like　hawks；　that　rifle's　as　safe　as　houses。〃
　
　〃But…but　someone　could　jump　for　it；〃　she　said　nervously。　〃They　could　get　you　when　you're　ing　down　the　hatch…〃
　
　〃Mr　Nielsen　and　I　are　the　last　two　persons　they'd　ever　shoot。　Without　us；　they　couldn't　get　a　mile　from　here。　The　most　likely　candidates　for　the　next　bullet　are　some　of　yourselves。　You're　absolutely　inessential　and；　as　far　as　the　killers　are　concerned；　represent　nothing　more　than　a　waste　of　priceless　rations。〃　With　this　forting　thought　I　left　them；　each　person　trying　to　watch　all　the　others　at　one　and　the　same　time；　while　doing　his　level　best　to　give　the　appearance　of　watching　no　one。
　
　The　wind　was　so　slight　now　that　the　anemometer　cups　had　stopped　turning。　The　dying　embers　of　the　burnt…out　plane　were　a　dull　smouldering　glow　to　the　north…east。　The　snow　had　gone　pletely　and　the　first　faint　stars　were　beginning　to　show　through　the　thinning　cloud　above。　It　was　typically　Greenland；　this　swift　change　in　the　weather；　and　so；　too；　was　the　temperature　inversion　that　would　surely　follow　in　the　morning；　or　before　morning。　Twelve　hours　from　now　it　was　going　to　be　very　cold　indeed。
　
　With　searchlight　and　torches　we　examined　every　inch　of　the　tractor　and　sledges；　above　and　below；　and　if　there　had　been　a　pin　there　I　would　have　sworn　that　we　couldn't　have　missed　it；　far　less　anything　so　large　as　a　couple　of　guns。　We　found　nothing。
　
　I　straightened；　and　turned　to　look　at　the　glow　that　was　lightening　the　sky　to　the　east；　and　even　as　I　stood　there　with　Joss　and　Jackstraw　by　my　side　the　moon；　preternaturally　large　and　rather　more　than　half　full；　heaved　itself　above　the　distant　horizon　and　flooded　the　ice…cap　with　its　pale　and　ghostly　light；　laying　down　between　itself　and　our　feet　a　bar…straight　path　of　glittering　silver　grey。　We　watched　in　silence　for　a　full　minute；　then　Jackstraw　stirred。　Even　before　he　spoke；　I　knew　what　was　in　his　mind。
　
　〃Uplavnik；〃　he　murmured。　〃Tomorrow；　we　set　off　for　Uplav…nik。　But　first；　you　said；　a　good　night's　sleep。〃
　
　〃I　know；〃　I　said。　〃A　traveller's　moon。〃
　
　〃A　traveller's　moon；〃　he　echoed。
　
　He　was　right；　of　course。　Travel　in　the　Arctic；　in　winter；　was　regulated　not　by　daylight　but　my　moonlight。　And　tonight　we　had　that　moon…and　we　had　a　clear　sky；　a　dying　wind　and　no　snow　at　all。　I　turned　to　Joss。
　
　〃You'll　be　all　right　alone？〃
　
　〃I　have　no　worries；〃　he　said　soberly。　〃Look；　sir；　can't　I　e　too？〃
　
　〃Stay　here　and　stay　healthy；〃　I　advised。