alistairmaclean.nightwithoutend-第34部分

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ver　find　ourselves；　at　the　same　time；　pletely　at　the　mercy　of　the　killers；　had　e　to　pass。　But　even　in　my　fear　there　was　savagery…savagery　towards　the　man　who　had　engineered　this　so　beautifully；　savagery　towards　myself　for　having　been　so　easily　and　utterly　fooled。
　
　Even　a　child　could　see　how　it　had　been　done。　The　series　of　snow…bridges　had　given　Corazzini　the　idea。　A　little　nudge　to　Helene　Fleming　at　the　right　place…it　was　as　plain　as　a　pikestaff　that　it　had　been　no　accident…and　it　was　a　foregone　conclusion　that　either　Jackstraw　or　myself　would　have　to　go　down　to　fix　a　rope　round　the　youngster　who；　with　her　broken　collar…bone；　would　be　unable　to　do　it　herself：　I　suppose　the　possibility　that　she　might　have　crashed　straight　through　the　snow…bridge　must　have　occurred　to　Corazzini；　but　a　man　with　a　record　of　killings　like　he　had　wouldn't　be　worried　unduly　on　that　score…annoyance　at　the　failure　of　his　plan　would　probably　have　been　his　only　reaction。　And　when　one　of　us　had　gone　down　and　the　other　was　supervising　the　rescue　from　above…well；　another　little　nudge　would　have　solved　all　Corazzini's　problems。　As　it　was；　I　had　played　into　his　hands　more　pletely　than　he　could　ever　have　hoped。
　
　Mouth　dry；　sweat　breaking　out　in　the　palms　of　my　clenched　fists　and　my　heart　going　like　a　trip…hammer　in　my　chest；　I　was　wondering　desperately　how　he　was　going　to　administer　the　coup　de　grace　when　I　saw　the　Rev。　Smallwood　approaching　him　arms　outstretched　and　saying　something　I　couldn't　catch。　It　was　a　brave　gesture　of　the　little　minister's；　but　a　forlorn　and　hopeless　one：　I　could　see　Corazzini　change　his　gun　to　his　left　hand；　strike　Mr　Smallwood　a　heavy　backhanded　blow　across　the　face　and　the　sound　of　a　body　falling　on　the　ice　above　was　unmistakable。　And　then　Corazzini　was　waving　the　others　back　at　the　point　of　the　gun　and　was　advancing　towards　the　wooden　battens　that　straddled　the　crevasse；　and　I　knew　with　a　dull　certainty　how　he　intended　to　dispose　of　us。　Why　waste　two　bullets　when　all　he　had　to　do　was　to　kick　the　edges　of　these　battens　over　the　side？　Whether　these　。　battens；　weighing　two　hundred　pounds　between　them；　struck　us　or　smashed　away　the　last　remaining　buttress　of　the　snow…bridge　was　quite　immaterial：　the　point　was　that　I　was　inescapably　attached　to　them　by　the　nylon　rope　round　my　waist；　and　when　they　plummeted　down　I　would　go　with　them；　tearing　away　the　bridge　and　carrying　Jackstraw　with　me　to　our　deaths　in　the　unthinkable　depths　below。
　
　Despairingly；　I　considered　the　idea　of　snatching　at　the　rifle　still　strapped　to　Jackstraw's　back；　but　dismissed　it　even　with　the　thought。　It　would　take　me　seconds　to　get　it　off。　There　was　only　one　thing　for　it；　and　it　wasn't　going　to　do　me　any　good　at　all。　With　a　jump　I　could　be　half…way　up　the　rope　in　a　second；　the　increased　weight　would　make　the　battens　difficult　to　kick　over；　and　while　Corazzini　was　either　pushing　these　or　pumping　bullets　into　me　as　I　swarmed　up　the　rope；　somebody…Zagero；　say；　could　get　him　from　the　rear。　That　way　there　might；　at　least；　be　a　faint　chance　for　Jackstraw。　I　swung　my　arms　behind　me；　bent　my　knees　then　remained　frozen　in　that　ridiculous　position　as　a　rope　came　uncoiling　down　from　above　and　struck　me　across　the　shoulder。　I　glanced　up　and　saw　Corazzini　smiling　down　at　me。
　
　〃You　two　characters　fixin'　on　stayin'　down　there　all　day？　e　on　up。〃
　
　It　would　be　useless　to　try　to　describe　the　maelstrom　of　thoughts　and　emotions　that　whirled　through　my　mind　in　the　ninety　seconds　that　elapsed　before　Jackstraw　and　I　stood　once　more　in　incredulous　safety　on　the　trail　above。　They　ranged　from　hope　to　bafflement　to　wild　relief　to　the　conviction　that　Corazzini　was　playing　a　cat…and…mouse　game　with　us；　and　no　one　thought　was　in　my　mind　for　more　than　seconds　at　a　time。　Even　when　I　was　safe；　I　still　didn't　know　what　to　think；　the　overwhelming　relief　and　gladness　and　reaction　blotted　out　everything。　I　was　trembling　violently；　and　although　Corazzini　must　have　noticed　it　he　affected　not　to。　He　stepped　forward　and　handed　me　the　Beretta；　butt　first。
　
　〃You're　a　mite　careless　about　where　you　stow　your　armoury；　Doc。　I've　known　for　a　long　time　where　you　kept　this。　But　I　guess　it　may　have　been　fairly　useful　these　last　few　minutes。〃
　
　〃But…but　why…？〃
　
　〃Because　I've　got　a　damned　good　job　and　a　chair　behind　a　vice…president's　desk　waiting　for　me　in　Glasgow；〃　he　snapped。　〃I'd　appreciate　the　chance　to　sit　in　that　chair　some　day。〃　Without　another　word；　he　turned　away。
　
　I　knew　what　he　meant；　all　right。　I　knew　we　owed　him　our　lives。　Corazzini　was　as　convinced　as　I　that　someone　had　engineered　the　whole　thing。　It　didn't　require　any　thought　at　all　to　guess　who　that　someone　was。
　
　My　first　thought　was　for　Jackstraw。　Jackstraw　with　a　broken　arm　was　going　to　make　things　very　difficult　for　me：　it　might　well　make　things　quite　impossible。　But　when　I'd　worked　his　parka　off　it　required　only　one　glance　at　the　unnatural　twist　of　the　left　arm　to　see　that　though　Jackstraw　had　had　every　excuse　for　thinking　his　arm　gone；　it　was；　in　fact；　an　elbow　dislocation。　He　made　no　murmur　and　his　face　remained　quite　expressionless　as　I　manipulated　the　bone　back　into　the　socket；　but　the　wide　white　grin　that　cracked　his　face　immediately　afterwards　was　proof　enough　of　his　feelings。
　
　I　walked　over　to　where　Helene　Fleming　sat　on　the　sledge；　still　shaking　from　the　shock；　Mrs　Dansby…Gregg　and　Margaret　Ross　doing　their　best　to　soothe　her。　The　uncharitable　thought　struck　me　that　it　was　probably　the　first　time　that　Mrs　Dansby…Gregg　had　ever　tried　to　soothe　anyone；　but　I　was　almost　ashamed　of　the　thought　as　soon　as　it　had　occurred　to　me。
　
　〃That　was　a　close　call；　young　lady；〃　I　said　to　Helene。　〃But　all's　well。。　。　。　Any　more　bones　broken；　eh？〃　I　tried　to　speak　jocularly；　but　it　didn't　sound　very　convincing。
　
　〃No；　Dr　Mason。〃　She　gave　a　long　shuddering　sigh。　〃I　don't　know　how　to　thank　you　and　Mr　Nielsen…〃
　
　〃Don't　try；〃　I　advised。　〃Who　pushed　you？〃
　
　〃What？〃　She　stared　at　me。
　
　〃You　heard；　Helene。　Who　did　it？〃
　
　〃Yes；　I　…1　was　pushed；〃　she　murmured　reluctantly。　〃But　it　was　an　accident；　I　know　it　was。〃
　
　〃Who？〃　I　persisted。
　
　〃It　was　me；〃　Solly　Levin　put　in。　He　was　twisting　his　hands　nervously。　〃Like　the　lady　said；　Doc；　it　was　an　accident。　I　guess　I　kinda　stumbled。　Someone　tapped　my　heels　and…〃
　
　〃Who　tapped　your　heels？〃
　
　〃For　cryin'　out　loud！〃　I'd　made　no　attempt　to　hide　the　cold　disbelief　in　my　voice。　〃What　would　I　want　to　do　a　thing　like　that　for？〃
　
　〃Suppose　you　tell　me；〃　I　said；　and　turned　away；　leaving　him　to　stare　after　me。　Zagero　stepped　in　my　way；　but　I　brushed　roughly　past　him　and　went　up　towards　the　tractor。　On　the　sled　behind　I　saw　the　Rev。　Smallwood　sitting　nursing　a　bleeding　mouth。　Corazzini　was　apologising　to　him。
　
　〃I'm　sorry；　Reverend；　I'm　really　and　truly　sorry。　I　didn't　for　a　moment　think　you　were　one　of　them；　but　I　couldn't　afford　to　take　any　chances　back　there。　I　hope　you　understand；　Mr　Smallwood。〃
　
　Mr　Smallwood　did；　and　was　suitably　Christian　and　forgiving。　But　I　didn't　wait　to　hear　the　end　of　it。　I　wanted　to　get　through　the　Vindeby　Nunataks；　and　get　through　with　as　little　loss　of　time　as　possible；　preferably　before　it　became　dark。　There　was　something　that　I　knew　now　that　I　had　to　do；　and　as　soon　as　possible：　but　I　didn't　want　to　do　it　while　we　were　all　teetering　on　the　edge　of　that　damned　crevasse。
　
　We　were　through　without　further　incident　and　at　the　head　of　that　long　almost　imperceptible　slope　that　fell　away　for　thousands　of　feet　towards　the　ice…bare　rocks　of　the　Greenland　coast；　before　the　last　of　the　noon　twilight　had　faded　from　the　sky。　I　halted　the　tractor；　spoke　briefly　to　Jackstraw；　told　Margaret　Ross　to　start　thawing　out　some　corned　beef　for　our　belated　mid…day　meal；　and　had　just　seen　Mahler；　now　semi…conscious；　and　Marie　LeGarde　once　again　safely　ensconced　in　the　tractor　cabin　when　Margaret　Ross　came　up　to　me；　her　brown　eyes　troubled。
　
　〃The　tins；　Dr　Mason…the　corned　beef。　I　can't　find　them。〃
　
　〃What's　that？　The　bully？　They　can't　be　far　away；　Margaret。〃　It　was　the　first　time　I'd　called　her　that；　but　my　thoughts　had　been　fixed　exclusively　on　something　else；　and　it　wasn't　until　I　saw　the　slight　smile　touching　her　lips…if　she　was　displeased　she　was　hiding　it　quite　well…that　I　realised　what　I　had　said。　I　didn't　care；　it　was　worth　it；　it　was　the　first　time　I　had　ever　seen　her　smile；　and　it　transformed　her　rather　plain　face…but　I　told　my　heart　that　there　was　a　time　and　a　place　for　somersaults；　and　this　wasn't　it。　〃e　on；　let's　have　a　look。〃
　
　We　looked；　and　we　found　nothing。　The　tins　were　gone　all　right。　This　was　the　excuse；　the　opportunity　I　had　been　waiting　for。　Jackstraw　was　by　my　side；　looking　at　me　quizzically　as　we　bent　over　the　sled；　and　I　nodded。　〃Behind　him；〃　I　murmured。
　
　I　moved　back　to　where　the　others　were　grouped　round　the　rear　of　the　tractor　cabin　and　took　up　a　position　where　I　could　watch　them　all…but　especially　Zagero　and　Levin。
　
　〃Well；〃　I　said；　〃you　heard。　Our　last　tins　of　beef　have　gone。　They　didn't　just　vanish。　Somebody　stole　them。　That　somebody　had　better　tell　me；　for　I'm　going　to　find　out　anyway。〃
　
　There　was　an　utter　silence　that　was　broken　only　occasionally　by　the　stirring　of　the　dogs　on　the　tethering　cable。　No　one　said　anything；　no　one　as　much　as　looked　at　his　neighbour。　The　silence　stretched　on　and　on；　then；　as　one　man；　they　all　swung　round　startled　at　the　heavy　metallic　click　from　behind　them。　Jackstraw　had　just　cocked　the　bolt　of　his　rifle；　and　I　could　see　the　slow　stiffening　of　Zagero's　back　and　arms　as　he　realised　that　the　barrel　was　lined　up　on　his　own　head。
　
　〃It's　no　coincidence；　Zagero；〃　I　said　grimly。　I　had　my　own　automatic　in　my　hand　by　the　time　he　turned　round。　〃That　rifle's　pointed　just　where　it's　meant　to。　Bring　your　bag　here。〃
　
　He　stared　at　me；　then　called　me　an　unprintable　name。
　
　〃Bring　it　here；〃　I　repeated。　I　pointed　the　Beretta　at　his　head。　〃Believe　me；　Zagero；　I'd　as　soon　kill　you　as　let　you　live。〃
　
　He　believed　me。　He　brought　the　bag；　flung　it　at　my　feet。
　
　〃Open　it；〃　I　said　curtly。
　
　〃It's　locked。〃
　
　〃Unlock　it。〃
　
　He　looked　at　me　without　expression；　then　searched　through　his　pockets。　At　last　he　st