alistairmaclean.nightwithoutend-第38部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　which　altered　in　pitch　and　intensity　as　Corazzini　turned　the　dial。　When　it　reached　its　maximum　strength；　he　turned　his　attention　to　a　built…in　alcohol　pass　about　three　inches　in　diameter。　A　few　moments　later　he　doffed　the　earphones　and　turned　round；　apparently　satisfied。
　
　〃Very　strong；　very　clear；〃　he　announced　to　Small　wood。　〃But　there's　too　heavy　a　deviation　factor　from　all　the　metal　in　the　tractor　and　sledge。　Back　in　two　minutes。　Your　torch；　Dr　Mason。〃
　
　He　walked　away　for　about　fifty　yards；　taking　the　machine　with　him：　it　was　with　intense　chagrin　that　I　realised　that　it　was　perfectly　in　keeping　with　all　that　had　gone　before　that　Corazzini　had　probably　forgotten　more　about　navigation　than　I　was　ever　likely　to　know。　He　returned　soon；　consulted　a　small　chart…correcting　for　variation；　no　doubt…then　grinned　at　Small　wood。
　
　〃It's　them；　all　right。　Perfect　signal。　Bearing　268。〃
　
　〃Good。〃　If　Smallwood　felt　relieved　or　gratified　at　the　news；　no　shadow　of　his　feeling　touched　the　thin　immobile　face。　Their　quiet　certainty；　their　forethought；　their　foolproof　organisation　was　dismaying；　frightening。　Now　that　I　could　see　what　manner　of　men　they　were　it　was　unthinkable　that　they　should　have　set　themselves　down　in　a　vast　featureless　country　such　as　this　without　some　means　of　orientating　themselves：　what　we　had　just　seen　in　operation　could　only　be　a　battery　operated　radio　direction　finder；　and　even　to　me；　inexperienced　though　I　was　in　such　matters；　it　was　obvious　that　Corazzini　must　have　been　taking　a　bearing　on　some　continuous　directional　line…up　signals　transmitted　by　a　vessel；　or　vessels；　off…shore：　trawlers；　probably；　or　some　other　inconspicuous　type　of　fishing　vessel。　。。。　I　would　have　been　less　than　human　had　I　not　wanted　to　shake　this　absolute　confidence。
　
　〃You've　miscalculated　the　hornet's　nest　you've　stirred　up。　The　Davis　Strait；　the　coast　of　Greenland　is　alive　with　ships　and　planes。　The　scout　planes　of　the　carrier　Triton　will　pick　up　every　boat　that's　larger　than　a　skiff。　The　trawlers　will　never　get　away　with　it：　they　won't　get　five　miles。〃
　
　〃They　don't　have　to。〃　Implicit　in　Corazzini's　words　was　confirmation　of　the　accuracy　of　my　guess　about　trawlers。　〃There　are　such　things　as　submarines。　In　fact　there　is　one；　not　far　from　here。〃
　
　〃You　still　won't…〃
　
　〃Be　quiet；〃　Smallwood　said　coldly。　He　turned　to　Corazzini。　〃Two　hundred　and　sixty…eight；　eh…due　west　more　or　less。　Distance？〃
　
　Corazzini　shrugged；　said　nothing：　Smallwood　beckoned　to　me。
　
　〃We'll　soon　find　it。　That　map；　Dr　Mason…indicate　our　position；　accurately。〃
　
　〃You　can　go　to　hell；〃　I　said　briefly。
　
　〃I　expected　nothing　else。　However；　I'm　not　blind　and　your　clumsy　attempts　at　concealment　have　done　little　to　hide　the　growing　attachment　between　yourself　and　the　young　lady　here。〃　I　glanced　quickly　at　Margaret；　saw　the　faint　colour　beginning　to　stain　the　pale　cheek　and　looked　as　quickly　away。　〃I　am　prepared　to　shoot　Miss　Ross。〃
　
　I　never　doubted　him。　I　knew　he'd　do　it　in　an　instant。　I　gave　him　our　position；　he　asked　for　another　map；　asked　Jackstraw　to　mark　our　position　on　the　second；　and　pared　the　two。
　
　〃They　coincide；〃　he　nodded。　〃Fortunately　for　you。〃　He　studied　the　map　briefly；　then　looked　at　Corazzini。　〃The　Kangalak　fjord；　undoubtedly；　at　the　foot　of　the　Kangalak　glacier。　Approximately…〃
　
　〃The　Kangalak　fjord；〃　I　interrupted。　My　voice　was　bitter。　〃Why　the　hell　didn't　you　land　there　in　the　first　place　and　save　us　all　this？〃
　
　〃The　plane　captain　deserved　to　die；〃　Smallwood　said　obliquely。　His　smile　was　wintry。　〃I　had　instructed　him　to　put　down　on　the　coast　just　north　of　the　fjord　where　our…ah…friends　had　reconnoitred　a　section　of　the　ice…cap；　three　miles　long　and　absolutely　flat；　that　is　the　equal　of　the　finest　runway　in　Europe　or　America；　and　it　wasn't　until　I　saw　the　altimeter　reading　just　before　the　crash　that　I　realised　he　had　deceived　me。〃　He　made　an　impatient　gesture　and　turned　to　Corazzini。　〃We　waste　time。　Approximately　sixty　miles；　you　would　say？〃
　
　Corazzini　examined　the　map。　〃Yes；　about　that。〃
　
　〃So；　e　then；　on　our　way。〃
　
　〃Leaving　us　here　to　starve　and　die　of　cold；　I　suppose？〃　I　said　bitterly。
　
　〃What　bees　of　you　no　longer　concerns　me；〃　Smallwood　said　indifferently。　Already；　in　a　matter　of　minutes；　it　had　bee　almost　impossible　to　think　of　him；　to　remember　him　as　the　meek　retiring　minister　we　had　known。　〃It　is　possible；　however；　that　you　might　be　foolish　enough　to　take　advantage　of　the　cover　of　snow　and　darkness　to　run　after　us；　waylay　and　try　to　overe　us。　You　might　even　succeed；　even　though　unarmed。　We　must　immobilise　you；　temporarily。〃
　
　〃Or　permanently；〃　Zagero　said　softly。
　
　〃Only　fools　kill　wantonly　and　unnecessarily。　Fortunately…for　you…it　is　not　necessary　for　my　plans　that　you　die。　Corazzini；　bring　some　rope　from　the　sled。　There's　plenty　of　cord　there。　Tie　their　feet　only。　With　their　numbed　hands　it　will　take　them　an　hour　to　undo　their　bonds：　we　will　be　well　on　our　way　by　then。〃　He　moved　his　gun　gently　from　side　to　side。　〃Sit　in　the　snow。　All　of　you。〃
　
　There　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　do　as　we　were　told。　We　sat　down　and　watched　Corazzini　bring　a　hank　of　cord　from　the　sled。　He　looked　at　Smallwood；　and　Smallwood　nodded　at　me。
　
　〃Dr　Mason　first。〃
　
　Corazzini　gave　his　gun　to　Smallwood…they　missed　nothing；　that　pair；　not　even　the　remote　possibility　that　one　of　us　might　try　to　snatch　Corazzini's　gun…and　advanced　on　me。　He　knelt　and　had　taken　a　couple　of　turns　round　my　ankles　when　the　truth　struck　me　with　the　suddenness；　the　shocking　impact　of　a　physical　blow。　I　sent　Corazzini　staggering　with　a　violent　shove　and　leapt　to　my　feet。
　
　〃No！〃　My　voice　was　hoarse；　savage。　〃By　God；　you're　not　going　to　tie　me　up；　Smallwood！〃
　
　〃Sit　down；　Mason！〃　His　voice　was　hard；　whip…like；　and　the　light　from　the　tractor　cabin　was　enough　for　me　to　see　the　rock…like　pistol　barrel　centred　between　my　eyes。　I　ignored　it　pletely。
　
　〃Jackstraw！〃　I　shouted。　〃Zagero；　Levin；　Brewster！　On　your　feet　if　you　want　to　live。　He's　only　got　one　gun。　If　he　starts　firing　at　any　of　us；　the　rest　go　for　him　and　get　him…he　can't　possibly　get　us　all。　Margaret；　Helene；　Mrs　Dansby…Gregg…first　shot　that's　fired；　run　off　into　the　darkness…and　stay　there！〃
　
　〃Have　you　gone　crackers；　Doc？〃　The　words　came　from　an　astonished　Zagero；　but　for　all　that　something　namelessly　urgent　and　pelling　in　my　voice　had　got　him　to　his　feet；　and　he　was　bent　forward；　crouched　like　a　great　cat；　ready　to　launch　himself　at　Smallwood。　〃Want　to　get　us　all　killed？〃
　
　〃That's　just　what　I　don't　want。〃　I　could　feel　my　spine；　the　back　of　my　neck　cold　with　a　cold　that　was　not　of　the　Arctic；　and　my　legs　were　trembling。　〃Going　to　tie　us　up　and　leave　us　here？　Is　he　hell！　Why　do　you　think　he　told　us　of　the　trawler；　its　position；　the　submarine　and　all　the　rest　of　it？　I'll　tell　you　why…because　he　knew　it　was　safe；　because　he'd　made　up　his　mind　that　none　of　us　would　ever　live　to　tell　of　these　things。〃　I　was　rattling　the　words　out　with　machine…gun　rapidity；　desperate　with　the　need　to　convince　the　others　of　what　I　was　saying　before　it　was　too　late：　and　my　eyes　never　left　the　gun　in　Smallwood's　hand。
　
　〃But…〃
　
　〃No　'buts'；〃　I　interrupted　harshly。　〃Smallwood　knows　that　Hillcrest　will　be　ing　through　here　this　afternoon。　If　we're　still　here…and　alive…first　thing　we'd　tell　him　would　be　Smallwood's　course；　speed；　approximate　position　and　destination。　Within　an　hour　the　Kangalak　glacier　would　be　sealed；　within　an　hour　bombers　from　the　Triton　would　have　blasted　him　off　the　face　of　the　glacier。　Tie　us　up？　Sure…and　then　he　and　Corazzini　would　shoot　us　at　their　leisure　while　we　flopped　around　like　birds　with　broken　wings。〃
　
　Conviction　was　immediate　and　plete。　I　couldn't　see　the　faces　of　the　others；　but　the　fractional　lowering　of　Smallwood's　gun　was　enough　to　tell　me。
　
　〃I　underestimated　you；　Dr　Mason；〃　he　admitted　softly。　His　voice　was　devoid　of　all　trace　of　anger。　〃But　you　almost　died　there。〃
　
　〃What's　five　minutes　more　or　less？〃　I　asked；　and　Smallwood　nodded　absently。　He　was　already　working　out　an　alternative　solution。
　
　〃You…you　inhuman　monster！〃　Senator　Brewster's　voice　was　shaking　with　fear　or　anger　or　both。　〃You　were　going　to　tie　us　up　and　butcher　us　like…like…〃　Words　failed　him　for　a　moment；　then　he　whispered：　〃You　must　be　mad；　Smallwood；　stark　raving　mad。〃
　
　〃He's　not　in　the　slightest；〃　Zagero　said　quietly。　〃Not　mad。　Just　bad。　But　it's　kind　of　hard　to　tell　the　difference　at　times。　Figured　out　our　next　jolly　little　scheme；　Smallwood？〃
　
　〃Yes。　As　Dr　Mason　says；　we　can't　possibly　dispose　of　all　of　you　inside　a　couple　of　seconds；　which　is　all　the　time　it　would　take　for　one…probably　more…of　you　to　reach　the　cover　of　the　snow　and　darkness。〃　He　nodded　towards　the　tractor　sled；　lifted　his　high　collar　against　the　snow　and　biting　wind。　〃I　think　you　had　better　ride　a　little　way　with　us。〃
　
　And　ride　with　them　we　did　for　the　thirty　longest　miles　I　have　ever　driven；　for　nine　hours　that　had　no　end。　A　relatively　short　distance；　but　this　eternity　of　time　to　cover　it：　partly　because　of　the　sastrugi；　partly　because　of　the　increasingly　long　stretches　of　soft　snow；　but　mainly　because　of　the　weather；　which　was　deteriorating　rapidly。　The　wind　had　now　risen　to　something　better　than　thirty　miles　an　hour；　it　carried　with　it　a　blinding　wall　of　flying　ice…filled　drift；　and；　even　though　it　was　directly　behind　us；　it　made　things　troublesome　for　the　driver。　For　all　the　others　except　Smallwood　it　made　the　conditions　intolerable：　had　the　temperature　been　what　it　was　only　twenty…four　hours　previously；　none　of　us；　I　am　sure；　would　have　survived　that　trip。
　
　I　would　have　thought　that　with　either　Smallwood　or　Corazzini　driving　and　the　other　navigating　from　the　dog…sled　we　would　have　had　a　chance；　slender　though　it　might　be；　to　overpower　them　or　at　least　make　good　our　escape。　But　Smallwood　never　offered　even　a　shadow　of　a　chance　of　either。　Corazzini　drove　all　the　time；　with　the　radio　direction　finder　headphones　clamped　to　his　ears；　so　that　pass　navigation　became　an　inaccurate　superfluity。　Smallwood　sat　alone　in　the　back　of　the　tractor　cabin；　his　gun　unwaveringly　trained　on　the　rest　of　us　who　were　crammed　aboard　the