alistairmaclean.nightwithoutend-第42部分

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ntly　by　the　shoulder。　It　was　Jackstraw。
　
　〃No　more！〃　he　shouted　in　my　ear。　〃We　must　stop；　Dr　Mason；　wait　till　it's　blown　itself　out。　We　can't　live　through　this。〃
　
　I　said　something　that　was　unintelligible　even　to　myself；　but　Jackstraw　took　it　for　agreement　and　began　pulling　the　sledge　into　the　sloping　side　of　the　glacier　valley　and　to　the　leeward　side　of　one　of　the　snowdrifts　piled　up　against　some　of　the　ridges　on　the　side　of　the　valley。　It　wasn't　all　that　much　of　an　improvement；　but　the　wind　and　the　effect　of　the　blizzard　were　perceptibly　less。　We　unloaded　the　three　sick　people　on　the　sledge　into　what　pitiful　shelter　the　ridge　offered：　I　was　just　about　to　let　my　knees　buckle　and　collapse　beside　them　when　I　realised　that　someone　was　missing：　it　was　a　fair　indication　of　the　toll　taken　by　wind　and　cold　and　exhaustion　that　almost　twenty　seconds　passed　before　I　realised　it　was　Brewster。
　
　〃Good　God！〃　I　cried　in　Jackstraw's　ear。　〃The　Senator…we've　lost　him！　I'll　go　back　and　look。　I　won't　be　a　minute。〃
　
　〃Stay　here。〃　The　grip　on　my　arm　was　promise　enough　that　Jackstraw　meant　to　detain　me　by　force；　if　necessary。　〃You'd　never　e　back。　Balto！　Balto！〃　He　shouted　a　few　Eskimo　words　which　meant　nothing　to　me；　but　the　big　Siberian　seemed　to　understand；　for　he　was　gone　in　a　moment；　following　the　direction　of　Jackstraw's　pointing　hand。　He　was　back　again　inside　two　minutes。
　
　〃He's　found　him？〃　I　asked　Jackstraw。
　
　Jackstraw　nodded　silently。
　
　〃Let's　bring　him　in。〃
　
　Balto　led　us　there；　but　we　didn't　bring　him　in。　Instead　we　left　him　lying　where　we　found　him；　face　down　in　the　snow；　dead。　The　blizzard　was　already　drawing　its　concealing　shroud　over　him；　in　an　hour　he　would　be　no　more　than　a　featureless　white　mound　in　a　featureless　white　valley。　My　hands　were　too　numb　to　examine　him；　but　I　wouldn't　have　bothered　anyway：　the　half…century　of　self…indulgence　in　food　and　drink　and　temper；　all　of　which　had　been　so　clearly　reflected　in　the　heavy　florid　face　when　first　I'd　seen　him；　had　had　their　inevitable　way。　The　heart；　cerebral　thrombosis；　it　didn't　matter　now。　But　he　had　been　a　man。
　
　How　long　we　lay　there；　the　six　of　us　and　Balto　huddled　close　together　for　warmth；　unconscious　or　dozing　while　that　hurricane　of　a　blizzard　reached　then　passed　its　howling　crescendo；　I　never　knew。　Probably　only　half　an　hour；　perhaps　not　even　that。　When　I　awoke；　stiff　and　numbed；　I　reached　for　Jackstraw's　torch。　It　was　exactly　four　o'clock　in　the　morning。
　
　I　looked　at　the　others。　Jackstraw　was　wide　awake　…1　was　pretty　sure　he'd　never　shut　an　eye　lest　one　of　us　slip　away　from　sleep　into　that　easy　frozen　sleep　from　which　there　would　have　been　no　wakening…and　Zagero　was　stirring。　That　they…and　I…would　survive；　I　didn't　doubt。　Helene　was　a　question　mark。　A　seventeen…year…old；　though　short　on　endurance；　was　usually　high　on　resilience　and　recuperative　powers；　but　Helene's　seemed　to　have　deserted　her。　After　the　death　of　her　mistress　and　up　to　the　time　she　had　collapsed　she　had　bee　strangely　withdrawn　and　unresponsive；　and　I　guessed　that　the　death　of　Mrs　Dansby…Gregg　had　hit　her　far　more　than　any　of　us　would　have　guessed。　The　previous　forty…eight　hours　apart；　it　seemed　to　me　that　she　had　had　little　enough　to　thank　Mrs　Dansby…Gregg　for　in　the　way　of　affection　and　warmth：　but；　then；　she　was　young；　Mrs　Dansby…Gregg　had　been　the　person　she　had　known　best　and；　as　a　foreigner；　she　must　have　regarded　Mrs　Dansby…Gregg　as　her　sole　anchor　in　an　alien　sea。。。。　I　asked　Jackstraw　if　he　would　massage　her　hands；　then　turned　to　have　a　look　at　Mahler　and　Marie　LeGarde。
　
　〃They　don't　look　so　hot　to　me。〃　Zagero；　too；　was　studying　them。　〃What's　their　chances'；　Doc？〃
　
　〃I　just　don't　know；〃　I　said　wearily。　〃I　don't　know　at　all。〃
　
　〃Don't　take　it　to　heart；　Doc。　It's　no　fault　of　yours。〃　Zagero　waved　a　hand　towards　the　snow…filled　emptiness　and　desolation　of　the　glacier。　〃Your　dispensary　ain't　all　that　well　stocked。〃
　
　〃No。〃　I　smiled　faintly；　then　nodded　at　Mahler。　〃Bend　down　and　listen　to　his　breathing。　The　end's　ing　pretty　close。　Ordinarily　I'd　say　a　couple　of　hours。　With　Mahler　I　don't　know…he's　got　the　will　to　live；sheer　guts；his　beliefs…the　lot。。　。　。　But　in　twelve　hours　he'll　be　dead。〃
　
　〃And　how　long　do　you　give　me；　Dr　Mason？〃
　
　I　twisted　round　and　gazed　down　at　Marie　LeGarde。　Her　voice　was　no　more　than　a　weak；　husky　whisper：　she　was　trying　to　smile；　but　the　smile　was　a　pitiful　grimace　and　there　was　no　humour　in　either　the　eyes　or　the　voice。
　
　〃Good　lord；　you've　e　to！〃　I　reached　out；　pulled　off　her　gloves　and　started　to　massage　the　frozen　wasted　hands。　〃This　is　wonderful。　How　do　you　feel；　Miss　LeGarde？〃
　
　〃How　do　you　think　I　feel？〃　she　said　with　a　flash　of　her　old　spirit。　〃Don't　try　to　put　me　off；　Peter。　How　long？〃
　
　〃About　another　thousand　curtain　calls　at　the　old　Adelphi。〃　The　light　came　from　the　torch　that　had　been　thrust；　butt　down；　into　the　snow；　and　I　bent　forward　so　that　my　face　was　shadowed；　my　expression　unreadable。　〃Seriously；　the　fact　that　you've　recovered　consciousness　is　a　good　sign。〃
　
　〃I　once　played　a　queen　who　recovered　consciousness　only　to　speak　a　few　dramatic　words　before　she　died。　Only；　I　can't　think　of　any　dramatic　words。〃　I　had　to　strain　to　catch　the　feeble　whispered　words。　〃You're　a　shocking　liar；　Peter。　Is　there　any　hope　for　us　at　all？〃
　
　〃Certainly；〃　I　lied。　Anything　to　get　away　from　that　topic。　〃We'll　be　on　the　coast；　with　a　good　chance　of　being　picked　up　by　ship　or　plane；　tomorrow　afternoon…this　afternoon；　rather。　It　can't　be　more　than　twenty　miles　from　here。〃
　
　〃Twenty　miles！〃　Zagero　interjected。　〃In　this　little　lot？〃
　
　He　raised　a　cupped　hand　significantly　to　his　ear；　a　gesture　superbly　superfluous　in　the　ululating　shriek　of　the　blizzard。
　
　〃It　won't　last；　Mr　Zagero；〃　Jackstraw　put　in。　〃These　williwaws　always　blow　themselves　out　in　a　short　time。　This　already　has　gone　on　longer　than　most　and　it's　easing　a　lot。　Tomorrow　will　be　clear　and　calm　and　cold。〃
　
　〃The　cold　will　be　a　change；〃　Zagero　said'feelingly。　He　looked　past　me。　〃The　old　lady's　off　again；　Doc！〃
　
　〃Yes。〃　I　stopped　massaging　her　hands　and　slid　the　gloves　on。　〃Let's　have　a　look　at　these　paws　of　yours；　Mr　Zagero；　will　you？〃
　
　〃　'Johnny'　to　you；　Doc。　I've　been　dismissed　without　a　stain　on　my　character；　remember？〃　He　thrust　his　big　hands　out　for　inspection。　〃Pretty；　aren't　they？〃
　
　They　weren't　pretty；　they　were　the　worst　case　of　frostbite　I　had　ever　seen；　and　I　had　seen　all　too　many；　in　Korea　and　later。　They　were　white　and　yellow　and　dead。　The　original　skin　had　vanished　under　a　mass　of　blisters；　and　from　the　few　warm　spots　I　could　detect　on　either　hand　I　knew　that　much　of　the　tissue　had　been　permanently　destroyed。
　
　〃Fraid　I　was　a　mite　careless　with　my　gloves；〃　Zagero　said　apologetically。　〃In　fact；　I　lost　the　damn'　things　about　five　miles　back。　Didn't　notice　it　at　the　time…hands　were　too　cold；　I　reckon。〃
　
　〃Feel　anything　in　them　now？〃
　
　〃Here　and　there。〃　He　nodded　as　I　touched　some　spots　where　the　blood　still　flowed；　and　went　on　conversationally：　〃Am　I　goin'　to　lose　my　hands；　Doc？　Amputation；　I　mean？〃
　
　〃No。〃　I　shook　my　head　definitely。　I　saw　no　point　in　mentioning　that　some　of　his　fingers　were　beyond　hope。
　
　〃Will　I　ever　fight　again？〃　Still　the　same　casual；　careless　tone。
　
　〃It's　difficult　to　say。　You　never　know…〃
　
　〃Will　I　ever　fight　again？〃
　
　〃You'll　never　fight　again。〃
　
　There　was　a　long　pause；　then　he　said　quietly：　〃You're　sure；　Doc？　You're　absolutely　sure？〃
　
　〃I'm　absolutely　sure；　Johnny。　No　boxing　mission　doctor　in　the　world　would　ever　let　you　climb　into　a　ring。　It　would　cost　him　his　listing　in　the　Medical　Register。〃
　
　〃Okay；　so　that's　how　it　is。　Consolidated　Plastics　of　Trenton；　New　Jersey；　have　just　got　themselves　a　new　factory　hand：　this　boxin'　racket　was　too　damn'　strenuous　anyway。〃　There　was　no　regret　in　his　voice；　no　resignation　even；　but　that　meant　nothing：　like　me；　he　had　more　important　things　to　worry　about。　He　looked　away　into　the　darkness；　then　twisted　round：　〃What's　the　matter　with　that　hound　of　yours；　Jackstraw？〃
　
　〃I　don't　know。　I　think　I'd　better　find　out。〃　Twice　while　we　had　been　talking　Balto　had　left　us；　vanished　into　the　snow；　and　returned　after　a　few　minutes：　he　seemed　restless；　uneasy。　〃I　won't　be　long。〃
　
　He　rose；　followed　Balto　into　the　darkness；　returned　in　a　short　time：　〃e　and　see　this；　Dr　Mason。〃
　
　〃This'　was　a　spot　less　than　a　hundred　yards　away；　close　into　the　side　of　the　glacier　valley。　Jackstraw　flashed　his　torch　on　to　the　snow…dusted　ice。　I　stooped；　made　out　a　black　circular　patch　on　the　ground　and；　a　few　feet　away；　a　smaller　discoloured　area　where　the　surface　snow　had　frozen　solid。
　
　〃Oil　from　the　gearcase　or　sump；　water　from　the　radiator；〃　Jackstraw　said　briefly。　He　altered　the　torch…beam。　〃And　you　can　still　see　the　crimp　marks　of　the　caterpillars。〃
　
　〃And　very　recent？〃　I　suggested。　The　drifting　snow；　the　scouring　effect　of　the　flying　ice…particles　had　scarcely　begun　to　obliterate　the　traces　left　by　the　treads。
　
　〃I　think　so。　And　they　were　stopped　here　a　long　time；　Dr　Mason…look　at　the　size　of　that　oil　patch。〃
　
　〃Mechanical　trouble？〃　I　hazarded。　I　didn't　really　believe　it　myself。
　
　〃Riding　out　the　storm…Corazzini　must　have　been　blind；〃　Jackstraw　said　definitely。　〃If　the　engine　had　stopped　on　that　pair；　they'd　never　have　got　it　started　again。〃
　
　I　knew　he　was　right。　Neither　Smallwood　nor　Corazzini　had　shown　any　mechanical　ability　at　all；　and　I　was　convinced　that　it　had　been　no　act。
　
　〃Perhaps　they　were　still　here　when　we　arrived　back　there？　My　God；　if　we'd　only　carried　on　another　hundred　yards！〃
　
　〃Spilt　milk；　as　you　say；　Dr　Mason。　Yes；　I'm　sure　they　were　here　then。〃
　
　〃We　wouldn't　have　heard　their　engine？〃
　
　〃Not　in　this　wind。〃
　
　〃Jackstraw！〃　A　sudden　thought；　a　flash　of　hope。　〃Jackstraw；　did　you　sleep　back　there？〃
　
　〃No。〃
　
　〃How　long　were　we　stopped？〃
　
　〃Half　an　hour；　maybe　less。〃
　
　〃And　you　think　they　were　still　here…Good　God；　man；　they　can't　be　more　than　a　mile　away。　The　wind's　dropping　right　away；　it's　getting　colder　and　we'll　only　freeze　to　death　if　we　stay　here；　maybe　there'll　be　crevasses　on　the　glacier