alistairmaclean.nightwithoutend-第6部分

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　〃My　shoulder。〃　Her　voice　was　low　and　husky。　〃It　is　very　sore。〃
　
　〃I'm　not　surprised。〃　I'd　eased　back　the　blouse　at　the　neck　and　closed　it　again。　〃Your　clavicle…the　collar…bone…is　gone。　Just　sit　there　and　hold　your　left　arm　in　your　right　hand　。　。　。　yes；　so。　I'll　strap　you　up　later。　You　won't　feel　a　thing；　I　promise　you。〃
　
　She　smiled　at　me；　half…timidly；　half…gratefully；　and　said　nothing。　I　left　her；　went　to　the　very　rear　seat　in　the　plane；　stooped　to　examine　the　man　there　then　straightened　in　almost　the　same　instant：　the　weirdly　unnatural　angle　of　the　head　on　the　shoulders　made　any　examination　superfluous。
　
　I　turned　and　walked　forward；　everybody　was　awake　now；　sitting　upright　or　struggling　dazedly　to　their　feet；　their　half…formed　questions　as　dazed　as　the　expressions　on　their　faces。　I　ignored　them　for　a　moment；　looked　questioningly　at　Jackstraw　as　he　came　through　the　forward　door；　closely　followed　by　Joss。
　
　〃She　won't　e。〃　Jackstraw　jerked　his　thumb　over　his　shoulder。　〃She's　awake；　but　she　won't　leave　the　wireless　operator。〃
　
　〃She's　all　right？〃
　
　〃Her　back　hurts；　I　think。　She　wouldn't　say。〃
　
　I　made　no　answer　and　moved　across　to　the　main　door…the　one　we'd　failed　to　open　from　the　outside。　I　supposed　it　no　business　of　mine　if　the　stewardess　chose　to　devote　her　attention　to　a　member　of　the　crew　instead　of　to　the　passengers　who　were　her　charges。　But　it　was　damned　queer　all　the　same…almost　as　queer　as　the　fact　that　though　the　inevitability　of　the　crash　must　have　been　known　for　at　least　fifteen　minutes　before　the　actual　event；　not　one　of　the　ten　passengers　in　the　cabin　had　been　wearing　a　seat…belt…and　the　stewardess；　wireless　operator　and　the　crew　member　in　the　rest　room　appeared　to　have　been　caught　pletely　unprepared。
　
　The　circular　door　handle　refused　to　budge。　I　called　Jackstraw；　but　even　the　extra　weight　made　not　the　slightest　impression　on　it。　Obviously；　it　was　immovably　jammed…there　must　have　been　a　slight　telescoping　effect　along　the　entire　length　of　the　fuselage　as　the　plane　had　crashed　into　the　ice…mound。　If　the　door　I　had　noticed　behind　the　control　cabin　was　as　badly　warped　as　this　one　…and；　being　nearer　the　point　of　impact；　it　almost　inevitably　would　be…then　they'd　all　have　to　leave　via　the　windscreens　of　the　control　cabin。　I　thought　of　the　wireless　operator　with　his　dreadful　head　wound　and　wondered　bleakly　whether　even　trying　to　move　him　out　could　be　more　than　a　futile　gesture；　anyway。
　
　A　figure　barred　my　way　as　I　turned　from　the　door。　It　was　the　white…haired；　white…moustached　Dixie　colonel。　His　face　was　dark　red；　his　eyes　light　blue；　choleric　and　protuberant。　It　only　required　someone　to　get　this　man　good　and　mad　and　he　would　be　no　more　than　a　debit　entry　in　the　account　book　of　some　life　assurance　pany。　And　he　seemed　good　and　mad　now。
　
　〃What's　happened？　What　in　the　devil　is　all　this？〃　He　had　a　voice　like　a　Dixie　colonel　too；　the　Mason…Dixon　line　lay　far　to　the　north　of　wherever　he　had　been　born。　〃We've　landed。　Why？　What　are　we　doing　here？　What's　the　noise　outside？　And…　and　who　in　the　name　of　heaven　are　you？〃
　
　A　big　business　tycoon；　I　thought　wryly；　with　money　enough　and　power　enough　to　indulge　an　obviously　over…generous　capacity　for　righteous　indignation：　if　I　was　going　to　meet　any　trouble；　it　wasn't　hard　to　guess　the　direction　it　was　going　to　e　from。　But；　right　then；　there　was　some　excuse　for　his　attitude：　I　wondered　how　I　would　have　felt　if　I　had　gone　to　sleep　in　a　trans…Atlantic　airliner　and　woken　up　to　find　myself　landed　in　the　freezing　middle　of　nowhere　with　three　fur…clad　people；　plete　with　snow…goggles　and　snow…masks；　waddling　about　the　aisle　of　the　plane。
　
　〃You've　crash…landed；〃　I　said　briefly。　〃I　don't　know　why…how　the　hell　should　I？　The　noise　outside　is　an　ice…blizzard　rattling　against　the　fuselage。　As　for　us；　we　are　scientists　managing　an　International　Geophysical　Year　station　half　a　mile　from　here。　We　saw　and　heard　you　just　before　you　crashed。〃
　
　I　made　to　push　past　him；　but　he　barred　my　way。
　
　〃Just　a　minute；　if　you　don't　mind。〃　The　voice　was　more　authoritative　than　ever　and　there　was　a　surprising　amount　of　muscle　in　that　arm　across　my　chest。　〃I　think　we　have　a　right　to　know…〃
　
　〃Later。〃　I　knocked　his　arm　away　and　Jackstraw　pleted　the　job　by　pushing　him　down　into　his　seat。　〃Don't　make　a　damned　nuisance　of　yourself。　There's　a　critically　injured　man　who　has　to　have　attention；　and　at　once。　We'll　take　him　to　safety　and　then　e　back　for　you。　Keep　the　door　shut。〃　I　was　addressing　all　of　them　now；　but　the　white…haired　man's　wrathful　spluttering　attracted　my　attention　again。　〃And　if　you　don't　shut　up　and　co…operate；　you　can　stay　here。　If　it　weren't　for　us　you'd　be　dead；　stiff　as　a　board；　in　a　couple　of　hours。　Maybe　you　will　be　yet。〃
　
　I　moved　up　the　aisle；　followed　by　Jackstraw。　The　young　man　who　had　been　lying　on　the　floor　pulled　himself　on　to　a　seat；　and　he　grinned　at　me　as　I　passed。
　
　〃How　to　win　friends　and　influence　people。〃　He　had　a　slow　cultured　drawl。　〃I　fear　you　have　offended　our　worthy　friend。〃
　
　〃I　fear　I　have。〃　I　smiled；　passed　by；　then　turned。　These　wide　shoulders　and　large　capable　hands　could　be　more　than　useful　to　us。　〃How　are　you　feeling？〃
　
　〃Recoverin'　rapidly。〃
　
　〃You　are　indeed。　You　didn't　look　so　good　a　minute　ago。〃
　
　〃Just　takin'　a　long　count；〃　he　said　easily。　〃Can　I　help？〃
　
　〃That's　why　I　asked；〃　I　nodded。
　
　〃Glad　to　oblige。〃　He　heaved　himself　to　his　feet；　towering　inches　above　me。　The　little　man　in　the　loud　tie　and　the　Glenurquhart　jacket　gave　an　anguished　sound；　like　the　yelp　of　an　injured　puppy。
　
　〃Careful；　Johnny；　careful！〃　The　voice；　the　rich；　nasal　and　rather　grating　twang；　was　pure　Bowery。　〃We　got　our　responsibilities；　boy；　big　mitments。　We　might　strain　a　ligament…〃
　
　〃Relax；　Solly。〃　The　big　man　patted　him　soothingly　on　his　bald　head。　〃Just　takin'　a　little　walk　to　clear　my　head。〃
　
　〃Not　till　you　put　this　parka　and　pants　on　first。〃　I'd　no　time　to　bother　about　the　eccentricities　of　little　men　in　loud　jackets　and　louder　ties。　〃You'll　need　them。〃
　
　〃Cold　doesn't　bother　me；　friend。〃
　
　〃This　cold　will。　Outside　that　door　it's　110　degrees　below　the　temperature　of　this　cabin。〃
　
　I　heard　a　murmur　of　astonishment　from　some　of　the　passengers；　and　the　large　young　man；　suddenly　thoughtful；　took　the　clothes　from　Jackstraw。　I　didn't　wait　until　he　had　put　them　on；　but　went　out　with　Joss。
　
　The　stewardess　was　bent　low　over　the　injured　wireless　operator。　I　pulled　her　gently　to　her　feet。　She　offered　no　resistance；　just　looked　wordlessly　at　me；　the　deep　brown　eyes　huge　in　a　face　dead…white　and　strained　with　shock。　She　was　shivering　violently。　Her　hands　were　like　ice。
　
　〃You　want　to　die　of　cold；　Miss？〃　This　was　no　time　for　soft　and　sympathetic　words；　and　I　knew　these　girls　were　trained　how　to　behave　in　emergencies。　〃Haven't　you　got　a　hat；　coat；　boots；　anything　like　that？〃
　
　〃Yes。〃　Her　voice　was　dull；　almost　devoid　of　life。　She　was　standing　alone　by　the　door　now；　and　I　could　hear　the　violent　rat…a…tat　of　her　elbow　as　it　shook　uncontrollably　and　knocked　against　the　door。　〃I'll　go　and　get　them。〃
　
　Joss　scrambled　out　through　the　windscreen　to　get　the　collapsible　stretcher。　While　we　were　waiting　I　went　to　the　exit　door　behind　the　flight　deck　and　tried　to　open　it；　swinging　at　it　with　the　back　of　my　fire　axe。　But　it　was　locked　solid。
　
　We　had　the　stretcher　up　and　were　lashing　the　wireless　operator　inside　as　carefully　as　we　could　in　these　cramped　conditions；　when　the　stewardess　reappeared。　She　was　wearing　her　uniform　heavy　coat　now；　and　high　boots。　I　tossed　her　a　pair　of　caribou　trousers。
　
　〃Better；　but　not　enough。　Put　these　on。〃　She　hesitated；　and　I　added　roughly；　〃We　won't　look。〃
　
　〃I　…1　must　go　and　see　the　passengers。〃
　
　〃They're　all　right。　Bit　late　in　thinking　about　it；　aren't　you？〃
　
　〃I　know。　I'm　sorry。　I　couldn't　leave　him。〃　She　looked　down　at　the　young　man　at　her　feet。　〃Do　you…I　mean…〃　She　broke　off；　then　it　came　out　with　a　rush。　〃Is　he　going　to　die？〃
　
　〃Probably；〃　I　said；　and　she　flinched　away　as　if　I　had　struck　her　across　the　face。　I　hadn't　meant　to　be　brutal；　just　clinical。
　
　〃We'll　do　what　we　can　for　him。　It's　not　much；　I'm　afraid。〃
　
　Finally　we　had　him　securely　lashed　to　the　stretcher；　his　head　cushioned　against　the　shock　as　best　we　could。　When　I　got　to　my　feet；　the　stewardess　was　just　pulling　her　coat　down　over　the　caribou　pants。
　
　〃We're　taking　him　back　to　our　cabin；〃　I　said。　〃We　have　a　sledge　below。　There's　room　for　another。　You　could　protect　his　head。　Want　to　e？〃
　
　〃The　passengers…〃　she　began　uncertainly。
　
　〃They'll　be　all　right。〃
　
　I　went　back　inside　the　main　cabin；　closing　the　door　behind　me；　and　handed　my　torch　to　the　man　with　the　cut　brow。　The　two　feeble　night　or　emergency　lights　that　burned　inside　were　poor　enough　for　illumination；　worse　still　for　morale。
　
　〃We're　taking　the　wireless　operator　and　stewardess　with　us；〃　I　explained。　〃Back　in　twenty　minutes。　And　if　you　want　to　live；　just　keep　this　door　tight　shut。〃
　
　〃What　an　extraordinarily　brusque　young　man；〃　the　elderly　lady　murmured。　Her　voice　was　low…pitched；　resonant；　with　an　extraordinary　carrying　power。
　
　〃Only　from　necessity；　madam；〃　I　said　dryly。　〃Would　you　really　prefer　long…winded　and　flowery　speeches　the　while　you　were　freezing　to　death？〃
　
　〃Well；　do　you　know；　I　really　don't　think　I　would；〃　she　answered　mock…seriously；　and　I　could　hear　her　chuckling…there　was　no　other　word　for　it…as　I　closed　the　door　behind　me。
　
　Working　in　the　cramped　confines　of　that　wrecked　control　cabin；　in　almost　pitch　darkness　and　with　that　ice…laden　bitter　gale　whistling　through　the　shattered　windscreens；　we　had　the　devil's　own　time　of　it　trying　to　get　the　injured　wireless　operator　down　to　that　waiting　sledge　below。　Without　the　help　of　the　big　young　stranger　I　don't　think　we　would　ever　have　managed　it；　but　manage　it　we　eventually　did：　he　and　I　lowered　and　slid　the　stretcher　down　to　Jackstraw　and　Joss；　who　took　and　strapped　it　on　the　sledge。　Then　we　eased　the　stewardess　down：　I　thought　I　heard　her　cry　out　as　she　hung　supported　only　by　a　hand　round　either　wrist；　and　remembered　that　Jackstraw　had　said　something　about　her　back