alistairmaclean.icestationzebra-第3部分

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　I　can　tell　you。〃
　 〃Because　the　men　on　Drift　Station　Zebra　are　going　to　be　badly　in　need　of　medical　aid。　If　there　are　any　survivors；　that　is。〃
　 〃We　got　our　own　medic　on　board　and　he's　no　slouch　with　a　stethoscope；　or　so　I've　heard　from　several　who　have　survived　his　treatment。　A　well…spoken…of　quack。〃
　 〃'Doctor；'　you　ill…mannered　lout；〃　Zabrinski　said　severely。
　 〃That's　what　I　meant；〃　Rawlings　apologized。　〃It's　not　often　that　I　get　the　chance　to　talk　to　an　educated　man　like　myself；　and　it　just　kinda　slipped　out。　The　point　is；　the　Dolphin's　already　all　buttoned　up　on　the　medical　side。〃
　 〃I'm　sure　it　is；〃　I　smiled；　〃but　any　survivors　we　might　find　are　going　to　be　suffering　from　advanced　exposure；　frostbite；　and　probably　gangrene。　The　treatment　of　those　is　rather　a　specialty　of　mine。〃
　 〃Is　it　now？〃　Rawlings　surveyed　the　depths　of　his　coffee　cup。　〃I　wonder　how　a　man　gets　to　be　a　specialist　in　those　things？〃
　 Hansen　stirred　and　withdrew　his　gaze　from　the　darkly　white　world　beyond　the　canteen　windows。
　 〃Dr。　Carpenter　is　not　on　trial　for　his　life；〃　he　said　mildly。　〃The　counsel　for　the　prosecution　will　kindly　shut　up。〃
　 This　air　of　easy　familiarity　between　officer　and　men；　the　easy　camaraderie；　the　mutually　tolerant　disparagement　with　the　deceptively　misleading　overtones　of　music…hall　edy；　was　something　very　rare　in　my　experience　but　not　unique。　I'd　seen　it　before；　in　first…line　R。A。F。　bomber　crews；　a　relationship　found　only　among　a　close…knit；　close…living　group　of　superbly　trained　experts；　each　of　whom　is　keenly　aware　of　his　plete　interdependence　on　the　others。　The　casually　informal　and　familiar　attitude　was　a　token　not　of　the　lack　of　discipline　but　the　plete　reverse；　it　was　the　badge　of　a　very　high　degree　of　self…discipline；　of　the　regard　one　man　held　for　another　not　only　as　a　highly　skilled　technician　in　his　own　field　but　also　as　a　human　being。　It　was　clear；　too；　that　a　list　of　unwritten　rules　governed　their　conduct。　Offhand　and　frequently　pletely　lacking　in　outward　respect　though　Rawlings　and　Zabrinski　were　in　their　attitude　toward　Lieutenant　Hansen；　there　was　an　invisible　line　of　propriety　over　which　it　was　inconceivable　that　they　would　ever　step：　for　Hansen's　part；　he　scrupulously　avoided　any　use　of　his　authority　when　making　disparaging　remarks　at　the　expense　of　the　two　enlisted　men。　It　was　also　clear；　as　now；　who　was　boss。
　 Rawlings　and　Zabrinski　had　stopped　questioning　me　and　had　just　embarked　upon　an　enthusiastic　discussion　of　the　demerits　of　the　Holy　Loch　in　particular　and　Scotland　in　general　as　a　submarine　base；　when　a　jeep　swept　past　the　canteen　windows；　the　snow　whirling　whitely；　thickly；　through　the　swathe　of　the　headlights。　Rawlings　jumped　to　his　feet　in　mid…sentence；　then　subsided　slowly　and　thoughtfully　into　his　chair。
　 〃The　plot；〃　he　announced；　〃thickens。〃
　 〃You　saw　who　it　was？〃　Hansen　asked。
　 〃I　did　indeed。　Andy　Bandy；　no　less。〃
　 〃I　didn't　hear　that；　Rawlings；〃　Hansen　said　coldly。
　 〃Vice…Admiral　John　Garvie；　U。　S。　Navy；　sir。〃
　 〃Andy　Bandy；　eh？〃　Hansen　said　pensively。　He　grinned　at　me。　〃Admiral　Garvie。　Officer　manding　U。　S。　Naval　Forces　in　Nato。　Now；　this　is　very　interesting；　I　submit。　I　wonder　what　he's　doing　here。〃
　 〃World　War　III　has　just　broken　out；〃　Rawlings　announced。　〃It's　just　about　time　for　the　admiral's　first　Martini　of　the　day；　and　no　lesser　crisis〃
　 〃He　didn't　by　any　chance　fly　down　with　you　in　that　chopper　from　Renfrew　this　afternoon？〃　Hansen　interrupted　shrewdly。
　 〃No。〃
　 〃Know　him；　by　any　chance？〃
　 〃Never　even　heard　of　him　until　now。〃
　 〃Curiouser　and　curiouser；〃　Hansen　murmured。
　 A　few　minutes　passed　in　desultory　talkthe　minds　of　Hansen　and　his　two　men　were　obviously　very　much　on　the　reason　for　the　arrival　of　Admiral　Garvieand　then　a　snowfilled　gust　of　chilled　air　swept　into　the　canteen　as　the　door　opened　and　a　blue…coated　sailor　came　in　and　crossed　to　our　table。　
　 〃The　captain's　pliments；　Lieutenant。　Would　you　bring　Dr。　Carpenter　to　his　cabin；　please？〃
　 Hansen　nodded；　rose　to　his　feet　and　led　the　way　outside。　The　snow　was　beginning　to　lie　now；　the　darkness　was　ing　down　fast　and　the　wind　from　the　north　was　bitingly　cold。　Hansen　made　for　the　nearest　gangway；　halted　at　its　head　as　he　saw　seamen　and　dockyard　workers；　insubstantial　and　spectral　figures　in　the　swirling；　flood…lit　snow；　carefully　easing　a　slung　torpedo　down　the　for'ard　hatch；　turned　and　headed　toward　the　after　gangway。　We　clambered　down　and　at　the　foot　Hansen　said：　〃Watch　your　step；　Doc。　It's　a　little　slippery　hereabouts。〃
　 It　was　all　that；　but　with　the　…thought　of　the　ire…cold　waters　of　the　Holy　Loch　waiting　for　me　if　I　put　a　foot　wrong　I　made　no　mistake。　We　passed　through　the　hooped　canvas　shelter　covering　the　after　hatch　and　dropped　down　a　steep　metal　ladder　into　a　warm；　scrupulously　clean　and　gleaming　engine　room　packed　with　a　baffling　plexity　of　gray…painted　ma。　chinery　and　instrument　panels；　its　every　corner　brightly　illuminated　with　shadowless　fluorescent　lighting。
　 〃Not　going　to　blindfold　me；　Lieutenant？〃　I　asked。
　 〃No　need。〃　He　grinned。　〃If　you're　on　the　up　and　up；　it's　not　necessary。　if　you're　not　on　the　up　and　up；　it's　still　not　necessary；　for　you　can't　talk　about　what　you've　seennot　to　anyone　that　mattersif　you're　going　to　…spend　the　next　few　years　staring　out　from　behind　a　set　of　prison　bars。〃
　 I　saw　his　point。　I　followed　him　for'ard；　our　feet　soundless　on　the　black　rubber　decking；　past　the　tops　of　a　couple　of　huge　machines　readily　identifiable　as　turbo…generator　sets　for　producing　electricity。　More　heavy　banks　of　instruments；　a　door；　then　a　thirty…foot…long　very　narrow　passageway。　As　we　passed　along　its　length　I　was　conscious　of　a　heavy　vibrating　hum　from　beneath　my　feet。　The　〃Dolphin's〃　nuclear　reactor　had　to　be　somewhere。　This　would　be　it；　here。　Directly　beneath　us。　There　were　circular　hatches　on　the　passageway　deck　and　those　could　only　be　covers　for　the　heavily　leaded　glass　windows；　inspection　ports　that　would　provide　the　nearest　and　only　approach　to　the　nuclear　furnace　far　below。
　 The　end　of　the　passage；　another　heavily　clamped　door；　and　then　we　were　into　what　was　obviously　the　control　center　of　the　〃Dolphin〃。　To　the　left　was　a　partitioned…off　radio　room；　to　the　right　a　battery　of　machines　and　dialed　panels　of　inprehensible　purpose；　and　straight　ahead；　a　big　chart　table。　Beyond　that　again；　in　the　center；　were　massive　mast　housings　and；　still　further　on；　the　periscope　stand　with　its　twin　periscopes。　The　whole　control　room　was　twice　the　size　of　any　I'd　ever　seen　in　a　conventional　submarine　but；　even　so；　every　square　inch　of　bulkhead　space　seemed　to　be　taken　up　by　one　type　or　another　of　highly　plicated　looking　machines　or　instrument　banks：　even　the　deckhead　was　almost　invisible；　lost　to　sight　above　thickly　twisted　festoons　of　wires；　cables　and　pipes　of　a　score　of　different　kinds。　
　 The　for'ard　port　side　of　the　control　room　was　for　all　the　world　like　a　replica　of　the　flight　deck　of　a　modern　multiengined　jet　airliner。　There　were　two　separate　yoke　aircraft　type　control　columns；　facing　on　to　banks　of　hooded　calibrated　dials。　Behind　the　yokes　were　two　padded　leather　chairs；　each　chair；　I　could　see；　fitted　with　a　safety　belt　to　hold　the　helmsman　in　place。　I　wondered　vaguely　what　type　of　violent　maneuvers　the　〃Dolphin〃　might　be　capable　of　when　such　safety　belts　were　obviously　considered　essential　to　strap　the　helmsman　down。　
　 Opposite　the　control　platform；　on　the　other　side　of　the　passageway　leading　forward　from　the　control　room；　was　a　second　partitioned…off　room。　There　was　no　indication　what　this　might　be　and　I　wasn't　given　time　to　wonder。　Hansen　hurried　down　the　passage；　stopped　at　the　first　door　on　his　left；　and　knocked。　The　door　opened　and　mander　Swanson　appeared。
　 〃Ah；　there　you　are。　Sorry　you've　been　kept　waiting；　Dr。　Carpenter。　We're　sailing　at　six　thirty；　John〃this　to　Hansen。　〃You　can　have　everything　set　up　by　then？〃
　 〃Depends　how　quickly　the　loading　of　the　torpedoes　goes；　Captain。〃
　 〃We're　taking　only　six　aboard。〃
　 Hansen　lifted　an　eyebrow　but　made　no　ment。　He　said；　〃Loading　them　into　the　tubes？〃
　 〃In　the　racks。　They　have　to　be　worked　on。〃
　 〃No　spares？〃
　 〃No　spares。〃
　 Hansen　nodded　and　left。　Swanson　led　me　into　his　cabin　and　closed　the　door　behind　him。
　 mander　Swanson's　cabin　was　bigger　than　a　telephone　booth；　I'll　say　that　for　it；　but　not　all　that　much　bigger　to　shout　about。　A　built…in　bunk；　a　folding　washbasin；　a　small　writing　desk　and　chair；　a　folding　camp　stool；　a　locker；　some　calibrated　repeater…instrument　dials　above　the　bunk；　and　that　was　it。　If　you'd　tried　to　perform　the　twist　in　there；　you'd　have　fractured　yourself　in　a　dozen　places　without　ever　moving　your　feet　from　the　center　of　the　floor。
　 〃Dr。　Carpenter；〃　Swanson　said；　〃I'd　like　you　to　meet　Admiral　Garvie；　mander　U。　S。　Nato　naval　forces。〃
　 Admiral　Garvie　put　down　the　glass　he　was　holding　in　his　hand；　rose　from　the　only　chair；　and　stretched　out　his　hand。　As　he　stood　with　his　feet　together；　the　far　from　negligible　clearance　between　his　knees　made　it　easy　to　understand　the　latter　part　of　his　〃Andy　Bandy〃　nickname：　like　Hansen；　he'd　have　been　at　home　on　the　range。　He　was　a　tall；　florid…faced　man　with　white　hair；　white　eyebrows　and　a　twinkle　in　the　blue　eyes　below；　he　had　that　certain　indefinable　something　about　him　mon　to　all　senior　naval　officers　the　world　over；　irrespective　of　race　or　nationality。　
　 〃Glad　to　meet　you；　Dr。　Carpenter。　Sorry　for　theurn　lukewarm　reception　you　received；　but　mander　Swanson　was　perfectly　within　his　rights…　in　acting　as　he　did。　His　men　have　looked　after　you？〃　
　 〃They　permitted　me　to　buy　them　a　cup　of　coffee　in　the　canteen。〃
　 He　smiled。　〃Opportunists　all；　those　nuclear　men。　I　feel　that　the　good　name　of　American　hospitality　is　in　danger。　Whisky；　Dr。　Carpenter？〃
　 〃I　thought　American　naval　ships　were　dry；　sir。〃
　 〃So　they　are；　my　boy；　so　they　are。　Except　for　a　little　medicinal　alcohol；　of　course。　My　personal　supply。〃　He　produced　a　hip　flask　about　the　size　of　a　canteen　and　reached　for　a　convenient　shot　glass。　〃Before　venturing　into　the　remoter　fastnesses　of　the　Highlands　of　Scotland；　the　prudent　man　takes　the　necessary　precautions。　I　have　to　make　an　apology　to　you；　Dr。　Carpenter。　I　saw　your　Admiral　Hewson　in　London　last