alistairmaclean.icestationzebra-第51部分

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anxious　as　any　of　us　that　we　survive。　The　first　time　he　went　into　the　engine　room　it　was　too　damned　hot　and　unfortable　for　his　liking；　so　he　just　lay　down　on　the　floor　and　let　someone　carry　him　for'ard　to　where　the　fresh　air　was。　Later〃
　 〃He　had　his　mask　off；〃　Hansen　objected。
　 〃He　took　it　off。　〃You〃　can　hold　your　breath　for　ten　or　fifteen　secondsdon't　you　think　Jolly　can；　too？　Later　on；　when　he　was　performing　his　heroics　in　the　engine　room；　it　was　because　conditions　there　were　better；　conditions　outside　worse　and　because　by　…going　into　the　engine　room　he　was　entitled　to　a　closed…circuit　breathing　set。　Jolly　got　more　clean　air　last　night　than　any　of　us。　He　doesn't　mind　if　he　causes　someone　to　die　screaming　his　head　off　in　agonybut　he　himself　isn't　going　to　suffer　the　slightest　degree　of　hardship。　Not　if　he　can　help　it。　Isn't　that　so；　Jolly？〃
　 He　didn't　answer。
　 〃Where　are　the　films；　Jolly？〃
　 〃I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about；〃　he　said　in　a　quiet；　toneless　voice。　〃Before　God；　my　hands　are　clean。〃
　 〃How　about　your　fingerprints　on　that　foil　with　the　salt　on　it？〃
　 〃Any　doctor　can　make　a　mistake。〃
　 〃My　God！　Mistake！　Where　are　they；　Jollythe　films？〃
　 〃For　God's　sake；　leave　me　alone；〃　he　said　tiredly。
　 〃Have　it　your　own　way。〃　I　looked　at　Swanson。　〃Got　some　nice　secure　place　where　you　can　lock　this　character　up？〃
　 〃I　certainly　have；〃　Swanson　said　grimly。　〃I'll　conduct　him　there　in　person。〃
　 〃No　one's　conducting　anyone　anywhere；〃　Kinnaird　said。　He　was　looking　at　me；　and　I　didn't　care　very　much　for　the　way　he　was　looking　at　me。　I　didn't　care　very　much　either　for；　what　he　held　in　his　hand：　a　very　nasty…looking　Mauser。　It　was　cradled　in　his　fist　as　if　it　had　grown　there；　and　it　was　pointing　straight　between　my　eybs。
　
　13
　
　 〃Clever　clever　counter…espionage；　Carpenter；〃　Dr。　Jolly　murmured。　〃How　swiftly　the　fortunes　of　war　change；　old　boy。　But　you　shouldn't　be　surprised　really。　You　haven't　found　out　anything　that　actually　matters；　but　surely　you　should　have　found　out　enough　to　realize　that　you　are　operating　out　of　your　class。　Please　don't　try　anything　foolish。　Kinnaird　is　one　of　the　finest　pistol　shots　I　'have　ever　knownand　you　will　observe　how　strategically　he's　placed；　　so　that　everyone　in　the　room　is　covered。〃
　 He　delicately　patted　his　still　bleeding　mouth　with　a　handkerchief；　rose；　went　behind　me；　and　ran　his　hands　quickly　down　my　clothes。
　 〃My　word；〃　he　said。　〃Not　even　carrying　a　gun。　You　really　are　unprepared；　Carpenter。　Turn　round；　will　you；　so　that　your　back　is　to　Kinnaird's　gun？〃
　 I　turned　around。　He　smiled　pleasantly；　then　hit　me　twice　across　the　face　with；　all　his　strength；　first　with　the　back　of　his　right　hand　and　then　with　the　back　of　his　left。　I　staggered　but　didn't　fall　down。　I　could　taste　the　salt　of　blood。
　 〃Can't　even　call　it　regrettable　loss　of　temper；〃　Jolly　said　with　satisfaction。　〃Did　it　deliberately　and　with　malice　aforethought。　Enjoyed　it；　too。〃
　 〃So　Kinnaird　was　the　killer；〃　I　said　slowly；　thickly。　〃He　was　the　man　with　the　gun？〃
　 〃Wouldn't　want　to　take　all　the　credit；　mate；〃　Kinnaird　said　modestly。　〃Let's　say　we　sorted　them　out　fifty…fifty。〃
　 〃〃You〃　were　the　one　who　went　out　with　the　monitor　to　find　the　capsule；〃　I　nodded。　〃That's　why　you　got　your　face　as　badly　frost…bitten。〃
　 〃Got　lost；〃　Kinnaird　admitted。　〃Thought　I'd　never　find　the　damned　station　again。〃
　 〃Jolly　and　Kinnaird；〃　Jeremy　said　wonderingly。　〃Jolly　and　Kinnaird。　Your　own　mates。　You　two　ifithy；　murderous〃
　 〃Be　quiet；〃　Jolly　ordered。　〃Kinnaird；　don't　bother　answering　questions。　Unlike　Carpenter　here；　I　take　no　pleasure　in　outlining　my　〃modus　operandi〃　and　explaining　at　length　how　clever　I've　been。　As　you　observed；　Carpenter；　I'm　a　man　of　action。　mander　Swanson；　get　on　that　phone　there；　call　up　your　control　room；　order　your　ship　to　surface　and　steam　north。〃
　 〃You're　being　too　ambitious；　Jolly；〃　Swanson　said　calmly。　〃You　can't　hijack　a　submarine。〃
　 〃Kinnaird；〃　Jolly　said。　〃Point　your　gun　at　Hansen's　stomach。　When　I　reach　the　count　of　five；　pull　the　trigger。　One；　two；　three〃
　 Swanson　half　raised　a　hand　in　acknowledgment　of　defeat；　crossed　to　the　wall　phone；　gave　the　necessary　orders；　hung　up　and　came　back　to　stand　beside　me。　He　looked　at　me　without　either　respect　or　admiration。　I　looked　around　at　all　the　other　people　in　the　room。　Jolly；　Hansen　and　Rawlings　standing；　Zabrinski　sitting　on　a　chair　by　himself　with　the　now　disregarded　copy　of　the　〃Dolphin　Daze〃　on　his　knees；　all　the　others　sitting　around　the　table；　Kinnaird　well　clear　of　them；　the　gun　very　steady　in　his　hands。　So　very　steady。　No　one　seemed　to　be　contemplating　any　heroics。　For　the　most　part；　everyone　was　too　shocked；　too　dazed；　to　think　of　anything。
　 〃Hijacking　a　nuclear　submarine　is　an　intriguing　prospect；　and　no　doubt　would　be　a　highly　profitable　one；　mander　Swanson；〃　Jolly　said。　〃But　I　know　my　limitations；　No；　old　top；　we　shall　simply　be　leaving　you。　Not　very　many　miles　from　here　is　a　naval　vessel　with　a　helicopter　on　its　after　deck。　In　a　little　while；　mander；　you　will　send　a　wireless　message　on　a　certain　frequency　giving　our　position：　the　helicopter　will　pick　us　up。　And　even　if　your　crippled　engine　would　stand　the　strain；　I　wouldn't　advise　you　to　e　chasing　after　that　ship　with　ideas　about　torpedoing　it　or　anything　of　that　dramatic　sort。　Apart　from　the　fact　that　you　wouldn't　like　to　be　responsible　for　triggering　off　a　nuclear　war；　you　couldn't　catch　it　anyway。　You　won't　even　be　able　to　see　the　ship；　manderand　if　you　did；　it　wouldn't　matter；　anyway。　It　has　no　nationality　markings。〃
　 〃Where　are　the　films？〃　I　asked。
　 〃They're　already　aboard　that　naval　vessel。〃
　 〃They're　〃what？〃〃　Swanson　demanded。　〃How　in　hell's　name　can　they　be？〃
　 〃Sorry　and　all　that；　old　boy。　I　repeat　that；　unlike　Carpenter　here；　I　don't　go　around　shooting　off　my　mouth。　A　professional；　my　dear　captain；　〃never〃　gives　information　about　his　methods。〃
　 〃So　you　get　off　with　it；〃　I　said　bitterly。　My　mouth　felt　thick　and　swollen。
　 〃Don't　see　what's　to　stop　us。　Crimes　don't　always　e　home　to　roost；　you　know。〃
　 〃Eight　men　murdered；〃　I　said　wonderingly。　〃Eight　men。　You　can　stand　there　and　cheerfully　admit　that　you　are　responsible　for　the　deaths　of　eight　men。〃
　 〃Cheerfully？〃　he　said　consideringly。　〃No；　not　cheerfully。　Fm　a　professional；　and　a　professional　never　kills　unnecessarily。　But　this　time　it　was　necessary。　That's　all。〃
　 〃That's　the　second　time　you've　used　the　word　'professional；'〃　I　said　slowly。　〃I　was　wrong　on　one　theory。　You　weren't　just　suborned　after　the　Zebra　team　had　been　picked。　You've　been　at　this　game　a　long　timeyou're。　too　good　not　to　have　been。〃
　 〃Fifteen　years；　old　lad；〃　Jolly　said　calmly。　〃Kinnaird　and　Iwe　were　the　best　team　in　Britain。　Our　usefulness　in　that　country；；　unfortunately；　is　over。　I　should　imagine　that　our　uhexceptional　talents　can　be　employed　elsewhere。〃
　 〃You　admit　to　all　those　murders？〃　I　asked。
　 He　looked　at　me　in　sudden　cold　speculation。　〃A　damned　funny　question；　Carpenter。　Of　course。　I've　told　you。　Why？〃
　 〃And　do　you；　Kinnaird？〃
　 He　looked　at　me　in　bleak　suspicion。　〃Why　ask？〃
　 〃You　answer　my　question　and　I'll　answer　yours。〃　At　the　corner　of　my　range　of　vision　I　could　see　Jolly　looking　at　me　with　narrowed　eyes。　He　was　very　sensitive　to　atmosphere；　he　knew　there　was　something　off…key。
　 〃You　know　damn　well　what　I　did；　mate；〃　Kinnaird　said　coldly。
　 〃So　there　we　have　it。　In　the　presence　of　no　less　than　twelve　witnesses；　you　both　confess　to　murder。　You　shouldn't　have　done　that；　you　know。　I'll　answer　your　question；　Kinnaird。　I　wanted　to　have　an　oral　confession　from　you　because；　apart　from　the　sheet　of　aluminum　foil　and　something　I'll　mention　in　a　minute；　we　have　no　actual　proof　at　all　against　either　of　you。　But　now　we　have　your　confessions。　Your　great　talents　are　not　going　to　be　used　in　any　other　sphere；　I'm　afraid。　You'll　never　see　that　helicopter　or　that　naval　vessel。　You'll　both　die　jerking　on　the　end　of　a　rope。〃
　 〃What　rubbish　is　this？〃　Jolly　asked　contemptuously。　But　there　was　worry　under　the　contempt。　〃What　last…minute　despairing　bluff　are　you　trying　to　pull；　Carpenter？〃
　 I　ignored　his　question。　I　said：　〃I've　been　on　to　Kinnaird　for　some　sixty　hours　also；　Jolly。　But　I　had　to　play　it　this　way。　Without　letting　you　gain　what　appeared　to　be　the　upper　hand　you　would　never　have　admitted　to　the　crimes。　But　now　you　have。〃
　 〃Don't　fall　for　it；　old　lad；〃　Jolly　said　to　Kinnaird。　〃It's　just　some　desperate　bluff。　He　never　had　any　idea　that　you　were　in　on　this。〃
　 〃When　I　knew　you　were　one　of　the　killers；〃　I　said　to　Jolly；　I　was　almost　certain　Kinnaird　had　to　be　another。　You　shared　the　same　cabin　and　unless　Kinnaird　had　been　sapped　or　drugged　he　had　to　be　in　on　it。　He　was　neither。　He　was　in　on　it。　That　door　wasn't　jammed　when　Naseby　ran　to　the　radio　room　to　warn　youthe　two　of　you　were　leaning　all　your　weight　against　it　to　give　the　impression　that　it　had　been　closed　for　hours　and　that　ice　had　formed。
　 〃By　the　same　token；　young　Grant；　the　assistant　radio　operator；　was　in　cahoots　with　youor　he　wasn't。　If　he　wasn't；　he　would　have　。to　be　silenced。　He　wasn't。　So　you　silenced　him。　After　I'd　caught　on　to　the　two　of　you；　I　had　a　good　look　at　Grant。　I　went　out　and　dug　him　up　from　where　we'd　buried　him。　Rawlings　and　I。　I　found　a　great　big　bruise　at　the　base　of　his　neck。　He　surprised　you　in　something；　or　he　woke　when　you　knifed　or　shot　one　of　Major　Halliwell's　men；　and　you　laid　him　out。　You　didn't　bother　killing　him：　you　were　about　to　set　the　hut　on　fire　and　incinerate　him；　so　killing　would　have　been　pointless。　But　you　didn't　reckon　on　Captain　Folsom　here　going　in　and　bringing　him　outalive。
　 〃That　was　most　damnably　awkward　for　you；　wasn't　it；　Jolly？　He　was　unconscious；　but　when　and　if　he　recovered　consciousness；　he　could　blow　the　whole　works　on　you。　But　you　couldn't　get　at　him　to　finish　him　off；　could　you？　The　bunkhouse　was　full　of　people；　most　of　them　suffering　so　severely　that　sleep　was　impossible　for　them。　When　we　arrived　on　the　scene　you　got　desperate。　Grant　was　showing　signs　of　regaining　consciousness。　You　took　a　chance；　but　not　all　that　much　of　a　chance。　Remember　how　surprised　I　was　to　find　that　you　had　used　up　all　my　morphine？　Well；　I　〃was〃　surprised　then。　But　not　now。　I　know　now