alistairmaclean.icestationzebra-第18章

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　not　immediately　recognized　it　because　frostbite　or　hunger　or　burns　had　made　it　temporarily　unrecognizable。　I　looked　very　carefully　indeed；　and　I　knew　that　I　had　never　seen　any　of　those　faces　before。
　 I　moved　over　to　the　first　of　the　three　still　sleeping　figures　and　lifted　the　blanket　covering　the　face。　The　face　of　a　stranger。　I　let　the　blanket　drop。　Jolly　said　in　puzzlement：　〃What's　wrong？　What　do　you　want？〃
　 I　didn't　answer　him。　I　picked　my　way　around　recumbent　men；　all　staring　unprehendingly　at　me；　and　lifted　the　blanket　from　the　face　of　the　second　sleeping　man。　Again　I　let　the　blanket　drop　and　I　could　feel　my　mouth　go　dry；　the　slow；　heavy　pounding　of　my　heart。　I　crossed　to　the　third　man；　then　stood　there　hesitating；　knowing　I　must　find　out；　dreading　what　I　must　find。　Then　I　stooped　quickly　and　lifted　the　blanket。　A　man　with　a　heavily　bandaged　face。　A　man　with　a　broken　nose　and　a　thick　blond　beard。　A　man　I　had　never　seen　in　my　life　before。　Gently　I　spread　the　blanket　back　over　his　face　and　straightened　up。　Rawlings；　I　saw；　already　had　the　solid…fuel　stove　going。
　 〃That　should　bring　the　temperature　up　to　close　to　freezing；〃　I　said　to　Dr。　Jolly。　〃We've　plenty　of　fuel。　We've　also　brought　food；　alcohol；　a　plete　medical　kit。　If　you　and　Kinnaird　want　to　start　in　on　those　things　now；　I'll　give　you　a　hand　in　a　minute。　Lieutenant；　that　was　a　polynya；　that　smooth　stretch　we　crossed　just　before　we　got　here？　A　frozen　lead？〃
　 〃Couldn't　be　anything　else。〃　Hansen　was　looking　at　me　peculiarly；　a　wondering　expression　on　his　face。　〃These　people　are　obviously　in　no　fit　state　to　travel　a　couple　of　hundred　yards；　much　less　four　or　five　miles。　Besides；　the　skipper　said　be　was　going　to　be　squeezed　down　pretty　soon。　So　we　call　the　〃Dolphin〃　and　have　them　surface　at　the　back　door？〃
　 〃Can　he　find　that　polynyawithout　the　ice　machine；　I　mean？〃
　 〃Nothing　simpler。　I'll　take　Zabrinski's　radio；　move　a　measured　two　hundred　yards　to　the　north；　send　a　bearing　signal；　move　two　hundreds　to　the　south；　and　do　the　same。　They'll　have　our　range　to　a　yard。　Take　a　couple　of　hundred　yards　off　that　and　the　〃Dolphin〃　will　find　itself　smack　in　the　middle　of　the　polynya。〃
　 〃But　still　under　it。　I　wonder　how　thick　that　ice　is。　You　had　an　open　lead　to　the　west　of　the　camp　some　time　ago；　Dr。　Jolly。　How　long　ago？〃
　 〃A　month。　Maybe　five　weeks。　I　can't　be　sure。〃
　 〃How　thick？〃　I　asked　Hansen。
　 〃Five　feet；　maybe　six。　Couldn't　possibly　break　through　it。　But　the　captain's　always　had　a　hankering　to　try　out　his　torpedoes。〃　He　turned　to　Zabrinski。　〃Still　able　to　operate　that　radio　of　yours？〃
　 I　left　them　to　it。　I'd　hardly　been　aware　of　what　I'd　been　saying；　anyway。　I　felt　sick　and　old　and　empty　and　sad　and　deathly　tired。　I　had　my　answer　now。　I'd　e　12；000　miles　to　find　it；　I'd　have　gone　a　million　to　avoid　it。　But　the　inescapable　fact　was　there　and　now　nothing　could　ever　change　it。　Mary；　my　sister…in…law；　and　her　three　wonderful　childrenshe　would　never　see　her　husband　again；　they　would　never　see　their　father　again。　My　brother　was　dead；　and　no　one　was　ever　going　to　see　him　again。　Except　me。　I　was　going　to　see　him　now。
　 I　went　out；　closing　the　door　behind　me；　moved　around　the　corner　of　the　hut；　and　lowered　my　head　against　the　storm。　Ten　seconds　later　I　reached　the　door　of　the　last　hut　in　the　line。　I　used　the　flashlight　to　locate　the　handle；　twisted　it；　pushed　and　walked　inside。
　 Once　it　had　been　a　laboratory；　now　it　was　a　charnel　house；　a　house　of　the　dead。　The　laboratory　equipment　had　all　been　pushed　roughly　to　one　side　and　the　cleared　floor　space　covered　with　the　bodies　of　dead　men。　I　knew　they　were　dead　men；　but　only　because　Kinnaird　had　told　me　so：　hideously　charred　and　blackened　and　grotesquely　misshapen　as　they　were；；　those　carbonized　and　contorted　lumps　of　matter　could　have　been　any　form　of　life　or；　indeed；　no　form　of　life　at　all。　The　stench　of　incinerated　flesh　and　burnt　diesel　fuel　was　dreadful。　I　wondered　which　of　the　men　in　the　other　hut　had　had　the　courage；　the　iron　resolution；　to　bring　those　grisly　burdens；　the　shockingly　disfigured　remains　of　their　former　rades；　into　this　hut。　They　must　have　had　strong　stomachs。
　 Death　must　have　been　swift；　swift　for　all　of　them。　Theirs　had　not　been　the　death　of　men　trapped　by　fire；　it　had　been　the　death　of　men　who　had　themselves　been　on　fire。　Caught；　drenched；　saturated　by　a　gale…borne　sea　of　burning　oil；　they　must　have　spent　the　last　few　seconds　of　life　as　incandescently　blazing　human　torches　before　dying　in　insane；　screaming　agony。　They　must　have　died　as　terribly　as　men　can　ever　die。
　 Something　about　one　of　the　bodies　close　to　me　caught　my　attention。　I　stooped　and　focused　the　flashlight　beam　on　what　had　once　been　a　right　hand；　now　no　more　than　a　blackened　claw　with　the　bone　showing　through。　So　powerful　had　been　that　heat　that　it　had　warped；　but　not　melted；　the　curiously　shaped　gold　ring　on　the　third　finger。　I　recognized　that　ring；　I　had　been　with　my　sister…in…law　when　she　had　bought　it。
　 I　was　conscious　of　no　grief；　no　pain；　no　revulsion。　Perhaps；　I　thought　dully；　those　would　e　later　when　the　initial　shock　had　worn　off。　But　I　didn't　think　so。　This　wasn't　the　man　I　remembered　so　well；　the　brother　to　whom　I　owed　everything；　a　debt　that　could　now　never　be　repaid。　This　charred　mass　of　matter　before　me　was　a　stranger；　so　utterly　different　from　the　man　who　lived　on　in　my　memory；　so　changed　beyond　all　possibility　of　recognition　that　my　numbed　mind　in　my　exhausted　body　just　could　not　begin　to　bridge　the　gap。
　 As　I　stood　there；　staring　down；　something　ever　so　slightly　off…beat　about　the　way　the　body　lay　caught　my　professional　attention。　I　stooped　low；　very　low；　and　remained　bent　over　for　what　seemed　a　long　time。　I　straightened；　slowly；　and　as　I　did　I　heard　the　door　behind　me　open。　I　whirled　around　and　saw　that　it　was　Lieutenant　Hansen。　He　pulled　down　his　snow　mask；　lifted　up　his　goggles；　and　looked　at　me　and　then　at　the　man　at　my　feet。　I　could　see　shock　draining　expression　and　color　from　his　face。　Then　he　looked　up　at　me。
　 〃So　you　lost　out；　Doc？〃　I　could　hardly　hear　the　husky　whisper　above　the　voice　of　the　storm。　〃God；　I'm　sorry。〃
　 〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　 〃Your　brother？〃　He　nodded　at　the　man　at　my　feet。
　 〃mander　Swanson　told　you？〃
　 〃Yeah。　Just　before　we　left。　That's　why　we　came。〃　His　gaze　moved　in　horrified　fascination　over　the　floor　of　the　hut；　and　his　face　was　gray；　like　old　parchment。　〃A　minute；　Doc；　just　a　minute。〃　He　turned　and　hurried　through　the　doorway。
　 When　be　came　back　he　looked　better；　but　not　much。　He　said；　〃mander　Swanson　said　that　that　was　why　he　had　to　let　you　go。〃
　 〃Who　else　knows？〃
　 〃Skipper　and　myself。　No　one　else。〃
　 〃Keep　it　that　way；　will　you？　As　a　favor　to　me。〃
　 〃If　you　say　so；　Doc。〃　There　was　curiosity　in　his　face　now；　and　puzzlement；　but　horror　was　still　the　dominant　expression。　〃My　God；　have　you　ever　seen　anything　like　it？〃
　 〃Let's　get　back　to　the　others；〃　I　said。　〃We're　doing　nobody　any　good　by　staying　here。〃
　 He　nodded　without　speaking。　Together　we　made　our　way　back　to　the　other　hut。　Apart　from　Dr。　Jolly　and　Kinnaird；　three　other　men　were　on　their　feet　now：　Captain　Folsom；　an　extraordinarily　tall；　thin　man；　with　savagely　burnt　face　and　hands；　who　was　second　in　mand　of　the　base；　Hewson；　a　dark…eyed　taciturn　character；　a　tractor　driver　and　engineer　who　had　been　responsible　for　the　diesel　generators；　and　a　cheerful　Yorkshireman；　Naseby；　the　camp　cook。　Jolly；　who　had　opened　my　medical　kit　and　was　applying　fresh　bandages　to　the　arms　of　one　of　the　men　still　lying　down；　introduced　them；　then　turned　back　to　his　job。　He　didn't　seem　to　need　my　helpnot　for　the　moment；　anyway。　I　heard　Hansen　say　to　Zabrinski：　〃In　contact　with　the　〃Dolphin？〃〃
　 〃Well；　no。〃　Zabrinski　stopped　sending　his　call　sign　and　shifted　slightly　to　ease　his　broken　ankle。　〃I　don't　quite　know　how　to　put　this；　Lieutenant；　but　the　fact　is　that　this　little　ole　set　here　seems　to　have　blown　a　fuse。〃
　 〃Well；　now；〃　Hansen　said　heavily。　〃That　〃is〃　clever　of　you；　Zabrinski。　You　mean　you　can't　raise　them？〃
　 〃I　can　hear　them；　but　they　can't　hear　me。〃　He　shrugged　apologetically。　〃Me　and　my　clumsy　feet；　I　guess。　It　wasn't　only　my　ankle　that　went　when　I　took　that　tumble　out　there。〃
　 〃Well；　can't　you　repair　the　damn　thing？〃
　 〃I　don't　think　so；　Lieutenant。〃
　 〃Damn　it；　you're　supposed　to　be　a　radioman。〃
　 〃That's　so；〃　Zabrinski　acknowledged　reasonably。　〃But　I'm　not　a　magician。。　And　with　a　couple　of　numbed　and　frozen　hands；　no　tools；　an　old…type　set　without　a　printed　circuit；　and　the　code　signs　in　Japanesewell；　even　Marconi　would　have　called　it　a　day。〃
　 〃〃Can〃　it　be　repaired？〃　Hansen　insisted。
　 〃It's　a　transistor　set。　No　valves　to　smash。　I　suppose　It　could　be　repaired。　But　it　might　take　hours；　Lieutenant。　I'd　even　have　to　find　a　set　of　tools　first。〃
　 〃Well；　find　them。　Anything　you　like。　Only　get　that　thing　working。〃
　 Zabrinski　said　nothing。　He　held　out　the　headphones　to　Hansen。　Hansen　looked　at　Zabrinski；　then　at　the　phones；　took　them　without　a　word　and　listened　briefly。　Then　he　shrugged；　handed　back　the　phones；　and　said；　〃Well；　I　guess　there　〃is〃　no　hurry　to　repair　that　radio。〃
　 〃Yeah；〃　Zabrinski　said。　〃Awkward；　you　might　say；　Lieutenant。〃
　 〃What's　awkward？〃　I　asked。
　 〃Looks　as　if　〃we're〃　going　to　be　next　on　the　list　for　a　rescue　party；〃　Hansen　said　heavily。　〃They're　sending　a　more　or　less　continuous　message：　'Ice　closing　rapidly；　return　at　once。'〃
　 〃I　was　against　this　madness　from　the　very　beginning；〃　Rawlings　intoned　from　the　floor。　He　stared　down　at　the　already　melting　lumps　of　frozen　tinned　soup　and　stirred　it　moodily　with　a　fork。　〃A　gallant　attempt；　man；　but　foredoomed　to　failure。〃
　 〃Keep　your　filthy　fingers　out　of　that　soup　and　kindly　shut　up；〃　Hansen　said　coldly。　He　turned　suddenly　to　Kinnaird。　〃How　about　〃your〃　radio　set？　Of　coursethat's　it。　We　have　men　here　to　crank　your　generator　and〃
　 〃I'm　sorry。〃　Kinnaird　smiled　the　way　a　ghost　might　smile。　〃It's　not　a　hand…powered　generatorthat　was　destroyedit's　a　battery　set。　The　batteries　are　dead。　pletely　dead。〃
　 〃A　battery　set；　you　said？〃　Zabrinski　looked　at　him　in　mild　surprise。　〃Then　what　caused　all　the　power　fluctuations　when　you　were　transmitting？〃
　 〃We　kept　changing　over　the　nickle　cadmium　cells　to　try　to　make　the　most　of　what　little　power　was　left　in　them：　we'd　only　fifteen　left　altogether：　most　of　them　were　lost　in　the　fire。　That　caused　the　power　fluctuations。　But　even　Nife　cells　don't　last　forever。　They're　dead；　mate。　The　bined　power　left　in　those　cells　wouldn't　light　a　pencil　torch。〃
　 Zabrinski　didn't　say　anything。　No　one　said　anything。　The　ice　spicules　drummed　incessantly　against　the　east　wall；　the　Coleman　hissed；　the　solid　fuel　stove　purred　softly；　but　the　sole　effect　of　those　thiee　sounds　was　to　make　the　silence　inside　seem　that　little　bit　more　absolute。　No　one　looked　at　his　neighbors；　everyone　stared　down　at　the　floor　with　the　fixed　and　steadfast　gaze　of　an　entomologist　hunting　for　traces　of　woodworm。　Any　newspaper　printing　a　picture　taken　at　that　instant　wouldn't　have　found　it　any　too　easy　to　convince　its　readers　that　the　men　on　Drift　Ice　Station　Zebra　had　been　rescued　just　ten　minutes　previously；　and　rescued　from　certain　death　at　that。　The　readers　would　have　pointed　out　that　one　might　have　expected