alistairmaclean.icestationzebra-第21章

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perating　again；　make　an　accurate　survey　of　this　lead　then　fire　a　torpedo　up　through　the　middle。　If　the　ice　is　only　four　or　five　feet　thick　there；　we　shouldn't　have　much　trouble　blowing　a　hole　through。〃
　 〃That　would　be　best；〃　Hansen　agreed。　He　finished　off　his　medicinal　alcoholan　excellent　bourbonrose　stiffly　to　his　feet；　and　stretched。　〃Well；　back　to　the　old　treadmill　again。　How　many　torpedoes　in　working　order？〃
　 〃Four；　at　the　last　count。〃
　 〃I　may　as　well　go　help　young　Mills　load　them　up　now。　If　that's　okay　by　you；　skipper。〃
　 〃It　is　not　okay　by　me；〃　Swanson　said　mildly；　〃and　if　you'll　take　a　quick　gander　at　that　mirror　there；　you'll　understand　why。　You're　not　fit　to　load　a　slug　into　an　air　rifle；　much　less　a　torpedo　into　its　tube。　You　haven't　just　been　on　a　Sundayafternoon　stroll；　you　know。　A　few　hours'　sleep；　John；　then　we'll　see。〃
　 Hansen　didn't　argue。　I　couldn't　imagine　anyone　arguing　with　mander　Swanson。　He　made　for　the　door。　〃ing；　Doc？〃
　 〃In　a　moment。　Sleep　well。〃
　 〃Yeah。　Thanks。〃　He　touched　me　lightly　on　the　shoulder　and　smiled　through　bloodshot　and　exhausted　eyes。　〃Thanks　for　everything。　Good　night；　all。〃
　 When　he　was　gone　Swanson　said；　〃It　was　pretty　wicked　out　there　tonight？〃
　 〃I　wouldn't　remend　it　for　an　old　ladies'　home　Sundayafternoon　outing。〃
　 〃Lieutenant　Hansen　seems　to　imagine　he's　under　some　kind　of　debt　to　you；〃　he　went　on　inconsequentially。
　 〃Imagination；　as　you　say。　They　don't　e　any　better　than　Hansen。　You're　damned　lucky　to　have　him　as　an　exec。〃
　 〃I　know　that。〃　He　hesitated；　then　said　quietly：　〃I　promise　you　I　won't　mention　this　again；　but；　well；　I'm　damned　sorry；　Doctor。〃
　 I　looked　at　him　and　nodded　slowly。　I　knew　he　meant　it；　I　knew　he　had　to　say　it；　but　there's　not　much　you　can　say　in　turn　to　anything　like　that。　I　said：　〃Six　others　died　with　him；　mander。〃
　 He　hesitated　again。　〃Do　wedo　we　take　the　dead　back　to　Britain　with　us？〃
　 〃Could　I　have　another　drop　of　that　excellent　bourbon；　mander？　Been　a　very　heavy　run　on　your　medicinal　alcohol　in　the　past　few　hours；　I'm　afraid。〃　I　waited　till　he　had　filled　my　glass；　then　went　on：　〃We　don't　take　them　back　with　us。　They're　not　dead　men；　they're　just　unrecognizable　and　unidentifiable　lumps　of　charred　matter。　Let　them　stay　here。〃
　 His　relief　was　unmistakable　and　he　was　aware　of　it；　for　he　went　on　hurriedly；　for　something　to　say：　〃All　this　equipment　for　locating　and　tracking　the　Russian　missiles。　Destroyed？〃
　 〃I　didn't　check。〃　He'd　find　out　for　himself　soon　enough　that　there　had　been　no　such　equipment。　How　he'd　react　to　that　discovery　in　light　of　the　cock…and…bull　story　I'd　spun　to　him　and　Admiral　Garvie　in　the　Holy　Loch　I　couldn't　even　begin　to　guess。　At　the　moment　I　didn't　even　care。　It　didn't　seem　important；　nothing　seemed　important；　not　any　more。　All　at　once　I　felt　tired；　not　sleepy；　just　deathly　tired；　so　I　pushed　myself　stiffly　to　my　feet；　said　good　night；　and　left。
　
　
　 Hansen　was　in　his　bunk　when　I　got　back　to　his　cabin；　his　furs　lying　where　he　had　dropped　them。　I　checked　that　he　was　no　longer　awake；　slipped　off　my　own　furs；　hung　them　up；　and　replaced　the　Mannlicher…Schoenauer　in　my　case。　I　lay　down　in　my　cot　to　sleep；　but　sleep　wouldn't　e。　Exhausted　though　I　was；　I　had　never　felt　less　like　sleep　in　my　life。
　 I　was　too　restless　and　unsettled　for　sleep；　too　many　problems　ing　all　at　once　were　causing　a　first…class　log　jam　in　my　mind。　I　got　up；　pulled　on　a　shirt　and　denim　pants；　and　made　my　way　to　the　control　room。　I　spent　the　better　part　of　what　remained　of　the　night　there；　pacing　up　and　down；　watching　two　technicians　repairing　the　vastly　plicated　innards　of　the　ice　machine；　reading　the　messages　of　congratulation　which　were　still　ing　in；　talking　desultorily　to　the　officer　on　deck；　and　drinking　endless　cups　of　coffee。　It　passed　the　night　for　me；　and　although　I　hadn't　closed　an　eye。　I　felt　fresh　and　almost　relaxed　by　the　time　morning　came。
　 At　the　wardroom　breakfast　table　that　morning　everyone　seemed　quietly　cheerful。　They　knew　they　had　done　a　good　job；　the　whole　world　was　telling　them　they　had　done　a　magnificent　job；　and　you　could　see　that　they　all　regarded　that　job　as　being　as　good　as　over。　No　one　appeared　to　doubt　Swanson's　ability　to　blow　a　hole　through　the　ice。　If　it　hadn't　been　for　the　presence　of　the　ghost　at　the　feast；　myself；　they　would　have　been　positively　jovial。
　 〃We'll　pass　up　the　extra　cups　of　coffee　this　morning；　gentlemen；〃　Swanson　said。　〃Drift　Station　Zebra　is　still　waiting　for　us；　and　even　though　I'm　assured　everyone　there　will　survive；　they　must　be　feeling　damned　cold　and　miserable。　The　ice　machine　has　been　in　operation　for　almost　an　hour　now；　at　least　we　hope　it　has。　We'll　drop　down　right　away　and　test　it；　and　after　we've　loaded　the　torpedoestwo　should　do　it；　I　thinkwe'll　blow　our　way　up　into　this　lead　at　Zebra。〃
　 Twenty　minutes　later　the　〃Dolphin〃　was　back　where　she　belonged；　150　feet　below　the　surface　of　the　seaor　the　ice　cap。　After　ten　minutes'　maneuvering；　with　a　close　check　being　kept　on　the　plotting　table　to　maintain　our　position　relative　to　Drift　Station　Zebra；　it　was　clear　that　the　ice　machine　was　behaving　perfectly　normally　again；　tracing　out　the　inverted　ridges　and　valleys　in　the　ice　with　its　usual　magical　accuracy。　mander　Swanson　nodded　his　satisfaction。
　 〃That's　it；　then。〃　He　nodded　to　Hansen　and　Mills；　the　torpedo　officer。　〃You　can　go　ahead　now。　Maybe　you'd　like　to　acpany　them；　Dr。　Carpenter。　Or　is　loading　torpedoes　old　hat　to　you？〃
　 〃Never　seen　it；〃　I　said　truthfully。　〃Thanks；　I'd　like　to　go　along。〃　Swanson　was　as　considerate　toward　men　as　he　was　toward　his　beloved　〃Dolphin〃；　which　was　why　every　man　in　the　ship　swore　by　him。　He　knew；　or　suspected；　that　apart　from　the　shock　I　felt　at　my　brother's　death；　I　was　worried　stiff　about　other　things。　He　would　have　heard；　although　he　hadn't　mentioned　it　to　me　and　hadn't　even　asked　me　how　I　had　slept；　that　I'd　spent　the　night　prowling　aimlessly　and　restléssly　about　the　control　room；　he　knew　I　would　be　grateful　for　any　distraction；　for　anything　that　would　relieve　my　mind；　however　temporarily；　of　whatever　it　was　that　was　troubling　it。　I　wondered　just　how　much　that　extraordinarily　keen　brain　knew　or　guessed。　But　that　was　an　unprofitable　line　of　thought　so　I　put　it　out　of　my　mind　and　went　along　with　Hansen　and　Mills。　Mills　was　another　like　Raeburn；　the　navigation　officer；　he　looked　to　me　more　like　a　college　undergraduate　than　the　highly　petent　officer　he　was；　but　I　supposed　it　was　just　another　sign　that　I　was　growing　old。
　 Hansen　crossed　to　a　panel　by　the　diving　console　and　studied　a　group　of　lights。　The　night's　sleep　had　done　him　a　great　deal　of　good　and；　apart　from　the　abraded　skin　on　his　forehead　and　around　the　cheekbones　where　the　ice　spicules　of　last　night　had　done　their　work；　he　was　again　his　normal；　cheerfully　cynical；　relaxed　self；　fresh　and　rested　and　fit。　He　waved　his　hand　at　the　panel。
　 〃The　torpedo　safety　lights；　Dr。　Carpenter。　Each　green　light　represents　a　closed　torpedo　tube　door。　Six　doors　that　open　to　the　seabow　caps；　we　call　themsix　rear　doors　for　loading　the　torpedoes。　Only　twelve　lights；　but　we　study　them　very；　very　carefullyjust　to　make　sure　that　all　the　lights　are　green。　For　if　any　of　them　were　redany　of　the　top　six；　that　is；　which　represent　the　sea　doorswell；　that　wouldn't　be　so　good；　would　it？〃　He　looked　at　Mills。　〃All　green？〃
　 〃All　green。〃　Mills　echoed。
　 We　moved　for'ard　along　the　wardroom　passage　and　dropped　down　the　wide　panionway　into　the　crew's　mess。　From　there　we　moved　into　the　for'ard　torpedo…storage　room。　Last　time　I'd　been　there；　on　the　morning　after　our　departure　from　the　Clyde；　nine　or　ten　men　had　been　sleeping　in　their　bunks；　now　all　the　bunks　were　empty。　Five　men　were　waiting　for　us：　four　seamen　and　a　petty　officer；　Bowen；　whom　Hansen；　no　stickler　for　protocol；　addressed　as　Charlie。
　 〃You　will　see　now；〃　Hansen　observed　to　me；　〃why　officers　are　more　highly　paid　than　enlisted　men；　and　deservedly　so。　While　Charlie　and　his　gallant　men　skulk　here　behind　two　sets　of　collision　bulkheads；　we　must　go　and　test　the　safety　of　the　tubes。　Regulations。　Still；　a　cool　head　and　an　iron　nerve：　we　do　it　gladly　for　our　men。〃
　 Bowen　grinned　and　unlatched　the　first　collision…bulkhead　door。　We　stepped　over　the　eighteen…inch　sill；　leaving　the　five　men　behind；　and　waited　until　the　door　had　been　latched　again　before　opening　the　for'ard　collision…bulkhead　door　and　stepping　over　the　second　sill　into　the　cramped　torpedo　room。　This　time　the　door　was　swung　wide　open　and　hooked　back　on　a　heavy　standing　catch。
　 〃All　laid　down　in　the　book　of　rules；〃　Hansen　said。　〃The　only　time　the　two　doors　can　be　opened　at　the　same　time　is　when　we're　actually　loading　the　torpedoes。〃　He　checked　the　position　of　metal　handles　at　the　rear　of　the　tubes；　reached　up；　swung　down　a　steel…spring　microphone；　and　flicked　a　switch；　〃Ready　to　test　tubes。　All　manual　levers　shut。　All　lights　showing　green？〃
　 〃All　lights　still　green。〃　The　answering　voice　from　the　overhead　squawk　box　was　hollow；　metallic；　queerly　impersonal。
　 〃You　already　checked；〃　I　said　mildly。
　 〃So　we　check　again。　Same　old　book　of　rules。〃　He　grinned。　〃Besides；　my　grandpa　died　at　ninety…seven　and　I　am　out　to　beat　his　record。　Take　no　chances　and　you　run　no　risks。　What　are　they　to　be；　George？'
　 〃Three　and　four。〃
　 I　could　see　the　brass　plaques　on　the　circular　rear　doors　of　the　tubes；　2；　4；　and　6　on　the　port　side；　1；　3；　and　5　on　the　starboard。　Lieutenant　Mills　was　proposing　to　use　the　central　tubes　on　each　side。
　 Mills　unhooked　a　rubberized　flashlight　from　the　bulkhead　and　approached　number　3　first。　Hansen　said；　〃Still　no　chances。　First　of　all　George　opens　the　test　cock　in　the　rear　door；　which　will　show　if　there　is　any　water　at　all　in　the　tubes。　Shouldn't　be；　but　sometimes　a　little　gets　past　the　bow　caps。　If　the　test　cock　shows　nothing；　then　he　opens　the　door　and　shines　his　light　up　to　examine　the　bow　cap　and　see　that　there　is　no　obstruction　in　the　tube。　How　is　it；　George？〃
　 〃Okay；　number　3。〃　Three　times　Mills　lifted　the　test…cock　handle　and　no　trace　of　water　appeared。　〃Opening　the　door　flow。〃
　 He　hauled　on　the　big　lever　at　the　rear；　pulled　it　clear；　and　swung　back　the　heavy　circular　door。　He　shone　his　kam　up　the　gleaming　inside　length　of　the　tube；　then　straightened。　〃Clean　as　a　whistle　and　dry　as　a　bone。〃
　 〃That's　not　the　way　he　was　taught　to　report　it；〃　Hansen　said　sorrowfully。　〃I　don't　know　what　the　young　officers　are　cornmg　to　these　days。　Right；　George；　number　4。〃
　 Mills　grinned；　secured　the　rear　door　on　number　3；　and　crossed　to　number　4。　He　lifted　the　test…cock　handle　and　said；　〃Oh…oh。〃
　 〃What　is　it？〃　Hansen　asked。
　 〃Water；〃　Mills　said　tersely。
　 〃Is　there　much？　Let's　see。〃
　 〃Just　a　trickle。〃
　 〃Is　that　bad？〃　I　asked。
　 〃It　happens；〃　Hansen　said　briefly。　He　joggled　the　handle　up　and　down　and　another　spoonful　of　water　appeared。　〃You　can　get　a　slightly　imperfect　bow　cap；　and　if　you　go　deep　enough　to　build　up　sufficient　outside　pressure　you　can　get　a　trickle　of　water　ing　in。　Probably　what　has　happened　in　this　case。　If　the　bow　cap　was　open；　friend；　at　this　depth　the　water　would　e　out　of　that　spout　like　a　bullet。　But　no　chances；　no　chances。〃　He　reached　for　the　microphone　again。　〃Number　four　bow　cap　still　green？　We　have　a　little　water　here。〃