alistairmaclean.icestationzebra-第42章

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imly　that　here　was　a　man　who　could　never　crack：　you　do　find　people　like　that；　once　in　a　million　or　once　in　a　lifetime。　Swanson　was　such　a　man。
　 〃Far　gone；〃　I　said。　As　a　medical　report；　it　might　have　lacked　a　thought　in　detail；　but　it　contained　the　gist　of　what　I　wanted　to　say　and　it　saved　me　energy。　〃You　will　have　your　first　deaths　for　carbon…monoxide　poisoning　within　the　hour。〃
　 〃So　soon？〃　The　surprise　was　in　his　red；　swollen；　streaming　eyes　as　well　as　in　his　voice。　〃Not　so　soon；　Doctor。　It's　hardlywell；　it's　hardly　started　to　take　effect。〃
　 〃So　soon；〃　I　said。　〃Carbon…monoxide　poisoning　is　very　rapidly　progressive。　Five　dead　within　the　hour。　Within　two　hours；　fifty。　At　least　fifty。〃
　 〃You　take　the　choice　out　of　my　hands；〃　he　murmured。　〃For　which　I　am　grateful。　John；　where　is　our　main　propulsion　officer？　His　hour　has　e。〃
　 〃I'll　get　him。〃　Hansen　hauled　himself　wearily　to　his　feet；　an　old　man　making　his　last　struggle　to　rise　from　his　death　bed；　and　at　that　moment　the　engine…room　door　opened　and　blackened；　exhausted　men　staggered　into　the'　control　room。　Waiting　men　filed　out　to　take　their　place。　Swanson　said　to　one　of　the　men　who　had　just　entered；　〃Is　that　you；　Will？〃
　 〃Yes；　sir。〃　Lieutenant　Raeburn；　the　navigating　officer；　pulled　off　his　mask　and　began　to　cough；　rackingly；　painfully。　Swanson　waited　until　he　had　quieted　a　little。
　 〃How　are　things　down　there；　Will？〃
　 〃We've　stopped　making　smoke；　skipper。〃　Raeburn　wiped　his　streaming　face；　swayed　dizzily；　and　lowered　himself　groggily　to　the　floor。　〃I　think　we've　drowned　out　the　sheathing　pletely。〃
　 〃How　long　to　get　the　rest　of　it　off？〃
　 〃God　knows。　Normally；　ten　minutes。　The　way　we　are；　an　hour。　Maybe　longer。〃
　 〃Thank　you。　Ah！〃　He　smiled　faintly　as　Hansen　and　Cartwright　appeared　out　of　the　smoke…filled　gloom。　〃Our　main　propulsion　officer。　Mr。　Cartwright；　I　would　be　glad　if　you　would　put　the　kettle　on　to　boil。　What's　the　record　for　activating　the　plant；　getting　steam　up　and　spinning　the　turbo　generators？〃
　 〃I　couldn't　say；　skipper。〃　Red…eyed；　coughing；　smokeblackened；　and　obviously　in　considerable　pain；　Cartwright　nevertheless　straightened　his　shoulders　and　smiled　slowly。　〃But　you　may　consider　it　broken。〃
　 He　left。　Swanson　heaved　himself　to　his　feet　with　obvious　weaknessexcept　for　two　brief　inspection　trips　to　the　engine　room；　he　had　not　once　worn　any　breathing　apparatus　during　those　interminable　and　pain…filled　hours。　He　called　for　power　on　the　broadcast　circuit；　unhooked　a　microphone；　and　spoke　in　a　calm；　clear；　strong　voice：　it　was　an　amazing　exhibition　in　self…control；　the　triumph　of　a　mind　over　agonized　lungs　still　starving　for　air。
　 〃This　is　your　captain　speaking；〃　he　said。　〃The　fire　in　the　engine　room　is　out。　We　are　already　reactivating　our　power　plant。　Open　all　water…tight　doors　throughout　the　ship。　They　are　to　remain　open　until　further　orders。　You　may　regard　the　worst　of　our　troubles　as　lying　behind　us。　Thank　you　for　all　you　have　done。〃　He　hooked　up　the　microphone　and　turned　to　Hansen。　〃The　worst　〃is〃　behind；　Johnif　we　have　enough　power　left　to　reactivate　the　plant。〃
　 〃Surely　the　worst　is　still　to　e；〃　I　said。　〃It'll　take　you　how　longthree　quarters　of　an　hour；　maybe　an　hour？to　get　your　turbo　generators　going　and　your　air…purifying　equipment　working　again。　How　long　do　you　think　it　will　take　your　air　cleaners　to　make　any　noticeable　effect　on　this　poisonous　air？〃
　 〃Half　an　hour。　At　least　that。　Perhaps　more。〃
　 〃There　you　are；　then。〃　My　mind　was　so　woolly　and　doped　now　that　I　had　difficulty　in　finding　words　to　frame　my　thoughts；　and　I　wasn't　even　sure　that　my　thoughts　were　worth　thinking。　〃An　hour　and　a　half　at　leastand　you　said　the　worst　was　over。　The　worst　hasn't　even　begun。〃　I　shook　my　head；　trying　to　remember　what　it　was　that　I　had　been　going　to　say　next；　then　remembered。　〃In　an　hour　and　a　half；　one　out　of　every　four　of　your　men　will　be　gone。〃
　 Swanson　smiled。　He　actually；　incredibly；　smiled。　He　said；　〃As　Sherlock　used　to　say　to　Moriarty；　'I　think　not；　Doctor。'　Nobody's　going　to　die　of　monoxide　poisoning。　In　fifteen　minutes'　time　we'll　have　fresh；　breathable　air　throughout　the　ship。〃
　 Hansen　glanced　at　me　just　as　I　glanced　at　him。　The　strain　had　been　too　much；　the　old　man　had　gone　off　his　rocker。　Swanson　caught　our　interchange　of　looks　and　laughed；　the　laugh　changing　abruptly　to　a　bout　of　convulsive　coughing　as　he　inhaled　too　much　of　that　poisoned；　smoke…laden　atmosphere。　He　coughed　for　a　long　time；　then　gradually　quieted　down。
　 〃Serves　me　right；〃　he　gasped。　〃Your　faces。　。　。　Why　do　you　think　I　ordered　the　water…tight　doors　opened；　Doctor？〃
　 〃No　idea。〃
　 〃John？〃
　 Hansen　shook　his　head。
　 Swanson　looked　at　him　quizzically　and　said；　〃Speak　to　the　engine　room。　Tell　them　to　light　up　the　diesel。〃
　 〃Yes；　sir；〃　Hansen　said　woodenly。　He　made　no　move。
　 〃Lieutenant　Hansen　is　wondering　whether　he　should　get　a　straitjacket；〃　Swanson　said。　〃Lieutenant　Hansen　knows　that　a　diesel　engine　is　never；　〃never〃　lit　up　when　a　submarine　is　submergedunless　with　a　snorkel；　which　is　useless　under　icefor　a　diesel　not　only　uses　air　straight　from　the　engineroom　atmosphere；　it　gulps　it　down　in　great　draughts　and　would　soon　remove　all　the　air　in　the　ship。　Which　is　what　I　want。　We　bleed　pressed　air　under　fairly　high　pressure　into　the　fore　part　of　the　ship。　Nice；　clean；　fresh　air。　We　light　up　the　diesel　in　the　after　partit　will　run　rough　at　first　because　of　the　low　concentration　of　oxygen　in　this　poisonous　muckbut　it　will　run。　It　will　suck　up　much　of　this　filthy　air；　exhausting　its　gases　over　the　side；　and　as　it　does；　it　will　lower　the　atmospheric　pressure　aft　and　the　fresh　air　will　make　its　way　through　from　for'ard。　To　have　done　this　before　now　would　have　been　suicidal。　The　fresh　air　would　only　have　fed　the　flames　until　the　fire　was　out　of　control。　But　we　can　do　it　now。　We　can　run　it　for　a　few　minutes　only；　of　course；　but　a　few　minutes　will　be　ample。　You　are　with　me；　Lieutenant　Hansen？〃
　 Hansen　was　with　him；　all　right；　but　he　didn't　answer。　He　had　already　left。
　 Three　minutes　passed；　then　we　heard；　through　the　now　open　passageway　above　the　reactor　room；　the　erratic　sound　of　a　diesel　starting；　fading；　coughing；　then　catching　again　we　learned　later　that　the　engineers　had　had　to　bleed　off　several　ether　bottles　in　the　vicinity　of　the　air　intake　to　get　the　engine　to　catch。　For　a　minute　or　two　it　ran　roughly　and　erratically　and　seemed　to　be　making　no　impression　at　all　on　that　poisonous　air；　then；　imperceptibly　almost；　at　first；　then　with　an　increasing　degree　of　definition；　we　could　see　the　smoke　in　the　control　room；　illuminated　by　the　single　lamp　still　left　burning　there；　begin　to　drift　and　eddy　toward　the　reactor　passage。　Smoke　began　to　stir　and　eddy　in　the　corners　of　the　control　room　as　the　diesel　sucked　the　fumes　aft；　and　more　smoke…laden　air；　a　shade　lighter　in　color；　began　to　move　in　from　the　wardroom　passageway；　pulled　in　by　the　decreasing　pressure　in　the　control　room；　pushed　in　by　the　gradual　buildup　of　fresh　air　in　the　fore　part　of　the　submarine　as　pressed　air　was　bled　into　the　living　spaces。
　 A　few　more　minutes　made　the　miracle。　The　diesel　thudded　away　in　the　engine　room；　running　more　sweetly　and　strongly　as　air　with　a　higher　concentration　of　oxygen　reached　its　intake；　and　the　smoke　in　the　control　room　drained　steadily　away；　to　be　replaced　by　a　thin　grayish　mist　from　the　fore　part　of　the　ship　that　was　hardly　deserving　of　the　name　of　smoke　at　all。　And　that　mist　carried　with　it　air；　an　air　with　fresh；　life…giving　oxygen；　an　air　with　a　proportion　of　carbon　dioxide　and　carbon　monoxide　that　was　now　almost　negligible。　Or　so　it　seemed　to　us。
　 The　effect　upon　the　crew　was　just　within　the　limits　of　credibility。　It　was　as　if　a　wizard　had　passed　through　the　length　of　the　ship　and　touched　them　with　the　wand　of　life。　Unconscious　men；　men　for　whom　death　had　been　less　than　half　an　hour　away；　began　to　stir；　some　to　open　their　eyes。　Sick；　exhausted；　nauseated；　and　pain…wracked　men　who　had　been　lying　or　sitting　on　the　decks　in　attitudes　of　huddled　despair　sat　up　straight　or　stood；　their　faces　breaking　into　expressions　of　almost　ical　wonderment　and　disbelief　as　they　drew　great　draughts　down　into　their　aching　lungs　and　found　that　it　was　not　poisonous　gases　they　were　inhaling　but　fresh；　breathable　air：　men　who　had　made　up　their　minds　for　death　began　to　wonder　how　they　could　ever　have　thought　that　way。　As　air　went；　I　suppose；　it　was　pretty　substandard　stuff；　and　the　Factory　Acts　would　have　had　something　to　say　about　it；　but；　for　us；　no　pine…drenched　mountain　air　ever　tasted　half　so　sweet。
　 Swanson　kept　a　careful　eye　on　the　gauges　recording　the　air　pressure　in　the　submarine。　Gradually　it　sank　down　to　the　fifteen　pounds　at　which　the　atmosphere　was　normally　kept；　then　below　it。　He　ordered　the　pressed　air　to　be　released　under　higher　pressure；　and　then；　when　the　atmospheric　pressure　was　back　to　normal；　he　ordered　the　diesel　stopped　and　the　pressed　air　shut　off。
　 〃mander　Swanson；〃　I　said。　〃If　you　ever　want　to　make　admiral；　you　can　apply　to　me　for　a　reference　any　time。〃
　 〃Thank　you。〃　He　smiled。　〃We　have　been　very　lucky。〃
　 Sure　we　had　been　lucky；　the　way　men　who　sailed　with　Swanson　would　always　be　lucky。
　 We　could　now　hear　the　sounds　of　pumps　and　motors　as　Cartwright　started　in　on　the　slow　process　of　bringing　the　nuclear　power　plant　to　life　again。　Everyone　knew　that　it　was　touch　and　go　whether　there　would　be　enough　life　left　in　the　batteries　for　that；　but；　curiously；　no　one　seemed　to　doubt　that　Cartwright　would　succeed：　we　had　been　through　too　much　to　entertain　even　the　thought　of　failure　now。
　 Nor　did　we　fail。　At　exactly　eight　o'clock　that　morning　Cartwright　phoned　to　say　that　he　had　steam　on　the　turbine　blades　and　that　the　〃Dolphin〃　was　a　going　proposition　again。　I　was　glad　to　hear　it。
　
　
　 For　three　hours　we　cruised　along　at　slow　speed　while　the　air…conditioning　plant　worked　under　maximum　pressure　to　bring　the　air　inside　the　〃Dolphin〃　back　to　normal。　After　that；　Swanson　slowly　stepped　up　our　speed　until　we　had　reached　about　fifty　per　cent　of　normal　cruising　speed；　which　was　as　fast　as　the　propulsion　officer　deemed　it　safe　to　go。　For　a　variety　of　technical　reasons　it　was　impractical　for　the　〃Dolphin〃　to　operate　without　all　turbines　in　mission；；　so　we　were　reduced　to　the　speed　of　the　slowest；　and；　without　sheathing　on　it；　Cartwright　didn't　want　to　push　the　starboard　highpressure　turbine　above　a　fraction　of　its　power。　This　way；　it　would　take　us　much　longer　to　clear　the　ice　pack　and　reach　the　open　sea；　but　'the　captain；　in　a　broadcast；　said　that　if　the　limit　of　the　ice　pack　was　where　it　had　been　when　we'd　first　moved　under　itand　there　was　no　reason　to　think　it　should　have　shifted　more　than　a　few　mileswe　should　be　moving　out　into　the　open　sea　at　about　four　o'clock　the　following　morning。
　 By　four　o'clock　that　afternoon；　members　of　the　crew；　working　in　relays；　had　managed　to　clear　away　from　the　machinery　space　all　the　debris　and　foam　that　had　accumulated　during　the　long　night。　After　that；　Swanson　reduced　all　watches　to　the　barest　skeletons　required　to　run　the　ship；　so　that　as　many　men　as　possible　might　sleep　as　long　as　possible。　Now　that　the　exultation　of　victory　was　over；　now　that　the　almost　intolerable　relief　of　knowing　that　they　were　not；　aft