alistairmaclean.icestationzebra-第5章

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　 〃You　know　very　well　that　I　never　have　more　than　one　helping　of　that　carbohydrated　rubbish；〃　Benson　said　with　dignity。　〃Not；　at　least；　for　breakfast。　Henry；　this　is　Dr。　Carpenter。〃
　 〃Howdy；〃　Henry　said　agreeably。
　 〃Breakfast；　Henry；〃　Benson　said。　〃And；　remember；　Dr。　Carpenter　is　a　Britisher。　We　don't　want　him　leaving　with　a　low　opinion　of　the　chow　served　in　the　U。　S。　Navy。〃
　 〃If　anyone　aboard　this　ship　has　a　low　opinion　of　the　food；〃　Henry　said　darkly；　〃they　hide　it　pretty　well。　Breakfast。　The　works。　Right　away。〃
　 〃Not　the　works；　for　heaven's　sake；〃　I　said。　〃There　are　some　things　we　decadent　Britishers　can't　face　up　to　first　thing　in　the　morning。　One　of　them　is　French　fries。〃
　 He　nodded　approvingly　and　left。
　 I　said；　〃Dr。　Benson；　I　gather。〃
　 〃Resident　medical　officer　aboard　the　〃Dolphin〃；　no　less；〃　he　admitted。　〃The　one　who's　had　his　professional　petence　called　into　question　by　having　a　peting　practitioner　called　in。〃　…
　 〃I'm　along　for　the　ride。　I　assure　you　I'm　not　peting　with　anyone。〃
　 〃I　know　you're　not；〃　he　said　quickly。　Too　quickly。　Quickly　enough　so　that　I　could　see　Swanson's　hand　in　this；　could　see　him　telling　his　officers　to　lay　off　quizzing　Carpenter　too　much。　I　wondered　again　what　Swanson　was　going　to　say　when　and　if　we　ever　arrived　at　the　drift　station　and　he　found　out　just　how　fluent　a　liar　I　was。　Benson　went　on；　smiling：　〃There's　no　call　for　even　one　medico　aboard　this　boat；　much　less　two。〃
　 〃You're　not　overworked？〃　From　the　leisurely　way　he　was　going　about　his　breakfast；　it　seemed　unlikely。
　 〃Overworked！　rye　sick…bay　call　once　a　day　and　no　one　ever　turns　upexcept　the　morning　after　we　arrive　in　port　with　a　long　cruise　behind　us；　and　then　there　are　liable　to　be　a　few　sore　heads　around。　My　main　job；　and　what　is　supposed　to　be　my　specialty；　is　checking　on　radiation　and　atmospheric　pollution　of　one　kind　or　another。　In　the　old　submarine　days；　the　atmosphere　used　to　get　pretty　foul　after　only　a　few　hours　submerged　but　we　have　to　stay　down　for　months；　if　necessary。〃　He　grinned。　〃Neither　job　is　very　exacting。　We　issue　each　member　of　the　crew　with　a　dosimeter　and　periodically　check　a　film　badge　for　radiation　dosagewhich　is　invariably　less　than　you'd　get　sitting　on　the　beach　on　a　moderately　warm　day。
　 〃The　atmospheric　problem　is　even　easier。　Carbon　dioxide　and　carbon　monoxide　are　the　only　things　we　have　to　worry　about。　We　have　a　scrubbing　machine　that　absorbs　the　breathed…out　carbon　dioxide　from　the　atmosphere　and　pumps　it　out　into　the　sea。　Carbon　monoxidewhich　we　could　more　or　less　eliminate　if　we　forbade　cigarette　smoking；　only　we　don't　want　a　mutiny　on　our　hands　when　we're　three　hundred　feet　downis　burned　to　monoxide　by　a　special　heater　and　then　scrubbed　as　usual。　And　even　that　hardly　worries　me；　I've　a　very　petent　engineman　who　keeps　those　machines　in　tip…top　condition。〃　He　sighed。　〃I've　a　surgery　here　that　will　delight　your　heart；　Dr。　Carpenter。　Operating　table；　dentist's　chair；　the　works；　and　the　biggest　crisis　I've　had　yet　is　a　cigarette　burn　between　the　fingers　sustained　by　a　cook　who　fell　asleep　during　one　of　my　lectures。〃
　 〃Lectures？〃　
　 〃I've　got　to　do　something　if　I'm　not　to　go　off　my　rocker。　I　spend　a　couple　of　hours　a　day　keeping　up　with　all　the　latest　medical　literature；　but　what　good　is　that　if　you　don't　get　a　chance　to　practice　it？　So　I　lecture。　I　read　up　on　places　we're　going　to　visit；　and　everyone　listens　to　those　talks。　I　give　lectures　on　general　health　and　hygiene；　and　some　of　them　listen　to　those。　I　give　lectures　on　the　perils　of　overeating　and　underexercise；　and　no　one　listens　to　those。　I　don't　listen　to　them　myself。　It　was　during　one　of　those　that　the　cook　got　burned。　That's　why　our　friend　Henry；　the　steward；　adopts　his　superior　and　critical　attitude　toward　the　eating　habits　of　those　who　should　obviously　be　watching　their　eating　habits。　He　eats　as　much　as　any　two　men　aboard　but　owing　to　some　metabolic　defect　he　remains　as　thin　as　a　rail。　Claims　it's　all　due　to　dieting。〃
　 〃It　all　sounds　a　bit　less　rigorous　than　the　life　of　the　average　G。P。〃
　 〃It　is；　it　is。〃　He　brightened。　〃But　I've　got　one　joba　hobby　to　methat　the　average　G。P。　can't　have。　The　ice　machine。　I've　made　myself　an　expert　on　that。〃
　 〃What　does　Henry　think　about　it？〃
　 〃What？　Henry？〃　He　laughed。　〃Not　that　kind　of　ice　machine。　I'll　show　you　later。〃
　 Henry　brought　food；　and　I'd　have　liked　the　maitres　d'h？tel　of　some。　allegedly　five…star　hotels　in　London　to　be　there　to　see　what　a　breakfast　should　be　like。　When　I'd　finished　and　told　Benson　that　I　didn't　see　that　his　lectures　on　the　dangers　of　overweight　were　going　to　get　him　very　far；　he　said：　〃mander　Swanson　said　you　might　like　to　look　over　the　ship。　I'm　at　your　plete　disposal。〃
　 〃Very　kind　of　you　both。　But　first　I'd　like　to　shave；　dress　and　have　a　word　with　the　captain。〃
　 〃Shave　if　you　like。　No　one　insists　on　it。　As　for　dress；　shirt　and　pants　are　the　uniform　of　the　day　here。　And　the　captain　told　me　to　tell　you　that　he'd　let　you　know　immediately　if　anything　that　could　possibly　be　of　any　interest　to　you　came　through。〃
　 So　I　shaved　and　then　had　Benson　take　me　on　a　conducted　tour　of　this　city　under　the　sea。　The　〃Dolphin〃；　I　had　to　admit；　made　any　British　submarine　I'd　ever　seen　look　like　a　relic　from　the　Ice　Age。
　 To　begin　with；　the　sheer　size　of　the　vessel　was　staggering。　So　big　had　the　hull　to　be　to　acmodate　the　huge　nuclear　reactor　that　it　had　internal　acmodation　equivalent　to　that　of　a　3；000…ton　surface　ship；　with　three　decks　instead　of　the　usual　one　and　lower　hold　found　in　the　conventional　submarine。　The　size；　bined　with　the　clever　use　of　pastel　paints　for　all　the　acmodation　spaces；　working　spaces；　and　passageways；　gave　an　overwhelming　impression　of　lightness；　airiness；　and；　above　all；　spaciousness。
　 He　took　me　first；　inevitably；　to　his　sick　bay。　It　was　at　once　the　smallest　and　Thost　prehensively　equipped　surgery　I'd　ever　seen；　whether　a　man　wanted　a　major　operation　or　just　a　tooth　filled；　he　could　have　himself　acmodated　there。　Neither　clinical　nor　utilitarian；　however；　was　the　motif　Benson　had　adopted　for　the　decoration　of　the　one　bulkhead　in　his　surgery　pletely　free　from　surgical　or　medical　equipment　of　any　kinda　series　of　film　stills　in　color　featuring　every　cartoon　character　I'd　ever　seen；　from　Popeye　to　Pinnochio；　with；　as　a　two…foot…square　centerpiece；　an　immaculately　cravatted　Yogi　Bear　industriously　sawing　off　from　the　top　of　a　wooden　sign　post　the　first　word　of　a　legend　that　read：　〃Don't　feed　the　bears。〃　From　deck　to　deckhead；　the　bulkhead　was　covered　with　them。
　 〃Makes　a　change　from　the　usual　pin…ups；〃　I　observed。
　 〃I　got　inundated　with　those；　too；〃　Benson　said　regretfully。　〃Film　librarian；　you　know。　Can't　use　them；　supposed　to　be　bad　for　discipline。　However。　Lightens　the　morgue…like　atmosphere；　doesn't　it？　Cheers　up　the　sick　and　the　suffering；　I　like　to　thinkand　distracts　their　attention　while　I　turn　to　page　217　in　the　old　textbook　to　find　out　what's　the　matter　with　them。〃
　 From　the　surgery　we　passed　through　the　wardroom　and　officers'　quarters　and　dropped　down　a　deck　to　the　crew's　living　quarters。　Benson　took　me　through　the　gleaming　tiled　washrooms；　the　immaculate　bunkroom；　then　into　the　crew's　mess　hail。
　 〃The　heart　of　the　ship；〃　he　announced。　〃Not　the　nuclear　reactor；　as　the　uninformed　maintain；　but　here。　Just　look　at　it。　Hi…fl；　juke　box；　record　player；　coffee　machine；　ice…cream　machine；　movie　theater；　library；　and　the　home　of　all　the　cardsharps　on　the　ship。　What　chance　has　a　nuclear　reactor　against　this　layout？　The　old…time　submariners　would　turn　in　their　graves　if　they　could　see　this：　pared　to　the　prehistoric　conditions　they　lived　in　we　must　seem　pletely　spoiled　and　ruined。　Maybe　we　are；　then　again　maybe　we're　not：　the　old　boys　never　had　to　stay　submerged　for　months　at　a　time。　。　。　。　This　is　also　where　I　send　them　to　sleep　with　my　lectures　on　the　evils　of　overeating。〃　He　raised　his　voice　for　the　benefit　of　seven　or　eight　men　who　were　sitting　around　the　tables　drinking　coffee；　smoking　and　reading。　〃You　can　observe　for　yourself；　Dr。　Carpenter；　the　effects　of　my　lectures　on　dieting　and　keeping　fit。　Did　you　ever　see　a　bunch　of　more　out…of…condition　fat…bellied　slobs　in　your　life？〃
　 The　men　grinned　cheerfully。　They　were　obviously　well　used　to　this　sort　of　thing：　Benson　was　exaggerating　and　they　knew　it。　Each　of　them　looked　as　if　he　knew　what　to　do　with　a　knife　and　fork　when　he　got　them　in　his　hands；　but　that　was　about　as　far　as　it　went。　All　had　a　curious　similarity；　big　men　and　small　men；　the　same　characteristic　I'd　seen　in　Zabrinski　and　Rawlingsan　air　of　relaxed　petence；　a　cheerful　imperturbability　that　marked　them　out　as　being　the　men　apart　they　undoubtedly　were。
　 Benson　conscientiously　introduced　me　to　everyone；　telling　me　exactly　what　their　function　aboard　ship　was　and　in　turn　informing　them　that　I　was　a　Royal　Navy　doctor　along　for　an　acclimatization　trip。　Swanson　would　have　told　him　to　say　this；　it　was　near　enough　the　truth　and　would　stop　speculation　on　the　reason　for　my　presence　there。
　 Benson　turned　into　a　small　partment　leading　off　the　mess　hail。　〃The　air…purification　room。　This　is　Engineman　Harrison。　How's　our　box　of　tricks；　Harrison？〃
　 〃Just　fine；　Doc；　just　fine。　CO　reading　steady　on　thirty　parts　a　million。〃　He　entered　some　figures　in　a　log　book；　Benson　signed　it　with　a　flourish；　exchanged　a　few　more　remarks　and　left。
　 〃Half　my　day's　toil　done　with　one　stroke　of　the　pen；〃　he　observed。　〃I　take　it　you're　not　interested　in　inspecting　sacks　of　wheat；　sides　of　beef；　bags　of　potatoes；　and　about　a　hundred　different　varieties　of　canned　goods。〃
　 〃Not　particularly。　Why？〃
　 〃The　entire　for'ard　half　of　the　deck　beneath　our　feet　a　storage　hold；　reallyis　given　up　mainly　to　that。　Seems　an　awful　lot；　I　know；　but　then　a　hundred　men　can　get　through　an　awful　lot　of　food　in　three　months；　which　is　the　minimum　time　we　must　be　prepared　to　stay　at　sea　if　the　need　arises。　We'll　pass　up　the　inspection　of　the　stores；　the　sight　of　all　that　food　just　makes　me　feel　I'm　fighting　a　losing　battle　all　the　time；　and　have　a　look　at　where　the　food's　cooked。〃
　 He　led　the　way　for'ard　into　the　galley；　a　small　square　room　all　tiles　and　glittering　stainless　steel。　A　tall；　burly　whitecoated　cook　turned　at　our　entrance　and　grinned　at　Benson。　〃e　to　sample　today's　lunch；　Doc？〃
　 〃I　have　not；〃　Benson　said　coldly。　〃Dr。　Carpenter；　the　chief　cook　and　my　arch　enemy；　Sam　MacGuire。　What　form　does　the　excess　of　calories　take　that　you　are　proposing　to　thrust　down　the　throats　of　the　crew　today？〃
　 〃No　thrusting　required；〃　said　MacGuire　happily。　〃Cream　soup；　sirloin　of　beef　no　less；　roast　potatoes　and　as　much　apple　pie　as　a　man　can　cope　with。　All　good；　nourishing　food。〃
　 Benson　shuddered。　He　was　just　about　to　leave　the　galley　when　he　stopped　and　pointed　at　a　heavy　bronze　ten…inch　tube　that　stood　about　four　feet　above　the　deck　of　the　galley。　It　had　a　heavy　hinged　lid　and　screwed　clamps　to　keep　the　lid　in　position。　〃This　might　interest　you；　Dr。　Carpenter。　Guess　what？〃
　 〃A　pressure　cooker？〃
　 〃Looks　like　it；　doesn't　it？　This　is　our　garbage…disposal　unit。　In　the　old　days；　when　a　submarine　had　to　surface　every　few　hours；　garbage　disposal　was　no　problem：　you　just　tipped　the　stuff　over　the　side。　But　when　you　spend　weeks　on　end　cruising　at　t