alistairmaclean.bearisland-第2章

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had　ever　heard　them　refer　to　each　other　except　as　Captain　Imrie　and　Mr。　Stokes。　Some　said　that；　in　private；　they　used　the　terms　Skipper　and　Chief　（Mr。　Stokes　was　the　Chief　Engineer）　but　this　was　discounted　as　an　unsubstantiated　and　unworthy　rumour　which　did　justice　to　neither　man。
　Moments　passed；　then　Mr。　Stokes；　having　arrived　at　a　measured　opinion　delivered　himself　of　it。　〃Seven；〃　he　said。
　〃Seven。〃　Captain　Imrie　accepted　the　judgement　as　unhesitatingly　as　if　an　oracle　had　spoken　and　poured　himself　another　drink：　I　thanked　whatever　gods　there　be　for　the　infinitely　reassuring　presence　of　Smithy；　the　mate；　on　the　bridge。　〃You　see；　Mr。　Gerran？　Nothing。〃　As　Gerran　was　at　that　moment　clinging　frantically　to　a　table　that　was　inclined　at　an　angle　of　thirty　degrees；　he　made　no　reply。　〃A　storm？　Dearie　me；　dearie　me。　Why；　I　remember　the　very　first　time　that　Mr。　Stokes　and　I　took　the　Morning　Rose　up　to　the　Bear　Island　fishing　grounds；　the　very　first　trawler　ever　to　fish　those　waters　and　e　back　with　full　holds；　1928；　I　think　it　was？'
　〃1929；〃　Mr。　Stokes　said。
　1929。〃　Captain　Imrie　fixed　his　bright　blue　eyes　on　Gerran　and　Johann　Heissman；　a　small；　lean；　pale　man　with　a　permanently　apprehensive　expression　：　Heissman's　hands　were　never　still。　〃Now；　that　was　a　storm！　We　were　with　a　trawler　out　of　Aberdeen；　I　forget　its　name？
　〃The　Silver　Harvest；〃　Mr。　Stokes　said。
　〃The　Silver　Harvest。　Engine　failure　in　a　Force　10。　Two　hours　she　was　broadside　to　the　seas；　two　hours　before　we　could　get　a　line　aboard。　Her　skipper…her　skipper…〃
　〃MacAndrew。　John　MacAndrew。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Stokes。　Broke　his　neck。　Towed　his　boat…and　him　with　his　broken　neck　in　splints…for　thirty　hours　in　a　Force　10；　four　of　them　in　a　Force　11。　Man；　you　should　have　seen　yon　seas。　I　tell　you；　they　were　mountains；　just　mountains。　The　bows　thirty　feet　up　and　down；　up　and　down；　rolling　over　on　our　beam　ends；　hour　after　hour；　every　man　except　Mr。　Stokes　and　myself　coughing　his　insides　up…〃　He　broke　off　as　Heissman　rose　hurriedly　to　his　feet　and　ran　from　the　saloon。　Is　your　friend　upset；　Mr。　Gerran？〃
　〃Couldn't　we　heave　to　or　whatever　it　is　you　do；〃　Gerran　pleaded。　〃Or　run　for　shelter？〃
　〃Shelter？　Shelter　from　what？　Why；　I　remember…〃
　〃Mr。　Gerran　and　his　pany　haven't　spent　their　lives　at　sea；　Captain　；〃　I　said。
　〃True；　true。　Heave　to？　Heaving　to　won't　stop　the　waves。　And　the　nearest　shelter　is　jan　Mayen…and　that's　three　hundred　miles　to　the　west…into　the　weather。〃
　〃We　could　run　before　the　weather。　Surely　that　would　help？〃
　〃Aye；　we　could　do　that。　She'd　steady　up　then；　no　doubt　about　it。　If　that's　what　you　want；　Mr。　Gerran。　You　know　what　the　contract　says…captain　to　obey　all　orders　other　than　those　what　will　endanger　the　vessel。〃
　〃Good；　good。　Right　away；　then。〃
　〃You　appreciate；　of　course；　Mr。　Gerran；　that　this　blow　might　last　another　day　or　so？〃
　With　amelioration　of　the　present　sufferings　practically　at　hand　Gerran　permitted　himself　a　slight　smile。　〃We　cannot　control　the　caprices　of　mother　nature；　Captain。〃
　〃And　that　we'll　have　to　turn　almost　ninety　east？〃
　In　your　safe　hands；　Captain。〃
　〃I　don't　think　you　are　quite　understanding。　It　will　cost　us　two；　perhaps　three　days。　And　if　we　run　east；　the　weather　north　of　North　Cape　is　usually　worse　than　it　is　here。　Might　have　to　put　into　Hammerfest　for　shelter。　Might　lose　a　week；　maybe　more。　I　don't　know　how　many　hundred　pounds　a　day　it　costs　you　to　hire　the　ship　and　crew　and　pay　your　own　camera　crew　and　all　those　actors　and　actresses…I　hear　tell　that　some　of　those　people　you　call　stars　can　earn　a　fortune　in　just　no　time　at　all…'　Captain　Imrie　broke　off　and　pushed　back　his　chair。　〃What　am　I　talking　about？　Money　will　mean　nothing　to　a　man　like　you。　You　will　excuse　me　while　I　call　the　bridge。〃
　〃Wait。〃　Gerran　looked　stricken。　His　parsimony　was　legendary　throughout　the　film　world　and　Captain　Imrie　had　touched；　not　inadvertently；　I　thought；　upon　his　tenderest　nerve。　〃A　week！　Lose　a　whole　week？〃
　If　we're　lucky。〃　Captain　Imrie　pulled　his　chair　back　up　to　the　table　and　reached　for　the　malt。
　〃But　I've　already　lost　three　days。　The　Orkney　cliffs；　the　sea；　the　Morning　Rose…not　a　foot　of　background　yet。〃　Gerran's　hands　were　out　of　sight　but　I　wouldn't　have　been　surprised　if　he'd　been　wringing　them。
　〃And　your　director　and　camera　crew　on　their　backs　for　the　past　four　days；〃　Captain　Imrie　said　sympathetically。　It　was　impossible　to　say　whether　a　smile　lay　behind　the　obfuscatory　luxuriance　of　moustache　and　beard。
　〃The　caprices　of　nature；　Mr。　Gerran。〃
　〃Three　days；〃　Gerran　said　again。　〃Maybe　another　week。　A　thirty…three　day　location　budget；　Kirkwall　to　Kirkwall。〃　Otto　Gerran　looked　ill；　clearly　both　the　state　of　his　stomach　and　his　film　finances　were　making　very　heavy　demands　upon　him。　〃How　far　to　Bear　Island；　Captain　Imrie？〃
　〃Three　hundred　miles；　give　or　take　the　usual。　Twenty…eight　hours；　if　we　can　keep　up　our　best　speed。〃
　〃You　can　keep　it　up？〃
　I　wasn't　thinking　about　the　Morning　Rose。　It　can　stand　anything。　It's　your　people；　Mr。　Gerran。　Nothing　against　them；　of　course；　but　I'm　thinking　they'd　be　more　at　home　with　those　pedal　boats　in　the　paddling　ponds。〃
　〃Yes；　of　course；　of　course。〃　You　could　see　that　this　aspect　of　the　business　had　just　occurred　to　him。　〃Dr。　Marlowe；　you　must　have　treated　a　great　deal　of　seasickness　during　your　years　in　the　Navy。〃　He　paused；　but　as　I　didn't　deny　it；　he　went　on：　〃How　long　do　people　take　to　recover　from　sickness　of　this　kind？〃
　〃Depends　how　sick　they　are。〃　I'd　never　given　the　matter　any　thought；　but　it　seemed　a　logical　enough　answer。　〃How　long　they've　been　ill　and　how　badly。　Ninety　rough　minutes　on　a　cross…Channel　trip　and　you're　as　right　as　rain　in　ten　minutes。　Four　days　in　an　Atlantic　gale　and　you'll　be　as　long　again　before　you're　back　on　even　keel。〃
　〃But　people　don't　actually　die　of　seasickness；　do　they？〃
　〃I've　never　known　of　a　case。〃　For　all　his　usual　indecisiveness　and　more　than　occasional　bumbling　ineptitude　which　tended　to　make　people　laugh　at　him…discreetly　and　behind　his　back；　of　course…Otto；　I　realised　for　the　first　time　and　with　some　vague　feeling　of　surprise；　was　capable　of　a　determination　that　might　verge　on　the　ruthless。　Something　to　do　with　money。　I　supposed。　〃Not　by　itself；　that　is。　But　with　a　person　already　suffering　from　a　heart　condition；　severe　asthma；　bronchitis；　ulcerated　stomach…well；　yes；　it　could　see　him　off。〃
　He　was　silent　for　a　few　moments；　probably　carrying　out　a　rapid　mental　survey　of　the　physical　condition　of　cast　and　crew；　then　he　said：　I　must　admit　that　I'm　a　bit　worried　about　our　people。　I　wonder　if　you'd　mind　having　a　look　over　them；　just　a　quick　check'；　Health's　a　damn　sight　more　important　than　any　profit…hahl　profit；　in　those　days！…that　we　might　make　from　the　wretched　film。　As　a　doctor　I'm　sure　You　wholeheartedly　agree。〃
　〃Of　course；〃　I　said。　〃Right　away。〃　Otto　had　to　have　something　that　had　made　him　the　household　name　that　he　had　bee　in　the　past　twenty　years　and　one　had　to　admire　this　massive　and　wholly　inadmirable　hypocrisy　that　was　clearly　part　of　it。　He　had　me　all　ways。　I　had　said　that　seasickness　alone　did　not　kill　so　that　if　I　were　to　state　categorically　that　some　member　or　members　of　his　cast　or　crew　were　in　no　condition　to　withstand　any　further　punishment　from　the　seas　he　would　insist　on　proof　of　the　existence　of　some　disease　which；　in　conjunction　with　seasickness；　might　be　potentially　lethal；　a　proof　that；　in　the　first　place；　would　have　been　very　difficult　for　me　to　adduce　in　light　of　the　limited　examination　facilities　available　to　me　aboard　ship　and；　in　the　second　place；　would　have　been　impossible　anyhow　for　every　single　member　of　cast　and　crew　had　been　subjected　to　a　rigorous　insurance　medical　before　leaving　Britain：　if　I　gave　a　clean　bill　of　health　to　all；　then　Otto　would　press　on　with　all　speed　for　Bear　Island；　regardless　of　the　sufferings　of　〃our　people〃　about　whom　he　professed　to　be　so　worried；　thereby　effecting　a　considerable　saving　in　time　and　money：　and；　in　the　remote　event　of　any　of　them　inconsiderately　dying　upon　our　hands；　why；　then；　as　the　man　who　had　given　the　green　light；　I　was　the　one　in　the　dock。　I　drained　my　glass　of　inferior　brandy　that　Otto　had　laid　on　in　such　meagre　quantities　and　rose。　〃You'll　be　here？　〃；〃Yes。　Most　co…operative　of　you；　Doctor；　most。〃　〃We　never　close；〃　I　said。　I　was　beginning　to　like　Smithy　though　I　hardly　knew　him　or　anything　about　him：　I　was　never　to　get　to　know　him；　not　well。　That　I　should　ever　get　to　know　him　in　my　professional　capacity　was　unthinkable：　six　feet　two　in　his　carpet　slippers　and　certainly　nothing　short　of　two　hundred　pounds；　Smithy　was　as　unlikely　a　candidate　for　a　doctor's　surgery　as　had　ever　e　my　way。
　In　the　first…aid　cabinet　there。〃　Smithy　nodded　towards　a　cupboard　in　a　corner　of　the　dimly　lit　wheelhouse。　〃Captain　Imrie's　own　private　elixir。　For　emergency　use　only。〃
　I　extracted　one　of　half　a　dozen　bottles　held　in　place　by　felt…lined　spring　clamps　and　examined　it　under　the　chart　table　lamp。　My　regard　for　Smithy　went　up　another　notch。　In　latitude　70〃　something　north　and　aboard　a　superannuated　trawler；　however　converted；　one　does　not　look　to　End　Otard…Dupuy　VSOP。
　〃What　constitutes　an　emergency？〃　I　asked。
　〃Thirst。〃
　I　poured　some　of　the　Otard…Dupuy　into　a　small　glass　and　offered　it　to　Smithy　who　shook　his　head　and　watched　me　as　I　sampled　the　brandy　then　lowered　the　glass　with　suitable　reverence。
　〃To　waste　this　on　a　thirst；〃　I　said；　〃Is　a　crime　against　nature。　Captain　Imrie　isn't　going　to　be　too　happy　when　he　es　up　here　and　finds　meknocking　back　his　special　reserve。〃
　〃Captain　Imrie　is　a　man　who　lives　by　fixed　rules。　The　most　fixed　of　the　lot　is　that　he　never　appears　on　the　bridge　between　8　P。m。　and　8　A。M。
　Oakley…he's　the　bosun…and　I　take　turns　during　the　night。　Believe　me；　that　way　it's　safer　for　everyone　all　round。　What　brings　you　to　the　bridge；　Doctor…apart　from　this　sure　instinct　for　locating　VSOP？〃
　〃Duty。　I'm　checking　on　the　weather　prior　to　checking　on　the　health　of　Mr。　Gerran's　paid　slaves。　He　fears　they　may　start　dying　off　like　flies　if　we　continue　on　this　course　in　those　conditions。〃　The　conditions；　I'd　noted；　appeared　to　be　deteriorating；　for　the　behaviour　of　the　Morning　Rose；　especially　its　degree　of　roll；　was　now　distinctly　more　unfortable　than　it　had　been：　perhaps　it　was　just　a　factor　of　the　height　of　the　bridge　but　I　didn't　think　so。
　〃Mr。　Gerran　should　have　left　you　at　home　and　brought　along　his　palm　reader　or　fortuneteller。〃　A　very　contained　man；　educated　and　clearly　intelligent　；　Smithy　always　seemed　to　be　slightly　amused。　〃As　for　the　weather；　the　6　P。m。　forecast　was　as　it　usually　is　for　those　parts；　vague　and　not　very　encouraging。　They　haven't；〃　he　aided　superfluously；　〃a　great　number　of　weather　stations　in　those　parts。〃
　〃What　do　you　think？〃
　〃It's　not　going　to　improve。〃　He　dismissed　the　weather　and　smiled。　〃I'm　not　a　great　man　for　the　small　talk　but　with　the　Otard…Dupuy　who　needs　it？　Take　the　weight　off　your　feet　for　an　hour　then　go　tell　Mr。　Gerran　that　all　his　paid　slaves；　as　you　call　them；　are　holding　a　square　dance　on　the　poop。
　I　suspect　Mr。　Gerran　of　having　a　suspicious　checking　mind。　However；　if　I　may。。。〃
　〃My　guest。〃
　I　helped　myself　again　and　replaced　the　bottle　in　the　cabinet。　Smithy；　as　he'd　warned