alistairmaclean.nightwithoutend-第27部分

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in　either　pocket。　〃You　might　care　to　explain　where　you　got　this　from；　Mr　Mahler？〃
　
　〃I　don't　have　to　tell　you　that；　do　I？〃　His　voice　was　very　low。　〃I　stole　it；　Dr　Mason。〃
　
　〃You　did　indeed。　A　remarkably　small…time　activity　for　a　person　who　operates　on　the　scale　you　do。　It　was　just　your　bad　luck；　Mahler；　that　I　happened　to　be　looking　directly　at　you　when　the　theft　of　the　sugar　was　mentioned　back　in　the　cabin。　It　was　just　your　bad　luck　that　when　we　had　our　coffee　just　now　it　was　dark　enough　for　me　to　have　a　swig　from　your　cup　without　your　knowledge：　it　was　so　stiff　with　sugar　that　I　couldn't　even　drink　the　damn'　stuff。　Curious；　isn't　it；　Mahler；　that　such　a　tiny　thing　as　giving　way　to　a　momentary　impulse　of　greed　should　ruin　everything？　But　I　believe　it's　always　the　way：　the　big　slip…up　never　brings　the　big　criminal　to　book；　because　he　never　makes　any。　If　you'd　left　that　sugar　alone　when　you　were　smashing　up　the　valves；　I'd　never　have　known。　Incidentally；　what　did　you　do　with　the　rest　of　the　sugar？　In　your　grip？　Or　just　thrown　away？〃
　
　〃You're　making　a　very　grave　mistake；　Dr　Mason。〃　Mahler's　voice　was　steady　now；　and　if　it　held　any　trace　of　worry　or　guilt　I　couldn't　detect　it。　But　I　was　now　far　beyond　the　naive　stage　of　expecting　to　detect　anything　of　the　sort。　〃I　didn't　touch　those　valves。　And；　apart　from　the　few　handfuls　I　took；　the　sugar　bag　was　quite　intact　when　I　left　it。〃
　
　〃Of　course；　of　course。〃　I　waved　the　Beretta。　〃Back　to　the　tractor；　my　friend；　and　let's　have　a　look　at　this　case　of　yours。〃
　
　〃No！〃
　
　〃Don't　be　crazy；〃　I　snapped。　〃I　have　a　gun；　Mahler。　Believe　me；　I　won't　hesitate　to　use　it。〃
　
　〃I　believe　you。　I　think　you　would　be　quite　ruthless　if　the　need　arose。　Oh；　I　don't　doubt　you're　tough；　Doctor；　as　well　as　being　headstrong；　impulsive　and　not　very　subtle；　but　because　I　rather　respect　your　efficient　and　selfless　handling　of　an　awkward　and　ugly　situation　for　which　you　were　in　no　way　responsible；　I　don't　want　to　see　you　make　a　plete　fool　of　yourself　in　public。〃　He　lifted　his　right　hand　towards　the　lapel　of　his　coat。　〃Let　me　show　you　something。〃
　
　I　jerked　the　Beretta　forward；　but　the　gesture　was　quite　needless。　As　he　pushed　his　hand　under　his　topcoats；　Mahler's　gestures　were　smooth　and　unhurried；　just　as　smooth　and　unhurried　when　he　brought　his　hand　out　again　and　passed　over　to　me　a　leather…covered　card。　I　stepped　back　a　few　feet；　flipped　open　the　card　and　glanced　down　at　it。
　
　That　one　glance　was　enough…or　should　have　been　enough。　I'd　seen　these　cards　scores　of　times　before；　but　I　stared　down　at　this　one　as　if　I'd　never　seen　one　in　my　life。　This　was　a　pletely　new　factor；　it　knocked　all　my　preconceived　notions　on　the　head；　and　I　needed　time；　time　for　reorient　a　tion；　for　understanding；　for　quelling　the　professional　fear　that　came　hard　on　the　heels　of　that　understanding。　Then；　slowly；　I　folded　the　card；　pulled　down　my　snow…mask；　stepped　close　to　Mahler　and　pulled　his　down　also。　In　the　harsh　glare　of　the　torch；　his　face　was　blue　and　white　with　the　cold；　and　I　could　see　the　jutting　of　the　jaw　muscles　as　he　clamped　his　teeth　together　to　keep　them　from　chattering　uncontrollably。
　
　〃Breathe　out；〃　I　said。
　
　He　did　as　I　asked；　and　there　was　no　mistaking　it；　none　at　all：　the　sweet　acetone　breath　of　the　advanced　and　untreated　diabetic　can't　possibly　be　confused　with　anything　else。　Wordlessly；　I　handed　him　back　the　card　and　thrust　the　automatic　into　my　parka　pocket。
　
　At　last　I　said　quietly：　〃How　long　have　you　had　this；　Mr　Mahler？〃
　
　〃Thirty　years。〃
　
　〃A　pretty　advanced　condition？〃　When　it　came　to　discussing　a　man's　illness　with　him；　I　had　little　time　for　the　professional　reticence　of　many　of　my　colleagues：　besides；　the　average　elderly　diabetic　had　survived　to　that　age　simply　because　he　was　intelligent　about　the　dietary　and　medical　treatment　of　his　trouble；　and　usually　knew　all　about　it。
　
　〃My　doctor　would　agree　with　you。〃　I　caught　the　smile　on　his　face　as　he　pushed　his　mask　up；　and　there　wasn't　much　humour　in　it。　〃So　would　I。〃
　
　〃Twice　daily　injections？〃
　
　〃Twice；〃　he　nodded。　〃Before　breakfast　and　in　the　evening。〃
　
　〃But　don't　you　carry　a　hypo　and…〃
　
　〃Normally；〃　he　interrupted。　〃But　not　this　time。　The　Gander　doctor　gave　me　a　jab　and　as　I　can　usually　carry　on　a　few　hours　overdue　without　Ul　effects　I　thought　I'd　wait　until　we　got　to　London。〃　He　tapped　his　breast　pocket。　〃This　card's　good　anywhere。〃
　
　〃Except　on　the　Greenland　ice…cap；〃　I　said　bitterly。　〃But　then　I　don't　suppose　you　anticipated　a　stop…over　here。　What　diet　were　you　on？〃
　
　〃High　protein；　high　starch。〃
　
　〃Hence　the　sugar？〃　I　looked　down　at　the　white　crystals　still　clenched　in　my　left　mitten。
　
　〃No。〃　He　shrugged。　〃But　I　know　sugar　used　to　be　used　for　the　treatment　of　a。　I　thought　maybe　if　I　stuffed　enough　into　myself。。　。　。　Well；　anyway；　you　know　now　why　I　turned　criminal。〃
　
　〃Yes；　I　know　now。　My　apologies　for　the　gun…waving　act；　Mr　Mahler；　but　you　must　admit　I　had　every　justification。　Why　in　the　hell　didn't　you　tell　me　before　now？　I　am　supposed　to　be　a　doctor；　you　know。〃
　
　〃I　would　have　had　to　tell　you　sooner　or　later；　I　suppose。　But　right　now　you'd　plenty　of　troubles　of　your　own　without　worrying　about　mine　also。　And　I　didn't　think　there　would　be　much　chance　of　your　carrying　insulin　among　your　medical　stores。〃
　
　〃We　don't…we　don't　have　to。　Everybody　gets　a　thorough　medical　before　going　on　an　IGY　station；　and　diabetes　hardly　develops　overnight。　。　。　。　You　take　it　all　very　calmly；　I　must　say；　Mr　Mahler。　e　on；　let's　get　back　to　the　tractor。〃
　
　We　reached　there　inside　a　minute。　I　pulled　back　the　canvas　screen；　and　a　thick　white　opaque　cloud　formed　almost　immediately　as　the　relatively　warm　air　inside　met　the　far　sub…zero　arctic　air　outside。　I　waved　my　hand　to　dispel　it；　and　peered　inside。　They　were　all　still　drinking　coffee…it　was　the　one　thing　we　had　in　plenty。　It　seemed　difficult　to　realise　that　we'd　been　gone　only　a　few　minutes。
　
　〃Hurry　up　and　finish　off；〃　I　said　abruptly。　〃We're　on　our　way　within　five　minutes。　Jackstraw；　would　you　start　the　engine；　please；　before　she　chills　right　down？〃
　
　〃On　our　way！〃　The　protest；　almost　inevitably；　came　from　Mrs　Dansby…Gregg。　〃My　dear　man；　we've　hardly　stopped。　And　you　promised　us　three　hours'　sleep　only　a　few　minutes　ago。〃
　
　〃That　was　a　few　minutes　ago。　That　was　before　I　found　out　about　Mr　Mahler　here。〃　Quickly　I　told　them　all　I　thought　they　needed　to　know。　〃It　sounds　brutal　to　say　it　in　Mr　Mahler's　presence；〃　I　went　on；　〃but　the　facts　themselves　are　brutal。　Whoever　crashed　that　plane…and；　to　a　lesser　extent；　stole　the　sugar…put　Mr　Mahler's　life　in　the　greatest　danger。　Only　two　things；　normally；　could　save　Mr　Mahler…　a　properly　balanced　high…calorie　diet　as　a　short　term　measure；　insulin　as　a　long　term　one。　We　have　neither。　All　we　can　give　Mr　Mahler　is　the　chance　to　get　one　or　other　of　these　things　with　all　speed　humanly　possible。　Between　now　and　the　coast　that　tractor　engine　is　going　to　stop　only　if　it　packs　in　pletely；　if　we　run　into　an　impassable　blizzard…or　if　the　last　of　the　drivers　collapses　over　the　wheel。　Are　there　any　objections？〃
　
　It　was　a　stupid；　unnecessary；　gratuitously　truculent　question　to　ask；　but　that's　just　the　way　I　felt　at　that　moment。　I　suppose；　really；　that　I　was　inviting　protest　so　that　I　could　have　some　victim　for　working　off　the　accumulated　rage　inside　me；　the　anger　that　could　find　its　proper　outlet　only　against　those　responsible　for　this　fresh　infliction　of　suffering；　the　anger　at　the　near　certainty　that　no　matter　what　effort　we　made　to　save　Mahler　it　would　be　pletely　nullified　when　the　time　came；　as　it　inevitably　must　e；　that　the　killers　showed　their　hand。　For　one　wild　moment　I　considered　the　idea　of　tying　them　all　up；　lashing　them　inside　the　tractor　body　so　that　they　couldn't　move；　and　had　the　conditions　been　right　I　believe　I　would　have　done　just　that。　But　the　conditions　couldn't　have　been　more　hopeless：　a　bound　person　wouldn't　have　lasted　a　couple　of　hours　in　that　bitter　cold。
　
　There　were　no　objections。　For　the　most　part；　I　suppose；　they　were　too　cold；　too　tired；　too　hungry　and　too　thirsty…for　with　the　rapid　evaporation　of　moisture　from　the　warm；　relatively　humid　body　thirst　was　always　a　problem　in　dry；　intensely　cold　air…to　raise　any　objections。　To　people　unaccustomed　to　the　Arctic；　it　must　have　seemed　that　they　had　reached　the　nadir　of　their　sufferings；　that　things　could　get　no　worse　than　they　were：　I　hoped　as　much　time　as　possible　would　elapse　before　they　found　out　how　wrong　they　were。
　
　There　were　no　objections；　but　there　were　two　suggestions。　Both　came　from　Nick　Corazzini。
　
　〃Look；　Doc；　about　this　diet　Mr　Mahler　must　have。　Maybe　we　can't　balance　it；　but　we　can　at　least　make　sure　that　he　gets　a　fair　number　of　calories…not　that　I　know　how　you　count　the　damn'　things。　Why　don't　we　double　his　rations…no；　even　that　wouldn't　keep　a　decent　sparrow　alive。　What　say　each　of　the　rest　of　us　docks　a　quarter　of　his　rations　and　hands　them　over？　That　way　Mr　Mahler　would　have　about　four　times　his　normal…〃
　
　〃No；　no！〃　Mahler　protested。　〃Thank　you；　Mr　Corazzini；　but　I　cannot　permit…〃
　
　〃An　excellent　idea；〃　I　interrupted。　〃I　was　thinking　along　the　sa