alistairmaclean.nightwithoutend-第42部分

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　The　twin　spools　he　ripped　off　the　top　of　the　machine　and　sent　spinning　away　into　the　darkness　and　the　snow；　the　tape　unwinding　in　a　long　convoluted　streamer。　By　this　time　I　would　have　taken　long　odds　that　anyone　suspicious　enough　to　investigate　would　have　found　that　tape　perfectly　genuine：　probably；　I　thought　bitterly；　Bach's　organ　music；　in　keeping　with　Smallwood's　late　ecclesiastical　nature。
　
　Still　in　silence；　we　watched　Corazzini　undo　and　fling　away　the　false　top　of　the　recorder；　but　not　before　I　had　time　to　notice　the　padded　spring　clips　on　its　underside…the　perfect　hiding　place　for　a　couple　of　automatics：　revealed　now　were　controls　and　calibrated　dials　that　bore　no　resemblance　to　those　of　a　tape…recorder。　Corazzini　straightened　and　erected　a　hinged　telescopic　aerial；　clamped　a　set　of　headphones　to　his　ears；　made　two　switches　and　started　to　turn　a　dial；　at　the　same　time　watching　a　green　magic　eye　similar　to　those　found　in　tape…recorders　and　many　modern　radios。　Faintly；　but　unmistakably；　I　could　hear　a　steady　whine　ing　from　the　earphones；　a　whine　which　altered　in　pitch　and　intensity　as　Corazzini　turned　the　dial。　When　it　reached　its　maximum　strength；　he　turned　his　attention　to　a　built…in　alcohol　pass　about　three　inches　in　diameter。　A　few　moments　later　he　doffed　the　earphones　and　turned　round；　apparently　satisfied。
　
　〃Very　strong；　very　clear；〃　he　announced　to　Small　wood。　〃But　there's　too　heavy　a　deviation　factor　from　all　the　metal　in　the　tractor　and　sledge。　Back　in　two　minutes。　Your　torch；　Dr　Mason。〃
　
　He　walked　away　for　about　fifty　yards；　taking　the　machine　with　him：　it　was　with　intense　chagrin　that　I　realised　that　it　was　perfectly　in　keeping　with　all　that　had　gone　before　that　Corazzini　had　probably　forgotten　more　about　navigation　than　I　was　ever　likely　to　know。　He　returned　soon；　consulted　a　small　chart…correcting　for　variation；　no　doubt…then　grinned　at　Small　wood。
　
　〃It's　them；　all　right。　Perfect　signal。　Bearing　268。〃
　
　〃Good。〃　If　Smallwood　felt　relieved　or　gratified　at　the　news；　no　shadow　of　his　feeling　touched　the　thin　immobile　face。　Their　quiet　certainty；　their　forethought；　their　foolproof　organisation　was　dismaying；　frightening。　Now　that　I　could　see　what　manner　of　men　they　were　it　was　unthinkable　that　they　should　have　set　themselves　down　in　a　vast　featureless　country　such　as　this　without　some　means　of　orientating　themselves：　what　we　had　just　seen　in　operation　could　only　be　a　battery　operated　radio　direction　finder；　and　even　to　me；　inexperienced　though　I　was　in　such　matters；　it　was　obvious　that　Corazzini　must　have　been　taking　a　bearing　on　some　continuous　directional　line…up　signals　transmitted　by　a　vessel；　or　vessels；　off…shore：　trawlers；　probably；　or　some　other　inconspicuous　type　of　fishing　vessel。　。。。　I　would　have　been　less　than　human　had　I　not　wanted　to　shake　this　absolute　confidence。
　
　〃You've　miscalculated　the　hornet's　nest　you've　stirred　up。　The　Davis　Strait；　the　coast　of　Greenland　is　alive　with　ships　and　planes。　The　scout　planes　of　the　carrier　Triton　will　pick　up　every　boat　that's　larger　than　a　skiff。　The　trawlers　will　never　get　away　with　it：　they　won't　get　five　miles。〃
　
　〃They　don't　have　to。〃　Implicit　in　Corazzini's　words　was　confirmation　of　the　accuracy　of　my　guess　about　trawlers。　〃There　are　such　things　as　submarines。　In　fact　there　is　one；　not　far　from　here。〃
　
　〃You　still　won't…〃
　
　〃Be　quiet；〃　Smallwood　said　coldly。　He　turned　to　Corazzini。　〃Two　hundred　and　sixty…eight；　eh…due　west　more　or　less。　Distance？〃
　
　Corazzini　shrugged；　said　nothing：　Smallwood　beckoned　to　me。
　
　〃We'll　soon　find　it。　That　map；　Dr　Mason…indicate　our　position；　accurately。〃
　
　〃You　can　go　to　hell；〃　I　said　briefly。
　
　〃I　expected　nothing　else。　However；　I'm　not　blind　and　your　clumsy　attempts　at　concealment　have　done　little　to　hide　the　growing　attachment　between　yourself　and　the　young　lady　here。〃　I　glanced　quickly　at　Margaret；　saw　the　faint　colour　beginning　to　stain　the　pale　cheek　and　looked　as　quickly　away。　〃I　am　prepared　to　shoot　Miss　Ross。〃
　
　I　never　doubted　him。　I　knew　he'd　do　it　in　an　instant。　I　gave　him　our　position；　he　asked　for　another　map；　asked　Jackstraw　to　mark　our　position　on　the　second；　and　pared　the　two。
　
　〃They　coincide；〃　he　nodded。　〃Fortunately　for　you。〃　He　studied　the　map　briefly；　then　looked　at　Corazzini。　〃The　Kangalak　fjord；　undoubtedly；　at　the　foot　of　the　Kangalak　glacier。　Approximately…〃
　
　〃The　Kangalak　fjord；〃　I　interrupted。　My　voice　was　bitter。　〃Why　the　hell　didn't　you　land　there　in　the　first　place　and　save　us　all　this？〃
　
　〃The　plane　captain　deserved　to　die；〃　Smallwood　said　obliquely。　His　smile　was　wintry。　〃I　had　instructed　him　to　put　down　on　the　coast　just　north　of　the　fjord　where　our…ah…friends　had　reconnoitred　a　section　of　the　ice…cap；　three　miles　long　and　absolutely　flat；　that　is　the　equal　of　the　finest　runway　in　Europe　or　America；　and　it　wasn't　until　I　saw　the　altimeter　reading　just　before　the　crash　that　I　realised　he　had　deceived　me。〃　He　made　an　impatient　gesture　and　turned　to　Corazzini。　〃We　waste　time。　Approximately　sixty　miles；　you　would　say？〃
　
　Corazzini　examined　the　map。　〃Yes；　about　that。〃
　
　〃So；　e　then；　on　our　way。〃
　
　〃Leaving　us　here　to　starve　and　die　of　cold；　I　suppose？〃　I　said　bitterly。
　
　〃What　bees　of　you　no　longer　concerns　me；〃　Smallwood　said　indifferently。　Already；　in　a　matter　of　minutes；　it　had　bee　almost　impossible　to　think　of　him；　to　remember　him　as　the　meek　retiring　minister　we　had　known。　〃It　is　possible；　however；　that　you　might　be　foolish　enough　to　take　advantage　of　the　cover　of　snow　and　darkness　to　run　after　us；　waylay　and　try　to　overe　us。　You　might　even　succeed；　even　though　unarmed。　We　must　immobilise　you；　temporarily。〃
　
　〃Or　permanently；〃　Zagero　said　softly。
　
　〃Only　fools　kill　wantonly　and　unnecessarily。　Fortunately…for　you…it　is　not　necessary　for　my　plans　that　you　die。　Corazzini；　bring　some　rope　from　the　sled。　There's　plenty　of　cord　there。　Tie　their　feet　only。　With　their　numbed　hands　it　will　take　them　an　hour　to　undo　their　bonds：　we　will　be　well　on　our　way　by　then。〃　He　moved　his　gun　gently　from　side　to　side。　〃Sit　in　the　snow。　All　of　you。〃
　
　There　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　do　as　we　were　told。　We　sat　down　and　watched　Corazzini　bring　a　hank　of　cord　from　the　sled。　He　looked　at　Smallwood；　and　Smallwood　nodded　at　me。
　
　〃Dr　Mason　first。〃
　
　Corazzini　gave　his　gun　to　Smallwood…they　missed　nothing；　that　pair；　not　even　the　remote　possibility　that　one　of　us　might　try　to　snatch　Corazzini's　gun…and　advanced　on　me。　He　knelt　and　had　taken　a　couple　of　turns　round　my　ankles　when　the　truth　struck　me　with　the　suddenness；　the　shocking　impact　of　a　physical　blow。　I　sent　Corazzini　staggering　with　a　violent　shove　and　leapt　to　my　feet。
　
　〃No！〃　My　voice　was　hoarse；　savage。　〃By　God；　you're　not　going　to　tie　me　up；　Smallwood！〃
　
　〃Sit　down；　Mason！〃　His　voice　was　hard；　whip…like；　and　the　light　from　the　tractor　cabin　was　enough　for　me　to　see　the　rock…like　pistol　barrel　centred　between　my　eyes。　I　ignored　it　pletely。
　
　〃Jackstraw！〃　I　shouted。　〃Zagero；　Levin；　Brewster！　On　your　feet　if　you　want　to　live。　He's　only　got　one　gun。　If　he　starts　firing　at　any　of　us；　the　rest　go　for　him　and　get　him…he　can't　possibly　get　us　all。　Margaret；　Helene；　Mrs　Dansby…Gregg…first　shot　that's　fired；　run　off　into　the　darkness…and　stay　there！〃
　
　〃Have　you　gone　crackers；　Doc？〃　The　words　came　from　an　astonished　Zagero；　but　for　all　that　something　namelessly　urgent　and　pelling　in　my　voice　had　got　him　to　his　feet；　and　he　was　bent　forward；　crouched　like　a　great　cat；　ready　to　launch　himself　at　Smallwood。　〃Want　to　get　us　all　killed？〃
　
　〃That's　just　what　I　don't　want。〃　I　could　feel　my　spine；　the　back　of　my　neck　cold　with　a　cold　that　was　not　of　the　Arctic；　and　my　legs　were　trembling。　〃Going　to　tie　us　up　and　leave　us　here？　Is　he　hell！　Why　do　you　think　he　told　us　of　the　trawler；　its　position；　the　submarine　and　all　the　rest　of　it？　I'll　tell　you　why…because　he　knew　it　was　safe；　because　he'd　made　up　his　mind　that　none　of　us　would　ever　live　to　tell　of　these　things。〃　I　was　rattling　the　words　out　with　machine…gun　rapidity；　desperate　with　the　need　to　convince　the　others　of　what　I　was　saying　before　it　was　too　late：　and　my　eyes　never　left　the　gun　in　Smallwood's　hand。
　
　〃But…〃
　
　〃No　'buts'；〃　I　interrupted　harshly。　〃Smallwood　knows　that　Hillcrest　will　be　ing　through　here　this　afternoon。　If　we're　still　here…and　alive…first　thing　we'd　tell　him　would　be　Smallwood's　course；　speed；　approximate　position　and　destination。　Within　an　hour　the　Kangalak　glacier　would　be　sealed；　within　an　hour　bombers　from　the　Triton　would　have　blasted　him　off　the　face　of　the　glacier。　Tie　us　up？　Sure…and　then　he　and　Corazzini　would　shoot　us　at　their　leisure　while　we　flopped　around　like　birds　with　broken　wings。〃
　
　Conviction　was　immediate　and　plete。　I　couldn't　see　the　faces　of　the　others；　but　the　fractional　lowering　of　Smallwood's　gun　was　enough　to　tell　me。
　
　〃I　underestimated　you；　Dr　Mason；〃　he　admitted　softly。　His　voice　was　devoid　of　all　trace　of　anger。　〃But　you　almost　died　there。〃
　
　〃What's　five　minutes　more　or　less？〃　I　asked；　and　Smallwood　nodded　absently。　He　was　already　working　out　an　alternative　solution。
　
　〃You…you　inhuman　monst