alistairmaclean.nightwithoutend-第53部分

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　〃Quickly；　I　said！　The　next　one　goes　through　her　shoulder。〃　His　voice　was　soft　with　menace；　his　face　implacable。　Not　for　a　moment　did　I　doubt　that　he　would　do　exactly　as　he　said：　the　clatter　of　Hillcrest's　rifle　and　mine　falling　on　the　ice　came　in　the　same　instant。
　
　〃Now　kick　them　over　the　edge　of　that　crevasse。〃
　
　We　did　as　he　said　and　stood　there　powerless　to　do　anything　except　watch　the　savage；　mauling　fight　on　the　glacier。　Neither　man　had　regained　his　feet　since　the　struggle　had　begun；　the　ice　was　too　slippery　for　that；　and　still　they　rolled　over　and　over　first　one　on　top；　now　the　other。　Both　were　powerful　men；　but　Zagero　was　severely　handicapped　by　the　exhaustion　of　the　terrible　night's　march　that　lay　behind　him；　by　his　crippled　useless　hands；　by　thickly…swathed　bandages　over　his　hands　that　not　only　prevented　him　from　catching　or　holding　Corazzini　but　softened　the　impact　of　every　blow　he　struck。　For　all　that；　there　was　no　question　how　the　battle　was　going：　those　broken　hands　I'd　said　would　never　fight　again　were　clubbing　and　hammering　the　life　out　of　Corazzini。　I　thought　of　the　tremendous　force　with　which　I'd　seen　Zagero　strike　a　blow　only　the　previous　morning　and　felt　a　momentary　flash　of　pity　for　Corazzini：　then　I　remembered　he　was　just　as　Smallwood　was；　that　Smallwood　was　prepared　to　kill　Margaret　with　as　little　punction　as　he　would　snuff　out　the　life　of　a　fly；　I　looked　at　the　crumpled　figure　at　my　feet　and　every　shadow　of　pity　vanished　as　if　it　had　never　been。
　
　Smallwood；　his　eyes　unblinking；　his　face　expressionless　as　ever；　had　his　gun　on　them　all　the　time；　waiting　for　that　second　when　the　two　men　would　break　far　enough　apart　to　give　him　a　clear　sight　of　Zagero。　But；　now；　Zagero　was　underneath　nearly　all　the　time；　one　arm　crooked　round　Corazzini's　neck　while　the　other　delivered　a　murderous　series　of　short…arm　jabs；　each　one　drawing　a　grunting　gasp　of　agony　from　a　white…faced　Corazzini：　finally；　goaded　into　supreme　effort　by　panic　and　fear；　Corazzini　managed　to　break　loose　and　hurled　himself　not　towards　Smallwood；　where　safety　lay；　but　for　the　shelter　of　the　moraine　rocks；　where　he　would　never　know　safety　again。　Zagero；　cat…like　as　ever；　was　only　feet　behind　him；　moving　so　fast；　so　unexpectedly　that　Smallwood's　swift　snapshot　missed　him　altogether。
　
　〃Call　your　friend　Nielsen。〃　Smallwood　must　have　realised　how　things　were　going　behind　the　concealing　shelter　of　the　rocks　for　his　voice　was　suddenly　savage；　urgent。　He　spared　a　swift　glance　in　Jackstraw's　direction…Jackstraw；　followed　at　some　distance　by　two　more　of　Hillcrest's　crew；　was　crossing　the　glacier　at　a　dead　run　and　now　less　than　fifty　yards　away。　〃His　rifle。　In　a　crevasse。　Quickly！〃
　
　〃Jackstraw！〃　My　voice　was　hoarse；　cracked。　〃Throw　your　rifle　away！　He's　got　a　gun　on　Miss　Ross；　and　he's　going　to　kill　her。〃　Jackstraw　braked；　slipped　on　the　ice；　halted　and　stood　there　for　a　moment　irresolute；　and　then　at　my　repeated　desperate　cry　carefully；　deliberately　dropped　his　rifle　into　a　nearby　fissure　and　came　slowly　on　to　join　us。　It　was　at　that　moment　that　Hillcrest　grabbed　me　by　the　arm。
　
　〃He's　moving；　Mason！　He's　alive！〃　He　was　pointing　down　to　Levin；　who　was　indeed　stirring　slightly。　I　had　never　thought　to　examine　Levin；　it　had　seemed　a　ludicrous　idea　that　a　professional　like　Corazzini　could　have　missed　at　such　point…blank　range；　but　now；　regardless　of　Smallwood's　reaction；　I　dropped　to　my　knees　on　the　glacier　and　put　my　face　close　to　Levin's。　Hillcrest　was　right。　The　breathing　was　shallow；　but　breathing　there　undoubtedly　was；　and　now　I　could　see　the　thin　red　line　that　extended　from　the　temple　almost　to　the　back　of　the　head。　I　rose　to　my　feet。
　
　〃Creased；　concussed　probably；　that's　all。〃　Involuntarily　I　glanced　over　my　shoulder　towards　the　rocks。　〃But　too　late　now　for　Corazzini。〃
　
　And　I　needed　no　eyes　to　know　that　this　was　so。　The　unseen　battle　behind　the　rocks　had　been　fought　out　with　a　dumb　feral　ferocity；　with　a　silent　savagery　that　had　been　far　more　frightening　than　all　the　most　maddened　oaths　and　shouting　could　ever　have　been；　but　even　now；　as　Smallwood　jumped　down　from　the　tailboard　of　the　tractor　cabin；　Margaret　Ross　still　held　in　front　of　him；　and　started　hustling　her　towards　the　rocks；　a　hoarse　high…pitched　scream　that　raised　the　hackles　on　the　back　of　my　neck　froze　us　all；　even　Smallwood；　to　immobility：　and　then　came　a　long　quavering　moan　of　agony；　cut　off　as　abruptly　as　it　had　begun。　And　now　there　was　no　more　screaming　or　moaning；　no　more　slipping　of　feet　on　ice；　no　more　gasping　or　frenzied　flurries　bespeaking　the　interchange　of　desperate　blows：　there　was　only　silence；　a　silence　chillingly　broken　by　regular　rhythmic　pounding　blows　like　the　stamping　feet　of　a　pile…driver。
　
　Smallwood　had　recovered；　had　just　reached　the　rocks　when　Zagero　came　out　to　meet　him　face　to　face。　Smallwood　moved　to　one　side；　his　gun　covering　him；　as　Zagero　came　slowly　towards　us；　his　face　cut　and　bruised；　his　blood…saturated　bandaged　hands　hanging　by　his　sides；　with　two　long　ribbons　of　red…stained　bandage　trailing　on　the　ice　behind　him。
　
　〃Finished？〃　I　asked。
　
　〃Finished。〃
　
　〃Good；〃　I　said；　and　meant　it。　〃Your　father's　still　alive；　Johnny。　Scalp　wound；　that's　all。〃
　
　His　battered　face　transformed；　first　by　disbelief　then　by　sheer　joy；　Zagero　dropped　on　his　knees　beside　Solly　Levin。　I　saw　Smallwood　line　his　pistol　on　Zagero's　back。
　
　〃Don't　do　it；　Smallwood！〃　I　shouted。　〃You'll　only　have　four　shells　left。〃
　
　His　eyes　swivelled　to　my　face；　the　cold　flat　eyes　of　a　killer；　then　the　meaning　of　my　words　struck　home；　his　expression　subtly　altered　and　he　nodded　as　if　I　had　made　some　reasonable　suggestion。　He　turned　to　Jackstraw；　the　nearest　man　to　him；　and　said；　〃Bring　out　my　radio。〃
　
　Jackstraw　moved　to　obey；　and　while　he　was　inside　the　cabin　Zagero　rose　slowly　to　his　feet。
　
　〃Does　look　like　I　was　a　mite　premature；〃　he　murmured。　He　glanced　towards　the　rocks；　and　there　was　no　regret　in　his　face；　only　indifference。　〃Half　a　dozen　witnesses；　and　'you　all　saw　him　beatin'　himself　to　death。　。　。　。　You're　next；　Smallwood。〃
　
　〃Corazzini　was　a　fool；〃　Smallwood　said　contemptuously。　The　man's　cold…blooded　callousness　was　staggering。　〃I　can　easily　replace　him。　Just　leave　that　radio　here；　Nielsen；　and　join　your　friends…while　I　join　mine。〃　He　nodded　down　the　glacier。　〃Or　perhaps　you　hadn't　noticed？〃
　
　And　we　hadn't。　But　we　noticed　it　now　all　right；　the　first　of　the　party　from　the　trawler　climbing　on　to　the　ice　at　the　precipitous　tip　of　the　glacier。　Within　seconds　half　a　dozen　of　them　were　on　the　ice；　running；　stumbling；　falling；　picking　themselves　up　again　as　they　clawed　their　way　up　the　slippery　ice　with　all　the　speed　they　could　muster。
　
　〃My…ah…reception　mittee。〃　Smallwood　permitted　himself　the　shadow　of　a　smile。　〃You　will　remain　here　while　Miss　Ross　and　I　make　our　way　down　to　meet　them。　You　will　not　move。　I　have　the　girl。〃　Victory；　plete　and　absolute　victory　was　in　his　grasp；　but　his　voice；　his　face　were　again　devoid　as　ever　of　all　shadow　of　expression　or　feeling。　He　stooped　to　pick　up　the　portable　radio；　then　swung　round　and　stared　up　into　the　sky。
　
　I　had　heard　it　too；　and　I　knew　what　it　was　before　Smallwood　did　because　it　was　a　factor　that　had　never　entered　into　his　calculations。　But　there　was　no　need　for　me　to　explain；　within　seconds　of　hearing　the　first　high　screaming　whine　from　the　south　a　flight　of　four　lean　sleek　deadly　Scimitar　jet　fighters　whistled　by　less　than　four　hundred　feet　overhead；　banked　almost　immediately；　broke　formation　and　came　back　again；　speed　reduced；　flying　a　tight　circle　over　the　tongue　of　the　fjord。　I　don't　like　planes；　and　I　hate　the　sound　of　jets：　but　I　had　never　seen　so　wele　a　sight；　heard　so　wonderful　a　sound　in　all　my　life。
　
　〃Jet　fighters；　Smallwood；〃　I　cried　exultantly。　〃Jet　fighters　from　a　naval　carrier。　We　called　them　up　by　radio。〃　He　was　staring　at　the　circling　planes　with　his　thin　lips　drawn　back　wolfishly　over　his　teeth；　and　I　went　on　more　softly：　〃They've　had　orders　to　shoot　and　destroy　any　person　seen　going　down　that　glacier…any　person；　especially；　with　a　case　or　radio　in　his　hand。〃　It　was　a　lie；　but　Smallwood　wasn't　to　know　that；　the　very　presence　of　the　jets　above　must　have　seemed　confirmation　of　the　truth　of　my　words。
　
　〃They　wouldn't　dare；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃They'd　kill　the　girl　too。〃
　
　〃You　fool！〃　I　said　contemptuously。　〃Not　only　doesn't　human　life　matter　a　damn　to　either　side　pared　to　the　recovery　of　the　mechanism…you　should　know　that　better　than　anyone；　Small…wood…but　these　planes　have　been　told　to　watch　out　for　and　kill　two　people　going　down　the　glacier。　Wrapped　in　these　clothes；　Miss　Ross　is　indistinguishable　from　a　man…especially　from　the　air。　They'll　think　it's　you　and　Corazzini　and　they'll　blast　you　both　off　the　face　of　the　glacier。〃
　
　I　knew　Smallwood　believed　me；　believed　me　absolutely；　this　was　so　exactly　the　way　his　own　killer's　mind　would　have　worked　in　its　utterly　callous　indifference　to　human　life　that　conviction　could　not　be　stayed。　But　he　had　courage；　I'll　grant　him　that；　and　that　first…class　brain　of　his　never　stopped　working。
　
　〃There's　no　hurry；〃　he　said　fortably。　He　was　back　on　balance　again。　〃They　can　circle　th