alistairmaclean.nightwithoutend-第9部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



　
　〃It's　all　that。　Thanks　for　trying　anyway。　I'll　fix　your　hand　up　later。〃　I　turned　to　the　stewardess　again；　and　not　even　that　pale　and　exhausted　face；　the　contrition　in　the　eyes；　could　quieten　my　anger…and；　to　be　honest；　my　fear。　〃I　suppose　it　just　came　to　pieces　in　your　hand？〃
　
　〃I've　told　you　I'm　sorry。　I…I'was　just　kneeling　beside　Jimmy　here…〃
　
　〃Who？〃
　
　〃Jimmy　Waterman…the　Second　Officer。　I…〃
　
　〃Second　Officer？〃　I　interrupted。　〃That's　the　radio　operator；　I　take　it？〃
　
　〃No；　Jimmy　is　a　pilot。　We've　three　pilots　…we　don't　carry　a　radio　operator。〃
　
　〃You　don't…〃　I　broke　off　my　surprised　question；　asked　another　instead。　〃Who's　the　man　in　the　crew　rest　room？　Navigator？〃
　
　〃We　don't　carry　a　navigator　either。　Harry　Williamson　is…was　…the　Flight　Engineer。〃
　
　No　wireless　operator；　no　navigator。　There　had　been　changes　indeed　since　I'd　flown　the　Atlantic　some　years　previously　in　a　Stratocruiser。　I　gave　it　up；　returned　to　my　original　question　and　nodded　at　the　smashed　RCA。
　
　〃Well；　how　did　it　happen？〃
　
　〃I　brushed　the　table　as　I　rose　and…well；　it　just　fell。〃　Her　voice　trailed　off　uncertainly。
　
　〃It　just　fell；〃　I　echoed　incredulously。　〃One　hundred　and　fifty　pounds　of　transmitter　and　you　flicked　it　off　the　table　just　like　that？〃
　
　〃I　didn't　knock　it　off。　The　legs　collapsed。〃
　
　〃It's　got　no　legs　to　collapse；〃　I　said　shortly。　〃Hinges。〃
　
　〃Well；　hinges；　then。〃
　
　I　looked　at　Joss；　who　had　been　responsible　for　the　erection　of　the　table　as　well　as　the　radio。　〃Is　it　possible？〃
　
　〃No。〃　His　voice　was　flat；　definite。
　
　Again　the　silence　in　the　cabin；　the　hush；　the　tension　that　grew　from　the　merely　unfortable　to　the　all　but　unbearable。　But　I　was　beginning　to　see　that　there　was　nothing　to　be　gained　now　by　further　questioning；　much　to　be　lost。　The　radio　was　wrecked。　Finish。
　
　I　turned　away　without　a　word；　hung　up　my　caribou　furs　on　nails　on　the　walls；　took　off　goggles　and　gloves　and　turned　to　the　man　with　the　cut　brow。
　
　〃Let's　have　a　look　at　your　head　and　your　hand…it's　a　pretty　nasty　gash　on　your　forehead。　Forget　the　radio　for　the　moment；　Joss…let's　have　coffee　first；　lots…of　it。〃　I　turned　to　Jackstraw；　who　had　just　e　down　the　steps　from　the　hatch　and　was　staring　at　the　smashed　radio。　〃I　know；　Jackstraw；　I　know。　I'll　explain　later…　not　that　I　know　anything　about　it。　Bring　seme　empty　cases　for　seats　out　of　the　food　tunnel；　will　you。　And　a　bottle　of　brandy。　We　all　need　it。〃
　
　I'd　just　started　to　wash　the　cut　forehead…a　nasty　gash；　as　I　had　said；　but　surprisingly　little　signs　of　bruising…when　the　big　amiable　young　man　who　had　helped　us　lower　the　second　officer　from　the　wrecked　plane　came　to　us。　I　looked　across　up　at　him；　and　saw　that　I　could　be　wrong　about　the　amiability：　his　face　wasn't　exactly　hostile；　but　his　eyes　had　the　cool　measuring　look　of　one　who　knew　from　experience　that　he　could　cope　with　most　of　the　situations；　pleasant　and　unpleasant；　that　he　was　ever　likely　to　e　up　against。
　
　〃Look；〃　he　began　without　preamble；　〃I　don't　know　who　you　are　or　what　your　name　is；　but　I'm　sure　we　are　all　most　grateful　to　you　for　what　you　have　done　for　us。　It's　more　than　probable　that　we　owe　our　lives　to　you。　We　acknowledge　that。　Also；　we　know　you're　a　field　scientist；　and　we　realise　that　your　equipment　is　of　paramount　importance　to　you。　Agreed？〃
　
　〃Agreed。〃　I　dabbed　iodine　fairly　liberally　on　the　injured　man's　head…he　was　tough；　all　right；　he　didn't　even　wince…and　looked　at　the　speaker。　Not　at　all　a　man　to　ignore；　I　thought。　Behind　the　strong　intelligent　face　lay　a　hardness；　a　tenacity　of　purpose　that　hadn't　been　acquired　along　with　the　cultured　relaxed　voice　at　the　Ivy　League　college　I　was　pretty　certain　he　had　attended。　〃You'd　something　else　to　say？〃
　
　〃Yes。　We　think…correction；　I　think…that　you　were　unnecessarily　rough　on　our　air　hostess。　You　can　see　the　state　the　poor　kid's　in。　OK；　so　your　radio's　bust；　so　you're　hoppin'　mad　about　it…but　there's　no　need　for　all　this　song　and　dance。〃　His　voice　was　calm；　conversational　all　the　time。　〃Radios　aren't　irreplaceable。　This　one　will　be　replaced；　I　promise　you。　You'll　have　a　new　one　inside　a　week；　ten　days　at　the　most。〃
　
　〃Kind；〃　I　said　dryly。　I　finished　tying　the　head　bandage　and　straightened　up。　〃The　offer　is　appreciated；　but　there's　one　thing　you　haven't　taken　into　account。　You　may　be　dead　inside　that　ten　days。　You　may　all　be　dead　in　ten　days。〃
　
　〃We　may　all…〃　He　broke　off　and　stared　at　me；　his　expression　perceptibly　hardening。　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃
　
　〃What　I'm　talking　about　is　that　without　this　radio　you　dismiss　so　lightly　your　chances…our　chances…of　survival　aren't　all　that　good。　In　fact；　they're　not　good　at　all。　I　don't　give　a　tuppenny　damn　about　the　radio；　as　such。〃　I　eyed　him　curiously；　and　a　preposterous　thought　struck　me：　at　least；　it　was　preposterous　for　all　of　a　couple　of　seconds；　before　the　truth　hit　me。　〃Have　you…have　any　of　you　any　idea　just　where　you　are；　right　here；　at　the　present　moment？〃
　
　〃Sure　we　have。〃　The　young　man　lifted　his　shoulders　fractionally。　〃Just　can't　say　how　far　to　the　nearest　drugstore　or　pub…〃
　
　〃I　told　them；〃　the　stewardess　interrupted。　〃They　were　asking　me；　just　before　you　came　in。　I　thought　Captain　Johnson　had　overshot　the　landing　field　at　Reykjavik　in　a　snowstorm。　This　is　Langjokull；　isn't　it？〃　She　saw　the　expression　on　my　face　and　went　on　hastily。　〃Or　Hofsjokull？　I　mean；　we　were　flying　more　or　less　north…east　from　Gander；　and　these　are　the　only　two　snowfields　or　glaciers　or　whatever　you　call　them　in　Iceland　in　that　direction　from…〃
　
　〃Iceland？〃　I　suppose　there　is　a　bit　of　the　ham　actor　in　all　of　us；　and　I　really　couldn't　pass　it　up。　〃Did　you　say　Iceland？〃
　
　She　nodded；　dumbly。　Everybody　was　looking　at　her；　and　when　she　didn't　answer　they　all　transferred　their　gazes　to　me；　as　at　the　touch　of　a　switch。
　
　〃Iceland；〃　I　repeated。　〃My　dear　…girl；　at　the　present　moment　you're　at　an　altitude　of　8500　feet；　right　slam　bang　in　the　middle　of　the　Greenland　ice…cap。〃
　
　The　effect　was　all　that　anybody　could　ever　have　wished　for。　I　doubt　whether　even　Marie　LeGarde　had　ever　had　a　better　reaction　from　an　audience。　〃Stunned'　is　an　inadequate　word　to　describe　their　mental　state　immediately　after　this　announcement：　paralysis　was　nearer　it；　especially　where　the　power　of　speech　was　concerned。　And　when　the　power　of　thought　and　speech　did　return；　it　expressed　itself；　as　I　might　have　expected；　in　the　most　violent　disbelief。　Everybody　seemed　to　start　talking　at　once；　but　it　was　the　stewardess　who　took　my　attention；　by　ing　forward　and　catching　me　by　the　lapels。　I　noticed　the　glitter　of　a　diamond　ring　on　her　hand；　and　remember　having　some　vague　idea　that　this　was　against　airline　regulations。
　
　〃What　kind　of　joke　is　this？　It　can't　be；　it　can't　be！　Greenland…it　just　can't　be。〃　She　saw　by　the　expression　on　my　face　that　I　wasn't　joking；　and　her　grip　tightened　even　more。　I　had　just　time　to　be　conscious　of　two　conflicting　thoughts…that；　wide　with　fear　and　dismay　though　they　might　be；　she　had　the　most　extraordinarily　beautiful　brown　eyes　and；　secondly；　that　the　BOAC　were　slipping　in　their　selection　of　stewardesses　whose　calmness　in　emergency　was　supposed　to　match　the　trimness　of　their　appearance…then　she　rushed　on　wildly。
　
　〃How…how　can　it　be？　We　were　on　a　Gander…Reykjavik　flight。　Greenland…we　don't　go　anywhere　near　it。　And　there's　the　automatic　pilot；　and　radio　beams　and…and　radio　base　checks　every　half…hour。　Oh；　it's　impossible；　it's　impossible！　Why　do　you　tell　us　this？〃　She　was　shaking　now；　whether　from　nervous　strain　or　cold　I　had　no　idea：　the　big　young　man　with　the　Ivy　League　accent　put　an　arm　awkwardly　round　her　shoulder；　and　I　saw　her　wince。　Something　indeed　seemed　to　be　hurting　her…but　again　it　could　wait。
　
　〃Joss；〃　I　called。　He　looked　up　from　the　stove；　where　he　was　pouring　coffee　into　mugs。　〃Tell　our　friends　where　we　are。〃
　
　〃Latitude　72。40　north；　longitude　40。10　east；〃　Joss　said　unemotionally。　His　voice　cut　clearly　through　the　hubbub　of　incredulous　conversation。　〃Three　hundred　miles　from　the　nearest　human　habitation。　Four　hundred　miles　north　of　the　Arctic　Circle。　Near　enough　800　miles　from　Reykjavik；　1000　from　Cape　Farewell；　the　southernmost　point　of　Greenland；　and　just　a　little　further　distant　from　the　North　Pole。　And　if　anyone　doesn't　believe　us；　sir；　I　suggest　they　just　take　a　walk…in　any　direction…and　they'll　find　out　who's　right。〃
　
　Joss's　calm；　matter…of…fact　statement　was　worth　half　an　hour　of　argument　and　explanation。　In　a　moment；　conviction　was　plete…and　there　were　more　problems　than　ever　to　be　answered。　I　held　up　my　hand　in　mock　protest　and　protection　against　the　waves　of　questions　that　surged　against　me　from　every　side。
　
　〃All　in　good　time；　please…although　I　don't　really　know　anything　more　than　yourselves…with　the　exception；　perhaps；　of　one　thing。　But　first；　coffee　and　brandy　all　round。〃
　
　〃Brandy？〃　The　expensive　young　woman　had　been　the　first；　I'd　noticed；　to　appropriate　one　of　the　empty　wooden　cases　that　Jackstraw　had　brought　in　in　lieu　of　seats；　and　now　she　looked　up　under　the　curve　of　exquisitely　modelled　eyebrows。　〃Are　you　sure　that's　wise？〃　The　tone　of　her　voice　left　little　room　for　doubt　as