alistairmaclean.bearisland-第60部分

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　an　alarming　fashion。　I　looked　at　him　with　what　I　hoped　was　a　proper　concern。
　〃Now；　now；　Mr。　Gerran；　you　must　take　it　easy；〃　I　said　solicitously。　〃I　know　this　has　been　a　terrible　shock　to　you…〃
　〃Where　is　she？〃　he　said　hoarsely。　〃Where's　my　daughter？　How　in　Coxs　name…〃
　〃In　her　cubicle。〃　He　made　to　brush　by　me　but　I　barred　his　way。　〃In　a　moment；　Mr。　Gerran。　But　I　must　see　first　that…well；　you　understand？〃
　He　stared　at　me　under　lowered　brows　then　nodded　impatiently　to　show　that　he　understood；　which　was　more　than　I　did；　and　said：　〃Be　quick；　please。〃
　〃Seconds　only。〃　I　looked　at　Mary　Stuart。　〃Some　brandy　for　Mr。　Gerran。〃
　What　I　had　to　do　in　Judith　Haynes's　cubicle　took　only　ten　seconds。　I　didn't　want　Otto　asking　awkward　questions　about　why　I'd　so　lovingly　wrapped　up　the　gin　and　barbiturate　bottles；　so；　holding　them　gingerly　by　the　tops　of　the　necks；　I　unwrapped　them；　placed　them　in　reasonably　conspicuous　positions　and　summoned　Otto。　He　hung　around　for　a　bit；　looking　suitably　stricken　and　making　desolate　sounds；　but　offered　no　resistance　when　I　took　his　arm；　suggested　that　he　was　achieving　nothing　by　remaining　there　and　led　him　outside。
　In　the　passage　he　said：　〃Suicide；　of　course。〃
　〃No　doubt　about　that。〃
　He　sighed。　〃God；　how　I　reproach　myself　for…〃
　〃You've　nothing　to　reproach　yourself　with；　Mr。　Gerran。　You　saw　how　pletely　broken　she　was　at　the　news　of　her　husband's　death。　just　plain；　old…fashioned　grief。〃
　〃It's　good　to　have　a　man　like　you　around　in　times　like　those；〃　Otto　murmured。　I　met　this　in　modest　silence；　led　him　back　to　his　brandy　and　said：　〃Where　are　the　others？〃
　〃Just　a　few　minutes　behind。　I　ran　on　ahead。〃
　〃How　e　Lonnie　and　the　other　two　took　so　long　to　find　you？〃
　It　was　a　marvellous　day　for　shooting。　All　background。　We　just　kept　moving　on；　every　shot　better　than　the　last　one。　And　then；　of　course；　we　had　this　damned　rescue　job。　My　God；　if　ever　a　location　unit　has　been　plagued　with　such　ill　luck…'
　〃Rescue　job？〃　I　hoped　I　sounded　puzzled；　that　my　tone　didn't　reflect　my　sudden　chill。
　〃Heyter。　Hurt　himself。〃　Otto　lowered　some　brandy　and　shook　his　head　to　show　the　burden　of　woes　he　was　carrying。　〃He　and　Smith　were　climbing　when　he　fell。　Ankle　sprained　or　broken；　I　don't　know。　They　could　see　us　ing　along　Lerner's　Way；　heading　more　or　less　the　way　they'd　gone；　though　they　were　much　higher；　of　course。　Seems　Heyter　persuaded　Smith　to　carry　on；　said　he'd　be　all　right；　he'd　attract　our　attention。〃　Otto　shook　his　head　again　and　drained　his　brandy。　〃Fool！〃
　〃I　don't　understand；〃　I　said。　I　could　hear　the　engine　of　the　approaching　Sno…Cat。
　Instead　of　just　lying　there　till　we　came　within　shouting　distance　he　tried　to　hobble　down　the　hill　towards　us。　Of　course　his　blasted　ankle　gave　way…he　fell　into　a　gully　and　knocked　himself　about　pretty　badly。　God　knows　how　long　he　was　lying　there　unconscious；　it　was　early　afternoon　before　we　heard　his　shouts　for　help。　A　most　damnable　job　getting　him　down　that　hill；　just　damnable。　Is　that　the　Sno…Cat　out　there？〃
　I　nodded。　Otto　heaved　himself　to　his　feel？　and　we　went　towards　the　front　door　together。　I　said：　〃Smithy？　Did　you　see　him？〃
　〃Smith？〃　Otto　looked　at　me　in　faint　surprise。　〃No；　of　course　not。　I　told　you；　he'd　gone　on　ahead。〃
　〃Of　course；〃　I　said。　〃I'd　forgotten。〃
　The　door　opened　from　the　outside　just　as　we　reached　it。　Conrad　and　the　Count　entered；　half…carrying　a　Heyter　who　could　only　hop　on　one　leg。
　His　head　hung　exhaustedly；　his　chin　on　his　chest；　and　his　pale　face　was　heavily　bruised　on　both　the　right　cheek　and　temple。　We　got　him　onto　a　couch　and　I　eased　off。　his　right　boot。　The　ankle　was　swollen　and　badly　discoloured　and　bleeding　slightly　where　the　skin　had　been　broken　in　several　places。　While　Mary　Stuart　was　heating　some　water；　I　propped　him　up；　gave　him　some　brandy；　smiled　at　him　in　my　most　encouraging　physician's　fashion；　miserated　with　him　on　his　ill　luck　and　marked　him　down　for　death。
　
　12
　
　Otto's　stocks　of　liquid　cheer　were　taking　a　severe　beating。　It　is　a　medical　monplace　that　there　are　those　who；　under　severe　stress；　resort　to　the　consumption　of　large　quantities　of　food。　Olympus　Productions　Ltd。　harboured　none　of　those。　The　demand　for　food　was　nonexistent；　but；　in　a　correspondingly　inverse　proportion；　alcoholic　solace　was　being　eagerly　sought　and　the　atmosphere　in　the　cabin　was　powerfully　redolent　of　that　of　a　Glasgow　public　house　when　a　Scottish　soccer　team　has　resoundingly　defeated　its　ancient　enemies　from　across　the　border。　The　sixteen　people　scattered　around　the　cabin…the　injured　Heyter　apart…showed　no　desire　to　repair　to　their　cubicles；　there　was　an　unacknowledged　and　wholly　illogical　tacit　assumption　that　if　Judith　Haynes　could　die　in　her　cubicle　anyone　could。　Instead；　they　sat　scattered　around　in　twos　and　threes；　drinking　silently　or　conversing　in　murmurs；　furtive　eyes　forever　moving　around　the　others　present；　all　deepening　a　cheerless　and　doom…laden　Mr。　which　stemmed　not　from　Judith　Haynes's　death　but　from　what　might　or　might　not　be　yet　another　impending　disaster：　although　it　was　close　on　seven　now；　with　the　darkness　almost　total　and　the　snow　falling　steadily　out　of　the　north；　Heissman；　Goin；　and　Jungbeck　had　not　yet　returned。
　Otto；　unusually；　sat　by　himself；　chewing　on　a　cigar　but　not　drinking：　he　gave　the　impression　of　a　man　who　is　wondering　what　fearsome　blow　fate　now　has　in　store　for　him。　I　had　talked　to　him　briefly　some　little　time　previously　and　he　had　given　it　as　his　morose　and　unshakable　opinion　that　all　three　of　them　had　been　drowned：　none　of　them；　as　he　had　pointed　out；　knew　the　first　thing　about　handling　a　boat。　Even　if　they　managed　to　survive　more　than　a　few　minutes　in　those　icy　waters；　what　hope　lay　for　them　if　they　did　swim　to　shore。　If　they　reached　a　cliff　face；　their　finger　would　only　scrabble　uselessly　against　the　smoothly　vertical　rock　until　their　strength　gave　out　and　they　slid　under：　if　they　managed　to　scramble　ashore　at　some　more　accessible　point；　the　icy　Mr。　would　reach　through　their　soaked　clothes　to　their　soaked　bodies　and　freeze　them　to　death　almost　instantly。　If　they　didn't　turn　up；　he　said；　and　now　he　was　sure　they　wouldn't；　he　was　going　to　abandon　the　entire　venture　and　wait　for　Smithy　to　bring　help　and　if　that　didn't　e　soon　he　would　propose　that　the　entire　pany　strike　out　for　the　safety　of　Tunheim。
　The　entire　pany　had　momentarily　fallen　silent　and　Otto；　looking　across　the　cabin　to　where　I　was　standing；　gave　a　painful　smile　and　said；　as　if　in　a　desperate　attempt　to　lighten　the　atmosphere：　〃e；　e；　Dr。　Marlowe；　I　see　you　haven't　got　a　glass。〃
　‘No；〃　I　said。　I　don't　think　it's　wise。〃
　Otto　looked　around　the　cabin。　If　he　was　being　harrowed　by　the　contemplation　of　his　rapidly　dvAndling　stocks　he　was　concealing　his　grief　well。
　〃The　others　seem　to　think　it's　wise。〃
　〃The　others　don't　have　to　take　into　account　the　danger　of　exposing　opened　pores　to　zero　temperatures。〃
　〃What？〃　He　peered　at　me。　〃What's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃
　〃It　means　that　if　Heissman；　Jungbeck；　and　Goin　aren't　back　here　in　a　very　few　minutes　I　intend　to　take　the　fourteen…footer　and　go　to　look　for　them。〃
　〃What！〃　This　in　a　very　different　tone　of　voice。　Otto　hauled　himself　painfully　to　his　feel？　as　he　always　did　when　he　was　preparing　to　appear　impressive。　〃Go　to　look　for　them？　Are　you　mad；　sir？　Look　for　them；　indeed。　On　a　night　like　this；　pitch　dark；　can't　see　a　hand　in　front　of　your　nose。　No；　by　God；　I've　already　lost　too　many　people；　far　too　many。　I　absolutely　forbid　it。〃
　〃Have　you　taken　into　account　that　their　engine　may　have　just　failed？　That　they're　just　drifting　helplessly　around；　freezing　to　death　by　the　minute　while　we　sit　here　doing　nothing？〃
　I　have　and　I　don't　believe　it　possible。　The　boat　engines　were　overhauled　pletely　before　our　departure　and　I　know　that　Jungbeck　is　a　very　petent　mechanic。　The　matter　is　not　to　be　contemplated。〃
　〃I'm　going　anyway。〃
　〃I　would　remind　you　that　that　boat　is　pany　property。〃
　〃Who's　going　to　stop　me　taking　it？〃
　Otto　spluttered　ineffectually；　then　said：　〃You　realise…〃
　I　realise。〃　I　was　tired　of　Otto。　〃I'm　fired。〃
　〃You'd　better　fire　me　too；　then；〃　Conrad　said。　We　all　turned　to　look　at　him。　〃I'm　going　along　with　him。〃
　I'd　have　expected　no　less　from　Conrad；　he；　after　all；　had　been　the　one　to　initiate　the　search　for　Smithy　soon　after　our　landing。　I　didn't　try　to　argue　with　him。　I　could　see　Mary　Stuart　with　her　hand　on　his　arm；　looking　at　him　in　dismay：　if　she　couldn't　dissuade　him；　I　wasn't　going　to　bother　to　try。
　〃Charles！〃　Otto　was　bringing　the　full　weight　of　his　authority　to　bear。
　〃I　would　remind　you　that　you　have　a　contract…〃
　the　contract；〃　Conrad　said。
　Otto　stared　at　him　in　disbelief；　clamped　his　lips　quite　shut；　wheeled　and　headed　for　his　cubicle。　With　his　departure　everybody；　it　seemed；　started　to　speak　at　the　same　time。　I　crossed　to　where　the　Count　was　moodily　drinking　the　inevitable　brandy。　He　looked　up　and　gave　me　a　cheerless　smile。
　〃If　you　want　a　third　suicidal　volunteer；　my　dear　boy。。。〃
　〃How　long　have　you　known　Otto　Gerran？〃
　〃What's　that？〃　He　seemed　momentarily　at　a　loss；　then　quaffed　some　more　brandy。　〃Thirty…odd　years。　It's　no　secret。　I　knew　him　well　in　prewar　Vienna。　Why　do　you…〃
　〃You　were　in　the　film　business　the