alistairmaclean.bearisland-第63部分

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　manually　operated　telescopic　aerial　to　its　fullest　extent　and　turned　two　switches。　A　dim　green　light　glowed　and　a　faint　hum；　that　couldn't　have　been　heard　a　yard　away；　came　from　the　box。　I　always　think　it's　so　satisfactory　when　those　little　toys　work；〃　Conrad　said。　〃But　won't　the　snow　gum　up　the　works？〃
　〃This　little　toy　costs　just　over　a　thousand　pounds。　You　can　immerse　it　in　acid；　you　can　boil　it　in　water；　you　can　drop　it　from　a　four…story　building。　It　still　works。　It's　got　a　little　sister　that　can　he　fired　from　a　naval　gun。　I　don't　think　a　little　snow　will　harm；　do　you？〃
　I　wouldn't　think　so。〃　He　watched　in　silence　as　I　lowered　the　box；　pilot　light　facing　the　stonework；　over　the　south　arm　of　the　pier；　secured　the　rope　to　a　bollard；　made　it　fast　round　its　base　and　concealed　it　with　a　scattering　of　snow。　〃What's　the　range？〃
　〃Forty　miles。　It　won't　require　a　quarter　of　that　tonight。〃
　〃And　it's　transmitting　now？〃
　〃It's　transmitting　now。〃
　We　moved　back　to　the　main　arm　of　the　pier；　brushing　footmarks　away　with　our　gloves。　I　said：　I　wouldn't　think　they　would　have　heard　us　ing　back；　but　no　chances。　A　weather　eye；　if　you　please。〃
　I　was　down　inside　the　hull　of　the　mock…up　sub　and　had　rejoined　Conrad　inside　two　minutes。　He　said：　〃No　trouble？〃
　〃None。　The　two　paints　don't　quite　match。　But　you'd　never　notice　it　unless　you　were　looking　for　it。〃
　We　were　not　greeted　like　returning　heroes。　It　would　not　be　true　to　say　that　our　return；　or　our　early　return；　was　greeted　with　anything　like　disappointment；　but　there　was　definitely　an　anticlimactic　Mr。　to　it；　maybe　they　had　already　expended　all　their　sympathies　on　Heissman；　Jungbeck；　and　Goin；　who　had　claimed；　predictably　enough；　that　their　engine　had　broken　down　in　the　late　afternoon。　Heissman　thanked　us　properly　enough　but　there　was　a　faint　trace　of　amused　condescension　to　his　thanks　that　would　normally　have　aroused　a　degree　of　antagonism　in　me　were　it　not　for　the　fact　that　my　antagonism　towards　Heissman　was　already　so　total　that　any　deepening　of　it　would　have　been　quite　impossible。　So　Conrad　and　I　contented　ourselves　with　making　a　show　of　expressing　our　relief　to　find　the　three　voyagers　alive　while　not　troubling　very　much　to　conceal　our　chagrin。　Conrad；　especially；　was　splendid　at　this：　clearly；　he　had　a　considerable　future　as　an　actor。
　The　atmosphere　in　the　cabin　was　almost　unbearably　funereal。　I　would　have　thought　that　the　safe　return　of　five　of　their　pany　might　have　been　cause　for　some　subdued　degree　of　rejoicing；　but　it　may　well　have　been　that　the　very　fact　of　our　being　alive　only　heightened　the　collective　awareness　of　the　dead　woman　lying　in　her　cubicle。　Heissman　tried　to　tell　us　about　the　marvellous　backgrounds　he　had　found　that　day　and　I　couldn't　help　reflecting　that　he　was　going　to　have　a　most　hellishly　difficult　job　in　setting　up　camera　and　sound　crews　within　the　extraordinarily　restrictive　confines　of　the　Perleporten　tunnel：　Heissman　desisted　when　it　became　clear　that　no　one　was　listening　to　him。　Otto　made　a　half…hearted　attempt　to　establish　some　kind　of　working　relationship　with　me　and　even　went　to　the　length　of　pressing　some　Scotch　upon　me　which　I　accepted　without　thanks　but　drank　nevertheless。　He　tried　to　make　some　feebly　jocular　remark　about　open　pores　and　it　being　obvious　that　I　didn't　intend　venturing　forth　again　that　night　and　I　didn't　tell　him；　not　just　yet；　that　I　did　indeed　intend　to　venture　forth　again　that　night　but　that　as　my　proposed　walk　would　take　me　no　farther　than　the　jetty　it　was　unlikely　that　all　the　open　pores　in　the　world　would　incapacitate　me。　I　looked　at　my　watch。　Another　ten　minutes；　no　more。　Then　we　would　all　go　for　that　little　walk；　the　four　directors　of　Olympus　Productions；　Lonnie；　and　myself。　just　the　six　of　us；　no　more。　The　four　directors　were　already　there　and；　given　the　time　Lonnie　normally　took　to　regain　contact　with　reality　after　a　prolonged　session　with　the　only　pany　left　in　the　world　that　gave　him　any　solace；　it　was　time　that　he　was　here　also。　I　went　down　the　passage　and　into　his　cabin。　It　was　bitterly　cold　in　there　because　the　window　was　wide　open　and　it　was　wide　open　because　that　was　the　way　that　Lonnie　had　elected　to　leave　his　cubicle　which　was　quite　empty。　I　picked　up　a　torch　that　was　lying　by　the　rumpled　cot　and　peered　out　the　window。　The　snow　was　still　falling　steadily　but　not　so　heavily　as　to　obscure　the　tracks　that　led　away　from　the　window。　There　were　two　sets　of　tracks。　Lonnie　had　been　persuaded　to　leave：　not　that　he　would　have　required　much　persuasion。　I　ignored　the　curious　looks　that　came　my　way　as　I　went　quickly　through　the　main　cabin　and　headed　for　the　provisions　hut。　Its　door　was　open　but　Lonnie　was　not　there　either。　The　only　sure　sign　that　he　had　been　there　was　a　half…full　bottle　of　Scotch　with　its　screw　top　off。　So　much　for　Lonnie　and　his　mighty　oath　taken　with　his　hand　on　a　vat　of　the　choicest　malt。　The　tracks　outside　the　but　were　numerous　and　confused：　it　was　clear　that　my　chances　of　isolating　and　following　any　particular　set　of　those　was　minimal。　I　returned　to　the　cabin　and　there　was　no　lack　of　immediate　volunteers　for　the　search：　Lonnie　had　never　made　an　unwitting　enemy　in　his　life。
　It　was　the　Count　who　found　him；　inside　a　minute；　face　down　in　a　deep　drift　behind　the　generator　shed。　He　was　already　shrouded　in　white；　so　he　must　have　been　lying　there　for　some　time。　He　was　clad　in　only　shirt；　pullover；　trousers；　and　what　appeared　to　be　a　pair　of　ancient　carpet　slippers。　The　snow　beside　his　head　was　stained　yellow　where　the　contents…or　part　of　the　contents…of　yet　another　bottle；　still　clutched　in　his　right　hand；　had　been　spilt。
　We　turned　him　over。　If　ever　a　man　looked　like　a　dead　man　it　was　Lonnie。　His　skin　was　ice…cold　to　the　touch；　his　face　the　colour　of　old　ivory；　his　glazed　unmoving　eyes　were　open　to　the　falling　snow；　and　there　was　no　rise　and　fall　to　his　chest　but　on　the　off。…chance　that　there　might　just　be　some　substance　in　the　old　saw　that　a　special　providence　looks　after　little　children　and　drunks　I　put　my　car　to　his　chest　and　thought　I　detected　a　faint　and　far…off。　murmur。　We　carried　him　inside　and　laid　him　on　his　cot。　While　oil　beaters；　hot　water　bags；　and　heated　blankets　were　being　brought　in　or　prepared…apart　from　the　general　esteem　in　which　Lonnie　was　held；　everyone　seemed　almost　pathetically　eager　to　contribute　to　something　constructive…I　used　my　stethoscope　and　established　that　he　did　indeed　have　a　heartbeat　if　such　a　term　could　be　applied　to　something　as　weak　and　as　fluttering　as　the　wings　of　a　wounded　captive　bird。　I　thought　briefly　of　a　heart　stimulant　and　brandy　and　dismissed　both　ideas；　both；　in　his　touch…and…go　condition；　were　as　likely　to　kill　him　off。　as　to　have　any　good　effect。　So　we　just　concentrated　on　heating　up　the　frozen　and　lifeless…seeming　body　as　quickly　as　was　possible　while　four　people　continuously　massaged　ominously　white　feel？　and　bands　to　try　to　restore　some　measure　of　circulation。
　Fifteen　minutes　after　we'd　first　found　him　he　was　perceptibly　breathing　again；　a　shallow　and　gasping　fight　for　Mr。；　but　breathing　nevertheless。　He　was　now　as　warm　as　artificial　aids　could　make　him　so　I　thanked　the　others　and　told　them　they　could　go：　I　asked　the　two　Marys　to　stay　behind　as　nurses；　because　I　couldn't　stay　myself：　by　my　watch；　I　was　already　ten　minutes　late。　Lonnie's　eyes　moved。　No　other　part　of　him　did；　but　his　eyes　moved。　After　a　few　moments　they　focussed　blearily　on　me：　he　was　as　conscious　as　he　was　likely　to　be　for　a　long　time。　
　〃You　bloody　old　fool！〃　I　said。　It　was　no　way　to　talk　to　a　man　with　one　foot　still　halfway　through　death's　door；　but　it　was　the　way　I　felt。　〃Why　did　you　do　it？〃
　〃Aha！〃　His　voice　was　a　far…off。　whisper。
　〃Who　took　you　out　of　here〃　Who　gave　you　the　drink？〃　I　was　aware　that　the　two　Marys　had　at　first　stared　at　me　then　at　each　other　but　the　time　was　gone　when　it　mattered　what　anyone　thought。　Lonnie's　lips　moved　soundlessly　a　few　times。　Then　his　eyes　flickered　shiftily　and　he　gave　a　drunken　cackle；　no　more　than　a　faint　rasping　sound　deep　in　his　throat。　〃A　kind　man；〃　he　whispered　weakly。　‘Very　kind　man。〃
　I　would　have　shaken　him　except　for　the　fact　that　I　would　certainly　have　shaken　the　life　out　of　him。　I　restrained　myself　with　a　considerable　effort　and　said：　〃What　kind　man；　Lonnie…
　〃Kind　man；〃　he　muttered。　〃Kind　man。〃　He　lifted　one　thin　wrist　and　beckoned。　I　bent　towards　him。　〃Know　something？〃　His　voice　was　a　fading　murmur。
　〃Tell　me；　Lonnie。〃
　〃In　the　end…〃　His　voice　trailed　away。
　〃Yes；　Lonnie？〃
　He　made　a　great　effort。　In　the　end〃…there　was　a　long　pause；　I　had　to　put　my　ear　to　his　mouth…〃iii　the　end；　there's　only　kindness。〃　He　lowered　his　waxen　eyelids。
　I　swore　and　I　kept　on　swearing　until　I　realised　that　both　girls　were　staring　at　me　with　shocked　eyes；　they　must　have　thought　that　I　was　swearing　at　Lonnie。　I　said　to　Mary　Stuart：　〃Go　to　Conrad…Charles。　Tell　him　to　tell　the　Count　to　e　to　my　cubicle。　Now。　Conrad　will　know　how　to　do　it。〃
　She　left　without　a　question。　Mary　Darling　said　to　me：　〃Will　Lonnie　live；　Dr。　Marlowe？〃
　I　don't　know；　Mary。〃
　〃But…but　he's　quite　warm　now…？'
　It　won't　be　exposure　that　will　kill　him；　if　that's　what　you　mean。〃
　She　looked　at　me；　the　eyes　behind　the　horn…rims　at　once　earnest　and　scared。　〃You　me