alistairmaclean.seawitch-第34部分

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agony：　Mitchell　and　Sawyers　had　surfaced　and　picked　off　two　more　targets。　Whether　either　had　been　mortally　or　grievously　injured　was　impossible　to　say；　but　far　more　than　enough　had　happened　for　Easton　to　take　off　at　speed；　this　time　on　his　much　faster　diesels：　the　engines　were　admittedly　noisy；　but　the　darkness　was　so　intense　that　it　was　impossible　for　the　alerted　gunners　on　the　platform　to　obtain　an　accurate　fix　on　them。
　The　two　scuba　divers；　their　own　headlights　now　switched　on；　swam　down　to　the　spot　where　the　mines　and　explosives　had　been　attached　to　the　legs。　There　were　time　fuses　attached　to　both　mines　and　explosives。　Those　they　detached　and　let　fall　to　the　bottom　of　the　ocean。　For　good　measure　they　also　removed　the　detonators。　The　explosives；　now　harmless；　they　unwound　and　let　them　follow　the　time　fuses。　The　mines　they　prudently　left　where　they　were。　Both　men　were　explosives　experts　but　not　deep…water　explosives　experts。　Mines；　as　many　ghosts　can　attest；　can　be　very　tricky　and　unpredictable。　They　consist　of　TNT；　amatol；　or　some　such　conventional　explosive　as　the　main　charge。　In　their　central　tube　they　have　a　primer；　which　may　consist　of　one　of　a　variety　of　slow…burning　explosives；　and　fitted　to　the　top　of　the　primer　is　a　traveling　detonator；　activated　by　sea　pressure；　which　usually　consists　of　seventy…seven　grains　of　fulminate　of　mercury。　Even　with　this　detonator　removed；　the　primer　can　still　detonate　under　immense　pressure。　Neither　diver　had　any　wish　to　blow　up　the　pile…driven　anchors　or　the　tensioning　cables　attached　to　the　anchors。　Via　the　derrick　crane　they　made　their　way　back　to　the　platform　and　reported　to　the　radio　room。　They　had　to　wait　for　some　time　before　making　their　report；　for　Lord　Worth　was　in　a　far　from　amicable　telephone　conversation　with　Cronkite。　Marina　sat　apart；　her　hands　clenched　and　her　normally　tanned　face　a　grayish　color。　She　looked　at　Mitchell；　then　averted　her　eyes　as　if　she　never　wished　to　set　eyes　on　him　again；　which；　at　the　moment；　she　probably　didn't。　Cronkite　was　furious。　〃You　murderous　bastard；　Worth。〃　He　was　clearly　unaware　that　he　was　talking　in　the　presence　of　ladies。　〃Three　of　my　men　dead；　harpooned　through　the　back。〃　Involuntarily；　Marina　looked　at　Mitchell　again。　Mitchell　had　the　impression　that　he　was　either　a　monster　from　outer　space　or　from　the　nethermost　depths：　at　any　rate；　a　monster。
　
　
　Lord　Worth　was　no　less　furious。　〃It　would　be　a　pleasure　to　repeat　the　process…with　you　as　the　central　figure　this　time。〃
　Cronkite　choked；　then　said　with　what　might　have　been　truth：　〃My　intention　was　just　temporarily　to　incapacitate　the　Seawitch　without　harming　anyone　aboard。　But　if　you　want　to　play　it　rough　you'll　have　to　find　a　new　Seawitch　in　twenty…four　hours。　That's　if　you're　fortunate　enough　to　survive：　I'm　going　to　blast　you　out　of　the　water。〃
　Lord　Worth　was　calmer　now。　〃It　would　be　interesting　to　know　how　you're　going　to　achieve　that。　My　information　is　that　your　warships　have　been　ordered　back　to　base。〃
　〃There's　more　than　one　way　of　blasting　you　out　of　the　water。〃　Cronkite　sounded　very　sure　of　himself。　〃In　the　meantime　I'm　going　to　offload　the　Torbello's　oil；　then　sink　it。〃　In　point　of　fact；　Cronkite　had　no　intention　of　sinking　the　tanker：　the　Torbello　was　a　Panamanian　registered　tanker；　and　Cronkite　was　not　lacking　in　Panamanian　friends。　A　tanker　could　be　easily　disposed　of　for　a　very　considerable　sum。　The　conversation；　if　such　an　acrimonious　exchange　could　be　so　called；　ended　abruptly。
　Mitchell　said：　〃One　thing's　for　sure。　Cronkite　is　a　fluent　liar。　He's　nowhere　near　Central　America。　Not　with　that　kind　of　reception。　And　we　heard　him　talking　to　his　friend　Durand。　He　elected　not　to　e　on　that　helicopter　flight…which　lasted　only　fifteen　minutes。　He's　lying　out　there　somewhere　just　over　the　horizon。〃
　Lord　Worth　said：　〃How　did　things　go　down　there？〃
　〃You　heard　what　Cronkite　said。　There　was　no　trouble　on　our　part。〃
　〃Do　you　expect　more？〃
　〃Yeah。　Cronkite　sounds　too　damn　confident　for　me；〃
　〃How　do　you　think　it'll　e？〃
　〃Your　guess　is　as　good　as　mine。　He　might　even　try　the　same　thing　again。〃
　Lord　Worth　was　incredulous。　〃After　what　happened　to　him？〃
　〃He　may　be　counting　on　the　unexpected。　One　thing　Tm　sure　of。　If　he　does　try　the　same　again　he'll〃　use　different　tactics。　I'm　sure　he　won't　try　an　air　or　submarine　approach；　if　for　no　other　reason　than　that　he　doesn't…he　can't…have　skilled　men。　So　I　don't　think　you'll　need　your　radar　or　sonar　watchers　tonight。　In　any　case；　your　radio　operator　may　need　a　rest…after　all；　he's　got　an　alarm　call…up　in　his　cabin。　Td　keep　Simpson　on　duty；　though。　Just　in　case　our　friends　try　for　one　of　the　legs　again。〃
　Palermo　said：　〃But　they'd　be　waiting　this　time。　They'd　be　operating　close　to　the　surface。　They'd　have　armed　guards　waiting　to　protect　the　divers；　maybe　even　infrared　searchlights　that　we　couldn't　see　from　the　platform。　You　and　Sawyers　were　lucky　the　first　time；　and　luck　depends　on　surprise：　but　there　wouldn't　be　any　surprise　this　time。〃
　〃We　don't　need　luck。　Lord　Worth　wouldn't　have　had　all　those　depth　charges　stolen　and　brought　aboard　unless　one　of　your　men　is　an　expert　in　depth　charges。　You've　got　such　a　man？〃
　〃Yeah。〃　Palermo　eyed　him　speculatively。　〃Cronin。　Ex…petty　officer。　Why？〃
　〃He　could　arrange　the　detonator　setting　so　that　the…depth　charge　would　explode　immediately　or　soon　after　hitting　the　water？〃
　〃I　guess　so。　Again；　why？〃
　〃We　roll　three　depth　charges　along　the　platform　to　within；　say；　twenty…five　yards　of　each　of　the　legs。　Your　friend　Cronin　could　advise　us　on　this。　My　distance　could　be　wrong。　If　Simpson　detects　anything　on　his　sensors　we　just　push　one　of　the　depth　charges　over　the　side。　The　blast　effect　should　have　no　effect　on　the　leg。　I　doubt　if　the　boat　with　the　divers　would　get　anything　more　than　a　hard　shaking。　But　for　divers　in　the　water　the　concussive　shock　effects　could　hardly　miss　being　fatal。〃
　Palermo　looked　at　him　with　cold　appraising　eyes。　〃For　a　man　supposed　to　be　on　the　side　of　the　law；　Mitchell；　you're　the　most　cold…blooded　bastard　Fve　ever　met。'*
　〃If　you　want　to　die　just　say　so。　You'd　find　it　a　bit　unfortable　nine　hundred　feet　down　in　the　Gulf。　I　suggest　you　get　Cronin　and　a　couple　of　your　men　and　get　going　on　the　depth　charges。〃
　Mitchell　followed　to　watch　Palermo；　Cronin　and　two　of　their　men　at　work。　Cronin　agreed　with　MitchelTs　estimate　of　placing　the　depth　charges　twenty…five　yards　from　the　legs。　As　he　stood　there　Marina　came　up　to　him。
　She　said：　〃More　men　are　going　to　die；　aren't　they；　Michael？〃
　〃I　hope　not。〃
　〃But　you　are　getting　ready　to　kill；　aren't　you？〃
　〃I'm　getting　ready　to　survive。　I'm　getting　ready　for　all　of　us　to　survive。〃
　She　took　his　arm。　〃Do　you　like　killing？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Then　how　e　you're　so　good　at　it？〃
　〃Somebody　has　to　be。〃
　〃For　the　good　of　mankind；　I　suppose？〃
　〃Look；　you　don't　have　to　talk　to　me。〃　He　paused　and　went　on　slowly。　〃Cops　kill。　Soldiers　kill。　Airmen　kill。　They　don't　have　to　like　it。　In　the　First　World　War　a　guy　named　Marshal　Foch　got　to　be　the　roost　decorated　soldier　of　the　war　for　being　responsible　for　the　deaths　of　a　million　men。　The　fact　that　most　of　them　were　his　own　men　would　seem　to　be　beside　the　point。　I　don't　hunt；　I　don't　shoot　game；　I　don't　even　fish。　I　mean；　I　like　lamb　as　much　as　the　next　man；　but　I　wouldn't　put　a　hook　in　one's　throat　and　drag　it　around　a　field　for　half　an　hour　before　it　dies　from　agony　and　exhaustion。　All　I　do　is　exterminate　vermin。　To　me；　all　crooks；　armed　or　not；　are　vermin。〃
　〃Is　that　why　you　and　John　got　fired　from　the　police？〃
　〃Do　I　have　to　tell　you　that？〃
　〃Have　you　ever　killed　what　you；　what　I；　would　call　a　good　person？〃
　〃No。　But　unless　you　shut　up…〃
　〃In　spite　of　everything；　I　think　I　might　still　marry　you。〃
　〃I've　never　asked　you。〃
　〃Well；　what　are　you　waiting　for？〃
　Mitchell　sighed；　then　smiled。　〃Marina　Worth；　would　you　do　me　the　honor…〃
　Behind　them；　Lord　Worth　coughed。　Marina　swung　round。　〃Daddy；〃　she　said；　〃you　have　a　genius　for　turning　up　at　the　wrong　moment。〃
　Lord　Worth　was　mild。　〃The　right　moment　I　would　have　said。　My　unreserved　congratulations。〃　He　looked　at　Mitchell。　〃Well；　you　certainly　took　your　time　about　it。　Everything　shipshape　and　secured　for　the　night？〃
　〃As　far　as　I　can　guess　at　what　goes　on　in　Cronkite's　mind。〃
　〃My　confidence　in　you；　my　boy；　is　total。　Well；　it's　bed　for　me…I　feel；　perhaps　not　unaccountably；　extremely　tired。〃
　Marina　said：　〃Me；　too。　Well；　goodnight；　fiance〃。〃　She　kissed　him　lightly　and　left　with　her　father。
　For　once；　Lord　Worth's　confidence　in　Mitchell　was　slightly　misplaced。　The　latter　had　made　a　mistake；　though　a　pletely　unwitting　one；　in　sending　the　radio　officer　off　duty。　For　had　that　officer　remained　on　duty　he　would　undoubtedly　have　picked　up　the　news　flash　about　the　theft　of　the　nuclear　weapons　from　the　Netley　Rowan　Arsenal：　Mitchell　could　not　have　failed　to　put　two　and　two　together。
　During　the　third　hour　of　Lord　Worth's　conscience…untroubled　sleep　Mulhooney　had　been　extremely　active。　He　had　discharged　his　fifty　thousand　tons　of　oil　and　taken　the　Torbello　well　out…to　sea；　far　over　the　horizon。　He　returned　later　with　two　panions　in　the　ship's　only　motorized　lifeboat　with　the　sad　news　that；　in　the　sinking　of　th