alistairmaclean.nightwithoutend-第18部分

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　She　pulled　the　glove　and　mitten　off　her　left　hand；　took　the　gleaming　ring　off　her　third　finger　and　passed　it　across　to　me。　I　examined　it　blankly　in　the　light　of　my　torch；　then　bent　forward　as　I　caught　sight　of　the　tiny　inscription　on　the　inside　of　the　gold　band：　〃J。　W。…M。　R。　Sept。　28；1958'。　I　looked　up　at　her　and　she　nodded；　her　face　numb　and　stricken。
　
　〃Jimmy　and　I　got　engaged　two　months　ago。　This　was　my　last　flight　as　a　stewardess…we　were　being　married　at　Christmas。〃　She　snatched　the　ring　from　me；　thrust　it　back　on　her　finger　with　a　shaking　hand　and　when　she　turned　to　me　again　the　tears　were　brimming　over　in　her　eyes。　〃Now　do　you　trust　me？〃　she　sobbed。　〃Now　do　you　trust　me？〃
　
　For　the　first　time　in　almost　twenty…four　hours　I　acted　sensibly　…1　closed　my　mouth　tightly　and　kept　it　that　way。　I　didn't　even　bother　reviewing　her　strange　behaviour　after　the　crash　and　in　the　cabin；　I　knew　instinctively　that　this　accounted　for　everything：　I　just　sat　there　silently　watching　her　staring　straight　ahead；　her　fists　clenched　and　tears　rolling　down　her　cheeks；　and　when　she　suddenly　crumpled　and　buried　her　face　in　her　hands　and　I　reached　out　and　pulled　her　towards　me　she　made　no　resistance；　just　turned；　crushed　her　face　into　the　caribou　fur　of　my　parka　and　cried　as　if　her　heart　was　breaking：　and　I　suppose　it　was。
　
　I　suppose；　too；　that　the　moment　when　a　man　hears　that　a　girl's　fiance*　has　died　only　that　day　is　the　last　moment　that　that　man　should　ever　begin　to　fall　in　love　with　her；　but　I'm　afraid　that's　just　how　it　was。　The　emotions　are　no　respecters　of　the　niceties；　the　proprieties　and　decencies　of　this　life；　and；　just　then；　I　was　clearly　aware　that　mine　were　stirred　as　they　hadn't　been　since　that　dreadful　day；　four　years　ago；　when　my　wife；　a　bride　of　only　three　months；　had　been　killed　in　a　car　smash　and　I　had　given　up　medicine；　returned　to　my　first　great　love；　geology；　pleted　the　B。Sc。　course　that　had　been　interrupted　by　the　outbreak　of　World　War　Two　and　taken　to　wandering　wherever　work；　new　surroundings　and　an　opportunity　to　forget　the　past　had　presented　themselves。　Why；　when　I　gazed　down　at　that　small　dark　head　pressed　so　deeply　into　the　fur　of　my　coat；　I　should　have　felt　my　heart　turn　over　I　didn't　know。　For　all　her　wonderful　brown　eyes　she　had　no　pretensions　to　beauty　and　I　knew　nothing　whatsoever　about　her。　Perhaps　it　was　just　a　natural　reaction　from　my　earlier　antipathy：　perhaps　it　was　pity　for　her　loss；　for　what　I　had　so　cruelly　done　to　her；　for　having　so　exposed　her　to　danger…whoever　knew　that　I　knew　too　much　would　soon　know　that　she　knew　it　also：　or　perhaps　it　was　just　because　she　was　so　defenceless　and　vulnerable；　so　ridiculously　small　and　lost　in　Joss's　big　parka。　And　then　I　caught　myself　trying　to　work　out　the　reasons　and　I　gave　it　up：　I　hadn't　been　married　long；　but　long　enough　to　know　that　the　heart　has　its　own　reasons　which　even　the　acutest　mind　couldn't　begin　to　suspect。
　
　By　and　by　the　sobbing　subsided　and　she　straightened；　hiding　from　me　what　must　have　been　a　very　badly　tear…stained　face。
　
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　she　murmured。　〃And　thank　you　very　much。〃
　
　〃My　crying　shoulder。〃　I　patted　it　with　my　right　hand。　〃For　my　friends。　The　other　one's　for　my　patients。〃
　
　〃For　that；　too；　but　I　didn't　mean　that。　Just　for　not　saying　how　sorry　you　were　for　me；　or　patting　me　or　saying　'Now；　now'　or　anything　like　that。　I　…1　couldn't　have　stood　it。〃　She　finished　wiping　her　face　with　the　palm　of　her　mitten；　looked　up　at　me　with　brown　eyes　still　swimming　in　tears　and　I　felt　my　heart　turn　over　again。　〃Where　do　we　go　from　here；　Dr　Mason？〃
　
　〃Back　to　the　cabin。〃
　
　〃I　didn't　mean　that。〃
　
　〃I　know。　What　am　I　to　say？　I'm　pletely　at　a　loss。　A　hundred　questions；　and　never　an　answer　to　one　of　them。〃
　
　〃And　I　don't　even　know　all　the　questions；　yet；〃　she　murmured。　〃It's　only　five　minutes　since　I　even　knew　that　it　wasn't　an　accident。〃　She　shook　her　head　incredulously。　〃Who　ever　heard　of　a　civilian　airliner　being　forced　down　at　pistol　point？〃
　
　〃I　did。　On　the　radio；　just　over　a　month　ago。　In　Cuba…some　of　Fidel　Castro's　rebels　forced　a　Viscount　to　crash　land。　Only　they　picked　an　even　worse　spot　than　this　…1　think　there　were　only　one　or　two　survivors。　Maybe　that's　where　our　friends　back　in　the　cabin　got　the　idea　from。　I　shouldn't　be　surprised。〃
　
　She　wasn't　even　listening；　her　mind　was　already　off　on　another　track。
　
　〃Why…why　did　they　kill　Colonel　Harrison？〃
　
　I　shrugged。　〃Maybe　he　had　a　high　resistance　to　Mickey　Finns。
　
　Maybe　he　saw　too　much；　or　knew　too　much。　Or　both。〃
　
　〃But…but　now　they　know　you've　seen　too　much　and　know　too　much。〃　I　wished　she　wouldn't　look　at　me　when　she　was　talking；　these　eyes　would　have　made　even　the　Rev。　Smallwood　forget　himself　in　the　middle　of　his　most　thundering　denunciations…not　that　I　could　imagine　Mr　Smallwood　going　in　for　thundering　denunciations　very　much。
　
　〃A　disquieting　thought；〃　I　admitted；　〃and　one　that　has　occurred　to　me　several　times　during　the　past　half…hour。　About　five　hundred　times；　I　would　say。〃
　
　〃Oh；　stop　it！　You're　probably　as　scared　as　I　am。〃　She　shivered。　〃Let's　get　out　of　here；　please。　It's…it's　ghastly；　it's　horrible。　What…what　was　that？〃　Her　voice　finished　on　a　sharp　high　note。
　
　〃What　was　what？〃　I　tried　to　speak　calmly；　but　that　didn't　stop　me　from　glancing　around　nervously。　Maybe　she　was　right；　maybe　I　was　as　scared　as　she　was。
　
　〃A　noise　outside。〃　Her　voice　was　a　whisper　and　her　fingers　were　digging　deep　into　the　fur　of　my　parka。　〃Like　someone　tapping　the　wing　or　the　fuselage。〃
　
　〃Nonsense。〃　My　voice　was　rough；　but　I　was　on　razor…edge。　〃You're　beginning　to…〃
　
　I　stopped　in　mid…sentence。　This　time　I　could　have　sworn　I　had　heard　something；　and　it　was　plain　that　Margaret　Ross　had　too。　She　twisted　her　head　over　her　shoulder；　looking　in　the　direction　of　the　noise；　then　slowly　turned　back　to　me；　her　face　tense；　her　eyes　wide　and　staring。
　
　I　pushed　her　hands　away；　reached　for　gun　and　torch；　jumped　up　and　started　running。　In　the　control　cabin　I　checked　abruptly　…God；　what　a　fool　I'd　been　to　leave　that　searchlight　burning　and　lined　up　on　the　windscreens；　blinding　me　with　its　glare；　making　me　a　perfect　target　for　anyone　crouching　outside　with　a　gun　in　hand…but　the　hesitation　was　momentary　only。　It　was　then　or　never…I　could　be　trapped　in　there　all　night；　or　until　the　searchlight　battery　died。　I　dived　head　first　through　the　windscreen；　caught　a　pillar　at　the　very　last　moment　and　was　lying　flat　on　the　ground　below　in　less　time　than　I　would　have　believed　possible。
　
　I　waited　five　seconds；　just　listening；　but　all　I　could　hear　was　the　moan　of　the　wind；　the　hiss　of　the　ice　spicules　rustling　along　over　the　frozen　snow…I'd　never　before　heard　that　hissing　so　plainly；　but　then　I'd　never　before　lain　with　my　uncovered　ear　on　the　ice…cap　itself…and　the　thudding　of　my　heart。　And　then　I　was　on　my　feet；　the　probing　torch　cutting　a　bright　swathe　in　the　darkness　before　me　as　I　ran　round　the　plane；　slipping　and　stumbling　in　my　haste。　Twice　I　made　the　circuit；　the　second　time　in　the　opposite　direction；　but　there　was　no　one　there　at　all。
　
　I　stopped　before　the　control　cabin　and　called　softly　to　Margaret　Ross。　She　appeared　at　the　window；　and　I　said：　〃It's　all　right；　there's　no　one　here。　We've　both　been　imagining　things。　e　on　down。〃　I　reached　up　my　hands；　caught　her　and　lowered　her　to　the　ground。
　
　〃Why　did　you　leave　me　up　there；　why　did　you　leave　me　up　there？〃　The　words　came　rushing　out；　tumbling　frantically　one　over　the　other；　the　anger　drowned　in　the　terror。　〃It　was…it　was　horrible！　The　dead　man。　。　。　。　Why　did　you　leave　me？〃
　
　〃I'm　sorry。〃　There　was　a　time　and　a　place　for　ment　on　feminine　injustice；　unreasonableness　and　downright　illogicality；　but　this　wasn't　it。　In　the　way　of　grief　and　heartbreak；　shock　and　ill…treatment；　she　had　already　had　far　more　than　she　could　stand。　〃I'm　sorry；〃　I　repeated。　〃I　shouldn't　have　done　it。　I　just　didn't　stop　to　think。〃
　
　She　was　trembling　violently；　so　I　put　my　arms　round　her　and　held　her　tightly　until　she　had　calmed　down；　took　the　searchlight　and　battery　in　one　hand　and　her　hand　in　my　other　and　we　walked　back　to　the　cabin　together。
　
　
　CHAPTER　SIX…Monday　7　P。M。…Tuesday　7　A。M。
　
　Jackstraw　and　the　others　had　just　pleted　the　assembly　of　the　tractor　body　when　we　arrived　back　at　the　cabin；　and　some　of　the　men　were　already　going　below。　I　didn't　bother　to　check　the　tractor：　when　Jackstraw　made　anything；　he　made　a　perfect　job　of　it。
　
　I　knew　he　must　have　missed　me　in　the　past　hour；　but　I　knew；　too；　that　he　wasn't　the　man　to　question　me　while　the　others　were　around。　I　waited　till　the　last　of　these　had　gone　below；　then　took　him　by　the　arm　and　walked　out　into　the　darkness；　far　enough　to　talk　in　plete　privacy；　but　not　so　far　as　to　lose　sight　of　the　yellow　glow　from　our　skylights…twice　lost　in　the　one　night　was　twice　too　many。
　
　He　heard　me　out　in　silence；　and　at　the　end　he　said：　〃What　are　we　going　to　do；　Dr　Mason？〃
　
　〃Depends。　Spoken　to　Joss　recently？〃
　
　〃Fifteen　minutes　ago。　In　the　tunnel。〃
　
　〃How　about　the　radio？〃
　
　〃I'm　afraid　not；　Dr　Mason。　He's　missing　some　condensers　and　spare　valves。　He's　looked　for　them；　everywhere…says　they've　been　stolen。〃
　
　〃Maybe　they'll　turn　up？〃　I　didn't　believe　it　myself。
　
　〃Two　of　the　valves　already　have。　Crushed　little　bits　of　glass　lying　in　the　bottom　of　the　snow　tunnel。〃
　
　〃Our　little　friends　think　of　everything。1'！　swore　softly。　〃That　settles　it；　Jackstraw。　We　can't　wait　any　longer；　we'll　leave　as　soon　as　possible。　But　first　a　night's　sleep…that　we　must　have。〃
　
　〃Uplavnik？〃　That　was　our　expedition　base；　near　the　mouth　of　the　Stromsund　glacier。　〃Do　you　think　we　will　ever　get　there？〃
　
　He　wasn't　thinking；　just　as　I　wasn't；　about　the　rigours　and　dangers　of　arctic　winter　travel；　daunting　enough　though　these　were　when　they　had　to　be　faced　with　a　superannuated　tractor　like　the　Citroen；　but　of　the　pany　we　would　be　keeping　en　route。　If　any　fact　was　ever　so　glaringly　obvious　that　it　didn't　need　mention；　it　was　that　the　killers；　whoever　they　were；　could　only　escape　justice；　or；　at　least；　the　mass　arrest　and　interrogation　of　all　the　passengers；　by　ensuring　that　they　were　the　only　ones　to　emerge　alive　from　the　ice…cap。
　
　〃I　wouldn't　like　to　bet　on　it；〃　I　said　dryly。　〃But　I'd　bet　even　less　on　our　chances　if　we　stay　here。　Death　by　starvation　is　kind　of　final。〃
　
　〃Yes；　indeed。〃　He　paused　for　a　moment；　then　switched　to　a　fresh　line　of　thought。　〃You　say　they　tried　to　kill　you　tonight。　Is　that　not　surprising？　I　would　have　thought　that　you　and　I　would　have　been　very　safe；　for　a　few　days　at　least。〃
　
　I　knew　what　he　meant。　Apart　from　Jackstraw　and　myself；　there　probably　wasn't　a　handful　of　people　in　all　Greenland　who　could　start　that　damned　Citroen；　far　less　drive　it；　only　Jackstraw　could　handle　the　dogs；　and　it　was　long　odds　indeed　against　any　of　the　passengers　knowing　anything　at　all　about　astral　or　magnetic　pass　navigation…the　latter　very　tricky　indeed　in　these　high　latitudes。　These　special　skills　should　have　been　guarantee　enough　of　our　immediate　survival。
　
　〃True　enough；〃　I　agreed。　〃But　I　suspect　they　haven't　given　any　thought　to　these　things　simply　because　they　haven't　realised　t