cc.iceberg-第10章

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d　fallen　into　the　freezing　water；　and　in　one　swift　movement　tore　off　his　flight　jacket　and　flung　himself　across　the　slop　in　a　flying　leap；　feet　first；　legs　lifted　crazily　in　the　air。
　
　To　Hunnewell's　panic…flooded　brain；　Pitts　move　looked　like　an　act　of　pure　madness。　〃Oh；　God；　no；　no；〃　he　shouted。　But　there　was　nothing　he　could　do　but　watch　Pitt　hurtle　toward　him　like　a　bobsled。　There　might　have　been　a　chance；　he　thought；　if　Pitt　had　stayed　on　the　berg。　Now　it　seemed　certain　that　both　men　would　die　in　the　freezing　salt　water　together。　Twenty…five　minutes；　mander　Koski's　words　flashed　through　his　head；　twenty…five　minutes　was　all　a　man　had　to　remain　alive　in　forty…degree　water…and　with　all　the　time　in　the　world　they　never　could　have　pulled　themselves　back　onto　the　sheer　sides　of　the　iceberg。
　
　If　he'd　had　precious　moments　to　think　about　it；　Pitt　would　have　undoubtedly　agreed　with　Hunnewell：　he　surely　looked　like　a　madman；　skiding　over　the　ice　with　his　feet　high　above　his　head。　Suddenly；　with　only　a　leg's　length　remaining　before　he　collided　with　Hunnewell；　Pitt　brought　his　feet　flashing　down　with　a　power　and　swiftness　that；　even　in　these　desperate　circumstances；　made　him　grunt　in　pain　as　his　heels　crashed　through　the　ice；　dug　in　tenaciously　and　brought　him　to　a　musclejarring　stop。　Then；　as　if　triggered　by　instinct；　in　the　same　motion　he　threw　a　sleeve　of　his　jacket　to　Hunnewell。
　
　The　thoroughly　frightened　scientist　needed　no　coaxing。　He　grasped　the　nylon　fabric　with　a　grip　that　no　vise　could　have　equaled　and　hung　on；　trembling　for　almost　a　minute；　waiting　for　his　middle…aged　heart　to　slow　down　to　a　few　beats　above　normal。　Fearfully；　he　stole　a　glance　sideways　and　saw　what　his　numbed　senses　could　not　feel…the　edge　of　the　ice　ledge　cut　across　his　waist　at　the　navel。
　〃When　you're　up　to　it；〃　Pitt　said；　his　voice　calm　but　pierced　with　a　noticeable　trace　of　tenseness；　try　pulling　yourself　toward　me。〃
　Hunnewell　shook　his　head。　〃I　can't；〃　he　murmured　hoarsely。　〃It's　all　I　can　do　to　hold　on。〃
　〃Can　you　find　a　foothold？〃
　Hunnewell　didn't　answer。　He　only　shook　his　head　again。
　
　Pitt　bent　over　between　his　outstretched　legs　and　tightened　his　grip　on　the　jacket。　〃We're　sitting　here　though　the　courtesy　of　two　hard　rubber　heels；　not　steel　cleats。　It　won't　take　much　for　the　ice　to　crack　around　them。〃　He　flashed　an　encouraging　grin　at　Hunnewell。
　〃Make　no　sudden　movement。　I'm　going　to　pull　you　clear　of　the　ledge。〃
　
　This　time　Hunnewell　nodded。　He　felt　a　sick　ache　in　his　stomach；　the　tips　of　his　torn　fingers　throbbed；　his　sweatsoaked　face　reflected　the　terror　and　pain。　One　thing；　and　one　thing　only；　reached　through　his　blanket　of　fear：　the　determined　look　in　Pitts　eyes。　Hunnewell　stared　at　the　calm　face；　and　in　that　moment　he　knew　that　Pitt's　inner　strength　and　confidence　were　gaining　a　toehold　in　his　own　frightened　mind。
　〃Stop　your　blasted　grinning；〃　he　said　faintly；　〃and　start　pulling。〃
　
　Cautiously；　an　inch　at　a　time；　Pitt　hauled　Hunnewell　slowly　upward。　It　took　him　an　agonizing　sixty　seconds　before　he　had　Hunnewell's　head　on　a　plane　between　his　knees。　Then　Pitt；　one　hand　at　a　time；　let　go　of　the　jacket　and　grabbed　Hunnewell　under　the　armpits。
　〃That　was　the　easy　part；〃　Pitt　said。　〃The　next　exercise　is　up　to　you。〃
　His　hands　free；　Hunnewell　wiped　a　sleeve　across　his　sweaty　brow。　〃I　can't　make　any　guarantees。〃
　〃Your　dividers；　are　they　on　you？〃
　Hunnewell's　expression　went　blank　for　a　moment。
　Then　he　nodded。　〃Inside　breast　pocket。〃
　〃Good；〃　Pitt　murmured。　〃Now　climb　over　me　and　stretch　out　full　length。　When　your　feet　are　solidly　on　my　shoulders；　take　out　the　dividers　and　jam　them　into　the　ice。〃
　〃A　piton！〃　Hunnewell　exclaimed；　suddenly　aware。
　〃Damned　clever　of　you。　Major。〃
　
　Hunnewell　began　hauling　himself　over　Pitts　prostrate　form　straining　like　a　lootive　climbing　the　Rockies；　but　he　made　it。　Then；　with　Pitts　hands　firmly　clamped　on　his　ankles；　Hunnewell　pulled　out　the　steelpointed　dividers　that　he　normally　used　for　plotting　distances　on　charts　and　rammed　them　deeply　into　the　ice。
　〃Okay；〃　Hunnewell　grunted。
　〃Now　we'll　repeat　the　process；〃　Pitt　said。　〃Can　you　hold　on？〃
　〃Make　it　quick；〃　Hunnewell　answered。　〃My　hands　are　nearly　numb。〃
　
　Tentatively；　one　heel　still　imbedded　in　the　ice　as　a　safety　measure；　Pitt　tested　his　weight　on　Hunnewell's　legs。　The　dividers　gripped　firm。　Working　as　swiftly　and　as　smoothly　as　a　cat；　Pitt　crept　past　Hunnewell；　felt　his　hands　grope　over　the　edge　of　the　slope　where　it　leveled　out；　and　wiggled　up　onto　safe　ground。　He　didn't　waste　an　instant。　Almost　immediately；　it　seemed　to　Hunnewell；　Pitt　was　throwing　down　a　nylon　line　from　the　helicopter。　Half　a　minute　later；　the　pale　and　exhausted　oceanographer　sat　on　the　ice　at　Pitts　feet。
　
　Hunnewell　gave　a　great　sigh　and　gazed　into　Pitts　relieved　face。　〃Do　you　know　what　I'm　going　to　do　first　thing　when　we　set　foot　in　civilization？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Pitt　said；　smiling。　〃You're　going　to　buy　me　the　finest　gourmet　dinner　in　all　Reykjavik；　round　up　all　the　booze　I　can　drink；　and　introduce　me　to　a　sensuous；　buxom；　Icelandic　nymphomaniac。〃
　〃The　dinner　and　the　booze　are　yours…I　owe　you　that　much。　The　nymphomaniac；　I　can't　promise。　So　many　years　have　passed　by　since　I've　negotiated　for　a　woman's　charms；　I'm　afraid　I've　lost　the　touch。〃
　
　Pitt　laughed；　clapped　Hunnewell　on　the　shoulder　and　helped　him　to　his　feet。　〃Don't　sweat　it；　old　friend。
　Girls　are　my　department。〃　He　stopped　abruptly　and　said　sharply：　〃Your　hands　look　like　you　held　them　against　a　grindstone。〃
　Hunnewell　lifted　his　hands　and　stared　indifferently　at　the　bleeding　fingers。　〃Not　really　as　bad　as　they　look。
　A　bit　of　antiseptic　and　a　manicure　and　they'll　be　as　good　as　new。〃
　〃e　on；〃　Pitt　said。　〃There's　a　first…aid　kit　in　the　copter。　I'll　fix　them　up　for　you。〃
　A　few　minutes　later；　as　Pitt　tied　the　last　small　bandage；　Hunnewell　asked；　〃Did　you　find　any　sign　of　a　tunnel　before　I　took　my　spill？〃
　〃It's　a　slick　piece　of　work；〃　Pitt　replied。　〃The　entire　circumference　of　the　entrance　cover　is　beveled；　a　perfect　match　with　the　surrounding　ice。　If　someone　hadn't　got　careless　and　cut　a　small　handgrip；　I'd　have　walked　right　over　it。〃
　
　Hunnewell's　face　suddenly　grew　dark。　〃This　accursed　iceberg；〃　he　said　grimly。　〃I　swear　that　it　bears　a　personal　enmity　against　us。〃
　
　He　flexed　his　fingers　and　solemnly　studied　the　eight　little　bandages　masking　the　tips。　His　eyes　seemed　strained　and　his　face　looked　weary。
　
　Pitt　walked　over　and　raised　a　round　slab　of　ice　three　feet　in　diameter　by　three　inches　thick；　revealing　a　circular　hole　barely　large　enough　for　one　man　to　crawl　through。
　
　He　turned　his　head　away。　The　stench　of　burnt　paint；　fabric　and　fuel；　mixed　with　torched　metal；　rose　from　the　opening。
　〃That　should　prove　I　can　detect　smells　through　an　ice　cube；〃　Pitt　said。
　〃Yes；　you've　passed　the　nose　test；〃　Hunnewell　said　smilingly。　〃But　you've　failed　miserably　on　your　thermite　charge　theory。　〃That's　nothin'　but　a　burned…out　hulk　down　there。〃　he　paused　to　give　Pitt　a　scholarly　gaze　over　the　tops　of　his　spectacles。　〃We　could　have　blasted　until　next　summer　without　doing　any　damage　to　the　derelict。〃
　
　Pitt　shrugged。　〃Win　a　few；　lose　a　few。〃　He　passed　a　spare　flashlight　to　Hunnewell。　〃I'll　go　first。　Give　me　five　minutes　before　you　follow。〃
　
　Hunnewell　crouched　at　the　edge　of　the　ice　tunnel　as　Pitt　knelt　to　enter。
　〃Two。　I'll　give　you　two　minutes；　no　more。　Then　I'll　be　right　behind　you。〃
　
　The　tunnel；　illuminated　by　the　shattered　rays　of　the　sun　through　the　ice　crystals　above；　ran　downward　at　a　thirty…degree　angle　for　twenty　feet；　stopping　at　the　blackened　steel　plates；　charred　and　bent；　of　the　hull。
　
　The　smell　by　this　time　was　so　strong　that　Pitt　found　it　an　effort　just　to　breathe。　He　shook　off　the　irritating　odor　and　dragged　himself　to　within　a　foot　of　the　fire…scarred　metal；　discovering　that　the　tunnel　curved　and　parallelled　the　hull　for　another　ten　feet；　ending　finally　at　an　open　hatch。　savagely　twisted　and　distorted。　He　could　only　wonder　at　the　wite…hot　temperatures　responsible。
　
　Crawling　over　the　jagged　edge　of　the　hatchway；　he　stood　up　and　swung　the　beam　of　his　flashlight；　surveying　the　heat…def