alistairmaclean.icestationzebra-第4章

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　 Hansen　nodded；　rose　to　his　feet　and　led　the　way　outside。　The　snow　was　beginning　to　lie　now；　the　darkness　was　ing　down　fast　and　the　wind　from　the　north　was　bitingly　cold。　Hansen　made　for　the　nearest　gangway；　halted　at　its　head　as　he　saw　seamen　and　dockyard　workers；　insubstantial　and　spectral　figures　in　the　swirling；　flood…lit　snow；　carefully　easing　a　slung　torpedo　down　the　for'ard　hatch；　turned　and　headed　toward　the　after　gangway。　We　clambered　down　and　at　the　foot　Hansen　said：　〃Watch　your　step；　Doc。　It's　a　little　slippery　hereabouts。〃
　 It　was　all　that；　but　with　the　…thought　of　the　ire…cold　waters　of　the　Holy　Loch　waiting　for　me　if　I　put　a　foot　wrong　I　made　no　mistake。　We　passed　through　the　hooped　canvas　shelter　covering　the　after　hatch　and　dropped　down　a　steep　metal　ladder　into　a　warm；　scrupulously　clean　and　gleaming　engine　room　packed　with　a　baffling　plexity　of　gray…painted　ma。　chinery　and　instrument　panels；　its　every　corner　brightly　illuminated　with　shadowless　fluorescent　lighting。
　 〃Not　going　to　blindfold　me；　Lieutenant？〃　I　asked。
　 〃No　need。〃　He　grinned。　〃If　you're　on　the　up　and　up；　it's　not　necessary。　if　you're　not　on　the　up　and　up；　it's　still　not　necessary；　for　you　can't　talk　about　what　you've　seennot　to　anyone　that　mattersif　you're　going　to　…spend　the　next　few　years　staring　out　from　behind　a　set　of　prison　bars。〃
　 I　saw　his　point。　I　followed　him　for'ard；　our　feet　soundless　on　the　black　rubber　decking；　past　the　tops　of　a　couple　of　huge　machines　readily　identifiable　as　turbo…generator　sets　for　producing　electricity。　More　heavy　banks　of　instruments；　a　door；　then　a　thirty…foot…long　very　narrow　passageway。　As　we　passed　along　its　length　I　was　conscious　of　a　heavy　vibrating　hum　from　beneath　my　feet。　The　〃Dolphin's〃　nuclear　reactor　had　to　be　somewhere。　This　would　be　it；　here。　Directly　beneath　us。　There　were　circular　hatches　on　the　passageway　deck　and　those　could　only　be　covers　for　the　heavily　leaded　glass　windows；　inspection　ports　that　would　provide　the　nearest　and　only　approach　to　the　nuclear　furnace　far　below。
　 The　end　of　the　passage；　another　heavily　clamped　door；　and　then　we　were　into　what　was　obviously　the　control　center　of　the　〃Dolphin〃。　To　the　left　was　a　partitioned…off　radio　room；　to　the　right　a　battery　of　machines　and　dialed　panels　of　inprehensible　purpose；　and　straight　ahead；　a　big　chart　table。　Beyond　that　again；　in　the　center；　were　massive　mast　housings　and；　still　further　on；　the　periscope　stand　with　its　twin　periscopes。　The　whole　control　room　was　twice　the　size　of　any　I'd　ever　seen　in　a　conventional　submarine　but；　even　so；　every　square　inch　of　bulkhead　space　seemed　to　be　taken　up　by　one　type　or　another　of　highly　plicated　looking　machines　or　instrument　banks：　even　the　deckhead　was　almost　invisible；　lost　to　sight　above　thickly　twisted　festoons　of　wires；　cables　and　pipes　of　a　score　of　different　kinds。　
　 The　for'ard　port　side　of　the　control　room　was　for　all　the　world　like　a　replica　of　the　flight　deck　of　a　modern　multiengined　jet　airliner。　There　were　two　separate　yoke　aircraft　type　control　columns；　facing　on　to　banks　of　hooded　calibrated　dials。　Behind　the　yokes　were　two　padded　leather　chairs；　each　chair；　I　could　see；　fitted　with　a　safety　belt　to　hold　the　helmsman　in　place。　I　wondered　vaguely　what　type　of　violent　maneuvers　the　〃Dolphin〃　might　be　capable　of　when　such　safety　belts　were　obviously　considered　essential　to　strap　the　helmsman　down。　
　 Opposite　the　control　platform；　on　the　other　side　of　the　passageway　leading　forward　from　the　control　room；　was　a　second　partitioned…off　room。　There　was　no　indication　what　this　might　be　and　I　wasn't　given　time　to　wonder。　Hansen　hurried　down　the　passage；　stopped　at　the　first　door　on　his　left；　and　knocked。　The　door　opened　and　mander　Swanson　appeared。
　 〃Ah；　there　you　are。　Sorry　you've　been　kept　waiting；　Dr。　Carpenter。　We're　sailing　at　six　thirty；　John〃this　to　Hansen。　〃You　can　have　everything　set　up　by　then？〃
　 〃Depends　how　quickly　the　loading　of　the　torpedoes　goes；　Captain。〃
　 〃We're　taking　only　six　aboard。〃
　 Hansen　lifted　an　eyebrow　but　made　no　ment。　He　said；　〃Loading　them　into　the　tubes？〃
　 〃In　the　racks。　They　have　to　be　worked　on。〃
　 〃No　spares？〃
　 〃No　spares。〃
　 Hansen　nodded　and　left。　Swanson　led　me　into　his　cabin　and　closed　the　door　behind　him。
　 mander　Swanson's　cabin　was　bigger　than　a　telephone　booth；　I'll　say　that　for　it；　but　not　all　that　much　bigger　to　shout　about。　A　built…in　bunk；　a　folding　washbasin；　a　small　writing　desk　and　chair；　a　folding　camp　stool；　a　locker；　some　calibrated　repeater…instrument　dials　above　the　bunk；　and　that　was　it。　If　you'd　tried　to　perform　the　twist　in　there；　you'd　have　fractured　yourself　in　a　dozen　places　without　ever　moving　your　feet　from　the　center　of　the　floor。
　 〃Dr。　Carpenter；〃　Swanson　said；　〃I'd　like　you　to　meet　Admiral　Garvie；　mander　U。　S。　Nato　naval　forces。〃
　 Admiral　Garvie　put　down　the　glass　he　was　holding　in　his　hand；　rose　from　the　only　chair；　and　stretched　out　his　hand。　As　he　stood　with　his　feet　together；　the　far　from　negligible　clearance　between　his　knees　made　it　easy　to　understand　the　latter　part　of　his　〃Andy　Bandy〃　nickname：　like　Hansen；　he'd　have　been　at　home　on　the　range。　He　was　a　tall；　florid…faced　man　with　white　hair；　white　eyebrows　and　a　twinkle　in　the　blue　eyes　below；　he　had　that　certain　indefinable　something　about　him　mon　to　all　senior　naval　officers　the　world　over；　irrespective　of　race　or　nationality。　
　 〃Glad　to　meet　you；　Dr。　Carpenter。　Sorry　for　theurn　lukewarm　reception　you　received；　but　mander　Swanson　was　perfectly　within　his　rights…　in　acting　as　he　did。　His　men　have　looked　after　you？〃　
　 〃They　permitted　me　to　buy　them　a　cup　of　coffee　in　the　canteen。〃
　 He　smiled。　〃Opportunists　all；　those　nuclear　men。　I　feel　that　the　good　name　of　American　hospitality　is　in　danger。　Whisky；　Dr。　Carpenter？〃
　 〃I　thought　American　naval　ships　were　dry；　sir。〃
　 〃So　they　are；　my　boy；　so　they　are。　Except　for　a　little　medicinal　alcohol；　of　course。　My　personal　supply。〃　He　produced　a　hip　flask　about　the　size　of　a　canteen　and　reached　for　a　convenient　shot　glass。　〃Before　venturing　into　the　remoter　fastnesses　of　the　Highlands　of　Scotland；　the　prudent　man　takes　the　necessary　precautions。　I　have　to　make　an　apology　to　you；　Dr。　Carpenter。　I　saw　your　Admiral　Hewson　in　London　last　night　and　had　intended　to　be　here　this　morning　to　persuade　mander　Swanson　here　to　take　you　aboard。　But　I　was　delayed。〃
　 〃Persuade；　sir？〃
　 〃Persuade。〃　He　sighed。　〃Our　nuclear…submarine　captains；　Dr。　Carpenter；　are　a　touchy　and　difficult　bunch。　From　the　proprietary　attitude　they　adopt　toward　their　submarines　you'd　think　that　each　one　of　them　was　a　majority　shareholder　in　the　Electric　Boat　pany　of　Groton；　where　most　of　those　boats　are　built。〃　He　raised　his　glass。　〃Success　to　the　mander　and　yourself。　I　hope　you　manage　to　find　those　poor　devils。　But　I　don't　give　you　one　chance　in　a　thousand。〃
　 〃I　think　we'll　find　them；　sir。　Or　mander　Swanson　will。〃
　 〃What　makes　you　so　sure？〃　he　asked　slowly。　〃Hunch？〃
　 〃You　could　call　it　that。〃
　 He　laid　down　his　glass　and　his　eyes　were　no　longer　twinkling。　〃Admiral　Hewson　was　most　evasive　about　you；　I　must　say。　Who　are　you；　Carpenter？　〃What〃　are　you？〃
　 〃Surely　he　told　you；　Admiral？　Just　a　doctor　attached　to　the　Navy　to　carry　out〃
　 〃A　naval　doctor？〃
　 〃Well；　not　exactly。　I〃
　 〃A　civilian？〃
　 I　nodded；　and　the　admiral　and　Swanson　exchanged　looks　that　they　were　at　no　pains　at　all　to　conceal　from　me。　If　they　were　happy　at　the　prospect　of　having　aboard　America's　latest　and　most　secret　submarine　a　man　who　was　not　only　a　foreigner　but　a　civilian　to　boot；　they　were　hiding　it　well。　Admiral　Garvie　said：　〃Well；　go　on。〃
　 〃That's　all。　I　carry　out　environmental　health　studies　for　the　services。　How　men　react　to　extremes　of　environmental　conditions；　such　as　in　the　Arctic　or　the　tropics；　how　they　react　to　conditions　of　weightlessness　in　simulated　space　flight　or　to　extremes　of　pressure　when　having　to　escape　from　submarines。　Mainly〃
　 〃Submarines。〃　Admiral　Garvie　pounced　on　the　word。　〃You　have　been　to　sea　in　submarines；　Dr。　Carpenter？　Really　sailed　in　them；　I　mean？〃
　 〃I　had　to。　We　found　that　simulated　tank　escapes　were　no　substitute　for　the　real　thing。〃
　 The　admiral　and　Swanson　looked　unhap