alistairmaclean.icestationzebra-第43章

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　 〃Walloped　me　on　the　old　bean。　Who？　Eh？〃
　 〃You　mean　to　say　you　don't　remember？〃
　 〃Remember？〃　Jolly　said　irritably。　〃How　the　devil　should　I〃　fle　broke　off　as　his　eye　caught　sight　of　Benson　in　the　adjacent　cot；　a　huddled　figure　under　the　blankets；　with　only　the　back　of　his　head　and　a　big　gauze　pack　covering　his　wound　showing。　〃Of　course；　of　course。　Yes；　that's　it。　He　fell　on　top　of　me；　didn't　he？〃　…
　 〃He　certainly　did；〃　I　said。　〃Did　you　try　to　catch　him？〃
　 〃Catch　him？　No；　I　didn't　try　to　catch　him。　I　didn't　try　to　get　out　of　the　way；　either。　It　was　all　over　in　half　a　second。　I　just　don't　remember　a　thing　about　it。〃　He　groaned　a　bit　more；　then　looked　across　at　Benson。　〃Came　a　pretty　nasty　cropper；　eh？　Must　have　done。〃　…
　 〃Looks　like　it。　He's　very　severely　concussed。　There's　Xray　equipment　here　and　I'll　have　a　look　at　his　head　shortly。　Damned　hard　luck　on　you　too；　Jolly。〃　
　 〃I'll　get　over　it；〃　he　grunted。　He　pushed　my　hand　away　and　sat　up。　〃Can　I　help　you？〃
　 〃You　may　not；〃　Swanson　said　quietly。　〃Early　supper；　then　twelve　hours　solid　for　you　and　the　other　eight；　Doctor；　and　those　are　〃my〃　doctor's　orders。　You'll　find　supper　waiting　in　the　wardroom　now。〃
　 〃Aye…aye；　sir。〃　Jolly　gave　a　ghost　of　a　smile　and　pushed　himself　groggily　to　his　feet。　〃That　bit　about　the　twelve　hours　sounds　good　to　me。〃
　 After　a　minute　or　two；　when　he　was　steady　enough　on　his　feet；　he　left。　Swanson　said；　〃What　now？〃
　 〃You　might　inquire　around　to　see　who　was　closest　or　close　to　Benson　when　he　slipped　climbing　over　the　edge　of　the　bridge。　But　discreetly。　It　might　do　no　harm　if　at　the　same　time　you　hinted　around　that　maybe　Benson　had　just　taken　a　turn。〃
　 〃What　are　〃you〃　hinting　at？〃　Swanson　asked　slowly。
　 〃Did　he　fall　or　was　he　pushed？　That's　what　I'm　hinting　at。〃
　 〃Did　he　fall　or〃　He　broke　off　then　went　on　warily：　〃Why　should　anyone　want　to　push　Dr。　Benson？〃
　 〃Why　should　anyone　want　to　kill　seveneight；　nowmen　on　Drift　Ice　Station　Zebra？〃
　 〃You　have　a　point；〃　Swanson　acknowledged　quietly。　He　left。
　 Making　X…ray　films　wasn't　very　much　in　my　line；　but　apparently　it　hadn't　been　very　much　in　Dr。　Benson's　line；　either；　for　he'd　written　down；　for　his　own　benefit　and　guidance；　a　detailed　list　of　instructions　for　the　taking　and　developing　of　X…ray　films。　I　wondered　how　he　would　have　felt　if　he　had　known　that　the　first　beneficiary　of　his　meticulous　thoroughness　was　to　be　himself。　The　two　finished　negatives　I　came　up　with　wouldn't　have　caused　any　furor　in　the　Royal　Photo。　graphic　Society；　but　they　were　enough　for　my　wants。
　 By　and　by；　mander　Swanson　returned；　closing　the　door　behind　him。　I　said；　〃Ten　gets　one　that　you　got　nothing。〃
　 〃You　won't　die　a　poor　man；〃　he　nodded。　〃Nothing　is　what　it　is。　So　chief　torpedoman　Patterson　tells　me；　and　you　know　what　he's　like。〃
　 I　knew　what　he　was　like。　Patterson　was　the　man　responsible　for　all　discipline　and　organization　among　the　enlisted　men；　and　Swanson　had　said　to　me　that　he　regarded　Patterson；　and　not　himself；　as　the　most　indispensable　man　on　the　ship。
　 〃Patterson　was　the　man　who　reached　the　bridge　immediately　before　Benson；〃　Swanson　said。　〃He　said　he　heard　Benson　cry　out；　swung　around　and　saw　him　already　beginning　to　topple　backward。　He　didn't　recognize　who　it　was　at　the　time；　it　was　too　dark　and　snowy　for　that。　He　said　he　had　the　impression　that　Benson　had　already　had　one　hand　and　one　knee　on　the　bridge　coaming　when　he　fell　backward。〃
　 〃A　funny　position　in　which　to　start　falling　backward；〃　I　said。　〃Most　of　his　body　weight　must　already　have　been　inboard。　And　even　if　he　did　topple　outward；　he　would　surely　still　have　had　plenty　of　time　to　grab　the　coaming　with　both　hands。〃
　 〃Maybe　he　did　take　a　turn；〃　Swanson　suggested。　〃And　don't　forget　that　the　coaming　is　glass…slippery　with　its　smooth　coating　of　ice。〃
　 〃As　soon　as　Benson　disappeared；　Patterson　ran　to　the　side　to　see　what　had　happened　to　him？〃
　 〃He　did；〃　Swanson　said　wearily。　〃And　he　said　there　wasn't　a　person　within　ten　feet　of　the　top　of　the　bridge　when　Benson　fell。〃
　 〃And　who　〃was〃　ten　feet　below？〃
　 〃He　couldn't　tell。　Don't　forget　how　black　it　was　out　there　on　the　ice　cap　and　that　the　moment　Patterson　had　dropped　into　the　brightly　lit　bridge　he'd　lost　whatever　night　sight　he'd　built　up。　Besides；　he　didn't　wait　for　more　than　a　glance。　He　was　off　for　a　stretcher　even　before　you　or　Hansen　got　to　Benson。　Patterson　is　not　the　sort　of　man　who　has　to　be　told　what　to　do。〃
　 〃So　it's　a　dead　end　there？〃
　 〃A　dead　end。〃
　 I　nodded；　crossed　to　a　cupboard；　and　brought　back　the　two　X…rays；　still　wet；　held　in　their　metal　clips。　I　held　them　up　to　the　light　for　Swanson's　inspection。
　 〃Benson？〃　he　asked；　and　when　I　nodded；　he　peered　at　them　more　closely　and　finally　said；　〃That　line　therea　fracture？〃
　 〃A　fracture。　And　not　a　hair…line　one；　either；　as　you　can　see。　He　really　caught　a　wallop。〃
　 〃How　bad　is　it？　How　long　before　he　es　out　of　this　a　He　〃is〃　in　a　a？〃
　 〃He's　all　that。　How　long？　If　I　were　a　lad　fresh　out　of　medical　school　I'd　let　you　have　a　pretty　confident　estimate。　If　I　were　a　top…flight　brain　surgeon　I'd　say　anything　from　half　an　hour　to　a　year　or　two；　because　people　who　really　know　what　they　are　talking　about　are　only　too　aware　that　we　know　next　to　nothing　about　the　brain。　Being　neither；　I'd　guess　at　two　or　three　daysand　my　guess　could　be　hopelessly　wrong。　There　may　be　cerebral　bleeding。　I　don't　know。　I　don't　think　so。　Blood　pressure；　respiration；　and　temperature　show　no　evidence　of　organic　damage。　And　now　you　know　as　much　about　it　as　I　do。〃
　 〃Your　colleagues　wouldn't　like　that。〃　Swanson　smiled　faintly。　〃This　cheerful　confession　of　ignorance　does　nothing　to　enhance　the　mystique　of　your　profession。　How　about　your　other　patientsthe　two　men　still　out　in　Zebra？〃
　 〃I'll　see　them　after　supper。　Maybe　they'll　be　well　enough　to　be　brought　here　tomorrow。　Meanwhile；　I'd　like　to　ask　a　favor　of　you。　Could　you　lend　me　the　services　of　your　torpedoman　Rawlings？　And　would　you　have　any　objections　to　his　being　taken　into　our　confidence？〃
　 〃Rawlings？　I　don't　know　why　you　want　him；　but　why　Rawlings？　The　officers　and　petty　officers　aboard　this　ship　are　the　pick　of　the　U。　S。　Navy。　Why　not　one　of　them？　Besides；　I'm　not　sure　that　I　like　the　idea　of　passing　on　to　an　enlisted　man　secrets　denied　to　my　officers。〃
　 〃They're　strictly　non…naval　secrets。　The　question　of　hierarchy　doesn't　enter　into　it。　Rawlings　is　the　man　I　want。　He's　got　a　quick　mind；　quick　reflexes；　and　a　dead…pan；　give…awaynothing　expression　that　is　invaluable　in　a　game　like　this。　Besides；　in　the　eventthe　unlikely　event；　I　hopeof　the　killer　suspecting　that　we're　on　to　him；　he　wouldn't　look　for　any　danger　from　one　of　your　enlisted　men　because　he'd　be　certain　that　we　wouldn't　let　them　in　on　it。〃
　 〃What　do　you　want　him　for？〃
　 〃To　keep　a　night　guard　on　Benson　here。〃
　 〃On　Benson？〃　A　fractional　narrowing　of　the　eyes　that　could　have　been　as　imagined　as　real　was　the　only　change　in　Swanson's　impassive　face。　〃So　you　don't　think　it　was　an　accident；　do　you？〃
　 〃I　don't　honestly　know。　But　I'm　like　you　when　you　carry　out　a　hundred　and　one　different　checks；　most　of　which　you　know　to　be　unnecessary；　before　you　take　your　ship　to　sea：　I'm　taking　no　chances。　If　it　wasn't　an　accident；　then　someone　might　have　an　interest　in　doing　a　really　permanent　job　next　time。〃
　 〃But　how　can　Benson　represent　a　danger　to　anyone？〃　Swanson　argued。　〃I'll　bet　anything；　Carpenter；　that　Benson　doesn'tor　didn'tknow　a　thing　that　could　point　a　fingerat　anyone。　If　he　did；　he'd　have　told　me　right　away。　He's　like　that。〃
　 〃Maybe　he　saw　or　heard　something　the　significance　of　which　he　didn't　then　realize。　Maybe　the　killer　is　frightened　that　if　Benson　has　time　enough　to　think　about　it；　the　significance　will　dawn　on　him。　Or　maybe　it's　all　a　figment　of　my　overheated　imagination：　maybe　he　just　fell。　But　I'd　still　like　to　have　Rawlings。〃
　 〃You'll　have　him。〃　Swanson　rose　to　his　feet　and　smiled。　〃I　don't　want　you　quoting　that　Washington　directive　at　me　again。〃
　 Two　minutes　later　Rawlings　arrived。　He　was　dressed　in　a　light…brown　shirt　and　overalls；　obviously　his　own　conception　of　what　constituted　the　well…dressed　submariner's　uniform；　and　for　the　first　time　in　our　acquaintance　he　didn