alistairmaclean.icestationzebra-第51章

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　my　sight　for　two　consecutive　seconds　between　the　time　he'd　left　the　〃Dolphin〃　and　the　time　of　his　return　to　it。
　 At　three　o'clock　that　afternoon　we　dropped　down　below　the　ice　and　headed　south　for　the　open　sea。
　
　
　10
　
　 The　afternoon　and　evening　passed　quickly　and　pleasantly　enough。　Closing　our　hatches　and　dropping　down　from　our　hardly　won　foothold　in　that　lead　had　had　a　symbolic　significance　at　least　as　important　as　the　actual　fact　of　leaving　itself。　The　thick　ceiling　of　ice　closing　over　the　hull　of　the　〃Dolphin〃　was　a　curtain　being　drawn　across　the　eye　of　the　mind。　We　had　severed　all　physical　connection　with　Drift　Ice　Station　Zebra；　a　home　of　the　dead　that　might　continue　to　circle　slowly　around　the　Pole　for　mindless　centuries　to　e；　and　with　the　severance　had　e　an　abrupt　diminution　of　the　horror　and　the　shock　that　had　hung　pall…like　over　the　ship　and　its　crew　for　the　past　twenty…four　hours。　A　dark　door　had　swung　to　behind　us；　and　we　had　turned　our　backs　on　it。　Mission　acplished；　duty　done；　we　were　heading　for　home　again；　and　the'　sudden　upsurge　of　relief　and　happiness　among　the　crew　to　be　on　their　way　again；　their　high　anticipation　of　port　and　leave；　was　an　almost　tangible　thing。　The　mood　of　the　ship　was　close　to　that　of　light…hearted　gaiety。　But　there　was　no　gaiety　in　my　mind；　and　no　peace：　I　was　leaving　too　much　behind。　Nor　could　there　be　any　peace　in　the　minds　of　Swanson　and　Hansen；　of　Rawlings　and　Zabrinski：　they　knew　we　were　carrying　a　killer　aboard；　a　killer　who　had　killed　many　times。　Dr。　Benson　knew　also；　but　for　the　moment　Dr。　Benson　did　not　count：　he　still　had　not　regained　consciousness；　and　I　held　the　very　unprofessional　hope　that　he　wouldn't　for　some　time　to　e。　In　the　twilit　world　of　emergence　from　a；　a　man　can　start　babbling　and　say　all　too　much。
　 Some　of　the　Zebra　survivors　had　asked　if　they　could　look　around　the　ship　and　Swanson　agreed。　In　light　of　what　I　had　told　him　in　his　cabin　that　morning；　he　must　have　agreed　very　reluctantly　indeed；　but　no　trace　of　this　reluctance　showed　in　his　calmly　smiling　face。　To　have　refused　their　request　would　have　been　rather　a　churlish　gesture；　for　all　the　secrets　of　the　〃Dolphin〃　were　pletely　hidden　from　the　eye　of　the　layman。　But　it　wasn't　good　manners　that　made　Swanson　give　his　consent：　refusing　a　reasonable　request　could　have　been　responsible　for　making　someone　very　suspicious　indeed。
　 Hansen　took　them　around　the　ship　and　I　acpanied　them；　less　for　the　exercise　or　interest　involved　than　for　the　opportunity　it　gave　me　to　keep　a　very　close　eye　indeed　on　their　reactions　to　their　tour。　We　made　a　plete　tour　of　the　ship；　missing　only　the　reactor　room；　which　no　one　could　visit　anyway；　and　the　inertial…navigation　room；　which　had　been　barred　to　me　also。　As　we　moved　around　I　watched　them　all；　and　especially　two　of　them；　as　closely　as　it　is　possible　to　watch　anyone　without　making　him　aware　of　your　observation；　and　I　learned　precisely　what　I　had　expected　to　learnnothing。　I'd　been　crazy　even　to　hope　I'd　learn　anything；　our　friend　with　the　gun　was　wearing　a　mask　that　had　been　forged　into　shape　and　riveted　into　position。　But　I'd　had　to　do　it　anyway；　playing　in　this　league；　I　couldn't　pass　up　the　one　chance　in　a　miffion。
　
　
　 Supper　over；　I　helped　Jolly　as　best　I　could　with　his　evening　surgery。　Whatever　else　Jolly　was；　he　was　a　damned　good　doctor。　Quickly　and　efficiently　he　checked　and　where　necessary　rebandaged　the　walking　cases；　examined　and　treated　Benson　and　Folsom；　then　asked　me　to　e　right　aft　with　him　to　the　nucleonics　laboratory　in　the　stern　room；　which　had　been　cleared　of　deck　gear　to　acmodate　the　four　other　bed　patients；　the　Harrington　twins；　Brownell；　and　Bolton。　The　sick　bay　itself　had　only　two　cots　for　invalids；　and　Benson　and　Folsom　had　those。
　 Bolton；　despite　Jolly's　dire　predictions；　hadn't　suffered　a　relapse　because　of　his　transfer　from　the　hut　to　the　ship　which　had　been　due　largely　to　Jolly's　extremely　skillful　and　careful　handling　of　the　patient　and　the　stretcher　into　which　he　had　been　strapped。　Bolton；　in　fact；　was　conscious　now　and　plaining　of　severe　pain　in　his　badly　burned　right　forearm。　Jolly　removed　the　burn　covering。　Bolton's　arm　was　a　mess；　all　right；　no　skin　left　worth　speaking　of；　showing　an　angry　violent　red　between　areas　of　suppuration。　Different　doctors　have　different　ideas　as　to　the　treatment　of　burns：　Jolly　favored　a　salve…coated　aluminum　foil　which　he　smoothed　across　the　entire　burn　area；　then　lightly　bandaged　in　place。　He　then　gave　him　a　pain…killing　injection　and　some　sleeping　pills　and　briskly　informed　the　enlisted　man　who　was　keeping　watch　that　he　was　to　be　informed　immediately　of　any　change　or　deterioration　in　Bolton's　condition。　A　brief　inspection　of　the　three　others；　a　changed　bandage　here　and　there；　and　he　was　through　for　the　night。
　 So　was　I。　For　two　nights　now　I　had　had　practically　no　sleep；　what　little　had　been　left　for　me　the　previous　night　had　been　ruined　by　the　pain　in　my　left　hand。　I　was　exhausted。　When　I　got　to　my　cabin；　Hansen　was　already　asleep　and　the　engineer　officer　gone。
　 I　didn't　need　any　of　Jolly's　sleeping　pills　that　night。
　
　
　 I　awoke　at　two　o'clock。　I　was　sleep…drugged；　still　exhausted；　and　felt　as　if　I　had　been　in　bed　about　five　minutes。　But　I　awoke　in　an　instant　and　in　that　instant　I　was　fully　awake。
　 Only　a　dead　man　wouldn't　have　stirred。　The　racket　issuing　from　the　squawk　box　just　above　Hansen's　bunk　was　appalling；　a　high…pitched；　shrieking；　atonic　whistle；　two…toned　and　altering　pitch　every　half…second；　it　drilled　stiletto…like　against　my　cringing　eardrums。　A　banshee　in　its　death　agonies　could　never　have　hoped　to　pete　with　that　racket。
　 Hansen　already　had　his　feet　on　the　deck　and　was　pulling　on　clothes　and　shoes　in　desperate　haste。　I　had　never　thought　to　see　that　slow…speaking　laconic　Texan　in　such　a　tearing　hurry；　but　I　was　seeing　it　now。
　 〃What　in　hell's　name　is　the　matter？〃　I　demanded。　I　had　to　shout　to　make　myself　heard　above　the　shrieking　of　the　alarm　whistle。
　 〃Fire！〃　His　face　was　shocked　and　grim。　〃The　ship's　on　fire。　And　under　this　Goddamned　ice！〃
　 Still　buttoning　his　shirt；　he　hurdled　my　cot；　crashed　the　door　back　on　its　hinges；　and　was　gone。
　 The　atonic　screeching　of　the　whistle　stopped　abruptly　and　the　silence　fell　like　a　blow。　Then　I　was　conscious　of　something　more　than　silenceI　was　conscious　of　a　plete　lack　of　vibration　throughout　the　ship。　The　great　engines　had　stopped。　And　then　I　was　conscious　of　something　else　again：　feathery　fingers　of　ice　brushing　up　and　down　my　spine。
　 Why　had　the　engines　stopped？　What　could　make　a　nuclear　engine　stop　so　quickly　and　what　happened　once　it　did？　My　God；　I　thought；　maybe　the　fire　is　ing　from　the　reactor　room　itself。　I'd　looked　into　the　heart　of　the　uranium　atomic　pile　through　a　heavily　leaded　glass…inspection　port　and　seen　the　indescribable　unearthly　radiance　of　it；　a　nightmarish　coalescence　of　green　and　violet　and　blue；　the　new　〃dreadful　light〃　of　mankind。　What　happened　when　this　dreadful　light　ran　wild？　I　didn't　know；　but　I　suspected　I　didn't　want　to　be　around　when　it　happened。
　 I　dressed　slowly；　not　hurrying。　My　damaged　hand　didn't　help　me　much　but　that　wasn't　why　I　took　my　time。　Maybe　the　ship　was　on　fire；　maybe　the　nuclear　power　plant　had　gone　out　of　kilter。　But　if　Swanson's　superbly　trained　crew　couldn't　cope　with　every　emergency　that　could　conceivably　arise；　then　matters　weren't　going　to　be　improved　any　by　Carpenter　running　around　in　circles　shouting：　〃Where's　the　fire？
　 Three　minutes　after　Hansen　had　gone　I　walked　along　to　the　control　room　and　peered　in：　if　I　was　going　to　be　in　the　way；　then　this　was　as　far　as　I　was　going　to　go。　Dark；　acrid　smoke　billowed　past　me　and　a　voiceSwanson'ssaid　sharply：　〃Inside　and　close　that　door。〃
　 I　pulled　the　door　to　and　looked　around　the　control　room。　At　least；　I　tried　to。　It　wasn't　easy。　My　eyes　were　already　steaming　as　if　someone　had　thrown　a　bag　of　pepper　into　them；　and　what　little　sight　was　left　them　didn't　help　me　much。　The　room　was　filled　with　black　evil…smelling　smoke；　denser　by　far　and　more　throat…catching　than　the　worst　London　fog。　Visibility　was　no　more　than　a　few　feet；　but　what　little　I　could　see　showed　me　men　still　at　their　stations。　Some　were　gasping；　some　were