alistairmaclean.bearisland-第43章

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nt　to　talk　to　anybody　else。　Heissman　embarked　upon　a　pedantic　and　what　promised　to　be　lengthy　lecture　about　Arctic　survival；　a　subject　concerning　which　his　long　and　intimate　acquaintance　with　Siberia　presumably　made　him　uniquely　qualified　to　speak；　but　there　were　no　takers；　it　was　questionable　whether　he　was　even　listening　to　himself。　Then　he；　Otto；　and　Neal　Divine　began　a　rather　desultory　discussion　of　their　plans　for…weather　permitting…the　following　day's　shooting；　but　obviously　they　hadn't　their　hearts　even　in　that。　It　was；　eventually；　Conrad　who　put　his　finger　on　the　cause　of　the　general　malaise；　or；　more　accurately；　expressed　the　thought　that　was　in　the　mind　of　everybody　with　the　possible　exception　of　myself。
　He　said　to　Heissman：　In　the　Arctic；　in　winter；　you　require　torches。
　Right？'；
　〃Right。'
　〃We　have　them？〃
　〃Plenty；　of　course。　Why？〃
　〃Because　I　want　one。　I　want　to　go　out。　We've　been　in　here　now；　all　of　us；　how　long；　I　don't　know；　twenty　minutes　at　least　and　for　all　we　know　there　may　be　a　man　out　there　sick　or　hurt　or　frost…bitten　or　maybe　fallen　and　broken　a　leg。〃
　〃Oh；　e　now；　e　now；　that's　pitching　it　a　bit　strongly；　Charles；〃
　Otto　said。　〃Mr。　Smith　has　always　struck　me　as　a　man　eminently　able　to　take　care　of　himself。〃　Otto　would　probably　have　said　the　same　thing　if　he'd　been　watching　Smithy　being　mangled　by　a　polar　bear：　because　of　both　nature　and　build　Otto　was　not　a　man　to　bee　unnecessarily　involved　in　anything　even　remotely　physical。　If　you　don't　really　care；　why　don't　you　e　out　and　say　so？〃　This　was　a　new　side　of　Conrad　to　me　and　he　continued　to　develop　his　theme　at　my　expense。　〃I'd　have　thought　you'd　have　been　the　first　to　suggest　this；　Dr。　Marlowe。〃　I　might　have　been；　too；　had　I　not　known　considerably　more　about　Smithy　than　he　did。
　I　don't　mind　being　the　second；〃　I　said　agreeably。
　In　the　event；　we　all　went；　with　the　exception　of　Otto；　who　plained　of　feeling　unwell　and　Judith　Haynes　who　roundly　maintained　that　it　was　all　nonsense　and　that　Mr。　Smith　would　conic　back　；；；；hen　he　felt　like　it；　an　opinion　which　I　held　myself　but　for　reasons　entirely　different　from　hers。　We　were　all　provided　with　torches　and　agreed　to　keep　as　closely　together　as　possible　or；　if　separated；　to　be　back　inside　thirty　minutes　at　the　latest。
　The　party　set　off　in　a　wide　sweep　up　the　escarpment　fronting　the　Sor…Hamna　to　the　north。　At　least；　the　others　did。　I　headed　straight　for　the　equipment　hut　where　the　diesel　generator　was　thudding　away　reassuringly　for　it　was　unlikely　that　anyone　of　us　would　be　missed…no　one　would　probably　be　aware　of　the　presence　of　any　other　than　his　immediate　neighbours…and　the　best　place　to　sit　out　a　wild　goose　chase　was　the　warmest　and　most　sheltered　spot　I　could　find。　With　my　torch　switched　off。　so　as　not　to　betray　my　presence　I　opened　the　door　of　the　hut；　passed　inside；　closed　the　door；　took　a　step　forward　and　swore　out　loud　as　I　stumbled　over　something　paratively　yielding　and　almost　measured　my　length　on　the　planked　floor。　I　recovered；　turned；　and　switched　on　my　torch。
　A　man　was　lying　stretched　out　on　the　floor　and　to　my　total　lack　of　surprise　it　proved　to　be　Smithy。　He　stirred　and　groaned；　half…turned；　raised　a　feeble　arm　to　protect　his　eyes　from　the　bright　glare　of　the　torch；　then　slumped　back　again；　his　arm　falling　limply　by　his　side；　his　eyes　closed。
　There　was　blood　smeared　over　his　left　cheek。　He　stirred　uneasily；　moving　from　side　to　side　and　moaning　in　that　soft　fashion　a　man　does　when　he　is　close　to　the　borderline　of　consciousness。
　〃Does　it　hurt　much；　Smithy？〃　I　asked。
　He　moaned　some　more。
　〃Where　you　scratched　your　cheek　with　a　handful　of　frozen　snow；〃　I　said。
　He　stopped　moving　and　he　stopped　moaning。
　〃The　edy　act　we'll　keep　for　later　in　the　programme；〃　I　said　coldly。
　In　the　meantime；　will　you　kindly　get　up　and　explain　to　me　why　you've　behaved　like　an　irresponsible　idiot？〃
　I　placed　the　torch　on　the　generator　casing　so　that　the　beam　shone　upwards。　It　didn't　give　much　light；　just　enough　to　show　Smithy's　carefully　expressionless　face　as　lie　got　to　his　feel？
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　he　said。
　〃TQS　I82I3I；　James　R。　Huntingdon；　Colder　Greens　and　Beirut；　currently　and　wrongly　known　as　Joseph　Rank　Smith　is　who　I　mean。〃
　I　guess　I'm　the　irresponsible　idiot　you　mean；〃　Smithy　said。　〃It　would　be　nice　to　have　introductions　all　round。〃
　〃Dr。　Marlowe；〃　I　said。　He　kept　the　same　carefully　expressionless　face。
　〃Four　years　and　four　months　ago　when　we　took　you　from　your　nice　cosy　job　as　Chief　Officer　in　that　broken…down　Lebanese　tanker　we　thought　you　had　a　future　with　us。　A　bright　one。　Even　four　months　ago　we　thought　the　same　thing。　But　here；　now；　I'm　very　far　from　sure。〃
　Smithy　smiled　but　his　heart　wasn't　in　it。　〃You　can't　very　well　fire　me　on　Bear　Island。〃
　I　can　fire　you　in　Timbuctoo　if　I　want　to；〃　I　said　matter…of…factly。　〃Well；　e　on。
　〃You　might　have　made　yourself　known　to　me。〃　Smithy　sounded　aggrieved　and　I　supposed　I　would　have　been　also　in　his　position。　I　was　beginning　to　guess。　I　didn't　know　there　was　anyone　else　aboard　apart　from　Me。
　〃You　weren't　supposed　to　know。　You　weren't　supposed　to　guess。　You　were　supposed　to　do　exactly　what　you　were　told。　Just　that　and　no　more。　You　remember　the　last　line　in　your　written　instructions？　They　were　underlined。　A　quotation　from　Milton。　I　underlined　it。〃
　〃'They　also　serve　who　only　stand　and　wait；〃〃　Smithy　said。　〃Corny；　I　thought　it　at　the　time。〃
　〃I've　had　a　limited　education；〃　I　said。　〃Point　is；　did　you　stand　and　wait？
　Did　you　hell。　Your　orders　were　as　simple　and　explicit　as　orders　could　ever　be。　Remain　constantly　aboard　the　Morning　Rose　until　contacted。　Do　not；　under　any　circumstances；　leave　the　vessel　even　to　step　ashore。　Do　not；　repeat　not；　attempt　to　conduct　any　investigations　upon　your　own；　do　not　seek　to　discover　anything；　at　all　times　behave　like　a　stereotype　merchant　navy　officer。　This　you　failed　to　do。　I　wanted　you　aboard　that　ship；　Smithy。
　I　needed　you　aboard…now。　And　where　are　you…stuck　in　a　Godforsaken　hut　on　Bear　Island。　Why　in　God's　name　couldn't　you　follow　out　simple　instructions？〃
　〃OK。　My　fault。　But　I　thought　I　was　alone。　Circumstances　alter　cases；　don't　they？　With　four　men　mysteriously　dead　and　four　others　pretty　close　to　death…well；　damn　it　all；　am　I　supposed　to　stand　by　and　do　nothing？
　Am　I　supposed　to　have　no　initiative；　not　to　think　for　myself　even　once？〃
　〃Not　till　you're　told　to。　And　now　look　where　you've　left　me…one　hand　behind　my　back。　The　Morning　Rose　was　my　other　hand　and　now　you've　deprived　me　of　it。　I　wanted　it　on　call　and　close　to　hand　every　hour　of　the　day　and　night。　I　might　need　it　at　any　time…and　now　I　haven't　got　it。　Is　there　anybody　aboard　that　blasted　trawler　who　could　maintain　position　just　offshore　in　the　darkest　night　or　bring　her　up　the　Sor…Hamna　in　a　full　blizzard？　You　know　damn　well　there's　not。　Captain　Imrie　couldn't　bring　her　up　the　Clyde　on　a　midsummer's　afternoon。〃
　〃You　have　a　radio　with　you　then？　To　municate　with　the　trawler？〃
　〃Of　course。　Built　into　my　medical　case…no　more　than　a　police　job；　but　range　enough。〃
　〃Be　rather　difficult　to　municate　with　the　Morning　Rose's　transceiver　lying　in　bits　and　pieces。〃
　〃How　very　true；〃　I　said。　〃And　why　is　it　in　bits　and　pieces？　Because　on　the　bridge　you　started　talking　freely　and　at　length　about　shouting　for　help　over　that　selfsame　radio　and　whistling　up　the　NATO　Atlantic　forces　if　need　be；　while　all　the　time　some　clever…cuts　was　taking　his　case　out　on　the　bridge　wing　drinking　in　every　word　you　said。　I　know；　there　were　fresh　tracks　in　the　snow…well；　my　tracks；　but　re…used；　if　you　follow　me。　So；　of　course；　our　clever…cuts　hies　himself　off。　and　gets　himself　a　heavy　hammer。〃
　I　could　have　been　more　circumspect　at　that；　I　suppose。　You　can　have　my　apologies　if　you　want　them　but　I　don't　see　them　being　all　that　useful　at　this　stage。〃
　〃I'm　hardly　in　line　myself　for　a　citation　for　distinguished　services；　so　we'll　leave　the　apologies　be。　Now　that　you're　here…well；　I　won't　have　to　watch　my　back　so　closely。〃
　〃So　they're　on　to　you…whoever　they　are？〃
　〃Whoever　they　are　are　unquestionably　on　to　me。〃　I　told　him　briefly　all　I　knew；　not　all　I　thought　I　knew　or　suspected　I　knew；　for　I　saw　no　point　in　making　Smithy　a