alistairmaclean.bearisland-第57章

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　our　own　last　supper。　For　the　interest　in　the　food　was　not　all…absorbing：　frequently；　but　very；　very　briefly；　a　pair　of　eyes　would　break　off　their　rapt　munion　with　the　stew　and　beans；　glance　swiftly　around　the　cabin；　then　return　in　an　oddly　guilty　defensiveness　to　the　food　as　if　the　person　had　hoped　in　that　one　lightning　ocular　sortie　to　discover　some　unmistakable　telltale　signs　that　would　infallibly　identify　the　traitor　in　our　midst。　There　were；　needless　to　say；　no　such　overt　indications　of　self…betrayal　on　display；　and　the　problem　of　identification　was　deepened　and　confused　by　the　fact　that　most　of　those　present　exhibited　a　measure　of　abnormality　in　their　behaviour　that　would　ordinarily　have　given　rise　to　more　than　a　modicum　of　suspicion　anyway。　for　it　is　an　odd　characteristic　of　human　nature　that　even　the　most　innocent　person　who　knows　himself　or　herself　to　be　under　suspicion　tends　to　overreact　with　an　unnatural　degree　of　casual　indifference　and　insouciant　unconcern　that　serves　only　to　heighten　the　original　suspicion。
　Otto；　clearly；　was　not　one　of　those　thus　afflicted。　Whether　it　was　because　he　knew　himself　to　be　one　of　those　who　was　regarded　as　being　pletely　in　the　clear　or　because；　as　chairman　of　the　pany　and　producer　of　the　film；　he　regarded　himself　as　being　above　and　apart　from　the　problems　that　afflicted　the　mon　run　of　mankind；　Otto　was　remarkably　posed；　and；　astonishingly；　even　forceful　and　assertive。　Unlikely　though　it　had　appeared　up　to　that　moment；　Otto；　normally　so　dithering　and　indecisive；　might　well　be　one　of　those　who　only　showed　of　their　best　in　the　moments　of　crisis。　There　was　certainly　nothing　dithering　or　indecisive　about　him　when　he　rose　to　speak　at　the　end　of　the　meal。
　〃We　are　all　aware；〃　said　Otto　briskly；　〃of　the　dreadful　happenings　of　the　past　day　or　two　and　I　think　that　we　have　no　alternative　to　accepting　Dr。　Marlowe's　interpretation　of　the　events。　Further；　I　fear　we　have　to　accept　as　very　real　the　doctor's　warnings　as　to　what　may　happen　in　the　near　future。
　〃Those　are　inescapable　facts　and　entirely　conceivable　possibilities　so　please　don't　for　a　moment　imagine　that　I'm　trying　to　minimise　the　seriousness　of　the　situation。　On　the　contrary；　it　would　be　impossible　to　exaggerate　it；　impossible　to　exaggerate　an　impossible　situation。　Here　we　are；　marooned　in　the　high　Arctic　and　beyond　any　reach　of　help；　with　the　knowledge　that　there　are　those　of　us　who　have　e　to　a　violent　end　and　that　this　violence　may　not　yet　be　over。〃　He　looked　unhurriedly　around　the　pany　and　I　did　the　same：　I　could　see　that　there　were　quite　a　number　who　were　as　impressed　by　Otto's　calm　assessment　of　the　situation　as　I　was。　He　went　on：　〃It　is　precisely　because　the　state　of　affairs　in　which　we　find　ourselves　is　so　unbelievable　and　so　abnormal　that　I　suggest　we　port　ourselves　in　the　most　rational　and　normal　fashion　possible。　A　descent　into　hysteria　will　achieve　no　reversal　of　the　awful　things　that　have　just　occurred　and　can　only　harm　all　of　us。　〃Accordingly；　my　colleagues　and　I　have　decided　that；　subject；　of　course；　to　taking　every　possible　precaution；　we　should　proceed　with　the　business　in　hand…the　reason　why　we　came　to　this　island　at　all…in　as　normal　a　fashion　as　possible。　I　am　sure　you　will　all　agree　with　me　that　it　is　much　better　to　have　our　time　and　attention　taken　up…I　will　not　say　gainfully　employed…by　working　steadily　at　something　purposive　and　constructive　rather　than　sit　idly　by　and　have　those　awful　things　prey　upon　our　minds。　I　do　not　suggest　that　we　can　pretend　that　those　things　never　happened：　I　do　suggest　that　it　will　benefit　all　of　us　if　we　act　as　if　they　hadn't。
　〃Weather　permitting；　we　will　have　three　crews　in　the　field　tomorrow。〃
　Otto　wasn't　consulting；　he　was　telling：　I'd　have　done　the　same　in　his　place。　〃The　main　group；　under　Mr。　Divine　here；　will　go　north　up　Lerner's　Way…a　road　built　through　to　the　next　bay　about　the　turn　of　the　century　although　I　don't　suppose　there　are　many　traces　left　of　it　now。　The　Count；　Allen；　and　Cecil　here　will　of　course　acpany　him。　I　intend　to　go　along　myself　and　I'll　want　you　there　too；　Charles。〃　This　to　Conrad。
　Tou'll　require　me　along；　Mr。　Gerran？〃　This　from　Mary　Darling；　her　hand　upraised　like　a　little　girl　in　class。
　〃Well；　it'll　be　nearly　all　background…〃　He　broke　off；　glanced　at　Allen's　battered　face；　then　looked　again　at　Mary　with　what　I　took　to　be　a　roguish　smile。　If　you　wish　to；　certainly。　Mr。　Hendriks；　with　Luke；　Mark；　and　John　here；　will　try　to　capture　for　us　all　the　sounds　of　the　island…the　wind　on　the　fells；　the　birds　on　the　cliffs；　the　waves　breaking　against　the　shore。
　Mr。　Heissman　here　is　taking　a　hand　camera　out　in　the　boat　to　seek　out　some　suitable　seaward　locations…Mr。　Jungbeck　and　Mr。　Heyter；　who　have　nothing　on　tomorrow；　have　kindly　volunteered　to　acpany　him。
　〃These；　then；　are　our　decisions　for　tomorrow's　programme。　But　the　most　important　decision　of　all；　which　I　have　left　to　the　last；　is　in　no　way　connected　with　our　work。　We　have　decided　that　it　is　essential　that　we　seek　help　with　all　possible　speed。　By　help　I　mean　the　law；　police　or　some　such　recognised　authority。　It　is　not　only　our　duty；　it　may　well　be　essential　for　our　own　self…preservation；　to　have　a　thorough　and　expert　investigation　made　as　quickly　as　is　humanly　possible。　To　call　for　help　we　need　a　radio　and　the　nearest　is　at　the　Norwegian　Meteorological　Station　in　Tunbeim。〃
　I　carefully　refrained　from　looking　at　Smithy　and　was　confident　that　he　would　reciprocate。　〃Mr。　Smith；　your　presence　here　may　prove　to　be　a　blessing…you　are　the　only　professional　seaman　amongst　us。　What　would　be　the　chances　of　reaching　Tunheim　by　boat？〃
　Smithy　was　silent　for　a　few　seconds　to　lend　weight　to　his　observations　then　said：　〃In　the　present　conditions　so　poor　that　I　wouldn't　even　consider　trying　it；　not　even　in　those　desperate　circumstances。　We've　had　very　heavy　weather　recently；　Mr。　Gerran；　and　the　seas　won't　subside　for　quite　some　time。　The　drawback　with　those　workboats　is　that　if　one　does　encounter　rough　seas　ahead　you　can't　do　what　you　would　normally　do；　that　is；　turn　and　run　before　the　sea：　those　boats　are　pletely　open　at　the　back　and　would　almost　certainly　be　pooped…that　is；　they'd　fill　up　with　water　and　sink。　So　you'd　have　to　be　pretty　certain　of　your　weather　before　you　set　out。〃
　〃I　see。　Too　dangerous　for　the　moment。　When　the　sea　moderates；　Mr。　Smith？〃
　〃Depends　upon　the　wind。　It's　backing　to　the　west　right　now　and　if　it　were　to　stay　in　that　quarter…well；　it's　feasible。　If　it　moves　round　to　the　northwest　or　beyond；　no。　Not　on。〃　Smithy　smiled。　I　wouldn't　say　that　an　overland　trip　would　be　all　that　easier；　but　at　least　you　wouldn't　be　swamped　in　heavy　seas。〃
　〃Ah！　So　you　think　that　it　is　at　least　possible　to　reach　Tunheim　on　foot？〃
　〃Well；　I　don't　know。　I'm　no　expert　on　Arctic　travel；　I'm　sure　Mr。　Heissman　here…I'm　told　he's　been　giving　a　lecture　about　this　already…is　much　more　qualified　to　speak　about　it　than　I　am。〃
　〃No；　no。〃　Heissman　waved　a　deprecating　hand。　〃Let's　hear　what　you　think；　Mr。　Smith。〃
　So　Smithy　let　them　hear　what　he　thought　which　was　more　or　less　a　verbatim　repetition　of　what　I'd　said　to　him　in　our　cubicle　earlier。　When　he'd　finished；　Heissman；　who　probably　knew　as　much　about　winter　travel　in　Arctic　regions　as　I　did　about　the　back　side　of　the　moon；　nodded　sagely　and　said：　〃Succinctly　and　admirably　put。　I　agree　entirely　with　Mr。　Smith。〃
　There　was　a　thoughtful　silence　eventually　broken　by　Smithy　who　said　diffidently：　〃I'm　the　supernumerary　here。　If　the　weather　eases；　I　don't　mind　trying。〃
　〃And　now　I　have　to　disagree　with　you；〃　Heissman　said　promptly。　〃Suicidal；　just　suicidal；　my　boy。〃
　〃Not　to　he　thought　of　for　an　instant；〃　Otto　said　firmly。　〃For　safety…for　mutual　safety…nothing　short　of　an　expedition　would　do。〃
　I　wouldn't　want　an　expedition；〃　Smithy　said　mildly。　〃I　don't　see　that　the　blind　leading　the　blind　would　help　much。〃
　〃Mr。　Gerran。〃　It　was　Jon　Heyter　speaking。　〃Perhaps　I　could　be　of　help　here？〃
　〃You？〃　Otto　looked　at　him　in　momentary　perplexity　then　his　face　cleared。　〃Of　course。　I'd　forgotten　about　that。〃　He　said　in　explanation：　Jon　here　was　my　stuntman　in　The　High　Sierra。　A　climbing　picture。　He　doubled　for　the　actors　who　were　too　terrified　or　too　valuable　for　th