alistairmaclean.nightwithoutend-第42章

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　〃Will　they　get　here　in　time；　Doc？〃　Zagero　was　behind　me。　〃By　the　time　they　lower　a　boat；　row　ashore；　cross　this　headland…it's　half　a　mile　if　it's　an　inch…it'll　take　them　fifteen　minutes；　maybe　more。〃
　
　〃I　know；〃　I　said　irritably…irritably；　but　softly；　for　Joss　was　already　talking　into　the　table　microphone；　in　the　swift；　staccato　yet　strangely　unhurried　voice　of　the　trained　radioman。　〃If　you　have　any　better　suggestions…〃
　
　〃It's　ing！〃　Hillcrest's　excited　face　had　just　appeared　at　the　door　of　the　cabin。　〃e　on！　We　can　hear　it　ing　down　the　glacier。〃
　
　And　indeed　they　could。　The　deep　throaty　roar　of　that　heavy　engine　was　recognisable　anywhere。　Hurriedly　we　moved　about　a　hundred　yards　away　from　the　moraine…ringed　depression　where　we　had　parked　the　tractor；　Jackstraw；　Hillcrest　and　I　each　with　a　rifle　in　our　hands；　and　crouched　down　behind　the　concealing　protection　of　some　ice…covered　debris　at　the　edge　of　the　glacier。　From　where　we　lay　we　could　mand　a　view　of　the　glacier　across　its　entire　width　and　up　to　a　point　several　hundred　yards　away；　where　it　curved　sharply　out　of　sight。
　
　We　needn't　have　hurried。　The　Citroen　was　still　some　good　way　off；　the　sound　of　its　engine　being　funnelled　down　through　the　glacier　valley　well　ahead　of　it；　and　I　had　time　to　look　around　me。　What　I　saw　seemed　good。　I　was　banking　everything　on　the　hope　that　the　Citroen　would　still　be　on　the　same　side　of　the　glacier　as　when　we　had　last　seen　it；　and；　from　what　I　could　see；　the　chances　were　high　that　it　still　would　be。　The　entire　centre　of　the　glacier　was　a　devil's　playground　of　crevasses　ranging　from　hairlines　to　chasms　twenty　and　more　feet　in　width；　transverse；　longitudinal　and　diagonal；　and　as　far　as　I　could　see　they　extended　clear　to　the　other　wall。　But　here；　on　the　left　side；　close　in　to　the　lining　wall　of　moraine；　was　a　relatively　clear　path；　fissured　only　at　long　intervals；　and　not　more　than　thirty　yards　broad。　Thirty　yards！　Jackstraw　could　never　miss　at　this　point…blank　range；　even　with　a　moving　target。
　
　I　stole　a　glance　at　him；　but　his　face　might　have　been　carved　from　the　glacier　itself；　it　was　immobile　and　utterly　devoid　of　expression。　Hillcrest；　on　the　other　hand；　was　restless；　forever　shifting　his　cramped　position：　he　was　unhappy；　I　knew；　he　didn't　tike　this　one　little　bit。　He　didn't　like　murder。　Neither　did　I。　But　this　wasn't　murder；　it　was　a　long　overdue　execution：　it　wasn't　life…taking；　it　was　life…saving；　the　lives　of　Margaret　and　Solly　Levin。　。　。　。
　
　There　came　the　sudden　click；　abnormally　loud　even　above　the　closing　roar　of　the　tractor；　and　Jackstraw；　stretched　his　length　on　the　snow；　had　the　rifle　raised　to　his　shoulder。　And　then；　suddenly；　the　Citroen　had　e　clearly　into　sight　and　Jackstraw　was　gently　lowering　his　rifle　to　the　ground。　I　had　gambled；　and　I　had　lost。　The　tractor　was　on　the　far　side　of　the　glacier；　hugging　the　right　bank　as　closely　as　possible：　even　at　its　nearest　point　of　approach　it　would　still　be　three　hundred　yards　away。
　
　
　CHAPTER　TWELVE…Saturday　12。15　P。M。…12。30　P。M。
　
　The　Citroen　was　travelling　in　a　most　erratic　fashion…one　moment　slowing　down　almost　to　a　stop；　the　next　jerking　forward　and　covering　perhaps　twenty　to　thirty　yards　at　a　rush。　Although　we　couldn't　see　the　glacier　surface　at　that　distance；　it　was　obvious　that　the　driver　was　picking　his　way　round　ice…mounds　and　threading　along　between　fissures　at　the　best　speed　he　could　manage。　But　his　average　speed　was　very　low：　it　would　probably　take　him　almost　five　minutes　to　reach　that　point　opposite　us　where　the　glacier　fell　away　sharply　to　the　left　towards　the　outer　angle　of　the　dog…leg　half…way　down　towards　the　fjord。
　
　All　these　things　I　noted　mechanically；　without　in　any　way　consciously　thinking　of　them。　All　I　could　think　of　was　that　Smallwood　and　Corazzmi　had　outwitted　us　right　up　to　the　last　…almost　certainly；　I　could　understand　now；　they　had　seen　and　been　warned　by　the　rockets　Hillcrest　had　fired　to　give　the　Scimitar　our　position；　and　decided　to　give　that　side　of　the　glacier　the　widest　possible　berth。
　
　But　the　reasons　no　longer　mattered　a　damn。　All　that　mattered　was　the　acplished　fact；　and　the　fact　was　that　Corazzini　and　Smallwood　could　no　longer　be　stopped；　not　in　the　way　we　had　intended。　Even　yet；　of　course；　they　could　be　stopped…but　I　had　no　illusions　but　that　that　would　be　at　the　cost　of　the　lives　of　the　two　hostages　in　the　tractor。
　
　Frantically　I　tried　to　work　out　what　to　do　for　the　best。　There　was　no　chance　in　the　world　that　we　might　approach　them　openly　over　the　glacier…we　would　be　spotted　before　we　had　covered　ten　yards；　and　a　pistol　at　the　heads　of　Margaret　and　Levin　would　halt　us　before　we　got　half…way。　If　we　did　nothing；　let　them　get　away；　I　knew　the　hostages'　chances　of　survival　were　still　pretty　slim…that　trawler　would　almost　certainly　have　a　name　or　number　or　both　and　I　couldn't　see　Smallwood　letting　them　make　an　identification　of　the　trawler　and　then　e　back　to　report　to　us…and　to　all　the　waiting　ships　and　planes　in　the　Davis　Strait…Baffin　Sea　area。　Why　should　he　take　the　slightest　risk　when　it　would　be　so　easy　to　shoot　them；　so　much　easier　still　to　throw　them　down　a　crevasse　or　shove　them　over　the　edge　of　the　glacier　into　the　freezing　waters　of　the　fjord　a　hundred　and　fifty　feet　below。。　。　。　Already　the　Citroen　was　no　more　than　three　minutes　away　from　the　nearest　point　of　approach　they　would　make　to　us。
　
　〃Looks　like　they're　going　to　get　away　with　it；〃　Hillcrest　whispered。　It　seemed　as　if　he　feared　he　might　be　overheard；　though　Smallwood　and　Corazzini　couldn't　have　heard　him　had　he　shouted　at　the　top　of　his　voice。
　
　〃Well；　that　was　what　you　wanted；　wasn't　it？〃　I　asked　bitterly。
　
　〃What　I　wanted！　My　God；　man；　that　missile　mechanism…〃
　
　〃I　don't　give　a　single　solitary　damn　about　the　missile　mechanism。〃　I　ground　the　words　out　between　clenched　teeth。　〃Six　months　from　now　other　scientists　will　have　invented　something　twice　as　good　and　ten　times　as　secret。　They're　wele　to　it；　and　with　pleasure。〃
　
　Hillcrest　was　shocked；　but　said　nothing。　But　someone　was　in　agreement　with　me。
　
　〃Hear；　hear！〃　Zagero　had　just　e　up；　his　hands　swathed　to　the　size　of　boxing　gloves　in　white　bandages。　The　words　were　light　enough；　but　his　face　was　grim　and　his　eyes　bleak　as　he　stared　out　across　the　glacier。　〃My　sentiments　exactly；　Doc。　To　hell　with　their　murderous　little　toys。　My　old　man's　in　that　buggy　out　there。　And　your　girl。〃
　
　〃His　girl？〃　Hillcrest　turned；　looked　sharply　at　me　under　creased　brows　for　a　long　moment；　then　murmured：　〃Sorry；　boy；　I　didn't　understand。〃
　
　I　made　no　response；　but　twisted　my　head　as　I　heard　footsteps　behind　me。　It　was　Joss；　hatless　and　gloveless　in　his　excitement。
　
　〃Wykenham's　anchored；　sir；〃　he　panted　out。　〃Her…〃
　
　〃Get　down；　man！　They'll　see　you。〃
　
　〃Sorry。〃　He　dropped　to　his　hands　and　knees。　〃Her　powerboat's　already　moving　inshore。　And　there　was　a　flight　of　four　Scimitars　already　airborne：　they　should　be　half…way　here　already。　In　two　minutes'…time　four　or　five　bombers　are　taking　off；　with　HE　and　incendiaries。　They're　slower；　but…〃
　
　〃Bombers？〃　I　snapped　irritably。　〃Bombers？　What　do　they　think　this　is…the　Second　Front？〃
　
　〃No　sir。　They're　going　to　clobber　the　trawler　if　Smallwood　gets　away　with　that　missile　mechanism。　They　won't　get　a　hundred　yards。〃
　
　〃The　hell　with　their　missile　mechanism。　Do　human　lives　mean　nothing　to　them？　What　is　it；　Jackstraw？〃
　
　〃Lights；　Dr　Mason。〃　He　pointed　to　the　spot　on　the　fjord　wall　where　the　men　from　the　trawler　had　already　covered　two…thirds　of　the　horizontal　and　vertical　distance　to　the　end　of　the　glacier。　〃Signalling；　I　think。〃
　
　I　saw　it　right　away；　a　small　light；　but　powerful；　winking　irregularly。　I　watched　it　for　a　few　moments　then　heard　Joss's　voice。
　
　〃It's　morse；　but　it's　not　our　morse；　sir。〃
　
　〃They're　hardly　likely　to　signal　in　English　just　for　our　benefit；〃　I　said　dryly。　I　tried　to　speak　calmly；　to　hide　the　fear；　the　near　despair　in　my　mind；　and　when　I　spoke　again　my　voice；　I　knew；　was　abnormally　matter…of…fact。　〃It's　the　tip…off　to　our　friends　Small…wood　and　Corazzini。　If　we　can　see　the　men　from　the　trawler；　it's　a　cinch　the　men　from　the　trawler　can　see　us。　The　point　is；　do　Smallwood　and　Corazzini　understand　them？〃
　
　Five　seconds　later　I　had　my　answer　in　the　form　of　a　suddenly　deepening　roar　ing　to　us　across　the　glacier　from　the　engine　of　the　Citroen。　Corazzini…Hillcrest's　binoculars　had　shown　him　to　be　the　driver…had　understood　the　danger　all　right；　he　was　casting　caution　to　the　winds　and　gunning　the　engine　to　its　maximum。　He　must　have　been　desperate；　desperate　to　the　point　of　madness；　for　no　sane　man　would　have　taken　the　fearful　risks　of　driving　that　tractor　through　sloping　crevasse　ice　with　the　friction　coefficient　between　treads　and　surface　reduced　almost　to　zero。　Or　could　it　be　that　he　just　didn't　know　the　suicidal　dangers　involved？
　
　After　a　few　seconds　I　was　convinced　he　didn't。　In　the　first　place；　I　couldn't　see　either　Corazzini　or　Smallwood　as　men　who　would　panic　under　pressure；　no　matter　how　severe　that　pressure；　and　in　the　second　place　suicidal　risks　weren't　absolutely　necessary；　they　would　have　stood　a　more　than　even　chance　of　getting　away　with　their　lives　and　the　…missile　mechanism　if　they　had　stopped　the　tractor；　got　out　and　picked　their　cautious　way　down　the　glacier　on　foot；　with　their　pistol　barrels　stuck　in　the　backs　of　their　hostages。　Or　would　they…rather；　did　they　think　they　would？
　
　I　tried　fleetingly；　frantically；　to　get　inside　their　cold　and　criminal　minds；　to　try　to　understand　their　conception　of　us。　Did　they　think　that　we　thought；　like　them；　that　the　mechanism　was　all　important；　that　human　lives　were　cheap　and　readily　expendable？　If　they　did；　and　guessing　the　quality　of　Jackstraw's　marksmanship　with　a　rifle；　would　they　not　be　convinced　that　they　would　be　shot　down　as　soon　as　they　had　stepped　out　on　to　the　ice；　regardless　of　the　fate　of　their　hostages？　Or　did　they　have　a　better　understanding　than　that　of　minds　more　normal　than　their　own？
　
　Even　as　these　thoughts　flashed　through　my　mind　I　knew　I　must　act　now。　The　time　for　thought；　had　there　ever　been　such　a　time；　was　past。　If　they　were　left　to　continue　in　the　tractor；　they　would　either　kill　themselves　on　the　glacier　or　if；　by　a　miracle；　they　reached　the　bottom　safely；　they　would　then　kill　their　hostages。　If　they　were　stopped　now；　there　was　a　faint　chance　that　Margaret　and　Levin　might　survive；　at　least　for　the　moment：　they　were　Smallwood's　and　Corazzini's　only　two　trump　cards；　and　would　be　kept　intact　as　long　as　lay　within　their　power；　for　they　were　their　only　guarantee　of　escape。　I　just　had　to　gamble　on　the　hope　that　they　would　be　desperately　reluctant　to　kill　them　where　they　were　now；　still　a　mile　from　the　end　of　the　glacier。　And　the　last　time　I　had　gambled　I　had　lost。
　
　〃Can　you　stop　the　tractor？〃　I　asked　Jackstraw；　my　voice　a　flat　lifeless　monotone　in　my　own　ear。
　
　He　nodded；　his　eyes　on　me：　I　nodded　silently　in　return。
　
　〃You　can't　do　that！〃　Zagero　shouted　in　urgent　protest。　The　drawl　had　gone　for　the　first　time　ever。　〃They'll　kill　them；　they'll　kill　them！　My　God；　Mason；　if　you're　really　stuck　on　that　kid　you'd　never…〃
　
　〃Shut　up！〃　I　said　savagely。　I　grabbed