thedestroyer.deathcheck-第16节

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the　small　single…engine　plane。
　It　was　his　job；　a　labor　for　daily　purse；　to　instruct　any　staff　members　of　the　Forum　who　wished　to　parachute　in　the　art　of　parachuting。　Fortunately；　that　incredible　motley　crew　of　the　gross　technological　giant　that　George　III　had　allowed　to　wend　its　crude　way　into　independence；　dared　not　suffer　Hawkins'　explicit　and　daily　disdain。
　
　Only　the　Israeli　girl；　who　undoubtedly　had　to　continue　her　training；　participated　in　the　sky　diving。　Which　was　rather　a　bit　of　all　right；　since　she　had　the　decency　not　to　attempt　a　conversation　with　Geoffrey　Hawkins。　Either　she　knew　her　place；　understood　decorum；　or　had　nothing　to　say。　Which　for　a　Jew　was　an　incredible　virtue。　Unfortunately　so　few　other　people　shared　her　ability　to　refrain　from　conversation。
　Like　that　typically　German　bore；　who　pretended　to　be　of　another　nationality。　He　had　given　Hawkins　5；000　to　see　that　Remo　Pelham　did　not　land　alive。　But　then　he　had　insisted　upon　trying　to　justify　it　to　Hawkins。
　Geoffrey　Hawkins　needed　no　justification。　One　had　to　live。　And　anyway；　it　would　not　be　murder。　Murder　was　when　you　deprived　an　Englishman　of　life。　Survival　was　when　you　took　life　from　an　American。　And　public　health　was　when　one　removed　Irishmen。
　It　was　a　bit　of　a　shame　however　that　this　Pelham　was　not　Australian。　Then　one　would　know　that　one　was　removing　a　criminal。　Or　the　seed　of　a　criminal；　which　was　the　same　thing　anyway。
　Even　in　Britain；　the　gentry　had　lost　sight　of　what　they　were。　The　world　had　gone　mad　and　Britain　had　gone　mad　with　it。　This　pathetic　affection　and　respect　for　America；　a　nation　which　had　once　had　an　Irish　President。　Scots　walking　around　like　human　beings。　Welshmen　knighted　every　day。　And　all　of　them　calling　themselves　British。　When　only　Englishmen　were　English！
　The　sun　had　set　on　the　soul　of　the　British　empire。
　〃Hey；　buddy。　How　do　you　fix　this　thing？〃
　It　was　the　American。　He　was　going　to　jump　from　13；000　feet；　free　fall　for　one　minute；　then　open　his　chute　and　land。　He　had　never　been　in　a　parachute　before。
　Five　thousand　dollars　for　this？　
　Geoffrey　Hawkins　could　earn　his　money　by　allowing　this　colonial　bumpkin　just　to　attempt　free　fall。　But　that　would　not　be　thorough。　Thorough　was　cutting　the　leg　straps　under　the　leather　joints　so　that　when　the　chute　opened；　if　it　opened；　it　would　rise　from　the　shoulder　harness　and　Remo　Pelham　would　keep　going　down；　out　of　his　chute；　to　the　ground。；　〃Hey；　buddy。　How　do　you　get　this　thing　on？〃
　Geoffrey　Hawkins　turned　to　the　financial　pages。　If　one　could　properly　invest　one's　5；000；　one　could　transform　it　into　a　rather　considerable　amount。
　〃Hey。　You　with　the　mustache　and　the　paper。　How　does　this　thing　buckle？〃
　Imperial　Chemical　Industries　was　up。　Good。　If　one　invested　in　Imperial　Chemical　Industries；　one　could　not　only　help　civilized　industry　but　oneself。　It　was　a　good　investment　for　oneself。
　Finally；　the　Jewess　helped　him。　No　character；　thought　Hawkins。　She　had　refused　to　talk　to　the　American；　had　turned　away　from　him；　had　ignored　his　blandishments　and　his　insipid　pleading；　but　now　she　turned　to　help　him　with　the　chute。　Leg　straps；　shoulder　straps；　the　rip　cord　ring；　proper　harness　position。
　When　done；　she　turned　away　again。　〃Thirteen　thousand　feet；〃　she　said　to　Hawkins。
　〃Umm；〃　he　replied；　because　as　jump　instructor；　he　had　to。
　〃We're　ready；〃　she　said。　The　soon…to…be…dead　American　sat　beside　her。
　The　Germans　had　a　point。　But　they　were　so　crude　about　it。　If　one　were　to　strip　a　German　to　his　soul；　one　would　achieve　the　essence　of　gauche。　Even　the　way　that　Hun　had　slipped　the　envelope　to　Geoffrey　Hawkins。　As　if　he　were　reaching　surreptitiously　into　Hawkin's　privates。
　〃Yes　sir；　this　is　going　to　be　fun；〃　said　the　American。　His　brown　eyes　were　shining。　His　face　was　shaved　of　hair。　He　would　clunk　like　a　pinball　machine　on　the　Virginia　countryside。　He　would　tilt　in　all　directions。
　The　engines　revved；　groaning　for　power；　and　the　light　plane　shook。
　Her　Majesty's　forces；　according　to　the　Times；　were　still　in　Aden　by　the　Persian　Gulf。　Lucky　Aden。　But　this　was　America　which　had　so　stubbornly　insisted　upon　going　it　alone　and　was　paying　for　it　daily。
　The　Jewess　had　finally　relented。　She　was　explaining　something　to　the　American。　Hawkins　listened　from　behind　the　Times。
　〃The　plane　is　going　to　13；000　feet。　It's　a　one…minute　free　fall。　You　pull　your　cord　immediately。　Just　follow　me。　I'll　make　sure　your　cord　is　pulled。　You're　very　stupid　trying　this　the　first　time。〃
　〃Listen；　sweetheart；　don't　worry　about　me。〃
　〃You　are　incredibly　stupid。〃
　〃This　was　the　only　way　I　could　get　to　talk　to　you。〃
　〃As　I　said；　you　are　incredibly　stupid。〃
　The　two　were　yelling　now；　to　overe　the　motors。
　〃I　want　to　talk　to　you；〃　the　American　said。
　〃Your　leg　straps　are　too　loose。〃
　〃When　can　we　get　together？〃：
　〃I'm　busy　this　year。　Try　me　next　year　at　the　same　time。〃
　Suddenly　her　voice　called　out；　〃Mr。　Hawkins！　Who　gave　him　this　chute？〃
　She　was　doing　it　again。　Talking　to　Geoffrey　Hawkins　without　being　addressed　first。　He　ignored　her。
　〃Will　you　put　down　that　paper？　You　can't　let　this　man　jump　in　this　chute。〃
　Put　down　the　paper？　What　gall。
　Suddenly　the　dark　columns　of　small　type　disappeared。　The　paper　went　flying。　It　had　been　ripped　out　of；　his　hands　by　the　American。
　〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　Geoffrey　said　in　his　most　disdainful　manner；　calculated　to　set　the　American　cringing　in　apologies。
　〃Perfectly　all　right；〃　the　American　responded。　〃She's　talking　to　you。〃
　〃I　am　perfectly　capable　of　discerning　such　auditory　phenomena　as　women　speaking。　I　do　not　need　your　assistance。〃
　〃Then　why　didn't　you　answer　her？〃
　〃That　is　hardly　a　topic　I　wish　to　discuss　with　you；〃　said　Geoffrey　Hawkins　to　the　American　policeman。　〃Now　return　my　Times　if　you　would。〃
　〃Who　gave　him　this　parachute？；〃　the　girl　asked。　〃Did　you？〃
　〃I　am　not　a　supply　sergeant。　I　do　not　dispense　parachutes。〃
　〃Well；　he　can't　jump　out　of　the　plane　in　that　chute。〃
　〃He　certainly　can't　jump　without　one；〃　said　Hawkins；　who　thought　that　incredibly　funny；　worth　repeating　to　an　Englishman。
　〃It's　no　wonder　the　British　army　dispensed　with　your　services；〃　the　girl　said。
　That　was　enough。　Geoffrey　would　have　to　thrash　her。　He　gave　her　the　back　of　his　hand　across　her　face。　At　least；　he　attempted　to。　But　it　seemed　as　though　some　fast　air　current　spun　his　hand　harmlessly　in　the　air。
　〃Keep　your　tongue；　Jewess；〃　he　said；　watching　his　hand　flail　to　the　side　of　the　plane。
　〃Don't　give　me　that　？shit；　Hawkins。　Did　you　unload　the　faulty　chute　on　him？〃
　〃Answer　her；〃　said　the　American。
　The　pilot　interrupted。　〃We're　approaching　target　and　13；000　feet；〃　he　called　out。　Good；　that　would　settle　everything。　To　jump　from　13；000　feet　one　had　to　be　in　an　aircraft　that　climbed　almost　straight　up；　and　one　jumped　at　its　zenith。　It　was　the　only　practical　way；　since　if　the　plane　levelled　off　at　13；000　feet；　everyone　would　need　oxygen。　This　way；　the　plane　was　at　that　altitude　so　briefly　that　oxygen　was　unnecessary。
　〃Jump；　Dr。　Hirshbloom；　if　you're　going　to；〃　Hawkins　said。　The　door　near　his　feet　opened；　and　the　girl　half　stood　up。　As　she　struggled　over　Hawkins'　outstretched　legs；　she　said：　〃Don't　let　him　jump　in　that　chute。〃　She　turned　to　the　American：　〃Don't　you　jump。〃
　She　thrust　a　boot　out　on　to　the　strut；　waited　a　moment；　and　was　gone。
　〃Are　you　jumping；　Yank？　Or　are　you　going　to　be　typical　and　wait　for　a　puter　to　do　it　for　you？〃
　〃I　don't　think　I'll　jump；〃　said　the　American。　The　ripping　wind　from　the　open　door　whipped　through　his　brown　hair。
　〃Well；　it's　your　choice；〃　Hawkins　said。　〃Here；　why　don't　you　have　a　look？　You'll　know　what　it's　like　next　time。　Or　are　you　afraid　to　look。〃
　〃I　know　what　the　ground　looks　like；　sweetheart；〃　the　American　said。
　〃The　Jewess　makes　an　interesting　jump；〃　Hawkins　said；　peering　out　the　door。　〃She　does　a　very　special　free　fall。〃
　The　American　cop　shrugged；　stepped　over　Geoffrey's　legs；　and　peered　out。　Geoffrey　Hawkins　put　his　shoulder　to　the　American's　back；　braced　his　feet　against　his　seat；　and　pushed　hard；　devastatingly　hard。　And　nothing　happened。
　〃You　want　to　jump　with　me？；〃　said　the　American；　turning。　
　Geoffrey　Hawkins　pushed　again　and　this　time　he　was　successful。　Too　successful。　He　found　his　own　energy；　with　an　assist　from　the　American；　had　hurtled　him　head　first　toward　the　wing　struts　outside；　and　then　he　was　outside　the　plane；　dropping　through　the　chill　cold　wind；　with　the　American　firmly　latched　to　his　throat。
　They　accelerated　quickly；　then　hit　top　speed　and　they　were　free　falling。　The　American　was　smiling　and　humming　Yankee　Doodle。
　Geoffrey　attempted　to　kick　him　away。　The　5；000　was　as　good　as　his。　But　the　kick　went　nowhere。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　the　right　leg　went　out；　and　then　became　numb。　The　American's　hands　seemed　to　float；　then　dart；　then　plunge　forward　and　back。　And　for　all　Geoffrey　Hawkins'　effort；　he　could　not　unlatch　the　colonial　who　just　smiled　and　hummed　and　moved　his　hands　in　those　extraordinary　ways。　Geoffrey　attempted　to　use　a　karate　chop　against　the　bridge　of　the　American's　nose。
　But　as　his　hand　started　to　move；　it　became　numb；　and　then。。。。　Ye　gads。　The　left　rider　to　the　chute　was　slipping　off　the　useless　left　hand。　Then　the