alistairmaclean.bearisland-第48节

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o　Captain　Imrie　that　you　had。　I'm　afraid　this　is　a　decision　to　arrive　at　a　directorial　level…well；　the　three　directors　that　are　still　capable　of　making　decisions。〃
　〃Would　our　employee　mind　telling　us　what　he　means？〃　Goin　tried　to　smile　but　it　didn't　e　off；　his　heart　wasn't　in　it。
　〃Do　you　want　to　go　ahead　with　shooting　all　your　scenes　up　here　or　don't　you？　It's　up　to　you。　If　we　all　stay　here　in　the　cabin　permanently；　at　least　half　a　dozen　awake　at　any　given　time；　looking　with　all　their　eyes　and　listening　with　all　their　ears；　then　the　chances　are　high　that　we'll　all　still　be　in　relatively　mint　condition　by　the　time　the　twenty…two　days　are　up。　On　the　other　hand；　of　course；　that　means　that　you　won't　get　any　of　your　film　shot　and　you'll　lose　all　your　investment。　It's　a　problem　I　wouldn't　like　to　have　to　face。　That's　excellent　Scotch　you　have　there；　Mr。　Gerran。〃
　I　can　see　that　you　appreciate　it。〃　Otto　would　have　liked　a　touch　of　asperity　in　his　voice　but　all　he　managed　to　do　was　to　sound　worried。
　〃Don't　be　so　mean。〃　I　helped　myself。　〃Those　are　times　that　try　men's　souls。〃　I　wasn't　really　listening　to　Otto；　I　was　barely　listening　to　myself。
　Once　before；　since　leaving　Wick；　on　the　occasion　when　the　Count　had　said　something　about　a　surfeit　of　horse…radish；　certain　words　had　had　the　effect　of　a　touch…paper　being　applied　to　a　train　of　gunpowder；　triggering　off　a　succession　of　thoughts　that　came　tumbling　in　one　after　the　other　almost　faster　than　my　mind　could　register　them；　and　now　the　same　thing　had　happened　again；　only　this　time　the　words　had　been　triggered　off　by　something　I'd　said　myself。　I　became　aware　that　the　Count　was　speaking；　presumably　to　me。　I　said：　〃Sorry；　mind　on　other　things；　you　know。〃
　I　can　see　that。〃　The　Count　was　looking　at　me　in　a　thoughtful　fashion。
　〃All　very　well　to　opt　out　of　responsibility；　but　what　would　you　do？〃　He　smiled。　If　I　were　to　co…opt　you　again　as　a　temporary　unpaid　director。〃
　〃Easy；〃　I　said；　and　the　answer　did　e　easily…as　the　result　of　the　past　thirty　seconds　thinking。　I'd　watch　my　back　and　get　on　with　the　ruddy　film。　〃；
　〃So。〃　Otto　nodded；　and　he；　the　Count；　and　Goin　looked　at　one　another　in　apparent　satisfaction。　〃But　now；　this　moment；　what　would　you　do？〃
　〃When　do　we　have　supper？〃
　〃Supper？〃　Otto　blinked。　〃Oh；　about　eight；　say。〃
　〃And　it's　now　five。　About　to　have　three　hours　kip；　that's　what　I'm　going　to　do。　And　I　wouldn't　advise　anyone　to　e　near　me；　either　for　an　aspirin　or　with　a　knife　in　their　hand；　for　I'm　feeling　very　nervous　indeed。〃
　Smithy　cleared　his　throat。　〃Would　I　get　clobbered　if　I　asked　for　an　aspirin　now？　Or　something　a　bit　more　powerful　to　make　a　man　sleep？　I　feel　as　if　my　head　has　been　on　a　butcher's　block。〃
　I　can　have　you　asleep　in　ten　minutes。　Mind　you；　you'll　probably　feel　a　damn　sight　worse　when　you　wake　up。〃
　Impossible。　Lead　me　to　the　knock…out　drops。〃
　Inside　my　cubicle　I　gripped　the　handle　of　the　small　square　double…plateglazed　window　and　opened　it　with　some　difficulty。　〃Can　you　do　that　with　yours？〃
　〃You　do　have　things　on　your　mind。　No　mangers　allocated　for　uninvited　guests。〃
　〃All　the　better。　Bring　a　cot　in　here。　You　can　borrow　one　from　Judith　Haynes's　room。〃
　〃Of　course；〃　he　said。　〃There's　a　spare　one　there。〃
　
　10
　
　Five　minutes　later；　wrapped　to　the　eyes　against　the　bitter　cold；　the　driving　snow　and　that　wind　that　was　now　howling；　not　moaning；　across　the　frozen　face　of　the　island；　Smithy　and　I　stood　in　the　lee　of　the　cabin；　by　my　window　which　I'd　wedged　shut　against　a　wad　of　paper：　there　was　no　handle　on　the　outside　to　pull　it　open　again　but　I　had　with　me　a　multitooled　Swiss　army　knife　that　could　pry　open　just　about　anything。　We　looked　at　the　vaguely　seen　bulk　of　the　cabin；　at　the　bright　light…Coleman　lamps　have　an　intensely　white　flame…streaming　from　one　of　the　windows　in　the　central　section　and　the　pale　glimmer　of　smaller　lights　from　a　few　of　the　cubicles。
　〃No　night　for　an　honest　citizen　to　be　taking　a　constitutional；〃　Smithy　said　in　my　ear。　〃But　how　about　bumping　into　one　of　the　less　honest　ones　〃Too　soon　for　him　or　them　to　be　stirring　abroad；〃　I　said。　〃For　the　moment　the　flame　of　suspicion　burns　too　high　for　anyone　even　to　clear　his　throat　at　the　wrong　moment。　Later；　perhaps。　But　not　now。〃
　We　went　directly　to　the　provisions　store；　closed　the　door　behind　us　and；　since　the　hut　was　windowless；　switched　on　both　our　torches。　We　searched　through　all　the　bags；　crates；　cartons；　and　packages　of　food　and　found　nothing　untoward。
　〃What　are　we　supposed　to　be　looking　for？〃　Smithy　asked。
　〃I've　no　idea。　Anything；　shall　we　say；　that　shouldn't　be　here。〃
　〃A　gun？　A　big　black　ribbed　bottle　marked　〃Deadly　Poison？'
　〃Something　like　that。〃　I　lifted　a　bottle　of　Haig　from　a　crate　and　stuck　it　in　my　parka　pocket。　〃Medicinal　use　only；〃　I　explained。
　〃Of　course。〃　Smithy　made　a　farewell　sweep　of　his　torch　beam　round　the　walls　of　the　hut：　the　beam　steadied　on　three　small　highly　varnished
　boxes　on　an　upper　shelf。
　〃Must　be　very　high　grade　food　in　those；〃　Smithy　said。　〃Caviar　for　Otto；　maybe？〃
　〃Spare　medical　equipment　for　me。　Mainly　instruments。　No　poisons。　Guaranteed。〃　I　made　for　the　door。　〃e　on。〃
　〃Not　checking？〃
　〃No　point。　Be　a　bit　difficult　to　hide　a　submachine　gun　in　one　of　those。〃
　The　boxes　were　about　ten　inches　by　eight。
　〃OK　to　have　a　look；　all　the　same。〃
　〃All　right。〃　I　was　a　bit　impatient。　〃Hurry　it　up；　though。〃
　Smithy　opened　the　lids　of　the　first　two　boxes；　glanced　cursorily　at　the　contents　and　closed　them　again。　He　opened　the　third　box　and　said：　〃Broken　into　your　reserves　already；　I　see。〃
　I　have　not。〃
　〃Then　somebody　has。〃　He　handed　over　the　box　and　I　saw　the　two　vacant　moulds　in　the　blue　felt。
　〃Somebody　has　indeed；〃　I　said。　〃A　hypodermic　and　a　tube　of　needles。〃
　Smithy　looked　at　me　in　silence；　took　the　box；　closed　the　lid　and　replaced　it。　He　said：　I　don't　think　I　like　this　very　much。〃
　〃Twenty…two　days　could　be　a　very　long　time；〃　I　said。　〃Now；　if　we　could　only　find　the　stuff　that's　going　to　go　inside　this　syringe。〃
　If。　You　don't　think　somebody　may　have　borrowed　it　for　his　own　private　use？　Somebody　on　the　hard　stuff　who's　bent　his　own　plunger？　One　of　the　Three　Apostles；　for　instance？　Right　background；　after　all…pop　world；　film　world；　just　kids。〃
　〃No；　I　don't　think　that。〃
　〃I　don't　think　so　either。　I　wish　I　did。〃
　We　went　from　there　to　the　fuel　hut。　Two　minutes　was　sufficient　to　discover　that　the　fuel　hut　had　nothing　to　offer　us。　Neither　had　the　equipment　hut　although　it　afforded　me　two　items　I　wanted；　a　screwdriver　from　the　toolbox　Eddie　had　used　when　he　was　connecting　up　the　generator　and　a　packet　of　screws。　Smithy　said：　〃What　do　you　want　those　for？〃
　〃For　the　screwing　up　of　windows；〃　I　said。　〃A　door　is　not　the　only　way　you　can　enter　the　cubicle　of　a　sleeping　man。〃
　〃You　don't　trust　an　awful　lot　of　people；　do　you？〃
　I　weep　for　my　lost　innocence。〃
　There　was　no　temptation　to　linger　in　the　tractor　shed；　not　with　Stryker　lying　there；　his　face　ghastly　in　the　reflected　wash　from　the　torches；　his　glazed　eyes　staring　unseeingly　at　the　ceiling。　We　rummaged　through　toolboxes　；　examined　metal　panniers；　even　went　to　the　length　of　probing　fuel　tanks；　oil　tanks；　and　radiators：　we　found　nothing。
　We　made　our　way　down　to　the　jetty。　From　the　main　cabin　it　was　a　distance　of　just　over　twenty　yards　and　it　took　us　five　minutes　to　find　it。　We　did　not　dare　use　our　torches　and　with　that　heavy　and　driving　snow　reducing　visibility　to　virtually　arm's　length；　we　were　blind　people　moving　in　a　blind　world。　We　edged　our　way　very　gingerly　out　to　the　end　of　the　jetty…the　snow　had　covered　up　the　gaps　in　the　crumbling　limestone　and；　heavily　clad　as　we　were；　the　chances　of　surviving　a　tumble　into　the　freezing　waters　of　the　Sor…Hamna　were　not　high…located　the　workboat　in　the　sheltered　northwest　angle　of　the　jetty　and　climbed　down　into　it　by　means　of　a　vertical　iron　ladder　that　was　so　ancient　and　rusty　that　the　outboard　ends　of　some　of　the　rungs　were　scarcely　more　than　a　quarter　of　an　inch　in　diameter。
　On　a　dark　night　the　glow　from　a　torch　can　be　seen　from　a　considerable　distance　even　through　the　most　heavily　falling　snow　but　now　that　we　were　below　the　level　of　the　jetty　wall　we　switched　our　torches　on　again；　though　still　careful　to　keep　them　hooded。　A　quick　search　of　the　workboat　revealed　nothing。　We　clambered　into　the　fourteen…footer　lying　alongside　and　had　the　same　lack　of　success。　From　here　we　transferred　ourselves　to　the　mock…up　submarine…an　iron　ladder　had　been　welded　both　to　its　side　and　the　conning　tower。
　The　conning　tower　had　a　platform　welded　across　its　circumference　at　a　distance　of　about　four　feel？　from　the　top。　A　hatch　in　this　led　to　a　semicircular　platform　about　eighteen　inches　below　the　flange　to　which　the　conning　tower　was　secured：　from　here　a　short　ladder　led　to　the　deck　of　the　submarine。　We　went　down　and　shone　our　torches　around。
　Give　me　subs　any　time；〃　Smithy　said。　〃At　least　they　keep　the　snow　out。
　That　apart；　I　don't　think　I'd　care　to　settle　down　here。〃
　The　narrow　and　cramped　interior　was　indeed　a　bleak　and　cheerless　place。　The　deck　consisted　of　transverse　spaced　wooden　planks　held　in　position　at　either　side　by　large　butterfly　nuts。　Beneath　the　planks　we　could　see；　firmly　he