alistairmaclean.nightwithoutend-第17部分

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a　fortnight　without　food　before　they　return。〃　He　smiled；　but　there　was　no　humour　in　it。　〃My　arithmetic　is　correct；　Dr　Mason？〃
　
　〃It　is；　unfortunately。〃
　
　〃How　long　would　the　tractor　you　have　take　to　get　to　the　coast？〃
　
　〃There's　no　guarantee　that　it　ever　would。　I　told　you；　it's　falling　to　pieces。　I'll　show　you　later。　Maybe　a　week…given　the　right　conditions。　Any　bad　weather　would　stop　it　in　its　tracks。〃
　
　〃You　doctors　are　all　the　same；〃　Zagero　drawled。　〃Always　spreadin'　sweet　cheerfulness　and　light。　Why　don't　we　wait　for　the　other　machine　to　get　back？〃
　
　〃Indeed？〃　Senator　Brewster　said　heavily。　〃And　how　do　you　propose　to　live　in　the　meanwhile；　Mr　Zagero？〃
　
　〃People　can　live　for　longer　than　fourteen　days　without　food；　Senator；〃　Zagero　said　cheerfully。　〃Think　what　it　would　do　for　that　figure　of　yours。　Tush；　Senator；　you　surprise　me。　Too　gloomy　by　half。〃
　
　〃Not　in　this　case；〃　I　said　flatly。　〃The　Senator　is　right。　Sure　you　can　live　a　long　time　without　food　in　normal　conditions。　You　might　even　do　it　here…if　you　had　proper　day　clothes　and　night　coverings。　You　haven't…and　how　many　of　you　have　stopped　shivering　since　you　came　here？　Cold　burns　up　your　energy　and　depletes　your　reserves　at　a　fantastic　pace。　Do　you　want　me　to　list　all　the　Arctic　and　Antarctic　explorers…and　Himalayan　climbers　…who　have　died　within　forty…eight　hours　of　their　food　running　out？　And　don't　kid　yourselves　about　the　life…giving　warmth　of　this　cabin。　The　floor　temperature　is　about　zero　now…and　that's　as　hot　as　it's　likely　to　get。〃
　
　〃You　said　there　was　a　radio　on　your　old　tractor；〃　Corazzini　said　abruptly。　〃What　range　does　it　have？　Couldn't　you　possibly　reach　your　friends…or　your　Uplavnik　base…with　that？〃
　
　I　nodded　in　Joss's　direction。　〃There's　the　man　to　ask。〃
　
　〃I　heard；〃　Joss　said　without　enthusiasm。　〃Do　you　think　I'd　be　trying　to　salvage　this　wreckage；　Mr　Corazzini；　if　there　was　any　chance？　It's　an　eight…watt　transmitter　with　hand…cranked　generator　and　battery　receiver；　it　came　out　of　the　ark　and　was　never　meant　for　anything　more　than　walkie…talkie　use。〃
　
　〃But　what　is　its　range？〃　Corazzini　persisted。
　
　〃Impossible　to　say。〃　Joss　shrugged。　〃You　know　how　it　is　with　transmission　and　reception。　One　day　you　can　hardly　pick　up　the　BBC　a　hundred　miles　away；　another　you　can　pick　up　a　taxi…cab　at　twice　the　distance；　if　you　have　the　right　receiver。　All　depends　on　conditions。　This　one？　Hundred　miles；　maybe…hundred　fifty　in　perfect　conditions。　In　the　present　conditions；　you'd　be　better　with　a　megaphone。　I'll　have　a　go　with　it　this　afternoon；　perhaps。　Might　as　well　waste　my　time　that　way　as　any　other。〃　Joss　turned　away　and　it　was　obvious　that；　as　far　as　he　was　concerned；　the　subject　was　closed。
　
　〃Perhaps　your　friends　will　move　within　transmission　range？〃　Corazzini　suggested。　〃After　all；　you　said　they're　not　much　more　than　a　couple　of　hundred　miles　away。〃
　
　〃And　I　said　they'll　be　staying　there。　They've　set　up　their　equipment　and　instruments　and　they　won't　move　until　they　have　to。　They're　too　short　of　petrol　for　that。〃
　
　〃They　can　refuel　here；　of　course？〃
　
　〃That's　no　worry。〃　I　jerked　a　thumb　towards　the　tunnel。　〃There's　eight　hundred　gallons　out　there。〃
　
　〃I　see。〃　Corazzini　looked　thoughtful　for　a　moment；　then　went　on。　〃Please　don't　think　I'm　being　annoyingly　persistent。　I　just　want　to　eliminate　possibilities。　I　believe　you　have…or　have　had　…a　radio　schedule　with　your　friends。　Won't　they　worry　if　they　fail　to　hear　from　you？〃
　
　〃Hillcrest…that's　the　scientist　in　charge…never　worries　about　anything。　And　unfortunately；　their　own　radio；　a　big　long…range　job；　is　giving　trouble…they　said　a　couple　of　days　ago　that　the　generator　brushes　were　beginning　to　give　out…and　the　nearest　spares　are　here。　If　they　can't　raise　us；　they'll　probably　blame　themselves。　Anyway；　they　know　we're　safe　as　houses　here。　Why　on　earth　should　they　worry？〃
　
　〃So　what　do　we　do？〃　Solly　Levin　asked　querulously。　〃Starve　to　death　or　start　hikin'？〃
　
　〃Succinctly　and　admirably　put；〃　Senator　Brewster　boomed。　〃In　a　nutshell；　one　might　say。　I　propose　we　set　up　a　small　mittee　to　investigate　the　possibilities…〃
　
　〃This　isn't　Washington；　Senator；〃　I　said　mildly。　〃Besides；　we　already　have　a　mittee…Mr　London；　Mr　Nielsen　and　myself。〃
　
　〃Indeed？〃　It　seemed　to　be　the　Senator's　favourite　word；　and　long　years　of　practice　had　matched　it　perfectly　to　the　lift　of　his　eyebrows。　〃You　will　remember；　perhaps；　that　we　have　rather　a　personal　stake　in　this　also？〃
　
　〃I'm　unlikely　to　forget　it；〃　I　said　dryly。　〃Look；　Senator；　if　you　were　adrift　in　a　hurricane　and　were　picked　up　by　a　ship；　would　you　presume　to　advise　the　captain　and　his　officers　of　the　course　they　should　adopt　to　survive　the　hurricane？〃
　
　〃That's　not　the　point。〃　Senator　Brewster　puffed　out　his　cheeks。　〃This　is　not　a　ship…〃
　
　〃Shut　up！〃　It　was　Corazzini　who　spoke；　his　voice　quiet　and　hard；　and　I　could　suddenly　understand　why　he　had　reached　the　top　in　his　own　particularly　tough　and　petitive　business。　〃Or　Mason　is　absolutely　right。　This　is　their　own　backyard；　and　our　lives　should　be　left　in　the　hands　of　experts。　I　take　it　you　have　already　reached　a　decision；　Dr　Mason？〃
　
　〃I　reached　it　last　night。　Joss…Mr　London…stays　here　to　contact　the　others　when　they　return。　He　will　be　left　enough　food　for　three　weeks。　We　take　the　remainder；　and　we　leave　tomorrow。〃
　
　〃Why　not　today？〃
　
　〃Because　the　tractor　is　at　present　unfit　for　winter　travel；　especially　travel　with　ten　passengers。　It's　still　got　the　canvas　hood　on　it　that　it　had　when　we　hauled　stuff　up　from　the　coast。　We　have　the　prefabricated　wooden　sides　and　top　that　we　need　to　arcticise　it；　plus　the　bunks　and　portable　stove；　but　it　will　take　several　hours。〃
　
　〃We　start　on　that　now？〃
　
　〃Soon。　But　first　your　luggage。　We'll　go　out　to　the　plane　now；　and　bring　that　back。〃
　
　〃Thank　goodness　for　that；〃　Mrs　Dansby…Gregg　said　stiffly。　〃I　was　beginning　to　think　I'd　never　see　my　stuff　again。〃
　
　〃Oh；　you　will；〃　I　said。　〃Briefly。〃
　
　〃Just　what　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　she　asked　suspiciously。
　
　〃I　mean　that　you'll　all　put　on　as　many　clothes　as　you're　able　to　stagger　about　in；〃　I　said。　〃Then　you　have　a　small　attache…case　for　your　valuables；　if　you　have　any。　The　rest　of　the　stuff　we'll　have　to　abandon。　This　is　no　Cook's　tour。　We'll　have　no　room　on　the　tractor。〃
　
　〃But…but　I　have；　clothes　worth　hundreds　of　pounds；〃　she　protested　angrily。　〃Hundreds？…Thousands　would　be　nearer　it。　I　have　a　Balenciaga　alone　that　cost　over　five　hundred　pounds；　not　to　mention…〃
　
　〃How　much　do　you　reckon　your　own　life　is　worth？〃　Zagero　said　shortly。　He　grinned。　〃Or　maybe　we　should　abandon　you　and　save　the　Balenciaga。　Better　still；　wear　it　on　top　of　everything…you　know；　how　the　well…dressed　woman　leaves　the　ice…cap。〃
　
　〃Excruciatingly　funny。〃　She　stared　at　him　icily。
　
　〃Frequently　fracture　myself；〃　Zagero　agreed。　〃Can　I　give　you　a　hand　with　the　stuff；　Doc？〃
　
　〃You　stay　here；　Johnny　Zagero！〃　Solly　Levin　jumped　up　in　agitation。　〃One　little　slip　on　that　ice…〃
　
　〃Calm　yourself；　calm　yourself。〃　Zagero　patted　his　shoulder。　〃Merely　goin'　in　a　supervisory　capacity；　Solly。　How　about　it；　Doc？〃
　
　〃Thanks。　You　want　to　e；　Mr　Corazzini？〃　I　could　see　he　was　already　struggling　into　a　parka。
　
　〃I'd　be　glad　to。　Can't　sit　here　all　day。〃
　
　〃These　cuts　on　your　head　and　hands　aren't　sealed　yet。　They'll　sting　like　the　devil　when　you　get　out　into　this　cold。〃
　
　〃Got　to　get　used　to　it；　haven't　I？　Lead　the　way。〃
　
　The　airliner；　crouching　in　the　snow　like　some　great　wounded　bird；　was　faintly　visible　in　the　twilight　now；　seven　or　eight　hundred　yards　away　to　the　north…east；　port　wing…tip　facing　us；　lying　at　exactly　right　angles　to　our　line　of　sight。　There　was　no　saying　how　often　we　might　have　to　go　out　there；　the　quasi　daylight　would　be　gone　in　another　hour　or　so；　and　it　seemed　pointless　to　follow　in　darkness　the　zigzag　route　we　had　been　pelled　to　make　the　previous　night；　so　with　help　from　Zagero　and　Corazzini　I　staked　out　a　route；　with　bamboo　markers　about　five　yards　apart；　straight　out　to　the　plane。　Some　of　the　bamboos　I　fetched　from　the　tunnel；　but　most　of　them　were　transplanted　from　the　posit