alistairmaclean.nightwithoutend-第9部分

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nd　she's　been　sitting　there　alone　all　this　time…why　didn't　you　tell　us；　you　silly　man？〃
　
　〃I　forgot；〃　I　replied　mildly。　〃Besides；　what　good　would　it　have　done？〃　I　looked　down　at　the　girl　in　the　mink　coat。　Goodness　only　knew　that　I　didn't　particularly　want　her；　but　the　injured　girl　had　struck　me　as　being　almost　painfully　shy；　and　I　was　sure　she'd　prefer　to　have　one　of　her　own　sex　around。　〃Would　you　like　to　give　me　a　hand？〃
　
　She　stared　at　me；　a　cold　surprised　stare　that　would　have　been　normal　enough　had　I　made　some　outrageous　or　improper　request；　but　before　she　could　answer　the　elderly　lady　broke　in　again。
　
　〃I'll　stay　behind。　I'd　love　to　help。〃
　
　〃Well…〃　I　began　doubtfully；　but　she　interrupted　immediately。
　
　〃Well　yourself。　What's　the　matter？　Think　I'm　too　old；　hey？〃
　
　〃No；　no；　of　course　not；〃　I　protested。
　
　〃A　fluent　liar；　but　a　gallant　one。〃　She　grinned。　〃e　on；　we're　wasting　this　valuable　time　you're　always　so　concerned　about。〃　We　brought　the　girl　into　the　first　of　the　rear　seats；　where　there　was　plenty　of　space　between　that　and　the　first　of　the　rearward　facing　front　seats；　and　had　just　worked　her　coat　off　when　Joss　called　me。
　
　〃We're　off　now；　sir。　Back　in　twenty　minutes。〃
　
　As　the　door　closed　behind　the　last　of　them　and　I　broke　open　a　roll　of　bandage；　the　old　lady　looked　quizzically　at　me。
　
　〃Know　what　you're　doing；　young　man？〃
　
　〃More　or　less。　I'm　a　doctor。〃
　
　〃Doctor；　hey？〃　She　looked　at　me　with　open　suspicion；　and　what　with　my　bulky；　oil…streaked　and　smelly　furs；　not　to　mention　the　fact　that　I　hadn't　shaved　for　three　days；　I　suppose　there　was　justification　enough　for　it。　〃You　sure？〃
　
　〃Sure　I'm　sure；〃　I　said　irritably。　〃What　do　you　expect　me　to　do…whip　my　medical　degree　out　from　under　this　parka　or　just　wear　round　my　neck　a　brass　plate　giving　my　consulting　hours？〃
　
　〃We'll　get　along；　young　man；〃　she　chuckled。　She　patted　my　arm；　then　turned　to　the　young　girl。　〃What's　your　name；　my　dear？〃
　
　〃Helene。〃　We　could　hardly　catch　it；　the　voice　was　so　low：　her　embarrassment　was　positively　painful。
　
　〃Helene？　A　lovely　name。〃　And　indeed；　the　way　she　said　it　made　it　sound　so。　〃You're　not　British；　are　you？　Or　American？〃
　
　〃I'm　from　Germany；　madam。〃
　
　〃Don't　call　me　'madam'。　You　know；　you　speak　English　beautifully。　Germany；　hey？　Bavaria；　for　a　guess？〃
　
　〃Yes。〃　The　rather　plain　face　was　transfigured　in　a　smile；　and　I　mentally　saluted　the　old　lady　for　the　ease　with　which　she　was　distracting　the　young　girl's　thoughts　from　the　pain。　〃Munich。　Perhaps　you　know　it？〃
　
　〃Like　the　back　of　my　hand；〃　she　said　placently。　〃And　not　just　the　Hofbrauhaus　either。　You're　still　very　young；　aren't　you？〃
　
　〃I'm　seventeen。〃
　
　〃Seventeen。〃　A　nostalgic　sigh。　〃Ah；　my　dear；　I　remember　when　I　was　seventeen。　A　different　world。　There　was　no　trans…Atlantic　airliner　in　those　days；　I　can　tell　you。〃
　
　〃In　fact；〃　I　murmured；　〃the　Wright　brothers　were　hardly　airborne。〃　The　face　had　been　more　than　familiar　to　me；　and　I　was　annoyed　that　I　should　have　taken　so　long　in　placing　it：　I　suppose　it　was　because　her　normal　setting　was　so　utterly　different　from　this　bleak　and　frozen　world。
　
　〃Being　insulting；　young　man？〃　she　queried。　But　there　was　no　offence　in　her　face。
　
　〃I　can't　imagine　anyone　ever　insulting　you。　The　world　was　at　your　feet　even　in　the　Edwardian　days；　Miss　LeGarde。〃
　
　〃You　know　me；　then？〃　She　seemed　genuinely　pleased。
　
　〃It　would　be　difficult　to　find　anyone　who　doesn't　know　the　name　of　Marie　LeGarde。〃　I　nodded　at　the　young　girl。　〃See；　Helene　knows　it　too。〃　And　it　was　clear　from　the　awe…struck　expression　on　the　young　German　girl's　face　that　the　name　meant　as　much　to　her　as　to　me。　Twenty　years　queen　of　the　music…hall；　thirty　years　queen　of　the　musical　edy　stage；　beloved　wherever　she　was　known　less　for　her　genius　than　for　the　innate　kindliness　and　goodness　which　she　tried　to　conceal　from　the　world　with　a　waspish　tongue；　*　for　the　half…dozen　orphanages　she　maintained　in　Britain　and　Europe；　Marie　LeGarde　was　one　of　the　few　truly　international　names　in　the　world　of　entertainment。
　
　〃Yes；　yes；　I　see　you　know　my　name。〃　Marie　LeGarde　smiled　at　me。　〃But　how　did　you　know　me？〃
　
　〃From　your　photograph；　naturally。　I　saw　it　in　Life　the　other　week；　Miss　LeGarde。〃
　
　〃　'Marie'；　to　my　friends。〃
　
　〃I　don't　know　you；〃　I　protested。
　
　〃I　paid　a　small　fortune　to　have　that　photograph　retouched　and　made　briefly　presentable；〃　she　answered　obliquely。　〃It　was　a　splendid　photograph；　inasmuch　as　it　bore　precious　little　resemblance　to　the　face　that　I　carry　about　with　me。　Anyone　who　recognises　me　from　that　is　my　friend　for　life。　Besides；〃　she　smiled；　〃I　bear　nothing　but　the　most　amicable　feelings　towards　people　who　save　my　life。〃
　
　I　said　nothing；　just　concentrated　on　finishing　the　job　of　strapping　up　Helene's　arm　and　shoulders　as　quickly　as　possible：　she　was　blue　with　cold；　and　shivering　uncontrollably。　But　she　hadn't　uttered　a　murmur　throughout；　and　smiled　gratefully　at　me　when　I　was　finished。　Marie　LeGarde　regarded　my　handiwork　approvingly。
　
　〃I　really　do　believe　you　have　picked　up　some　smattering　of　your　trade　along　the　way；　Doctor…ah…〃
　
　〃Mason。　Peter　Mason；　Peter　to　my　friends。〃
　
　〃　'Peter'　it　shall　be。　e　on；　Helene；　into　your　clothes　as　fast　as　you　like。〃
　
　Fifteen　minutes　later　we　were　back　in　the　cabin。　Jackstraw　went　to　unharness　the　dogs　and　secure　them　to　the　tethering　cable；　while　Joss　and　I　helped　the　two　women　down　the　ice…coated　steps　from　the　trap…door。　But　I　had　no　sooner　reached　the　foot　of　the　steps　than　I　had　forgotten　all　about　Marie　LeGarde　and　Helene　and　was　staring　unbelievingly　at　the　tableau　before　me。　I　was　just　vaguely　aware　of　Joss　by　my　shoulder；　and　anger　and　dismay　on　his　face　slowly　giving　way　to　a　kind　of　reluctant　horror。　For　what　we　saw；　though　it　concerned　us　all；　concerned　him　most　of　all。
　
　The　injured　wireless　operator　still　lay　where　we　had　left　him。　All　the　others　were　there　too；　grouped　in　a　rough　semi…circle　round　him　and　round　a　cleared　space　to　the　left　of　the　stove。　By　their　feet　in　the　centre　of　this　space；　upside　down　and　with　one　corner　pletely　stove　in　on　the　wooden　floor；　lay　the　big　metal　RCA　radio　transmitter　and　receiver；　our　sole　source　of　contact　with；　our　only　means　of　summoning　help　from　the　outer　world。　I　knew　next　to　nothing　about　radios；　but　it　was　chillingly　obvious　to　me…as　it　was；　I　could　see；　to　the　semi…circle　of　fascinated　onlookers…that　the　RCA　was　smashed　beyond　recovery。
　
　
　CHAPTER　THREE…Monday　2　A。M。…3　A。M。
　
　Half　a　minute　passed　in　plete　silence；　half　a　minute　before　I　could　trust　myself　to　speak；　even　bring　myself　to　speak。　When　at　last　I　did；　my　voice　was　unnaturally　low　in　die　unnatural　hush　that　was　broken　only　by　the　interminable　clacking　of　the　anemometer　cups　above。
　
　〃Splendid。　Really　splendid。　The　perfect　end　to　the　perfect　day。〃　I　looked　round　them　slowly；　one　by　one；　then　gestured　at　the　smashed　transmitter。　〃What　bloody　idiot　was　responsible　for　this…this　stroke　of　genius？〃
　
　〃How　dare　you；　sir！〃　The　white…haired　man　whom　I　had　mentally　labelled　as　the　Dixie　colonel　took　a　step　forward；　face　flushed　with　anger。　〃Mind　your　tongue。　We're　not　children　to　be…〃
　
　〃Shut　up！〃　I　said；　quietly　enough；　but　there　must　have　been　something　in　my　voice　rather　less　than　reassuring；　for　he　fell　silent；　though　his　fists　still　remained　clenched。　I　looked　at　them　all　again。　〃Well？〃
　
　〃I'm　afraid…I'm　afraid　I　did　it；〃　the　stewardess　faltered。　Her　brown　eyes　were　as　unnaturally　large；　her　face　as　white　and　strained　as　when　I　had　first　seen　her。　〃It's　all　my　fault。〃
　
　〃You！　The　one　person　here　who　should　know　just　how　vital　radio　really　is。　I　don't　believe　it。〃
　
　〃You　must；　I'm　afraid。〃　The　quiet　controlled　voice　belonged　to　the　man　with　the　cut　brow。　〃No　one　else　was　anywhere　near　it　at　the　time。〃
　
　〃What　happened　to　you？〃　I　could　see　he　was　nursing　a　bruised　and　bleeding　hand。
　
　〃I　dived　for　it　when　I　saw　it　toppling。〃　He　smiled　wryly。　〃I　should　have　saved　myself　the　trouble。　That　damned　thing's　heavy。〃
　
　〃It's　all　that。　Thanks　for　trying　anyway。　I'll　fix　your　hand　up　later。〃　I　turned　to　the　stew