alistairmaclean.seawitch-第13部分

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　Lord　Worth；　with　no　little　effort；　posed　himself　and　said：　〃It　seems　that　Cor…〃　He　broke　off　and　corrected　himself：　it　was　one　of　his　many　axioms　that　the　right　hand　shouldn't　know　what　the　left　hand　doeth。　〃I　was　informed…all　too　reliably；　as　it　now　appears…　that　a　couple　of　countries　hostile　to　us　might　well　be　prepared　to　use　naval　force　against　us。　One；　it　appears；　is　already　prepared　to　do　so。　A　destroyer　has　just　cleared　its　Venezuelan　home　port　and　is　heading　in　what　is　approximately　our　direction。〃
　〃They　wouldn't　dare；'*　Palermo　said。
　〃When　people　are　power…　and　money…mad　they'll　stop　at　nothing。〃　It　apparently　never　occurred　to　Lord　Worth　that　his　description　of　people　applied；　in　excelsis；　to　himself。
　〃Who's　the　other　power？〃　said　Larsen。
　〃The　Soviet　Union。〃
　〃Is　it　now？〃　Larsen　seemed　quite　unmoved。　〃I　don't　know　if　I　like　the　sound　of　that。〃
　〃We　could　do　without　them。〃　Lord　Worth　was　back　on　balance　again。　He　flipped　out　a　notebook　and　consulted　it。　〃I　think　Til　have　a　talk　with　Washington。〃　His　hand　was　just　reaching　out　for　the　phone　when　it　rang。　He　lifted　the　instrument；　at　the　same　time　turning　the　switch　that　cut　the　ining　call　into　the　bulkhead　speaker。
　〃Worth。〃
　A　vaguely　disembodied　voice　came　through　the　speaker。　〃You　know　who　I　am？〃　Disembodied　or　not；　the　voice　was　known　to　Worth。　Corral。
　〃Yes。〃
　Tve　checked　my　contact；　sir。　Tm　afraid　our　guesses　were　only　too　accurate。　Both　X　and　Y　are　willing　to　mit　themselves　to　naval　support。〃
　〃I　know。　One　of　them　has　just　moved　out　and　appears　to　be　heading　in　our　general　direction。〃
　〃Which　one？〃
　〃The　one　to　the　south。　Any　talk　of　air　mitment？〃
　〃None　that　I've　heard；　sir。　But　I　don't　have　to　tell　you　that　that　doesn't　rule　out　its　use。〃
　Seawitch
　〃Let　me　know　if　there　is　any　more　good　news。〃
　〃Naturally。　Goodbye；　sir。〃
　Lord　Worth　replaced　the　instrument；　then　lifted　it　again。
　〃I　want　a　number　in　Washington。〃
　〃Can　you　hold　a　moment；　sir？〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃There's　another　code　message　ing　through。　Looks　like　the　same　code　as　the　last　one；　sir。〃
　〃I　shouldn't　be　surprised。〃　Lord　Worth's　tone　was　somber。　〃Bring　it　across　as　soon　as　possible。〃
　He　replaced　the　phone；　pressed　a　button　on　the　small　console　before　him；　lifting　the　phone　again　as　he　did。
　〃Chambers？〃　Chambers　was　his　senior　pilot
　〃Sir？〃
　〃Your　chopper　refueled？〃
　〃Ready　to　go　when　you　are；　sir。〃
　〃May　be　any　second　now。　Stand　by　your　phone。〃　He　replaced　the　receiver。
　Larsen　said：　〃Washington　beckons；　sir？〃
　〃I　have　the　odd　feeling　that　it's　about　to。　There　are　things　that　one　can　achieve　in　person　that　one　can't　over　the　phone。　Depends　upon　this　next　message。〃
　〃If　you　go；　anything　to　be　done　in　your　absence？〃
　〃There'll　be　dual…purpose　antiaircraft　guns　arriving　aboard　the　Roamer　this　afternoon。　Secure　them　to　the　platform。〃
　〃To　the　north；　south；　east　but　not　west？〃
　〃As　you　wish。〃
　〃We　don't　want　to　start　blowing　holes　in　our　own　oil　tank。〃
　〃There's　that。　There'll　…eAso　be　mines。　Three　piles；　each　halfway　between　a　pair　of　legs。〃
　〃An　underwater　explosion　from　a　mine　wouldn't　damage　the　legs？〃
　〃I　shouldn't　think　so。　We'll　just　have　to　find　out；　won't　we？　Keep　in　constant　half…hourly　touch　with　both　the　Torbetto　and　the　Jupiter。　Keep　the　radar　and　sonar　stations　constantly　manned。　Eternal　vigilance；　if　you　will。　Hell；　mander；　I　don't　have　to　tell　you　what　to　do。〃　He　wrote　some　figures　on　a　piece　of　paper。　〃If　I　do　have　to　go；　contact　this　number　in　Washington。　Tell　them　that　Tm　ing。　Five　hours　or　so。〃
　〃This　is　the　State　Department？〃
　〃Yes。　Tell　them　that　at　least　the　Under　Secretary　must　be　there。　Remind　him；　tactfully；　of　future　campaign　contributions。　Then　contact　my　aircraft　pilot；　Dawson。　Tell　him　to　be　standing　by　with　a　filed　flight　plan　for　Washington。〃
　The　radio　operator　knocked；　entered；　handed　Lord　Worth　a　message　sheet　and　left。　Lord　Worth；　hands　steady　and　face　now　untroubled；　decoded　the　message；　reached　for　the　phone　and　told　Chambers　to　get　to　the　helicopter　at　once。
　He　said　to　the　two　men：　〃A　Russian…built　Cuban　submarine　is　on　its　way　from　Havana。　It's　being　followed　by　a　Russian　guided…missile　destroyer。　Both　are　heading　this　way。〃
　〃A　visit　to　the　State　Department　or　the　Pentagon　would　appear　to　be　indicated；〃　Larsen　said。　〃There　isn't　too　much　we　can　do　about　guided　missiles。　Looks　like　there　might　be　quite　some　activity　hereabouts。　That　makes　five　vessels　arrowing　in　on　us…three　naval　vessels；　the　Jupiter　and　the　Roomer。〃　Larsen　might　have　been　even　more　concerned　had　he　known　that　the　number　of　vessels　was　seven；　not　five：　but；　then；　Larsen　was　not　to　know　that　the　Tiburon　and　the　Starlight　were　heading　that　way　also。
　Lord　Worth　rose。　〃Well；　keep　an　eye　on　the　shop。　Back　this　evening　sometime。　I'll　be　in　frequent　radio　contact。〃
　Lord　Worth　was　to　fly　four　legs　that　day：　by　helicopter　to　the　mainland；　by　his　private　Boeing　to　Washington；　the　return　flight　to　Florida；　and　the　final　leg　by　helicopter　out　to　the　Seawitch。　On　each　of　those　four　legs　something　very　unpleasant　was　going　to　happen…unpleasant　for　Lord　Worth；　that　is。　Fortunately　for　Lord　Worth；　he　was　not　blessed　with　the　alleged　Scottish　second　sight…the　ability　to　look　into　the　future。
　The　first　of　those　unpleasantnesses　happened　when　Lord　Worth　was　en　route　to　the　mainland。　A　large　station　wagon　swept　up　to　the　front　door　of　Lord　Worth's　mansion；　carrying　five　rather　large　men　who　would　have　been　difficult　later　to　identify；　for　aU　five　wore　stocking　masks。　One　of　them　carried　what　appeared　to　be　a　large　coil　of　clothesline　rope；　another　a　roll　of　adhesive　tape。　All　carried　guns。
　MacPherson；　the　elderly　head　gardener；　was　taking　his　customary　prework　dawn　patrol　to　see　what　damage　the　fauna　had　wreaked　on　his　flora　during　the　night；　when　the　men　emerged　from　the　station　wagon。　Even　allowing　for　the　fact　that　shock　had　temporarily　paralyzed　his　vocal　cords；　he　never　had　a　chance。　In　just　over　a　minute；　bound　hand　and　foot　and　with　his　lips　sealed　with　adhesive　tape；　he　had　been　dumped　unceremoniously　into　a　clump　of　bushes。
　The　leader　of　the　group；　a　man　by　the　name　of　Durand；　pressed　the　front…door　bell。　Durand；　a　man　who　had　a　powerful　affinity　with　banks　and　who　was　a　three…time　ex…convict；　was　by　definition　a　man　of　dubious　reputation；　a　reputation　confirmed　by　the　fact　that　he　was　a　close　and　longtime　term　associate　of　Cronkite。　Half　a　minute　passed；　then　he　rang　again。　By　and　by　the　door　opened　to　reveal　a　robe…wrapped　Jen…kins；　tousle…haired　and　blinking　the　sleep　from　his　eyes…it　was　still　very　early　in　the　morning。　His　eyes　stopped　blinking　and　opened　wide　when　he　saw　the　pistol　in　Durand's　hand。
　Durand　touched　the　cylinder　screwed　onto　the　muzzle　of　Ms　gun。　As　hooked　a　TV　addict　as　the　next　man；　Jenkins　recognized　a　silencer　when　he　saw　one。
　〃You　know　what　this　is？〃
　A　fully　awake　Jenkins　nodded　silently。
　〃We　don't　want　to　harm　anyone　in　the　house。　Especially；　no　harm　will　e　to　you　if　you　do　what　you　are　told。　Doing　what　you　are　told　includes　not　telling　lies。　Understood？〃
　Jenkins　understood。
　〃How　many　staff　do　you　have　here？〃
　There　was　a　noticeable　quaver　in　Jenkins's　voice。　〃Well；　there's　me…I'm　the　butler…〃
　Durand　was　patient。　〃You　we　can　see。〃
　〃Two　footmen；　a　chauffeur；　a　radio　operator；　a　secretary；　a　cook　and　two　housemaids。　There's　a　cleaning　lady；　but　she　doesn't　e　until　eight。〃
　〃Tape　him；〃　Durand　said。　Jenkins's　lips　were　taped。　〃Sorry　about　that；　but　people　can　be　silly　at　times。　Take　us　to　those　eight　bedrooms。〃
　Jenkins　reluctantly　led　the　way。　Ten　minutes　later；　all　eight　of　the　staff　were　securely　bound　and　silenced。　Durand　said：　〃And　now；　the　two　young　ladies。〃
　Jenkins　led　them　to　a　door。　Durand　picked　out　three　of　his　men　and　said　softly：　〃The　butler　will　take　you　to　the　other　girl。　Check　what　she　packs　and　especially　her　purse。〃
　Durand；　followed　by　his　men；　entered　the　room；　his　gun　in　its　concealed　holster　so　as　not　to　arouse　too　much　alarm。　That　the　bed　was　occupied　was　beyond　doubt；　although　all　that　could　be　seen　was　a　mop　of　black　hair　on　the　pillow。　Durand　said　in　a　conversational　voice：　〃I　think　you　better　get　up；　ma'am。〃　Durand　was　not　normall