alistairmaclean.icestationzebra-第57部分

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as　shivering　constantly。
　 〃We　must　do　something；　Captain；〃　he　said　hoarsely。　He　spoke　as　much　when　inhaling　as　when　exhaling；　when　your　breathing　is　sufficiently　distressed；　one　is　as　easy　as　the　other。　〃We've　got　seven　men　passed　out　now　between　the　for'ard　torpedo　room　and　the　crew's　mess。　They're　pretty　sick　men；　Captain。〃
　 〃Thank　you；　chief。〃　Swanson；　also　without　a　mask；　was　in　as　bad　a　way　as　Patterson；　his　chest　heaving；　his　breath　hoarsely　rasping；　tears　and　sweat　rolling　down　the　grayness　of　his　face。　〃We'll　be　as　quick　as　possible。〃
　 〃More　oxygen；〃　I　said。　〃Bleed　more　oxygen　into　the　ship。〃
　 〃Oxygen？　More　oxygen？〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃The　pressure　is　too　high　as　it　is。〃
　 〃Pressure　won't　kill　them。〃　I　was　dimly　aware；　through　my　cold　and　misery　and　burning　chest　and　eyes；　that　my　voice　sounded　just　as　strange　as　did　those　of　Swanson　and　Patterson。　〃Carbon　monoxide　will　kill　them。　Carbon　monoxide　is　what　is　killing　them　now。　It's　the　relative　proportion　of　CO2　to　oxygen　that　matters。　It's　too　high；　it's　far　too　high。　That's　what's　going　to　finish　us　all　off。〃
　 〃More　oxygen；〃　Swanson　ordered。　Even　the　unnecessary　acknowledgment　of　my　words　would　have　cost　too　much。　〃More　oxygen。〃
　 Valves　were　turned　and　oxygen　hissed　into　the　control　room　and；　I　knew；　into　the　crew　spaces。　I　could　feel　my　ears　pop　as　the　pressure　swiftly　built　up　but　that　was　all　I　could　feel。　I　certainly　couldn't　feel　any　improvement　in　my　breathing；　a　feeling　that　was　borne　out　when　Patterson；　noticeably　weaker　this　time；　crawled　back　and　croaked　out　the　bad　news　that　he　now　had　a　dozen　unconscious　men　on　his　hands。
　 I　went　for'ard　with　Patterson　and　a　closed…circuit　oxygen　apparatusone　of　the　few　unexhausted　sets　leftand　clamped　it　for　a　minute　or　so　onto　the　face　of　each　unconscious　man　in　turn；　but　I　knew　it　was　but　a　temporary　palliative。　The　oxygen　revived　them；　but　within　a　few　minutes　of　the　mask　being　removed；　most　of　them　slipped　back　into　unconsciousness　again。　I　made　my　way　back　to　the　control　room；　a　dark　dungeon　of　huddled　men　nearly　all　lying　down；　most　of　them　barely　conscious。　I　was　barely　conscious　myself。　I　wondered　vaguely　if　they　felt　as　I　did；　if　the　fire　from　the　lungs　had　now　spread　to　the　remainder　of　the　body；　if　they　could　see　the　first　slight　changes　in　color　in　their　hands　and　faces；　the　deadly　blush　of　purple；　the　first　unmistakable　signs　of　a　man　beginning　to　die　from　carbon…monoxide　poisoning。　Jolly；　I　noticed；　still　hadn't　returned　from　the　engine　room；　he　was　keeping　himself　permanently　on　hand；　it　seemed；　to　help　those　men　who　were　in　ever…increasingly　greater　danger　of　hurting　themselves　and　their　rades　as　their　weakness　increased；　as　their　level　of　care　and　attention　and　concentration　slid　down　toward　zero。
　 Swanson　was　where　I'd　left　him；　propped　on　the　desk　against　the　plotting　table。　He　smiled　faintly　as　I　sank　down　beside　him　and　Hansen。
　 〃How　are　they；　Doctor？〃　he　whispered。　A　whisper；　but　a　rock…steady　whisper。　The　man's　monolithic　calm　had　never　cracked；　and　I　realized　dimly　that　here　was　a　man　who　could　never　crack：　you　do　find　people　like　that；　once　in　a　million　or　once　in　a　lifetime。　Swanson　was　such　a　man。
　 〃Far　gone；〃　I　said。　As　a　medical　report；　it　might　have　lacked　a　thought　in　detail；　but　it　contained　the　gist　of　what　I　wanted　to　say　and　it　saved　me　energy。　〃You　will　have　your　first　deaths　for　carbon…monoxide　poisoning　within　the　hour。〃
　 〃So　soon？〃　The　surprise　was　in　his　red；　swollen；　streaming　eyes　as　well　as　in　his　voice。　〃Not　so　soon；　Doctor。　It's　hardlywell；　it's　hardly　started　to　take　effect。〃
　 〃So　soon；〃　I　said。　〃Carbon…monoxide　poisoning　is　very　rapidly　progressive。　Five　dead　within　the　hour。　Within　two　hours；　fifty。　At　least　fifty。〃
　 〃You　take　the　choice　out　of　my　hands；〃　he　murmured。　〃For　which　I　am　grateful。　John；　where　is　our　main　propulsion　officer？　His　hour　has　e。〃
　 〃I'll　get　him。〃　Hansen　hauled　himself　wearily　to　his　feet；　an　old　man　making　his　last　struggle　to　rise　from　his　death　bed；　and　at　that　moment　the　engine…room　door　opened　and　blackened；　exhausted　men　staggered　into　the'　control　room。　Waiting　men　filed　out　to　take　their　place。　Swanson　said　to　one　of　the　men　who　had　just　entered；　〃Is　that　you；　Will？〃
　 〃Yes；　sir。〃　Lieutenant　Raeburn；　the　navigating　officer；　pulled　off　his　mask　and　began　to　cough；　rackingly；　painfully。　Swanson　waited　until　he　had　quieted　a　little。
　 〃How　are　things　down　there；　Will？〃
　 〃We've　stopped　making　smoke；　skipper。〃　Raeburn　wiped　his　streaming　face；　swayed　dizzily；　and　lowered　himself　groggily　to　the　floor。　〃I　think　we've　drowned　out　the　sheathing　pletely。〃
　 〃How　long　to　get　the　rest　of　it　off？〃
　 〃God　knows。　Normally；　ten　minutes。　The　way　we　are；　an　hour。　Maybe　longer。〃
　 〃Thank　you。　Ah！〃　He　smiled　faintly　as　Hansen　and　Cartwright　appeared　out　of　the　smoke…filled　gloom。　〃Our　main　propulsion　officer。　Mr。　Cartwright；　I　would　be　glad　if　you　would　put　the　kettle　on　to　boil。　What's　the　record　for　activating　the　plant；　getting　steam　up　and　spinning　the　turbo　generators？〃
　 〃I　couldn't　say；　skipper。〃　Red…eyed；　coughing；　smokeblackened；　and　obviously　in　considerable　pain；　Cartwright　nevertheless　straightened　his　shoulders　and　smiled　slowly。　〃But　you　may　consider　it　broken。〃
　 He　left。　Swanson　heaved　himself　to　his　feet　with　obvious　weaknessexcept　for　two　brief　inspection　trips　to　the　engine　room；　he　had　not　once　worn　any　breathing　apparatus　during　those　interminable　and　pain…filled　hours。　He　called　for　power　on　the　broadcast　circuit；　unhooked　a　microphone；　and　spoke　in　a　calm；　clear；　strong　voice：　it　was　an　amazing　exhibition　in　self…control；　the　triumph　of　a　mind　over　agonized　lungs　still　starving　for　air。
　 〃This　is　your　captain　speaking；〃　he　said。　〃The　fire　in　the　engine　room　is　out。　We　are　already　reactivating　our　power　plant。　Open　all　water…tight　doors　throughout　the　ship。　They　are　to　remain　open　until　further　orders。　You　may　regard　the　worst　of　our　troubles　as　lying　behind　us。　Thank　you　for　all　you　have　done。〃　He　hooked　up　the　microphone　and　turned　to　Hansen。　〃The　worst　〃is〃　behind；　Johnif　we　have　enough　power　left　to　reactivate　the　plant。〃
　 〃Surely　the　worst　is　still　to　e；〃　I　said。　〃It'll　take　you　how　longthree　quarters　of　an　hour；　maybe　an　hour？to　get　your　turbo　generators　going　and　your　air…purifying　equipment　working　again。　How　long　do　you　think　it　will　take　your　air　cleaners　to　make　any　noticeable　effect　on　this　poisonous　air？〃
　 〃Half　an　hour。　At　least　that。　Perhaps　more。〃
　 〃There　you　are；　then。〃　My　mind　was　so　woolly　and　doped　now　that　I　had　difficulty　in　finding　words　to　frame　my　thoughts；　and　I　wasn't　even　sure　that　my　thoughts　were　worth　thinking。　〃An　hour　and　a　half　at　leastand　you　said　the　worst　was　over。　The　worst　hasn't　even　begun。〃　I　shook　my　head；　trying　to　remember　what　it　was　that　I　had　been　going　to　say　next；　then　remembered。　〃In　an　hour　and　a　half；　one　out　of　every　four　of　your　men　will　be　gone。〃
　 Swanson　smiled。　He　actually；　incredibly；　smiled。　He　said；　〃As　Sherlock　used　to　say　to　Moriarty；　'I　think　not；　Doctor。'　Nobody's　going　to　die　of　monoxide　poisoning。　In　fifteen　minutes'　time　we'll　have　fresh；　breathable　air　throughout　the　ship。〃
　 Hansen　glanced　at　me　just　as　I　glanced　at　him。　The　strain　had　been　too　much；　the　old　man　had　gone　off　his　rocker。　Swanson　caught　our　interchange　of　looks　and　laughed；　the　laugh　changing　abruptly　to　a　bout　of　convulsive　coughing　as　he　inhaled　too　much　of　that　poisoned；　smoke…laden　atmosphere。　He　coughed　for　a　long　time；　then　gradually　quieted　down。
　 〃Serves　me　right；〃　he　gasped。　〃Your　faces。　。　。　Why　do　you　think　I　ordered　the　water…tight　doors　opened；　Doctor？〃
　 〃No　idea。〃
　 〃John？〃
　 Hansen　shook　his　head。
　 Swanson　looked　at　him　quizzically　and　said；　〃Speak　to　the　engine　room。　Tell　them　to　light　up　the　diesel。〃
　 〃Yes；　sir；〃　Hansen　said　woodenly。　He　made　no　move。
　 〃Lieutenant　Hansen　is　wondering　whether　he　should　get　a　straitjacket；〃　Swanson　said。　〃Lieutenant　Hansen　knows　that　a　diesel　engine　is　never；　〃never〃　lit　up　when　a　submarine　is　submergedunless　with　a　snorkel；　which　is　useless　under　icefor　a　diesel　not　only　uses　air　straight　from　the　engineroom　atmosphere；　it　gulps　it　down　in　great　draughts　and　would　soon　remov