alistairmaclean.bearisland-第46部分

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　I　don't　like　it；　I　don't　like　it！〃　Her　voice　was　strained　and　anxious；　it　could　have　been　acting　but　I　didn't　think　so。　〃What's　keeping　him？　Why　is　he　so　long？　He's　out　there　with　that　Allen　fellow。　Something's　wrong。
　I　know　it　is；　I　know　it。〃　When　I　didn't　answer　she　said：　〃Well；　aren't　you　going　out　to　look　for　him？〃
　〃Just　as　you　went　out　to　look　for　Mr。　Smith　here；〃　I　said。　It　wasn't　very　nice　but　then　I　didn't　always　feel　so　very　kind　to　other　people　as　Lonnie　did。　〃Maybe　your　husband　will　e　back　when　he　feels　like　it。〃
　She　looked　at　me　without　speaking；　her　lips　moving　but　not　speaking；　no　real　hostility　in　her　face；　and　I　realised　for　the　second　time　that　day　that　her　rumoured　hatred　for　her　husband　was；　in　fact；　only　a　rumour　and　that；　buried　no　matter　how　deep；　there　did　exist　some　form　of　concern　for　him。　She　turned　away　and　I　reached　for　my　torch。
　〃Once　more　unto　the　breach；〃　I　said。　〃Any　takers？〃
　Conrad；　Jungbeck；　Heyter；　and　Hendriks　acpanied　me。　Volunteers　there　were　in　plenty　but　I　reasoned　that　not　only　would　increased　numbers　get　in　one　another's　way　but　the　chances　of　someone　else　being　lost　would　be　all　that　greater。　Immediately　after　leaving　the　hut　the　five　of　us　fanned　out　at　intervals　of　not　more　than　fifteen　feel？　and　moved　off　to　the　north。　We　found　Alien　inside　the　first　thirty　seconds：　more　accurately；　he　found　us；　for　he　saw　our　torches…he'd　lost　his　own…and　came　stumbling　towards　us　out　of　the　snow　and　the　darkness。　〃Stumbled〃　was　the　operative　word；　he　was　weaving　and　swaying　like　one　far　gone　in　alcohol　or　exhaustion　and　when　he　tried　to　speak　his　voice　was　thick　and　slurred。　He　was　shivering　like　a　man　with　the　ague。　it　seemed　not　only　pointless　but　cruel　to　question　him　in　that　condition　so　we　hurried　him　inside。　
　I　had　a　look　at　him　as　we　sat　him　on　a　stool　by　an　oil　stove　and　I　didn't　have　to　look　twice　or　very　closely　to　see　that　this　hadn't　exactly　been　Alien's　day。　Alien　had　been　in　the　wars　again　and　the　damage　that　had　been　inflicted　on　him　this　time　at　least　matched　up　to　the　injuries　he'd　received　that　morning。　He　had　two　nasty　cuts　above　what　had　been　up　till　then　his　undamaged　eye；　a　bruised　and　scratched　right　cheek　and　blood　came　from　both　his　mouth　and　nose；　blood　already　congealed　in　the　cold：　but　his　worst　injury　was　a　very　deep　gash　on　the　back　of　the　head；　the　scalp　laid　open　clear　to　the　bone。　Someone　had　given　young　Alien　a　very　thorough　going　over　indeed。
　〃And　what　happened　to　you　this　time？〃　I　asked。　He　winced　as　I　started　to　clean　up　his　face。　〃Or　should　I　say；　do　you　know　what　happened　to　you？〃
　I　don't　know；〃　he　said　thickly。　He　shook　his　head　and　drew　his　breath　in　sharply　as　some　pain　struck　through　either　head　or　neck。　I　don't　know。　I　don't　remember。〃
　〃You've　been　in　a　fight；　laddie；〃　I　said。　〃Again。　Someone's　cut　you　up；　and　quite　badly。〃
　I　know。　I　can　feel　it。　I　don't　remember。　Honest　to　God；　I　don't　remember。　I…I　just　don't　know　what　happened。〃
　Tut　you　must　have　seen　him；〃　Goin　said　reasonably。　〃Whoever　it　was；　you　must　have　been　face　to　face　with　him；　God's　sake；　boy；　your　shirt's　tom　and　there's　at　least　a　couple　of　buttons　missing　from　your　coat。　And　he　had　to　be　standing　in　front　of　you　when　he　did　this　to　you。　Surely　you　must　have　caught　a　glimpse　of　him　at　least。〃
　〃It　was　dark；〃　Allen　mumbled。　〃I　didn't　see　anything。　I　didn't　feel　anything；　all　I　knew　was　that　I　woke　up　kind　of　groggy　like　in　the　snow　with　the　back　of　my　head　hurting。　I　knew　I　was　bleeding　and…please；　I　don't　know　what　happened。〃
　〃Yes；　you　do；　yes；　you　Do〃　Judith　Haynes　had　pushed　her　way　to　the　front。　The　transformation　that　had　taken〃　place　in　her　face　was　as　astonishing　as　it　was　ugly　and　although　her　morning　performance　had　partially　prepared　me　for　something　of　this　kind　and　though　this　expression　was　different　from　the　one　that　had　disfigure　her　face　that　time；　it　was　still　an　almost　frightening　thing　to　watch。　The　red　gash　of　the　mouth　had　vanished；　the　lips　drawn　in　and　back　over　hared　teeth；　the　green　eyes　were　no　more　than　slits　and；　as　had　happened　that　morning；　the　skin　was　stretched　back　over　her　cheekbones　until　it　appeared　far　too　tight　for　her　face。　She　screamed　at　him：　〃You　damned　liar！　Wanted　your　own　back；　didn't　you？　You　dirty　little　bastard；　what　have　you　done　with　my　husband？　Do　you　hear　me？　Do　you　hear　me？　What　have　you　done　with　him；　damn　you？　Where　is　he？　Where　did　you　leave　him？〃
　Allen　looked　up　at　her　in　a　half…scared　astonishment；　then　shook　his　head　wearily。　〃I'm　sorry；　Miss　Haynes；　I　don't　know　what…〃
　She　hooked　her　long…nailed　fingers　into　talons　and　lunged　for　him　but　I'd　been　waiting　for　it。　So　had　both　Goin　and　Conrad。　She　struggled　like　a　trapped　wildcat；　screaming　invective　at　Allen；　then　suddenly　relaxed；　her　breath　ing　in　harsh；　rasping　sobs。
　〃Now　then；　now　then；　Judith；〃　Otto　said。　〃There's　no…〃
　〃Don't　you　〃now　then〃　me；　you　silly　old　bastard！〃　she　screamed。　Filial　respect　was　clearly　not　Judith　Haynes's　strong　point　but　Otto；　though　clearly　nervous；　accepted　his　daughter's　abuse　as　if　it　were　a　matter　of　course。　〃Why　don't　you　find　out　instead　what　this　young　swine's　done　to　my　husband？　Why　don't　you？　Why　don't　you！〃　She　struggled　to　free　her　arms　and　as　she　was　trying　to　move　away　we　let　her　go。　She　picked　up　a　torch　and　ran　for　the　door。
　〃Stop　her；〃　I　said。
　Heyter　and　Jungbeck；　big　men　both；　blocked　her　flight。
　〃Let　me　go；　let　me　out！〃　she　shouted。　Neither　Heyter　nor　Jungbeck　moved　and　she　whirled　round　on　me。　〃Who　the　hell　are　you　to…I　want　to　go　out　and　find　Michael！〃
　〃I'm　sorry；　Miss　Haynes；〃　I　said。　〃You're　in　no　condition　to　go　to　look　for　anyone。　You'd　just　run　wild；　no　trace　of　where　you'd　been；　and　in　five　minutes〃　time　you'd　be　lost　too　and　perhaps　lost　for　good。　We're　leaving　in　just　a　moment。〃
　She　took　three　quick　steps　towards　Otto；　her　fists　clenched。　her　teeth　showing　again。
　〃You　let　him　push　me　around　like　this？〃　This　with　an　incinerating　glare　in　my　direction。　〃Spineless；　that's　you；　absolutely　spineless！　Anybody　can　walk　over　you！〃　Otto　blinked　nervously　at　this　latest　tirade　but　said　nothing。　〃Aren't　I　supposed　to　be　your　bloody　daughter？　Aren't　you　supposed　to　be　the　bloody　boss？　God's　sake；　who　gives　the　orders　about　here？　You　or　Marlowe？〃
　〃Your　father　does；〃　Goin　said。　〃Naturally。　But；　without　any　disrespect　to　Dr。　Marlowe；　we　don't　hire　a　dog　just　to　bark　ourselves。　He's　a　medical　man　and　we'd　be　fools　not　to　defer　to　him　in　medical　matters。〃
　〃Are　you　suggesting　I'm　a　medical　case？〃　All　the　colour　had　drained　from　her　cheeks　and　she　looked　uglier　than　ever。　〃Are　you？　Are　you；　then？
　A　mental　case；　perhaps？〃
　Heaven　knows　I　wouldn't　have　blamed　Goin　if　he'd　said　〃yes〃　straight　out　and　left　it　at　that　but　Goin　was　far　too　balanced　and　diplomatic　to　say　any　such　thing　and；　besides；　he'd　clearly　been　through　this　sort　of　crisis　before。　He　said；　quietly　but　not　condescendingly：　〃I'm　suggesting　no　such　thing。　Of　course　you're　distressed；　of　course　you're　overwrought；　after　all　it　is　your　husband　that's　missing。　But　I　agree　with　Dr。　Marlowe　that　you're　not　the　person　to　go　looking　for　him。　We'll　have　him　back　here　all　the　quicker　if　you　co…operate　with　us；　Judith。〃
　She　hesitated；　still　halfway　between　hysteria　and　rage；　then　swung　away。　I　taped　the　gash　on　Allen's　head　and　said：　〃That'll　do　till　I　e　back。　Afraid　I'll　have　to　shave　off。　a　few　locks　and　stitch　it。〃　On　the　way　to　the　door　I　stopped　and　said　quietly　to　Goin：　〃Keep　her　away　from　Allen；　will　you？〃
　Goin　nodded。
　〃And　for　heaven's　sake　keep　her　away　from　Mary　darling。〃
　He　looked　at　me　in　what　was　as　close　to　astonishment　as　he　was　capable　of　achieving。　〃That　kid？〃
　〃That　kid。　She's　next　on　the　list　for　Miss　Haynes's　attentions。　When　Miss　Haynes　gets　around　to　thinking　about　it；　that　is。〃
　I　left　with　the　same　four　as　previously。　Conrad；　the　last　out；　closed　the　door　behind　him　and　said：　〃Jesus！　My　charming　leading　lady。　What　a　virago　she　is！〃
　〃She's　a　little　upset；〃　I　said　mildly。
　〃A　little　upset！　Heaven　send　I'm　in　the　next　county　if　she　ever　gets　really　mad。　What　the　hell　do　you　think　can　have　happened　to　Stryker？〃
　I　have　no　idea；〃　I　said；　and　because　it　was　dark　I　didn't　have　to　a