alistairmaclean.nightwithoutend- 第42节

　
　I　learned　later　that　Helene　owed　her　life　to　Mahler's　quick　thinking。　The　dog…sledge　carrying　Marie　LeGarde　and　himself　had　stopped　directly　opposite　the　spot　where　Helene　had　gone　over；　and　he　had　shouted　to　Brewster　and　Margaret　Ross　to　sit　on　it　and　thread　the　rope　through　the　slats　on　the　sledge　top。　It　had　been　a　chance；　but　one　that　came　off：　even　on　that　slippery　surface　their　bined　weights　were　more　than　enough　to　hold　the　slightly　built　Helene。
　
　It　was　then　that　I　made　my　mistake…my　second　mistake　of　that　afternoon；　though　I　did　not　realise　that　at　the　time。　To　help　those　above　I　stooped　to　boost　her　up；　and　as　I　straightened　abruptly　the　suddenly　increased　pressure　proved　too　much　for　the　already　crumbling　bridge。　I　heard　the　ominous　rumble；　felt　the　snow　begin　to　give　under　my　feet；　released　my　hold　on　Helene…she　was　already　well　clear　anyway…grabbed　Jackstraw　by　the　arm　and　jumped　for　the　other　side　of　the　bridge　a　second　before　the　spot　where　we　had　been　standing　vanished　with　a　whroom　and　went　cascading　down　into　the　gloomy　depths　of　the　crevasse。　At　the　full　extent　of　my　rope　I　hit　the　ice　on　the　far　side　of　the　crevasse；　wrapped　both　arms　tightly　round　Jackstraw…I　heard　his　muffled　expression　of　pain　and　remembered　his　injury　for　the　first　time…and　wondered　how　long　I　could　hold　him　when　that　side　of　the　bridge　went　too；　as　go　it　must；　its　support　on　the　far　side　no　longer　existing。　But；　miraculously；　for　the　moment　it　held。
　
　Both　of　us　were　pressed　hard　in　against　the　ice；　motionless；　hardly　daring　to　breathe；　when　I　heard　a　sudden　cry　of　pain　from　above。　It　came　from　Helene…she　must　have　caught　her　injured　shoulder　as　she　was　being　pulled　over　the　edge　of　the　crevasse。　But　what　caught　my　eye　was　not　Helene；　but　Corazzini。　He　was　standing　very　close　to　the　edge；　and　he　had　my　gun　in　his　hand。
　
　I　have　never　known　such　chagrin；　such　profound　despair；　such　bitterness　of　spirit…or；　to　be　utterly　frank；　such　depths　of　fear。　The　one　thing　I　had　guarded　against　all　the　time；　the　one　thing　I　had　dreaded　above　all　other　things；　that　Jackstraw　and　I　should　ever　find　ourselves；　at　the　same　time；　pletely　at　the　mercy　of　the　killers；　had　e　to　pass。　But　even　in　my　fear　there　was　savagery…savagery　towards　the　man　who　had　engineered　this　so　beautifully；　savagery　towards　myself　for　having　been　so　easily　and　utterly　fooled。
　
　Even　a　child　could　see　how　it　had　been　done。　The　series　of　snow…bridges　had　given　Corazzini　the　idea。　A　little　nudge　to　Helene　Fleming　at　the　right　place…it　was　as　plain　as　a　pikestaff　that　it　had　been　no　accident…and　it　was　a　foregone　conclusion　that　either　Jackstraw　or　myself　would　have　to　go　down　to　fix　a　rope　round　the　youngster　who；　with　her　broken　collar…bone；　would　be　unable　to　do　it　herself：　I　suppose　the　possibility　that　she　might　have　crashed　straight　through　the　snow…bridge　must　have　occurred　to　Corazzini；　but　a　man　with　a　record　of　killings　like　he　had　wouldn't　be　worried　unduly　on　that　score…annoyance　at　the　failure　of　his　plan　would　probably　have　been　his　only　reaction。　And　when　one　of　us　had　gone　down　and　the　other　was　supervising　the　rescue　from　above…well；　another　little　nudge　would　have　solved　all　Corazzini's　problems。　As　it　was；　I　had　played　into　his　hands　more　pletely　than　he　could　ever　have　hoped。
　
　Mouth　dry；　sweat　breaking　out　in　the　palms　of　my　clenched　fists　and　my　heart　going　like　a　trip…hammer　in　my　chest；　I　was　wondering　desperately　how　he　was　going　to　administer　the　coup　de　grace　when　I　saw　the　Rev。　Smallwood　approaching　him　arms　outstretched　and　saying　something　I　couldn't　catch。　It　was　a　brave　gesture　of　the　little　minister's；　but　a　forlorn　and　hopeless　one：　I　could　see　Corazzini　change　his　gun　to　his　left　hand；　strike　Mr　Smallwood　a　heavy　backhanded　blow　across　the　face　and　the　sound　of　a　body　falling　on　the　ice　above　was　unmistakable。　And　then　Corazzini　was　waving　the　others　back　at　the　point　of　the　gun　and　was　advancing　towards　the　wooden　battens　that　straddled　the　crevasse；　and　I　knew　with　a　dull　certainty　how　he　intended　to　dispose　of　us。　Why　waste　two　bullets　when　all　he　had　to　do　was　to　kick　the　edges　of　these　battens　over　the　side？　Whether　these　。　battens；　weighing　two　hundred　pounds　between　them；　struck　us　or　smashed　away　the　last　remaining　buttress　of　the　snow…bridge　was　quite　immaterial：　the　point　was　that　I　was　inescapably　attached　to　them　by　the　nylon　rope　round　my　waist；　and　when　they　plummeted　down　I　would　go　with　them；　tearing　away　the　bridge　and　carrying　Jackstraw　with　me　to　our　deaths　in　the　unthinkable　depths　below。
　
　Despairingly；　I　considered　the　idea　of　snatching　at　the　rifle　still　strapped　to　Jackstraw's　back；　but　dismissed　it　even　with　the　thought。　It　would　take　me　seconds　to　get　it　off。　There　was　only　one　thing　for　it；　and　it　wasn't　going　to　do　me　any　good　at　all。　With　a　jump　I　could　be　half…way　up　the　rope　in　a　second；　the　increased　weight　would　make　the　battens　difficult　to　kick　over；　and　while　Corazzini　was　either　pushing　these　or　pumping　bullets　into　me　as　I　swarmed　up　the　rope；　somebody…Zagero；　say；　could　get　him　from　the　rear。　That　way　there　might；　at　least；　be　a　faint　chance　for　Jackstraw。　I　swung　my　arms　behind　me；　bent　my　knees　then　remained　frozen　in　that　ridiculous　position　as　a　rope　came　uncoiling　down　from　above　and　struck　me　across　the　shoulder。　I　glanced　up　and　saw　Corazzini　smiling　down　at　me。
　
　〃You　two　characters　fixin'　on　stayin'　down　there　all　day？　e　on　up。〃
　
　It　would　be　useless　to　try　to　describe　the　maelstrom　of　thoughts　and　emotions　that　whirled　through　my　mind　in　the　ninety　seconds　that　elapsed　before　Jackstraw　and　I　stood　once　more　in　incredulous　safety　on　the　trail　above。　They　ranged　from　hope　to　bafflement　to　wild　relief　to　the　conviction　that　Corazzini　was　playing　a　cat…and…mouse　game　with　us；　and　no　one　thought　was　in　my　mind　for　more　than　seconds　at　a　time。　Even　when　I　was　safe；　I　still　didn't　know　what　to　think；　the　overwhelming　relief　and　gladness　and　reaction　blotted　out　everything。　I　was　trembling　violently；　and　although　Corazzini　must　have　noticed　it　he　affected　not　to。　He　stepped　forward　and　handed　me　the　Beretta；　butt　first。
　
　〃You're　a　mite　careless　about　where　you　stow　your　armoury；　Doc。　I've　known　for　a　long　time　where　you　kept　this。　But　I　guess　it　may　have　been　fairly　useful　these　last　few　minutes。〃
　
　〃But…but　why…？〃
　
　〃Because　I've　got　a　damned　good　job　and　a　chair　behind　a　vice…president's　desk　waiting　for　me　in　Glasgow；〃　he　snapped。　〃I'd　appreciate　the　chance　to　sit　in　that　chair　some　day。〃　Without　another　word；　he　turned　away。
　
　I　knew　what　he　meant；　all　right。　I　knew　we　owed　him　our　lives。　Corazzini　was　as　convinced　as　I　that　someone　had　engineered　the　whole　thing。　It　didn't　require　any　thought　at　all　to　guess　who　that　someone　was。
　
　My　first　thought　was　for　Jackstraw。　Jackstraw　with　a　broken　arm　was　going　to　make　things　very　difficult　for　me：　it　might　well　make　things　quite　impossible。　But　when　I'd　worked　his　parka　off　it　required　only　one　glance　at　the　unnatural　twist　of　the　left　arm　to　see　that　though　Jackstraw　had　had　every　excuse　for　thinking　his　arm　gone；　it　was；　in　fact；　an　elbow　dislocation。　He　made　no　murmur　and　his　face　remained　quite　expressionless　as　I　manipulated　the　bone　back　into　the　socket；　but　the　wide　white　grin　that　cracked　his　face　immediately　afterwards　was　proof　enough　of　his　feelings。
　
　I　walked　over　to　where　Helene　Fleming　sat　on　the　sledge；　still　shaking　from　the　shock；　Mrs　Dansby…Gregg　and　Margaret　Ross　doing　their　best　to　soothe　her。　The　uncharitable　thought　struck　me　that　it　was　probably　the　first　time　that　Mrs　Dansby…Gregg　had　ever　tried　to　soothe　anyone；　but　I　was　almost　ashamed　of　the　thought　as　soon　as　it　had　occurred　to　me。
　
　〃That　was　a　close　call；　young　lady；〃　I　said　to　Helene。　〃But　all's　well。。　。　。　Any　more　bones　broken；　eh？〃　I　tried　to　speak　jocularly；　but　it　didn't　sound　very　convincing。
　
　〃No；　Dr　Mason。〃　She　gave　a　long　shuddering　sigh。　〃I　don't　know　how　to　thank　you　and　Mr　Nielsen…〃
　
　〃Don't　try；〃　I　advised。　〃Who　pushed　you？〃
　
　〃What？〃　She　stared　at　me。
　
　〃You　heard；　Helene。　Who　did　it？〃
　
　〃Yes；　I　…1　was　pushed；〃　she　murmured　reluctantly。　〃But　it　was　an　accident；　I　k