alistairmaclean.bearisland-第13部分

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　the　moment　it　occurred　to　me。　〃Food　poisoning　and　I　was　lucky。　I　got　here　in　time。〃
　He　nodded　but　kept　quiet。　It　probably　hurt　him　too　much　to　talk。　Mary　dear　said：　〃Mr。　Oakley's　hands　and　face　are　freezing　and　he's　shaking　with　the　cold。　So　am　I；　for　that　matter。〃
　And　so；　I　realised；　was　I。　I　helped　Smithy　to　a　bolted　chair　beyond　the　wheel；　then　went　to　assist　Mary　dear　who　was　trying　to　get　a　jelly…kneed　Oakley　to　his　feel？。　We'd　just　got　Oakley　approximately　upright；　no　easy　task；　for　he　was　practically　a　dead　weight　and　we　required　one　hand　for　him　and　one　for　ourselves；　when　Goin　and　the　Count　appeared　at　the　top　of　the　ladder。
　〃Thank　God；　at　last！〃　Goin　was　slightly　out　of　breath　but　not　one　hair　was　out　of　place。　〃We've　been　looking　for　you　every…what　on　earth…is　that　man　drunk？〃
　〃He's　sick。　The　same　sickness　as　Antonio　had；　only　he's　been　lucky。
　What's　the　panic？〃
　〃The　same　sickness…you　must　e　at　once；　Marlowe。　My　God；　this　is　turning　into　a　regular　epidemic。〃
　〃A　moment。〃　I　helped　Oakley　inside　and　lowered　him　into　as　fortable　a　position　as　possible　atop　some　kapok　life　jackets。　〃Another　casualty；　I　take　it？〃
　〃Yes；　Otto　Gerran。〃　Maybe　I　lifted　an　eyebrow；　I　forget；　I　do　know　I　felt　no　particular　surprise；　it　seemed　to　me　that　anyone　who　had　been　within　sniffing　distance　of　that　damned　aconite　was　liable　to　keel　over　at　any　moment。　〃I　called　at　his　cabin　ten　minutes　ago；　there　was　no　reply　and　I　went　in　and　there　he　was；　rolling　about　the　carpet〃
　The　irreverent　thought　came　to　me　that；　with　his　almost　perfectly　spherical　shape；　no　one　had　ever　been　better　equipped　for　rolling　about　a　carpet　than　Otto　was：　it　seemed　unlikely　that　Otto　was　seeing　the　humorous　side　of　it　at　that　moment。　I　said　to　Allison：　〃Can　you　get　anyone　up　here　to　help　you？〃
　〃No　trouble。〃　The　quartermaster　nodded　at　the　small　exchange　in　the　corner。　〃I've　only　to　phone　the　mess　deck。〃
　〃No　need。〃　It　was　the　Count。　〃I'll　stay。〃
　〃That's　very　kind。〃　I　nodded　at　Smithy　and　Oakley　in　turn。　〃They're　not　fit　to　go　below　yet。　If　they　try　to；　they'll　like　as　not　end　up　over　the　side。　Could　you　get　them　some　blankets？〃
　〃Of　course。〃　He　hesitated。　〃My　cabin…'
　is　locked。　Mine's　not。　There　are　blankets　on　the　bed　and　extra　ones　at　the　foot　of　the　hanging　locker。〃　The　Count　left　and　I　turned　to　Allison。
　〃Short　of　dynamiting　his　door　open；　how　do　I　attract　the　captain's　attention　。　He　seems　to　be　a　sound　sleeper。〃
　Allison　smiled　and　again　indicated　the　corner　exchange。　〃The　bridge　phone　hangs　just　above　his　head。　There's　a　resistance　in　the　circuit。　I　can　make　the　call…up　sound　like　the　Q。E。　2's　foghorn。〃
　〃Tell　him　to　e　along　to　Mr。　Gerran's　room　and　tell　him　it's　urgent。〃
　〃Well。〃　Allison　was　uncertain。　〃Captain　Imrie　doesn't　much　like　being　woken　up　in　the　middle　of　the　night。　Not　without　an　awfully　good　reason　；　that　is；　and　now　that　the　mate　and　bosun　are　all　right　again；　like…〃
　〃Tell　him　Antonio　is　dead。〃
　
　4
　
　At　least　Otto　wasn't　dead。　Even　above　the　sound　of　the　wind　and　the　sound　of　the　sea；　the　creakings　and　groanings　as　the　elderly　trawler　slammed　her　way　into　the　Arctic　gale；　Otto's　voice　could　be　distinctly　heard　at　least　a　dozen　feel？　from　his　cabin　door。　What　he　was　saying；　however；　was　far　from　distinct；　the　tearing　gasps　and　agonised　groans　boded　ill　for　what　we　would　see　when　we　opened　the　door。
　Otto　Gerran　looked　as　he　sounded；　not　quite　in　extremis　but　rapidly　heading　that　way。　As　Goin　had　said；　he　was　indeed　rolling　about　the　floor；　both　hands　clutching　his　throat　as　if　he　was　trying　to　throttle　himself　：　his　normally　puce　plexion　had　deepened　to　a　dark　and　dangerous　looking　purple；　his　eyes　were　bloodshot　and　a　purplish　foam　at　his　mouth　had　stained　his　lips　to　almost　the　same　colour　as　his　face：　or　maybe　his　lips　were　purplish　anyway；　like　a　man　with　cyanosis。　As　far　as　I　could　see　he　hadn't　a　single　symptom　in　mon　with　Smithy　and　Oakley：　so　much　for　the　toxicological　experts　and　their　learned　textbooks。　
　I　said　to　Goin：　〃Let's　get　him　on　his　feel？　and　along　to　the　bathroom。〃
　As　a　statement　of　intent　it　was　clear　and　simple　enough；　but　its　execution　was　far　from　simple：　it　was　impossible。　The　task　of　hoisting　245　lbs。　Of　unco…operative　jellyfish　to　the　vertical　proved　to　be　quite　beyond　us。　I　was　just　about　to　abandon　the　attempt　and　administer　what　would　certainly　be　a　very　messy　first　aid　on　the　spot　when　Captain　Imrie　and　Mr。
　Stokes　entered　the　cabin。　My　surprise　at　the　remarkable　promptness　with　which　they　had　put　in　an　appearance　was　as　nothing　pared　to　my　initial　astonishment　at　observing　that　both　men　were　fully　dressed：　it　was　not　until　I　noticed　the　horizontal　creases　in　their　trousers　that　I　realised　that　they　had　gone　to　sleep　with　all　their　clothes　on。　I　made　a　brief　prayer　for　Smithy's　swift　and　plete　recovery。
　〃What　in　the　name　of　God　goes　on？〃　Whatever　condition　Captain　Imrie　had　been　in　an　hour　or　so　ago；　he　was　pletely　sober　now。　〃Allison　says　that　Italian　fellow's　dead　and…〃　He　stopped　abruptly　as　Goin　and　I　moved　sufficiently　apart　to　let　him　have　his　first　glimpse　of　the　prostrate　moaning　Gerran。　〃Jesus　wept！〃　He　moved　forward　and　stared　down。
　〃What　the　devil…an　epileptic　fit？〃
　〃Poison。　The　same　poison　that　killed　Antonio　and　nearly　killed　the　mate　and　Oakley。　e　on；　give　us　a　hand　to　get　him　along　to　the　bathroom。
　〃Poison！〃　He　looked　at　Mr。　Stokes　as　if　to　hear　from　him　confirmation　that　it　couldn't　possibly　be　poison；　but　Mr。　Stokes　wasn't　in　the　mood　for　confirming　anything；　he　just　stared　with　a　kind　of　numbed　fascination　at　the　writhing　man　on　the　floor。　〃Poison！　On　my　ship。　What　poison？　Where　did　they　get　it？　Who　gave　it　to　them？　Why　should…〃
　'I'm　a　doctor；　not　a　detective。　I　don't　know　anything　about　who；　where；　when；　why；　what。　All　I　know　is　that　a　man's　dying　while　we're　talking。〃
　It　took　the　four　of　us　less　than　thirty　seconds　to　get　Otto　Gerran　along　to　the　bathroom。　It　was　a　pretty　rough　piece　of　manhandling　but　it　was　a　fair　assumption　that　he　would　rather　be　Otto　Gerran；　bruised　but　alive；　than　Otto　Gerran；　unmarked　but　dead。　The　emetic　worked　just　as　swiftly　and　effectively　as　it　had　with　Smithy　and　Oakley　and　within　three　minutes　we　had　him　back　in　his　bunk　under　a　mound　of　blankets。　He　was　still　moaning　incoherently　and　shivering　so　violently　that　his　teeth　chattered　uncontrollably；　but　the　deep　purple　had　begun　to　recede　from　his　cheeks　and　the　foam　had　dried　on　his　lips。
　〃I　think　he's　OK　now　but　please　keep　an　eye　on　him；　will　you？〃　I　said　to　Goin。　I'll　be　back　in　five　minutes。〃
　Captain　Imrie　stopped　me　at　the　door。　〃If　you　please；　Dr。　Marlowe；　a　word　with　you。〃
　〃Later。〃
　〃Now。　As　master　of　this　vessel…〃　I　put　a　hand　on　his　shoulder　and　he　became　silent。　I　felt　like　saying　that　as　master　of　this　vessel　he'd　been　awash　in　Scotch　and　snoring　in　his　bunk　when　people　were　all　around　dropping　like　flies　but　it　would　have　been　less　than　fair：　I　was　irritable　because　unpleasant　things　were　happening　that　should　not　have　been　happening　and　I　didn't　know　why；　or　who　was　responsible。
　〃Otto　Gerran　will　live；〃　I　said。　〃He'll　live　because　he　was　lucky　enough　to　have　Mr。　Goin　here　stop　by　his　cabin。　How　many　other　people　are　lying　on　their　cabin　floors　who　haven't　been　lucky　enough　to　have　someone　stop　by；　people　so　far　gone　that　they　can't　even　reach　their　doors？　Four　casualties　so　far：　Who's　to　say　there　isn't　a　dozen？〃
　〃A　dozen？　Aye。　Aye；　of　course。〃　If　I　was　out　of　my　depth；　Captain　Imrie　was　submerged。　〃We'll　e　with　you。〃
　〃I　can　manage。〃
　〃Like　you　managed　with　Mr。　Gerran　here？〃
　We　made　our　way　directly　to　the　recreation　room。　There　were　ten　people　there；　all　men；　mostly　silent；　mostly　unhappy：　it　is　not　easy　to　be　talkative　and　cheerful　when　you're　hanging　on　to　your　scat　with　one　hand　and　your　drink　with　the　other。　The　Three　Apostles；　whether　because　of　exhaustion　or　popular　demand；　had　laid　the　tools　of　their　trade　aside　and　were　having　a　drink　with　their　boss　Josh　Hendriks；　a　small；　thin；　stern；　and　middle…aged　Anglo…Dutchman　with　a　perpetual　worried　frown。　Even　when　off…duty；　he　was　festooned　with　a　mass　of　strap…hung　electronic　and　recording　equipment：　word　had　it　that　he　slept　so　accoutred。　Stryker；　who　appeared　far　from　overe　by　concern　for　his　ailing　wife；　sat　at　a　table　in　a　corner；　talking　to　Conrad　and　two　other　actors；　Gunther　Jungbeck　and　Jon　Heyter。　At　a　third　table　John　Halliday；　the　stills　photographer；　and　Sandy；　the　props　man；　made　up　the　pany。　No　one；　as　far　as　I　could　judge；　was　suffering　from　anything　that　couldn't　be　accounted　for　by　the　big　dipper　antics　of　the　Morning　Rose。　One　or　two　glances　of　mildly　speculative　curiosity　came　our　way；　but　I　volunteered　no　explanation　for　our　unaccustomed　visit　there：　explanations　take　time　but　the　effects　of　aconitine　；　as　was　being　relentlessly　borne　in　upon　me；　waited　for　no　man。
　Allen　and　Mary　Darling　we　found　in　the　otherwise　deserted　lounge；　more　green…faced　than　ever　but　clasping　hands　and　gazing　at　each　other　with　the　rapt　intensity　of　those　who　know　there　will　be　no　tomorrow：
　their　noses　were　so　close　together　that　they　must　have　been　cross…eyed　from　their　attempts　to　focus。　For　the　first　time　since　I'd　met　her　Mary　Darling　had　remove