alistairmaclean.bearisland-第37部分

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　below　or　ashore；　he　said；　which　I　found　a　very　helpful　remark。　I　looked　in　his　cabin；　on　the　bridge；　in　the　charthouse；　the　saloon　and　all　the　other　likely　places。　No　Smithy。　I　questioned　passengers　and　crew　with　the　same　result。　No　one　had　seen　him；　no　one　had　any　idea　whether　he　was　aboard　or　had　gone　ashore　which　was　very　understandable　because　the　darkness　was　now　pretty　well　plete　and　the　harsh　light　of　the　arc　lamp　now　rigged　up　to　aid　unloading　threw　the　gangway　into　very　heavy　shadow　so　that　anyone　could　be　virtually　certain　of　boarding　or　leaving　the　Morning　Rose　unnoticed。
　Nor　was　there　any　sign　of　Captain　Imrie。　True；　I　wasn't　looking　for　him；　but　I　would　have　expected　him　to　be　making　his　presence　very　much　known。　The　wind　was　almost　round　to　the　south…southeast　now　and　still　freshening；　the　Morning　Rose　was　beginning　to　pound　regularly　against　the　jetty　wall　with　a　succession　of　jarring　impacts　and　a　sound　of　screeching　metal　that　would　normally　have　had　Imrie　very　much　in　evidence　indeed　in　his　anxiety　to　get　rid　of　all　his　damned　passengers　and　their　equipment　in　order　to　get　his　ship　out　to　the　safety　of　the　open　sea　with　all　speed。　But　he　wasn't　around；　not　any　place　I　could　see　him。　At　three…thirty　I　went　ashore　and　hurried　up　the　jetty　to　the　huts。　They　were　deserted　except　for　the　equipment　hut　where　Eddie　was　blasphemously　trying　to　start　up　the　diesel。　He　looked　up　as　he　saw　me。
　〃Nobody　could　ever　call　me　one　for　plaining；　Dr。　Marlowe；　but　this　bloody…〃
　〃Have　you　seen　Mr。　Smith〃　The　mate'；〃
　〃Not　ten　minutes　ago。　Looked　in　to　see　how　we　were　getting　on。　Why？　Is　there　something…〃
　〃Did　he　say　anything？〃
　〃What　kind　of　thing？〃
　〃About　where　he　was　going？　What　he　was　doing？〃
　〃No。〃　Eddie　looked　at　the　shivering　Three　Apostles；　whose　blank　expressions　were　of　no　help　to　anyone。　〃Just　stood　there　for　a　couple　of　minutes　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　looking　at　what　we　were　doing　and　asking　a　few　questions。；　then　he　strolls　off。〃
　〃See　where　he　went？〃
　〃No。〃　He　looked　at　the　Three　Apostles；　who　shook　their　heads　as　one。
　〃Anything　up；　then？〃
　〃Nothing　urgent。　Ship's　about　to　sail　and　the　skipper's　looking　for　him。〃
　If　that　wasn't　quite　an　accurate　assessment　of　how　matters　stood　at　that　moment；　I'd　no　doubt　it　would　be　in　a　very　few　minutes。　I　didn't　waste　time　looking　for　Smithy。　If　he　had　been　hanging　around　with　apparent　aimlessness　at　the　camp　instead　of　closely　supervising　the　urgent　clearing　of　the　foredeck；　which　one　would　have　expected　of　him　and　would　normally　have　been　pletely　in　character；　then　Smithy　had　a　very　good　reason　for　doing　so：　he　just　wanted；　however　temporarily；　to　bee　lost。
　At　three　thirty…five　I　returned　to　the　Morning　Rose。　This　time　Captain　Imrie　was　very　much　in　evidence。　I　had　thought　him　incapable　of　being　frantic　about　anything　but　as　I　looked　at　him　as　he　stood　in　the　wash　of　light　at　the　door　of　the　saloon　I　could　see　that　I　could　have　been　wrong　about　that。　Perhaps　〃frantic〃　was　the　wrong　term；　but　there　was　no　doubt　that　he　was　in　a　highly　excitable　condition　and　was　mad　clear　through。　His　fists　were　balled；　what　could　be　seen　of　his　face　was　mottled　red　and　white　and　his　bright　blue　eyes　were　snapping。　With　mendable　if　lurid　brevity　he　repeated　to　me　what　he'd　clearly　told　a　number　of　people　in　the　past　few　minutes。　Worried　about　the　deteriorating　weather…that　wasn't　quite　the　way　he'd　put　it…he'd　had　Allison　try　to　contact　Tunheim　for　a　forecast。　This　Allison　had　been　unable　to　do。　Then　he　and　Allison　had　made　the　discovery　that　the　transceiver　was　smashed　beyond　repair。
　And　just　over　an　hour　or　so　previously　the　receiver　had　been　in　order…or　Smith　had　said　it　was；　for　he　had　then　written　down　the　latest　weather　forecast。　Or　what　he　said　was　the　latest　weather　forecast。　And　now　there　was　no　sign　of　Smith。　Where　the　hell　was　Smith？
　〃He's　gone　ashore；〃　I　said。
　〃Ashore？　Ashore？　How　the　hell　do　you　know　he's　gone　ashore？〃　Captain　Imrie　didn't　sound　very　friendly；　but；　then；　he　was　hardly　in　a　friendly　mood。
　〃Because　I've　just　been　up　in　the　camp　talking　to　Mr。　Harbottle；　the　electrician。　Mr。　Smith　had　just　been　up　there。〃
　〃Up　there？　He　should　have　been　unloading　cargo。　What　the　hell　was　he　doing　up　there？〃
　I　didn't　see　Mr。　Smith；〃　I　explained　patiently。　〃So　I　couldn't　ask　him。〃
　〃What　the　hell　were　you　doing　up　there？〃
　‘You're　forgetting　yourself；　Captain　Imrie。　I　am　not　responsible　to　you。　I　merely　wished　to　have　a　word　with　him　before　he　left。　We've　bee　quite　friendly；　you　know。〃
　〃Yes　you　have；　haven't　you？〃　Imrie　said　significantly。　It　didn't　mean　anything；　he　was　just　in　a　mood　for　talking　significantly。　〃Allison！〃
　〃Sir？〃
　〃The　bosan。　Search　party　ashore。　Quickly　now；　I'll　lead　you　myself。〃
　If　there　had　ever　been　any　doubt　as　to　the　depth　of　Captain　Imrie's　concern　there　was　none　now。　He　turned　back　to　me　but　as　Otto　Gerran　and　Goin　were　now　standing　beside　me　I　wasn't　sure　whether　he　was　addressing　me　or　not。　〃And　we're　leaving　within　the　half　hour；　with　Smith　or　without　him。〃
　〃Is　that　fair；　Captain？〃　Otto　asked。　〃He　may　just　have　gone　for　a　walk　or　got　a　little　lost…you　see　how　dark　it　is…〃
　〃Don't　you　think　it　bloody　funny　that　Mr。　Smith　should　vanish　just　as　I　discover　that　a　radio　over　which　he's　been　claiming　to　receive　messages　is　smashed　beyond　repair？〃
　Otto　fell　silent　but　Goin；　ever　the　diplomat；　stepped　in　smoothly。
　I　think　Mr。　Gerran　is　right；　Captain。　You　could　be　acting　a　little　bit　unfairly。　I　agree　that　the　destruction　of　your　radio　is　a　serious　and　worrisome　affair　and　one　that　is　more　than　possibly；　in　light　of　all　the　mysterious　things　that　have　happened　recently；　a　very　sinister　affair。　But　I　think　you　are　wrong　immediately　to　assume　that　Mr。　Smith　has　any　connection　with　it。　For　one　thing；　he　strikes　me　as　much　too　intelligent　a　man　to　incriminate　himself　in　so　extremely　obvious　a　fashion。　In　the　second　place；　as　your　senior　officer　who　knows　how　vitally　important　a　piece　of　equipment　your　radio　is；　why　should　he　do　such　a　wanton　thing？　In　the　third　place；　if　he　were　trying　to　escape　the　consequences　of　his　actions；　where　on　earth　could　he　escape　to　on　Bear　Island？　I　do　not　suggest　anything　as　simple　as　an　accident　or　amnesia：　I'm　merely　suggesting　that　he　may　have　got　lost。　You　could　at　least　wait　until　the　morning。〃
　I　could　see　Captain　Imrie's　fists　unballing；　not　much；　just　a　slight　relaxation　；　and　I　knew　that　if　he　weren't　wavering　he　was　at　least　on　the　point　of　considering；　a　state　of　approaching　uncertainty　that　lasted　just　as　long　as　it　took　Otto　to　undo　whatever　Goin　might　have　been　on　the　point　of　achieving。
　〃That's　it；　of　course；〃　he　said。　〃He　just　went　to　have　a　look　around。〃
　〃What？　In　the　pitch　bloody　dark？〃　It　was　an　exaggeration　but　a　pardonable　one。　〃Allison！　Oakley！　All　of　you。　e　on！〃　He　lowered　his　voice　a　few　decibels　and　said　to　us：　〃I'm　leaving　within　the　half　hour；　Smith　or　no　Smith。　Hammerfest；　gentlemen；　Hammerfest　and　the　law。〃
　He　hurried　down　the　gangway；　half　a　dozen　men　close　behind。　Goin　sighed。　I　suppose　we'd　better　lend　a　hand。〃　He　left　and　Otto；　after　hesitating　for　a　moment；　followed。
　I　didn't；　I'd　no　intention　of　lending　a　hand；　if　Smithy　didn't　want　to　be　found　then　he　wouldn't　be。　Instead　I　went　down　to　my　cabin；　wrote　a　brief　note；　took　the　small　duffle　bag　with　me　and　went　in　search　of　Haggerty。　I　had　to　trust　somebody；　Smithy's　most　damned　inconvenient　disappearing　trick　had　left　me　with　no　option；　and　I　thought　Haggerty　was　my　best　bet。　He　was　stiff…necked　and　suspicious　and；　since　Imrie's　questioning　of　him　that　morning；　he　must　have　bee　even　more　suspicious　of　me：　but　he　was　no　fool；　he　struck　me　as　being　incorruptible；　he　was；　I　thought；　amenable　to　an　authoritative　display　of　discipline　and；　above　all；　he'd　spent　twenty…seven　years　of　his　life　in　taking　orders。
　It　was　fifteen　minutes〃　touch　and　go；　but　at　last　he　grudgingly　agreed　to　do　what　I　asked　him　to。
　〃You　wouldn't　be　making　a　fool　out　of　me；　Dr。　Marlowe？〃　he　asked。
　〃You'd　be　a　fool　if　you　even　thought　that。　What　would　I　have　to　gain？〃
　〃There's　that；　there's　that。〃　He　took　the　small　duffle　bag　reluctantly。
　〃As　soon　as　we're　safely　clear　of　the　island…〃
　〃Yes。　That；　and　the　letter。　To　the　captain。　Not　before。〃
　〃Those　are　deep　waters；　Dr。　Marlowe。〃　He　didn't　know　how　deep；　I　was　close　to　drowning　in　them。　〃Can't　you　tell　me　what　it　is　all　about？〃
　〃If　I　knew　that；　Haggerty；　do　you　think　I'd　be　remaining　behind　on　this　Godforsaken　island？〃
　For　the　first　time；　he　smiled。　〃No；　sir；　I　don't　really　think　you　would。〃
　Captain　Imrie　and　his　search　party　returned　only　a　minute　or　two　after　I'd　gone　back　up　to　the　upper　deck。　They　returned　without　Smithy。　I　was　surprised　neither　by　their　failure　to　find　him　nor　the　brevity　of　their　search…an　elapsed　time　of　only　twenty　minutes。　Bear　Island；　on　the　map；　may　be　only　the　veriest　speck　in　the　high　Arctic　but　it　does　cover　an　area　of　seventy…three　square　miles　and　it　must　have　occurred　to　Captain　Imrie　very　early　on　indeed　that　to　attempt　to　search　even　a　fraction　of　one　percent　of　that　icily　mountainous　terrain　in　darkness　was　to　embark　upon　a　monumental　folly。　His　fervour　for　the　search　had　diminished　to　vanis