alistairmaclean.nightwithoutend-第44部分

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r？　I　wonder　what　Smallwood's　burial　service　would　have　sounded　like　if　we'd　really　been　close　enough　to　hear？〃
　
　〃I　missed　that；〃　I　nodded。　〃I　missed　the　suggestion　you　made　inside　the　plane　that　we　should　bury　the　murdered　men…if　you　had　been　guilty　you'd　never　have　dared　make　that　suggestion　for　then　the　way　these　men　died　would　almost　certainly　have　been　discovered。〃
　
　〃You　missed　it；〃　Zagero　said　feelingly。　〃How　about　me…/said　it；　and　I　never　even　thought　of　it　till　now。〃　He　snorted。　〃Boy；　am　I　disgusted　with　myself。　As　far　as　I　can　see　the　only　thing　I　knew　that　you　didn't　was　that　Corazzini　clouted　our　friend　Smallwood　back　in　the　pass　there　simply　in　order　to　throw　suspicion　on　me：　but；　then；　I　knew　that　even　trying　to　tell　you　that　would　have　been　crazy。〃
　
　There　was　a　long　moment's　silence；　while　we　listened　to　the　rise　and　fall　of　the　Citroen's　exhaust　note　in　the　gusting；　strengthening　wind；　then　Solly　Levin　spoke。
　
　The　plane；〃　he　said。　〃The　fire…how　e？〃
　
　〃There　was　enough　high…octane　fuel　in　its　tanks　to　take　Hillcrest's　Sno…Cat　a　couple　of　thousand　miles；〃　I　explained。　〃If　Hillcrest's　tanks　had　been　empty　when　he　arrived　back　at　base　and　if　he'd　found　out　right　away　that　the　spare　fuel　in　the　tunnel　had　been　doctored…well；　it　wouldn't　have　taken　him　long　to　siphon　out　the　stuff　in　the　plane。　So；　no　plane。〃
　
　The　silence　this　time　was　even　longer；　then　Zagero　cleared　his　throat；　as　if　uncertain　how　to　begin。
　
　〃Seeing　explanations　are　in　the　air…well；　I　guess　it's　time　we　made　one　too。〃　Zagero；　to　my　astonishment；　sounded　almost　embarrassed。　〃It's　about　the　phony　conduct　of　that　phony　character　to　your　left；　Doc；　one　Solly　Levin。　We'd　plenty　of　time　to　talk　about　it　when　we　were　lashed　to　this　damned　sledge　all　of　last　night　and…〃
　
　〃e　to　the　point；〃　I　interrupted　impatiently。
　
　〃Sorry。〃　He　leaned　across　to　Solly　Levin。　〃Want　I　should　make　a　formal　introduction；　Pop？〃
　
　I　stared　at　him　in　the　darkness。
　
　〃Did　I　hear…〃
　
　〃Sure　you　did；　Doc。〃　He　laughed　softly。　Top。　The　old　man。　The　paternal　parent。　Says　so　on　my　birth　certificate　and　everything。〃　He　was　enjoying　himself　vastly。　〃Confirmation　on　the　right　here。〃
　
　〃It's　perfectly　true；　Dr　Mason；〃　Solly　Levin　smiled。　The　dreadful　Bowery　accent　was　quite　'gone；　yielding　place　to　a　crisper；　more　decisive　version　of　Zagero's　cultured　drawl。　〃I'll　put　it　briefly。　I'm　the　owner　and　managing　director…or　was　till　I　retired　a　year　ago…of　a　plastics　factory　in　Trenton；　New　Jersey；　near　Princeton；　where　Johnny　managed　to　acquire　a　splendid　accent　and　very　little　else。　It　was　not；　I　might　add；　Princeton's　fault；　Johnny　spent　most　of　his　time　in　the　gymnasium；　nursing　his…ah…pugilistic　ambitions；　much　to　my　annoyance　as　I　wanted　him　to　take　over　from　me。〃
　
　〃Alas；〃　Zagero　put　in；　〃I　was　almost　as　stubborn　as　he　is　himself。〃
　
　〃A　great　deal　more　so；〃　his　father　said。　〃So　I　made　him　a　proposition。　I'd　give　him　two　years…it　seemed　enough；　he　was　already　amateur　heavyweight　champion…to　prove　himself；　and　at　the　end　of　that　time　if　he　hadn't　made　it　he　was　to　take　his　place　in　the　factory。　His　first　manager　was　as　corrupt　as　they　e　and　Johnny　literally　kicked　him　out　at　the　end　of　a　year。　So　I　took　over。　I'd　newly　retired；　I'd　time　on　my　hands；　I'd　a　very　strong　vested　interest　in　his　well…being　apart　from　the　fact　that　he　was　my　son…and；　quite　frankly；　I'd　begun　to　see　that　he　really　was　going　to　get　to　the　very　top。〃　He　broke　off　there…so　I　took　the　opportunity　to　interrupt。
　
　〃Zagero　or　Levin。　Which　is　it？〃
　
　〃Zagero；〃　the　elder　man　answered。
　
　〃Why　the　Levin？〃
　
　〃Some　state　and　national　boxing　missions　refuse　to　permit　a　close　relative　to　be　either　manager　or　second。　Especially　second。　So　I　used　an　alias。　A　practice　by　no　means　unmon；　and　officially　winked　at。　A　harmless　deception。〃
　
　〃Not　so　harmless；〃　I　said　grimly。　〃It　was　one　of　the　worst　acting　performances　I've　ever　seen；　and　that　was　one　of　the　primary　reasons　for　my　suspecting　your　son　and；　in　turn；　for　Corazzini　and　Smallwood　getting　away　with　what　they　did。　Had　you　e　clean　earlier　on；　I　would　have　known　that　they　were　bound；　even　in　the　absence　of　all　possible　evidence；　to　be　the　guilty　men。　But　with　Solly　Levin…I'll　find　it　very　difficult　to　think　of　you　as　Mr　Zagero；　I'm　afraid…with　Solly　Levin　sticking　out　like　a　sore　thumb　as　an　obvious　phony…well；　I　just　couldn't　leave　you　two　out　of　the　list　of　suspects。〃
　
　〃I　obviously　modelled　myself　on　the　wrong　person…or　type　of　person；〃　Levin　said　wryly。　〃Johnny　ribbed　me　about　it　all　the　time。　I'm　deeply　sorry　for　any　trouble　we　may　have　caused；　Or　Mason。　I　honestly　never　looked　at　it　from　your　point　of　view；　never　realised　the　dangers　involved　in　maintaining　the　impersonation…if　you　could　call　it　that。　Please　forgive　me。〃
　
　〃Nothing　to　forgive；〃　I　said　bitterly。　〃A　hundred　to　one　I'd　have　found　some　other　way　of　messing　things　up。〃
　
　Shortly　after　five　o'clock　in　the　evening　Corazzini　stopped　the　tractor…but　he　didn't　stop　the　engine。　He　came　down　from　the　driver's　seat　and　walked　round　to　the　cabin；　pushing　the　searchlight　slightly　to　one　side。　He　had　to　shout　to　make　himself　heard　above　the　roar　of　the　tractor　and　the　high　ululating　whine　of　the　still…strengthening　blizzard。
　
　〃Half…way；　boss。　Thirty…two　miles　on　the　clock。〃
　
　〃Thank　you。〃　We　couldn't　see　Smallwood；　but　we　could　see　the　tip　of　his　gun　barrel　protruding　menacingly　into　the　searchlight's　beam。　〃The　end　of　the　line；　Dr　Mason。　You　and　your　friends　will　please　get　down。〃
　
　There　was　nothing　else　for　it。　Stiffly；　numbly；　I　climbed　down；　took　a　couple　of　steps　towards　Smallwood；　stopped　as　the　pistol　steadied　unwaveringly　on　my　chest。
　
　〃You'll　be　with　your　friends　in　a　few　hours；〃　I　told　Smallwood。　〃You　could　leave　us　a　little　food；　a　portable　stove　and　tent。　Is　that　too　much　to　ask？〃
　
　〃It　is。〃
　
　〃Nothing？　Nothing　at　all？〃
　
　〃You're　wasting　your　time；　Dr　Mason。　And　it　grieves　me　to　see　you　reduced　to　begging。〃
　
　〃The　dog　sledge；　then。　We　don't　even　want　the　dogs。　But　neither　Mahler　nor　Miss　LeGarde　can　walk。〃
　
　〃You're　wasting　your　time。〃　He　turned　his　attention　to　the　sledge。　〃Everybody　off；　I　said。　Did　you　hear　me；　Levin？　Get　down！〃
　
　〃It's　my　legs。〃　In　the　harsh　glare　of　the　searchlight　we　could　see　the　lines　of　pain　deep…etched　round　Levin's　eyes　and　mouth；　and　I　wondered　how　long　he　had　been　sitting　there　suffering；　saying　nothing。　〃I　think　they're　frozen　or　sleeping　or　something。〃
　
　〃Get　down！〃　Smallwood　repeated　sharply。
　
　〃In　a　moment。〃　Levin　swung　one　of　his　legs　over　the　edge　of　the　sledge；　his　teeth　bared　with　the　effort。　〃I　don't　seem　to　be　able…〃
　
　〃Maybe　a　bullet　in　one　of　your　legs　will　help；〃　Smallwood　said　unemotionally。　〃To　get　the　feeling　back。〃
　
　I　didn't　know　whether　he　meant　it　or　not。　I　didn't　think　so　…gratuitous　violence　wasn't　in　character　for　this　man；　I　couldn't　see　him　killing　or　wounding　without　sound　reason。　But　Zagero　thought　differently。　He　advanced　within　six　feet　of　Smallwood。
　
　〃Don't　touch　him；　Smallwood；〃　he　said　warningly。
　
　〃No？〃　The　rising　inflection　was　a　challenge　accepted；　and　Smallwood　went　on　flatly：　〃I'd　snuff　you　and　him　like　a　candle。〃
　
　〃No！〃　Zagero　said；　softly　and　savagely；　the　words　carrying　clearly　in　a　sudden　lull　in　the　wind。　〃Lay　a　finger　on　my　old　man；　Smallwood；　and　I'll　get　you　and　break　your　neck　like　a　rotten　carrot　if　you　empty　the　entire　magazine　into　me。〃　I　looked　at　him　as　he　crouched　there　like　a　great　cat；　toes　digging　into　the　frozen　snow；　fists　clenched　and　slightly　in　advance　of　him；　ready　for　the　explosive　leap　that　would　take　him　across　that　tiny　space　in　a　split　second　of　time　and　I　believed　he　could　do　exactly　what　he　said。　So；　too；　I　suspected；　did　Smallwood。
　
　〃Your　old。　man？〃　he　inquired。　〃Your　father？〃
　
　Zagero　nodded。
　
　〃Good。〃　Smallwood　showed　no　surprise。　〃Into　the　tractor　cabin　with　him；　Zagero。　We'll　exchange　him　for　the　German　girl。　Nobody　cares　about　her。〃
　
　His　point　was　clear。　I　couldn't　see　how　we　could　offer　any　danger　to　Smallwood　and　Corazzini　now；　but　Smallwood　was　a　nan　who　guarded　even　against　impossibilities：　Levin　would　be　a　far　better　surety　for　Zagero's　conduct　than　Helene。
　
　Levin　half…walked；　was　half…carried　into　the　tractor　cabin。　With　Corazzini　and　Smallwood　both　armed；　resistance　was　hopeless：　Smallwood　had　us　summed　up　to　a　nicety。　He　knew　we　were　desperate　men；　that　we　would　fling　ourselves　on　him　and　his　gun　　a　moment　of　desperate　emergency：　but　he　also　knew　that　we　weren't　so　desperate　as　to　mit　suicide　when　no　lives　were　in　mediate　danger。
　
　When　Levin　was　inside；　Smallwood　turned　to　the　young　＇German　girl　seated　opposite　him　in　the　cabin。　〃Out！〃
　
　It　was　then　that　it　happened；　with　the　stunning　speed　and　inevitability　that　violent　tragedy；　viewed　in　retrospect；　always　seems　to　possess。　I　thought　perhaps　that　it　was　some　calculated　plan；　a　last…minute　desperate　effort　to　save　us　that　made　Helene　Fleming　act　as　she　did；　but　I　found　out　later　that　she　had　merely　been　driven　and　goaded　into　a　pain…filled　unreasoning　anger　and　resentment　and　despair　by　the　agony　she　had　suffered　in　her