按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
slithering on the ice…sheeted wing in that gusting gale wind I gave up the idea。 To maintain a foothold was quite impossible： besides； it was doubtful whether I could have smashed in a window anyway。 Like the door； the windows were designed to withstand great pressures。
Stumbling； slipping； we ran round the buried tip of the wing； and clear in sight now was the ice hummock that had brought the big airliner to its sudden halt。 About fifteen feet high and twenty wide at the base； it lay in the right angle formed by the front of the fuselage and the leading edge of the wing。 But it wasn't the root of the wing that had absorbed the initial impact； a glance at the nose of the aircraft was enough to show that。 The plane must have crashed into the ice…mound just to right of centre of the control cabin： the windscreens were smashed； the fuselage ripped open and crushed back for six or seven feet。 What had happened to the pilot sitting on that side at the moment of the telescopic impact just didn't bear thinking about： but at least we had found our way in。
I set the searchlight so that its beam illuminated the wrecked control cabin； gauged the distance to the lower sill of the windscreen…it must have been fully nine feet…and jumped。 My gloved hands hooked on firmly but slipped almost at once on the ice…rimed surface。 I grabbed for a purchase grip on one of the windscreen pillars； felt my fingers striking against solid glass on both sides…the windscreen hadn't been as pletely shattered as I had imagined…and was on the point of losing my hold altogether when Jackstraw moved forward swiftly and took my weight。
With my knees on his shoulders and a fire axe in my hand it took me no more than two minutes to smash away the glass that clung to the pillars and the upper and lower edges。 I hadn't realised that aircraft glass…toughened perspex…could be so tough； nor； when it came to clambering through into the control cabin in my bulky furs； that windscreens could be so narrow。
I landed on top of a dead man。 Even in the darkness I knew he was dead。 I fumbled under my parka； brought out the torch； switched it on for a couple of seconds； then put it out。 It was the co…pilot； the man who had taken the full impact of the crash。 He was pinned； crushed between his seat and the twisted； fractured wreckage of what had been control columns； levers and dashboard instruments： not since I had once been called out to the scene of a head…on collision between a racing motor…cyclist and a heavy truck had I seen such dreadful injuries on any man。 Whatever any of the survivors； the shocked and injured survivors in the plane； must see； it mustn't be this。 It was ghastly beyond description。
I turned and leaned out the windscreen。 Jackstraw was directly below； cupped gloved hands shielding his eyes against the flying ice spicules as he stared upwards。
〃Bring a blanket；〃 I shouted。 〃Better； bring a full gunny sack。
And the morphia kit。 Then e up yourself。〃
He was back in twenty seconds。 I caught both sack and morphia box； placed them on the twisted cabin floor behind me； then reached out a hand to help Jackstraw； but it wasn't necessary。 Athleticism wasn't the forte of the short arid stocky Greenlanders； but Jackstraw was the fittest and most agile man I had ever met。 He sprang； caught the lower sill of the left windscreen in his left hand； the central pillar in the other and swung legs and body through the centre screen as if he had been doing this sort of thing all his life。
I gave him my torch to hold； rummaged in the gunny sack and dragged out a blanket。 I spread it over the dead co…pilot； tucking the corners down among twisted and broken ends of metal； so that it shouldn't blow free in the icy wind that swirled and gusted through the wrecked control cabin。
〃Waste of a good blanket； I suppose；〃 I muttered。 〃But…well； it isn't pretty。〃
〃It isn't pretty；〃 Jackstraw agreed。 His voice was quite steady； devoid of all inflection。 〃How about this one？〃
I looked across at the left…hand side of the cabin。 It was almost pletely undamaged and the chief pilot； still strapped in his seat and slumped against his sidescreens； seemed quite unmarked。 I stripped fur glove； mitten and silk glove off my right hand； reached out and touched the forehead。 We had been out of doors now for over fifteen minutes in that ferocious cold； and I would have sworn that my hand was about as cold as the human flesh could get。 But I was wrong。 I pulled the gloves back on and turned away； without touching him further。 I wasn't carrying out any autopsies that night。
A few feet farther back we found the radio operator in his partment。 He was half…sitting； half…lying against the for'ard bulkhead of his shack where he must have been catapulted by the crash。 His right hand was still clutched firmly round the handgrip of the front panel of his radio set…it must have been ripped clear off the transmitter； which didn't look as if it would ever transmit anything again。
On the bulkhead； behind his head； blood gleamed dully in the torch…light。 I bent over the unconscious man …1 could see that he was still breathing…removed my gloves once more and gently slid my fingers behind his head。 Just as gently I withdrew them。 How the hell； I thought； part hopelessly； part savagely； am I to carry out a head operation on a person with a telescoped occiput： the state he was in； I wouldn't have given a fig for his chance in the finest operating theatre in London。 At the very least he would be blind for life； the sight centre must have been pletely destroyed。 I reached for his pulse： racing； faint； erratic to a degree。 The thought came to me； a thought pounded as much of cowardice as of regret； that in all likelihood the possibility of my having to operate on him was remote； very remote。 If he were to survive the inevitably rough handling that would be needed to get him out of that aircraft and then the journey back to the cabin through that ice…laden sub…zero gale； it would be a miracle indeed。
It seemed unlikely that he would ever wake again。 But he might； he just conceivably might； so I broached the morphia kit。 Then we eased his head and neck into a more fortable position； covered him with a blanket and left him。
Immediately behind the radio partment was a long narrow room which extended across two…thirds of the width of the plane。 A quick glance at the two chairs and collapsible bunk was enough to show that this must be the crew's rest room； and someone had been resting there at the moment of the crash。 That crumpled shirt…sleeved figure on the floor must have been taken pletely unawares； before he had the slightest knowledge of what was happening： and he would never know now。
We found the stewardess in the pantry； lying on her left side on the floor； the outspread black hair fallen forward over her face。 She was moaning softly to herself； but it wasn't the moan of one in pain。 Her pulse was steady enough； but fast。 Jackstraw stooped down beside me。
〃Shall we lift her； Dr Mason？〃
〃No。〃 I shook my head。 〃She's ing to； I think； and she can tell us far quicker than we can find out whether there's anything broken。 Another blanket； and we'll let her be。 Almost certainly someone much more in need of our attention。〃
The door leading into the main passenger partment was locked。 At least； it appeared to be； but I was pretty certain it would never be locked under normal circumstances。 Perhaps it had been warped by the impact of landing。 It was no time for half measures。 Together； we took a step back； then flung all the weight of our shoulders against it。 It gave suddenly； three or four inches； and at the same time we heard a sharp exclamation of pain from the other side。
〃Careful！〃 I warned； but Jackstraw had already eased his weight。 I raised my voice。 〃Get back from that door； will you？ We want to e in。〃
We heard a meaningless mutter from the other side； followed by a low groan and the slipping shuffle of someone trying to haul himself to his feet。 Then the door opened and we passed quickly inside。
The blast of hot air struck me in the face like an almost physical biow。 I gasped； fought off a passing moment of weakness when my legs threatened to give under me； then recovered sufficiently to bang the door shut behind me。 With the motors dead and the arctic chill striking through the thin steel of the fuselage this warmth； no matter how efficient the cabin insulation； wouldn't last long： but while it did； it might be the saving of all those who still lived。 A thought struck me and； ignoring the man who stood swaying before me； one hand clutching a seat grip for support； the other rubbing at a blood…masked forehead； I turned to Jackstraw。
〃Carry the stewardess in here。 We'll take a chance…and it's not all that much of a chance either。 There's a damned sight more hope for her in here with a（ broken leg than out there with only a bump on the head。 Throw her blanket over the wireless operator …but whatever you do don't touch him。〃
Jackstraw nodded and went out； closing the door quickly behind him。 I turned to the man who still stood shakily in the aisle； still dazedly rubbing his hand； a big brown square hand matted on the back with black hair； across a bleeding forehead。 He looked at me for a moment； then stared down unprehendingly at the blood dripping on to the bright red tie and blue shirt that contrasted so oddly with the light grey gaberdine suit。 He closed his eyes tightly； then shook his head to clear it。
〃Sorry to ask the inevitable question。〃 The voice was quiet； deep； well under control。 〃But…what happened？〃
〃You crashed；〃 I said shortly。 〃What do you remember？〃
〃Nothing。 Well； that is； just a bump； then a loud screeching tearing noise…〃
〃Then you hit the door。〃 I gestured at the bloodstains behind me。 〃Sit down for a moment。 You'll be all right。〃 I'd lost interest in him and was staring down the length of the cabin。 I'd expected to see most of the seats wrenched off their bases； but instead they were all there exactly as they should have been； three wide to the left of me； two to the right； the seats in the front half facing aft； those to the rear facing forward。 More than that； I had expected to see people； injured； broken and moaning people； flung all over the seats and aisles： but the big passenger partment seemed almost empty； and there wasn't a sound to be heard。
But it wasn't empty； not quite。 Apart from the man by my side there were； I found； nine others altogether。 Two men lay in the front part of the aisle。 One； a big broad…shouldered man with curly dark hair； was propped up on an elbow； staring around him with a puzzled frown on his face； near him； lying on his side； was a smaller； much older man； but all I could see of him were a few wisps of black hair plastered across a bald head； a Glenurquhart plaid jacket that seemed a couple of sizes too big for him and the loudest check tie it had ever been my misfortune to see。 It seemed obvious that they had been sitting together in the left…hand seat adjacent to them and had been flung out when the plane crashed into the ice…mound and slewed violently to one side。
In the seat beyond that； also on the left； a man sat by himself。 My first reaction was surprise that he； too； hadn't been hurled into the aisle； but then I saw that he was awake and fully conscious。 He was sitting rigidly in his seat； pressed in hard against the window； legs braced on the floor； holding on with both hands to the table fixed to the seat in front： tautened tendons ridged the backs of his thin white hands； and his knuckles gleamed in the torch…light。 I lifted the beam higher； saw that he was wearing a close…fitting clerical collar。
〃Relax； Reverend；〃 I said soothingly。 〃Terra firma once more； and this is as far as you are going。〃 He said nothing； just stared at me through rimless glasses； so I left him。 He seemed unhurt。
Four people sat in the right…hand side of the front part of the plane； each one in a window seat； two women； two men。 One of the women was fairly elderly； but so heavily made…up and with her hair so expensively dyed and marcelled that I couldn't have guessed her age within