"Dan Simmons - The Terror" - читать интересную книгу автора (Simmons Dan)

actually explode тАФ sending shrapnel of
 THE TERROR || 9


bone and enamel ямВying inside the cavern of oneтАЩs clenched jaws. Sometimes,
Crozier knows from experience, you can hear the enamel cracking just before
the teeth explode.
тАЬWhy are you still out here, John?тАЭ
Irving tries to blink, but his eyelids are literally frozen open. тАЬYou ordered me
to watch over our guest тАж to look out for тАж to take care of Silence, Captain.тАЭ
CrozierтАЩs sigh emerges as ice crystals that hang in the air for a second and
then fall to the deck like so many minuscule diamonds. тАЬI didnтАЩt mean every
minute, Lieutenant. I told you to watch her, report to me on what she does, to
keep her out of mischief and harmтАЩs way on the ship, and to see that none of
the men do anything to тАж compromise her. Do you think sheтАЩs in danger of
being compromised out here on deck, Lieutenant?тАЭ
тАЬNo, Captain.тАЭ IrvingтАЩs sentence sounds more like a question than an answer.
тАЬDo you know how long it takes for exposed ямВesh to freeze out here,
Lieutenant?тАЭ
тАЬNo, Captain. I mean, yes, Captain. Rather quickly, sir, I think.тАЭ
тАЬYou should know, Lieutenant Irving. YouтАЩve had frostbite six times already,
and itтАЩs not even oямГcially winter yet.тАЭ
Lieutenant Irving nods dolefully.
тАЬIt takes less than a minute for an exposed ямБnger or thumb тАФ or any ямВeshy
appendage тАФ to freeze solid,тАЭ continues Crozier, who knows that this is a load
of horse cobblers. It takes much longer than that at a mere ямБfty below, but he
hopes that Irving doesnтАЩt know this. тАЬAfter that, the exposed member will snap
oямА like an icicle,тАЭ adds Crozier. .
тАЬYes, Captain.тАЭ
тАЬSo do you really think thereтАЩs any chance that our visitor might be тАж
compromised тАж out here on deck, Mr. Irving?тАЭ
Irving seems to be thinking about this before replying. ItтАЩs possible, Crozier
realizes, that the third lieutenant has put far too much thought into this
equation already.
тАЬGo below, John,тАЭ says Crozier. тАЬAnd see Dr. McDonald about your face and
ямБngers. I swear to God that if youтАЩve gotten seriously
 10 || DAN SIMMONS


frostbitten again, IтАЩll dock you a monthтАЩs Discovery Service pay and write your
mother to boot.тАЭ
тАЬYes, Captain. Thank you, sir.тАЭ Irving starts to salute again, thinks better of
it, and ducks under the canvas toward the main ladderway with one hand still
half raised. He does not look back at Silence.
Crozier sighs again. He likes John Irving. The lad had volunteered тАФ along
with two of his mates from the HMS Excellent, Second Lieutenant Hodgson
and First Mate Hornby тАФ but the Excellent was a damned three-decker that
was old before Noah had fuzz around his dongle. The ship had been mastless
and permanently moored in Portsmouth, Crozier knew, for more than ямБfteen
years, serving as a training vessel for the Royal NavyтАЩs most promising gunners.