"MacDonnell, J E - 125 - Blind Into Doom UC" - читать интересную книгу автора (MacDonnell J E)

"Fine," Blake nodded, "providing all available U-boats are to
the south. If there's a pack up north we could be running right into
it." "An unanswerable assumption, Slippy, even if verging towards
- J.E. Macdonnell: Blind Into Doom Page 23 -



pessimistic." Duncan drew on his pipe again, just as deeply. "No
doubt you're also thinking that now our friends know a convoy is in
the area they'll send another Condor?"
"That's right. Just as you're hoping that Coastal Command will
send out something to deal with it."
"Clairvoyance," Duncan smiled. "With that advantage, I'm sure
you will have no hesitation accepting a small wager."
"Which is?"
"I'll bet you a bottle of Scotch we make Liverpool without sighting
a U-boat or a Condor."
"You're on. Trouble is, when will you settle? Scotch?"
"Yes, that may have been a bit reckless. Let's say two bottles of
stout."
"Can't stand the stuff. Beer."
"Done."
There conversation was as idle as it reads, though far from
pointless. Men relieved from the threat of death, either to themselves
or their colleagues, do not usually incline towards polemics of
philosophy; at least not practical fighting men like these. The wager
was silly, of course-a U-boat could be lining-up a tanker at this
moment-but joking about it eased the strain on taut-stretched nerves,
and Duncan in particular needed that relief. If the Condor had not
been shot down, then all the course alterations in the world would
not have been worth a number; their effect nullified the moment
they were made by the German's radio. Then the U-boats would
have collected, hurrying for the kill at surface speed superior to the
convoy's, and then some ships were certain to be blown open.
This would have been especially hard for Duncan. The convoy
had come so far, so safely, and it would be horrible to lose even one
ship now. He had no responsibility as regards U-boat attacks, Warwick
being unfitted to combat that sort of nastiness, but she was by far the
largest ship of the escorting force, a comparative giant, and he was
its senior officer, and the nature of the man made him feel an overall
protectiveness towards those thirty-eight brave ships.
Thus the Condor had worried his nerves raw, and so he was glad
to talk even light-heartedly, especially that way, with his deputy and
friend.
- J.E. Macdonnell: Blind Into Doom Page 24 -



Naturally Blake had also been worried, but in the nature of things,
less so. Such is the privilege of being not in command. Right now he