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e permanent injury or disfigurement in the shape of scars and destroyed tissue。 Zagero might never before have borne any of the scars of his trade； but he was going to have what looked peculiarly like one now： we had been too late in getting a cold…water press to his right ear； and these destroyed tissues would need plastic surgery： two of Corazzini's toes had also been left too long without treatment； and I knew that he； too； would finish up in a surgical ward： and； because I was the one most in contact with the engine； my fingertips were a painful bleeding mess； the nails already blackening and beginning to rot away。
Nor were things a great deal better with those inside the tractor cabin。 The first physiological effects of the cold were beginning to assert themselves； and assert themselves strongly…the almost overpowering desire for sleep； the uncaring indifference to all that went on around them。 Later would e the sleeplessness； the anaemia； the digestive troubles； the nervousness that could lead to insanity…if the cold continued long enough these conditions would inevitably succeed the picture of huddled； lifeless misery that presented itself to me whenever I sought the shelter of the cabin and the agony of returning circulation after my spell at the wheel。 Many times I saw the picture that afternoon； and always the picture was the same。
The Senator sat slumped in a corner； a dead man but for the fits of violent shuddering that overtook him at regularly recurring intervals。 Mahler appeared to sleep。 Mrs Dansby…Gregg and Helene lay huddled in one another's arms…an incredible sight； I thought； but then； next only to death itself； the Arctic was the great leveller； an unparalleled agent in stripping away the pretensions and shoddy veneers of everyday living。 I was no great believer in the sudden conversions of human nature； and was pretty certain that； with Mrs Dansby…Gregg； the return to civilisation would coincide with the return to her normal self； and that this moment of mon humanity shared by herself and her maid would be no more than a fading and unwele memory： but for all my dislike of Mrs Dansby…Gregg； I was beginning to develop more than a sneaking admiration for her。 The carefully cherished snobbery； the maddeningly easy and condescending assumption of an inevitable social superiority were irritating enough； heaven knew； but behind that unlovable facade seemed to lie a deep…buried streak of that selflessness which is the hallmark of the genuine aristocrat： although she plained constantly about the tiny irritations； she was silent on matters that caused her genuine suffering： she was developing a certain brusque helpfulness； as if she was half…ashamed of it； and showed a care for her maid which； though probably no more than that feudal kindness that reaches its best in adversity； nevertheless verged almost on tenderness： and I had seen her take a mirror from her handbag； inspect the ravages frostbite had wreaked on her lovely face； then return the mirror to her bag with a gesture of indifference。 Mrs Dansby…Gregg； in short； was being for me an object lesson against the dangers of an over…ready classification of people into types。
Marie LeGarde； the lovable； indomitable Marie LeGarde； was a sick old woman； weakening by the hour。 Her attempts at cheerfulness in her fully wakeful moments…she was asleep most of the time…were strained and almost desperate。 The effort was too much。 There was nothing I could do for her。 Like an old watch； her time was running out； the mainspring of her life running down。 A day or two of this would surely kill her。
Solly Levin had taken over the blow…torches which played constantly against the sides of the snow…buckets。 Wrapped and huddled in clothes until only one eye was visible； he nevertheless achieved the near impossible of looking a picture of abject misery： but the way my thoughts had been running all day； I had no sympathy to waste on Mr Levin。 Margaret Ross dozed by the side of the stove but I turned my eyes away quickly； even to look at that thin white face was a physical hurt。
The marvel of them all was Mr Smallwood； yet another instance； I thought wryly； of how wrong I could get。 Instead of being one of the first to go under； he showed every sign of being the last。 Three hours ago； when I had been in the cabin； he had brought up his bag from the tractor sled； and as he'd opened it I'd caught a glimpse of a black gown and the red and purple divinity hood。 He'd brought out a Bible； donned a pair of rimless steel spectacles and； for several hours now； had been reading as best he could in the dim overhead light。 He seemed posed； relaxed yet alert； fit to carry on for a long time to e。 As doctor and scientist I didn't go in much for theological speculation； but I could only suppose that Mr Smallwood was in some way sustained by something that was denied the rest of us。 I could only envy him。
During the course of the evening two blows fell。 The first of these was not in any way figurative。 I still have the scar on my forehead to prove it。
We stopped just before eight o'clock that evening； partly in order to keep our radio schedule with Hillcrest； partly…because I wanted to make a long halt； to give Hillcrest all the more opportunity to overtake us…on the pretext that the Citroen's engine was overheating badly in the temperature that had been rising steadily since the early afternoon。 But despite the fact that it was now almost twenty…five degrees warmer than in mid…afternoon； it was still bitterly cold…our hunger and physical exhaustion saw to it that we still suffered almost as much as ever …dark and very still。 Far away to the south…west we could see the jagged saw…tooth line of the Vindeby Nunataks…that hundred…mile long ridge of hills that we would have to cross the next day…the forbidding peaks a gleaming crystalline white in the light of the moon that had not yet topped our eastern horizon。
I was driving when we stopped。 I switched off the motor； walked round to the back of the tractor and told those inside that we were making a halt。 I asked Margaret Ross to heat some food on the stove…soup； dried fruit； one of our four remaining tins of corned beef…asked Jackstraw to rig up the antenna for the radio； then went back to the tractor； stooped and turned the radiator drainage cap； catching the liquid hi a can。 Hie anti…freeze in the water had been thinned down so much in the course of the day that I was pretty certain that； in those temperatures； it wouldn't take half an hour for the radiator water to freeze up and split open the cylinder jacket。
I suppose it was because of the gurgling of the water into the can that I didn't hear the sound behind me until the last moment； and even so I had no particular reason just then to be suspicious of anything。 I half…straightened and turned round to see who was there； but I was too late。 The consciousness of a vague blur hi the darkness and the blinding white flash of light and pain as something solid smashed into my forehead； just above the goggles on my right eye； came in one and the same instant。 I was out； pletely unconscious； long before I crumpled down on to the frozen surface o