Chapter 53 52

June 6, 1924 Sixth Battalion, 26,800 feet Tibet, Mount Everest * The night seemed to have no beginning and no end.The light seemed to have disappeared days ago.The two climbers didn't go out to watch the sunset; they huddled up in a small mead tent, here was the Sixth Battalion, a six-foot platform painstakingly piled of rocks on the steep hillside.The expedition team spent a lot of effort to establish this camp that is very close to the peak.Two days ago, the colonel and Somawell tried to climb the mountain with oxygen cylinders, and they reached less than a thousand feet from the summit.Tomorrow morning Ashley and Price will try to climb without oxygen.

Price swallowed orange marmalade and condensed milk for dinner, stirring the two in the saucepan.Although there were unopened cans of meat in the corner of the tent, they could only eat sweets.Price spooned the orange and white mixture into his chapped mouth, then handed the pot to Ashley. You must eat.Price gasped. Ashley looked at the pot, the molasses and condensed milk were caked on the edge.He shook his head. They lighted the stove to make tea, but the boiling point was too low, and after thirty minutes all they got was a pot of lukewarm liquid with a faint golden tinge.They drank it anyway, but just before they could drink up the sediment at the bottom, it froze inside.

The two climbers rarely spoke.Wrapped tightly in double-layered duck down sleeping bags, they massaged their hands and feet, hoping to improve blood circulation and keep their bodies from getting so numb from the cold.It's time to sleep. The ground under the tent is sloped and has sharp protrusions.Price huddled against the bottom wall, next to the snow-covered tent.Ashley was above him.As long as Ashley's body relaxed, he would roll on Price below, but Ashley was too tired to care.Price would elbow Ashley in the back.Ashley would whine, then slowly back away.This bad pattern repeats itself over and over again.

The tent screamed, swayed wildly in the wind, and after it calmed down a little, whistled again.The sound was deafening, as if the whole sky was screaming.The tent was hit hard by something hard; Ashley, who was a little stunned, thought it was some kind of creature hitting.Price leaned toward Ashley, and yelled. It's ice.Price yelled: It must have blown off the cornice. The wind became more violent.Each blow was stronger than the last, and the snow kept seeping into the flapping thin tent.Every gust of wind sends powder down from the top.Ashley got into the sleeping bag, but the opening was frozen hard.Sometimes when the wind eased, Ashley would fantasize that it would be calm, but the storm would always come again, tormenting them even more painfully.

The tent twisted and then collapsed on top of them.A wind rope came loose and the tent was blown over by the wind.Price clung to the cold tent canvas, barely holding the tent in place with all his weight.Ashley looked for his windbreaker in the dark.He had to go outside and retighten the rope.The frosty tent roof drooped against his face as he fumbled for the opening of his snow-covered, hardened waterproof jacket.It took him several minutes to put on his coat and trousers.Price has been holding the tent with his body.Ashley thought the tent might be blown off the mountain, but in his dull, foggy head he hardly cared.

Ashley dug out the ice from his boots in the dark, and put on them with great effort.He took a sharp breath.The boots were frozen and hardened.He tied his shoelaces into long knots, then struggled to untie the cold canvas straps that fastened the tent entrance.With his frozen fingers he tried to untie the knot.Finally, the tent door opened, and a gust of snow whirled and sprayed inside.Ashley crawled outside into the blizzard. The hillside roared.The wind screamed and hit Ashley hard. He didn't get up, his limbs were on the ground, and he just crawled across an ice slope under the purple-black sky.He found the original position by following the wildly swaying windbreak rope.The rope was originally attached to two large rocks weighing hundreds of pounds.As a result the stone moved.Ashley tied the rope with great effort, and then went around a few more stones to fix it. While working with his numb fingers, he stomped his feet vigorously.Twice the rope fell and he had to grope in the snow to find it.His toes felt like they were on ice.This simple work can only be done slowly and painfully.

Ashley tied the knot and crawled back to the tent.It took him a while to get in, because Price tied up the canvas straps again, fearing the snow would pour in again.Finally, Ashley squeezed into the tent and fell headlong on his sleeping bag, gasping for breath.The cold air made his lungs sting. Into the sleeping bag.Price yelled.You will freeze. Price shook Ashley and tried to put the sleeping bag over Ashley, but he didn't move.After ten minutes, Price finally stuffed Ashley in. How are your hands? I don't feel it at all. Price took Ashley's hands and rubbed them together for a while, trying to restore blood circulation and avoid frostbite.Ashley's fingers were still numb.Price slapped hard, while Ashley turned his head away in pain, gritted his teeth and moaned.He knew that Price's hands were not going to be any better.But he didn't ask.

It was an hour before they finally got back into their sleeping bags.Ashley knew that he had been frozen until tonight and would not be able to recover, and they had to climb up the mountain again tomorrow morning.He felt like he couldn't sleep.At night, he occasionally fell into a trance, occasionally woke up because of the cold, and occasionally began to cough.He was cold enough to bury his face in the soaked cotton wool of his sleeping bag, but the thin air made it impossible for him to breathe, so he bared his head again to gasp.Ashley turned sideways, staring at the cold tent. It's been four months since the war ended.Ashley had been in London for three days.He gave the uniform to his tailor as rags, and bought three new suits, two in flannel and one in slub tweed.After years of wearing tight, stiff underwear, these felt unbelievably soft.On a gloomy Sunday afternoon, without being invited, he took a taxi straight to the house in Cavendish Square, grabbed the knocker, and knocked.He identifies himself to a maid.It turned out that the father came to answer the door.

You said you know my daughter? I do know her. Say your name again? worthingham.Ashley.worthingham. terribly sorry.I never heard of you. Ashley took out a cardboard folder from the pocket of his coat.He opened the folder and showed the portraits inside. Where did you get it? She gave it to me.You can see the following text. It looks ok. The father's eyes wandered to the other houses on the square, then back to Ashley. You should understand that the fact that our daughter isn't there is sad enough, even if no strangers come.I won't say what interests you are here for, but I can't be of much help.

Father closes the door.Ashley knocked again, but this time only the maid appeared, with whom he argued pointlessly for several minutes.The maid slammed the door shut.Ashley knocked on the door again, thinking that he was going to charge hard, wondering if he could break in.He stood on the porch for a moment, filled with anger.He pocketed the portrait and left across the square. The following week he received a brief letter from Eleanor, wishing to meet at Lyons Corner Restaurant on Coventry Street.Ashley went to the barber shop early to shave.He had thought the meeting was some kind of warning, but when he entered the large dining room and saw Eleanor rising from a table in the far corner and waving, he knew he was wrong.Eleanor smiled at him as he approached.She looked like she was about to cry.Both of them sat down.

I ordered tea.Eleanor said absently: "I suppose you're not hungry, Mr. Worthingham?"If you want to eat they have a menu Tea is fine. I have never been to this restaurant.It's actually not bad. That's right. They fell silent.Ashley looked at her across the table and thought she was so beautiful.She has the same eyes as her sister.The tea was delivered, and Ashley picked up the teapot and poured two cups.But he didn't drink. I'm really glad you're okay.Eleanor said: I think of you often.Of course, Yin Mozhen said almost nothing else She's still alive, right? right. But not in the UK. right. where is she? Eleanor folded her hands in her lap and looked away. I can't say. That being the case, why do you still want to see me? I was at home when you came.I heard Dad talking to you at the door, and it made me sad.I don't think you deserve this kind of treatment.I am certain. can you tell me where she is That's not my choice.It's her choice.If she wants you to know, she will tell you herself. So it was she who decided to leave.Didn't your father decide? I have no idea.Eleanor sighed.It was Yin Mozhen who decided not to show up. But why so mysterious?Why not just go abroad like others? Eleanor took a sip of her tea. I guess she wants to start over.Maybe she doesn't want you to go to her.But not just because of you.You know that Yin Mozhen doesn't handle things in the normal way.Dad wanted her back several times, but she wanted a new life, and we had no choice but to cooperate.i can't tell you everything But you have spoken. Eleanor shook her head.She looks into the glass. It's been long enough.I thought it would be all right if I told you she was alive.You already know that.She would never return to England, that was also certain.She was stubborn and so were you and it broke my heart when you showed up at the door.I think if I hadn't come to meet you, you might have been like this for years Until I see her. you can not do that.Eleanor begged, looking up at Ashley at the same time.If you try hard enough, you might be able to find her.But what next?You will force her to accept you.She has made up her mind to live on her own.I know it's cruel, but you have to let her go. She smiled.really weird.Yin Mozhen said that you are always joking.But you, sitting in front of you, feel like the most serious person I've ever seen. They both drank their tea from their cups, and then Eleanor poured out the tea.She hesitated, straightening the napkin on her lap. Maybe I shouldn't have come, I don't have any good news after all.I've been thinking all week that it's amazing how much you've cared for Yin Mozhen because you've only known each other so shortly.But it occurred to me this morning that those two events might explain each other.In a way, it was the same in our family.I used to be pretty sure my parents loved Yin Mozhen more, because it was so difficult to love her, because they never had the means to have her in their own way, not completely Eleanor sighed.sorry.Maybe I should go.Wish I had something nice to tell you, but I can't.You will understand, Mr. Worthingham, and you will understand that I cannot see you again. She stood up, and Ashley followed suit.He moved closer to her and whispered to her. Where are the children? What? He was close to her ear, and she could hear every word he said clearly in the restaurant full of clinks. She became pregnant, but lost the child.She only wrote to tell me so. Eleanor shook her head, her face starting to turn red. I do not know anything What happened?are you there No.She never told me she was pregnant.Maybe she was mistaken. nonsense.She also traveled all the way to France to tell me. Eleanor's eyes wandered around the restaurant. I do not know anything.She went mad when she heard you were dead.It was madness that got her to Paris.After that, I haven't seen her.sorry i really have to go Please stay. Ashley gestured to the table with his hands, motioning for her to sit down.Eleanor shook her head.She looked at Ashley sympathetically. You don't need me to say these words.But if no one says it, let me do it.You were kids, both of you.Can't you see it?Yin Mozhen was just a child at the time, but she wasn't anymore.You don't even know each other right now.Of course she cares about you, and always will in a way, and you care about her too.It's just that it's over for you, and for her too, no matter how hard you try to find it, you can't find it anywhere. I will not give up. You have given up on something.Eleanor: You just don't know.