It was dark for four months．Outside the wooden house at Framheim，it was often －60°Centigrade．The dogs lived in warm holes under the snow．The men stayed in the house，and worked in their rooms under the snow．

The skis and sledges¹ came from the best shops in Norway，but Bjaaland wasn't happy with them．He changed a lot of things on the skis and sledges．Soon the sledges were stronger than before．The skis were better and faster，too．

All the Norwegians worked hard．They looked after their dogs，and worked on their equipment—the sledges，skis，tents．Every day they thought about their journey to the Pole，and talked about it．And every day，Amundsen thought about Scott．One day，in midwinter，he talked to his men．

'Let's start early，before Scott，'Amundsen said．'Remem-ber，Scott has more men than us，and he has motor sledges，too．Perhaps they can go faster than us．'

Bjaaland laughed．'Oh no，they can't go faster than me，'he said．'On snow，nothing can go faster than a good man on skis．'

'We don't know，'Amundsen said．'You're the best skier² in Norway，but you get tired，and dogs get tired，too．Motor sledges don't get tired．They can go all day and all night．'

Johansen laughed angrily．'That's stupid，'he said．'Perhaps the motor sledges can go all night，but the Englishmen³ can't．The English can't win，Roald—they don't understand snow，but we do．And they're too slow．'

'Perhaps，'Amundsen said．'But I want to win this race．So we're going to start early！Do you understand？'

It was quiet and warm inside Framheim．Bjaaland looked at Amundsen，and thought about the long，cold journey in front of him．He thought about the dogs in their holes under the snow，and listened to the wind over the house．'When，Roald？'he said quietly．

'On August 24th．The sun comes back on that day．We start then．'

'But we can't！'Johansen said．He looked angry，and un-happy．'That's too early！We can't start then—it's danger-ous and stupid！'

Amundsen looked at Johansen coldly．'You're wrong，Jo-hansen，'he said．'We want to win，remember？So we start on August 24th．'

Bjaaland listened to the winter wind outside．

* * * * *

In Scott's camp，at Cape⁴ Evans，no one talked about Amundsen and no one worked hard．They had good food，and they played football on the snow．They wrote a newspaper—The south Polar Times—and read books．No one learnt to ski，no one worked on the motor sledges．Twice，men went for long jour-neys across the snow．They walked，and pulled the sledges themselves．Oates stayed at Cape Evans and looked after his ponies．

Over the window in Cape Evans，Scott put a map of Antarc-tica．With a pen，he made a line from Cape Evans to the South Pole，and he put a little Britisn Flag at the Pole．Under the map，Scott wrote the day for the start of their journey．

We start on November 3rd，he wrote．

5 漫长的寒冬

4个月中不见天日，一片昏暗。在弗雷门海姆木屋外面，气温低到－60℃。狗儿们生活在温暖的雪洞里。众人则留在木屋里，在白雪覆盖下的房间里，忙着各自的活儿。

尽管滑雪板与雪橇都是从挪威最好的商店内购买的，但是比阿兰德对这些设备并不满意。于是，他在滑雪板与雪橇上换了许多部件。一会儿功夫雪橇变得结实多了。滑雪板变得更好使更快了。

所有这些挪威人干活儿都很卖力。他们照顾狗群，改良设备：雪橇、滑雪板、帐篷。每天，他们都想着远赴南极的旅程，谈论着这次旅程。每天，阿蒙森脑子里都装着斯科特。隆冬里的一天，他对众人说：

“我们早些走，赶在斯科特之前。”阿蒙森说，“别忘了，斯科特的人比我们多，他还有机动雪橇。所以，他们可能比我们快。”

比阿兰德大笑起来。“啊，不，他们不可能比我快，”他说，“在雪地上，没有任何东西能快过优秀的滑雪者。”

“很难料定。”阿蒙森说，“你虽是挪威最优秀的滑雪者，但是也有累乏的时候，狗也一样。而机动雪橇则不会累，它能没日没夜地跑个不停。”

约翰森怒极而笑。“真蠢，”他说，“也许机动雪橇可以整夜不停地跑，但是英国人不能啊！英国人不可能赢，罗阿尔。他们不懂雪性，而我们懂。而且他们行进速度非常缓慢。”

“也许如此，”阿蒙森说，“无论如何我想赢得这次竞赛，所以我们要早些出发！你们理解吗？”

弗雷门海姆的房内宁静而温暖。比阿兰德看着阿蒙森，思考起摆在面前漫长寒冷的旅程；想着那些躲在雪洞里的狗儿们；听着屋外的寒风。“什么时候出发，罗阿尔？”他轻声地问。

“8月24日，从那天起就又要出太阳了。我们就在那时出发。”

“我们不能那时就出发！”约翰森说。他显得很生气，一脸不快。“这太早了！我们不能在那个时候出发，那是危险又愚蠢的做法！”

阿蒙森冷冷地看着约翰森。“你错了，约翰森，”他说，“别忘了，我们想取得胜利。所以，我们的出发时间为8月 24日。”

比阿兰德聆听着窗外的寒风。

* * * * *

开普埃文斯，斯科特的营地里，没有任何人谈论起阿蒙森的情况，没有任何人在努力地干活儿。他们吃好东西，在雪地上踢足球，编了一份定名为《南极时报》的报纸，翻阅书籍。没有人学滑雪，也没有人保养机动雪橇。这些人两度进行过横穿雪原的漫长旅程。他们走路不算，反而还得拉着雪橇走。奥茨留在开普埃文斯，喂养小马。

在开普埃文斯的窗户上，斯科特挂着一张南极洲地图。他在开普埃文斯与南极之间，用钢笔划了条线，并将一面小小的英国国旗插在南极上。地图下面，斯科特写下了他们的出发日期。

我们于11月 3 日出发，他写道。