p&c.icelimit-第18部分

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msman　…　she　had　been　without　a　mand　ever　since。　No　wonder　she　agreed　to　this　assignment；　he　thought；　watching　her　step　forward。　And　Glinn　must　have　realized　that　no　captain　in　good　standing　would　have　taken　it。　McFarlane　shook　his　head　curiously。　Glinn　would　have　left　nothing　to　chance；　especially　the　mand　of　the　Rolvaag。　He　must　know　something　about　this　woman。
　Amira　had　joked　about　it　in　a　way　that　made　McFarlane　a　little　unfortable。　〃It　doesn't　seem　fair；　punishing　the　whole　ship　for　the　weakness　of　one　person；〃　she'd　said　to　McFarlane。　〃You　can　bet　the　crew　is　none　too　pleased。　Can't　you　just　see　them　in　the　crew's　mess；　sipping　a　glass　of　wine　with　dinner？　Lovely；　with　just　a　touch　of　oak；　wouldn't　you　say？〃　She　had　finished　by　making　a　wry　face。
　Overhead；　Glinn　had　now　reached　the　assembly。　He　stopped；　hands　behind　his　back；　gazing　down　at　the　maindeck　and　the　upturned　faces。
　〃I　am　Eli　Glinn；〃　he　began　in　his　quiet；　uninflected　voice。　〃President　of　Effective　Engineering　Solutions。　Many　of　you　know　the　broad　outlines　of　our　expedition。　Your　captain　has　asked　me　to　fill　in　some　of　the　details。　After　doing　so；　I'll　be　happy　to　take　questions。〃
　He　glanced　down　at　the　pany。
　〃We　are　heading　to　the　southern　tip　of　South　America；　to　retrieve　a　large　meteorite　for　the　Lloyd　Museum。　If　we're　correct；　it　will　be　the　largest　meteorite　ever　unearthed。　In　the　hold；　as　many　of　you　know；　there　is　a　special　cradle　built　to　receive　it。　The　plan　is　very　simple：　we　anchor　in　the　Cape　Horn　islands。　My　crew；　with　the　help　of　some　of　you；　will　excavate　the　meteorite；　transport　it　to　the　ship；　and　place　it　in　the　cradle。　Then　we　will　deliver　it　to　the　Lloyd　Museum。〃
　He　paused。
　〃Some　of　you　may　be　concerned　about　the　legality　of　the　operation。　We　have　staked　mining　claims　to　the　island。　The　meteorite　is　an　ore　body；　and　no　laws　will　be　broken。　There　is；　on　the　other　hand；　a　potential　practical　problem　in　that　Chile　does　not　know　we　are　retrieving　a　meteorite。　But　let　me　assure　you　this　is　a　remote　possibility。　Everything　has　been　worked　out　in　great　detail；　and　we　do　not　anticipate　any　difficulties。　The　Cape　Horn　islands　are　uninhabited。　The　nearest　settlement　is　Puerto　Williams；　fifty　miles　away。　Even　if　the　Chilean　authorities　learn　what　we　are　doing；　we　are　prepared　to　pay　a　reasonable　sum　for　the　meteorite。　So；　as　you　can　see；　there　is　no　cause　for　alarm；　or　even　anxiety。〃
　He　paused　again；　then　looked　up。　〃Are　there　any　questions？〃
　A　dozen　hands　shot　up。　Glinn　nodded　to　the　closest　man；　a　burly　oiler　wearing　greasy　overalls。
　〃So　what　is　this　meteorite？〃　the　man　boomed。　There　was　an　immediate　murmur　of　assent。
　〃It　will　probably　be　a　mass　of　nickel…iron　weighing　some　ten　thousand　tons。　An　inert　lump　of　metal。〃
　〃What's　so　important　about　it？〃
　〃We　believe　it　to　be　the　largest　meteorite　ever　discovered　by　man。〃
　More　hands　went　up。
　〃What　happens　if　we　get　caught？〃
　〃What　we　are　doing　is　one　hundred　percent　legal；〃　Glinn　replied。
　A　man　in　a　blue　uniform　stood　up；　one　of　the　ship's　electricians。　〃I　don't　like　it；〃　he　said　in　a　broad　Yorkshire　accent。　He　had　a　mass　of　red　hair　and　an　unruly　beard。
　Glinn　waited　politely。
　〃If　the　bloody　Chileans　catch　us　making　off　with　their　rock；　anything　could　happen。　If　everything's　one　hundred　percent　legal；　why　not　just　buy　the　bloody　stone　from　them？〃
　Glinn　looked　at　the　man；　his　pale　gray　eyes　unwavering。　〃May　I　ask　your　name？〃
　〃It's　Lewis；〃　came　the　reply。
　〃Because；　Mr。　Lewis；　it　would　be　politically　impossible　for　the　Chileans　to　sell　it　to　us。　On　the　other　hand；　they　don't　have　the　technological　expertise　to　get　it　out　of　the　ground　and　off　the　island；　so　it　would　just　sit　there；　buried　…　probably　forever。　In　America；　it　will　be　studied。　It　will　be　exhibited　at　a　museum　for　all　to　see。　It　will　be　held　in　trust　for　mankind。　This　is　not　Chilean　cultural　patrimony。　It　could　have　fallen　anywhere　…　even　in　Yorkshire。〃
　There　was　a　brief　laugh　from　Lewis's　mates。　McFarlane　was　glad　to　see　that　Glinn　seemed　to　be　gaining　their　confidence　with　his　straightforward　talk。
　〃Sir；〃　said　one　slight　man；　a　junior　ship's　officer。　〃What　about　this　dead　man's　switch？〃
　〃The　dead　man's　switch；〃　Glinn　said　smoothly；　his　voice　steady；　almost　mesmerizing；　〃is　a　distant　precaution。　In　the　unlikely　event　that　the　meteorite　es　loose　from　its　cradle　…　in　a　huge　storm；　say　…　it　is　merely　a　way　for　us　to　lighten　our　ballast　by　releasing　it　into　the　ocean。　It's　no　different　from　the　nineteenth…century　mariners　who　had　to　throw　their　cargo　overboard　in　severe　weather。　But　the　chances　of　having　to　jettison　it　are　vanishingly　small。　The　idea　is　to　protect　the　ship　and　the　crew　above　all；　even　at　the　expense　of　losing　the　meteorite。〃
　〃So　how　do　you　throw　this　switch？〃　another　shouted　out。
　〃I　know　the　key。　So　does　my　chief　engineer；　Eugene　Rochefort；　and　my　construction　manager；　Manuel　Garza。〃
　〃What　about　the　captain？〃
　〃It　was　felt　advisable　to　leave　that　option　in　the　hands　of　EES　personnel；〃　said　Glinn。　〃It　is；　after　all；　our　meteorite。〃
　〃But　it's　our　bloody　ship！〃
　The　murmuring　of　the　crew　rose　above　the　sound　of　the　wind　and　the　deep　thrum　of　the　engines。　McFarlane　glanced　up　at　Captain　Britton。　She　was　standing　behind　Glinn；　arms　at　her　sides；　stony…faced。
　〃The　captain　has　agreed　to　this　unusual　arrangement。　We　built　the　dead　man's　switch；　and　we　know　how　to　operate　it。　In　the　unlikely　event　that　it　is　used；　it　must　be　done　with　great　care；　with　precise　timing；　by　those　who　are　trained　for　it。　Otherwise；　the　ship　could　sink　with　the　rock。〃　He　looked　around。　〃Any　more　questions？〃
　There　was　a　restless　silence。
　〃I　realize　this　is　not　a　normal　voyage；〃　Glinn　went　on。　〃Some　uncertainty　…　even　anxiety　…　is　natural。　As　with　any　sea　journey；　there　are　risks　involved。　I　told　you　what　we　are　doing　is　pletely　legal。　However；　I　would　be　deluding　you　if　I　said　the　Chileans　would　feel　the　same　way。　These　are　the　reasons　each　of　you　will　receive　a　fifty…thousand…dollar　bonus　if　we　are　successful。〃
　There　was　a　collective　gasp　from　the　crew；　and　an　eruption　of　talk。　Glinn　held　up　his　hand　and　silence　again　descended。
　〃If　anyone　feels　uneasy　about　this　expedition；　you　are　free　to　go。　We　will　arrange　passage　back　to　New　York；　with　pensation。〃　He　looked　pointedly　at　Lewis；　the　electrician。
　The　man　stared　back；　then　broke　into　a　broad　grin。　〃You　sold　me；　mate。〃
　〃We　all　have　much　to　do；〃　Glinn　said；　addressing　the　group。　〃If　you　have　anything　else　to　add　…　or　anything　else　to　ask　…　do　so　now。〃
　His　eyes　ranged　enquiringly　over　them。　Then；　seeing　the　silence　was　absolute；　he　nodded；　turned；　and　made　his　way　back　along　the　catwalk。
　
　Rolvaag；
　4：20　P。M。
　
　THE　CREW　had　broken　up　into　small　groups；　talking　quietly　among　themselves　as　they　began　to　move　back　toward　their　stations。　A　sudden　breeze　tugged　at　McFarlane's　windbreaker。　As　he　turned　toward　the　shelter　of　the　ship；　he　saw　Amira。　She　was　standing　by　the　starboard　railing；　still　talking　to　the　group　of　deckhands。　She　made　some　ment；　and　the　small　knot　around　her　suddenly　erupted　into　laughter。
　McFarlane　made　his　way　to　the　officers'　dayroom。　Like　most　of　the　other　ship's　partments　he　had　seen；　it　was　large　and　expensively；　if　sparsely；　appointed。　But　it　housed　one　great　attraction　for　him：　a　coffeepot　that　was　never　empty。　He　poured　himself　a　cup　and　sipped　at　it　with　a　contented　sigh。
　〃Some　cream　with　that？〃　came　a　woman's　voice　from　behind　him。　He　turned　to　see　Captain　Britton。　She　closed　the　door　to　the　dayroom；　then　walked　toward　him　with　a　smile。　The　wind　had　loosened　the　severe　braid　of　hair　beneath　her　officer's　hat；　and　a　few　errant　strands　hung　down；　framing　a　long　and　elegant　neck。
　〃No　thanks；　I　prefer　it　black。〃　McFarlane　watched　as　Britton　helped　herself　to　a　cup；　adding　a　single　teaspoon　of　sugar。　They　sipped　together　in　silence　for　a　moment。
　〃I　have　to　ask　you；〃　McFarlane　said；　more　to　make　conversation　than　anything　else。　〃This　pot　always　seems　to　be　full。　And　it　always　tastes　perfectly　fresh。　Just　how　do　you　achieve　that　miracle？〃
　〃It's　no　miracle。　The　stewards　bring　a　new　pot　every　thirty　minutes；　needed　or　not。　Forty…eight　pots　a　day。〃　McFarlane　shook　his　head。　〃Remarkable；〃　he　said。　〃But　then；　it's　a　remarkable　ship。〃
　Captain　Britton　took　another　sip　of　coffee。　〃Care　for　a　tour？〃　she　asked。
　McFarlane　looked　at　her。　Surely　the　master　of　the　Rolvaag　had　better　things　to　do。　Still；　it　would　be　a　nice　break。　Life　on　board　ship　had　quickly　settled　into　a　routine。　He　took　a　final　swig　of　coffee　and　set　down　the　cup。　〃Sounds　great；〃　he　said。　〃I've　been　wondering　what　kind　of　secrets　are　hiding　inside　this　big　old　hull。〃
　〃Not　many　secrets；〃　Britton　said；　opening　the　door　to　the　dayroom　and　ushering　him　out　into　the　wide　hallway。　〃Just　lots　and　lots　of　places　to　put　oil。〃
　The　door　to　the　maindeck　opened　and　the　slight　figure　of　Rachel　Amira　appeared。　Seeing　them；　she　paused。　Britton　gave　her　a　cool　nod；　then　turned　away　and　started　down　the　corridor。　As　they　rounded　the　corner；　McFarlane　glanced　backward。　Amira　was　still　watching　them；　a　smirk　on　her　lips。
　Opening　a　huge　set　of　double　doors；　Britton　led　him　into　the　ship's　galley。　Here；　Mr。　Singh　held　sway