p&c.icelimit-第47部分

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s　dangling　into　space。　A　strangle　of　fear　escaped　her　as　she　twisted；　scrabbling　for　a　purchase。
　〃Hold　on！〃　McFarlane　cried；　scrambling　upward。
　In　a　moment　he　was　on　a　broad　ledge　directly　beneath　her。　He　edged　closer；　cautious　now；　planting　his　feet　carefully　in　the　hard　surface。　He　reached　out　and　grasped　her　forearm。　〃I've　got　you；〃　he　panted。　〃Let　go。〃
　〃I　can't；〃　she　said　between　clenched　teeth。
　〃It's　okay；〃　he　repeated　quietly。　〃I've　got　you。〃
　She　gave　a　small　groan；　then　relaxed　her　grip。　He　felt　her　weight　ing　down　on　him　and　he　twisted；　guiding　her　feet　to　the　broad　ledge　below　him。　She　landed　hard　and　collapsed；　shaking；　onto　her　knees。
　〃Oh；　my　God；〃　she　said；　her　voice　quavering。　〃I　almost　fell。〃　She　put　an　arm　around　him。
　〃It's　okay；〃　he　said。　〃You　would've　fallen　all　of　five　feet。　Into　a　snowdrift。〃
　〃Really？〃　She　looked　down　and　made　a　wry　face。　〃It　felt　like　the　whole　mountain　was　falling　away　in　a　landslide。　I　was　going　to　say　you　saved　my　life；　but　I　guess　you　didn't。　Thanks　anyway。〃
　She　raised　her　head　to　his；　giving　him　a　quick　light　kiss　on　the　mouth。　She　paused　a　moment；　then　kissed　him　again；　more　deliberately　this　time。　Then；　sensing　resistance；　she　pulled　back；　regarding　him　intently　with　her　dark　eyes。　They　stared　at　each　other　in　silence　for　a　moment；　the　world　spread　out　a　thousand　feet　below　them。
　〃You　still　don't　trust　me；　Sam？〃　she　asked　quietly。
　〃I　trust　you。〃
　She　drew　closer　to　him　again；　her　eyebrows　knitting　in　a　look　of　consternation。　〃Then　what's　wrong？　Is　there　somebody　else？　Our　gallant　captain；　perhaps？　Even　Eli　seems　…　〃　She　stopped　abruptly；　her　eyes　cast　downward；　hugging　her　knees　closely　to　herself。
　Half　a　dozen　responses　came　to　McFarlane's　mind；　but　each　one　seemed　either　frivolous　or　patronizing。　For　want　of　a　better　reply；　he　simply　reshouldered　the　pack　and　shook　his　head；　smiling　foolishly。
　〃There's　a　good　sampling　spot　maybe　twenty　feet　up　the　slope；〃　he　said　after　a　moment。
　Rachel's　eyes　were　still　on　the　ground。　〃You　go　get　your　sample。　I　think　I'll　wait　here。〃
　It　was　the　work　of　a　few　minutes　to　reach　the　site；　hack　half　a　dozen　pieces　of　the　darker　basalt　from　the　rock　face；　and　return　to　Rachel。　She　stood　up　as　he　approached；　and　they　climbed　back　down　to　the　saddle　in　silence。
　〃Let's　take　a　breather；〃　McFarlane　said　at　last；　as　casually　as　he　could。　His　eyes　were　on　Rachel。　They　would　be　working　together　closely　for　the　rest　of　the　expedition；　the　last　thing　he　needed　was　to　have　an　awkwardness　between　them。　He　put　his　hand　on　her　elbow　and　she　turned　toward　him　expectantly。
　〃Rachel；〃　he　said。　〃Listen。　Last　night　was　wonderful。　But　let's　leave　it　like　that。　At　least　for　now。〃
　Her　look　sharpened。　〃Meaning？〃
　〃Meaning　we　have　a　job　to　do。　Together。　And　it's　plicated　enough　as　it　is。　So　let's　not　push　things；　okay？〃　She　blinked　quickly；　then　nodded；　a　brief　smile　covering　the　disappointment；　even　hurt；　that　had　flashed　across　her　face。　〃Okay；〃　she　said；　looking　away。
　McFarlane　put　his　arms　around　her。　With　her　heavy　parka；　it　was　like　embracing　the　Michelin　man。　With　a　gloved　finger；　he　gently　raised　her　face　toward　his。
　〃Is　it　okay？〃　he　asked。
　She　nodded　again。　〃It's　not　the　first　time　I've　heard　it；〃　she　said。　〃It　gets　easier。〃
　〃What　does　that　mean？〃
　She　shrugged。　〃Nothing。　I　guess　I'm　just　not　very　good　at　this　kind　of　thing；　that's　all。〃
　They　held　each　other　as　the　cold　wind　eddied　around　them。　McFarlane　looked　down　at　the　stray　hairs　curling　away　from　the　hood　of　Rachel's　parka。　And　then；　on　impulse；　he　asked　a　question　he'd　been　wondering　about　since　the　first　night　on　the　fly　deck。　〃Was　there　ever　anything　between　you　and　Glinn？〃
　She　looked　at　him；　then　pulled　away；　her　expression　being　guarded。　Then　she　sighed；　relaxing。　〃Oh；　why　the　hell　not　tell　you。　It's　true。　Once　upon　a　time；　Eli　and　I　had　a　thing。　Just　a　little　thing；　I　suppose。　It　was。。。　very　nice。〃　A　smile　rose　on　her　lips；　then　slowly　faded。　She　turned　away　and　sat　down　in　the　snow；　legs　kicked　out　before　her；　gazing　out　over　the　white　vista　beneath　them。
　McFarlane　sat　down　beside　her。　〃What　happened？〃
　She　glanced　over。　〃Do　I　really　need　to　spell　it　out？　Eli　broke　it　off。〃　She　smiled　coldly。　〃And　you　know　what？　Everything　was　going　great。　There　was　nothing　wrong。　I'd　never　been　happier　in　my　life。〃　She　paused。　〃I　guess　that's　what　spooked　him。　He　couldn't　bear　the　thought　that　it　wouldn't　always　stay　that　great。　So　when　things　couldn't　get　any　better；　he　cut　it　off。　Just　like　that。　Because　if　things　can't　get　any　better；　they　can　only　get　worse。　That　would　be　a　failure。　Right？　And　Eli　Glinn　is　a　man　who　can't　fail。〃　She　laughed　mirthlessly。
　〃But　you　two　still　think　alike；　in　some　ways；〃　said　McFarlane。　〃Like　yesterday；　in　the　library。　I　kind　of　figured　you'd　speak　up。　About　what　happened　to　Rochefort　and　Evans；　I　mean。　But　you　didn't。　Does　that　mean　their　deaths　are　okay　with　you；　too？〃
　〃Please；　Sam。　No　death　is　okay。　But　almost　every　project　I've　worked　on　with　EES　has　seen　casualties。　It's　the　nature　of　this　business。〃
　They　sat　a　moment；　looking　away　from　each　other。　Then　Rachel　rose　to　her　feet。
　〃e　on；〃　she　said　quietly；　dusting　herself　off。　〃Last　one　back　has　to　clean　the　test　tubes。〃
　
　Almirante　Ramirez；
　2：45　P。M。
　
　ANDANTE　EMILIANO　Vallenar　stood　on　the　destroyer's　puente　volante；　the　flying　bridge；　scanning　the　enormous　tanker　with　his　field　binoculars。　Slowly；　carefully；　his　eyes　traveled　from　the　bow；　along　the　maindeck；　on　and　on　and　on；　until　at　last　he　reached　the　superstructure。　As　always；　it　was　an　interesting　journey。　He　had　lingered　on　it　so　long；　and　so　carefully；　that　he　felt　he　knew　every　rusted　porthole；　every　davit；　every　smear　of　oil。　There　were　certain　things　on　this　so…called　ore　carrier　that　he　found　suspicious：　those　antennas；　hidden　low；　that　looked　distinctly　as　if　they　belonged　to　some　passive　electronic　surveillance　measuring　device。　And　a　very　tall　antenna　at　the　top　of　the　mast；　despite　its　broken　appearance；　looked　like　an　air…search　radar。
　He　lowered　the　binoculars；　reached　into　his　coat　with　a　gloved　hand；　and　pulled　out　the　letter　from　the　geologist　in　Valparaiso。
　Estimable　Sir；
　
　The　rock　which　you　so　kindly　furnished　me　is　a　somewhat　unusual　type　of　striated　quartz　…　specifically；　silicon　dioxide　…　with　microscopic　inclusions　of　feldspar；　hornblende；　and　mica。　However；　I　am　sorry　to　tell　you　that　it　is　of　no　value　whatsoever；　either　for　mercial　purposes　or　to　mineral　collectors。　In　response　to　your　specific　query；　there　are　no　traces　of　gold；　silver；　or　any　other　valuable　ores；　minerals；　or　pounds　present。　Nor　is　this　type　of　mineral　found　in　association　with　deposits　of　oil；　gas；　oil　shale；　or　other　mercial　hydrocarbon　products。
　Once　again；　I　am　humbly　sorry　to　convey　this　information　to　you；　as　it　must　surely　discourage　any　pursuit　of　your　great…uncle's　mining　claim。
　
　Vallenar　traced　the　embossed　seal　at　the　top　of　the　letter　with　his　hand。　Then；　in　a　spasm　of　disgust；　he　balled　it　in　his　fist　and　shoved　it　into　his　pocket。　The　analysis　was　not　worth　the　paper　it　was　written　on。
　Once　again；　he　raised　the　binoculars　in　the　direction　of　the　foreign　vessel。　No　ship　of　its　size　should　be　moored　here。　In　the　Horn　islands　there　was　only　one　known　anchorage；　Surgidero　Otter；　and　that　was　on　the　far　side　of　Isla　Wollaston。　In　the　Franklin　Channel；　there　was　no　decent　holding　ground　at　all；　with　the　exception　of　an　uncharted　ledge　that　he；　alone；　had　discovered。　The　currents　were　strong。　Only　a　very　ignorant　captain　would　try　to　moor　here。　And　then　he　would　have　surely　run　mooring　cables　to　shore。
　But　this　vessel　had　dropped　anchor　in　bad　ground；　and　had　been　sitting　there　for　a　number　of　days；　swinging　back　and　forth　with　the　tide　and　wind；　as　if　it　had　found　the　finest　holding　ground　in　the　world。　At　first；　Vallenar　had　been　astonished　by　this。　It　seemed　miraculous。　But　then　he　had　noticed　small；　infrequent　swirls　of　water　at　the　vessel's　stern；　and　he　realized　that　its　stern　thrusters　were　running。　Always　running。　They　were　adjusting　their　thrust　to　keep　the　ship　stationary　in　the　ever…changing　currents　of　the　channel；　except　at　the　change　of　tide；　when　he　could　see　they　were　being　used　to　swing　the　ship　around。
　And　that　could　mean　only　one　thing：　the　anchor　cables　were　a　deception。　The　ship　was　equipped　with　a　dynamic　positioning　system。　This　required　a　link　to　a　geopositioning　satellite　and　a　powerful　puter　operating　the　ship's　engines；　working　together　to　maintain　an　exact　position　on　the　surface　of　the　earth。　It　was　the　very　latest　technology。　Vallenar　had　read　about　it；　but　never　seen　it。　No　ship　in　the　Chilean　navy　was　equipped　with　DPS。　Even　in　a　small　vessel；　it　was　extremely　costly　to　install　and　burned　a　tremendous　amount　of　fuel。　And　yet　here　it　was；　on　this　alleged　shabby　converted　tanker。
　He　breathed　deeply；　swiveling　the　binoculars　from　the　ship　to　the　island　beyond。　He　took　in　the　equipment　shed；　the　road　leading　inland　to　the　mine。　There　was　a　large　scar　on　a　hillside　where　heavy　equipment　was　at　work；　beside　what　might　be　leaching　pools。　But　there　was　also　a　deception　here。　There　were　no　hydraulic　nozzles　or　sluicing　work　to　indic