p&c.icelimit-第5部分

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　McFarlane　chuckled；　shaking　his　head。　〃I'm　done　with　science；〃　he　said。　〃I've　had　enough　dusty　labs　and　museum　bureaucracies　to　last　me　a　lifetime。〃
　Lloyd　sighed　and　stood　up。　〃Well；　it　looks　like　I've　wasted　my　time。　I　guess　we'll　have　to　go　with　our　number　two　choice。〃
　McFarlane　paused。　〃And　who　would　that　be？〃
　〃Hugo　Breitling　would　love　to　be　in　on　this。〃
　〃Breitling？　He　couldn't　find　a　meteorite　if　it　hit　him　in　the　ass。〃
　〃He　found　the　Thule　meteorite；〃　Lloyd　replied；　slapping　the　dust　from　his　pants。　He　gave　McFarlane　a　sidelong　glance。　〃Which　is　bigger　than　anything　you've　found。〃
　〃But　that's　all　he　found。　And　that　was　sheer　luck。〃
　〃Fact　is；　I'm　going　to　need　luck　for　this　project。〃　Lloyd　screwed　the　top　back　on　the　thermos　and　tossed　it　into　the　dust　at　McFarlane's　feet。　〃Here；　have　yourself　a　party。　I've　got　to　get　going。〃
　He　began　striding　toward　the　helicopter。　As　McFarlane　watched；　the　engine　revved　and　the　heavy　rotors　picked　up　speed；　beating　the　air；　sending　skeins　of　dust　swirling　erratically　across　the　ground。　It　suddenly　occurred　to　him　that；　if　the　chopper　left；　he　might　never　learn　how　Masangkay　died；　or　what　he　had　been　doing。　Despite　himself；　he　was　intrigued。　McFarlane　looked　around　quickly：　at　the　metal　detectors；　dented　and　scattered；　at　the　bleak　little　camp；　at　the　landscape　beyond；　parched　and　unpromising。
　At　the　helicopter's　hatch；　Lloyd　paused。
　〃Make　it　an　even　million！〃　called　McFarlane　to　the　man's　broad　back。
　Carefully；　so　as　not　to　upset　the　hat；　Lloyd　ducked　his　head　and　began　stepping　into　the　chopper。
　〃Seven　fifty；　then！〃
　There　was　another　pause。　And　then　Palmer　Lloyd　slowly　turned；　his　face　breaking　into　a　broad　smile。
　
　The　Hudson　River　Valley；
　June　3；　10：45　A。M。
　
　PALMER　LLOYD　loved　many　rare　and　valuable　things；　but　one　of　the　things　he　loved　most　was　Thomas　Cole's　painting　Sunny　Morning　on　the　Hudson　River。　As　a　scholarship　student　in　Boston；　he　had　often　gone　to　the　Museum　of　Fine　Arts；　walking　through　the　galleries　with　his　eyes　downcast　so　as　not　to　sully　his　vision　before　he　could　stand　before　that　glorious　painting。
　Lloyd　preferred　to　own　the　things　he　loved；　but　the　Thomas　Cole　painting　was　not　to　be　had　at　any　price。　Instead；　he　had　purchased　the　next　best　thing。　On　this　sunny　morning　he　sat　in　his　upper　Hudson　Valley　office；　gazing　out　a　window　that　framed　precisely　the　view　in　Cole's　painting。　There　was　a　very　beautiful　line　of　light　penciling　the　extreme　horizon；　the　fields；　seen　through　the　breaking　mists；　were　exquisitely　fresh　and　green。　The　mountainside　in　the　foreground；　limned　by　the　rising　sun；　sparkled。　Not　much　had　changed　in　the　Clove　Valley　since　Cole　had　painted　this　scene　in　1827；　and　Lloyd　had　made　sure；　with　vast　land　purchases　along　his　line　of　sight；　that　nothing　would。
　He　swiveled　in　his　chair；　gazing　across　a　desk　of　spaulded　maple　into　a　window　that　looked　in　the　opposite　direction。　From　here；　the　hillside　fell　away　beneath　him；　a　brilliant　mosaic　of　glass　and　steel。　Hands　behind　his　head；　Lloyd　surveyed　the　scene　of　frantic　activity　with　satisfaction。　Work　crews　swarmed　over　the　landscape；　fulfilling　a　vision　…　his　vision　…　unparalleled　in　the　world。　〃A　miracle　of　rare　device；〃　he　murmured　beneath　his　breath。
　At　the　center　of　the　activity；　green　in　the　Catskill　morning　light；　was　a　massive　dome：　an　oversize　replica　of　London's　Crystal　Palace；　which　had　been　the　first　structure　made　entirely　of　glass。　Upon　its　pletion　in　1851　it　was　considered　one　of　the　most　beautiful　buildings　ever　constructed；　but　it　had　been　gutted　by　fire　in　1936；　and　its　remains　demolished　in　1942　for　fear　it　would　provide　a　convenient　landmark　for　Nazi　bombers。
　Beyond　the　overarching　dome；　Lloyd　could　see　the　first　blocks　being　laid　of　the　pyramid　of　Khefret　II；　a　small　Old　Kingdom　pyramid。　He　smiled　a　little　ruefully　at　the　memory　of　his　trip　to　Egypt：　his　byzantine　dealings　with　government　officials；　the　Keystone　Kops　uproar　about　the　suitcase　full　of　gold　that　no　one　could　lift；　all　the　other　tedious　melodrama。　That　pyramid　had　cost　him　more　than　he　liked；　and　it　wasn't　exactly　Cheops；　but　it　was　impressive　nonetheless。
　Thinking　of　the　pyramid　reminded　him　of　the　outrage　its　purchase　had　caused　in　the　archaeological　world；　and　he　glanced　up　at　the　newspaper　articles　and　magazine　covers　framed　on　a　nearby　wall。　〃Where　Have　All　the　Artifacts　Gone？〃　read　one；　acpanied　by　a　grotesque　caricature　of　Lloyd；　plete　with　shifty　eyes　and　slouch　hat；　slipping　a　miniature　pyramid　under　his　dark　cloak。　He　scanned　the　other　framed　headlines。　〃The　Hitler　of　Collectors？〃　read　one；　and　then　there　were　all　the　ones　decrying　his　recent　purchase：　〃Bones　of　Contention：　Paleontologists　Outraged　by　Sale。〃　And　a　Newsweek　cover：　〃What　Do　You　Do　with　Thirty　Billion？　Answer：　Buy　the　Earth。〃　The　wall　was　covered　with　them；　the　shrill　utterances　of　the　naysayers；　the　self…appointed　guardians　of　cultural　morality。　Lloyd　found　it　all　an　endless　source　of　amusement。
　A　small　chime　rang　on　a　flat　panel　laid　into　his　desk；　and　the　voice　of　his　secretary　fluted：　〃There's　a　Mr。　Glinn　to　see　you；　sir。〃
　〃Send　him　in。〃　Lloyd　didn't　bother　to　suppress　the　excitement　in　his　voice。　He　had　not　met　Eli　Glinn　before；　and　it　had　been　surprisingly　difficult　to　get　him　to　e　in　person。
　He　closely　observed　the　man　as　he　entered　the　office；　without　even　a　briefcase　in　his　hand；　sunburnt　face　expressionless。　Lloyd　had　found；　in　his　long　and　fruitful　business　career；　that　first　impressions；　if　carefully　made；　were　exceedingly　revealing。　He　took　in　the　close…cropped　brown　hair；　the　square　jaw；　the　thin　lips。　The　man　looked；　at　first　glance；　as　inscrutable　as　the　Sphinx。　There　was　nothing　distinctive　about　him；　nothing　that　gave　anything　away。　Even　his　gray　eyes　were　veiled；　cautious；　and　still。　Everything　about　him　looked　ordinary：　ordinary　height；　ordinary　build；　good…looking　but　not　handsome；　well…dressed　but　not　dapper。　His　only　unusual　feature；　Lloyd　thought；　was　the　way　he　moved。　His　shoes　made　no　sound　on　the　floor；　his　clothes　did　not　rustle　on　his　person；　his　limbs　moved　lightly　and　easily　through　the　air。　He　glided　through　the　room　like　a　deer　through　a　forest。
　And；　of　course；　there　was　nothing　ordinary　in　the　man's　resume。
　〃Mr。　Glinn；〃　Lloyd　said；　walking　toward　him　and　taking　his　hand。　〃Thank　you　for　ing。〃
　Glinn　nodded　silently；　shook　the　proffered　hand　with　a　shake　that　was　neither　too　long　nor　too　short；　neither　limp　nor　bone…crushingly　macho。　Lloyd　felt　moderately　disconcerted：　he　was　having　trouble　forming　that　invaluable　first　impression。　He　swept　his　hand　toward　the　window　and　the　sprawling；　half…finished　structures　beyond。　〃So。　What　do　you　think　of　my　museum？〃
　〃Large；〃　Glinn　said　without　smiling。
　Lloyd　laughed。　〃The　Getty　of　natural　history　museums。　Or　it　will　be；　soon　…　with　three　times　the　endowment。〃
　〃Interesting　that　you　decided　to　locate　it　here；　a　hundred　miles　from　the　city。〃
　〃A　nice　touch　of　hubris；　don't　you　think？　Actually；　I'm　doing　the　New　York　Museum　of　Natural　History　a　favor。　If　we'd　built　there　instead　of　up　here；　we'd　have　put　them　out　of　business　within　a　month。　But　since　we'll　have　the　biggest　and　the　best　of　everything；　they'll　be　reduced　to　serving　school　field　trips。〃　Lloyd　chuckled。　〃e　on；　Sam　McFarlane　is　waiting　for　us。　I'll　give　you　a　tour　on　the　way。〃
　〃Sam　McFarlane？〃
　〃He's　my　meteorite　expert。　Well；　he's　still　only　about　half　mine；　I'd　say；　but　I'm　working　on　him。　The　day　is　young。〃
　Lloyd　placed　a　hand　on　the　elbow　of　Glinn's　well…tailored　but　anonymous　dark　suit　…　the　material　was　better　than　he　expected　…　and　guided　him　back　through　the　outer　office；　down　a　sweeping　circular　ramp　of　granite　and　polished　marble；　and　along　a　large　corridor　toward　the　Crystal　Palace。　The　noise　was　much　louder　here；　and　their　footsteps　were　punctuated　by　shouts；　the　steady　cadence　of　nailguns；　and　the　stutter　of　jackhammers。
　With　barely　contained　enthusiasm；　Lloyd　pointed　out　the　sights　as　they　walked。　〃That's　the　diamond　hall；　there；〃　he　said；　waving　his　hand　toward　a　large　subterranean　space；　haloed　in　violet　light。　〃We　discovered　there　were　some　old　diggings　in　this　hillside；　so　we　tunneled　our　way　in　and　set　up　the　exhibit　within　an　entirely　natural　context。　It's　the　only　hall　in　any　major　museum　devoted　exclusively　to　diamonds。　But　since　we've　acquired　the　three　largest　specimens　in　the　world；　it　seemed　appropriate。　You　must　have　heard　about　how　we　snapped　up　the　Blue　Mandarin　from　De　Beers；　just　ahead　of　the　Japanese？〃　He　gave　a　wicked　chuckle　at　the　memory。
　〃I　read　the　papers；〃　Glinn　said　dryly。
　〃And　that；〃　said　Lloyd；　being　more　animated；　〃will　house　the　Gallery　of　Extinct　Life。　Passenger　pigeons；　a　dodo　bird　from　the　Galapagos；　even　a　mammoth　removed　from　the　Siberian　ice；　still　perfectly　frozen。　They　found　crushed　buttercups　in　its　mouth　…　remnants　of　its　last　meal。〃
　〃I　read　about　the　mammoth；　too；〃　Glinn　said。　〃Weren't　there　several　shootings　in　Siberia　in　the　aftermath　of　its　acquisition？〃
　Despite　the　pointedness　of　the　question；　Glinn's　tone　was　mild；　without　any　trace　of　censure；　and　Lloyd　didn't　pause　in　his　answer。　〃You'd　be　surprised；　Mr。　Glinn；　how　quickly　countries　waive　their　so…ca