cc.iceberg-第12部分

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　The　isolated　partment…situated　in　the　exact　center　of　the　hull　without　benefit　of　portholes…was　savaged　even　worse　than　the　others；　the　steel　plating　on　the　walls　curved　outward；　buckled　like　crinkled　sheets　of　wallpaper。　It　appeared。　empty。　No　trace　of　anything　that　remotely　resembled　furnishings　was　left　after　the　conflagration。　Pitt　was　just　kneeling　down；　poking　the　ashes；　searching　for　a　sign　of　a　body；　when　Hunnewell　shouted。
　〃Here！〃　He　fell　to　his　knees。　〃Over　here　in　the　corner。〃　Hunnewell　focused　the　light　on　the　sprawled　outline　of　what　had　once　been　a　man；　now　a　barely　discernible　pile　of　charred　bones。　Only　bits　of　the　jawbone　and　pelvis　were　recognizable。　Then　he　bent　very　low　and　carefully　brushed　away　an　area　of　the　remains。
　
　When　Hunnewell　stood　up；　he　held　several　small　pieces　of　distorted　metal　in　his　hand。
　〃Not　proof　positive　perhaps。　But　about　as　certain　as　we'll　ever　get。〃
　Pitt　took　the　fused　bits　of　metal　and　held　them　under　the　beam　of　his　light。
　〃I　remember　the　rings　quite　well；〃　Hunnewell　said。
　〃The　settings　were　beautifully　handcrafted　and　inlaid　with　eight　different　semiprecious　stones　native　to　Iceland。　Each　was　carved　in　the　likeness　of　an　ancient　Nordic　god。〃
　〃Sounds　impressive　but　garish；〃　Pitt　said。
　〃To　you；　a　stranger　maybe；〃　Hunnewell　returned　quietly。　〃Yet　if　you　had　known　him…〃　His　voice　trailed　off。
　Pitt　eyed　Hunnewell　speculatively。　〃Do　you　always　form　sentimental　attachments　to　your　students？〃
　〃Genius；　adventurer；　scientist；　legend；　the　tenth　richest　man　in　the　world　before　he　was　twenty…five。　A　kind　and　gentle　person　totally　untouched　by　his　fame　and　wealth。　Yes；　I　think　you　could　safely　say　a　friendship　with　Kristjan　Fyrie　could　result　in　a　sentimental　attachment。〃
　
　How　strange；　Pitt　thought。　It　was　the　first　time　the　scientist　had　mentioned　Fyrie's　name　since　they　had　left　Washington。　And　it　had　been　uttered　in　a　hushed；　almost　reverent　tone。　The　same　inflection；　Pitt　recalled；　that　Admiral　Sandecker　had　also　used　when　he　spoke　of　the　Icelander。
　
　Pitt　was　conscious　of　no　awe　as　he　stood　over　the　pitiful　remains　of　the　man　who　had　been　one　of　the　most　powerful　figures　in　international　finance。　As　he　stood　there　staring　down；　his　mind　simply　could　not　associate　the　ashes　at　his　feet　with　the　flesh…and…blood　person　the　world's　newspapers　referred　to　as　the　apotheosis　of　the　swinging　intellectual　jetsetter…　Perhaps　if　he　had　met　the　celebrated　Kristjan　Fyrie；　an　emotion　of　some　sort　might　be　present　now。　But　then；　Pitt　truly　doubted　it。　He　wasn't　one　to　impress　easily。　Take　away　the　clothes　of　the　greatest　living　man；　his　father　once　told　him；　and　you　behold　a　very　embarrassed；　naked　and　defenseless　animal。
　
　Pitt　looked　at　the　twisted　metal　rings　for　a　moment　and　then　passed　them　back　to　Hunnewell；　and　as　he　did　he　heard　the　faint　sound　of　movement　somewhere　on　the　deck　above。　He　froze；　listening　intently。
　
　But　the　sound　had　died　in　the　blackness　beyond　the　upper　hatchway。　There　was　something　sinister　in　the　quality　of　the　silence　that　hung　over　the　devastated　cabin…a　feeling　that　someone　was　observing　their　every　motion；　listening　to　their　every　word。　Pitt　nerved　himself　for　an　act　of　defense；　but　it　was　too　late。　A　powerful　light　beam　played　into　the　room　from　the　top　of　the　ladder；　blinding　his　eyes　in　its　blazing　glare。
　〃Robbing　the　dead；　gentlemen？　By　God；　I　do　believe　you　two　are　capable　of　most　anything。〃　The　face　was　hidden　behind　the　light；　but　the　voice　unmistakably　belonged　to　mander　Koski。
　
　Chapter　4
　
　Without　moving；　without　replying；　Pitt　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　charred　deck。　He　stood　there；　it　seemed　to　him；　for　a　decade　while　his　brain　worked　to　explain　Koski's　presence。　He　had　expected　the　mander　to　arrive　on　the　scene　eventually；　but　not　for　at　least　another　three　hours。　It　was　now　obvious　that　instead　of　waiting　until　the　prescribed　rendezvous　time；　Koski　had　altered　his　heading　and　pushed　the　Catawaba　at　full　speed　along　Hunnewell's　plotted　course　into　the　ice　pack　as　soon　as　the　helicopter　was　out　of　sight。
　
　Koski　swung　the　flash　beam　to　the　ladder；　exposing　Dover's　face　beside　him。　〃We　have　much　to　talk　about。　Major　Pitt；　Dr。　Hunnewell；　if　you　please。〃
　
　Pitt　thought　of　a　cleverly　worded　eback　but　dismissed　it。　Instead；　he　said；　〃Up　your　ass；　Koski！　You　e　down！　And　bring　that　hulking　goon　of　an　exec　officer　if　it　will　make　you　feel　any　safer。〃
　
　There　was　almost　a　full　minute　of　angry　silence　before　Koski　replied；　〃You're　hardly　in　a　position　to　make　rash　demands。〃
　〃Why　not？　There's　too　much　at　stake　for　Dr。　Hunnewell　and　me　to　sit　here　and　suck　our　thumbs　while　you　play　amateur　detective。〃　Pitt　knew　his　words　were；　arrogant；　but　he　had　to　get　the　upper　hand　over　Koski。
　〃No　need　to　get　nasty；　Major。　An　honest　explanation　will　go　a　long　way。　You've　Lied　since　the　moment　you　set　foot　on　my　ship。　The　Novgorod　indeed。　The　greenest　cadet　at　the　Coast　Guard　Academy　wouldn't　think　of　identifying　this　hulk　as　a　Russian　spy　trawler。
　
　The　radar　antennas；　the　highly　sophisticated　electronic　gear　you　described　with　such　authority…did　the　equipment　evaporate？　I　didn't　buy　you　and　Hunnewell　from　the　beginning；　but　your　stories　were　convincing。　and　my　own　headquarters；　however　mysteriously；　backed　you　up。　You've　used　me。　Major。　My　crew；　my　ship；　as　you　would　a　streetcar　or　a　service　station。　An　explanation？
　
　Yes；　I　don't　think　it's　asking　too　much。　Merely　the　answer　to　one　simple　question：　what　in　hell　is　ing　Off？〃　Koski　was　in　the　fold　now；　Pitt　thought。　The　cocky　little　mander　wasn't　demanding；　he　was　asking。
　〃You　still　have　to　e　down　to　our　level。　Part　of　the　answer　lies　here　in　the　ashes。〃
　There　was　a　moment's　hesitation；　but　they　came。
　Koski；　followed　by　the　mammoth　form　of　Dover；　climbed　down　the　ladder　and　faced　Pitt　and　Hunnewell。
　〃Okay；　gentlemen；　let's　have　it。〃
　〃You've　seen　most　of　the　ship？〃　Pitt　asked。
　Koski　nodded。　〃Enough。　Eighteen　years　of　rescue　C；　at　sea；　and　I've　never　seen　a　vessel　gutted　as　bad　as　this　one。〃
　〃Do　you　recognize　it？〃
　〃Impossible。　What's　left　to　recognize？　It　was　a　pleasure　craft；　a　yacht。　That　much　is　certain。　Beyond　that　you　can　flip　a　coin。〃　Koski　looked　at　Pitt；　a　faint　puzzlement　in　his　eyes。　〃I'm　the　one　who　expects　answers。　What　are　you　leading　up　to？〃
　〃The　Lax。　Ever　hear　of　it？〃
　Koski　nodded。　〃The　Lax　disappeared　over　a　year　ago　with　all　hands；　including　its　owner；　the　Icelandic　mining　magnate…〃　he　hesitated；　recalling；　〃Fyrie；　Kristjan　Fyrie。　Christ；　half　the　Coast　Guard　searched　for　months。　Didn't　find　a　sign。　So　what　about　the　Lax？〃
　〃You're　standing　on　it；〃　Pitt　said　slowly；　letting　his　words　sink　in。　He　aimed　his　flashlight　at　the　deck。
　〃And　this　cremated　mess　is　all　that's　left　of　Kristjan　Fyrie。〃
　Koski's　eyes　widened　and　the　color　drained　from　his　face。　He　took　a　step　forward　and　stared　down　at　the　thing　in　the　yellow　circle　of　light。　〃Good　God；　are　you　sure？〃
　〃Burned　beyond　recognition　is　a　gross　understatement；　but　Dr。　Hunnewell　is　ninety　percent　certain　of　Fyrie's　personal　effects。〃
　〃Yes；　the　rings。　I　overheard。〃
　〃Not　much；　perhaps；　but　considerably　more　than　we　could　find　on　the　other　bodies。〃
　〃I've　never　seen　anything　like　this；〃　Koski　said　in　wonder。　〃It　can't　be。　A　ship　this　size　couldn't　vanish　without　a　trace　for　nearly　a　year　and　then　pop　up　burned　to　a　cinder　in　the　middle　of　an　iceberg。〃
　〃It　would　seem　that　it　did　just　that；〃　Hunnewell　said。
　〃Sorry；　Dog〃　Koski　said；　staring　into　Hunnewell's　eyes。　〃Though　I'm　the　first　to　admit　that　I'm　not　in　your　league　when　it　es　to　the　science　of　ice　formations；　I've　kicked　around　the　North　Atlantic　long　enough　to　know　that　an　iceberg　might　get　sidetracked　by　currents；　drifting　in　circles；　or　scrape　along　the　Newfoundland　Coast　for　up　to　three　years…ample　time　for　the　Lax；　by　some　remote　chance；　to　bee　trapped　and　entombed。　But；　if　you'll　forgive　the　word　play；　the　theory　doesn't　hold　water。〃
　〃You're　quite　correct；　mander；〃　Hunnewell　said。　〃The　chances　are　extremely　remote　for　such　an　occurrence；　but　nonetheless　conceivable。　As　you　know；　a　fire…gutted　ship　takes　days　to　cool。　If　a　current　or　wind　pushed　and　held　the　hull　aga