cc.floodtide-第123部分

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　Lakes　car　ferry；　I　ran　across　a　document　by　a　ship's　engineer；　since　deceased；　that　told　of　a　harrowing　experience　while　he　served　on　board　the　Princess　Dou　Wan。〃
　〃You　found　a　survivor？〃　asked　Zhu　Kwan；　unable　to　believe　his　luck。
　〃His　name　is　lan　Gallagher。　His　friends　called　him　'Hong　Kong。'　He　was　the　chief　engineer　on　the　Princess　when　she　went　down。〃
　〃Yes；　yes；　I　have　a　file　on　him。〃
　〃Gallagher　was　the　only　survivor。　He　never　went　back　to　China　for　obvious　reasons　and　dropped　out　of　sight　in　the　United　States。〃
　〃The　Princess；〃　gasped　Zhu　Kwan；　unable　to　contain　his　growing　expectation。　〃Did　Gallagher　give　an　approximate　position　off　Chile　where　the　ship　sank？〃
　〃Brace　yourself；　my　Oriental　friend；〃　said　Perlmutter。　〃The　Princess　Dou　Wan　did　not　go　to　the　bottom　of　the　South　Pacific。〃
　〃But　her　final　distress　call？〃　muttered　a　confused　Zhu　Kwan。
　〃She　lies　under　Lake　Michigan　in　North　America。〃
　〃Impossible！〃　Zhu　Kwan　gasped。
　〃Believe　me；　it's　true。　The　distress　signal　was　a　fake。　The　captain　and　crew；　under　the　direction　of　a　General　Kung　Hui；　altered　the　name　to　that　of　her　sister　ship；　the　Princess　Yung　Tai。　Then　they　sailed　through　the　Panama　Canal　up　the　East　Coast　of　the　United　States　and　down　the　St。　Lawrence　River　into　the　Great　Lakes。　She　was　overtaken　by　a　horrendous　storm　and　went　down　two　hundred　miles　north　of　Chicago；　her　ultimate　destination。〃
　〃This　is　incredible。　Are　you　sure　of　your　facts？〃
　〃I'll　fax　you　Gallagher's　report　of　the　voyage　and　sinking。〃
　A　sick　feeling　began　to　spread　in　the　pit　of　Zhu　Kwan's　stomach。　〃Did　Gallagher　make　mention　of　the　ship's　cargo？〃
　〃He　made　only　one　reference；〃　replied　Perlmutter。　〃Gallagher　said　that　General　Hui　told　him　the　numerous　wooden　cases　and　crates　loaded　on　board　in　Shanghai　were　filled　with　personal　furnishings　and　clothes　of　high…ranking　Nationalist　Chinese　officials　and　military　leaders　who　were　fleeing　mainland　China　ahead　of　the　munists。〃
　A　wave　of　great　relief　settled　over　Zhu　Kwan。　The　secret　appeared　safe。　〃Then　it　seems　the　rumors　of　a　great　treasure　are　not　true。　There　was　no　cargo　of　great　value　on　board　the　Princess　Dou　Wan。〃
　〃Perhaps　some　jewelry；　but　certainly　nothing　that　would　excite　a　professional　salvage　hunter。　The　only　artifacts　that　will　ever　be　retrieved　will　probably　surface　in　the　hands　of　local　sport　divers。〃
　〃Have　you　given　out　this　information　to　anyone　besides　me？〃　asked　Zhu　Kwan　warily。
　〃Not　a　soul；〃　Perlmutter　answered。　〃You're　the　only　one　I　know　who　had　any　interest　in　the　wreck。〃
　〃I　would　be　grateful　to　you；　St。　Julien；　if　you　did　not　reveal　your　discovery。　At　least　not　for　the　next　few　months。〃
　〃From　this　moment　on；　I　promise　not　to　disclose　a　word。〃
　〃Also；　as　a　personal　favor…〃
　〃You　have　but　to　name　it。〃
　〃Please　do　not　fax　Gallagher's　report。　I　think　it　would　be　better　if　you　sent　it　by　private　courier。　I　will；　of　course；　take　care　of　any　expense。〃
　〃Whatever　you　wish；〃　said　Perlmutter　agreeably。　〃I'll　hire　the　services　of　a　courier　the　minute　I　lay　down　the　phone。〃
　〃Thank　you；　my　friend；〃　Zhu　Kwan　said　sincerely。　〃You　have　done　me　a　great　service。　Though　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　is　of　no　great　historical　or　economic　value；　it　has　been　a　mosquito　in　my　ear　for　many　years。〃
　〃Believe　me；　I've　been　there。　Some　lost　shipwrecks；　no　matter　how　insignificant；　captivate　and　consume　a　researcher's　imagination。　They're　never　forgotten　until　answers　behind　their　disappearance　are　finally　found。〃
　〃Thank　you；　St。　Julien；　thank　you。〃
　〃My　best　wishes　to　you；　Zhu　Kwan。　Good…bye。〃
　
　The　Chinese　historian　could　not　believe　his　luck。　What　had　seemed　an　impossible　enigma　only　minutes　ago　had　suddenly　been　solved　and　dropped　in　his　lap。　Though　exhilarated；　he　decided　to　put　off　informing　Qin　Shang　until　the　courier　arrived　with　lan　Gallagher's　narrative　of　the　final　moments　of　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　and　he　had　an　hour　or　two　to　study　it。
　
　Qin　Shang　would　be　highly　pleased　to　learn　that　the　fabulous　art　treasure　stolen　from　the　country　had　been　lying　safe　and　preserved　in　the　fresh　water　of　a　lake　all　these　years　and　was　now　within　reach。　Zhu　Kwan　fervently　hoped　that　he　would　live　long　enough　to　see　the　artifacts　on　display　in　a　national　gallery　and　museum。
　
　〃You　do　nice　work；　St。　Julien；〃　said　Sandecker　as　Perlmutter　put　down　the　phone。　〃You　missed　your　calling　as　a　used…car　salesman。〃
　〃Or　a　politician　running　for　election；〃　Giordino　muttered。
　〃I　feel　like　a　low…down　skunk；　misleading　that　nice　old　man；〃　said　Perlmutter。　He　paused　and　looked　around　Sandeck…er's　office　at　the　four　NUMA　men　seated　around　him。　〃Zhu　Kwan　and　I　go　back　many　years。　We've　always　had　the　highest　respect　for　each　other。　I　hated　lying　to　him。〃
　〃Fair　is　fair；〃　said　Pitt。　〃He　conned　you；　too。　All　this　time　he's　claimed　his　only　interest　in　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　was　strictly　academic。　He　knows　damned　well　the　ship　sank　with　a　fantastic　fortune　in　art　on　board。　A　fax　line　can　be　eavesdropped　on。　Why　else　would　he　insist　you　send　Gallagher's　story　by　courier？　You　can　bet　he's　itching　to　give　the　news　to　j　Qin　Shang。〃 j
　
　Perlmutter　shook　his　head。　〃Zhu　Kwan　is　a　hard…nosed　scholar。　He　won't　make　any　announcement　to　his　boss　until　he's　analyzed　the　document。〃　He　looked　into　the　other　faces　one　by　one。　〃Out　of　curiosity；　who　did　write　the　report　I'm　sending　him？〃
　Rudi　Gunn　raised　his　hand　almost　sheepishly。　〃I　volunteered　for　the　chore。　And　a　rather　good　job；　if　I　may　say　so。　Naturally；　I　took　writer's　liberty　with　the　text。　A　footnote　makes　mention　of　lan　Gallagher's　death　from　a　heart　attack　in　nineteen　ninety…two。　So　he　and　Katie's　tracks　are　covered。〃
　Sandecker　looked　at　his　special　projects　director。　〃Will　we　have　enough　time　to　properly　bring　up　the　art　treasures　before　Qin　Shang's　salvage　ship　arrives？〃
　Pitt　shrugged。　〃Not　if　the　Ocean　Retriever　is　the　only　ship　working　the　wreck。〃
　〃Not　to　worry；〃　said　Gunn。　〃We've　already　chartered　two　more　salvage　vessels。　One　is　from　a　private　pany　in　Montreal　and　the　other　is　on　loan　from　the　U。S。　Navy。〃
　〃Speed　is　essential；〃　said　Sandecker。　〃I　want　the　treasure　raised　before　word　leaks　out。　I　want　no　interference　from　any　quarter；　including　our　own　government。〃
　〃And　when　the　salvage　work　is　pleted？〃　inquired　Perlmutter。
　〃Then　the　artifacts　will　be　quickly　turned　over　to　facilities　equipped　to　preserve　them　from　damage　after　so　many　years　of　immersion。　At　that　time　we'll　announce　the　discovery　and　stand　back　while　the　bureaucrats　from　Washington　and　Beijing　fight　over　it。〃
　〃And　Qin　Shang？〃　Perlmutter　probed　deeper。　〃What　happens　when　he　shows　up　on　site　with　his　own　salvage　ship？〃
　Pitt　grinned　deviously。　〃We'll　give　him　a　reception　fitting　for　a　man　of　his　sterling　qualities。〃
　
　THE　OCEAN　RETRIEVER；　WITH　PITT；　GIORDINO；　GUNN　AND　Julia　on　board；　was　the　first　to　arrive　and　position　herself　over　the　wreck　of　the　Princess　Dou　Wan。　The　Canadian　salvage　ship　from　Deep　Abyss　Systems　Limited　out　of　Montreal；　Hudson　Bay；　arrived　only　four　hours　later。　She　was　an　older　vessel　converted　from　a　powerful　oceangoing　salvage　and　tugboat。　Aided　by　clear　weather　and　smooth　water；　the　salvage　of　the　art　treasures　menced　immediately。
　
　The　underwater　part　of　the　project　was　handled　by　submers…ibles　using　articulated　arms　in　cooperation　with　divers　encased　in　deep…water　atmospheric　diving　systems　called　Newtsuits　that　were　similar　in　appearance　to　the　Michelin　tire　man。　Bulbous；　constructed　of　fiberglass　and　magnesium；　and　self…propelled；　the　suit　enabled　a　diver　inside　to　work　for　long　periods　of　time　at　the　four…hundred…foot…plus　depth　without　concern　over　depression。
　
　The　artifacts　were　beginning　to　e　up　systematically　and　with　rapid　regularity　once　a　routine　was　established。　The　operation　continued　at　an　even　more　rapid　pace　when　the　U。S。　Navy　salvage　vessel　Dean　Hawes　came　charging　down　from　the　north　end　of　the　lake　two　days　earlier　than　expected　and　took　up　station　beside　the　other　two　ships。　She　was　considered　new；　only　two　years　from　her　launch　date；　and　was　constructed　especially　for　deep…water　work；　the　recovery　of　submarines　in　particular。
　
　An　immense　open　barge　with　long　ballast　tanks　attached　along　it