cc.floodtide-第69部分

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　muffled　roar　of　the　engine　and　the　smell　of　the　leather　sensual。　〃I　went　off　duty　the　minute　we　walked　out　of　that　scumbag's　house；〃　she　said　lovingly。　〃My　time　is　your　time。〃
　〃How　do　we　get　rid　of　your　friends？〃
　〃We　don't。　They're　with　us　for　the　duration。〃
　〃In　that　case；　do　you　think　they'd　mind　if　I　took　a　detour？〃
　〃Probably；〃　she　said；　smiling。　〃But　I'm　sure　you'll　do　it　anyway。〃
　Pitt　went　silent　as　he　shifted　gears　and　drove　the　Duesenberg　effortlessly　through　traffic；　watching　in　the　rearview　mirror　with　a　touch　of　pride　at　seeing　the　vans　struggle　to　keep　pace。　〃I　hope　they　don't　shoot　out　my　tires。　They　don't　e　cheap　for　a　car　like　this。〃
　〃Did　you　mean　what　you　said　when　you　told　Qin　Shang　you'd　hired　a　team　of　hit　men　to　kill　him？〃
　
　Pitt　grinned　wolfishly。　〃A　big；　fat　bluff；　but　he　doesn't　know　that。　I　take　great　satisfaction　in　tormenting　men　like　Qin　Shang　who　are　too　used　to　having　people　jump　at　their　beck　and　call。　Do　him　good　to　stare　at　the　ceiling　nights　and　wonder　if　someone　is　lurking　outside　waiting　to　put　a　bullet　in　him。〃
　〃So　what's　with　the　detour？〃
　〃I　think　I　found　the　chink　in　Qin　Shang's　armor；　his　Achilles'　heel　if　you'll　pardon　the　cliche。　Despite　the　seemingly　impenetrable　wall　he's　formed　around　his　personal　life；　he　has　a　vulnerable　crack　that　can　be　pried　open　a　mile　wide。〃
　Julia　pulled　her　coat　tightly　around　her　bare　legs　to　ward　off　the　late…evening　chill。　〃You　must　have　divined　something　from　what　he　said　that　escaped　me。〃
　〃As　I　recall；　his　words　were；　'My　life's　most　passionate　desire。'　〃
　She　looked　curiously　into　his　eyes；　which　never　left　the　road。　〃He　was　talking　about　a　vast　cargo　of　Chinese　art　treasures　that　vanished　on　a　ship。〃
　〃The　same。〃
　〃He　possesses　more　wealth　and　Chinese　antiques　than　anyone　else　in　the　world。　Why　should　a　ship　with　a　few　historical　objects　be　of　serious　interest　to　him？〃
　〃Not　a　mere　interest；　gorgeous　creature。　Qin　Shang　is　obsessed　like　all　men　down　through　the　centuries　who　have　searched　for　lost　treasure。　He　won't　die　a　happy　man　no　matter　how　much　wealth　and　power　he's　accumulated　until　he　can　replace　every　one　of　his　art　replicas　with　the　genuine　pieces。　To　own　something　no　other　man　or　woman　on　earth　can　own　is　the　ultimate　fulfillment　to　Qin　Shang。　I've　known　men　like　him。　He'd　trade　thirty　years　of　his　life　to　find　the　shipwreck　and　its　treasures。〃
　
　〃But　how　does　one　go　about　searching　for　a　ship　that　vanished　fifty　years　ago？〃　Julia　asked。　〃Where　do　you　begin　to　look？〃
　〃You　start；〃　Pitt　said　casually；　〃by　knocking　on　a　door　about　six　blocks　up　the　street。〃
　
　PITT　STEERED　THE　BIG　DUESENBERG　OVER　A　NARROW　DRIVE…way　between　two　homes　with　brick　walls　entirely　blanketed　with　climbing　ivy。　He　stopped　the　car　in　front　of　a　spacious　carriage　house　that　fronted　an　expansive　courtyard　that　was　now　roofed　over。
　〃Who　lives　here？〃　asked　Julia。
　〃A　very　interesting　character；〃　Pitt　replied。　He　motioned　toward　a　large　bronze　knocker　on　the　door　cast　in　the　shape　of　a　sailing　ship。　〃Give　it　a　rap；　if　you　can。〃
　〃If　you　can？〃　Her　hand　reached　for　the　knocker　hesitantly。　〃Is　there　a　trick　to　it？〃
　〃Not　what　you're　thinking。　Go　ahead；　try　to　lift　it。〃
　
　But　before　Julia　could　touch　the　knocker；　the　door　was　swept　open；　revealing　a　huge；　roly…poly　man　dressed　in　burgundy　paisley　silk　pajamas　under　a　matching　robe。　Julia　gasped　and　took　a　step　backward；　bumping　into　Pitt　who　was　laughing。
　
　〃He　never　fails。〃
　〃Fails　to　do　what？〃　demanded　the　fat　man。
　〃Open　the　door　before　a　visitor　knocks。〃
　〃Oh；　that。〃　The　big　man　waved　airily。　〃A　chime　sounds　whenever　someone　es　up　the　drive。〃
　〃St。　Julien；〃　said　Pitt。　〃Forgive　the　late　visit。〃
　〃Nonsense！〃　boomed　the　man；　who　weighed　four　hundred　pounds　if　he　weighed　an　ounce。　〃You're　wele　any　hour　of　the　day　or　night。　Who's　the　lovely　little　lady？〃
　〃Julia　Lee；　may　I　present　St。　Julien　Perlmutter；　gourmet；　collector　of　fine　wines　and　possessor　of　the　world's　largest　library　on　shipwrecks。〃
　Perlmutter　bowed　as　far　as　his　bulk　allowed　and　kissed　Julia's　hand。
　〃Always　a　pleasure　to　meet　a　friend　of　Dirk's。〃　He　stood　back　and　swept　out　an　arm；　the　silk　sleeve　flapping　like　a　flag　in　a　stiff　breeze。　〃Don't　stand　out　there　in　the　night。　e　in；　e　in。　I　was　just　about　to　open　a　bottle　of　forty…year…old　Barros　port。　Please　share　it　with　me。〃
　
　Julia　stepped　from　the　enclosed　courtyard　that　once　served　to　harness　teams　of　horses　to　fancy　carriages　and　gazed　enraptured　at　the　thousands　of　books　that　were　massed　over　every　square　inch　of　open　space　inside　the　carriage　house。　Many　were　neatly　spaced　on　endless　shelves。　Others　were　piled　along　walls；　up　stairs　and　on　bateonies。　In　bedrooms；　bathrooms；　closets；　they　were　even　clustered　in　the　kitchen　and　dining　room。　There　was　barely　enough　room　for　a　person　to　walk　through　a　hallway；　they　were　so　thickly　stacked。
　
　Over　fifty　years；　St。　Julien　Perlmutter　had　accumulated　the　finest　and　most　extensive　collection　of　historical　ship　literature　ever　assembled　in　one　place。　His　library　was　the　envy　of　every　maritime　archive　in　the　world　and　second　to　none。　What　books　and　ship　records　he　could　not　possess；　he　painstakingly　copied。　Fearful　of　fire　or　destruction；　his　fellow　researchers　pleaded　with　him　to　put　his　immense　archive　on…line；　but　he　preferred　to　leave　his　collection　in　bound　paper。
　
　He　generously　shared　it　all　without　cost　to　anyone　who　came　to　his　front　door　seeking　information　on　a　particular　shipwreck。　As　long　as　Pitt　had　known　him；　Perlmutter　had　never　turned　down　anyone　who　sought　his　extensive　knowledge。
　
　If　the　staggering　hoard　of　books　wasn't　a　colossal　sight；　Perlmutter　was。　Julia　gazed　openly　at　him。　His　face；　turned　crimson　from　a　lifetime　of　excessive　good　food　and　drink；　barely　showed　under　a　curly　mass　of　gray　hair　and　a　thick；　heavy　beard。　His　nose　under　the　sky…blue　eyes　was　a　little　red　knob。　His　lips　were　lost　under　a　mustache　twisted　at　the　ends。　He　was　obese　but　not　sloppy…fat。　No　flab　hung。　He　was　solid　as　a　massive　wood　sculpture。　Most　people　who　first　met　him　thought　he　was　probably　much　younger　than　he　looked。　But　St。　Julien　Perlmutter　was　a　year　past　seventy　and　as　hearty　as　they　came。
　
　A　close　friend　of　Pitt's　father；　Senator　George　Pitt；　Perlmutter　had　known　Dirk　almost　from　the　time　he　was　born。　Over　the　years　they　had　formed　a　close　bond　to　the　point　where　Perlmutter　was　like　a　favorite　uncle。　He　sat　Pitt　and　Julia　down　around　a　huge　latticed　hatch　cover；　reconstructed　and　lacquered　to　as　high　a　sheen　as　a　dining　table's。　He　offered　them　crystal　glasses　that　had　once　graced　the　first…class　dining　room　of　the　former　Italian　luxury　liner　the　Andrea　Doria。
　
　Julia　studied　the　etched　image　of　the　ship　on　her　glass　as　Perlmutter　poured　the　aged　port。　〃I　thought　the　Andrea　Doria　rested　on　the　bottom　of　the　sea。〃
　〃She　still　does；〃　said　Perlmutter；　twisting　one　end　of　the　gray　hair　flowing　from　his　lips。　〃Dirk　here　brought　up　a　rack　of　wineglasses　during　a　dive　he　made　on　the　wreck　five　years　ago　and　graciously　gave　them　to　me。　Please　tell　what　you　think　of　the　port。〃
　Julia　was　flattered　that　such　a　gourmet　would　want　her　opinion。　She　sipped　the　ruby　contents　of　the　glass　and　made　an　expression　of　delight。　〃It　tastes　wonderful。〃
　〃Good；　good。〃　He　gave　Pitt　a　look　reserved　for　a　derelict　on　a　park　bench。　〃You　I　won't　ask；　since　your　taste　runs　to　the　mundane。〃
　Pitt　acted　as　if　he　was　insulted。　〃You　wouldn't　know　good　port　if　you　drowned　in　it。　While　I；　on　the　other　hand；　was　weaned　on　it。〃
　〃I　hate　myself　for　ever　letting　you　through　the　front　door；〃　Perlmutter　moaned。
　Julia　saw　through　the　charade。　〃Do　you　two　always　go　on　like　this？〃
　〃Only　when　we　meet；〃　Pitt　said；　laughing。
　〃What　brings　you　here　this　time　of　night？〃　asked　Perlmutter；　winking　at　Julia。　〃It　couldn't　have　been　my　witty　conversation。〃
　〃No；〃　Pitt　agreed；　〃it　was　to　see　if　you　ever　heard　of　a　ship　that　left　China　sometime　around　nineteen　forty…eight　with　a　cargo　of　historical　Chinese　art　and　then　vanished。〃
　Perlmutter　held　the　port　in　front　of　his　eyes　and　swirled　it　around　in　his　glass。　His　eyes　took　on　a　reflective　expression　as　his　encyclopedic　mind　delved