p&c.icelimit-第10部分

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one　into　a　pile　of　scale。　So　if　it　somehow　did　survive　the　impact；　why　is　it　still　there？　How　do　you　explain　this　geological　report　that　says　it　fell　thirty　million　years　ago；　was　buried　in　sediment；　and　is　only　now　being　exposed　through　erosion？〃
　McFarlane　settled　back　in　his　chair。　She　waited；　raising　her　eyebrows　quizzically。
　〃Have　you　ever　read　Sherlock　Holmes？〃　McFarlane　asked　with　a　smile　of　his　own。
　Amira　rolled　her　eyes。　〃You're　not　going　to　quote　that　old　saw　about　how　once　you've　eliminated　the　impossible；　whatever　remains；　no　matter　how　improbable；　must　be　the　truth　…　are　you？〃
　McFarlane　shot　a　surprised　glance　at　her。　〃Well；　isn't　it　true？〃
　Amira　smirked　her　triumph；　while　Rochefort　shook　his　head。
　〃So；　Dr。　McFarlane；〃　Amira　said　brightly；　〃is　that　your　source　of　scientific　authority？　Sir　Arthur　Conan　Doyle？〃
　McFarlane　exhaled　slowly。　〃Someone　else　collected　the　base　data。　I　can't　vouch　for　it。　All　I　can　say　is；　if　that　data's　accurate；　there's　no　other　explanation：　it's　a　meteorite。〃
　There　was　a　silence。　〃Someone　else's　data；〃　Amira　said；　cracking　another　shell　and　popping　the　nuts　into　her　mouth。　〃Would　that　be　a　Dr。　Masangkay；　by　chance？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃You　knew　each　other；　I　believe？〃
　〃We　were　partners。〃
　〃Ah。〃　Amira　nodded；　as　if　hearing　this　for　the　first　time。　〃And　so；　if　Dr。　Masangkay　collected　this　data；　you　have　a　high　degree　of　confidence　in　it？　You　trust　him？〃
　〃Absolutely。〃
　〃I　wonder　if　he'd　say　the　same　about　you；〃　Rochefort　said　in　his　quiet；　high；　clipped　voice。
　McFarlane　turned　his　head　and　looked　steadily　at　the　engineer。
　〃Let's　proceed；〃　Glinn　said。
　McFarlane　looked　away　from　Rochefort　and　tapped　his　portfolio　with　the　back　of　one　hand。　〃There's　an　enormous　circular　deposit　of　shocked　and　fused　coesite　on　that　island。　Right　in　the　center　is　a　dense　mass　of　ferromagnetic　material。〃
　〃A　natural　deposit　of　iron　ore；〃　said　Rochefort。
　〃The　flyover　indicates　a　reversal　of　the　sedimentary　strata　around　the　site。〃
　Amira　looked　puzzled。　〃A　what？〃
　〃Flipped　sedimentary　layers。〃
　Rochefort　sighed　heavily。　〃Signifying。。。　？〃
　〃When　a　large　meteorite　strikes　sedimentary　layers；　the　layers　get　reversed。〃
　Rochefort　continued　tapping　his　pencil。　〃How？　By　magic？〃
　McFarlane　looked　at　him　again；　longer　this　time。　〃Perhaps　Mr。　Rochefort　would　like　a　demonstration？〃
　〃I　would；〃　said　Rochefort。
　McFarlane　picked　up　his　sandwich。　He　examined　it；　smelled　it。　〃Peanut　butter　and　jelly？〃　He　made　a　face。
　〃May　we　just　have　the　demonstration；　please？〃　Rochefort　asked　in　a　tight；　exasperated　voice。
　〃Of　course。〃　McFarlane　placed　the　sandwich　on　the　table　between　himself　and　Rochefort。　Then　he　tilted　his　coffee　cup　and　carefully　poured　liquid　over　it。
　〃What　is　he　doing？〃　said　Rochefort；　turning　to　Glinn；　his　voice　high。　〃I　knew　this　was　a　mistake。　We　should　have　required　one　of　the　principals　to　e　in。〃
　McFarlane　held　up　his　hand。　〃Bear　with　me。　We're　just　preparing　our　sedimentary　deposit　here。〃　He　reached　for　another　sandwich　and　placed　it　on　top；　then　tipped　on　more　coffee　until　it　was　saturated。　〃There。　This　sandwich　is　the　sedimentary　deposit：　bread；　peanut　butter；　jelly；　more　bread；　in　layers。　And　my　fist〃　…　he　raised　his　hand　above　his　head　…　〃is　the　meteorite。〃
　He　brought　his　fist　down　on　the　sandwich　with　a　jarring　crash。
　〃For　Christ's　sake！〃　Rochefort　cried；　jumping　back；　his　shirt　splattered　with　peanut　butter。　He　stood　up；　flicking　bits　of　sodden　bread　from　his　arms。
　At　the　far　end　of　the　table；　Garza　sat　with　an　astonished　look　on　his　face。　Glinn　was　expressionless。
　〃Now；　let　us　examine　the　remains　of　the　sandwich　on　the　table；〃　McFarlane　continued　as　calmly　as　if　he　were　giving　a　college　lecture。　〃Please　note　that　all　the　pieces　have　been　flipped　over。　The　bottom　layer　of　bread　is　now　on　the　top；　the　peanut　butter　and　jelly　have　reversed　places；　and　the　top　layer　of　bread　is　now　on　the　bottom。　It's　what　a　meteorite　does　when　it　hits　sedimentary　rock：　it　pulverizes　the　layers；　flips　them　over；　and　lays　them　back　down　in　reversed　sequence。〃　He　glanced　at　Rochefort。　〃Any　further　questions　or　ments？〃
　〃This　is　outrageous；〃　said　Rochefort；　wiping　his　glasses　with　a　handkerchief。
　〃Sit　down；　please；　Mr。　Rochefort；〃　said　Glinn　quietly。　To　McFarlane's　surprise；　Amira　began　to　laugh：　a　deep；　smooth　laugh。　〃That　was　very　good；　Dr。　McFarlane。　Very　entertaining。　We　need　a　little　excitement　in　our　meetings。〃　She　turned　to　Rochefort。　〃If　you　had　ordered　club　sandwiches　like　I　suggested；　this　wouldn't　have　happened。〃
　Rochefort　scowled　as　he　returned　to　his　seat。
　〃Anyway；〃　said　McFarlane；　sitting　back　and　wiping　his　hand　with　a　napkin；　〃strata　reversal　means　only　one　thing：　a　massive　impact　crater。　Taken　together；　everything　points　to　a　meteorite　strike。　Now　if　you　have　a　better　explanation　for　what　is　down　there；　I'd　like　to　hear　it。〃
　He　waited。
　〃Perhaps　it's　an　alien　spaceship？〃　Garza　asked　hopefully。
　〃We　considered　that；　Manuel；〃　Amira　replied　dryly。
　〃And？〃
　〃Occam's　razor。　It　seemed　unlikely。〃
　Rochefort　was　still　cleaning　the　peanut　butter　from　his　glasses。　〃Speculation　is　useless。　Why　not　send　a　ground　party　to　check　it　out；　and　get　some　better　data？〃
　McFarlane　glanced　at　Glinn；　who　was　listening　with　halflidded　eyes。　〃Mr。　Lloyd　and　I　trust　the　data　we　have　in　hand。　And　he　doesn't　want　to　draw　any　more　attention　to　the　site　than　he　has　already。　With　good　reason。〃
　Garza　suddenly　spoke　up。　〃Yeah；　and　that　brings　up　the　second　problem　we　need　to　discuss：　how　we're　going　to　get　whatever　it　is　out　of　Chile。　I　believe　you're　familiar　with　that　sort　of　…　shall　we　say　…　operation？〃　
　More　polite　than　calling　it　smuggling；　McFarlane　thought。　Aloud；　he　said；　〃More　or　less。〃
　〃And　your　thoughts？〃
　〃It's　metal。　It's　basically　an　ore　body。　It　doesn't　fall　under　the　laws　of　cultural　patrimony。　At　my　remendation；　Lloyd　created　a　pany　that　is　in　the　process　of　acquiring　mineral　leases　to　the　island。　I　suggested　that　we　go　down　there　as　a　mining　operation；　dig　it　up；　and　ship　it　home。　There's　nothing　illegal　in　it　…　according　to　the　lawyers。〃
　Amira　smiled　again。　〃But　if　the　government　of　Chile　realized　this　was　the　world's　largest　meteorite　and　not　just　some　ordinary　iron　deposit；　it　might　take　a　dim　view　of　your　operation。〃
　〃A　'dim　view'　is　an　understatement。　We　might　all　get　shot。〃
　〃A　fate　you　barely　escaped　smuggling　the　Atacama　tektites　out　of　the　country；　right？〃　Garza　asked。
　Throughout　the　meeting；　Garza　had　remained　friendly；　showing　none　of　Rochefort's　hostility　or　Amira's　sardonic　attitude。　Still；　McFarlane　found　himself　coloring。　〃We　took　a　few　chances。　It's　part　of　the　job。〃
　〃So　it　seems。〃　Garza　laughed；　turning　over　the　sheets　in　his　folder。　〃I'm　amazed　you'd　consider　going　back　there。　This　project　could　create　an　international　incident。〃
　〃Once　Lloyd　unveils　the　meteorite　in　his　new　museum；〃　McFarlane　replied；　〃I　can　guarantee　you　there　will　be　an　international　incident。〃
　〃The　point；〃　Glinn　interjected　smoothly；　〃is　that　this　must　be　carried　out　in　secrecy。　What　happens　after　we　conclude　our　part　of　the　business　is　up　to　Mr。　Lloyd。〃
　Nobody　spoke　for　a　moment。
　〃There　is　one　other　question；〃　Glinn　continued　at　last。　〃About　your　ex…partner；　Dr。　Masangkay。〃　
　Here　it　es；　McFarlane　thought。　He　steeled　himself。
　〃Any　idea　what　killed　him？〃
　McFarlane　hesitated。　This　was　not　the　question　he'd　expected。　〃No　idea；〃　he　said　after　a　moment。　〃The　body　hasn't　been　recovered。　It　could　well　have　been　exposure　or　starvation。　That　climate　isn't　exactly　hospitable。〃
　〃But　there　were　no　medical　problems？　No　history　that　might　have　contributed？〃
　〃Malnutrition　as　a　kid。　Nothing　else。　Or　if　there　was；　I　didn't　know　about　it。　There　was　no　mention　of　illness　or　starvation　in　the　diary。〃
　McFarlane　watched　Glinn　page　through　his　folder。　The　meeting　seemed　to　be　over。　〃Lloyd　told　me　to　bring　back　an　answer；〃　he　said。
　Glinn　put　the　folder　aside。　〃It's　going　to　cost　a　million　dollars。〃
　McFarlane　was　momentarily　taken　aback。　The　amount　was　less　than　he　had　expected。　But　what　surprised　him　most　was　how　quickly　Glinn　had　arrived　at　it。　〃Naturally；　Mr。　Lloyd　will　have　to　sign　off；　but　that　seems　very