p&c.icelimit-第24部分

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ssed　with　it　as　he　did　with　the　Tornarssuk。。。　〃　Glinn　hesitated。　〃For　example；　if　we　ever　have　to　use　the　dead　man's　switch；　it　would　be　in　a　time　of　extreme　crisis。　Every　second　would　count。　I　don't　want　anybody　trying　to　prevent　it。〃
　〃And　my　role　in　this？〃
　〃You　have　a　background　in　psychiatry。　I　want　you　to　review　these　periodic　reports。　If　you　see　any　cause　for　concern　…　in　particular；　any　incipient　signs　of　a　break　like　his　last　one　…　please　let　me　know。〃
　Brambell　flipped　through　the　two　files　again；　the　old　one　and　the　new。　The　background　file　was　strange。　He　wondered　where　Glinn　had　gotten　the　information　…　very　little；　if　any；　was　standard　psychiatric　or　medical　stuff。　Many　of　the　reports　had　no　reporting　doctors'　names　or　affiliations　…　indeed；　some　had　no　names　at　all。　Whatever　the　source；　it　had　a　very　expensive　whiff　about　it。
　He　finally　looked　up　at　Glinn　and　slapped　the　folder　shut。　〃I'll　look　this　over；　and　I'll　keep　an　eye　on　him。　I'm　not　sure　my　take　on　what　happened　is　the　same　as　yours。〃
　Glinn　rose　to　leave；　his　gray　eyes　as　impenetrable　as　slate。　Brambell　found　it　unaccountably　irritating。
　〃And　the　Greenland　meteorite？〃　Brambell　asked。　〃Was　it　from　interstellar　space？〃
　〃Of　course　not。　It　turned　out　to　be　an　ordinary　rock　from　the　asteroid　belt。　McFarlane　was　wrong。〃
　〃And　the　wife？〃　Brambell　asked　after　a　moment。
　〃What　wife？〃
　〃McFarlane's　wife。　Malou　Masangkay。〃
　〃She　left　him。　Went　back　to　the　Philippines　and　remarried。〃
　In　a　moment；　Glinn　was　gone；　his　carefully　placed　footfalls　fading　down　the　corridor。　For　a　moment；　the　doctor　listened　to　the　dying　cadence；　thinking。　Then　a　line　of　Conrad's　came　to　mind。　He　spoke　it　aloud：　〃No　man　ever　understands　quite　his　own　artful　dodges　to　escape　from　the　grim　shadow　of　self…knowledge。〃
　With　a　sigh　of　returning　contentment；　he　put　aside　the　files　and　went　back　into　his　private　suite。　The　torpid　equatorial　climate；　as　well　as　something　about　Glinn　himself；　made　the　doctor　think　of　Maugham　…　the　short　stories；　to　be　exact。　He　ran　his　fingers　over　the　nubbed　spines　…　each　rekindling　a　universe　of　memory　and　emotion　as　it　passed　by　…　found　what　he　was　looking　for；　settled　into　a　large　wing　chair；　and　opened　the　cover　with　a　shiver　of　delight。
　
　Rolvaag；
　July　11；　7：55　A。M。
　
　MCFARLANE　ADVANCED　onto　the　parquet　deck　and　looked　around　curiously。　It　was　his　first　time　on　the　bridge；　and　this　was　without　question　the　most　dramatic　space　on　the　Rolvaag。　The　bridge　was　as　wide　as　the　ship　itself。　Three　sides　of　the　room　were　dominated　by　large　square　windows；　slanting　outward　from　bottom　to　top；　each　equipped　with　its　own　electric　wiper。　On　either　end；　doors　led　out　to　the　bridge　wings。　Other　doors　to　the　rear　were　labeled　CHART　ROOM　and　RADIO　ROOM　in　brass　letters。　Beneath　the　forward　windows；　a　bank　of　equipment　stretched　the　entire　length　of　the　bridge：　consoles；　rows　of　telephones；　links　to　control　stations　throughout　the　ship。　Beyond　the　windows；　a　predawn　squall　lay　across　stormy　deserts　of　ocean。　The　only　light　came　from　the　instrument　panels　and　screens。　A　smaller　row　of　windows　gave　a　view　aft；　between　the　stacks　and　past　the　stern　of　the　ship　to　the　white　double　lines　of　the　wake；　vanishing　toward　the　horizon。
　In　the　center　of　the　room　stood　a　mand…and…control　station。　Here；　McFarlane　saw　the　captain；　a　dim　figure　in　the　near…darkness。　She　was　speaking　into　a　telephone；　occasionally　leaning　over　to　murmur　to　the　helmsman　beside　her；　the　hollows　of　his　eyes　illuminated　a　cold　green　by　his　radar　screen。
　As　McFarlane　joined　the　silent　vigil；　the　squall　began　to　break　up　and　a　gray　dawn　crept　over　the　horizon。　A　single　deckhand　moved　antlike　across　the　distant　forecastle；　bound　on　obscure　business。　Above　the　creamy　bow…wake；　a　few　persistent　seabirds　wheeled　and　screamed。　It　was　a　shocking　contrast　to　the　torrid　tropics；　which　they　had　left　behind　less　than　a　week　before。
　After　the　Rolvaag　had　crossed　the　equator；　in　sultry　heat　and　heavy　rains；　a　lassitude　had　fallen　over　the　ship。　McFarlane　had　felt　it；　too：　yawning　over　games　of　shuffleboard；　lolling　in　his　suite；　staring　at　the　butternut　walls。　But　as　they　continued　south；　the　air　had　grown　crisper；　the　ocean　swells　longer　and　heavier；　and　the　pearlescent　sky　of　the　tropics　had　given　way　to　brilliant　azure；　flecked　with　clouds。　As　the　air　freshened；　he　sensed　that　the　general　malaise　was　being　replaced　by　amounting　excitement。
　The　door　to　the　bridge　opened　once　again；　and　two　figures　entered：　a　third　officer；　taking　the　morning　eight…to…twelve；　and　Eli　Glinn。　He　came　silently　up　to　McFarlane's　side。
　〃What's　this　all　about？〃　McFarlane　asked　under　his　breath。
　Before　Glinn　could　answer；　there　was　a　soft　click　from　behind。　McFarlane　glanced　back　to　see　Victor　Howell　step　out　of　the　radio　room　and　look　on　as　the　watch　was　relieved。
　The　third　officer　came　over　and　murmured　something　in　the　captain's　ear。　In　turn；　she　glanced　at　Glinn。　〃Keep　an　eye　off　the　starboard　bow；〃　she　said；　nodding　out　toward　the　horizon；　which　lay　like　a　knife　edge　against　the　sky。
　As　the　sky　lightened；　the　swells　and　hollows　of　the　heaving　sea　became　more　clearly　defined。　A　spear　of　dawn　light　probed　through　the　heavy　canopy　of　clouds　off　the　ship's　starboard　bow。　Stepping　away　from　the　helmsman；　the　captain　strolled　to　the　forward　wall　of　windows；　hands　clasped　behind　her　back。　As　she　did　so；　another　ray　of　light　clipped　the　tops　of　the　clouds。　And　then；　abruptly；　the　entire　western　horizon　lit　up　like　an　eruption　of　fire。　McFarlane　squinted；　trying　to　understand　what　it　was　he　was　staring　at。　Then　he　made　it　out：　a　row　of　great　snowcapped　peaks；　wreathed　inglaciers；　ablaze　in　the　dawn。
　The　captain　turned　and　faced　the　group。　〃Land　ho；〃　she　said　dryly。　〃The　mountains　of　Tierra　del　Fuego。　Within　a　few　hours；　we'll　pass　through　the　Strait　of　Le　Maire　and　into　the　Pacific　Ocean。〃　She　passed　a　pair　of　binoculars　to　McFarlane。
　McFarlane　stared　at　the　range　of　mountains　through　the　binoculars：　distant　and　forbidding；　like　the　ramparts　of　a　lost　continent；　the　peaks　shedding　long　veils　of　snow。
　Glinn　straightened　his　shoulders；　turned　away　from　the　sight；　and　glanced　at　Victor　Howell。　The　chief　mate　strolled　over　to　a　technician　at　the　far　end　of　the　bridge；　who　quickly　stood　up　and　disappeared　out　the　door　onto　the　starboard　bridge　wing。　Howell　returned　to　the　mand　station。　〃Give　yourself　fifteen　for　coffee；〃　he　said　to　the　third　officer。　〃I'll　take　the　con。〃
　The　junior　officer　looked　from　Howell　to　the　captain；　surprised　by　this　break　from　procedure。　〃Do　you　want　me　to　enter　it　in　the　log；　ma'am？〃　he　asked。
　Britton　shook　her　head。　〃Unnecessary。　Just　be　back　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour。〃
　Once　the　man　had　disappeared　from　the　bridge；　the　captain　turned　to　Howell。　〃Is　Banks　ready　with　the　New　York　hookup？〃　she　asked。
　The　chief　mate　nodded。　〃We've　got　Mr。　Lloyd　waiting。〃
　〃Very　well。　Patch　him　through。〃
　McFarlane　stifled　a　sigh。　Isn't　once　a　day　enough？　he　thought。　He　had　almost　grown　to　dread　the　noon　videoconference　calls　he　made　daily　to　the　Lloyd　Museum。　Lloyd　was　always　talking　a　mile　a　minute；　desperate　to　learn　of　the　ship's　progress　down　to　the　nautical　mile；　grilling　everyone　at　length；　hatching　schemes　and　questioning　every　plan。　McFarlane　marveled　at　Glinn's　patience。
　There　was　a　crackling　noise　in　a　loudspeaker　bolted　to　a　bulkhead；　then　McFarlane　heard　Lloyd's　voice；　loud　even　in　the　spacious　bridge。　〃Sam？　Sam；　are　you　there？〃
　〃This　is　Captain　Britton；　Mr。　Lloyd；〃　Britton　said；　motioning　the　others　toward　a　microphone　at　the　mand　station。　〃The　coast　of　Chile　is　in　sight。　We're　a　day　out　of　Puerto　Williams。〃
　〃Marvelous！〃　Lloyd　boomed。
　Glinn　approached　the　microphone。　〃Mr。　Lloyd；　it's　Eli　Glinn。　Tomorrow　we　clear　Chilean　customs。　Dr。　McFarlane；　myself；　and　the　captain　will　take　a　launch　into　Puerto　Williams　to　present　ship's　papers。〃
　〃Is　that　necessary？〃　Lloyd　asked。　〃Why　must　you　all　go？〃
　〃Let　me　explain　the　situation。　The　first　problem　is　that　the　customs　people　will　probably　want　to　e　on　board　the　ship。〃
　〃Jesus；〃　came　Lloyd's　voice。　〃That　could　give　the　whole　game　away。〃
　〃Potentially。　That　is　why　our　first　effort　will　be　to　prevent