p&c.icelimit-第31部分

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　〃What　is　that；　four？〃　Amira　asked。
　〃Five；　I　think。〃　As　the　Rolvaag　headed　south　from　Puerto　Williams　toward　Cape　Horn；　the　sightings　of　giant　shipwrecks　had　grown　more　frequent。　Some　were　almost　as　large　as　the　Rolvaag。　The　area　was　a　veritable　graveyard　of　shipping；　and　the　sight　no　longer　brought　any　surprise。
　Britton　had　by　now　rounded　the　bow　and　was　heading　in　their　direction。
　〃Here　she　es；〃　said　Amira。
　As　Britton　drew　up　to　them；　she　slowed；　jogging　in　place。　Britton's　warm…up　suit　was　damp　with　sleet　and　rain；　and　it　clung　to　her　body。　Equation　of　state；　McFarlane　thought　to　himself。
　〃I　wanted　to　let　you　know　that；　at　nine　o'clock；　I'm　going　to　issue　a　deck　safety…harness　order；〃　she　said。
　〃Why's　that？〃　McFarlane　asked。
　〃A　squall　is　ing。〃
　〃ing？〃　Amira　said　with　a　bleak　laugh。　〃It　looks　like　it's　already　here。〃
　〃As　we　head　out　of　the　lee　of　Isla　Navarino；　we're　going　to　be　heading　into　a　gale。　Nobody　will　be　allowed　on　deck　without　a　harness。〃　Britton　had　answered　Amira's　question；　but　she　was　looking　at　McFarlane。
　〃Thanks　for　the　warning；〃　McFarlane　said。　Britton　nodded　to　him；　then　jogged　away。　In　a　minute　she　was　gone。
　〃What　is　it　you　have　against　her？〃　McFarlane　said。
　Amira　was　silent　a　moment。　〃Something　about　Britton　bugs　me。　She's　too　perfect。〃
　〃I　think　that's　what　they　call　an　air　of　mand。〃
　〃And　it　seemed　so　unfair；　the　whole　ship　suffering　because　of　her　booze　problem。〃
　〃It　was　Glinn's　decision；〃　said　McFarlane。
　After　a　moment；　Amira　sighed　and　shook　her　head。　〃Yeah；　that's　vintage　Eli；　isn't　it？　You　can　bet　there's　an　unbroken　line　of　impeccable　logic　leading　up　to　that　decision。　He　just　hasn't　told　anybody　what　it　is。〃
　McFarlane　shivered　under　a　fresh　blast　of　wind。　〃Well；　I've　had　enough　sea　air　to　last　awhile。　Shall　we　get　some　breakfast？〃
　Amira　let　out　a　groan。　〃You　go　ahead；　I'll　wait　here　awhile　longer。　Sooner　or　later；　something's　bound　to　e　up。〃
　
　After　breakfast；　McFarlane　headed　to　the　ship's　library；　where　Glinn　had　asked　to　meet　him。　The　library；　like　everything　about　the　vessel；　was　large。　Windows；　streaked　with　sleet；　covered　one　wall。　Beyond　and　far　below；　he　could　see　snow　driving　almost　horizontally；　whirling　into　the　black　water。
　The　shelves　contained　a　wide　assortment　of　books：　nautical　texts　and　treatises；　encyclopedias；　Reader's　Digest　condensations；　forgotten　best…sellers。　He　browsed　through　them；　waiting　for　Glinn；　feeling　unsettled。　The　closer　they　got　to　Isla　Desolacion　…　to　the　spot　where　Masangkay　died　…　the　more　restless　he　became。　They　were　very　close　now。　Today；　they　would　round　the　Horn　and　anchor　in　the　Horn　Islands　at　last。
　McFarlane's　fingers　stopped　at　the　slender　volume：　The　Narrative　of　Arthur　Gordon　Pym　of　Nantucket。　This　was　the　Edgar　Allan　Poe　title　Britton　mentioned　at　dinner　that　first　night　at　sea。　Curious；　he　took　it　to　the　nearest　sofa。　The　dark　leather　felt　slippery　as　he　settled　into　it　and　cracked　the　book。　The　pleasant　smell　of　buckram　and　old　paper　rose　to　his　nostrils。
　My　name　is　Arthur　Gordon　Pym。　My　father　was　a　respectable　trader　in　sea　stores　at　Nantucket；　where　I　was　born。　My　maternal　grandfather　was　an　attorney　in　good　practice。　He　was　fortunate　in　everything；　and　had　speculated　very　successfully　in　stocks　of　the　Edgarton　New…Bank；　as　it　was　formerly　called。
　
　This　was　a　disappointingly　dry　beginning；　and　it　was　with　relief　that　he　saw　the　door　open　and　Glinn　enter。　Behind　him　followed　Puppup；　ducking　and　smiling；　barely　recognizable　from　the　drunk　they　had　brought　on　board　the　previous　afternoon。　His　long　gray　hair　was　braided　back　from　his　forehead；　and　the　neatly　groomed　but　still　wispy　mustache　drooped　from　his　pendulous　lip。
　〃Sorry　to　have　kept　you　waiting；〃　Glinn　said。　〃I've　been　speaking　to　Mr。　Puppup。　He　seems　content　to　assist　us。〃　Puppup　grinned　and　shook　hands　all　around　again。　McFarlane　found　his　hand　curiously　cool　and　dry。
　〃e　to　the　windows；〃　Glinn　said。　McFarlane　strolled　over　and　gazed　out。　Through　the　torn　and　roiling　mists　he　could　now　make　out；　to　the　northeast；　a　barren　island　rising　from　the　water；　little　more　than　the　jagged　top　of　a　drowned　mountain；　white　surf　clawing　and　leaping　at　its　base。
　〃That；〃　murmured　Glinn；　〃is　Isla　Barnevelt。　〃
　A　distant　squall　line　passed；　like　the　drawing　of　a　curtain　from　the　storm…wracked　horizon。　Another　island　came　into　view：　black；　rugged；　its　mountainous　heights　whirling　with　snow　and　fog。
　〃And　that　is　Isla　Deceit。　The　easternmost　of　the　Cape　Horn　islands。〃
　Beyond　it；　the　fresh　light　exposed　another　wilderness　of　drowned　mountaintops　poking　from　the　sea。　As　they　watched；　the　light　was　extinguished　as　quickly　as　it　had　e。　Midnight　seemed　to　close　around　the　vessel；　and　another　squall　struck　them　full　on；　its　fury　battering　the　windows；　hail　rattling　off　the　ship　like　machine　gun　fire。　McFarlane　felt　the　big　ship　lean。
　Glinn　withdrew　a　folded　piece　of　paper。　〃I　received　this　message　half　an　hour　ago。〃　He　handed　it　to　McFarlane。
　McFarlane　unfolded　it　curiously。　It　was　a　brief　cable：　On　no　account　are　you　to　make　landfall　on　the　target　island　without　further　instructions　from　me。　Lloyd。　
　McFarlane　handed　it　back　to　Glinn；　who　returned　it　to　his　pocket。　〃Lloyd's　told　me　nothing　about　his　plans。　What　do　you　think　it　means？　And　why　not　simply　telephone　or　e…mail？〃
　〃Because　he　may　not　be　near　a　telephone。〃　Glinn　drew　himself　up。　〃The　view　from　the　bridge　is　even　nicer。　Care　to　e　along？〃
　Somehow；　McFarlane　did　not　think　the　EES　head　was　interested　in　the　view。　He　followed。　Glinn　was　correct；　however：　from　the　bridge；　the　fury　of　the　seas　was　even　more　awe…inspiring。　Angry　black　waves　broke　and　fought　among　themselves；　and　the　wind　worried　at　their　tops　and　ran　deep　runnels　through　their　troughs。　As　McFarlane　watched；　the　Rolvaag's　forecastle　nodded　downward　into　a　massive　sea；　then　struggled　up　again；　sheets　of　seawater　cascading　from　its　flanks。
　Britton　turned　toward　them；　her　face　spectral　in　the　artificial　glow。　〃I　see　you've　brought　the　pilot；〃　she　said；　glancing　a　little　dubiously　toward　Puppup。　〃Once　we　round　the　Horn；　we'll　see　what　advice　he　can　give　us　for　the　approach。〃
　At　her　side；　Victor　Howell　stirred。　〃There　it　is　now；〃　he　said。　Far　ahead　of　the　ship；　a　break　in　the　storm　threw　a　gleam　of　light　upon　a　fissured　crag；　taller　and　darker　than　the　others；　rising　from　the　frantic　seas。
　〃Cabo　de　Hornos；〃　said　Glinn。　〃Cape　Horn。　But　I've　e　about　something　else。　We　should　expect　a　visitor　momentarily…〃
　〃Captain！〃　the　third　officer　interrupted；　bent　over　a　screen。　〃The　Slick　32　is　picking　up　radar。　I've　got　an　air　contact；　approaching　from　the　northeast。〃
　〃Bearing？〃
　〃Zero　four　zero　true；　ma'am。　Directly　for　us。〃
　The　air　on　the　bridge　grew　tense。　Victor　Howell　walked　quickly　to　the　third　officer　and　peered　over　his　shoulder　at　the　screen。
　〃Range　and　speed？〃　Britton　asked。
　〃Forty　miles；　and　approaching　at　about　one　hundred　and　seventy　knots；　ma'am。〃
　〃Reconnaissance　aircraft？〃
　Howell　straightened　up。　〃In　this　weather？〃
　A　wild　gust　of　wind　sent　rain　rattling　against　the　windows。
　〃Well；　it　sure　isn't　some　hobbyist　in　a　Cessna；〃　Britton　murmured。　〃Could　it　be　a　mercial　aircraft；　straying　off　course？〃
　〃Unlikely。　The　only　things　that　fly　down　here　are　chartered　puddle　jumpers。　And　they'd　never　be　up　in　something　like　this。〃
　Nobody　answered。　Except　for　the　howl　of　the　wind　and　the　crash　of　the　sea；　the　bridge　remained　pletely　silent　for　the　space　of　a　minute。
　〃Bearing？〃　the　captain　asked　again；　more　quietly。　〃Still　dead　on；　ma'am。〃
　She　nodded　slowly。　〃Very　well。　Sound　stations；　Mr。　Howell。〃
　Suddenly；　the　munications　officer；　Banks；　leaned　out　of　the　radio　room。　〃That　bird　out　there？　It's　a　Lloyd　Holdings　helicopter。〃
　〃Are　you　sure？〃　Britton　asked。
　〃I've　verified　the　call　sign。〃　〃Mr。　Banks；　contact　that　chopper。〃
　Glinn　cleared　his　throat。　As　McFarlane　watched；　he　replaced　the　folded　sheet　into　his　jacket。　Throughout　the　sudden　excitement　he　had　shown　neither　alarm　nor　surprise。　〃I　think；〃　he　said　quietly；　〃you　had　better　prepare　a　landing　area。〃
　The　captain　stared　at　him。　〃In　this　weather？〃
　Banks　stepped　back　out　of　the　radio　room。　〃They're　reque