p&c.icelimit-第49部分

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g　in　ways　you　will　never　know。　But　I　was　hired　to　retrieve　this　meteorite；　and　that's　what　I　intend　to　do。　I　can't　afford　to　let　personal　feelings　cloud　my　judgment　or　weaken　my　resolve。〃
　Suddenly　Britton　spoke　up。　McFarlane　could　see　outrage　glittering　in　her　eyes。　〃Tell　me；　Mr。　Glinn。　Just　how　many　others　have　you　calculated　need　to　die　before　we　bring　the　Desolacion　meteorite　home？〃
　For　the　briefest　of　moments；　Glinn's　neutral　veneer　seemed　to　slip　at　this　salvo　from　an　unexpected　direction。　〃None；　if　I　can　help　it；〃　he　said　more　coldly。　〃We　will　do　everything　in　our　power　to　prevent　anyone　from　getting　hurt　or　killed。　And　your　implication　that　I　find　a　certain　number　of　deaths　acceptable　only　shows　your　ignorance　of　risk　assessment。　The　point　is　this：　no　matter　how　careful　we　are；　there　may　be　casualties。　It's　like　flying：　despite　everyone's　best　efforts；　planes　crash。　You　can　calculate　the　probable　death　rate　for　any　particular　flight。　But　we　still　continue　to　fly。　That　decision　to　keep　flying　doesn't　make　the　deaths　any　more　acceptable。　Do　I　make　myself　understood？〃
　Britton　stared　fixedly　at　Glinn　but　said　nothing　further。
　Then　Glinn's　voice　suddenly　became　gentle。　〃Your　concerns　are　genuine；　and　understandable。　I　appreciate　that。〃　He　turned；　and　his　voice　hardened　slightly。　〃But　Dr。　McFarlane；　we　can't　retrieve　this　meteorite　by　half　measures。〃
　McFarlane　flushed。　〃I　don't　want　anyone　else　getting　hurt。　That's　not　the　way　I　operate。〃
　〃I　can't　make　that　promise；〃　Glinn　said。　〃You；　of　all　people；　know　how　unique　this　meteorite　is。　You　can't　assign　it　a　value　in　dollars；　and　you　can't　assign　it　a　value　in　human　life。　It　all　boils　down　to　the　one　question；　which　I　will　direct　to　you　as　the　representative　of　the　Lloyd　Museum　…　do　you　still　want　it？〃　
　McFarlane　glanced　around　the　room。　All　eyes　had　turned　toward　him。　In　the　silence　that　followed；　he　realized　he　could　not　bring　himself　to　answer　the　question。
　After　a　moment；　Glinn　nodded　slowly。　〃We'll　recover　the　bodies　and　give　them　a　heroes'　burial　when　we　return　to　New　York。〃
　Dr。　Brambell　cleared　his　throat；　and　his　querulous　Irish　voice　sang　out。　〃I'm　afraid；　Mr。　Glinn；　there　won't　be　anything　more　to　bury　than；　ah；　two　boxes　of　wet　dirt。〃
　Glinn　darted　Brambell　an　icy　look。　〃Do　you　have　anything　else　of　substance　to　add；　Doctor？〃
　Brambell　crossed　one　green…smocked　leg　over　the　other　and　tented　his　fingers。　〃I　can　tell　you　how　Dr。　Masangkay　died。〃
　There　was　a　sudden　hush。
　〃Go　on；〃　said　Glinn　finally。
　〃He　was　struck　by　a　bolt　of　lightning。〃
　McFarlane　struggled　to　absorb　this。　His　old　partner；　at　the　very　moment　of　making　the　discovery　of　a　lifetime　…　struck　and　killed　by　lightning？　It　seemed　like　something　out　of　a　bad　novel。　And　yet　in　hindsight；　it　made　sense。　The　fulgurites　he'd　seen　at　the　site　were　a　tip…off。　On　top　of　everything　else；　the　meteorite　was　a　gigantic　lightning　rod。
　〃Your　evidence？〃　Glinn　asked。
　〃The　bones　were　burned　in　a　pattern　that　suggested　lightning　…　a　massive　charge　of　electricity　passing　through　the　body。　I've　seen　it　before。　And　only　an　electrical　blast　on　the　order　of　lightning　could　cause　the　kind　of　scaling　and　shattering　those　bones　evidenced。　Lightning；　you　see；　not　only　burns　bones　and　instantly　boils　the　blood；　causing　an　explosive　release　of　steam；　but　it　also　triggers　sudden　muscle　contractions　that　shatter　bones。　In　some　cases；　it　strikes　the　body　with　such　force　that　it　mimics；　say；　being　hit　by　a　truck。　Dr。　Masangkay's　body　virtually　exploded。〃
　The　doctor　dawdled　over　the　word　〃exploded；〃　lingering　on　each　syllable　with　a　loving　drawl。　McFarlane　shuddered。
　〃Thank　you；　Doctor；〃　said　Glinn　dryly。　〃I　will　also　be　eager　to　hear　your　analysis　of　the　biota　found　in　the　eighty　bags　of　sample　earth　we　removed　from　the　vicinity　of　the　meteorite。　I'll　have　them　sent　down　to　the　medical　lab　right　away。〃
　Glinn　opened　his　folder。　〃If　the　meteorite　attracts　lightning；　that's　yet　another　reason　to　keep　it　covered。　Let's　move　on。　A　moment　ago；　I　said　we　could　proceed　on　schedule。　There　will；　however；　have　to　be　some　adjustments。　For　example；　the　weight　of　the　meteorite　is　so　great　that　we　are　now　forced　to　take　the　absolute　shortest　path　from　the　impact　site　to　the　ship。　That　means　bringing　the　meteorite　through　the　snowfield；　rather　than　around　it。　The　meteorite　can　only　be　moved　in　a　straight　line；　along　a　slope　of　constant　descent。　It　won't　be　easy；　and　it　will　mean　a　lot　of　cutting　and　filling；　but　it　can　be　done。　Also；　Captain　Britton　has　advised　me　that　a　winter　storm　is　moving　in　our　direction。　If　it　stays　on　course；　we　will　have　to　factor　it　into　our　plans。　To　a　certain　extent；　the　cover　will　be　wele。〃　He　stood　up。　〃I'll　be　preparing　letters　for　the　family　of　Gene　Rochefort　and　for　the　widow　of　Frank　Evans。　If　any　of　you　would　like　to　include　a　personal　note；　please　get　it　to　me　before　we　dock　in　New　York。　And　now；　one　final　thing。〃
　He　glanced　at　McFarlane。　〃You　told　me　that　the　coesite　and　impactite　around　the　meteorite　was　formed　thirty…two　million　years　ago。〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　McFarlane。
　〃I　want　you　to　collect　samples　of　the　basalt　flows　and　volcanic　plug　beyond　the　camp　and　date　them　as　well。　We　clearly　need　to　know　more　about　the　geology　of　this　island。　Did　your　second　series　of　tests　bring　about　any　fresh　conclusions？〃
　〃Only　fresh　puzzles。〃
　〃In　that　case；　island　geology　will　be　your　next　project。〃　He　looked　around。　〃Anything　else　before　we　get　back　to　work？〃
　〃Yes；　guv；〃　came　the　reedy　voice　from　the　corner　of　the　library。　It　was　Puppup；　forgotten　by　all。　He　was　sitting　in　a　straight…backed　chair；　hair　disheveled；　raising　his　hand　and　waving　it　like　a　schoolboy。
　〃Yes？〃　Glinn　asked。
　〃You　said　that　two　people　died。〃
　Glinn　did　not　answer。　McFarlane；　watching；　noticed　that　Glinn　did　not　meet　Puppup's　eyes　in　the　way　he　met　everyone　else's。
　〃You　said　that　maybe　some　more　people　are　going　to　die。〃
　〃I　said　nothing　of　the　sort；〃　said　Glinn　crisply。　〃Now；　if　we're　finished　here　…　〃
　〃What　happens　if　everybody　dies？〃　Puppup　asked；　his　voice　suddenly　loud。
　There　was　an　awkward　moment。
　〃Damn　lunatic；〃　Garza　muttered　under　his　breath。
　Puppup　merely　pointed　out　the　grimy　window。　All　eyes　turned。
　Just　beyond　the　rocky　outline　of　Isla　Deceit；　dark　against　the　failing　sky；　the　gaunt　prow　of　a　destroyer　was　easing　into　view；　its　guns　trained　on　the　tanker。
　
　Rolvaag；
　12：25　P。M。
　
　GLINNSLIPPED　a　hand　into　his　pocket；　withdrew　a　pair　of　miniature　binoculars；　and　examined　the　ship。　He　had　expected　Vallenar　to　make　another　move；　and　this；　apparently；　was　it。
　Britton　leapt　out　of　her　seat　and　strode　to　the　window。　〃He　looks　like　he's　about　to　blow　us　out　of　the　water；〃　she　said。
　Glinn　first　examined　the　masts；　and　then　the　four…inch　guns。　He　lowered　the　binoculars。　〃It's　a　bluff。〃
　〃How　do　you　know　that？〃
　〃Check　your　Slick　32。〃
　Britton　turned　to　Howell。
　〃Slick　shows　no　fire…control　radar　active　along　that　line　of　bearing。〃
　Britton　glanced　back　at　Glinn　with　a　curious　expression　in　her　face。
　Glinn　handed　her　the　binoculars。　〃He's　pointing　the　guns　at　us；　but　he　has　no　intention　of　firing　them。　You'll　notice　the　fire…control　radars　aren't　rotating。〃
　〃So　I　see。〃　Britton　returned　the　binoculars。　〃Stations　fore　and　aft；　Mr。　Howell。〃
　〃Mr。　Garza；　will　you　make　sure　our　reception　room　is　ready；　just　in　case？〃　Glinn　pocketed　the　binoculars　and　glanced　at　Puppup。　The　mestizo　had　slumped　back　in　his　chair　and　was　stroking　his　long；　drooping　mustaches。　〃Mr。　Puppup；　I　would　like　to　take　a　turn　with　you　on　deck；　if　you　please。〃
　Puppup's　expression　did　not　change。　He　stood　and　followed　Glinn　out　of　the　library　and　down　the　wide　corridor。　Outside；　a　bitter　wind　blew　across　the　bay；　raising　dancing　whitecaps。　Pieces　of　ice　skittered　across　the　deck。　Glinn　walked　ahead；　the　little　old　man　at　his　heels；　until　they　reached　the　great　rise　of　the　bow。　Here；　Glinn　stopped　and　leaned　against　an　anchor　windlass；　gazing　out　at　the　distant　destroyer。　Now　that　Vallenar　had　made　his　move；　the　problem　would　be　to　anticipate　his　future　actions。　Glinn　glanced　covertly　at　Puppup。　The　only　person　on　board　who　could　shed　light　on　Vallenar　was　the　one　he　unders