p&c.icelimit-第6部分

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　it　was　impressive　nonetheless。
　Thinking　of　the　pyramid　reminded　him　of　the　outrage　its　purchase　had　caused　in　the　archaeological　world；　and　he　glanced　up　at　the　newspaper　articles　and　magazine　covers　framed　on　a　nearby　wall。　〃Where　Have　All　the　Artifacts　Gone？〃　read　one；　acpanied　by　a　grotesque　caricature　of　Lloyd；　plete　with　shifty　eyes　and　slouch　hat；　slipping　a　miniature　pyramid　under　his　dark　cloak。　He　scanned　the　other　framed　headlines。　〃The　Hitler　of　Collectors？〃　read　one；　and　then　there　were　all　the　ones　decrying　his　recent　purchase：　〃Bones　of　Contention：　Paleontologists　Outraged　by　Sale。〃　And　a　Newsweek　cover：　〃What　Do　You　Do　with　Thirty　Billion？　Answer：　Buy　the　Earth。〃　The　wall　was　covered　with　them；　the　shrill　utterances　of　the　naysayers；　the　self…appointed　guardians　of　cultural　morality。　Lloyd　found　it　all　an　endless　source　of　amusement。
　A　small　chime　rang　on　a　flat　panel　laid　into　his　desk；　and　the　voice　of　his　secretary　fluted：　〃There's　a　Mr。　Glinn　to　see　you；　sir。〃
　〃Send　him　in。〃　Lloyd　didn't　bother　to　suppress　the　excitement　in　his　voice。　He　had　not　met　Eli　Glinn　before；　and　it　had　been　surprisingly　difficult　to　get　him　to　e　in　person。
　He　closely　observed　the　man　as　he　entered　the　office；　without　even　a　briefcase　in　his　hand；　sunburnt　face　expressionless。　Lloyd　had　found；　in　his　long　and　fruitful　business　career；　that　first　impressions；　if　carefully　made；　were　exceedingly　revealing。　He　took　in　the　close…cropped　brown　hair；　the　square　jaw；　the　thin　lips。　The　man　looked；　at　first　glance；　as　inscrutable　as　the　Sphinx。　There　was　nothing　distinctive　about　him；　nothing　that　gave　anything　away。　Even　his　gray　eyes　were　veiled；　cautious；　and　still。　Everything　about　him　looked　ordinary：　ordinary　height；　ordinary　build；　good…looking　but　not　handsome；　well…dressed　but　not　dapper。　His　only　unusual　feature；　Lloyd　thought；　was　the　way　he　moved。　His　shoes　made　no　sound　on　the　floor；　his　clothes　did　not　rustle　on　his　person；　his　limbs　moved　lightly　and　easily　through　the　air。　He　glided　through　the　room　like　a　deer　through　a　forest。
　And；　of　course；　there　was　nothing　ordinary　in　the　man's　resume。
　〃Mr。　Glinn；〃　Lloyd　said；　walking　toward　him　and　taking　his　hand。　〃Thank　you　for　ing。〃
　Glinn　nodded　silently；　shook　the　proffered　hand　with　a　shake　that　was　neither　too　long　nor　too　short；　neither　limp　nor　bone…crushingly　macho。　Lloyd　felt　moderately　disconcerted：　he　was　having　trouble　forming　that　invaluable　first　impression。　He　swept　his　hand　toward　the　window　and　the　sprawling；　half…finished　structures　beyond。　〃So。　What　do　you　think　of　my　museum？〃
　〃Large；〃　Glinn　said　without　smiling。
　Lloyd　laughed。　〃The　Getty　of　natural　history　museums。　Or　it　will　be；　soon　…　with　three　times　the　endowment。〃
　〃Interesting　that　you　decided　to　locate　it　here；　a　hundred　miles　from　the　city。〃
　〃A　nice　touch　of　hubris；　don't　you　think？　Actually；　I'm　doing　the　New　York　Museum　of　Natural　History　a　favor。　If　we'd　built　there　instead　of　up　here；　we'd　have　put　them　out　of　business　within　a　month。　But　since　we'll　have　the　biggest　and　the　best　of　everything；　they'll　be　reduced　to　serving　school　field　trips。〃　Lloyd　chuckled。　〃e　on；　Sam　McFarlane　is　waiting　for　us。　I'll　give　you　a　tour　on　the　way。〃
　〃Sam　McFarlane？〃
　〃He's　my　meteorite　expert。　Well；　he's　still　only　about　half　mine；　I'd　say；　but　I'm　working　on　him。　The　day　is　young。〃
　Lloyd　placed　a　hand　on　the　elbow　of　Glinn's　well…tailored　but　anonymous　dark　suit　…　the　material　was　better　than　he　expected　…　and　guided　him　back　through　the　outer　office；　down　a　sweeping　circular　ramp　of　granite　and　polished　marble；　and　along　a　large　corridor　toward　the　Crystal　Palace。　The　noise　was　much　louder　here；　and　their　footsteps　were　punctuated　by　shouts；　the　steady　cadence　of　nailguns；　and　the　stutter　of　jackhammers。
　With　barely　contained　enthusiasm；　Lloyd　pointed　out　the　sights　as　they　walked。　〃That's　the　diamond　hall；　there；〃　he　said；　waving　his　hand　toward　a　large　subterranean　space；　haloed　in　violet　light。　〃We　discovered　there　were　some　old　diggings　in　this　hillside；　so　we　tunneled　our　way　in　and　set　up　the　exhibit　within　an　entirely　natural　context。　It's　the　only　hall　in　any　major　museum　devoted　exclusively　to　diamonds。　But　since　we've　acquired　the　three　largest　specimens　in　the　world；　it　seemed　appropriate。　You　must　have　heard　about　how　we　snapped　up　the　Blue　Mandarin　from　De　Beers；　just　ahead　of　the　Japanese？〃　He　gave　a　wicked　chuckle　at　the　memory。
　〃I　read　the　papers；〃　Glinn　said　dryly。
　〃And　that；〃　said　Lloyd；　being　more　animated；　〃will　house　the　Gallery　of　Extinct　Life。　Passenger　pigeons；　a　dodo　bird　from　the　Galapagos；　even　a　mammoth　removed　from　the　Siberian　ice；　still　perfectly　frozen。　They　found　crushed　buttercups　in　its　mouth　…　remnants　of　its　last　meal。〃
　〃I　read　about　the　mammoth；　too；〃　Glinn　said。　〃Weren't　there　several　shootings　in　Siberia　in　the　aftermath　of　its　acquisition？〃
　Despite　the　pointedness　of　the　question；　Glinn's　tone　was　mild；　without　any　trace　of　censure；　and　Lloyd　didn't　pause　in　his　answer。　〃You'd　be　surprised；　Mr。　Glinn；　how　quickly　countries　waive　their　so…called　cultural　patrimony　when　large　sums　of　money　bee　involved。　Here；　I'll　show　you　what　I　mean。〃　He　beckoned　his　guest　forward；　through　a　half…pleted　archway　flanked　by　two　men　in　hard　hats；　into　a　darkened　hall　that　stretched　for　a　hundred　yards。　He　paused　to　flick　on　the　lights；　then　turned　with　a　grin。
　Before　them　stretched　a　hardened；　mudlike　surface。　Wandering　across　this　surface　were　two　sets　of　small　footprints。　It　looked　as　if　people　had　wandered　into　the　hall　while　the　cement　on　the　floor　was　setting。
　The　Laetoli　footprints；〃　Lloyd　said　reverently。
　Glinn　said　nothing。
　〃The　oldest　hominid　footprints　ever　discovered。　Think　about　it：　three　and　a　half　million　years　ago　our　first　bipedal　ancestors　made　those　footprints；　walking　across　a　layer　of　wet　volcanic　ash。　They're　unique。　Nobody　knew　that　Australopithecus　afarensis　walked　upright　until　these　were　found。　They're　the　earliest　proof　of　our　humanity；　Mr。　Glinn。〃
　〃The　Getty　Conservation　Institute　must　have　been　interested　to　hear　of　this　acquisition；〃　Glinn　said。
　Lloyd　looked　at　his　panion　more　carefully。　Glinn　was　an　exceptionally　difficult　man　to　read。　〃I　see　you've　done　your　homework。　The　Getty　wanted　to　leave　them　buried　in　situ。　How　long　do　you　think　that　would　have　lasted；　with　Tanzania　in　the　state　it's　in？〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃The　Getty　paid　one　million　dollars　to　cover　them　back　up。　I　paid　twenty　million　to　bring　them　here；　where　scholars　and　countless　visitors　can　benefit。〃
　Glinn　glanced　around　at　the　construction。　〃Speaking　of　scholars；　where　are　the　scientists？　I　see　a　lot　of　blue　collars；　but　very　few　white　coats。〃
　Lloyd　waved　his　hand。　〃I　bring　them　on　as　I　need　them。　For　the　most　part；　I　know　what　I　want　to　buy。　When　the　time　es；　though；　I'll　get　the　best。　I'll　stage　a　raiding　party　through　the　country's　curatorial　offices　that　will　leave　them　spinning。　It'll　be　just　like　Sherman　marching　to　the　sea。　The　New　York　Museum　won't　know　what　hit　them〃
　More　quickly　now；　Lloyd　directed　his　visitor　away　from　the　long　hallway　and　into　a　warren　of　corridors　that　angled　deeper　into　the　Palace。　At　the　end　of　one　corridor；　they　stopped　before　a　door　marked　CONFERENCE　ROOM　A。　Lounging　beside　the　door　was　Sam　McFarlane；　looking　every　inch　the　adventurer：　lean　and　rugged；　blue　eyes　faded　by　the　sun。　His　straw…colored　hair　had　a　faint　horizontal　ridge　to　it；　as　if　years　of　wearing　heavy…brimmed　hats　had　permanently　creased　it。　Just　looking　at　him；　Lloyd　could　see　why　the　man　had　never　taken　to　academia。　He　seemed　as　out　of　place　among　the　fluorescent　lights　and　drab…colored　labs　as　would　the　San　Bushmen　he　had　been　with　just　the　other　day。　Lloyd　noted；　with　satisfaction；　that　McFarlane　looked　tired。　No　doubt　he　had　gotten　very　little　sleep　over　the　last　two　days。
　Reaching　into　his　pocket；　Lloyd　withdrew　a　key　and　opened　the　door。　The　space　beyond　was　always　a　shock　to　first…time　visitors。　One…way　glass　covered　three　of　the　room's　walls；　looking　down　on　the　grand　entrance　to　the　museum：　a　vast　octagonal　space；　currently　empty；　in　the　very　center　of　the　Palace。　Lloyd　glanced　to　see　how　Glinn　would　take　it。　But　the