atlantis.found-第39部分

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artisans　of　great　skill。
　　　　　Gunn　studied　the　mummies　closely。　He　was　amazed　at　the　art　of　mummification。　It　looked　technically　superior　to　that　of　the　Egyptians。　〃No　sign　of　violent　deaths。　They　all　looked　like　they　died　in　their　sleep。　I　can't　believe　they　all　came　to　this　place　to　die　together；　alone　and　forgotten。〃
　　　　　〃Somebody　had　to　be　alive　to　prop　them　up　in　the　chairs；〃　observed　Giordino。
　　　　　〃That's　true。〃　Gunn　made　a　sweeping　motion　around　the　chamber　with　one　hand。　〃Notice　that　none　are　in　quite　the　same　position。　Some　have　hands　in　the　lap；　others　have　hands　on　the　arms　of　their　chairs。　The　king　and　queen；　or　whatever　their　station　in　life；　have　their　heads　resting　on　one　upraised　hand　as　if　contemplating　their　destiny。〃
　　　　　〃You're　going　theatrical　on　me；〃　Giordino　muttered。
　　　　　〃Don't　you　feel　like　Howard　Carter　when　he　first　looked　inside　King　Tut's　tomb？〃
　　　　　〃Howard　was　lucky。　He　found　something　we　didn't。〃
　　　　　〃What's　that？〃
　　　　　〃Look　around　you。　No　gold。　No　silver。　If　these　people　were　related　to　Tut；　they　must　have　been　his　poor　relations。　It　looks　as　if　copper　was　their　prized　metal。〃
　　　　　〃I　wonder　when　they　took　eternal　refuge　here；〃　Gunn　reflected　quietly。
　　　　　〃Better　you　should　ask　why；〃　stated　Giordino。　〃I'll　get　the　camera　out　of　my　backpack　so　we　can　record　this　place　and　go　home。　Fooling　around　in　sepulchral　crypts　upsets　my　delicate　stomach。〃
　　　　　For　the　next　five　hours；　while　Giordino　recorded　every　square　inch　of　the　chamber　with　his　camera；　Gunn　described　what　he　saw　in　accurate　detail　into　a　small　tape　recorder。　He　also　catalogued　every　artifact　in　a　notebook。　Nothing　was　touched；　and　everything　was　left　in　its　place。　Their　effort　wasn't　perhaps　as　scientific　as　that　of　a　team　of　archaeologists　might　have　been；　but　for　rank　amateurs　working　under　difficult　conditions；　they　did　a　mendable　job。　It　would　be　left　for　others；　the　historical　experts；　to　solve　the　mysteries　and　identify　the　tomb's　occupants。
　　　　　When　they　finished；　it　was　late　afternoon。　After　crawling　back　through　the　opening　at　the　cave…in　and　entering　the　room　with　the　bones　of　the　castaway；　Gunn　noticed　Giordino　wasn't　with　him。　He　returned　to　where　the　ceiling　of　the　tunnel　had　collapsed　and　found　Giordino　furiously　lifting　rocks　back　into　the　hole；　effectively　sealing　it。
　　　　　〃What　are　you　doing　that　for？〃　he　asked。
　　　　　Giordino　paused　to　stare　at　him；　sweat…streaked　with　dust　running　down　his　face。　〃I'm　not　about　to　give　the　next　guy　a　free　ticket。　Whoever　wants　to　get　into　the　tomb　next　will　have　to　work　for　it　the　same　as　we　did。〃
　　　　　The　two　men　made　surprisingly　good　time　on　the　return　trip　to　the　aircraft。　Although　the　rain　and　wind　had　eased　considerably　and　most　of　the　trip　was　downhill；　only　the　final　fifty　yards　dictated　a　climb。　They　were　only　a　short　distance　from　the　tilt…rotor；　negotiating　a　narrow　ledge；　when　suddenly　an　orange　column　of　flame　blossomed　and　streaked　up　into　the　damp　air。　There　was　no　great　thunderclap　or　earsplitting　crack。　The　sound　of　the　explosion　sounded　more　like　a　firecracker　exploding　inside　a　tin　can。　Then；　as　quickly　as　it　burst；　the　ball　of　flame　blinked　out；　leaving　a　pillar　of　smoke　spiraling　toward　the　dark　clouds。
　　　　　Giordino　and　Gunn　watched　helplessly　and　in　shock　as　the　tilt…rotor　burst　open　like　a　cantaloupe　dropped　from　a　great　height　onto　a　sidewalk。　Debris　was　hurled　into　the　air；　as　the　shattered　and　smoldering　remains　of　the　aircraft　toppled　over　the　ledge　and　crumpled　down　the　slope；　scattering　a　trail　of　metal　scraps　before　plunging　past　the　cliffs　and　splashing　into　the　breakers　that　crashed　against　the　island。
　　　　　The　tearing　grind　of　metal　being　shredded　against　rocks　died　away；　and　the　two　men　stood　rooted；　neither　talking　for　nearly　a　minute。　Gunn　was　stricken；　his　eyes　staring　in　disbelief。　Giordino's　reaction　was　just　the　opposite。　He　was　mad；　damned　mad；　his　hands　clenched；　his　face　white　with　fury。
　　　　　〃Impossible；〃　Gunn　mumbled　at　last。　〃There　is　no　boat　in　sight；　no　place　for　another　aircraft　to　land。　It's　impossible　for　someone　to　have　put　a　bomb　in　the　plane　and　escaped　without　us　knowing。〃
　　　　　〃The　bomb　was　placed　inside　the　plane　before　we　took　off　from　Cape　Town；〃　said　Giordino；　his　tone　like　ice。　〃Set　and　timed　to　detonate　on　our　return　trip。〃
　　　　　Gunn　stared　at　him　blankly。　〃Those　hours　we　spent　examining　the　crypt。　。　。〃
　　　　　〃Saved　our　lives。　Whoever　the　killers　are；　they　didn't　count　on　us　finding　anything　of　great　interest　or　spending　more　than　an　hour　or　two　looking　around；　so　they　set　their　detonator　four　hours　early。〃
　　　　　〃I　can't　believe　anyone　else　has　seen　the　chamber　since　the　castaway。〃
　　　　　〃Certainly　not　our　friends　from　Telluride；　or　they'd　have　destroyed　the　first　chamber。　Somebody　leaked　our　flight　to　St。　Paul　Island；　and　we　showed　them　the　way。　Now　it's　only　a　matter　of　time　before　they　arrive　to　study　the　inscriptions　in　the　first　chamber。〃
　　　　　Gunn's　mind　struggled　to　adjust　to　a　new　set　of　circumstances。　〃We've　got　to　apprise　the　admiral　of　our　predicament。〃
　　　　　〃Do　it　in　code；〃　Giordino　suggested。　〃These　guys　are　good。　Ten　to　one　they　have　a　facility　for　listening　in　on　satellite　conversations。　It's　best　that　we　let　them　think　we're　being　eaten　by　fish　on　the　bottom　of　the　Indian　Ocean。〃
　　　　　Gunn　raised　his　Globalstar　phone　and　was　about　to　dial；　when　a　thought　occurred　to　him。　〃Suppose　the　killers　get　here　before　the　admiral's　rescue　party？〃
　　　　　〃Then　we'd　better　practice　throwing　rocks；　because　that's　the　only　defense　we　have。〃
　　　　　Almost　forlornly；　Gunn　gazed　around　the　rocky　landscape。　〃Well；〃　he　said　woodenly；　〃at　least　we　don't　have　to　worry　about　running　out　of　ammunition。〃
　
　　　　　The　Polar　Storm　with　her　scientists　and　ship's　crew　had　worked　its　way　around　the　Antarctic　Peninsula　and　across　the　Weddell　Sea　when　Sandecker's　message　came　in；　ordering　Captain　Gillespie　to　shelve　the　expedition　temporarily。　He　was　to　leave　the　ice　pack　immediately　and　sail　at　full　speed　to　the　Prince　Olav　Coast。　There　he　was　to　heave　to　and　wait　off　the　Syowa　Japanese　research　station　until　further　orders。　Gillespie　called　on　his　chief　engineer　and　the　engineer　room　crew　to　push　the　big　icebreaker　research　ship　to　her　maximum。　They　nearly　achieved　the　impossible　by　gaining　twenty　knots　out　of　her。　Quite　impressive；　when　Gillespie　recalled　that　her　top　speed　as　specified　by　her　builders　twenty…two　years　before　was　eighteen　knots。
　　　　　He　was　pleased　that　his　old　ship　had　reached　the　rendezvous　area　eight　hours　earlier　than　expected。　The　water　was　too　deep　to　drop　anchor；　so　he　ran　the　ship　onto　the　outer　edge　of　the　ice　pack　before　he　ordered　the　engines　shut　down。　Gillespie　then　notified　Sandecker　that　his　ship　had　arrived　on　station　and　was　awaiting　further　orders。
　　　　　The　only　reply　was　a　succinct　〃Stand　by　to　receive　a　passenger。〃
　　　　　The　respite　gave　everyone　time　to　catch　up　on　unfinished　work。　The　scientists　busied　themselves　analyzing　and　recording　their　findings　into　puters；　while　the　crew　went　about　making　routine　repairs　to　the　ship。
　　　　　They　did　not　have　long　to　wait。
　　　　　On　the　morning　of　the　fifth　day　since　leaving　the　Weddell　Sea；　Gillespie　was　studying　the　sea　ice　through　his　binoculars　when　he　saw　a　helicopter　slowly　emerge　from　an　early…morning　ice　mist。　It　flew　on　a　direct　line　toward　the　Polar　Storm。　He　ordered　his　second　officer　to　receive　the　aircraft　at　the　landing　pad　on　the　stern　of　the　ship。
　　　　　The　helicopter　hovered　for　a　few　seconds；　then　descended　onto　the　pad。　A　man　carrying　a　briefcase　and　a　small　duffel　bag　jumped　from　an　open　cargo　door　and　spoke　to　Gillespie's　second　officer。　Then　he　turned　and　waved　to　the　pilot　who　had　flown　him　to　the　ship。　The　rotor　blades　increased　their　beat　and　the　helicopter　rose　into　the　cold　air　and　was　heading　for　home　when　Pitt　stepped　onto　the　Polar　Storm's　bridge。
　　　　　〃Hello；　Dan；〃　he　greeted　the　captain　warmly。　〃Good　to　see　you。〃
　　　　　〃Dirk！　Where　did　you　drop　from？〃
　　　　　〃I　was　flown　from　Punta　Arenas　on　the　Strait　of　Magellan　by　Air　Force　jet　to　the　airstrip　at　the　nearby　Japanese　research　station。　They　were　kind　enough　to　give　me　a　lift　on　their　helicopter　to　the　ship。〃