atlantis.found-第83部分

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everse；　which　lowered　the　stern　and　raised　the　bow。　The　flooding　problem　temporarily　solved；　he　warned　the　others。　〃Go　out　on　deck　and　brace　yourselves　for　the　shock　when　we　strike　the　rocks。〃
　　　　　〃On　deck？〃　Pat　asked　numbly。
　　　　　〃In　case　the　boat　rolls　over　when　we　ground；　you're　better　off　out　in　the　open　where　you　can　jump　in　the　water。〃
　　　　　None　too　soon；　Giordino　herded　the　two　females　outside　and　made　them　sit　down　on　the　deck；　backs　against　the　cabin　while　reaching　out　and　clutching　the　railing　He　sat　in　the　middle　with　both　strong　arms　encircling　their　waists。　Pat　was　frozen　in　pure　fright；　but　Megan；　looking　into　Giordino's　unperturbed　face；　took　courage　from　it。　He　and　the　man　at　the　helm　had　brought　them　this　far。　It　was　utterly　inprehensible　to　her　that　they　wouldn't　make　good　on　their　word　and　take　her　safely　home。
　　　　　The　Grand　Banks　was　settling　lower　from　the　water　ing　through　the　damaged　hull　below　the　waterline　aft　of　the　bow。　The　mouth　of　the　ravine　was　very　close　now。　Black　heaps　of　rock　that　Pitt　and　Giordino　had　waded　past；　before　mencing　their　underwater　journey　to　the　shipyard　earlier　that　night；　rose　from　the　blackness；　ominous　and　beckoning。　Pitt　did　his　best　to　dodge　around　the　largest　of　the　rocks；　barely　distinguishing　their　shapes；　as　they　were　outlined　by　the　white　foam　of　the　fjord's　two…foot　waves　that　slapped　against　them。
　　　　　And　then　one　of　the　propellers　struck　with　a　loud　metallic　smack　and　sheared　off；　sending　the　engine　racing　out　of　control。　More　rocks　swirled　by　Then　came　a　heavier　blow　and　the　boat　shuddered　but　kept　going　several　more　feet；　before　the　port　side　of　the　transom　crunched　into　a　rock　that　smashed　the　yielding　wood　to　pieces。　As　though　a　dam　had　burst；　a　gush　of　water　flooded　across　the　rear　open　deck；　pulling　down　the　stern。　The　next　shock　came　with　bone…jarring　impact；　as　the　boat　struck　hard　on　and　split　down　the　keel；　the　wooden…planked　hull　tearing　itself　to　pieces。　But　then　the　terrible　crunching　and　grinding　sounds　ceased　as　the　battered　Grand　Banks　finally　came　to　a　stop；　with　only　ten　feet　separating　her　ruptured　stern　from　the　edge　of　the　rocky　shoreline。
　　　　　Pitt　snatched　up　the　little　directional　puter　and　rushed　out　the　bridge　door。　〃Everybody　ashore　who's　going　ashore；〃　he　shouted。　He　snatched　up　Megan　under　one　arm　and　smiled　at　her。　〃Sorry　about　this；　young　lady；　but　we　can't　hang　around　to　find　a　ladder。〃　Then　he　slid　over　the　railing　and　lowered　himself　and　Megan　into　the　frigid　water；　his　feet　touching　bottom　in　four　feet。　He　knew　Pat　and　Giordino　were　right　behind　him；　as　he　struggled　over　the　rocky　bottom　and　slimecovered　rocks　toward　dry　land。
　　　　　As　soon　as　his　feet　cleared　the　water；　he　released　Megan　and　checked　his　directional　puter　to　make　absolutely　certain　they　had　the　right　ravine。　They　did。　The　Skycar　was　only　minutes　away。
　　　　　〃You're　hurt；〃　said　Pat；　seeing　the　dark　stream　of　blood　on　Pitt's　hand　under　the　light　of　the　stars　and　falling　crescent　moon。　〃You've　got　a　nasty　gash。〃
　　　　　〃A　glass　cut；〃　he　said　simply。
　　　　　She　inserted　a　hand　under　her　red　coveralls；　ripped　off　her　bra；　and　began　using　it　to　wrap　Pitt's　hand　to　stem　the　flow　of　blood。　〃Now；　there's　a　bandage　I've　never　seen　before；〃　he　murmured　with　a　grin。
　　　　　〃Under　the　circumstances；〃　she　said；　tying　the　ends　tightly　in　a　knot；　〃it's　the　best　I　can　do。〃
　　　　　〃Who's　plaining？〃　He　gave　her　a　hug　and　then　turned　to　the　shadow　that　was　Giordino。　〃All　present　and　accounted　for？〃
　　　　　Giordino　had　Megan　by　the　hand。　〃Adrenaline　still　pumping。〃
　　　　　〃Then　e　on；〃　said　Pitt。　〃Our　private　plane　awaits。〃
　
　
　　　　　To　Sandecker　and　Agent　Little；　the　wait　for　the　next　contact　from　Pitt　and　Giordino　seemed　interminable。　The　fire　had　died　to　a　few　smoldering　embers；　and　the　admiral　seemed　to　have　no　interest　in　rekindling　it。　He　puffed　on　one　of　his　big　cigars；　covering　the　ceiling　with　a　haze　of　blue　smoke。　Both　he　and　Little　passed　the　time　sitting　spellbound；　listening　to　the　tales　told　by　Admiral　Hozafel；　tales　he　had　never　told　anyone　in　more　than　fifty…six　years。
　　　　　〃You　were　saying；　Admiral；〃　said　Sandecker；　〃that　the　Nazis　sent　expeditions　to　explore　Antarctica　several　years　before　the　war。〃
　　　　　〃Yes；　Adolf　Hitler　was　far　more　creative　than　people　thought。　I　can't　say　what　inspired　him；　but　he　acquired　a　fascination　for　Antarctica；　primarily　to　populate　and　to　use　as　a　giant　military　establishment。　He　believed　that　if　such　a　dream　came　true；　his　naval　and　air　forces　could　control　all　the　seas　south　of　the　Tropic　of　Capricorn。　Captain　Alfred　Ritscher　was　put　in　mand　of　a　large　expedition　to　explore　the　subcontinent。　The　Schwabenland；　an　early　German　aircraft　carrier　used　to　refuel　seaplanes　flying　the　Atlantic　in　the　early　1930s；　was　converted　for　Antarctic　exploration；　and　left　Hamburg　in　December　of　1938　under　the　pretense　of　studying　the　feasibility　of　setting　up　a　whaling　colony。　After　reaching　their　destination　in　the　middle　of　the　southern　summer；　Ritscher　sent　out　aircraft　with　the　newest　and　best　German　cameras。　His　flyers　covered　over　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　square　miles　and　took　more　than　eleven　thousand　aerial　photographs。〃
　　　　　〃I've　heard　rumors　of　such　an　expedition；〃　said　Sandecker；　〃but　until　now　I　never　learned　the　true　facts。〃
　　　　　〃Ritscher　returned　with　a　larger　expedition　a　year　later；　this　time　with　improved　aircraft　with　skis；　so　they　could　land　on　the　ice。　They　also　brought　along　a　small　zeppelin。　This　time　they　covered　three　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　square　miles；　landing　at　the　South　Pole　and　dropping　flags　with　the　swastika　emblem　every　thirty　miles　as　markers　for　their　claim　of　Nazi　territory。〃
　　　　　〃Did　they　discover　anything　of　unusual　interest？〃　asked　Little。
　　　　　〃Indeed　they　did；〃　replied　Hozafel。　〃The　aerial　surveys　recorded　a　number　of　ice…free　areas；　frozen　lakes　whose　ice　surface　was　less　than　four　feet　thick；　and　steam　vents　with　signs　of　vegetation　growing　nearby。　Their　photographs　also　detected　what　looked　like　bits　and　pieces　of　roads　under　the　ice。〃
　　　　　Sandecker　sat　up　straight　and　gazed　at　the　old　German　U…boat　mander。　〃The　Germans　found　evidence　of　a　civilization　on　Antarctica？〃
　　　　　Hozafel　nodded。　〃Teams　using　motorized　snow　vehicles　found　natural　ice　caves。　While　exploring　them；　they　stumbled　onto　the　remains　of　an　ancient　civilization。　This　discovery　inspired　the　Nazis　to　use　their　engineering　and　technical　ingenuity　to　build　a　vast　underground　base　in　Antarctica。　It　was　the　best…kept　secret　of　the　war。〃
　　　　　〃To　my　knowledge；〃　said　Little；　〃Allied　intelligence　sources　ignored　rumors　of　a　Nazi　base　in　Antarctica。　They　considered　them　far…fetched　propaganda。〃
　　　　　Hozafel　gave　a　crooked　smile。　〃They　were　meant　to。　But　once；　Admiral　Donitz　nearly　gave　it　away。　During　a　speech　to　his　U…boat　manders；　he　announced；　‘The　German　submarine　fleet　is　proud　of　having　built　for　the　Fuhrer；　in　another　part　of　the　world；　a　Shangri…la　on　land；　an　impregnable　fortress。'　Fortunately　for　us；　nobody　paid　attention。　The　U…boats　I　manded　earlier　in　the　war　were　never　sent　to　the　Antarctic；　so　it　wasn't　until　near　the　end；　when　I　became　mander　of　the　U…699；　that　I　learned　of　the　secret　base；　whose　code　name　was　New　Berlin。〃
　　　　　〃How　was　it　built？〃　inquired　Sandecker。
　　　　　〃After　the　war　began；　the　first　step　the　Nazis　took　was　to　send　a　pair　of　raiders　into　the　southern　waters　to　sink　all　hostile　shipping　and　keep　the　Allies　from　obtaining　any　information　concerning　the　project。　Until　they　were　eventually　sunk　by　ships　of　the　British　navy；　the　raiders　captured　or　destroyed　entire　fleets　of　Allied　shipping　and　all　fishing　and　whaling　ships　that　strayed　into　the　area。　Next；　an　armada　of　cargo　ships；　disguised　as　Allied　merchant　vessels；　and　a　fleet　of　huge　U…boats；　built　not　for　warfare　but　to　transport　large　cargoes；　began　moving　men；　equipment；　and　supplies　to　the　area　of　the　ancient　civilization　they　thought　might　be　Atlantis。〃
　　　　　〃Why　build　a　base　on　ancient　ruins？〃　said　Little。　〃What　military　purpose　did　it　serve？〃
　　　　　〃The　dead　and　lost　city　itself　was　not　important。　It　was　the　vast　ice　cave　they　found　under　a　field　of　ice　that　led　from　the　city。　The　cave　traveled　twenty…five