rm.thenightboat-第10部分
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rolled in； hammering； pulling。 At first he didn't understand； but as he followed the beam of the light the realization came clear to him； and it clawed at his heart。 The boat had moved； just slightly； but it had moved。 It was sliding backward； grinding over the reef。 The currents were freeing it。
〃Great God！〃 he cried out； the hulk shuddered； and he almost dropped his light。 The grinding quieted； almost vanished； then picked up again： a hideous scream of iron ripping coral。 〃Hey！〃 the old man shouted toward the sleeping village。 They had to hear it。 They had to； the sleepin' fools！ 〃HEY！ HEY！〃 But now the grinding was too loud； it filled his brain and ears and mouth so he could neither shout out nor hear his own words。 When the skiff rose over the next swell he tripped over the dog； as he grabbed for the starboard gunwale the flashlight fell from his fingers and into the sea。 In blackness； he reached for the tiller。
But before he could grasp it； he was riveted in place。
His eyes； accustomed to the darkness now； saw the shadowy thing begin to slide off the reef with a low； ominous groaning and a hissing of foam。 Something unnatural； his wife had said。 Water roiled across the boat's deck as it settled down； it gurgled through vents and sloshed across the deck debris。 Something was hammering； hammering； hammering。。。
It's sinkin'！ he thought； glad to see it go。 He twisted the tiller around； his breath harsh and forced； and made for the reef entrance。 The dog was whimpering at his feet； but even when he shoved him with a foot； Coconut wouldn't stop crying。 He could see the swirls of water at the entrance； and the two buoys were clanging simultaneously； like church bells； again and again and again。 He was only a few yards from the passage when he turned in his seat to watch the hulk go under。
But there was something black behind him； something huge； bearing down on him； cutting the sea to ribbons on either side。 It twisted his guts in utter terror and forced his mouth open in a soundless scream。 He let go the tiller； held up his hands to try to ward it off。 The skiff； out of control； turned broadside in its path。
The looming bows drove across the fisherman's craft； splitting it； grinding it down； timbers exploded into the sky； then whirled in circles and fell back。 Iron roared； tearing through reef bommies。 The buoys clanged madly； the sea almost smothering them。 With a long； piercing shriek the hulk passed through the entrance； struck sand bottom with a hollow； reverberating boom and finally lay still； the water still churning all along it。 The submarine lay just inside the harbor； stuck on a narrow sandbar。 Behind it； spreading like an oil slick； was a mass of timbers。 In the midst of it was a crushed thing that had been a human body。
Lights began to e on in the village； one yellow dot at a time； and a dog howled as if trying to scare the moon away。
Five
IN THE PEARLY morning light three men waded through the surf； pushing aside shards of timber； and lifted out what was left of a corpse。 An old woman in a tattered green gown screamed on shore as she watched。
〃Careful； careful；〃 Kip told the other two quietly。 〃e on back。 Watch your step； now。〃 The body felt like something made of straw in their arms； a sack of broken bones hardly recognizable as something that once walked； breathed； lived。 The gases hadn't had time to build yet。 One arm was thrown out； a frail lance defending against attack。 Teeth glistened in the remnant of a face。 Kip averted his eyes； controlling himself with all the willpower he could muster。 Christ； what a terrible way to die！ he thought。 One of his helpers in the grim chore shook his head back and forth； the other simply stared straight ahead at the group of people who had congregated on the beach。 The old woman could not stop shrieking； and the rest of the women couldn't quiet her。 Staggering out of the surf； the men came up the beach； the onlookers backed away； faces drawn。 The men laid the corpse on a canvas tarpaulin and Kip closed the folds over it。
〃You bastard。。。〃 Kip breathed at the submarine。 He found himself mesmerized by the thing。 Painted in vivid reds and black shadow by the rising disc of the sun； the massive hulk was now motionless。 The currents must have lifted it off Kiss Bottom； and then。。。 and then what？ How did it crush the old man？ The hulk could have turned before the man got his skiff away； but how in God's name did it clear the passage so perfectly？ Now it was within the reef； sitting right inside Coquina's harbor。 He walked forward a few feet； the surf swirling around his shoes and sucking the sand from beneath them。 It must have happened very fast； he reasoned； and the old fisherman had panicked； losing control of his skiff。 How many tons did that boat weigh？ Seven； eight hundred？ Something bumped his foot and he looked down； a gray； spongy mass had washed up。 He realized what it was when he saw the eye： the severed head of the old man's terrier mutt。
He stepped back and the head was dragged away by the surf。
The woman had stopped her shrieking now； her eyes were fixed on the canvas…enclosed form； and one of the others was soothing her。
〃Take her home；〃 Kip told the women。 〃And one of you get Dr。 Maxwell for her。〃
They pulled at her but she resisted； shaking her head violently。 Her gaze didn't move from the tarpaulin； as if she expected her husband to throw it aside like a sheet and get up； whole and alive again。 〃Go on；〃 Kip said softly。 〃There's nothing you can do。〃
She looked at him and blinked； heavy tears streamed copiously along the deep trenches of her face。 〃I tell him；〃 she said suddenly； in a weary voice。 〃I tell him。 Masango！〃
One of the women gently grasped her arm。
〃Masango！〃 she said again； her eyes flickering from Kip to the submarine。 Then she allowed them to lead her； like a sleepwalker； back to her house further along the harbor。 Kip watched them leave； wondering what she was talking about。 An evil spell？
A battered green pickup truck drove toward him along Front Street； it slowed； pulled off into the sand。 Moore climbed out and came quickly across the beach to where the constable stood。 〃Who was it？〃 Moore asked； and Kip saw that there were deep hollows under his friend's eyes； as if he'd only slept for a couple of hours。
〃Kephas； a fisherman；〃 the constable said。 〃I don't think you knew him。〃
Moore gazed down at the tarpaulin； when he looked up； his eyes fixed on the submarine。 〃How did this happen？〃 he asked； a strange note in his voice。
〃The currents must have worked the boat free； it went right over his skiff。 He's not a pretty sight。〃 He glanced over at the group of islanders。 〃All of you get on； now。 I need a couple of men to carry the body； but the rest of you go on home。〃
〃My God；〃 Moore muttered as the people dispersed。 〃I saw from my terrace that the thing had gotten into the harbor； and I knew something bad had happened when I saw the motion on the beach； but I didn't know。。。〃
〃We gon' take him to the rev'rend？〃 one of the men asked； ing forward。
Kip started to agree； but then shook his head。 He was staring out past the black's shoulder。 〃No need；〃 he said finally。
Moore and the others turned to look。 Standing in the shadows that stretched across the sand was a tall； gaunt figure in black； leaning on a thin ebony cane。 The man blended with the darkness except for the circles of light that caught in the lenses of his glasses。 He stood where he was for a moment more； then approached； his cane probing the ground in front of him。 Moore saw something glittering around the man's neck： It was a glass eye on a long chain。 Boniface did not look at any of them； but instead he bent down and drew aside the canvas。 He crossed himself； closed the folds； moved past Moore and the constable； and faced the submarine as if confronting an ancient enemy。 Moore saw his eyes blaze and then narrow into slits。
〃I see it has e through the passage；〃 he said。 He took a long breath and sighed deeply。 His breath came in a tortured gasp； as if he couldn't get enough air into his lungs。
〃It crushed Kephas。。。〃 Kip began。
〃Oui。 One of the women came for me。〃 Boniface regarded the two blacks。 〃You men； take his corpse to the church and leave it there。〃
Without hesitation they lifted up the canvas； holding it between them； and made their way toward Front Street。
〃Where did you find this thing； Moore？〃 Boniface asked； not looking at the man but at the boat。
〃On a ledge in the Abyss； about a hundred and fifty feet down； maybe a little more。〃
〃And what's to be done with it？〃
〃For the time being；〃 Kip said； 〃it's going to have to stay where it is。〃
Boniface whirled around to face the constable。 〃You must not。。。〃 the reverend said； the orb hanging around his neck glinting in the sun。 His eyes had a power which Kip had rarely seen before。 〃You must not allow it to stay in this harbor。 You must take it back over the Abyss； cut a hole in its hull and let it sink。 Do you understand what I'm saying？〃
〃No；〃 Kip responded； 〃I don't。〃
〃One man is dead；〃 the reverend said quietly。 〃Isn't that enough？〃
〃Just a minute；〃 Moore interrupted。 〃It was an accident。〃
〃Certainly；〃 Boniface said； with a hint of sarcasm in his voice。 〃Do as I say；〃 he ordered Kip。 〃Get it out of the harbor。 Where that thing goes there is much to fear。〃
〃That's voodoo talk！〃 Kip said disdainfully。 〃That's an old； dead machine out there。 I think it's right you're concerned； but。。。〃
〃Concerned？〃 A thin smile slithered； lizardlike； across the man's lips。 〃Concerned； oui。〃 He lifted up the eye so both men could see it； sunlight flashed； reflecting an arc of light。 〃This is my sight； my aché。 I have seen terrible things； and I ask you to do as I say。〃
〃I don't believe in your visions； Boniface；〃 Kip said。 〃Or your voodoo。〃
〃I don't ask you to believe！〃 The reverend's voice was sharp； and his words had meaning behind them he evidently could not divulge。 〃I ask you to be warned。 Everything the gods have created on this earth has a power。。。 including that machine。〃
〃No gods created it；〃 Moore said。 〃Men did。〃
Boniface nodde
