rm.thenightboat-第26部分
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〃You went from bow to stern？〃
He shook his head。 〃Just from the bow to the control room。〃
〃I'll want to go all the way aft；〃 Jana said。 〃I've seen skeletons in a sunken ship before。〃
〃Not skeletons；〃 Moore said quietly。 〃Not skeletons。〃 He blinked and gazed deep into her face。 〃What do you want to see the thing for？〃
〃If it's towable and in reasonably good condition the British Museum might be interested in the hulk as a war relic；〃 she said； puzzled by his behavior。 〃Which would mean a large grant to the Foundation； incidentally。〃
〃I see。〃 Moore pushed his food away。 〃Then you'll want to go down inside the U…boat？〃
〃That's right。 I'll be checking for damage； taking photographs and tape…recording notes。 I've been sent here to determine whether or not a salvage team is merited。〃
Moore saw the woman's eyes narrow a fraction； and he knew she was seeing beyond the mask of his face； getting a glimpse of the fear he felt。 He could virtually sense the iron crypt lying a little more than a mile from where they sat。 She looked away from him abruptly； preoccupied with her food。 Tell her； he told himself。 Tell her what you've seen。 YES！ SEEN！ It wasn't a hallucination； wasn't the product of an oxygen…starved brain！ You saw them there！ YOU SAW THEM THERE！
At that instant he realized he was clinging frantically to the edge of reason。 What would he say？ That he had seen long…dead things moving； reaching； swinging wrenches and hammers？ That somehow Death itself had stood still； or had claimed those crewmen but had released an evil rage that made their bodies move in strange mockery of life？ No。 God in Heaven； no。
〃How many。。。〃 Moore began。 〃How many men did a boat of that size crew？〃
〃Between forty…four and fifty；〃 Jana said； and thought he seemed to pale slightly。 The man knew something important； something she should know as well。 She must find out what it was。
My God； Moore almost said aloud。 He picked up his coffee； realized he'd finished it； and placed the cup back in its saucer。 Fifty。 Fifty。 Fifty。 The number thudded in his brain。 Stay away from the boat； Boniface had said。 The Night Boat。 A thing of darkness； hiding darkness。 A periscope shaft； beckoning him into the depths where he was to carry out the task they had wanted done。 Lock your shutters； your windows； your doors。 Fifty of them； hidden in shadows away from the alien sun。 Waiting。 Waiting。
Waiting。
Jana said； 〃I'd like to see the boat now。〃
Fourteen
ONCE FEAR TAKES HOLD there is no escape。 It surfaces to haunt the brain； to lead the eyes down corridors of terror； to taunt the senses with the presence of something unknown； just beyond reach。 As Moore drove the girl toward the boatyard he saw that the fear had spread rapidly in the village； a fire fueled by Boniface's eyes and cryptic words。 There were bolted doors and shuttered windows everywhere； on some of the walls were hastily drawn voodoo symbols； painted there as talismans of protection。 A few people were still moving about the streets； as dusk still was several hours off； and in the harbor men worked on their nets for Monday's fishing； but the air was different。 The bar district was almost deserted； and there were no children running along the beaches or playing ball among the fishermen's shanties。
The boatyard gates were unrepaired and Moore drove through。 In another few moments he steered the truck around the piles of debris and oil barrels and passed the supply shed。 He put on the brakes and slowed。 The shed doors were open； one of the large wooden doors had been ripped off its hinges and lay in the sand； and there was a jumble of barrels； splintered crates； and cans around the entrance。 Moore knew it should have been securely locked。 He continued on across the yard for the naval shelter。
When they reached it he immediately saw that the doorway was wide open； a dark entry leading toward the twisted iron hulk。 He stopped the truck and pointed at the shelter。 〃It's in there；〃 he told her。
Jana went around to the truck bed and began unzipping the duffel bag。 〃Any electricity in there？ Arc lights？〃
〃No；〃 he said； his gaze fixed on that square of blackness； knowing what lay beyond。 〃All the juice is cut off。〃
She opened the bag and took out a camera case and a flash attachment。 Zipping the bag up again； she took the Nikon from its case and fit the flash to it； then let it fall around her neck。 〃Now；〃 she said； 〃we'll see your precious relic。〃
They stood together for a long time in the foul…smelling darkness as their eyes slowly made out the sharp lines of the huge craft。 A prehistoric monster； Moore thought。 Jana coughed into her hand。 〃Chlorine gas；〃 she said quietly； her voice echoing against metal。 〃Battery seepage。〃 When she was finally able to see it； from bow to stern； she caught her breath and took a step forward。
Jana blinked； put out a hand as if to touch it。 〃My God；〃 she said； awed。 〃My God。〃 She moved forward again and Moore moved with her； stepping over an empty crate marked LUBRICANT； TWENTY CANS。
Jana had dived in murky green water twelve miles to the north of Jamaica about six months ago； finding at a depth of ninety…four feet a submarine that had been in its days of glory similar to this one； she had first seen it as a long dark cigar shape； then as she hovered above it； as a mass of coral with twisted iron ribs protruding。 The hatches had been open； circular holes all clogged with growth； nothing left of the conning tower but a dark flower of iron where a bomb or shell had struck。 And in the center of the veins of tubing were crisscrossed pipes that now served as home to starfish and spotted eels。 That boat had been dead； devoid of power and menace。 But this one； here only a few feet away。。。 was very different。 It's a hoax； she thought suddenly。 A joke。 No boat could be underwater that length of time and not be a rusted； broken hulk。 But no； it was real； the iron hull secure。 She had seen boats down only a few months in worse shape than this one； and she couldn't believe what she was seeing。 She picked up her camera and switched on the flash to let it charge up； then began to take her pictures carefully and unhurriedly； moving along the port side and then back again。 When she called out to Moore he could hear the excitement in her voice。 〃It's a VII…C； all right。 Minor damage to the superstructure； snapped sky periscope。。。 Jesus！ The eighty…eight millimeter cannon's still intact； so is the twenty…millimeter gun！ Deck looks to be broken through in places； but my God； the corrosion hasn't even begun on most of the hull！〃 As she talked she took picture after picture； the flash outlining a jagged shadow on the opposite wall。 〃There's water inside？〃 she asked。
〃Not very much。〃
〃Condensation or overflow through a hatch； probably。 If that's so； the boat must have gone down in a hurry。 Possibly under attack； if you say there was a depth charge near it。〃 She came along the port side and then toward the bow。 〃Torpedo tubes are clear；〃 she told him。 〃Bow torpedo…loading hatch is open。 Is that how you went in？〃
〃Yes。〃 Moore nodded。
She took another photograph； the flash a silent white explosion。 In its light Moore saw something； he took a step forward； but already she was on her way across the gangplank。 She stepped onto the deck； avoiding debris and rats。
〃Just a minute。。。〃 Moore said； trying to figure out what it was he'd seen。
Jana was peering through broken deck timbers。 〃Pressure hull looks unscathed。〃 She pushed a box away and empty oil cans rolled out。 〃I can see the explosion you mentioned loosening it from the sand； but what made this boat surface？ pressed…air expansion？ Possibly there was already air in the buoyancy tanks？〃 She was talking to herself； not noticing as Moore moved to the edge of the concrete walkway and stared over at the bow。 〃For the time being we'll have to accept your theory；〃 she was saying； 〃until the Foundation es up with something better。 My God； what a weapon！〃
〃The hatch；〃 Moore said quietly； and the sound of his voice made her look up。
〃Through there； that's where the bow torpedoes were loaded；〃 she explained。 〃There's another at the stern for the aft tube。 What are all these crates and cans doing here？ This gun mount looks as if someone's greased it。。。〃
〃Kip closed this hatch；〃 Moore said in a hollow tone； staring into the hole。 〃And now it's opened again。〃
Jana moved over by the hatch and snapped another picture of the conning tower。 〃I'll have to look at the mechanisms inside；〃 she told him。 〃But I'll need the high…intensity lamp from my bag。〃
〃Don't。。。 stand near that hole；〃 Moore rasped； his mouth dry。 She stood over the hatch now； peering down into it。 She hadn't heard； and he raised his voice。 〃Don't stand near the hatch！〃 He started across the gangplank toward her。
〃What？〃 she asked； glancing over at him； one foot resting on the hatch rim。 〃What did you。。。〃 And then she abruptly sucked in her breath； a half…cry escaping her lips； she stepped away from the hole and Moore saw that her eyes were fixed on something behind him。
He whirled around； a shadow blocked the doorway； moving toward him。 He took a step backward； lifting an arm to ward it off； his teeth bared and eyes widened。
The shadow stood motionless； looking at the two of them。 〃What the hell are you doing here； David？〃 Kip asked。 〃And who's she？〃 He didn't wait for a reply； but raised his voice。 〃e off that thing； miss； before you break your neck！〃
〃Who are you giving orders to？〃 she asked indignantly。
〃I'm the constable of Coquina； and I'm ordering you off that boat！〃 He glanced at Moore。 〃Who is she？〃
〃Dr。 Thornton。 She came from Kingston to examine the submarine。〃
〃Is that so？〃 Kip watched as she made her way across the gangplank and approached him。 〃What were you trying to do；〃 he asked her； 〃go down in that bastard by yourself？〃
〃That's exactly right；〃 Jana said； her guard up。
〃Wrong。 This shelter and that boat are off…limits to everyone without my express permission； and so far I haven't given it to you。〃 He pressed the back of his hand against his face。 〃It smells of rot in here； let's get out into
