rm.thenightboat-第30部分
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pers。 I was a born executive； isn't that what you told your associates？ An executive in the Moore mold？ No。 I'm not going back there again。〃
〃Then what will you do； you idiot？ Goddamn it； that's what you've been educated to do！ There's nothing else for you！ My God； I know you've been through a bad time； but you're behaving like a lunatic！ They've been gone six months； David！ They're not ing back； and there's nothing else now except putting your nose back to the grindstone and doing what you're supposed to do！〃
〃No；〃 he said。 〃I can't。〃
〃I see；〃 the old man said； nodding； he took the cigar from his mouth and his smile was cool； sarcastic。 〃You can't or you won't？〃
〃Both。〃
〃Then if you won't pull yourself together like a man；〃 he said； leaning forward slightly； 〃you're no son of mine。 I've been wrong about you。 I can see that now。〃
〃Maybe。〃 David Moore stood up； their conversation was ing to an end； as it usually did； like the weakened last blows of weary gladiators。 〃I'll tell you what I am going to do； and it's something I've been thinking over for a long time。 I'm going to travel； I don't care where to。 I'm going to keep on moving until I've seen what I want to see； and maybe until I find a place I can belong to again。 There's nothing for me here anymore。〃
〃Of course。 You're going to run。 From me； from yourself。 Well； go on and run！ I don't care！ Where do you think you'll run to？ What are you looking for； another girl like her。。。？〃 He stopped suddenly； the last word had e out as a half…snarl。 His son turned on him； and the heat of his rage made the old man lean back。 He closed his mouth； not too obviously because he didn't want David to think he was frightened。
Moore controlled himself and then said； 〃When I was a child and knew no better；〃 he said； 〃you told me how much alike we were。 I'm a man now； and I see all the differences。〃
〃Then go on；〃 the old man told him。 〃Run。〃
Moore looked once into his father's face to find the man that was truly there； his father quickly averted his eyes。 〃I'd better go now；〃 he said finally。
〃I'm not holding you here。〃
〃No。 Not any longer。 I'm sorry； I didn't want to tell you my decision in anger。〃
〃What does it matter？ You've told me。〃
There was an awkward silence； Moore stepped forward； lifted his hand toward his father and extended it。 〃Good…bye；〃 he said。
〃You'll be back；〃 the old man said； ignoring his hand。
And it was then that David Moore had walked away from that life。 He worked his way from country to country； living close to the earth or on a boat at sea； not knowing what drew him on but knowing he had to take that next step； and the next； and the next。 He began to have the old nightmares again； the whirling scene of wind and wild ocean and Destiny's Child breaking into bits beneath him。 He began to hear Beth's voice calling to him over a great distance； fading in and out； sometimes even close to his ear； the whisper of his name and then silence。 It disturbed him； but he began to listen for it。 At times he doubted his sanity； but sometimes he was certain she stood beside him； trying to reach him； separated only by the barrier between life and death。
In a dark clapboard house in Singapore a woman with blackened teeth and the smile of a cat stared at him over a plate of yellowed bones。 She reached down and picked them up in her hands； rolled them around and then dropped them back。 They were ordinary chicken's bones； but the woman seemed to see something strange and important in them。
A group of sailors from Moore's freighter had gone with him to see the fortune…teller； and they stood in the shadows that fringed the room。 〃He's going to inherit a fortune； is that it？〃 one of them asked jokingly； and the others laughed。 〃Fortune； hell；〃 said another。 〃He's just going to be lucky enough to get out of this port without a colossal case of the drips。〃
〃Someone waits for you；〃 the woman said in a high…pitched whine。 The men laughed again； crude remarks were flung back and forth。 Moore watched the woman's eyes and believed her。 〃No。 Two people；〃 she said； she lifted the bones again； rolled them； let them fall。
〃What the hell are we doing here？〃 one of the sailors asked。
The woman looked into Moore's face。 〃There is a great distance to be traveled yet；〃 she said； wet lips glistening。 〃I can't see where they are。 But they will not leave until you find them。〃
〃Who are they？〃 Moore asked； and as soon as he spoke the men were quiet。
〃A woman。 Tall。 Very beautiful。 A man。 No。 A boy child。 They are very confused； and they don't understand why you can't hear。〃
〃I。。。〃 Moore began； but then stopped himself。 〃Is there anything else？〃
She rolled the bones； dropped them； and probed as if looking for a particular one。 Then she shook her head。 〃No。 Fate reserves the rest。〃 She held out her hand for her money。 〃Anyone else？〃 she asked。
The freighter's lights had vanished； the horizon was black again and above it hung the separate； fiery dots of stars。 Moore crushed out his cigarette。 It was hard not to believe； but it was equally hard to believe。 He wanted to believe； though； he desperately needed to； perhaps because of his persistent； unnerving feeling about Coquina。 That it was the end of his journey。 And the questions still to be answered； the ones that had plagued him day and night and sometimes made him cry out because he couldn't understand。 Why had he not died with Beth and Brian？ Why had he been saved？ Why had he been sent on a path that led。。。 here？ To Coquina？ To find what？ Fate reserves the rest； the old woman had told him。
〃Do you mind if I join you？〃
Moore turned his head； his reflexes slowed by the effects of the rum。 Jana was standing behind him on the porch； wearing a tight white blouse and jeans。 He had no idea how long she'd been there。 〃Sure；〃 he said； and motioned toward another chair beside him。
She sat down and put her legs up on the porch railing。 Her hair was exactly as he'd imagined it： she wore it loose and it touched her shoulders； softly blond and very attractive。 〃It's quiet；〃 she said after a moment of silence。
〃Yes； the bars closed early tonight。 Usually there's a lot of noise on a Saturday。〃 He glanced over at her； his eyes tracing the fine line of her profile。 〃Is your room all right？〃
〃It's fine； thanks。〃 She sensed that he wanted to be alone； but she wasn't about to leave him。 〃It's a shame you don't have more visitors。 I think your island has a lot of potential。〃
He grunted。 〃For what？ Another tourist haven； where they destroy the jungle for a Hilton and a shopping center？ It would mean more money ing into Coquina； but there are only a few natural places like this left in the Caribbean。 That's why I bought the hotel and decided to stay on for a while。 I wouldn't have it any other way。〃
〃Are you against progress？〃
〃Progress； no。 Spoilage； yes。 A few years ago some businessmen had a plan to build a hotel and marina over on the island's north point。 They dredged out a harbor and started blasting the jungle away with dynamite。 They never finished it； and they ruined a perfectly good natural cove。〃
〃What made them stop？〃
Moore shrugged。 〃Money； I suppose。 And problems with the Carib Indians； who kicked their night watchmen around and stole their supplies； those people claim that part of Coquina； and they guard it jealously。 But I'm glad they didn't finish。 You can keep your Jamaicas and Haitis； Coquina's better off being left alone。〃
There was a pause； and then Jana said； 〃I didn't know I'd touched a nerve。〃
Moore glanced over at her； he hadn't meant to e across that strongly； and he knew it was partly the rum talking。 〃I'm sorry；〃 he apologized。 〃I suppose it's only a matter of time before the tourists move in； but I'm attached to this place。 I don't want it to change。〃
〃I can understand your feelings。〃
〃Well；〃 he said； dismissing the subject with a wave of his hand； 〃enough about Coquina。 I'm forgetting my manners。 Would you like a drink？〃
Jana shook her head。 〃I don't drink； but thank you all the same。〃
Moore sipped from his glass； listening for a moment to the sound of the ocean rolling across Kiss Bottom。 The waves were harsher than usual； and that could mean a storm was building somewhere； chopping up the sea。 〃How long have you been with the Foundation？〃 he asked her finally。
〃A little over a year；〃 she said。 〃I worked in research for the British Museum after I finished school； and I had the opportunity to dive with Cousteau on the Britannic。 That was mostly luck； but it helped me win a position in Kingston。〃
〃What exactly does the Foundation do？〃
She smiled faintly and nodded toward the open sea。 〃That's my laboratory。 Out there are perhaps thousands of sunken wrecks。 Some are charted； some aren't； more are being discovered all the time。 We document and study the ones that haven't been identified。 There are perhaps more wrecks in the Caribbean than any one place on earth； so that's why I tried my damnedest to get the position。 Pirate's galleons； men…o'…war； sailing merchants； steamers； warships； the bottom's a marine archaeologist's paradise。 What we're doing is just as much for shipping safety as for the sake of history。〃
〃You're very young to have e so far in your field。〃
Jana smiled openly； it was a warm smile； filled with a charm Moore had not seen until now。 〃I've heard that one before。 Believe me； I worked my ass off to get where I am。 It's never been easy…it still isn't…but I think the work is worth it。〃
〃So what are you planning about the submarine？〃
Jana's smile faded at once。 She stood up and leaned against the railing； staring out into the night； when she turned back to him he could see the fierce determination in her eyes。 〃I'm not going to let that man sink it； if that's what you mean。 He doesn't seem to realize how valuable it could be。 To be perfectly honest； grants to the Foundation from Great Britain haven't been pouring in for some time； the British Museum seems to be losing interest in our work。 Something like this could spark a fire throughout the entire scientific munity！ No。 I'm not going to return to Kingston and tell them
