rm.thenightboat-第31部分

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　fire　throughout　the　entire　scientific　munity！　No。　I'm　not　going　to　return　to　Kingston　and　tell　them　I　had　a　risen　U…boat　in　my　grasp；　in　remarkable　condition；　and　let　it　be　sunk　right　under　my　nose！〃
　　〃Wait　here　a　second；〃　Moore　said　suddenly；　standing　up。　〃I　want　to　show　you　something。〃　He　went　to　his　study；　found　the　scorpion　paperweight；　and　brought　it　out　to　her。　〃Look　at　this；〃　he　said。
　　She　stared　at　the　glass　object；　holding　it　up　to　the　dim　porch　light。　Her　expression　was　troubled　and　she　seemed　agitated。　〃Where　did　you　find　this？〃　she　asked　quietly；　glancing　at　him　and　then　back　to　the　paperweight。
　　〃Inside　the　boat；　there　was　a　cabin　just　forward　of　the　control　room。〃
　　Jana　nodded。　〃The　mander's　quarters。〃　She　turned　it；　examining　the　letters。　Moore　saw　the　color　suddenly　drain　from　her　face。　〃Korrin；〃　she　said。
　　〃What？〃
　　〃It's　the　name　here。　Korrin。　Wilhelm　Korrin。　Do　you　see？〃　Her　eyes　were　bright　with　excitement。
　　〃I　suppose　it　could　say　that；　yes。〃
　　〃I　know　that　name；〃　she　said　with　finality。
　　Moore　took　it　from　her；　held　it　into　the　light。
　　〃And　now　I　know　what　boat　that　is；〃　Jana　said。
　　　
　　　Sixteen
　　
　　WERE　OVER　two　hundred　miles　off　the　mark！〃　Jana　was　saying。　〃It's　incredible！　If　it　weren't　for　this。。。〃　She　held　the　paperweight　up　as　she　sat　on　the　sofa　in　the　hotel's　front　room。　She　was　constantly　turning　it；　studying　the　letters　as　if　fearful　they　would　somehow　evaporate　before　her　eyes。
　　〃You've　been　talking　for　fifteen　minutes；〃　Moore　called　from　the　kitchen　where　he　was　making　a　pot　of　coffee；　〃and　I　haven't　understood　a　thing　you've　said。　Wait　until　I　get　in　there。〃
　　〃When's　the　earliest　I　can　get　a　message　off　to　Kingston？〃
　　〃Hard　to　say；〃　Moore　called　back。　〃The　relay　operator　sometimes　works　for　an　hour　or　so　on　Sundays；　sometimes　not　at　all。〃
　　〃I've　got　to　get　a　message　off！〃
　　〃Settle　down；〃　he　said；　bringing　in　a　tray　with　a　coffeepot　and　two　cups。　He　set　it　down　on　the　table　and　poured　some　for　her　and　then　for　himself。　〃If　it's　all　that　important　we'll　wake　her　at　daylight。〃　He　sat　beside　her。　〃All　right；　I'm　listening。　Who's　Wilhelm　Korrin？〃
　　〃He　was　one　of　the　few　U…boat　aces　of　World　War　II；〃　Jana　said。　〃There　weren't　many　others：　Prien；　Schepke；　Kretschmer…and　Korrin's　tonnage　record　equaled　anything　they　sunk。　Well；　at　the　end　of　the　war　the　others　were　all　accounted　for；　either　dead　or　in　prison　camps；　but　Korrin　had　vanished　without　a　trace；　and　since　the　war　he's　been　a　puzzle　to　military　historians。
　　〃A　few　months　ago　a　group　of　sport　divers　found　a　U…boat　wreckage　near　Jamaica；　there　wasn't　much　left　of　the　boat；　but　on　checking　our　records　we　found　it　was　unidentifieci。　Korrin's　last　known　mand　was　in　the　Caribbean；　so　of　course　we　assumed　we'd　found　his　U…boat。　Now　finding　this　paperweight　makes　all　the　difference。　And　it's　even　more　vital　to　preserve　the　U…boat　now；　there'll　be　war　diaries　aboard；　Korrin's　personal　log…who　knows　what　else。　It's　a　treasure　trove　for　both　the　Foundation　and　military　historians。〃
　　Moore　grunted。　〃He　was　that　important；　was　he？〃
　　〃Very；〃　Jana　said。　〃Korrin　almost　single…handedly　blocked　off　the　northeastern　coast　of　the　United　States；　on　one　particular　tour　of　duty　his　U…boat　crept　inside　a　convoy　to　strike　at　three　tankers。　All　of　them　went　down；　Korrin　escaped；　and　that　attack　earned　a　Knight's　Cross　for　him　in　Berlin；　but　he　never　returned　to　accept　it。　In　the　early　part　of　1942　his　area　of　operations　was　the　Caribbean；　he　was　one　of　the　first　U…boat　manders　patrolling　the　area；　and　he　was　given　a　free　choice　of　targets。　The　unverified　reports　say　his　boat　shelled　the　Trinidad　oil　refineries；　slipped　into　Castries　harbor　to　torpedo　an　anchored　freighter；　and　sank　the　British　cruiser　Hawklin　with　a　single　concussion　torpedo　that　snapped　it　amidships。　The　Hawklin　survivors　testified　that　the　U…boat　returned　several　hours　later　to　fire　on　their　lifeboats；　if　that　incident　had　ever　been　proved；　Korrin　would　have　gone　on　trial　for　his　life…if　he'd　ever　returned　to　take　his　punishment；　that　is。　munications　between　the　U…boats　were　kept　at　a　minimum　for　the　sake　of　security；　and　there　was　no　way　Korrin's　movements　could　be　tracked。
　　〃Then　he　vanished。　His　boat's　number…U…198…never　reappeared　on　any　of　the　German　position　logs。　He　was　really　quite　something…a　ruthless；　highly　intelligent　man；　a　patriotic　Nazi　who　asked　for　the　most　demanding　missions。　But　for　the　last　forty　years　he's　been　a　mystery。〃
　　Moore　was　impressed。　〃You've　been　doing　your　homework。〃
　　〃I　did　as　much　research　as　I　could　when　I　was　diving　that　U…boat　off　Jamaica。　That's　primarily　the　reason　I　drew　this　assignment。〃　She　put　the　paperweight　down　and　looked　at　him。　〃Now　I'd　like　to　know　something。　This　afternoon　you　didn't　even　want　me　near　the　boat。　Why　was　that？〃
　　He　put　his　cup　on　the　table　and　paused　for　a　moment；　then　said　very　quietly；　〃Something　happened　when　Kip　and　I　went　in；　something　I　can't　understand　or　explain。　It's　dangerous。。。　very　dangerous。〃
　　〃Tell　me。〃
　　He　took　a　deep　breath；　realizing　Jana　was　going　to　probe　until　she　found　it。　〃The　bodies　inside　aren't　skeletons；　they've　been　mummified。　It's　not　a　pretty　sight。。。〃
　　〃I　can　handle　it。〃
　　〃No。　It's　more　than　that。〃　He　paused；　feeling　her　gaze　on　him；　he　sipped　at　his　coffee；　wondering　how　to　say　it。　〃Something　moved　inside　there；〃　he　said　finally。
　　Jana　started　to　laugh；　but　then　she　saw　he　was　deadly　serious　and　she　stopped　herself。　〃You　mean　it；　don't　you？〃
　　〃Yes。〃　He　let　out　a　deep　sigh　and　clenched　his　hands　together。　〃I've　gone　over　it　in　my　head　a　hundred　times。　Kip　says　it　was　a　hallucination；　the　effect　of　the　fumes　we　breathed；　but　damn　it；　I　know　I　saw　something　real　there；　in　the　boat's　central　passageway。　And　it　looked　like　a　man。〃
　　〃A　man？　Perhaps　someone　else　was　hiding　on　board。〃
　　Moore　shook　his　head　quickly。　〃I　mean　it　looked　like　one　of　the。。。　things　we　found　lying　together　in　the　control　room。　I　know　I　sound　like　I'm　losing　my　mind　and　maybe　I　am；　but　there's　something　terrible　inside；　and　I'm　not　going　into　the　boat　again。〃
　　〃Sometimes　the　imagination。。。〃　Jana　began。
　　〃NO！〃　Moore　looked　up　at　her；　and　his　expression　frightened　her　because　she　could　see　his　own　fear；　working　deep　within　him。　〃It　was　not　something　I　imagined；　it　was　real。〃
　　They　sat　in　uneasy　silence　for　a　few　moments。　Jana　put　the　paperweight　aside；　finished　her　coffee；　and　then　stood　up。　〃It's　time　for　me　to　be　turning　in；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　an　early　riser。　I'm　afraid　I'll　have　to　be　depending　on　you　for　transportation　around　Coquina；　if　it's　too　much　trouble　I　suppose　I　could　rent　a　bicycle　down　in　the　village。〃
　　〃It's　no　trouble；〃　he　said　quietly。
　　〃Well；　if　you're　sure。　I'd　like　to　make　a　quick　check　of　my　plane　in　the　morning；　and　of　course　I'm　going　to　have　to　talk　to　the　constable。〃
　　〃I　don't　think　Kip's　going　to　change　his　mind。〃
　　〃We'll　see。　If　I　have　to；　I'll　fly　back　to　Kingston　to　get　legal　intervention。〃　She　stood　over　him　for　a　moment　and　then　she　said；　〃Good　night；〃　and　moved　toward　the　stairway。　When　she　had　gone　up　a　few　steps　she　turned　back　to　reassure　him　but　then　thought　better　of　it　and　continued　on　to　her　room。
　　Moore　sat　on　the　sofa　for　a　long　time。　And　then　he　felt　it…the　sensation　that　very　near　to　him　was　evil；　an　intense；　burning　hatred　that　at　any　moment　could　rise　up　and　destroy　the　village。　It　was　the　same　sensation　he'd　had　while　in　the　boat；　and　he　was　unable　to　shake　it。　Then　he　thought　of　the　forty…five…caliber　automatic　he　kept　in　a　drawer　in　his　room。　He　stood　up　and　locked　both　the　screen　door　and　the　wooden　door；　walked　through　the　corridor　into　the　kitchen；　and　bolted　the　rear　door　as　well。　Only　when　he　was　satisfied　the　hotel　was　secure　did　he　snap　off　the　lights　and　mount　the　stairway　in　the　dark。
　　
　　Thick；　bilious　clouds　swept　through　the　night；　covering　over　the　moon　and　the　stars。　A　brief　shower　sent　droplets　spattering　against　windows　and　roofs；　and　rivulets　of　water　crept　along　gutters。　The　sea　flattened；　pocked　by　the　rain；　and　when　the　dawn　came　both　sea　and　sky　were　plains　of　slate　that　merged　at　the　horizon。　Only　a　lighter　patch　of　gray　above　the　turbulent　ocean　indicated　where　the　sun　was　hanging。
　　The　wind　that　had　forced　the　clouds　in　from　the　northeast　had　died　away　just　before　morning；　and　now　a　grim　stillness　and　silence　lay　across　Coquina。
　　Kip　hadn't　slept　well。　He　had　been　awakened　continually　by　imagined　noises：　something　moving　in　the　brush　outside　his　window；　a　far…off　crying　of　birds；　the　scratching　of　rats　at　the　walls。　He　had　gotten　out　of　bed　and　read　until　dawn；　trying　to　keep　his　attention　on　the　printed　pages；　but　his　mind　was　too　full　to　allow　him　to　concentrate。　He　turned　the　pages　automatically　without　really　seeing　what　was　there。　And　now；　as　gray　light　filled　the　small　house　and　Myra　cooked　breakfast　in　the　kitchen；　Kip　sat　with　his　hands　folded　before　him；　motionless　and　lost　in　thought。
　　〃We'll　be　ready　to　eat　in　a　few　minutes；〃　Myra　said；　looking　in　on　him。　〃Shall　I　wake　Mindy？〃
　　〃No；〃　Kip　said。　〃Let　her　sleep　a　while　longer。〃
　　The　woman　understood　that　her　husband　wanted　to　be　alone；　so　she　went　back　into　the　kitchen　and　began　to　get　out　the　silverware。
　　For　the　past　few　days；　he　knew；　he　hadn't　been　as　warm　to　her　as　he　usually　was。　The　enemy　has　reached　us；　he　thought　suddenly；　they　have　found　us　through　the　barriers　of　both　time　and　death；　and　they　will　not　sleep　until　they　destroy　us。　The　U…boat　was　eating　into　him；　obsessing　his　sleep；　contaminating　the　very　air　he　breathed。　What　kind　of　men；　Kip　wondered；　had　made　such　a　death　machine　as　that？　Who　drove　the　rivets；　who　hammered　the　iron　plates；　who　strung　the　miles　of　wiring　beneath　the　decks？　Who　packed　explosives　into　the　torpedoes；　set　the　equipment　into　place　in　that　hellish　control　room；　torched　the　water…tight　bulkheads　into　their　frames？　Every　inch　of　the　thing　had　been　conceived　and　built　for　one　purpose：　destruction。　In　life　it　had　prowled　the　currents　seeking　to　carry　out　its　purpose；　and　in　death　the　thing's　image　seemed　burned　into　his　brain。　The　enemy　has　reached　us；　Kip　thought；　and　there　is　no　escape。
　　He　ate