rm.thenightboat-第47部分

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；　old　man！　I'm　going　to　sea　after　the　boat；　I'm　going　to　try　to　run　it　across　Jacob's　Teeth。〃　He　glanced　at　Moore　and　said　with　grudging　respect；　〃And　this　man's　going　with　me。〃
　　Kip　looked　over　his　shoulder　at　the　Carib；　then　at　Moore。　〃Jacob's　Teeth？　Then　you　think　it's　moving　toward　Jamaica？〃
　　〃Maybe；〃　Cheyne　answered。　〃It's　the　fastest　route　into　the　heart　of　the　sea　lanes。　If　we've　guessed　wrong；　or　if　we're　too　late；　we　won't　have　another　chance　to　find　it。〃
　　〃You　won't　make　it；　Cheyne；〃　Kip　said。　〃There's　no　way　you　can。。。〃
　　〃And　what　else　are　we　to　do？〃　The　Carib　glowered　at　him。　〃Let　that　goddamned　thing　slip　away；　maybe　to　return　here　and　do　this　again？　They　know　our　weaknesses　now；　and　they　know　where　to　find　diesel　fuel　for　their　boat。　They'll　get　into　the　sea　lanes　and　if　they　do。。。　no。　I　won't　have　that　on　my　conscience。　This　time　they　didn't　attack　Caribville；　but　once　a　long　time　ago　I　remember　the　scream　of　the　shells　and　burning　Caribs　crawling　through　ashes。　No！　I　won't　let　them　get　away！　Not　this　time！　Not　ever　again！〃　He　glanced　at　Moore。　〃I've　waited　long　enough。　If　you　don't　e　with　me　now　I'm　leaving　you　behind！〃　He　turned　and　began　walking　back　to　the　harbor。
　　Moore　paused　for　a　moment；　looking　into　Kip's　face。　〃I've　got　to　help　him；〃　he　said。　〃There's　no　other　way。〃
　　〃Just　you　two　alone？〃
　　〃And　Jana　Thornton。〃
　　Kip　stared　at　him；　shook　his　head；　looked　back　at　the　islanders。　The　fear　and　sickness　had　overtaken　them　again；　driving　out　the　lust　for　violence。　Reynard　staggered　back　through　the　group　of　men；　muttering　wildly。　〃I。。。　can't　think　anymore；〃　he　said　in　a　strained　voice。　〃I　don't　know　what　I　should　do。〃　He　stood　there　for　a　moment；　his　shoulders　sagged；　he　drew　a　hand　across　his　face　and　stared　down　as　if　he　might　find　an　answer　in　the　ashes。
　　Kip's　eyes　flickered。　He　looked　around　until　he　saw　a　face　he　knew。　〃J。R。；　you'll　be　in　charge　until　we　return。　Here。　The　keys　to　my　office。　There　are　guns　up　there　if　you　need　them。　Clear　away　as　many　of　these　people　as　you　can　from　the　harbor；　get　them　up　to　the　clinic。　David；　can　we　use　your　hotel　as　shelter？〃
　　Moore　nodded。
　　〃Then　that's　settled。〃　He　turned　back　to　J。R。　〃Get　as　many　as　you　can　up　there。　The　storm's　not　far　away；　from　the　looks　of　that　sky。　Just　get　them　in　out　of　the　wind。〃　Kip　turned　to　his　wife　and　clutched　her　hand。　〃Go　on。　You'll　be　all　right。　Hurry。〃
　　She　hesitated；　clinging　to　him；　he　called　another　woman's　name　and　she　came　over　to　lead　Myra　away　from　her　husband。　〃Remember；〃　he　said　to　J。R。　before　handing　him　the　rifle。　〃Make　sure　these　people　get　in　some　shelter。〃
　　Kip　and　Moore　made　their　way　silently　along　Front　Street；　they　could　hear　the　racket　of　the　trawler's　engines；　and　Cheyne　shouting　at　some　boys　to　help　him　throw　off　his　bow　lines。　〃I've　been　trying　to　raise　someone　on　the　radio　for　the　past　two　hours；〃　Kip　explained。　〃I've　just　been　getting　fragments　from　ships　at　sea。　There's　a　godawful　blow　working　out　there　somewhere。〃
　　〃You　don't　have　to　e　with　us。　Coquina's　your　responsibility　and　that's　all。〃
　　Kip　shook　his　head。　〃I　know　that　boat　is　still　out　there；　David。　And　I　won't　be　able　to　live　with　myself　if　I　don't　try…at　least　try…to　stop　it　before　it　takes　its　evil　elsewhere。　There'll　be　more　killing；　and　more　innocent　people　will　die。　If　I　turn　my　back　on　that　I　turn　my　back　on　everything　I've　ever　believed　in。〃
　　They　reached　the　boat　where　Cheyne　was　already　hauling　in　the　lines；　Jana　working　right　beside　him。　The　Carib　stared　at　Kip　for　a　few　seconds　but　said　nothing。
　　Moore　climbed　aboard　and　helped　the　Carib　and　Jana　with　the　bow　lines；　Cheyne　then　disappeared　into　the　wheelhouse　and　the　trawler　began　to　move　toward　Kiss　Bottom's　passage；　its　diesels　rumbling。
　　The　ocean　became　a　shifting　plain　of　blacks　and　whites　around　the　trawler。　The　waves　lifted　them　and　then　dropped　them　into　liquid；　glassine　pits　that　shimmered　like　a　thousand　eyes。　Foam　broke　over　the　trawler's　prow；　streaming　along　the　deck　and　through　the　scuppers。　Moore；　at　the　bow　watching　for　bommies；　looked　to　the　sky。　It　was　a　forbidding；　featureless　mass　of　grays　and　yellows。　As　they　swung　in　a　northeasterly　course；　black；　thick　clouds　loomed　in　the　distance；　closing　off　the　horizon；　making　it　a　vast；　empty　doorway。
　　He　turned　to　look　back　at　Coquina；　a　mass　of　green　against　the　gray。　Then　a　cresting　wave；　streaked　with　weed；　rose　up　and　blocked　his　view。　They　were　through　the　passage；　moving　across　the　deep　Abyss；　the　sea　striking　up　underneath　the　hull。
　　And　with　a　cold　shudder　he　realized　what　that　horizon　was。
　　A　doorway；　yawning　wide。
　　A　doorway　into　the　realm　of　the　dead。
　　He　made　his　way　aft；　clinging　to　the　gunwale；　past　Kip　and　into　the　wheelhouse。
　　　
　　　Twenty…four
　　
　　〃BAD　WEATHER　AHEAD；〃　Cheyne　said　grimly；　the　muscles　standing　out　on　his　forearms　with　the　effort　of　handling　the　wheel。　Timbers　creaked　the　length　of　the　boat；　water　struck　the　windshield　with　a　noise　like　a　handclap。　Though　the　wind　had　quieted；　the　sea　was　rising。　A　bad　sign。
　　The　sea　was　being　churned　into　a　frenzy　further　ahead；　nearer　Jamaica。　They　weren't　moving　fast　enough；　although　Cheyne　knew　that　the　waves　would　be　holding　the　U…boat　back　as　well。
　　Cheyne　let　the　Pride　run　for　openings　through　the　waves；　seeking　smoother　water　before　the　foam　crashed　back　and　closed　the　holes；　there　was　a　strong　current　thrashing　that　wanted　to　take　the　rudder　and　spin　the　boat　broadside。　Cheyne　cherished　the　Pride　like　a　strong；　responsive　woman。　He　had　built　this　boat　with　his　own　hands；　with　lumber　stolen　from　Langstree's　yard　and　salvaged　engine　parts。　He'd　captained　the　craft　for　seven　years；　using　it　to　fish　with　a　Carib　crew。　She　was　a　fine；　fast　boat；　with　a　good　balance。　He　kept　his　attention　focused　directly　ahead；　at　times　checking　a　pass　and　a　brass　barometer　mounted　on　the　panel　before　him。　The　glass　was　low　and　still　falling。
　　〃The　sea　can　pound　hell　out　of　the　U…boat；〃　Jana　said；　〃and　it'll　keep　right　on　going　because　of　the　way　it's　built；　low　to　the　water。　There's　no　capsizing　it。〃
　　〃All　those　years；〃　Kip　said　to　Moore；　〃those　things　were　working　to　put　the　boat　back　to　sea。。。　maybe　they'd　been　maintaining　the　engines　as　best　they　could　even　when　they　were　on　the　bottom。　All　that　time　with　a　single　purpose。　A　desire　to　strike　back；　a　burning　hate　and　need。〃　He'd　related　everything　Boniface　had　said。
　　〃U…boat　crewmen　were　trained　to　improve；〃　Jana　told　him。　〃They　used　whatever　was　at　hand…wires；　cables；　pieces　of　timber；　even　the　bulkhead　iron。　There　are　documented　cases　of　submarines　being　raised　from　the　bottom　after　several　days…just　before　their　air　gave　out　for　good…due　to　the　sheer　guts　and　ingenuity　of　the　crewmen。　In　some　ways　I　think　they　must　have　been　the　bravest　of　all　warriors。〃
　　〃The　Night　Boat；〃　Kip　whispered　to　himself　from　where　he　stood　at　the　rear　of　the　wheelhouse；　an　arm　hooked　around　a　beam。　He　felt　weary　and　battered；　and　he　wondered　what　he　would　have　done　if　his　fears　had　been　realized；　if　Myra　and　Mindy　had　been　killed。　When　he'd　seen　that　blood　on　the　wall　of　his　house；　his　world　had　begun　to　collapse。　Two　of　the　horrors　had　broken　in　and　one　had　slashed　his　daughter　with　a　claw；　but　Myra　had　fought　them　off　with　the　rifle　and　had　run　to　the　village　with　Mindy　in　her　arms。　There　she'd　found　more　of　the　things；　and　they　would　have　killed　her　in　the　street　had　a　group　of　men　not　appeared　through　the　smoke　and　held　them　back。　She'd　remembered　Langstree；　she'd　told　Kip；　beating　at　the　things　with　an　iron　pipe　before　he　was　dragged　into　their　midst。　Myra　had　found　refuge　in　the　grocery's　cellar；　along　with　a　few　other　men　and　women。　The　things　had　almost　ripped　away　the　overhead　trapdoor；　but　then　the　grocery　had　caught　fire　and　they　had　scurried　away；　fearful　of　the　flames。　Myra　and　the　others　had　barely　gotten　out　before　the　burning　roof　had　collapsed。
　　〃God；〃　Kip　said　aloud；　shaking　off　the　terrible　memory　of　her　story。　〃What　if　it's　taken　another　passage；　moved　toward　Trinidad；　or　Haiti；　or　even　the　States？　You　said　you'd　force　the　boat　onto　Jacob's　Teeth　if　you　could　catch　it；　Cheyne。　I　want　to　know　how。〃
　　Cheyne　didn't　turn　his　head。　He　watched　the　storm　curtain　thickening。　〃When　the　time　es；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　find　it；　all　right。　It's　not　through　with　me；　just　as　I'm　not　through　with　it。〃
　　〃Why？〃　Moore　asked；　moving　alongside　Cheyne　and　supporting　himself　against　the　instrumentation　panel。　〃I've　seen　the　hate　and　the　fear　in　you。　How　did　it　get　there？〃
　　〃I　think；〃　Cheyne　responded；　light　glinting　off　his　golden　amulet；　〃you　see　too　much；　Moore。〃　He　paused　a　moment；　as　if　weighing　a　decision。　Then　he　nodded　and　spoke：　〃I　have　a　nightmare；　Moore。　It　won't　let　me　be。　I　can't　free　myself　of　it。　I　am　in　a　room；　lying　on　the　bare　frame　of　a　bed。　I'm　a　child；　and　I　know　nothing　of　terror　or　the　evil　in　man　because　my　world　is　enclosed　by　the　huge　cathedral　of　the　sea　and　sky。　I　lie　in　a　darkened　room　and　I　listen　to　the　nightbirds。　But　then　they're　silent；　and　there's　another　noise。　A　thin　wailing　noise　that　es　closer　and　closer；　but　I　cannot　escape。　And　then　the　noise　is　all　around　me；　hot　and　screaming。　There　is　no　way　to　get　out　of　that　room。
　　〃I　see　a　crack　zigzag　across　the　ceiling；　I　see　the　ceiling　fall　to　pieces　just　as　the　rain　of　hot　metal　and　fire　pours　through。　Something　jagged　strikes　my　head　and　I　try　to　scream　but　I　have　no　voice。　I　cup　my　own　blood　in　my　hands；　and　the　blood　is　bubbling。　And　then　the　pain。　White　hot。　Unendurable。　God；　the　pain。。。〃　Tiny　beads　of　sweat　had　risen　on　his　forehead。
　　〃I　can　smell　myself　burning；　in　this　nightmare；　and　no　one　can　help　me　because　they　can't　reach　me　beneath　the　flaming　timbers。　And　then　darkness；　a　long　terrible　darkness。　Finally　there　are　people　in　white　who　tell　me　to　rest。　I　lie　in　a　green…walled　room　without　mirrors。　But　one　day　I　struggle　up　from　my　bed　and　I　catch　a　glimpse　of　something　reflected　in　the　window　glass。　A　monstrous　face　wrapped　in　yellowed　bandages；　shriveled　and　distorted；　peering　back；　the　swollen　eyes　widening。　I　smash　my　hand　through　the　glass　because　I　am　afraid　of　what　I　see。　I　want　to　destroy　that　creature　because　I　know　som