rm.thenightboat-第6部分

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　with　a　British　veneer。　Steven　Kip　had　been　Coquina's　constable　of　police　for　some　seven　years。　He　stabbed　a　finger　at　Moore。　〃I've　warned　you　about　all　that　junk　lying　underwater；　all　that　war　crap。　It　could've　been　your　bones　at　a　thousand　fathoms。　So　you　found　one　damned　brass　pass。　So　what？　Now　this！　You're　a　fool　to　go　diving　alone　in　there！〃
　　Moore　said　nothing；　because　he　knew　the　constable　was　right。　The　currents　were　dangerous；　the　risks　great　for　a　group　of　divers　and　astronomical　for　one　alone。　What　was　it；　he　thought　grimly；　not　looking　at　the　other　man。　His　death　wish？　Damn　it　to　hell！
　　〃She's　an　old　one；〃　Kip　said　quietly；　staring　at　the　deck　gun。　〃Sand's　kept　her　as　clean　as　a　new　tooth。〃　There　was　a　sudden　sharp　clatter。　One　of　the　islanders　was　pulling　at　a　cable　that　snaked　off　into　the　water　at　the　stern。　〃Hey！　Let　that　be！〃　The　islander　looked　up；　dropped　the　cable；　and　backed　away　from　it。　〃How　deep？〃　Kip　asked　Moore。
　　〃Hundred　and　fifty。　Pretty　close　to　the　surface　for　one　of　these。〃
　　Kip　shook　his　head。　〃Didn't　want　to　stay　down；　did　it？　There's　supposed　to　be　a　main　hatch　up　on　the　tower。　Did　you　check　it？〃
　　〃No；〃　Moore　said。
　　〃Then　let's　get　at　it。〃　Kip　turned　from　him　and　made　his　way　past　two　more　islanders　who　had　e　aboard。
　　〃Watch　your　step；〃　Moore　called　to　his　friend。　〃Deck's　weak　in　places。〃
　　They　stepped　over　the　tangle　of　cables；　reached　a　ladder；　and　climbed　up　to　the　tower　bridge。
　　The　bridge　was　ankle…deep　in　gray　sand　and　seawater；　littered　with　pieces　of　planking　and　clumps　of　coral。　Droplets　splattered　onto　them　from　the　periscope　shafts　above；　ricocheting　off　the　iron　bulwark。　Kip　bent　down　into　the　water　and　parted　sand　with　his　hands　until　at　last　he　uncovered　the　slab　of　a　hatch。　〃Sealed　tight；〃　he　said；　wiping　his　forehead　with　a　dripping　hand。　〃If　we　want　to　get　in　we'll　have　to　burn　through；　and　I'm　not　so　certain　we　want　to　do　that。〃
　　〃Why　not？〃
　　〃Still　anxious　to　do　some　salvaging　today；　are　you？〃　Kip　fixed　him　with　a　cynical　stare。　〃You　might　be　doing　your　salvaging　in　Heaven　if　this　thing's　carrying　live　torpedoes。〃　He　stood　up；　looking　toward　the　stern。　〃There　should　be　a　crack　somewhere　in　this　boat's　guts。　Otherwise　what　was　it　doing　in　the　Abyss？〃
　　〃It　seems　to　be　stable　enough　now；〃　Moore　said。　〃No　indication　that　it's　sinking。〃
　　Kip　grunted。　〃I　can　understand　a　dead　boat　going　down。　I　can't　understand　a　dead　one　ing　back　up。　This　beats　all　I've　ever　seen。　One　thing's　for　sure；　though。　Kiss　Bottom's　got　a　hold　on　it；　and　the　hulk's　not　going　anywhere　soon。〃　He　looked　closely　at　Moore　as　he　leaned　back　against　the　bulwark　and　ran　a　hand　over　his　face。　〃You　want　to　see　Dr。　Maxwell；　David？〃
　　〃No；　I'm　okay。　I　guess　I'm　still　a　little　shaky。　I　knew　the　storm　would　have　uncovered　a　lot　down　there；　but　I　never　figured　on　anything　like　this。〃
　　The　constable　was　silent　for　a　moment；　gazing　along　the　wide　decks。　〃World　War　II　crate；　I'd　say。　No　markings。　Could　be　British；　American；　Italian；　German。。。　who　knows？　They　all　prowled　these　waters　during　the　war。　Now　that　it's　up　we're　going　to　have　to　do　something　with　it。　I　can't　leave　it　out　here；　but　for　the　life　of　me　I'm　stumped　as　to。。。〃
　　There　was　another　sharp　noise　of　something　striking　iron。　Kip　peered　over　the　bulwark；　expecting　to　see　one　of　the　islanders　again　trying　to　gather　up　that　heavy…duty　cable。
　　But　the　men　were　all　standing　together　at　the　bow。　They　had　been　talking　quietly；　and　now　they　stared　up　at　the　constable；　their　faces　frozen；　their　lips　drawn　into　tight　lines。　The　others　on　the　trawler　stood　where　they　were；　watching　and　listening。
　　And　all　around　a　deep；　hollow　booming…something　striking　iron　with　a　rising；　feverish　intensity。
　　One　of　the　islanders　cried　out　in　fear；　they　all　backed　away　from　the　tower；　moving　toward　the　gangplank　and　the　safety　of　the　trawler。
　　Moore　felt　a　chill　streaking　up　his　spine。　〃What　the　hell。。。？〃
　　〃Get　off　it！〃　a　bearded　man　on　the　trawler　called　out。
　　〃It's　the　sea！〃　Kip　said　loudly；　so　they　could　all　hear。　〃What's　wrong　with　you　men？　The　sea's　ing　up　and　banging　around　underneath　the　hull；　for　God's　sake！〃　But　now　their　eyes　were　wide　and　terrified；　they　were　chattering　among　themselves；　and　even　as　they　did　the　noise　grew　louder　and　sharper；　more　frenzied；　out　of　pace　with　the　sea's　rhythm。
　　Then　nothing。　And　the　silence　was　ten　times　as　bad。
　　〃It's　about　to　e　apart；〃　Kip　said　quietly。　〃Let's　get　off　this　thing。〃　He　swung　himself　easily　over　the　bulwark　and　descended　the　ladder　to　the　deck；　then　stepped　back　for　Moore　to　e　down。　Kip　paused　a　few　seconds；　looking　over　the　side　where　the　currents　churned　about　under　the　hull；　while　Moore　cast　off　the　lines　of　his　skiff。　One　of　the　men　secured　it　so　the　boat　would　drag　along　with　the　trawler。
　　〃Let's　get　out　of　here；〃　Kip　said。
　　They　took　the　trawler's　gangplank　back　aboard；　freed　the　lines；　and　pulled　them　back。　With　a　throb　of　its　engines　the　trawler　veered　away　from　the　submarine；　swinging　around　for　the　clear　entrance　through　the　reef。　Moore　turned　to　look　back　at　the　thing。　Its　bow　jabbed　the　sky；　the　maw　of　a　beast。　It　unnerved　him　to　think　he'd　been　underwater　with　something　like　that；　clinging　to　it；　his　unprotected　network　of　flesh；　nerves；　muscle；　and　bone　so　close　to　an　armor…plated　creature　of　cables；　gears；　rivets；　iron　beams。
　　He　was　unable　to　turn　his　eyes　away。　Where　have　you　e　from？　And　why　are　you　here？
　　No　one　spoke　aboard　the　trawler。　The　sun　beat　down　on　the　men；　and　the　safety　of　harbor　lay　just　ahead。
　　The　eerie　hammering　noises　still　echoed　within　Moore's　head。　Had　it　been　the　sea；　as　Kip　had　said？　He'd　heard　the　same　thing　underwater；　as　he　worked　around　that　exposed　periscope。　But　it　had　seemed　to　him　then　that　the　noise　had　e　from　inside　the　thing；　as　if　something　were　striking　metal　over　and　over　again；　with　a　terrible　strength。
　　Something　trying　to　get　out。
　　　
　　　Three
　　
　　THERE　WAS　LAZY　WATER　within　the　harbor；　Kiss　Bottom　held　back　the　swell　and　surge　of　the　waves。　Moore　stood　on　the　deck　of　the　fishing　trawler　watching　his　own　reflection　break　into　halves；　thirds；　fourths　by　the　boat's　bow…break。　The　wharfs　were　ing　up；　and　young　boys　stood　ready　there　to　catch　and　secure　the　thick　fore　and　aft　deck　lines。　Beneath　the　tangle　of　wharf　pilings；　where　the　steady　surf　washed　in　on　a　beach；　crabs　rustled　through　thorns　and　grass。　The　remains　of　a　fishing　skiff　were　half…buried　there；　and　now　no　one　remembered　to　whom　it　had　belonged。　Other　small　boats　were　beached　along　the　semicircle　of　the　harbor；　nets　were　drying　over　timber　racks；　and　a　solitary　fisherman　sat　beneath　a　cluster　of　palms；　watching　the　trawler　as　it　neared。
　　The　larger　trawlers　were　moored　in　their　places；　their　tire…browed　sides　rubbing　aged　timbers。　A　sheen　of　oil　floated　across　the　water；　tinting　it　in　a　kaleidoscope　of　thick　colors；　a　dead　ghostfish　hung　in　the　midst　of　it；　the　oil　coloring　it。　In　another　moment　the　trawler's　bow　had　ground　it　under。
　　〃I've　been　in　these　islands　for　all　my　life；　David；〃　said　Kip；　ing　up　beside　him　and　speaking　over　the　din　of　the　diesels'　hoarse　voices。　〃But　I've　never　seen　anything　like　that　happen　before。　Like　I　say；　it's　a　holy　wonder　you　weren't　killed。〃　He　scowled　inwardly　when　he　realized　Moore　wasn't　listening。
　　Kip　had　been　born　into　a　poor　fishing　family　on　Hatcher　Key；　a　small　island　perhaps　a　hundred　miles　to　the　east　of　Coquina；　so　named　because　of　its　turtle　hatchery。　Often　he　dreamed　of　being　a　youth　there　again；　running　with　his　friends　across　mountains　of　gleaming　ivory　sand；　and　beyond　the　shore　into　the　surf　with　its　unbroken　patterns　of　white。　Then　his　father　had　broken　his　arm　and　shoulder　running　the　family's　boat　aground　on　an　uncharted　sunken　steamer。　The　bones　had　never　knitted　correctly　and　his　father　had　had　to　give　up　fishing；　so　the　family　had　gathered　up　their　belongings　and　moved　to　the　Kingston　slums；　a　mass　of　twisted　clapboard　and　streets　of　shifting　sand。　Survival　there　had　meant　making　miniature　straw　figures　for　the　tourists；　or　in　Kip's　case；　acting　as　a　guide　for　a　few　pence。　His　aunt　and　uncle　lived　just　outside　Kingston；　on　the　fringe　of　the　woods。　They　had　frightened　Kip…their　beliefs　and　practices　had　seemed　peculiar…unnatural…and　altered　their　everyday　personalities　in　some　inexplicable　way。　Kip　had　hated　his　visits　with　those　people。
　　His　mother　had　barely　known　how　to　read；　but　she　insisted　on　teaching　him。　If　you　can　read；　she　said；　you　can　think。　And　in　this　world　a　man　got　to　think　to　survive。　While　the　woman　had　read　to　Kip；　his　father　had　sat　apart　from　them　in　the　tiny　room；　watching　the　lantern　flicker　and　listening　to　the　roll　and　call　of　the　sea。
　　Kip　had　gone　to　the　United　States；　to　Florida；　to　seek　his　own　living　and　there　he　had　run　into　trouble。　The　grinning；　tallow…faced　white　men　either　tried　to　beat　him　or　steal　whatever　money　he　made　sweeping　floors　in　a　Miami　poolhall。　They　weren't　all　like　that；　of　course；　but　he　thought　then　he'd　seen　enough　badness　there　to　last　a　lifetime。　By　day　he　absorbed　everything　he　saw　or　heard；　and　by　night；　in　an　upstairs　room　with　holes　in　the　plaster；　he　read　all　the　books　he　could　beg　or　borrow。　One　of　them　impressed　him　greatly：　a　novel　about　the　bobbies　of　London；　called　The　Long　Arm　of　the　Law。　And　so　he　worked　his　way　across　the　Atlantic　on　a　tramp　steamer　that　docked　in　Liverpool；　finding　work　as　a　deckhand　on　a　harbor　tug。　He　had　had　trouble　at　first；　as　the　object　of　scorn　and　derision　of　the　white　old…timers。　He　had　gradually　won　their　respect；　if　not　their　friendship；　simply　because　he　could　work　like　any　three　of　them　put　together。　Kip　had　gotten　into　a　program　in　law　enforcement　and；　returning　to　the　islands　in　the　sixties　with　his　education　and　his　eyes　full　of　the　world；　he　had　landed　a　post　as　an　officer　in　the　Bahamas。　On　Grand　Bahama　he'd　met　his　wife…to…be　and　fathered　his　first　child；　a　boy　named　Andrew。　Then　he　was　offered　the　position　of　constable　on　Coquina。　He　had　accepted　because　of　the　responsibility　involved　and　the　sense　of　doing　something　worthwhile。
　　He　and　Myra　had　stayed　on　Coquina　because　they'd　found　life　good　here；　peaceful　and　secure