p&c.icelimit-第30部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　Lloyd　grasped　the　paper　and　McFarlane　leaned　over　to　look。　A　faint；　erratic　line　represented　the　ground。　Beneath；　much　darker；　was　the　top　edge　of　a　large；　semicircular　shape。　The　paper　shook　in　Lloyd's　powerful　hands。　McFarlane　thought；　God；　there　really　is　something　down　there。　He　hadn't　quite　believed　it；　not　until　now。
　〃Fifteen　inches　to　go；〃　said　Amira。
　〃Time　to　switch　to　archaeological　mode；〃　Glinn　said。　〃We're　sinking　our　hole　in　a　slightly　different　place　from　where　Masangkay　dug；　so　we　can　sample　undisturbed　earth　above。〃
　The　group　followed　him　across　the　freshly　exposed　gravel。　Amira　took　some　more　readings；　tapped　a　few　stakes　into　the　ground；　gridded　it　off；　and　snapped　some　chalk　strings　to　make　a　square　two　meters　on　a　side。　The　group　of　laborers　came　forward　and　began　carefully　troweling　dirt　from　the　square。
　〃How　e　the　ground's　not　frozen？〃　asked　McFarlane。　
　Glinn　nodded　upward　at　the　four　towers。　〃We've　bathed　the　area　in　far　infrared。〃
　〃You've　thought　of　everything；〃　said　Lloyd；　shaking　his　head。
　〃You're　paying　us　to　do　just　that。〃
　The　men　proceeded　to　trowel　out　a　neat　cube；　descending　bit　by　bit；　occasionally　taking　samples　of　minerals；　gravel；　and　sand　as　they　went。　One　of　them　stopped　and　held　up　a　jagged　object；　sand　adhering　to　its　surface。
　〃That's　interesting；〃　said　Glinn；　stepping　forward　quickly。　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃You　got　me；〃　said　Amira。　〃Strange。　Looks　almost　like　glass。〃
　〃Fulgurite；〃　said　McFarlane。
　〃What？〃
　〃Fulgurite。　It's　what　happens　when　a　powerful　bolt　of　lightning　hits　wet　sand。　It　fuses　a　channel　through　the　sand；　turning　it　to　glass。〃
　〃That's　why　I　hired　him；〃　said　Lloyd；　looking　around　with　a　grin。
　〃Here's　another；〃　said　a　workman。　They　carefully　dug　around　it；　leaving　it　sticking　up　in　the　sand　like　a　tree　branch。
　〃Meteorites　are　ferromagnetic；〃　McFarlane　said；　dropping　down　and　carefully　plucking　it　from　the　sand　with　his　gloved　hands。　〃This　one　must　have　attracted　more　than　its　share　of　lightning。〃
　The　men　continued　to　work；　uncovering　several　more　fulgurites；　which　were　wrapped　in　tissue　and　packed　in　wooden　crates。　Amira　swept　her　instrument　over　the　ground　surface。　〃Six　more　inches；〃　she　said。
　〃Switch　to　brushes；〃　said　Glinn。
　Two　men　now　crouched　around　the　hole；　the　rest　of　the　workers　taking　up　positions　behind　them。　At　this　depth；　McFarlane　could　see　that　the　dirt　was　wet；　almost　saturated　with　water；　and　the　workers　were　not　so　much　sweeping　away　sand　as　they　were　brushing　mud。　A　hush　fell　on　the　group　as　the　hole　deepened；　centimeter　by　centimeter。
　〃Take　another　reading；〃　murmured　Glinn。
　〃One　more　inch；〃　Amira　said。
　McFarlane　leaned　forward。　The　two　laborers　were　using　stiff　plastic　brushes　to　carefully　whisk　the　mud　into　pans；　which　they　passed　to　the　men　behind　them。
　And　then　a　brush　swept　across　a　hard　surface。　The　two　workmen　stepped　out　of　the　hole　and　gingerly　troweled　away　the　heavy　mud；　leaving　a　shallow　layer　covering　the　hard　surface　below。
　〃Rinse　it　off；〃　said　Glinn。　McFarlane　thought　he　heard　a　note　of　anticipation　in　the　voice。
　〃Hurry；　man！〃　Lloyd　cried。
　One　of　the　workmen　came　running　up；　unrolling　a　thin　hose。　Glinn　himself　took　the　nozzle；　aimed　it　toward　the　mud…covered　meteorite；　and　squeezed。　For　several　seconds；　there　was　no　sound　except　the　gentle　hiss　of　water　as　the　last　of　the　mud　was　rinsed　from　the　surface。
　Then　Glinn　jerked　the　nozzle　shut。　The　water　drained　away　from　the　naked　surface　of　the　meteorite。　A　sudden　paralysis；　an　electric　moment　of　suspension；　gripped　the　pany。
　And　then　there　was　the　sound　of　the　champagne　bottle；　heedlessly　dropped；　landing　on　the　damp　earth　with　a　heavy　thud。
　
　Isla　Desolacion；
　9：55　A。M。
　
　PALMER　LLOYD　stood　at　the　edge　of　the　precise　cut　in　the　earth；　his　eyes　locked　on　the　naked　surface　of　the　meteorite。　For　a　moment；　his　mind　went　blank　at　the　astonishing　sight。　And　then；　gradually；　he　became　aware　of　himself　again：　felt　the　blood　pounding　in　his　temples；　the　air　filling　his　chest；　the　cold　air　freezing　his　nose　and　cheeks。　And　yet　the　overpowering　surprise　remained。　He　was　looking　at　it；　he　was　seeing　it；　but　he　couldn't　believe　it。
　〃Margaux；〃　he　murmured；　his　voice　small　in　the　snowy　vastness。
　The　silence　around　him　was　plete。　Everyone　had　been　shocked　mute。
　Lloyd　had　made　pilgrimages　to　most　of　the　great　iron　meteorites　in　the　world　…　the　Hoba；　the　Ahnighito；　the　Willamette；　the　Woman。　Despite　their　widely　varying　shapes；　they　all　had　the　same　pitted；　brownish…black　surface。　All　iron　meteorites　looked　alike。
　But　this　meteorite　was　scarlet。　But　no；　he　thought；　as　his　brain　began　to　pick　up　speed　again：　the　word　〃scarlet〃　did　not　do　it　justice。　It　was　the　deep；　pure　velvety　color　of　polished　carnelian；　yet　even　richer。　It　was；　in　fact；　precisely　the　color　of　a　fine　Bordeaux　wine；　like　the　parsimonious　drams　of　Chateau　Margaux　with　which　he　had　been　forced　to　content　himself　on　the　Rolvaag。
　Now　one　voice　cut　through　the　shocked　silence。　It　had　a　note　of　authority　that　Lloyd　recognized　as　Glinn's。　〃I　would　like　everyone　to　please　step　back　from　the　hole。〃
　Distantly；　Lloyd　was　aware　that　nobody　was　moving。　
　〃Step　back；〃　Glinn　repeated；　more　sharply。
　This　time；　the　tight　circle　of　onlookers　reluctantly　shuffled　back　a　few　steps。　As　the　shadows　fell　away；　sunlight　lanced　through　the　crowd；　illuminating　the　pit。　Once　more；　Lloyd　felt　the　breath　snatched　from　him。　In　the　sunlight；　the　meteorite　revealed　a　silky；　metallic　surface　that　resembled　nothing　so　much　as　gold。　Like　gold；　this　scarlet　metal　seemed　to　collect　and　trap　the　ambient　light；　darkening　the　outside　world　while　giving　itself　an　ineffable；　interior　illumination。　It　was　not　only　beautiful；　but　unutterably　strange。
　And　it　was　his。
　He　felt　flooded　by　a　sudden；　powerful　joy：　for　this　amazing　thing　that　lay　at　his　feet　and　for　the　astonishing　trajectory　of　his　life　that　had　given　him　the　opportunity　to　find　it。　Bringing　the　largest　meteorite　in　human　history　back　to　his　museum　had　always　seemed　goal　enough。　But　now　the　stakes　were　higher。　It　was　no　accident　that　he　…　perhaps　the　only　person　on　earth　with　the　vision　and　the　resources　…　would　be　here；　at　this　time　and　in　this　place；　staring　at　this　ravishing　object。
　〃Mr。　Lloyd；〃　he　heard　Glinn　say。　〃I　said　step　back。〃
　Instead；　Lloyd　leaned　forward。
　Glinn　raised　his　voice。　〃Palmer；　do　not　do　it！〃
　But　Lloyd　had　already　dropped　into　the　hole；　his　feet　landing　squarely　on　the　surface　of　the　meteorite。　He　immediately　fell　to　his　knees；　allowing　the　tips　of　his　gloved　fingers　to　caress　the　smoothly　rippled　metallic　surface。　On　impulse；　he　leaned　down　and　placed　his　cheek　against　it。　Above；　there　was　a　brief　silence。
　〃How　does　it　feel？〃　he　heard　McFarlane　ask。
　〃Cold；〃　Lloyd　replied；　sitting　up。　He　could　hear　the　quaver　in　his　voice　as　he　spoke；　feel　the　tears　freezing　on　his　numb　cheek。　〃It　feels　very　cold。〃
　
　Isla　Desolacion；
　1：55　P。M。
　
　MCFARLANE　STARED　at　the　laptop　on　his　knees。　The　cursor　blinked　back；　reproachfully；　from　a　nearly　blank　screen。　He　sighed　and　shifted　in　the　metal　folding　chair；　trying　to　get　fortable。　The　lone　window　of　the　missary　hut　glittered　with　frost；　and　the　sound　of　wind　came　through　the　walls。　Outside；　the　clear　weather　had　given　way　to　snow。　But　within　the　hut；　a　coal　stove　threw　out　a　wonderfully　intense　heat。
　McFarlane　moused　a　mand；　then　closed　the　laptop　with　a　curse。　On　a　nearby　table；　a　printer　began　to　hum。　He　shifted　again；　restlessly。　Once　again；　he　replayed　the　events　of　the　morning。　The　moment　of　awestruck　silence；　Lloyd　jumping　so　impulsively　into　the　hole；　and　Glinn　calling　out　to　him　…　by　his　Christian　name；　for　the　first　time　McFarlane　remembered。　The　triumphant　christening；　the　torrent　of　questions　that　followed。　And　…　overlaying　everything　…　an　overpowering　sense　of　inprehension。　He　felt　that　the　breath　had　been　knocked　out　of　him；　that　he　was　struggling　for　air。
　He；　too；　had　felt　a　sudden　urge　to　jump　in；　to　touch　the　thing；　to　reassure　himself　that　it　was　real。　But　he　was　also　slightly　afraid　of　it。　It　had　such　a　rich　color；　so　out　of　place　in　the　monochromatic　landscape。　It　reminded　him　of　an　operating　table；　a　vast　expanse　of　snowy　white　sheets　with　a　bloody　incision　at　their　center。　It　repelled　and　fascinated　simultaneously。　And　it　excited　in　him　a　hope　that　he　thought　had　been　dead。
　The　door　to　the　hut　opened；　admitting　a　howl　of　snow。　McFarlane　glanced　up　as　Amira　stepped　in。
　〃Finish　the　report？〃　she　asked；　removing　her　parka　and　shaking　off　the　snow。
　In　response；　McFarlane　nodded　toward　the　printer。　Amira　walked　to　it　and　grabbed　the　emerging　sheet。　Then　she　barked　a　laugh。　〃'The　meteorite　is　red；'〃　she　read　aloud。　She　tossed　the　sheet　into　McFarlane's　lap。　〃Now　that's　what　I　like　in　a　man；　succinctness。〃
　〃Why　fill　up　paper　with　a　lot　of　useless　speculations？　Until　we　get　a　piece　of　it　for　study；　how　can　I　possibly　say　what　the　hell　it　is？〃
　She　pulled　up　a　chair　and　sat　down　beside　him。　It　seemed　to　McFarlane　that；　beneath　a　forced　casualness；　she　was　eyeing　him　very　carefully。　〃You've　been　studying　meteorites　for　years。　I　doubt　your　speculations　would　be　useless。〃
　〃What　do　you　think？〃
　〃I'll　show　you　mine　if　you　show　me　yours。〃
　McFarlane　glanced　down　at　the　pattern　of　ripples　on　the　plywood　table；　tracing　his　finger　along　them。　It　had　the　fractal　perfection　of　a　coastline；　or　a　snowflake；　or　a　Mandelbrot　set。　It　reminded　him　how　plicated　everything　was：　the　universe；　an　atom；　a　piece　of　wood。　Out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye　he　saw　Amira　draw　a　metal　cigar　tube　from　her　parka　and　upend　it；　letting　a　half…burnt　stogie　drop　into　her　hand。
　〃Please　don't；〃　he　said。　〃I'd　rather　not　be　driven　out　into　the　cold。〃
　Amira　replaced　the　cigar。　〃I　know　something　is　running　through　that　head　of　yours。〃
　McFarlane　shrugged。
　〃Okay；〃　she　said。　〃You　want　to　know　what　I　think？　You're　in　denial。〃
　He　turned　to　look　at　her　again。
　〃That's　right。　You　had　a　pet　theory　once　…　something　you　believed　in；　despite　the　razzing　of　your　peers。　Isn't　that　right？　And　when　you　thought　you'd　finally　found　evidence　for　that　theory；　it　got　you　into　trouble。　In　all　the　excitement　you　lost　your　usual　good　judgment　and　shafted　a