atlantis.found-第4部分

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　in　ice；　as　if　awaiting　a　phantom　crew。　The　guns　sat　silently　at　their　ports；　the　lifeboats　were　still　lashed　atop　the　spare　spars；　and　all　hatches　were　neatly　in　place。
　　　　　There　was　an　eerie　and　dreadful　strangeness　about　the　old　ship；　a　curious　grimness　that　belonged　not　of　earth　but　of　another　world。　A　mindless　fear　gripped　the　crewmen　who　stood　on　the　deck　that　some　hoary；　gruesome　creature　was　waiting　to　receive　them。　Sailors　are　a　superstitious　lot；　and　there　were　none；　except　for　Roxanna；　who　was　in　the　innocent　throes　of　almost　girlish　enthusiasm；　who　did　not　feel　a　deep　sense　of　apprehension。
　　　　　〃Odd；〃　said　Bigelow。　〃It's　as　if　the　crew　abandoned　the　ship　before　it　became　trapped　in　the　ice。〃
　　　　　〃I　doubt　that；〃　said　Mender　grimly。　〃The　lifeboats　are　still　stowed。〃
　　　　　〃God　only　knows　what　we'll　find　belowdecks。〃
　　　　　〃Then　let's　go　see；〃　Roxanna　said　excitedly。
　　　　　〃Not　you；　my　dear。　I　think　it　best　if　you　remain　here。〃
　　　　　She　gave　her　husband　a　proud　look　and　slowly　shook　her　head。　〃I'll　not　wait　alone　while　there　are　ghosts　walking　about。〃
　　　　　〃If　there　are　any　ghosts；〃　said　Bigelow；　〃they'd　have　frozen　solid　by　now。
　　　　　Mender　gave　orders　to　his　men。　〃We'll　divide　into　two　search　parties。　Mr。　Bigelow；　take　three　men　and　look　about　the　crew's　quarters　and　the　cargo　hold。　The　rest　of　us　will　go　aft　and　search　the　passenger　and　officers'　quarters。〃
　　　　　Bigelow　nodded。　〃Aye；　Captain。〃
　　　　　Snow　and　ice　had　built　up　into　a　small　mountain　around　the　door　leading　into　the　stern　cabins；　so　Mender　led　Roxanna　and　his　men　up　and　onto　the　poop　deck；　where　they　put　their　muscles　to　work　and　lifted　the　after　hatch　cover　over　a　panionway　that　had　frozen　closed。　Casting　it　aside；　they　cautiously　dropped　down　the　stair　inside。　Roxanna　was　directly　behind　Mender；　clutching　the　belt　around　his　heavy　coat。　The　normally　white　plexion　of　her　face　was　flushed　red　with　a　mixture　of　excitement　and　suspense。
　　　　　She　did　not　suspect　that　she　was　about　to　enter　a　frozen　nightmare。
　　　　　At　the　door　to　the　captain's　cabin；　they　found　a　huge　German　shepherd　dog；　curled　upon　a　small　rug。　To　Roxanna；　the　dog　appeared　to　be　asleep。　But　Mender　nudged　it　with　the　toe　of　his　boot；　and　the　slight　thud　told　them　that　the　dog　was　frozen　solid。
　　　　　〃Literally　hard　as　a　rock；〃　said　Mender。
　　　　　〃Poor　thing；〃　Roxanna　murmured　sadly。
　　　　　Mender　nodded　at　a　closed　door　toward　the　aft　end　of　the　passageway。　〃The　captain's　cabin。　I　shudder　to　think　what　we　may　find　in　there。〃
　　　　　〃Maybe　nothing；〃　said　one　of　the　crewmen　nervously。　〃Everybody　probably　fled　the　ship　and　trekked　off　along　the　coast　northward。〃
　　　　　Roxanna　shook　her　head。　〃I　can't　imagine　anyone　leaving　such　a　beautiful　animal　to　die　on　board　alone。〃
　　　　　The　men　forced　open　the　door　to　the　captain's　cabin　and　entered；　to　a　gruesome　sight。　A　woman　dressed　in　clothing　from　the　mid　to　late　seventeen　hundreds　sat　in　a　chair；　her　dark　eyes　open　and　staring　with　great　sadness　at　the　form　of　a　small　child　lying　in　a　crib。　She　had　frozen　to　death　while　in　deep　sorrow　at　losing　what　appeared　to　be　her　young　daughter。　In　her　lap　was　an　open　Bible　turned　to　the　Psalms。
　　　　　The　tragic　sight　numbed　Roxanna　and　the　crew　of　the　Paloverde。　Her　enthusiasm　at　exploring　the　unknown　had　suddenly　evaporated　into　a　feeling　of　anguish。　She　stood　there　with　the　others　in　silence；　their　hushed　breath　misting　in　that　crypt　of　a　cabin。
　　　　　Mender　turned　and　walked　into　an　adjoining　cabin　and　found　the　captain　of　the　ship；　who　he　rightly　assumed　was　the　dead　woman's　husband。　The　man　was　seated　at　a　desk；　slumped　in　a　chair。　His　red　hair　was　coated　by　ice　and　his　face　was　dead　white。　One　hand　was　still　clutching　a　quill　pen。　A　sheet　of　paper　lay　before　him　on　the　desk。　Mender　brushed　away　the　frost　and　read　the　wording。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　August　26；　1779
　It　has　been　five　months　since　we　were　trapped　in　this　accursed　place　after　that　storm　drove　us　far　off　our　course　to　the　south。　Food　gone。　No　one　has　eaten　for　ten　days。　Most　of　the　crew　and　passengers　dead。　My　little　daughter　died　yesterday；　my　poor　wife；　only　an　hour　ago。　Whoever　should　find　our　bodies；　please　notify　the　directors　of　the　Skylar　Croft　Trading　pany　of　Liverpool　of　our　fate。　All　is　at　an　end。　I　shall　soon　join　my　beloved　wife　and　daughter。
　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Leigh　Hunt
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Master　of　the　Madras
　　　　　The　leather…bound　logbook　of　the　Madras　lay　to　one　side　of　Captain　Hunt　on　the　desk。　Mender　carefully　dislodged　it　from　the　ice　that　froze　the　rear　cover　to　the　wooden　desktop　and　placed　the　book　inside　his　heavy　coat。　Then　he　stepped　from　the　cabin　and　closed　the　door。
　　　　　〃What　did　you　find？〃　asked　Roxanna。
　　　　　〃The　body　of　the　captain。〃
　　　　　〃It's　all　so　terrible。〃
　　　　　〃I　imagine　there　is　worse　to　see。〃
　　　　　The　words　were　prophetic。　They　divided　up　and　went　from　cabin　to　cabin。　The　more　exquisite　passengers'　acmodations　were　in　the　roundhouse；　an　expansive　space　with　quarter　galleries　and　windows　partitioned　into　various…sized　cabins　in　the　stern　below　the　poop　deck。　Passengers　booked　empty　space。　They　had　to　furnish　their　cabin　themselves；　providing　couches；　beds；　and　chairs；　all　lashed　down　in　anticipation　of　heavy　weather。　Wealthy　passengers　often　brought　such　personal　possessions　as　bureaus；　bookshelves；　and　musical　instruments；　including　pianos　and　harps。　Here　the　searchers　found　nearly　thirty　bodies　in　various　positions　of　death。　Some　died　sitting　upright；　some　lay　in　bed；　while　others　were　sprawled　on　the　deck。　All　looked　as　if　they　had　peacefully　dozed　off。
　　　　　Roxanna　was　unsettled　by　those　whose　eyes　were　open。　The　color　of　their　irises　seemed　enhanced　by　the　pure　white　faces　surrounding　them。　She　cringed　when　one　of　the　Paloverde's　crewmen　reached　out　and　touched　the　hair　of　one　of　the　ladies。　The　frozen　hair　made　a　strange　crackling　noise　and　broke　off　in　the　crewman's　hand。
　　　　　The　great　cabin　on　the　deck　below　the　more　elegant　roundhouse　staterooms　looked　like　a　morgue　after　a　disaster。　Mender　saw　any　number　of　dead；　mostly　men；　many　of　them　British　military　officers　in　uniform。　Forward　was　the　steerage　cabin；　which　was　also　filled　with　frozen　corpses　in　hammocks　slung　over　ship's　supplies　and　luggage　in　the　steerage　partment。
　　　　　Everyone　aboard　the　Madras　had　died　peacefully。　There　was　no　sign　of　chaos。　Nothing　was　in　disarray。　All　articles　and　goods　were　stowed　neatly。　But　for　the　final　narrative　by　Captain　Hunt；　it　seemed　that　time　had　stopped　and　they　had　all　peacefully　died　as　they　lived。　What　Roxanna　and　Mender　saw　was　not　grotesque　or　terrifying　but　simply　an　overwhelming　misfortune。　These　people　had　been　dead　for　seventy…nine　years　and　been　forgotten　by　the　passing　world。　Even　those　who　had　wondered　about　and　mourned　their　disappearance　were　long　since　gone。
　　　　　〃I　don't　understand；〃　said　Roxanna。　〃How　did　they　all　die？〃
　　　　　〃Those　who　didn't　starve；　froze；〃　answered　her　husband。
　　　　　〃But　they　could　have　fished　through　the　ice　and　shot　penguin　the　same　as　we　did；　and　burned　parts　of　the　ship　to　stay　warm。〃
　　　　　〃The　captain's　last　words　say　his　ship　was　driven　far　off　their　course　to　the　south。　My　guess　is　they　were　trapped　in　the　ice　much　farther　from　shore　than　we　were；　and　the　captain；　believing　they　would　eventually　drift　free；　followed　the　rules　of　good　seamanship　and　forbid　fires　on　board　his　ship　for　fear　of　an　accidental　conflagration；　until　it　was　too　late。〃
　　　　　〃So；　one　by　one；　they　died。〃
　　　　　〃Then；　when　spring　came　and　the　ice　melted；　instead　of　being　carried　by　the　current　out　into　the　South　Pacific　as　a　derelict；　contrary　winds　drove　the　ship　ashore；　where　it　has　lain　since　the　last　century。〃
　　　　　〃I　think　you're　right；　Captain；〃　said　first　mate　Bigelow；　approaching　from　the　forward　part　of　the　ship。　〃Judging　from　the　clothing　on　the　bodies；　the　poor　devils　did　not　expect　a　voyage　that　would　take　them　into　frigid　waters。　Most　all　appear　better　dressed　for　a　tropical　climate。　They　must　have　been　sailing　from　India　to　England。〃
　　　　　〃A　great　tragedy；〃　Roxanna　sighed；　〃that　nothing　could　have　saved　these　unfortunate　people。〃
　　　　　〃Only　God；〃　muttered　Mender；　〃only　God。〃　He　turned　to　Bigelow。　〃What　cargo　was　she　carrying？〃
　　　　　〃No　gold　or　silver　that　I　could　find；　but　a　general　cargo　of　tea；　Chinese　porcelain　in　tightly　packed　wooden　crates；　and　bales　of　silk；　along　with　a　variety　of　rattan；　spices；　and　camphor。　And；　oh　yes；　I　found　a　small　storeroom；　locked　with　heavy　chains；　directly　below　the　captain's　cabin。〃
　　　　　〃Did　you　search　it？〃　asked　Mender。
　　　　　Bigelow　shook　his　head。　〃No；　sir。　I　thought　it　only　proper　that　you　should　be　present。　I　left　my　men　to　work　at　breaking　the　chains。〃
　　　　　〃Maybe　the　room　contains　treasure；〃　said　Roxanna；　a　tinge　of　red　returning　to　her　cheeks。
　　　　　〃We'll　soon　find　out。〃　Mender　nodded　at　Bigelow。　〃Mr。　Bigelow；　will　you　lead　the　way？〃
　　　　　The　first　mate　led　them　down　a　ladder　into　the　aft　main　steerage　hold。　The　storeroom　stood　opposite　an　eighteen…pound　cannon　whose　port　was　frozen　shut。　Two　of　the　Paloverde's　crew　were　attacking　the　heavy　padlock　securing　the　chains　that　were　bolted　into　the　door。　Using　a　sledgehammer　and　chisel　found　in　the　carpenters'　workshop；　they　furiously　hammered　away　at　the　lock's　shackle　until　it　snapped　apart。　Then　they　twisted　the　heavy　door　latch　until　it　sprang　free　and　the　door　could　be　pushed　inward。
　　　　　The　interior　was　dimly　lit　by　a　small　port　in　the　bulwarks。　Wooden　crates　were　stacked　from　bulkhead　to　bulkhead；　but　the　contents　appeared　to　have　been　packed　haphazardly。　Mender　stepped　over　to　a　large　crate　and　easily　lifted　one　end　of　the　lid。
　　　　　〃These　chests　were　not　carefully　packed　and　loaded　aboard　in　port　by　mercial　traders；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃It　looks　to　me　like　they　were　sloppily　crated　by　the　crew　sometime　during　the　voyage　and　placed　under　lock　and　key　by　the　captain。〃
　　　　　〃Don't　just　stand　there；　husband；〃　ordered　Roxanna；　mesmerized　by　curiosity。　〃Open　them。〃
　　　　　While　the　crew　stood　outside　the　storage　room；　Mender　and　Bigelow　began　prying　open　the　wooden　chests。　No　one　seemed　to　notice　the　bitter　cold。　They　were　spellbound　in　anticipation　of　finding　some　great　treasure　in　gold　and　gems