cc.iceberg-第36部分

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　〃Your　grand　design　has　a　flaw；〃　Pitt　said；　helping　himself　to　another　brandy。　〃A　deviation　that　could　easily　screw　up　the　works。〃　Kelly　stared　at　Pitt　speculatively。　〃Your　brain　against　the　most　advanced　techniques　of　puter　science？　e　now；　Major。　We've　spent　months　programming　every　possibility；　every　abnormality。　You're　merely　Playing　games。〃
　〃Am　I？〃　Pitt　downed　the　brandy　as　if　it　were　water　and　said　to　Kelly：　〃How　do　you　explain　Rondheim　and　Miss　Fyrie？　They　hardly　pass　the　age　requirements　for　executive　material　of　Hermit　Limited。　Rondheim　is　short　by　twenty　years。　Miss　Fyrie　。　。　。　well；　ah　。　。　。　she　doesn't　even　e　close。〃
　〃NEss　Fyrie's　brother；　Kristjan；　was　an　idealist；　like　myself；　a　man　who　was　searching　for　a　way　to　raise　people　from　the　mud　of　poverty　and　misery。　His　acts　of　generosity　in　Africa　and　other　parts　of　the　world　where　his　business　transpired　led　us　to　make　an　exception。
　
　Unlike　most　hardheaded　businessmen；　he　used　his　wealth　for　the　mon　good。　When　he　tragically　lost　his　life；　we；　the　board　of　directors　of　Hermit　Limited；〃　he　bowed　to　the　men　seated　around　him；　〃voted　to　elect　Miss　Fyrie　in　his　place。〃
　〃And　Rondheim？〃
　〃A　fortunate　contingency　we　had　hoped　for；　but　not　counted　on。　'enough　his　extensive　fishing　faculties　appeared　an　enticing　asset　toward　developing　the　fishing　industry　of　South　America；　it　was　his　hidden　talents　and　useful　connections　that　swung　the　pendulum　in　his　favor。〃
　〃The　superintendent　of　your　liquidation　department？〃　Pitt　said　grimly。　〃The　leader　of　your　private　sect　of　Ismailians？〃
　
　The　men　around　Kelly　looked　at　each　other；　then　at　Pitt。　They　looked　in　silence　with　curiosity　written　on　their　faces。　Von　Hummel　wiped　his　brow　for　the　fiftieth　time　and　Sir　Eric　Marks　rubbed　his　hand　across　his　lips　and　nodded　at　Kelly；　a　movement　that　did　not　go　unnoticed　by　Pitt。　Swinging　the　sash　around　his　waist　semiily；　Pitt　walked　over　to　the　table　and　poured　himself　another　glass　of　the　Rouche；　a　last　drink　for　the　road；　because　he　knew　Kelly　never　meant　for　him　to　leave　the　house　through　the　front　door。
　〃You　guessed　that？〃　Kelly　said　in　an　even　voice。
　〃Hardly；〃　Pitt　said。　〃After　you've　had　three　attempts　on　your　life；　you　kind　of　get　to　know　these　things。〃
　〃The　hydroplane！〃　Rondheim　snapped　savagely。
　〃You　know　what　happened　to　it？〃
　
　Pitt　sat　down　and　sipped　the　brandy。　If　he　had　to　die；　at　least　he　had　the　satisfaction　of　knowing　he　held　the　stage　at　the　end。
　〃Terribly　sloppy　of　you；　my　dear　Oskar；　or　should　I　say　the　late　captain　of　your　last　boat。　You　should　have　seen　the　look　on　his　face　just　before　my　Molotov　cocktail　hit　him。〃
　〃You　damned　queer！〃　Rondheim　said；　his　voice　shaking　with　fury。　〃You　lying　faggot！〃
　〃Sticks　and　stones；　my　dear　Oskar；〃　Pitt　said　carelessly。　〃Think　what　you　may。　One　thing　is　certain。　Due　to　your　negligence；　you'll　never　see　your　hydroplane　and　crew　again。〃
　〃Can't　you　see　what　he's　trying　to　do？〃　Rondheim　took　a　step　toward　Pitt。　〃He's　trying　to　turn　us　against　each　other。〃
　〃That　will　do！〃　Kelly's　tone　was　cold；　his　eyes　manding。　〃Please　go　on；　Major。〃
　〃You're　very　kind。〃　Pitt　downed　his　brandy　and　poured　another。　What　the　hell；　he　thought；　might　as　well　deaden　whatever　pain。　that　was　ing。　〃Poor　Oskar　also　bumbled　the　second　attempt。　I　don't　have　to　go　into　the　sorry　details；　but　I'm　sure　you're　aware　that　his　two　feeble…brained　assassins　are　talking　like　women　on　a　party　line　right　this　minute　to　agents　of　the　National　Intelligence　Agency。〃
　〃Damn！〃　Kelly　spun　around　to　Rondheim。　〃is　that　true？〃
　〃My　men　never　talk。〃　Rondheim　glared　at　Pitt。
　〃They　know　what　will　happen　to　their　relatives　if　they　do。　Besides；　they　know　nothing。〃
　〃Let　us　hope　you're　right；〃　Kelly　said　heavily。　He　came　and　stood　over　Pitt；　staring　with　a　strangely　expressionless　gaze　that　was　more　disturbing　than　any　display　of　animosity　could　ever　have　been。　〃This　game　has　gone　far　enough；　Major。〃
　〃Too　bad。　I　was　just　getting　warmed　up；　just　getting　to　the　good　part。〃
　〃It　isn't　necessary。〃
　〃Neither　was　killing　Dr。　Hunnewell；〃　Pitt　said。　His　voice　was　unnaturally　calm。　〃A　terrible；　terrible　mistake；　a　sad　miscalculation。　Doubly　so；　since　the　good　doctor　was　a　key　member　of　Hermit　Limited。〃
　
　Chapter　15
　
　For　perhaps　ten　shocked；　incredulous　seconds　Pitt　let　his　words　soak　in　as　he　sat　nonchalantly　in　an　armchair；　cigarette　in　one　hand；　glass　in　the　other；　the　very　picture　of　relaxed　boredom。　Not　so　Rondheim　and　the　other　members　of　Hermit　Limited。　Their　faces　were　as　unprehending　as　if　each　had　just　e　home　and　found　his　wife　in　bed　with　another　man。　Kelly's　eyes　widened　and　his　breath　seemed　to　stop。　Then　slowly　he　began　to　gain　control　again；　calm；　quiet；　the　professional　businessman；　saying　nothing　until　the　right　words　formed　in　his　mind。
　〃Your　puters　must　have　blown　a　fuse；〃　Pitt　continued。　〃Admiral　Sandecker　and　I　were　on　to　Dr。　Hunnewell　right　from　the　start。〃　Pitt　lied；　knowing　there　was　no　way　Kelly　or　Rondheim　could　prove　otherwise。　〃You　wouldn't　be　interested　in　how　or　why。〃
　〃You　are　mistaken；　Major；〃　Kelly　said　impatiently。
　〃We　would　be　most　interested。〃
　
　Pitt　took　a　deep　breath　and　made　the　plunge；。　〃Actually　our　first　tipoff　came　when　Dr。　Len　Matajic　was　rescued…〃
　〃No！　That　cannot　be；〃　Rondheim　gasped。
　
　Pitt　gave　silent　thanks　to　Sandecker　for　his　wild　plan　to　resurrect　the　ghosts　of　Matajic　and　O'Riley。　The　opportunity　was　handed　to　him　on　a　silver　platter；　and　he　could　see　no　reason　not　to　use　it　to　kill　time。
　〃Pick　up　the　phone　and　ask　the　overseas　operator　for　Room　409　at　Walter　Reed　General　Hospital　in　Washington。　I　suggest　you　request　person…to…person；　your　call　will　go　through　faster。〃
　〃That　will　not　be　necessary；〃　Kelly　said。　〃I　have　no　reason　to　doubt　you。〃
　〃Suit　yourself；〃　Pitt　said　carelessly；　fighting　to　keep　a　straight　face；　laying　his　bluff　successfully。　〃As　I　started　to　say；　when　Dr。　Matajic　was　rescued；　he　described　the　Lax　and　its　crew　in　vivid　detail。
　
　He　wasn't　fooled　for　a　minute　by　the　alterations　to　the　superstructure。　But；　of　course；　you　know　all　this。　Your　people　monitored　his　message　to　Admiral　Sandecker。〃
　〃And　then？〃
　〃Don't　you　see？　The　rest　was　simple　deduction。
　
　Thanks　to　Matajic's　description；　it　didn't　take　any　great　effort　to　trace　the　ship's　whereabouts　from　the　time　it　disappeared　with　Kristjan　Fyrie　to　when　it　moored　on　the　iceberg　where　Matajic　had　his　research　station。〃　Pitt　smiled。　〃Because　of　Dr。　Matajic's　powers　of　observation…the　crew's　suntans　hardly　spelled　a　fishing　trip　in　North　Atlantic　waters…Admiral　Sandecker　was　able　to　figure　the　Lax's　previous　course　along　the　South　American　coast。　He　then　began　to　suspect　Dr。　Hunnewell。
　
　Rather　clever　of　the　admiral　now　that　I　look　back　on　it。）　〃Go　on；　go　on；〃　Kelly　urged。
　〃Well；　obviously　the　Lax　had　been　utilizing　the　undersea　probe　to　find　new　mineral　deposits。　And　just　as　obviously；　with　Fyrie　and　his　engineers　dead；　Dr。　Hunnewell；　the　co…inventor　of　the　probe；　was　the　only　one　around　who　knew　how　to　operate　it。〃
　〃You　are　exceedingly　well　informed；〃　Kelly　said　wryly。　〃But　that　hardly　constitutes　proof。〃
　
　Pitt　was　on　tricky　ground。　So　far　he　had　been　able　to　skirt　around　the　National　Intelligence　Agency's　involvement　in　Hermit　Limited。　And　Kelly　had　yet　to　be　baited　into　offering　any　further　information。　It's　time；　he　amusedly　told　himself；　to　tell　the　truth。
　〃Proof？〃　Okay；　will　you　accept　the　words　of　a　dying　man；〃　Straight　from　the　horse's　mouth。　The　man　in　question　is　Dr。　Hunnewell　himself。〃
　〃I　don't　believe　it。〃
　〃His　last　words　before　he　died　in　my　arms　were：　'God　save　thee。'　〃
　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　Rondheim　shouted。
　〃What　are　you　trying　to　do？〃
　〃I　meant　to　thank　you　for　that；　Oskar；〃　Pitt　said　coldly。　〃Hunnewell　knew　who　his　murderer　was…the　man　who　gave　the　order　for　his　death。　He　tried　to　quote　from　'The　Rime　of　the　Ancient　Mariner。〃　It　was　all　there；　wasn't　it？　You　quoted　it　yourself：　'Why　look'st　thou　so？　With　my　crossbow　I　shot　the　Albatross。'　Your　trademark；　Oskar；　the　red　albatross。　That's　what　Hunnewell　meant。　'For　all　averr'd　I　had　kill'd　the　bird　That　made　the　breeze　to　blow。'　You　killed　the　man　who　helped　you　probe　the　sea　floor。〃　Pitt　was　feeling　cocky　now；　the　warmth　from　the　brandy　was　spreading　fortingly　through　his　body。　〃I　can't　match　your　memory　for　quoting　the　verse　verbatim；　but　if　my　memory　serves　me　correctly；　the　Ancient　Mariner　and　his　ship　of　ghosts　were　met　by　a　hermit　near　the　end…another　tie…in。　Yes；　it　was　all　in　the　verse。　Hunnewell　pointed　the　finger　of　guilt　with　his　dying　breath　and　you；　Oskar；　stood　up　and　unwittingly　pleaded　guilty。〃
　〃You　sent　your　arrow　in　the　right　direction；　Major　Pitt。〃　Kelly　idly　stared　at　the　smoke　from　his　cigar。　〃But　you　aimed　at　the　wrong　man。　I　gave　the　order　for　Dr。　Hunnewell's　death。　Oskar　merely　carried　it　through。〃
　〃For　what　purpose？〃
　〃Dr。　Hunnewell　was　beginning　to　have　second　thoughts　about　Hermit　Limited's　methods　of　operation…quite　old…fashioned　thoughts　really：　thou　shall　not　kill　and　all　that。　He　threatened　to　expose　our　entire　organization　unless　we　closed　down　our　assassination　department。　A　condition　that　was　impossible　to　accept　if　we　were　to　have　any　chance　for　ultimate　success。　Therefore；　Dr。　Hunnewell　had　to　be　discharged　from　the　firm。〃
　〃Another　business　principle；　of　course。〃
　
　Kelly　smiled。　is　that。〃
　〃An　I　had　to　be　swept　under　the　carpet　because　I　was　a　witness。〃　Pitt　said　as　if　answering　a　question。
　
　Kelly　simply　nodded。
　〃But　the　undersea　probe？〃　Pitt　asked。　〃With　Hunnewell　and　Fyrie…the　goose　who　laid　the　golden　egg　is　dead；　who　is　left　with　the　knowledge　to　build　a　secondgeneration　model？〃
　
　The　confident　look　was　back　in　Kelly's　eyes。　〃No　one；〃　he　answered　softly。　〃But　then　no　one　is　required。
　
　You　see；　our　puters　have　now　been　programmed　with　the　necessary　information。　With　proper　analysis　of　the　data；　we　should　have　a　working　model　of　the　probe　within　ninety　days。〃
　
　For　a　brief　moment；　Pitt　stood　silent；　caught　unprepared　by　the　unexpected　disclosure。　Then　he　quickly　shook　off　his　surprise　at　Kelly's　statement。　The　brandy　was　beginning　to　get　to　him　now；　but　his　mind　was　still　running　with　the　s