cc.floodtide-第1部分

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　THE　WAVES　　TURNED　VICIOUS　AND　WORSENED　WITH　EVERY　rush　of　wind。　The　calm　weather　of　the　morning　transformed　from　Dr。　Jekyll　into　a　vehement　Mr。　Hyde　by　late　evening。　Whitecaps　on　the　crests　of　towering　waves　were　lashed　into　sheets　of　spray。　The　violent　water　and　black　clouds　merged　under　the　onslaught　of　a　driving　snowstorm。　It　was　impossible　to　tell　where　water　ended　and　sky　began。　As　the　passenger　liner　Princess　Dou　Wan　fought　through　waves　that　rose　like　mountains　before　spilling　over　the　ship；　the　men　on　board　were　unaware　of　the　imminent　disaster　that　was　only　minutes　away。　The　crazed　waters　were　driven　by　northeast　and　northwest　gales　that　simultaneously　caused　ferocious　currents　to　smash　against　the　ship　from　two　sides。　Winds　soon　reached　a　hundred　miles　an　hour　with　waves　that　crested　at　thirty　feet　or　more。　Caught　in　the　maelstrom；　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　had　no　place　to　hide。　Her　bow　pitched　and　drove　under　waves　that　swept　over　her　open　decks　and　flowed　aft　and　then　forward　when　her　stern　rose；　throwing　her　wildly　spinning　propellers　free　of　the　water。　Struck　from　all　directions；　she　rolled　thirty　degrees；　her　starboard　rail　along　the　promenade　deck　disappearing　in　a　torrent　of　water。　Slowly；　too　slowly；　she　sluggishly　righted　herself　and　plunged　on；　steaming　through　the　worst　storm　in　recent　history。
　
　Freezing　and　unable　to　see　through　the　blinding　snowstorm；　Second　Mate　Li　Po；　who　stood　watch；　ducked　back　inside　the　wheelhouse　and　slammed　the　door。　In　all　his　days　of　sailing　the　China　Sea；　he　had　never　seen　swirling　snow　in　the　middle　of　a　violent　storm。　Po　did　not　think　the　gods　were　fair　to　hurl　such　devastating　winds　at　the　Princess　after　a　voyage　halfway　around　the　world　with　less　than　two　hundred　miles　to　go　before　reaching　port。　In　the　past　sixteen　hours；　she　had　only　made　forty　miles。
　
　Except　for　Captain　Leigh　Hunt　and　his　chief　engineer　down　below　in　the　engine　room；　the　entire　crew　were　Nationalist　Chinese。　An　old　salt　with　twelve　years　in　the　Royal　Navy　and　eighteen　as　an　officer　for　three　different　shipping…pany　fleets；　Hunt　had　served　fifteen　of　those　years　as　captain。　As　a　boy　he　went　fishing　with　his　father　out　of　Bridlington；　a　small　city　on　the　east　coast　of　England；　before　shipping　out　as　an　ordinary　seaman　on　a　freighter　to　South　Africa。　A　thin　man　with　graying　hair　and　sad；　vacant　eyes；　he　was　deeply　pessimistic　about　his　ship's　ability　to　weather　the　storm。
　
　Two　days　earlier；　one　of　the　crewmen　had　called　his　attention　to　a　crack　in　the　starboard　outer　hull　aft　of　the　single　smoke…stack。　He　would　have　given　a　month's　pay　to　inspect　the　crack　now　that　his　ship　was　enduring　incredible　stress。　He　reluctantly　brushed　the　thought　aside。　It　would　have　been　suicide　to　attempt　an　inspection　under　hundred…mile…an…hour　winds　and　the　raging　water　that　spilled　across　the　decks。　He　felt　in　his　bones　the　Princess　was　in　mortal　danger；　and　accepted　the　fact　that　her　fate　was　out　of　his　hands。
　
　Hunt　stared　into　the　blanket　of　snow　that　pelted　the　wheel…house　windows　and　spoke　to　his　second　mate　without　turning。　〃How　bad　is　the　ice；　Mr。　Po？
Building　rapidly；　Captain。〃　〃Do　you　believe　we're　in　danger　of　capsizing？〃　Li　Po　shook　his　head　slowly。　〃Not　yet；　sir；　but　by　morning　the　load　on　the　superstructure　and　decks　could　prove　critical　if　we　take　on　a　heavy　list。〃
　
　Hunt　thought　for　a　moment；　then　spoke　to　the　helmsman。　〃Slay　on　course；　Mr。　Tsung。　Keep　our　bow　into　the　wind　and　waves。〃
　
　〃Aye；　sir；〃　the　Chinese　helmsman　replied；　feet　braced　wide　apart；　hands　tightly　gripping　the　brass　wheel。
　
　Hunt's　thoughts　returned　to　the　crack　in　the　hull。　He　couldn't　remember　when　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　had　a　proper　marine　inspection　in　dry　dock。　Strangely；　the　crew's　uneasiness　about　leaks；　badly　rusted　hull　plates；　and　weakened　and　missing　rivets　was　totally　lacking。　They　appeared　to　ignore　the　corrosion　and　the　constantly　running　bilge　pumps　that　strained　to　carry　off　the　heavy　leakage　during　the　voyage。　If　the　Princess　had　an　Achilles'　heel；　it　was　her　tired　and　worn　hull。　A　ship　that　sails　the　oceans　is　considered　old　after　twenty　years。　She　had　traveled　hundreds　of　thousands　of　miles　scathed　by　rough　seas　and　typhoons　during　her　thirty…five　years　since　leaving　the　shipyards。　It　was　little　short　of　a　miracle　that　she　was　still　afloat。
　
　Launched　in　1913　as　the　Lanai　by　shipbuilders　Harland　and　Wolff　for　Singapore　Pacific　Steamship　Lines；　her　tonnage　grossed　out　at　10；758。　Her　overall　length　was　497　feet　from　straight…up…and…down　stem　to　champagne　glass…shaped　stern　with　a　sixty…foot　beam。　Her　triple…expansion　steam　engines　put　out　five　thousand　horsepower　and　turned　twin　screws。　In　her　prime　she　could　cut　the　waves　at　a　respectable　seventeen　knots。　She　went　into　service　between　Singapore　and　Honolulu　until　1931；　when　she　was　sold　to　the　Canton　Lines　and　renamed　Princess　Dou　Wan。　After　a　refit；　she　was　employed　running　passengers　and　cargo　throughout　Southeast　Asian　ports。
　
　During　World　War　II；　she　was　taken　over　and　fitted　out　by　the　Australian　government　as　a　troop　transport。　Heavily　damaged　after　surviving　attacks　by　Japanese　aircraft　during　convoy　duty；　she　was　returned　to　the　Canton　Lines　after　the　war　and　served　briefly　on　short　runs　from　Shanghai　to　Hong　Kong；　until　the　spring　of　1948；　when　she　was　to　be　sold　to　the　scrappers　in　Singapore。
　
　Her　acmodations　were　designed　to　carry　fifty…five　first…class　passengers；　eighty…five　second…class；　and　370　third…class。　Normally　she　carried　a　crew　of　190；　but　on　what　was　to　be　her　final　voyage；　she　was　manned　by　only　thirty…eight。
　
　Hunt　thought　of　his　ancient　mand　as　a　tiny　island　on　a　turbulent　sea　engulfed　in　a　drama　without　an　audience。　His　attitude　was　fatalistic。　He　was　ready　for　the　beach　and　the　Princess　was　ready　for　the　scrap　yard。　Hunt　felt　passion　for　his　battle…scarred　ship　as　she　wrestled　with　the　full　brunt　of　the　storm。　She　twisted　and　groaned　when　inundated　by　the　titanic　waves；　but　she　always　broke　free　and　punched　her　bow　into　the　next　one。　Hunt's　only　consolation　was　that　her　worn…out　engines　never　missed　a　beat。
　
　Down　in　the　engine　room　the　creaking　and　groaning　of　the　hull　were　unmonly　clamorous。　Rust　danced　and　flaked　off　the　bulkheads　as　water　began　to　rise　through　the　walkway　gratings。　Rivets　holding　the　steel　plates　were　shearing　off。　They　popped　out　of　the　plates　and　shot　through　the　air　like　missiles。　Usually；　the　crew　was　apathetic。　It　was　a　mon　occurrence　on　ships　built　before　the　days　of　welding。　But　there　was　one　man　who　was　touched　by　the　tentacles　of　fear。
　
　Chief　Engineer　Ian　〃Hong　Kong〃　Gallagher　was　an　ox…shouldered；　red…faced；　hard…drinking；　heavily　mustached　Irish…man　who　knew　a　ship　in　the　throes　of　breaking　up　when　he　saw　and　heard　one。　Yet　fear　was　pushed　from　his　mind　as　he　calmly　turned　his　thoughts　to　survival。
　
　An　orphan　at　the　age　of　eleven；　lan　Gallagher　ran　away　from　the　slums　of　Belfast　and　went　to　sea　as　a　cabin　boy。　Nurturing　a　natural　talent　for　maintaining　steam　engines；　he　became　a　wiper　and　then　a　third　assistant　engineer。　By　the　time　he　was　twenty…seven；　he　had　his　papers　as　chief　engineer　and　served　on　tramp　freighters　plying　the　waters　between　the　islands　of　the　South　Pacific。　The　name　Hong　Kong　was　given　to　him　after　he　fought　an　epic　battle　in　one　of　the　port　city's　saloons　against　eight　Chinese　dockworkers　who　tried　to　roll　him。　When　he　turned　thirty；　he　signed　on　board　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　in　the　summer　of　1945。
　
　Grim…faced；　Gallagher　turned　to　his　second　engineer；　Chu　Wen。　〃Get　topside；　put　on　a　life　vest　and　be　ready　to　abandon　ship　when　the　captain　gives　the　order。〃
　
　The　Chinese　engineer　pulled　the　stub　of　a　cigar　from　his　mouth　and　stared　at　Gallagher　appraisingly。　〃You　think　we're　going　down？〃
　〃I　know　we're　going　down；〃　Gallagher　replied　firmly。　〃This　old　rust　bucket　won't　last　another　hour。〃　〃Did　you　tell　the　captain？〃
　〃He'd　have　to　be　deaf；　dumb　and　blind　not　to　figure　it　out　himself。〃
　〃You　ing？〃　asked　Chu　Wen。
　〃I'll　be　right　behind　you；〃　answered　Gallagher。
　Chu　Wen　wiped　his　oily　hands　on　a　rag；　nodded　at　the　chief　engineer　and　made　his　way　up　a　ladder　to　a　hatch　leading　to　the　upper　decks。
　
　Gallagher　took　one　final　look　at　his　beloved　engines；　certain　they　would　soon　be　lying　in　the　deep。　He　stiffened　as　an　unusually　loud　screech　echoed　throughout　the　hull。　The　aged　Princess　Dou　Wan　was　tormented　by　metal　fatigue；　a　scourge　suffered　by　aircraft　as　well　as　ships。　Extremely　difficult　to　distinguish　in　calm　waters；　it　only　bees　evident　in　a　vessel　pounded　by　vicious　seas。　Even　when　new；　the　Princess　would　have　been　hard…pressed　to　bear　up　under　the　onslaught　of　the　waves　that　pounded　her　hull　with　a　force　of　twenty　thousand　pounds　per　square　inch。
　
　Gallagher's　heart　froze　when　he　saw　a　crack　appear　in　a　bulkhead　that　spread　downward　and　then　sideways　across　the　hull　plates。　Starting　on　the　port　side；　it　widened　as　it　progressed　to　starboard。　He　snatched　up　the　ship's　phone　and　rang　the　bridge。
　
　Li　Po　answered。　〃Bridge。〃
　〃Put　the　captain　on！〃　Gallagher　snapped。
　A　second's　pause；　and　then；　〃This　is　the　captain。〃
　〃Sir；　we've　got　a　hell　of　a　crack　in　the　engine　room；　and　it's　getting　worse　by　the　minute。〃
　Hunt　was　stunned。　He　had　hoped　against　hope　that　they　could　make　port　before　the　damage　turned　critical。　〃Are　we　taking　on　water？〃
　〃The　pumps　are　fighting　a　losing　battle。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Gallagher。　Can　you　keep　the　engines　turning　until　we　reach　land？〃
　〃What　time　frame　do　you　have　in　mind？〃
　〃Another　hour　should　put　us　in　calmer　waters。〃
　〃Doubtful；〃　said　Gallagher。　〃I　give　her　ten　minutes；　no　more。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Chief；〃　Hunt　said　heavily。　〃You'd　better　leave　the　engine　room　while　you　still　can。〃
　
　Hunt　wearily　replaced　the　receiver；　turned　and　looked　out　the　aft　wheelhouse　windows。　The　ship　had　taken　on　a　noticeable　list　and　was　rolling　heavily。　Two　of　her　boats　had　already　been　smashed　and　swept　overboard。　Making　for　the　nearest　shore　and　running　the　ship　safely　aground　was　now　out　of　the　question。　To　reach　the　smoother　waters；　he　would　have　to　make　a　turn　to　starboard。　The　Princess　would　never　survive　if　she　was　caught　broadside　in　the　maddened　waves。　She　could　easil