cc.floodtide-第3部分

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　She　looked　at　him　steadily。　〃We're　going　to　die；　aren't　we？　If　we　don't　drown；　we'll　freeze　to　death。〃
　
　He　pulled　a　stocking　cap　down　over　her　blond　hair　and　ears。　〃Warm　head　makes　for　warm　feet。〃　Then　he　gently　tilted　her　face　upward　between　his　massive　hands　and　kissed　her。　〃Darlin'；　didn't　they　ever　tell　you　that　Irishmen　never　drown？〃　Taking　Katie　by　the　hand；　Gallagher　dragged　her　roughly　into　the　passageway　and　headed　up　a　panionway　to　the　deck　above。
　
　Forgotten　in　the　bedlam；　Fritz　the　dachshund　stretched　out　obediently　on　the　bed；　believing　his　mistress　would　soon　return；　bewilderment　in　his　brown　eyes。
　
　Those　of　the　crew　off　duty　who　weren't　sitting　around　playing　dominoes　or　telling　stories　of　other　storms　they　survived　were　sleeping　in　their　berths；　oblivious　to　the　ship　about　to　break　up　around　them。　The　cook　and　his　galley　help　were　leaning　up　after　dinner　and　serving　coffee　to　those　who　lingered。　Despite　the　battering　from　the　storm；　the　crew　was　happy　at　the　prospect　of　reaching　port。　Although　their　destination　had　been　held　from　them；　they　knew　their　exact　position　within　thirty　miles。
　
　There　was　no　placency　in　the　wheelhouse。　Hunt　stared　aft　through　the　snow　flurries；　barely　distinguishing　the　deck　lights　trailing　toward　the　stern。　In　horrified　fascination　he　watched　as　the　stern　appeared　to　rise　on　an　angle　downward　amidships。　Over　the　howl　of　the　wind　through　the　superstructure；　he　could　hear　the　hull　shrieking　as　it　ground　itself　to　pieces。　He　reached　out　and　punched　the　emergency　bell　that　rang　the　general　alarm　throughout　the　ship。
　
　Hui　knocked　Hunt's　hand　away　from　the　emergency　bell　button。　〃We　cannot　abandon　ship。〃　He　spoke　in　a　shocked　whisper。
　
　Hunt　stared　at　him　in　disgust。　〃Die　like　a　man；　General。〃　〃I　must　not　be　allowed　to　die。　I　vowed　to　see　the　cargo　safely　deposited　in　port。〃
　
　〃This　ship　is　breaking　in　two；〃　said　Hunt。　〃Nothing　can　save　you　and　your　precious　cargo。〃　〃Then　our　position　must　be　fixed　so　it　can　be　salvaged。〃　〃Fixed　for　whom？　The　lifeboats　have　been　crushed　and　swept　away。　You　demanded　all　life　vests　be　cast　overboard。　You　destroyed　the　ship's　radio。　We　can't　send　out　a　Mayday　call。　You　covered　our　tracks　too　well。　We're　not　even　supposed　to　be　hi　these　waters。　Our　location　is　unknown　to　the　rest　of　the　world。　All　Chiang　Kai…shek　will　ever　learn　is　that　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　vanished　with　all　hands　six　thousand　miles　south　of　here。　You　planned　well；　General；　too　well。〃　〃No！〃　Hui　gasped。　〃This　cannot　happen！〃　Hunt　actually　found　himself　amused　at　the　look　of　rage　and　helplessness　on　the　face　of　Hui。　The　shifty　look　in　the　dark　eyes　was　gone。
　
　The　general　could　not　bring　himself　to　accept　the　inevitable。　He　tore　open　the　door　to　the　bridge　wing　and　ran　out　into　the　storm　gone　berserk。　He　could　see　the　ship　twisting　in　its　death　throes。　The　stern　was　swinging　on　a　pronounced　angle　to　starboard　now。　Steam　was　erupting　from　the　tear　in　the　hull。　He　stood　and　watched　in　shock　as　the　stern　separated　from　the　rest　of　the　ship　in　a　protest　of　the　grinding　and　tearing　sound　of　metal　being　ripped　apart。　Then　all　the　lights　aboard　ship　j　blinked　out　and　he　could　see　no　more　of　the　stern。
　
　Crewmen　burst　from　below　onto　decks　covered　in　snow　j　and　ice。　Frustrated　by　murderous　waves　that　had　smashed　the　！　lifeboats；　they　cursed　the　lack　of　life　jackets。　The　end　came　so　quickly；　most　all　were　caught　unprepared。　This　time　of　year　the　j　frigid　water　was　only　thirty…four　degrees；　the　air　temperature　only　five　degrees　above　zero。　In　panic　they　jumped　over　the　side；　seemingly　unaware　that　the　cold　water　would　kill　them　in　a　matter　of　minutes；　if　not　from　hypothermia　then　from　the　stoppage　of　their　hearts　at　the　shock　of　having　their　bodies　exposed　to　an　instantaneous　sixty　degree　drop　in　temperature。
　
　The　stern　sank　out　of　sight　in　less　than　four　minutes。　The　hull　amidships　seemed　to　evaporate　into　nothingness；　leaving　a　long　gap　between　the　sunken　stern　and　the　bow　section　forward　of　the　smokestack。　A　small　group　of　men　struggled　to　lower　the　only　partially　damaged　lifeboat；　but　a　massive　wave　thundered　over　the　forecastle　and　swept　across　the　deck。　Men　and　boat　disappeared　under　the　deluge；　never　to　be　seen　again。
　
　Holding　Katie's　hand　in　a　death　grip；　Gallagher　dragged　her　up　a　ladder　and　across　the　roof　of　the　officers'　cabins　toward　a　life　raft　that　was　mounted　aft　of　the　wheelhouse。　He　was　surprised　to　see　that　it　was　empty。　Twice；　they　slipped　on　the　ice　coating　the　roof　and　fell。　Spray　flung　by　the　gale　stung　their　faces　and　blinded　them。　In　the　confusion　none　of　the　Chinese　officers　or　crew　had　remembered　the　life　raft　atop　the　roof。　Most　all；　including　General　Hui's　soldiers；　had　headed　for　the　remaining　lifeboat　or　had　thrown　themselves　into　the　deadly　water。
　〃Fritz！〃　Katie　cried　in　anguish。　〃We　left　Fritz　in　the　cabin。〃
　〃No　time　to　return；〃　said　Gallagher。
　〃We　can't　leave　without　him！〃
　He　looked　into　her　eyes　solemnly。　〃You　must　forget　Fritz。　It's　our　lives　or　his。〃
　
　Katie　twisted　away；　but　Gallagher　held　her　tightly。　〃Climb　in；　darlin'；　and　hold　on　tight。〃　Then　he　pulled　a　knife　from　his　boot　and　furiously　slashed　at　the　ropes　securing　the　raft。　Gallagher　paused　as　he　cut　away　the　last　rope　and　glanced　through　the　windows　of　the　wheelhouse。　Dimly　lit　by　the　emergency　lights；　Captain　Hunt　stood　calmly　beside　the　helm；　accepting　his　death　without　remorse。
　
　Gallagher　frantically　waved　at　his　captain　through　the　windows；　but　Hunt　did　not　turn。　He　merely　shoved　his　hands　inside　the　pockets　of　his　coat　and　stared　vacantly　into　the　snow　building　around　the　windows。
　
　Suddenly；　a　figure　emerged　from　the　bridge　through　the　swirling　blanket　of　white。　He　stumbled　like　a　man　chased　by　a　banshee；　thought　Gallagher。　The　intruder　bumped　against　the　life　raft；　striking　it　above　the　knees；　and　tumbled　inside。　Only　when　he　stared　up；　eyes　fixed　more　in　madness　than　in　terror；　did　Gallagher　recognize　General　Hui。
　
　〃Don't　we　have　to　cut　the　raft　loose？〃　Hui　shouted　above　the　wind。
　Gallagher　shook　his　head。　〃I've　done　that　chore。〃
　〃The　suction　from　the　sinking　ship　will　drag　us　under。〃
　〃Not　in　this　sea；　General。　We'll　be　swept　clear　in　seconds。　Now　lie　down　on　the　bottom　and　get　a　good　grip　on　the　safety　ropes。〃
　Too　numb　with　cold　to　reply；　Hui　did　as　he　was　instructed　and　took　his　place　inside　the　raft。
　
　A　deep　rumble　swelled　up　from　below　as　the　cold　water　surged　over　the　boilers；　causing　them　to　explode。　The　forward　section　of　the　ship　shook　and　vibrated；　then　lurched　downward　amidships；　sending　the　bow　rising　into　the　cold　night。　The　cables　supporting　the　tall；　old…fashioned　smokestack　snapped　under　the　strain；　and　it　fell　with　a　large　splash。　The　water　reached　the　level　of　the　life　raft；　and　its　buoyancy　lifted　it　from　its　mounts。　The　last　Gallagher　saw　of　Captain　Hunt；　water　was　surging　through　the　doors　of　the　wheelhouse　and　whirling　around　his　legs。　Determined　to　go　down　with　his　ship；　he　clutched　the　helm　and　stood　as　firm　as　if　he　had　turned　to　granite。
　
　It　felt　to　Gallagher　as　if　they　were　suspended　in　time。　Waiting　for　the　ship　to　drop　from　under　them　seemed　an　eternity。　Yet　it　all　happened　in　a　few　seconds。　Then　the　raft　was　washed　free　and　hurled　into　the　chaotic　waters。
　
　Cries　for　help　came　in　Mandarin　and　Cantonese　dialects　that　were　impossible　to　answer。　Final　pleas　to　friends　slowly　faded　between　the　monster　wave　crests　and　their　troughs　and　into　the　fury　of　the　wind。　There　would　be　no　rescue。　No　ships　were　close　enough　to　notice　them　vanish　from　radar　and　no　call　for　help　went　out。　Gallagher　and　Katie　watched　with　a　feeling　of　horror　as　the　bow　rose　higher　and　higher；　as　if　clawing　at　the　stormy　sky。　She　hung　suspended　for　nearly　a　minute；　her　ice…shrouded　upper　works　giving　her　the　look　of　an　apparition。　Then　she　gave　up　and　slipped　under　the　black　waters。　The　Princess　Dou　Wan　was　no　more。
　
　〃Gone；〃　Hui　muttered；　his　voice　unheard　above　the　storm。　〃All　gone。〃　He　was　staring　with　utter　disbelief　at　where　the　ship　had　been。
　
　〃Huddle　together　for　our　bined　body　heat；〃　ordered　Gallagher。　〃If　we　can　make　it　until　morning；　we　stand　a　chance　of　being　picked　up。〃
　
　Surrounded　by　the　specter　of　death　and　a　terrible　sense　of　emptiness；　the　raft　and　its　pitiful　passengers　were　swallowed　by　the　bitter…cold　night　and　unrelenting　fury　of　the　storm。
　
　By　dawn　the　malignant　waves　were　still　pounding　the　small　raft。　The　blackness　of　night　had　given　way　to　a　ghostly　gray　sky　covered　with　dark　clouds。　The　snow　had　turned　to　a　chilling　sleet。　Mercifully；　the　wind　had　fallen　to　twenty　miles　an　hour　and　the　waves　had　dropped　from　thirty　to　ten　feet。　The　raft　was　solid　and　sound　but　was　an　old　model　that　lacked　emergency　equipment　for　survival。　Its　passengers　were　left　with　nothing　but　personal　fortitude　to　keep　up　their　spirits　until　rescue。
　
　Bundled　under　the　heavy　layers　of　clothing；　Gallagher　and　Katie　had　survived　the　night　in　fair　shape。　But　General　Hui；　dressed　only　in　his　uniform　and　without　a　coat；　was　slowly；　inexorably　freezing　to　death。　The　wretched　wind　was　cutting　through　his　uniform　like　a　thousand　ice　picks。　His　hair　was　coated　with　ice。　Gallagher　had　taken　off　his　heavy　peacoat　and　given　it　to　Hui；　but　it　became　obvious　to　Katie　that　the　old　war…horse　was　rapidly　fading。
　
　The　raft　was　tossed　over　the　crests　and　spun　around　by　the　brutal　waves。　It　didn't　seem　possible　that　the　frail　craft　could　take　the　pounding。　Yet　it　always　recovered　from　the　crush　of　the　curling　waves；　righted　herself；　and　steadied　before　facing　the　next　onslaught。　Never　once　did　she　cast　her　miserable　passengers　into　the　cold　water。
　
　Gallagher　rose　to　his　knees　every　hour　and　scanned　the　agitated　waters　from　the　top　of　the　waves　as　the　raft　was　thrown　skyward　before　plummeting　into　the　trough　again。　It　was　an　exercise　in　futility。　The　waters　were　empty。　During　the　awful　night；　they　saw　no　sign　of　lights　from　another　ship。
　
　〃There　has　to　be　a　ship　nearby；〃　said　Katie　through　chattering　teeth。
　
　Gallagher　shook　his　head。　〃The　water　is　as　empty　as　a　homeless　waif's　piggy　bank。〃　He　didn't　tell　her　that　visibility　was　cut　to　less　than　fifty　yards。
　
　〃I'll　n