cc.floodtide-第55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！


anged　in　the　past　hundred　years。　Migration　through　the　centuries　has　shattered　old　empires　and　built　new；　only　to　have　them　fall　again　from　new　waves　of　migrants。〃
　〃An　interesting　theory；〃　said　Pitt。　〃But　a　theory　nonetheless。　The　only　way　for　your　scenario　to　bee　reality　is　for　the　American　people　to　lie　down　and　play　dead。〃
　〃Your　countrymen　have　slept　through　the　nineteen　nineties；〃　Qin　Shang　replied；　a　visceral；　even　menacing　quality　in　his　voice。　〃When　they　finally　wake　up；　it　will　be　a　decade　too　late。〃
　〃You　paint　a　grim　picture　for　humanity；〃　said　Julia；　visibly　shaken。
　Pitt　went　silent。　He　did　not　have　the　answer　nor　was　he　Nostradamus。　His　brain　told　him　that　Qin　Shang's　prophecy　might　indeed　e　to　pass。　But　his　heart　refused　to　reject　hope；　He　came　to　his　feet　and　nodded　at　Julia。　〃I　think　we've　heard　enough　of　Mr。　Shang's　meaningless　drivel。　It's　plain　to　see　that　he's　a　man　who　loves　to　hear　himself　talk。　Let's　clear　out　of　this　architectural　monstrosity　and　its　phony　decor　and　breathe　fresh　air　again。〃
　Qin　Shang　leaped　to　his　feet。　〃You　dare　mock　me；〃　he　snarled。
　Pitt　moved　to　the　desk　and　leaned　across　the　surface　until　his　face　was　bare　inches　away　from　Qin　Shang's。　〃Mock　you；　Mr。　Shang？　That's　putting　it　mildly。　I'd　rather　have　my　Christmas　stocking　filled　with　cow　dung　than　listen　to　your　retarded　philosophy　on　future　affairs。〃　Then　he　took　Julia's　hand。　〃e　on；　we're　out　of　here。〃
　Julia　made　no　effort　to　move；　she　appeared　dazed。　Pitt　had　to　pull　her　along　behind　him。　At　the　doorway　he　paused　and　looked　back。
　〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Shang；　for　a　most　provocative　evening。　I　enjoyed　your　excellent　champagne　and　seafood；　especially　the　abalone。〃
　The　Chinese's　face　was　tight　and　cold；　twisted　in　a　mask　of　malevolence。　〃No　man　speaks　to　Qin　Shang　in　this　manner。〃
　〃I'm　sorry　for　you；　Shang。　On　the　surface　you　are　fabulously　rich　and　almighty；　but　underneath　you're　only　a　self…made　man　who　worships　his　inventor。〃
　Qin　Shang　fought　to　regain　control　of　his　emotions。　When　he　spoke；　his　voice　came　as　though　out　of　an　arctic　mist。　〃You　have　made　a　fatal　error；　Mr。　Pitt。〃
　Pitt　smiled　thinly。　〃I　was　about　to　say　the　same　about　the　two　cretins　you　sent　to　kill　me　earlier　this　evening。〃
　〃Another　time；　another　place；　you　may　not　be　so　fortunate。〃
　Pitt　said　coldly；　〃Just　so　we　keep　a　level　playing　field；　please　be　advised　that　I　have　hired　a　team　of　professional　assassins　to　terminate　you；　Mr。　Shang。　With　luck；　we'll　never　meet　again。〃
　Before　Qin　Shang　could　respond；　Pitt　and　Julia　were　walking　through　the　mass　of　guests　toward　the　front　entrance。　Julia　discreetly　opened　her　purse；　held　it　close　to　her　face　as　though　searching　for　cosmetics　and　spoke　into　the　tiny　radio。
　〃This　is　Dragon　Lady。　We're　ing　out。〃
　〃Dragon　Lady；〃　said　Pitt。　〃Is　that　the　best　you　could　dream　up　for　a　code　name？〃
　The　dove…gray　eyes　gazed　at　him　as　if　he　was　thick　between　the　ears。　〃It　fits；〃　she　said　simply。
　If　Qin　Shang's　paid　killers　had　any　plans　of　following　the　Duesenberg　and　blasting　its　occupants　at　the　first　stoplight；　they　were　quickly　laid　to　rest　as　two　unmarked　vans　fell　into　a　convoy　behind　the　big　car。
　〃I　hope　they're　on　our　side；〃　said　Pitt。
　〃Peter　Harper　is　very　thorough。　The　INS　protects　its　own　with　specialists　outside　the　service。　The　people　in　the　vans　are　from　a　little…known　security　force　that　supplies　teams　of　bodyguards　on　request　from　different　branches　of　government。〃
　〃A　great　pity。〃
　She　looked　at　him　quizzically。　〃Why　do　you　say　that？〃
　〃With　all　these　armed　chaperons　watching　our　every　move；　I　can't　very　well　take　you　to　my　place　for　a　nightcap。〃
　〃Are　you　sure　a　nightcap　is　all　you　had　in　mind？〃　Julia　replied　in　a　sultry　voice。
　Pitt　took　one　hand　off　the　wheel　and　patted　her　bare　knee。　〃Women　have　always　been　an　enigma　to　me。　I　had　hoped　you　might　forget　you　were　an　agent　of　the　government　and　throw　caution　to　the　winds。〃
　
　She　moved　across　the　leather　bench　seat　until　her　body　was　pressed　against　his　and　slid　her　hands　around　his　arm。　She　found　the　muffled　roar　of　the　engine　and　the　smell　of　the　leather　sensual。　〃I　went　off　duty　the　minute　we　walked　out　of　that　scumbag's　house；〃　she　said　lovingly。　〃My　time　is　your　time。〃
　〃How　do　we　get　rid　of　your　friends？〃
　〃We　don't。　They're　with　us　for　the　duration。〃
　〃In　that　case；　do　you　think　they'd　mind　if　I　took　a　detour？〃
　〃Probably；〃　she　said；　smiling。　〃But　I'm　sure　you'll　do　it　anyway。〃
　Pitt　went　silent　as　he　shifted　gears　and　drove　the　Duesenberg　effortlessly　through　traffic；　watching　in　the　rearview　mirror　with　a　touch　of　pride　at　seeing　the　vans　struggle　to　keep　pace。　〃I　hope　they　don't　shoot　out　my　tires。　They　don't　e　cheap　for　a　car　like　this。〃
　〃Did　you　mean　what　you　said　when　you　told　Qin　Shang　you'd　hired　a　team　of　hit　men　to　kill　him？〃
　
　Pitt　grinned　wolfishly。　〃A　big；　fat　bluff；　but　he　doesn't　know　that。　I　take　great　satisfaction　in　tormenting　men　like　Qin　Shang　who　are　too　used　to　having　people　jump　at　their　beck　and　call。　Do　him　good　to　stare　at　the　ceiling　nights　and　wonder　if　someone　is　lurking　outside　waiting　to　put　a　bullet　in　him。〃
　〃So　what's　with　the　detour？〃
　〃I　think　I　found　the　chink　in　Qin　Shang's　armor；　his　Achilles'　heel　if　you'll　pardon　the　cliche。　Despite　the　seemingly　impenetrable　wall　he's　formed　around　his　personal　life；　he　has　a　vulnerable　crack　that　can　be　pried　open　a　mile　wide。〃
　Julia　pulled　her　coat　tightly　around　her　bare　legs　to　ward　off　the　late…evening　chill。　〃You　must　have　divined　something　from　what　he　said　that　escaped　me。〃
　〃As　I　recall；　his　words　were；　'My　life's　most　passionate　desire。'　〃
　She　looked　curiously　into　his　eyes；　which　never　left　the　road。　〃He　was　talking　about　a　vast　cargo　of　Chinese　art　treasures　that　vanished　on　a　ship。〃
　〃The　same。〃
　〃He　possesses　more　wealth　and　Chinese　antiques　than　anyone　else　in　the　world。　Why　should　a　ship　with　a　few　historical　objects　be　of　serious　interest　to　him？〃
　〃Not　a　mere　interest；　gorgeous　creature。　Qin　Shang　is　obsessed　like　all　men　down　through　the　centuries　who　have　searched　for　lost　treasure。　He　won't　die　a　happy　man　no　matter　how　much　wealth　and　power　he's　accumulated　until　he　can　replace　every　one　of　his　art　replicas　with　the　genuine　pieces。　To　own　something　no　other　man　or　woman　on　earth　can　own　is　the　ultimate　fulfillment　to　Qin　Shang。　I've　known　men　like　him。　He'd　trade　thirty　years　of　his　life　to　find　the　shipwreck　and　its　treasures。〃
　
　〃But　how　does　one　go　about　searching　for　a　ship　that　vanished　fifty　years　ago？〃　Julia　asked。　〃Where　do　you　begin　to　look？〃
　〃You　start；〃　Pitt　said　casually；　〃by　knocking　on　a　door　about　six　blocks　up　the　street。〃
　
　PITT　STEERED　THE　BIG　DUESENBERG　OVER　A　NARROW　DRIVE…way　between　two　homes　with　brick　walls　entirely　blanketed　with　climbing　ivy。　He　stopped　the　car　in　front　of　a　spacious　carriage　house　that　fronted　an　expansive　courtyard　that　was　now　roofed　over。
　〃Who　lives　here？〃　asked　Julia。
　〃A　very　interesting　character；〃　Pitt　replied。　He　motioned　toward　a　large　bronze　knocker　on　the　door　cast　in　the　shape　of　a　sailing　ship。　〃Give　it　a　rap；　if　you　can。〃
　〃If　you　can？〃　Her　hand　reached　for　the　knocker　hesitantly。　〃Is　there　a　trick　to　it？〃
　〃Not　what　you're　thinking。　Go　ahead；　try　to　lift　it。〃
　
　But　before　Julia　could　touch　the　knocker；　the　door　was　swept　open；　revealing　a　huge；　roly…poly　man　dressed　in　burgundy　paisley　silk　pajamas　under　a　matching　robe。　Julia　gasped　and　took　a　step　backward；　bumping　into　Pitt　who　was　laughing。
　
　〃He　never　fails。〃
　〃Fails　to　do　what？〃　demanded　the　fat　man。
　〃Open　the　door　before　a　visitor　knocks。〃
　〃Oh；　that。〃　The　big　man　waved　airily。　〃A　chime　sounds　whenever　someone　es　up　the　drive。〃
　〃St。　Julien；〃　said　Pitt。　〃Forgive　the　late　visit。〃
　〃Nonsense！〃　boomed　the　man；　who　weighed　four　hundred　pounds　if　he　weighed　an　ounce。　〃You're　wele　any　hour　of　the　day　or　night。　Who's　the　lovely　little　lady？〃
　〃Julia　Lee；　may　I　present　St。　Julien　Perlmutter；　gourmet；　collector　of　fine　wines　and　possessor　of　the　world's　largest　library　on　shipwrecks。〃
　Perlmutter　bowed　as　far　as　his　bulk　allowed　and　kissed　Julia's　hand。
　〃Always　a　pleasure　to　meet　a　friend　of　Dirk's。〃　He　stood　back　and　swept　out　an　arm；　the　silk　sleeve　flapping　like　a　flag　in　a　stiff　breeze。　〃Don't　stand　out　there　in　the　night。　e　in；　e　in。　I　was　just　about　to　open　a　bottle　of　forty…year…old　Barros　port。　Please　share　it　with　me。〃
　
　Julia　stepped　from　the　enclosed　courtyard　that　once　served　to　harness　teams　of　horses　to　fancy　carriages　and　gazed　enraptured　at　the　thousands　of　books　that　were　massed　over　every　square　inch　of　open　space　inside　the　carriage　house。　Many　were　neatly　spaced　on　endless　shelves。　Others　were　piled　along　walls；　up　stairs　and　on　bateonies。　In　bedrooms；　bathrooms；　closets；　they　were　even　clustered　in　the　kitchen　and　dining　room。　There　was　barely　enough　room　for　a　person　to　walk　through　a　hallway；　they　were　so　thickly　stacked。
　
　Over　fifty　years；　St。　Julien　Perlmutter　had　accumulated　the　finest　and　most　extensive　collection　of　historical　ship　literature　ever　assembled　in　one　place。　His　library　was　the　envy　of　every　maritime　archive　in　the　world　and　second　to　none。　What　books　and　ship　records　he　could　not　possess；　he　painstakingly　copied。　Fearful　of　fire　or　destruction；　his　fellow　researchers　pleaded　with　him　to　put　his　immense　archive　on…line；　but　he　preferred　to　leave　his　collection　in　bound　paper。
　
　He　generously　shared　it　all　without　cost　to　anyone　who　came　to　his　front　door　seeking　information　on　a　particular　shipwreck。　As　long　as　Pitt　had　known　him；　Perlmutter　had　never　turned　down　anyone　who　sought　his　extensive　knowledge。
　
　If　the　staggering　hoard　of　books　wasn't　a　colossal　sight；　Perlmutter　was。　Julia　gazed　openly　at　him。　His　face；　turned　crimson　from　a　lifetime　of　excessive　good　food　and　drink；　barely　showed　under　a　curly　mass　of　gray　hair　and　a　thick；　heavy　beard。　His　nose　under　the　sky…blue　eyes　was　a　little　red　knob。　His　lips　were　lost　under　a　mustache　twisted　at　the　ends。　He　was　obese　but　not　sloppy…fat。　No　flab　hung。　He　was　solid　as　a　massive　wood　sculpture。　Most　people　who　first　met　him　thought　he　was　probably　much　younger　than　he　looked。　But　St。　Julien　Perlmutter　was　a　year　pa