cc.themediterraneancaper2-第36部分

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es；　punctuated　occasionally　by　the　shriek　of　a　solitary　gull。　Above　the　rocky　cliffs；　a　herd　of　cattle　grazed　on　a　sloping　green　pasture；　like　tiny　immovable　shapes　in　a　Rembrandt　landscape。　And　below；　in　sheltered　coves　among　the　lesser　cliffs；　piles　of　sun…bleached　driftwood　lay　dead　and　still　on　tiny　shell　carpeted　beaches。
　Pitt　nearly　lingered　too　long。　He　tugged　his　mind　back　to　the　job　at　hand。　That　mysterious　area　of　calm　water　was　ing　up　now；　only　three　quarters　of　a　mile　away　off　the　port　bow。　He　laid　a　hand　on　Gunn's　shoulder　and　pointed。
　〃The　flat　pond。〃
　Gunn　nodded。　〃OK；　got　it。　At　our　present　speed　we　should　be　alongside　in　ten　minutes。　Is　your　team　ready？〃
　〃All　set　and　primed；〃　Pitt　answered　briefly。　〃They　know　what　to　expect。　I've　got　them　stationed　along　the　starboard　cabin　deck；　out　of　sight　to　any　prying　eyes　from　the　villa。〃
　Gunn　replaced　his　cap。　〃Be　sure　you　order　them　to　leap　plenty　clear　of　the　hull。　Getting　sucked　into　a　prop　can　be　a　very　messy　business。〃
　〃I　doubt　that　they　have　to　be　ordered；〃　Pitt　said　quietly。　〃They're　all　good　men。　You　told　me　so　yourself。〃
　〃Damn　right；〃　Gunn　snorted。　He　turned　to　Pitt。　〃I'm　going　to　keep　the　ship　close…in　to　the　shoreline　for　another　three　miles。　We　might　fool　von　Till　into　thinking　we're　on　a　routine　sounding　course　to　chart　the　shallows。　It　might　work；　I　don't　know。　For　your　sake　I　hope　he's　taken　in。〃
　〃Well　soon　find　out。〃　Pitt　checked　his　watch　against　the　ship's　chronometer。　〃What　time　do　you　make　your　rendezvous？〃
　〃I'll　run　a　series　of　doglegs　on　the　return　course　and　arrive　back　here　at　1410。　That　gives　you　exactly　fifty　minutes　to　find　the　sub　and　get　out。〃　Gunn　dug　a　cigar　out　of　a　breast　pocket　and　lit　it　〃You　and　my　men　be　waiting　for　the　ship；　you　hear　me？〃
　Pitt　didn't　answer　immediately。　A　broad　smile　broke　across　his　lips；　and　his　vivid　green　eyes　seemed　to　be　laughing。
　Gunn　looked　puzzled。　〃What　did　I　say　that's　so　funny？〃
　〃For　a　moment　you　reminded　me　of　my　mother。　She　always　used　to　say　that　when　my　ship　came　in　I'd　probably　be　waiting　at　the　bus　depot〃
　Gunn　ruefully　shook　his　head。　〃If　you　don't　e　back　at　least　I'll　know　where　to　look。　Well；　let's　get　on　with　it。　You　had　better　climb　into　your　diving　gear。〃
　Pitt　simply　waved　in　acknowledgment；　left　the　hot　confine　of　the　wheelhouse　and　dropped　down　the　ladder　to　the　First　Attempt's　starboard　cabin　deck。　He　found　five　deeply　tanned　men　waiting　for　him；　probably。　Pitt　reflected；　the　five　most　eager　and　intelligent　men　he'd　ever　known。　Like　himself；　they　wore　only　black　bikini　swim　trunks。　All　were　busily　engaged　in　adjusting　breathing　regulators　and　strapping　on　air　tanks；　each　man　rechecked　the　other's　equipment；　making　certain　the　tank　valves　and　harness　webbing　were　in　their　proper　position。
　The　nearest　diver；　Ken　Knight；　looked　up　at　Pitt's　arrival。　〃I　have　your　gear　all　ready　for　you；　Major。　I　hope　a　single　hose　regulator　will　be　OK；　NUMA　didn't　issue　us　any　doubles　this　trip。〃
　〃A　single　hose　will　do　fine；〃　Pitt　replied。　He　pulled　on　a　pair　of　fins　and　strapped　a　knife　to　his　right　calf；　then　he　slipped　a　mask　over　his　head　and　adjusted　the　snorkel。　The　mask　was　the　wide…angle　type　that　gave　the　wearer　a　one　hundred　and　eighty　degree　range　of　vision。　Next　came　the　air　tank　and　the　regulator。　He　was　about　to　struggle　with　the　tank　harness　when　suddenly　the　forty　pound　outfit　was　swept　from　the　deck　and　held　at　his　back　by　two　massive；　hairy　arms。
　〃How　you　could　ever　get　through　a　day　without　my　services；〃　said　the　voice　of　Giordino　pompously；　〃is　a　mystery　to　me。〃
　〃The　real　mystery　is　why　l　put　up　with　your　jackhammer　mouth　and　overabundant　ego；〃　Pitt　said　sourly。
　〃There　you　go；　picking　on　me　again；〃　Giordino　tried　to　sound　wounded　but　couldn't　quite　pull　it　off。　He　turned　and　looked　down　at　the　passing　water　and；　after　a　long　pause；　muttered　very　slowly；　〃Christ！　Look　at　the　clarity　of　that　water。　It's　sharper　than　a　goldfish　bowl。〃
　〃So　I've　noticed。〃　Pitt　unsheathed　the　barbed　tip　of　a　six　foot　pole　spear　and　checked　the　elasticity　of　the　rubber　sling　attached　to　the　butt　end。　〃Have　you　studied　your　lesson？〃
　〃The　old　gray　matter；〃　Giordino　said；　pointing　to　his　head；　〃has　all　the　answers　filed　and　indexed。〃
　〃As　usual；　it's　forting　to　know　you're　so　sure　of　yourself。〃
　〃Sherlock　Giordino　knows　all；　sees　all　No　secret　can　escape　my　probing　mind。〃
　〃Your　probing　mind　better　be　well　oiled；〃　Pitt　said：　earnestly。　〃You've　got　a　tight　schedule　to　keep。〃
　〃Just　leave　it　to　me；〃　Giordino　said　straight　faced。　'Well；　it's　about　that　time。　I　wish　I　was　ing　along。　Enjoy　your　swim　and　have　fun。〃
　〃I　intend　to；〃　Pitt　murmured。　〃I　intend　to。〃
　　　　Two　chimes　from　the　ship's　bell　sounded　Gunn's　one　minute　warning　signal。　Pitt；　walking　awkwardly　in　his　fins；　moved　onto　a　small　platform　that　extended　over　the　side　of　the　hull。
　〃At　the　sound　of　the　next　tone；　gentlemen；　we　go！〃　He　said　no　more；　partly　because　each　man　knew　what　he　had　to　do；　partly　because　there　was　nothing　else　to　say　that　had　any　meaning。
　The　divers　gripped　their　spear　guns　a　little　tighter　and　silently　exchanged　glances。　One　thought　and　only　one　thought　was　on　all　their　minds　at　this　minute：　if　the　jump　isn't　far　enough；　a　leg　could　be　lost　in　the　whirling　propeller。　At　a　gesture　from　Pitt；　they　arranged　themselves　in　a　line　behind　the　platform。
　Before　he　lowered　the　mask　over　his　eyes；　Pitt　took　another　look　at　the　men　around　him　and　for　the　tenth　time　studied　their　identifying　features；　features　he　would　be　able　to　recognize　at　a　distance　under　water。　The　man　nearest　him；　Ken　Knight；　the　geophysicist；　was　the　only　blond　in　the　group；　Stan　Thomas；　the　short；　runty　ship's　engineer；　wore　blue　fins　and　was　the　only　member；　Pitt　surmised；　who　could　probably　handle　himself　in　a　tough　fight。　Next　came　a　red…bearded　marine　biologist；　Lee　Spencer；　then　Gustaf　Hersong；　a　lanky　six…foot…six　marine　botanist…both　those　men　seemed　to　be　grinning　at　each　other　over　a　private　joke。　The　anchor　man　was　the　expedition's　photographer；　Omar　Woodson；　as　true　a　deadpan　character　as　Pitt　had　ever　seen　and　who　genuinely　appeared　bored　by　the　whole　show。　Instead　of　a　spear　gun；　Woodson　carried　a　35　mm　Nykonos　with　flash；　swinging　the　expensive　underwater　unit　over　the　railing；　negligently；　as　if　it　were　an　old　used　box　camera。
　Pitt　pulled　the　mask　down　over　his　eyes；　whistling　softly　to　himself；　and　gazed　once　more　at　the　water。　It　was　passing　beneath　the　platform　at　a　much　more　leisurely　rate　now…Gunn　had　cut　the　First　Attempt's　speed　to　a　crawling　three　knots…slow　enough；　Pitt　decided；　for　a　feet　first　entry。　His　eyes　turned　past　the　bow；　looking　forward　with　trance…like　fixity　at　the　approximate　point　in　the　sea　where　at　any　moment　now　he　must　dive。
　At　almost　the　same　instant；　Gunn　scrutinized　the　fathometer　and　the　jagged　cliffs　for　the　last　time。　His。　hand　slowly　raised；　groped　for　the　bell　line；　found　it；。　paused；　then　gave　one　hard　pull。　The　metallic　clang　burst　into　the　hot　afternoon　air　and　carried　across　the　surf　to　the　steep　coastal　wall；　echoing　in　a　muted　undertone　back　toward　the　ship。
　Pitt；　poised　on　the　platform；　didn't　wait　for　the　echo。　Holding　the　mask　firmly　in　place　against　his　face　with　one　hand　and　clutching　the　pole　spear　in　the　other；　he　leaped。
　The　impact　shattered　the　sun…danced　water　into　a　blazing　diffused　pattern　of　blue　brilliance。　Immediately　after　the　surface　closed　over　his　head；　Pitt　rolled　frontward　and　kicked　his　fins　as　fast；　it　seemed　to　him；　as　a　Mississippi　River　paddle　wheeler　at　full　throttle。　Five　seconds　and　fifteen　feet　later；　he　glanced　over　his　shoulder　and　watched　the　dark　shape　of　the　ship's　hull　slide　slowly　overhead。　The　whirling　twin　propellers　seemed　frighteningly　closer　than　they　really　were：　their　thrashing　sound　traveled　at　forty…nine　hundred　feet　per　second　underwater　as　pared　to　less　than　eleven　hundred　feet　through　air；　and　the　light　refraction　magnified　their　flashing　blades　by　nearly　twenty…five　percent。
　Teeth　clenched　on　the　regulator's　mouthpiece；　Pitt　swung　around　and　stared　in　the　direction　of　the　shrinking　ship　to　see　how　the　others　had　fared。　His　sigh　of　relief　was　answered　by　the　hiss　of　his　exhaust　bubbles　from　the　regulator。　Thank　God；　they　were　all　there；　and　in　one　piece。　Knight；　Thomas；　Spencer；　and　Hersong；　all　in　a　group　within　touching　distance。　Only　Woodson　had　dragged　his　feet；　he　hung　in　the　water　about　twenty　feet　beyond　the　rest。
　The　visibility　was　startling。　The　long；　purplish　tentacles　of　a　jelly…like　Portuguese　Man　O'　War　were　clearly　discernible　nearly　eighty　feet　away。　A　pair　of　ugly　looking　Dragonet　fish　swam　idly　across　the　bottom；　their　vivid　blue　and　yellow　scaleless　bodies　topped　by　high　slender　gill　spines。　It　was　a　hidden　world；　a　soundless　world；　owned　by　weirdly　shaped　creatures　and　decorated　by　graceful　fantasies　of　form　and　vibrant　hues　that　defied　any　attempt　at　human　description。　It　was　also　a　world　of　mystery　and　danger；　guarded　by　a　sinister　array　of　weapons；　varying　from　the　slaughterous　teeth　of　the　shark　to　the　deadly　venom　of　the　innocent　looking　Zebra　fish；　an　intriguing　bination　of　eternal　beauty　and　constant　peril。
　Without　waiting　for　signs　of　disfort；　Pitt　began　snorting　into　the　mask　to　equalize　the　air　pressure　of　his　inner　ears　to　that　of　the　water　pressure。　When　his　ears　popped；　he　slowly　dove　toward　the　majestic　seascape　under　him　and　became　a　part　of　it。
　At　thirty　feet；　the　reds　were　left　behind；　and　the　depths　became　a　soft　blending　of　blues　and　greens。　Pitt　leveled　off　at　fifty　and　studied　the　bottom。　No　sea　growth　or　rocks　here；　just　a　patch　of　submerged　desert　where　miniature　sand　dunes　meandered　in　unbroken　snake…like　ripples。　Except　for　an　occasional　bottom…dwelling　Star　Gazer　fish；　buried　with　only　a　pair　of　stony　eyes　and　a　portion　of　its　grotesque；　fringed　lips　protruding　above　the　sand；　the　sea　floor　
　was　deserted。
　Exactly　eight　minutes　after　they　had　left　the　First　Attempt；　the　bottom　began　to　slope　upward；　and　the　water　became　slightly　murky　from　the　surface　wave　action。　A　rock　formation；　covered　with　swaying　seaweed；　appeared　in　the　gloom　ahead。　And　then　suddenly　they　were　at　the　base　of　a　vertically　sheer　cliff　that　rose　at　an　unbroken　90　deg