p&c.icelimit-第5章

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！


eled　our　way　in　and　set　up　the　exhibit　within　an　entirely　natural　context。　It's　the　only　hall　in　any　major　museum　devoted　exclusively　to　diamonds。　But　since　we've　acquired　the　three　largest　specimens　in　the　world；　it　seemed　appropriate。　You　must　have　heard　about　how　we　snapped　up　the　Blue　Mandarin　from　De　Beers；　just　ahead　of　the　Japanese？〃　He　gave　a　wicked　chuckle　at　the　memory。
　〃I　read　the　papers；〃　Glinn　said　dryly。
　〃And　that；〃　said　Lloyd；　being　more　animated；　〃will　house　the　Gallery　of　Extinct　Life。　Passenger　pigeons；　a　dodo　bird　from　the　Galapagos；　even　a　mammoth　removed　from　the　Siberian　ice；　still　perfectly　frozen。　They　found　crushed　buttercups　in　its　mouth　…　remnants　of　its　last　meal。〃
　〃I　read　about　the　mammoth；　too；〃　Glinn　said。　〃Weren't　there　several　shootings　in　Siberia　in　the　aftermath　of　its　acquisition？〃
　Despite　the　pointedness　of　the　question；　Glinn's　tone　was　mild；　without　any　trace　of　censure；　and　Lloyd　didn't　pause　in　his　answer。　〃You'd　be　surprised；　Mr。　Glinn；　how　quickly　countries　waive　their　so…called　cultural　patrimony　when　large　sums　of　money　bee　involved。　Here；　I'll　show　you　what　I　mean。〃　He　beckoned　his　guest　forward；　through　a　half…pleted　archway　flanked　by　two　men　in　hard　hats；　into　a　darkened　hall　that　stretched　for　a　hundred　yards。　He　paused　to　flick　on　the　lights；　then　turned　with　a　grin。
　Before　them　stretched　a　hardened；　mudlike　surface。　Wandering　across　this　surface　were　two　sets　of　small　footprints。　It　looked　as　if　people　had　wandered　into　the　hall　while　the　cement　on　the　floor　was　setting。
　The　Laetoli　footprints；〃　Lloyd　said　reverently。
　Glinn　said　nothing。
　〃The　oldest　hominid　footprints　ever　discovered。　Think　about　it：　three　and　a　half　million　years　ago　our　first　bipedal　ancestors　made　those　footprints；　walking　across　a　layer　of　wet　volcanic　ash。　They're　unique。　Nobody　knew　that　Australopithecus　afarensis　walked　upright　until　these　were　found。　They're　the　earliest　proof　of　our　humanity；　Mr。　Glinn。〃
　〃The　Getty　Conservation　Institute　must　have　been　interested　to　hear　of　this　acquisition；〃　Glinn　said。
　Lloyd　looked　at　his　panion　more　carefully。　Glinn　was　an　exceptionally　difficult　man　to　read。　〃I　see　you've　done　your　homework。　The　Getty　wanted　to　leave　them　buried　in　situ。　How　long　do　you　think　that　would　have　lasted；　with　Tanzania　in　the　state　it's　in？〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃The　Getty　paid　one　million　dollars　to　cover　them　back　up。　I　paid　twenty　million　to　bring　them　here；　where　scholars　and　countless　visitors　can　benefit。〃
　Glinn　glanced　around　at　the　construction。　〃Speaking　of　scholars；　where　are　the　scientists？　I　see　a　lot　of　blue　collars；　but　very　few　white　coats。〃
　Lloyd　waved　his　hand。　〃I　bring　them　on　as　I　need　them。　For　the　most　part；　I　know　what　I　want　to　buy。　When　the　time　es；　though；　I'll　get　the　best。　I'll　stage　a　raiding　party　through　the　country's　curatorial　offices　that　will　leave　them　spinning。　It'll　be　just　like　Sherman　marching　to　the　sea。　The　New　York　Museum　won't　know　what　hit　them〃
　More　quickly　now；　Lloyd　directed　his　visitor　away　from　the　long　hallway　and　into　a　warren　of　corridors　that　angled　deeper　into　the　Palace。　At　the　end　of　one　corridor；　they　stopped　before　a　door　marked　CONFERENCE　ROOM　A。　Lounging　beside　the　door　was　Sam　McFarlane；　looking　every　inch　the　adventurer：　lean　and　rugged；　blue　eyes　faded　by　the　sun。　His　straw…colored　hair　had　a　faint　horizontal　ridge　to　it；　as　if　years　of　wearing　heavy…brimmed　hats　had　permanently　creased　it。　Just　looking　at　him；　Lloyd　could　see　why　the　man　had　never　taken　to　academia。　He　seemed　as　out　of　place　among　the　fluorescent　lights　and　drab…colored　labs　as　would　the　San　Bushmen　he　had　been　with　just　the　other　day。　Lloyd　noted；　with　satisfaction；　that　McFarlane　looked　tired。　No　doubt　he　had　gotten　very　little　sleep　over　the　last　two　days。
　Reaching　into　his　pocket；　Lloyd　withdrew　a　key　and　opened　the　door。　The　space　beyond　was　always　a　shock　to　first…time　visitors。　One…way　glass　covered　three　of　the　room's　walls；　looking　down　on　the　grand　entrance　to　the　museum：　a　vast　octagonal　space；　currently　empty；　in　the　very　center　of　the　Palace。　Lloyd　glanced　to　see　how　Glinn　would　take　it。　But　the　man　was　as　inscrutable　as　ever。
　For　months　Lloyd　had　agonized　over　what　object　would　occupy　the　soaring　octagonal　space　below　…　until　the　auction　at　Christie's。　The　battling　dinosaurs；　he　had　thought；　would　make　a　perfect　centerpiece。　You　could　still　read　the　desperate　agony　of　their　final　struggle　in　the　contorted　bones。
　And　then　his　eyes　fell　on　the　table　littered　with　charts；　printouts；　and　aerial　photographs。　When　this　happened；　Lloyd　had　forgotten　all　about　the　dinosaurs。　This　would　be　the　piece　de　resistance；　the　crowning　glory　of　the　Lloyd　Museum。　Mounting　this　in　the　center　of　the　Crystal　Palace　would　be　the　proudest　moment　of　his　life。
　〃May　I　introduce　Dr。　Sam　McFarlane；〃　Lloyd　said；　turning　away　from　the　table　and　looking　at　Glinn。　〃The　museum's　retaining　his　services　for　the　duration　of　this　assignment。〃
　McFarlane　shook　Glinn's　hand。
　〃Until　last　week；　Sam　was　wandering　around　the　Kalahari　Desert　looking　for　the　Okavango　meteorite。　A　poor　use　of　his　talents。　I　think　you'll　agree　we've　found　something　much　more　interesting　for　him　to　do。〃
　He　gestured　at　Glinn。　〃Sam；　this　is　Mr。　Eli　Glinn；　president　of　Effective　Engineering　Solutions；　Inc。　Don't　let　the　dull　name　fool　you　…　it's　a　remarkable　pany。　Mr。　Glinn　specializes　in　such　things　as　raising　Nazi　subs　full　of　gold；　figuring　out　why　space　shuttles　blow　up　…　that　sort　of　thing。　Solving　unique　engineering　problems　and　analyzing　major　failures。〃
　〃Interesting　job；〃　said　McFarlane。
　Lloyd　nodded。　〃Usually；　though；　EES　steps　in　after　the　fact。　Once　things　have　gotten　fucked　up。〃　The　vulgarity；　enunciated　slowly　and　distinctly；　hung　in　the　air。　〃But　I'm　bringing　them　in　now　to　help　make　sure　a　certain　task　doesn't　get　fucked　up。　And　that　task；　gentlemen；　is　why　we're　all　here　today。〃
　He　gestured　toward　the　conference　table。　〃Sam；　I　want　you　to　tell　Mr。　Glinn　what　you've　found；　looking　at　this　data　over　the　last　few　days。〃
　〃Right　now？〃　McFarlane　asked。　He　seemed　uncharacteristically　nervous。
　〃When　else？〃
　McFarlane　glanced　over　the　table；　hesitated；　and　then　spoke。　〃What　we　have　here；〃　he　said；　〃is　geophysical　data　about　an　unusual　site　in　the　Cape　Horn　islands　of　Chile。〃
　Glinn　nodded　encouragingly。
　〃Mr。　Lloyd　asked　me　to　analyze　it。　At　first；　the　data　seemed。。。　impossible。　Like　this　tomographic　readout。〃　He　picked　it　up；　glanced　at　it；　let　it　drop。　His　eyes　swept　over　the　rest　of　the　papers；　and　his　voice　faltered。
　Lloyd　cleared　his　throat。　Sam　was　still　a　little　shaken　by　it　all；　he　was　going　to　need　some　help。　He　turned　to　Glinn。　〃Perhaps　I'd　better　bring　you　up　to　speed　on　the　history。　One　of　our　scouts　came　across　a　dealer　in　electronic　equipment　in　Punta　Arenas；　Chile。　He　was　trying　to　sell　a　rusted…out　electromagnetic　tomographic　sounder。　It's　a　piece　of　mining　survey　equipment；　made　here　in　the　States　by　DeWitter　Industries。　It　had　been　found；　along　with　a　bag　of　rocks　and　some　papers；　near　the　remains　of　a　prospector　on　a　remote　island　down　near　Cape　Horn。　On　a　whim；　my　scout　bought　it　all。　When　he　took　a　closer　look　at　the　papers　…　those　that　he　could　decipher　…　the　scout　noticed　they　belonged　to　a　man　named　Nestor　Masangkay。〃
　Lloyd's　eyes　drifted　toward　the　conference　table。　〃Before　his　death　on　the　island；　Masangkay　had　been　a　planetary　geologist。　More　specifically；　a　meteorite　hunter。　And；　up　until　about　two　years　ago；　he'd　been　the　partner　of　Sam　McFarlane　here。〃
　He　saw　McFarlane's　shoulders　stiffen。
　〃When　our　scout　learned　this；　he　sent　everything　back　here　for　analysis。　The　tomographic　sounder　had　a　floppy　disk　rusted　into　its　drive　bay。　One　of　our　technicians　managed　to　extract　the　data。　Some　of　my　people　analyzed　the　data；　but　it　was　simply　too　far　outside　the　bell　curve　for　them　to　make　much　sense　of　it。　That's　why　we　hired　Sam。〃
　McFarlane　had　turned　from　the　first　page　to　the　second；　and　then　back　again。　〃At　first　I　thought　that　Nestor　had　forgotten　to　calibrate　his　machine。　But　then　I　looked　at　the　rest　of　the　data。〃　He　dropped　the　readout；　then　pushed　the　two　weathered　sheets　aside　with　a　slow；　almost　reverent　notion。　He　began　leafing　through　the　scatter　and　removed　another　sheet。
　〃We　didn't　send　a　ground　expedition；〃　Lloyd　continued；　speaking　again　to　Glinn；　〃because　the　last　thing　we　want　to　do　is　attract　attention。　But　we　did　order　a　flyover　of　the　island。　And　that　sheet　Sam's　holding　now　is　a　dump　from　the　LOG　II　satellite　…　the　Low　Orbit　Geosurvey。〃
　McFarlane　carefully　put　down　the　data　dump。　〃I　had　a　lot　of　trouble　believing　this；〃　he　finally　said。　〃I　must　have　gone　over　it　a　dozen　times。　But　there's　no　getting　away　from　it。　It　can　mean　only　one　thing。〃
　〃Yes？〃　Glinn's　voice　was　low；　encouraging；　holding　no　trace　of　curiosity。
　〃I　think　I　know　what　Nestor　was　after。〃
　Lloyd　waited。　He　knew　what　McFarlane　was　going　to　say。　But　he　wanted　to　hear　it　again。
　〃What　we've　got　here　is　the　largest　meteorite　in　the　world。〃
　Lloyd　broke　into　a　grin。　〃Tell　Mr。　Glinn　just　how　large；　Sam。〃
　McFarlane　cleared　his　throat。　〃The　largest　meteorite　recovered　in　the　world　so　far　is　the　Ahnighito；　in　the　New　York　Museum。　It　weighs　sixty…one　tons。　This　one　weighs　four　thousand　tons。　At　an　absolute　minimum。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　Lloyd　said；　his　frame　swelling　with　joy；　his　face　breaking　into　a　radiant　smile。　Then　he　turned　and　looked　again　at　Glinn。　The　man's　face　still　betrayed　nothing。
　There　was　a　long　moment　of　silence。　And　then　Lloyd　spoke　again；　his　voice　low　and　hoarse　with　emotion。
　〃I　want　that　meteorite。　Your　job；　Mr。　Glinn；　is　to　make　sure　I　get　it。〃
　
　New　York　City；
　June　4；　11：45　A。M。
　
　THE　LAND　Rover　jounced　its　way　down　West　Street；　the　sagging　piers　along　the　Hudson　flashing　by　the　passenger　window；　the　sky　over　Jersey　City　a　dull　sepia　in　the　noon　light。　McFarlane　braked　hard；　then　swerved　to　avoid　a　taxi　angling　across　three　lanes　to　catch　a　fare。　It　was　a　smooth；　automatic　motion。　McFarlane's　mind　was　far　away。
　He　was　remembering　the　afternoon　when　the　Zaragosa　meteorite　fell。　He'd　finished　high　school；　had　no　job　or　plans　of　one；　and　was　hiking　across　the　Mexican　desert；　Carlos　Castaneda　in　his　back　pocket。　The　sun　had　been　low；　and　he'd　been　thinking　about　finding　a　place　to　pitch　his　bedroll。　Suddenly；　the　landscape　grew　bright　around　him；　as　if　the　sun　had　emerged　from　heavy　clouds。　But　the　sky　was　already　perfectly　clear。　And　then　he'd　stopped　dead　in　his　tracks。　On　the　sandy　ground　ahead　of　him；　a　second　shadow　of　himself　had　appeared；　long　and　ragged　at　first；　but　quickly　pacting。　There　was　a　sound　of　singing。　And　then；　a　massive　explosion。　He'd　fallen　to　the　ground；　thinking　earthquake；　or　nuclear　blast；　or　Armageddon。　There　was　a　patter　of　rain。　Except　it　was　not　rain：　it　was　thousands　of　tiny　rocks　dropping　around　him。　He　picked　one　up；　a　little　piece　of　gray　stone；　covered　in　black　crust。　It　still　held　the　deep　cold　of　outer　space　inside；　despite　its　fiery　passage　through　the　atmosphere；　and　it　was　covered　with　frost。
　As　he　stared　at　the　fragment　from　outer　space；　he　suddenly　knew　what　he　wanted　to　do　with　the　rest　of　his　life。　But　that　had　been　years　ago。　N