p&c.icelimit-第14章

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　The　noise　of　conversation　at　the　nearest　tables　rose　once　again；　filling　a　brief　and　awkward　silence。　At　the　nearest　table；　Manuel　Garza　was　buttering　a　slab　of　bread　with　his　beefy　paw　and　roaring　at　a　joke。
　〃What's　it　like　to　handle　a　ship　this　big？〃　McFarlane　asked。　It　was　not　simply　a　polite　question　to　fill　the　silence：　something　about　Britton　intrigued　him。　He　wanted　to　see　what　lay　under　that　lovely；　perfect　surface。
　Britton　took　a　spoonful　of　consomme。　〃In　some　ways；　these　new　tankers　practically　pilot　themselves。　I　keep　the　crew　running　smoothly　and　act　as　troubleshooter。　These　ships　don't　like　shallow　water；　they　don't　like　to　turn；　and　they　don't　like　surprises。〃　She　lowered　her　spoon。　〃My　job　is　to　make　sure　we　don't　encounter　any。〃
　〃Doesn't　it　go　against　the　grain；　manding…well　…　an　old　rust　bucket？〃
　Britton's　response　was　measured。　〃Certain　things　are　habitual　at　sea。　The　ship　won't　remain　this　way　forever。　I　intend　to　have　every　spare　hand　working　cleanup　detail　on　the　voyage　home。〃
　She　turned　toward　Glinn。　〃Speaking　of　that；　I'd　like　to　ask　you　a　favor。　This　expedition　of　ours　is　rather。。。　unusual。　The　crew　have　been　talking　about　it。〃
　Glinn　nodded。　〃Of　course。　Tomorrow；　if　you'll　gather　them　together；　I'll　speak　to　them。〃
　Britton　nodded　in　approval。　The　steward　returned；　deftly　replacing　their　plates　with　fresh　ones。　The　fragrant　smell　of　curry　and　tamarind　rose　from　the　table。　McFarlane　dug　into　the　vindaloo；　realizing　a　second　or　two　later　that　it　was　probably　the　most　fiery　dish　he　had　ever　eaten。
　〃My；　my；　that's　fine；〃　muttered　Brambell。
　〃How　many　times　have　you　been　around　the　Horn？〃　McFarlane　asked；　taking　a　large　swig　of　water。　He　could　feel　the　sweat　popping　out　on　his　brow。
　〃Five；〃　said　Britton。　〃But　those　voyages　were　always　at　the　height　of　the　southern　summer；　when　we　were　less　likely　to　encounter　bad　weather。〃
　Something　in　her　tone　made　McFarlane　uneasy。　〃But　a　vessel　this　big　and　powerful　has　nothing　to　fear　from　a　storm；　does　it？〃
　Britton　smiled　distantly。　〃The　Cape　Horn　region　is　like　no　place　else　on　earth。　Force　15　gales　are　monplace。　You've　heard　of　the　famed　williwaws；　no　doubt？〃
　McFarlane　nodded。
　〃Well；　there's　another　wind　far　more　deadly；　although　less　well　known。　The　locals　call　it　a　panteonero；　a　‘cemetery　wind。'　It　can　blow　at　over　a　hundred　knots　for　several　days　without　letup。　It　gets　its　name　from　the　fact　that　it　blows　mariners　right　into　their　graves。〃
　〃But　surely　even　the　strongest　wind　couldn't　affect　the　Rolvaag？〃　McFarlane　asked。
　〃As　long　as　we　have　steerage；　we're　fine；　of　course。　But　cemetery　winds　have　pushed　unwary　or　helpless　ships　down　into　the　Screaming　Sixties。　That's　what　we　call　the　stretch　of　open　ocean　between　South　America　and　Antarctica。　For　a　mariner；　it's　the　worst　place　on　earth。　Gigantic　waves　build　up；　and　it's　the　only　place　where　both　waves　and　wind　can　circle　the　globe　together　without　striking　land。　The　waves　just　get　bigger　and　bigger　…　up　to　two　hundred　feet　high。〃
　〃Jesus；〃　said　McFarlane。　〃Ever　taken　a　boat　down　there？〃　Britton　shook　her　head。　〃No；〃　she　said。　〃I　never　have；　and　I　never　will。〃　She　paused　for　a　moment。　Then　she　folded　her　napkin　and　gazed　across　the　table　at　him。　〃Have　you　ever　heard　of　a　Captain　Honeycutt？〃
　McFarlane　thought　a　moment。　〃English　mariner？〃
　Britton　nodded。　〃He　set　off　from　London　in　1607　with　four　ships；　bound　for　the　Pacific。　Thirty　years　before；　Drake　had　rounded　the　Horn；　but　had　lost　five　of　his　six　ships　in　the　process。　Honeycutt　was　determined　to　prove　that　the　trip　could　be　made　without　losing　a　single　vessel。　They　hit　weather　as　they　approached　the　Strait　of　Le　Maire。　The　crew　pleaded　with　Honeycutt　to　turn　back。　He　insisted　on　pushing　on。　As　they　rounded　the　Horn；　a　terrible　gale　blew　up。　A　giant　breaking　wave　…　the　Chileans　call　them　tigres　…　sank　two　of　the　ships　in　less　than　a　minute。　The　other　two　were　dismasted。　For　several　days　the　hulks　drifted　south；　borne　along　by　the　raging　gale；　past　the　Ice　Limit。〃
　〃The　Ice　Limit？〃
　〃That's　where　the　waters　of　the　southern　oceans　meet　the　subfreezing　waters　surrounding　Antarctica。　Oceanographers　call　it　the　Antarctic　Convergence。　It's　where　the　ice　begins。　At　any　rate；　in　the　night；　Honeycutt's　ships　were　dashed　against　the　side　of　an　ice　island。〃
　〃Like　the　Titanic；〃　Amira　said　quietly。　They　were　the　first　words　she　had　spoken　for　several　minutes。
　The　captain　looked　at　her。　〃Not　an　iceberg。　An　ice　island。　The　berg　that　wrecked　the　Titanic　was　an　ice　cube　pared　to　what　you　get　below　the　Limit。　The　one　that　crushed　Honeycutt's　ships　probably　measured　twenty　miles　by　forty。〃
　〃Did　you　say　forty　miles？〃　McFarlane　asked。
　〃Much　larger　ones　have　been　reported；　bigger　than　some　states。　They're　visible　from　space。　Giant　plates　broken　off　the　Antarctic　ice　shelves。〃
　〃Jesus。〃
　〃Of　the　hundred…odd　souls　still　alive；　perhaps　thirty　managed　to　crawl　up　onto　the　ice　island。　They　gathered　some　wreckage　that　had　washed　up；　and　built　a　small　fire。　Over　the　next　two　days；　half　of　them　died　of　exposure。　They　had　to　keep　shifting　the　fire；　because　it　kept　sinking　into　the　ice。　They　began　to　hallucinate。　Some　claimed　a　huge　shrouded　creature　with　silky　white　hair　and　red　teeth　carried　away　members　of　the　crew。〃
　〃Goodness　gracious；〃　said　Brambell；　arrested　in　the　vigorous　act　of　eating；　〃that's　straight　out　of　Poe's　Narrative　of　Arthur　Gordon　Pym。〃　
　Britton　paused　to　look　at　him。　〃That's　exactly　right；〃　she　said。　〃In　fact；　it's　where　Poe　got　the　idea。　The　creature；　it　was　said；　ate　their　ears；　toes；　fingers；　and　knees；　leaving　the　rest　of　the　body　parts　scattered　about　the　ice。〃
　As　he　listened；　McFarlane　realized　that　conversation　at　the　closest　tables　had　fallen　away。
　〃Over　the　next　two　weeks；　the　sailors　died；　one　by　one。　Soon　their　numbers　had　been　reduced　to　ten　by　starvation。　The　survivors　took　the　only　option　left。〃
　Amira　made　a　face　and　put　down　her　fork　with　a　clatter。　〃I　think　I　know　what's　ing。〃
　〃Yes。　They　were　forced　to　eat　what　sailors　euphemistically　call　‘long　pig。'　Their　own　dead　panions。〃
　〃Charming；〃　Brambell　said。　〃I　understand　it's　better　than　pork；　if　cooked　properly。　Pass　the　lamb；　please。〃
　〃Perhaps　a　week　later；　one　of　the　survivors　spotted　the　remains　of　a　vessel　approaching　them；　bobbing　in　the　heavy　seas。　It　was　the　stern　of　one　of　their　own　ships　that　had　broken　in　two　during　the　storm。　The　men　began　to　argue。　Honeycutt　and　some　others　wanted　to　take　their　chances　on　the　wreck。　But　it　was　lying　low　in　the　water；　and　most　did　not　have　the　stomach　to　take　to　the　seas　on　it。　In　the　end　only　Honeycutt；　his　quartermaster；　and　one　mon　seaman　braved　the　swim。　The　quartermaster　died　of　the　cold　before　he　could　clamber　aboard　the　hulk。　But　Honeycutt　and　the　seaman　made　it。　Their　last　view　of　the　massive　ice　island　came　that　evening；　as　it　turned　southward　in　the　swells；　heading　slowly　for　Antarctica　and　oblivion。　As　it　faded　into　the　mists；　they　thought　they　saw　a　shrouded　creature；　tearing　apart　the　survivors。
　〃Three　days　later；　the　wreck　they　were　on　struck　the　reefs　around　Diego　Ramirez　Island；　southwest　of　the　Horn。　Honeycutt　drowned；　and　only　the　seaman　made　it　ashore。　The　man　lived　off　shellfish；　moss；　cormorant　guano；　and　kelp。　He　kept　up　a　constant　fire　of　turf；　on　the　remote　chance　some　vessel　would　pass　by。　Six　months　later；　a　Spanish　ship　saw　the　signal　and　brought　him　aboard。〃
　〃He　must've　been　glad　to　see　that　ship；〃　said　McFarlane。
　〃Yes　and　no；〃　said　Britton。　〃England　was　at　war　with　Spain　at　the　time。　He　spent　the　next　ten　years　in　a　dungeon　in　Cadiz。　But　in　time　he　was　released；　and　he　returned　to　his　native　Scotland；　married　a　lass　twenty　years　his　junior；　and　lived　out　a　life　as　a　farmer　far；　far　from　the　sea。〃
　Britton　paused；　smoothing　the　thick　linen　with　the　tips　of　her　fingers。　〃That　mon　seaman；〃　she　said　quietly；　〃was　William　McKyle　Britton。　My　ancestor。〃
　She　took　a　drink　from　her　water　glass；　dabbed　at　her　mouth　with　the　napkin；　and　nodded　to　the　steward　to　bring　on　the　next　course。
　
　Rolvaag；
　June　27；　3：45　P。M。
　
　MCFARLANE　LEANED　against　the　maindeck　railing；　enjoying　the　lazy；　almost　imperceptible　roll　of　the　ship。　The　Rolvaag　was　〃in　ballast〃　…　its　ballast　tanks　partially　filled　with　seawater　to　pensate　for　a　lack　of　cargo　…　and　consequently　rode　high　in　the　water。　To　his　left　rose　the　ship's　aft　superstructure；　a　monolithic　white　slab　relieved　only　by　rheumy　windows　and　the　distant　bridge　wings。　A　hundred　miles　to　the　west；　over　the　horizon；　lay　Myrtle　Beach　and　the　low　coastline　of　South　Carolina。
　Assembled　on　the　deck　around　him　were　the　fifty…odd　souls　who　made　up　the　crew　of　the　Rolvaag；　a　small　group；　considering　the　vastness　of　the　ship。　What　struck　him　most　was　the　diversity：　Africans；　Portuguese；　French；　English；　Americans；　Chinese；　Indonesians；　squinting　in　the　lateafternoon　sunlight　and　murmuring　to　each　other　in　half　a　dozen　languages。　McFarlane　guessed　they　would　not　take　well　to　bullshit。　He　hoped　Glinn　had　also　registered　that　fact。
　A　sharp　laugh　cut　across　the　group；　and　McFarlane　turned　to　see　Amira。　The　only　EES　staffer　in　attendance；　she　was　sitting　with　a　group　of　Africans　who　were　stripped　to　the　waist。　They　were　talking　and　laughing　animatedly。
　The　sun　was　dropping　into　the　semitropical　seas；　sinking　into　a　line　of　peach…colored　clouds　that　stood　like　mushrooms　on　the　distant　horizon。　The　sea　was　oily　and　smooth；　with　only　the　suggestion　of　a　swell。
　A　door　in　the　superstructure　opened　and　Glinn　emerged。　He　walked　slowly　out　along　the　central　catwalk　that　ran；　arrow　straight；　over　a　thousand　feet　to　the　Rolvaag's　bows。　Behind　him　came　Captain　Britton；　followed　by　the　first　mate　and　several　other　senior　officers。
　McFarlane　watched　the　captain　with　renewed　interest。　A　somewhat　abashed　Amira　had　told　him　the　full　story　after　dinner。　Two　years　earlier；　Britton　had　run　a　tanker　onto　Three　Brothers'　Reef　off　Spitsbergen。　There　had　been　no　oil　in　the　hold；　but　the　damage　to　the　ship　had　been　considerable。　Britton　had　been　legally　intoxicated　at　the　time。　Though　there　was　no　proof　that　her　drinking　caused　the　accident　…　it　appeared　to　be　an　operational　error　by　the　helmsman　…　she　had　been　without　a　mand　ever　since。　No　wonder　she　agreed　to　this　assignment；　he　thought；　watching　her　step　forward。　And　Glinn　must　have　realized　that　no　captain　in　good　standing　would　have　taken　it。　McFarlane　shook　his　head　curiously。　Glinn　would　have　left　nothing　to　chance；　especially　the　mand　of　the　Rolvaag。　He　must　know　something　about　this　woman。
　Amira　had　joked　about　it　in　a　way　that　made　McFarlane　a　little　unfortable。　〃It　doesn't　seem　fair；　punishing　the　whole　ship　for　the　weakness　of　one　person；〃　she'd　said　to　McFarlane。　〃You　can　bet　the　crew　is　none　too　pleased。　Can't　you　just　see　them　in　the　crew's　mess；　sipping　a　glass　of　wine　with　dinner？　Lovely；　with　just　a　touch　of　oak；　wouldn't　you　say？〃　She　had　finished　by　making　a　wry　face。
　Overhead；　Glinn　had　now　reached　the　assembly。　He　stopped；　hands　behind　his　back；　gazing　down　at　the　maindeck　and　the　upturned　faces。
　〃I　am　Eli　Glinn；〃　he　began　in　his　quiet；　uninflected　voice。　〃President　of　Effective　Engineering　Solutions。　Many　of　you　know　the　broad　outlines　of　our　expedition