p&c.icelimit-第11节

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　There　was　a　knock　on　the　door　and　Glinn　entered；　a　folder　beneath　one　arm。　He　glided　his　way　among　the　boxes　to　McFarlane's　side　and　gazed　at　the　scene　below。
　〃Did　Lloyd　acquire　a　mummy　to　accessorize　it？〃　he　asked。
　McFarlane　grunted　a　laugh。　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　he　did。　Not　the　original　…　that　was　looted　long　ago　…　but　another　one。　Some　poor　soul　who　had　no　idea　he'd　be　spending　eternity　in　the　Hudson　River　Valley。　Lloyd　is　having　some　of　King　Tut's　golden　treasures　replicated　for　the　burial　chamber。　Couldn't　buy　the　originals；　apparently。〃
　〃Even　thirty　billion　has　its　limits；〃　said　Glinn。　He　nodded　out　the　window。　〃Shall　we？〃
　They　left　the　building；　descending　a　graveled　path　into　the　woods。　Cicadas　droned　in　the　canopy　over　their　heads。　They　soon　struck　the　sandy　clearing。　Here　the　pyramid　rose　directly　above　them；　stark　yellow　against　the　cerulean　sky。　The　half…built　structure　gave　off　a　smell　of　ancient　dust　and　limitless　desert　wastes。
　Lloyd　caught　sight　of　them　and　came　forward　immediately；　both　hands　extended。　〃Eli！〃　he　boomed　good…naturedly。　〃You're　late。　One　would　think　you　were　planning　to　move　Mount　Everest　instead　of　a　lump　of　iron。〃　He　took　Glinn's　elbow　and　steered　him　toward　a　set　of　stone　benches　on　the　far　side　of　the　pyramid。
　McFarlane　settled　on　a　bench　opposite　Lloyd　and　Glinn。　Here；　in　the　shadow　of　the　pyramid；　it　was　cool。
　Lloyd　pointed　at　the　slim　folder　under　Glinn's　arm。　〃Is　that　all　my　million　dollars　bought　me？〃
　Glinn　did　not　reply　directly；　he　was　gazing　at　the　pyramid。　〃How　high　will　it　be　when　pleted？〃　he　asked。　〃Seventy…seven　feet；〃　Lloyd　replied　proudly。　〃It's　the　tomb　of　an　Old　Kingdom　pharaoh；　Khefret　II。　A　minor　ruler　in　every　way　…　poor　kid　died　at　thirteen。　I　wanted　a　bigger　one；　of　course。　But　it　is　the　only　pyramid　outside　of　the　Nile　Valley。〃
　〃And　the　base；　what　does　it　measure？〃
　〃One　hundred　and　forty　feet　on　a　side。〃
　Glinn　was　silent　for　a　moment；　his　eyes　veiled。　〃Interesting　coincidence；〃　he　said。
　〃Coincidence？〃
　Glinn's　eyes　slid　back　to　Lloyd。　〃We　reanalyzed　the　data　on　your　meteorite。　We　think　it　weighs　closer　to　ten　thousand　tons。　Same　as　your　pyramid　over　there。　Using　standard　nickel…iron　meteorites　as　a　basis；　that　would　make　your　rock　about　forty　feet　in　diameter。〃
　〃That's　wonderful！　The　bigger　the　better。〃
　〃Moving　the　meteorite　will　be　like　moving　this　pyramid　of　yours。　Not　block　by　block；　but　all　together。〃
　〃So？〃
　〃Take　the　Eiffel　Tower；　for　instance；〃　Glinn　said。
　〃I　wouldn't　want　to。　Ugly　as　hell。〃
　〃The　Eiffel　Tower　weighs　about　five　thousand　tons。〃
　Lloyd　looked　at　him。
　〃The　Saturn　V　rocket　…　the　heaviest　land…based　object　ever　moved　by　human　beings　…　weighs　three　thousand　tons。　Moving　your　meteorite；　Mr。　Lloyd；　will　be　like　moving　two　Eiffel　towers。　Or　three　Saturn　V　rockets。〃
　〃What's　the　point？〃　Lloyd　asked。
　〃The　point　is　that　ten　thousand　tons；　when　you　actually　consider　it；　is　a　staggering　weight。　Twenty　million　pounds。　And　we're　talking　about　lugging　it　halfway　around　the　world。〃
　Lloyd　grinned。　〃The　heaviest　object　ever　moved　by　mankind　…　I　like　that。　You　couldn't　ask　for　a　better　publicity　hook。　But　I　don't　see　the　problem。　Once　it's　on　board　the　ship；　you　can　bring　it　right　up　the　Hudson　practically　to　our　doorstep。〃
　〃Getting　it　on　board　the　ship　is　the　problem　…　especially　those　last　fifty　feet　from　shore　into　the　hold。　The　biggest　crane　in　the　world　picks　up　less　than　a　thousand　tons。〃
　〃So　build　a　pier　and　slide　it　out　to　the　boat。〃
　〃Off　the　coast　of　Isla　Desolacion；　the　depth　drops　to　two　hundred　feet　a　mere　twenty　feet　from　shore。　So　you　can't　build　a　fixed　pier。　And　the　meteorite　would　sink　an　ordinary　floating　pier。〃
　〃Find　a　shallower　place。〃
　〃We've　checked。　There　is　no　other　place。　In　fact；　the　only　possible　loading　point　is　on　the　eastern　coast　of　the　island。　A　snowfield　lies　between　that　point　and　the　meteorite。　The　snow　is　two　hundred　feet　deep　in　the　center。　Which　means　we　have　to　move　your　rock　around　the　snowfield　to　get　it　to　the　ship。〃
　Lloyd　grunted。　〃I'm　beginning　to　see　the　problem。　Why　don't　we　just　bring　a　big　ship　in　there；　back　it　up　to　shore；　and　roll　the　damn　thing　into　the　hold？　The　biggest　supertankers　hold　half　a　million　tons　of　crude。　That's　more　than　enough　to　spare。〃
　〃If　you　roll　this　meteorite　into　the　hold　of　a　ship；　it　would　simply　drop　right　through　the　bottom。　This　is　not　crude　oil；　which　conveniently　displaces　its　weight　as　it　fills　a　hold。〃
　〃What's　all　this　dancing　around；　then？〃　Lloyd　asked　sharply。　〃Is　this　leading　up　to　a　refusal？〃
　Glinn　shook　his　head。　〃On　the　contrary。　We're　willing　to　take　on　the　job。〃
　Lloyd　beamed。　〃That's　terrific！　Why　all　the　gloomy　talk？〃
　〃I　simply　wanted　to　prepare　you　for　the　enormity　of　the　task　you　want　to　acplish。　And　for　the　mensurate　enormity　of　our　bill。〃
　Lloyd's　broad　features　narrowed。　〃And　that　is。。。　？〃
　〃One　hundred　and　fifty　million　dollars。　Including　chartering　the　transport　vessel。　FOB　the　Lloyd　Museum。〃
　Lloyd's　face　went　pale。　〃My　God。　One　hundred　and　fifty　million。。。〃　His　chin　sank　onto　his　hands。　〃For　a　ten…thousand…ton　rock。　That's。。。〃
　〃Seven　dollars　and　fifty　cents　a　pound；〃　said　Glinn。
　〃Not　bad；〃　McFarlane　said；　〃when　you　consider　that　the　going　rate　for　a　decent　meteorite　is　about　a　hundred　bucks　a　pound。〃
　Lloyd　looked　at　him。　〃Is　that　so？〃
　McFarlane　nodded。
　〃In　any　case；〃　Glinn　continued；　〃because　of　the　unusual　nature　of　the　job；　our　acceptance　es　with　two　conditions。〃
　〃Yes？〃
　〃The　first　condition　is　double　overage。　As　you'll　see　in　the　report；　our　cost　estimates　haven't　been　especially　conservative。　But　we　feel　that；　to　be　absolutely　safe；　twice　that　amount　must　be　budgeted　for。〃
　〃Meaning　it's　really　going　to　cost　three　hundred　million　dollars。〃
　〃No。　We　believe　it's　going　to　cost　one　hundred　and　fifty；　or　we　wouldn't　have　presented　you　with　that　figure。　But
　given　all　the　unknown　variables；　the　inplete　data；　and　the　immense　weight　of　the　meteorite；　we　need　some　maneuvering　room。〃
　〃Maneuvering　room。〃　Lloyd　shook　his　head。　〃And　the　second　condition？〃
　Glinn　took　the　folder　from　under　his　arm　and　placed　it　on　one　knee。　〃A　dead　man's　switch。〃
　〃What's　that？〃
　〃A　special　trapdoor；　built　into　the　bottom　of　the　transport　vessel；　so　that　in　the　direst　emergency　the　meteorite　can　be　jettisoned。〃
　Lloyd　seemed　not　to　understand。　〃Jettison　the　meteorite？〃
　〃If　it　ever　shook　loose　from　its　berth；　it　could　sink　the　ship。　If　that　happened；　we'd　need　a　way　to　get　rid　of　it；　fast。〃
　As　Lloyd　listened　to　this；　the　pallor　that　had　e　across　his　face　gave　way　to　a　flush　of　anger。　〃You　mean　to　say　the　first　time　we　hit　a　rough　sea；　you　dump　the　meteorite　overboard？　Forget　it。〃
　〃According　to　Dr。　Amira；　our　mathematician；　there's　only　a　one…in…five…thousand　chance　of　it　being　necessary。〃
　McFarlane　spoke。　〃I　thought　he　was　paying　the　big　bucks　because　you　guaranteed　success。　Dumping　the　meteorite　in　a　storm　sounds　like　a　failure　to　me。〃
　Glinn　glanced　at　him。　〃Our　guarantee　is　that　EES　will　never　fail　in　our　work。　And　that　guarantee　is　unequivocal。　But　we　can't　guarantee　against　an　act　of　God。　Natural　systems　are　inherently　unpredictable。　If　a　freak　storm　came　out　of　nowhere　and　foundered　the　vessel；　we　wouldn't　necessarily　consider　that　a　failure。〃
　Lloyd　bounded　to　his　feet。　〃Well；　there's　no　way　in　hell　I'm　going　to　drop　the　meteorite　to　the　bottom　of　the　ocean。　So　there's　no　point　in　letting　you　build　a　dead　man's　switch。〃　He　took　several　steps　away　from　them；　then　stopped；　facing　the　pyramid；　arms　folded。
　〃It's　the　price　of　the　dance；〃　Glinn　said。　He　spoke　quietly；　but　his　voice　carried　total　conviction。
　For　a　time；　Lloyd　made　no　reply。　The　big　man　shook　his　head；　clearly　in　the　grip　of　an　inner　struggle。　At　last　he　turned。
　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃When　do　we　start？〃
　〃Today；　if　you　like。〃　Glinn　stood　up；　carefully　placing　his　folder　on　the　stone　bench。　〃This　contains　an　overview　of　the　preparations　we'll　need　to　make；　along　with　a　breakdown　of　the　associated　costs。　All　we　need　is　your　go…ahead　and　a　fifty…million　retainer。　As　you　will　see；　EES　will　handle　all　the　details。〃
　Lloyd　took　the　folder。　〃I'll　read　it　before　lunch。〃
　〃I　think　you'll　find　it　interesting。　And　now；　I'd　better　get　back　to　New　York。〃　Glinn　nodded　at　the　two　men　in　turn。　〃Gentlemen；　enjoy　your　pyramid。〃
　Then　he　turned；　made　his　way　across　the　sandy　clearing；　and　disappeared　into　the　tightly　woven　shade　of　the　maple　trees。
　
　Millburn；　New　Jersey；
　June　9；　2：45　P。M。
　
　ELI　GLINN　sat；　motionless；　behind　the　wheel　of　a　nondescript　four…door　sedan。　By　instinct；　he　had　parked　at　an　angle　that　maximized　sun　glare　off　the　windshield；　making　it　difficult　for　passersby　to　observe　him。　He　dispassionately　took　in　the　sights　and　sounds　of　the　typical　East　Coast　suburb：　tended　lawns；　ancient　trees；　the　distant　hum　of　freeway　traffic。
　Two　buildings　down；　the　front　door　of　a　small　Georgian　opened　and　a　woman　appeared。　Glinn　straightened　up　with　an　almost　imperceptible　motion。　He　watched　attentively　as　she　descended　the　front　steps；　hesitated；　then　looked　back　over　her　shoulder。　But　the　door　had　already　shut。　She　turned　away　and　began　walking　toward　him　briskly；