p&c.icelimit-第69节

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　Aller　looked　at　the　new　conning　officer；　and　nodded　weakly。
　〃Right　standard　rudder；〃　said　the　conning　officer；　〃steady　on　course　one　eight　zero。〃
　The　helmsman　answered。　〃Aye；　sir；　right　standard　rudder；　ing　to　course　one　eight　zero。〃
　Vallenar　slipped　his　hand　from　his　weapon。　It　was　over。　Cut　off　the　head　and　the　body　will　die。
　The　ship　began　to　turn　broadside　to　the　sea；　helped　along　by　terrifying　shoves　from　each　passing　wave。　As　the　shuddering　and　reeling　grew　worse；　the　bridge　personnel　took　hold　of　stanchions；　flagbag　rails；　anything　that　would　help　them　keep　upright。
　〃Steady　on　one　eight　zero；〃　said　the　helmsman　in　a　quavering　voice。
　〃Very　well；〃　the　conning　officer　answered。
　Vallenar　leaned　into　the　speaking　tube。　〃Radar；　estimate　when　we　will　be　within　targeting　range　of　the　American　ship　with　the　Vickers　guns。〃
　After　a　moment；　the　response　came：　〃Sir；　at　present　course　and　speed；　estimated　range　in　three　hours；　thirty　minutes。〃
　〃Very　good。〃　Vallenar　leaned　away　from　the　tube　and　flicked　a　thumb　toward　the　dying　man　at　his　feet。　〃Mr。　Sanchez；　take　this　away。　And　get　a　cleaning　detail　up　here。〃
　He　turned　back　to　the　violent　sea。
　
　Rolvaag；
　11：30　A。M。
　
　GLINN　STOOD　next　to　Britton；　motionless　beside　the　helm。　As　they　fled　southward　toward　the　sixtieth　parallel；　the　Rolvaag　had　moved　squarely　into　the　westerlies　that　raged　around　the　bottom　of　the　world；　endlessly　circling；　building　up　the　greatest　seas　on　earth。　As　far　as　the　eye　could　see；　a　terrifying　progression　of　Atlantic　rollers　swept　eastward；　high　as　mountains。　In　the　last　hour；　as　the　storm　grew　in　intensity；　the　ocean　seemed　to　have　lost　a　solid　surface；　there　was　no　longer　a　sharp　line　between　water　and　air。　The　screaming　winds　and　heaving　seas　joined　in　a　fury　of　spray　and　spume。　As　the　tanker　sank　into　the　trough　between　each　wave　there　would　e　a　brief；　eerie　calm；　and　then　the　great　ship　would　shudder　and　rise　back　into　the　howling　gale。
　But　Glinn　did　not　see　the　storm。　For　some　time　his　thoughts　had　been　elsewhere。　Vallenar　had　staked　everything　…　his　career；　his　crew；　his　ship；　the　honor　of　his　country；　his　very　life　…　on　this　chase。　He　knew　they　were　carrying　only　a　rock；　a　huge　rock；　but　a　rock　nonetheless。　This　chase　did　not　make　sense。
　He　had　miscalculated　badly。　Unforgivably。　For　the　briefest　of　moments；　Glinn　contemplated　failure；　rolled　it　to　and　fro　on　his　tongue；　as　if　tasting　it。　Then；　with　a　spasm；　he　forced　it　from　his　thoughts。　There　would　be；　could　be；　no　failure　here。
　The　problem　did　not　lie　in　the　puter　profile；　or　in　the　two…foot　file　on　Vallenar　back　in　New　York；　it　lay　in　himself。　There　was　a　crucial　piece　missing。　And　this　piece　was　in　his　own　mind；　waiting　for　him　to　recognize　it。　If　he　could　understand　Vallenar's　motivation　for　this　insane　pursuit；　then　he　could　act　upon　it。。。　How　far　would　Vallenar　take　it？　Would　he　pursue　them　past　the　Ice　Limit？　He　shook　his　head；　as　if　to　shake　loose　the　answer；　but　there　was　nothing。　Without　understanding　Vallenar's　motivation；　he　could　develop　no　plan。
　He　glanced　over　at　Britton。　She　was　staring　at　the　radar；　and　the　wavering　green　pip　that　represented　the　Almirante　Ramirez。　
　〃The　Ramirez　has　matched　our　course　for　the　last　half　hour；〃　she　said；　without　looking　up。　〃One　eight　zero；　dead　astern；　holding　at　twenty　knots；　constant　bearing　and　decreasing　range。〃
　Glinn　said　nothing。　It　was　incredible　to　him　that　Vallenar　would　take　his　ship　into　a　beam　sea　like　this。　The　giant　Rolvaag　was　struggling；　and　it　was　far　better　at　handling　the　storm　than　a　destroyer　with　scarcely　a　forty…foot　beam。　It　was　truly　insane。　There　was　a　good　chance　that　the　Almirante　Ramirez　would　be　capsized。　But　a　good　chance　was　still　a　chance；　and　Glinn　had　no　idea　what　kind　of　seamanship　Vallenar　could　bring　to　bear。　He　suspected　first…rate。
　〃At　current　speed　and　bearing；　he'll　catch　up　with　us　at　the　Ice　Limit；〃　Britton　said。　〃And　he'll　e　within　firing　range　considerably　before　then。〃
　〃In　just　over　three　hours；〃　said　Glinn。　〃Around　dusk。〃
　〃Once　we're　in　range；　do　you　think　he　will　fire？〃
　〃I　have　no　doubt　of　it。〃
　〃We　have　no　defense。　We'll　be　ripped　to　pieces。〃
　〃If　we're　unable　to　lose　him　in　the　darkness；　that's　unfortunately　true。〃
　She　looked　up　at　him。　〃What　about　the　meteorite？〃　she　asked　in　a　low　voice。
　〃What　about　it？〃
　She　lowered　her　voice；　glancing　at　Lloyd。　〃If　we　drop　it；　we'll　be　able　to　increase　our　speed。〃
　Glinn　felt　himself　stiffen。　He　glanced　over　at　Lloyd；　who　stood　frowning　at　the　bridge　windows；　trunklike　legs　planted　wide　apart。　He　hadn't　heard。　When　Glinn　answered；　he　spoke　slowly；　reasonably。
　〃To　jettison　it；　we　have　to　bring　the　ship　to　an　absolute　halt。　That　would　give　Vallenar　all　the　time　he　needs　to　catch　us。　We'd　be　sunk　before　we　came　to　rest。〃
　〃Then　you've　run　out　of　answers？〃　she　asked；　her　voice　even　lower。
　He　looked　into　her　green　eyes。　They　were　clear；　and　steady；　and　quite　beautiful。　〃There　is　no　such　thing　as　a　problem　without　a　solution；〃　he　said。　〃We　just　have　to　nd　it。〃
　Britton　paused。　〃Before　we　left　the　island；　you　asked　me　to　trust　you。　I　hope　that　I　can。　I　would　like　to　very　much。〃
　Glinn　looked　away；　feeling　an　unexpected　flush　of　emotion。　For　a　moment；　his　eyes　fell　on　the　GPS　screen；　and　the　dotted　green　line　marked　Ice　Limit　that　ran　across　it。　Then　he　looked　back　into　her　eyes。　〃You　can　trust　me　on　this；　Captain。　I　will　have　a　solution　for　you。　I　promise。〃
　She　nodded　slowly。　〃I　don't　believe　you're　a　man　who　breaks　his　promises。　I　hope　I'm　right。　Mr。　Glinn　…　Eli　…　there's　only　one　thing　I　want　out　of　life　right　now。　And　that's　to　see　my　daughter　again。〃
　Glinn　began　to　answer。　But　what　came　out　instead　was　a　hiss　of　surprise。　He　took　an　involuntary　step　back。　In　a　blinding　flash　of　insight　brought　on　by　Britton's　final　sentence；　he　understood　what　was　driving　Vallenar。
　He　turned　and；　without　a　word；　abruptly　left　the　bridge。
　
　Rolvaag；
　12：30　P。M。
　
　LLOYD　PACED　restlessly　across　the　long　expanse　of　the　bridge。　The　storm　battered　furiously　against　the　windows；　but　he　had　averted　his　eyes　from　the　tearing　seas。　In　all　his　life；　he　had　never　seen　anything　so　frightening。　It　barely　resembled　water　anymore；　looking　more　like　mountains；　green　and　gray　and　black；　rising；　falling；　sweeping；　crumbling　apart　in　gigantic　creamy　avalanches。　He　could　hardly　see　how　their　ship　…　any　ship　…　…could　survive　five　seconds　in　such　a　sea。　Yet　the　Rolvaag　plowed　on。　It　was　difficult　to　walk；　but　he　needed　the　distraction　of　the　physical　activity。　Reaching　the　starboard　wing　door；　he　pivoted　brusquely　and　resumed　pacing。　He　had　been　at　it　for　sixty　minutes；　ever　since　Glinn　had　vanished　without　a　word。
　His　head　ached　from　the　sudden　reversals　of　fortune；　the　abrupt　shifts　in　mood；　the　unbearable　tension　of　the　last　twelve　hours。　Exasperation；　humiliation；　triumph；　apprehension。　He　glanced　up　at　the　bulkhead　clock；　then　at　the　faces　of　the　bridge　officers。　Howell；　his　face　set。　Britton；　expressionless；　monitoring　alternately　the　radar　screen　and　the　GPS　chart。　Banks；　framed　inside　the　door　of　the　radio　room。　Lloyd　felt　like　shaking　some　kind　of　answers　out　of　them。　But　they　had　already　told　him　everything　there　was　to　know。　They　had　about　two　hours　before　the　Ramirez　would　start　edging　into　range。
　Lloyd　felt　his　limbs　stiffen　against　a　current　of　rage。　It　was　Glinn's　fault。　It　was　overweening　arrogance：　he　had　studied　the　options　so　long　the　man　believed　himself　incapable　of　failure。　Think　long；　think　wrong；　someone　had　once　said。　If　he'd　been　allowed　to　call　in　some　favors；　they　wouldn't　be　helpless；　like　a　mouse　waiting　for　the　cat　to　close　in　for　the　kill。
　The　door　to　the　bridge　opened　and　Glinn　stepped　in。　〃Good　afternoon；　Captain；〃　he　said　nonchalantly。
　More　than　anything；　this　air　of　nonchalance　sent　fury　coursing　through　Lloyd。　〃God　damn　you；　Glinn；〃　he　said；　〃where　the　hell　have　you　been？〃
　Glinn's　eyes　drifted　toward　him。　〃I've　been　examining　Vallenar's　files。　I　know　now　what's　driving　him。〃
　〃Who　the　hell　cares？　He's　the　one　who's　driving　us；　right　towards　Antarctica。〃
　〃Timmer　was　Vallenar's　son。〃
　Lloyd　stopped　short。　〃Timmer？〃　he　asked；　confused。
　〃Vallenar's　signal　officer。　The　man　who　was　killed　by　the　meteorite。〃
　〃That's　absurd。　Didn't　I　hear　Timmer　had　blond　hair　and　blue　eyes？〃
　〃He　was　Vallenar's　son　by　a　German　mistress。〃
　〃Is　this　another　guess；　or　do　you　have　evidence？〃
　〃There's　no　record　of　a　son；　but　it's　the　only　explanation。　That's　why　he　was　so　anxious　to　get　Timmer　back　when　I　visited。　And　that's　why　he　initially　refrained　from　attacking　our　ship：　I　told　him　Timmer　was　in　the　brig。　But　as　soon　as　we　left　the　island；　he　realized　Timmer　was　dead。　I　believe　he　thinks　we　murdered　him。　That's　why　he　pursued　us　into　international　waters。　That's　why　he'll　never　give　up　until　he　dies。　Or　until　we　do。〃
　The　spasm　of　fury　had　left。　Lloyd　felt　drained；　exhausted。
　Anger　at　this　point　was　useless。　He　controlled　his　voice。　〃And　how；　pray　tell；　is　this　psychological　insight　going　to　help　us？〃
　Instead　of　answering；　Glinn　glanced　back　at　Britton。　〃How　far　are　we　from　the　Ice　Limit？〃
　〃It's　seventy…seven　nautical　miles　south　of　our　posi