cc.themediterraneancaper2-第41节

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　And　then　suddenly　they　were　at　the　base　of　a　vertically　sheer　cliff　that　rose　at　an　unbroken　90　deg。　angle　until　it　disappeared　into　the　mirrored　surface　above。　Like　Captain　Nemo　and　his　panions　exploring　an　undersea　garden；　Pitt　began　directing　his　team　of　marine　scientists　to　spread　out　and　search　for　the　submarine　cave。
　The　hunt　took　no　more　than　five　minutes。　Woodson；　who　had　angled　a　hundred　feet　out　on　the　right　perimeter；　found　it　first。　Signaling　Pitt　and　the　others　by　rapping　his　knife　against　his　airtank；　he　motioned　for　them　to　e　and　went　swimming　off　along　the　northern　face　of　the　cliff　to　a　point　beyond　a　weed…encrusted　crevasse。　There　he　paused　and　held　up　a　leveled　arm。
　And　then　Pitt　saw　it；　a　black　and　ominous　opening　just　twelve　feet　below　the　surface。　The　size　was　perfect；　big　enough　for　a　submarine　or；　for　that　matter；　a　lootive　to　have　been　driven　in。　They　all　hung　suspended　in　the　clear　crystal　water；　their　eyes　fixed　on　the　cave　entrance；　hesitating；　exchanging　glances。
　Pitt　moved　first；　entering　the　hole。　Except　for　a　few　dim　flashes　of　light；　reflected　from　the　whites　of　his　heels；　he　disappeared　pletely　from　view；　swallowed　by　the　yawning　cavity。
　He　leisurely　beat　the　water　with　his　fins　and　let　an　ining　swell　help　carry　him　slowly　through　the　tunnel。　The　bright　blue…green　of　the　sunlit　sea　rapidly　transformed　into　a　kind　of　deep　twilight　blue。　At　first　Pitt　could　see　nothing；　but　soon　his　eyes　adjusted　to　the　dark　interior；　and　he　began　to　make　out　a　few　details　of　his　surroundings。
　There　should　have　been　a　myriad　of　marine　life　clinging　to　the　tunnel　walls。　There　should　have　been　darting　crabs；　winking　limpets　and　barnacles；　or　crawling　lobsters；　sneaking　about　in　search　of　tasty　shellfish。　There　were　none　of　these。　The　rocky　sides　were　barren；　and　they　were　coated　with　a　reddish　substance　that　clouded　the　water　whenever　Pitt　touched　the　smooth；　unnatural　material。　He　rolled　face　up　and　inspected　the　arched　roof；　watching　in　fascinated　interest　as　his　exhaust　bubbles　rose　and　wandered　across　the　ceiling；　like　a　trail　of　quicksilver；　seeking　escape　from　a　vial。
　Abruptly　the　roof　angled　upward；　and　Pitt's　head　broke　the　surface。　He　looked　around　but　saw　nothing；　a　gray　cloud　of　mist　obscured　everything。　Puzzled；　he　ducked　his　head　back　in　the　water　and　dove；　leveling　out　at　ten　feet。　Beneath　him　a　cylindrical　shaft　of　cobalt　light　flowed　in　from　the　tunnel。　The　water　was　as　clear　as　air；　Pitt　could　see　every　nook　and　cranny　of　the　cavern's　submerged　area。
　An　aquarium。　That　was　the　only　way　Pitt　could　describe　it。　But　for　the　fact　that　there　were　no　portholes　in　the　walls；　the　cavern　could　have　easily　passed　for　the　main　tank　at　Marineland　in　California。　It　was　a　far　cry　from　the　tunnel；　marine　life　abounded　everywhere。　The　lobsters　were　here；　and　so　were　the　crabs；　the　limpets；　the　barnacles；　even　a　heavy　growth　of　kelp。　There　were　also　roving　schools　of　brilliantly　colored　fish。　One　fish　in　particular　caught　Pitt's　eye；　but　before　he　could　get　closer；　it　saw　his　approach　and　flashed　into　a　protective　rock　fissure。
　For　several　moments；　Pitt　took　in　the　breathtaking　scene。　Then　suddenly；　he　started　as　a　foreign　hand　grabbed　his　leg。　It　was　Ken　Knight；　and　he　was　motioning　toward　the　surface。　Pitt　nodded　and　swam　to　the　top。　Again　he　was　greeted　by　the　heavy　mist。
　Pitt　spit　out　his　mouthpiece。　〃What　do　you　make　of　it？〃　he　asked。　The　rock　walls　amplified　his　voice　to　a　roar。
　〃A　fairly　mon　occurrence；〃　Knight　answered；　roaring　back　matter　of　factly。　〃Every　time　a　swell　hits　the　entrance　outside；　the　force　runs　like　a　piston　through　the　tunnel；　pressing　the　air　already　trapped　in　the　cavern。　When　the　pressure　recedes；　the　expanded；　moisturized　air　cools　and　condenses　in　a　fine　mist。〃　Knight　paused　to　blow　some　mucus　from　his　nose。　〃The　swells　are　running　at　about　twelve…second　intervals；　so　it　should　start　to　clear　up　at　any　time。〃
　No　sooner　had　he　said　it　than　the　mist　disappeared；　revealing　a　dim　cavern　that　arched　to　a　dome　sixty　feet　overhead。　It　was　a　drowned　grotto　and　nothing　more；　no　traces　of　man…made　equipment。　Pitt　felt　as　though　he　had　entered　a　deserted　cathedral　whose　spires　stood　in　ruined　desolation　from　a　World　War　I　artillery　shelling　or　a　World　War　II　aerial　bombardment　The　walls　were　twisted　and　broken　in　jagged　fissures；　and。　the　shattered　rocks　at　their　base　showed　that　another　rock　fall　could　e　at　any　time。　Then　the　mist　returned　and　smothered　all　vision。
　Pitt；　in　the　few　seconds　it　took　to　survey　the　cavern；　was　conscious　of　nothing　but　the　gnawing　fear　of　self…doubt。　Then　came　a　creeping　wave　of　numbed　disbelief；　then　the　chagrin　that　he　had　bungled　it。
　〃It　can't　be；〃　he　muttered。　〃It　just　can't　be。〃　Pitt's　free　hand　curled　into　a　white　knuckled　fist；　and　he　pounded　the　water　in　an　outburst　of　temper　and　despair。　〃This　cavern　had　to　be　von　Till's　base　of　operations。　God　help　us　from　the　mess　that　I've　surely　caused。〃。
　〃I'd　still　vote　for　you；　Major；〃　Knight　reached　out　and　touched　Pitt　on　the　shoulder。　〃The　geology　bears　out　your　hunch。　This　would　seem　the　most　logical　spot。〃
　〃It's　a　dead　end。　Except　for　the　tunnel；　there's　no　openings；　anywhere。〃
　〃I　saw　a　ledge　on　the　far　end　of　the　cave。　Maybe　if
　I…〃
　〃No　time　for　that；〃　Pitt　interrupted　impatiently。　〃We　must　get　back　out　as　fast　as　we　can　and　keep　searching。〃
　〃Excuse　me；　Major！〃　Hersong　had　caught　Pitt's　arm；　an　action　that　surprised　Pitt　by　seemingly　ing　out　of　nowhere。　〃I　found　something　that　might　be　of　interest。〃
　The　mist　went　through　its　cycle　and　then　cleared　again；　revealing　a　peculiar　expression　on　Hersong's　face　that　caught　Pitt's　attention。　He　grinned　at　the　lanky　botanist。
　〃OK；　Hersong。　let's　make　it　quick。　We　hardly　have　time　for　a　lecture　on　marine　flora。〃
　〃Believe　it　or　not；　that's　just　what　I　had　in　mind；〃　Hersong　grinned　back；　the　glistening　water　trickled　through　the　strands　of　his　red　beard。　〃Tell　me；　did　you　notice　that　growth　of　Macrocystis　pyrifera　on　the　wall　opposite　the　tunnel？〃
　〃I　might　have；〃　Pitt　answered　flatly；　〃if　I　knew　what　you　were　talking　about〃
　〃Macrocystis　pyrifera　is　a　brown　algae　of　the　Phaeophyta　family；　perhaps；　better　known　as　kelp。〃
　Pitt　stared　at　him；　considering；　and　let　him　continue。
　〃What　it　boils　down　to；　Major；　is　that　this　particular　species　of　kelp　is　native　only　to　the　Pacific　Coast　of　the　United　States。　The　water　temperature　in　this　part　of　the　Mediterranean　is　far　too　warm　for　Macrocystis　pyrifera　to　survive。　On　top　of　that；　kelp；　like　in　land　plant　cousins；　needs　sunlight　to　provide　the　process　for　photosynthesis。　I　can't　imagine　kelp　thriving　in　an　underwater　cave。　Nope；　if　you'll　forgive　the　vernacular；　it　just　ain't　done。〃
　Pitt　was　slowly　treading　water。　〃Then　if　it　isn't　kelp；　what　is　it？〃。
　The　mist　was　back；　and　Pitt　couldn't　see　Hersong's　face。　He　could　only　hear　the　botanists　rumbling　voice。
　〃It's　art；　Major。　pure　art。　Without　a　doubt；　the　finest　plastic　replica　of　Macrocystis　pyrifera　I've　ever　beheld。〃
　〃Plastic？〃　Knight　boomed；　his　tone　echoing　around　the　cavern。　〃Are　you　sure？〃
　〃My　dear　boy；〃　Hersong　said　disdainfully。　〃Do　I　question　your。　analysis　of'　core　samples　or…〃
　〃That　red　slime　on　the　tunnel　walls；〃　Pitt　cut　in。　〃What　do　you　make　of　that？〃
　〃Couldn't　say　for　sure；〃　Hersong　said。　〃Looked　like　some　type　of'　paint　or　coating。〃
　〃I'll　back　him。　Major。〃　The　face　of　Stun　Thomas　suddenly　materialized　out　of　the　fading　mist。　〃Red　anti…fouling　paint　for　ship　hulls。　It　contains　arsenic；　that's　why　nothing　grows　in　the　tunnel。〃
　Pitt　glanced　at　his　watch。　'Time　is　running　out。
　This　must　be　the　place。〃
　〃Another　tunnel　behind　the　kelp？　Knight　asked　in　a　careful　sort　of　voice。　〃Is　that　it；　Major？〃
　〃It's　beginning　to　look　encouraging。〃　Pitt　said　quietly。　〃A　camouflaged　second　tunnel　that　leads　to　a　second　cavern。　Now　I　can　see　why　von　Till's　operation　was　never　discovered　by　any　native　of　Thasos。〃
　〃Well；〃　Hersong　purged　the　water　from　his　mouthpiece。　〃I　guess　we　keep　going。〃
　〃We　have　no　other　option；〃　Pitt　said。　〃Are　we　all　ready　for　another　go？〃
　〃All　present　and　accounted　for；　except　for　Woodson；〃　Spencer　answered。
　Suddenly；　at　that　instant；　a　flashbulb　flooded　the　cavern　in　a　bright　blue　light
　〃Nobody　smiled；〃　Woodson　observed　sourly。　He　had　drifted　off　to　the　far　wall　of　the　cavern；　trying　for　the　widest　possible　lens　angle。
　〃Next　time；　yell　sex。〃　Spencer　joked　back。
　〃It　wouldn't　matter；〃　Woodson　grunted。　〃None　of　you　know　what　it　means　anyway。〃
　Pitt　grinned　and　moved　off。　He　rolled　forward　and　jackknifed。　diving　to　the　bottom　like　an　airplane　on　a　strafing　run。　The　others　followed；　spaced　out　at　ten…foot　intervals。
　The　forest　of　counterfeit　kelp　was　thick　and　nearly　impenetrable。　Thin　branches　rose　from　the　bottom　to　the　surface；　flaring　into　a　wide；　spreading　canopy。　Hersong　was　right：　it　was　a　work　of　art。　Even　at　arm's　length　Pitt　couldn't　have　told　the　plastic　from　the　real　thing。　He　unsheathed　the　knife　and　began　slicing　his　way　through　the　brown　swaying　stems。　Working　his　way　forward；　stopping　only　to　untangle　his　air　tank；　he　finally　broke　into　another　tunnel。　The　second　had　a　larger　diameter　than　the　first　but　was　much　shorter　in　length。