cc.floodtide-第102节

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　〃Just　the　way　we　like　it。〃　He　raised　his　head　and　sniffed　the　air。　〃What's　that　appetizing　aroma　I　smell？〃
　〃My　Chinese　dinner　for　the　party　tonight。〃
　〃What's　the　occasion？〃
　〃St。　Julien　Perlmutter　called　just　before　you　returned　and　said　he　thinks　he　and　Hiram　Yaeger　have　the　inside　track　on　a　solution　to　the　disappearance　of　Qin　Shang's　treasure　ship。　He　said　he　intensely　dislikes　meeting　hi　government　buildings；　so　I　invited　him　for　dinner　to　hear　his　revelations。　Peter　Harper　is　ing；　and　I　also　sent　invitations　to　Admiral　Sandecker　and　Rudi　Gunn。　I　hope　they　can　find　time　to　e。〃
　〃They're　fans　of　St。　Julien；〃　said　Pitt；　smiling。　〃They'll　be　here。〃
　〃They'd　better；　or　you'll　be　eating　leftovers　for　two　weeks。〃
　〃I　couldn't　have　had　a　nicer　homeing；〃　said　Pitt；　embracing　Julia　and　squeezing　the　breath　out　of　her。
　〃Phew！〃　she　said；　wrinkling　her　nose。　〃When　was　the　last　time　you　bathed？〃
　〃It's　been　a　few　days。　Except　for　diving　in　swamp　water　I　haven't　had　the　opportunity　to　jump　in　a　shower　since　I　last　saw　you　on　the　Weehawken。〃
　
　Julia　rubbed　the　reddish　blush　on　one　of　her　cheeks。　〃Your　beard　is　like　sandpaper。　Hurry　and　pretty　up。　Everyone　will　be　showing　up　in　another　hour。〃
　
　〃Your　presentation　is　magnificent；〃　said　Perlmutter；　eyeing　the　array　of　delectable　dishes　Julia　had　prepared　buffet…style　and　set　out　on　an　antique　credenza　in　Pitt's　dining　room。
　〃It　looks　absolutely　scrumptious；〃　said　Sandecker。
　〃I　couldn't　have　described　it　better；〃　added　Gunn。
　〃My　mother　took　special　pains　to　teach　me　to　cook；　and　my　father　was　a　lover　of　fine　Chinese　food　prepared　with　a　French　influence；〃　said　Julia；　basking　in　the　flattery。　She　had　changed　into　a　red　Lycra　jersey　tube　dress　and　looked　stunning　amid　the　room　full　of　five　men。
　〃I　hope　you　don't　leave　INS　to　open　a　restaurant；〃　joked　Harper。
　〃Not　much　chance　of　that。　I　have　a　sister　who　owns　a　restaurant　in　San　Francisco；　and　it's　a　hard　job　with　long　hours　in　a　small；　hot　kitchen。　I'd　rather　have　freedom　of　movement。〃　Helping　themselves　and　gathering　around　a　table　built　from　a　cabin　roof　off　a　nineteenth…century　sailing　ship；　they　dug　into　Julia's　feast　with　great　anticipation。　She　didn't　disappoint　them。　The　pliments　flowed　and　bubbled　like　fine　champagne。
　
　During　dinner；　the　talk　purposely　skirted　Perlmutter's　findings　and　centered　instead　around　the　events　on　the　Mystic　Canal　levee　and　the　Army　Corps　efforts　to　repair　the　damage；　All　hated　the　idea　of　the　United　States　being　scrapped　as　she　lay；　and　expressed　the　hope　that　necessary　funding　would　be　found　to　save　and　refit　her；　if　not　for　voyaging　then　as　a　floating　hotel　and　casino；　as　originally　proposed。　Harper　filled　them　in　on　the　indictments　being　handed　down　against　Qin　Shang。　Despite　his　influence　and　the　reluctance　of　the　President　and　some　congressmen；　the　charges　of　criminal　conduct　rolled　over　any　opposition。
　
　For　dessert；　Julia　served　fried　apples　with　syrup。　After　dinner　was　finished　and　Pitt　had　helped　Julia　clear　the　dishes　and　load　them　in　the　dishwasher；　everyone　settled　in　his　living　room　filled　with　nautical　antiques；　maritime　paintings　and　ship　models。　Sandecker　lit　up　one　of　his　big　cigars　without　asking　permission　while　Pitt　poured　them　all　a　glass　of　forty…year…old　port。
　
　〃Well；　St。　Julien；〃　said　Sandecker；　〃what　is　this　great　discovery　Pitt　tells　me　you　made？〃
　〃I'm　also　interested　in　hearing　how　you　think　it　concerns　the　INS；〃　Harper　said　to　Pitt。
　Pitt　held　up　his　port　and　stared　at　the　dark　liquid　as　if　it　was　a　crystal　ball。　〃If　St。　Julien　puts　us　on　the　wreck　of　a　ship　called　the　Princess　Dou　Wan；　it　will　alter　the　relationship　between　the　U。S。　and　China　for　decades　to　e。〃
　〃Forgive　me　if　I　say　that　sounds　wildly　improbable；〃　said　Harper。
　Pitt　grinned。　〃Wait；　and　you　shall　see。〃　Perlmutter　eased　his　bulk　into　a　big　chair　and　opened　his　briefcase；　retrieving　several　files。　〃First；　a　little　history　to　enlighten　those　of　you　who　don't　yet　know　exactly　what　it　is　we're　talking　about。〃　He　paused　to　open　the　first　file　and　pull　out　several　papers。　〃Let　me　begin　by　saying　that　rumors　concerning　the　passenger　ship　Princess　Dou　Wan　as　leaving
　Shanghai　with　a　vast　cargo　of　historical　Chinese　art　treasures　in　November　of　nineteen…forty…eight　are　true。〃
　〃What　was　your　source？〃　asked　Sandecker。
　〃Name　is　Hui　Wiay；　a　former　Nationalist　Army　colonel　who　served　under　Chiang　Kai…shek。　Wiay　now　lives　in　Taipei。　He　fought　the　munists　until　forced　to　flee　to　Taiwan　when　it　was　called　Formosa。　He's　ninety…two　years　old　but　with　a　memory　sharp　as　a　razor。　He　vividly　recalled　following　orders　by　Generalissimo　Chiang　Kai…shek　to　empty　the　museums　and　palaces　of　every　art　treasure　they　could　lay　their　hands　on。　Private　collections　belonging　to　the　rich　were　also　seized；　along　with　any　and　all　wealth　found　in　bank　vaults。　All　of　it　was　packed　in　wooden　crates　and　trucked　to　the　Shanghai　docks。　There　it　was　loaded　on　board　an　old　passenger　liner　that　was　mandeered　by　one　of　Chiang　Kai…shek's　generals；　whose　name　was　Kung　Hui。　He　seems　to　have　dropped　off　the　face　of　the　earth　the　same　time　as　the　Princess　Dou　Wan；　so　there　is　every　reason　to　believe　he　was　on　her。
　〃More　treasure　was　seized　than　the　ship　could　ordinarily　hold。　But　since　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　had　been　stripped　of　her　furnishings　and　fixtures　in　preparation　for　her　final　voyage　to　the　scrappers　in　Singapore；　Kung　Hui　managed　to　cram　over　a　thousand　crates　into　the　cargo　holds　and　empty　passenger　staterooms。　Most　of　the　crates　with　large　sculptures　were　tied　down　on　the　open　decks。　Then　on　November　second；　nineteen　forty…eight；　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　sailed　from　Shanghai　into　oblivion。〃
　〃Vanished？〃　said　Gunn。
　〃Like　a　midnight　ghost。〃
　〃When　you　say　historical　art　treasures；〃　said　Rudi　Gunn；　〃is　it　known　exactly　what　pieces　were　seized？〃
　〃The　ship's　manifest；　if　there　was　one；〃　answered　Perlmutter；　〃would　make　every　curator　in　every　museum　of　the　world　mad　with　envy　and　desire。　A　brief　catalog　would　include　the　monumental　designs　of　Shang…dynasty　bronze　weapons　and　vases。　From　sixteen　hundred　until　eleven　hundred　B。C。；　Shang　artists　were　advanced　in　the　carving　of　stone；　jade；　marble；　bone　and　ivory。　There　were　the　writings　of　Confucius　inscribed　in　wood　in　his　own　hand　from　the　Chou　dynasty　that　reigned　from　eleven　hundred　to　two　hundred　B。C。；　magnificent　bronze　sculptures；　incense　burners　inlaid　with　rubies；　sapphires　and　gold；　life…size　chariots　with　drivers　and　six　horses　and　beautifully　lacquered　dishes　from　the　Han　dynasty；　two…oh…six　B。C。　to　two　twenty　A。D。；　exotic　ceramics；　books　from　China's　classical　poets　and　paintings　by　their　masters　living　in　the　T'ang　dynasty；　six　eighteen　to　nine…oh…seven　A。D。；　beautifully　created　artifacts　from　the　Sung；　Yuan；　and　the　famous　Ming　dynasty；　whose　artisans　were　masters　at　sculptures　and　carvings。　Their　workmanship　is　widely　known　for　the　decorative　arts；　including　cloisonne；　furniture　and　pottery；　and　of　course；　we're　all　familiar　with　their　famous　blue…　and　white…porcelain。〃
　Sandecker　studied　the　smoke　that　curled　from　his　cigar。　〃You　make　it　sound　more　valuable　than　the　Inca　treasure　Dirk　found　in　the　Sonoran　Desert。〃
　〃Like　paring　a　cup　of　rubies　to　a　carload　of　emeralds；〃　Perlmutter　said；　sipping　his　port。　〃Impossible　to　set　a　value　on　such　a　grand　hoard。　Moneywise；　you're　talking　billions　of　dollars；　but　as　historical　treasure；　the　word　priceless　bees　inadequate。〃
　〃I　can't　imagine　riches　of　such　magnitude；〃　said　Julia　wonderingly。
　〃There's　more；〃　Perlmutter　said　quietly；　adding　to　the　spell。　〃The　icing　on　the　cake。　What　the　Chinese　would　consider　as　their　crown　jewels。〃
　〃More　precious　than　rubies　and　sapphires；〃　said　Julia；　〃or　diamonds　and　pearls？〃
　〃Something　far　more　rare　than　mere　baubles；〃　Perlmutter　said　softly。　〃The　bones　of　Peking　man。〃
　〃Good　lord！〃　Sandecker　expelled　a　breath。　〃You're　not　suggesting　that　the　Peking　man　was　on　the　Princess　Dou　Wan。〃
　〃I　am；〃　Perlmutter　nodded。　〃Colonel　Hui　Wiay　swore　that　an　iron　box　containing　the　long…lost　remains　were　placed　on　board　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　in　the　captain's　cabin　minutes　before　the　ship　sailed。〃
　〃My　father　often　spoke　of　the　missing　bones；〃　said　Julia。　〃Chinese　adoration　of　our　ancestors　made　them　more　meaningful　than　tombs　still　containing　early　emperors。〃
　Sandecker　sat　up　and　gazed　at　Perlmutter。　〃The　saga　behind　the　loss　of　the　Peking　man's　fossilized　bones　remains　one　of　the　great　unexplained　enigmas　of　the　twentieth　century。〃
　〃You're　familiar　with　the　story；　Admiral？〃　asked　Gunn。
　〃I　once　wrote　a　paper　on　the　missing　bones　of　Peking　man　at　the　Naval　Academy。　I　thought　they　vanished　in　nineteen　forty…one　and　were　never　found。　But　St。　Julien　is　now　saying　they　were　seen　seven　years　later　on　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　before　she　set　sail。〃
　〃Where　did　they　e　from？〃　asked　Harper。
　Perlmutter　nodded　at　Sandecker　and　deferred。　〃You　wrote　the　paper；　Admiral。〃
　〃Sinanthropus　pekinensis；〃　Sandecker　spoke　the　words　almost　reverently。　〃Chinese　man　of　Peking；　a　very　ancient　and　primitive　human　who　walked　upright　on　two　feet。　In　nineteen　twenty…nine　the　discovery　of　his　skull　was　announced　by　a　Canadian　anatomist；　Dr。　Davidson　Black；　who　direct