cc.floodtide-第108节

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　Wilbanks　leaned　around　the　others　to　peer　at　the　sunken　ship。　〃Look　at　that　detail。　The　cabins；　the　hatch　covers；　the　bowsprit；　they　all　show　clearly。〃
　〃Her　masts　are　gone；〃　observed　Hall。
　〃Probably　swept　away　by　the　same　storm　that　sank　her；〃　said　Pitt。
　
　The　ship　had　passed　behind　the　range　of　the　towfish　now；　but　Hall　recalled　its　image　on　the　video　screen　before　zooming　in；　freezing　the　target；　and　paring　synchronous　magnifications。　〃Good　size；〃　Hall　said；　studying　the　image。　〃At　least　a　hundred　and　fifty　feet。〃
　〃I　can't　help　wondering　about　her　crew；〃　said　Julia。　〃I　hope　they　were　saved。〃
　〃Since　she's　relatively　intact；〃　said　Wilbanks；　〃she　must　have　gone　down　pretty　fast。〃
　
　The　moment　of　fascination　quickly　passed；　and　the　search　for　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　continued。　The　breeze　had　slowly　veered　from　north　to　west　and　dropped　until　it　barely　fluttered　the　flag　on　the　stern　of　the　boat。　An　ore　ship　passed　a　few　hundred　yards　away　and　rocked　the　Divercity　in　its　wake。　At　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　Wilbanks　turned　and　looked　at　Pitt。
　〃We've　got　two　hours　of　daylight　left。　What　time　do　you　want　to　pack　it　in　and　head　back　to　the　dock？〃
　〃You　never　know　when　the　lake　will　turn　ugly；〃　Pitt　answered。　〃I　suggest　we　keep　going　and　finish　as　much　of　the　grid　as　we　can　while　the　water　is　calm。〃
　〃Gotta　make　hay　while　the　sun　shines；〃　Hall　agreed。
　
　The　mood　of　anticipation　had　not　diminished。　Pitt　had　requested　that　Wilbanks　begin　the　search　through　the　center　of　the　grid　and　work　east。　That　half　had　been　pleted；　and　now　they　were　working　west　with　over　thirty　lanes　to　go。　The　sun　was　lingering　over　the　western　shore　of　the　lake　when　Pitt　called　out　again。
　
　〃A　target　on　the　mag；〃　he　said　with　a　tinge　of　excitement　in　his　voice。　〃A　big　one。〃
　〃Here　she　es；〃　said　Julia；　electrified。
　〃We've　got　a　modern　steel　ship；〃　Hall　acknowledged。
　〃How　big？〃　asked　Wilbanks。
　〃Can't　tell。　She's　still　showing　on　the　edge　of　the　screen。〃
　〃She's　huge；〃　Julia　muttered　in　awe。
　Pitt　grinned　like　a　gambler　who　hit　a　jackpot。　〃I　think　we've　got　her。〃　He　checked　his　X　on　the　chart。　The　wreck　was　three　miles　closer　inshore　than　Gallagher　had　estimated。　Actually；　an　incredibly　close　guess；　all　things　considered；　Pitt　thought。
　〃She's　broken　in　two；〃　Hall　said；　pointing　at　the　blue…black　image　on　the　video　screen　as　everyone；　including　Giordino；　pushed　in　for　a　closer　look。　〃About　two　hundred　feet　of　her　stern　lies　a　good　hundred　and　fifty　feet　away　with　a　large　debris　field　in　between。〃
　
　〃The　forward　section　looks　to　be　sitting　upright；〃　added　Pitt。
　〃Do　you　really　think　it's　the　Princess　Dou　Wan？〃　asked　Julia。
　〃We'll　know　for　certain　after　we　get　the　ROV　down　on　her。〃　He　stared　at　Wilbanks。　〃Do　you　want　to　wait　until　tomorrow？〃
　〃We're　here；　ain't　we？〃　Wilbanks　retorted　with　a　smile。　〃Anybody　have　any　objections　against　working　at　night？〃
　
　No　one　objected。　Pitt　and　Hall　quickly　retrieved　the　sonar　towfish　and　magnetometer　sensor；　and　soon　they　had　the　Benthos　MiniRover　MK　II　robotic　vehicle　tethered　up　to　the　control　handbox　and　a　video　monitor。　At　seventy…five　pounds；　it　only　took　two　of　the　men　to　lift　it　over　the　side　and　lower　it　into　the　water。　The　bright　halogen　underwater　lights　of　the　ROV　slowly　vanished　in　the　deep　as　she　began　her　journey　downward　into　the　dark　void　of　Lake　Michigan。　She　was　attached　to　the　Divercity　and　the　control　console　by　an　umbilical　cable。　Wilbanks　aimed　an　eye　on　the　puter　screen　of　the　global　positioning　system　and　adroitly　kept　the　Divercity　floating　motionless　above　the　wreck。
　
　The　descent　to　four　hundred　feet　took　only　a　few　minutes。　All　light　from　the　setting　sun　vanished　at　360　feet。　Hall　stopped　the　MiniRover　when　the　bottom　came　into　sight。　It　looked　like　a　lumpy　blanket　of　gray　silt。
　
　〃The　depth　here　is　four　hundred　thirty　feet；〃　he　said　as　he　swung　the　ROV　in　a　tight　circle。　Suddenly；　the　lights　illuminated　a　large　shaft　that　looked　like　a　giant　tentacle　reaching　out　from　a　sea　monster。
　〃What　in　hell　is　that？〃　muttered　Wilbanks；　turning　from　his　puter　positioning　screen。
　〃Move　toward　it；〃　Pitt　ordered　Hall。　〃I　think　we've　e　down　on　the　forward　cargo　section　of　the　hull；　and　we're　looking　at　the　overhead　boom　of　a　loading　crane　on　the　forward　deck。〃
　Working　the　controls　of　the　MiniRover's　handbox；　Hall　slowly　sent　the　ROV　along　one　side　of　the　crane　until　the　camera　revealed　a　clear　video　image　of　a　hull　belonging　to　a　large　ship。　He　worked　the　ROV　along　the　sides　of　the　hull　toward　the　bow；　which　still　stood　perfectly　upright；　as　if　the　ship　had　refused　to　die　and　still　dreamed　of　sailing　the　seas。　Soon　the　outline　of　the　ship's　name　became　visible。　It　looked　to　have　been　painted　crudely　on　the　raised　white　gunwale　atop　the　black　bow　slightly　aft　of　the　anchor；　which　still　fit　snug　in　its　hawsehole。　One　by　one　the　letters　slid　past　the　screen。
　A　doctor　will　tell　you　that　if　your　heart　stops；　you're　dead。　But　it　seemed　everyone's　heart　paused　for　several　seconds　as　the　name　of　the　sunken　ship　passed　under　the　MiniRover's　cameras。
　〃Princess　Yung　Thi；〃　Giordino　shouted。　〃We　got　her！〃
　〃The　queen　of　the　China　Sea；〃　Julia　murmured　as　if　she　was　in　a　trance。　〃She　looks　so　cold　and　isolated。　It's　almost　as　if　she　was　praying　we'd　e。〃
　〃I　thought　you　wanted　a　ship　called　the　Princess　Dou　Wan；〃　said　Wilbanks。
　〃It's　a　long　story；〃　Pitt　replied　with　a　big　grin；　〃but　they're　one　and　the　same。〃　He　laid　one　hand　on　Hall's　shoulder。　〃Move　aft；　keeping　at　least　ten　feet　from　the　side　of　the　ship　so　we　don't　entangle　our　tether　and　lose　the　ROV。〃
　
　Hall　silently　nodded　and　worked　the　little　joysticks　on　the　handbox　that　controlled　the　camera　and　vehicle　movement。　Visibility　was　nearly　fifty　feet　under　the　vehicle's　halogen　lights　and　showed　that　the　exterior　of　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　had　changed　very　little　after　fifty…two　years。　The　frigid　fresh　water　and　deep　depth　had　inhibited　marine　growth　and　corrosion。
　
　The　superstructure　came　into　view；　looking　surprisingly　fresh。　None　of　it　had　collapsed。　Only　a　light　coat　of　silt　adhered　to　the　paint；　which　had　dulled　somewhat　but　still　appeared　surprisingly　fresh。　The　Princess　Dou　Wan　looked　like　the　interior　of　a　haunted；　abandoned　house　that　had　not　been　dusted　for　half　a　century。
　
　Hall　maneuvered　the　MiniRover　around　the　bridge。　Most　of　the　windows　had　been　smashed　from　the　force　of　the　waves　and　the　pressure　of　the　deep。　They　could　see　the　engine…room　telegraph　standing　inside；　its　pointer　still　set　on　FULL　AHEAD。　Only　a　few　fish　lived　in　her　now。　The　crew　was　no　more；　most　all　swept　away　by　frenzied　waves　when　she　went　down。　The
　
　MiniRover　crept　alongside　the　ship　on　a　horizontal　course　a　short　distance　from　the　main　promenade　deck。　The　lifeboat　davits　were　empty　and　twisted　out；　grim　evidence　of　the　chaos　and　terror　that　occurred　that　violent　night　in　1948。　Wooden　crates；　still　intact；　were　lashed　down　on　every　square　foot　of　open　deck。　Her　runnel　was　missing　aft　of　the　bridge；　but　could　be　seen　where　it　had　fallen　beside　the　hull　when　the　ship　drove　herself　into　the　soft　bottom。
　
　〃I'd　give　anything　to　see　what's　inside　those　packing　boxes；〃　said　Julia。
　〃Maybe　we'll　find　one　that's　broken　open；〃　said　Pitt　without　taking　his　eyes　off　the　screen。
　
　The　hull　aft　of　the　superstructure　had　been　ruptured　and　spread　open；　the　steel　twisted　and　jagged　from　when　she　had　broken　up　from　the　battering　of　the　giant　waves。　The　stem　section　was　pletely　torn　away　when　the　ship　plunged　under　the　water。　It　was　as　if　a　giant　had　squeezed　the　ship　apart　and　then　tossed　her　broken　pieces　aside。
　
　〃Looks　like　mementos　from　the　ship　are　scattered　in　a　debris　field　that　leads　from　one　part　of　the　wreck　to　the　other；〃　observed　Giordino。
　〃Can't　be；〃　said　Pitt。　〃Every　nonessential　piece　was　stripped　off　before　she　was　to　go　to　the　scrappers。　At　the　risk　of　sounding　like　an　irrepressible　optimist；　I'm　betting　we're　looking　at　an　acre　or　more　of　fabulous　works　of　art。〃
　
　On　closer　inspection　the　cameras　on　the　MiniRover　revealed　a　sea　of　wooden　crates　that　had　been　spilled　between　the　broken　sections　of　the　ship　when　she　sank。　Pitt's　prediction　was　confirmed　when　the　ROV　soared　over　the　debris　field　and　honied　in　on　a　strange　shape　materializing　out　of　the　murk。　They　all　stared　astonished　as　a　poignant　artifact　from　the　distant　past　slowly　rose　and　met　the　camera　lens。　The　walls　of　a　large　crate　had　burst　open　like　petals　of　a　rose；　exposing　a　strange　shape　standing　in　eerie　solitude。
　
　〃What　is　it？〃　queried　Wilbanks。
　〃A　bronze　life…size　horse　and　rider；〃　Pitt　muttered　in　awe。　〃I'm　not　enough　of　an　expert；　but　it　must　be　the　sculpture　of　an　ancient　Chinese　emperor　from　the　Han　dynasty。〃
　〃How　old　do　you　reckon　it　is？〃　asked　Hall。
　〃Close　to　two　thousand　years。〃
　The　effect　of　the　horse　and　rider　standing　proud　on　the　bottom　was　so　profound；　they　all　gazed　solemnly　at　its　image　on　the　screen　for　the　next　two　minutes　without　speaking。　To　Julia　it　was　as　if　she　had　been　carried　back　in　time。　The　horse's　head　was　turned　slightly　in　the　direction　of　the　MiniRover；　its　nostrils　flared。　The　rider　sat　stiffly　upright；　his　sightless　eyes　staring　into　noth