cc.floodtide-第37节

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　〃Good　night；　Mr。　Pitt。〃
　〃Good　night；　Mr。　Hanley。〃
　
　Ten　minutes　later　Pitt　felt　the　ship　e　to　life　as　the　vibrations　from　the　engines　increased　dramatically。　The　wake　turned　from　a　white　spreading　scar　to　a　boiling　cauldron。　The　stern　sank　by　a　good　three　feet；　the　bow　raised　in　an　equal　proportion　and　creamed　white。　The　water　rushed　along　the　hull　as　if　swept　away　by　a　giant　broom。　The　sea　shimmered　under　an　awning　of　stars　that　outlined　a　scattering　of　thunderclouds　on　the　horizon。　It　was　a　postcard　South　China　Sea　evening　with　an　orange…tinted　sky　to　the　west。
　
　The　Oregon　approached　the　outer　reaches　of　Hong　Kong　Harbor　two　days　later；　making　landfall　at　sunset。　She　had　made　the　crossing　from　Manila　in　remarkable　time。　Twice；　upon　meeting　other　freighters　during　daylight；　Cabrillo　gave　the　order　for　slow　speed。　Several　of　the　crew　always　quickly　dressed　in　their　shabby　coveralls；　assembled　on　deck　and　peered　across　the　gap　between　the　passing　ships；　staring　blankly　at　what　Cabrillo　called　a　show　of　dummies。　In　an　unwritten　tradition　of　the　sea；　the　crews　of　overtaking　or　passing　ships　ing　together　at　sea　never　showed　any　animation。　Only　their　eyeballs　moved　and　blinked。　Passengers　wave；　but　merchant　seamen　always　act　uneasy　when　looking　at　crewmen　on　another　ship。　Usually；　they　offer　a　stiff　little　wave　from　a　hand　draped　over　the　rail　before　disappearing　inside　their　ship。　Once　the　strange　vessel　was　a　safe　distance　in　the　Oregon's　wake；　Cabrillo　ordered　a　return　to　fast　cruising　speed。
　
　Pitt　and　Giordino　were　given　a　tour　of　the　remarkable　ship。　The　wheelhouse　above　the　aft　house　or　superstructure　was　kept　in　a　grimy　and　dirty　state　to　mislead　visiting　port　officials　and　harbor　pilots。　The　unused　officer　and　crew　quarters　below　the　wheelhouse　were　also　kept　in　a　slovenly　mess　to　avoid　suspicion。　There　was；　however；　no　way　of　masquerading　the　engine　room　to　make　it　look　like　a　scrap　heap。　Vice　president　Hanky　wouldn't　hear　of　it。　If　any　customs　or　harbor　inspector　came　on　board　and　wanted　to　see　his　engines；　Hanley　fixed　up　a　passageway　with　enough　dirty　oil　and　sludge　covering　the　deck　and　bulkheads　to　discourage　even　the　most　zealous　officials　from　wanting　to　enter。　None　ever　realized　that　the　hatch　beyond　the　filthy　passageway　opened　onto　an　engine　room　as　immaculate　as　a　hospital's　operating　room。
　
　The　actual　officer　and　crew　cabins　were　concealed　under　the　cargo　holds。　For　defense　the　Oregon　fairly　bristled　with　weaponry。　Like　the　German　raiders　of　both　wars　and　the　British　Q…ships　of　World　War　I；　whose　sides　dropped　away　to　reveal　six…inch　guns　and　vicious　torpedo　tubes；　the　Oregon's　hull　secreted　an　array　of　sea…to…sea　and　sea…to…air　missile　launchers。　The　ship　was　remarkably　different　from　any　whose　decks　Pitt　had　set　foot　on　before。　It　was　a　masterwork　of　deception　and　fabrication。　He　suspected　there　was　no　other　like　it　on　the　seas。
　
　He　ate　an　early　dinner　with　Giordino　before　going　to　the　wheelhouse　for　a　conference　with　Cabrillo。　He　was　introduced　to　the　ship's　chef；　Marie　du　Gard；　a　lady　from　Belgium　with　credentials　that　would　send　any　restaurant　or　hotel　owner　on　his　knees　begging　her　to　work　as　his　chef　de　cuisine。　She　was　on　board　the　Oregon　because　Cabrillo　made　her　an　offer　she　couldn't　refuse。　Through　wise　investments　of　her　considerable　fee　as　the　ship's　chef；　she　planned　on　opening　her　own　restaurant　in　midtown　Manhattan　after　two　more　undercover　operations。
　
　The　menu　was　extraordinary。　Giordino's　tastebuds　were　mundane；　so　he　settled　for　the　boeuf　&　la　mode；　braised　beef　covered　with　aspic　and　glazed　vegetables。　Pitt　opted　for　ris　de　veau　ou　cervelles　au　beurre　noir；　sweetbreads　in　brown　butter　sauce　served　with　baked　mushroom　caps　stuffed　with　crab　enhanced　by　a　boiled　artichoke　with　hollandaise　sauce。　He　allowed　the　chef　to　select　for　him　a　fine　1992　Ferrari…Carano　Siena　from　Sonoma　County。　Pitt　could　not　boast　of　having　eaten　a　more　savory　meal；　and　certainly　not　on　board　a　ship　such　as　the　Oregon。
　
　After　an　espresso；　Pitt　and　Giordino　took　a　panionway　up　to　the　wheelhouse。　Here　pipes　and　iron　fittings　were　stained　with　rust。　Paint　was　flaking　from　bulkheads　and　window　frames。　The　deck　was　deeply　marred　and　spotted　with　old　cigarette　burns。　Very　little　equipment　seemed　up…to…date。　Only　the　brass　on　the　old…fashioned　binnacle　and　telegraph　gleamed　under　the　antiquated　light　fixtures　still　containing　sixty…watt　bulbs。
　
　Chairman　Cabrillo　was　standing　on　a　bridge　wing；　pipe　firmly　clamped　between　his　teeth。　The　ship　had　entered　the　West　Lamma　Channel　leading　to　Hong　Kong　Harbor。　Traffic　was　heavy；　and　Cabrillo　ordered　slow　speed　in　preparation　of　taking　on　the　harbor　pilot。　Her　ballast　tanks　refilled　when　twenty　miles　out；　the　Oregon　looked　like　any　one　of　a　hundred　old　freighters　fully　laden　with　cargo　entering　the　busy　harbor。　The　ruby　lights　on　the　television　and　microwave　antennas　atop　Mount　Victoria　blinked　on　and　off　as　a　warning　to　low…flying　aircraft。　The　thousands　of　lights　decorating　the　palatial　Jumbo　Floating　Restaurant　near　Aberdeen　on　Hong　Kong　Island　sprinkled　the　water　like　clouds　of　fireflies。
　
　If　there　was　any　risk　and　danger　attached　to　the　planned　covert　activity；　the　men　and　officers　congregated　in　the　wheel…house　demonstrated　an　utter　immunity　to　it。　The　chartroom　and　the　deck　around　the　helm　had　bee　a　corporate　boardroom。　The　merits　of　different　Asian　stocks　and　bonds　were　being　weighed。　They　were　savvy　investors　who　followed　the　market　with　seemingly　more　interest　than　they　showed　for　the　ing　spy　job　on　the　United　States。
　
　Cabrillo　stepped　in　from　the　bridge　wing；　noticed　Pitt　and　Giordino；　and　approached　them。　〃My　friends　in　Hong　Kong　have　informed　me　that　the　United　States　is　tied　up　at　Qin　Shang　Maritime's　terminal　dock　at　Kwai　Chung　north　of　Kowloon。　The　proper　harbor　officials　have　been　bribed；　and　we've　been　given　a　berth　in　the　channel　about　five　hundred　yards　from　the　liner。〃
　
　〃A　thousand…yard　round　trip；〃　said　Pitt；　mentally　calculating　the　submersible's　downtime。
　〃Sea　Dog　7　has　batteries…how　far　can　you　stretch　them？〃　asked　Cabrillo。
　〃Fourteen　hours　if　we　treat　them　gently；〃　replied　Giordino。
　〃Can　you　be　towed　behind　a　launch　while　underwater　and　out　of　sight？〃
　Pitt　nodded。　〃A　tow　to　and　from　would　give　us　an　extra　hour　under　the　liner's　hull。　I　must　warn　you；　though；　the　submersible　is　no　lightweight。　Its　underwater　drag　will　make　ponderous　going　for　a　small　launch。〃
　Cabrillo　smiled　evenly。　〃You　don't　know　what　type　of　engines　power　our　shore　launch　and　lifeboats。〃
　〃I'm　not　even　going　to　ask；〃　said　Pitt。　〃But　I'm　guessing　they　could　hold　their　own　in　a　Gold　Cup　hydro　race。〃
　〃We've　given　away　enough　of　the　Oregon's　technical　secrets　for　you　to　write　a　book　on　her。〃　Cabrillo　turned　and　peered　through　the　bridge　window　as　the　pilot　boat　came　out　from　the　harbor；　made　a　180…degree　turn　and　came　alongside。　The　ladder　was　dropped；　and　the　pilot　stepped　from　his　boat　and　climbed　to　the　deck　while　both　vessels　were　still　under　way。　He　went　directly　to　the　bridge；　greeted　Cabrillo　and　took　charge　of　the　helm。
　
　Pitt　walked　outside　onto　the　bridge　wing　and　viewed　the　incredible　carnival　of　colored　lights　of　Kowloon　and　Hong　Kong　as　the　ship　slipped　through　the　channel　to　her　assigned　anchorage　northwest　of　the　central　harbor。　Along　the　waterfront　of　Victoria　Harbor；　the　skyscrapers　were　illuminated　like　a　forest　of　giant　Christmas　trees。　In　appearance；　the　city　had　changed　little　after　it　was　taken　over　in　1997　by　the　People's　Republic　of　China。　For　most　of　the　residents　life　went　on　as　before。　It　was　the　wealthy；　along　with　many　of　the　giant　corporations；　who　had　moved；　primarily　to　the　West　Coast　of　the　United　States。
　
　He　was　joined　by　Giordino　as　the　ship　closed　on　Qin　Shang's　dock　terminal。　The　transatlantic　ocean　liner　that　was　once　the　pride　of　America's　maritime　fleet　appeared　and　grew　larger。
　
　During　the　flight　to　Manila　he　and　Giordino　had　studied　a　lengthy　report　on　the　United　States。　The　brainchild　of　the　famed　ship　designer　William　Francis　Gibbs；　she　was　built　by　the　Newport　News　Ship　Building　&　Dry　Dock　pany；　who　laid　her　keel　in　1950。　Gibbs；　a　genius　and　a　genuine　character；　was　to　marine　engineering　and　design　what　Frank　Lloyd　Wright　was　to　dry…land　architecture。　His　dream　was　to　create　the　fastest　and　most　beautiful　passenger　liner　yet　built。　He　achieved　his　dream；　and　his　masterpiece　became　the　pride　and　apex　of　America　during　the　age　of　great　liners。　She　was　truly　the　ultimate　in　elegant　refinement　and　speed。
　
　Gibbs　was　fanatical　about　weight　and　fireproofing。　He　insisted　on　using　aluminum　whenever　possible。　From　the　1。2　million　rivets　driven　into　her　hull　to　the　lifeboats　and　their　oars；　stateroom　furnishings　and　bathroom　fixtures；　baby's　high　chairs；　even　coat　hangers　and　picture　frames；　all　had　to　be　aluminum。　The　only　wood　on　the　entire　ship　was　a　fireproof　Steinway　piano　and　the　chef's　butcher　block。　In　the　end；　Gibbs　had　reduced　the　weight　of　the　superstructure　by　2；500　tons。　The　result　was　a　ship　of　remarkable　stability。
　
　Considered　huge　then　and　now　with　a　gross　tonnage　of　53；329　and　measuring　990　feet　in　length　with　a　101…foot　beam；　she　was　not