cc.floodtide-第65节

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　〃A　rare　bination；〃　Pitt　said　calmly。　His　features　were　fixed　in　concentration；　his　eyes　glistening　like　those　of　a　hawk　circling　over　a　hare。　There　was　a　look　of　unfathomable　detachment　about　him。　To　Julia；　who　stared　up　from　her　position　on　the　floorboards　under　the　dashboard；　he　looked　as　relentlessly　determined　as　a　ber　surging　toward　a　beach。　Then　she　saw　him　snap　the　wheel　to　the　left；　sending　the　Duesenberg　sliding　sideways　in　the　grass　at　nearly　seventy　miles　an　hour；　the　big　rear　wheels　spinning　crazily；　ripping　up　the　turf　like　giant　meat　grinders　and　just　missing　the　large　trees　spaced　twenty…two　feet　apart　along　the　pool。
　
　After　what　seemed　like　ages；　the　tires　dug　in　and　gripped　the　soft　ground；　sending　the　car　beyond　the　point　of　no　return；　her　immense　bulk　lunging　forward　into　the　Reflecting　Pool。
　
　The　heavy　steel　chassis　and　aluminum　body；　driven　by　the　full　force　of　the　powerful　engine；　smacked　into　the　water　with　an　enormous　white　explosion　that　leaped　from　her　front　and　sides　like　Niagara　Falls　turned　upside　down。　The　sickening　thump　jarred　the　Duesenberg　from　bumper　to　bumper　as　her　great　weight　sank；　pushing　her　balloon　tires　onto　the　concrete　bottom　where　their　rubber　treads　bit　and　hurled　the　car　forward　like　a　bull　whale　charging　through　the　sea　after　a　female　in　heat。
　
　The　water　gushed　over　the　hood　and　flooded　through　the　shattered　windshield　into　the　front　partment；　drenching　Pitt　and　nearly　inundating　Julia。　Unaware　exactly　of　Pitt's　intentions；　she　was　petrified　at　finding　herself　suddenly　submerged　under　a　deluge。　To　Pitt；　taking　the　full　brunt　of　the　torrent；　it　seemed　as　if　he　was　driving　into　raging　breakers　only　a　surfer　could　love。
　
　There　was　no　growth　on　the　bottom　of　the　Reflecting　Pool。　It　was　drained　and　cleaned　by　the　Park　Service　on　a　regular　basis。　The　distance　between　the　surface　of　the　water　and　the　top　of　the　edge　along　the　sides　measured　only　eight　inches。　The　bottom　of　the　pool　was　not　flat　but　sloped　from　a　depth　of　one　foot　around　the　walls　to　a　maximum　depth　of　two　and　a　half　feet　in　the　middle。　The　distance　from　the　pool　floor　to　the　top　edge　of　the　wall　measured　twenty　inches。
　
　Pitt　prayed　the　engine　wouldn't　flood　and　die。　The　distributor；　he　knew；　was　a　good　four　feet　from　the　ground。　No　problem　there。　Nor　with　the　carburetors；　as　they　sat　well　over　three　feet　high。　But　his　main　concern　was　the　spark　plugs。　They　rested　between　the　twin　overhead　cam　shafts　at　three　feet　on　the　nose。
　
　The　Reflecting　Pool　was　exactly　160　feet　in　width。　It　seemed　impossible　for　the　Duesenberg　to　navigate　such　an　obstacle。　But　she　bulldozed　a　gaping　valley　through　the　water；　her　engine　gamely　producing　torque　to　the　rear　wheels　and　not　drowning　out。　She　had　pushed　her　way　to　within　ten　yards　of　the　opposite　edge　of　the　pool　when　the　water　around　her　suddenly　erupted　in　a　cloud　of　small　geysers。
　〃Obstinate　bastards！〃　Pitt　muttered　to　himself。　He　gripped　the　big　steering　wheel　so　hard　his　knuckles　bleached　white。
　
　The　chase　van　had　stopped　at　the　edge　of　the　Reflecting　Pool；　her　occupants　tumbling　out　and　firing　wildly　at　the　big　car　crashing　through　the　water。　Their　shock　and　disbelief　had　cost　them　nearly　a　full　minute；　giving　Pitt　time　almost　to　reach　the　other　side。　Realizing　this　was　their　final　chance；　they　pumped　shot　after　shot　at　the　floundering　Duesenberg　seemingly　deaf　and　dumb　to　the　sirens　and　flashing　lights　that　were　converging　on　them　from　Twenty…Third　Street　and　Constitution　Avenue。　Too　late　did　they　finally　sense　their　predicament。　Unless　they　followed　Pitt　across　the　Reflecting　Pool；　an　act　about
　
　as　conceivable　as　producing　wings　and　flying　to　the　moon　because　of　their　modern；　smaller　wheels　and　tires；　they　were　left　with　no　alternative　but　to　try　to　evade　the　rapidly　approaching　police　patrol　cars。　Without　the　luxury　of　a　conference；　they　leaped　back　in　the　van　and　spun　a　180…degree　turn　before　tearing　back　across　the　Mall　toward　the　Washington　Monument。
　
　The　Duesenberg　was　ing　up　the　slope　of　the　pool　toward　the　edge　now。　Pitt　slowed　the　car；　carefully　judging　the　height　of　the　wall　in　relation　to　the　size　of　the　front　tires。　He　back…shifted　the　transmission　into　first；　actually　crammed　it　into　gear。　The　gears　inside　the　three…speed　nonsynchromesh　crash　box　shrieked　in　protest　before　they　finally　meshed　in　place。　Then；　ten　feet　before　meeting　the　wall；　Pitt　stamped　the　gas　pedal　into　the　floorboard　as　hard　as　he　could；　taking　advantage　of　the　upward　slope　of　the　pool　to　lift　the　front　end　of　the　car。　〃Do　it！〃　he　implored　the　Duesenberg。　〃Go　over　the　wall！〃
　
　As　though　she　had　a　mechanical　brain　and　heart；　the　old　Duesenberg　responded　with　a　burst　of　acceleration　that　lifted　the　front　end；　barely　clearing　the　bumper　over　the　edge　of　the　pool；　the　tires　rolling　up　the　wall　until　they　shot　over　the　edge　onto　flat　ground。
　
　The　Duesenberg's　ground　clearance　was　almost　a　foot；　but　not　high　enough　for　the　bottom　of　her　chassis　to　run　clear。　She　canted　steeply；　followed　by　a　rendering　crash。　Then　an　ungodly　scraping；　tearing　sound　ripped　the　air。　For　a　moment　she　seemed　to　hang；　then　her　momentum　propelled　her　forward　and　she　leaped　ahead；　as　if　grinding　her　guts　out　over　the　concrete　wall　until　all　four　wheels　were　on　the　grass　of　the　Mall　again。
　
　Only　at　that　instant　did　the　engine　begin　to　miss。　Almost　like　a　golden　retriever　exiting　a　river　with　a　bird　in　its　mouth；　the　Duesenberg　shuddered；　shook　herself　free　of　the　water　that　filled　her　body；　and　limped　ahead。　After　only　a　hundred　yards　the　fan　behind　the　radiator　and　the　heat　from　the　engine　worked　in　unison　to　blow…dry　the　water　that　had　splashed　and　shorted　four　of　her　spark　plugs。　Soon；　she　began　hitting　on　all　eight　cylinders　again。
　
　Julia　came　up　off　the　floor　sputtering　and　peered　over　the　back　of　the　car　at　the　van　speeding　away　under　pursuit　by　four　police　cars。　She　wrung　the　water　from　the　hem　of　her　dress　and　ran　her　fingers　through　her　hair　in　a　vain　attempt　to　look　presentable。　〃I'm　a　mess。　My　dress　and　coat　are　ruined。〃　She　looked　at　Pitt　with　a　look　of　pure　anger。　Then　her　expression　softened。　〃If　you　hadn't　saved　my　life　for　the　second　time　hi　as　many　weeks；　I'd　make　you　buy　me　a　new　outfit。〃
　
　He　turned　to　her　and　smiled　as　he　set　the　Duesenberg　on　a　course　down　Independence　Avenue　and　across　the　Memorial　Bridge　toward　the　Washington　National　Airport　and　his　hangar。　〃Tell　you　what。　If　you're　a　good　girl；　I'll　take　you　to　my　place；　dry　your　clothes　and　warm　you　up　with　a　cup　of　coffee。〃
　
　Her　gray　eyes　were　soft　and　unblinking。　She　laid　a　hand　on　his　arm　and　murmured。　〃And　if　I'm　a　naughty　girl？〃
　
　Pitt　laughed；　partly　from　the　relief　of　escaping　another　death　trap；　partly　from　seeing　Julia's　bedraggled　appearance　and　partly　because　she　was　trying　without　success　to　cover　the　parts　of　her　body　that　were　revealed　through　the　wet　dress。　〃Keep　talking　like　that　and　I'll　skip　the　coffee。〃
　
　SUNLIGHT　WAS　SLIDING　OVER　THE　SILLS　OF　THE　SKYLIGHTS　when　Julia　slowly　pushed　aside　the　mist　of　sleep。　She　felt　as　if　she　was　floating；　her　body　totally　weightless。　It　was　a　pleasurable　sensation　left　over　from　the　ardor　of　the　night。　She　opened　her　eyes；　shifted　her　mind　into　gear　and　began　studying　her　surroundings。　She　found　herself　lying　alone。　The　bed　was　king…size　and　sat　in　the　middle　of　a　room　that　looked　like　the　captain's　cabin　from　an　old　sailing　ship；　plete　with　mahogany…paneled　walls　and　a　small　fireplace。　The　furnishings；　including　the　dressers　and　cabinets；　were　nautical　antiques。
　
　Like　most　women；　Julia　was　curious　and　intrigued　about　male　bachelor　apartments。　She　felt　that　the　opposite　gender　could　be　read　by　their　surroundings。　Some　men；　ladies　observed；　lived　like　pack　rats　and　never　cleaned　up　after　themselves；　creating　and　preserving　strange　alien　life…forms　in　their　bathrooms　and　inside　their　refrigerators。　Making　beds　was　as　foreign　as　processing　goat　cheese。　Their　laundry　was　piled　beside　and　over　washers　and　dryers　that　still　had　the　instruction　booklets　attached　to　the　knobs。
　
　And　then　there　were　the　neatness　freaks　who　lived　in　an　environment　only　a　decontamination　scientist　could　love。　Dust；　　food　scraps　and　toothpaste　droppings　were　all　furiously　attacked　and　energetically　eliminated。　Every　piece　of　furniture；　every　object　of　decor；　was　positioned　with　precision；　never　to　migrate。　The　kitchen　would　have　passed　a　white…glove　inspection　by　the　most　diligent　of　sanitation　inspectors。
　
　Pitt's　apartment　was　somewhere　in　between。　Tidy　and　uncluttered；　it　had　a　masculine　casualness　about　it　that　appealed　to　the　women　who　visited　occasionally　rather　than　frequently。　Julia　could　see　that　Pitt　was　a　man　who　preferred　to　live　in　the　past。　There　was　nothing　modern　in　the　entire　apartment。　Even　the　brass　plumbing　fixtures　in　the　bathroom　and　kitchen　seemed　to　have　e　out　of　some　old　passenger　liner　that　once　traveled　the　seas。
　
　She　rolled　over　on　her　side　and　stared　through　the　doorway　into　the　living　room；　where　shelves　on　two　walls　were　filled　with　delicately　built　ship　models　of　wrecks　that　Pitt　and　his　NUMA　crew　had　discovered　and　surveyed。　The　remaining　walls　held　dockyard　builders'　half　models　and