p&c.icelimit-第13章

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　Glinn　took　the　folder　from　under　his　arm　and　placed　it　on　one　knee。　〃A　dead　man's　switch。〃
　〃What's　that？〃
　〃A　special　trapdoor；　built　into　the　bottom　of　the　transport　vessel；　so　that　in　the　direst　emergency　the　meteorite　can　be　jettisoned。〃
　Lloyd　seemed　not　to　understand。　〃Jettison　the　meteorite？〃
　〃If　it　ever　shook　loose　from　its　berth；　it　could　sink　the　ship。　If　that　happened；　we'd　need　a　way　to　get　rid　of　it；　fast。〃
　As　Lloyd　listened　to　this；　the　pallor　that　had　e　across　his　face　gave　way　to　a　flush　of　anger。　〃You　mean　to　say　the　first　time　we　hit　a　rough　sea；　you　dump　the　meteorite　overboard？　Forget　it。〃
　〃According　to　Dr。　Amira；　our　mathematician；　there's　only　a　one…in…five…thousand　chance　of　it　being　necessary。〃
　McFarlane　spoke。　〃I　thought　he　was　paying　the　big　bucks　because　you　guaranteed　success。　Dumping　the　meteorite　in　a　storm　sounds　like　a　failure　to　me。〃
　Glinn　glanced　at　him。　〃Our　guarantee　is　that　EES　will　never　fail　in　our　work。　And　that　guarantee　is　unequivocal。　But　we　can't　guarantee　against　an　act　of　God。　Natural　systems　are　inherently　unpredictable。　If　a　freak　storm　came　out　of　nowhere　and　foundered　the　vessel；　we　wouldn't　necessarily　consider　that　a　failure。〃
　Lloyd　bounded　to　his　feet。　〃Well；　there's　no　way　in　hell　I'm　going　to　drop　the　meteorite　to　the　bottom　of　the　ocean。　So　there's　no　point　in　letting　you　build　a　dead　man's　switch。〃　He　took　several　steps　away　from　them；　then　stopped；　facing　the　pyramid；　arms　folded。
　〃It's　the　price　of　the　dance；〃　Glinn　said。　He　spoke　quietly；　but　his　voice　carried　total　conviction。
　For　a　time；　Lloyd　made　no　reply。　The　big　man　shook　his　head；　clearly　in　the　grip　of　an　inner　struggle。　At　last　he　turned。
　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃When　do　we　start？〃
　〃Today；　if　you　like。〃　Glinn　stood　up；　carefully　placing　his　folder　on　the　stone　bench。　〃This　contains　an　overview　of　the　preparations　we'll　need　to　make；　along　with　a　breakdown　of　the　associated　costs。　All　we　need　is　your　go…ahead　and　a　fifty…million　retainer。　As　you　will　see；　EES　will　handle　all　the　details。〃
　Lloyd　took　the　folder。　〃I'll　read　it　before　lunch。〃
　〃I　think　you'll　find　it　interesting。　And　now；　I'd　better　get　back　to　New　York。〃　Glinn　nodded　at　the　two　men　in　turn。　〃Gentlemen；　enjoy　your　pyramid。〃
　Then　he　turned；　made　his　way　across　the　sandy　clearing；　and　disappeared　into　the　tightly　woven　shade　of　the　maple　trees。
　
　Millburn；　New　Jersey；
　June　9；　2：45　P。M。
　
　ELI　GLINN　sat；　motionless；　behind　the　wheel　of　a　nondescript　four…door　sedan。　By　instinct；　he　had　parked　at　an　angle　that　maximized　sun　glare　off　the　windshield；　making　it　difficult　for　passersby　to　observe　him。　He　dispassionately　took　in　the　sights　and　sounds　of　the　typical　East　Coast　suburb：　tended　lawns；　ancient　trees；　the　distant　hum　of　freeway　traffic。
　Two　buildings　down；　the　front　door　of　a　small　Georgian　opened　and　a　woman　appeared。　Glinn　straightened　up　with　an　almost　imperceptible　motion。　He　watched　attentively　as　she　descended　the　front　steps；　hesitated；　then　looked　back　over　her　shoulder。　But　the　door　had　already　shut。　She　turned　away　and　began　walking　toward　him　briskly；　head　held　high；　shoulders　straight；　light　yellow　hair　burnished　by　the　afternoon　sun。
　Glinn　opened　a　manila　folder　lying　on　the　passenger　seat　and　studied　a　photograph　clipped　to　the　papers　inside。　This　was　her。　He　slipped　the　folder　into　the　rear　of　the　car　and　looked　back　through　the　window。　Even　out　of　uniform　the　woman　radiated　authority；　petence；　and　self…discipline。　And　nothing　about　her　betrayed　how　difficult　the　last　eighteen　months　must　have　been。　That　was　good；　very　good。　As　she　approached；　he　lowered　the　passenger　window：　according　to　his　character　profile；　surprise　offered　the　highest　hope　of　success。
　〃Captain　Britton？〃　he　called　out。　〃My　name　is　Eli　Glinn。　Could　I　have　a　word　with　you？〃
　She　paused。　He　noted　that；　already；　the　surprise　on　her　face　was　giving　way　to　curiosity。　There　was　no　alarm　or　fear；　merely　quiet　confidence。
　The　woman　stepped　toward　the　car。　〃Yes？〃
　Automatically；　Glinn　made　a　number　of　mental　notes。　The　woman　wore　no　perfume；　and　she　kept　her　small　but　functional　handbag　clasped　tightly　against　her　side。　She　was　tall；　but　fine…boned。　Although　her　face　was　pale；　tiny　crinkles　around　the　green　eyes　and　a　splash　of　freckles　gave　evidence　of　years　spent　in　the　sun　and　wind。　Her　voice　was　low。
　〃Actually；　what　I　have　to　say　might　take　a　while。　Can　I　drop　you　somewhere？〃
　〃Unnecessary；　thank　you。　The　train　station's　just　a　few　blocks　away。〃
　Glinn　nodded。　〃Heading　home　to　New　Rochelle？　The　connections　are　very　inconvenient。　I'd　be　happy　to　drive　you。〃
　This　time　the　surprise　lingered　a　little　longer；　and　when　it　died　away　it　left　a　look　of　speculation　in　the　sea　green　eyes。　〃My　mother　always　told　me　never　to　get　into　a　stranger's　car。
　〃Your　mother　taught　you　well。　But　I　think　what　I　have　to　say　will　be　of　interest　to　you。〃
　The　woman　considered　this　a　moment。　Then　she　nodded。　〃Very　well；〃　she　said；　opening　the　passenger　door　and　taking　a　seat。　Glinn　noticed　that　she　kept　her　purse　in　her　lap；　and　her　right　hand；　significantly；　stayed　on　the　door　handle。　He　was　not　surprised　she　had　accepted。　But　he　was　impressed　by　her　ability　to　size　up　a　situation；　examine　the　options；　and　quickly　arrive　at　a　solution。　She　was　willing　to　take　a　risk；　but　not　a　foolish　one。　This　is　what　the　dossier　had　led　him　to　expect。
　〃You'll　have　to　give　me　directions；〃　he　said；　pulling　away　from　the　curb。　〃I'm　not　familiar　with　this　part　of　New　Jersey。〃　This　was　not　precisely　true。　He　knew　half　a　dozen　ways　to　get　to　Westchester　County；　but　he　wanted　to　see　how　she　handled　mand；　even　one　as　small　as　this。　As　they　drove；　Britton　remained　collected；　giving　terse　directions　in　the　manner　of　someone　accustomed　to　having　her　orders　obeyed。　A　very　impressive　woman　indeed；　perhaps　all　the　more　impressive　for　her　single　catastrophic　failure。
　〃Let　me　get　something　out　of　the　way　from　the　beginning；〃　he　said。　〃I　know　your　past　history；　and　it　has　no　bearing　on　what　I'm　about　to　say。〃
　From　the　er　of　his　eye；　he　saw　her　stiffen。　But　when　she　spoke；　her　voice　was　calm。　〃I　believe　that　at　this　point；　a　lady　is　supposed　to　say；　‘You　have　me　at　a　disadvantage；　sir。'〃
　〃I　can't　go　into　details　at　the　moment。　But　I'm　here　to　offer　you　the　captaincy　of　an　oil　tanker。〃
　They　rode　for　several　minutes　in　silence。
　At　last　she　glanced　over　at　him。　〃If　you　knew　my　history　as　well　as　you　say；　I　doubt　you'd　be　making　such　an　offer。〃　Her　voice　remained　calm；　but　Glinn　could　read　many　things　in　her　face：　curiosity；　pride；　suspicion；　perhaps　hope。　〃You're　wrong；　Captain　Britton。　I　know　the　whole　story。　I　know　how　you　were　one　of　the　few　female　masters　in　the　tanker　fleet。　I　know　how　you　were　ostracized；　how　you　tended　to　catch　the　least　popular　routes。　The　pressures　you　faced　were　immense。〃　He　paused。　〃I　know　that　you　were　found　on　the　bridge　of　your　last　mand　in　a　state　of　intoxication。　You　were　diagnosed　an　alcoholic　and　entered　a　rehabilitation　center。　As　a　result　of　rehab；　you　successfully　retained　your　master's　license。　But　since　leaving　the　center　over　a　year　ago；　you've　had　no　new　offers　of　mand。　Did　I　miss　anything？〃　He　carefully　waited　for　the　reaction。
　〃No；〃　she　replied；　steadily。　〃That　about　covers　it。〃
　〃I'll　be　frank；　Captain。　This　assignment　is　very　unusual。　I　have　a　short　list　of　other　masters　I　could　approach；　but　I　think　they　might　well　turn　down　the　mand。〃
　〃While　I；　on　the　other　hand；　am　desperate。〃　Britton　continued　staring　out　the　windshield；　speaking　in　a　low　voice。
　〃If　you　had　been　desperate；　you　would　have　taken　that　tramp　Panama　steamer　offered　you　last　November；　or　that　Liberian　freighter；　with　its　armed　guards　and　suspicious　cargo。〃　He　watched　her　eyes　narrow　slightly。　〃You　see；　Captain　Britton；　in　my　line　of　work；　I　analyze　the　nature　of　failure。〃
　〃And　just　what　is　your　line　of　work；　Mr。　Glinn？〃
　〃Engineering。　Our　analysis　has　shown　that　people　who　failed　once　are　ninety　percent　less　likely　to　fail　again。〃　I　myself　am　a　living　example　of　the　truth　of　this　theory。　
　Glinn　did　not　actually　utter　this　last　sentence；　but　he　had　been　about　to。　He　allowed　his　eyes　to　sweep　over　Captain