p&c.icelimit-第23章
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e from the direction of the waiting room。
Brambell sighed again； a very different sigh from the first。 He glanced around the cabin quickly。 Then； spying a surgical mask； he picked it up and slipped it over his mouth。 He found it very useful in hurrying patients along。 He gave the books a last loving glance； then slipped out of the cabin； closing the door behind him。
He walked down the long hallway； past the rooms of empty hospital beds； past the surgical bays and the pathology lab； to the waiting room。 There was Eli Glinn； an expandable file beneath one arm。
Glinn's eyes fastened on the surgical mask。 〃I didn't realize you were with someone。〃
〃I'm not；〃 Brambell said through the mask。 〃You're the first to arrive。〃
Glinn glanced at the mask a moment more。 Then he nodded。 〃Very well。 May we speak？〃
〃Certainly。〃 Brambell led the way to his consultation room。 He found Glinn to be one of the most unusual creatures he had ever met： a man with culture who took no delight in it； a man with conversation who never employed it； a man with hooded gray eyes who made it his business to know everyone's weaknesses； save his own。
Brambell closed the door to his consultation room。 〃Please sit down； Mr。 Glinn。〃 He waved a hand at Glinn's folder。 〃I assume those are the medical histories？ They are late。 Fortunately； I've had no need to call on them yet。〃
Glinn slipped into the chair。 〃I've set aside some of the folders that might require your attention。 Most are routine。 There are a few exceptions。〃
〃I see。〃
〃We'll start with the crew。 Victor Howell has testicular cryptorchidism。〃
〃Odd that he hasn't had it corrected。〃
Glinn looked up。 〃He probably doesn't like the idea of a knife down there。〃
Brambell nodded。
Glinn leafed through several more folders。 There were the usual plaints and conditions to be found in any random sampling of the population： a few diabetics； a chronic slipped disk； a case of Addison's disease。
〃Fairly healthy crew； there；〃 said Brambell； hoping faintly that the session was over。 But no … Glinn was taking out another set of folders。
〃And here are the psychological profiles；〃 Glinn said。 Brambell glanced over at the names。 〃What about the EES people？〃
〃We have a slightly different system；〃 said Glinn。 〃EES files are available on a need…to…know basis only。〃
Brambell didn't respond to that one。 No use arguing with a man like Glinn。
Glinn took two additional folders out of his briefcase and placed them on Brambell's desk； then casually leaned back in the chair。 〃There's really only one person here I'm concerned about。〃
〃And who might that be？〃
〃McFarlane。〃
Brambell tugged the mask down around his chin。 〃The dashing meteorite hunter？〃 he asked in surprise。 The man did carry around a faint air of trouble； it was true。
Glinn tapped the top folder。 〃I will be giving you regular reports on him。〃
Brambell raised his eyebrows。
〃McFarlane is the one key figure here not of my choosing。 He's had a dubious career； to say the least。 That is why I would like you to evaluate this report； and the ones to follow。〃
Brambell looked at the file with distaste。 〃Who's your mole？〃 he asked。 He expected Glinn to be offended； but he was not。
〃I would rather keep that confidential。〃
Brambell nodded。 He pulled the file toward him； leafing through it。 〃'Diffident about expedition and its chances for success；〃' he read aloud。 〃'Motivations unclear。 Distrustful of the scientific munity。 Extremely unfortable with managerial role。 Tends to be a loner。'〃 He dropped the folder。 〃I don't see anything unusual。〃
Glinn nodded at the second； much larger folder。 〃Here's a background file on McFarlane。 Among other things； it contains a report here about an unpleasant incident in Greenland some years ago。〃
Brambell sighed。 He was a most incurious man； and this was； he suspected； a major reason why Glinn had hired him。 〃I'll look at it later。〃
〃Let's look at it now。〃
〃Perhaps you could summarize it for me。〃
〃Very well。〃
Brambell sat back； folded his hands； and resigned himself to listening。
〃Years ago； McFarlane had a partner named Masangkay。 They first teamed up to smuggle the Atacama tektites out of Chile； which made them infamous in that country。 After that； they successfully located several other small but important meteorites。 The two worked well together。 McFarlane had gotten in trouble at his last museum job and went freelance。 He had an instinctive knack for finding meteorites； but rock hunting isn't a full…time job unless you can get backers。 Masangkay； unlike McFarlane； was smooth at museum politics and lined up several excellent assignments。 They grew very close。 McFarlane married Masangkay's sister； Malou； making them brothers…in…law。 However； over the years； their relationship began to fray。 Perhaps McFarlane envied Masangkay's successful museum career。 Or Masangkay envied the fact that McFarlane was by nature the better field scientist。 But most of all it had to do with McFarlane's pet theory。〃
〃And that was？〃
〃McFarlane believed that； someday； an interstellar meteorite would be found。 One that had traveled across vast interstellar distances from another star system。 Everyone told him this was mathematically impossible … all known meteorites came from inside the solar system。 But McFarlane was obsessed with the idea。 It gave him the faint odor of quackery； and that didn't sit well with a traditionalist like Masangkay。
〃In any case； about three years ago there was a major meteorite fall near Tornarssuk； Greenland。 It was tracked by satellites and seismic sensors； which allowed for good triangulation of its impact site。 Its trajectory was even captured on an amateur videotape。 The New York Museum of Natural History； working with the Danish government； hired Masangkay to find the meteorite。 Masangkay brought in McFarlane。
〃They found the Tornarssuk； but it took a lot more time and cost a lot more money than they anticipated。 Large debts were incurred。 The New York Museum balked。 To make matters worse； there was friction between Masangkay and McFarlane。 McFarlane extrapolated the orbit of the Tornarssuk from the satellite data； and became convinced that the meteorite was following a hyperbolic orbit； which meant it must have e in from far beyond the solar system。 He thought it was the interstellar meteorite he had been looking for all his life。 Masangkay was worried sick over the funding； and this was the last thing he wanted to hear。 They waited； guarding the site； for days； but no money came。 At last； Masangkay went off to resupply and meet with Danish officials。 He left McFarlane with the stone … and； unfortunately； a munications dish。
〃As best I understand it； McFarlane had a kind of psychological break。 He was there； alone； for a week。 He became convinced that the New York Museum would fail to provide the extra funding； and that in the end the meteorite would be spirited off by somebody； broken up； and sold on the black market； never to be seen or studied again。 So he used the satellite dish to contact a rich Japanese collector who he knew could buy it whole and keep it。 In short； he betrayed his partner。 When Masangkay returned with the supplies … and； as it happened； the extra funding … the Japanese were already there。 They wasted no time at all。 They took it away。 Masangkay felt betrayed； and the scientific world was furious at McFarlane。 They've never forgiven him。〃
Brambell nodded sleepily。 It was an interesting story。 Might make for a good； if somewhat sensational； novel。 Jack London could have done it justice。 Or better yet； Conrad。。。
〃I worry about McFarlane；〃 Glinn said； intruding on his thoughts。 〃We can't have anything like that happening here。 It would ruin everything。 If he was willing to betray his own brother…in…law； he would betray Lloyd and EES without a second thought。〃
〃Why should he？〃 Brambell yawned。 〃Lloyd has deep pockets； and he seems perfectly happy to write checks。〃 〃McFarlane is mercenary； of course； but this goes beyond money。 The meteorite we're after has some very peculiar properties。 If McFarlane grows obsessed with it as he did with the Tornarssuk。。。 〃 Glinn hesitated。 〃For example； if we ever have to us
