p&c.icelimit-第3章

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me　sheep　in　the　Lukachukai　mountains　along　the　Arizona…New　Mexico　border。　In　attempting　to　find　his　sheep；　he　came　across　a　large　bone　protruding　from　a　sandstone　wall　in　a　remote　canyon。　Geologists　call　this　layer　of　sandstone　the　Hell　Creek　Formation；　and　it　dates　back　to　the　Cretaceous　era。　Word　got　back　to　the　Albuquerque　Museum　of　Natural　History。　Under　an　agreement　with　the　Navajo　Nation；　they　began　excavating　the　skeleton。　As　work　proceeded　they　realized　they　had　not　one　but　two　entwined　skeletons：　a　Tyrannosaurus　rex　and　a　Triceratops。　The　Tyrannosaurus　had　its　jaws　fastened　about　the　Triceratops'　neck；　just　beneath　its　crest；　virtually　decapitating　the　creature　with　a　savage　bite。　The　Triceratops；　for　his　part；　had　thrust　his　central　horn　deep　into　the　chest　of　the　Tyrannosaurus。　Both　animals　died　together；　locked　in　a　terrible　embrace。〃
　He　cleared　his　throat。　〃I　can't　wait　for　the　movie。〃
　There　was　another　round　of　laughter。
　〃The　battle　was　so　violent　that　beneath　the　Triceratops；　paleontologists　found　five　teeth　from　the　Tyrannosaurus　that　had　apparently　broken　off　during　the　heat　of　the　fight。　This　is　one　of　them。〃　He　nodded　to　the　assistant；　who　closed　the　box。
　〃A　block　of　stone　containing　the　two　dinosaurs；　weighing　some　three　hundred　tons；　was　removed　from　the　mountainside　and　stabilized　at　the　Albuquerque　Museum。　It　was　then　taken　to　the　New　York　Museum　of　Natural　History　for　further　preparation。　The　two　skeletons　are　still　partly　embedded　in　the　sandstone　matrix。〃
　He　glanced　at　his　card　again。
　〃According　to　scientists　consulted　by　Christie's；　these　are　the　two　most　perfect　dinosaur　skeletons　ever　found。　They　are　of　incalculable　value　to　science。　The　chief　paleontologist　at　the　New　York　Museum　has　called　it　the　greatest　fossil　discovery　in　history。〃
　He　carefully　replaced　the　card　and　picked　up　the　gavel。　As　if　on　signal；　three　bid　spotters　moved　wraithlike　onto　the　stage；　waiting　at　quiet　attention。　Employees　at　the　telephone　stations　stood　motionless；　phones　in　hand；　lines　open。
　〃We　have　an　estimate　on　this　lot　of　twelve　million　dollars；　and　an　opening　price　of　five　million。〃　The　chairman　tapped　his　gavel。
　There　was　a　faint　smattering　of　calls；　nods；　and　genteelly　raised　paddles。
　〃I　have　five　million。　Six　million。　Thank　you；　I　have　seven　million。〃　The　spotters　craned　their　necks；　catching　the　bids；　relaying　them　to　the　chairman。　The　sotto　voce　hubbub　in　the　hall　gradually　increased。
　〃I　have　eight　million。〃
　A　scattering　of　applause　erupted　as　the　record　price　for　a　dinosaur　fossil　was　broken。
　〃Ten　million。　Eleven　million。　Twelve。　Thank　you；　I　have　thirteen。　I　have　fourteen。　Fifteen。〃
　The　show　of　paddles　had　dwindled　considerably；　but　several　telephone　bidders　were　still　active；　along　with　half　a　dozen　in　the　audience。　The　dollar　display　to　the　chairman's　right　rose　rapidly；　with　the　English　and　Euro　equivalents　beneath　following　in　lockstep。
　〃Eighteen　million。　I　have　eighteen　million。　Nineteen。〃
　The　murmuring　became　a　groundswell　and　the　chairman　gave　a　cautionary　rap　with　his　gavel。　The　bidding　continued；　quietly　but　furiously。　〃Twenty…five　million。　I　have　twenty…six。　Twenty…seven　to　the　gentleman　on　the　right。〃
　The　murmuring　rose　once　again；　and　this　time　the　chairman　did　not　quell　it。
　〃I　have　thirty…two　million。　Thirty…two　and　a　half　on　the　phone。　Thirty…three。　Thank　you；　I　have　thirty…three　and　a　half。　Thirty…four　to　the　lady　in　the　front。〃
　An　electricity　was　building　in　the　sale　room：　the　price　was　mounting　far　higher　than　even　the　wildest　predictions。　
　〃Thirty…five　on　the　phone。　Thirty…five　and　a　half　to　the　lady。　Thirty…six。〃
　Then　there　was　a　small　stir　in　the　crowd；　a　rustle；　a　shifting　of　attention。　A　number　of　eyes　turned　toward　the　door　leading　out　into　the　main　gallery。　Standing　on　the　crescent…moon　steps　was　a　remarkable…looking　man　of　about　sixty；　a　massive；　even　overwhelming　presence。　He　had　a　shaved　head　and　a　dark　Vandyke　beard。　A　Valentino　suit　of　dark　blue　silk　was　draped　over　his　imposing　frame；　shimmering　slightly　in　the　light　when　he　moved。　A　Turnbull　&　Asser　shirt；　unpromisingly　white；　lay　open　at　the　neck。　Over　it　was　a　string　tie；　held　in　place　by　a　fist…size　piece　of　amber；　containing　the　only　Archaeopteryx　feather　ever　found。
　〃Thirty…six　million；〃　the　chairman　repeated。　But　his　eyes；　like　everyone　else's；　had　strayed　toward　the　new　arrival。　The　man　stood　on　the　steps；　his　blue　eyes　sparkling　with　vitality　and　some　private　amusement。　He　slowly　raised　his　paddle。　A　hush　fell。　On　the　remote　chance　anybody　in　the　crowd　had　not　recognized　the　man；　the　paddle　was　a　give…away：　it　was　numbered　001；　the　only　number　Christie's　had　ever　allowed　to　be　given　permanently　to　a　client。
　The　chairman　looked　at　him；　expectantly。
　〃One　hundred；〃　the　man　said　at　last；　softly　but　precisely。　
　　The　hush　deepened　〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃　The　chairman's　voice　was　dry。
　〃One　hundred　million　dollars；〃　the　man　said。　His　teeth　were　very　large；　very　straight；　and　very　white。
　Again　the　silence　was　absolute。
　〃I　have　a　bid　of　one　hundred　million；〃　said　the　chairman；　a　little　shakily。
　Time　seemed　to　have　been　suspended。　A　telephone　rang　somewhere　in　the　building；　at　the　edge　of　audibility；　and　the　sound　of　a　car　horn　filtered　up　from　the　avenue。
　Then　the　spell　was　broken　with　a　smart　rap　of　the　gavel。　〃Lot　number　one；　for　one　hundred　million　dollars；　sold　to　Palmer　Lloyd！〃
　The　room　erupted。　In　a　flash　everyone　was　on　their　feet。　There　was　exuberant　clapping；　cheers；　a　call　of　〃bravo〃　as　if　a　great　tenor　had　just　concluded　the　performance　of　his　career。　Others　were　not　as　pleased；　and　the　cheering　and　clapping　was　interlaced　with　hisses　of　disapproval；　catcalls；　low　boos。　Christie's　had　never　witnessed　a　crowd　so　close　to　hysteria：　all　the　participants；　pro　and　con；　were　well　aware　that　history　had　just　been　made。　But　the　man　who　had　caused　it　all　was　gone；　out　through　the　main　gallery；　down　the　green　carpet　past　the　cashier　…　and　the　multitude　found　themselves　addressing　an　empty　doorway。
　
　Kalahari　Desert；
　June　1；　6：45　P。M。
　
　SAM　MCFARLANE　sat　cross…legged　in　the　dust。　The　evening　fire；　built　of　twigs　on　bare　ground；　cast　a　trembling　net　of　shadows　over　the　thorn　scrub　surrounding　the　camp。　The　nearest　settlement　lay　one　hundred　miles　behind　his　back。
　He　looked　around　at　the　wizened　figures　squatting　on　their　heels　around　the　fire；　naked　except　for　dusty　breech…clouts；　their　alert　eyes　gleaming。　San　Bushmen。　It　took　a　long　time　to　gain　their　trust；　but　once　gained；　it　was　unshakable。　Very　different；　McFarlane　thought；　from　back　home。
　In　front　of　each　San　lay　a　battered　secondhand　metal　detector。　The　San　remained　immobile　as　McFarlane　rose　to　his　feet。　He　spoke　slowly；　awkwardly；　in　their　strange　click　language。　At　first　there　were　some　snickers　as　he　struggled　with　the　words；　but　McFarlane　had　a　natural　affinity　for　languages；　and　as　he　continued　the　men　fell　back　into　respectful　silence。
　At　the　conclusion　of　his　speech；　McFarlane　smoothed　out　a　patch　of　sand。　Using　a　stick；　he　began　to　draw　a　map。　The　San　squatted　on　their　heels；　craning　their　necks　to　look　at　the　drawing。　Slowly　the　map　took　shape；　and　the　San　nodded　their　understanding　as　McFarlane　pointed　out　the　various　landmarks。　It　was　the　Makgadikgadi　Pans　that　lay　north　of　the　camp：　a　thousand　square　miles　of　dry　lakebeds；　sand　hills；　and　alkali　flats；　desolate　and　uninhabited。　In　the　deep　interior　of　the　Pans；　he　drew　a　small　circle　with　his　stick。　Then　he　stabbed　the　stick　in　the　center　of　the　circle　and　looked　up　with　a　broad　smile。
　There　was　a　moment　of　silence；　punctuated　by　the　lonely　sound　of　a　ruoru　bird　calling　across　the　distant　flats。　The　San　began　talking　among　themselves　in　low　voices；　the　clicks　and　clucks　of　their　language　like　the　rattling　of　pebbles　in　a　stream。　A　gnarled　old　figure；　the　headman　of　the　band；　pointed　at　the　map。　McFarlane　leaned　forward；　straining　to　understand　the　rapid　speech。　Yes；　they　knew　the　area；　the　old　man　said。　He　began　to　describe　trails；　known　only　to　the　San；　that　crossed　the　remote　area。　With　a　twig　and　some　pebbles；　the　headman　began　marking　where　the　seeps　were；　where　the　game　was；　where　edible　roots　and　plan