p&c.icelimit-第35章

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　Suddenly；　an　old　memory　came　back。　It　was　five　years　earlier；　and　several　thousand　miles　to　the　north。　He　and　Nestor　had　been　crouched　in　a　deep　culvert　next　to　a　dirt　road；　their　packs　stuffed　to　bursting　with　the　Atacama　tektites。　Armored　trucks　passed　by　just　a　few　feet　away；　showering　the　culvert　with　pebbles。　And　yet　they　were　giddy　with　success；　slapping　each　other　and　chortling。　They　were　ravenous；　but　did　not　dare　light　a　fire　for　fear　of　being　discovered。　Masangkay　had　reached　into　his　pack　and；　pulling　out　a　tin　of　sardines；　offered　it　to　McFarlane。　〃Are　you　kidding？〃　McFarlane　had　whispered。　〃That　stuff　tastes　even　worse　than　it　smells。〃
　〃That's　why　I　like　it；〃　Masangkay　whispered　back。　〃Amoy　ek…ek　yung　kamay　mo！〃
　McFarlane　had　given　him　a　blank　look。　But　instead　of　explaining；　Masangkay　began　to　laugh：　softly　at　first；　and　then　more　and　more　violently。　Somehow；　in　the　supercharged　atmosphere　of　danger　and　tension；　his　laughter　was　irresistibly　infectious。　And　without　knowing　why；　McFarlane；　too；　dissolved　into　silent　convulsions　of　laughter；　clutching　the　precious　bags；　as　the　very　trucks　that　hunted　them　crossed　and　recrossed　overhead。
　Then　McFarlane　was　back　in　the　present；　crouching　in　the　snow；　the　frozen　tins　of　food　and　rags　of　clothing　scattered　around　his　feet。　A　queer　sensation　had　e　over　him。　It　seemed　like　such　a　pathetic　collection　of　trash。　This　was　a　horrible　place　to　die；　all　alone。　He　felt　a　tickling　at　the　corners　of　his　eyes。
　〃So　where's　the　meteorite？〃　he　heard　Lloyd　ask。
　〃The　what？〃　said　Puppup。
　〃The　hole；　man；　where's　the　hole　Masangkay　dug？〃
　Puppup　pointed　vaguely　into　the　swirling　snow。
　〃Damn　it；　take　me　there！〃
　McFarlane　looked　first　toward　Lloyd；　then　at　Puppup；　who　was　already　trotting　ahead。　He　rose　and　followed　them　through　the　falling　snow。
　Half　a　mile；　and　Puppup　stopped；　pointing。　McFarlane　took　a　few　steps　forward；　staring　at　the　scooped…out　depression。　Its　sides　were　slumped　in；　and　a　drift　of　snow　lay　at　its　bottom。　Somehow；　he　had　thought　the　hole　would　be　bigger。　He　felt　Lloyd　grip　his　arm；　squeezing　it　so　tightly　it　was　painful　even　through　the　layers　of　wool　and　down。
　〃Think　of　it；　Sam；〃　Lloyd　whispered。　〃It's　right　here。　Right　beneath　our　feet。〃　He　tore　his　eyes　away　from　the　hole　and　looked　at　McFarlane。　〃I　wish　to　hell　we　could　see　it。〃
　McFarlane　realized　that　he　should　be　feeling　something　other　than　a　profound　sadness　and　a　creeping；　eerie　silence。　Lloyd　slipped　off　his　pack；　unfastened　the　top；　and　pulled　out　a　thermos　and　three　plastic　cups。　〃Hot　chocolate？〃
　〃Sure。〃
　Lloyd　smiled　wistfully。　〃That　goddamned　Eli。　He　should　have　supplied　a　bottle　of　cognac。　Well；　at　least　it's　hot。〃　He　unscrewed　the　cap　and　poured　out　the　steaming　cups。　Lloyd　held　his　up；　and　McFarlane　and　Puppup　followed　suit。
　〃Here's　to　the　Desolation　meteorite。〃　Lloyd's　voice　sounded　small　and　muffled　in　the　silent　snowfall。
　〃Masangkay；〃　McFarlane　heard　himself　say；　after　a　brief　silence。
　〃I'm　sorry？〃
　〃The　Masangkay　meteorite。〃
　〃Sam；　that's　not　protocol。　You　always　name　the　meteorite　after　the　place　where　…　〃
　The　empty　feeling　inside　McFarlane　vanished。　〃Screw　protocol；〃　he　said；　lowering　his　cup。　〃He　found　it；　not　you。　Or　me。　He　died　for　it。〃
　Lloyd　looked　back　at　him。　It's　a　little　too　late　now　for　an　attack　of　ethics；　his　gaze　seemed　to　say。　〃We'll　talk　about　this　later；〃　he　said　evenly。　〃Right　now；　let's　drink　to　it；　whatever　the　hell　its　name。〃
　They　tapped　their　plastic　cups　and　drank　the　hot　chocolate　down　in　a　single　gulp。　A　gull　passed　by　unseen；　its　forlorn　cry　lost　in　the　snow。　McFarlane　felt　the　wele　creep　of　warmth　in　his　gut；　and　the　sudden　anger　eased。　Already　the　light　was　beginning　to　dim；　and　the　borders　of　their　small　world　were　ringed　with　a　graying　whiteness。　Lloyd　retrieved　the　cups　and　placed　them　and　the　thermos　back　in　his　pack。　The　moment　had　a　certain　awkwardness；　perhaps；　McFarlane　thought；　all　such　self…consciously　historic　moments　did。
　And　there　was　another　reason　for　awkwardness。　They　still　hadn't　found　the　body。　McFarlane　found　himself　afraid　to　lift　his　eyes　from　the　ground；　for　fear　of　making　the　discovery；　afraid　to　turn　to　Puppup　and　ask　where　it　was。
　Lloyd　took　another　long　look　at　the　hole　before　his　feet；　then　glanced　at　his　watch。　〃Let's　get　Puppup　to　take　a　picture。〃
　Dutifully；　McFarlane　stepped　up　beside　Lloyd　as　the　older　man　passed　his　camera　to　Puppup。
　As　the　shutter　clicked；　Lloyd　stiffened；　his　eyes　focusing　in　the　near　distance。　〃Look　over　there；〃　he　said；　pointing　over　Puppup's　shoulder　toward　a　dun…colored　jumble；　up　a　small　rise　about　a　hundred　yards　from　the　hole。
　They　approached　it。　The　skeletal　remains　lay　partially　covered　in　snow；　the　bones　shattered；　almost　unrecognizable　save　for　a　grinning；　lopsided　jaw。　Nearby　was　a　shovel　blade；　its　handle　missing。　One　of　the　feet　was　still　wearing　a　rotten　boot。
　〃Masangkay；〃　Lloyd　whispered。
　Beside　him；　McFarlane　was　silent。　They　had　been　through　so　much　together。　His　former　friend；　former　brother…in…law；　reduced　now　to　a　cold　jumble　of　broken　bones　at　the　bottom　of　the　world。　How　had　he　died？　Exposure？　Freak　heart　attack？　Clearly；　it　hadn't　been　starvation：　there　was　plenty　of　food　back　at　the　mules。　And　what　had　broken　up　and　scattered　the　bones？　Birds？　Animals？　The　island　seemed　devoid　of　life。　And　Puppup　had　not　even　bothered　to　bury　him。
　Lloyd　swiveled　toward　Puppup。　〃Do　you　have　any　idea　what　killed　him？〃
　Puppup　simply　sniffed。
　〃Let　me　guess。　Hanuxa。〃
　〃If　you　believe　the　legends；　guv；〃　Puppup　said。　〃And　as　I　said；　I　don't。〃
　Lloyd　looked　hard　at　Puppup　for　a　moment。　Then　he　sighed；　and　gave　McFarlane's　shoulder　a　squeeze。　〃I'm　sorry；　Sam；〃　he　said。　〃This　must　be　tough　for　you。〃
　They　stood　in　silence　a　moment　longer；　huddled　over　the　pathetic　remains。　Then　Lloyd　stirred。　〃Time　to　get　moving；〃　he　said。　〃Howell　said　three　P。M。　and　I'd　rather　not　spend　the　night　on　this　rock。〃
　〃In　a　moment；〃　McFarlane　said；　still　staring　down。　〃We　need　to　bury　him　first。〃
　Lloyd　hesitated。　McFarlane　steeled　himself；　waiting　for　the　protest。　But　the　big　man　nodded。　〃Of　course。〃
　While　Lloyd　collected　the　bone　fragments　into　a　small　pile；　McFarlane　hunted　up　boulders　in　the　deepening　snow；　prying　them　loose　from　the　frozen　ground　with　numb　fingers。　Together；　they　made　a　cairn　over　the　remains。　Puppup　stood　back；　watching。
　〃Aren't　you　going　to　help？〃　Lloyd　asked。
　〃Not　me。　Like　I　said；　I'm　a　Christian；　I　am。　It　says　in　the　Book；　let　the　dead　bury　the　dead。〃
　〃Weren't　too　Christian　to　empty　his　pockets；　though；　were　you？〃　McFarlane　said。
　Puppup　folded　his　arms；　a　silly；　guilty…looking　smile　on　his　face。
　McFarlane　went　back　to　work；　and　within　fifteen　minutes　they　were　done。　He　fashioned　a　rough　cross　from　two　sticks　and　planted　it　carefully　atop　the　low　pile　of　rocks。　Then　he　stepped　back；　dusting　the　snow　from　his　gloves。
　〃Canticum　graduum　de　profundis　clamavi　ad　te　Domine；〃　he　said　under　his　breath。　〃Rest　easy；　partner。〃
　Then　he　nodded　to　Lloyd　and　they　turned　east；　heading　for　the　white　bulk　of　the　snowfield　as　the　sky　grew　still　darker　and　another　squall　gathered　at　their　backs。
　
　Isla　Desolacion；
　July　16；　8：42　A。M。
　
　MCFARLANE　LOOKED　out　over　the　new　gravel　road；　cut　through　the　brilliant　expanse　of　fresh　snow　like　a　black　snake。　He　shook　his　head；　smiling　to　himself　in　grudging　admiration。　In　the　three　days　since　his　first　visit；　the　island　had　been　transformed　almost　beyond　recognition。
　There　was　a　rough　lurch；　and　half　of　McFarlane's　coffee　splashed　from　his　cup　onto　his　snowpants。　〃Christ！〃　he　yelped；　holding　the　cup　at　arm's　length　and　swatting　at　his　pants。
　From　inside　the　cab；　the　driver；　a　burly　fellow　named　Evans；　smiled。　〃Sorry；〃　he　said。　These　Cats　don't　exactly　ride　like　Eldorados。〃
　Despite　its　massive　yellow　bulk；　and　tires　almost　twice　as　tall　as　a　man；　the　Cat　785's　cab　held　only　one　person；　and　McFarlane　had　ended　up　sitting；　cross…legged；　on　the　narrow　platform　beside　it。　Directly　beneath　him；　the　huge　diesel　engine　snarled。　He　didn't　mind。　Today　was　the　day。　Today　they　were　going　to　uncover　the　meteorite。
　He　thought　back　over　the　last　seventy…two　hours。　The　very