cc.floodtide-第130章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃It's　happening　before　our　eyes；〃　said　Harper。　〃Enough
　Chinese　have　poured　into　British　Columbia　alone　to　take　over　its　politics。〃
　〃I　can't　conceive　of　a　divided　America；〃　said　Wallace。
　Sandecker　stared　at　him　for　a　moment。　〃No　nation　or　civilization　lasts　forever。〃
　The　President's　new　chief　of　staff；　who　replaced　Morton　Laird；　cleared　his　throat。　〃I'm　sorry　for　interrupting；　Mr。　President；　but　you're　late　for　the　next　appointment。〃
　
　Wallace　shrugged。　〃That's　it；　then。　I'm　sorry　I　can't　carry　this　discussion　further；　gentlemen。　However；　since　you　do　not　agree　with　my　positions　on　policy；　I　have　no　choice　but　to　ask　for　your　resignations。〃
　
　Sandecker's　eyes　hardened。　〃You'll　not　get　mine；　Mr。　President。　I　know　where　too　many　bodies　are　buried；　literally。　And　if　you　fire　me；　I'll　throw　so　much　dirt　on　the　White　House　your　advisers　will　still　be　digging　out　by　the　next　election。〃
　
　〃My　sentiments　go　with　the　admiral's；〃　said　Monroe。　〃The　INS　and　I　have　e　too　far　together　to　hand　it　over　to　some　bureaucratic　stooge。　My　agents　and　I　have　worked　closely　together　for　the　last　six　years　to　see　light　at　the　end　of　the　tunnel。　No；　Mr。　President；　I'm　sorry；　but　I　won't　resign　without　a　fight　either。〃
　
　Strangely；　in　the　light　of　such　mutinous　opposition；　Wallace　did　not　bee　angry。　He　looked　at　both　men　and　recognized　their　grim　determination。　He　realized　they　were　no　ordinary　officials　afraid　of　their　jobs；　but　dedicated　patriots。　They　were　not　men　he　wished　to　engage　in　what　would　prove　a　messy　fight；　certainly　not　now　when　he　needed　all　the　good　press　and　TV　coverage　he　could　get　to　weather　the　storm。　Then　he　smiled　disarmingly。
　〃It's　a　free　country；　gentlemen。　You　are　entitled　to　express　your　dissatisfaction　even　to　the　president　of　the　nation。　I　take　back　my　request　for　your　resignations　and　shall　stand　back　and　allow　you　to　run　your　respective　agencies　with　a　free　hand。　But　I　warn　you；　if　either　of　you　cause　me　any　political　embarrassment　in　the　future；　you'll　both　be　out　on　the　street　without　a　moment's　hesitation。　Do　I　make　myself　clear？〃
　〃Very；〃　said　Sandecker。
　〃Quite　clear；〃　Monroe　conceded。
　〃Thank　you　for　ing　and　clearing　the　air；〃　said　Wallace。　〃I　wish　I　could　say　I　enjoyed　the　pany；　but　it　wouldn't　be　true。〃
　Sandecker　paused　in　the　doorway。　〃One　question；　Mr。　President。〃
　〃Yes；　Admiral。〃
　〃The　Chinese　historical　treasures　we　recovered　out　of　Lake　Michigan。　When　do　you　plan　to　turn　them　over　to　the　Chinese？〃
　〃After　I've　milked　every　political　pensation　out　of　them　I　can　get。〃　Then　Wallace　smiled　self…righteously。　〃But　they　won't　receive　any　of　the　artifacts　until　they're　displayed　at　the　National　Gallery　of　Art　and　then　taken　on　the　road　throughout　America　and　placed　for　a　time　on　exhibit　in　every　major　city。　I　owe　that　much　to　the　people。〃
　〃Thank　you；　sir。　My　pliments　on　your　astute　judgment。〃
　〃You　see；〃　said　Wallace；　grinning；　〃I'm　not　the　ogre　you　thought　I　was。〃
　After　Sandecker；　Monroe　and　Harper　departed　through　the　tunnel　back　to　the　White　House；　Wallace　told　his　chief　of　staff　he　wanted　a　few　moments　alone。　He　sat　there　lost　in　his　thoughts；　wondering　how　history　would　treat　him。　If　only　he　was　clairvoyant　and　could　read　the　future。　No　doubt　a　talent　every　president　since　Washington　wished　he'd　possessed。　Finally　he　sighed　and　called　in　Pecorelli。
　〃Who　am　I　scheduled　to　see　now？〃
　〃Your　speech　writers　would　like　a　few　minutes　of　your　time　to　put　the　finishing　touches　on　your　speech　to　the　Hispanic　American　College　Association。〃
　〃Yes；　that　is　an　important　speech；〃　said　the　President；　his　thoughts　ing　back　on　line。　〃It's　an　excellent　opportunity　to　announce　my　new　plan　for　a　cultural…arts　agency。〃
　It　was　business　as　usual　in　the　executive　office。
　How　nice　to　see　you　again；〃　said　Katie；　standing　in　the　open　front　door。　〃Please　e　in。　lan　is　out　on　the　porch；　reading　his　morning　newspaper。〃
　〃We　can't　stay　long；〃　said　Julia　as　she　passed　into　the　entry　way。　〃Dirk　and　I　have　to　be　on　a　plane　back　to　Washington　by　noon。〃
　Pitt　followed　the　two　women　into　the　house。　He　carried　a　small　wooden　box　under　one　arm。　They　passed　into　the　kitchen　and　out　onto　the　porch　overlooking　the　lake。　There　was　a　brisk　breeze　and　a　good　chop　on　the　waves。　A　sailboat　was　running　with　the　wind　about　a　mile　offshore。　Gallagher　rose　to　his　feet；　his　newspaper　in　one　hand。
　〃Dirk；　Julia；　thank　you　for　stopping　by；〃　he　boomed。
　〃Let　me　bring　you　some　tea；〃　said　Katie。
　Pitt　would　have　preferred　coffee　this　early　in　the　morning；　but　he　simply　smiled　and　said；　〃I'd　love　some。〃
　〃I　hope　you've　e　to　tell　us　about　the　salvage　project；〃　said　Gallagher。
　Pitt　nodded。　〃The　very　purpose　of　our　visit。〃
　Gallagher　motioned　for　them　to　sit　around　a　picnic　table　set　up　on　the　porch。　〃Take　a　load　off　your　feet。〃
　As　they　gathered　around　the　table；　Pitt　placed　the　box　at　his　feet。　After　Katie　returned　with　a　pot　of　tea；　Pitt　and　Julia　talked　about　the　salvage　project　and　described　some　of　the　art　treasures　they　had　actually　seen　because　of　broken　packing　crates。　Their　only　omission　was　any　reference　to　Qin　Shang；　whom　lan　and　Katie　were　not　aware　of　anyway。　Pitt　told　of　Giordino's　discovery　of　the　bones　of　Peking　man。
　〃Peking　man；〃　Katie　repeated　slowly。　〃The　Chinese　people　revere　him　as　an　honored　ancestor。〃
　〃Are　we　keeping　any　of　the　treasure？〃　asked　Gallagher。
　Pitt　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　think　so。　I've　been　told　that　President　Wallace　intends　on　turning　the　entire　treasure　over　to　the　Chinese　people　after　it　has　gone　on　exhibit　around　the　United　States。　Peking　man's　bones　are　already　on　their　way　home。〃
　〃Just　think；　lan；〃　said　Katie；　gazing　fondly　at　her　husband；　〃it　might　have　been　all　ours。〃
　Gallagher　patted　her　on　one　knee　and　gave　a　hearty　laugh。　〃Where　would　we　have　put　it？　We've　got　enough　Chinese　junk　sitting　around　the　house　to　start　a　museum　as　it　is。〃
　Katie　rolled　her　eyes　and　gave　Gallagher　a　hard　slap　on　the　shoulder。　〃You　big　mick；　you　love　those　objects　as　much　as　I　do。〃　She　turned　to　Julia。　〃You　have　to　excuse　lan。　Once　a　roughneck　always　a　roughneck。〃
　〃We　really　should　be　moving　along；〃　said　Julia；　reluctant　to　leave。
　Pitt　leaned　down；　picked　up　the　box　from　the　floor　and　presented　it　to　Katie。　〃A　gift　from　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　that　I　thought　you　should　have。〃
　〃I　hope　it's　not　a　piece　of　the　treasure；〃　she　said；　surprised。　〃That　would　be　stealing。〃
　〃Oh；　but　it　belongs　to　you；〃　Julia　assured　her。
　Katie　slowly；　somewhat　apprehensively；　opened　the　lid　on　the　box。　〃I　don't　understand；〃　she　said；　bewildered。　〃It　looks　like　the　bones　of　some　kind　of　animal。〃　Then　she　saw　the　little　golden　dragon　that　was　attached　to　a　faded　red　leather　collar；　〃lan！　lan！〃　she　cried　in　sudden　prehension。　〃Look；　they've　brought　me　Fritz。〃
　〃He's　e　back　to　his　mistress；〃　said　Gallagher；　his　eyes　beginning　to　mist。
　Tears　instantly　formed　in　Katie's　eyes　as　she　came　around　the　table　and　embraced　Pitt。　〃Thank　you；　thank　you。　You　don't　know　how　much　this　means　to　me。〃
　〃If　he　didn't；〃　said　Julia；　gazing　at　Pitt　tenderly；　〃he　does　now。〃
　Gallagher　put　an　arm　around　his　wife's　shoulders。　〃I'll　bury　him　with　the　others。〃　He　looked　at　Pitt　and　Julia。　〃We　have　a　little　cemetery　that　holds　the　pets　we've　owned　over　the　years　who've　died。〃
　As　they　drove　away；　lan　〃Hong　Kong〃　Gallagher　stood　next　to　Katie；　who　smiled　and　smiled　and　smiled　as　she　waved　goodbye。　Pitt　found　himself　envying　the　big　Irishman。　Gallagher　had　been　right；　he　had　found　riches　without　salvaging　the　Princess　Dou　Wan's　treasure。
　〃They're　a　wonderful　couple；〃　said　Julia；　waving　back。
　〃It　must　be　nice　to　grow　old　with　someone　you　love。〃
　Julia　stared　at　Pitt；　her　eyes　narrowing　in　wonder。　〃I　didn't　know　you　were　a　sentimental　guy。〃
　〃I　have　my　dark　moments；〃　he　answered；　smiling。
　She　sat　back　in　the　seat　and　stared　out　the　windshield　at　the　passing　trees　pensively。　〃I　wish　we　could　keep　right　on　going　and　not　fly　back　to　Washington。〃
　〃What's　to　stop　us？〃
　〃Are　you　mad？　I　have　my　job　at　INS。　You　have　yours　at　NUMA。　Our　superiors　are　waiting　for　lengthy　reports　on　the　treasure　recovery　and　all　the　other　harrowing　experiences　we've　had　cutting　the　flow　of　illegal　imm