jak.themothmanprophecies-第3节

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heir　eyes　averted　from　the　gaping　hole　where　the　Silver　Bridge　had　stood　only　a　week　before。　Now　the　seven…hundred…foot　span　was　gone。　Clusters　of　workmen；　police　officers；　and　assorted　officials　stood　along　the　banks　of　the　Ohio；　watching　silently　as　divers　continued　to　bob　into　the　black　waters。　Occasionally　ropes　would　jerk　and　a　bloated；　whitened　body　would　be　hauled　to　the　surface。　It　was　not　going　to　be　a　merry　Christmas　in　Point　Pleasant。
　　
　　A　few　yards　from　the　place　where　the　bridge　had　been；　Mrs。　Mary　Hyre　sat　in　her　office　revising　a　list　of　the　missing　and　the　known　dead。　A　stout　woman　in　her　early　fifties；　her　normally　cheerful；　alert　face　was　blurred　with　fatigue。　She　had　had　almost　no　sleep　in　the　past　seven　days。　After　twenty　years　as　the　local　stringer　for　the　Messenger；　recording　all　the　births；　marriages；　and　deaths　in　the　little　town；　Mrs。　Hyre　suddenly　found　herself　at　the　center　of　the　universe。　Camera　teams　from　as　far　away　as　New　York　were　perched　outside　her　door。　The　swarms　of　newsmen　who　had　descended　on　Point　Pleasant　to　record　the　tragedy　had　quickly　learned　what　everyone　in　the　Ohio　valley　already　knew。　If　you　wanted　to　find　out　anything　about　the　area　and　its　people；　the　quickest　way　to　do　it　was　to　〃ask　Mary　Hyre。〃
　　
　　For　seven　days　now　her　office　had　been　filled　with　strangers；　relatives　of　the　missing；　and　weary　rescue　workers。　So　she　hardly　looked　up　that　afternoon　when　two　men　entered。　They　seemed　almost　like　twins；　she　recalled　later。　Both　were　short　and　wore　black　overcoats。　Their　plexions　were　dark；　somewhat　Oriental；　she　thought。
　　
　　〃We　hear　there's　been　a　lot　of　flying　saucer　activity　around　here；〃　one　of　them　remarked。　She　was　taken　aback。　The　bridge　disaster　had　dominated　everyone's　thoughts　for　the　last　week。　Flying　saucers　were　the　furthest　thing　from　her　mind　at　that　moment。
　　
　　〃We　have　had　quite　a　few　sightings　here；〃　she　responded；　turning　hi　her　chair　to　pull　open　a　filing　cabinet。　She　hauled　out　a　bulging　folder　filled　with　clippings　of　sighting　reports　and　handed　it　to　one　of　the　men。
　　
　　He　flipped　it　open；　gave　the　pile　of　clippings　a　cursory　glance；　and　handed　it　back。
　　
　　〃Has　anyone　told　you　not　to　publish　these　reports？〃
　　
　　She　shook　her　head　as　she　shoved　the　folder　back　into　the　drawer。
　　
　　〃What　would　you　do　if　someone　did　order　you　to　stop　writing　about　flying　saucers？〃
　　
　　〃I'd　tell　them　to　go　to　hell；〃　she　smiled　wanly。
　　
　　The　two　men　glanced　at　each　other。。　She　went　back　to　her　lists　and　when　she　looked　up　again　they　were　gone。
　　
　　II。
　　
　　Later　that　same　afternoon　another　stranger　walked　into　Mrs。　Hyre's　office。　He　was　slightly　built；　about　five　feet　seven　inches　tall；　with　black；　piercing　eyes　and　unruly　black　hair；　as　if　he　had　had　a　brush　cut　and　it　was　just　growing　back　in。　His　plexion　was　even　darker　than　that　of　the　two　previous　visitors　and　he　looked　like　a　Korean　or　Oriental　of　some　kind。　His　hands　were　especially　unusual；　she　thought；　with　unduly　long；　tapering　fingers。　He　wore　a　cheap…looking；　ill…fitting　black　suit；　slightly　out　of　fashion；　and　his　tie　was　knotted　in　an　odd　old…fashioned　way。　Strangely；　he　was　not　wearing　an　overcoat　despite　the　fierce　cold　outside。
　　
　　〃My　name　is　Jack　Brown；〃　he　announced　in　a　hesitant　manner。　〃I'm　a　UFO　researcher。〃
　　
　　〃Oh；〃　Mary　pushed　aside　the　pile　of　papers　on　her　desk　and　studied　him。　The　day　was　ending　and　she　was　ready　to　go　home　and　try　to　get　some　sleep　at　last。
　　
　　After　a　brief；　almost　incoherent　struggle　to　discuss　UFO　sightings　Brown　stammered；　〃What…would…what　would　you　do…if　someone　ordered…ordered　you　to　stop？　To　stop　printing　UFO　stories？〃
　　
　　〃Say；　are　you　with　those　two　men　who　were　here　earlier？〃　she　asked；　surprised　to　hear　the　same　weird　question　twice　in　one　day。
　　
　　〃No。　No…I'm　alone。　I'm　a　friend　of　Gray…Gray　Barker。〃
　　
　　Gray　Barker　of　Clarksburg　was　West　Virginia's　best…known　UFO　investigator。　He　had　published　a　number　of　books　on　the　subject　and　was　a　frequent　visitor　to　Point　Pleasant。
　　
　　〃Do　you　know　John　Keel？〃
　　
　　His　face　tightened。　〃I…I　used　to　think…think　the　world　of　K…K…Keel。　Then　a　few　minutes　ago　I　bought　a…a　magazine。　He　has　an　article　in　it。　He　says　he's　seen　UFOs　himself。　He's…he's　a　liar。〃
　　
　　〃I　know　he's　seen　things；〃　Mary　flared。　〃I've　been　with　him　when　he　saw　them！〃
　　
　　Brown　smiled　weakly　at　the　success　of　his　simple　gambit。
　　
　　〃Could　you…take　me　out…t…t…take　me　where　you…　you　and　K…K…Keel　saw…saw　things？〃
　　
　　〃I'm　not　going　to　do　anything　except　go　home　to　bed；〃　Mary　declared　flatly。
　　
　　〃Is　K…K…Keel　in　P…P…Point　Pleasant？〃　〃No。　He　lives　in　New　York。〃　〃I…I　think　he　m…m…makes　up　all　these　stories。〃　〃Look；　I　can　give　you　the　names　of　some　of　the　people　here　who　have　seen　things；〃　Mary　said　wearily。　〃You　can　talk　to　them　and　decide　for　yourself。　But　I　just　can't　escort　you　around。〃
　　
　　〃I'm　a　friend　of　G…G…Gray　Barker；〃　he　repeated　lamely。
　　
　　Outside　the　office　a　massive　crane　creaked　and　rumbled；　dragging　a　huge　hunk　of　twisted　steel　out　of　the　river。
　　
　　III。
　　
　　On　April　22；　1897；　an　oblong　machine　with　wings　and　lights　〃which　appeared　much　brighter　than　electric　lights〃　dropped　out　of　the　sky　and　landed　on　the　farm　near　Rock…land；　Texas；　owned　by　John　M。　Barclay。　Barclay　grabbed　his　rifle　and　headed　for　the　machine。　He　was　met　by　an　ordinary…looking　man　who　handed　him　a　ten…dollar　bill　and　asked　him　to　buy　some　oil　and　tools　for　the　aircraft。
　　
　　〃Who　are　you？〃　Barclay　asked。
　　
　　〃Never　mind　about　my　name；　call　it　Smith；〃　the　man　answered。
　　
　　The　UFO　lore　is　populated　with　mysterious　visitors　claiming　inordinately　mon　names　like　Smith；　Jones；　Kelly；　Allen；　and　Brown。　In　1897；　they　often　claimed　to　e　from　known　villages　and　cities　and　were　even　able　to　name　prominent　citizens　in　those　places。　But　when　reporters　checked；　they　could　find　no　record　of　the　visitors　and　the　named　citizens　disavowed　any　knowledge　of　them。
　　
　　One　of　the　proved　hoaxes　of　1897　（there　were　many　hoaxes；　largely　the　work　of　mischievous　newspapermen）　concerned　an　object　which　is　supposed　to　have　crashed　into　Judge　Proctor's　windmill　in　Aurora；　Texas。　The　remains　of　a　tiny　pilot　were　supposedly　found　in　the　wreckage　and　buried　in　the　local　cemetery　by　the　townspeople。　The　story　was　published　in　the　Dallas　Evening　News。　From　time　to　tune；　Aurora　was　visited　by　self…styled　investigators　who　sifted　the　dirt　on　the　old　Proctor　farm　and　marched　through　the　cemetery　reading　tombstones；　always　without　finding　anything。
　　
　　The　story　was　revived　in　1972；　and　in　1973　a　man　identifying　himself　as　Frank　N。　Kelley　of　Corpus　Christi　arrived　in　Aurora。　He　said　he　was　a　treasure　hunter　of　long　experience。　He　set　to　work　with　his　metal　detectors　and　instruments　and　quickly　unearthed　several　fragments　of　metal　near　the　windmill　site。　They　appeared　to　be　something　like　the　skin　of　modern　aircraft；　he　announced。　He　kept　some　of　the　pieces　and　turned　the　rest　over　to　a　reporter　named　Bill　Case。　Analysis　showed　the　pieces　were　98　percent　aluminum。
　　
　　Kelley's　alleged　discovery　created　a　stampede　to　Aurora。　UFO　investigators　descended　from　as　far　away　as　Illinois　and　battled　for　permission　to　dig　up　graves　in　the　cemetery。　The　story　received　wide　play　in　the　national　press　in　the　summer　of　1973。
　　
　　〃When　efforts　were　made　to　find　Frank　Kelley　in　Corpus　Christi　it　was　found　that　he　had　given　a　phony　address　and　phone　number；　and　that　no　one　in　treasure…hunting　circles　have　ever　heard　of　him。　Mr。　Kelley　was　apparently　another　one　of　the　impressive　but　elusive　hoaxsters　who　haunt　the　UFO　field。　The　joke　was　pointless；　expensive；　and；　sadly；　very　successful。
　　
　　IV。
　　
　　The　moment　I　met　Mrs。　Hyre's　niece　Connie　Carpenter　in　1966；　I　knew　she　was　telling　the　truth　because　her　eyes　were　reddened；　watery；　and　almost　swollen　shut。　I　had　seen　these　symptoms　many　times　in　my　treks　around　the　country　investigating　UFO　reports。　Witnesses　who　were　unlucky　enough　to　have　a　close　encounter　with　an　unidentified　flying　object；　usually　a　dazzlingly　brilliant　aerial　light；　are　exposed　to　actinic　rays　。。。　ultraviolet　rays　。。。　which　can　cause　〃eyeburn；〃　medically　known　as　klieg　conjunctivitis。　These　are　the　same　kind　of　rays　that　tan　your　hide　at　the　beach。　If　you　lie　in　the　bright　sun　without　protecting　your　eyes　you　can　get　conjunctivitis。　Whatever　they　are；　UFOs　radiate　intense　actinic　rays。　There　are　now　thousands　of　cases　in　which　the　witnesses　suffered　eye…burns　and　temporary　eye　damage　。。。　even　temporary　blindness　。。。　after　viewing　a　strange　flying　light　in　the　night　sky。
　　
　　One　of　the　most　extreme　cases　of　UFO　blindness　occurred　on　the　night　of　Wednesday；　October　3；　1973；　in　southeastern　Missouri。　Eddie　Webb；　forty…five；　of　Greenville；　saw　a　luminous　object　in　his　rear…view　mirror。　He　put　his　head　out　the　window　of　his　truck　and　looked　back。　There　was　a　bright　white　flash。　Webb　threw　his　hands　to　his　face；　crying；　〃Oh；　my　God！　I'm　burned！　I　can't　see！〃　One　lens　had　fallen　from　his　glasses　and　the　frames　were　melted。　His　wife　took　over　the　wheel　of　their　vehicle