cc.iceberg-第15节

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！


ertainty　that　waits　for　everyone。
　
　The　farmer；　a　big　handsome　outdoor…hardened　man；　drove　slowly　up　a　narrow　road　to　the　top　of　the　cliff　and　through　the　meadows；　pulling　a　small　cloud　of　volcanic　red　dust　behind　the　tailgate。　Within　minutes　he　stopped　at　a　small　cottage　on　the　outskirts　of　a　village　of　white　farmhouses　dominated　by　the　traditional　Icelandic　churchyard。
　
　A　somber　little　man　with　soft　green　eyes　enlarged　by　thick　steelrimmed　glasses　came　out；　introduced　himself　as　Dr。　Jonsson　and；　after　examining　Hunnewell；　led　Pitt　into　the　cottage　where　he　stitched　and　bandaged　Pitts　three…inch　head　gash　and　made　him　change　into　some　dry　clothes。　Later；　as　Pitt　was　drinking　a　strong　brew　of　coffee　and　schnaps　forced　on　him　by　the　doctor；　the　boy　and　his　father　entered。
　
　The　boy　nodded　to　Pitt　and　spoke。　〃My　father　would　consider　it　a　great　honor　if　he　could　transport　you　and　your　friend　to　Reykjavik　if　that　is　where　you　wish　to　go。〃
　
　Pitt　stood　and　stared　a　moment　into　the　father's　warm　gray　eyes。　〃You　tell　your　father　that　I　am　deeply　grateful；　and　that　the　honor　is　mine。〃　Pitt　held　out　his　hand　and　the　Icelander　gripped　it　hard。
　
　The　boy　translated。　His　father　simply　nodded　and　then　they　both　turned　and　left　the　room　without　another　word。
　
　Pitt　lit　a　cigarette　and　looked　quizzically　at　Dr。　Jonsson。　〃You're　a　member　of　a　strange　people；　Doctor。　You　all　seem　to　be　brimming　with　warmth　and　courtesy　within；　but　your　exterior　seems　pletely　dry　of　any　emotion。〃
　〃You'll　find　the　citizens　of　Reykjavik　more　open。　This　is　the　country；　we　are　born　into　an　isolated　and　stark　but　beautiful　land。　Icelanders　who　live　away　from　the　city　are　not　noted　for　gossip；　we　can　almost　e　to　understand　each　other's　thoughts　before　we　speak。　Life　and　love　are　monplace；　death　is　merely　an　accepted　occurrence。〃
　〃I　wondered　why　the　children　appeared　so　unconcerned　when　sitting　next　to　a　corpse。〃
　〃Death　to　us　is　merely　a　separation；　and　only　a　visual　one　at　that。　For　you　see；〃　the　doctor's　hand　pointed　through　a　large　picture　window　at　the　gravestones　in　the　churchyard；　〃they　who　went　before　us　are　still　here。〃
　
　Pitt　stared　several　moments　at　the　grave　markers；　all　rising　on　their　individual　crooked　angles　among　the　green　mossy　grass。　Then　his　attention　was　caught　by　the　farmer；　who　was　carrying　a　handcrafted　pine　coffin　to　the　Land　Rover。　He　watched　attentively　as　the　big；　silent　man　lifted　Hunnewell's　form　into　the　traditional　tapered　box　with　all　the　strength　and　tenderness　of　a　new　father　with　a　baby。
　〃What　is　the　farmer's　name？〃　Pitt　asked。
　〃Mundsson；　Thorsteinn　Mundsson。　His　son's　name　is　Bjarni。〃
　
　Pitt　stared　through　the　window　until　the　coffin　was　pushed　onto　the　truckbed。　Then　he　turned　away。
　〃I'll　always　wonder　if　Dr。　Hunnewell　would　still　be　alive　if　I'd　done　things　differently。〃
　〃Who　will　ever　know？　Remember；　my　friend；　if　you　had　been　born　ten　minutes　sooner　or　ten　minutes　later；　your　path　might　never　have　crossed　his。〃
　
　Pitt　smiled。　〃I　get　what　you　mean。　But　the　fact　is；　his　life　was　in　my　hands；　and　I　fumbled　and　lost　it。〃　He　hesitated；　seeing　the　scene　again　in　his　mind。　〃On　the　beach　I　passed　out　for　half　an　hour　after　I　bandaged　his　arm。　If　I　had　stayed　awake；　he　might　not　have　bled　to　death。〃
　〃Put　your　conscience　to　rest。　Your　Dr。　Hunnewell　did　not　die　from　loss　of　blood。　It　was　the　shock　of　his　injury；　the　shock　of　your　crash；　the　shock　of　below　freezing　sea　water。　No；　I'm　certain　an　autopsy　will　show　that　his　aging　heart　gave　out　long　before　his　blood。　He　was　getting　on　in　years；　and　he　was　not；　from　what　I　could　determine；　a　physically　athletic　man。〃
　〃He　was　a　scientist；　an　oceanographer；　the　best。〃
　〃Then　I　envy　him。〃
　
　Pitt　looked　at　the　village　physician　speculatively。
　〃Why　do　you　say　that？〃
　〃He　was　a　man　of　the　sea；　and　he　died　by　the　sea　he　loved；　and　perhaps　his　last　'thoughts　were　as　serene　as　the　water。〃
　〃He　talked　of　God；〃　Pitt　murmured。
　〃He　was　fortunate；　yet　I　feel　I　will　be　fortunate　when　my　time　es　to　be　laid　to　rest　over　there　in　the　churchyard　only　a　hundred　steps　from　where　I　was　born　and　among　so　many　of　the　people　I　have　loved　and　cared　for。〃
　〃I　wish　I　could　share　your　affinity　for　staying　in　one　spot；　Doctor；　but　somewhere　in　the　distant　past　one　of　my　ancestors　was　a　gypsy。　I've　inherited　his　wandering　ways。　Three　years　is　my　all…time　record　for　living　in　the　same　location。〃
　〃An　interesting　question；　which　of　us　is　the　most　fortunate？〃
　Pitt　shrugged。　〃Who　can　tell？　We　both　hear　the　beat　of　a　different　drummer。〃
　〃In　Iceland；〃　Jonsson　said；　〃we　follow　the　lure　of　a　different　fisherman。〃
　〃You　missed　your　true　calling；　Doctor。　You　should　have　been　a　poet。〃
　〃Ah；　but　I　am　a　poet。〃　Dr。　Jonsson　laughed。　〃Every　village　has　at　least　four　or　five。　You　will　have　to　search　far　and　wide　for　a　more　literate　country　than　Iceland。　Over　five　hundred　thousand　books　are　sold　annually　to　two　hundred　thousand　people；　our　entire　population…〃　He　broke　off　as　the　door　opened　and　two　men　walked　in。　They　stood　calm；　efficient　and　very　official　in　their　police　uniforms。　One　nodded　a　greeting　to　the　doctor；　and　Pitt　suddenly　got　the　entire　picture。
　〃You　needn't　have　been　secretive　about　calling　the　police；　Dr。　Jonsson。　I　have　nothing　to　conceal　from　anyone。〃
　〃No　offense；　but　Dr。　Hunnewell's　arm　was　obviously　mangled　by　gun　shots。　I've　treated　enough　injured　hunters　to　know　the　correct　signs。　The　law　is　explicit；　as　I'm　sure　it　is　in　your　country。　I　must　report　all　bullet　wounds。〃
　
　Pitt　didn't　like　it　much；　but　he　had　little　option。
　
　The　two　muscular　policemen　standing　before　him　would　hardly　buy　a　story　about　a　phantom　black　jet　attacking　and　shooting　the　Ulysses　full　of　holes　before　being　rammed　in　midair。　A　connection　betAeen　the　derelict　in　the　iceberg　and　the　jet　was　neither　coincidental　nor　accidental。　He　was　certain　now　that　what　started　out　as　a　simple　search　for　a　missing　ship　had　turned　out　to　be　an　unwanted　involvement　in　a　plex；　farflung　conspiracy。　He　was　tired…tired　of　lying；　sick　of　the　whole　goddamn　mess。　only　one　thought　gripped　his　mind：　Hunnewell　was　dead；　and　someone　had　to　pay。
　〃Were　you　the　pilot　of　the　helicopter　that　crashed；　sir？〃　one　of　the　policemen　inquired。　An　ut＇Mistakable　British　accent　and　a　courteous　tone；　but　the　〃sir〃　seemed　forced。
　〃Yes；〃　was　all　Pitt　answered。
　The　policemen　seemed　taken　aback　for　a　moment　by　Pitts　terse　reply。　He　was　blond；　had　dirty　fingernails；　and　was　dressed　in　a　uniform　that　left　his　wrists　and　ankles　showing。　〃Your　name；　and　the　name　of　the　deceased？〃
　〃Pitt；　Major　Dirk　Pitt；　United　States　Air　Force。
　
　The　man　in　the　coffin　was　Dr。　William　Hunnewell；　National　Underwater　Marine　Agency。〃　Pitt　thought　it　strange　that　neither　policeman　made　an　attempt　to　write　the　information　down。
　〃Your　destination？　It　was　undoubtedly　the　airfield　at　Keflavik？〃
　〃No；　the　heliport　in　Reykjavik。〃
　
　A　flicker　of　surprise　crossed　the　blond　policeman's　eyes。　It　was　barely　perceptible；　but　Pitt　caught　it。　The　interrogator　turned　to　his　partner；　a　dark…skinned；　burly　character　with　glasses；　and　said　something　in　Icelandic。
　
　He　swung　his　head　toward　the　Land　Rover　outside；　scowled　noticeably；　then　turned　back　to　Pitt。
　〃Could　you　tell　me　your　departure　point；　sir？〃
　〃Greenland…couldn't　give　you　the　name　of　the　town。　It's　spelled　with　twenty　letters；　and　to　an　American　it's　totally　unpronounceable。　Dr。　Hunnewell　and　I　were　on　an　expedition　for　our　government；　charting　icebergs　in　the　East　Greenland　Current。　The　idea　was　to　crisscross　the　Denmark　Strait　by　refueling　at　Reykjavik　and　then　head　back　west　to　Greenland　on　a　parallel　course　fifty　miles　further　north。　Unfortunately　we　didn't　plan　well；　ran　out　of　fuel　and　crashed　on　the　coast。
　
　That's　all；　give　or　take　a　few　details。〃　Pitt　lied　without　knowing　exactly　why。　God；　he　thought；　it's　being　a　habit。
　〃Where　exactly　did　you　crash？〃
　〃How　the　hell　should　I　know；〃　Pitt　said　unpleasantly。　〃Go　three　blocks　past　the　cow　pasture　and　turn　left　at　Broadway。　The　helicopter　is　parked　between　the　third　and　fourth　waves。　It's　painted　yellow；　you　can't　miss　it。〃
　〃Please　be　reasonable；　sir。〃　Pitt　took　satisfaction　at　the　sudden　flame　in　the　policeman's　face。　〃We　must　have　all　the　details　in　order　to　make　a　report　to　our　superior。〃
　〃Then　why　don't　you　stop　beating　around　the　bush　and　ask　about　Dr。　Hunnewell's　bullet　wounds？〃　The　official　facial　expression　on　the　dark…skinned　policeman　cracked　in　a　stifled　yawn。　Pitt　stared　at　Dr。　Jonsson。
　〃You　did　say　that's　the　reason　they're　here？〃
　〃It　is　my　duty　to　cooperate　with　the　law。〃　Jonsson　seemed　hesitant　to　speak。
　〃Suppose　you　explain　your　rade's　wound；〃　said　dirty　nails。
　〃We　were　carrying　a　rifle　to　shoot　polar　bears；〃　Pitt　said　slowly。
　〃It　accidentally　discharged　in　the　crash；　the　bullet　striking　dr。　Hunnewell　in　the　elbOw。〃
　
　As　far　as　Pitt　could　see；　the　two　Icelandic　policemen　weren't　reacting　at　all　to　his　sarcasm。　They　stood　quiet；　looking　at　him　with　impatient　speculationspeculation；　Pitt　thought；　at　how　they　would　subdue　him　if　he　resisted　any　physical　demands　on　their　part。
　
　He　didn't　have　to　wait　long。
　〃I　am　sorry；　sir