cc.floodtide-第109节

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strils　flared。　The　rider　sat　stiffly　upright；　his　sightless　eyes　staring　into　nothingness。
　
　〃The　treasure；〃　whispered　Julia。　〃It's　everywhere。〃
　〃Steer　toward　the　stern；〃　Pitt　said　to　Hall。
　〃I've　got　the　tether　at　its　maximum　length　now；〃　Hall　replied。　〃Ralph　will　have　to　move　the　boat。〃
　
　Wilbanks　nodded；　measured　the　distance　and　direction　on　the　puter；　and　moved　the　Divercity；　dragging　the　Mini…Rover　until　it　was　sitting　atop　the　detached　stern　section。　Then　Hall　deftly　steered　the　ROV　past　the　ship's　propellers；　whose　upper　blades　rose　from　the　silt。　The　huge　rudder　was　still　set　on　a　direct　course　ahead。　The　lettering　across　the　stern　could　be　distinctly　seen　to　identify　the　vessel's　home　port　as　Shanghai。　The　story　was　the　same…the　bent　and　shredded　hull　plates；　the　disemboweled　engines；　the　scattered　art　treasures。
　
　Midnight　came　and　went　as　the　first　humans　to　lay　eyes　on　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　in　fifty…two　years　studied　the　two　broken　hulks　and　their　priceless　cargo　from　every　angle。　When　they　finally　decided　that　there　was　no　more　to　see；　Hall　began　reeling　in　the　MiniRover。
　
　No　one　tore　his　gaze　away　from　the　screen　until　long　after　the　MiniRover　ascended　toward　the　surface　and　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　was　lost　to　view　in　the　black　void。　The　ship　was　once　again　alone　on　the　bottom　of　the　lake；　her　only　panion　an　unknown　sailing　ship　that　rested　only　a　mile　away。　But　the　solitude　was　temporary。　Soon　men；　ships　and　equipment　would　be　probing　her　bones　and　removing　the　precious　cargo　she　had　carried　so　far　across　the　world　and　jealously　guarded　through　the　years　since　she　steamed　from　Shanghai。
　
　The　ill…fated　voyage　of　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　had　not　ended；　not　quite　yet。　Her　epilogue　was　still　to　be　written；
　
　HISTORIAN　ZHU　KWAN
　　SAT　AT　A　DESK　ON　A　STAGE　IN　THE　middle　of　a　huge　office　and　studied　reports　gathered　by　an　international　army　of　researchers　hired　by　Qin　Shang。　The　Princess　Dou　Wan　project　took　up　half　of　one　floor　in　the　Qin　Shang　Maritime　office　building　in　Hong　Kong。　No　expense　was　spared。　And　yet；　despite　the　massive　effort；　nothing　of　substance　had　been　found。　To　Zhu　Kwan；　the　loss　of　the　ship　remained　a　mystery。
　
　Zhu　Kwan　and　his　team　scouted　every　maritime　source　for　leads　while　Qin　Shang's　survey…and…salvage　ship　kept　up　its　search　of　the　waters　off　the　coast　of　Chile　for　the　elusive　passenger　liner。　Built　in　his　Hong　Kong　shipyard；　the　vessel　was　a　marvel　of　undersea　technology　and　the　envy　of　every　maritime　nation's　oceanographic　science　and　research　institutions。　Named　the　Jade　Adventurer　rather　than　a　Chinese　name　to　make　documentation　simpler　when　operating　in　foreign　waters；　the　ship　and　its　crew　had　previously　discovered　the　wreck　of　a　sixteenth…century　junk　in　the　China　Sea　and　salvaged　its　cargo　of　Ming…dynasty　porcelain。
　
　Zhu　Kwan　examined　a　description　of　works　of　art　from　a　private　collection　of　Chinese　art　owned　by　a　wealthy　merchant
　
　in　Peking　that　had　disappeared　in　1948。　The　merchant　had　been　murdered；　and　Zhu　Kwan　had　tracked　down　his　heirs　in　what　turned　out　to　be　a　successful　hunt　for　an　inventory　of　the　lost　art。　He　was　studying　a　drawing　of　a　rare　wine　vessel　when　his　assistant's　voice　came　over　the　speakerphone。
　
　〃Sir；　you　have　a　call　from　the　United　States。　A　Mr。　St。　Julien　Perlmutter。〃
　Zhu　Kwan　laid　aside　the　drawing。　〃Please　put　him　on。〃
　〃Hello；　Zhu　Kwan；　are　you　there？〃　came　the　jovial　voice　of　Perlmutter。
　〃St。　Julien。　What　an　unexpected　surprise。　I　am　honored　to　hear　from　my　old　friend　and　colleague。〃
　〃You'll　be　more　than　honored　when　you　hear　what　I　have　to　tell　you。〃
　The　Chinese　historian　was　bewildered。　〃I　am　always　happy　to　hear　of　your　archival　discoveries。〃
　〃Tell　me；　Zhu　Kwan；　are　you　still　interested　in　finding　a　ship　called　the　Princess　Dou　Wan？〃
　Zhu　Kwan　sucked　in　his　breath；　a　fear　rising　inside　him。　〃You　are　also　searching　for　her？〃
　〃Oh；　no；　no；　no；〃　Perlmutter　said　carelessly。　〃I　have　no　interest　in　the　ship　whatsoever。　But　while　researching　another　lost　ship；　a　missing　Great　Lakes　car　ferry；　I　ran　across　a　document　by　a　ship's　engineer；　since　deceased；　that　told　of　a　harrowing　experience　while　he　served　on　board　the　Princess　Dou　Wan。〃
　〃You　found　a　survivor？〃　asked　Zhu　Kwan；　unable　to　believe　his　luck。
　〃His　name　is　lan　Gallagher。　His　friends　called　him　'Hong　Kong。'　He　was　the　chief　engineer　on　the　Princess　when　she　went　down。〃
　〃Yes；　yes；　I　have　a　file　on　him。〃
　〃Gallagher　was　the　only　survivor。　He　never　went　back　to　China　for　obvious　reasons　and　dropped　out　of　sight　in　the　United　States。〃
　〃The　Princess；〃　gasped　Zhu　Kwan；　unable　to　contain　his　growing　expectation。　〃Did　Gallagher　give　an　approximate　position　off　Chile　where　the　ship　sank？〃
　〃Brace　yourself；　my　Oriental　friend；〃　said　Perlmutter。　〃The　Princess　Dou　Wan　did　not　go　to　the　bottom　of　the　South　Pacific。〃
　〃But　her　final　distress　call？〃　muttered　a　confused　Zhu　Kwan。
　〃She　lies　under　Lake　Michigan　in　North　America。〃
　〃Impossible！〃　Zhu　Kwan　gasped。
　〃Believe　me；　it's　true。　The　distress　signal　was　a　fake。　The　captain　and　crew；　under　the　direction　of　a　General　Kung　Hui；　altered　the　name　to　that　of　her　sister　ship；　the　Princess　Yung　Tai。　Then　they　sailed　through　the　Panama　Canal　up　the　East　Coast　of　the　United　States　and　down　the　St。　Lawrence　River　into　the　Great　Lakes。　She　was　overtaken　by　a　horrendous　storm　and　went　down　two　hundred　miles　north　of　Chicago；　her　ultimate　destination。〃
　〃This　is　incredible。　Are　you　sure　of　your　facts？〃
　〃I'll　fax　you　Gallagher's　report　of　the　voyage　and　sinking。〃
　A　sick　feeling　began　to　spread　in　the　pit　of　Zhu　Kwan's　stomach。　〃Did　Gallagher　make　mention　of　the　ship's　cargo？〃
　〃He　made　only　one　reference；〃　replied　Perlmutter。　〃Gallagher　said　that　General　Hui　told　him　the　numerous　wooden　cases　and　crates　loaded　on　board　in　Shanghai　were　filled　with　personal　furnishings　and　clothes　of　high…ranking　Nationalist　Chinese　officials　and　military　leaders　who　were　fleeing　mainland　China　ahead　of　the　munists。〃
　A　wave　of　great　relief　settled　over　Zhu　Kwan。　The　secret　appeared　safe。　〃Then　it　seems　the　rumors　of　a　great　treasure　are　not　true。　There　was　no　cargo　of　great　value　on　board　the　Princess　Dou　Wan。〃
　〃Perhaps　some　jewelry；　but　certainly　nothing　that　would　excite　a　professional　salvage　hunter。　The　only　artifacts　that　will　ever　be　retrieved　will　probably　surface　in　the　hands　of　local　sport　divers。〃
　〃Have　you　given　out　this　information　to　anyone　besides　me？〃　asked　Zhu　Kwan　warily。
　〃Not　a　soul；〃　Perlmutter　answered。　〃You're　the　only　one　I　know　who　had　any　interest　in　the　wreck。〃
　〃I　would　be　grateful　to　you；　St。　Julien；　if　you　did　not　reveal　your　discovery。　At　least　not　for　the　next　few　months。〃
　〃From　this　moment　on；　I　promise　not　to　disclose　a　word。〃
　〃Also；　as　a　personal　favor…〃
　〃You　have　but　to　name　it。〃
　〃Please　do　not　fax　Gallagher's　report。　I　think　it　would　be　better　if　you　sent　it　by　private　courier。　I　will；　of　course；　take　care　of　any　expense。〃
　〃Whatever　you　wish；〃　said　Perlmutter　agreeably。　〃I'll　hire　the　services　of　a　courier　the　minute　I　lay　down　the　phone。〃
　〃Thank　you；　my　friend；〃　Zhu　Kwan　said　sincerely。　〃You　have　done　me　a　great　service。　Though　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　is　of　no　great　historical　or　economic　value；　it　has　been　a　mosquito　in　my　ear　for　many　years。〃
　〃Believe　me；　I've　been　there。　Some　lost　shipwrecks；　no　matter　how　insignificant；　captivate　and　consume　a　researcher's　imagination。　They're　never　forgotten　until　answers　behind　their　disappearance　are　finally　found。〃
　〃Thank　you；　St。　Julien；　thank　you。〃
　〃My　best　wishes　to　you；　Zhu　Kwan。　Good…bye。〃
　
　The　Chinese　historian　could　not　believe　his　luck。　What　had　seemed　an　impossible　enigma　only　minutes　ago　had　suddenly　been　solved　and　dropped　in　his　lap。　Though　exhilarated；　he　decided　to　put　off　informing　Qin　Shang　until　the　courier　arrived　with　lan　Gallagher's　narrative　of　the　final　moments　of　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　and　he　had　an　hour　or　two　to　study　it。
　
　Qin　Shang　would　be　highly　pleased　to　learn　that　the　fabulous　art　treasure　stolen　from　the　country　had　been　lying　safe　and　preserved　in　the　fresh　water　of　a　lake　all　these　years　and　was　now　within　reach。　Zhu　Kwan　fervently　hoped　that　he　would　live　long　enough　to　see　the　artifacts　on　display　in　a　national　gallery　and　museum。
　
　〃You　do　nice　work；　St。　Julien；〃　said　Sandecker　as　Perlmutter　put　down　the　phone。　〃You　missed　your　calling　as　a　used…car　salesman。〃
　〃Or　a　politician　running　for　election；〃　Giordino　muttered。
　〃I　feel　like　a　low…down　skunk；　misleading　that　nice　old　man；〃　said　Perlmutter。　He　paused　and　looked　around　Sandeck…er's　office　at　the　four　NUMA　men　seated　around　him。　〃Zhu　Kwan　and　I　go　back　many　years。　We've　always　had　the　highest　respect　for　each　other。　I　hated　lying　to　him。〃
　〃Fair　is　fair；〃　said　Pitt。　〃He　conned　you；　too。　All　this　time　he's　claimed　his　only　interest　in　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　was　strictly　academic。　He　knows　damned　well　the　ship　sank　with　a　fantastic　fortune　in　art　on　board。　A　fax　line　can　be　eavesdropped　on。　Why　else　would　he　insist　you　send　Gallagher's　story　by　courier？　You　can　bet　he's　itching　to　give　the　news　to　j　Qin　Shang。〃 j
　
　Perlmutter　shook　his　head。　〃Zhu　Kwan　is　a　hard…nosed　s