rm.thenightboat-第44部分

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lat　black　whetting　stone　from　the　table　and　began　to　draw　the　blade　slowly　across　it；　then　he　walked　over　to　the　window　and　stood　peering　out。　Moore　sat　silent　with　his　head　in　his　hands。
　　〃The　constable　made　a　mistake　bringing　that　boat　into　the　harbor。〃　Cheyne　said　suddenly。　〃A　long　time　past；　it　brought　death　and　evil　here。　Now　again。　It's　not　a　machine；　it's　a　living　thing；　and　it　has　the　soul　of　Héhué；　the　serpent。。。〃
　　Moore　looked　up。　〃You've　got　to　take　your　men　back　there　and　help　them！〃
　　The　Carib　continued　sharpening　his　blade；　turning　it　under　his　hand。　〃Some　men　have　gone　back　to　help　those　who　may　reach　the　jungle；〃　he　said　after　a　pause。　〃We　went　over　there　when　we　heard　the　shooting；　and　many　of　the　young　bucks　wanted　to　go　down　and　fight。　But　I　wouldn't　let　them。　None　of　my　people　are　going　into　Coquina　village。〃
　　〃Christ！〃　Moore　blurted　out；　shaking　his　head。　〃Do　you　hate　those　villagers　so　much　you　could　stand　by　and　let　them　be　slaughtered？〃
　　〃They're　not　my　people；〃　Cheyne　said。　〃But　this　is　not　the　point…a　good　fighter　wouldn't　last　a　minute　against　those　creatures。　No。　If　and　when　they　reach　Caribville　the　men　will　have　to　protect　their　own　women　and　children。〃
　　〃This　isn't　the　time　for　counting　heads；　damn　it！　For　God's　sake；　help　them！〃
　　〃Oua！〃　Cheyne　said；　turning　from　the　window；　his　stare　bitter　and　forceful。　〃What　had　God　to　do　with　this？　Everyone　dies；　Moore；　whether　in　pain　or　at　peace。〃
　　The　young　woman　came　back　in；　carrying　a　pot　of　a　strong…smelling；　vinegary　liquid。　She　knelt　before　Jana；　dipped　a　cloth　into　the　pot；　and　began　to　dab　rather　roughly　at　the　cuts。　Jana　winced　and　jerked　her　head　back；　the　woman　grasped　the　nape　of　her　neck　and　finished　the　job。
　　The　noise　of　the　rainfall　had　quieted　somewhat；　now　Moore　could　hear　the　water　rushing　through　gutters。　He　got　to　his　feet；　feeling　the　heaviness　of　his　shoulder。　〃Then　I'm　going　back。　Give　me　a　gun。〃
　　Cheyne　sharpened　his　knife　in　silence。　In　the　distance　thunder　crashed。
　　〃I　said　I'm　going　back；　damn　you！〃
　　Cheyne　put　the　stone　and　the　knife　back　on　the　table；　reached　over　for　the　shotgun；　broke　it　open；　and　withdrew　two　shells　from　a　back　pocket。　He　slipped　the　shells　into　the　breech；　closed　it；　and　slung　it　over　to　Moore。
　　〃Go　on；〃　he　said　quietly。　He　put　his　hands　on　the　table　and　leaned　forward。　〃But　you　won't　be　ing　back。　And　you　won't　be　able　to　help　any　of　them；　because　before　you　reach　the　village　those　things　will　have　smelled　you　out；　and　they'll　find　you。　They'll　bleed　you　dry；　then　they'll　feast　on　your　corpse　and　leave　your　bones　for　the　lizards。　Go　on。〃
　　〃Lalouene；〃　the　old　woman　said；　the　rocker　creaking。　〃He's　a　dead　man。〃　She　stared　at　Moore；　her　eyes　fathomless　depths。
　　Jana　shook　off　the　Carib　woman；　ignoring　her　angered　chattering。　〃Don't；〃　she　said　to　Moore。　〃Please　don't　go　back　there！〃
　　Moore　said；　〃I've　got　to　find　Kip。　I'll　e　for　you　when　I　can。〃　He　paused　a　moment；　looking　back　at　the　Carib　in　hope　the　man　might　go　with　him；　but　Cheyne　glowered　at　him　and　did　not　move。　Moore　knew　there　was　no　use　asking　again；　he'd　have　to　take　his　chances　alone　in　the　jungle。
　　There　was　a　loud　knock　on　the　door。　Moore　tensed；　whirled　around。　Cheyne　moved　forward　like　a　panther；　his　hand　gripped　around　the　knife。　He　looked　out　the　window　and　then　threw　back　the　bolt。
　　Two　rain…soaked　Carib　men；　both　armed　with　rifles；　stood　in　the　doorway。　Cheyne　motioned　them　in　and　the　man　in　the　lead…tall　and　bony　with　black；　ferretlike　eyes…began　to　talk　in　an　excited　voice；　gesturing　with　his　large　hands　toward　the　sea。　He　talked　on　for　a　full　minute　before　Cheyne　spoke；　and　then　the　man　answered　a　question　Cheyne　had　posed。
　　Moore　was　watching　Cheyne's　face；　he　could　see　a　coldness　creeping　across　it　from　the　chin　upward；　first　tensing　the　jaws；　then　drawing　the　lips　tight；　flaring　the　thick　nostrils；　settling　in　the　eyes　like　circles　of　frozen　steel。　But　in　the　eyes　also；　very　deep；　there　was　a　flash　of　something　he　recognized　because　he　had　seen　it　before；　in　his　own　mirrored　gaze：　a　powerful；　soul…aching　fear。　Then　it　passed；　and　Cheyne　found　his　stern　mask　again。　He　seemed　to　be　giving　the　men　some　kind　of　instructions。　They　listened　intently。
　　When　he'd　finished　the　two　men　returned　into　the　night。　Cheyne　stood　watching　them　go；　and　then　he　rebolted　the　door。　〃OUA！〃　the　old　woman　shouted　wildly。　〃NO！〃　She　shook　her　head　from　side　to　side　and　the　younger　woman　left　Jana　to　try　to　calm　her。　At　the　back　of　the　house；　a　baby　began　to　cry。
　　〃What　is　it？〃　Moore　asked　him。
　　Cheyne　reached　out　and　took　the　shotgun　from　Moore's　grasp。　〃You　will　not　need　this。　They're　gone。〃
　　〃How？〃
　　〃They've　taken　their　boat；〃　Cheyne　said；　〃and　left　Coquina。〃
　　At　once　Jana　was　on　her　feet。　〃That　can't　be！〃
　　〃Those　men　saw　the　boat　move　around　the　point　and　disappear　into　the　northwest。〃
　　Moore　shook　his　head；　his　shoulder　burning；　his　mind　whirling　with　the　horrifying　events　of　the　night。
　　〃It　can't　be！〃　Jana　said　forcefully。　She　looked　over　at　Moore；　her　gaze　helpless；　almost　childlike。
　　Moore　slowly　let　himself　sink　back　into　the　chair。　He　felt　the　Carib　watching　him。　〃We　helped　them；〃　he　said　wearily。　〃God　save　us；　we　helped　them　repair　their　boat。　We　put　them　in　the　boatyard；　gave　them　access　to　fuel　and　oil　and　tools。　And　all　along；　while　we　were　sleeping；　they　were　piecing　that　terrible　machine　back　together…and　we　never　knew。　God。。。　we　never　knew。。。〃
　　〃Now　listen　to　me！〃　Jana　said；　rallying　suddenly。　〃Even　if　they　have　worked　on　the　diesels　and　replaced　enough　of　the　battery　cells；　they　can't　be　getting　but　a　fraction　of　their　former　power　out　of　those　old　engines！　I　don't　care　what　sort　of　equipment　they　had；　they　couldn't　have　repaired　all　of　the　systems！　Their　steering　will　be　sluggish；　they'll　be　slowed　to　a　crawl　and　forced　to　keep　to　the　surface！〃
　　〃You　said　the　systems　were　duplicated；〃　Moore　reminded　her。　〃One　operated　by　machinery。　One　by　hand。〃
　　〃No！〃　She　looked　from　Moore　to　Cheyne；　back　to　Moore。　〃They　may　have　gotten　the　skeleton　moving　and　maybe　a　portion　of　the　brain　working；　but　the　veins　and　nerves　are　still　dead！〃
　　〃Can　you　be　certain　of　that？　What　about　their　torpedoes；　their　deck　gun？　And　that　damned　boat　itself；　with　its　blade　of　a　bow；　could　batter　a　hole　through　a　timber…hulled　freighter。。。！〃
　　Jana　was　silent；　trying　to　piece　together　what　he　was　saying。　〃No。　What　you're　thinking　is。。。　madness。　This　isn't　1942。。。　this　isn't　World　War　II。。。〃
　　〃To　them　it　is；〃　Moore　said。　〃If　they're　moving　northwest　they　may　be　going　back　toward　Jamaica。　And　there　are　shipping　lanes　between　here　and　there。　Lanes　that　they　may　have　prowled　forty　years　ago。　They're　bound　to　have　known　the　charts　and　how　to　reach　the　lanes　from　here。。。〃
　　〃God！〃　Jana　whispered。　〃What's　kept　them。。。　alive　after　more　than　forty　years　underwater？　What　sort　of　things　have　they　bee？〃
　　The　baby's　crying　was　louder；　the　Carib　woman　left　the　room；　went　back　through　a　doorway；　and　returned　holding　a　black…haired　infant　cradled　in　her　arms。　The　baby　groped　for　a　breast；　and　she　unbuttoned　her　blouse　to　let　it　suck　from　a　nipple。　She　kept　her　eyes　fixed　on　Cheyne's　back；　as　he　stood　at　the　window。
　　〃You　can　go　back　to　your　village　now；〃　Cheyne　said　after　a　long　silence。　〃It's　safe。〃
　　〃They　may　still　need　your　help；〃　Moore　told　him。
　　〃No。　I　have　no　time　to　waste　on　them。〃　He　turned　and　spoke　to　the　young　woman；　whose　face　was　taut　with　apprehension。　The　woman　struggled　to　rise；　her　arms　trembling　with　the　effort；　and　Cheyne　crossed　the　room　to　her。　He　whispered　gently　and　stroked　her　hair　while　she　muttered　pleadingly；　clutching　at　his　arm；　holding　the　child　close　to　her　body。　He　looked　into　Moore's　face。　〃I　say　go　back　to　your　own　kind。〃
　　Moore　rose　and　took　a　single　step　toward　him。　There　was　a　fierceness　in　Cheyne's　face　that　made　him　the　living　duplicate　of　that　hand…hewn　tribal　mask。　In　the　light　of　a　nearby　lamp　the　scars　seemed　only　the　exterior　wounds　of　something　that　had　mauled　his　soul。　〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃
　　〃It's　no　concern　of　yours。　Now　leave；　both　of　you！〃
　　Tears　had　begun　to　stream　along　the　old　woman's　face。
　　Moore's　voice　was　unyielding。　〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃
　　Cheyne　continued　to　stroke　the　woman's　hair。　When　he　looked　again　at　the　white　man　his　jaw　was　set　and　firm；　the　eyes　shotgun　barrels。
　　〃I'm　going　after　the　Héhué；〃　Cheyne　said。　〃And　I'm　going　to　destroy　it。〃
　　　
　　　Twenty…three
　　
　　MOORE　WAS　SILENT　under　the　Carib's　powerful　stare。　Overhead　a　crack　of　thunder　shrilled　through　the　sky　like　a　shell；　burning　it　blood…red。
　　〃How？〃　Jana　asked。　〃With　a　shotgun；　or　a　knife？　You　don't　know　what　you're　dealing　with！　If　you're　planning　to　sink　it　you'd　better　find　yourself　an　armor…piercing　projectile　and　some　heavy　artillery；　or　a　bomb；　or　a　limpet　mine。。。！〃
　　Cheyne　turned　his　attention　to　her；　moving　past　the　old　woman；　he　came　to　her　side　and　scowled　down　at　her。　〃If　need　be；　yes；　I'll　fight　it　with　a　blade。　I'll　rip　those　plates　open　with　my　bare　hands。　It　has　a　debt　to　pay　me。。。〃…his　hand　came　up；　the　callused　fingers　touching　the　terrible　plain　of　scars…〃。。。here　and　within。〃　He　held　his　hand　over　his　heart　and　glanced　at　Moore。　〃What's　to　prevent　it　from　returning　here；　where　they　realize　they　can　find　fuel。。。　and　food？　What　will　prevent　it　from　entering　those　sea　lanes　and　churning　blood　all　the　way　from　here　to　Kingston？〃
　　〃I've　got　to　think；〃　Jana　said；　pacing　the　room。　〃Now　they　can't　have　stored　enough　diesel　fuel　for　a　long　voyage；　and　they　can't　be　moving　very　quickly；　not　with　the　sea　running　high。〃
　　〃If　the　boat　is　headed　for　the　lanes；　the　nearest　route　from　here　is　between　Big　Danny　Cay　and　Jacob's　Teeth。　And　if　I　reach　them　in　time　I　can　force　the　boat　across　the　reefs　and　rip　its　hull　open；〃　Cheyne　told　her。
　　〃No。　We　can　use　the　wireless　here　to　reach　the　Coast　Guard；〃　Jana　said。　〃They　can　stop　it　before。。。〃
　　〃Now　you're　talking　nonsense。　Do　you　think　they'd　listen　for　one　minute　to　what　you'd　have　to　say？　And　by　then　the　bastard　would　have　made　it　through　the　passage；　and　it　would　be　lost　to　me。　No！　It's　mine；　damn　it！　I've　waited