mreilly.icestation-第78部分

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　In　any　case；　the　Wilkes　Ice　Station　story　ran　for　six　whole　weeks　before　it　was　forgotten。　
　
　A　few　days　after　the　Wasp　returned；　the　NATO　conference　in　Washington；　D。C。　concluded。　
　Every　TV　and　newspaper　article　on　the　event　showed　the　smiling　faces　of　the　American；　British；　and　French　delegates　standing　on　the　steps　of　the　Capitol　Building；　shaking　hands　in　front　of　their　interwoven　flags；　smiling　for　the　cameras；　and　proclaiming　that　the　NATO　alliance　would　continue　for　another　twenty　years。　
　The　French　representative；　Monsieur　Pierre　Dufresne；　was　quoted　as　saying；　〃This　is　the　strongest　treaty　on　earth。〃　When　asked　where　this　strength　emanated　from；　Dufresne　said；　〃Our　genuine　friendship　is　our　bond。〃　
　
　In　a　private　room　at　the　Naval　Hospital　at　Pearl　Harbor；　Libby　Gant　lay　in　a　bed　with　her　eyes　closed。　A　soft　beam　of　sunlight　filtered　in　through　the　room's　window　and　draped　itself　across　her　bed。　Gant　was　still　in　a　a。　
　〃Libby？　Libby？〃　a　woman's　voice　said；　invading　her　consciousness。　
　Slowly；　Gant's　eyes　opened；　and　she　saw　her　sister；　Denise；　standing　above　her。　
　Denise　smiled。　〃Well；　hey　there；　sleepyhead。〃　
　Gant　struggled　to　open　her　eyes。　When　she　did；　she　just　said；　〃Hey。〃　
　Denise　offered　Gant　a　crooked　smile。　〃You　have　a　visitor。〃　
　〃What？〃　Gant　said。　
　Denise　cocked　her　head　to　the　left。　Gant　looked　over　that　way　and　saw　Schofield；　slumped　in　the　guest's　chair　by　the　window；　fast　asleep。　
　He　had　a　pair　of　silver　Oakley　sunglasses　perched　on　top　of　his　head。　His　eyes…and　the　two　scars　that　cut　down　across　them…were　there　for　all　the　world　to　see。　
　Denise　whispered；　〃He's　been　here　ever　since　they　fixed　his　rib。　Wouldn't　leave　until　you　woke　up。　He　gave　one　interview　to　the　Washington　Post　and　told　the　rest　of　them　to　e　back　after　you　woke　up。〃　
　Gant　just　looked　at　Schofield；　asleep　under　the　window。　And　she　smiled。　
　
　
　EPILOGUE　
　
　Near　Isla　Santa　Ines；　Chile　
　30　November　
　
　It　was　a　small　island；　one　of　the　many　hundreds　to　the　south　of　the　Straits　of　Magellan；　at　the　bottom　of　Chile；　at　the　bottom　of　South　America；　at　the　bottom　of　the　world。　
　Barely　five　hundred　miles　south　of　the　island　lay　the　South　Shetland　Islands　and　Antarctica。　This　small　island　was　the　closest　one　got　to　Antarctica　without　actually　being　there。　
　The　boy's　name　was　José　and　he　lived　in　a　small　fishing　village　on　the　west　coast　of　the　island。　The　village　lay　on　the　edge　of　the　bay　that　the　old　women　called　La　Bahia　de　la　Aguila　Plata；　〃the　Bay　of　the　Silver　Eagle。〃　
　Local　lore　said　that　many　years　ago；　a　great　big　silver　bird；　with　a　tail　of　fire　trailing　behind　it；　flew　into　the　sea　just　outside　the　bay。　The　bird；　the　women　said；　had　offended　God　with　its　speed　and　its　beauty；　and　so　God　had　set　it　alight　and　cast　it　into　the　sea。　
　José　didn't　believe　such　stories。　He　was　ten　now；　and　he　knew　better。　For　instance；　he　knew　that　the　great　silver　bird　that　the　women　spoke　of　was　in　all　likelihood　an　airplane　of　some　sort　that　had　crashed　into　the　sea。　
　In　any　case；　today　was　diving　day　and　José　planned　to　dive　for　oysters　and　hopefully　sell　them　to　his　father　for　pocket　money。　
　The　small　boy　dived　into　the　sea　and　swam　downward。　At　this　time　of　the　afternoon；　the　ocean　currents　were　ing　in　toward　the　island。　José　hoped　they　would　bring　the　oysters　with　them。　
　He　came　to　the　bottom　and　quickly　found　his　first　oyster　of　the　day；　but　he　also　found　something　else。　
　A　small　piece　of　plastic。　
　Jose　grabbed　the　piece　of　plastic　and　headed　back　up　to　the　surface。　When　he　broke　the　surface；　he　peered　at　the　strange　object　in　his　hand。　It　was　rectangular　in　shape　and　quite　small。　It　was　heavily　faded；　but　José　could　read　the　name　engraved　on　it：　
　NIEMEYER。　
　José　frowned　at　the　name　badge。　Then　he　threw　the　worthless　piece　of　plastic　away　and　resumed　his　search　for　oysters。　
　The　End　



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