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dn't get enough air into his lungs。
〃It crushed Kephas。。。〃 Kip began。
〃Oui。 One of the women came for me。〃 Boniface regarded the two blacks。 〃You men； take his corpse to the church and leave it there。〃
Without hesitation they lifted up the canvas； holding it between them； and made their way toward Front Street。
〃Where did you find this thing； Moore？〃 Boniface asked； not looking at the man but at the boat。
〃On a ledge in the Abyss； about a hundred and fifty feet down； maybe a little more。〃
〃And what's to be done with it？〃
〃For the time being；〃 Kip said； 〃it's going to have to stay where it is。〃
Boniface whirled around to face the constable。 〃You must not。。。〃 the reverend said； the orb hanging around his neck glinting in the sun。 His eyes had a power which Kip had rarely seen before。 〃You must not allow it to stay in this harbor。 You must take it back over the Abyss； cut a hole in its hull and let it sink。 Do you understand what I'm saying？〃
〃No；〃 Kip responded； 〃I don't。〃
〃One man is dead；〃 the reverend said quietly。 〃Isn't that enough？〃
〃Just a minute；〃 Moore interrupted。 〃It was an accident。〃
〃Certainly；〃 Boniface said； with a hint of sarcasm in his voice。 〃Do as I say；〃 he ordered Kip。 〃Get it out of the harbor。 Where that thing goes there is much to fear。〃
〃That's voodoo talk！〃 Kip said disdainfully。 〃That's an old； dead machine out there。 I think it's right you're concerned； but。。。〃
〃Concerned？〃 A thin smile slithered； lizardlike； across the man's lips。 〃Concerned； oui。〃 He lifted up the eye so both men could see it； sunlight flashed； reflecting an arc of light。 〃This is my sight； my aché。 I have seen terrible things； and I ask you to do as I say。〃
〃I don't believe in your visions； Boniface；〃 Kip said。 〃Or your voodoo。〃
〃I don't ask you to believe！〃 The reverend's voice was sharp； and his words had meaning behind them he evidently could not divulge。 〃I ask you to be warned。 Everything the gods have created on this earth has a power。。。 including that machine。〃
〃No gods created it；〃 Moore said。 〃Men did。〃
Boniface nodded gravely。 〃And are men not guided by their gods； be it the god of peace or the god of war？〃 He stared into Moore's face for a moment and saw something there that disturbed him。 Then he turned to the constable。 〃All manner of things have their life forces； for good or for evil； and I am very familiar with the forces that rule that boat。〃
The man was openly talking voodoo now。 〃You speak of it as if you really thought it was alive。。。〃 Kip said impatiently。
〃Because I know！〃 Boniface hissed。 〃I remember。。。〃 He caught himself； looked away into the harbor。
〃Remember what？〃 Kip asked。
〃The fire；〃 Boniface said very quietly。
Kip had heard hushed mention of it since he'd been on Coquina。 It had happened during the war…a great blaze that had consumed most of the island's dwellings； sweeping out across the jungle and killing a score of people。 He'd tried to learn more； for the sake of curiosity； from Langstree at the boatyards and some of the other old…timers； but it was a subject no one wished to discuss freely。 〃What about the fire？〃
The sun was slowly filling in the shadows of the reverend's face； settling into the lines。 They were like wrinkles in an ancient piece of parchment。 He was silent for a long long while； and when he spoke it was with a genuine effort。
〃It began with a screaming in the sky； as if all the heavens were wailing； as if the night sky had gone mad。 At first it sounded distant。。。 very distant。。。 then louder and louder； cloaking the senses in noise and heat。 There was an explosion in the boatyard； and another and another； glass burst from windows and people were thrown to the ground by the blow of an invisible fist。 I remember； oui； I remember too well。 Something exploded among the fishermen's houses and the flames began there。 The wind whipped in； tossed sparks into the sky； scattered them through the jungle。 The strongest of us helped whomever we could to get away from the village； and we escaped to the sea in the few boats that were still moored to the broken wharfs。〃 He paused； his eyes bitter； his tongue darted out and licked his dry lower lip。
〃We could see the blossomings of the fires all along the beach and stretching toward the jungle。 The British had a few freighters and a patrol boat moored in the burning boatyard； and they were trying to get them out to the open sea； there was much shouting and screaming； and their patrol boat crew was firing at something beyond our boats。 At that time there were shore batteries…the big； ugly guns in their concrete bunkers…near the yard and built higher up on Coquina； their yellow tracks streaked across our heads into the distance。〃
He looked from Kip to Moore。 〃It was such a long time ago； you see； and the cruelty of it is that I recall every detail so clearly； so terrible and perfect。 We were all in the mire of a nightmare； jammed together in skiffs and sailing sloops。 There were many hysterical and wild； others trying to keep order as we watched our island burn。 Mon Dieu； there can be no worse torture than that！ Coquina was a mass of fire。 There was no fleeing； for those of us who had taken to the sea could still hear our brothers and sisters screaming on shore。 The heat touched our faces； we saw the bodies contorted in pain； racing into the surf where they only felt a worse pain as the salt hit their raw burns。 The wailing； the terrible wailing。。。 the night was full of it。 I can never forget it as long as I live。
〃And through the thick curtain of whirling smoke a noise reached us； more terrible even than that of human agony： It was a heavy pounding that made the ocean tremble。 The timbers of the boats shuddered under us。 We thought we would be capsized； and perish。 We waited； and then out of the smoke came a thing that could drive a man mad； haunt his sleep until he despaired of ever finding rest again。 One of the men aboard my skiff had a pistol and in his rage he fired at the thing； but there was no stopping nor slowing it。 The sea thundered around it。 Its great rolling bow…wave came under us； throwing our boat over； we clung to its upturned hull like rats。 The monstrous thing； all black and gleaming like a huge； hungry predator； passed just before us。
〃And that was when I saw the man。 He stood high up on a platform of some sort。 He stared at us for a moment and then he disappeared。 The boat…for I had realized it was such…passed on and then suddenly dropped away like a stone into the sea。 The waves rushed across it； and we sat stunned in the midst of the sea。 Still we could hear the terrible screams of the dying from Coquina。 We always had the fear that the monster might return。〃
Boniface raised his cane and pointed it like a rapier。 〃And that was the thing I saw。 The thing of iron and evil； it came from the night and returned into the night。〃
〃A sea…to…land shelling；〃 Moore said after a moment。 〃Then it was a German submarine after the island boatyards。〃 The thing looked wicked enough； like some sort of vengeful iron demon； Moore could understand why the islanders had feared it。
〃To us it wa