pdouglas.thecodex-第21节

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aguardiente。
　Vernon　hunched　over；　swaying　and　hugging　himself。　It　wasn't　quite　dark；　night　seemed　to　be　ing　very　slowly。　There　was　no　sunset　in　the　swamp：　The　light　went　from　green　to　blue　to　purple　and　then　black。　At　dawn　it　was　reversed。　Even　on　sunny　days　there　was　no　sun；　just　a　deep　green　gloom。　He　felt　desperate　for　a　bit　of　light；　a　breath　of　fresh　air。
　After　four　days　of　wandering　in　the　swamp；　their　guides　had　finally　admitted　that　they　were　lost；　that　they　had　to　turn　around。　And　they　had　turned　the　boats　around。　But　they　only　seemed　to　go　deeper　into　the　swamp。　This　certainly　wasn't　the　way　they　had　e。　The　guides　were　impossible　to　talk　to；　although　Vernon　spoke　Spanish　fairly　well　and　the　guides　knew　some　English；　they　were　often　too　drunk　to　speak　any　language。　For　the　past　few　days；　the　more　lost　they　seemed　to　bee；　the　more　loudly　the　guides　denied　it　and　the　more　they　drank。　And　then　the　Teacher　had　gotten　sick。
　Vernon　heard　a　curse　from　up　front。　One　of　the　guides　threw　down　his　cards　and　staggered　to　his　feet；　rifle　in　hand。　The　boat　rocked。
　〃Cabrón！〃　The　other　one　had　swayed　to　his　feet；　gripping　a　machete。
　〃Stop；〃　Vernon　yelled；　but　as　usual　they　ignored　him。　They　cursed　and　came　together　in　a　drunken　scuffle；　the　rifle　went　off　harmlessly；　there　was　more　grunting　and　scuffling；　and　then　the　two　guides；　none　the　worse　for　their　altercation；　settled　back　down　in　the　boat；　gathered　up　their　spilled　cards；　and　redealt　as　if　nothing　had　happened。
　〃What　was　that　shot？〃　the　Teacher　asked　belatedly；　opening　his　eyes。
　〃Nothing；〃　said　Vernon。　〃They're　drinking　again。〃
　The　Teacher　shivered；　drawing　the　blanket　tighter。　〃You　should　take　away　that　gun。〃
　Vernon　said　nothing。　It　would　be　stupid　to　try　to　take　away　their　gun；　even　when　they　were　drunk。　Especially　when　they　were　drunk。
　〃The　mosquitoes；〃　the　Teacher　whispered；　his　voice　quavering。
　Vernon　squirted　some　more　deet　into　his　hands　and　gently　smoothed　it　over　the　Teacher's　face　and　around　his　neck。　The　Teacher　sighed　with　relief；　gave　a　quick　shiver；　and　closed　his　eyes。
　Vernon　pulled　his　wet　shirt　about　himself；　feeling　the　heavy　rain　on　his　back；　listening　to　the　sounds　of　the　forest；　the　alien　cries　of　mating　and　violence。　He　thought　about　death。　It　seemed　that　the　question　he　had　been　seeking　an　answer　to　all　his　life　was　about　to　be　answered　for　him；　in　an　unexpected　and　quite　horrifying　way。
　
　20
　
　For　two　days；　a　deep　and　protective　cloak　of　mist　lay　on　the　river。　Tom　and　Sally　poled　upstream；　following　winding　side　channels　and　keeping　a　strict　policy　of　silence。　They　traveled　day　and　night；　taking　turns　sleeping。　They　had　little　to　eat　except　Sally's　two　candy　bars；　which　they　rationed；　bit　by　bit；　and　some　fruit　Sally　collected　on　the　way。　They　saw　no　sign　of　the　soldiers　pursuing　them。　Tom　began　to　hope　that　they　had　given　up　and　gone　back　to　Brus；　or　had　gotten　hung　up　somewhere。　The　river　was　riddled　with　sandbars；　mudbanks；　and　sunken　logs　to　hang　up　a　boat。　Waono　had　been　right。
　The　morning　of　the　third　day　the　mists　began　to　lift；　exposing　two　dripping　walls　of　jungle　lining　the　blackwater　river。　Shortly　thereafter；　they　spied　a　house　on　stilts　built　over　the　water；　with　wattle　walls　and　a　thatched　roof。　Beyond　that　a　riverbank　appeared；　with　granite　boulders　and　a　steep　embankment…the　first　dry　land　they　had　seen　in　days。　A　dock　appeared　at　the　water's　edge　like　the　one　at　Brus…a　rickety　platform　of　bamboo　poles　lashed　to　slender　tree　trunks　sunk　in　the　muck。
　〃What　do　you　think？〃　Tom　asked。　〃Should　we　stop？〃
　Sally　stood　up。　A　boy　was　fishing　from　a　platform　with　a　small　bow　and　arrow。
　〃Pito　Solo？〃
　But　the　boy　had　seen　them　and　was　already　running　away；　abandoning　his　rod。
　〃Let's　give　it　a　try；〃　said　Tom。　〃If　we　don't　get　something　to　eat；　we're　finished。〃　He　poled　into　the　dock。
　Sally　and　Tom　jumped　out；　and　the　platform　creaked　and　swayed　alarmingly。　Beyond；　a　rickety　gangplank　led　to　a　steep　dirt　bank；　which　rose　out　of　the　flooded　jungle。　There　was　nobody　to　be　seen。　They　scrambled　up　the　slippery　embankment；　slipping　and　sliding　in　the　mud。　Everything　was　soaking　wet。　At　the　top　was　a　small　open　hut　and　a　fire；　with　an　old　man　sitting　in　a　hammock。　An　animal　was　roasting　on　a　spit　of　wood。　Tom　eyed　it；　smelling　the　delicious　aroma　of　roasting　meat。　His　appetite　was　tempered　only　slightly　when　he　realized　it　was　a　monkey。
　〃Hola；〃　said　Sally。
　〃Hola；〃　said　the　man。
　Sally　spoke　in　Spanish。　〃Is　this　Pito　Solo？〃
　There　was　a　long　silence　while　the　man　looked　at　her　blankly。
　〃He　doesn't　speak　Spanish；〃　said　Tom。
　〃Which　way　is　the　town？　Donde？　Where？〃
　The　man　pointed　into　the　mist。　There　was　the　sharp　Cry　of　an　animal；　and　Tom　jumped。
　〃There's　a　trail　here；〃　Sally　said。
　They　started　up　the　trail　and　soon　came　to　the　town。　It　sat　on　a　rise　above　the　flooded　rainforest；　a　motley　collection　of　wattle…and…daub　huts　with　roofs　of　tin　or　thatch。　Chickens　strutted　away　from　them；　and　skinny　dogs　slunk　along　the　walls　of　the　houses；　eyeing　them　sideways。　They　wandered　through　the　village；　which　seemed　deserted。　It　ended　as　quickly　as　it　began　in　a　wall　of　solid　jungle。
　Sally　looked　at　him。　〃What　now？〃
　〃We　knock。〃　Tom　picked　a　door　at　random；　knocked。
　Silence。
　Tom　heard　a　rustle　and　looked　around。　At　first　he　saw　nothing；　and　then　he　realized　that　a　hundred　dark　eyes　were　peering　at　him　from　the　jungle　foliage。　They　were　all　children。
　〃I　wish　I　had　my　candy；〃　Sally　said。
　〃Take　out　a　dollar。〃
　Sally　removed　a　dollar。　〃Hello？　Who　wants　an　American　dollar？〃
　A　shout　went　up；　and　a　hundred　children　burst　from　the　foliage；　shouting　and　jostling；　their　hands　extended。
　〃Who　speaks　Spanish？〃　asked　Sally；　holding　up　the　dollar。
　Everyone　shouted　at　once　in　Spanish。　Out　of　the　hubbub　an　older　girl　stepped　forward。　〃Can　I　help　you？〃　she　said；　with　great　poise　and　dignity。　She　looked　about　thirteen　and　was　pretty；　wearing　a　tie…dyed　T…shirt；　a　pair　of　shorts；　and　two　gold　earrings。　Thick　brown　braids　went　down　her　back。
　Sally　gave　her　the　dollar。　A　great　ahhh　of　disappointment　went　up　from　the　group；　but　they　seemed　to　take　it　with　good　humor。　The　ice；　at　least；　was　broken。
　〃What　is　your　name？〃
　〃Marisol。〃
　〃That's　a　nice　name。〃
　The　girl　smiled。
　〃We　are　looking　for　Don　Orlando　Ocotal。　Can　you　take　us　to　him？〃
　〃He　went　away　with　the　yanquis　more　than　a　week　ago。〃
　〃Which　yanquis！〃
　〃The　tall　angry　gringo　with　the　bites　all　over　his　face　and　the　smiling　one　with　the　gold　rings　on　his　fingers。〃
　Tom　swore　and　looked　at　Sally。　〃Sounds　like　Philip　got　our　guide　first。〃　He　turned　back　to　the　girl。　〃Did　they　say　where　they　were　going？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Are　there　any　grown…ups　in　town？　We're　going　upriver　and　we　need　a　guide。〃
　The　girl　said；　〃I　will　take　you　to　my　grandfather；　Don　Alfonso　Boswas；　who　is　the　head　of　the　village。　He　knows　everything。〃
　They　followed　her。　She　had　about　her　an　air　of　self…possession　and　petence；　reinforced　by　her　straight　posture。　As　they　passed　among　the　crooked　huts；　there　was　a　smell　of　cooking　that　made　Tom　almost　faint　with　hunger。　The　girl　led　them　to　what　looked　like　the　worst　hut　in　the　village；　a　leaning　pile　of　sticks　with　almost　no　mud　remaining　in　the　cracks。　It　was　built　next　to　a　muddy　expanse　that　served　as　the　town　plaza。　In　the　middle　of　the　plaza　stood　a　bedraggled　cluster　of　lemon　and　banana　trees。
　The　girl　stood　aside　at　the　door；　and　they　stepped　inside。　An　old　man　sat　in　the　center　of　the　hut；　on　a　stool　too　low　for　him；　his　bony　knees　sticking　out　of　the　great　holes　in　his　pants；　a　few　wisps　of　white　hair　ing　off　his　balding　skull　in　random　directions。　He　was　smoking　a　corncob　pipe；　which　had　filled　the　hut　with　a　tarry　smell。　A　machete　lay　on　the　ground　next　to　him。　He　was　small　and　wore　glasses　that　magnified　his　eyes；　giving　him　a　wide…eyed　look　of　surprise。　It　was　impossible　to　imagine　he　was　the　chief　of　the　village；　he　looked；　instead；　like　the　village's　poorest　man。
　〃Don　Alfonso　Boswas？〃　Tom　asked。
　〃Who？〃　The　old　man　cried；　picking　up　the　machete　and　waving　it　about。　〃Boswas？　That　scoundrel？　He's　gone。　They　ran　him　out　of　town　long　ago。　That　good…for…nothing　was　living　too　long；　and　he　just　sat　and　smoked　his　pipe　all　day　and　looked　at　the　girls　passing　his　hut。〃
　Tom　stared　at　the　man　in　surprise；　then　turned　to　look　for　the　girl。　She　stood　in　the　doorway；　suppressing　a　giggle。
　The　old　man　laid　down　the　machete　and　laughed。　〃e　in；　e　in。　I　am　Don　Alfonso　Boswas。　Sit　down。　I'm　just　an　old　man　who　likes　to　tell　a　joke。　I　have　twenty　grandchildren　and　sixty　great…grandchildren；　and　they　never　e　to　visit　me；　so　I　must　tell　jokes　to　strangers。〃　He　spoke　a　curiously　formal；　old…fashioned　Spanish；　using　the　usted　form。
　Tom　and　Sally　took　two　rickety　stools。　〃I'm　Tom　Broadbent；〃　he　said；　〃and　this　is　Sally　Colorado。〃
　The　old　man　stood；　bowed　formally；　and　reseated　himself。
　〃We're　looking　for　a　guide　to　go　upriver。〃
　〃Humph；〃　he　said。　〃All　of　a　sudden　these　yanquis　are　all　crazy　to　go　upriver　and　get　lost　in　the　Meambar　Swamp　to　be　eaten　by　anacondas。　Why？〃
　Tom　hesitated；　nonplussed　by　the　unexpected　question。
　〃We're　trying　to　find　his　father；〃　said　Sally。　〃Maxwell