pdouglas.thecodex-第39节

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ced　the　air　being　brighter。　It　seemed　to　smell　different；　carrying　a　faint　odor　of　perfume。　And　then；　quite　suddenly；　they　walked　out　of　the　mist　and　into　the　sunlight。　Tom　paused；　astonished。　They　were　now　looking　out　over　a　sea　of　white。　On　the　puffy　horizon　the　sun　was　sinking　into　an　orange　sea　of　fire。　The　forest　was　draped　with　brilliant　flowers。
　〃We're　above　the　clouds；〃　cried　Sally。
　〃We　will　camp　at　the　top；〃　said　Don　Alfonso；　striking　off　with　a　newly　invigorated　step。
　The　trail　crested　the　ridge　in　a　broad　meadow　filled　with　wildflowers；　rippled　by　a　breeze；　and　all　of　a　sudden　they　were　at　the　summit；　looking　northwest　over　a　rolling　ocean　of　clouds。　Fifty　miles　distant　Tom　could　see　a　line　of　sharp　blue　peaks　breaking　through　the　clouds；　like　a　chain　of　islands　in　the　sky。
　〃The　Sierra　Azul；〃　said　Don　Alfonso；　in　a　small；　queer　voice。
　
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　Lewis　Skiba　stared　into　the　flickering　fire；　losing　himself　in　the　shifting　colors。　He　had　done　nothing　all　day；　answered　no　phones；　taken　no　meetings；　written　no　memos。　All　he　could　think　of　was　Had　Hauser　done　it？　Had　Hauser　made　him　a　murderer　yet？　He　held　his　head　and　thought　back　to　the　ivy…covered　buildings　of　Wharton；　the　heady　sense　of　possibility　of　those　early　days。　The　whole　world　was　there；　ahead　of　him；　ripe　for　the　plucking。　And　now　。。。　He　reminded　himself　that　he　had　brought　jobs　and　opportunity　to　thousands；　that　he　had　grown　his　pany　and　made　drugs　that　cured　people　of　terrible　diseases　and　sicknesses。　He　had　three　fine　sons。　Yet　for　the　past　week　the　first　thought　that　came　into　his　mind　when　he　woke　up　was　I　am　a　murderer。　He　wanted　to　take　back　his　words。　Except　that　he　couldn't：　Hauser　hadn't　called；　and　he　had　no　way　of　contacting　him。
　Why　had　he　told　Hauser　to　do　it？　Why　had　he　allowed　himself　to　be　bullied？　Skiba　tried　to　tell　himself　that　Hauser　would　have　done　it　anyway；　that　he　himself　had　not　caused　anyone's　death；　that　maybe　it　was　just　big　talk。　There　were　people　like　that　who　liked　to　talk　violence；　brag　about　their　guns；　that　sort　of　thing。　Sick　people。　Hauser　might　be　one　of　those；　all　talk　and　no　action。
　The　inter　buzzed；　and　with　a　shaking　hand　he　pressed　the　button。
　〃Mr。　Fenner　from　Dixon　Asset　Management　for　his　two　o'clock。〃
　Skiba　swallowed。　This　was　the　one　meeting　he　couldn't　miss。　〃Send　him　in。〃
　Fenner　looked　like　most　of　the　other　stock　analysts　of　his　acquaintance；　small；　dry；　emanating　overweening　self…confidence。　That　was　the　key　to　his　success：　Fenner　was　a　guy　you　just　wanted　to　believe。　Skiba　had　done　a　lot　of　little　favors　for　Fenner；　tipped　some　hot　IPOs　his　way；　helped　get　his　kids　into　an　exclusive　Manhattan　private　school；　given　a　couple　of　hundred　thousand　to　his　wife's　favorite　charity。　In　return；　Fenner　had　been　calling　Lampe　stock　a　〃buy〃　all　the　way　down；　leading　his　hapless　clients　to　the　manure　pile　and　shoving　them　in　head　first…all　the　while　making　millions　himself。　In　short；　he　was　a　typical　successful　analyst。
　〃How　are　you；　Lewis？〃　said　Fenner；　taking　a　seat　by　the　fire。　〃This　can't　be　much　fun。〃
　〃It　isn't；　Stan。〃
　〃I　don't　want　to　bandy　civilities　at　a　time　like　this。　We've　known　each　other　for　too　long。　I　want　you　to　give　me　one　reason　why　I　should　advise　my　clients　to　keep　holding　Lampe。　I　just　need　one　good　reason。〃
　Skiba　swallowed。　〃Can　I　offer　you　anything；　Stan？　Mineral　water？　Sherry？〃
　Fenner　shook　his　head。　〃The　investment　mittee　is　going　to　override　me。　It's　fire…sale　time。　They're　spooked　and；　frankly；　so　am　I。　I　trusted　you；　Skiba。〃
　What　a　crock。　Fenner　had　known　the　pany's　real　picture　for　months。　He　was　just　too　tempted　by　all　the　tidbits　Skiba　was　tossing　his　way　and　by　the　investment　banking　business　Lampe　gave　Dixon。　Greedy　bastard。　On　the　other　hand；　if　Dixon　went　from　〃buy〃　to　〃hold〃　or　〃sell；〃　that　would　finish　Lampe。　It　would　be　Chapter　11。
　He　coughed；　cleared　his　throat。　He　couldn't　quite　manage　to　get　a　word　out；　and　he　coughed　again　to　cover　his　paralysis。
　Fenner　waited。
　Finally　Skiba　spoke。　〃Stan；　there　is　something　I　can　give　you。〃
　Fenner　tilted　his　head　ever　so　slightly。
　〃It's　privileged；　it's　confidential；　and　if　you　act　on　it　it'd　be　a　clear　case　of　insider　trading。〃
　〃It's　only　insider　trading　if　you　trade。　I'm　looking　for　a　reason　not　to。　I've　got　my　clients　up　to　their　necks　in　Lampe　stock；　and　I　need　to　give　them　a　reason　to　sit　tight。〃
　Skiba　took　a　deep　breath。　〃Lampe　is　going　to　announce；　in　the　next　few　weeks；　the　acquisition　of　a　two…thousand…page　manuscript；　a　unique　copy；　piled　by　the　ancient　Mayan　Indians。　This　manuscript　lists　every　plant　and　animal　in　the　tropical　rainforest　with　medically　active　properties；　along　with　prescriptions　on　how　to　extract　the　active　ingredients；　dosages；　side　effects。　The　manuscript　represents　the　sum　total　of　ancient　Mayan　medical　knowledge；　refined　over　thousands　of　years　from　living　in　the　richest　pocket　of　biodiversity　on　the　planet。　Lampe　will　own　it；　lock；　stock；　and　barrel。　It　will　e　to　us　free　and　clear；　without　royalty　deals；　partnerships；　litigation；　or　encumbrances。〃
　He　stopped。　Fenner's　expression　had　not　changed。　If　he　was　thinking；　it　didn't　show　on　his　face。
　〃When　will　you　announce　this？　Can　I　have　a　date？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃How　certain　is　it？〃
　〃Very。〃
　The　lie　was　easy。　The　Codex　was　their　only　hope；　and　if　it　fell　through　nothing　else　would　matter　anyway。
　A　long　silence。　Fenner　allowed　something　that　might　have　been　a　smile　to　form　on　the　fine；　astringent　features　of　his　face。　He　collected　his　briefcase　and　rose。　〃I　thank　you；　Lewis。　You　take　my　breath　away。〃
　Skiba　nodded　and　watched　Fenner　make　his　small；　careful　way　out　of　the　office。
　If　only　he　knew。
　
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　As　they　came　down　from　the　mountains；　the　rainforest　changed。　The　terrain　was　extremely　rough；　a　landscape　cut　by　deep　ravines　and　torrential　rivers；　with　high　ridges　in　between。　They　continued　following　the　animal　trail；　but　it　was　so　overgrown　that　they　had　to　take　turns　hacking　their　way　forward。　They　slipped　and　fell　going　up　the　steep　muddy　trails　and　slid　and　fell　going　back　down。
　For　days　they　struggled　forward。　There　wasn't　a　level　place　to　camp；　and　they　were　forced　to　sleep　on　slopes；　hammocks　strung　between　trees；　sleeping　all　night　in　the　rain。　In　the　mornings　the　jungle　was　dark　and　foggy。　In　a　hard　day's　travel　they　might　make　five　miles；　and　by　the　end　of　each　day　they　were　all　brutally　exhausted。　The　hunting　was　almost　nonexistent。　They　never　had　enough　to　eat。　Tom　had　never　been　so　hungry　in　his　life。　At　night　he　dreamed　of　T…bone　steaks　and　french　fried　potatoes；　and　by　day　he　thought　of　ice　cream　and　buttered　lobsters；　and　all　they　talked　about　around　the　campfire　at　night　was　food。
　The　days　began　to　run　together。　Not　once　did　the　rain　stop　or　the　mists　lift。　Their　hammocks　rotted　and　had　to　be　rewoven；　their　clothes　began　to　fall　apart；　chiggers　infested　their　clothing　and　dug　into　their　skin；　and　the　stitches　of　their　shoes　unraveled。　They　had　no　change　of　clothes；　and　the　jungle　would　soon　reduce　them　to　nakedness。　Their　bodies　were　covered　with　stings；　bites；　scrapes；　cuts；　scabs；　and　sores。　On　one　climb　out　of　a　ravine　Vernon　slipped　and　grasped　a　bush　to　arrest　his　fall；　causing　a　shower　of　fire　ants　to　cascade　over　him；　they　bit　him　so　viciously　that　he　ran　a　fever　for　twenty…four　hours　and　could　barely　walk。
　The　only　redeeming　quality　of　the　rainforest　was　its　plant　life。　Sally　found　a　wealth　of　medicinal　plants　and　was　able　to　concoct　an　herbal　ointment　from　them　that　worked　wonders　with　bug　bites；　rashes；　and　fungal　infections。　They　drank　a　tea　she　made　that　she　claimed　was　an　antidepressant；　but　it　didn't　keep　them　from　feeling　depressed。
　And　always；　at　night　and　even　during　the　day；　they　could　hear　the　coughing　and　prowling　of　the　jaguar。　No　one　spoke　about　it…Don　Alfonso　had　forbidden　it…but　it　was　never　far　from　Tom's　mind。　Surely　there　were　other　animals　for　it　to　eat　in　the　forest。　What　did　it　want？　Why　did　it　follow　and　never　strike？
　On　the　fourth　or　fifth　night…Tom　had　begun　to　lose　count…they　camped　atop　a　ridge；　wedged　among　massive　rotting　tree　trunks。　It　had　rained；　and　steam　rose　from　the　ground。　They　ate　an　early　dinner…a　boiled　lizard　with　matta　root。　After　dinner　Sally　stood　up　with　the　gun。
　〃Jaguar　or　no　jaguar；　I'm　going　hunting。〃
　〃I'm　ing；〃　Tom　said。
　They　followed　a　small　stream　downhill　from　camp；　through　a　ravine。　The　day　was　gray；　and　the　forest　around　them　was　limp　and　bedraggled；　the　vegetation　steaming。　The　sound　of　dripping　water　mingled　with　the　hollow　calls　of　birds。
　For　half　an　hour　they　picked　their　way　down　the　ravine；　over　mossy　boulders　and　tree　trunks；　until　they　reached　a　swift　stream。　They　moved　along　it；　Indian　file；　through　the　curling　mists。　Sally　moved　a　bit　like　a　cat　herself；　Tom　thought；　the　way　she　silently　insinuated　herself　through　the　understory。
　Sally　paused；　held　up　her　hand。　Slowly　she　raised　the　gun；　aimed；　and　fired。
　An　animal　thrashed　and　squealed　in　the　undergrowth；　the　sounds　quickly　subsiding。
　〃I　don't　know　what　it　was；　except　that　it　was　stout　and　furry。〃　In　the　bushes　they　found　the　animal；　lying　on　its　side；　its　four　legs　sticking　out　horizontally。
　〃Some　kind　of　pe