pdouglas.thecodex-第50节

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　Borabay　stared　at　him。　〃Who　telling　story；　brother；　you　or　me？〃
　〃Fine；　fine；　go　ahead。〃　Philip　waved　his　hand。
　〃This　man；　I　saying；　take　Tara　woman　to　be　wife。　That　woman　is　my　mother。〃
　〃He　married　your　mother？〃　Tom　said。
　〃Of　course　he　marry　my　mother；〃　Borabay　said。　〃How　else　we　be　brother；　brother？〃
　Tom　was　shocked　speechless　as　the　meaning　of　Borabay's　words　sank　in。　He　stared　at　Borabay；　really　looking　at　him　for　the　first　time。　His　gaze　took　in　the　painted　face；　the　tattoos；　the　pointed　teeth；　the　disks　in　his　ears…as　well　as　the　green　eyes；　the　tall　brow；　the　stubborn　set　of　the　lips；　the　finely　cut　cheekbones。　〃Oh　my　God；〃　he　breathed。
　〃What？〃　Vernon　asked。　〃Tom；　what　is　it？〃
　Tom　glanced　at　Philip　and　found　his　older　brother　equally　thunderstruck。　Philip　was　slowly　rising　to　his　feet；　staring　at　Borabay。
　Borabay　spoke；　〃Then　after　father　marry　mother；　mother　born　me。　I　name　Borabay；　after　Father。〃
　〃Borabay；〃　murmured　Philip；　and　then：　〃Broadbent。〃
　There　was　a　long　silence。
　〃Don't　you　see？　Borabay；　Broadbent…they're　the　same　name。〃
　〃You　mean　he's　our　brother？〃　Vernon　asked　wildly；　finally　getting　it。
　No　one　answered。　Philip；　now　on　his　feet；　took　a　step　toward　Borabay　and　leaned　over　to　gaze　into　his　face　from　close　range；　as　if　he　were　some　kind　of　freak。　Borabay　shifted；　took　the　pipe　out　of　his　mouth；　and　gave　a　nervous　laugh。　〃What　you　see；　brother？　Ghost？〃
　〃In　a　way；　yes。〃　He　reached　out　and　touched　his　face。
　Borabay　sat　calmly；　not　moving。
　〃My　God；〃　Philip　whispered。　〃You　are　our　brother。　You're　the　oldest　brother。　Good　lord；　I　wasn't　the　first　born。　I'm　the　second　son　and　I　never　knew　it。〃
　〃It's　what　I　say！　We　all　brother。　What　you　think　I　say　when　I　say　'brother'？　You　think　I　joke？〃
　〃We　didn't　think　you　meant　it　literally；〃　said　Tom。
　〃Why　you　think　I　save　your　lives？〃
　〃We　didn't　know。　You　seemed　to　be　a　saint。〃
　Borabay　laughed。　〃I；　saint？　You　funny；　brother！　We　all　brother。　We　all　have　same　father；　Masserai　Borabay。　You　Borabay；　I　Borabay；　we　all　Borabay。〃　He　thumped　his　chest。
　〃Broadbent。　The　name's　Broadbent；〃　corrected　Philip。
　〃Borabeyn。　I　no　speak　well。　You　understand　me。　I　been　Borabay　so　long　I　stay　Borabay。〃
　Sally's　laugh　suddenly　rose　up　into　the　sky。　She　was　on　her　feet　and　walking　in　a　circle　around　the　campfire。　〃As　if　we　didn't　already　have　enough　Broadbents　around　here！　Now　there's　another　one！　Four　of　them！　Is　the　world　ready？〃
　Vernon；　the　last　to　understand；　was　the　first　to　recover　his　presence　of　mind。　He　stood　up　and　went　over　to　Borabay。　〃I'm　very　glad　to　wele　you　as　my　brother；〃　he　said；　and　gave　Borabay　a　hug。　Borabay　looked　a　little　surprised　and　then　gave　Vernon　another　pair　of　embraces；　Indian　style。
　Then　Vernon　stood　aside　while　Tom　stepped　forward　and　held　out　his　hand。　Borabay　looked　at　it　in　puzzlement。
　〃Something　wrong　with　hand；　brother？〃
　He's　my　brother　and　he　doesn't　even　know　how　to　shake　hands；　Tom　thought。　With　a　grin　he　hugged　Borabay；　and　the　Indian　responded　with　his　ritual　embraces。　He　stood　back；　looking　into　his　brother's　face…and　now　he　could　see　himself　in　that　face。　Himself；　his　father；　his　brothers。
　Philip　followed。　He　held　out　his　hand。　〃Borabay；　I'm　not　one　for　hugging　and　kissing。　What　we　gringos　do　is　shake　hands。　I'll　teach　you。　Hold　out　your　hand。〃
　Borabay　held　out　his　hand。　Philip　seized　it　and　gave　it　a　good　shake。　Borabay's　arm　flopped　around；　and　when　Philip　released　his　hand　Borabay　withdrew　it　and　examined　it；　as　if　to　check　for　damage。
　〃Well；　Borabay；〃　said　Philip；　〃join　the　club。　The　screwed…over…sons…of…Maxwell…Broadbent　club。　Membership　roster　growing　daily。〃
　〃What　this　mean；　this　screwed…over　club？〃
　Philip　waved　his　hand。　〃Never　mind。〃
　Sally　gave　Borabay　a　hug　herself。　〃I'm　not　a　Broadbent；〃　she　said；　with　another　smile；　〃thank　heaven　for　that。〃
　They　settled　back　down　around　the　fire；　and　there　was　an　awkward　silence。
　〃What　a　family　reunion；〃　said　Philip；　shaking　his　head　with　wonder。　〃Dear　old　Father；　full　of　surprises；　even　after　death。〃
　〃But　that　what　I　want　to　tell　you；〃　said　Borabay。　〃Father　not　dead。〃
　
　50
　
　Night　had　fallen；　but　it　made　no　matter　in　the　depths　of　the　tomb；　where　no　light　had　reached　for　a　thousand　years。　Marcus　Hauser　stepped　over　the　shattered　lintel　in　the　deep　space　and　inhaled　the　cool　dust　of　centuries。　Oddly　enough　it　was　a　fresh；　clean　smell　without　a　hint　of　decay　or　corruption。　He　shined　the　powerful　halogen　beam　around；　and　the　scattered　glint　of　gold　and　jade　came　winking　back　at　him；　mingled　with　brown　bones　and　dust。　The　skeleton　lay　on　a　stone　burial　platform　carved　with　hieroglyphics；　and　it　had　once　been　richly　adorned。
　Hauser　stepped　over　and　picked　up　a　gold　ring；　shaking　out　the　fingerbone　that　it　still　encircled。　It　was　magnificent；　set　with　a　piece　of　jade；　carved　into　the　shape　of　a　jaguar　head。　He　slipped　it　into　his　pocket　and　sorted　through　the　other　items　left　with　the　body…a　gold　collar；　some　jade　pendants；　another　ring。　He　pocketed　the　smaller　gold　and　jade　items　as　he　took　a　slow　turn　around　the　burial　chamber。
　The　corpse's　skull　lay　at　the　far　end　of　the　burial　platform。　Sometime　in　the　span　of　centuries　its　jaw　had　e　loose　and　fallen　wide　open；　giving　the　skull　a　look　of　astonishment；　as　if　it　couldn't　quite　believe　it　was　dead。　The　flesh　was　mostly　gone；　but　a　mess　of　braided　hair　lay　loosely　on　the　dome　of　the　skull。　He　reached　down　and　picked　the　skull　up。　The　jaw　swung　down；　hanging　by　dessicated　threads　of　cartilage。　The　front　teeth　had　been　filed　to　points。
　Alas；　poor　Yorick。
　He　swept　the　light　over　the　walls。　Dull　frescoes；　obscured　by　lime　and　mold；　were　painted　on　the　walls。　Pots　lay　in　a　corner；　filled　with　dust；　jostled　together　and　broken　by　some　ancient　earthquake。　Small　roots　had　penetrated　the　ceiling　and　dangled　in　tangled　masses　into　the　dead　air。
　He　turned　toward　the　teniente。　〃Is　this　the　only　tomb　in　here？〃　he　asked。
　〃On　this　side　of　the　pyramid。　We　still　have　the　other　side　to　explore。　If　it　is　symmetrical　perhaps　there　is　another　one　like　this。〃
　Hauser　shook　his　head。　He　wouldn't　find　Max　anywhere　in　the　pyramid。　It　was　too　obvious。　He　had　buried　himself　like　King　Tut；　in　an　unobvious　place。　That　was　how　Max　would　do　it。
　〃Teniente；　gather　the　men。　I　want　to　talk　to　them。　We're　going　to　search　this　city　from　east　to　west。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　Hauser　found　he　was　still　holding　the　skull。　With　one　last　look　he　tossed　it　aside。　It　struck　the　stone　floor　with　a　hollow　pop；　bursting　as　if　it　had　been　made　of　plaster。　The　lower　jaw　rolled；　giving　a　few　crazy　turns　before　ing　to　rest　in　the　dust。
　A　brute　search　of　the　city　with　dynamite；　temple　by　temple。　Hauser　shook　his　head。　He　wished　his　man　would　get　back　from　scouting　the　Broadbents。　There　was　a　better　way　to　do　this；　a　much　better　way。
　
　51
　
　〃Father's　still　alive？〃　Philip　cried　out。
　〃Yes。〃
　〃You　mean　he　hasn't　been　buried　yet？〃
　〃I　finish　story；　please。　After　Father　stay　with　Tara　for　year；　my　mother　born　me。　But　Father；　he　talk　about　White　City；　go　up　there　for　days；　maybe　weeks　at　a　time。　Chief　say　it　is　forbidden；　but　Father　not　listen。　He　search　and　dig　for　gold。　Then　he　find　place　of　tombs；　open　tomb　of　ancient　Tara　king　and　rob　it。　With　help　of　bad　Tara　mans　he　escape　down　river　with　treasure　and　disappear。〃
　〃Leaving　your　mother　barefoot　with　a　baby；〃　Philip　said　sarcastically；　〃just　like　he　did　his　other　wives。〃
　Borabay　turned　and　looked　at　Philip。　〃I　telling　story；　brother。　You　and　flapper　take　five！〃
　Tom　felt　the　shock　of　déjà　vu。　You　and　your　flapper　take　five　was　a　pure　Maxwellism；　one　of　his　father's　favorite　expressions；　and　there　it　was　ing　out　of　the　mouth　of　this　outlandish；　tattooed；　earlobe…stretched；　half…naked　Indian。　His　mind　reeled。　He　had　gone　to　the　very　ends　of　the　earth　and　what　had　he　found？　A　brother。
　〃I　never　see　Father　again…until　now。　Mother　die　two　years　ago。　Then　little　while　ago；　Father　e　back。　Big　surprise。　I　very　glad　to　meet　him。　He　say　he　dying。　He　say　he　sorry。　He　say　he　bring　back　treasure　he　stole　from　Tara　people。　In　return；　he　want　to　be　buried　in　tomb　of　Tara　king　along　with　treasure　of　white　man。　He　talk　to　Cah；　chief　of　Tara　people。　Cah　say　yes；　okay；　we　bury　you　in　tomb。　You　e　back　with　treasure　and　we　bury　you　in　tomb　like　ancient　king。　So　Father　go　away　and　later　e　back　with　many　boxes。　Cah　send　men　to　coast　to　bring　up　treasure。〃
　〃Did　Father　remember　you？〃　Tom　asked。
　〃Oh　yes。　He　very　happy。　We　go　fishing。〃
　〃Really；　now？〃　said　Philip；　irritated。　〃Fishing？　And　who　caught　the　biggest　fish？〃
　〃I　did；〃　said　Borabay　proudly。　〃With　spear。〃
　〃Bully　for　you。〃
　〃Philip…〃　Tom　began。
　〃If　Father　had　spent　any　time　with　Borabay；〃　Philip　said；　〃he　would　have　e　to　hate　him　just　as　much　as　he　hates　us。〃
　〃Philip；　you　know　Father　didn't　hate　us；〃　said　Tom。
　〃I　almost　died　back　there。　I　was　tortured。　Do　you　know　what　it　feels　like　to　know　you're　going　to　die？　This　was　Father's　legacy　to　me。　And　now　we　suddenly　have　this　painted　Indian　as　an　older　brother；　who　goes　fishing　with　Father　while　we're　dying　in　the　jungle。〃
　Borabay　said；　〃You　finish　being　angry；　brother？〃
　〃I'll　never　finish　being　angry。〃
　〃Fat