pdouglas.thecodex-第51节

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　Borabay　said；　〃You　finish　being　angry；　brother？〃
　〃I'll　never　finish　being　angry。〃
　〃Father　angry　man；　too。〃
　〃You　can　say　that　again。〃
　〃You　son　most　like　Father。〃
　Philip　rolled　his　eyes。　〃Here's　something　new；　a　psychoanalyzing　jungle　Indian。〃
　〃Because　you　most　like　Father；　you　love　him　most　and　he　hurt　you　most。　And　now　you　hurt　again　because　you　find　you　not　oldest　son　after　all。　I　oldest　son。〃
　There　was　a　short　pause　and　then　Philip　broke　into　a　harsh　laugh。　〃This　is　too　much。　How　could　I　feel　myself　in　petition　with　an　illiterate；　tattooed　Indian　with　filed　teeth？〃
　After　a　pause；　Borabay　said；　〃I　continue　story　now。〃
　〃Be　my　guest！〃
　〃Cah　arrange　everything　for　Father's　death　and　funeral。　When　day　e；　there　is　big　funeral　feast　for　Father。　Big；　big　feast。　All　Tara　people　e。　Father　there；　too。　Father　enjoy　his　own　funeral　very　much。　He　give　many　presents。　Everyone　get　cooking　pots　and　pans　and　knives。〃
　Tom　and　Sally　looked　at　each　other。
　〃He　would　love　that；〃　said　Philip。　〃I　can　just　see　the　old　bastard　lording　it　over　his　own　funeral。〃
　〃You　right；　Philip。　Father　love　it。　He　eat；　drink　too　much；　laugh；　sing。　Father　open　boxes　so　everyone　can　look　at　white　man's　sacred　treasures。　Everyone　love　sacred　Mother　Mary　holding　baby　Jesus。　White　man　have　beautiful　gods。〃
　〃The　Lippi！〃　cried　Philip。　〃Was　it　in　good　condition？　Had　it　survived　the　journey？〃
　〃It　is　most　beautiful　thing　I　ever　see；　brother。　When　I　look　at　it；　I　see　something　in　white　man　I　not　see　before。〃
　〃Yes；　yes；　it's　one　of　the　finest　things　Lippi　did。　To　think　of　it　stuck　in　a　damp　tomb！〃
　Borabay　went　on：　〃But　Cah　trick　Father。　At　end　of　funeral；　he　supposed　to　give　Father　special　poison　drink　to　make　him　die　painless　death。　But　Cah　not　do　this。　Cah　give　Father　drink　to　make　him　sleep。　No　one　know　this　except　Cah。〃
　〃This　sounds　positively　Shakespearean；〃　said　Philip。
　〃So　sleeping　Father　is　carried　into　tomb　with　treasure。　They　shut　door；　lock　him　in　tomb。　We　all　think　he　dead。　Only　Cah　know　he　not　dead；　he　only　sleeping。　So　he　later　wake　up　in　dark　tomb。〃
　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　said　Vernon；　〃I'm　not　following　this。〃
　〃I　am；〃　said　Philip　calmly。　〃They　buried　Father　alive。〃
　Silence。
　〃Not　'they；'　〃　said　Borabay。　〃Cah。　Tara　people　know　nothing　about　this　trick。〃
　Philip　said；　〃With　no　food　and　water　。。。　My　God；　how　horrible。〃
　〃Brothers；〃　said　Borabay；　〃in　Tara　tradition；　much　food　and　water　put　in　tomb　for　afterlife。〃
　Tom　felt　a　crawling　sensation　in　his　spine　as　the　implications　of　this　sank　in。　He　finally　spoke。　〃So　you　think　Father's　still　alive；　then；　locked　in　the　tomb？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　Nobody　said　a　word。　An　owl　hooted　mournfully　in　the　dark。
　〃How　long　has　he　been　sealed　in　the　tomb？〃　Tom　asked。
　〃Thirty…two　days。〃
　Tom　felt　sick。　It　was　unthinkable。
　Borabay　said；　〃This　is　terrible　thing；　brothers。〃
　〃Why　in　hell　did　Cah　do　this？〃　Vernon　asked。
　〃Cah　angry　that　Father　rob　tomb　long　ago。　Cah　was　boy　then；　son　of　chief。　Father　humiliate　father　of　Cah　by　robbing　tomb。　This　is　Cah's　revenge。〃
　〃Couldn't　you　stop　it？〃
　〃I　not　know　Cah's　plan　until　later。　Then　I　try　to　save　Father。　At　tomb　entrance　is　giant　stone　door。　I　cannot　move。　Cah　find　out　I　go　to　Sukia　Tara　to　save　Father。　He　very　angry。　Cah　take　me　prisoner　and　he　going　to　kill　me。　He　say　I　dirty　man；　half　Tara；　half　white。　Then　crazy　white　man　and　soldiers　e　and　capture　Cah；　take　him　to　White　City。　I　escape。　I　hear　soldiers　talk　about　you；　so　I　e　back　for　you。〃
　〃How　did　you　know　we　were　here？〃
　〃I　hear　soldiers　talk。〃
　The　fire　flickered　as　the　night　gathered　about　the　five　silent　people　sitting　on　the　ground。　Borabay's　words　seemed　to　hang　in　the　air　a　long　time　after　he　had　uttered　them。　Borabay's　eyes　traveled　around　the　fire；　looking　at　each　one　of　them　in　turn。　〃Brothers；　it　is　a　terrible　way　to　die。　This　death　for　rat；　not　for　human　being。　He　our　father！〃
　〃What　can　we　do？〃　Philip　asked。
　Borabay　spoke　after　a　long　pause；　his　voice　low　and　resonant：　〃We　rescue　him。〃
　
　52
　
　Hauser　poured　over　the　crude　diagram　of　the　city　that　he　had　drawn　over　the　past　two　days。　His　men　had　surveyed　the　city　twice；　but　it　was　so　overgrown　that　making　any　kind　of　accurate　map　was　almost　impossible。　There　were　several　pyramids；　dozens　of　temples　and　other　structures；　hundreds　of　places　where　a　tomb　could　be　hidden。　Unless　they　got　lucky；　it　could　take　weeks。
　A　soldier　came　to　the　doorway　and　saluted。
　〃Report。〃
　〃The　sons　are　twenty　miles　back；　sir；　beyond　the　Ocata　River　crossing。〃
　Hauser　slowly　laid　down　the　map。　〃Alive　and　well？〃
　〃They　are　recovering　from　sickness。　There　is　a　Tara　Indian　taking　care　of　them。〃
　〃Weapons？〃
　〃One　useless　old　hunting　rifle　belonging　to　the　woman。　Bows　and　arrows　and　a　blowgun；　of　course…〃
　〃Yes；　yes。〃　Hauser；　despite　himself；　felt　a　certain　twinge　of　respect　for　the　three　sons；　particularly　Philip。　By　all　rights　they　should　be　dead。　Max　had　been　like　that；　too；　stubborn　and　lucky。　It　was　a　potent　bination。　A　brief　image　of　Max　came　into　his　mind；　the　man　stripped　to　the　waist；　slashing　his　way　through　the　jungle；　his　sweaty　back　peppered　with　chips；　twigs；　and　leaves。　For　months　they　had　hacked　their　way　through　the　jungle；　bitten；　cut；　infected；　sick…finding　nothing。　And　then　Max　had　ditched　him；　gone　upriver　and　found　the　prize　for　which　they'd　been　searching　for　over　a　year。　Hauser　went　home　broke　and　had　to　enlist　。。。　He　shook　his　head；　as　if　to　throw　off　the　resentment。　That　was　past。　The　future…and　Broadbent's　fortune…belonged　to　him。
　The　teniente　spoke。　〃Shall　I　send　back　a　detail　of　soldiers　to　kill　them？　This　time　we　will　be　sure　to　finish　them；　jefe；　I　promise　you。〃
　〃No；〃　he　said。　〃Let　them　e。〃
　〃I　don't　understand。〃
　Hauser　turned　to　the　teniente。　〃Don't　molest　them。　Leave　them　alone。　Let　them　e。〃
　
　53
　
　Philip　recovered　more　slowly　than　the　others；　but　after　three　more　days　of　Borabay's　ministrations　he　was　able　to　walk。　One　sunny　morning　they　broke　camp　and　set　off　for　the　Tara　village　in　the　foothills　of　the　Sierra　Azul。　Borabay's　herbal　concoctions；　ointments；　and　teas　had　had　a　remarkable　effect　on　them　all。　Borabay　went　first　with　his　machete；　setting　a　fast　pace。　By　noon　they　had　reached　the　broad　river　where　they　first　discovered　Philip；　covering　in　five　hours　the　distance　that　had　taken　them　five　days　to　travel　on　their　desperate　retreat。　Beyond　the　river；　as　they　got　closer　to　the　Sierra　Azul；　Borabay　began　to　move　more　cautiously。　They　entered　the　foothills　and　began　to　gain　altitude。　The　forest　seemed　to　get　sunnier；　less　somber。　The　limbs　of　the　trees　were　decked　with　orchids；　and　cheerful　patches　of　sun　speckled　the　way　ahead。
　They　spent　the　night　in　an　old　Tara　encampment；　a　semicircle　of　palm…thatched　shelters；　sunken　among　rioting　greenery。　Borabay　waded　through　the　waist…high　vegetation；　his　machete　singing；　clearing　a　path　to　the　best…preserved　cluster　of　huts。　He　ducked　inside；　and　Tom　heard　the　smack　of　the　machete；　the　stomping　of　feet；　and　some　muttered　cursing；　first　in　one　small　hut；　and　then　in　another。　Borabay　appeared　with　a　small　writhing　snake　impaled　on　the　point　of　the　machete；　which　he　flicked　into　the　forest。　〃Huts　now　clean。　You　go　in；　set　up　hammocks；　get　rest。　I　make　dinner。〃
　Tom　looked　at　Sally。　He　felt　his　heart　beating　so　strongly　in　his　chest　that　it　was　almost　audible。　Without　exchanging　a　word；　they　both　knew　what　they　were　going　to　do。
　They　entered　the　smaller　of　the　huts。　It　was　warm　inside　and　smelled　of　dry　grass。　Rays　of　sunlight　pierced　little　holes　in　the　palm　thatch；　dappling　the　interior　with　flecks　of　afternoon　light。　Tom　hung　up　his　own　hammock　and　then　watched　her　set　up　hers。　The　spots　of　light　were　like　a　handful　of　gold　coins　flung　into　her　hair；　which　flashed　on　her　as　she　moved。　When　she　was　done；　Tom　stepped　toward　her　and　took　her　hand。　It　was　trembling　slightly。　He　drew　her　to　him；　ran　his　fingers　through　her　hair；　and　kissed　her　on　the　lips。　She　moved　closer；　her　body　touching　his；　and　he　kissed　her　again。　This　time　her　lips　parted　and　he　tasted　her　tongue；　then　kissed　her　mouth；　her　chin；　the　side　of　her　neck；　and　she　pulled　him　close　and　gripped　his　back　as　he　kissed　the　top　of　her　shirt；　moving　downward；　kissing　each　button　as　he　unfastened　it。　He　freed　her　breasts　and　continued　kissing　them；　first　their　soft　sides　and　then　around　her　nipples；　hard　and　erect；　and　then　slid　his　hands　down　her　smooth　belly。　He　could　feel　her　hands　massaging　the　muscles　on　his　back。　He　unbuckled　her　pants　and　knelt；　kissing　her　belly　button　and　sliding　the　palms　of　his　hands　around　to　grip　her　from　behind　as　he　slid　down　her　pants。　She　thrust　her　hips　forward　and　parted　her　thighs　with　a　short　intake　of　breath　as　he　continued　kissing　her；　holding　her　buttocks；　until　he　felt　her　fingers　dig　into　his　shoulders　and　heard　her　sharp　intake　of　breath；　a　sudden　gasp；　her　whole　body　shuddering。
　Then　she　undressed　him　and　they　lay　down　together　in　the　warm　darkness　and　they　made　love　while　the　sun　set；　the　little　coins　of　light　turning　red　and　then　fading　as　the　sun　sank　behind　the　trees；　leaving　the　hut　in　a　hushed　darkness；　the　only　sound　the　faint　cries　that　filled　the　strange　world　around　them。