pdouglas.thecodex-第56节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃How　does　he　get　across？〃
　〃He　pull　himself。〃
　〃How　could　a　man　possibly　span　a　two…hundred…yard　gap　with　an　arrow　trailing　a　rope　and　hook？〃
　〃Tara　use　special　big　bow　and　special　arrow　with　feather。　Very　important　to　wait　for　day　with　strong　wind　in　right　direction。〃
　〃Go　on。〃
　〃When　little　boy　across；　man　shoot　second　arrow　with　rope。　Little　boy　tie　two　ropes　together；　put　rope　around　little　wheel…〃
　〃A　pulley。〃
　〃Yes。　Then　with　pulley　man　can　pull　across　many　things。　First　he　pull　across　heavy　cable　in　basket；　which　uncoil　as　it　go。　Boy　fix　heavy　cable　to　tree。　Now　man　can　e　across　on　heavy　cable。　Now　man　and　boy　on　far　side。　Man　use　second　pulley　to　pull　across　three　more　cables；　one　at　time。　Now　four　cables　across　canyon。　Now　more　men　cross　in　basket…〃
　〃That's　enough；〃　interrupted　Tom。　〃I　get　the　picture。〃
　They　fell　into　silence；　the　impossibility　of　their　situation　sinking　in。
　〃Have　the　Tara　warriors　tried　to　ambush　them　and　cut　the　bridge　yet？〃
　〃Yes。　Many　die。〃
　〃Have　they　tried　burning　arrows？〃
　〃Cannot　reach　bridge。〃
　〃Let's　keep　in　mind；〃　said　Philip；　〃that　if　the　bridge　is　cut；　Father's　also　trapped　inside。〃
　〃I'm　well　aware　of　it。　I'm　just　going　over　our　options。　Maybe　we　can　offer　Hauser　a　deal：　Let　Father　out　and　Hauser　can　keep　the　tomb　and　its　riches。　We'll　sign　it　all　over　to　him　and　that's　that。〃
　Tom　said：　〃Father　would　never　agree。〃
　〃Even　if　it　meant　his　life？〃
　〃He's　dying　of　cancer。〃
　〃Or　our　lives？〃
　Philip　looked　at　them。　〃Don't　even　think　of　trusting　Hauser　or　making　a　deal　with　him。〃
　〃All　right；〃　said　Vernon；　〃we've　eliminated　getting　into　the　White　City　by　some　other　route；　and　we've　eliminated　it　by　a　frontal　attack。　Anybody　here　know　how　to　build　a　hang　glider？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃That　leaves　only　one　course　of　action。〃
　〃And　what's　that？〃
　Vernon　smoothed　out　a　place　in　the　sand　near　the　fire　and　began　to　draw　a　map　while　he　explained　his　plan。　When　he　was　finished；　Philip　spoke　first。
　Philip　shook　his　head。　〃This　is　a　crazy　plan。　I　say　we　go　back；　get　help；　and　return。　It　may　take　them　months　to　find　Father's　tomb。〃
　Borabay　interrupted。　〃Philip；　maybe　you　no　understand。　If　we　run　away　now；　Tara　people　kill　us。〃
　〃Bosh。〃
　〃We　make　promise。　Cannot　break　promise。〃
　〃I　didn't　make　any　bloody　promises；　that　was　Tom。　Anyway；　we　can　slip　past　the　Tara　village　and　be　long　gone　before　they　even　know　we're　missing。〃
　Borabay　shook　his　head。　〃That　coward　way；　brother。　That　leave　Father　die　in　tomb。　If　Tara　catch　you；　death　for　coward　slow　and　ugly。　They　cut　off…〃
　〃We've　already　heard　what　they　do；〃　Philip　said。
　〃There　not　enough　food　and　water　in　tomb　to　last　much　longer。〃
　The　fire　crackled。　Tom　glanced　through　the　trees。　Below　and　almost　five　miles　distant；　he　could　see　a　trio　of　diamond　lights　clustered　in　the　White　City。　There　was　another　faint　explosion　of　dynamite。　Hauser　and　his　men　were　working　around　the　clock。　They　really　were　up　against　the　wall。　There　were　no　good　options　and　only　one　mediocre　plan。　But　it　was　the　best　they　were　going　to　get。
　〃Enough　talk；〃　said　Tom。　〃We　have　a　plan。　Who's　in？〃
　〃I'm　in；〃　said　Vernon。
　Borabay　nodded。　〃I'm　in。〃
　〃I'm　in；〃　said　Sally。
　Now　all　eyes　were　on　Philip。　He　made　an　angry　gesture　as　if　to　sweep　them　all　away。　〃For　heaven's　sake；　you　already　know　what　my　answer's　going　to　be！〃
　〃Which　is？〃　Vernon　asked。
　〃For　the　record；　it's　no；　no；　no！　This　is　a　James　Bond　plan。　It'll　never　succeed　in　real　life。　Don't　do　it。　For　God's　sake；　I　don't　want　to　lose　my　brothers；　too。　Don't　do　it。〃
　〃We　have　to；　Philip；〃　said　Tom。
　〃No　one　has　to　do　anything！　Maybe　this　is　blasphemy；　but　isn't　it　just　a　little　bit　true　that　Father　brought　this　down　on　himself？〃
　〃So　we　just　let　him　die？〃
　〃I'm　just　asking　you；　please；　not　to　throw　your　lives　away。〃　He　threw　up　his　hands　and　stomped　off　in　the　darkness。
　Vernon　was　about　to　shout　a　reply；　but　Tom　touched　his　arm　and　shook　his　head。　Perhaps　Philip　was　right　and　it　was　a　suicide　mission。　But　Tom　personally　had　no　choice。　If　he　didn't　do　something　now；　he　wouldn't　be　able　to　live　with　himself　later。　It　was　as　simple　as　that。
　Their　faces　flickered　around　the　firelight；　and　there　was　a　long；　uncertain　silence。
　〃There's　no　reason　to　wait；〃　said　Tom。　〃We　leave　tonight　at　two　A。M。　It　should　take　us　a　couple　of　hours　to　get　down　there。　Everyone　knows　what　they　have　to　do。　Borabay；　you　can　explain　to　your　warriors　their　role。〃　Tom　glanced　over　at　Vernon。　The　plan　had　been　his；　Vernon's；　the　brother　who　never　took　the　lead。　He　reached　out　and　grasped　his　brother's　shoulder。　〃Good　going；〃　he　said。
　Vernon　smiled　back。　〃I　feel　like　we're　in　The　Wizard　of　Oz　here。
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃I've　found　my　brain。　Tom；　you've　found　your　heart。　Borabay's　found　his　family。　The　only　thing　is；　Philip　hasn't　quite　found　his　courage。〃
　Tom　said；　〃Somehow　I　don't　think　a　bucket　of　water　is　going　to　take　care　of　Hauser；　either。〃
　〃No；〃　murmured　Sally；　〃that　it　won't。〃
　
　60
　
　Tom　rose　from　his　hammock　at　1：00　A。M。　The　night　was　black。　Clouds　had　blotted　out　the　stars　and　a　restless　wind　rustled　and　mumbled　through　the　trees。　The　only　light　came　from　the　ruddy　heap　of　embers　in　the　fire　ring；　casting　a　reddish　glow　on　the　faces　of　the　ten　Tara　warriors。　They　were　still　sitting　in　a　circle　around　the　fire；　not　having　moved　or　spoken　all　night。
　Before　waking　the　others　Tom　collected　the　binoculars　and　stepped　out　of　the　trees　to　take　one　more　look　at　the　White　City。　The　lights　were　still　on　at　the　suspension　bridge；　the　soldiers　in　their　ruined　fort。　Tom　thought　of　what　lay　ahead。　Perhaps　Philip　was　right　and　it　was　suicide。　Perhaps　Maxwell　Broadbent　was　dead　in　his　tomb　and　they　were　risking　their　lives　for　nothing。　All　that　was　beside　the　point：　He　had　to　do　it。
　Tom　went　to　wake　the　others　only　to　find　most　of　them　up。　Borabay　unbanked　the　fire；　piled　in　fresh　sticks；　and　put　a　pot　on　to　boil。　Sally　joined　them　soon　afterward　and　began　checking　her　Springfield　by　the　light　of　the　fire。　Her　faced　looked　drawn；　tired。　〃You　remember　what　General　Patton　said　was　always　the　first　casualty　of　a　battle？〃　she　asked　Tom。
　〃No。〃
　〃The　battle　plan。〃
　〃So　you　don't　think　our　plan　is　going　to　work？〃　Tom　asked。
　She　shook　her　head。　〃Probably　not。〃　She　looked　away；　then　back　down　at　the　rifle；　giving　it　an　unneeded　polish　with　the　cleaning　rag。
　〃What　do　you　think's　going　to　happen？〃
　She　shook　her　head　wordlessly；　sending　waves　through　her　heavy　gold　hair。　Tom　realized　she　was　very　upset。　He　placed　his　hand　on　her　shoulder。　〃We　have　to　do　this；　Sally。〃
　She　nodded。　〃I　know。〃
　Vernon　joined　them　at　the　fire；　and　the　four　of　them　drank　their　tea　in　silence。　When　the　tea　was　gone；　Tom　glanced　at　his　watch。　Two　o'clock。　He　looked　around　for　Philip；　but　his　brother　had　not　even　e　out　of　the　hut。　He　nodded　to　Borabay；　and　they　all　rose。　Sally　threw　the　gun　over　her　shoulder；　and　they　shouldered　small　palm…leaf　backpacks　containing　a　supply　of　food；　water；　matches；　camp　stove；　and　other　essentials。　They　set　off　single　file；　Borabay　in　the　lead；　the　warriors　bringing　up　the　rear；　moving　down　through　the　grove　of　trees　and　out　into　the　open。
　Ten　minutes　down　from　the　camp；　Tom　heard　the　sound　of　running　from　behind；　and　they　all　stopped　and　listened；　the　warriors　with　their　arrows　nocked　and　drawn。　In　a　moment　Philip　appeared；　breathing　hard。
　〃Here　to　wish　us　luck？〃　Vernon　asked；　an　edge　of　sarcasm　in　his　voice。
　Philip　took　a　moment　to　catch　his　breath。　〃I　don't　know　why　I　would　even　think　of　joining　this　harebrained　scheme。　But　damn　it；　I'm　not　going　to　let　you　go　off　to　your　deaths　alone。〃
　
　61
　
　Marcus　Aurelius　Hauser　felt　in　his　musette　bag　for　another　Churchill　and　selected　one；　rolling　it　between　thumb　and　forefinger　before　taking　it　out。　He　went　through　the　sacrament　of　trimming；　moistening；　and　lighting　it；　and　then　he　held　it　out　in　the　dark　so　that　he　could　admire　the　big　fat　glowing　tip　while　allowing　the　aroma　of　fine　Cuban　longleaf　to　surround　him　like　a　cocoon　of　elegance　and　satisfaction。　Cigars；　he　mused；　always　seem　to　bee　better；　richer；　deeper　tasting　in　the　jungle。
　Hauser　was　well　hidden　at　a　strategic　point　above　the　suspension　bridge　in　a　thicket　of　ferns；　where　he　had　a　good　view　of　the　bridge　and　the　soldiers　in　their　little　stone　fort　on　the　far　side。　He　pushed　aside　some　plants　and　raised　a　pair　of　binoculars　to　his　eyes。　He　had　a　strong　feeling　that　the　three　Broadbent　brothers　were　going　to　make　their　break　to　cross　the　bridge　tonight。　They　wouldn't　wait；　they　couldn't　wait。　They　had　to　get　to　the　tomb　before　he　did；　if　they　wanted　any　chance　at　all　of　saving　some　of　the　masterpieces　for　themselves。
　He　puffed　contentedly；　thinking　back　to　Maxwell　Broadbent。　He　had　lugged　half　a　billion　dollars'　worth　of　fine　art　and　antiquities　up　here；　all　on　a　whim。　As　outrageous　at　it　was；　it　was　perfectly　in　character。　Max　was　the　man　of　the　big　gesture；　the　spectacle；　the　show。　He　lived　large　and　he　died　large。
　Hauser　remembered　back　to　that　defining　fifty…day　trek　in　the　jungle；　those　harrowing　days　that　he　would　never　forget　as　long　as　he　lived。　They　had　heard　there　was　a　Mayan　temple　somewhere　up　in　the