cussler.blueandgold-第34节

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　〃That's　a　cheap　price　for　a　meal　like　that；〃　Paul　said。
　
　〃You　may　not　think　so　when　I'm　through。　Start　with　science　if　you　will。　What　advances；　great　or　small；　have　e　about　in　the　last　decade？〃
　
　They　took　turns；　describing　the　advances　in　puters；　the　widespread　use　of　the　Internet　and　wireless　munication；　the　space　shuttle　missions；　the　Hubble　telescope；　unmanned　space　probes；　discoveries　by　NUMA　in　the　field　of　oceanography；　and　
　advances　in　medicine。　She　listened　with　fascination；　her　chin　resting　on　her　folded　hands。　Occasionally　she　asked　a　probing　question　that　indicated　her　own　scientific　background；　but　mostly　she　absorbed　the　information　with　the　dreamy　look　of　an　addict　inhaling　opium　fumes。　〃Now　tell　me　about　the　political　situation；〃　she　requested。
　
　Again　they　pored　through　the　events　in　their　memory：　American　presidential　politics；　relations　with　Russia；　the　Persian　Gulf　wars；　the　strife　in　the　Balkans；　droughts；　famines；　terrorism；　the　European　Union。　She　asked　about　Brazil　and　seemed　pleased　when　they　said　the　country　had　bee　a　democracy。　They　talked　about　movies　and　plays；　music　and　art；　about　the　deaths　of　well…known　figures。　Even　Paul　and　Gamay　were　surprised　at　the　incredible　busyness　of　the　past　decade。　Their　jaws　were　get　ting　tired　from　the　litany　of　events。
　
　〃What　about　cancer？　Have　they　found　a　cure？〃
　
　〃Unfortunately　no。〃
　
　〃What　about　fresh　water？　Is　it　still　a　problem　for　many　countries？〃
　
　〃Worse　than　ever；　between　development　and　pollution。〃
　
　She　shook　her　head　sadly。　〃So　much；〃　she　said　in　a　faraway　voice。　〃I've　missed　so　much。　I　don't　know　if　my　parents　are　still　alive。　I　miss　them；　my　mother　especially。〃　A　tear　gleamed　in　her　eye；　and　she　wiped　it　away　with　her　napkin。　〃I　must　apologize　for　being　so　demanding；　but　you　have　no　idea　how　awful　it　is　to　be　isolated　here　in　the　forest；　with　no　munication　to　the　out　side　world。　You　have　been　very　kind　and　patient。　Now　it　is　time　for　you　to　hear　my　story。〃　She　called　for　tea　to　be　served；　then　dismissed　the　Indian　women　so　that　there　were　only　the　three　of　them。
　
　〃My　name　is　Francesca　Cabral；〃　she　began。　For　an　hour　the　Trouts　listened　raptly　to　the　goddess's　story；　starting　with　her　family；　going　through　her　education　in　Brazil　and　America；　up　to　the　time　of　the　plane　crash。
　
　〃I　was　the　only　survivor　of　the　crash；〃　she　said。　〃The　copilot　was　a　scoundrel；　but　he　knew　how　to　fly。　The　jet　skidded　into　
　muddy　wetlands　near　the　river。　The　mud　cushioned　the　landing　and　prevented　fire。　When　I　woke　up　I　found　myself　in　a　hut　where　the　Indians　carried　me。　I　was　in　terrible　pain　from　my　cuts　and　bruises；　and　my　right　leg　was　broken。　A　pound　fracture；　the　worst　kind。　As　you've　heard；　the　rain　forest　medicines　can　be　potent。　They　set　my　leg　and　treated　me　with　potions　that　dulled　the　suffering　and　promoted　healing。　I　learned　later　that　the　plane　had　landed　on　top　of　their　chief's　house　and　killed　him。　They　held　me　no　ill。　In　fact；　it　was　just　the　opposite。〃　〃They　made　you　their　goddess；〃　Gamay　said。
　
　〃You　can　see　why。　The　Chulo　retreated　from　the　onslaught　of　the　white　man　a　long　time　ago。　They've　been　pletely　cut　off　from　the　world。　Then　I　e　like　a　et　flaming　from　the　sky。　Gods　are　supposed　to　behave　that　way　to　keep　people　in　line。　They　figured　the　chief　had　angered　the　gods。　I　became　the　center　of　their　religion。〃
　
　'A　cargo　cult？〃　Gamay　offered。
　
　Paul　said；　〃Back　during　World　War　II；　natives　who　saw　planes　overhead　for　the　first　time　built　replicas　on　the　ground　to　worship。〃
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
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　〃Yes；〃　Gamay　said。　〃Remember　that　movie　The　Gods　Must　Be　Crazy？　A　Coke　bottle　dropped　from　an　airplane　became　an　object　of　religious　veneration　and　started　all　sorts　of　trouble。〃
　
　〃Precisely；〃　Francesca　said。　〃Think　of　how　those　natives　would　react　if　they　had　an　actual　plane　in　their　possession。〃
　
　〃That　explains　the　shrine　with　the　plane　at　its　center。〃
　
　She　nodded。　〃They　hauled　the　pieces　of　the　jet　there　and　did　a　fairly　good　job　of　reassembling　it。　Sort　of　a　'chariot　of　the　god。'　We　have　to　sacrifice　an　animal　now　and　then　so　the　gods　won't　wreak　more　destruction　on　the　tribe。〃
　
　〃The　plane　was　blue　and　white；〃　Gamay　said。　〃The　natives　paint　themselves　with　the　same　color　scheme。　No　coincidence？〃
　
　〃They　believe　it　will　give　them　protection　against　their　enemies。〃
　
　〃How　did　Tessa　e　to　be　here？〃
　
　〃Tessa　is　half　Chulo。　Her　mother　was　captured　during　a　raid　
　by　a　neighboring　tribe　and　traded　to　a　European　who　was　Tessa's　father。　He　was　killed　during　a　tribal　dispute；　and　Tessa　became　Dieter's　property。　He　knew　of　the　Chulo　and　married　Tessa　when　she　was　still　a　girl；　erroneously　thinking　it　would　give　him　entree　to　the　tribe　and　its　medicinal　herbs；　which　he　trafficked　in。〃　〃Why　did　she　stay　with　Dieter？〃
　
　〃She　thought　she　had　no　choice。　Dieter　reminded　her　constantly　that　she　was　a　half…breed；　spoiled　goods。　An　outcast。〃
　
　〃What　about　the　Indian　whose　body　we　found？〃
　
　〃Tessa　wasn't　the　first　child　born　to　her　mother。　She　had　a　half…brother　who　lived　here。　He　was　determined　to　find　his　family　and　began　to　make　explorations　beyond　the　falls。　He　learned　that　his　mother　had　died　but　that　he　had　a　sister。　Tessa。　He　went　to　bring　her　back。　The　Chulo　take　family　honor　very　seriously。　The　plant　pirates　working　with　Dieter　captured　him。　They　wanted　him　to　show　them　where　to　find　blood　root。〃
　
　〃Arnaud　mentioned　the　plant。〃
　
　〃It's　the　miraculous　species　that　was　used　to　help　me　after　the　plane　crash。　The　tribe　considers　it　to　be　sacred。　He　refused　to　tell　them　where　to　find　it；　so　they　tortured　him。　He　was　shot　trying　to　escape；　and　you　found　him。　Dieter　stole　the　specimens。　I　sent　a　search　party　to　look　for　Tessa's　brother。　She　was　trying　to　get　back　here　when　they　ran　into　her；　and　she　told　them　the　story。　I　sent　her　back　to　Dieter's　with　instructions　to　keep　us　in　formed　about　what　was　going　on。　Then　you　showed　up　unexpectedly。　Tessa　tried　to　warn　you　off。　When　that　didn't　work　she　helped　you　escape。　Or　so　she　thought。　You　reappeared　on　our　doorstep。〃
　
　〃We're　in　one　piece。　That's　more　than　I　can　say　for　Dieter　and　his　friends。〃
　
　〃The　men　of　the　tribe　brought　the　heads　back　as　gifts　to　me。〃　She　glanced　around　the　dining　room　which　was　hung　with　colorful　tapestries　of　village　life。　〃Shrunken　heads　would　clash　with　my　decor；　so　I　suggested　they　put　them　outside　the　village。〃
　
　〃Were　you　also　responsible　for　our　weling　mittee？〃
　
　〃Oh；　yes。　You　must　admit　that　big　orange…and…blue　balloon　
　you　were　flying　was　not　inconspicuous。　The　men　reported　that　you　had　almost　flown　into　the　falls。　I　had　ordered　that　if　you　were　seen　you　would　be　observed　but　not　harmed。　They　were　tracking　you　from　the　start。　I　was　surprised　when　you　started　this　way。　You　couldn't　have　been　lost。〃　〃We　thought　we　might　borrow　a　canoe。〃
　
　'Ah。　How　audacious！　You　wouldn't　have　stood　a　chance。　The　reputation　these　people　have　is　well　deserved。　They　tracked　you　for　miles。　Sometimes　I　think　they　truly　are　the　ghost　people。　They　can　melt　through　the　forest　like　the　mists　the　other　Indians　say　they　are　made　of。〃
　
　Paul　had　been　pondering　Francesca's　story。　〃Why　would　someone　want　to　hijack　the　plane　and　kidnap　you？〃
　
　〃I　have　an　idea　why。　e；　I'll　show　you。〃
　
　Francesca　rose　from　the　table　and　led　the　way　through　torch　lit　hallways　to　a　large　bedroom。　She　reached　into　a　chest　and　pulled　out　a　battered　and　scarred　aluminum　case。　She　set　it　on　top　of　her　bed；　then　opened　it。　Inside　was　a　jumble　of　broken　wires　and　circuits。
　
　〃This　was　a　model　of　the　experiment　I　was　carrying　to　Cairo。　I　won't　go　into　the　technical　details；　but　if　you　pour　seawater　in　on　this　end；　the　salt　is　extracted　and　fresh　water　es　out　here。〃
　
　〃A　desalting　process？〃
　
　〃Yes。　It　was　a　revolutionary　approach　unlike　any　devised　be　fore。　It　took　me　two　years　to　perfect。　The　problem　with　desalination　has　been　its　cost。　This　process　would　transform　hundreds　of　gallons　for　only　pennies。　At　the　same　time　it　produces　heat　which　can　be　transformed　into　energy。〃　She　shook　her　head。　〃It　would　have　turned　deserts　into　gardens　and　allowed　people　the　benefits　of　power。〃
　
　〃I　still　don't　understand；〃　Paul　said。　〃Why　would　someone　want　to　prevent　a　boon　like　this　from　being　made　available　to　the　world？〃
　
　〃I've　asked　myself　that　question　many　times　in　the　past　ten　years　and　still　have　no　satisfactory　answer。〃　
　〃Was　this　your　only　model？〃
　
　〃Yes；〃　she　said　sadly。　〃I　took　everything　with　me　from　Sao　Paulo。　All　my　papers　were　burned　in　the　plane　crash。〃　Brightening；　she　said；　〃I　was　able　to　put　my　hydraulic　engineering　skills　to　work　here。　It　can　be　boring　just　sitting　around　being　adored　all　day。　I'm　virtually　a　prisoner　They　hid　me　from　search　parties　after　the　crash。　The　only　place　where　I　am　truly　alone　is　this　palace。　Only　those　who　are　invited　can　enter。　My　servants　were　handpicked　for　their　loyalty。　Outside　the　palace　I'm　watched　by　my　Praetorian　guard。〃
　
　〃Being　a　white　goddess　isn't　all　it's　cracked　up　to　be；〃　Paul　said。
　
　〃An　understatement。　Which　is　why　I'm　so　happy　you　drop