jefflong.yearzero-第8节

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llow　built　into　their　backs　that　is　threaded　shut。　But　some…especially　of　this　era　and　earlier…can　be　quite　elaborate。　They　are　puzzle　boxes　built　by　ancient　masters。〃
　Using　jeweler's　tools；　Nikos　touched　the　cross　in　various　places。　He　pressed　gems　studding　the　front　as　if　they　were　doorbells。　〃The　very　old　ones　sometimes　have　secret　lock　mechanisms；　hideaways；　even　false　capsules；〃　he　explained。　〃I've　learned　the　hard　way。　My　clumsiness　destroyed　several　of　the　oldest　relics。　One　must　be　patient　and　try　to　think　like　the　puzzle　maker。　It　is　a　game。　Him　against　us。〃
　He　raised　his　eyes　to　the　Egyptian。　〃Would　you　care　to　try？　Look　for　a　latch　or　dial　or　pressure　point。〃
　The　Egyptian　was　eager。　〃But　what　if　I　damage　it？〃　he　said。
　〃Then　I　surely　would　have　damaged　it。　You're　the　surgeon；　I'm　just　an　old　sailor。〃
　The　Egyptian　took　a　dental　pick　and　a　long　dissection　needle。　He　placed　his　hands　to　either　side　and　bent　over　the　magnifying　lens。　He　had　noticed　something　about　a　carbuncle　of　amethyst　at　the　center　of　the　cross's　upright。　It　had　a　bit　of　rust　around　the　edges；　quite　unlike　the　lead　solder　embedding　the　other　gems。　〃What　do　you　make　of　this？〃　he　asked。
　Nikos　peered　over　his　shoulder。　〃You're　a　natural；〃　he　said。　〃Something　is　there。〃
　〃Perhaps　you　should　take　over。〃
　〃Why？　It's　your　discovery。〃
　The　Egyptian　was　pleased。　He　reveled　in　the　investigation。　It　did　feel　like　a　game　of　chess　as　he　tried　to　decipher　the　reliquary。　He　pried　away　flakes　of　rust。　A　different　metal　had　to　lie　beneath　the　amethyst；　perhaps　some　kind　of　iron　mechanism。　He　gently　pressed　the　gem；　but　nothing　happened。　〃Am　I　doing　something　wrong？〃
　〃Who　knows？　These　boxes　can　be　plicated。　Some　are　more　like　machines　inside。　Keep　going。〃
　〃Marvelous；〃　breathed　the　Egyptian。　He　tried　a　jeweler's　tool；　teasing　at　the　purple　gem。　The　gem　refused　to　move。　He　gave　up。　He　would　never　forgive　himself　for　ruining　his　friend's　treasure。　〃Here；〃　he　said。　〃Please。〃
　〃We'll　do　this　together；〃　said　Nikos。　Nikos　took　a　syringe　filled　with　graphite　oil。　He　laid　a　delicate　beadwork　of　oil　drops　around　the　amethyst。　While　they　waited　for　the　oil　to　slowly　bleed　into　the　rusted　works；　Nikos　went　on　talking。
　〃As　you　may　know；　Jews；　like　Protestants；　adamantly　reject　the　practice　of　holy　relics。　And　yet　in　the　Book　of　Kings；　in　the　Old　Testament；　they　describe　the　miraculous　recovery　of　a　dead　soldier　when　his　body　touched　the　bones　of　the　prophet　Elisha。　Early　Israelites　were　attributing　magical　powers　to　their　dead　saints…their　prophets…centuries　before　Jesus　was　ever　born。　That　got　me　thinking。〃　He　paused　and　said；　〃try　again。〃
　The　Egyptian　set　the　dental　pick　on　a　rugosity　on　the　gem。　He　applied　pressure；　an　ounce；　no　more。　Nothing　happened。　Nikos　took　his　syringe　and　circled　the　stone　with　another　line　of　oil。　Nikos　continued　his　thought。
　〃All　art　is　derivative。〃　He　pointed　at　the　painting　on　the　wall。　〃Koons　borrowed　from　Rubens　who　borrowed　from　earlier　artists。　The　mortuary　arts　are　no　different。　I　realized　that　the　early　Christians　creating　these　miniature　tombs　had　a　context。　They　lived　during　the　Roman　empire。　Craftsmen　from　dozens　of　countries　were　being　brought　to　Rome。　Craftsmen　from　your　own　country；　as　well。　Their　ancient　skills　were　being　transported　to　the　very　place　Christians　were　being　persecuted。〃
　The　Egyptian　touched　the　cross。　〃You　think　one　of　my　ancestors　built　this？〃　It　was　an　astounding　notion。
　〃Perhaps　not　this　very　object；〃　said　Nikos。　〃But　the　Christians　learned　how　to　make　puzzle　boxes　from　someone。　Someone　highly　skilled　in　a　dying　art。　The　art　of　preserving　the　dead。　That　would　explain　why　some　of　these　very　earlydomos　are　so　plex。　Like　your　booby…trapped　tombs　and　pyramids；　they　are　meant　to　thwart　the　uninvited　visitor。〃
　The　Egyptian　looked　at　Nikos。　〃We　seem　to　have　forgotten　our　art；〃　he　said。　〃Your　box　is　beyond　me。〃
　Nikos　smiled。　Turning　his　pencil　upside　down；　he　gave　a　single　jab　at　the　amethyst。　The　pink　eraser　struck　its　center。　The　stone　sank　into　its　mount。　A　piece　of　metal　clicked　inside。　A　small　hatch　released　on　the　top　of　the　cross。　〃We're　in；〃　said　Nikos。
　They　were　like　two　small　boys　building　a　model　airplane；　only　here　they　were　unbuilding　it。　Neither　paid　attention　to　the　twilight　stealing　across　Homer's　wine…dark　sea。　Standing　the　cross　on　end；　they　removed　the　hatch　and　shined　a　light　inside。　At　the　base　of　a　tin　pit；　two　inches　square；　was　a　keyhole。　〃Now　what？〃　said　the　Egyptian。
　Nikos　produced　a　locksmith's　prong。　Ten　minutes　passed　as　he　tried　different　picks　and　angles。　After　another　injection　of　oil；　the　lock　gave　way。　A　second　lid　opened；　and　they　carefully　removed　that　with　tweezers。　It　seemed　a　dead　end　until　Nikos　inserted　a　dental　mirror　and　they　found　a　small　hook　hidden　under　a　concealed　shelf。
　Stage　by　stage；　they　dismantled　the　box。　It　was　an　ingenious　device。　Nikos　proved　himself　a　master；　overing　the　safeguards　and　odd　defenses。　After　an　hour；　they　heard　three　distinct　clicking　sounds。　〃Oh　no；〃　breathed　Nikos。　〃It　is　destroying　itself。　They　are　sometimes　rigged　to　crush　the　capsules　and　their　relic　material。〃
　But　as　it　turned　out；　the　sounds　were　of　latches　unfastening。　The　entire　front　rose　a　quarter　inch。　Nikos　exchanged　a　glance　with　his　friend；　then　took　the　invitation。　With　his　fingertips；　he　evenly　lifted　the　face　from　the　cross。
　The　interior　was　a　marvel。　The　artisan's　secrets　lay　exposed　like　metal　organs　and　veins；　the　wires　and　latches　and　levers。　There　was　more。　〃I've　never　seen　such　a　thing；〃　said　Nikos。　〃It　holds　not　one　capsule；　but　four。　What　an　extraordinary　find！〃
　In　each　corner　of　the　cross；　trapped　like　a　fly　in　spider　webbing；　a　glass　capsule　lay　bound　in　place　with　red　thread。　The　Egyptian　could　barely　contain　his　excitement。　Nikos　drew　a　rough　diagram　of　the　cross　and　labeled　each　corner　A　through　D。　Beneath　that；　he　wrote　〃A〃　and　set　down　his　pencil。
　Using　a　scalpel；　Nikos　severed　the　threads　securing　the　topmost　capsule。　Beneath　the　tightly…drawn　threads　was　an　oblong　ampule　with　marbled　swirls　of　blue　and　white。　〃Roman　glass；〃　said　Nikos。　〃The　Romans　learned　from　the　Greeks　the　technology　of　hermetically　sealing　objects　inside　of　glass　bubbles。〃
　〃What　do　you　suppose　is　in　there？〃
　〃It　could　be　almost　anything。　There　is　only　one　way　to　find　out。　We　must　crack　the　egg。〃
　The　Egyptian　took　him　literally　and　expected　a　hammer。　Instead　Nikos　mounted　the　capsule　in　a　padded　vise　and　reached　across　the　table　for　a　device　that　fitted　over　the　capsule。　〃A　glass　cutter；〃　Nikos　said；　setting　calibrations　for　its　height。　He　brought　the　diamond　tip　to　rest　on　the　glass。　Ever　so　delicately；　he　moved　it　in　a　circle　around　the　crown　of　the　capsule。　The　cutter　made　half　a　dozen　orbits；　scoring　deeper　each　time。
　Nikos　halted。　The　cutting　was　nearly　plete。　〃e　closer；〃　he　said。　〃There　is　an　unexpected　reward。　It　lasts　only　a　few　seconds；　once　I　breach　the　glass。　Make　yourself　ready。〃
　〃For　what？〃
　〃The　air　inside。　An　atmosphere　twenty　centuries　old。〃
　The　Egyptian　understood。　He　leaned　in。　Their　heads　were　touching。　〃Ready？〃　said　Nikos；　and　they　both　emptied　their　lungs。
　Nikos　pleted　the　final　rotation。　With　a　jewelers　gummy　stick；　he　lifted　the　top　off　the　capsule。　Immediately　both　men　inhaled。
　The　Egyptian　closed　his　eyes。　He　smiled。　The　scent　was　ancient；　part　herb；　part　oil。　As　if　sampling　a　narcotic；　he　sipped　the　odor　of　antiquity　through　his　nostrils。　He　drew　it　into　his　lungs。　He　released　the　air　slowly；　tasting　its　parts。　Now　he　understood　why　Nikos　had　offered　him　no　food。　This　feast；　so　rare　and　subtle；　was　best　appreciated　on　an　empty　stomach。
　The　Egyptian　opened　his　eyes。　Nikos　was　peering　into　the　capsule。　It　was　empty　except　for　a　serous　material　at　the　bottom；　some　kind　of　thickened　liquid。　〃Perhaps　the　relic　disintegrated；〃　he　said。　〃That　happens；　especially　if　the　relic　was　organic。　No　matter；　the　labs　can　still　provide　details　from　the　residue。〃　Six　times；　one　for　each　lab　and　himself；　he　dipped　a　cotton　swab　inside　the　glass　shell。　The　tips　came　out　brown　and　sticky。　Each　swab　went　into　its　own　test　tube。　When　he　was　done　providing　for　the　labs；　Nikos　touched　his　fingertip　to　the　edge　of　the　glass　and　rubbed　the　residue　between　his　fingers。　He　sniffed　at　it　again；　then　touched　his　finger　to　his　tongue。　The　Egyptian　did　not　go　so　far。　Nikos　made　several　notes　under　〃A；〃　then　wrote；　〃B；〃　and　bent　to　cut　the　second　capsule　from　its　threads。
　They　repeated　the　act　three　more　times。　Each　time　they　inhaled　the　first　rich；　momentary　burst　of　air。　Only　one　capsule　contained　an　object。　In　capsule　C；　at　the　foot　of　the　cross；　they　extracted　a　flat　splinter　of　metal。　〃Iron；〃　said　Nikos。　〃Part　of　a　nail；　what　do　you　think？　Or　a　lance　head。　The　metallurgy　is　quite　different。　And　if　there　is　any　blood　residue；　it　will　show　up　in　the　lab　work；　too。〃
　He　broke　pieces　from　the　splinter　and　placed　them　into　test　tubes　the　Egyptian　opened　and　closed　for　him。　What　was　left　of　the　metal　sliver　he　set　on　a　gauze　pad。　When　they　were　finished；　there　were　six　sets　of　four　test　tubes。　The　Egyptian　helped　him　pack　the　test　tubes　in　padded　mail　tubes　that　were　already　addressed　to　laboratories　in　Europe；　Israel；　a