p&c.thunderhead-第28节

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　〃Let　me　see；〃　Holroyd　said。　He　gazed　at　the　ruin；　motionless。　〃Incredible；〃　he　breathed　at　last。　
　〃There's　thousands　of　little　ruins　like　that　in　the　Utah　canyon　country；〃　Nora　said。　
　〃How　did　they　live？〃　Holroyd　asked；　still　peering　up　with　the　binoculars。　
　〃They　probably　farmed　the　canyon　bottom…corn；　squash；　and　beans。　They　hunted　and　gathered　plants。　I'd　guess　it　housed　a　single　extended　family。〃　
　〃I　can't　believe　they　raised　kids　up　there；〃　Holroyd　said。　〃You　have　to　be　pretty　brave　to　live　in　a　cliff　face　like　that。〃　
　〃Or　nervous；〃　said　Nora。　〃There's　a　lot　of　controversy　over　why　the　Anasazi　suddenly　abandoned　their　pueblos　on　the　flats　and　retreated　into　those　inaccessible　cliff　dwellings。　Some　say　it　was　for　defense。〃　
　〃Looks　like　a　no…brainer　to　me；〃　Smithback　said；　grabbing　the　binoculars　from　Holroyd。　〃Who'd　live　up　there　if　they　didn't　have　to？　No　elevators；　and　Pizza　Hut　sure　as　hell　doesn't　deliver。〃　
　Nora　looked　at　him。　〃What　makes　it　strange　is　that　there's　no　overt　evidence　of　warfare　or　invasion。　All　we　really　know　is　that　the　Anasazi　suddenly　retreated　to　these　cliff　sites；　stayed　there　for　a　while；　and　then　abandoned　the　Four　Corners　area　entirely。　Some　archaeologists　think　it　was　caused　by　a　total　social　breakdown。〃　
　Sloane　had　been　scanning　the　cliffs　with　a　shaded　hand。　Now　she　took　the　binoculars　from　Smithback　and　examined　the　rock　more　carefully。　〃I　think　I　can　see　a　way　up；〃　she　said。　〃If　you　climb　that　talus　slope；　there's　a　hand…and…toe　trail　pecked　up　the　slickrock　which　goes　all　the　way　to　the　ledge。　From　there　you　can　edge　over。〃　She　lowered　the　binoculars　and　looked　at　Nora；　amber　eyes　lit　up　with　mild　excitement。　〃Do　we　have　time　to　try　it？〃　
　Nora　glanced　at　her　watch。　They　were　already　hopelessly　behind　schedule…one　more　hour　wouldn't　matter；　and　they　did　have　an　obligation　to　survey　as　many　ruins　as　they　could。　Besides；　it　might　revive　some　flagging　spirits。　She　gazed　up　at　the　little　ruin；　feeling　her　own　curiosity　aroused。　There　was　always　the　chance　her　father　had　explored　this　ruin；　maybe　even　left　his　scrawled　initials　on　a　rockface　to　record　his　presence。　〃All　right；〃　she　said；　reaching　for　her　camera。　〃It　doesn't　look　technical。〃　
　〃I'd　like　to　go；　too；〃　said　Holroyd　excitedly。　〃I　did　some　rock　climbing　in　college。〃　
　Nora　looked　at　the　flushed；　eager　face。　Why　not？　
　〃I'm　sure　Mr。　Swire　would　be　happy　to　give　the　horses　an　extra　rest。〃　Nora　looked　at　the　group。　〃Anybody　else　want　to　e？〃　
　Black　gave　a　short　laugh。　〃No　thanks；〃　he　said。　〃I　value　my　life。〃　
　Aragon　glanced　up　from　his　notebook　and　shook　his　head。　Bonarotti　had　gone　off　to　gather　mushrooms。　Smithback　pushed　away　from　the　rock　wall　and　stretched　luxuriously。　〃Guess　I'd　better　tag　along　with　you；　Madame　Chairman；〃　he　said。　〃It　wouldn't　do　to　have　you　find　an　Anasazi　Rosetta　stone　while　I　was　loafing　around　down　here。〃　
　They　crossed　the　stream；　scrambled　over　boulders　and　up　the　talus　slope；　loose　rocks　clattering　behind　them。　The　sandstone　ahead　sloped　upward　at　a　forty…five…degree　angle；　notched　with　a　series　of　eroded　dimples　set　into　the　rock。　
　〃That's　the　hand…and…toe　trail。〃　Nora　pointed。　〃The　Anasazi　pounded　them　out　with　quartzite　hammerstones。〃　
　〃I'll　go　first；〃　said　Sloane。　To　Nora's　surprise　she　shot　nimbly　upward；　limbs　tawny　in　the　sunlight；　hands　and　feet　finding　the　holds　with　the　instinctive　assurance　of　a　veteran　rock　climber。　〃e　on　up！〃　she　said　a　minute　later；　kneeling　on　the　ledge　above　their　heads。　Holroyd　followed。　Then　Nora　watched　Smithback　creep　cautiously　up　the　slickrock　face；　gangly　limbs　clutching　at　the　narrow　holds；　his　face　covered　with　sweat。　Something　about　him　made　her　smile。　She　waited　until　he　had　safely　pleted　the　climb；　then　brought　up　the　rear　herself。　
　In　a　few　moments　they　were　all　sitting　on　the　ledge；　catching　their　breath。　Nora　looked　at　the　camp　spread　out　below　their　feet；　the　horses　grazing　along　an　apron　of　sand；　the　humans　looking　like　splotches　of　color　resting　against　the　red　cliffs。　
　Sloane　rose。　〃Ready？〃　
　〃Go　for　it；〃　said　Nora。　
　They　crept　along　the　narrow　ledge。　It　was　about　two　feet　wide；　but　the　bottom　was　canted　slightly　and　scattered　with　fragments　of　sandstone；　which　rattled　off　into　space　as　they　inched　along。　After　a　short　distance　the　ledge　broadened　out；　curved　around　a　corner；　and　the　ruin　came　into　view。　
　Nora　made　a　quick　visual　inspection。　The　alcove　was　perhaps　fifty　feet　long；　ten　feet　high　at　its　highest　point；　and　about　fifteen　feet　deep。　A　low　masonry　retaining　wall　had　been　built　at　the　lip　of　the　alcove　and　filled　with　rubble；　leveling　the　surface。　Behind　were　four　small　roomblocks　of　flat　stones　mortared　with　mud；　one　with　a　keyhole　door；　the　rest　with　tiny　windows。　The　builders　had　used　the　natural　sandstone　roof　of　the　alcove　as　their　ceiling。　
　Nora　turned　to　Holroyd　and　Smithback。　〃I　think　Sloane　and　I　should　make　an　initial　survey。　You　wouldn't　mind　waiting　here　for　a　few　minutes？〃　
　〃Only　if　you　promise　not　to　find　anything；〃　Smithback　replied。　
　Nora　unbuckled　the　hood　of　her　camera　and　walked　gingerly　along　the　facade；　photographing　the　exterior　of　the　dwelling。　Although　Sloane's　expertise　with　the　large　4x5　Graflex　made　her　the　expedition's　official　photographer；　Nora　liked　to　keep　her　own　record　of　all　the　sites　she　studied。　
　She　stopped　to　peer　more　closely　at　the　plastered　wall。　Here；　she　could　see　the　actual　handprints　of　the　person　who　had　smeared　the　adobe。　Raising　her　camera　again；　she　took　a　careful　closeup；　then　another　when　she　noticed　a　clear　set　of　fingerprints。　It　was　not　unusual　to　find　prints　preserved　in　Anasazi　plaster　and　corrugated　pottery；　but　she　always　liked　to　document　them　when　she　could。　They　helped　serve　as　a　reminder　that　archaeology　was　the　study；　ultimately；　of　people；　not　artifacts…something　she　felt　many　of　her　colleagues　seemed　to　forget。　
　There　was　the　usual　littering　of　potsherds　on　the　ground…mostly　Pueblo　III　Mesa　Verde　whiteware　and　some　late　Tusayan…style　corrugated　grayware。　A。D。　1240；　Nora　thought　without　surprise。　
　Sloane；　who　had　been　sketching　a　quick　plan　of　the　ruin；　now　removed　a　pair　of　tweezers　and　some　Ziploc　bags　from　her　rucksack。　Labeling　the　bags　with　a　marker；　she　moved　carefully　forward；　picking　up　a　sampling　of　potsherds　and　some　scattered　corncobs　with　the　tweezers。　She　placed　them　in　the　bags；　then　marked　their　positions　in　her　sketchbook。　She　worked　quickly　and　deftly；　and　Nora　watched　with　growing　surprise。　Sloane　seemed　to　know　exactly　what　to　do。　In　fact；　she　worked　as　if　she　had　been　on　many　professional　surveys　before。　
　Reaching　into　her　bag　again；　Sloane　pulled　out　a　small；　battery…powered　chrome　instrument　and　moved　to　a　viga　that　projected　from　one　of　the　roomblocks。　There　was　a　small　whining　sound；　and　Nora　realized　she　was　taking　a　core　from　the　roofbeam　for　tree…ring　dating。　By　studying　the　growth　pattern　of　the　rings；　a　specialist　in　dendrochronology　such　as　Black　could　tell　the　exact　year　the　tree　was　cut。　As　the　whining　ended　abruptly　and　silence　returned；　Nora　felt　a　sudden　annoyance　at　this　mechanized　disturbance　of　the　site…or；　perhaps；　with　the　fact　that　Sloane　had　done　it　so　blithely；　without　her　permission。　She　instinctively　moved　forward。　
　Looking　over；　Sloane　read　her　face　in　an　instant。　〃This　all　right？〃　she　asked；　raising　her　dark　eyebrows　inquiringly。　
　〃Next　time；　let's　discuss　something　like　this　first。〃　
　〃Sorry；〃　Sloane　said；　in　a　tone　even　more　annoying　for　its　apparent　lack　of　sincerity。　〃I　just　thought　it　might　be　useful…〃　
　〃It　will　be　useful；〃　Nora　said；　trying　to　moderate　her　voice。　〃That's　not　the　point。〃　
　Sloane　glanced　at　her　more　closely；　a　cool；　appraising　glance　that　bordered　on　insolence。　Then　the　lazy　grin　returned。　〃I　promise；〃　she　said。　
　Nora　turned　and　moved　to　the　doorway。　She　realized　her　irritation　was　partly　based　on　a　vague；　irrational　threat　she　felt　to　her　leadership。　She　hadn't　realized　Sloane　was　so　experienced　in　fieldwork；　spoiling　Nora's　earlier　assumption　that　she　would　be　leading　Goddard's　daughter　through　the　basics。　She　immediately　felt　sorry　for　showing　her　feelings；　she　had　to　admit　that　the　pencil…thin　core　probably　contained　the　most　useful　piece　of　information　they　would　take　from　the　ancient　ruin。　
　She　shined　a　penlight　inside　the　first　roomblock　and　found　the　interior　relatively　well　preserved。　The　walls　were　plastered；　still　showing　traces　of　painted　decoration。　She　angled　the　beam　toward　the　floor；　covered　with　sand　and　dust　that　had　blown　in　over　the　centuries。　In　one　corner　she　could　see　the　edge　of　a　metate…a　grinding　stone…protruding　from　the　dirt；　beside　a　broken　mano。　
　Opening　her　flash；　she　took　another　sequence　of　pictures　in　the　room　and　the　one　beyond；　which　was　exceptionally　dusty　and…very　unusually…seemed　at　one　time　to　have　been　painted　with　thick；　heavy　black　paint。　Or　perhaps　it　was　from　cooking。　Moving　through　a　low　doorway；　she　advanced　into　the　third　room。　It；　too；　was　empty；　save　for　a　hearth　with　several　firedogs　still　propping　up　a　al；　or　polished　cooking　stone。　The　sandstone　ceiling　was　blackened　with　crusted　smoke；　and　she　could　still　smell　the　faint　odor　of　charcoal。　A　series　of　holes　in　the　plaste