p&c.thunderhead-第36节

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joined　shortly　by　Holroyd。　Smithback　was　kneeling　in　the　stream；　oblivious；　bathing　his　head　with　cupped　hands。　Sloane　staggered　over；　sopping　wet；　and　knelt　beside　Nora。　
　〃Swire　needs　our　help　with　the　horses；〃　she　said。　
　They　went　downstream　and　helped　Swire　drag　the　horses　out　of　the　water；　to　prevent　any　possibility　of　fatal　overdrinking。　As　they　worked；　Swire　refused　to　meet　Nora's　eyes。　
　After　a　rest；　the　group　remounted　and　continued　downstream　into　the　new　world　of　the　valley。　The　water　ran　over　a　cobbled　bed；　filling　the　air　with　tranquil　noise。　The　sounds　of　life　rose　about　them：　trilling　cicadas；　humming　dragonflies；　even　the　occasional　eructation　of　a　frog。　As　Nora's　thirst　abated；　the　sickening　horror　of　the　accident　returned　with　fresh　force。　She　was　riding　a　new　horse　now；　Arbuckles；　and　every　jarring　movement　seemed　a　reproachful　memory　of　Fiddlehead。　She　thought　of　Swire's　poem　to　Hurricane　Deck；　almost　a　love　ballad　to　the　horse。　She　wondered　how　she　was　ever　going　to　work　things　out　with　him。　
　They　traveled　down　the　valley；　which　narrowed　as　it　approached　the　broad　sandstone　plateau；　rising　in　front　of　them　now　less　than　a　mile　away。　Nora　glanced　up　at　the　cliffs　as　they　passed；　noting　again　the　odd　lack　of　ruins。　This　was　an　ideal　valley　for　prehistoric　settlement；　and　yet　there　was　nothing。　If；　after　all　that　had　happened；　this　turned　to　be　the　wrong　canyon　system…she　shut　the　thought　from　her　mind。　
　The　stream　made　another　bend。　The　naked　plateau　loomed　ever　closer；　the　stream　at　last　disappearing　into　the　narrow　slot　canyon　carved　into　its　side。　According　to　the　radar　map；　the　canyon　should　open；　about　a　mile　farther　along；　into　the　small　valley　that…she　hoped…contained　Quivira。　But　the　slot　canyon　itself　that　lay　between　them　and　the　inner　valley　was　clearly　too　narrow　for　horses。　
　As　they　rode　up　to　the　massive　sandstone　wall；　Nora　noticed　a　large　rock　beside　the　stream　with　some　markings　on　its　flanks。　As　she　dismounted　and　came　nearer；　she　could　see　a　small　panel　of　petroglyphs；　similar　to　those　they　had　found　at　the　base　of　the　ridge：　a　series　of　dots　and　a　small　foot；　along　with　another　star　and　a　sun。　She　couldn't　help　but　notice　that　there　was　a　large　reversed　spiral　carved　on　top　of　the　other　images。　
　The　rest　came　up　beside　her。　She　noticed　Aragon　gazing　at　the　glyphs；　an　intent　expression　on　his　face。　
　〃What　do　you　think？〃　she　asked。　
　〃I've　seen　other　examples　of　dot　patterns　like　these　along　the　ancient　approaches　to　Hopi；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃I　believe　they　give　distance　and　direction　information。〃　
　〃Sure；〃　Black　scoffed。　〃And　the　freeway　interchanges　and　the　location　of　the　nearest　Howard　Johnson's；　I'll　bet。　Everyone　knows　Anasazi　petroglyphs　are　indecipherable。〃　
　Aragon　ignored　this。　〃The　footlike　glyph　indicates　walking；　and　the　dots　indicate　distance。　Based　on　other　sites　I've　seen；　each　dot　represents　a　walking　distance　of　about　sixteen　minutes；　or　three　quarters　of　a　mile。〃　
　〃And　the　antelope？〃　Nora　asked。　〃What　does　that　symbolize？〃　
　Aragon　glanced　at　her。　〃An　antelope；〃　he　said。　
　〃So　this　isn't　a　kind　of　writing？〃　
　Aragon　looked　back　at　the　rock。　〃Not　in　the　sense　we're　used　to。　It's　not　phonetic；　syllabic；　or　ideographic。　My　own　view　is　that　it's　an　entirely　different　way　of　using　symbols。　But　that　doesn't　mean　it's　not　writing。〃　
　〃On　the　other　side　of　the　ridge；〃　Nora　said；　〃I　saw　a　star　inside　the　moon；　inside　the　sun。　I'd　never　seen　anything　like　it　before。〃　
　〃Yes。　The　sun　is　the　symbol　for　the　supreme　deity；　the　moon　the　symbol　for　the　future；　and　the　star　a　symbol　of　truth。　I　took　the　whole　thing　to　be　an　indicator　that　an　oracle；　a　kind　of　Anasazi　Delphi；　lay　ahead。〃　
　〃You　mean　Quivira？〃　Nora　asked。　
　Aragon　nodded。　
　〃And　what　does　this　spiral　mean？〃　asked　Holroyd。　
　Aragon　hesitated　a　moment。　〃That　spiral　was　added　later。　It's　reversed；　of　course。〃　His　voice　trailed　off。　〃In　the　context　of　the　other　things　we've　seen；　I'd　call　it　a　warning；　or　omen；　laid　on　top　of　these　earlier　symbols。　A　notice　to　travelers　not　to　proceed；　an　indication　of　evil。〃　
　There　was　a　sudden　silence。　
　〃Lions　and　tigers　and　bears；　oh　my；〃　murmured　Smithback。　
　〃Obviously；　there's　still　a　lot　we　don't　know；〃　Aragon　said；　the　slightest　trace　of　defensiveness　in　his　voice。　〃Perhaps　you；　Mr。　Smithback；　with　your　no　doubt　profound　knowledge　of　Anasazi　witches　and　their　modern…day　descendants；　the　skinwalkers；　can　enlighten　us　further。〃　
　The　writer　rolled　his　tongue　around　his　cheek　and　raised　his　eyebrows；　but　said　nothing。　
　As　they　moved　away；　Holroyd　gave　a　shout。　He　had　walked　around　to　the　side　of　the　rock　nearest　the　entrance　to　the　slot　canyon。　Now　he　pointed　to　a　much　fresher　inscription；　scraped　into　the　rock　with　a　penknife。　As　Nora　stared　at　it；　she　felt　her　cheeks　begin　to　burn。　Still　staring；　she　knelt　beside　the　stone；　fingers　slowly　tracing　the　narrow　grooves　that　spelled　out　P。K。　1983。　
　
　
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　AS　NORA　TOUCHED　HER　FATHER'S　INITIALS　on　the　rock；　something　inside　her　seemed　to　give　way。　A　knot　of　tension；　tightened　over　the　harrowing　days；　loosened　abruptly；　and　she　leaned　against　the　smooth　surface　of　the　rock；　feeling　an　intense；　overwhelming　flood　of　relief。　Her　father　had　been　here。　They　had　been　following　his　trail　all　along。　She　realized　dimly　that　the　group　was　crowding　around；　congratulating　her。　
　Slowly　she　rose　to　her　feet。　She　gathered　the　expedition　under　a　small　grove　of　gambel　oaks；　near　the　point　where　the　stream　plunged　into　the　slot　canyon。　Everyone　seemed　to　be　in　high　spirits　except　Swire；　who　silently　moved　off　with　the　horses　to　a　nearby　patch　of　grass。　Bonarotti　was　busy　cleaning　the　dirty　cookware　in　the　stream　
　〃We're　almost　there；〃　she　said。　〃According　to　our　maps；　this　is　the　slot　canyon　we've　been　searching　for。　We　should　find　the　hidden　canyon　of　Quivira　at　the　far　end。〃　
　〃Is　it　safe？〃　Black　asked。　〃Looks　pretty　narrow　to　me。〃　
　〃I've　kept　my　eyes　on　the　canyon　walls；〃　Sloane　said。　〃There　haven't　been　any　obvious　trails　that　would　lead　up　and　over　to　the　next　valley。　If　we're　going　on；　this　is　the　only　way　through。〃　
　〃It's　getting　late；〃　Nora　said。　〃The　real　question　is；　shall　we　unpack　the　horses　and　carry　everything　in　now？　Or　shall　we　camp　now　and　go　in　tomorrow？〃　
　Black　answered　first。　〃I'd　prefer　not　to　carry　any　more　equipment　today；　thank　you；　especially　through　that。〃　He　gestured　past　the　canebrake　toward　the　narrow　slot；　which　looked　more　like　a　fissure　in　the　rock　than　a　canyon。　
　Smithback　sat　back；　fanning　himself　with　a　branch　of　oak　leaves。　〃As　long　as　you're　asking；　I'd　just　as　soon　sit　here　with　my　feet　in　the　stream　and　see　what　victuals　Signore　Bonarotti　brings　out　of　his　magic　box。〃　
　The　rest　seemed　to　agree。　Then　Nora　turned　toward　Sloane。　In　the　woman's　eyes；　she　immediately　saw　the　same　eagerness　that　was　kindling　within　her。　
　Sloane　grinned　her　slow　grin　and　nodded。　〃Feel　up　to　it？〃　she　asked。　
　Nora　looked　at　the　entrance　to　the　slot　canyon…barely　more　than　a　dark　seam　in　the　rock…and　nodded。　Then　she　turned　once　again　toward　the　group。　
　〃Sloane　and　I　are　going　to　reconnoiter；〃　she　said；　glancing　at　her　watch。　〃We　might　not　be　able　to　get　in　and　back　before　darkness；　so　it　may　turn　out　to　be　an　overnight　trip。　Any　objections？〃　
　There　were　none。　While　the　camp　settled　down　to　its　routine；　Nora　loaded　a　sleeping　bag　and　water　pump　into　a　backpack。　Sloane　did　the　same；　adding　a　length　of　rope　and　some　climbing　equipment　to　hers。　Bonarotti　wordlessly　pressed　small；　heavy　packets　of　food　into　each　of　their　hands。　
　Shouldering　their　packs；　they　waved　goodbye　and　hiked　down　the　stream。　Past　the　grove　of　oaks；　the　rivulet　burbled　across　a　pebbled　bed　and　entered　the　canebrake　outside　the　mouth　of　the　slot　canyon。　Much　of　the　cane　had　been　torn　and　shredded　into　a　dense　tangle；　and　there　were　several　battered　tree　trunks　and　boulders　lying　about。　
　They　pushed　ahead　into　the　cane；　which　rustled　and　crackled　at　their　passage。　Deerflies　and　no…see…ums　danced　and　droned　in　the　thick　air。　Nora　led；　waving　them　away　with　an　impatient　hand。　
　〃Nora；〃　she　heard　Sloane　say　softly　behind　her；　〃look　carefully　to　your　right。　Look；　but　don't　move。〃　
　Nora　followed　Sloane's　glance　toward　a　piece　of　cane　perhaps　eighteen　inches　away。　A　small　gray　rattlesnake　was　coiled　tightly　around　it　at　about　shoulder　height。　
　〃I　hate　to　tell　you；　Nora；　but　you　just　elbowed　this　poor　snake　aside。〃　It　was　meant　to　sound　lighthearted；　but　Sloane's　voice　carried　a　small　tremor。　
　Nora　stared　in　horrified　fascination。　She　could　see　the　cane　still　swaying　slightly　from　her　passage。　〃Christ；〃　she　whispered；　her　throat　dry　and　constricted。　
　〃Probably　the　only　reason　he　didn't　strike　was　because　it　would　have　caused　him　to　fall；〃　added　Sloane。　〃Sistrurus　toxidius；　the　pigmy　gray　rattler。　Second　most　poisonous　rattlesnake　in　North　America。〃　
　Nora　continued　to　stare　at　the　snake；　almost　perfectly　camouflaged　by　its　surroundings。　〃I　feel　a　little　sick；〃　she　said。　
　〃Let　me　walk　first。〃　
　In　no　mood　to　argue；　Nora　stood　by　while　Sloane　went　on　ahead；　gingerly　picking　her　way　through　the　broken　cane；　pausing　every　few　steps　to　scrutinize　her　path。　
　She　stopped