pdouglas.thecodex-第18部分

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！


rk　river。　A　single　star　burned　for　a　moment　in　a　patch　of　exposed　sky；　then　blinked　and　flickered　through　the　canopy　as　they　moved。　The　little　engine　whined　away。　For　now　they　were　alone　on　the　river。　The　dark；　humid　night　enfolded　them。
　Tom　took　Sally's　hand。　He　found　it　was　shaking；　and　then　he　realized　his　own　hand　was　shaking；　too。　The　soldiers　had　shot　at　them；　trying　to　kill　them。　He　had　seen　it　a　million　times　in　the　movies；　but　to　actually　be　shot　at　was　something　else　entirely。
　The　moon　was　setting　behind　the　wall　of　jungle；　and　darkness　suffocated　the　river。　Tom　flicked　on　the　flashlight　to　see　what　lay　ahead；　guiding　the　boat　around　snags　and　riffles。　A　growing　cloud　of　mosquitoes　whined　around　them。　They　seemed　to　be　sweeping　up　thousands　as　they　traveled。
　〃I　don't　suppose　you　have　a　can　of　bug　repellent　in　one　of　those　pockets　of　yours？〃　Tom　asked。
　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　did　manage　to　snag　my　fanny　pack　in　the　jeep。　I　shoved　it　in　my　pants。〃　She　fished　the　small　pack　out　of　an　enormous　pocket　on　her　thigh　and　unzipped　it。　She　began　rummaging　through；　pulling　out　a　miscellany　of　things…a　bottle　of　water…purification　tablets；　some　packs　of　waterproof　matches；　a　roll　of　hundred…dollar　bills；　a　map；　a　chocolate　bar；　a　passport；　some　useless　credit　cards。
　〃I'm　not　even　sure　what's　in　here。〃
　She　began　sorting　through　the　jumble　of　items　while　Tom　held　the　flashlight。　There　was　no　bottle　of　bug　stuff。　She　swore　and　began　putting　everything　back。　As　she　did　so；　a　photograph　fell　out。　Tom　shined　the　light　on　it。　It　showed　a　strikingly　handsome　young　man　with　dark　eyebrows　and　a　chiseled　chin。　The　grave　expression　that　furrowed　his　dark　eyebrows；　the　firm　full　set　of　his　lips；　the　tweed　jacket；　and　the　way　he　tilted　his　head　all　showed　him　to　be　a　man　who　took　himself　very　seriously　indeed。
　〃Who's　that？〃　Tom　asked。
　〃Oh；〃　said　Sally。　〃That's　Professor　Clyve。〃
　〃That's　Clyve？　Why；　he's　so　young！　I　imagined　him　to　be　some　dotty　old　man　in　a　cardigan　puffing　on　a　pipe。〃
　〃He　wouldn't　be　happy　to　hear　you　say　that。　He's　the　youngest　full　professor　in　the　history　of　the　department。　He　entered　Stanford　at　sixteen；　graduated　at　nineteen；　and　had　his　Ph。D。　by　the　time　he　was　twenty…two。　He's　a　true　genius。〃　She　carefully　tucked　the　photo　back　into　her　pocket。
　〃Why　are　you　carrying　around　a　photo　of　your　professor？〃
　〃Why；〃　said　Sally　lightly；　〃we're　engaged。　Didn't　I　tell　you？〃
　〃No。〃
　Sally　looked　at　him　curiously。　〃You　don't　have　a　problem　with　that；　do　you？〃
　〃Of　course　not。〃　Tom　felt　his　face　flushing　and　hoped　the　darkness　would　hide　it。　He　was　aware　she　was　glaring　at　him　in　the　dim　light。
　〃You　seemed　surprised。〃
　〃Well；　I　was。　After　all；　you're　not　wearing　an　engagement　ring。〃
　〃Professor　Clyve　doesn't　believe　in　those　bourgeois　conventions。〃
　〃And　it　was　okay　with　him　that　you　just　e　on　this　trip　with　me…？〃　Tom　broke　off；　realizing　he　had　said　exactly　the　wrong　thing。
　〃You　think　I　have　to　get　permission　from　'my　man'　to　go　on　a　trip？　Or　are　you　somehow　implying　that　I'm　not　to　be　trusted　sexually？〃　She　tilted　her　head；　looking　at　him　with　narrowed　eyes。
　Tom　looked　away。　〃Sorry　I　asked。〃
　〃So　am　I。　Somehow　I　thought　you　were　more　enlightened　than　that。〃
　Tom　busied　himself　driving　the　boat；　hiding　his　embarrassment　and　confusion。　The　river　was　silent；　the　swampy　night　heat　flowed　past　them。　A　bird　cried　in　the　darkness。　In　the　silence　that　followed；　Tom　heard　a　noise。
　Tom　immediately　switched　off　the　engine；　his　heart　pounding。　The　sound　came　again；　the　sputter　of　an　outboard　starter　being　pulled。　A　hush　fell　over　the　river。　The　boat　coasted。
　〃They　found　some　gas。　They're　ing　after　us。〃
　The　boat　was　starting　to　drift　back　down　with　the　current。　Tom　unshipped　a　pole　from　the　bottom　of　the　boat　and　stuck　it　in　the　water。　The　boat　swung　a　little　to　the　current　and　steadied。　Holding　the　boat　still　in　the　current；　they　listened。　There　was　another　sputter　and　then　a　roar。　The　roar　subsided　into　a　hum。　There　could　be　no　doubt：　It　was　the　sound　of　an　outboard。
　Tom　went　to　restart　their　engine。
　〃Don't；〃　said　Sally。　〃They'll　hear　it。〃
　〃We　can't　outpole　them。〃
　〃We　can't　outrace　them　either。　They'll　be　on　us　in　five　minutes　with　that　eighteen…horse。〃　Sally　flashed　the　light　along　the　wall　of　jungle　on　either　side　of　the　water。　The　water　extended　into　the　trees　and　spread　out；　drowning　the　jungle。　〃We　can　hide　instead。〃
　Tom　poled　the　dugout　toward　the　edge　of　the　flooded　forest。　There　was　a　small　opening…a　narrow　lane　of　water　that　looked　like　it　might　have　been　a　stream　in　drier　times。　He　poled　up　it；　and　the　boat　promptly　bumped　into　something：　a　sunken　log。
　〃Out；〃　Tom　said。
　The　water　was　only　a　foot　deep；　but　underneath　it　was　another　two　feet　of　mud；　which　they　sank　into　with　a　flurry　of　bubbles。　A　foul　stench　of　marsh　gas　rose　up。　The　back　of　the　boat　was　still　sticking　out　into　the　river；　where　it　would　be　instantly　spotted。
　〃Lift　and　push。〃
　They　struggled　to　get　the　nose　of　the　boat　up　on　the　log　and　then；　heaving　together；　pushed　the　boat　across。　Then　they　scrambled　over　it　themselves　and　climbed　back　in。　The　sound　of　the　Evinrude　grew　louder。　The　soldiers'　boat　was　ing　up　the　river　fast。
　Sally　picked　up　the　second　pole；　and　they　both　poled　forward；　deeper　into　the　flooded　forest。　Tom　switched　off　the　flashlight；　and　a　moment　later　a　powerful　light　came　blinking　through　the　trees。
　〃We're　still　too　close；〃　said　Tom。　〃They'll　see　us。〃　He　tried　to　pole；　but　the　pole　sank　into　the　muck　and　stuck。　He　jerked　it　out　and　laid　it　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　grabbing　some　hanging　vines　instead　and　using　them　to　pull　the　boat　deeper　into　the　forest；　halfway　into　a　thicket　of　ferns　and　bushes。　The　Evinrude　was　almost　on　them。　The　spotlight　flashed　through　the　forest　just　as　Tom　grabbed　Sally　and　pulled　her　down　to　the　bottom　of　the　dugout；　and　they　lay　side　by　side；　his　arm　around　her。　Tom　prayed　that　the　soldiers　wouldn't　see　their　engine。
　The　sound　of　the　motorboat　grew　very　loud。　The　boat　had　slowed　down；　and　the　spotlight　was　probing　the　forest　where　they　were　hidden。　Tom　could　hear　the　crackle　of　a　walkie…talkie；　the　murmur　of　voices。　The　spotlight　lit　up　the　jungle　around　them　like　a　movie　set…and　then　slowly　moved　on。　Blessed　darkness　returned。　The　sound　of　the　engine　passed　and　grew　fainter。
　Tom　sat　up　in　time　to　see　the　flash　of　the　spotlight　in　the　forest　up　ahead　as　the　boat　went　around　a　bend。　〃They're　gone；〃　he　said。
　Sally　sat　up；　brushing　her　tangled　hair　out　of　her　face。　The　mosquitoes　had　gathered　around　them　in　a　thick；　whining　cloud。　Tom　could　feel　them　everywhere；　in　his　hair；　crawling　into　his　ears；　trying　to　get　up　his　nose；　crawling　down　his　neck。　Each　blow　killed　a　dozen；　instantly　replaced。　When　he　tried　to　breathe；　he　breathed　mosquitoes。
　〃We've　got　to　get　out　of　here；〃　Sally　said；　slapping。
　Tom　began　pulling　dry　twigs　off　the　bushes　around　them。
　〃What　are　you　doing？〃
　〃Building　a　fire。〃
　〃Where？〃
　〃You'll　see。〃　When　he'd　collected　a　pile　of　twigs；　he　leaned　over　the　side　and　scooped　up　some　mud　from　the　swamp。　He　patted　it　into　a　pancake　on　the　bottom　of　the　dugout；　covered　it　with　leaves；　and　then　built　a　small　teepee　of　sticks　and　dry　leaves　on　top。
　〃Match。〃
　Sally　handed　him　a　match；　and　he　lit　the　fire。　As　soon　as　it　was　going　well；　he　added　some　green　leaves　and　twigs。　A　curl　of　smoke　drifted　up　and　gathered　in　the　still　air。　Tom　plucked　a　large　leaf　from　a　nearby　bush　and　used　it　as　a　fan　to　wave　the　smoke　over　Sally。　The　furious　cloud　of　mosquitoes　was　driven　back。　The　smoke　had　a　pleasant　smell；　sweet　and　spicy。
　〃There's　a　nice　trick；〃　said　Sally。
　〃My　father　showed　it　to　me　on　a　canoe　trip　in　northern　Maine。〃　He　reached　up；　yanked　some　more　leaves　off　the　bush；　and　added　them　to　the　fire。
　Sally　took　out　the　map　and　began　examining　it　by　flashlight。　〃It　looks　like　there　are　a　lot　of　side　channels　to　the　river。　I　think　we　should　stick　to　those　until　we　reach　Pito　Solo。〃
　〃Good　idea。　And　I　think　we'll　have　to　pole　from　now　on。　We　can't　risk　using　the　engine。〃
　Sally　nodded。
　〃You　tend　the　fire；〃　said　Tom。　〃I'll　pole；　and　then　we'll　switch　off。　We　won't　stop　until　we　reach　Pito　Solo。〃
　〃Right。〃
　Tom　pushed　the　boat　back　into　the　river　and　poled　close　to　the　flooded　forest；　listening　for　the　motorboat。　Soon　they　came　to　a　small　side　channel　winding　away　from　the　main　one；　and　took　it。
　Tom　said；　〃Somehow　I　don't　think　Lieutenant　Vespán　had　any　intention　of　bringing　us　back　to　San　Pedro　Sula。　I　think　he　planned　to　have　us　fall　out　of　his　helicopter。　If　it　weren't　for　that　missing　part；　we'd　be　dead。〃
　
　19
　
　Fenton　looked　up　into　the　vast　canopy　that　arched　above　his　head　and　noted　that　night　was　falling　in　the　Meambar　Swamp。　With　it　came　the　whine　of　insects　and　a　steamy　miasma　of　rot　that　rose　up　from　the　shivery　acres　of　muck　that　surrounded　them；　drifting　like　poison　gas　among　the　giant　tree　trunks。　Somewhere　in　the　depths　of　the　swamp　he　could　hear　the　distant　shriek　of　an　animal；　followed　by　the　roar　of　a　jaguar。
　It　was　the　second　night　in　a　row　that　they　could　find　no　dry　land　to　camp。　Instead；　they　had　tethered　the　dugout　under　a　group　of　giant　bromeliads　in　the　hope　that　their　leaves　would　help　keep　out　a　steady　rain。　They　did　no　such　thing；　instead　channeling　the　rain　into　streams　that　could　not　be　avoided。
　The　Teacher　lay　in　the　bottom　of　the　dugout；　in　the　rain；　huddled　against　the　heap　of　supplies；　wrapped　in　a　wet　blanket　and　shivering　despite　the　suffocating　heat。　The　cloud　of　mosquitoes　that　enveloped　them　in　a　mewling　fog　was　especially　thick　about　his　face。　Vernon　could　actually　see　them　crawling　about　his　mouth　and　eyes。　Vernon　reached　out　and　spread　some　more　deet　on　his　face；　but　it　was　a　hopeless　task。　If　the　rain　didn't　wash　it　off；　the　sweat　did。
　He　glanced　up。　The　two　guides　were　in　the　front　of　the　boat；　playing　cards　by　flashlight　and　drinking。　They　had　hardly　been　sober　since　the　beginning　of　the　trip；　and　Vernon　was　horrified　to　discover　that　one　of　the　ten…gallon　plastic　jugs　that　he　thought　contained　water　was　actually　full　of　homemade　aguardiente。
　Vernon　hunched　over；　swaying　and　hugging　himself。　It　wasn't　quite　dark；　night　seemed