pdouglas.thecodex-第22部分

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　Sally　glanced　at　Tom。　〃Looks　like　Don　Alfonso's　going　to　be　our　guide。〃
　Shouting　and　gesticulating；　Don　Alfonso　directed　Chori　and　Pingo　as　they　carried　the　supplies　down　to　the　river's　edge。　Their　dugout　was　back；　looking　as　if　it　had　never　been　moved。　In　a　half　hour　everything　was　all　set；　the　supplies　loaded　in　a　great　heap　in　the　middle　of　the　dugout　and　tied　down　with　a　plastic　tarp。　Meanwhile　a　crowd　had　been　gathering　on　the　bank；　and　cooking　fires　were　lit。
　Sally　turned　to　Marisol。　〃You're　a　wonderful　girl；〃　she　said。　〃You　saved　our　lives。　You　could　do　anything　in　life　you　want；　do　you　know　that？〃
　The　girl　gazed　at　her　steadily。　〃I　only　want　one　thing。〃
　〃What's　that？〃
　〃To　go　to　America。〃　The　girl　said　no　more　but　continued　looking　at　Sally　with　her　grave；　intelligent　face。
　〃I　hope　you　do　go　to　America；〃　said　Sally。
　The　girl　smiled　confidently　and　stood　up　straighter。　〃I　will。　Don　Alfonso　promised。　He　has　a　ruby。〃
　The　riverbank　was　now　crowded　with　people。　Their　departure　seemed　to　be　turning　into　a　festive　occasion。　A　group　of　women　was　cooking　a　munal　dinner　over　a　fire。　Children　were　running；　playing；　laughing；　and　chasing　chickens。　Finally；　when　it　seemed　that　the　whole　village　was　assembled；　Don　Alfonso　moved　through　the　crowd；　which　parted　for　him。　He　was　wearing　a　brand…new　pair　of　shorts　and　a　T…shirt　that　said　〃No　Fear。〃　His　face　was　wreathed　in　smiles　as　he　joined　them　on　the　bamboo　dock。
　〃Everyone　has　e　to　say　good…bye；〃　he　said　to　Tom。　〃You　see　how　I　am　a　beloved　personage　in　Pito　Solo。　I　am　their　special　Don　Alfonso　Boswas。　You　see　proof　here　that　you　chose　the　right　person　to　guide　you　across　the　Meambar　Swamp。〃
　Some　firecrackers　went　off　nearby；　and　there　was　a　squealing　of　laughter。　The　women　began　passing　out　food。　Don　Alfonso　took　Tom　and　Sally　by　the　hand。
　〃We　get　into　the　boat　now。〃
　Chori　and　Pingo；　still　stripped　to　the　waist；　had　already　taken　their　places；　one　in　the　bow　and　the　other　the　stern。　Don　Alfonso　helped　them　while　two　boys　stood　at　either　end　of　the　boat；　holding　the　lines；　ready　to　cast　off。　Then　Don　Alfonso　got　in　himself。　He　steadied　himself；　turned；　and　faced　the　crowd。　A　hush　fell：　Don　Alfonso　was　about　to　give　a　speech。　When　the　silence　was　absolute；　he　started；　speaking　in　a　most　formal　Spanish。
　〃My　friends　and　countrymen；　many　years　ago　it　was　prophesied　that　white　men　would　e　and　I　would　take　them　on　a　long　journey。　And　now　they　are　here。　We　are　setting　off　on　a　perilous　journey　across　the　Meambar　Swamp。　We　will　have　adventures　and　see　many　strange　and　wonderful　sights；　never　before　seen　by　man。
　〃You　may　ask　why　we　make　this　great　journey！　I　will　tell　you。　This　American　has　e　here　to　rescue　his　father；　who　lost　his　mind　and　abandoned　his　wife　and　family；　taking　with　him　all　their　possessions；　leaving　them　destitute。　His　poor　wife　has　been　weeping　tears　for　him　every　day　and　she　cannot　feed　her　family　or　protect　them　from　the　wild　animals。　Their　house　is　falling　down　and　the　thatch　has　rotted；　letting　in　the　rain。　No　one　will　marry　his　sisters　and　they　will　soon　be　forced　into　whoredom。　His　nephews　have　taken　to　drink。　This　young　man；　this　good　son；　has　e　to　cure　his　father　from　his　madness　and　bring　him　back　to　America；　where　he　can　live　to　a　respectable　old　age　and　die　in　his　hammock　and　not　bring　further　dishonor　and　starvation　to　his　family。　Then　his　sisters　will　find　husbands　and　his　nephews　and　nieces　will　take　care　of　his　milpas　and　he　will　be　able　to　play　dominoes　in　the　hot　afternoon　instead　of　working。〃
　The　village　was　spellbound　at　the　speech。　Don　Alfonso；　Tom　thought；　certainly　knew　how　to　tell　a　good　story。
　〃Long　ago；　my　friends；　I　dreamed　a　dream　that　I　would　leave　you　in　this　way；　that　I　would　go　away　on　a　great　journey　to　the　end　of　the　earth。　I　am　now　one　hundred　and　twenty…one　years　of　age　and　finally　this　dream　has　e　to　pass。　There　are　not　many　men　who　could　do　this　thing　at　my　age。　I　still　have　much　blood　in　my　veins；　and　if　my　Rosita　were　still　alive　she　would　be　smiling　every　day。〃
　〃Good…bye；　my　friends；　your　beloved　Don　Alfonso　Boswas　is　departing　the　village　with　tears　of　sadness　in　his　eyes。　Remember　me　always　and　tell　my　story　to　your　children　and　tell　them　to　tell　their　children；　to　the　end　of　time。〃
　A　great　cheer　went　up。　Firecrackers　went　off；　and　all　the　dogs　began　barking。　Some　of　the　old　men　began　beating　sticks　together　in　a　plex　rhythm。　The　boat　was　pushed　out　into　the　current；　and　Chori　started　the　engine。　The　laden　boat　began　nosing　forward　in　the　water。　Don　Alfonso　continued　standing；　waving　and　blowing　kisses　to　the　wildly　cheering　crowd　until　long　after　the　boat　had　rounded　the　first　bend。
　〃I　feel　like　we　just　took　off　in　a　balloon　with　the　Wizard　of　Oz；〃　said　Sally。
　Don　Alfonso　finally　sat　down；　wiping　tears　from　his　eyes。　〃Ahee；　you　see　how　they　love　their　Don　Alfonso　Boswas。〃　He　snugged　himself　into　the　heap　of　supplies；　extracted　his　corncob　pipe；　packed　it　full　of　tobacco；　and　began　to　smoke；　a　pensive　expression　on　his　face。
　〃Are　you　really　one　hundred　and　twenty…one　years　old？〃　Tom　asked。
　Don　Alfonso　shrugged。　〃No　one　knows　how　old　they　really　are。〃
　〃I　know　how　old　I　am。〃
　〃You　have　counted　every　year　you　have　lived　since　birth？〃
　〃No；　but　others　counted　for　me。〃
　〃So　you　don't　really　know。〃
　〃I　do　know。　It's　listed　on　my　birth　certificate；　signed　by　the　doctor　who　delivered　me。〃
　〃Who　is　this　doctor　and　where　is　he　now？〃
　〃I　have　no　idea。〃
　〃And　you　actually　believe　some　useless　piece　of　paper；　signed　by　a　stranger？〃
　Tom　looked　at　the　old　man；　defeated　by　his　crazy　logic。　〃We　have　a　profession　for　people　like　you　in　America；〃　he　said。　〃We　call　them　lawyers。〃
　Don　Alfonso　laughed　loudly；　slapping　his　knee。　〃This　is　a　good　joke。　You　are　like　your　father；　Tomasito；　who　was　a　very　funny　man。〃　He　chuckled　for　a　while；　puffing　his　pipe。　Tom　took　out　their　map　of　Honduras　and　examined　it。
　Don　Alfonso　eyed　it　critically　and　then　snatched　it　out　of　his　hand。　He　examined　it　first　one　way；　then　another。　〃What　is　this？　North　America？〃
　〃No；　it's　southeastern　Honduras。　That's　the　Patuca　River；　and　there's　Brus。　The　village　of　Pito　Solo　should　be　here；　but　it's　not　marked。　Neither；　it　seems；　is　the　Meambar　Swamp。〃
　〃So　according　to　this　map；　we　do　not　exist　and　the　Meambar　Swamp　does　not　exist。　Take　care　to　keep　this　very　important　map　dry。　We　may　need　it　to　start　a　fire　someday。〃　Don　Alfonso　laughed　at　his　humor；　pointing　to　Chori　and　Pingo；　who　took　the　cue　and　belatedly　began　laughing　along　with　him；　even　though　they　hadn't　understood　a　word　he'd　said。　Don　Alfonso　continued　laughing　uproariously；　slapping　his　thigh；　until　the　tears　streamed。
　〃We　have　begun　our　journey　well；〃　he　said　when　he　had　recovered。　〃There　will　be　much　humor　and　jokes　on　our　trip。　Otherwise　the　swamp　will　drive　us　mad；　and　we　will　die。〃
　
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　The　camp　had　been　set　up　with　the　usual　military　precision　on　an　island　of　high　ground　surrounded　by　swamp。　Philip　sat　by　the　fire；　smoking　his　pipe　and　listening　to　the　evening　sounds　of　the　rainforest。　It　surprised　him　how　petent　Hauser　had　proven　to　be　at　jungle…craft；　organizing　and　laying　out　a　camp　and　directing　the　soldiers　about　their　various　tasks。　Hauser　asked　nothing　of　Philip　and　had　rebuffed　all　his　efforts　to　help。　Not　that　Philip　was　anxious　to　go　off　wading　in　the　muck　hunting　giant　rats　for　dinner；　as　it　seemed　they　were　doing　now。　It　was　just　that　Philip　disliked　feeling　useless。　This　was　not　the　challenge　his　father　had　in　mind；　sitting　by　a　fire　smoking　his　pipe　while　others　did　all　the　work。
　Philip　kicked　a　stick　back　into　the　embers。　The　hell　with　the　〃challenge。〃　It　had　to　be　the　most　asinine　thing　a　father　ever　did　to　his　children　since　King　Lear　divided　his　kingdom。
　Ocotal；　the　guide　they　had　picked　up　at　that　sorry　town　on　the　river；　was　sitting　by　himself；　tending　the　fire　and　cooking　rice。　He　was　a　strange　fellow；　this　Ocotal…small；　silent；　utterly　dignified。　There　was　something　about　him　that　Philip　found　attractive；　he　seemed　to　be　one　of　those　men　who　had　an　unshakable；　inner　conviction　of　his　own　worth。　He　certainly　knew　his　stuff；　guiding　them　through　an　incredible　maze　of　channels；　day　after　day；　without　the　slightest　hesitation；　paying　no　attention　to　Hauser's　exhortations；　ments；　and　questions。　He　was　impervious　to　any　attempts　at　conversation；　whether　on　Philip's　part　or　Hauser's。
　Philip　reamed　out　the　dottle；　glad　he　had　thought　to　stock　up　on　tins　of　Dunhill　Early　Morning；　and　repacked　the　pipe。　He　really　should　cut　back；　especially　in　light　of　his　father's　cancer。　After　the　trip。　For　now；　the　smoke　was　the　only　way　to　keep　off　the　mosquitoes。
　There　were　shouts；　and　Philip　turned　to　see　Hauser　ing　back　from　the　hunt；　with　a　dead　tapir　slung　on　a　pole；　carried　by　four　soldiers。　They　hoisted　the　animal　up　with　a　block　and　tackle　from　a　tree　branch。　Hauser　left　the　men　and　came　to　sit　down　next　to　Philip。　There　was　a　faint　smell　of　aftershave；　tobacco　smoke；　and　blood。　He　took　out　a　cigar；　clipped　it；　and　lit　it。　He　took　in　a　lungful　of　smoke　and　let　it　trickle　back　out　of　his　nose；　like　a　dragon。
　〃We're　making　excellent　progress；　Philip；　don't　you　think？〃
　〃Admirable。〃　Philip　slapped　at　a　mosquito。　He　couldn't　understand　how　Hauser　managed　to　avoid　getting　bitten；　despite　the　fact　that　he　never　seemed　to　use　insect　repellent。　Maybe　his　bloodstream　had　a　deadly　concentration　of　nicotine。　Philip　noticed　that　he　inhaled　his　fat　Churchill　cigars　the　way　most　people　inhale　cigarettes。　Strange　how　one　man　dies　of　it；　another　lives。
　〃Are　you　familiar　with　Genghis　Khan's　dilemma？〃　Hauser　asked。
　〃I　can't　say　I　am。〃
　〃When　Genghis　Khan　was　getting　ready　to　die；　he　wanted　to　be　buried　as　befitted　the　great　ruler　he　was…with　heaps　of　treasure；　concubines；　and　horses　to　enjoy　in　the　afterlife。　But　he　knew　that　his　tomb　would　almost　certainly　be　robbed；　depriving　him　of　all　the　joys　due　him　in　the　afterworld。　He　thought　about　this　for　a　long　time　and　could　e　up　with　no　answer。　He　finally　called　in　his　Grand　Vizier；　the　wisest　man　in　his　kingdom。
　〃　'What　shall　I　do　to　keep　my　tomb　from　being　robbed？'　he　asked　the　Vizier。
　〃The　Vizier　thought　about　it　for　a　long　time　and　finally　came　up　wi