pdouglas.thecodex-第28部分

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o　walk　around　on　wooden　stumps。〃
　〃That's　not　true。〃
　Don　Alfonso　shook　his　head；　clucking　disapprovingly。　The　boat　moved　on　through　curtains　of　vines；　which　Pingo　slashed　away　at。　Tom　could　see　a　patch　of　sunlight　up　ahead；　a　beam　falling　from　above；　and　as　they　moved　forward　he　saw　that　a　giant　tree　had　recently　fallen；　leaving　a　hole　in　the　canopy。　The　trunk　lay　across　the　channel；　blocking　their　path。　It　was　the　biggest　tree　they'd　encountered　yet。
　Don　Alfonso　muttered　a　curse。　Chori　picked　up　his　Pulaski　and　hopped　out　of　the　bow　and　onto　the　log。　Gripping　the　slippery　surface　with　his　bare　feet；　he　began　to　chop；　the　chips　flying。　In　half　an　hour　he　had　notched　the　log　deep　enough　to　slide　the　boats　through。
　They　all　climbed　out　and　began　to　push。　Beyond　the　log　the　water　suddenly　got　deep。　Tom　waded　through　it；　up　to　his　waist；　trying　not　to　think　of　the　toothpick　fish；　the　piranhas；　and　all　the　diseases　lurking　in　that　soupy　water。
　Vernon　was　ahead　of　him；　holding　the　gunwale　and　pushing　the　dugout　forward；　when　Tom　saw　a　slow　undulation　in　the　dark　water　to　their　right。　Simultaneously　he　heard　Don　Alfonso's　piercing　cry。　〃Anaconda！〃　Tom　scrambled　in　but　Vernon　was　just　a　fraction　too　slow。　There　was　a　swirl　of　water；　a　sudden　humplike　rise；　and　with　a　scream…cut　short…Vernon　disappeared　beneath　the　brown　water。　The　snake's　glossy　back　slid　past；　exposing　briefly　a　body　as　thick　as　a　small　tree　trunk；　before　it　sank　and　disappeared。
　〃Ehi！　He　has　Vernito！〃
　Tom　pulled　his　machete　out　of　his　belt　and　dove　into　the　water。　He　kicked；　swimming　down　as　deep　as　he　could。　He　couldn't　see　more　than　a　foot　into　the　murky；　brown　glow。　He　scissors　kicked　toward　the　middle；　feeling　ahead　with　his　free　hand；　trying　to　find　the　snake。　He　felt　something　cold；　round；　and　slippery　and　slashed　at　it　before　he　realized　it　was　just　a　sunken　log。　Grasping　it；　he　pulled　himself　forward；　feeling　around　desperately　for　the　snake　or　his　brother。　His　lungs　were　about　to　burst。　He　shot　to　the　surface　and　redove；　groping　ahead。　Where　was　the　snake？　How　long　had　it　been？　A　minute？　Two？　How　long　could　Vernon　survive？
　Desperation　drove　him　forward；　and　he　continued　his　mad　search；　feeling　among　the　slimy　sunken　logs。
　One　of　the　logs　suddenly　flexed　under　his　touch。　It　was　a　muscled　tube；　as　hard　as　mahogany；　but　he　could　feel　the　skin　moving；　the　waves　of　contracting　muscles。
　He　shoved　the　machete　into　its　soft　underbelly；　driving　it　in　as　deep　as　it　would　go。　For　a　second；　nothing：　and　then　the　snake　exploded　into　a　whiplike　motion；　which　slammed　him　backward　in　the　water；　knocking　out　his　air　in　a　violent　expulsion　of　bubbles。　He　clawed　his　way　to　the　surface　and　sucked　in　more　air。　The　surface　was　boiling　as　the　snake　thrashed。　He　realized　he　no　longer　had　the　machete。　Now　roiling　coils　of　the　snake　flew　out　of　the　water　in　a　glossy　arc；　and　for　a　moment　Vernon's　hand　appeared；　clutched　into　a　fist；　followed　by　his　head。　A　gasp；　and　he　was　gone。
　〃Another　machete！〃
　Pingo　tossed　him　one；　handle　first。　He　grabbed　it　and　began　slashing　at　the　coils　lashing　about　on　the　water's　surface。
　〃The　head！〃　Don　Alfonso　cried　from　the　boat。　〃Go　for　the　head！〃
　Where　was　the　head　in　this　mass　of　snake？　Tom　had　a　sudden　idea　and　jabbed　the　snake　with　the　tip　of　the　machete；　once；　twice；　prodding　him　into　a　fury…and　then；　rearing　out　of　the　water；　came　the　brute's　head；　ugly　and　small；　with　a　plated　mouth　and　two　slitty　eyes；　searching　for　the　source　of　its　torment。　It　lunged　at　him；　mouth　open；　and　Tom　shoved　the　machete　right　into　the　pink　cavity　and　straight　down　the　monster's　gullet。　The　snake　jerked　and　twisted　and　bit　down；　but　Tom；　clutching　the　handle；　held　on　even　as　his　arm　was　being　bitten；　giving　the　machete　one　hard　twist　after　another。　He　could　feel　the　flesh　yielding　inside；　the　sudden　gush　of　cold　reptilian　blood；　the　head　began　thrashing　back　and　forth；　almost　jerking　his　arm　out　of　its　socket。　With　all　his　remaining　strength　he　gave　the　machete　a　final　massive　twist；　and　the　blade　came　out　behind　the　snake's　head。　He　rotated　it　and　felt　a　spasmodic　tremble　in　the　jaws　as　the　snake　was　decapitated　from　the　inside。　He　pried　open　the　mouth　with　his　other　hand　and　pulled　his　arm　out；　searching　frantically　for　his　brother　amid　the　still…churning　water。
　Vernon　suddenly　rose　to　the　surface　of　the　pond；　facedown。　Tom　grabbed　him　and　turned　him　over。　His　face　was　red；　his　eyes　closed。　He　looked　dead。　Tom　dragged　him　through　the　water　to　the　boat；　and　Pingo　and　Sally　hauled　him　in。　Tom　fell　in　after　him　and　passed　out。
　Sally　was　leaning　over　him　when　he　came　to；　her　blond　hair　like　a　waterfall　swaying　above　him；　cleaning　the　teeth　marks　in　his　arm；　rubbing　them　with　cotton　soaked　in　alcohol。　His　shirt　had　been　ripped　off　above　the　elbow；　and　there　were　deep　scores　on　his　arm。　Blood　was　welling　out。
　〃Vernon…？〃
　〃He's　okay；〃　Sally　said。　〃Don　Alfonso's　helping　him。　He　just　swallowed　some　water　and　got　a　nasty　bite　on　his　thigh。〃
　He　tried　to　sit　up。　His　arm　felt　like　it　was　on　fire。　The　blackflies　were　swirling　about　him　worse　than　ever；　and　he　breathed　them　in　with　each　breath。　She　pushed　him　back　down　with　a　gentle　hand　on　his　chest。　〃Don't　move。〃　She　sucked　in　smoke　from　her　pipe　and　blew　it　around　him；　chasing　the　flies　away。
　〃Lucky　for　you　anacondas　have　teensy　weensy　teeth。〃　She　scrubbed。
　〃Ouch。〃　He　lay　back；　looking　up　at　the　canopy　slowly　passing　by。　Nowhere　could　he　see　even　a　speck　of　blue　sky。　The　leaves　covered　all。
　
　30
　
　Tom　lay　in　his　hammock　that　evening；　nursing　his　bandaged　arm。　Vernon　had　recovered　well　and　was　cheerfully　helping　Don　Alfonso　boil　some　unknown　bird　that　Chori　had　shot　for　dinner。　It　was　stifling　inside　the　hut；　even　with　the　sides　rolled　up。
　Only　thirty　days　had　passed　since　Tom　left　Bluff；　but　it　seemed　like　an　eternity。　His　horses；　the　red　sandstone　buttes　etched　against　the　blue　skies；　the　drenching　sunlight　and　the　eagles　flying　down　the　San　Juan　。。。　It　all　seemed　to　have　happened　to　someone　else。　It　was　strange　。。。　He　had　moved　to　Bluff　with　Sarah；　his　fiancée。　She　loved　horses　and　the　outdoors　as　much　as　he　did；　but　Bluff　turned　out　to　be　too　quiet　for　her；　and　one　day　she'd　packed　up　her　car　and　left。　He　had　just　taken　out　a　big　bank　loan　and　established　his　vet　practice；　and　there　was　no　way　he　could　pull　out。　Not　that　he　wanted　to。　When　she　left；　he　realized　that　given　the　choice　between　Bluff　and　her；　he'd　take　Bluff。　That　was　two　years　ago；　and　he　hadn't　had　a　relationship　since。　He　told　himself　he　didn't　need　one。　He　told　himself　the　quiet　life；　the　beauty　of　the　land　was　enough　for　now。　The　vet　practice　had　been　intense；　the　work　grueling；　the　pensation　almost　nil。　He　found　it　rewarding；　but　he　could　never　quite　shake　the　longing　he　had　for　paleontology；　his　childhood　dream　of　hunting　the　bones　of　the　great　dinosaurs；　entombed　in　the　rock。　Maybe　his　father　was　right；　that　it　was　an　ambition　he　should　have　outgrown　when　he　hit　twelve。
　He　turned　in　his　hammock；　his　arm　throbbing；　and　glanced　over　at　Sally。　The　partition　was　rolled　up　for　ventilation；　and　she　was　lying　in　her　hammock　reading　one　of　the　books　Vernon　had　brought；　a　thriller　called　Utopia。　Utopia。　That's　what　he'd　thought　he'd　find　in　Bluff。　But　what　he'd　really　been　doing　was　running　away　from　something…like　his　father。
　Well；　he　wasn't　running　away　from　him　anymore。
　In　the　background　he　could　hear　Don　Alfonso　shouting　orders　to　Chori　and　Pingo。　Soon　the　smell　of　stewing　meat　came　drifting　through　the　hut。　He　glanced　over　at　Sally　and　watched　her　read；　turn　the　pages；　brush　back　her　hair；　sigh；　turn　another　page。　She　was　beautiful；　even　if　she　was　a　bit　of　a　pain　in　the　neck。
　Sally　laid　down　the　book。　〃What　are　you　looking　at？〃
　〃Good　book？〃
　〃Excellent。〃　She　smiled。　〃How　are　you　feeling？〃
　〃Fine。〃
　〃That　was　a　real　Indiana　Jones　rescue　back　there。〃
　Tom　shrugged。　〃I　wasn't　going　to　stand　around　while　a　snake　ate　my　brother。〃　This　wasn't　really　what　he　wanted　to　talk　about。　He　asked；　〃Tell　me　about　this　fiancé　of　yours；　this　Professor　Clyve。〃
　〃Well；〃　Sally　smiled　at　the　memory。　〃I　went　to　Yale　to　study　with　him。　He's　my　doctoral　thesis　adviser。　We　just　。。。　Well；　who　wouldn't　fall　in　love　with　Julian？　He's　brilliant。　I'll　never　forget　when　we　first　met　at　the　weekly　Faculty　Sherry。　I　thought　he　was　just　going　to　be　another　academic　type；　but…wow。　He　looked　like　Tom　Cruise。〃
　〃Wow。〃
　〃Of　course；　looks　mean　nothing　to　him。　What　matters　to　Julian　is　the　mind…not　the　body。〃
　〃I　see。〃　Tom　couldn't　help　looking　at　her　body：　It　put　the　lie　to　Julian's　claims　of　intellectual　purity。　Julian　was　a　man；　like　any　other…just　less　honest　than　most。
　〃He　had　recently　published　his　book；　Deciphering　the　Mayan　Language。　He's　a　genius　in　the　real　sense　of　the　word。〃
　〃Do　you　have　a　wedding　date？〃
　〃Julian　doesn't　believe　in　weddings。　We'll　go　to　a　justice　of　the　peace。〃
　〃What　about　your　parents？　Won't　they　be　disappointed？〃
　〃I　don't　have　any　parents。〃
　Tom　felt　his　face　flush。　〃I'm　sorry。〃
　〃Don't　be；〃　Sally　said。　〃My　father　died　when　I　was　eleven；　and　my　mother　passed　away　ten　years　ago。　I've　gotten　used　to　it…or　at　least　as　used　to　it　as　you　can　get。〃
　〃So　you're　really　going　to　marry　this　guy？〃
　She　looked　at　him；　and　there　was　a　short　silence。　〃What's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃
　〃Nothing。〃　Change　the　subject；　Tom。　〃Tell　me　about　your　father。〃
　〃He　was　a　cowboy。〃
　Yeah；　right；　thought　Tom。　A　rich　cowboy　who　raised　racehorses；　probably。　〃I　didn't　know　they　still　existed；〃　he　said　politely。
　〃They　do；　only　it's　not　what　you　see　in　the　movies。　A　real　cowboy　is　a　laborer　who　just　happens　to　work　off　the　back　of　a　horse；　who　makes　less　than　minimum　wage；　who's　a　high　school　dropout；　who's　got　a　drinking　problem；　and　who　gets　badly　hurt　or　killed　before　he's　forty。　Dad　was　the　foreman　of　a　corporate…owned　cattle　ranch　in　southern　Arizona。　He　fell　off　a　windmill　he　was　trying　to　fix　and　broke　his　neck。　They　shouldn't　have　asked　him　to　go　up　there；　but　the　judge　decided　it　was　his　fault；　because　he'd　been　drinking。〃
　〃I'm　sorry；　I　don't　mean　to　pry〃
　〃It's　good　to　talk　about　it。　At　least　that's　what　my　analyst　says。〃
　Tom　was　unsure　whether　to　treat　this　as　a