pdouglas.thecodex-第34部分

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　〃He　wasn't　ahead　of　us　before；　Sally。〃
　〃You　still　think　he's　hunting　us？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Nonsense。　He　wouldn't　be　making　such　a　racket　if　he　were。　And　besides；　he　just　ate。〃　She　smirked　at　him。
　They　walked　cautiously　toward　the　rocks。　Empty；　but　with　a　lot　of　dark　holes　and　crevasses。
　〃Let's　play　it　safe　and　skirt　that　rockfall；〃　Tom　said。
　〃All　right。〃
　They　began　climbing　uphill；　to　go　around　it　from　above。　The　mists　were　getting　thicker。　Tom　felt　the　wetness　creeping　through　his　only　set　of　clothes。　He　stopped。　There　was　a　soft　rustling　sound。
　Sally　paused。
　〃Sally；　get　behind　me；〃　Tom　said。
　〃I've　got　the　gun。　I　should　be　in　front。〃
　〃Get　behind　me。〃
　〃For　heaven's　sake。〃　But　she　got　behind　him。
　He　drew　his　machete　and　moved　forward。　There　were　trees　all　around　them；　crooked　trees　with　low　branches　hung　with　moss。　The　mists　were　so　thick　he　could　not　see　their　upper　reaches。　Tom　realized　that　they　were　now　upwind　of　the　jaguar。　It　had　moved　around　them　so　that　it　could　scent　them；　even　if　it　could　not　see　them。
　〃Sally；　I　can　feel　it　hunting　us。〃
　〃It's　just　curious。〃
　Tom　froze。　There；　about　ten　yards　ahead；　was　the　jaguar；　suddenly　exposing　itself　fully　to　their　view。　It　was　standing　on　a　branch　above　their　path；　calmly　looking　at　them；　twitching　its　tail。　Its　magnificence　took　Tom's　breath　away。
　Sally　did　not　raise　her　gun　to　shoot；　and　Tom　understood　why。　It　was　impossible　to　contemplate　destroying　such　a　beautiful　animal。
　After　a　moment's　hesitation　the　jaguar　leapt　effortlessly　to　another　tree　branch　and　walked　along　it；　eyeing　them　the　whole　time；　its　muscles　rippling　under　its　golden　pelt；　moving　like　flowing　honey。
　〃Look　at　how　beautiful　it　is；〃　Sally　breathed。
　It　was　beautiful。　With　a　movement　of　incredible　lightness；　the　animal　leapt　to　another　branch；　this　one　closer　to　them。　There　it　stopped；　slowly　sinking　down　onto　its　haunches。　It　looked　at　them　boldly；　utterly　unafraid；　making　no　effort　to　hide；　motionless　except　for　the　faintest　twitching　of　the　tip　of　its　tail。　There　was　blood　on　its　muzzle。　The　look　in　its　eye；　Tom　thought；　was　contemptuous。
　〃It's　not　afraid；〃　said　Sally。
　〃That's　because　it's　never　seen　a　human　being　before。〃
　Tom　backed　up　slowly；　and　Sally　followed　suit。　The　jaguar　remained　in　its　perch　watching　them；　forever　watching　them；　until　it　disappeared　in　the　shifting　mists。
　When　they　got　back　to　camp；　Don　Alfonso　listened　to　their　story　about　the　jaguar；　his　brown　face　crinkling　with　concern。　〃We　must　be　very　careful；〃　he　said。　〃We　must　not　talk　about　this　animal　anymore。　Otherwise；　he　will　follow　us　to　hear　what　we　say。　He　is　proud　and　does　not　like　to　be　spoken　ill　of。〃
　〃I　thought　that　jaguars　don't　attack　humans；〃　Sally　said。
　Don　Alfonso　laughed　and　whacked　Sally's　knee。　〃That　is　a　good　joke。　When　he　looks　at　us；　what　do　you　think　he　sees？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃He　sees　a　weak；　stupid；　slow；　perpendicular　piece　of　meat　without　horns；　teeth；　or　claws。〃
　〃Why　didn't　he　attack？〃
　〃Like　all　cats；　he　likes　to　play　with　his　food。〃
　Sally　shuddered。
　〃Curandera；　it　is　not　pleasant　to　be　eaten　by　a　jaguar。　They　eat　the　tongue　first；　and　not　always　before　you　are　dead。　Next　time　you　have　the　opportunity　to　kill　it；　do　it。〃
　
　That　night　the　forest　was　so　quiet　that　Tom　had　trouble　sleeping。　Sometime　after　midnight；　hoping　a　little　air　would　help；　he　crept　out　of　his　hammock　and　ducked　out　the　door　of　the　hut。　He　was　astonished　at　the　sight　that　greeted　him。　The　forest　all　around　him　was　aglow　with　phosphorescence；　as　if　glowing　powder　had　been　dusted　over　everything；　outlining　rotting　logs　and　stumps；　dead　leaves　and　mushrooms；　a　luminescent　landscape　that　stretched　off　into　the　forest；　merging　into　one　misty　glow。　It　was　as　if　the　heavens　had　fallen　to　earth。
　After　five　minutes　he　crept　back　into　the　makeshift　hut　and　gave　Sally　a　little　shake。　She　rolled　over；　her　hair　a　tangle　of　heavy　gold。　Like　all　of　them；　she　was　sleeping　in　her　clothes。　〃What　is　it？〃　she　said　in　a　sleepy　voice。
　〃There's　something　you　have　to　see。〃
　〃I'm　sleeping。〃
　〃You've　got　to　see　this。〃
　〃I　don't　have　to　do　anything。　Go　away。〃
　〃Sally；　just　this　once　please　trust　me。〃
　Grumbling；　she　got　out　of　her　hammock　and　stepped　outside。　She　halted　and　stood　there　in　silence；　staring。　Minutes　passed。　〃My　God；〃　she　breathed。　〃I've　never　seen　anything　so　beautiful。　It's　like　staring　down　at　L。A。　from　thirty　thousand　feet。〃
　The　glow　cast　a　faint　illumination　on　Sally's　face；　barely　outlining　it　against　the　darkness。　Her　long　hair　hung　down　her　back　like　a　cascade　of　light；　silver　instead　of　gold。
　On　an　impulse；　he　took　her　hand。　She　didn't　withdraw　it。　There　was　something　amazingly　erotic　in　just　holding　her　hand。
　〃Tom？〃
　〃Yes？〃
　〃Why　did　you　want　me　to　see　this？〃
　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃because　I…〃　He　hesitated。　〃I　wanted　to　share　it　with　you；　that's　all。〃
　〃That's　all？〃　She　looked　at　him　for　a　long　time。　Her　eyes　seemed　unusually　luminescent…or　maybe　it　was　just　a　trick　of　the　light。　Finally　she　said；　〃Thank　you；　Tom。〃
　All　at　once；　the　jaguar's　scream　split　the　night。　A　black　shape　slowly　moved　against　the　glowing　background；　like　an　absence　of　light　itself。　As　it　turned　its　great　head　toward　them；　they　saw　the　faint　gleam　of　its　eyes　reflecting　the　millions　of　points　in　two　orbs；　like　two　tiny　galaxies。
　Tom　slowly　pulled　Sally　back　by　her　hand；　toward　the　dull　heap　of　coals　that　had　been　their　fire。　He　reached　down　and　heaped　some　brush　on。　As　the　yellow　flames　licked　upward；　the　jaguar　disappeared。
　A　moment　later　Don　Alfonso　joined　them　at　the　fire。
　〃He　is　still　playing　with　his　food；〃　the　old　man　muttered。
　
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　The　next　morning　when　they　set　off；　the　mists　were　so　thick　they　couldn't　see　more　than　ten　feet　in　any　direction。　They　climbed　farther　up　the　mountain；　still　following　the　faint　animal　trail。　They　topped　a　secondary　ridge　and　began　to　descend。　Tom　could　hear　the　sound　of　roaring　water　at　the　bottom。　In　a　few　moments　they　came　out　on　the　steep　banks　of　a　river　tearing　down　the　mountainside；　bursting　over　boulders　on　its　way。
　〃We　cut　a　tree；〃　said　Don　Alfonso。　He　hunted　around　and　found　a　slender　tree　that　was　positioned　to　fall　in　the　right　way。　〃Cut　here；〃　he　ordered。　They　all　joined　in；　and　in　fifteen　minutes　it　had　fallen；　forming　a　bridge　of　sorts　over　the　roaring　cataract；　where　the　river　narrowed　to　a　chute　that　ended　in　a　boiling　pool　created　by　a　logjam。
　Don　Alfonso　gave　a　few　whacks　at　a　nearby　sapling；　in　a　moment　he　had　fashioned　it　into　a　twelve…foot　pole。　He　handed　it　to　Vernon。　〃You　first；　Vernito。〃
　〃Why　me？〃
　〃To　see　if　the　bridge　is　strong　enough；〃　said　Don　Alfonso。
　Vernon　looked　at　him　for　a　moment；　and　then　Don　Alfonso　laughed；　slapping　his　shoulder。　〃You　must　take　off　your　shoes；　Vernito。　God　gave　us　bare　feet　for　a　reason。〃
　Vernon　removed　his　shoes；　tied　the　laces　together；　and　draped　them　around　his　neck。　Don　Alfonso　handed　him　the　pole。
　〃Go　slow；　and　stop　if　the　log　begins　swaying。〃
　Vernon　crept　out　onto　the　log；　balancing　the　pole　like　a　tightrope　walker；　his　feet　white　against　the　dark　green。　〃It's　as　slick　as　ice。〃
　〃Slowly；　slowly；〃　Don　Alfonso　crooned。
　As　he　crept　out；　the　tree　sagged　and　wobbled。　In　a　few　minutes　he　was　over。　Vernon　threw　the　pole　back　across。
　〃Your　turn；〃　said　Don　Alfonso；　handing　the　pole　to　Tom。
　Tom　removed　his　shoes　and　hefted　the　pole。　He　felt　silly；　like　a　circus　performer。　Cautiously　he　ventured　onto　the　log；　sliding　his　feet　over　the　cold；　slippery　bark；　one　foot　after　the　other。　Every　movement　seemed　to　make　the　tree　sway　and　tremble。　He　moved；　waited；　moved　again。　About　halfway　across；　Bugger；　who　had　been　sleeping　in　his　pocket；　took　the　opportunity　to　poke　his　head　out　to　take　a　look　around；　when　he　saw　the　torrent　below；　he　let　out　a　shriek　and　clambered　out　of　the　pocket　and　up　Tom's　face　to　nestle　in　his　hair。　Tom；　startled；　allowed　one　end　of　the　pole　to　dip　down。　In　a　panic　he　heaved　that　end　up；　the　inertia　of　it　carried　it　up　high；　he　took　two　quick　steps　trying　to　maintain　his　balance；　which　only　caused　the　log　to　give　a　violent　bounce。
　He　fell。
　For　a　split　second　he　was　in　the　air；　and　then　it　was　as　if　he　had　been　swallowed　by　something　black　and　freezing。　He　felt　a　violent　tug　as　the　current　grabbed　him；　a　terrifying　weightless　rush；　and　then　a　sudden　pummeling　roar。　He　nailed　his　arms；　trying　to　struggle　upward；　but　he　didn't　know　which　direction　was　up；　and　then　he　felt　the　current　jam　him　into　an　underwater　thicket　of　logs。　He　clawed　about；　feeling　a　terrible　pressure　on　his　chest；　the　air　being　forced　out　of　his　lungs。　He　tried　to　kick　and　pull　himself　free；　but　the　logs　surrounding　him　were　slick　and　the　pressure　was　fierce。　It　was　like　being　buried　alive。　There　were　flashes　of　light　in　his　vision；　and　he　opened　his　mouth　to　scream；　only　to　feel　the　pressure　fill　his　mouth。　He　twisted　his　body；　desperate　for　air；　trying　to　propel　himself　out　of　the　nest　of　branches；　twisted　again；　but　he　had　lost　all　sense　of　direction。　He　twisted　and　thrashed；　but　he　could　feel　his　energy　fast　ebbing；　he　was　being　lighter；　weightless；　going　far；　far　away。
　And　then　there　was　an　arm　around　his　neck　and　he　was　brutally　pulled　back　to　reality；　manhandled　through　water；　dragged　over　rocks；　slung　down。　He　found　himself　on　the　ground；　staring　up　at　a　face　he　knew　well；　but　it　still　took　him　a　moment　to　realize　it　was　Vernon。
　〃Tom！〃　Vernon　shouted。　〃Look；　his　eyes　are　open！　Tom；　say　something！　Christ；　he's　not　breathing！〃
　Sally　was　suddenly　there；　and　he　felt　a　sudden　pressure　in　his　chest。　Everything　looked　strange　and　slow。　Vernon　bent　over　him。　He　felt　him　give　his　chest　a　big　shove；　and　he　felt　his　arms　being　raised。　All　at　once　the　pressure　seemed　to　break；　and　he　coughed　violently。　Vernon　rolled　him　to　his　side。　He　coughed；　coughed　again；　felt　a　blinding　icy　headache　take　hold。　Reality　returned　with　a　vengeance。
　Tom　struggled　to　sit　up。　Vernon　put　his　arms　under　his　shoulders　and　supported　him。
　〃What　happened？〃
　〃This　foolish　brother　of　yours；　this　Vernito；　jumped　into　that　river　and　pulled　you　out　from　under　those　logs。　I　have　never　seen　such　craziness　in　my　life。〃
　〃He　did？〃
　Tom　turned　and　look