pdouglas.thecodex-第35部分
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〃He did？〃
Tom turned and looked at Vernon。 He was soaked； and his forehead was cut。 Blood and water ran together into his beard。
Vernon grasped him； and he stood up。 His head cleared a little more； and the pounding headache began to subside。 He look down into the roaring chute of water ripping into the frenzied pool jammed full of broken tree trunks and branches。 He looked at Vernon again。
It finally sank in。 〃You；〃 he said incredulously。
Vernon shrugged。
〃You saved my life。〃
〃Well； you saved mine；〃 he said； almost defensively。 〃You decapitated a snake for me。 All I did was jump。〃
Don Alfonso said； 〃By the Virgin Mary； I still cannot believe it。〃
Tom coughed again。 〃Well； Vernon； thanks。〃
〃Isn't Death disappointed today；〃 Don Alfonso cried； pointing to the small； wet； frightened monkey crouching on a rock by the water。 〃Why； even the mono chucuto cheated Death。〃
A miserable Bugger climbed back into Tom's pocket and took his accustomed place； making grumpy noises。
〃Don't plain；〃 Tom said。 〃It was your own damn fault。〃
The monkey answered with an insolent smack of his lips。
Past the river the trail went uphill again； and they continued to climb higher into the mountains。 Darkness and a chill crept into the air。 Tom was still soaked； and he began to shiver。
Don Alfonso said casually； 〃You know the animal I spoke to you about yesterday？〃
It took Tom a moment to realize what he was referring to。
〃It is a lady； and she is still with us。〃
〃How do you know？〃
Don Alfonso lowered his voice。 〃She has very bad breath。〃
〃You smelled her？〃 Sally asked。
Don Alfonso nodded。
〃How long is she going to follow us？〃
〃Until she eats。 She is pregnant and hungry。〃
〃Great。 And we're the pickles and ice cream。〃
〃Let us pray to the Virgin to send a slow anteater across her path。〃 Don Alfonso nodded at Sally。 〃Carry loaded。〃
The trail continued to climb through a forest of gnarled trees that seemed to get denser as they gained altitude。 At a certain point； Tom noticed the air being brighter。 It seemed to smell different； carrying a faint odor of perfume。 And then； quite suddenly； they walked out of the mist and into the sunlight。 Tom paused； astonished。 They were now looking out over a sea of white。 On the puffy horizon the sun was sinking into an orange sea of fire。 The forest was draped with brilliant flowers。
〃We're above the clouds；〃 cried Sally。
〃We will camp at the top；〃 said Don Alfonso； striking off with a newly invigorated step。
The trail crested the ridge in a broad meadow filled with wildflowers； rippled by a breeze； and all of a sudden they were at the summit； looking northwest over a rolling ocean of clouds。 Fifty miles distant Tom could see a line of sharp blue peaks breaking through the clouds； like a chain of islands in the sky。
〃The Sierra Azul；〃 said Don Alfonso； in a small； queer voice。
37
Lewis Skiba stared into the flickering fire； losing himself in the shifting colors。 He had done nothing all day； answered no phones； taken no meetings； written no memos。 All he could think of was Had Hauser done it？ Had Hauser made him a murderer yet？ He held his head and thought back to the ivy…covered buildings of Wharton； the heady sense of possibility of those early days。 The whole world was there； ahead of him； ripe for the plucking。 And now 。。。 He reminded himself that he had brought jobs and opportunity to thousands； that he had grown his pany and made drugs that cured people of terrible diseases and sicknesses。 He had three fine sons。 Yet for the past week the first thought that came into his mind when he woke up was I am a murderer。 He wanted to take back his words。 Except that he couldn't： Hauser hadn't called； and he had no way of contacting him。
Why had he told Hauser to do it？ Why had he allowed himself to be bullied？ Skiba tried to tell himself that Hauser would have done it anyway； that he himself had not caused anyone's death； that maybe it was just big talk。 There were people like that who liked to talk violence； brag about their guns； that sort of thing。 Sick people。 Hauser might be one of those； all talk and no action。
The inter buzzed； and with a shaking hand he pressed the button。
〃Mr。 Fenner from Dixon Asset Management for his two o'clock。〃
Skiba swallowed。 This was the one meeting he couldn't miss。 〃Send him in。〃
Fenner looked like most of the other stock analysts of his acquaintance； small； dry； emanating overweening self…confidence。 That was the key to his success： Fenner was a guy you just wanted to believe。 Skiba had done a lot of little favors for Fenner； tipped some hot IPOs his way； helped get his kids into an exclusive Manhattan private school； given a couple of hundred thousand to his wife's favorite charity。 In return； Fenner had been calling Lampe stock a 〃buy〃 all the way down； leading his hapless clients to the manure pile and shoving them in head first…all the while making millions himself。 In short； he was a typical successful analyst。
〃How are you； Lewis？〃 said Fenner； taking a seat by the fire。 〃This can't be much fun。〃
〃It isn't； Stan。〃
〃I don't want to bandy civilities at a time like this。 We've known each other for too long。 I want you to give me one reason why I should advise my clients to keep holding Lampe。 I just need one good reason。〃
Skiba swallowed。 〃Can I offer you anything； Stan？ Mineral water？ Sherry？〃
Fenner shook his head。 〃The investment mittee is going to override me。 It's fire…sale time。 They're spooked and； frankly； so am I。 I trusted you； Skiba。〃
What a crock。 Fenner had known the pany's real picture for months。 He was just too tempted by all the tidbits Skiba was tossing his way and by the investment banking business Lampe gave Dixon。 Greedy bastard。 On the other hand； if Dixon went from 〃buy〃 to 〃hold〃 or 〃sell；〃 that would finish Lampe。 It would be Chapter 11。
He coughed； cleared his throat。 He couldn't quite manage to get a word out； and he coughed again to cover his paralysis。
Fenner waited。
Finally Skiba spoke。 〃Stan； there is something I can give you。〃
Fenner tilted his head ever so slightly。
〃It's privileged； it's confidential； and if you act on it it'd be a clear case of insider trading。〃
〃It's only insider trading if you trade。 I'm looking for a reason not to。 I've got my clients up to their necks in Lampe stock； and I need to give them a reason to sit tight。〃
Skiba took a deep breath。 〃Lampe is going to announce； in the next few weeks； the acquisition of a two…thousand…page manuscript； a unique copy； piled by the ancient Mayan Indians。 This manuscript lists every plant and animal in the tropical rainforest with medically active properties； along with prescriptions on how to extract the active ingredients； dosages； side effects。 The manuscript represents the sum total of ancient Mayan medical knowledge； refined over thousands of years from living in the richest pocket of biodiversity on the planet。 Lampe will own it； lock； stock； and barrel。 It will e to us free and clear； without royalty deals； partnerships； litigation； or encumbrances。〃
He stopped。 Fenner's expression had not changed。 If he was thinking； it didn't show on his face。
〃When will you announce this？ Can I have a date？〃
〃No。〃
〃How certain is it？〃
〃Very。〃
The lie was easy。 The Codex was their only hope； and if it fell through nothing else would matter anyway。
A long silence。 Fenner allowed something that might have been a smile to form on the fine； astringent features of his face。 He collected his briefcase and rose。 〃I thank you； Lewis。 You take my breath away。〃
Skiba nodded and watched Fenner make his small； careful way out of the office。
If only he knew。
38
As they came down from the mountains； the rainforest changed。 The terrain was extremely rough； a landscape cut by deep ravines and torrential rivers； with high ridges in between。 They continued following the animal trail； but it was so overgrown that they had to take turns hacking their way forward。 They slipped and fell going up the steep muddy trails and slid and fell going back down。
For days they struggled forward。 There wasn't a level place to camp； and they were forced to sleep on slopes； hammocks strung between trees； sleeping all night in the rain。 In the mornings the jungle was dark and foggy。 In a hard day's travel they might make five miles； and by the end of each day they were all brutally exhausted。 The hunting was almost nonexistent。 They never had enough to eat。 Tom had never been so hungry in his life。 At night he dreamed of T…bone steaks and french fried potatoes； and by day he thought of ice cream and buttered lobsters； and all they talked about around the campfire at night was food。
The days began to run together。 Not once did the rain stop or the mists lift。 Their hammocks rotted and had to be rewoven； their clothes began to fall apart； chiggers infested their clothing and dug into their skin； and the stitches of their shoes unraveled。 They had no change of clothes； and the jungle would soon reduce them to nakedness。 Their bodies were covered with stings； bites； scrapes； cuts； scabs； and sores。 On one climb out of a ravine Vernon slipped and grasped a bush to arrest his fall； causing a shower of fire ants to cascade over him； they bit him so viciously that he ran a fever for twenty…four hours and could barely walk。
The only redeeming quality of the rainforest was its plant life。 Sally found a wealth of medicinal plants and was able to concoct an herbal ointment from them that worked wonders with bug bites； rashes； and fungal infections。 They drank a tea she made that she claimed was an antidepressant； but it didn't keep them from feeling depressed。
And always； at night and even during the day； they could hear the coughing and prowling of the jaguar。 No one spoke about it…Don Alfonso had forbidden it…but it was never far from Tom's mind。 Surely there were other animals for it to eat in the forest。 What did it want？ Why did it follow and never strike？
On the fourth or fifth night…Tom had begun to lose count…they camped atop a ridge； wedged among massive rotting tree trunks。 It had rained； and steam rose from the ground。 They ate an early dinner…a boiled
