pdouglas.thecodex-第42部分
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〃Damn。〃 He looked at Sally and felt alarmed。 〃And you？ How are you？〃 Her face looked flushed。 〃You're not getting sick； too？〃
Sally laid a hand on his cheek。 〃Yes； I'm getting sick； too。〃
〃I'll get better；〃 Tom said。 〃And then I'll take care of you。 We'll get out of this mess。〃
She shook her head。 〃No； Tom； we won't。〃
The simple assertion of fact seemed to clear his throbbing head。 He closed his eyes。 That was it； then。 They were going to die in the rain under that rotten log； and the wild animals would tear them apart。 And no one would ever know what had happened to them。 He tried to say this was the fever talking to him； that actually things weren't that bad； but deep down he knew it was true。 His head swirled。 They were going to die。 He opened his eyes。
She was still there； her hand on his cheek。 She looked at him for a long time。 Her face was dirty； scratched； bitten； her hair tangled and dull； her eyes hollow。 If there was any resemblance to the girl who had galloped after him bareback in Utah； it was gone…except the intense turquoise color of her eyes and the way her lower lip still stuck out a little。
Finally she spoke。 〃We don't have much time。〃 She paused； looking at him steadily。 〃I need to tell you something； Tom。〃
〃What？〃
〃It seems I've fallen in love with you。〃
Reality returned with sudden clarity。 Tom couldn't quite speak。
She went on briskly。 〃Anyway； there…now it's said。〃
〃But what about…？〃
〃Julian？ He's the perfect dream guy； handsome； brilliant； with all the right opinions。 He's the guy your parents want you to marry。 He's my Sarah。 Who wants that？ The feeling I had for him isn't at all like what I feel for you； with all your 。。。〃 She hesitated and smiled。 〃Imperfections？〃
With those words all plications had been swept away； and now everything was clear and simple。 He tried to speak； finally managed to croak out the words。 〃I love you； too。〃
She smiled； and a little glimmer of her former radiance came through。 〃I know that and I'm glad。 I'm sorry I was cranky with you。 I was in denial。〃
They were silent for a moment。
〃I guess I loved you from the moment you stole my horse and came riding after me back there in Utah；〃 said Tom。 〃But I really knew it when you wouldn't shoot that jaguar。 I'll always love you for that。〃
〃When you brought me outside to look at that glowing forest；〃 Sally said； 〃that's when〃 I realized that I was falling in love with you。〃
〃You never said anything。〃
〃It took me a while to work it out。 As you may have noticed； I'm stubborn。 I didn't want to admit I was wrong。〃
He swallowed。 His head was beginning to spin。 〃But I'm just a normal guy。 I didn't go to Stanford at sixteen…〃
〃Normal？ A man who fights in hand…to…hand bat with jaguars and anacondas？ Who leads an expedition into the heart of darkness with courage and good humor？〃
〃I only did those things because I was forced to。〃
〃That's another one of your good points： You're modest。 Being with you； I began to see what kind of a person Julian is。 He didn't want to e with me because he figured it would be inconvenient。 It would interrupt his work。 And I think； underneath it all； he was afraid。 Julian； I realized； is the kind of person who doesn't attempt anything unless he's absolutely sure he's going to succeed。 You； on the other hand； would attempt the impossible。〃
His head began to swim again。 He struggled to hold it still。 He loved what he was hearing。
She smiled sadly and laid her head on his chest。 〃I'm sorry we've both run out of time。〃
He put his hand on her hair。 〃This is a hell of a place to fall in love。〃
〃You're not kidding。〃
〃Maybe in another life 。。。〃 Tom struggled to maintain his hold on reality。 〃We'll have another chance； somehow 。。。 somewhere 。。。〃 His mind began to whirl。 What was he trying to say？ He closed his eyes； trying to steady the vertigo； but that only made it worse。 He tried opening his eyes； but there was nothing but a swirl of green and brown； and he wondered briefly if it all hadn't just been a dream； all of it； his father's cancer； the journey； the jungle； Sally； his dying brother。 Yes； in fact it had been a dream； he realized； long and strange； and he was going to wake up in his own bed； a little boy again； his father shouting upstairs； 〃Good morning； good morning； another day is dorning！〃
Thinking this； he drifted into oblivion； happy。
46
Marcus Hauser sat on a campstool in the doorway of the ruined temple； taking in the morning。 A toucan screeched and hopped around in a nearby tree； waggling its enormous beak。 It was a glorious day； the sky a limpid blue； the jungle a hushed green。 It was cooler and drier up in these mountains； and the air seemed fresher。 The perfume of an unknown flower drifted past。 Hauser felt a semblance of peace returning。 It had been a long night； and he felt drained； empty； and disappointed。
He heard footsteps rustling the fallen leaves。 One of the soldiers brought him his breakfast…bacon； eggs； coffee； fried plantain…on an enamel plate with a sprig of some herb garnishing the side。 He took the dish on his knees。 The garnish irritated him； so he flicked it off； then picked up his fork and began to eat； his mind on the events of the previous night。 It had been time to force the issue with the chief or fail。 Not ten minutes into it he knew the old chief wouldn't crack； but he went through the motions anyway。 It was like watching a pornographic film…unable to turn it off； yet in the end cursing the waste of time and energy。 He had tried。 He had done his best。 Now he had to think of another solution to his problem。
Two soldiers appeared in the doorway； the body slung between them。 〃What should we do with it； jeje？〃
Hauser pointed with his fork； his mouth full of eggs。 〃Into the gorge。〃
They went out； and he finished his breakfast。 The White City was a big； overgrown place。 Max could be buried almost anywhere。 Problem was； the village was so stirred up that there wasn't much chance of taking another hostage and trying to squeeze the location of the tomb out of him。 On the other hand； he didn't relish poking around these rat…infested ruins for the next two weeks himself。
He broke off； felt in his pockets； and slipped out a slender aluminum tube。 In a minute the ritual was plete and the cigar was lit。 He inhaled deeply； feeling the calming effects of the nicotine spreading from his lungs to his body。 All problems could be broken down into options and suboptions。 There were two： He could find the tomb on his own； or he could let someone else find it for him。 If he let someone else find it； who might that person be？
〃Teniente？〃
The lieutenant； who had been waiting outside for his morning's orders； came in and saluted。 〃Si； se？or？〃
〃I want you to send a man back over the trail and check on the status of the Broadbent brothers。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Do not molest them or allow them to know of your presence。 I want to know what state they're in； whether they're still ing or have turned around…as much as you can find out。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃We're going to start on the pyramid this morning。 We'll open this end with dynamite； working into it as we go。 Organize the explosives and men and have them ready in an hour。〃 He put his plate on the ground and rose； shouldering his Steyr AUG。 He stepped out into the sunlight； looking up at the pyramid； already calculating where to set the charges。 Whether he found Max in the pyramid or not； at least it would keep the soldiers busy…and entertained。 Everyone liked a big explosion。
Sunlight。 It was the first he had seen in two weeks。 It would be pleasant to work in the sunlight for a change。
47
Death came for Tom Broadbent； but not cloaked in black carrying a y scythe。 It came in the form of a hideous savage face； striped in red and yellow； bristling with green feathers； with green eyes and black hair and pointed white teeth； peering down into his face and poking him with his fingers。 But the death that Tom expected did not e。 Instead； the terrifying figure forced some hot liquid down his throat； and forced it again。 He struggled feebly and then accepted it and fell asleep。
He woke with a dry feeling in his throat and a throbbing headache。 He was in a thatched hut in a dry hammock。 He was dressed in a fresh T…shirt and shorts。 The sun was shining outside the hut； and the jungle burbled with sounds。 For a long moment he couldn't even remember who he was or what he was doing there； and then it came back； piece by piece： the father's disappearance； the strange will； their journey upriver； Don Alfonso's jokes and sayings； their little clearing with the view of the Sierra Azul； dying under the rotten log in the rain。
It all seemed to have happened so long ago。 He felt renewed； reborn； as weak as a baby。
He gingerly lifted his head up； raising it only as much as his hammering headache would allow。 The hammock next to his was empty。 He felt his heart lurch。 Who had been in that hammock？ Sally？ Vernon？ Who had died？
〃Hello？〃 he asked feebly； trying to sit up。 〃Anybody here？〃
He heard a sound outside and then Sally came in； lifting up the flap。 She was like a sudden eruption of gold。 〃Tom！ I'm so glad you're feeling better。〃
〃Oh； Sally； I saw that empty hammock and I thought 。。。〃
Sally came over and took his hand。 〃We're all still here。〃
〃Philip？〃
〃Still sick； but much better。 Vernon should be better tomorrow。〃
〃What happened？ Where are we？〃
〃We're still in the same place。 You can thank Borabay when he es back。 He went out hunting。〃
〃Borabay？〃
〃A mountain Indian。 He found us and saved us。 He nursed us all back to health。〃
〃Why？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃How long was I sick？〃
〃We were all sick about a week。 We've had a fever he calls bisi。 He's a curandero。 Not like me； but a real curandero。 He gave us medicine； fed us； saved our lives。 He even speaks a funny kind of English。〃
Tom tried to sit up。
〃Not yet。〃 She eased him back down。 〃Drink some of this。〃
She handed him a cup filled with a sweet beverage。 He drank it down and felt his hunger intensify。 〃I smell something cooking that is positively delicious。〃
〃Turtle stew à la Borabay。 I'll bring you some。〃 She laid her hand on his cheek。
H
