pdouglas.thecodex-第46部分
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Borabay said； 〃You finish being angry； brother？〃
〃I'll never finish being angry。〃
〃Father angry man； too。〃
〃You can say that again。〃
〃You son most like Father。〃
Philip rolled his eyes。 〃Here's something new； a psychoanalyzing jungle Indian。〃
〃Because you most like Father； you love him most and he hurt you most。 And now you hurt again because you find you not oldest son after all。 I oldest son。〃
There was a short pause and then Philip broke into a harsh laugh。 〃This is too much。 How could I feel myself in petition with an illiterate； tattooed Indian with filed teeth？〃
After a pause； Borabay said； 〃I continue story now。〃
〃Be my guest！〃
〃Cah arrange everything for Father's death and funeral。 When day e； there is big funeral feast for Father。 Big； big feast。 All Tara people e。 Father there； too。 Father enjoy his own funeral very much。 He give many presents。 Everyone get cooking pots and pans and knives。〃
Tom and Sally looked at each other。
〃He would love that；〃 said Philip。 〃I can just see the old bastard lording it over his own funeral。〃
〃You right； Philip。 Father love it。 He eat； drink too much； laugh； sing。 Father open boxes so everyone can look at white man's sacred treasures。 Everyone love sacred Mother Mary holding baby Jesus。 White man have beautiful gods。〃
〃The Lippi！〃 cried Philip。 〃Was it in good condition？ Had it survived the journey？〃
〃It is most beautiful thing I ever see； brother。 When I look at it； I see something in white man I not see before。〃
〃Yes； yes； it's one of the finest things Lippi did。 To think of it stuck in a damp tomb！〃
Borabay went on： 〃But Cah trick Father。 At end of funeral； he supposed to give Father special poison drink to make him die painless death。 But Cah not do this。 Cah give Father drink to make him sleep。 No one know this except Cah。〃
〃This sounds positively Shakespearean；〃 said Philip。
〃So sleeping Father is carried into tomb with treasure。 They shut door； lock him in tomb。 We all think he dead。 Only Cah know he not dead； he only sleeping。 So he later wake up in dark tomb。〃
〃Wait a minute；〃 said Vernon； 〃I'm not following this。〃
〃I am；〃 said Philip calmly。 〃They buried Father alive。〃
Silence。
〃Not 'they；' 〃 said Borabay。 〃Cah。 Tara people know nothing about this trick。〃
Philip said； 〃With no food and water 。。。 My God； how horrible。〃
〃Brothers；〃 said Borabay； 〃in Tara tradition； much food and water put in tomb for afterlife。〃
Tom felt a crawling sensation in his spine as the implications of this sank in。 He finally spoke。 〃So you think Father's still alive； then； locked in the tomb？〃
〃Yes。〃
Nobody said a word。 An owl hooted mournfully in the dark。
〃How long has he been sealed in the tomb？〃 Tom asked。
〃Thirty…two days。〃
Tom felt sick。 It was unthinkable。
Borabay said； 〃This is terrible thing； brothers。〃
〃Why in hell did Cah do this？〃 Vernon asked。
〃Cah angry that Father rob tomb long ago。 Cah was boy then； son of chief。 Father humiliate father of Cah by robbing tomb。 This is Cah's revenge。〃
〃Couldn't you stop it？〃
〃I not know Cah's plan until later。 Then I try to save Father。 At tomb entrance is giant stone door。 I cannot move。 Cah find out I go to Sukia Tara to save Father。 He very angry。 Cah take me prisoner and he going to kill me。 He say I dirty man； half Tara； half white。 Then crazy white man and soldiers e and capture Cah； take him to White City。 I escape。 I hear soldiers talk about you； so I e back for you。〃
〃How did you know we were here？〃
〃I hear soldiers talk。〃
The fire flickered as the night gathered about the five silent people sitting on the ground。 Borabay's words seemed to hang in the air a long time after he had uttered them。 Borabay's eyes traveled around the fire； looking at each one of them in turn。 〃Brothers； it is a terrible way to die。 This death for rat； not for human being。 He our father！〃
〃What can we do？〃 Philip asked。
Borabay spoke after a long pause； his voice low and resonant： 〃We rescue him。〃
52
Hauser poured over the crude diagram of the city that he had drawn over the past two days。 His men had surveyed the city twice； but it was so overgrown that making any kind of accurate map was almost impossible。 There were several pyramids； dozens of temples and other structures； hundreds of places where a tomb could be hidden。 Unless they got lucky； it could take weeks。
A soldier came to the doorway and saluted。
〃Report。〃
〃The sons are twenty miles back； sir； beyond the Ocata River crossing。〃
Hauser slowly laid down the map。 〃Alive and well？〃
〃They are recovering from sickness。 There is a Tara Indian taking care of them。〃
〃Weapons？〃
〃One useless old hunting rifle belonging to the woman。 Bows and arrows and a blowgun； of course…〃
〃Yes； yes。〃 Hauser； despite himself； felt a certain twinge of respect for the three sons； particularly Philip。 By all rights they should be dead。 Max had been like that； too； stubborn and lucky。 It was a potent bination。 A brief image of Max came into his mind； the man stripped to the waist； slashing his way through the jungle； his sweaty back peppered with chips； twigs； and leaves。 For months they had hacked their way through the jungle； bitten； cut； infected； sick…finding nothing。 And then Max had ditched him； gone upriver and found the prize for which they'd been searching for over a year。 Hauser went home broke and had to enlist 。。。 He shook his head； as if to throw off the resentment。 That was past。 The future…and Broadbent's fortune…belonged to him。
The teniente spoke。 〃Shall I send back a detail of soldiers to kill them？ This time we will be sure to finish them； jefe； I promise you。〃
〃No；〃 he said。 〃Let them e。〃
〃I don't understand。〃
Hauser turned to the teniente。 〃Don't molest them。 Leave them alone。 Let them e。〃
53
Philip recovered more slowly than the others； but after three more days of Borabay's ministrations he was able to walk。 One sunny morning they broke camp and set off for the Tara village in the foothills of the Sierra Azul。 Borabay's herbal concoctions； ointments； and teas had had a remarkable effect on them all。 Borabay went first with his machete； setting a fast pace。 By noon they had reached the broad river where they first discovered Philip； covering in five hours the distance that had taken them five days to travel on their desperate retreat。 Beyond the river； as they got closer to the Sierra Azul； Borabay began to move more cautiously。 They entered the foothills and began to gain altitude。 The forest seemed to get sunnier； less somber。 The limbs of the trees were decked with orchids； and cheerful patches of sun speckled the way ahead。
They spent the night in an old Tara encampment； a semicircle of palm…thatched shelters； sunken among rioting greenery。 Borabay waded through the waist…high vegetation； his machete singing； clearing a path to the best…preserved cluster of huts。 He ducked inside； and Tom heard the smack of the machete； the stomping of feet； and some muttered cursing； first in one small hut； and then in another。 Borabay appeared with a small writhing snake impaled on the point of the machete； which he flicked into the forest。 〃Huts now clean。 You go in； set up hammocks； get rest。 I make dinner。〃
Tom looked at Sally。 He felt his heart beating so strongly in his chest that it was almost audible。 Without exchanging a word； they both knew what they were going to do。
They entered the smaller of the huts。 It was warm inside and smelled of dry grass。 Rays of sunlight pierced little holes in the palm thatch； dappling the interior with flecks of afternoon light。 Tom hung up his own hammock and then watched her set up hers。 The spots of light were like a handful of gold coins flung into her hair； which flashed on her as she moved。 When she was done； Tom stepped toward her and took her hand。 It was trembling slightly。 He drew her to him； ran his fingers through her hair； and kissed her on the lips。 She moved closer； her body touching his； and he kissed her again。 This time her lips parted and he tasted her tongue； then kissed her mouth； her chin； the side of her neck； and she pulled him close and gripped his back as he kissed the top of her shirt； moving downward； kissing each button as he unfastened it。 He freed her breasts and continued kissing them； first their soft sides and then around her nipples； hard and erect； and then slid his hands down her smooth belly。 He could feel her hands massaging the muscles on his back。 He unbuckled her pants and knelt； kissing her belly button and sliding the palms of his hands around to grip her from behind as he slid down her pants。 She thrust her hips forward and parted her thighs with a short intake of breath as he continued kissing her； holding her buttocks； until he felt her fingers dig into his shoulders and heard her sharp intake of breath； a sudden gasp； her whole body shuddering。
Then she undressed him and they lay down together in the warm darkness and they made love while the sun set； the little coins of light turning red and then fading as the sun sank behind the trees； leaving the hut in a hushed darkness； the only sound the faint cries that filled the strange world around them。
54
They were awakened by Borabay's cheerful voice。 Night had fallen； and the air was cooler； the smell of roasting meat drifting through the hut。
〃Dinner！〃
Tom and Sally dressed and emerged from the hut； feeling embarrassed。 The sky was resplendent with stars； the great Milky Way arcing like a river of light over their heads。 Tom had never seen the night so black or the Milky Way so bright。
Borabay was sitting by the fire； turning shish kebabs while he worked on a dry gourd； drilling holes in it and slicing a groove in one end。 When he was finished he lifted it to his lips and blew。 A sweet； low note came out； and then another and another。 He stopped and grinned。
〃Who want to hear music？〃
He began to play； the wandering notes gathering into a haunting melody。 The jungle fell silent as the pure； clean sounds spilled from the gourd； faster now； rising and falling； with runs of notes as clear and hurried as a mountain stream。 There were moments of quiet while the melody remained suspende
