inca.gold-第33部分

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nd　charity　toward　all。　The　rest　of　the　story　is　too　close　to　that　of　Jesus　to　be　taken　literally　the　natives　must　have　introduced　events　from　Christ's　life　into　the　ancient　story　after　they　were　converted　to　Christianity。　He　traveled　the　land；　healing　the　sick；　making　the　blind　see　again；　working　all　sorts　of　miracles。　He　even　walked　on　water。　The　people　raised　temples　to　him　and　carved　his　likeness　in　wood　and　stone。　None　of　these　portraits；　I　might　add；　has　ever　been　found。　Almost　verbatim；　the　same　myth　has　e　down　through　the　ages　from　the　early　Mexican　cultures　in　the　form　of　Quetzalcoatl；　the　ancient　god　of　old　Mexico。〃
　　　　〃Do　you　believe　any　part　of　the　legend？〃　asked　Pitt。
　　　　Ortiz　shook　his　head。　〃Not　until　I　excavate　something　substantial　that　I　can　positively　authenticate。　We　may；　however；　have　some　answers　quite　soon。　One　of　your　universities　in　the　United　States　is　currently　running　DNA　tests　on　Chachapoyan　remains　removed　from　tombs。　If　successful；　they　will　be　able　to　confirm　whether　the　Chachapoyas　came　from　Europe　or　evolved　independently。〃
　　　　〃What　about　Huascar's　treasure？〃　said　Pitt；　bringing　the　conversation　back　on　track。
　　　　〃A　discovery　that　would　stun　the　world；〃　Ortiz　answered。　〃I'd　like　to　think　the　hoard　still　exists　in　some　forgotten　cave　in　Mexico。〃　Then　he　exhaled　a　cloud　of　cigar　smoke　and　stared　at　the　evening　stars。　〃The　chain　would　be　a　fabulous　discovery。　But　for　an　archaeologist；　the　great　finds　would　be　the　huge　solid　gold　sun　disk　and　the　royal　golden　mummies　that　vanished　along　with　the　chain。〃
　　　　〃Golden　mummies；〃　echoed　Gunn。　〃Did　the　Incas　preserve　their　dead　like　the　Egyptians？〃
　　　　〃The　preservation　process　was　not　nearly　as　plex　as　that　practiced　by　the　Egyptians；〃　explained　Ortiz。　〃But　the　bodies　of　the　supreme　rulers；　or　Sapa　Incas　as　they　were　called；　were　encased　in　gold　and　became　cult　objects　in　the　people's　religious　practices。　The　mummies　of　the　dead　kings　lived　in　their　own　palaces；　were　frequently　reclothed　with　fresh　wardrobes；　served　sumptuous　feasts；　and　maintained　harems　of　the　most　beautiful　women。　Chosen　as　attendants；　I　might　add；　not　to　indulge　in　necrophilia。〃
　　　　Giordino　stared　over　the　shadows　of　the　city。　〃Sounds　like　a　waste　of　taxpayers'　money。〃
　　　　〃A　large　body　of　priests　supervised　the　upkeep；〃　Ortiz　continued；　〃acquiring　a　lucrative　interest　in　keeping　the　dead　kings　happy。　The　mummies　were　often　carried　around　the　country　in　great　splendor；　as　if　they　were　still　heads　of　state。　Needless　to　say；　this　absurd　love　affair　with　the　dead　caused　a　great　drain　on　Inca　financial　resources；　helping　immeasurably　to　topple　the　empire　during　the　Spanish　invasion。〃
　　　　Pitt　zipped　his　leather　jacket　against　the　cold　and　said；　〃While　on　board　our　ship；　Dr。　Kelsey　received　a　message　concerning　a　stolen　suit　of　gold　that　was　traced　to　a　collector　in　Chicago。〃
　　　　Ortiz　looked　thoughtful　and　nodded。　〃Yes；　the　Golden　Body　Suit　of　Tiapollo。　It　covered　the　mummy　of　a　great　general　called　Naymlap　who　was　the　right…hand　advisor　to　an　early　Inca　king。　Before　leaving　Lima；　I　heard　that　American　Customs　agents　had　tracked　it　down；　only　to　lose　it　again。〃
　　　　〃Lose　it？〃　For　some　reason　Pitt　didn't　feel　vastly　surprised。
　　　　〃The　director　of　our　National　Cultural　Ministry　was　about　to　board　a　plane　to　the　United　States　to　lay　claim　to　the　mummy　and　the　body　suit　when　he　was　informed　that　your　Customs　agents　were　too　late。　Thieves　made　off　with　it　while　they　had　the　owner　under　surveillance。〃
　　　　〃Dr。　Kelsey　said　that　images　engraved　on　the　suit　depicted　the　voyage　of　the　fleet　that　carried　the　treasure　to　Mexico。〃
　　　　〃Only　a　few　of　the　images　were　deciphered。　Modern　scholars　never　had　a　chance　to　study　the　suit　properly　before　it　was　stolen　from　its　case　in　the　museum　in　Seville。〃
　　　　〃It's　conceivable；〃　suggested　Pitt；　〃that　whoever　grabbed　the　suit　this　time　is　on　the　trail　of　the　golden　chain。〃
　　　　〃A　credible　conclusion；〃　Ortiz　agreed。
　　　　〃Then　the　thieves　have　an　inside　track；〃　said　Giordino。
　　　　〃Unless　someone　else　discovers　the　Drake　quipu；〃　Pitt　said　slowly；　〃and　gets　there　first。〃
　　　　〃Ah　yes；　the　infamous　jade　box；〃　Ortiz　sighed　skeptically。　〃A　fanciful　tale　that　has　refused　to　die。　So　you　also　know　about　the　legendary　rope　trick　giving　directions　to　the　golden　chain？〃
　　　　〃You　sound　dubious；〃　said　Pitt。
　　　　〃No　hardcore　evidence。　All　reports　are　too　flimsy　to　take　seriously。〃
　　　　〃You　could　write　a　thick　book　about　the　superstitions　and　legends　that　were　proven　to　be　true。〃
　　　　〃I　am　a　scientist　and　a　pragmatist；〃　said　Ortiz。　〃If　such　a　quipu　exists；　I　would　have　to　hold　it　in　my　own　hands；　and　even　then　I　wouldn't　be　fully　convinced　of　its　authenticity。〃
　　　　〃Would　you　think　me　mad　if　I　told　you　I　was　going　to　hunt　for　it？〃　asked　Pitt。
　　　　〃No　madder　than　the　thousands　of　men　throughout　history　who　have　chased　over　the　horizon　after　a　nebulous　dream。〃　Ortiz　paused；　flicked　the　ash　from　his　cigar；　and　then　stared　heavily　at　Pitt　through　somber　eyes。　〃Be　forewarned。　The　one　who　finds　it；　if　it　really　exists；　will　be　rewarded　with　success　and　then　doomed　to　failure。〃
　　　　Pitt　stared　back。　〃Why　doomed　to　failure？〃
　　　　〃An　amauta；　an　educated　Inca　who　could　understand　the　text；　and　a　quipu…mayoc；　a　clerk　who　recorded　on　the　device；　can't　help　you。〃
　　　　〃What　are　you　telling　me？〃
　　　　〃Simply　put；　Mr。　Pitt。　The　last　people　who　could　have　read　and　translated　the　Drake　quipu　for　you　have　been　dead　for　over　four　hundred　years。〃

　　　　In　a　remote；　barren　part　of　the　southwest　desert；　a　few　kilometers　east　of　Douglas；　Arizona；　and　only　75　meters　（246　feet）　from　the　border　between　Mexico　and　the　United　States；　the　hacienda　La　princesa　loomed　like　a　Moorish　castle　at　an　oasis。　It　was　named　by　the　original　owner；　Don　Antonio　Diaz；　in　honor　of　his　wife；　Sophia　Magdalena；　who　died　during　childbirth　and　was　entombed　in　an　ornate；　baroque　crypt　that　stood　enclosed　within　a　high…walled　garden。　Diaz；　a　peon　who　became　a　miner；　struck　it　rich　and　took　an　immense　amount　of　silver　out　of　the　nearby　Huachuca　Mountains。
　　　　The　huge　feudal　estate　rested　on　lands　that　were　originally　granted　to　Diaz　by　General；　later　President　of　Mexico；　Antonio　Lopez　de　Santa　Ana；　for　helping　to　finance　the　despot's　campaigns　to　subdue　Texas　and　later　launch　a　war　against　the　United　States。　This　was　a　disaster　that　Santa　Ana　pounded　by　selling　the　Mesilla　Valley　in　southern　Arizona　to　the　United　States；　a　transaction　known　as　the　Gadsden　Purchase。　The　border　shift　left　Diaz's　hacienda　in　a　new　country　a　stone's　throw　from　the　old。
　　　　The　hacienda　was　passed　down　through　the　Diaz　family　until　1978；　when　the　last　surviving　member；　Maria　Estala；　sold　it　to　a　rich　financier　shortly　before　she　died　at　ninety…four。　The　new　owner；　Joseph　Zolar；　made　no　mystery　of　the　fact　that　he　acquired　the　hacienda　as　a　retreat　for　entertaining　celebrities；　high　government　officials；　and　wealthy　business　leaders　on　a　lavish　scale。　Zolar's　hacienda　quickly　became　known　as　the　San　Simeon　of　Arizona。　His　high…profile　guests　were　flown　or　bused　to　the　estate　and　his　parties　were　dutifully　reported　in　all　the　gossip　columns　and　photographed　for　the　slick　magazines　around　the　country。
　　　　An　antiquarian　and　fanatical　art　collector；　Zolar　had　amassed　a　vast　accumulation　of　art　objects　and　antiques；　both　good　and　bad。　But　every　piece　was　certified　by　experts　and　government　agents　as　having　been　legally　sold　from　the　country　of　origin　and　imported　with　the　proper　papers。　He　paid　his　taxes；　his　business　dealings　were　aboveboard；　and　he　never　allowed　his　guests　to　bring　drugs　into　his　home。　No　scandal　had　ever　stained　Joseph　Zolar。
　　　　He　stood　on　a　roof　terrace　amid　a　forest　of　potted　plants　and　watched　as　a　private　jet　touched　down　on　the　estate　runway　that　stretched　across　the　desert　floor。　The　jet　was　painted　a　golden　tan　with　a　bright　purple　stripe　running　along　its　fuselage。　Yellow　letters　on　the　stripe　read　Zolar　International。　He　watched　as　a　man　casually　dressed　in　a　flowered　sport　shirt　and　khaki　shorts　left　the　aircraft　and　settled　in　the　seat　of　a　waiting　golf　cart。
　　　　The　eyes　below　Zolar's　surgically　tightened　lids　glittered　like　gray　crystal。　The　pinched；　constantly　flushed　face　plemented　the　thin；　receding；　brushed…back　hair　that　was　as　dull　red　as　Mexican　saltillo　tile。　He　was　somewhere　in　his　late　fifties；　with　a　face　that　was　fathomless；　a　face　that　had　rarely　been　out　of　an　executive　office　or　a　boardroom；　a　face　that　was　tempered　by　hard　decisions　and　cold　from　issuing　death　warrants　when　he　felt　they　were　required。　The　body　was　small　but　hunched　over　like　a　vulture　about　to　take　wing。　Dressed　in　a　black　silk　jumpsuit；　he　wore　the　indifferent　look　of　a　Nazi　concentration　camp　officer　who　considered　death　about　as　interesting　as　rain。
　　　　Zolar　waited　at　the　top　of　the　stairs　as　his　guest　climbed　toward　the　terrace。　They　greeted　each　other　warmly　and　embraced。　〃Good　to　see　you　in　one　piece；　Cyrus。〃
　　　　Sarason　grinned。　〃You　don't　know　how　close　you　came　to　losing　a　brother。〃
　　　　〃e　along；　I've　held　lunch　for　you。〃　Zolar　led　Sarason　through　the　maze　of　potted　plants　to　a　lavishly　set　table　beneath　a　palapa　roof　of　palm　fronds。　〃I've　selected　an　excellent　chardonnay　and　my　chef　has　prepared　a　delicious　braised　pork　loin。〃
　　　　〃Someday　I'm　going　to　pirate　him　away　from　you；〃　said　Sarason。
　　　　〃Fat　chance。〃　Zolar　laughed。　〃I've　spoiled　him。　He　enjoys　too　many　perks　to　jump　ship。〃
　　　　〃I　envy　your　lifestyle。〃
　　　　〃And　I　yours。　You've　never　lost　your　spirit　of　adventure。　Always　skirting　death　and　capture　by　police　in　some　desert　or　jungle　when　you　could　conduct　business　out　of　a　luxurious　corporate　office　and　delegate　the　dirty　work　to　others。〃
　　　　〃A　nine…to…five　existence　was　never　in　my　blood；〃　said　Sarason。　〃I　find　wallowing　in　dirty　dealings　an　exciting　challenge。　You　should　join　me　sometime。〃
　　　　〃No；　thank　you。　I　prefer　the　forts　of　civilization。〃
　　　　Sarason　noticed　a　table　with　what　looked　like　four　weathered　tree　limbs　about　one　meter　in　length　lying　across　its　surface。　Intrigued；　he　walked　over　and　studied　them　more　closely。　He　recognized　them　as　sun…bleached　roots　of　cottonwood　trees　that　had　grown　naturally　into　grotesque　human…shaped　figures；　plete　with　torsos；　arms　and　legs；　a