atlantis.found-第44部分

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the　Navy。〃
　　　　　Without　further　conversation；　Jacobs　and　four　of　his　men；　two　in　front；　two　bringing　up　the　rear；　led　Pitt　and　his　party　up　the　slope　of　the　mountain　onto　the　ancient　road　leading　to　the　tunnel。　Pat　was　half　soaked　beneath　her　rain　gear　and　couldn't　wait　to　get　out　of　the　damp。　When　they　reached　the　archway；　Giordino　stepped　out　to　greet　them。　He　looked　weary　but　swaggered　as　boldly　as　if　he　were　the　winning　captain　of　a　football　team。
　　　　　Pat　was　mildly　surprised　to　see　such　rugged；　staunch　men　greet　each　other　with　warm　hugs　and　backslapping。　There　was　such　sentiment　in　their　eyes；　she　swore　they　were　on　the　verge　of　tears。
　　　　　〃Good　to　see　you　alive；　pal；〃　said　Pitt　happily。
　　　　　〃Glad　you　survived　too；〃　Giordino　replied　with　a　wide　smile。　〃I　hear　you　took　on　a　U…boat　with　snowballs。〃
　　　　　Pitt　laughed。　〃A　story　greatly　exaggerated。　All　we　could　do　was　shake　our　fists　and　call　them　names　until　the　timely　arrival　of　the　Navy。〃
　　　　　〃Dr。　O'Connell。〃　Giordino　bowed　gallantly　and　kissed　her　gloved　hand。　〃We　needed　someone　like　you　to　brighten　up　this　dingy　place。〃
　　　　　Pitt　smiled　and　curtsied。　〃My　pleasure；　sir。〃
　　　　　Pitt　turned　and　introduced　the　archaeologist。　〃Al　Giordino；　Dr。　Brad　Hatfield。　Brad　is　here　to　study　the　mummies　you　and　Rudi　found。〃
　　　　　〃I'm　told　you　and　mander　Gunn　struck　an　archaeological　bonanza；〃　said　Hatfield。　He　was　tall　and　skinny　with　light　cork…brown　eyes；　a　smooth　narrow　face；　and　a　soft　voice。　He　hunched　over　when　he　spoke；　and　peered　through　little　round…rimmed　spectacles　that　looked　as　if　they　had　been　produced　in　the　1920s。
　　　　　〃e　on　in　out　of　the　rain　and　see　for　yourself。〃
　　　　　Giordino　led　the　way　through　the　tunnel　into　the　outer　chamber。　From　fifty　feet　away；　an　overwhelming　stench　of　smoke　and　charred　flesh　invaded　their　nostrils。　A　generator　had　been　brought　in　by　the　SEALs；　who'd　laid　a　hose　from　the　exhaust　pipe　to　the　archway　outside　to　remove　any　fumes。　Its　electrical　output　powered　an　array　of　floodlights。
　　　　　None　had　expected　the　awesome　state　of　devastation。　The　entire　interior　was　blackened　by　fire　and　covered　with　soot。　What　few　objects　were　lying　in　the　chamber　before　the　blast　had　been　vaporized。
　　　　　〃What　hit　this　place？〃　asked　Pitt　in　astonishment。
　　　　　〃The　pilot　of　the　attacking　helicopter　thought　it　might　be　cute　to　launch　a　rocket　through　the　tunnel；〃　explained　Giordino；　as　placidly　as　if　he　were　describing　how　to　eat　an　apple。
　　　　　〃You　and　Rudi　couldn't　have　been　in　here。〃
　　　　　Giordino　grinned。　〃Of　course　not。　There's　a　tunnel　leading　to　another　chamber　behind　this　one。　We　were　protected　by　a　pile　of　rocks　from　an　old　cave…in。　Rudi　and　I　won't　hear　soft…spoken　words　for　a　few　weeks　and　our　lungs　are　congested；　but　we　survived。〃
　　　　　〃A　miracle　you　weren't　barbecued　like　your　friends　here；〃　said　Pitt；　staring　down　at　the　charred　remains　of　the　attackers。
　　　　　〃The　SEALs　are　going　to　clean　up　the　mess　and　transport　the　bodies　back　to　the　States　for　identification。〃
　　　　　〃How　ghastly；〃　murmured　Pat；　her　face　turning　pale。　But　her　professional　manner　quickly　took　over　and　she　began　running　her　fingers　over　what　was　left　of　the　inscriptions　on　the　wall。　She　stared　in　sudden　sorrow　at　the　cracked　and　shattered　rock。　〃They've　destroyed　it；〃　she　said　in　a　faint　whisper。　〃Obliterated　it。　There　isn't　enough　left　to　decipher。〃
　　　　　〃No　great　loss；〃　Giordino　said；　unruffled。　〃The　good　stuff　survived　in　the　inner　chamber　without　a　scratch。　The　mummies　were　coated　with　a　little　dust；　but　other　than　that　they're　as　sound　as　the　day　they　were　propped　up。〃
　　　　　〃Propped　up？〃　Hatfield　repeated。　〃The　mummies　are　not　lying　horizontal　in　burial　cases？〃
　　　　　〃No；　they're　sitting　upright　in　stone　chairs。〃
　　　　　〃Are　they　wrapped　in　cloth？〃
　　　　　〃No　again；〃　replied　Giordino。　〃They're　sitting　there　as　if　they　were　conducting　a　board　meeting；　dressed　in　robes；　hats；　and　boots。〃
　　　　　Hatfield　shook　his　head　in　wonder。　〃I've　seen　ancient　burials　where　the　bodies　were　wrapped　tightly　in　gauze　in　coffins；　in　fetal　positions　inside　clay　pots；　lying　facedown　or　faceup；　and　in　standing　positions。　Never　have　I　heard　of　mummies　sitting　exposed。〃
　　　　　〃I've　set　up　lights　inside　so　you　can　examine　them　and　the　other　artifacts。〃
　　　　　During　the　hours　Giordino　was　waiting　for　Pitt　and　Pat　O'Connell　to　appear；　he　had　enlisted　the　SEALs　to　help　clear　the　rockfall；　carry　the　rocks　outside；　and　dump　them　down　the　mountain。　The　tunnel　to　the　inner　crypt　was　now　open；　and　they　could　walk　straight　through　without　climbing　over　fallen　debris。　Floodlights　lit　the　crypt　even　brighter　than　sunlight；　revealing　the　mummies　and　their　garments　in　colorful　detail。
　　　　　Hatfield　rushed　forward　and　began　examining　the　first　mummy's　face　almost　nose　to　nose。　He　looked　like　a　man　lost　in　paradise。　He　went　from　figure　to　figure；　examining　the　skin；　the　ears；　noses；　and　lips。　He　opened　a　large　leather　folding　case　and　removed　a　surgeon's　metal　headband　that　mounted　a　light　and　magnifying　lens　in　front　of　the　eyes。　After　slipping　it　over　his　head；　turning　on　the　light；　and　focusing　the　lenses；　he　lightly　brushed　the　dust　away　from　a　mummy's　eyelids　with　a　soft…bristled　artist's　brush。　The　others　watched　in　silence　until　he　turned；　lifted　the　headband；　and　spoke。
　　　　　His　words　came　as　if　he　were　giving　a　sermon　in　church。　〃In　all　my　years　of　studying　ancient　cadavers；〃　he　said　softly；　〃I　have　never　seen　bodies　so　well　preserved。　Even　the　eyeballs　appear　to　be　intact　enough　to　tell　the　color　of　their　irises。〃
　　　　　〃Perhaps　they're　only　a　hundred　years　old　or　less；〃　said　Giordino。
　　　　　〃I　don't　believe　so。　The　fabric　of　their　robes；　the　style　of　their　boots；　the　cut　and　style　of　their　head　coverings　and　clothing　is　unlike　any　I've　ever　seen；　certainly　unlike　those　in　historical　records。　Whatever　their　embalming　methods；　these　people's　techniques　were　far　superior　to　that　found　in　mummies　I've　studied　in　Egypt。　The　Egyptians　mutilated　the　bodies　to　remove　the　internal　organs　of　their　dead；　extracting　the　brain　through　the　nose　and　removing　the　lungs　and　abdominal　organs。　These　bodies　are　not　disfigured　inside　or　out。　They　appear　virtually　untouched　by　embalmers。〃
　　　　　〃The　inscriptions　we　found　in　the　mountains　of　Colorado　were　dated　at　nine　thousand　B。C。；〃　said　Pat。　〃Is　it　possible　these　people　and　their　artifacts　are　from　the　same　millennium？〃
　　　　　〃Without　dating　technology；　I　can't　say；〃　replied　Hatfield。　〃I'm　out　of　my　depth　at　drawing　time　conclusions。　But　I'm　willing　to　stake　my　reputation　that　these　people　came　from　an　ancient　culture　that　is　historically　unknown。〃
　　　　　〃They　must　have　been　first…rate　seafarers　to　have　found　this　island　and　used　it　to　inter　their　leaders；〃　observed　Pitt。
　　　　　〃Why　here？〃　inquired　Giordino。　〃Why　didn't　they　bury　their　dead　in　a　more　convenient　place　along　a　continental　shoreline？〃
　　　　　〃The　best　guess　is　that　they　didn't　want　them　found；〃　answered　Pat。
　　　　　Pitt　stared　at　the　mummies　pensively。　〃I'm　not　so　sure。　I　think　they　eventually　wanted　them　to　be　discovered。　They　left　descriptive　munications　in　other　underground　chambers　thousands　of　miles　apart。　From　what　I　understand；　you　and　Hiram　Yaeger　have　established　that　the　inscriptions　in　Colorado　are　not　messages　to　gods　governing　the　land　of　the　dead。〃
　　　　　〃That's　true　as　far　as　it　goes。　But　we　have　a　long　way　to　go　in　deciphering　all　the　symbols　and　their　meanings。　What　little　we've　learned　until　now　is　that　the　inscriptions　are　not　of　a　funerary　nature；　but　rather　a　warning　of　a　future　catastrophe。〃
　　　　　〃Whose　future？〃　asked　Giordino。　〃Maybe　in　the　last　nine　thousand　years；　it　already　happened。〃
　　　　　〃We　haven't　determined　any　time　projections　yet；〃　answered　Pat。　〃Hiram　and　Max　are　still　working　on　it。〃　She　walked　over　to　one　wall　and　wiped　away　the　dust　covering　what　looked　like　figures　carved　in　the　rock。　Her　eyes　widened　with　excitement。　〃These　are　not　the　same　style　of　symbols　we　found　in　Colorado。　These　are　glyphs　portraying　human　figures　and　animals。〃
　　　　　Soon　they　were　all　working　to　remove　the　dust　and　grime　of　centuries　from　the　polished　rock。　Beginning　in　the　four　corners　of　the　wall；　they　worked　toward　the　middle　until　the　inscriptions　were　revealed　in　distinct　detail　under　the　bright　floodlights。
　　　　　〃What　do　you　make　of　it？〃　Giordino　asked　no　one　in　particular。
　　　　　〃Definitely　a　harbor　or　a　seaport；〃　Pitt　said　quietly。　〃You　can　make　out　a　fleet　of　ancient　ships　with　sails　and　oars；　surrounded　by　a　breakwater　whose　ends　support　high　towers；　probably　some　kind　of　beacons　or　lighthouses。〃
　　　　　〃Yes；〃　agreed　Hatfield。　〃I　can　easily　discern　buildings　around　the　docks　where　several　ships　are　moored。〃
　　　　　〃They　seem　to　be　in　the　act　of　loading　and　unloading　cargo；〃　said　Pat；　peering　through　her　ever…present　magnifying　glass。　〃The　people　are　carved　in　meticulous　detail　and　are　wearing　the　same　type　of　clothing　as　the　mummies。　One　ship　looks　like　it's　unloading　a　herd　of　animals。〃
　　　　　Giordino　moved　in　close　to　Pat　and　squinted　at　the　glyphs。　〃Unicorns；〃　he　announced。　〃They're　unicorns。　See；　they　only　have　one　horn　ing　from　the　top　of　their　heads。〃
　　　　　〃Fanciful；〃　muttered　Hatfield　skeptically。　〃As　fanciful　as　sculptures　of　nonexistent　Greek　gods。〃
　　　　　〃How　do　you　know？〃　Pitt　challenged　him。　〃Perhaps　unicorns　actually　existed　nine　thousand　years　ago；　before　they　became　extinct　along　with　woolly　mammoths　and　saber…toothed　tigers。〃
　　　　　〃Yes；　along　with　Medusas　with　snakes　for　hair　and　Cyclops　with　only　one　eye　in　their　forehead。〃
　　　　　〃Don't　forget　gargoyles　and　dragons；〃　added　Giordino。
　　　　　〃Until　bones　or　fossils　are　found　that　prove　they　existed；〃　said　Hatfield；　〃they'll　have　to　remain　a　myth　from　the　past。〃
　　　　　Pitt　didn't　debate　further　with　Hatfield。　He　turned　and　walked　behind　the　stone　chairs　still　holding　the　mummies　and　stared　at　a　large　curtain　of　sewn　animal　hides　that　covered　the　far　wall。　Very　gently；　he　lifted　one　corner　of　the　curtain　and　looked　under　it。　His　face　took　on　a　mystified　expression。
　　　　　〃Careful；〃　warned　Hatfield。　〃That's　very　fragile。〃
　　　　　Pitt　ignored　him　and　raised　the　curtain　in　both　hands　until　it　had　curled　above　his　head。
　　　　　〃You　shouldn't　touch　that；〃　Hatfield　cautioned　i