p&c.thunderhead-第39部分

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　walking　away　from　Fort　Knox。〃　
　〃A　lot　of　Anasazi　sites　show　a　similar　abandonment；〃　Nora　replied。　〃These　people　were　on　foot；　they　had　no　beasts　of　burden。　It　made　more　sense　to　leave　your　goods　behind　and　make　fresh　ones　when　you　arrived　at　your　new　home。　When　the　Anasazi　moved；　they　usually　only　carried　their　most　sacred　items　and　turquoise。〃　
　〃But　it　looks　like　even　the　turquoise　was　left　behind　here。　I　mean；　the　place　is　full　of　it。〃　
　〃True；〃　Nora　said　after　a　moment。　〃This　was　not　a　typical　abandonment。　It's　like　they　left　everything。　That's　part　of　what　makes　this　site　unique。〃　
　〃The　sheer　wealth　of　the　city；　and　the　many　ceremonial　artifacts；　makes　me　think　it　must　have　been　a　religious　center　that　overshadowed　even　Chaco；〃　said　Aragon。　〃A　city　of　priests。〃　
　〃A　city　of　priests？〃　Black　repeated　skeptically。　〃Why　would　a　city　of　priests　be　located　way　out　here；　at　the　very　edge　of　the　Anasazi　realm？　What　I　found　more　interesting　was　the　amazingly　defensive　nature　of　the　place。　Even　the　site　itself；　hidden　so　perfectly　in　this　isolated　canyon…it's　damn　near　impregnable。　You'd　almost　think　these　people　were　paranoid。〃　
　〃I'd　be　paranoid　if　I　had　the　kind　of　wealth　they　had；〃　Sloane　murmured。　
　〃If　they　were　impregnable；　then　why　did　they　abandon　the　city？〃　Holroyd　asked。　
　〃They　probably　overfarmed　the　valley　below；〃　Black　replied　with　a　shrug。　〃Simple　soil　exhaustion。　The　Anasazi　didn't　know　the　art　of　fertilization。〃　
　Nora　shook　her　head。　〃There's　no　way；　given　its　size；　that　the　farmland　in　the　valley　could　support　the　city　to　begin　with。　There　must　be　a　hundred　granaries　back　there。　They　had　to　have　been　importing　tons　of　food　from　someplace　else。　But　all　this　begs　the　question：　why　put　such　a　huge　city　here　in　the　first　place？　In　the　middle　of　nowhere；　at　the　end　of　a　circuitous　road；　at　the　end　of　a　narrow　slot　canyon？　During　the　rainy　season；　that　canyon　would　have　been　impassable　half　the　time。〃　
　〃As　I　said；〃　Aragon　replied。　〃A　city　of　priests；　at　the　end　of　a　difficult　ritual　journey。　Nothing　else　makes　sense。〃　
　〃Of　course；〃　Black　said　scornfully。　〃When　in　doubt；　blame　it　on　religion。　Besides；　the　Anasazi　were　egalitarian。　They　didn't　believe　in　a　social　hierarchy。　The　idea　of　them　having　a　priestly　city；　or　a　ruling　class；　is　absurd。〃　
　There　was　another　silence。　
　〃What　really　intrigues　me；〃　Smithback　said；　notebook　once　again　in　hand；　〃is　the　idea　of　gold　and　silver。〃　
　There　he　goes　again；　Nora　thought。　〃Like　I　told　you　on　the　barge；〃　she　said　a　little　more　loudly　than　she　intended；　〃the　Anasazi　had　no　precious　metals。〃　
　〃Just　a　minute；〃　Smithback　said；　folding　his　notebook　and　shoving　it　into　his　pants。　〃What　about　the　Coronado　reports　Holroyd　was　reading　aloud？　All　that　talk　of　plates　and　jugs　of　gold。　You　mean　that　was　just　bullshit？〃　
　Nora　laughed。　〃Not　to　put　too　fine　a　point　on　it；　yes。　The　Indians　were　just　telling　the　Spanish　what　they　wanted　to　hear。　The　idea　was　to　tell　the　Spanish　that　the　gold　was　somewhere　else；　far　away；　to　get　rid　of　them　as　quickly　as　possible。〃　
　〃Perhaps　something　was　lost　in　translation；〃　said　Aragon；　with　a　smile。　
　〃e　on；〃　Smithback　said。　〃Quivira　wasn't　made　up　by　the　Indians。　So　why　should　the　gold　be？〃　
　Holroyd　cleared　his　throat　a　little　tentatively。　〃According　to　that　book　I　was　reading；　Coronado　had　gold　samples　with　him。　When　he　tested　the　Indians　by　showing　them　samples　of　gold；　copper；　silver；　and　tin；　the　Indians　identified　the　precious　metals　from　the　base。　They　knew　what　they　were。〃　
　Smithback　folded　his　arms。　〃See？〃　
　Nora　rolled　her　eyes。　One　of　the　foundations　of　southwestern　archaeology　was　that　the　Anasazi　had　no　metals。　It　almost　wasn't　worth　arguing　the　point。　
　Black　suddenly　spoke　up。　〃All　over　the　Southwest；〃　he　said；　〃Anasazi　graves　have　been　found　containing　parrot　and　macaw　feathers　imported　from　the　Aztec　empires　and　their　Toltec　predecessors。　They've　also　found　New　Mexico　turquoise　in　Aztec　burials。　And　we　know　that　the　Anasazi　traded　extensively　with　the　Toltecs　and　Aztecs…slaves；　obsidian；　agate；　salt；　and　pottery。〃　
　〃What　are　you　getting　at？〃　Nora　asked。　
　〃Simply　that　with　all　this　trade　going　on；　it's　not　entirely　unreasonable　to　think　the　Anasazi　obtained　gold。〃　
　Nora　opened　her　mouth；　then　shut　it　again；　surprised　at　hearing　this　from　Black。　Holroyd；　Swire；　and　even　Sloane　were　listening　intently。　
　〃If　they　did　have　gold；〃　Nora　began；　trying　to　keep　patient；　〃then；　in　the　tens　of　thousands　of　Anasazi　sites　excavated　over　the　last　hundred　and　fifty　years；　we'd　have　found　some。　But　not　one　excavation　has　ever　turned　up　even　the　tiniest　speck　of　gold。　The　bottom　line　is；　if　the　Anasazi　had　gold；　then　where　is　it　all？〃　
　〃Maybe　right　here；〃　said　Smithback　quietly。　
　Nora　stared　at　him。　Then　she　began　to　laugh。　〃Bill；　put　a　cold　press　on　that　fevered　imagination　of　yours。　I　just　saw　a　dozen　rooms　full　of　incredible　stuff　today；　but　not　a　single　glimmer　of　gold。　If　we　do　find　gold　in　Quivira；　I'll　eat　that　ridiculous　hat　of　yours。　Okay？　Now　let's　get　down　and　see　what　miracle　Chef　Bonarotti　has　prepared　for　dinner。〃　
　
　
27
　
　NORA　GAZED　ANXIOUSLY　UP　AT　THE　FIGURE　rapelling　down　the　rock　wall　four　hundred　feet　above　her　head；　a　brightly　colored　bug　against　the　sandstone。　Beside　Nora；　Black　and　Holroyd　gaped　upward；　motionless。　Nearby；　Smithback　stood；　notebook　at　the　ready；　as　if　waiting　for　some　disaster　to　happen。　A　sharp　clang　rang　out　as　Sloane　drove　an　angle　into　the　deep　red　rock　with　her　wall　hammer。　As　Nora　watched；　Sloane　affixed　the　next　portion　of　the　rope　ladder　to　the　cliff　face；　then　slid　easily　another　ten　feet　down　the　rockface　to　drive　in　the　next　piece　of　gear。　
　In　order　for　the　weather　receiver　and　munications　gear　to　operate；　it　was　necessary　to　place　them　atop　the　rim　of　the　canyon；　far　above　Quivira。　Two　hours　earlier；　Nora　and　Sloane　had　determined　the　best　place　to　set　up　the　gear；　basing　their　estimates　on　a　bination　of　the　easiest　climb　and　lowest　clifftop。　The　site　turned　out　to　be　just　beyond　the　far　end　of　the　city；　overlooking　the　valley　floor　by　the　entrance　to　the　slot　canyon　through　which　they　had　entered。　
　Easiest　climb；　perhaps；　but　still　frightful。　Nora's　eyes　had　traveled　up　the　wall；　stopping　at　the　last　pitch。　It　was　obviously　the　most　difficult；　a　beetling　brow　of　rock　that　hung　out　into　space。　But　Sloane　had　just　smiled。　〃Grade　1；　5。10；　A…two；〃　she'd　murmured；　visually　rating　the　difficulty　of　the　climb。　〃Look　at　that　secure　crack　system；　goes　almost　all　the　way　to　the　top。　No　problem。〃　And；　in　a　spectacular　feat　of　bravura　climbing；　she　proved　herself　correct。　An　hour　later；　as　they　waited　nervously　below；　slings　and　a　haul　bag　tumbled　down　from　above；　indicating　that　Sloane　had　reached　the　top　and　was　ready　to　hoist　up　the　radio　gear。　
　And　now　Sloane　was　making　her　way　back　down　to　the　bench　that　held　Quivira；　placing　the　ladder　as　she　went。　Another　ten　minutes；　and　she　dropped　nimbly　into　the　group　to　a　round　of　applause。　
　〃That　was　fantastic；〃　Nora　said。　
　Sloane　shrugged　and　smiled；　obviously　pleased。　〃Another　ten　feet　and　we'd　have　run　out　of　ladder。　Is　everybody　ready？〃　
　Holroyd　looked　up；　swallowing。　〃I　guess　so。〃　
　〃I　have　important　work　to　do；〃　Black　said。　〃Can　someone　remind　me　again　why　I　have　to　risk　life　and　limb　on　this　little　climbing　expedition？〃　
　〃You　won't　risk　anything；〃　Sloane　laughed　in　her　deep　contralto。　〃Those　placements　of　mine　are　bombproof。〃　
　〃And　it's　your　misfortune；〃　Nora　said；　〃that　you've　been　on　a　lot　of　digs　and　know　how　to　use　the　radio　equipment。　We　need　a　backup　for　Holroyd。〃　
　〃Yeah；　but　why　me？〃　Black　asked。　〃Why　not　Aragon？　He's　got　more　field　experience　than　all　of　us　put　together。〃　
　〃He's　also　got　twenty　years　on　the　rest　of　us；〃　Nora　replied。　〃You're　much　better　suited　to　a　physical　challenge　like　this。〃　The　buttering…up　seemed　to　have　its　intended　effect：　Black　pulled　in　his　chest　and　looked　sternly　up　the　cliff。　
　〃Let's　get　started；　then。〃　Sloane　turned　briefly　toward　Smithback。　〃You　ing？〃　
　Smithback　looked　speculatively　upward。　〃I'd　better　not；〃　he　said。　〃Somebody　has　to　stay　behind　to　catch　the　ones　that　fall。〃　
　Sloane　raised　one　eyebrow；　with　a　look　that　said　she'd　thought　as　much。　〃All　right。　Aaron；　why　don't　you　lead；　and　I'll　follow。　Peter；　you　e　third；　and　Nora；　please　bring　up　the　rear。〃　
　Nora　noticed　that　Sloane　had　staggered　the　inexperienced　climbers　with　the　more　experienced　ones。　〃Why　do　I　have　to　go　first？〃　Black　asked。　
　〃Believe　me；　it's　easier　when　nobody's　ahead　of　you。　Less　chance　of　eating　a　boot　that　way。〃　
　Black　looked　unconvinced；　but　grasped　the　base　of　the　rope　ladder　and　began　hoisting　himself　up。　
　〃It's　just　like　climbing　the　ladder　to　Quivira；　only　longer；〃　Sloane　said。　〃Keep　your　body　hugged　to　the　rock；　and　your　feet　apart。　Take　a　rest　at　each　bench。　The　longest　pitch　is　the　last　one；　maybe　two　hundred　feet。〃　
　But　Black；　scrabbling　at　the　second　step；　suddenly　lost　his　footing。　Sloane　moved　with　the　swiftness　of　a　cat　as　Black　came　lurching　downward。　She　half　caught；　half　tackled　him；　and　they　ended　up　sprawled　in　a　soft　drift　of　sand　at　the　base　of　the　cliff；　Black　atop　Sloane。　They　lay　still；　and　Nora　came　running　over。　She　could　see　that　Sloane　was　shaking　and　making　a　choking　sound；　but　as　she　bent　down　in　a　panic　she　realized　the　woman　was　laughing　hysterically。　Black　seemed　frozen　in　either　fear　or　surprise。　His　face　was　buried　between　Sloane's　breasts。　
　〃Death；　where　is　thy　sting？〃　Smithback　intoned。　
　Sloane　continued　to　gasp　with　laughter。　〃Aaron；　you're　supposed　to　be　climbing　up；　not　down！〃　She　made　no　move　to　push　Black　away；　and　after　a　few　moments　the　scientist　sat　up；　hair　askew。　He　backed　away；　looking　from　Sloane　to　the　rope　ladder　and　back　to　Sloane　again。　
　Sloane　sat　up；　still　giggling；　and　dusted　herself　off。　〃You're　letting　yourself　get　psyched　out；〃　she　said。　〃It's　just　a　ladder。　But　if　it's　falling　you're　afraid　of；　I've　got　a　wall　harness　you　can　use　instead。〃　She　stood　up　and　walked　over　to　her　equipment　duffel。　〃It's　for　emergencies；　really；　but　you　can　use　it　to　get　familiar　with　the　climb。〃　She　pulled　out　a　small　harness　constructed　of　nylon　webbing　and　fastened　it　around　Black。　〃