p&c.thunderhead-第43部分

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　Just　beyond　the　tower　she　picked　up　the　small　passageway　that　ran　behind　the　granaries　toward　the　back　of　the　cave。　It　was　dark　and　cool　here　behind　the　ruin；　and　the　air　smelled　of　sandstone　and　smoke。　The　passageway　doglegged　through　a　gap　in　the　granaries；　and　there　she　came　to　a　sunken　passage…Aragon's　Crawlspace…at　the　very　rear　of　the　city。　Once　again；　the　Crawlspace　was　a　feature　unique　to　Quivira。　As　Nora　moved　forward；　the　ceiling　of　the　passageway　became　so　low　that　she　had　to　drop　to　her　hands　and　knees。　There　was　a　long　moment　of　close；　oppressive　darkness；　then　ahead　she　could　see　the　glow　from　Aragon's　lantern。　
　She　rose　to　her　feet　inside　a　cramped　space。　Before　her　sat　Aragon。　Nora　drew　in　her　breath：　beyond　him　lay　a　sea　of　human　bones；　their　knobby　surfaces　thrown　into　sharp　relief　by　the　light。　To　her　surprise；　Aragon　was　holding　a　bone　in　one　hand；　examining　it　with　jeweler's　loup　and　coordinated　calipers。　Beside　him　lay　the　tools　for　excavating　human　remains　from　surrounding　matrix；　barely　necessary　here：　bamboo　splints；　wooden　dowels；　horsehair　brushes。　The　place　was　silent　save　for　the　hiss　of　the　lantern。　
　Aragon　looked　up　as　she　approached；　his　face　an　unreadable　mask。　
　〃What　is　all　this？〃　Nora　asked。　〃Some　kind　of　catab？〃　
　Aragon　did　not　reply　for　some　time。　Then　he　carefully　placed　the　bone　back　on　the　heap　beside　him。　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said　in　a　flat　tone。　〃It's　the　largest　ossuary　I've　ever　encountered。　I've　heard　of　such　things　in　Old　World　megalithic　sites；　but　never　in　North　America。　And　never；　ever；　on　this　kind　of　scale。〃　
　Nora　glanced　from　him　to　the　bones。　There　were　many　plete　skeletons　lying　on　the　top　of　the　pile；　but　beneath　them　appeared　to　be　a　thick　scattering　of　disarticulated　bones；　most　of　them　broken；　including　countless　crushed　skulls。　Punched　into　the　stone　walls　at　the　back　of　the　cave　were　dozens　of　holes；　a　few　rotten　timbers　still　jutting　out　of　them。　
　〃I've　never　seen　anything　like　this　either；〃　Nora　said　in　a　low　voice。　
　〃It's　like　no　burial　practice；　or　cultural　behavior；　I've　seen　before；〃　Aragon　said。　〃There　are　so　many　skeletons；　so　loosely　thrown　about；　even　a　horizontal　section　is　unnecessary。〃　He　gestured　at　the　closest　skeletons。　〃It's　clearly　a　multiple　interment　of　sorts：　a　series　of　primary　burials；　overlaying　a　vast　number　of　secondary　burials。　These　skeletons　on　top；　the　plete　ones；　weren't　even　'buried'　in　the　archaeological　sense　of　the　word。　The　bodies　seem　to　have　been　dragged　in　here　and　hastily　thrown　on　top　of　a　deep　layer　of　preexisting　bones。〃　
　〃Are　there　any　signs　of　violence　on　the　bones？〃　
　〃Not　on　the　whole　skeletons　on　top。〃　
　〃And　the　bones　underneath？〃　
　There　was　a　short　pause。　〃I'm　still　analyzing　them；〃　Aragon　replied。　
　Nora　looked　around；　feeling　an　unpleasant　gnawing　in　the　pit　of　her　stomach。　She　was　far　from　squeamish；　but　the　charnel…house　nature　of　the　place　made　her　unfortable。　〃What　could　it　mean？〃　she　asked。　
　Aragon　glanced　up　at　her。　〃A　large　number　of　simultaneous　burials　usually　means　a　single　cause；〃　he　said。　〃Famine；　disease；　war　。　。　。〃　He　paused。　〃Or　sacrifice。〃　
　At　that　moment　her　radio　crackled。　〃Nora；　this　is　Sloane。　Are　you　there？〃　
　Nora　pulled　her　radio　from　her　side。　〃I'm　with　Aragon。　What　is　it？〃　
　〃There's　something　you　need　to　see。　Both　of　you。〃　Through　the　microphone；　the　quiver　of　suppressed　excitement　in　Sloane's　voice　was　clear。　〃Meet　me　at　the　central　plaza。〃　
　A　few　minutes　later；　Sloane　was　leading　them　through　a　plicated　series　of　second…story　roomblocks　at　the　far　end　of　the　ruin。　〃We　were　doing　a　routine　survey；〃　she　was　saying；　〃and　then　Peter　found　a　large　cavity　in　one　of　the　floors　with　the　proton　magnetometer。〃　They　stepped　beneath　a　doorway　and　entered　a　large　room；　only　dimly　lit　by　the　portable　lantern。　Unlike　most　of　the　other　rooms　she　had　seen　at　the　ruin；　this　one　was　strangely　empty。　Holroyd　stood　in　a　far　corner；　tinkering　with　the　magnetometer：　a　flat　box　rolling　on　sliding　wheels；　the　long　handle　projecting　from　its　side　ending　in　an　LCD　screen。　
　But　Nora　wasn't　looking　at　Holroyd。　She　was　gazing　into　the　center　of　the　room；　where　a　section　of　floor　had　been　removed；　exposing　a　slab…lined　cyst。　The　enormous　flat　stone　that　had　covered　it　lay　tipped　up　carefully　against　one　wall。　
　〃Who　opened　this　grave？〃　she　heard　Aragon　ask　sharply。　
　Nora　stepped　forward；　anger　at　this　breach　of　authority　flooding　through　her。　Then　she　looked　down　and　stopped　short。　
　Within　the　cyst　was　a　double　burial。　But　it　was　no　ordinary　Anasazi　burial；　graced　perhaps　with　a　few　pots　and　a　turquoise　pendant。　The　two　pletely　disarticulated　skeletons　lay　in　the　center　of　the　grave；　the　broken　bones　of　each　arranged　in　a　circular　pattern　in　its　own　large　painted　bowl；　surmounted　by　their　broken　skulls。　Over　each　bowl　had　been　draped　cotton　mantles；　which　had　rotted　down　to　the　warp。　Enough　shreds　remained；　however；　to　see　that　they　had　once　been　extraordinarily　fine；　a　pattern　of　grinning　skulls　and　grimacing　faces。　The　scalps　of　both　individuals　had　been　laid　in　the　grave　on　top　of　their　skulls。　One　had　long　white　hair；　beautifully　braided　and　decorated　with　incised　turquoise　ornaments。　The　other　had　brown　hair；　also　braided；　with　two　huge　dishes　of　polished　abalone　fixed　to　the　ends　of　each　braid。　In　both　skulls；　the　front　teeth　had　been　drilled　and　inlaid　with　red　carnelian。　
　Nora　stared　in　astonishment。　The　bodies　were　surrounded　by　an　unheard…of　wealth　of　grave　goods：　pots　filled　with　salt；　turquoise；　quartz　crystals；　fetishes；　and　ground　pigments。　There　were　also　two　small　bowls；　carved　of　quartz；　filled　to　the　brim　with　some　kind　of　fine　reddish　powder…more　red　ochre；　perhaps。　Nora's　eyes　moved　over　the　cyst；　picking　out　bundles　of　arrows；　buffalo　robes；　soft　buckskins；　mummified　parrots　and　macaws；　elaborate　prayer　sticks。　The　entire　burial　was　covered　with　a　thick　layer　of　yellow　dust。　
　〃I　examined　that　dust　under　the　stereozoom；〃　said　Sloane。　〃It's　pollen；　from　at　least　fifteen　different　species　of　flowers。〃　
　Nora　stared　at　her　in　disbelief。　〃Why　pollen？〃　
　〃The　entire　cyst　was　once　filled　with　hundreds　of　pounds　of　flowers。〃　
　Nora　shook　her　head　in　disbelief。　〃The　Anasazi　never　buried　their　dead　like　that。　And　I've　never　seen　inlaid　teeth　like　that　before。〃　
　Suddenly；　Aragon　knelt　by　the　grave。　At　first；　Nora　had　the　odd　notion　he　was　going　to　pray。　But　then　he　bent　down；　shining　a　flashlight　over　the　bones；　scrutinizing　them　from　a　very　close　distance。　As　he　probed　the　two　pots　of　bones　with　his　light；　Nora　noticed　that　many　of　the　bones　had　been　broken；　and　some　showed　signs　of　charring　at　their　ends。　Then　Nora　heard　a　sharp　intake　of　breath；　and　Aragon　quickly　straightened　up。　His　expression　had　suddenly　changed。　
　〃I　would　like　permission　to　temporarily　remove　several　bones　for　examination；〃　he　said；　his　voice　coldly　formal。　
　More　than　anything　else；　this　request；　ing　from　Aragon；　capped　Nora's　mystification。　〃After　we　photograph　and　document　everything；　of　course；〃　she　heard　herself　say。　
　〃Naturally。　And　I'd　like　to　take　a　sample　of　that　reddish　powder。〃　
　He　departed　wordlessly；　but　Nora　continued　to　stand　at　the　edge　of　the　cyst；　staring　down　into　the　dark　hole　in　the　floor。　Sloane　began　setting　up　the　4x5　camera　at　the　edge　of　the　gravesite；　while　Holroyd　powered　down　the　magnetometer。　Then　he　came　over　to　Nora。　
　〃Incredible；　isn't　it？〃　he　murmured　in　her　ear。　
　But　Nora　paid　no　attention　to　this；　or　to　the　excited　undercurrent　of　Sloane's　voice　in　the　background。　She　was　thinking　of　Aragon；　and　the　sudden　look　that　had　e　over　his　face。　She　felt　it　too：　there　was　something　odd；　even　wrong；　about　the　burial。　In　some　ways；　she　thought；　it　wasn't　like　a　burial　at　all。　True；　some　Pueblo　IV　cultures　cremated　their　dead；　and　others　dug　up　and　reburied　their　dead　in　pots。　But　this：　the　bones　broken　and　burned；　the　thick　flower　dust；　the　grave　goods　ranged　so　carefully。　
　〃I　wonder　what　Black　will　make　of　this　burial；〃　came　Sloane's　voice；　intruding　on　her　reverie。　
　I　don't　think　this　is　a　burial　at　all；　Nora　thought　to　herself。　I　think　it's　an　offering。　
　*　*　*
　As　they　stepped　out　onto　the　first…floor　roof；　its　farthest　edges　tipped　in　noontime　sun；　Nora　gently　laid　a　hand　on　Sloane's　arm。　
　〃I　thought　we　had　an　agreement；〃　she　said。　
　Sloane　turned　to　look　at　her。　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　
　〃You　shouldn't　have　opened　that　grave　without　consulting　me　first。　That　was　a　major　violation　of　the　ground　rules　for　this　dig。〃　
　The　amber　color　of　Sloane's　eyes　seemed　to　deepen　as　she　listened　to　Nora。　〃And　you　don't　think　opening　the　burial　was　a　good　idea？〃　she　replied；　her　voice　suddenly　low；　an　almost　feline　susurrus。　
　〃No；　I　don't。　We　have　a　whole　city　to　survey　and　catalog；　and　burials　are　particularly　sensitive。　But　like　I　told　you　at　Pete's　Ruin；　that's　not　the　point。　This　isn't　how　a　professional　archaeologist　should　work；　simply　digging　up　what　interests　her。〃　
　〃You're　saying　I'm　not　a　professional？〃　Sloane　asked。　
　Nora　took　a　deep　breath。　〃You're　not　as　experienced　as　I　thought　you　were。〃　
　〃I　had　to　open　that　cyst；〃　said　Sloane　abruptly。　
　〃Why？〃　asked　Nora；　failing　to　keep　the　sarcasm　from　her　voice。　〃Were　you　looking　for　something？〃　
　Sloane　started　to　answer；　then　stopped　short。　She　moved　closer；　so　close　that　Nora　could　feel　the　heat　and　anger　radiating　from　her。　〃You；　Nora　Kelly；　are　a　control　freak。　You're　just　like　my　father。　You've　been　breathing　down　my　neck；　hoping　for　mistakes；　ever　since　I　first　flew　in。　I　did　nothing　wrong　in　opening　that　burial。　The　magnetometer　showed　a　cavity　and　all　I　did　was　lift　the　stone。　I　touched　nothing。　It　was　no　more　invasive　than　walking　through　a　doorway。〃　
　Nora　struggled　to　maintain　her　posure。　〃If　you　can't　abide　by　the　rules；〃　she　said　as　evenly　as　she　could；　〃I'll　place　you　under　Aragon；　where　you　can　learn　respect　for　the　integrity　of　an　archaeological　site。　And　obedience　to　the　expedition　director。〃　
　〃Director？〃　Sloane　sneered。　〃By　all　rights；　I　should　be　the　expedition　director。　Don't　forget　who's　paying　for　all　this。〃　
　〃I　haven't　forgotten；〃　Nora　said；　voice　steady　despite　the　heat　of　her　anger。　〃Just　one　more　example　of　your　father　no