p&c.thunderhead-第45部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


e　was　painted　yellow　and　white；　and　it　enclosed　an　incised　disk　of　the　sun；　surrounded　by　rays　of　light。　As　the　beam　of　the　lantern　moved　across　it；　the　image　glittered　like　a　disk　of　gold。　As　Nora　examined　it　closely；　she　could　see　that　the　effect　had　been　created　using　crushed　flakes　of　mica　mixed　with　the　pigment。　
　Sloane　had　repositioned　the　camera；　and　she　now　gestured　for　Nora　to　move　out　of　the　way　of　her　shot。　As　Sloane　bent　over　the　ground　glass　screen　of　her　camera；　Nora　heard　a　sharp　intake　of　breath。　Sloane　abruptly　straightened　up；　walked　over　to　the　small　image　of　the　sun；　and　began　examining　it　intently。　
　〃What　is　it？〃　Nora　asked。　
　Sloane　turned　away　and　her　face　broke　into　a　broad　lazy　smile。　〃Nothing　in　particular。　Curious　design。　I　hadn't　noticed　it　before。〃　She　went　back　to　the　camera；　finished　photographing　the　design；　and　moved　on。　
　〃This　is　obviously　a　moiety；〃　said　Black；　approaching。　He　pointed　at　the　two　circles；　his　large；　craggy　face　backlit　by　the　lamp。　
　〃A　moiety？〃　
　〃Yes。　Many　Anasazi　societies…as　well　as　other　societies…were　organized　into　moieties。　They　were　divided　into　halves。　Summer　and　winter　societies；　male　and　female；　earth　and　sky。〃　He　pointed　to　the　two　circles。　〃This　blue　disk　matches　the　one　outside　this　kiva。　That　would　imply　that　this　city　was　divided　into　rain　and　sun　societies。　The　first　circle　represents　the　Rain　Kiva；　and　the　second　the　Sun　Kiva。〃　
　〃Interesting；〃　said　Nora；　surprised。　
　〃Of　course。　We　must　be　standing　in　the　Rain　Kiva　itself。〃　
　There　was　another　blinding　leap　of　light　as　Sloane　took　a　third　exposure。　
　〃So？〃　said　Smithback；　who　had　been　listening。　〃Go　ahead　and　drop　the　other　shoe。〃　
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　Black　replied。　
　〃If　this　is　the　Rain　Kiva；　then　where's　the　Sun　Kiva？〃　
　There　was　a　silence；　interrupted　only　by　the　soft　sound　of　another　flash。　Finally　Black　cleared　his　throat。　〃That's　actually　a　very　good　question。〃　
　〃It　must　be　at　some　other　site；　if　it　exists　at　all；〃　Nora　said。　〃There's　only　one　Great　Kiva　here　at　Quivira。〃　
　〃No　doubt　you're　right；〃　Aragon　murmured。　〃Still；　the　longer　I　am　here；　I；　too；　have　this　feeling　of　something　。　。　。　something　that；　for　whatever　reason；　we're　not　seeing。〃　
　Nora　turned　to　him。　〃I　don't　understand。〃　
　The　older　man　returned　the　glance；　his　eyes　looking　hollow　and　dark　in　the　lantern　light。　〃Don't　you　get　the　sense　that　there's　a　piece　of　the　puzzle　still　missing？　All　the　riches；　all　the　bones；　all　this　massive　construction　。　。　。　there　has　to　be　some　reason　for　it　all。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃I　thought　the　answer　would　be　in　this　kiva。　But　now；　I　am　not　so　sure。　I　dislike　making　value　judgments；　but　I　feel　there　was　an　overarching　purpose　to　all　this。　A　sinister　purpose。〃　
　But　Black　was　still　considering　Smithback's　question。　〃You　know；　Bill；〃　he　said；　〃your　question　raises　another　one。〃　
　〃And　what's　that？〃　Smithback　asked。　
　Black　smiled；　and　Nora　saw　something　in　his　face；　a　kind　of　glittering　intensity　that　she　had　not　seen　before。　〃Turquoise　was　the　stone　the　Anasazi　used　in　the　rain　ceremony。　This　was　true　at　Chaco　Canyon；　and　it　is　obviously　true　here。　There　must　be　hundreds　of　pounds　of　turquoise　in　this　room。　That's　quite　a　lot　for　a　culture　in　which　even　a　single　bead　had　great　value。〃　
　Smithback　nodded。　Nora　looked　from　one　to　the　other；　wondering　where　Black　was　headed。　
　〃So　I　ask　you：　if　turquoise　was　the　material　used　in　the　rain　ceremony；　what　material　was　used　in　the　sun　ceremony？〃　He　pointed　to　the　image　of　the　Sun　Kiva；　its　mica　disk　glittering　in　the　reflected　light。　Both　Bonarotti　and　Swire　had　e　over；　and　were　listening　intently。　〃What　does　this　look　like　to　you？〃　
　Smithback　gave　a　low　whistle。　〃Gold？〃　he　ventured。　
　Black　merely　smiled。　
　〃e　on；〃　Nora　said　impatiently；　〃let's　not　start　on　that　business　again。　This　is　the　only　Great　Kiva　in　the　city。　And　the　thought　of　a　Sun　Kiva；　or　any　kiva；　being　filled　with　gold　is　ridiculous。　I'm　surprised　to　hear　this　kind　of　wild　speculation　from　you；　of　all　people。〃　
　〃Is　it　wild　speculation？〃　Black　asked。　〃First；〃　he　said；　ticking　the　points　off　on　his　fingers；　〃we　have　legends　of　gold　among　the　Indians。　Then　we　have　Coronado's　and　Fray　Marcos's　reports　of　gold；　among　others。　And　now　we　have　this　pictograph；　which　is　a　pretty　remarkable　imitation　of　gold。　As　Enrique　will　confirm；　the　dental　modifications　to　these　skulls　are　pure　Aztec；　and　we　know　they　had　tons　of　gold。　So　I'm　beginning　to　wonder　if　there　isn't　some　reality　behind　the　legends。〃　
　〃Find　me　this　Sun　Kiva　full　of　Aztec　gold；〃　said　Nora　wearily。　〃Then　I'll　revise　my　opinion。　But　until　then；　stifle　the　treasure　talk；　okay？〃　
　Black　grinned。　〃Is　that　a　challenge？〃　
　〃It's　more　like　a　plea　for　sanity。〃　
　There　was　a　laugh　behind　her；　husky　and　sotto　voce。　Nora　glanced　over　to　see　Sloane；　looking　from　her　to　Black　and　back　again；　her　amber　eyes　twinkling　with　some　private　amusement　of　her　own。　
　
　
31
　
　NORA　SLEPT　POORLY　AND　AWOKE　EARLY；　the　memory　of　ugly　dreams　receding　quickly　into　forgetfulness。　The　gibbous　moon　was　setting　and　the　valley　was　heavy　with　moonshadows；　the　night　just　yielding　to　color。　She　sat　up；　immediately　wide　awake；　and　heard　the　distant　plash　of　water　in　the　creek。　She　glanced　around。　Swire　was　already　up　and　gone　on　his　wearisome　daily　slog　through　the　slot　canyon　to　check　on　the　horses。　The　rest　of　the　camp　slumbered　in　the　predawn　darkness。　For　the　second　night　in　a　row；　the　light　had　remained　on　in　Aragon's　tent；　now；　in　the　early　dawn；　it　was　dark　and　silent。　
　She　dressed　quickly　in　the　shivery　cold。　Shoving　her　flashlight　into　her　back　pocket；　she　walked　over　to　the　kitchen　area；　unbanked　the　coals；　and　tossed　some　twigs　on　to　start　the　fire。　Reaching　for　the　blue…flecked　enamel　coffeepot　that　always　stood　at　the　ready；　she　filled　it　with　water　and　placed　it　on　the　grill。　
　As　she　did　so；　she　saw　a　form　emerge　from　the　darkness　of　a　distant　grove　of　cottonwoods：　Sloane。　Nora　momentarily　wondered　why　she　had　not　slept　in　her　tent。　Probably　likes　to　sleep　under　the　stars；　like　me；　she　thought。　
　〃Sleep　well？〃　Sloane　asked；　tossing　her　bedroll　into　her　tent　and　taking　a　seat　beside　Nora。　
　〃Not　especially；〃　Nora　said；　gazing　into　the　fire。　〃You？〃　
　〃I　did　all　right。〃　Sloane　followed　her　gaze　to　the　fire。　〃I　can　see　why　the　ancients　worshiped　fire；〃　she　went　on　smoothly。　〃It's　mesmerizing；　never　the　same。　And　it　sure　beats　watching　TV。　No　ads。〃　She　grinned　at　Nora。　She　seemed　in　high　spirits；　a　stark　contrast　to　Nora's　own　subdued　mood。　
　Nora　smiled　a　little　wanly；　and　unzipped　her　jacket　to　let　in　the　heat　of　the　fire。　The　coffeepot　began　to　stir　and　shake　on　the　grill　as　the　water　boiled。　Heaving　herself　to　her　feet；　Nora　removed　it　from　the　fire；　threw　in　a　fistful　of　grounds；　and　stirred　the　pot　with　her　knife。　
　〃Bonarotti　would　die　if　he　saw　you　making　that　cowboy　coffee；〃　Sloane　said。　〃He'd　brain　you　with　his　espresso　pot。〃　
　〃Waiting　for　him　to　get　up　and　make　coffee　in　the　morning　is　like　waiting　for　Godot；〃　Nora　said。　While　they　were　on　the　trail；　the　cook　had　always　been　the　first　one　up。　But　now　that　they　were　encamped　at　Quivira　and　working　a　more　routine　schedule；　Bonarotti　had　steadfastly　refused　to　leave　his　tent　in　the　morning　until　the　sun　could　be　seen　striking　the　clifftops。　
　She　put　the　pot　back　on　the　fire　for　a　moment　and　stirred　the　grounds　down。　Then　she　poured　them　each　a　cup。　Steam　came　off　the　surface　of　the　coffee；　filling　her　nose　with　the　strong　bitter　scent。　She　inhaled　it　gratefully。　
　〃Bet　I　can　guess　what　you're　thinking　about；〃　Sloane　said。　
　〃Probably；〃　Nora　replied。　They　sipped　their　coffee　a　while　in　silence。　
　〃It's　just　so　unexpected；〃　Nora　found　herself　saying；　as　if　they'd　been　conversing　all　the　while。　〃We　find　this　place；　this　enchanted　and　marvelous　place。　Filled　with　more　artifacts；　more　information；　than　we　could　ever　hope　for。　Suddenly　it　seems　as　if　we'll　get　all　the　answers；　after　all。〃　She　shook　her　head。　〃But　all　we　get　is　riddles；　strange　unsettling　riddles。　That　kiva　filled　with　skulls　is　a　perfect　example。　Why　skulls？　What　does　it　mean？　What　could　the　ceremony　have　possibly　been？〃　
　Sloane　put　down　her　coffee　and　looked　searchingly　at　Nora。　〃But　don't　you　see；〃　she　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃we　are　getting　the　answers。　It's　just　that　they　aren't　the　ones　we　expected。　Scientific　discovery　is　always　like　that。〃　
　〃I　hope　you're　right；〃　Nora　replied。　〃I've　discovered　things　before。　And　they　never　felt　like　this。　Something　in　my　gut　just　doesn't　feel　right。　And　it　hasn't　felt　right　since　I　first　laid　eyes　on　Aragon's　Crawlspace；　littered　with　those　countless　bones；　thrown　about　like　so　much　trash。〃　
　She　fell　silent　as　dark　shapes　bundled　out　of　the　dark。　Smithback　and　Holroyd　came　over　and　joined　them　at　the　fire。　Black　soon　appeared　out　of　the　twilight　and　hunkered　down　beside　them。　The　dark　branches　of　the　cottonwoods　were　just　beginning　to　separate　themselves　from　the　night。　
　〃It's　as　cold　as　Lenin's　balls　around　here　in　the　mornings；〃　Smithback　said。　〃And　on　top　of　that；　my　valet　neglected　to　polish　my　boots；　although　I　specifically　left　them　outside　my　door。〃　
　〃It's　so　hard　to　find　good　help　these　days；〃　said　Black；　in　a　whiny　imitation　of　Smithback's　voice；　and　poured　himself　a　cup。　He　held　it　to　his　nose。　〃What　a　barbarous　way　to　make　coffee；〃　he　said；　setting　the　cup　down。　〃And　when　are　we　going　to　eat？　Why　can't　that　Italian　fellow　get　himself　out　of　bed　a　little　earlier？　What　kind　of　camp　cook　is　this　who　won't　get　up　until　the　crack　of　noon？〃　
　〃He's　the　only　cook　I　know　who　can　make　pommes　Anna　as　well　as　the　best　chefs　of　Paris；　but　with　a　twentieth　of　the　equipment；〃　said　Smithback。　〃Anyway；　forget　breakfast。　Only　savages　and　children　eat　breakfast。〃　
　They　sat　around　the　fire；　all　but　Sloane　grumpy　in　the　predawn　air；　nursing　their　coffee　and　speaking　little。　Nora　wondered　if　the　discoveries　in　the　city　and　the　Great　Kiva　were　casting　a　pall　over　them；　as　well。　Gradually　the　rising　sun　poured　more　color　into　the　landscape；　transforming　it　from　gray　to　rich　reds；　yellows；　purples；　and　greens。　
　Smithback　saw　Nora's　eyes　traveling　around　the　cliffs；　and　he　said；　〃Paint　by　the　numbers；　right？〃　
　〃What