p&c.thunderhead-第50部分

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　Nora　opened　her　mouth　to　reply：　You　mean；　other　than　the　fact　that　you're　a　brash；　smug　guy　with　an　ego　the　size　of　Texas？　But　she　stopped　and　turned　away；　realizing　this　wasn't　fair　to　Smithback。　For　all　his　eccentric　ways；　she　had　grown　fond　of　the　journalist。　Now　that　she　knew　him　better；　she　realized　his　ego　was　tempered　by　a　certain　self…deprecation　that　was　charming　in　its　own　way。　〃I　didn't　mean　to　snap　at　you　just　now；〃　she　said。　〃And　I　don't　dislike　you。　You　almost　screwed　up　everything；　that's　all。〃　
　〃I　did　what？〃　
　Nora　decided　not　to　answer。　It　was　too　hot；　and　she　was　too　tired；　for　this　kind　of　discussion。　
　They　moved　on　slowly　as　the　sun　climbed　toward　noon。　Though　the　trail　was　relatively　easy　to　follow；　tracking　by　eye　was　still　exhausting　work。　The　hoofprints　took　them　through　a　weird　country　of　broken　rocks；　knobs；　and　humps　of　sandstone。　The　prints　appeared　to　be　following　a　faint　and　very　old　trail。　On　horseback　now；　Nora　kept　them　moving　as　quickly　as　she　could　without　losing　the　track。　The　midday　sun　beat　down　relentlessly；　burning　off　the　glaring　white　sand；　flattening　and　draining　all　the　color　from　the　landscape。　There　was　no　sign　of　water　anywhere。　And　then；　unexpectedly；　they　passed　through　a　lush　valley；　full　of　grass…covered　sand　and　prickly　pear；　sprawling　in　gorgeous　bloom。　
　〃This　is　like　a　garden　of　Eden；〃　Smithback　said　as　they　made　their　way　through　the　brief；　verdant　patch。　〃What's　it　doing　here　in　the　middle　of　the　desert？〃　
　〃Probably　the　result　of　a　heavy　rainfall；〃　Nora　replied。　〃Rain　out　here　isn't　like　it　is　back　in　the　east。　It's　very　localized。　You　can　get　a　huge　downpour　in　one　place；　and　a　mile　away　see　ground　still　parched　and　dry。〃　
　They　made　their　way　out　of　the　lush　valley　and　back　into　the　stony　desert。　〃What　about　lunch？〃　Smithback　asked。　
　〃What　about　it？〃　
　〃Well；　it's　almost　two。　I　like　to　dine　fashionably　late；　but　my　stomach　has　its　limits。〃　
　〃It's　really　that　late？〃　Nora　looked　at　her　watch　in　disbelief；　then　stretched　in　the　saddle。　〃We　must　have　covered　fifteen　miles　from　the　base　of　the　ridge。〃　She　paused　a　moment；　considering。　〃Pretty　soon　we'll　be　crossing　into　Indian　land。　The　Nankoweap　reservation　begins　somewhere　up　ahead。〃　
　〃So　what　does　that　mean？　Any　chance　of　a　Coke　machine？〃　
　〃No；　the　village　is　still　a　two…day　ride　from　here；　and　it　doesn't　have　electricity　in　any　case。　What　I　mean　is；　we'll　be　subject　to　their　laws。　Any　Indians　we　meet　aren't　likely　to　look　too　kindly　on　a　couple　of　outsiders　blundering　in；　accusing　them　of　being　horse　killers。　We　have　to　be　careful　how　we　do　this。〃　
　Smithback　considered　this　a　moment。　〃On　second　thought；　maybe　I'm　not　so　hungry。〃　
　The　faint　trail　seemed　to　go　on　forever；　winding　through　a　senseless　tangle　of　arroyos；　hidden　valleys；　shadowy　ravines；　and　dunefields。　Vaguely；　Nora　guessed　that　by　now　they　had　crossed　into　Indian　country；　but　there　was　no　fence　and；　of　course；　no　sign。　This　was　the　kind　of　land　that　the　white　men　had　given　to　the　Indians　all　over　the　West；　she　knew；　utterly　remote　and　useless　for　just　about　anything。　
　〃So　exactly　how　did　I　screw　things　up？〃　Smithback　asked　suddenly。　
　Nora　twisted　to　look　at　him。　〃Huh？〃　
　〃At　the　bottom　of　the　ridge；　you　said　that　I　almost　screwed　things　up　for　you。　I've　been　thinking　about　that；　and　I　don't　see　what　I've　done　that　you　weren't　already　doing　yourself。〃　
　Nora　urged　Arbuckles　forward。　〃I'm　afraid　that　anything　I　say；　you'll　just　use　in　your　book。〃　
　〃I　won't；　honest。〃　
　Nora　moved　forward　without　speaking。　
　〃Really；　Nora；　I　mean　it。　I　just　want　to　know　what's　going　on　with　you。〃　
　Again；　Nora　felt　a　strange　sense　of　pleasure　from　his　interest。　〃What　do　you　know　about　how　I　discovered　Quivira？〃　she　asked；　returning　her　eyes　to　the　trail。　
　〃I　know　how　Holroyd　helped　you　pinpoint　the　location。　It　was　Dr。　Goddard　who　told　me　your　father　was　the　one　who　originally　discovered　it。　I'd　been　meaning　to　ask　you　more　about　that；　only　。　。　。〃　Smithback's　voice　fell　away。　
　Only　you　knew　I'd　snap　your　head　off；　Nora　thought　with　a　twinge　of　guilt。　〃About　two　weeks　ago；〃　she　began；　〃I　was　attacked　in　my　family's　old　ranch　house　by　a　couple　of　men。　At　least；　I　think　they　were　men；　dressed　up　as　animals。　They　demanded　I　give　them　a　letter。　My　neighbor　chased　them　away　with　her　shotgun。　At　the　time；　I　didn't　know　what　they　were　talking　about。　But　then　I　came　upon　this　letter　my　father　had　written　to　my　mother；　years　and　years　ago。　Somebody　mailed　it；　just　recently。　Who；　or　why；　I　don't　know；　and　I　can't　get　that　out　of　my　head。　Anyway；　in　the　letter；　my　father　said　that　he'd　discovered　Quivira。　He　gave　directions…vague；　but　with　Peter's　help；　enough　to　get　us　here。　I　think　those　stalkers　also　wanted　to　learn　the　location　of　Quivira。　So　they　could　loot　it；　strip　it　of　its　treasures。〃　
　She　paused　and　licked　her　lips；　painfully　dry　in　the　sun。　〃So　I　tried　to　keep　the　expedition　a　secret。　Everything　was　ing　together　just　right。　And　then　you　showed　up　at　the　marina；　notebook　in　one　hand　and　megaphone　in　the　other。〃　
　〃Oh。〃　Even　without　turning　around；　she　could　hear　the　sheepish　note　in　the　writer's　voice。　〃Sorry。　I　knew　the　purpose　of　the　expedition　was　secret；　but　I　didn't　realize　the　expedition　itself　was。〃　He　paused。　〃I　didn't　give　anything　away；　you　know。〃　
　Nora　sighed。　〃Maybe　not。　But　you　certainly　created　quite　a　stir。　But　let's　forget　it；　okay？　I　overreacted。　I　was　a　little　tense　myself…for　obvious　reasons。〃　
　They　rode　quietly　for　a　while。　〃So　what　do　you　think　of　my　story？〃　Nora　asked　at　last。　
　〃I　think　I'm　sorry　I　said　I　wouldn't　print　it。　Do　you　suppose　these　guys　are　really　still　after　you？〃　
　〃Why　do　you　think　I　insisted　on　taking　this　little　field　trip　myself？　I'm　pretty　sure　that　the　people　who　killed　our　horses；　and　the　ones　who　attacked　me；　might　be　the　same。　If　so；　that　means　they've　learned　where　Quivira　is。〃　
　Abruptly；　the　trail　left　the　weird　tangle　of　stone　and　topped　out　on　a　narrow；　fingerlike　mesa。　Breathtaking　views　surrounded　them　on　all　sides；　canyons　layered　against　canyons；　disappearing　into　the　purple　depths。　The　snowcapped　peaks　of　the　Henry　Mountains　were　now　visible　to　the　east；　blue　and　inexpressibly　lonely　in　the　vast　distance。　At　the　far　side　of　the　mesa　stood　some　rocks；　hiding　the　landscape　beyond　from　view。　
　〃I　didn't　realize　we　were　gaining　so　much　altitude；〃　said　Smithback；　stopping　his　horse　and　gazing　around。　
　Just　then　Nora　caught　a　faint　whiff　of　cedar　smoke。　She　signaled　Smithback　to　dismount　quietly。　
　〃Smell　that？〃　she　whispered。　〃We're　not　far　from　a　campfire。　Let's　leave　our　horses　here　and　go　ahead　on　foot。〃　
　Tying　their　mounts　to　sagebrush；　they　began　walking　through　the　sand。　〃Wouldn't　it　be　nice　if　there　were　a　bathtub　full　of　ice　and　cervezas　on　the　other　side？〃　Smithback　said　under　his　breath　as　they　approached　the　jumble　of　rocks。　Nora　dropped　to　her　knees　and　peered　through　a　gap　in　the　rocks。　Smithback　did　the　same；　creeping　up　beside　her。　
　At　the　naked　end　of　the　mesa；　under　a　dead；　corkscrewed　juniper；　was　a　small　fire；　smoking　faintly。　What　appeared　to　be　a　jackrabbit；　skinned　and　spitted；　was　propped　between　two　forked　sticks　nearby。　An　old　army　bedroll　lay　unrolled　in　the　lee　of　the　rock；　beside　several　buckskin　bundles。　To　the　left　of　the　little　camp　the　mesa　sloped　downward；　and　Nora　could　see　a　horse；　picketed　on　a　fifty…foot　rope；　grazing　grass。　
　The　view　from　the　point　of　the　mesa　was　spectacular。　The　land　dropped　away　in　a　great　sweep　of　erosion；　down　into　a　wrinkled　and　violent　landscape；　dry；　lifeless；　webbed　with　alkali　washes；　dissolving　into　a　badlands　peppered　with　great　rock　megaliths；　casting　long　shadows。　Beyond　lay　the　heavily　forested　Aquarius　Plateau；　a　black　irregular　line　on　the　horizon。　A　grasshopper　scratched　forlornly　in　the　late　afternoon　heat。　
　Nora　slowly　exhaled。　It　was　a　barren　place；　and　she　knew　she　ought　to　feel　a　little　silly；　crawling　up　the　ridge；　peering　melodramatically　through　the　rocks　on　hands　and　knees。　Then　she　thought　about　the　matted；　hairy　figures　in　the　deserted　farmhouse；　and　about　the　coils　of　horse　entrails；　flyblown　and　steaming　in　the　sun。　
　The　unshod　tracks　they　had　been　following　led　around　the　rocks　and　straight　into　the　camp。　
　〃Looks　like　nobody's　home；〃　whispered　Nora。　Her　voice　sounded　loud　and　thin　in　her　ears；　and　she　could　feel　her　skin　prickle　with　fear。　
　〃Yeah；　but　they　couldn't　be　far。　Look　at　that　rabbit。　What　do　we　do　now？〃　
　〃I　think　we　mount　up　and　ride　in；　nice　and　easy。　And　then　wait　until　they　or　whoever　returns。〃　
　〃Oh；　sure。　And　get　shot　right　out　of　the　saddle。〃　
　Nora　turned　to　him。　〃Got　a　better　idea？〃　
　〃Yeah。　How　about　if　we　head　back　and　see　what　Bonarotti's　got　cooking　for　supper？〃　
　Nora　shook　her　head　impatiently。　〃Then　I'll　go　in　there　alone；　on　foot。　They're　not　likely　to　kill　a　lone　woman。〃　
　Smithback　considered　this。　〃I　wouldn't　remend　that。　If　these　are　the　same　guys　who　attacked　you；　being　a　woman　didn't　stop　them　before。〃　
　〃So　what　do　we　do？〃　
　Smithback　thought　for　a　while。　〃Maybe　we　should　hide　ourselves；　and　just　wait　near　here　for　them　to　return。　We　could　surprise　them。〃　
　Nora　looked　at　the　writer。　〃Where？〃　
　〃Back　up　in　those　rocks；　behind　us。　We　can　look　down　and　over　the　end　of　the　mesa。　We'll　see　them　as　they　e　in。〃　
　They　returned　to　their　horses；　moved　them　well　off　the　trail；　and　brushed　out　their　tracks。　Then　they　climbed　up　behind　the　camp　and　waited　in　a　small　nook　between　two　large　boulders。　As　they　settled　in；　Nora　heard　an　ominous；　rattling　buzz。　About　fifty　yards　away；　in　the　shadow　of　a　rock；　a　rattlesnake　had　reared　up　in　an　S…coil；　its　anvil…shaped　head　swaying　slightly。　
　〃Now　you　can　show　me　your　brilliant　marksmanship；〃　said　Smithback。　
　〃No；〃　said　Nora　instantly。　
　〃Why　not？〃　
　〃That　gun's　going　to　make　a　pretty　loud　doorbell。　Do　you　really　want　to　alert　whoever's　out　there？〃　
　Smithback　suddenly　stiffened。　〃I　think　it's　too　late　for　that；〃　he　said。　
　There；　on　one　of　the　flanking　ridges　behind　them；　Nora　saw　a　lone　man　silhouetted　against　the　sky；　his　face　in　shadow。　A　gun　was　hanging　off　his　right　hip。　How　long　he　had　been　waiting　there；　watching　them；　Nora　could　not　say。　
　A　d