p&c.thunderhead-第52部分

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　〃You　mean；　am　I　going　to　tell　anyone？　Not　if　you　don't　want　me　to。〃　He　flicked　the　cigarette　butt　into　the　fire　and　began　rolling　another。　〃I　have　many　addictions；〃　he　said；　nodding　at　the　cigarette。　〃That's　another　reason　I　e　out　here。〃　
　Nora　looked　at　him。　〃We're　excavating　an　Anasazi　cliff　dwelling。〃　
　It　was　as　if　Beiyoodzin's　movements　were　suddenly；　pletely　arrested；　his　hand　freezing　in　the　act　of　twisting　the　cigarette　ends。　Then　he　was　in　motion　again。　The　pause　was　brief　but　striking。　He　lit　the　cigarette　and　sat　back　again；　saying　nothing。　
　〃It's　a　very　important　city；〃　Nora　continued。　〃It　contains　priceless；　unique　artifacts。　It　would　be　a　huge　tragedy　if　it　were　looted。　We're　afraid　that　these　people　might　want　to　drive　us　away　so　they　can　plunder　the　site。〃　
　〃Plunder　the　site；〃　he　repeated。　〃And　you　will　remove　these　artifacts？　Take　them　to　a　museum？〃　
　〃No；〃　said　Nora。　〃For　now；　we're　going　to　leave　everything　as　is。〃　
　Beiyoodzin　continued　to　smoke　the　cigarette；　but　his　movements　had　bee　studied　and　deliberate；　and　his　eyes　were　opaque。　〃We　never　go　into　Chilbah　Valley；〃　he　said　slowly。　
　〃Why　not？〃　
　Beiyoodzin　held　the　cigarette　in　front　of　his　face；　the　smoke　trickling　between　his　fingers。　He　looked　at　Nora　through　veiled　eyes。　〃How　were　the　horses　killed？〃　he　asked。　
　〃They　were　sliced　open；〃　she　replied。　〃Their　guts　pulled　out　and　arranged　in　spirals。　Sticks　tipped　with　feathers　were　shoved　into　their　eyes。　And　pieces　of　skin　had　been　cut　off。〃　
　The　effect　of　this　on　Beiyoodzin　was　even　more　pronounced。　He　became　agitated；　quickly　dropping　the　cigarette　into　the　fire　and　smoothing　a　hand　across　his　forehead。　〃Skin　cut　off　？　Where？〃　
　〃In　two　places　on　the　breast　and　lower　belly；　and　on　the　forehead。〃　
　The　old　man　said　nothing；　but　Nora　could　see　his　hand　was　shaking；　and　it　frightened　her。　
　〃You　shouldn't　be　in　there；〃　he　said　in　a　low；　urgent　voice。　〃You　should　get　out　immediately。〃　
　〃Why？〃　Nora　asked。　
　〃It's　very　dangerous。〃　He　hesitated　a　moment。　〃There　are　stories　among　the　Nankoweap　about　that　valley；　and　that　other　valley　。　。　。　the　valley　beyond。　You　might　laugh　at　me；　because　most　white　people　don't　believe　in　such　things。　But　what　happened　to　your　horses　is　a　kind　of　witchcraft。　It's　a　terrible　evil。　What　you're　doing；　digging　in　that　city；　is　going　to　kill　you　if　you　don't　get　out；　right　now。　Especially　now　that　。　。　。　they've　found　you。〃　
　〃They？〃　Smithback　asked。　〃Who's　'they'？〃　
　Beiyoodzin's　voice　dropped。　〃The　spotted…clay　witches。　The　skinwalkers。　The　wolfskin　runners。〃　
　In　the　darkness；　Nora's　blood　went　cold。　
　Beside　her；　Smithback　stirred。　〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　spoke　up。　〃You　said　witches？〃　
　There　was　a　faint　tone　in　his　voice　that　the　Indian　picked　up。　He　gazed　at　the　writer；　his　face　indistinct　in　the　growing　darkness。　〃Do　you　believe　in　evil？〃　
　〃Of　course。〃　
　〃No　normal　Nankoweap　person　would　kill　a　horse：　to　us；　horses　are　sacred。　I　don't　know　what　you　call　your　evil　people；　but　we　call　ours　skinwalkers；　wolfskin　runners。　They　have　many　names；　and　many　forms。　They　are　pletely　outside　our　society；　but　they　take　what　is　good　in　our　religion　and　turn　it　upside　down。　Whatever　you　may　think；　Nankoweap　wolfskin　runners　exist。　And　they　are　drawn　to　Chilbah。　Because　the　city　was　a　place　of　sorcery；　cruelty；　witchcraft；　sickness；　and　death。〃　
　But　Nora　barely　heard　this。　Wolfskin　runners。　Her　mind　fled　back　to　the　shadow…knitted　ranch　house：　the　dark　matted　form　that　had　towered　over　her；　the　furred　thing　that　had　kept　pace　with　her　truck　along　the　rutted　dirt　road。　
　〃I　don't　doubt　what　you　say；〃　Smithback　replied。　〃Over　the　last　couple　of　years；　I've　seen　some　pretty　strange　things　myself。　But　where　do　these　skinwalkers　e　from？〃　
　Beiyoodzin　fell　silent；　arms　propped　on　his　knees；　dark　hands　clasped。　He　rolled　another　cigarette；　then　turned　his　gaze　toward　the　ground　and　fell　motionless。　The　silence　grew　as　the　minutes　passed。　Nora　could　hear　the　faint　cropping　sounds　of　the　horse　grazing　in　the　draw。　Then；　eyes　still　fixed　on　the　ground；　cigarette　held　loosely　between　two　fingers；　Beiyoodzin　spoke　again。　
　〃To　bee　a　witch；　you　have　to　kill　someone　you　love。　Someone　close；　brother　or　sister；　mother　or　father。　You　kill　them；　to　get　the　power。　Then；　when　that　person　is　buried；　you　secretly　dig　the　body　up。〃　He　lit　the　cigarette。　〃Then　you　turn　the　life　force　of　that　person　to　evil。〃　
　〃How？〃　Smithback　whispered。　
　〃When　life　is　created；　Wind；　liehei；　the　life　force；　enters　the　body。　Where　the　Wind　enters　the　body；　it　leaves　a　little　eddy；　like　a　ripple　in　water。　It　leaves　these　marks　on　the　tips　of　the　fingers；　toes；　the　back　of　the　head。　The　witch　cuts　these　off　the　corpse。　They　dry　them；　grind　them　up；　make　a　kind　of　powder。　And　they　drill　out　the　skull　behind　and　make　a　disk；　for　throwing　spells。　If　it　is　a　murdered　sister；　the　witch　has　sex　with　the　dead　body。　He　uses　the　fluids　to　make　another　powder。　It's　called　Alchi'bin　lehh　tsal。　Incest　corpse　powder。〃　
　〃Good　God；〃　Smithback　groaned。　
　〃You　go　to　a　remote　spot　at　night。　You　strip　off　your　clothes。　You　cover　your　body　with　spots　of　white　clay；　and　wear　the　jewelry　buried　with　the　dead；　the　silver　and　turquoise。　You　place　wolfskins　or　coyoteskins　on　either　side　of　you。　Then　you　say　certain　lines　of　the　Night　Wind　Chant　backwards。　One　of　those　skins　will　leap　off　the　ground　and　stick　to　you。　And　then　you　have　the　power。〃　
　〃What　is　this　power？〃　Nora　asked。　
　Beiyoodzin　lit　the　cigarette。　The　repeated　hoot　of　an　owl　echoed　mournfully　through　the　endless　canyons。　
　〃Our　people　believe　you　get　the　power　to　move　at　night；　like　the　wind；　but　without　sound。　You　can　bee　invisible。　You　learn　powerful　spells；　spells　to　witch　people　from　a　distance。　And　with　the　corpse　powder；　you　can　kill。　Oh；　can　you　kill。〃　
　〃Kill？〃　Smithback　asked。　〃Witch　people？　How；　exactly？〃　
　〃If　a　skinwalker　can　get　something　from　their　victim's　body…spit；　hair；　a　sweaty　piece　of　clothing…they　place　it　in　the　mouth　of　a　corpse。　With　that；　they　can　cast　a　spell　on　the　person。　Or　on　his　horse；　his　sheep；　his　house；　his　belongings。　They　can　break　his　tools；　make　his　machines　refuse　to　operate。　They　can　make　his　wife　fall　sick；　kill　his　dogs　or　children。〃　
　He　lapsed　into　silence。　The　owl　hooted　again；　closer　now。　
　〃Witch　people　from　a　distance；〃　Smithback　repeated。　〃Move　at　night；　without　sound。〃　He　grunted；　shook　his　head。　
　Beiyoodzin　glanced　at　the　writer　briefly；　his　eyes　luminous　in　the　gathering　darkness；　then　looked　away　again。　
　〃Let　me　tell　you　a　story；〃　Beiyoodzin　said；　after　a　moment's　hesitation。　〃Something　that　happened　to　me　many　years　ago；　when　I　was　a　boy。　It's　a　story　I　haven't　told　for　a　long；　long　time。〃　
　A　hot　red　ember　flashed　out　of　the　dark；　and　Beiyoodzin's　face　was　briefly　lit　crimson　as　he　drew　on　the　cigarette。　
　〃It　was　summer；〃　he　went　on。　〃I　was　helping　my　grandfather　bring　some　sheep　up　to　Escalante。　It　was　a　two…day　trip；　so　we　brought　the　horse　and　wagon。　We　stopped　for　the　night　at　a　place　called　Shadow　Rock。　Built　a　brush　corral　for　the　sheep；　turned　the　horse　out　to　graze；　went　to　sleep。　Around　midnight；　I　woke　up　suddenly。　It　was　pitch　black：　no　moon；　no　stars。　There　was　no　noise。　Something　was　wrong。　I　called　out　to　my　grandfather。　Nothing。　So　I　sat　up；　tossed　twigs　into　the　coals。　As　they　flared　up　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　him。〃　
　Beiyoodzin　took　a　long；　careful　drag　on　the　cigarette。　〃He　was　lying　on　his　back；　eyes　gone。　His　fingertips　were　missing。　His　mouth　had　been　sewed　shut。　Something　had　been　done　to　the　back　of　his　head。〃　The　red　firebrand　of　the　cigarette　tip　wavered　in　the　dark。　〃I　stood　up　and　threw　the　rest　of　the　brush　onto　the　fire。　In　the　light　I　could　see　our　horse　maybe　twenty　feet　away。　He　was　lying　on　the　ground；　guts　mounded　beside　him。　The　sheep　in　the　pen　were　all　dead。　All　this…all　this…without　even　the　sound　of　a　mouse。〃　
　The　pinpoint　of　red　vanished　as　Beiyoodzin　ground　out　the　cigarette。　〃As　the　fire　died　back；　I　saw　something　else；〃　he　continued。　〃A　pair　of　eyes；　red　in　the　flames。　Eyes　in　the　darkness；　but　nothing　else。　They　never　blinked；　they　never　moved。　But　somehow；　I　felt　them　ing　closer。　Then　I　heard　a　low；　puffing　sound。　Dust　hit　my　face；　and　my　eyes　stung。　I　fell　back；　too　scared　even　to　cry　out。　
　〃I　don't　remember　how　I　made　my　way　home。　They　put　me　to　bed　with　a　high　fever。　At　last；　they　put　me　in　a　wagon　and　took　me　to　the　hospital　in　Cedar　City。　The　doctors　there　said　it　was　typhoid；　but　my　family　knew　better。　One　by　one；　they　left　my　bedside。　Except　for　my　grandmother；　I　didn't　see　any　of　my　relatives　for　a　couple　of　days。　But　by　the　time　they　returned　to　the　hospital；　the　worst　of　the　sickness　had　passed。　To　the　surprise　of　the　doctors。〃　
　There　was　a　brief　silence。　〃I　later　learned　where　my　relatives　had　been。　They'd　returned　to　Shadow　Rock；　where　we'd　camped。　They　took　the　village's　best　tracker　with　them。　A　set　of　huge　wolfprints　led　away　from　the　site。　They　followed　the　tracks　to　a　remote　camp　east　of　Nankoweap。　Inside　was　。　。　。　well；　I　guess　you　would　have　to　call　him　a　man。　It　was　noon；　and　he　was　sleeping。　My　relatives　took　no　chances。　They　shot　him　while　he　slept。〃　He　paused。　〃It　took　a　great　many　bullets。〃　
　〃How　did　they　know？〃　Smithback　asked。　
　〃Beside　the　man　was　a　witchcraft　medicine　kit。　There　were　certain　roots；　plants；　and　insects：　taboo　items；　forbidden　items；　used　only　by　skinwalkers。　They　found　corpse　powder。　And　up　in　the　chimney；　they　found　certain　。　。　。　pieces　of　meat；　drying。〃　
　〃But　I　don't　understand　how　。　。　。　　？〃　Smithback's　question　trailed　off　into　the　darkness。　
　〃Who　was　it？〃　Nora　asked。　
　Beiyoodzin　did　not　answer　directly。　But　after　a　moment；　he　turned。　Even　in　the　dark；　Nora　could　feel　the　intensity　of　his　gaze。　
　〃You　said　your　horses　were　cut　in　five　places；　on　the　forehead　and　two　places　on　each　side　of　breast　and　belly；〃　he　said。　〃Do　you　know　what　those　five　places　have　in　mon？〃　
　〃No；〃　Smithback　said。　
　〃Yes；〃　Nora　whispered；　her　mouth　dry　with　sudden　fear。　〃Those　are　the　five　places　where　the　fur　of　a　horse　forms　a　whorl。〃　
　The　light　had　pletely　vanished　from　the　sky；　and　a　huge　dome　of　stars　was　cast　over　their　heads。　Somewhere　in　the　distance；　out　on　th