p&c.thunderhead-第63部分

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　Nora　swam　across　another　pool；　climbed　up　a　pourover；　and　squeezed　sideways　through　a　narrower　section。　Then　the　steep　walls　widened　a　little　around　her。　In　the　distance　ahead；　she　could　make　out　the　massive　cottonwood　trunk；　suspended　like　a　gigantic　spar；　wedged　across　the　walls　of　the　canyon。　Just　above　it；　in　deep　shadow；　was　the　narrow　ledge　that　led　to　the　space　where　Holroyd's　body　had　been　laid。　
　Nora's　eyes　fell　from　the　ledge；　to　the　jumble　of　rocks　below；　to　the　narrow　pool　that　stretched　the　eight　or　ten　feet　across　the　canyon's　bottom。　Her　gaze　came　to　rest　at　a　smear　of　yellow；　floating　at　the　near　end。　It　was　Holroyd's　body　bag。　Gingerly；　she　came　forward。　Now　she　could　see　a　long；　ragged　gash　in　one　side　of　the　bag。　And　there　was　Holroyd's　body；　lying　on　its　back　half　out　of　the　water。　He　looked　strangely　plump。　
　She　stopped　dead。　〃Oh；　God；〃　came　Smithback's　voice　by　her　shoulder。　Then：　〃Are　we　exposing　ourselves　to　some　kind　of　disease；　wading　about　in　this　water？〃　
　Aragon　heaved　himself　up　behind　them。　〃No；〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　believe　we　are。〃　But　there　was　no　consolation　in　his　face　as　he　spoke　these　words。　
　Nora　remained　still；　and　Smithback；　too；　hesitated　behind　her。　Aragon　gently　pushed　past　them　toward　the　body。　Nora　watched　as　the　doctor　pulled　it　onto　a　narrow　stone　shelf　beside　the　pool。　Reluctantly；　she　forced　herself　forward。　
　Then　she　stopped　again　with　a　sudden　gasp。　
　Holroyd's　deposing　body　was　swollen　inside　its　clothes；　a　grotesque　parody　of　obesity。　His　skin；　protruding　from　his　shirt　sleeves；　was　a　strange；　milky　bluish…white。　The　fingers　were　now　just　pink…edged　stubs；　having　been　cut　away　at　the　first　joints。　His　boots　lay　on　the　rocks；　slashed　and　torn；　and　his　feet；　that　same　pale　white　against　the　chocolate　rock；　were　missing　their　toes。　Nora　gazed　in　mingled　disgust；　horror；　and　outrage。　Even　worse　was　the　back　of　the　head：　a　large　circular　whorl　of　hair　been　scalped　off；　and　the　disk　of　skull　directly　beneath　drilled　out。　Brain　matter　bulged　from　the　hole。　
　Working　swiftly；　Aragon　donned　a　pair　of　plastic　gloves；　removed　a　scalpel　from　his　kit；　positioned　it　just　below　the　last　rib；　and　with　a　short　movement　opened　the　body。　Reaching　inside　with　a　long　narrow　set　of　forceps；　he　twisted　his　hand　sharply；　then　retracted　it。　On　the　end　of　the　scalpel　was　a　small　bit　of　pink　flesh　that　looked　to　Nora　like　lung　tissue。　Aragon　dropped　it　inside　a　test　tube　already　half　filled　with　a　clear　liquid。　Adding　two　drops　from　a　separate　vial；　he　stoppered　the　tube　and　swirled　it　around　in　his　hands。　Nora　watched　as　the　color　of　the　solution　turned　a　light　blue。　
　Aragon　nodded　to　himself；　carefully　placed　the　tube　inside　a　styrofoam　case；　and　repacked　his　instruments。　Then；　still　kneeling；　he　turned　toward　Nora。　One　gloved　hand　lay；　almost　protectively；　over　the　corpse's　chest。　
　〃Do　you　know　what　killed　him？〃　Nora　asked。　
　〃Without　more　precise　tools；　I　can't　be　a　hundred　percent　sure；〃　Aragon　replied　slowly。　〃But　one　answer　does　seem　to　fit。　All　the　crude　tests　I've　been　able　to　run　verify　it。〃　
　There　was　a　moment　of　silence。　Smithback　took　a　seat　on　a　rock　a　cautious　distance　from　the　body。　
　Aragon　glanced　at　the　writer；　then　back　to　Nora。　〃Before　I　go　into　that；　I　need　to　tell　you　some　things　I've　discovered　about　the　ruin。〃　
　〃About　the　ruin？〃　Smithback　asked。　〃What　does　that　have　to　do　with　his　death？〃　
　〃Everything。　I　believe　the　abandonment　of　Quivira…indeed；　perhaps　even　the　reason　for　its　very　existence…is　intimately　connected　with　Holroyd's　death。〃　He　wiped　his　face　with　the　sleeve　of　his　shirt。　〃No　doubt　you've　noticed　the　cracks　in　the　towers；　the　collapsed　third…story　rooms　of　the　city。〃　
　Nora　nodded。　
　〃And　you　must　have　noticed　the　great　rockfall　at　the　far　end　of　the　canyon。　While　you　were　off　searching　for　the　horse　killers；　I　talked　with　Black　about　this。　He　told　me　that　the　damage　to　the　city　was　done　by　a　mild　earthquake　that　struck　around　the　same　time　the　city　was　abandoned。　'The　dates　are　statistically　equal；'　he　said。　The　landslide；　according　to　Black；　also　occurred　at　the　same　time；　no　doubt　triggered　by　the　earthquake。〃　
　〃So　you　think　an　earthquake　killed　all　those　people？〃　Nora　asked。　
　〃No；　no。　It　was　just　a　temblor。　But　that　rockfall；　and　the　collapse　of　some　buildings；　was　enough　to　raise　a　large　cloud　of　dust　in　the　valley。〃　
　〃Very　interesting；〃　Smithback　said。　〃But　what　does　a　seven…century…old　dustcloud　have　to　do　with　Holroyd's　death？〃　
　Aragon　gave　a　wan　smile。　〃A　great　deal；　as　it　turns　out。　Because　the　dust　within　Quivira　is　riddled　with　Coccidioides　immitis。　It's　a　microscopic　fungal　spore　that　lives　in　soil。　It's　usually　associated　with　very　dry；　often　remote　desert　areas；　so　people　don't　e　into　contact　with　it　much。　Which　is　a　very　good　thing。　It's　the　cause　of　a　deadly　disease　known　as　coccidioidomycosis。　Or；　as　you　might　know　it；　valley　fever。〃　
　Nora　frowned。　〃Valley　fever？〃　
　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　Smithback　interjected。　〃Wasn't　that　the　disease　that　killed　a　bunch　of　people　in　California？〃　
　Aragon　nodded。　〃Valley　fever；　or　San　Joaquin　fever；　named　after　a　town　in　California。　There　was　an　earthquake　in　the　desert　near　San　Joaquin　many　years　ago。　That　quake　triggered　a　small　landslide　that　raised　a　cloud　of　dust；　which　rolled　over　the　town。　Hundreds　became　ill　and　twenty　died；　infected　with　coccidioidomycosis。　Scientists　came　to　call　this　type　of　deadly　dustcloud　a　'tectonic　fungal　cloud。'〃　He　frowned。　〃Only　the　fungus　here　in　Quivira　is　a　far　more　virulent　strain。　In　concentrated　form；　it　kills　in　hours　or　days；　not　weeks。　You　see；　to　get　sick　you　must　inhale　the　spores…either　through　dust；　or　through　。　。　。　other　means。　Mere　exposure　to　a　sick　person　is　not　enough。〃　
　He　wiped　his　face　again。　〃At　first；　Holroyd's　symptoms　were　baffling　to　me。　They　did　not　seem　to　be　from　any　infectious　agent　I　knew　of。　Certainly　he　died　too　quickly　for　any　of　the　more　likely　suspects。　And　then　I　remembered　that　rust…colored　powder　from　the　royal　burial。〃　
　He　looked　at　Nora。　〃I　told　you　about　my　discoveries　with　the　bones。　But　do　you　recall　those　two　pots；　full　of　reddish　dust？　You　thought　they　might　be　a　kind　of　red　ochre。　I　never　told　you　that　the　dust　turned　out　to　be　dried；　ground…up　human　flesh　and　bone。〃　
　〃Why　didn't　you　tell　us？〃　Nora　cried。　
　〃Let's　just　say　you　were　preoccupied　with　other　things。　And　I　wanted　to　understand　it　myself　before　I　dangled　yet　another　mystery　in　front　of　you。　In　any　case；　while　puzzling　over　Holroyd's　death；　I　remembered　that　reddish　dust。　And　then　I　realized　exactly　what　it　was。　It　is　a　substance　known　to　certain　southwestern　Indian　tribes　as　'corpse　powder。'〃　
　Nora　glanced　at　Smithback　and　saw　her　own　horror　reflected　in　his　eyes。　
　〃It's　used　by　witches　to　kill　their　intended　victims；〃　Aragon　continued。　〃Corpse　powder　is　still　known　among　some　Indian　groups　today。〃　
　〃I　know；〃　Nora　whispered。　She　could　almost　see　Beiyoodzin's　drawn　face　in　the　starlight；　telling　them　of　the　wolfskin　runners。　
　〃When　I　examined　this　powder　under　the　microscope；　I　found　it　absolutely　packed　with　Coccidioides　immitis。　It　is；　quite　literally；　corpse　powder　that　really　kills。〃　
　〃And　you　think　Holroyd　was　murdered　with　it？〃　
　〃Given　the　huge　dose　he　must　have　received　to　die　so　quickly；　I　would　say　yes。　Although　his　illness　was　surely　made　worse　by　constant　exposure　to　dust。　He　did　quite　a　lot　of　digging　in　the　rear　of　the　ruin　in　the　days　before　his　death。　The　fact　is；　we've　all　been　exposed　to　it。〃　
　〃I　did　my　share　of　digging；〃　Smithback　said；　his　voice　a　little　shaky。　〃How　much　longer　before　we　get　sick；　too？〃　
　〃I　don't　know。　A　lot　depends　on　the　health　of　our　immune　systems；　and　on　the　degree　of　exposure。　I　believe　the　fungus　is　much　more　concentrated　in　the　rear　of　the　city。　But　regardless；　it's　vital　that　we　get　out　of　here　and　get　treatment　as　soon　as　possible。〃　
　〃So　there's　a　cure？〃　Smithback　asked。　
　〃Yes。　Ketoconazole；　or　in　advanced　cases　where　the　fungus　has　invaded　the　central　nervous　system；　amphotericin　B　injected　directly　into　the　cerebrospinal　fluid。　The　ironic　thing　is；　ampho　is　a　mon　antibiotic。　I　almost　brought　some　along。〃　
　〃How　sure　are　you　about　this？〃　asked　Nora。　
　〃As　sure　I　can　be　without　more　equipment。　I'd　need　a　better　microscope　to　be　absolutely　sure；　because　in　tissue　the　spherules　are　only　about　fifty　microns　in　diameter。　But　nothing　else　explains　the　onset　of　symptoms：　the　cyanosis；　dyspnea；　the　mucopurulent　sputum　。　。　。　the　sudden　death。　And　the　simple　test　I　just　performed　on　Peter's　lung　tissue　confirmed　the　presence　of　coccidioidin　antibodies。〃　He　sighed。　〃It's　only　in　the　last　day　or　so　that　I　began　putting　this　together。　Late　yesterday　evening；　I　spent　some　time　in　the　ruin；　and　found　other　examples　of　corpse　powder　stored　in　pots；　as　well　as　various　odd　types　of　tools。　From　this；　and　from　all　the　trashed　bones　in　the　Crawlspace；　it　became　quite　clear　that　the　inhabitants　of　Quivira　were　actually　manufacturing　corpse　powder。　As　a　result；　the　whole　city　is　contaminated　with　it。　The　entire　subsoil　of　the　ruin　is　full　of　the　spores；　its　density　increasing　toward　the　back。　That　puts　the　greatest　concentration　in　the　Crawlspace；　and　especially　in　the　cavern　of　the　Sun　Kiva　that　Black　discovered。〃　
　He　paused。　〃I　told　you　my　theory　that　this　city　was　not　really　Anasazi　after　all。　It　was　Aztecan　in　origin。　These　people　brought　human　sacrifice　and　witchcraft　to　the　Anasazi。　It's　my　belief　that　they　are　the　marauders；　the　conquerors；　who　caused　the　collapse　of　Anasazi　civilization　and　the　abandonment　of　the　Colorado　Plateau。　They　are　the　mysterious　enemies　of　the　Anasazi　that　archaeologists　have　sought　all　these　years。　These　enemies　did　not　kill　and　exert　control　through　open　warfare；　which　is　why　we've　never　found　the　evidence　of　violence。　Their　means　of　conquest　and　control　were　more　subtle。　Witchcraft　and　the　use　of　corpse　powder。　Which　leaves　little　or　no　trace。〃　
　His　voice　fell。　〃When　I　first　analyzed　that　burial　cyst　Sloane　uncovered；　I　felt　it　to　be　a　result　of　cannibalism。　The　marks　on　the　bones　seemed　to　point　to　that。　In　fact；　Black's　protests　to　the　contrary；　it　was　the　obvious　deduction　to　make：　Anasazi　cannibalism　is　currently　a　hot