p&c.thunderhead-第67部分

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　Bonarotti；　taking　his　cue　from　Black；　came　over　and　silently　began　to　unpack　his　kitchen　gear。　This；　more　than　anything　else；　seemed　to　be　a　mute　statement　that　hope　had　been　lost。　Pulling　out　a　small　ring　burner　and　a　propane　shield；　he　put　on　a　pot　of　espresso；　protecting　it　from　the　rain　with　his　body。　Soon　Swire　came　over；　looking　shocked　and　subdued。　Sloane　followed　after　a　few　minutes；　walking　silently　up　from　the　rushing　waters。　Bonarotti　pressed　a　cup　of　coffee　into　each　of　their　hands；　and　Black　drank　his　gratefully；　gulping　it　down；　feeling　the　warmth　of　the　coffee　trickle　into　his　aching　limbs。　
　Sloane　accepted　her　cup　from　Bonarotti；　turning　her　amber　eyes　toward　him。　Then　she　looked　at　Swire；　and　then…more　significantly…at　Black；　before　returning　her　gaze　to　the　cook。　At　last；　she　broke　the　silence。　
　〃I　think　we　have　to　accept　the　fact　that　nobody　survived　the　flood。〃　Her　voice　was　low　and　a　little　unsteady。　〃There　just　wasn't　time　for　them　to　make　it　through　the　slot　canyon。〃　
　She　paused。　Black　listened　to　the　rush　of　the　water；　the　patter　of　rain。　
　〃So　what　do　we　do　now？〃　Bonarotti　asked。　
　Sloane　sighed。　〃Our　munications　gear　is　destroyed；　so　we　can't　radio　for　assistance。　Even　if　a　rescue　mission　is　mounted；　it　would　take　them　at　least　a　week　to　reach　the　outer　valley；　maybe　more。　And　our　only　way　out　has　been　blocked　by　water。　We'll　have　to　wait　until　it　goes　down。　If　the　rains　continue；　that　could　mean　a　long　time。〃　
　Black　glanced　around　at　the　others。　Bonarotti　was　looking　at　Sloane；　hands　protectively　cradling　his　mug　of　coffee。　Swire　was　staring　blankly；　still　dazed　by　what　had　happened。　
　〃We've　done　everything　we　can；〃　Sloane　went　on。　〃Fortunately；　most　of　our　gear　survived　the　flood。　That's　the　good　news。〃　
　Her　voice　dropped。　〃The　bad　news…the　terrible　news…is　that　we've　lost　four　teammates；　including　our　expedition　leader。　And　about　that；　there's　nothing　we　can　do。　It's　a　tragedy　I　think　none　of　us　yet　can　fully　prehend。〃　
　She　paused。　〃Our　first　duty　is　to　mourn　their　loss。　We　will　have　time；　in　the　days　and　weeks　ahead；　to　remember　them　in　our　thoughts。　But　let's　take　a　minute　now　to　remember　them　in　our　prayers。〃　
　She　lowered　her　head。　A　silence　fell；　broken　only　by　the　sound　of　water。　Black　swallowed。　Despite　the　dampness　around　him；　his　throat　was　painfully　dry。　
　After　a　few　minutes；　Sloane　looked　up　again。　〃Our　second　duty　is　to　remember　who　we　are；　and　why　we　came　here。　We　came　here　to　discover　a　lost　city；　to　survey　it　and　document　it。　Luigi；　a　few　minutes　ago；　you　asked　what　we　should　do　now。　There's　only　one　answer　to　that。　As　long　as　we're　trapped　in　here；　we　must　carry　on。〃　
　She　paused　to　take　a　sip　of　coffee。　〃We　cannot　allow　ourselves　to　bee　demoralized；　to　sit　around　doing　nothing；　waiting　for　a　rescue　that　may　or　may　not　e。　We　need　to　keep　ourselves　occupied　in　productive　work。〃　She　spoke　slowly　and　deliberately；　taking　time　to　look　around　at　the　small　group　with　each　new　sentence。　〃And　the　most　productive　work　of　all　is　still　to　e：　documenting　the　Sun　Kiva。〃　
　At　this；　the　faraway　look　left　Swire's　face。　He　glanced　at　Sloane　in　surprise。　
　〃What　happened　today　was　a　tragedy；〃　Sloane　continued；　more　quickly　now。　〃But　it's　within　our　power　to　keep　it　from　being　something　even　worse：　a　tragic　waste。　The　Sun　Kiva　is　the　most　miraculous　find　of　a　miraculous　expedition。　It's　the　most　certain　way　to　ensure　that　Nora；　Peter；　Enrique；　and　Bill　are　remembered　not　for　their　deaths　but　for　their　discoveries。〃　She　paused。　〃It's　what　Nora　would　have　wanted　done。〃　
　〃Is　that　right？〃　Swire　spoke　up　suddenly。　The　surprise　and　confusion　had　left　his　face；　replaced　with　something　uglier。　〃What　Nora　would　have　wanted；　you　say？　Tell　me；　was　this　before　or　after　she　fired　you　from　the　expedition？〃　
　Sloane　turned　to　him。　〃Do　you　have　an　objection；　Roscoe？〃　she　asked。　Her　tone　was　mild；　but　her　eyes　glittered。　
　〃I　have　a　question；〃　Swire　replied。　〃A　question　about　that　weather　report　of　yours。〃　
　Black　felt　his　gut　seize　up　in　sudden　fear。　But　Sloane　simply　returned　the　cowboy's　gaze　with　a　cool　one　of　her　own。　〃What　about　it？〃　she　asked。　
　〃That　flash　flood　came　down　twenty　minutes　after　you　reported　clear　weather。〃　
　Sloane　waited；　staring　at　Swire；　deliberately　letting　the　unfortable　tension　build。　〃You　of　all　people　know　how　localized；　how　unpredictable；　the　weather　is　out　here；〃　she　said　at　last；　more　coldly　now。　
　Black　could　see　the　faltering　certainty　in　Swire's　face。　
　〃There's　no　way　of　knowing　just　where　the　water　came　from；〃　Sloane　continued。　〃The　storm　could　have　e　from　anywhere。〃　
　Swire　seemed　to　digest　this　for　a　moment。　Then　he　said；　in　a　lower　tone：　〃You　can　see　a　whole　lot　of　anywhere　from　the　top　of　that　canyon。〃　
　Sloane　leaned　toward　him。　〃Are　you　calling　me　a　liar；　Roscoe？〃　
　There　was　something　so　subtly　menacing　in　her　silky　tone　that　Black　saw　Swire　draw　back。　〃I　ain't　calling　you　nothing。　But　last　I　heard；　Nora　said　we　wasn't　to　open　up　that　kiva。〃　
　〃Last　I　heard；　you　were　the　horse　wrangler；〃　Sloane　said　icily。　〃This　is　a　decision　that　does　not　concern　you。〃　
　Swire　looked　at　her；　his　jaw　working。　Then　he　stood　up　abruptly；　drawing　away　from　the　group。　
　〃You　say　Nora　will　be　remembered　if　we　open　this　kiva；〃　he　spat　out。　〃But　that　ain't　true。　It's　you　that'll　be　remembered。　And　you　damn　well　know　it。〃　
　And　with　that；　he　walked　out　of　camp　and　disappeared　among　the　cottonwoods。　
　
　
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　BLACK　PULLED　HIMSELF　UP　THE　LAST　RUNG　of　the　rope　ladder　with　a　grunt　and　stepped　onto　the　rocky　floor　of　Quivira；　slinging　the　small　bag　of　equipment　beside　him。　Sloane　had　gone　ahead；　and　was　waiting　at　the　city's　retaining　wall；　but　on　impulse　Black　turned　around　once　again　to　survey　the　valley。　It　was　hard　to　believe　that；　barely　four　hours　before；　he　had　stood　at　this　same　spot　and　witnessed　the　flash　flood。　Now；　afternoon　light；　fresh　and　innocent；　glowed　off　the　walls　of　the　canyon。　The　air　was　cool；　and　perfumed　with　moisture　from　the　rain。　Birds　were　chirping。　The　camp　had　been　cleaned　up　and　supplies　moved　to　high　ground。　The　only　signs　of　the　catastrophe　were　the　torrent　of　rushing　water　that　divided　the　small　valley　like　a　brown　scar；　and　the　appalling　wreckage　of　trees　and　earthen　bank　that　lay　along　and　within　it。　
　He　turned　away　and　approached　Sloane；　who　had　arrayed　her　gear　along　the　retaining　wall　and　was　giving　it　a　final　inspection。　He　noticed　that　she　had　snugged　the　camp's　spare　pistol　into　her　belt。　
　〃What's　that　for？〃　he　asked；　pointing　at　the　weapon。　
　〃Remember　what　happened　to　Holroyd？〃　Sloane　replied；　eyes　on　the　gear。　〃Or　the　gutted　horses？　I　don't　want　any　nasty　surprises　while　we're　documenting　that　kiva。〃　
　Black　paused　a　moment；　thinking。　〃What　about　Swire？〃　he　asked。　
　〃What　about　him？〃　
　Black　looked　at　her。　〃He　didn't　seem　too　enthusiastic　about　all　this。〃　
　Sloane　shrugged。　〃He's　a　hired　hand。　He　has　nothing　to　say　that　anybody　would　want　to　hear。　Once　our　find　bees　known；　it'll　be　front…page　news　across　the　country　for　a　week；　and　in　the　Southwest　for　a　month。〃　She　took　his　hand；　gave　it　a　squeeze；　smiled。　〃He'll　fall　into　line。〃　
　Bonarotti　came　into　view　at　the　top　of　the　ladder；　the　oversized　。44　hanging　from　his　side；　digging　tools　slung　over　his　shoulder。　Sloane　withdrew　her　hand　and　turned　to　retrieve　her　gear。　
　〃Let's　go；〃　she　said。　
　With　Bonarotti　beside　him；　Black　followed　Sloane　across　the　central　plaza　toward　the　rear　of　the　dead　city。　He　could　feel　his　heart　beating　fast　in　his　chest。　
　〃Do　you　really　think　there's　gold　in　that　kiva？〃　Bonarotti　asked。　
　Black　turned　to　see　the　cook　looking　over　at　him。　For　the　first　time　that　he　could　recall；　Black　saw　animation；　even　strong　emotion；　in　the　man's　face。　
　〃Yes；　I　do；〃　he　replied。　〃I　can't　think　of　any　other　conclusion。　All　the　evidence　points　to　it。〃　
　〃What　will　we　do　with　it？〃　
　〃The　gold？〃　Black　asked。　〃The　Institute　will　decide；　of　course。〃　
　Bonarotti　fell　silent；　and　for　a　moment；　Black　scrutinized　the　man's　face。　It　occurred　to　him　that　he　really　had　no　idea　what　motivated　a　man　like　Bonarotti。　
　It　also　occurred　to　him　that；　in　all　his　constant　dreaming　about　the　kiva；　he　had　never　once　thought　about　what　might　happen　to　the　gold　after　the　kiva　was　opened。　Perhaps　it　would　be　put　on　display　at　the　Institute。　Perhaps　it　would　tour　the　museum　circuit；　as　King　Tut's　treasure　had。　In　point　of　fact；　it　didn't　really　matter；　it　was　the　find　itself…the　initial　moment　of　discovery…that　would　make　him　a　household　name。　
　They　made　their　way　through　the　Crawlspace　to　the　narrow　passageway；　then　ducked　into　the　inner　sanctum。　Sloane　set　up　two　portable　lamps　beside　the　kiva；　aiming　them　at　the　rock…filled　entrance。　Then　she　stood　back　to　prepare　the　camera　while　Black　and　Bonarotti　laid　out　the　tools。　As　if　from　a　distance；　Black　noticed　that　his　movements　were　slow；　careful；　almost　reverent。　
　And　then；　in　unison；　the　two　men　turned　toward　Sloane。　She　fixed　the　oversized　camera　to　a　tripod；　then　returned　their　glances。　
　〃I　don't　need　to　emphasize　the　importance　of　what　we're　about　to　do；〃　she　said。　〃This　kiva　is　the　archaeological　find　of　several　lifetimes；　and　we're　going　to　treat　it　as　such。　We'll　proceed　by　the　book；　documenting　every　step。　Luigi；　you　dig　the　sand　and　dust　away　from　the　doorway。　Do　it　very　carefully。　Aaron；　you　can　remove　the　rubble　and　stabilize　the　doorway。　But　first；　let　me　take　a　couple　of　exposures。〃　
　She　ducked　behind　the　camera；　and　the　dark　cavern　was　illuminated　by　a　quick　series　of　flashes。　Then　she　stepped　away　and　nodded。　
　As　Bonarotti　picked　up　a　shovel；　Black　turned　his　attention　to　the　rock　pile　that　covered　the　kiva's　entrance。　The　rocks　had　been　jammed　into　place　without　mortar；　and　were　clearly　without　archaeological　significance；　he　could　remove　them　by　hand；　without　having　to　resort　to　time…consuming　excavation　techniques。　But　they　were　heavy；　and　the　muscles　of　his　arms　soon　began　to　grow　tired。　Although　the　rock　pile　itself　was　curiously　free　of　the　dust　that　had　settled　so　thickly　over　the　rest　of　the　kiva's　surface；　Black　still　found　breathing　difficult：　Bonarotti's　shoveling　quickly　raised　a　choking　cloud　around　the　kiva's　entrance。　
　Sloa