pdouglas.thecodex-第27节

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y　tarred　with　the　brush　of　sexism。
　Don　Alfonso　shrugged　and　relit　his　pipe　and　continued　speaking　in　a　loud　voice。　〃I　do　not　understand。　Here　she　is　twenty…nine　and　unmarried。　Her　father　will　have　to　pay　an　enormous　dowry　to　get　rid　of　her。　And　here　you　are；　almost　an　old　man；　and　you　do　not　have　a　wife　either。　Why　do　you　two　not　marry？　Perhaps　you　are　homosexual？〃
　〃No；　Don　Alfonso。〃
　〃It　is　all　right　if　you　are；　Tomás。　Chori　will　acmodate　you。　He　is　not　particular。〃
　〃No；　thank　you。〃
　Don　Alfonso　shook　his　head　in　wonder。　〃Then　I　do　not　understand。　Tomás；　you　must　not　let　your　opportunities　slip　by。〃
　〃Sally；〃　said　Tom；　〃is　engaged　to　marry　another　man。〃
　Don　Alfonso's　eyebrows　shot　up。　〃Ah。　And　where　is　this　man　now？〃
　〃Back　in　America。〃
　〃He　cannot　love　her！〃
　Tom　winced；　glancing　toward　the　hut。　Don　Alfonso's　voice　had　a　peculiar　carrying　quality。
　Sally's　voice　came　from　the　hut。　〃He　loves　me　and　I　love　him；　and　I'll　thank　you　both　to　shut　up。〃
　There　was　the　sound　of　a　rifle　shot　in　the　forest；　and　Don　Alfonso　rose。　〃That　is　our　second　course。〃　He　picked　up　his　machete　and　went　off　toward　the　sound。
　Tom　rose　and　took　his　hammock　into　the　hut　to　hang　it　up。　He　found　Sally　hanging　some　of　the　herbs　from　one　of　the　poles　inside。
　〃That　Don　Alfonso　is　a　lecherous　old　man　and　a　sexist　pig；〃　she　said　hotly。　〃And　you're　just　as　bad。〃
　〃He's　getting　us　through　the　Meambar　Swamp。〃
　〃I　don't　appreciate　his　little　ments。　Or　you；　smirking　your　agreement。〃
　〃You　can't　expect　him　to　be　up　on　the　latest　feminist　PC。〃
　〃I　didn't　hear　any　talk　about　you　being　too　old　to　marry…and　you're　older　than　I　am　by　a　good　four　years。　It's　only　the　woman　who's　too　old　to　marry。〃
　〃Lighten　up；　Sally。〃
　〃I　will　not　lighten　up。〃
　Don　Alfonso's　voice　interrupted　Tom's　reply。　〃The　first　course　is　ready　to　eat！　Boiled　parrot　and　manioc　stew。　Tapir　steaks　to　follow。　It　is　all　healthy　and　delicious。　Stop　arguing　and　e　and　eat！〃
　
　25
　
　〃Buenos　tardes；〃　murmured　Ocotal；　taking　a　seat　next　to　Philip　at　the　fire。
　〃Buenos　tardes〃　Philip　said；　taking　the　pipe　out　of　his　mouth；　surprised。　It　was　the　first　time　Ocotal　had　spoken　to　him　the　entire　trip。
　They　had　reached　a　large　lake　at　the　edge　of　the　swamp　and　were　camped　on　a　sandy　island　that　actually　had　a　beach。　The　bugs　were　gone；　the　air　was　fresh；　and　for　the　first　time　in　a　week　Philip　could　see　more　than　twenty　feet　in　one　direction。　The　only　thing　that　spoiled　it　was　that　the　water　lapping　on　the　strand　was　the　color　of　black　coffee。　As　usual；　Hauser　was　out　hunting　with　a　couple　of　soldiers　while　the　others　were　at　their　own　fire；　playing　cards。　The　air　was　drowsy　with　heat　and　the　green…gold　light　of　late　afternoon。　It　was　altogether　a　pleasant　spot；　thought　Philip。
　Ocotal　abruptly　leaned　forward　and　said；　〃I　overheard　the　soldiers　talking　last　night。〃
　Philip　raised　his　eyebrows。　〃And？〃
　〃Do　not　react　to　what　I　say。　They　are　going　to　kill　you。〃　He　said　it　so　low　and　rapidly　that　Philip　almost　thought　he　hadn't　heard　properly。　He　sat　there　dumbfounded　as　the　words　sank　in。
　Ocotal　went　on。　〃They　are　going　to　kill　me；　too。〃
　〃Are　you　sure？〃
　Ocotal　nodded。
　In　a　panic；　Philip　considered　this。　Could　Ocotal　be　trusted？　Could　it　be　a　misunderstanding？　Why　would　Hauser　kill　him？　To　steal　the　inheritance？　It　was　quite　possible。　Hauser　was　no　Mr。　Rogers。　Out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye　he　could　see　that　the　soldiers　were　still　playing　cards；　their　guns　stacked　against　a　tree。　On　the　other　hand；　it　seemed　impossible。　Like　something　out　of　a　movie。　Hauser　was　going　to　make　a　million　dollars　already。　You　didn't　kill　people　just　like　that…did　you？　〃What　do　you　plan　to　do？〃
　〃Steal　a　boat　and　run。　Hide　in　the　swamp。〃
　〃You　mean　now？〃
　〃You　want　to　wait？〃
　〃But　the　soldiers　are　right　over　there。　We'll　never　get　away。　What　did　you　hear　the　soldiers　say　that　made　you　think　this？　Perhaps　it　was　just　a　misunderstanding。〃
　〃Listen　to　me；　you　deficient；〃　Ocotal　hissed。　〃There　is　no　time。　I　go　now。　If　you　e；　e　now。　If　not；　adiós。〃
　He　rose　easily；　lazily；　and　began　strolling　down　toward　the　beach　where　the　dugouts　were　beached。　In　a　panic　Philip　turned　his　eyes　from　him　to　the　soldiers。　They　were　still　playing　cards；　oblivious。　From　where　they　were　sitting；　at　the　base　of　a　tree；　they　could　not　see　the　boats。
　What　should　he　do？　He　felt　paralyzed。　A　monumental　decision　had　been　thrust　on　him　without　warning　or　preparation。　It　was　crazy。　Could　Hauser　really　be　that　cold…blooded？　Was　Ocotal　himself　trying　to　pull　a　fast　one？
　Ocotal　was　now　sauntering　along　the　beach；　casually　looking　up　into　the　trees。　He　stood　by　a　boat　and　with　his　knee；　slowly　and　without　seeming　to　do　so；　began　edging　it　into　the　water。
　It　was　happening　too　fast。　Really；　it　hinged　on　what　kind　of　man　Hauser　was。　Was　he　really　capable　of　murder？　He　wasn't　a　nice　man；　that　was　true。　There　was　something　wrong　with　him。　Philip　suddenly　remembered　the　pleasure　he'd　taken　decapitating　the　agouti；　the　smile　on　his　face　when　he　saw　the　spot　of　blood　on　Philip's　shirt；　the　way　he'd　said　you'll　see。
　Ocotal　now　had　the　boat　in　the　water　and　with　a　smooth　motion　stepped　into　it；　picking　up　the　pole　at　the　same　time　and　getting　ready　to　shove　off。
　Philip　stood　and　walked　quickly　down　to　the　beach。　Ocotal　was　already　offshore；　pole　planted；　ready　to　shove　the　boat　into　the　channel。　He　paused　long　enough　for　Philip　to　wade　out　and　climb　in。　Then；　with　a　strong　pression　of　his　back　muscles；　Ocotal　planted　the　pole　into　the　sandy　bottom　and　silently　propelled　them　out　into　the　swamp。
　
　26
　
　The　following　morning　the　fine　weather　had　e　to　an　end。　Clouds　gathered；　thunder　shook　the　treetops；　and　the　rain　came　pouring　down。　By　the　time　Tom　and　the　rest　had　set　off；　the　surface　of　the　river　was　gray　and　frothing　under　the　force　of　a　violent　downpour；　the　sound　of　rain　deafening　among　the　vegetation。　The　maze　of　channels　they　were　following　seemed　to　get　ever　narrower　and　more　convoluted。　Tom　had　never　seen　a　swamp　so　thick；　so　labyrinthine；　so　impenetrable。　He　could　scarcely　believe　that　Don　Alfonso　knew　which　way　to　go。
　By　afternoon；　the　rain　ended　suddenly；　as　if　a　spigot　had　been　turned　off。　For　another　few　minutes　the　water　continued　running　down　the　tree　trunks；　with　a　noise　like　a　waterfall；　leaving　the　jungle　misty；　dripping；　and　hushed。
　〃The　bugs　are　back；〃　Sally　said；　slapping。
　〃Jejenes。　Blackflies；〃　said　Don　Alfonso；　lighting　up　his　pipe　and　surrounding　himself　with　a　foul　blue　cloud。　〃They　take　a　piece　of　your　meat　away　with　them。　They　are　formed　from　the　breath　of　the　devil　himself　after　a　night　of　drinking　bad　aguardiente！〃
　At　times　their　way　was　blocked　with　hanging　vines　and　aerial　roots　that　grew　down　from　above；　forming　thick　curtains　of　vegetation　that　hung　to　the　very　surface　of　the　water。　Pingo　remained　in　front；　hacking　them　down　with　his　machete　while　Chori　poled　from　the　back。　Every　blow　of　the　machete　dislodged　tree　frogs；　insects；　and　other　creatures　that　dropped　into　the　water；　providing　a　feast　for　the　piranhas　below；　which　thrashed　and　boiled　around　every　hapless　animal。　Pingo；　his　great　back　muscles　working；　slashed　left；　right；　then　left；　flicking　most　of　the　vines　and　hanging　flowers　into　the　water。　In　one　particularly　narrow　channel；　while　Pingo　was　slashing　away；　he　suddenly　gave　a　cry；　〃Heculu！〃
　〃Avispa！　Wasps！〃　Don　Alfonso　cried；　crouching　down　and　putting　his　hat　over　his　head。　〃Do　not　move！〃
　A　pact；　boiling　cloud　of　black　came　racing　out　of　the　hanging　vegetation；　and　Tom；　crouching　and　protecting　his　head；　immediately　felt　a　tattoo　of　fiery　stings　on　his　back。
　〃Don't　slap　them；〃　Don　Alfonso　cried。　〃It　will　make　them　madder！〃
　They　could　do　nothing　but　wait　until　the　wasps　had　finished　stinging　them。　The　wasps　left　as　quickly　as　they　had　e；　and　Sally　doctored　the　stings　with　more　sap　from　the　gumbo…limbo　tree。　They　pushed　on。
　Around　noon；　a　strange　sound　developed　in　the　canopy　above　them。　It　sounded　like　a　thousand　smacking；　gurgling　noises；　like　a　crowd　of　children　sucking　on　candies；　only　much　louder；　acpanied　by　a　rustling　in　the　branches　that　grew　in　volume　until　it　was　like　a　sudden　wind。　There　was　the　flashing　of　black　shapes；　just　seen　through　the　leaves。
　Chori　shipped　his　paddle；　and　instantly　a　small　bow　and　arrow　was　in　his　hand　and　pointed　skyward；　tensed　and　ready　to　go。
　〃Mono　chucuto；〃　Don　Alfonso　whispered　to　Tom。
　Before　Tom　could　say　anything；　Chori　had　loosed　his　arrow。　There　was　a　sudden　motion　above　and　a　black　monkey　came　falling　out　of　the　branches；　still　half　alive；　grasping　and　clutching　and　sliding　through　the　foliage　as　it　fell；　finally　landing　in　the　water　five　feet　from　the　dugout。　Chori　leapt　up　and　snatched　the　bundle　of　black　fur　out　of　the　water；　just　before　a　large　swirl　from　underneath　indicated　something　else　had　the　same　idea。
　〃Ehi！　Ehi！〃　he　said　with　a　vast　grin。　〃Uakaris！　Mmmm。〃
　〃There　are　two！〃　said　Don　Alfonso；　in　a　high　state　of　excitement。　〃This　was　a　very　lucky　strike；　Tomasito。　It　is　a　mother　and　her　baby。〃
　The　baby　monkey　was　still　clinging　to　the　mother；　squealing　in　terror。
　〃A　monkey？　You　shot　a　monkey？〃　Sally　said；　her　voice　high。
　〃Yes；　Curande