pdouglas.thecodex-第28节

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　The　baby　monkey　was　still　clinging　to　the　mother；　squealing　in　terror。
　〃A　monkey？　You　shot　a　monkey？〃　Sally　said；　her　voice　high。
　〃Yes；　Curandera；　are　we　not　lucky？〃
　〃Lucky？　This　is　awful！〃
　Don　Alfonso's　face　fell。　〃You　do　not　like　monkey？　The　brains　of　this　monkey　are　truly　a　delicacy　when　roasted　lightly　in　the　skull。〃
　〃We　can't　eat　a　monkey！〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃Why；　it's　。。。　it's　practically　cannibalism。〃　She　rounded　on　Tom。　〃I　can't　believe　you　let　him　shoot　a　monkey！〃
　〃I　didn't　let　him　shoot　anything。〃
　Chori；　understanding　nothing　and　still　grinning　proudly；　dumped　the　monkey　on　the　floor　of　the　boat　in　front　of　them。　It　stared　up　at　them；　eyes　filming　over；　tongue　halfway　out。　The　baby　leapt　off　the　dead　body　of　its　mother　and　crouched　in　terror；　hands　over　its　head；　making　a　high…pitched　scream。
　〃Ehi！　Ehi！〃　Chori　said；　reaching　to　grab　the　baby　monkey　with　one　hand　while　raising　the　machete　with　the　other；　ready　to　deliver　the　coup　de　grace。
　〃No！〃　Tom　snatched　the　little　black　monkey　up　into　his　arms。　It　nestled　down　and　stopped　screaming。　Chori；　his　machete　half　raised；　stared　in　surprise。
　Don　Alfonso　leaned　forward。　〃I　do　not　understand。　What　is　this　about　cannibalism？〃
　〃Don　Alfonso；〃　Tom　said；　〃we　consider　monkeys　to　be　almost　human。〃
　Don　Alfonso　said　something　sharply　to　Chori；　whose　grin　vanished　in　a　look　of　disappointment。　Don　Alfonso　turned　back　to　them。　〃I　did　not　know　monkeys　were　sacred　to　North　Americans。　And　it　is　true　they　are　almost　human；　except　that　God　put　hands　on　their　feet。　I　am　sorry。　If　I　had　known；　I　would　not　have　allowed　it　to　be　killed。〃　He　said　something　sharply　to　Chori　and　the　boat　moved　on。　Then　he　picked　up　the　mother's　body　and　tossed　it　into　the　water；　there　was　a　swirl　and　it　was　gone。
　Tom　felt　the　monkey　nestling　more　vigorously　into　the　crook　of　his　arm；　whimpering　and　trying　to　burrow　into　the　warmth。　He　looked　down。　A　little　black　face　peeped　back　up　at　him；　eyes　wide；　and　a　tiny　hand　reached　out。　The　monkey　was　small…no　more　than　eight　inches　long　and　weighing　no　more　than　three　or　four　pounds。　His　hair　was　soft　and　short；　and　he　had　large　brown　eyes；　a　tiny　pink　nose；　little　human　ears；　and　four　miniature　hands　with　delicate　fingers　as　slender　as　toothpicks。
　Tom　found　Sally　looking　at　him　with　a　smile　on　her　face。
　〃What？〃
　〃Looks　like　you've　made　a　new　friend。〃
　〃Oh　no。〃
　〃Oh　yes。〃
　The　little　monkey　had　recovered　from　its　terror。　It　crawled　out　on　Tom's　arm　and　began　poking　around　his　chest。　Its　little　black　hands　went　scurrying　and　plucking　into　the　folds　of　his　clothing　while　it　made　a　smacking　sound　with　its　lips。
　〃He's　grooming　you；〃　said　Sally。　〃Looking　for　lice。〃
　〃I　hope　he's　disappointed。〃
　〃Look；　Tomás；〃　said　Don　Alfonso；　〃he　thinks　you　are　his　mother。〃
　〃How　could　you　eat　this　beautiful　creature？〃　Sally　asked。
　Don　Alfonso　shrugged。　〃All　the　creatures　of　the　forest　are　beautiful；　Curandera。〃
　Tom　could　feel　the　monkey　bing　and　picking　through　his　shirt。　The　monkey　crept　about；　using　his　buttons　as　handholds；　and　lifted　up　the　flap　of　his　giant；　explorer…style　vest　pocket。　He　rummaged　in　there　with　a　hand；　made　a　smacking　noise；　and　then　climbed　in　it　and　wriggled　himself　into　place。　He　sat　there；　his　arms　folded；　peering　around；　his　nose　slightly　elevated。
　Sally　clapped　her　hands　together　and　laughed。　〃Oh；　Tom；　he　really　likes　you　now。〃
　〃What　do　they　eat？〃　Tom　asked　Don　Alfonso。
　〃Everything。　Insects；　leaves；　grubs。　You　will　not　have　any　trouble　feeding　your　new　friend。〃
　〃Who　says　he's　my　responsibility？〃
　〃Because　he　chose　you；　Tomasito。　You　belong　to　him　now。〃
　Tom　looked　down　at　the　monkey；　who　was　now　peering　around　like　a　miniature　lord　surveying　his　domain。
　〃He's　a　hairy　little　bugger；〃　said　Sally　in　English。
　〃Hairy　Bugger。　That's　what　we'll　call　him。〃
　
　That　afternoon；　at　one　particularly　convoluted　maze　of　channels；　Don　Alfonso　stopped　the　boat　and　spent　more　than　ten　minutes　examining　the　water；　tasting　it；　dropping　spitballs　into　it　and　watching　them　drift　to　the　bottom。　Finally　he　sat　up。
　〃There　is　a　problem。〃
　〃Are　we　lost？〃　Tom　asked。
　〃No。　They　are　lost。〃
　〃Who？〃
　〃One　of　your　brothers。　They　took　that　channel　to　the　left；　which　leads　to　the　Plaza　Negra；　the　Black　Place；　the　rotten　heart　of　the　swamp　where　the　demons　live。〃
　The　channel　wound　between　enormous　tree　trunks　and　clumps　of　hanging　vines；　a　layer　of　greenish　mist　hanging　just　above　the　black　surface　of　the　water。　It　looked　like　a　watery　pathway　to　hell。
　It　must　be　Vernon；　Tom　thought。　Vernon　was　always　getting　lost；　literally　and　figuratively。　〃How　long　ago？〃
　〃At　least　a　week。〃
　〃Is　there　a　place　to　camp　near　here？〃
　〃There　is　a　small　island　a　quarter　mile　further。〃
　〃We'll　stop　there　and　unload；〃　said　Tom。　〃We'll　leave　Pingo　and　Sally　in　camp；　while　you　and　I　and　Chori　take　the　dugout　on　a　search　for　my　brother。　We've　no　time　to　lose。〃
　
　They　landed　on　a　sodden　mud…island　while　a　rain　of　such　intensity　that　it　was　more　like　a　waterfall　poured　down　on　them。　Don　Alfonso　gestured　and　shouted；　supervising　the　unloading　and　then　reprovisioning　of　the　boat；　holding　back　the　supplies　they　would　need　for　their　journey。
　〃We　may　be　gone　for　two　or　three　days；〃　Don　Alfonso　said。　〃We　must　prepare　to　spend　several　nights　in　the　dugout。　There　might　be　rain。〃
　〃No　kidding；〃　said　Sally。
　Tom　handed　Sally　the　monkey。　〃Take　care　of　him　while　I'm　gone；　okay？〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　The　boat　pulled　away。　Tom　watched　her　in　the　pouring　rain；　a　dim　figure　growing　dimmer。　〃Tom；　please　take　care　of　yourself；〃　she　called；　just　as　her　figure　vanished。
　Chori　poled　strongly　down　the　channel；　the　unburdened　boat　moving　swiftly。　Five　minutes　later　Tom　heard　a　screeching　noise　in　the　branches　above　the　boat；　and　a　little　black　ball　came　bouncing　from　branch　to　branch　and　finally　shot　out　of　an　overhead　tree　and　landed　on　his　head；　shrieking　like　a　lost　soul。　It　was　Hairy　Bugger。
　〃You　rascal；　you　didn't　wait　long　to　escape；〃　said　Tom；　taking　the　tiny　monkey　back　into　his　pocket；　where　he　snuggled　down　and　instantly　fell　silent。
　The　dugout　pushed　deeper　into　the　rain…rotten　swamp。
　
　27
　
　The　storm　reached　a　climax　of　fury　as　their　dugout　reached　the　channel　to　the　Black　Place。　Flashes　of　lightning　and　bursts　of　thunder　echoed　through　the　forest；　sometimes　ing　only　seconds　apart；　like　an　artillery　barrage。　The　tops　of　the　trees；　two　hundred　feet　above　their　heads；　shook　and　thrashed。
　The　channel　soon　divided　into　a　maze　of　shallow　waterways　winding　amid　shivery　expanses　of　stinking　mud。　Don　Alfonso　stopped　from　time　to　time　to　check　for　pole　marks　in　the　shallow　bottom。　The　drenching　rain　never　let　up；　and　night　came　so　imperceptibly　that　Tom　was　startled　when　Don　Alfonso　called　a　halt。
　〃We　will　sleep　in　the　dugout　like　savages；〃　Don　Alfonso　said。　〃Here　is　a　good　place　to　stop　as　there　are　no　thick　branches　above　us。　I　do　not　want　to　wake　up　to　the　rotten　smell　of　jaguar　breath。　We　must　take　care　not　to　die　here；　Tomasito；　for　our　souls　would　never　find　their　way　out。〃
　〃I'll　do　my　best。〃
　Tom　bundled　himself　in　his　mosquito　netting；　found　a　place　in　their　heap　of　gear；　and　tried　to　go　to　sleep。　The　rain　finally　ceased；　but　he　was　still　soaked　to　the　skin。　The　jungle　was　filled　with　the　sound　of　dripping　water；　punctuated　with　the　cries　and　moans　and　gasping　shrieks　of　animals；　some　of　which　seemed　almost　human。　Maybe　they　were　human；　the　lost　souls　Don　Alfonso　had　talked　about。　Tom　thought　of　his　brother　Vernon；　lost　in　this　swamp；　sick　perhaps；　maybe　even　dying。　He　remembered　him　as　a　boy　who　always　had　a　hopeful；　friendly；　and　perpetually　lost　look　on　his　face。　He　subsided　into　a　troubled　night　of　dreams。
　They　found　the　dead　body　the　next　day。　It　was　floating　in　the　water；　a　hump　with　red　and　white　stripes。　Chori　poled　toward　it。　The　hump　turned　out　to　be　a　wet　shirt　inflated　with　the　gases　of　deposition。　As　the　dugout　approached；　a　cloud　of　angry　flies　rose　up。
　Carefully；　Chori　brought　the　dugout　alongside。　A　dozen　dead　piranhas　floated　around　the　corpse；　their　goggle　eyes　filmed　over；　their　mouths　open。　The　rain　drizzled　down。
　The　hair　was　short　and　black。　It　was　not　Vernon。
　Don　Alfonso　said　something；　and　Chori　prodded　the　body　with　a　pole。　The　gas　escaped　from　under　the　wet　shirt　with　a　blabbering　sound；　and　there　was　a　foul　smell。　Chori　placed　the　pole　under　the　corpse　and；　using　the　bottom　as　a　fulcrum　point；　heaved　it　over。　The　flies　roared　up。　The　water　boiled　and　flashed　with　silver　as　the　fish　that　had　been　feasting　underneath　the　body　darted　away　in　fright。
　Tom　stared　with　shock　at　the　body；　now　face　up　in　the　water；　if　〃face　up〃　could　even　describe　it。　Piranhas　had　eaten　the　face　off　along　with　the　entire　ventral　side　of　the　body；　leaving　only　the　bones。　The　nose　had　been　chewed　down　to　a　withered　piece　of　cartilage；　the　lips　and　tongue　were　gone；　the　mouth　a　hole。　A　minnow；　trapped　in　an　eye　socket；　thrashed　about；　trying　to　escape。　The　smell　of　deposition　hit　him　like　a　wet　rag。　The　water　began　to　swirl　as　the　fish　began　to　work　on　the　fresh　side。　Bits　of　cloth　from　the　shirt　floated　to　the　surface。
　〃It　is　one　of　those　boys　from　Puerto　Lempira；〃　said　D