pdouglas.thecodex-第30节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　a　shallow　grave　had　been　hollowed　out　of　the　hard…clay　soil。　They　dragged　the　Teacher's　body　to　the　hole；　laid　him　in；　packed　a　layer　of　clay　on　top　of　him；　then　filled　the　grave　with　smooth　boulders　from　the　riverbank。　Don　Alfonso；　Chori；　and　Pingo　were　already　in　the　boats；　fretting；　waiting　to　go。
　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　Tom　asked；　putting　his　arm　around　his　brother。
　〃I've　made　a　decision；〃　Vernon　said。　〃I'm　not　going　back。　I'm　going　on　with　you。〃
　〃Vernon；　it's　all　arranged。〃
　〃What　have　I　got　to　go　back　to？　I'm　dead　broke；　and　I　don't　even　have　a　car。　I　certainly　can't　go　back　to　the　Ashram。〃
　〃You'll　figure　out　something。〃
　〃I've　already　figured　out　something。　I'm　ing　with　you。〃
　〃You're　in　no　condition　to　e　with　us。　You　almost　died　back　there。〃
　〃This　is　something　I　have　to　do；〃　said　Vernon。　〃I'm　all　right　now。〃
　Tom　hesitated；　wondering　if　Vernon　really　was　all　right。
　〃Please；　Tom。〃
　There　was　such　a　depth　of　pleading　in　Vernon's　voice　that　Tom　was　surprised…and；　despite　himself；　a　little　glad。　He　grasped　Vernon's　shoulder。　〃All　right。　We'll　do　this　together；　just　as　Father　wanted。〃
　Don　Alfonso　clapped　his　hands。　〃Enough　talking？　We　go　now？〃
　Tom　nodded；　and　Don　Alfonso　gave　the　order　to　push　off。
　〃Now　that　we　have　two　boats；〃　Sally　said；　〃I'll　do　my　share　of　the　poling。〃
　〃Puah！　Poling　is　a　man's　job。〃
　〃Don　Alfonso；　you　are　a　sexist　pig。〃
　Don　Alfonso　crinkled　his　brow。　〃Sexist　pig？　What　kind　of　animal　is　this？　Have　I　been　insulted？〃
　〃You　certainly　have；〃　said　Sally。
　Don　Alfonso　gave　his　boat　a　good　pole；　and　it　glided　forward。　He　grinned。　〃Then　I　am　happy。　To　be　insulted　by　a　beautiful　woman　is　always　an　honor。〃
　
　28
　
　Marcus　Aurelius　Hauser　examined　his　white　shirtfront；　and；　finding　a　small　beetle　making　its　laborious　way　up　it；　he　plucked　it　off；　crushed　it　between　spatulate　thumb　and　forefinger　with　a　satisfying　chitinous　crackle；　and　tossed　it　away。　He　turned　his　attention　back　to　Philip　Broadbent。　All　that　archness；　that　fey　effeteness；　was　gone。　Philip　squatted　on　the　ground；　shackled　hand　and　foot；　filthy；　bug　bitten；　unshaven。　It　was　disgraceful　how　some　people　just　could　not　maintain　their　personal　hygiene　in　the　jungle。
　He　glanced　over　to　where　the　guide；　Orlando　Ocotal；　was　being　held　by　three　of　his　soldiers。　Ocotal　had　caused　him　considerable　trouble。　He　had　almost　made　good　his　escape；　which　Hauser　had　only　prevented　by　the　most　dogged　pursuit。　A　whole　day　had　been　wasted。　Ocotal's　fatal　flaw　had　been　in　assuming　a　gringo；　a　yanqui；　would　not　be　able　to　track　him　in　the　swamp。　He　evidently　hadn't　heard　of　a　place　called　Vietnam。
　So　much　the　better。　Now　it　was　out　in　the　open。　They　were　almost　through　the　swamp　anyway；　and　Ocotal　had　outlived　his　usefulness。　The　lesson　he　would　teach　Ocotal　would　be　a　good　one　for　Philip；　too。
　Hauser　inhaled　the　fecund　jungle　air。　〃Do　you　remember；　Philip；　when　we　were　packing　the　boats？　You　wanted　to　know　what　we　were　going　to　do　with　these　manacles　and　chains？〃
　Philip　did　not　answer。
　Hauser　remembered　how　he　had　explained　that　the　manacles　were　an　important　psychological　tool　to　manage　the　soldiers；　a　sort　of　portable　brig。　Of　course；　he　would　never　actually　use　them。　〃Now　you　know；〃　Hauser　said。　〃They　were　for　you。〃
　〃Why　don't　you　just　kill　me　and　get　it　over　with？〃
　〃All　in　good　time。　One　doesn't　kill　the　last　in　the　family　line　lightly。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃
　〃Delighted　you　asked。　Shortly　I'll　be　taking　care　of　your　two　brothers；　who　are　behind　us　in　the　swamp。　When　the　last　of　the　Broadbent　line　has　been　made　extinct；　I　will　take　what　is　mine。〃
　〃You're　a　psychopath。〃
　〃I　am　a　rational　human　addressing　a　great　wrong　that　was　once　done　to　me；　thank　you。〃
　〃What　wrong　is　this？〃
　〃Your　father　and　I　were　partners。　He　deprived　me　of　my　share　of　the　loot　from　his　first　big　discovery。〃
　〃That　was　forty　years　ago。〃
　〃Which　only　pounds　the　crime。　While　I　struggled　for　forty　years　to　make　a　living；　your　father　bathed　in　luxury。〃
　Philip　struggled；　rattling　his　chains。
　〃How　wonderful　is　the　turn　of　the　wheel。　Forty　years　ago　your　father　cheated　me　out　of　a　fortune。　I　went　on　to　a　lovely　place　called　Vietnam　while　he　went　on　to　riches。　Now　I　stand　to　gain　it　all　back　and　more。　The　irony　of　it　is　delicious。　And　to　think；　Philip；　you　brought　me　this　on　a　silver　platter。〃
　Philip　said　nothing。
　Hauser　inhaled　again。　He　loved　the　heat　and　he　loved　the　air。　He　never　felt　so　healthy　and　alive　as　in　the　jungle。　All　that　was　missing　was　the　faint　perfume　of　napalm。　He　turned　to　one　of　the　soldiers。　〃Now　we　will　do　Ocotal。　e；　Philip；　you　won't　want　to　miss　this。〃
　The　two　dugouts　were　already　packed；　and　the　soldiers　shoved　Ocotal　and　Philip　into　one。　The　soldiers　fired　up　the　engines；　and　they　headed　into　the　maze　of　pools　and　side　channels　at　the　far　end　of　the　lake。　Hauser　stood　in　the　bow　keeping　an　eye　out。
　〃That　way。〃
　The　boats　motored　on　until　they　came　to　a　stagnant　pool；　cut　off　from　the　main　channel　by　the　lowering　water。　The　piranhas；　Hauser　knew；　had　been　concentrated　in　the　pool　by　the　subsiding　water。　Long　ago　they　had　eaten　all　the　available　food　and　were　now　eating　each　other。　Woe　to　any　animal　that　blundered　into　one　of　those　stagnant　pools。
　〃Cut　the　engine。　Drop　anchor。〃
　The　engines　sputtered　off；　and　the　ensuing　silence　was　broken　only　by　the　two　soft　splashes　of　the　rock　anchors。
　Hauser　turned　and　looked　at　Ocotal。　This　was　going　to　be　interesting。
　〃Stand　him　up。〃
　The　soldiers　pulled　Ocotal　to　his　feet。　Hauser　took　a　step　forward　and　gazed　on　his　face。　The　Indian；　dressed　in　a　Western　shirt　and　shorts；　was　straight　and　cool。　His　eyes　showed　neither　fear　nor　hatred。　This　Tawahka　Indian；　Hauser　thought；　had　proven　to　be　one　of　those　unfortunate　people　motivated　by　superannuated　notions　of　honor　and　loyalty。　Hauser　disliked　such　people。　They　were　unreliable　and　inflexible。　Max　had　also　proven　to　be　a　person　like　that。
　〃Well；　Don　Orlando；〃　Hauser　said；　giving　the　honorific　an　ironic　emphasis。　〃Have　you　anything　to　say　for　yourself？〃
　The　Indian　gazed　at　him　unblinkingly。
　Hauser　removed　his　pocketknife。　〃Hold　him　tight。〃
　The　soldiers　grasped　him。　His　hands　were　tied　behind　his　back；　and　his　feet　were　loosely　tied　together。
　Hauser　opened　the　little　knife　and　sharpened　the　blade　on　a　whetstone　with　a　quick　zing；　zing。　He　tested　it　against　his　thumb　and　smiled。　Then　he　reached　out　and　scored　a　long　cut　across　Ocotal's　chest；　cutting　through　the　fabric　of　his　shirt　to　his　skin　below。　It　wasn't　a　deep　cut；　but　the　blood　began　to　run；　turning　the　khaki　black。
　The　Indian　did　not　even　flinch。
　He　made　a　second　shallow　cut　on　the　shoulders；　and　two　more　cuts　on　the　arms　and　back。　Still　the　Indian　showed　nothing。　Hauser　was　impressed。　He　hadn't　seen　such　stamina　since　his　days　questioning　captured　Viet　Cong。
　〃Give　the　blood　a　little　time　to　flow；〃　he　said。
　They　waited。　The　shirt　darkened　with　blood。　A　bird　screamed　somewhere　in　the　depths　of　the　trees。
　〃Throw　him　in。〃
　The　three　solders　gave　him　a　shove；　and　he　went　over　the　side。　After　the　splash　there　was　a　moment　of　calm；　and　then　the　water　began　to　swirl；　slowly　at　first；　and　then　with　more　agitation；　until　the　pool　seethed。　There　were　flashes　of　silver　in　the　brown　water　like　fluttering　coins；　until　a　red　cloud　billowed　up；　turning　the　water　opaque。　Tatters　of　khaki　cloth　and　strings　of　flesh　rose　to　the　surface　and　bobbed　on　the　chop。
　The　boiling　went　on　for　a　good　five　minutes　before　it　finally　began　to　subside。　Hauser　was　pleased。　He　turned　to　see　Philip's　reaction　and　was　gratified　by　it。
　Very　gratified　indeed。
　
　29
　
　For　three　days　Tom　and　his　group　continued　traveling　through　the　heart　of　the　swamp　along　an　interconnecting　web　of　channels；　camping　on　mud…islands　scarcely　higher　than　the　waterline；　cooking　beans　and　rice　with　wet　wood　over　smoking　fires　because　Chori　could　find　no　fresh　game。　Despite　the　endless　rain　the　water　had　been　going　down；　exposing　waterlogged　tree　trunks　that　had　to　be　chopped　through　before　they　could　proceed。　They　carried　along　with　them　a　permanent；　malevolent　humming　cloud　of　blackflies。
　〃I'll　think　I'll　take　that　pipe　now；〃　said　Sally。　〃I'd　rather　die　of　cancer　than　endure　this。〃
　With　a　smile　of　triumph　Don　Alfonso　removed　it　from　his　pocket。　〃You　will　see…smoking　will　lead　to　a　long　and　happy　life。　I　myself　have　smoked　for　over　a　hundred　years。〃
　There　was　a　deep　booming　sound　from　the　jungle；　like　a　man　with　a　cough；　only　louder　and　slower。
　〃What　was　that？〃
　〃A　jaguar。　And　a　hungry　one。〃
　〃It's　amazing　what　you　know　about　the　forest；〃　Sally　said。
　〃Yes。〃　Don　Alfonso　sighed。　〃But　today　no　one　wants　to　learn　any　more　about　the　forest。　My　grandchildren　and　great…grandchildren；　all　they　care　about　is　soccer　and　those　fat　white　shoes　that　rot　your　feet；　the　ones　with　the　bird　on　the　sides　made　in　those　factories　in　San　Pedro　Sula。〃　He　pointed　at　Tom's　shoes　with　his　lips。
　〃Nikes？〃
　〃Yes。　Up　near　San　Pedro　Sula　there　are　entire　villages　of　boys　whose　feet　rotted　and　dropped　off　from　wearing　those。　Now　they　have　to　walk　around　on　wooden　stumps。〃
　〃That's　not　true。〃
　Don　Alfonso　shook　his　head；　clucking　disap