cussler.blueandgold-第37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！


as　surprised　when　his　plane　crashed。〃
　
　〃You　were　very　young；　but　do　you　remember　anything　he　said？〃
　
　〃Not　much。　My　mother　told　me　he　loved　to　fly　those　contraptions；　that　he　said　they　were　going　to　revolutionize　aviation。　He　seemed　quite　excited　about　his　assignments。　At　one　point　he　disappeared　for　a　period　of　weeks。　No　munication；　no　con　tact　except　in　the　direst　emergency。　Mom　said　that　when　he　came　home　she　said　something　about　his　sunburn。　He　laughed　and　said　it　was　more　like　snow　burn；　but　he　never　explained　what　he　meant。〃
　
　〃Did　he　leave　any　papers；　a　journal　or　diary？〃
　
　〃Nothing　I　know　of。　I　remember　after　he　died　that　a　bunch　of　Air　Force　people　came　to　the　house。　They　might　have　taken　whatever　he　had　written。　Does　any　of　this　help？〃
　
　Austin　thought　about　his　conversation　with　Fred　Miller　at　Garber；　particularly　the　mention　of　early　stealth　aircraft　technology。　〃My　guess　is　that　your　father　was　training　for　a　secret　mission　in　the　north。〃　〃That　was　fifty　years　ago。　Why　still　keep　it　secret？〃
　
　〃Secrets　have　a　way　of　justifying　themselves　beyond　the　point　of　necessity。〃
　
　Miller　looked　out　over　the　shady　yard。　〃The　worst　thing　is　knowing　that　my　father　could　have　been　alive　all　those　years。〃　He　turned　back　to　Austin。　〃Maybe　he's　still　alive。　He'd　be　in　his　eighties。〃
　
　〃It's　possible。　It　also　means　that　there　might　be　someone　out　there　who　knows　the　real　story。〃
　
　〃I'd　like　the　truth　to　e　out；　Mr。　Austin。　Can　you　help　me？〃
　
　〃I'll　do　what　I　can。〃
　
　They　talked　further。　Before　parting　they　exchanged　phone　numbers。　Austin　vowed　he　would　call　if　he　learned　anything。　He　started　back　for　Washington。　Like　any　good　detective　he　had　knocked　on　doors　and　used　up　some　shoe　leather；　but　this　puzzle　was　too　old；　too　plex　for　ordinary　methods。　It　was　time　to　see　NUMA's　puter　whiz；　Hiram　Yaeger。
　
　Chapter　19
　The　Indian　village　was　a　marvel　of　city　planning。　Strolling　along　the　network　of　hard…packed　earthen　paths　that　connected　the　thatched　huts；　the　Trouts　could　almost　forget　that　their　entourage　included　a　mysterious　and　beautiful　white　goddess　in　a　jaguar…skin　bikini　and　a　silent　escort　of　six　armed　Chulo　Indians　painted　the　color　of　an　executive　jet。
　
　Francesca　led　the　procession。　The　warriors；　three　on　either　side；　kept　pace　a　respectable　spear's　length　away。　Francesca　stopped　near　the　big　well　in　the　village　center。　Indian　women　were　filling　pots　with　water　while　gangs　of　naked　children　happily　chased　each　other　around　their　mothers'　legs。　Francesca　beamed　with　obvious　pride。
　
　〃Every　improvement　you　see　here　is　part　of　an　integrated　scheme；〃　she　said　with　a　sweep　of　her　hands。　〃I　planned　the　project　as　if　I　were　building　a　new　infrastructure　for　Sao　Paulo。　I　worked　for　months　before　one　spadeful　of　earth　was　turned；　putting　everything　in　place；　right　down　to　the　allocation　of　capital；　sources　of　supply；　and　labor。　I　had　to　establish　a　subsidiary　to　manufacture　the　specialized　tools　that　would　be　needed　to　produce　wooden　pipe；　valves；　and　fittings。　At　the　same　time　it　was　necessary　to　keep　the　village　functioning　without　interrupting　hunting　and　harvesting。〃
　
　〃Remarkable；〃　Gamay　said；　looking　around　at　the　neatly　ordered　huts。　She　couldn't　help　paring　the　village　with　the　
　squalor　of　Dieter's　empire　or　the　relatively　civilized　settlement　where　Dr。　Ramirez　had　his　house。　〃Absolutely　remarkable；〃　Gamay　repeated。
　
　〃Thank　you；　but　once　I　had　the　preparations　in　place　it　wasn't　as　difficult　as　it　looks。　The　key　was　water　flow。　It's　just　as　essential　to　life　and　living　here　as　it　is　back　in　the　so…called　civilized　world。　I　assigned　digging　crews　to　divert　the　river。　We　had　the　same　problems　as　any　project。　The　shovel　makers　plained　that　we　were　pushing　them　too　hard　and　that　quality　was　suffering。〃　She　laughed。　〃It　was　exhilarating。　We　made　a　canal　to　open　a　tributary　from　the　lake。　Once　we　established　the　water　supply；　it　was　a　simple　matter　to　divert　it　to　the　public　wells。　The　gristmill　was　basic　time…proven　technology。〃
　
　〃The　water　wheel　is　as　good　as　anything　I've　seen　in　the　old　industrial　towns　in　New　England；〃　Paul　said；　stopping　in　front　of　a　hut　no　bigger　than　a　one…car　garage。　〃But　I　am　really　impressed　with　the　plumbing　in　these　public　modes。　Back　where　I　e　from　they　used　outhouses　right　into　the　twentieth　century。〃
　
　〃I'm　particularly　proud　of　the　public　water　closets；〃　she　said　as　they　continued　their　tour。　〃When　I　finally　admitted　to　myself　that　my　desalination　process　would　never　see　the　light　of　day；　I　turned　my　efforts　to　improving　the　life　of　these　wretched　savages。　They　lived　at　a　Stone　Age　level。　Their　hygiene　was　pitiful。　Mothers　routinely　died　in　childbirth。　The　infant　mortality　rate　was　incredible。　The　adults　were　the　targets　of　every　parasite　that　grows　in　the　rain　forest。　Their　traditional　medicinal　plants　were　simply　overwhelmed。　Diet　was　of　little　nutrition。　Producing　a　clean　and　reliable　water　flow　not　only　protected　the　people　from　their　usual　ailments；　but　it　allowed　them　to　grow　the　crops　that　would　keep　them　healthy。〃
　
　〃We　were　wondering　whether　your　talents　extended　to　surgery；〃　Gamay　said。　〃Tessa's　brother　had　a　peculiar　scar　on　his　body。〃
　
　She　clapped　her　hands　like　a　delighted　child。　〃Oh；　the　appendectomy！　He　would　have　died　if　I　hadn't　acted。　My　training　
　was　limited　to　first　aid。　I　had　the　Chulo　pharmacology　to　thank。　They　dip　their　blowgun　darts　in　the　sap　from　a　plant。　They　use　it　to　paralyze　game；　but　even　a　small　amount　can　incapacitate　a　human。　I　smeared　it　on　a　large　leaf　and　placed　it　on　the　skin。　It　functioned　as　a　local　anesthetic。　The　stitches　used　to　close　the　wound　were　made　with　fibers　from　another　plant　that　seems　to　resist　infection。　The　knife　had　an　obsidian　point；　sharper　than　a　scalpel。　Nothing　high…tech；　I'm　afraid。〃
　
　〃I　wish　I　could　say　the　same　for　those　weapons　your　guards　are　carrying；〃　Paul　said；　eyeing　the　steel　tips　of　the　short　throwing　spears　their　guards　carried。　Each　man　also　carried　a　bow　and　a　quiver　of　long…shafted　arrows。
　
　〃Those　bows　and　spear　tips　were　made　with　aluminum　from　the　plane。　The　shortened　bow　is　easier　to　carry　through　the　forest；　and　the　design　makes　the　arrow　fly　farther。〃
　
　〃If　Arnaud　and　his　men　were　still　alive　they　could　vouch　for　their　effectiveness；〃　Paul　said。
　
　〃I'm　truly　sorry　about　those　men；　but　they　brought　their　fate　upon　themselves。　The　Chulo　are　a　paratively　small　tribe；　and　they've　always　preferred　flight　to　fight。　Oh；　they'll　shrink　a　head　or　eat　an　enemy；　but　they　rarely　go　out　and　catch　someone　in　a　raid。　They　just　want　to　be　left　alone。　The　white　man　drove　them　further　into　the　forest。　They　thought　they　were　safe　once　they　went　beyond　the　Great　Falls；　but　white　exploiters　continued　to　press　them。　They　would　have　been　destroyed　if　I　hadn't　helped　them　improve　their　defenses。〃
　
　〃I've　been　noticing　the　arrangement　of　the　village；〃　Gamay　said。　〃The　layout　reminds　me　of　the　architecture　I've　seen　in　old　walled　cities。〃
　
　〃Very　perceptive。　Anyone　who　got　past　the　stockade　fence　would　be　in　a　most　unfortable　position。　The　village　is　full　of　cul…de…sacs　and　blind　alleys　that　offer　prime　opportunities　for　ambush。〃
　
　〃What　if　the　intruders　were　ing　to　rescue　you？〃　Paul　said。　〃Wouldn't　these　preparations　be　self…defeating？〃
　
　〃I　gave　up　hope　of　rescue　a　long　time　ago。　My　father　would　have　made　sure　search　parties　scoured　the　forest。　He　must　have　bee　convinced　that　I　was　dead；　which　is　just　as　well。　Three　men　died　in　the　plane　crash；　and　the　tribal　chief　was　killed　be　cause　of　me。　I　wouldn't　want　to　be　responsible　for　additional　deaths。〃
　
　〃It's　ironic；〃　Gamay　mused。　〃The　more　you　do　for　these　people；　the　less　likely　they　are　to　release　you。〃
　
　〃True；　but　they　would　have　kept　me　captive　even　if　I　just　sat　around　making　goddess　sounds　and　getting　fat。　As　long　as　I　had　to　be　here；　it　would　have　been　sinful　not　to　use　my　talents　to　improve　their　lot。　When　white　men　finally　e；　I　hope　the　Chulo　will　use　their　knowledge　rather　than　their　arms　to　deal　with　civilization's　impact。　Unfortunately　in　the　meantime　I　have　little　control　of　the　tribe's　more　murderous　instincts。　Once　Arnaud　and　his　friends　showed　hostile　intent　they　were　doomed。　There　was　no　way　I　could　save　them。　In　your　case　it　was　easier。　You　were　so　helpless　in　the　forest；　they　never　saw　you　as　a　threat　until　now。〃
　
　Gamay's　ears　perked　up。　〃A　threat？〃
　
　〃Try　not　to　look　alarmed；〃　Francesca　said。　A　smile　played　on　her　lips；　but　her　eyes　were　deadly　serious。　〃They　don't　under　stand　what　we're　saying；　but　they　sense　things。〃　She　stopped　to　demonstrate　a　water　pipe　that　served　as　a　fire　hydrant；　then　resumed　her　casual　walk。　〃They're　worried。　They　think　you　are　flawed　gods。〃
　
　〃If　we're　so　insignificant；　why　are　they　concerned？〃　Gamay　
　
　　〃They're　afraid　you're　here　to　take　me　back　into　the　sky　where　I　came　from。〃
　
　〃They　told　you　that？〃
　
　〃They　don't　have　to。　I　know　these　people　intimately。　In　addition；　Tessa's　been　picking　up　whisperings。　They're　talking　about　burning　you。　The　smoke　from　your　bodies　will　take　you　back　into　the　sky。　Problem　solved。〃
　
　Paul　ventured　a　sidelong　glance　at　the　gu