cussler.blueandgold-第8节

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no　reason　he　couldn't　be　impeccably　dressed　anywhere；　even　in　the　depths　of　the　Venezuelan　rain　forest　where　a　loincloth　is　considered　going　formal。　Paul's　foppish　attire　belied　a　potent　physical　strength　built　up　from　his　days　as　a　fisherman　on　Cape　Cod。　The　barnacle…hard　calluses　on　his　palms　were　gone；　but　the　muscles　from　hoisting　fish　boxes　lurked　behind　the　razor…creased　clothes；　and　he　knew　how　to　use　the　leverage　of　his　six…foot…eight　body。　　　　
　〃The　depth　finder　says　it's　only　thirty　feet　deep；　so　your　giddiness　is　not　caused　by　nitrogen　narcosis；〃　he　said　in　his　typical　analytical　way。　　　　
　Gamay　undid　the　tie　holding　back　the　shoulder…length　hair　whose　dark　red　color　had　prompted　her　wine　connoisseur　father　to　name　his　daughter　after　the　grape　of　Beaujolais。　　　　
　〃Insightful　observation；　my　dear；〃　she　said；　wringing　the　water　from　her　tresses。　〃I　was　laughing　because　I　thought　I　was　the　sneaker　when　I　was　really　the　sneakee。〃　　　　
　Paul　blinked。　〃What　a　relief。　That　certainly　clears　things　know　what　a　sneaker　is。　Sneakee；　on　the　other　hand　。　。　。〃　　　　
　She　flashed　a　dazzling　smile。　〃Cyrano　the　dolphin　sneaked　up　and　goosed　me　with　his　nose。〃　　　　
　〃I　don't　blame　him。〃　He　leered　at　her　slim…hipped　body　with　a　Groucho　Marx　hike　of　his　eyebrows。　　　　
　〃Mother　warned　me　about　men　who　wear　bow　ties　and　part　their　hair　in　the　middle。〃　　　　
　〃Did　I　ever　tell　you；　you　look　like　Lauren　Hutton？〃　he　said；　puffing　on　an　imaginary　cigar。　〃And　that　I'm　attracted　to　women　with　a　sexy　space　between　their　front　teeth？〃　　　　〃Bet　you　say　that　to　all　the　girls；〃　she　said；　putting　a　Mae　West　huskiness　into　her　voice；　which　was　low　and　cool　by　nature。　〃I　did　learn　something　scientific　from　Cyrano's　little　love　poke。〃　　　　
　〃That　you　have　a　nose　fetish？〃　　　　
　She　gave　him　a　no…nonsense　lift　of　her　eyebrow。　〃No；　al　though　I　wouldn't　rule　it　out。　I　learned　that　river　dolphins　may　be　more　primitively　developed　than　their　saltwater　cousins　and　more　mellow　in　general　than　their　marine　relatives。　But　they　are　intelligent　and　playful　and　have　a　sense　of　humor。〃　　　　
　〃You　would　need　a　sense　of　humor　if　you　were　pink　and　gray；　had　flippers　with　discernible　fingers　on　them；　a　dorsal　fin　that's　a　joke　in　itself；　and　a　head　like　a　deformed　cantaloupe。〃　　　　
　〃Not　a　bad　biological　observation　for　a　deep　ocean　geologist。〃
　〃Glad　to　be　of　help。〃　　　　
　She　kissed　him　again；　on　the　lips　this　time。　〃I　really　appreciate　your　being　here。　And　for　all　the　work　you've　done　puter　profiling　the　river。　It's　been　a　nice　change。　I'm　almost　sorry　to　be　going　home。〃　　　　
　Paul　looked　around　at　their　tranquil　surroundings。　〃I've　actually　enjoyed　it。　This　place　is　like　a　medieval　cathedral。　And　the　critters　have　certainly　been　fun；　although　I　don't　know　if　I　like　them　taking　liberties　with　my　wife。〃　　　　
　〃Cyrano　and　I　have　a　purely　platonic　relationship；〃　Gamay　said　with　a　haughty　elevation　of　her　chin。　〃He　was　just　trying　to　get　my　attention　so　I'd　give　him　a　treat。〃　　　　〃A　treat？〃　　　　
　〃A　fish　treat。〃　She　slapped　the　side　of　the　inflatable　several　times　with　a　paddle。　There　was　a　splash　where　the　lagoon　opened　into　the　river。　A　pinkish…gray　hump　with　a　long；　low　dorsal　fin　cut　a　V…shaped　ripple　in　their　direction。　It　circled　the　boat；　emitting　a　sneezing　sound　from　its　blowhole。　Gamay　scattered　fish　meal　pellets；　and　the　slim　beak　came　out　of　the　water　and　hungrily　snapped　them　down。　　　　
　〃We've　verified　those　apocryphal　stories　of　dolphins　ing　on　call。　I　can　imagine　them　helping　the　locals　with　their　fishing　as　we've　heard。〃　　　　
　〃You've　also　proven　that　Cyrano　has　done　a　good　job　of　training　you　to　give　him　a　snack。〃　　　　
　〃True；　but　these　creatures　are　supposed　to　be　unfinished　versions　of　the　saltwater　type；　so　it's　of　interest　to　me　that　their　brains　have　advanced　faster　than　their　physical　appearance。〃　　　　They　watched　the　circling　dolphin　with　amusement　for　a　few　minutes；　then；　aware　that　the　light　was　waning；　decided　to　head　back。　　　　
　While　Gamay　arranged　her　gear；　Paul　started　the　outboard　motor　and　headed　them　out　of　the　lagoon　onto　the　slow…moving　river。　The　inky　water　changed　to　a　strained…pea　green。　The　dolphin　kept　pace；　but　when　he　saw　there　would　be　no　more　treats；　he　peeled　off　like　a　fighter　plane。　Before　long　the　thick　jungle　along　the　river　gave　way　to　a　clearing。　A　handful　of　thatched　huts　were　grouped　around　a　white　stucco　house　with　a　red　tile　roof　and　arcade　facade　in　the　Spanish　colonial　style。　　　　
　They　tied　up　at　a　small　pier；　hauled　their　gear　from　the　boat；　and　walked　to　the　stucco　building；　trailing　a　chattering　gang　of　half　naked　Indian　children。　The　youngsters　were　shooed　away　by　the　housekeeper；　a　formidable　Spanish…Indian　woman　who　wielded　a　broom　like　a　battle…ax。　Paul　and　Gamay　went　inside。　A　silver…haired　man　in　his　sixties；　wearing　a　white　shirt　with　an　embroidered　front；　cotton　slacks；　and　handmade　sandals；　rose　from　his　desk　in　the　coolness　of　the　study　where　he　had　been　working　on　a　pile　of　papers。　He　strode　over　to　greet　them　with　obvious　pleasure。　　　　
　〃Senor　and　Senora　Trout。　Good　to　see　you。　Your　work　went　well；　I　trust。〃　　　
　　〃Very　well；　Dr。　Ramirez。　Thank　you；〃　Gamay　said。　〃I　had　the　chance　to　catalog　more　dolphin　behavior；　and　Paul　wrapped　up　his　puter　modeling　of　the　river。〃　　　　
　〃I　had　very　little　to　do　with　it；　actually；〃　Paul　said。　〃It　was　mostly　a　question　of　alerting　researchers　at　the　Amazon　Basin　project　of　Gamay's　work　here　and　asking　them　to　point　the　LandSat　satellite　in　this　direction。　I　can　finish　the　puter　modeling　when　we　get　home；　and　Gamay　will　use　it　as　part　of　her　habitat　analysis。〃　　　　
　〃I'll　be　very　sorry　to　see　you　go。　It　was　kind　of　the　National　Underwater　&　Marine　Agency　to　lend　its　experts　for　a　small　re　search　project。〃　　　　
　Gamay　said；　〃Without　these　rivers　and　the　flora　and　fauna　that　grow　here；　there　would　be　no　ocean　life。〃　　　　
　〃Thank　you；　Senora　Gamay。　As　a　way　of　appreciation　I　have　prepared　a　special　dinner　for　your　last　night　here。〃　　　　
　〃That's　very　nice　of　you；〃　Paul　said。　〃We'll　pack　early　so　we'll　be　ready　for　the　supply　boat。〃　　　　
　〃I　wouldn't　be　too　concerned；〃　he　said。　〃The　boat　is　always　late。〃　　　　
　〃Fine　with　us；〃　Paul　replied。　〃We'll　have　time　to　talk　some　more　about　your　work。〃
　　　　Ramirez　chuckled。　〃I　feel　like　a　troglodyte。　I　still　practice　my　science　of　botany　the　old　way；　cutting　plants；　preserving　and　paring　them；　and　writing　reports　nobody　reads。〃　He　beamed。　〃Our　little　river　creatures　have　never　had　better　friends　than　you。〃　　　　Gamay　said。　〃Perhaps　our　work　will　show　where　the　dolphins'　habitat　is　under　environmental　threat。　Then　something　can　be　done　about　it。〃　　　　
　He　shook　his　head　sadly。　〃In　Latin　America；　government　tends　to　move　slowly　unless　there　is　someone's　pocket　to　be　filled。　Worthwhile　projects　sink　into　the　morass。〃　　　　〃Sounds　like　home。　Our　bottomless　swamp　is　named　Washington；　D。C。〃　　　　
　They　were　laughing　at　their　shared　joke　when　the　house　keeper　herded　a　native　into　the　study。　He　was　short　and　muscular；　wore　a　loincloth；　and　had　large　copper　loops　in　his　ears。　His　jet…black　hair　was　cut　in　bangs；　and　his　eyebrows　had　been　shaved　off。　He　spoke　in　respectful　tones　to　the　doctor；　but　his　ex　cited　speech　and　darting　eyes　made　it　clear　something　had　set　him　off。　He　kept　pointing　toward　the　river。　Dr。　Ramirez　grabbed　a　broad…brimmed　Panama　hat　from　a　hook。
　
　〃There　is　apparently　a　dead　man　in　a　canoe；〃　he　said。　〃My　apologies；　but　as　the　only　government　representative　of　any　kind　within　a　hundred　miles；　I　must　investigate。〃
　
　〃May　we　e？〃　Gamay　said。
　
　〃Of　course。　I　am　hardly　a　Sherlock　Holmes　and　would　wele　other　trained　scientific　eyes。　You　may　find　this　of　inter　est。　This　gentleman　says　the　dead　man　is　a　ghost…spirit。〃　Noting　the　puzzled　reaction　of　his　guests；　he　said；　〃I'll　explain　later。〃
　
　They　hustled　from　the　house　and　walked　quickly　past　the　huts　to　the　edge　of　the　river。　The　men　of　the　village　were　gathered　silently　near　the　water。　Children　were　trying　to　peek　through　their　legs。　The　women　stayed　back。　The　gathering　parted　as　Dr。　Ramirez　approached。　Tied　up　to　the　dock　was　an　ornately　carved　dugout　canoe。　The　dugout　was　painted　white　except　for　the　bow；　which　was　blue；　and　a　blue　stripe　that　extended　from　the　front　to　the　back。
　
　The　body　of　a　young　Indian　man　lay　on　his　back　inside　the　canoe。　Like　the　village　Indians；　he　had　black　hair　cut　in　bangs　and　he　wore　only　a　loincloth。　The　resemblance　ended　there。　The　village　men　tattooed　their　bodies　or　dabbed　crimson　paint　on　their　high　cheekbones　to　protect　them　from　evil　spirits　who　supposedly　cannot　see　the　color　red。　The　dead　man's　nose　and　chin　were　painted　in　a　pale　blue　that　extended　down　his　arms。　The　rest　of　his　body　was　a　stark　white。　When　Dr。　Ramirez　leaned　into　the　canoe　his　shadow　startled　the　green…bottle　flies　clustered　on　the　dead　man's　chest；　and　they　buzzed　off　to　reveal　a　gaping　circular　hole。
　
　Paul　sucked　his　breath　in。　〃That　looks　like　a　gunshot　wound。〃
　
　〃I　think　you're　right；〃　Dr。　Ramirez　said；　a　serious　look　in　his　deep…set　eyes。　〃It　doesn't　resemble　any　spear　or　arrow　wound　I've　ever　seen。〃
　
　He　turned　to　the　villagers　and　after　a　few　minutes　of　conversation　translated　for　the　Trouts。
　
　〃T