cussler.blueandgold-第9节

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　He　turned　to　the　villagers　and　after　a　few　minutes　of　conversation　translated　for　the　Trouts。
　
　〃They　say　they　were　out　fishing　when　the　canoe　came　floating　on　the　river。　They　recognized　it　from　the　color　as　a　ghost　spirit　boat　and　were　afraid。　It　appeared　to　be　empty　so　they　came　alongside。　They　saw　the　dead　man　in　the　canoe　and　thought　they　would　simply　let　the　boat　go　on　its　way。　Then　they　thought　better　of　it；　because　his　spirit　might　e　back　to　haunt　them　for　not　giving　him　a　decent　burial。　So　they　brought　him　here　and　made　him　my　problem。〃
　
　〃Why　would　they　be　afraid　of　this　。　。　。　ghost…spirit？〃　Gamay　asked。
　
　The　doctor　tweaked　the　end　of　his　bushy　gray　mustache。　〃The　Chulo；　which　is　the　local　name　for　the　tribe　this　gentleman　belongs　to；　are　said　to　live　beyond　the　Great　Falls。　The　natives　say　they　are　ghosts　who　were　born　of　the　mists。　People　who　have　gone　into　their　territory　have　never　e　out。〃　He　gestured　to　ward　the　canoe。　〃As　you　can　see；　this　gentleman　is　flesh　and
　blood　like　the　rest　of　us。〃　He　reached　into　the　canoe　and　pulled　out　a　bag　made　of　flayed　animal　skin　that　was　lying　next　to　the　corpse。　The　village　natives　backed　away　as　if　he　were　brandishing　a　sack　full　of　black　plague。　He　spoke　in　Spanish　to　one　of　the　Indians；　who　became　more　animated　the　longer　they　talked。
　
　Ramirez　abruptly　ended　the　conversation　and　turned　to　the　Trouts。　〃They　are　afraid　of　him；〃　he　said；　and　indeed；　the　village　men　were　drifting　back　to　their　families。　〃If　you　would　be　so　kind；　we　will　haul　the　boat　onto　shore。　I　persuaded　them　to　dig　a　hole；　but　not　in　their　own　cemetery。　Over　there；　on　the　other　side　of　the　river；　where　nobody　goes　anyhow。　The　shaman　has　assured　them　that　he　can　place　enough　totems　on　the　grave　to　keep　the　dead　man　from　wandering。〃　He　smiled。　〃Having　the　body　so　near　will　give　the　shaman　more　power。　When　something　goes　wrong　with　his　spells　he　can　always　say　the　dead　man's　spirit　has　returned。　We　will　send　the　boat　off　by　itself　down　the　river；　and　the　spirit　will　be　allowed　to　follow　it。〃
　
　Paul　eyed　the　canoe's　fine　workmanship。　〃Seems　a　shame　to　waste　such　a　beautiful　example　of　boat　building。　Anything　to　keep　the　peace。〃　He　grabbed　one　end　of　the　canoe。　With　the　three　people　pulling　and　pushing；　they　soon　had　it　up　on　the　shore　away　from　the　river。　Ramirez　covered　the　body　with　a　woven　blanket　from　the　canoe。　Then　he　retrieved　the　sack；　which　was　about　the　size　of　a　golf　bag　and　tied　with　thongs　at　the　open　end。
　
　〃Perhaps　this　will　tell　us　more　about　our　ghost；〃　he　said；　leading　the　way　back　to　the　house。　They　went　into　the　study　and　placed　the　bag　on　a　long　library　table。　He　untied　the　thongs；　opened　the　bag　gingerly；　and　peered　inside。　〃We　must　be　careful。　Some　of　the　tribes　use　poisoned　arrows　or　blowgun　darts。〃　He　lifted　the　bottom　of　the　sack；　and　several　smaller　bags　slid　out　onto　the　desk。　He　opened　one　and　extracted　a　shiny　metal　disk　that　he　handed　to　Gamay。　〃I　understand　you　studied　archaeology　before　you　became　a　biologist。　Perhaps　you　know　what　this　is。〃
　
　Gamay　furrowed　her　brow　as　she　examined　the　flat；　round　object。　〃A　mirror？　It　appears　that　vanity　is　not　confined　to　women。〃
　
　Paul　took　the　mirror　from　her　hand　and　turned　it　over　to　ex　amine　the　markings　on　the　back。　A　smile　crossed　his　face。　〃I　had　one　of　these　when　I　was　a　kid。　It's　a　signal　mirror。　Look；　these　are　dots　and　dashes。　This　isn't　like　any　Morse　code　I　know；　but　it's　not　bad。　See　these　little　stick　figures？　A　basic　code。　Guy　running　one　way　means　e；　facing　the　other　direction　is　go；　I'd　guess。　Here's　someone　lying　down。〃
　
　〃Stay　where　you　are；〃　Gamay　ventured。
　
　　〃My　guess；　too。　These　two　fellows　with　spears　might　mean　join　me　to　fight。　Little　guy　and　the　animal　could　stand　for　hunt。〃　He　chuckled。　'　Almost　as　good　as　a　cell　phone。〃
　
　　〃Better；〃　Gamay　said。　〃It　doesn't　use　batteries　or　cost　you　per　minute。〃
　
　　Paul　asked　Ramirez　if　he　could　open　another　bag；　and　the　Spaniard　gladly　assented。
　
　　〃Fishing　kit；〃　Trout　said。　〃Metal　hooks；　fiber　line。　Hey；〃　he　said；　examining　a　crude　pair　of　metal　pincers。　〃Bet　this　is　a　pair　of　pliers　for　pulling　hooks　out。〃
　
　　〃I've　got　you　beat；〃　Gamay　said；　emptying　another　bag　and　pulling　out　a　connected　pair　of　small　wooden　circles　with　dark　transparent　surfaces　filling　their　openings。　She　attached　the　apparatus　to　her　ears　with　fiber　hoops。　〃Sunglasses。〃
　
　　Not　to　be　outdone；　Ramirez　also　had　been　poking　through　bags。　He　held　a　gourd　about　six　inches　long；　unplugged　the　wooden　top；　and　sniffed。　〃Medicine　perhaps？　It　smells　like　alcohol。〃
　
　　Hanging　from　the　bottom　was　a　miniature　bowl　and　a　wooden　handle　with　a　flat　piece　of　stone　and　an　irregular　wheel　on　a　rotating　axis。　Paul　stared　thoughtfully　at　the　gourd；　then　took　it　from　the　other　man。　He　filled　the　dish　with　the　liquid；　brought　the　wooden　device　near；　and　flicked　the　wheel。　It　scraped　across　the　stone　and　emitted　sparks。　The　liquid　ignited　with　a　poof。
　
　　〃Voila；〃　he　said　with　obvious　satisfaction。　〃The　very　first　Bic　cigarette　lighter。　Handy　for　starting　a　campfire；　too。〃
　
　
　　More　interesting　discoveries　followed。　One　bag　held　herbs　Ramirez　identified　as　medicinal　plants　including　some　he　had　never　seen。　In　another　was　a　slim；　flat　piece　of　metal；　pointed　at　both　ends。　When　they　placed　it　on　a　glass　of　water　it　swung　around　until　one　end　pointed　toward　the　magnetic　north。　They　found　a　bamboo　cylinder。　When　held　to　the　eye　the　glass　lenses　imbedded　inside　offered　about　an　eight…power　telescopic　magnification。　There　was　a　knife　that　folded　into　a　slim　wooden　case。　Their　last　find　was　a　short　bow　made　from　overlapping　strips　of　metal　like　a　car　spring　and　curved　to　provide　maximum　pull　for　an　arrow。　The　bowstring　was　of　thin　metal　cable。　It　was　hardly　the　primitive　design　one　would　expect　to　find　in　the　rain　forest。　Ramirez　ran　his　hand　over　the　polished　metal。
　
　〃Amazing；〃　he　said。　〃I've　never　seen　anything　like　this。　The　bows　the　villagers　use　are　simple　dowels　pulled　back　and　tied　with　a　crude　bowstring。〃
　
　〃How　did　he　learn　how　to　make　these　things？〃　Paul　said；　scratching　his　head。
　
　Gamay　said；　〃It's　not　just　the　objects　themselves　but　the　material　they　are　made　of。　Where　did　it　e　from？〃
　
　They　stood　around　the　table　in　silence。
　
　〃There　is　a　more　important　question；〃　Ramirez　said　somberly。　〃Who　killed　him？〃
　
　〃Of　course；〃　Gamay　said。　〃We　were　so　overwhelmed　by　his　technical　acplishments　that　we　forgot　that　these　objects　be　long　to　a　dead　human　being。〃
　
　〃Do　you　have　any　idea　who　might　have　murdered　him？〃　Paul　asked。
　
　A　dark　cloud　descended　on　Ramirez's　brow。　〃Poachers。　Wood　cutters　and　burners。　The　latest　are　men　who　collect　valuable　plants　for　medicine。　They　would　kill　anyone　who　got　in　their　way。〃
　
　〃How　could　a　lone　Indian　be　a　threat？〃　Gamay　asked。
　
　Ramirez　shrugged。
　
　Gamay　said；　〃I　think　that　in　a　murder　investigation　you　are　supposed　to　start　with　the　corpse。〃
　
　〃Where　did　you　hear　that？〃　Paul　said。　〃I　may　have　read　it　in　a　detective　novel。〃　〃Good　advice。　Let's　take　another　look。〃
　
　They　walked　back　to　the　river　and　uncovered　the　body。　Paul　rolled　it　over　onto　its　stomach。　The　smaller　entry　wound　indicated　that　the　man　had　been　shot　in　the　back。　Trout　gently　re　moved　a　carved　pendant　from　around　his　neck。　It　showed　a　winged　woman　holding　her　hands　in　front　of　her　as　if　she　were　pouring　from　them。　He　passed　it　to　Gamay；　who　said　the　figure　reminded　her　of　Egyptian　engravings　of　the　rebirth　of　Osiris。
　
　Paul　was　taking　a　closer　look　at　the　reddish　welts　on　the　dead　man's　shoulders。　〃Looks　like　he's　been　whipped。〃　He　rolled　the　body　onto　its　back　again。　〃Hey；　check　out　this　strange　scar；〃　he　said；　indicating　a　pale　thin　line　on　the　Indian's　lower　abdomen。　〃If　I　didn't　know　better；　I'd　say　he　had　his　appendix　out。〃
　
　Two　dugouts　arrived　from　across　the　river。　The　shaman；　whose　head　was　adorned　with　a　brilliant　crown　of　feathers；　announced　that　the　grave　was　ready。　Trout　covered　the　dead　body　with　the　blanket；　and；　with　Gamay　at　the　tiller；　they　used　the　inflatable　to　tow　the　blue…and…white　canoe　to　the　other　side。　Trout　and　Ramirez　carried　the　body　a　few　hundred　yards　into　the　forest　and　buried　it　in　the　shallow　hole。　The　shaman　surrounded　the　grave　with　what　looked　like　various　dried　chicken　parts　and　solemnly　warned　the　assemblage　that　the　spot　would　be　forever　taboo。　Then　they　towed　the　empty　canoe　to　midstream；　where　the　current　would　catch　it；　and　set　the　dugout　adrift。
　
　〃How　far　will　it　go？〃　Paul　asked　as　they　watched　the　blue　and…white　craft　wheel　slowly　on　its　final　journey。
　
　〃There　are　rapids　not　far　from　here。　If　it　isn't　broken　up　on　the　rocks　or　caught　in　the　weeds；　it　could　continue　on　to　the　sea。〃
　
　〃Ave　atque　vale；〃　Trout　said；　quoting　the　old　Roman　salute　to　the　dead。　〃Hail　and　farewell。〃
　
　They　went　back　across　the　river。　As　Ramirez　was　climbing　from　the　inflatable；　he　slipped　on　the　wet　bank。
　
　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　Gamay　said。
　
　Ramirez　grimaced　with　pain。　〃You　see；　the　evil　spirits　have　already　begun　their　work。　I've　apparently　twisted　something。　I'll　put　a　cold　press　on　it；　but　I　may　require　your　assistance