p&c.thunderhead-第14节

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of　the　finest　archaeological　minds　I've　ever　encountered。　And　she's　highly　skilled　at　field　photography。〃　
　Nora　frowned。　Smith；　she　thought　to　herself。　〃I'm　not　sure　that's　a　good　idea；〃　she　said。　〃It　might　muddy　the　chain　of　mand。　And　this　is　going　to　be　a　difficult　trip；　particularly　for　a　。　。　。〃　She　paused。　〃A　sorority　girl。〃　
　〃My　daughter　must　go　along；〃　said　Goddard　quietly。　〃And　she　is　no　'sorority　girl；'　as　you　shall　discover。〃　An　odd；　mirthless　smile　flashed　briefly　across　his　lips　before　disappearing。　
　Nora　looked　at　the　old　man；　realizing　the　point　was　nonnegotiable。　Quickly；　she　considered　her　options。　She　could　take　the　information　she　had；　sell　the　ranch；　and　head　into　the　desert　with　people　of　her　own　choosing；　gambling　that　she　could　find　Quivira　before　her　money　ran　out。　Or　she　could　take　her　data　to　another　institution；　where　it　would　probably　be　a　year　or　two　before　they　could　organize　and　fund　a　trip。　Or　she　could　share　her　discovery　with　a　sympathetic　backer　uniquely　qualified　to　outfit　a　professional　expedition；　leading　the　top　archaeologists　in　the　country。　The　price　of　admission　was　taking　the　backer's　daughter　along　for　the　ride。　No　contest　there；　she　thought。　
　〃All　right。〃　She　smiled。　〃But　I've　got　a　condition　of　my　own。　I　need　to　take　the　JPL　technician　who　assisted　me　along　as　a　remote　imaging　specialist。〃　
　〃I'm　sorry；　but　I'd　like　to　reserve　the　personnel　decisions。〃　
　〃It　was　the　price　of　getting　the　data。〃　
　There　was　a　silence。　〃Can　you　vouch　for　his　credentials？〃　
　〃Yes。　He's　young；　but　he's　got　a　lot　of　experience。〃　
　〃Very　well。〃　
　Nora　was　surprised　at　Goddard's　ability　to　take　a　challenge；　parry；　and　e　to　a　decision。　She　found　herself　beginning　to　like　him。　
　〃I　also　think　we　have　to　keep　this　confidential；〃　she　continued。　〃The　expedition　has　to　be　assembled　very　quickly　and　very　secretly。〃　
　Goddard　looked　at　her　speculatively。　〃May　I　ask　why？〃　
　〃Because　。　。　。〃　Nora　stopped。　Because　I　think　I'm　being　shadowed　by　mysterious　figures　who　will　stop　at　nothing　to　find　the　location　of　Quivira。　But　she　couldn't　say　that　to　Goddard；　he'd　think　her　crazy；　or　worse；　and　rescind　his　offer　in　an　instant。　Any　hint　of　a　problem　would　plicate；　maybe　even　wreck；　the　expedition。　〃Because　this　information　is　very　sensitive。　Think　what　would　happen　if　pothunters　learned　about　it　and　tried　to　loot　the　site　before　we　could　reach　it。　And　on　a　practical　matter；　we　have　to　move　fast。　The　flash　flood　season　will　be　on　us　soon。〃　
　After　a　moment；　Goddard　nodded　slowly。　〃That　makes　sense；〃　he　said。　〃I'd　like　to　include　a　journalist　on　the　expedition；　but　I'm　sure　his　discretion　can　be　relied　on。〃　
　〃A　journalist？〃　Nora　burst　out。　〃Why？〃　
　〃To　chronicle　what　may　be　the　most　important　find　in　twentieth…century　American　archaeology。　Imagine　the　story　the　world　would　have　lost　if　Howard　Carter　had　not　had　the　London　Times　covering　his　discovery。　I　actually　have　somebody　in　mind；　a　New　York　Times　reporter　with　several　books　to　his　credit；　including　an　excellent　profile　of　the　Boston　Aquarium。　I　think　he　can　be　relied　upon　not　only　to　be　a　good　digger　but　to　produce　a　highly　favorable…and　highly　visible…account　of　you　and　your　work。〃　He　glanced　at　Nora。　〃You　have　no　objection　to　ex　post　facto　publicity；　certainly？〃　
　Nora　hesitated。　This　was　all　happening　so　fast：　it　was　almost　as　if　Goddard　had　worked　it　all　out　before　even　talking　to　her。　As　she　thought　back　over　their　conversation；　she　realized　he　must　have。　It　occurred　to　her　that　there　might　be　a　reason　for　his　excitement　that　he　was　not　sharing　with　her。　
　〃No；〃　she　said；　〃I　guess　not。〃　
　〃I　didn't　think　so。　Now　let's　see　what　you've　got。〃　
　Goddard　pushed　away　from　the　desk　as　Nora　reached　into　her　portfolio　and　removed　a　30…by…60…minute　U。S。G。S。　topo。　〃The　target　area　is　this　triangle　just　to　the　west　of　the　Kaiparowits　Plateau；　here。　As　you　can　see；　it　contains　dozens　of　canyon　systems　that　all　eventually　drain　into　Lake　Powell　and　the　Grand　Canyon；　to　the　south　and　east。　The　closest　human　settlement　is　a　small　Nankoweap　Indian　encampment　sixty　miles　to　the　north。〃　
　Then　she　handed　Goddard　a　sheet　of　paper：　a　U。S。G。S。　7。5…minute　topographic　map；　onto　which　Holroyd　had　overprinted　in　red　the　final　image　from　his　puter；　properly　scaled。　〃This　is　an　image　taken　from　last　week's　shuttle　overflight；　digitally　enhanced。　The　faint；　broken　black　line　across　it　is　the　ancient　Anasazi　road。〃　
　Goddard　took　the　sheet　into　his　thin　pale　hands。　〃Extraordinary；〃　he　murmured。　〃Last　week's　flight？〃　Again　he　looked　at　Nora；　a　curious　admiration　in　his　eyes。　
　〃The　dotted　line　shows　a　reconstruction　of　my　father's　route　through　this　country；　following　what　he　thought　to　be　that　road。　When　we　extrapolated　the　road　from　the　shuttle　radar　image　onto　this　map；　it　matched　my　father's　route。　The　road　seems　to　lead　northwestward　from　Betatakin　Ruin；　through　this　maze　of　canyons；　and　over　this　huge　ridge；　which　my　father　labeled　the　Devil's　Backbone。　It　then　appears　to　lead　into　a　narrow　slot　canyon；　ending　up　in　this　tiny；　hidden　canyon；　here。　It's　somewhere　in　this　canyon　that　we　hope　to　find　the　city。〃　
　Goddard　shook　his　head。　〃Amazing。　But　Nora；　all　the　ancient　Anasazi　roads　we　know　about；　Chaco　and　the　rest；　run　in　absolutely　straight　lines。　This　road　winds　around　like　a　broken　spring。〃　
　〃I　thought　of　that；　too；〃　Nora　said。　〃Everyone's　always　thought　Chaco　Canyon　was　the　center　of　Anasazi　culture；　the　fourteen　Great　Houses　of　Chaco　with　Pueblo　Bonito　at　their　hub。　But　look　at　this。〃　
　She　pulled　out　another　map；　showing　the　entire　Colorado　Plateau　and　San　Juan　Basin。　In　the　lower　right…hand　corner；　an　archaeological　site　diagram　of　Chaco　Canyon　had　been　overlaid；　showing　the　huge　ruin　at　Pueblo　Bonito　surrounded　by　a　circle　of　outlying　munities。　A　heavy　red　line　had　been　drawn　from　Pueblo　Bonito；　through　the　circle；　through　a　half　dozen　other　major　ruins；　and　running　arrow…straight　to　the　upper　left　hand　corner　of　the　map；　terminating　in　an　X。　
　〃That　X　marks　what　I　calculate　to　be　the　location　of　Quivira；〃　Nora　said　quietly。　〃All　these　years　we've　believed　that　Chaco　itself　was　the　destination　of　the　Anasazi　roads。　But　what　if　Chaco　wasn't　the　destination？　What　if；　instead；　it　was　the　collecting　point　for　a　ritual　journey　to　Quivira；　the　city　of　priests？〃　
　Goddard　shook　his　head　slowly。　〃This　is　fascinating。　There's　more　than　enough　evidence　here　to　justify　an　expedition。　Have　you　given　any　thought　to　how　you　might　get　in　there？　Helicopters；　for　example？〃　
　〃That　was　my　first　thought。　But　this　isn't　a　typical　remote　site。　Those　canyons　are　too　narrow　and　most　are　a　thousand　feet　deep。　There　are　high　winds；　beetling　rimrock；　and　no　flat　areas　to　land。　I've　studied　the　maps　carefully；　and　there's　no　place　within　fifty　miles　to　safely　land　a　helicopter。　Jeeps　are　obviously　out　of　the　question。　So　we'll　have　to　use　horses。　They're　cheap　and　can　pack　a　lot　of　gear。〃　
　Goddard　grunted　as　he　stared　at　the　map。　〃Sounds　good。　But　I'm　not　sure　I　see　a　route　in；　even　on　horseback。　All　these　canyons　box　up　at　their　sources。　Even　if　you　used　this　Indian　settlement　far　to　the　north　as　your　jumping…off　point；　it　would　be　one　hell　of　a　ride　just　to　get　to　the　village。　And　then；　waterless　country　for　the　next　sixty　miles。　Lake　Powell　blocks　access　to　the　south。〃　He　looked　up。　〃Unless　you　。　。　。〃　
　〃Exactly。　We'll　float　the　expedition　up　the　lake。　I've　already　called　the　Wahweap　Marina　in　Page；　and　they　have　a　seventy…foot　barge　that　will　do　the　job。　If　we　started　at　Wahweap；　floated　the　horses　up　to　the　head　of　Serpentine　Canyon；　and　rode　in　from　there；　we　could　be　at　Quivira　in　three　or　four　days。〃　
　Goddard　broke　into　a　smile。　〃Nora；　this　is　inspired。　Let's　make　it　happen。〃　
　〃There's　one　other　thing；〃　Nora　said；　replacing　the　maps　in　her　portfolio　without　looking　up。　〃My　brother　needs　a　job。　He'll　do　anything；　really；　and　I　know　with　the　right　supervision　he'd　be　great　at　sorting　and　cataloging　the　Rio　Puerco　and　Gallegos　Divide　material。〃　
　〃We　have　a　rule　against　nepotism…〃　Goddard　began；　then　stopped　as　Nora；　despite　herself；　began　to　smile。　The　old　man　looked　at　her　steadily；　and　for　a　moment　Nora　thought　he　would　erupt　in　anger。　But　then　his　face　cleared。　〃Nora；　you　are　your　father's　daughter；〃　he　said。　〃You　don't　trust　anybody；　and　you're　a　damn　good　negotiator。　Any　other　demands？　You'd　better　present　them　now；　or　forever　hold　your　peace。〃　
　〃No；　that　covers　it。〃　
　Silently；　Goddard　extended　his　hand。　
　
　
10
　
　THERE　WAS　AN　ABRUPT　HAMMERING　SOUND；　Nora　almost　dropped　the　artifact　in　her　hands　and　looked　up　from　her　desk　in　a　panic；　heart　galloping。　Skip's　scowling　face　was　framed　in　the　glass　window　of　her　office　door。　She　slumped　back　in　her　chair　and　breathed　out。　Skip　raised　one　hand；　and；　with　an　exaggerated　gesture；　pointed　downward　at　the　doorknob。　
　〃You　almost　gave　me　a　heart　attack；〃　she　said　as　she　let　him　in。　Her　fingers　still　trembled　as　she　closed　and　relocked　the　door。　〃Not　to　mention　the　loss　of　two　years　of　my　salary　if　I'd　dropped　that　Mogollon　pot。〃　
　〃Since　when　did　you　start　locking　your　office？〃　Skip　said；　slouching　into　the　only　chair　not　covered　with　books　and　tugging　a　large　satchel　ont