p&c.thunderhead-第44节

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　〃That　was　fantastic；〃　Nora　said。　
　Sloane　shrugged　and　smiled；　obviously　pleased。　〃Another　ten　feet　and　we'd　have　run　out　of　ladder。　Is　everybody　ready？〃　
　Holroyd　looked　up；　swallowing。　〃I　guess　so。〃　
　〃I　have　important　work　to　do；〃　Black　said。　〃Can　someone　remind　me　again　why　I　have　to　risk　life　and　limb　on　this　little　climbing　expedition？〃　
　〃You　won't　risk　anything；〃　Sloane　laughed　in　her　deep　contralto。　〃Those　placements　of　mine　are　bombproof。〃　
　〃And　it's　your　misfortune；〃　Nora　said；　〃that　you've　been　on　a　lot　of　digs　and　know　how　to　use　the　radio　equipment。　We　need　a　backup　for　Holroyd。〃　
　〃Yeah；　but　why　me？〃　Black　asked。　〃Why　not　Aragon？　He's　got　more　field　experience　than　all　of　us　put　together。〃　
　〃He's　also　got　twenty　years　on　the　rest　of　us；〃　Nora　replied。　〃You're　much　better　suited　to　a　physical　challenge　like　this。〃　The　buttering…up　seemed　to　have　its　intended　effect：　Black　pulled　in　his　chest　and　looked　sternly　up　the　cliff。　
　〃Let's　get　started；　then。〃　Sloane　turned　briefly　toward　Smithback。　〃You　ing？〃　
　Smithback　looked　speculatively　upward。　〃I'd　better　not；〃　he　said。　〃Somebody　has　to　stay　behind　to　catch　the　ones　that　fall。〃　
　Sloane　raised　one　eyebrow；　with　a　look　that　said　she'd　thought　as　much。　〃All　right。　Aaron；　why　don't　you　lead；　and　I'll　follow。　Peter；　you　e　third；　and　Nora；　please　bring　up　the　rear。〃　
　Nora　noticed　that　Sloane　had　staggered　the　inexperienced　climbers　with　the　more　experienced　ones。　〃Why　do　I　have　to　go　first？〃　Black　asked。　
　〃Believe　me；　it's　easier　when　nobody's　ahead　of　you。　Less　chance　of　eating　a　boot　that　way。〃　
　Black　looked　unconvinced；　but　grasped　the　base　of　the　rope　ladder　and　began　hoisting　himself　up。　
　〃It's　just　like　climbing　the　ladder　to　Quivira；　only　longer；〃　Sloane　said。　〃Keep　your　body　hugged　to　the　rock；　and　your　feet　apart。　Take　a　rest　at　each　bench。　The　longest　pitch　is　the　last　one；　maybe　two　hundred　feet。〃　
　But　Black；　scrabbling　at　the　second　step；　suddenly　lost　his　footing。　Sloane　moved　with　the　swiftness　of　a　cat　as　Black　came　lurching　downward。　She　half　caught；　half　tackled　him；　and　they　ended　up　sprawled　in　a　soft　drift　of　sand　at　the　base　of　the　cliff；　Black　atop　Sloane。　They　lay　still；　and　Nora　came　running　over。　She　could　see　that　Sloane　was　shaking　and　making　a　choking　sound；　but　as　she　bent　down　in　a　panic　she　realized　the　woman　was　laughing　hysterically。　Black　seemed　frozen　in　either　fear　or　surprise。　His　face　was　buried　between　Sloane's　breasts。　
　〃Death；　where　is　thy　sting？〃　Smithback　intoned。　
　Sloane　continued　to　gasp　with　laughter。　〃Aaron；　you're　supposed　to　be　climbing　up；　not　down！〃　She　made　no　move　to　push　Black　away；　and　after　a　few　moments　the　scientist　sat　up；　hair　askew。　He　backed　away；　looking　from　Sloane　to　the　rope　ladder　and　back　to　Sloane　again。　
　Sloane　sat　up；　still　giggling；　and　dusted　herself　off。　〃You're　letting　yourself　get　psyched　out；〃　she　said。　〃It's　just　a　ladder。　But　if　it's　falling　you're　afraid　of；　I've　got　a　wall　harness　you　can　use　instead。〃　She　stood　up　and　walked　over　to　her　equipment　duffel。　〃It's　for　emergencies；　really；　but　you　can　use　it　to　get　familiar　with　the　climb。〃　She　pulled　out　a　small　harness　constructed　of　nylon　webbing　and　fastened　it　around　Black。　〃You　are　just　going　to　jumar　your　way　up　the　rope。　That　way；　you　can't　fall。〃　
　Black；　strangely　quiet；　simply　looked　at　Sloane　and　nodded。　This　time；　with　the　mental　security　of　the　harness　and　Sloane's　encouragement；　he　got　the　hang　of　using　the　jumar　and　was　soon　moving　confidently　up　the　cliff。　Sloane　followed；　then　Holroyd　reached　hold　of　the　lowest　rung。　
　Nora　had　noticed　that；　in　the　sudden　scramble；　Sloane　hadn't　bothered　to　check　on　the　image　specialist's　state　of　mind。　〃You　up　to　this；　Peter？〃　she　asked。　
　Holroyd　looked　at　her　and　smiled　bashfully。　〃Hey；　it's　just　a　ladder；　like　she　said。　Anyway；　I'm　going　to　have　to　climb　this　thing　once　a　day。　I'd　better　get　used　to　it。〃　
　He　took　a　deep　breath；　then　began　to　climb。　Nora　followed　carefully。　She　tested　one　or　two　of　Sloane's　placements　and　found　them　to　be　as　tight　and　secure　as　the　woman　had　said。　She'd　learned　from　experience　it　was　best　not　to　look　down　on　a　long　climb；　and　she　kept　her　eyes　on　the　three　figures　ranged　up　the　face　above　her。　There　were　long　minutes　of　almost　vertical　climbing。　They　caught　their　breaths　at　each　ledge。　The　final　pitch　ended　with　a　brief；　frightening　moment　of　hanging　backward　as　she　worked　around　the　protruding　rimrock。　For　an　instant；　Nora　was　reminded　of　the　Devil's　Backbone：　the　scrabbling　at　the　slickrock；　the　frightened　screaming　of　the　horses　as　they　hurtled　to　their　deaths　below　her　feet。　Then　she　took　another　determined　step　upward；　hoisted　herself　onto　the　top　of　the　cliff；　and　collapsed；　gasping；　to　her　knees。　Nearby　sat　Holroyd；　sides　heaving；　head　resting　on　crossed　arms。　Beside　him　was　Black；　trembling　with　exhaustion　and　stress。　
　Sloane；　alone；　seemed　unaffected　by　the　climb。　She　began　moving　the　small　array　of　equipment　a　safe　distance　from　the　edge　of　the　cliff：　Holroyd's　satellite　positioning　unit；　now　sporting　a　long　UHF　whip　antenna；　the　microwave　horn；　the　solar　panel　and　deep…cycle　battery；　rack…mounted　receivers　and　transmitters。　Beside　them；　winking　in　the　morning　light；　the　satellite　dish　was　still　enmeshed　in　nylon　netting　from　the　trip　up　the　cliff　face。　Nearby　was　the　weather…receiving　unit。　
　Holroyd　struggled　to　his　feet　and　moved　toward　the　equipment；　followed　reluctantly　by　Black。　〃Let　me　get　this　stuff　set　up　and　calibrated；〃　Holroyd　said。　〃It　shouldn't　take　long。〃　
　Nora　glanced　at　her　watch　with　satisfaction。　It　was　quarter　to　eleven；　fifteen　minutes　before　the　appointed　hour　for　their　daily　transmission　to　the　Institute。　As　Holroyd　initialized　the　radio　unit　and　aligned　the　dish；　Nora　looked　around　at　the　surrounding　vista。　It　was　breathtaking：　a　landscape　of　red；　yellow；　and　sepia　clifftops；　unfolding　for　countless　miles　under　brilliant　sunlight；　covered　with　sparse　pi？on…juniper　scrub。　Far　to　the　southwest；　she　could　make　out　the　sinuous　gorge　through　which　ran　the　Colorado　River。　To　the　east　stood　the　brooding　rim　of　the　Devil's　Backbone；　running　off　and　behind　the　Kaiparowits　Plateau。　The　purple　prow　of　the　Kaiparowits　thrust　above　the　land；　like　a　great　stone　battleship　ploughing　through　the　wilderness；　its　flanks　stripped　to　the　bone　by　erosion；　riven　by　steep　canyons　and　ravines。　The　landscape　ran　on　endlessly　in　all　directions；　an　uninhabited　wilderness　of　stone　covering　many　thousands　of　square　miles。　
　To　improve　reception；　Holroyd　climbed　into　one　of　the　stunted　juniper　trees　nearby　and　screwed　the　twenty…four…hour　weather　receiver　into　the　highest　part　of　the　trunk。　He　then　wrapped　the　unit's　wire　antenna　around　a　long　branch。　As　he　adjusted　the　receiver's　gain；　Nora　could　hear　the　monotonous　voice　of　the　forecaster　reading　out　the　day's　report　for　Page；　Arizona。　
　Black；　having　watched　Holroyd　set　up　the　equipment；　was　now　standing　well　away　from　the　rim；　looking　pleased　with　himself；　the　smugness　somewhat　diluted　by　the　harness　that　still　clung　to　his　haunches。　Sloane；　meanwhile；　stood　perilously　close　to　the　edge。　〃It's　amazing；　Nora；〃　she　called　out。　〃But　looking　down　from　here；　you'd　never　know　there　was　an　alcove；　let　alone　a　ruin。　It's　uncanny。〃　
　Nora　joined　her　at　the　edge。　The　ruin；　set　far　back；　was　no　longer　visible；　and　the　brow　of　rock　below　their　summit　shut　out　any　hint　that　a　cave　lay　underneath。　Seven　hundred　feet　below；　the　valley　lay　nestled　between　walls　of　stone　like　a　green　gem　in　a　red　setting。　The　stream　ran　down　the　center　of　the　valley；　and　Nora　could　see　more　clearly　the　tortuous　boulder…strewn　path　of　the　frequent　floodwaters；　a　hundred　yards　wide；　that　ripped　through　the　center　of　the　valley。　She　could　see　the　camp；　blue　and　yellow　tents　scattered　among　the　cottonwoods　well　above　the　floodplain；　and　a　wisp　of　smoke　curling　up　from　Bonarotti's　fire。　It　was　a　good；　safe　camp。　
　As　eleven　o'clock　neared；　Holroyd　shut　off　the　weather　receiver　and　returned　to　the　radio　unit。　Nora　heard　a　bark　of　static；　the　whistle　of　frequency　overload。　〃Got　it；〃　Holroyd　said；　tugging　on　a　pair　of　headphones。　〃Let's　see　who's　out　there。〃　He　began　murmuring　into　the　microphone；　almost　toylike　in　its　diminutive　size。　Then　he　straightened　up　abruptly。　〃You　won't　believe　it；　but　I've　got　Dr。　Goddard　himself；〃　he　said。　〃Let　me　patch　this　through　to　the　speaker。〃　
　Abruptly；　Sloane　moved　away　from　the　edge　and　busied　herself　coiling　rope。　Nora　watched　her　a　moment；　then　turned　her　glance　to　the　microphone；　feeling　the　excitement　of　the　discovery　kindling　once　again　inside　her。　She　wondered　how　the　elder　Goddard　would　react　to　the　news　of　their　success。　
　〃Dr。　Kelly？〃　came　the　distant　voice；　crackling　and　small。　〃Nora？　Is　that　you？〃　
　〃Dr。　Goddard；〃　said　Nora。　〃We're　here。　We　made　it。〃　
　〃Thank　God。〃　There　was　another　crackle　of　static。　〃I've　been　here　at　eleven　every　morning。　Another　day；　and　we　would　have　sent　out　a　rescue　party。〃　
　〃The　canyon　walls　were　too　high；　we　couldn't　transmit　en　route。　And　it　took　us　a　few　more　days　than　we　anticipated。〃　
　〃That's　just　what　I　told　Blakewood。〃　There　was　a　brief　silence。　〃What's　the　news？〃　Goddard's　excitement