pdouglas.thecodex-第25部分

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！


；　but　it's　not　marked。　Neither；　it　seems；　is　the　Meambar　Swamp。〃
　〃So　according　to　this　map；　we　do　not　exist　and　the　Meambar　Swamp　does　not　exist。　Take　care　to　keep　this　very　important　map　dry。　We　may　need　it　to　start　a　fire　someday。〃　Don　Alfonso　laughed　at　his　humor；　pointing　to　Chori　and　Pingo；　who　took　the　cue　and　belatedly　began　laughing　along　with　him；　even　though　they　hadn't　understood　a　word　he'd　said。　Don　Alfonso　continued　laughing　uproariously；　slapping　his　thigh；　until　the　tears　streamed。
　〃We　have　begun　our　journey　well；〃　he　said　when　he　had　recovered。　〃There　will　be　much　humor　and　jokes　on　our　trip。　Otherwise　the　swamp　will　drive　us　mad；　and　we　will　die。〃
　
　23
　
　The　camp　had　been　set　up　with　the　usual　military　precision　on　an　island　of　high　ground　surrounded　by　swamp。　Philip　sat　by　the　fire；　smoking　his　pipe　and　listening　to　the　evening　sounds　of　the　rainforest。　It　surprised　him　how　petent　Hauser　had　proven　to　be　at　jungle…craft；　organizing　and　laying　out　a　camp　and　directing　the　soldiers　about　their　various　tasks。　Hauser　asked　nothing　of　Philip　and　had　rebuffed　all　his　efforts　to　help。　Not　that　Philip　was　anxious　to　go　off　wading　in　the　muck　hunting　giant　rats　for　dinner；　as　it　seemed　they　were　doing　now。　It　was　just　that　Philip　disliked　feeling　useless。　This　was　not　the　challenge　his　father　had　in　mind；　sitting　by　a　fire　smoking　his　pipe　while　others　did　all　the　work。
　Philip　kicked　a　stick　back　into　the　embers。　The　hell　with　the　〃challenge。〃　It　had　to　be　the　most　asinine　thing　a　father　ever　did　to　his　children　since　King　Lear　divided　his　kingdom。
　Ocotal；　the　guide　they　had　picked　up　at　that　sorry　town　on　the　river；　was　sitting　by　himself；　tending　the　fire　and　cooking　rice。　He　was　a　strange　fellow；　this　Ocotal…small；　silent；　utterly　dignified。　There　was　something　about　him　that　Philip　found　attractive；　he　seemed　to　be　one　of　those　men　who　had　an　unshakable；　inner　conviction　of　his　own　worth。　He　certainly　knew　his　stuff；　guiding　them　through　an　incredible　maze　of　channels；　day　after　day；　without　the　slightest　hesitation；　paying　no　attention　to　Hauser's　exhortations；　ments；　and　questions。　He　was　impervious　to　any　attempts　at　conversation；　whether　on　Philip's　part　or　Hauser's。
　Philip　reamed　out　the　dottle；　glad　he　had　thought　to　stock　up　on　tins　of　Dunhill　Early　Morning；　and　repacked　the　pipe。　He　really　should　cut　back；　especially　in　light　of　his　father's　cancer。　After　the　trip。　For　now；　the　smoke　was　the　only　way　to　keep　off　the　mosquitoes。
　There　were　shouts；　and　Philip　turned　to　see　Hauser　ing　back　from　the　hunt；　with　a　dead　tapir　slung　on　a　pole；　carried　by　four　soldiers。　They　hoisted　the　animal　up　with　a　block　and　tackle　from　a　tree　branch。　Hauser　left　the　men　and　came　to　sit　down　next　to　Philip。　There　was　a　faint　smell　of　aftershave；　tobacco　smoke；　and　blood。　He　took　out　a　cigar；　clipped　it；　and　lit　it。　He　took　in　a　lungful　of　smoke　and　let　it　trickle　back　out　of　his　nose；　like　a　dragon。
　〃We're　making　excellent　progress；　Philip；　don't　you　think？〃
　〃Admirable。〃　Philip　slapped　at　a　mosquito。　He　couldn't　understand　how　Hauser　managed　to　avoid　getting　bitten；　despite　the　fact　that　he　never　seemed　to　use　insect　repellent。　Maybe　his　bloodstream　had　a　deadly　concentration　of　nicotine。　Philip　noticed　that　he　inhaled　his　fat　Churchill　cigars　the　way　most　people　inhale　cigarettes。　Strange　how　one　man　dies　of　it；　another　lives。
　〃Are　you　familiar　with　Genghis　Khan's　dilemma？〃　Hauser　asked。
　〃I　can't　say　I　am。〃
　〃When　Genghis　Khan　was　getting　ready　to　die；　he　wanted　to　be　buried　as　befitted　the　great　ruler　he　was…with　heaps　of　treasure；　concubines；　and　horses　to　enjoy　in　the　afterlife。　But　he　knew　that　his　tomb　would　almost　certainly　be　robbed；　depriving　him　of　all　the　joys　due　him　in　the　afterworld。　He　thought　about　this　for　a　long　time　and　could　e　up　with　no　answer。　He　finally　called　in　his　Grand　Vizier；　the　wisest　man　in　his　kingdom。
　〃　'What　shall　I　do　to　keep　my　tomb　from　being　robbed？'　he　asked　the　Vizier。
　〃The　Vizier　thought　about　it　for　a　long　time　and　finally　came　up　with　an　answer。　He　explained　it　to　Genghis　Khan；　and　the　ruler　was　satisfied。　When　Ghenghis　finally　died；　the　Vizier　put　the　plan　into　action。　He　sent　ten　thousand　laborers　off　to　the　remote　Altai　Mountains；　where　they　built　a　great　tomb　hewn　down　into　the　living　rock；　filling　it　with　gold；　gemstones；　wine；　silks；　ivory；　sandalwood；　and　incense。　More　than　a　hundred　beautiful　virgins　and　a　thousand　horses　were　sacrificed　for　the　great　Khan's　pleasure　in　the　afterworld。　There　was　a　grand　funeral　with　much　feasting　among　the　laborers；　and　then　Genghis　Khan's　body　was　shut　up　in　the　tomb　and　the　door　carefully　concealed。　The　area　was　covered　with　dirt；　and　then　a　thousand　horsemen　rode　back　and　forth　over　the　valley；　obliterating　all　traces　of　their　work。
　〃When　the　laborers　and　the　horsemen　returned；　the　Vizier　met　them　with　the　Khan's　army　and　killed　them　to　a　man。〃
　〃Nasty。〃
　〃Then　the　Vizier　mitted　suicide。〃
　〃The　fool。　He　could've　been　rich。〃
　Hauser　chuckled。　〃Yes。　But　he　was　loyal。　He　knew　that　even　he　himself；　the　most　trustworthy　of　men；　could　not　be　trusted　with　such　a　secret。　He　might　utter　it　at　night　in　a　dream；　or　it　might　be　tortured　out　of　him…or　his　own　greed　might　eventually　get　the　better　of　him。　He　was　the　weak　link　in　the　plan。　Therefore；　he　had　to　die。〃
　Philip　heard　a　hacking　noise　and　glanced　over　to　see　the　hunters　gutting　the　animal　with　machetes。　The　guts　spilled　to　the　ground　with　a　wet　sound。　Philip　winced　and　turned　away。　There　was　something　to　be　said　for　the　vegetarian　lifestyle；　he　mused。
　〃Here's　the　rub；　Philip；　the　weakness　in　the　Vizier's　plan。　It　required　Genghis　Khan　to　trust　at　least　one　other　person　with　his　secret。〃　Hauser　exhaled　a　cloud　of　pungent　smoke。　〃My　question　to　you；　Philip；　is　who　was　the　one　person　your　father　trusted？〃
　It　was　a　good　question；　one　that　Philip　had　been　considering　for　some　time。　〃It　wasn't　a　girlfriend　or　ex…wife。　He　constantly　plained　about　his　doctors　and　lawyers。　His　secretaries　were　always　quitting　on　him。　He　had　no　real　friends。　The　only　man　he　trusted　was　his　pilot。〃
　〃And　I've　already　determined　he　wasn't　in　on　the　deal。〃　Hauser　held　the　cigar　at　a　steep　angle　against　his　lips。　〃There's　the　rub；　Philip。　Did　your　father　have　some　kind　of　secret　life？　A　secret　affair？　A　son　born　out　of　wedlock　that　he　favored　above　you　three？〃
　Philip　felt　himself　go　cold　at　this　last　suggestion。　〃I　have　no　idea。〃
　Hauser　waved　his　cigar。　〃Something　to　think　about；　eh；　Philip？〃　He　fell　silent。　The　intimacy　encouraged　Philip　to　ask　a　question　he　had　been　wanting　to　ask　for　some　time。　〃What　happened　between　you　and　father？〃
　〃Did　you　know　we　were　childhood　friends？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃We　grew　up　together　in　Erie。　We　played　stickball　together　on　the　block　where　we　lived；　we　went　to　school　together；　we　went　to　our　first　whorehouse　together。　We　thought　we　knew　each　other　pretty　well。　But　when　you　go　out　there　into　the　jungle；　when　you're　shoved　up　against　the　wall　of　survival；　things　e　out。　You　discover　things　in　yourself　that　you　never　knew　were　there。　You　find　out　who　you　really　are。　That's　what　happened　to　us。　We　got　out　there　in　the　middle　of　the　jungle；　lost；　bitten；　starving；　half　dead　with　fever；　and　we　found　out　who　we　really　were。　You　know　what　I　discovered？　I　discovered　that　I　despised　your　father。〃
　Philip　looked　at　Hauser。　The　man　returned　the　look；　his　face　as　calm　and　smooth　and　opaque　as　always。　He　felt　his　flesh　creep。　He　asked；　〃So　what　did　you　discover　in　yourself；　Hauser？〃
　He　could　see　that　the　question　took　Hauser　by　surprise。　The　man　laughed　it　off；　threw　the　cigar　butt　into　the　fire；　and　rose。　〃You'll　find　out　soon　enough。〃
　
　24
　
　The　dugout　pushed　through　the　thick　black　water；　the　engine　whining　with　the　effort。　The　river　had　divided　and　divided　until　it　had　bee　a　labyrinth　of　channels　and　stagnant　pools；　with　acres　of　exposed；　black；　stinking；　shivery　muck。　Everywhere　Tom　could　see　whirling　clouds　of　insects。　Pingo　stayed　in　the　bow；　shirtless；　wielding　a　huge　machete　with　which　he　took　an　occasional　swipe　at　a　vine　hanging　in　the　water。　The　channels　were　often　too　shallow　to　use　the　engine；　and　Chori　would　raise　it　and　pole。　Don　Alfonso　remained　on　his　usual　perch　atop　the　canvas…covered　heap　of　supplies　and　sat　there　cross…legged；　like　a　wise　man；　puffing　furiously　on　his　pipe　and　peering　ahead。　On　several　occasions　Pingo　had　to　get　out　and　chop　a　notch　through　a　half…sunken　log　to　allow　the　boat　to　pass。
　〃What　are　these　hellish　insects？〃　Sally　cried；　slapping　furiously。
　〃Tapir…fly；〃　said　Don　Alfonso。　He　reached　into　his　pocket　and　extended　a　blackened　corncob　pipe　toward　her。　〃Se？orita；　you　should　take　up　smoking；　which　discourages　the　insects。〃
　〃No；　thank　you。　Smoking　causes　cancer。〃
　〃On　the　contrary；　smoking　is　very　healthful　and　it　leads　to　good　digestion　and　a　long　life。〃
　〃Right。〃
　As　they　proceeded　deeper　into　the　swamp；　the　vegetation　seemed　to　press　in　from　all　sides；　forming　layered　walls　of　glossy　leaves；　ferns；　and　vines。　The　air　was　dead　and　thick　and　smelled　of　methane。　The　boat　pushed　through　it　as　if　it　were　hot　soup。
　〃How　do　you　know　this　is　the　way　my　father　went？〃　Tom　asked。