pdouglas.thecodex-第26部分

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through　it　as　if　it　were　hot　soup。
　〃How　do　you　know　this　is　the　way　my　father　went？〃　Tom　asked。
　〃There　are　many　pathways　in　the　Meambar　Swamp；〃　Don　Alfonso　said；　〃but　there　is　only　one　way　through。　I；　Don　Alfonso；　know　that　way；　and　so　did　your　father。　I　can　read　the　signs。〃
　〃What　do　you　read？〃
　〃There　have　been　three　groups　of　voyagers　before　us。　The　first　group　came　through　a　month　ago。　The　second　and　third　groups　were　only　a　few　days　apart；　and　they　came　through　about　a　week　ago。〃
　〃How　can　you　tell　all　this？〃　Sally　asked。
　〃I　read　the　water。　I　see　a　notch　chopped　in　a　sunken　log。　I　see　a　cut　vine。　I　see　a　pole　mark　on　a　sunken　sandbar　or　a　groove　made　in　the　muddy　shallows　by　a　keel。　Those　marks；　in　this　dead　water；　last　for　weeks。〃
　Sally　pointed　to　a　tree。　〃Look；　over　there　is　a　gumbo…limbo　tree；　Bursera　simaruba。　The　Maya　use　the　sap　for　bug　bites。〃　She　turned　to　Don　Alfonso。　〃Let's　head　over　there　and　collect　some。〃
　Don　Alfonso　took　his　pipe　out　of　his　mouth。　〃My　grandfather　used　to　collect　this　plant。　We　call　it　lucawa。〃　He　gazed　at　Sally　with　a　newfound　respect。　〃I　did　not　know　you　were　a　curandera。〃
　〃I'm　not　really；〃　said　Sally。　〃I　spent　some　time　in　the　north　living　with　the　Maya　while　I　was　in　college。　I　was　studying　their　medicine。　I'm　an　ethnopharmacologist。〃
　〃Ethnopharmacologist？　That　sounds　like　a　very　big　profession　for　a　woman。〃
　Sally　frowned。　〃In　our　culture；　women　can　do　anything　a　man　can。　And　vice　versa。〃
　Don　Alfonso's　eyebrows　shot　up。　〃I　do　not　believe　it。〃
　〃It's　true；〃　Sally　said　defiantly。
　〃In　America；　the　women　hunt　while　the　men　have　babies？〃
　〃That's　not　what　I　meant。〃
　Don　Alfonso；　with　a　smile　of　triumph　on　his　face；　placed　the　stem　of　the　pipe　back　in　his　mouth；　argument　won。　He　gave　an　exaggerated　wink　to　Tom。　Sally　shot　Tom　a　look。
　And　here　I　didn't　say　a　thing；　Tom　thought；　annoyed。
　Chori　brought　the　boat　up　alongside　the　tree。　Sally　gave　the　bark　a　chop　with　her　machete　and　then　peeled　off　a　vertical　strip　of　bark。　The　sap　immediately　began　oozing　out　in　reddish　droplets。　She　scraped　some　off；　rolled　up　her　pants；　and　smeared　it　on　her　bug　bites；　then　rubbed　it　into　her　neck；　wrists；　and　the　backs　of　her　hands。
　〃You　look　a　fright；〃　said　Tom。
　She　scraped　some　more　of　the　gooey　sap　off　the　bark　with　the　machete　and　held　it　out　to　him。　〃Tom？〃
　〃You're　not　putting　that　stuff　on　me。〃
　〃Get　over　here。〃
　Tom　took　a　step　over；　and　she　rubbed　it　into　the　back　of　his　badly　bitten　neck。　The　itching；　burning　sensation　ebbed　away。
　〃How　does　it　feel？〃
　Tom　moved　his　neck。　〃Sticky；　but　good。〃　He　liked　the　feeling　of　her　cool　hands　on　his　neck。
　Sally　handed　him　the　machete　with　its　dollop　of　sap。　〃You　can　do　your　own　legs　and　arms。〃
　〃Thanks。〃　He　smeared　it　on；　surprised　at　how　effective　it　was。
　Don　Alfonso　also　helped　himself　to　the　sap。　〃This　is　truly　remarkable；　a　yanqui　who　knows　the　medicinal　secrets　of　plants；　a　real　curandera。　I　have　lived　one　hundred　and　twenty…one　years　and　still　there　are　things　I　have　not　seen。〃
　That　afternoon　they　passed　the　first　rock　Tom　had　seen　in　days。　Beyond；　sunlight　filtered　down　into　an　overgrown　clearing　made　in　an　island　of　high　ground。
　〃Here　is　where　we　will　camp；〃　announced　Don　Alfonso。
　They　brought　the　dugout　alongside　the　rock　and　tied　it　up。　Pingo　and　Chori　leapt　out　with　their　machetes　in　hand；　scrambled　up　and　over　the　rocks；　and　began　mowing　down　the　new　growth。　Don　Alfonso　strolled　around　and　examined　the　ground；　scuffing　it　with　a　foot；　picking　up　a　vine　or　a　leaf。
　〃This　is　amazing；〃　Sally　said；　looking　around。　〃There　is　some　zorillo。　Skunk　root；　one　of　the　most　important　plants　used　by　the　Maya。　They　make　an　herbal　bath　from　the　leaves　and　use　the　root　for　pain　and　ulcers。　They　call　it　payche。　And　here　is　some　suprecayo。〃　She　began　plucking　leaves　from　a　bush；　rolling　them；　and　smelling。　〃And　over　there　is　a　Sweetia　panamensis　tree。　This　is　amazing。　It's　a　unique　little　ecosystem　here。　Anyone　mind　if　I　go　collecting？〃
　〃Be　our　guest；〃　said　Tom。
　Sally　went　into　the　forest　to　collect　more　plants。
　〃It　looks　like　someone　camped　here　before　us；〃　Tom　said　to　Don　Alfonso。
　〃Yes。　This　large　area　was　first　cleared　about　a　month　ago。　I　see　a　fire　ring　and　the　remains　of　a　hut。　The　last　people　were　here　perhaps　a　week　ago。〃
　〃All　this　grew　up　in　a　week？〃
　Don　Alfonso　nodded。　〃The　forest　does　not　like　a　hole。〃　He　poked　around　the　remains　of　the　fire　and　then　picked　up　something；　handing　it　to　Tom。　It　was　a　cigar　ring　from　a　Cuba　Libre；　moldy　and　half　dissolved。
　〃My　father's　brand；〃　said　Tom；　looking　at　it。　It　gave　him　a　strange　feeling。　His　father　had　e　here；　camped　in　this　very　spot；　smoked　a　cigar；　and　left　this　tiny　clue。　He　put　it　in　his　pocket　and　began　collecting　wood　for　the　fire。
　〃Before　you　pick　up　a　branch；〃　Don　Alfonso　advised　him；　〃you　must　beat　on　it　with　a　stick　to　knock　off　the　ants；　snakes；　and　veinte　cuatros！〃
　〃Veinte　cuatros？〃
　〃It　is　an　insect　that　looks　like　a　termite。　We　call　them　veinte　cuatros；　twenty…fours；　because　after　their　bite　you　are　unable　to　move　for　twenty…four　hours。〃
　〃That's　nice。〃
　An　hour　later　he　saw　Sally　tramping　out　of　the　jungle　with　a　long　pole　slung　over　her　shoulder　on　which　were　tied　bundles　of　plants；　bark；　and　roots。　Don　Alfonso　looked　up　from　the　parrot　he　was　boiling　in　a　pot　to　watch　her　arrive。
　〃Curandera；　you　remind　me　of　my　grandfather　Don　Cali；　who　used　to　return　just　like　that　from　the　forest　every　day；　except　you　are　prettier　than　he　was。　He　was　old　and　wrinkled　while　you　are　firm　and　ripe。
　Sally　busied　herself　with　her　plants；　stringing　the　herbs　and　roots　on　a　stick　to　dry　near　the　fire。　〃There's　an　incredible　variety　of　plants　here；〃　she　said　excitedly　to　Tom。　〃Julian's　going　to　be　really　pleased。〃
　〃Wonderful。〃
　Tom　turned　his　attention　to　Chori　and　Pingo；　who　were　building　a　hut　while　Don　Alfonso　shouted　directions　and　heaped　criticism　on　them。　They　started　by　driving　six　stout　poles　into　the　earth；　making　a　framework　of　flexible　sticks；　over　which　they　tied　the　plastic　tarps。　The　hammocks　were　strung　between　the　poles；　each　with　its　own　mosquito　netting；　and　a　final　piece　of　plastic　tarp　was　hung　vertically；　making　a　private　room　for　Sally。
　When　they　were　done；　Pingo　and　Chori　stepped　back　while　Don　Alfonso　examined　the　hut　with　a　squinty　eye；　then　nodded　and　turned。　〃There；　I　offer　you　a　house　as　good　as　any　in　America。〃
　〃Next　time；〃　Tom　said；　〃I'm　going　to　help　Chori　and　Pingo。〃
　〃As　you　wish。　The　curandera　has　her　own　private　sleeping　quarters；　which　can　be　enlarged　for　an　additional　guest；　should　she　need　pany。〃　The　old　man　gave　Tom　another　exaggerated　wink。　He　found　himself　reddening。
　〃I　am　quite　content　to　sleep　alone；〃　said　Sally　coldly。
　Don　Alfonso　looked　disappointed。　He　leaned　over　toward　Tom　as　if　to　speak　to　him　in　private。　His　voice；　however；　was　perfectly　audible　to　everyone　in　the　camp。　〃She　is　a　very　beautiful　woman；　Tomás；　even　if　she　is　old。〃
　〃Excuse　me；　I'm　twenty…nine。〃
　〃Ehi；　se？orita；　you　are　even　older　than　I　thought。　Tomás；　you　must　hurry。　She　is　almost　too　old　to　marry　now。〃
　〃In　our　culture；〃　Sally　said；　〃twenty…nine　is　considered　young。〃
　Don　Alfonso　continued　to　shake　his　head　sadly。　Tom　couldn't　suppress　a　laugh　any　longer。
　Sally　rounded　on　him。　〃What's　so　funny？〃
　〃The　little　culture　clash　here；〃　he　said；　catching　his　breath。
　Sally　switched　into　English。　〃I　don't　appreciate　this　sexist　little　tête…à…tête　between　you　and　that　dirty　old　man。〃　She　turned　to　Don　Alfonso。　〃For　a　supposedly　hundred…and…twenty…one…year…old　man；　you　certainly　spend　a　lot　of　your　time　thinking　about　sex。〃
　〃A　man　never　stops　thinking　about　love；　se？orita。　Even　when　he　grows　old　and　his　member　shrivels　like　a　yuco　fruit　left　to　dry　in　the　sun。　I　may　be　one　hundred　and　twenty…one；　but　I　have　as　much　blood　as　a　teenager。　Tomás；　I　would　like　to　marry　a　woman　like　Sally；　only　she　will　be　sixteen　with　firm；　upturned　breasts…〃
　〃Don　Alfonso；〃　said　Sally；　interrupting；　〃don't　you　think　you　could　make　this　girl　of　your　dreams　eighteen？〃
　〃Then　she　might　not　be　a　virgin。〃
　〃In　our　country；〃　said　Sally；　〃most　women　don't　marry　until　they're　at　least　eighteen。　It's　offensive　to　speak　of　a　sixteen…year…old　girl　getting　married。〃
　〃I　am　sorry！　I　should　have　known　that　girls　develop　more　slowly　in　the　cold　climate　of　North　America。　But　here；　a　sixteen…year…old…〃
　〃Stop　it！〃　Sally　cried；　clapping　her　hands　over　her　ears。　〃No　more！　Don　Alfonso；　I've　had　it　with　your　ments　about　sex！〃
　The　old　man　shrugged。　〃I　am　an　old　man；　Curandera；　which　means　I　can　talk　and　joke　as　I　please。　Do　you　not　have　this　tradition　in　America？〃
　〃In　America　old　people　do　not　talk　constantly　about　sex。〃
　〃What　do　they　talk　about？〃
　〃They　talk　about　their　grandchildren；　the　weather；　Florida；　that　sort　of　thing。〃
　Don　Alfonso　shook　his　head。　〃How　boring　it　must　be　to　get　old　in　America。〃
　Sally　walked　off　and　flipped　back　the　door　to　the　hut；　flashing　Tom　an　angry　glance　just　before　she　disappeared。　Tom　watched　her　go；　irritated。　What　had　he　done　or　said？　He　was　being　unjustly　tarred　with　the　brush　of　sexism。
　Don　Alfonso　shrugged　and　relit　his　pipe　and　continued　speaking