pdouglas.thecodex-第42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！
the maggots。 Sally dusted the wounds with an herbal antibiotic and bandaged him up with strips of pounded bark that had been sterilized in boiling water and then smoke…dried in the fire。 They washed and dried his tattered clothes and redressed him in them； having no others。 They finished as the sun was beginning to set。 They propped him up； and Sally brought in a mug of herbal tea。
Philip took the mug。 He was looking better。 He said； 〃Turn around； Sally； and let me check you for wings。〃
Sally blushed。
Philip took a sip and then another。 Don Alfonso； meanwhile； had pulled a half dozen fish out of the stream and was now grilling them on skewers at the fire。 The smell of roasting fish came wafting over。
〃Strange how I have no appetite；〃 said Philip。
〃That's not unmon when you're starving；〃 said Tom。
Don Alfonso served out the fish on leaves。 For a while they ate in silence； and then Philip spoke：
〃Well； well； here we are。 A little family reunion in the Honduran jungle。〃 Philip looked around； his eyes sparkling； and then he said： 〃G。〃
There was a silence and then Vernon said： 〃H。〃
Tom said 〃O。〃
Philip said 〃S。〃
There was a long silence and then Vernon said； 〃Goddamn it。 T。〃
〃Vernon has to wash the dishes！〃 crowed Philip。
Tom turned to Sally to explain。 〃It's a game we used to play；〃 he said with a sheepish smile。
〃I guess you three really are brothers。〃
〃Sort of；〃 said Vernon。 〃Even if Philip is an ass。〃
Philip let out a guffaw。 〃Poor Vernon。 You always did end up in the kitchen； didn't you？〃
〃Glad to see you feeling better；〃 said Tom。
Philip turned his hollow face to him。 〃I am。〃
〃You feel like telling us what happened？〃
Philip's face grew serious； losing all its archness。 〃It's a heart…of…darkness story； plete with a Mistah Kurtz。 Are you sure you want to hear it？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Tom。 〃We want to hear it。〃
42
Philip carefully filled his pipe from a tin of Dunhill Early Morning and lit it； his movements slow and deliberate。 〃The one thing they didn't take from me was my tobacco and pipe； thank God。〃 He puffed slowly； his eyes half closed； gathering his thoughts。
Tom took the opportunity to examine Philip's face。 Now that it had been cleaned up he could finally recognize his brother's long； aristocratic features。 The beard gave him a raffish appearance that made him look curiously like their father。 But the face was different： Something had happened to his brother； something so awful it had altered his basic features。
His pipe lit； Philip opened his eyes and began to speak。
〃After I left you two； I flew back to New York and looked up Father's old partner； Marcus Aurelius Hauser。 I figured that he would know better than anyone where Father might have gone。 He was a private eye； of all things。 I found him a rather plump； perfumed fellow。 With two quick phone calls he was able to learn that Father had gone to Honduras； so I figured he was petent and hired him。 We flew to Honduras； he organized an expedition and hired twelve soldiers and four boats。 He financed it all by forcing me to sell the beautiful little Paul Klee watercolor that Father gave me…〃
〃Oh； Philip；〃 Vernon said。 〃How could you？〃
Philip closed his eyes wearily。 Vernon fell silent。 Then Philip continued： 〃So we all flew down to Brus and piled into dugout canoes for a jolly punt upriver。 We picked up a guide in some backwater hamlet and proceeded across the Meambar Swamp。 And then Hauser staged a coup。 The pomaded prick had been planning it all along…he's one of those wicked micromanaging Nazi types。 They chained me up like a dog。 Hauser fed our guide to the piranhas and then set up that ambush to kill you。〃
At this his voice faltered； and he sucked on his pipe a few times； his bony hand trembling。 The story was told with a certain humorous bravado that Tom knew well in his brother。
〃After clapping me in chains； Hauser left five G。I。 Josés behind on the Laguna Negra to ambush you all。 He took me and the other soldiers up the Macaturi as far as the Falls。 I'll never forget when the soldiers returned。 There were only three of them； and one had a three…foot arrow sticking through his thigh。 I couldn't hear all of what they said。 Hauser was furious and took the man out； shot him point…blank in the head。 I knew they had killed two people； and I was sure one or both of you were dead。 I have to tell you； brothers of mine； that when you arrived； I thought I had died and gone to hell…and you were the reception mittee。〃 He gave a dry little laugh。 〃We left the boats at the Falls and followed Father's trail on foot。 Hauser could track a mouse in the jungle if he had a mind to。 He kept me around because he had the idea of using me as a bargaining chip with you。 He ran into a group of mountain Indians； killed several； and chased the rest back to the village。 He then attacked the village and managed to capture the chief。 I didn't see any of this； I was kept behind under ball and chain； but I saw the results。〃
He shuddered。 〃Once he had the chief as a hostage； we made our way up into the mountains toward the White City。〃
〃Hauser knows it's the White City？〃
〃He learned it from an Indian prisoner。 But he doesn't know where the tomb is in the White City。 Apparently only the chief and a few elders know the exact location of father's tomb。〃
〃How did you escape？〃 Tom asked。
Philip closed his eyes。 〃Kidnapping the chief stirred up the Indians to war。 They attacked Hauser while he was en route to the White City。 Even with their heavy weapons Hauser and his men had their hands full。 He'd taken the chains off me to use them on the chief。 At the height of the attack I managed to get away。 I spent the last ten days walking…crawling； actually…back here； surviving on insects and lizards。 Three days ago I reached this river。 There was no way to cross。 I was starving； and I couldn't walk anymore。 So I sat down under a tree to wait for the end。〃
〃You were sitting under that tree for three days？〃
〃Three； four days…God only knows。 They all ran together。〃
〃My God； Philip； how awful。〃
〃On the contrary。 It was a refreshing feeling。 Because I didn't care anymore。 About anything。 I'd never felt so free in my life as while I was sitting under that tree。 I believe I might have actually been happy for a moment or two。〃
The fire had died down。 Tom added a few more sticks and stirred it back to life。
〃Did you see the White City？〃 Vernon asked。
〃I escaped before they got there。〃
〃How far is it from here to the Sierra Azul？〃
〃Ten miles； maybe； to the foothills； and another ten or twelve to the city。〃
There was a silence。 The fire crackled； hissed。 A bird sang a mournful song in a distant tree。 Philip closed his eyes and murmured； his voice heavy with sarcasm； 〃Dear old Father； what a fine legacy you left to your adoring children。〃
43
The temple lay buried in lianas； the front colonnade supported by square pillars of limestone streaked with green moss； holding up part of a stone roof。 Hauser stood outside； looking at the curious hieroglyphics carved into the pillars； the strange faces； animals； dots； and lines。 It reminded him of the Codex。
〃Stay outside；〃 he said to his men and slashed a hole in the screen of vegetation。 It was gloomy。 He shined a flashlight around。 There were no snakes or jaguars； just a mess of spiders in one corner and some mice scurrying away。 It was dry and sheltered…a good place to establish his headquarters。
He strolled deeper into the temple。 At the back stood another row of square stone pillars framing a ruined doorway leading out to a gloomy courtyard。 He stepped through。 A few statues lay tumbled about； deeply eroded by time； wet in the rain。 Great roots of trees snaked over the stones like fat anacondas； heaving apart walls and roofs； until the trees themselves became an integral part of what was holding the structure together。 On the far side of the courtyard a second doorway led into a small chamber with a carved stone man lying on his back； holding a bowl。
Hauser came back out to his waiting soldiers。 Two of them held between them the captured chief； a bowed old man； almost naked except for a loincloth and a piece of leather tied over his shoulder and belted around his waist。 His body was one mass of wrinkles。 He was just about the oldest…looking man Hauser had ever seen…and yet he knew he probably wasn't older than sixty。 The jungle ages you fast。
Hauser gestured to the teniente。 〃We'll stay here。 Have the soldiers clean this room out for my cot and table。〃 He nodded to the old man。 〃Chain him in the small room across the courtyard and put a guard on him。〃
The soldiers hustled the old Indian chief into the temple。 Hauser settled himself down on a block of stone and drew a fresh cigar tube from his shirt pocket； unscrewed the cap； and slid the cigar out。 It was still covered in a cedarwood wrapper。 He smelled the wrapper； crushed it in his hand； smelled it again； inhaling the exquisite fragrance； and then began the ritual that he loved so well of lighting the cigar。
As he smoked； he looked at the ruins of a pyramid directly in front of him。 It was nothing like Chichén Itzá or Copán； but as Mayan pyramids went it was impres
