pdouglas.thecodex-第24部分
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y scrambled up the slippery embankment； slipping and sliding in the mud。 Everything was soaking wet。 At the top was a small open hut and a fire； with an old man sitting in a hammock。 An animal was roasting on a spit of wood。 Tom eyed it； smelling the delicious aroma of roasting meat。 His appetite was tempered only slightly when he realized it was a monkey。
〃Hola；〃 said Sally。
〃Hola；〃 said the man。
Sally spoke in Spanish。 〃Is this Pito Solo？〃
There was a long silence while the man looked at her blankly。
〃He doesn't speak Spanish；〃 said Tom。
〃Which way is the town？ Donde？ Where？〃
The man pointed into the mist。 There was the sharp Cry of an animal； and Tom jumped。
〃There's a trail here；〃 Sally said。
They started up the trail and soon came to the town。 It sat on a rise above the flooded rainforest； a motley collection of wattle…and…daub huts with roofs of tin or thatch。 Chickens strutted away from them； and skinny dogs slunk along the walls of the houses； eyeing them sideways。 They wandered through the village； which seemed deserted。 It ended as quickly as it began in a wall of solid jungle。
Sally looked at him。 〃What now？〃
〃We knock。〃 Tom picked a door at random； knocked。
Silence。
Tom heard a rustle and looked around。 At first he saw nothing； and then he realized that a hundred dark eyes were peering at him from the jungle foliage。 They were all children。
〃I wish I had my candy；〃 Sally said。
〃Take out a dollar。〃
Sally removed a dollar。 〃Hello？ Who wants an American dollar？〃
A shout went up； and a hundred children burst from the foliage； shouting and jostling； their hands extended。
〃Who speaks Spanish？〃 asked Sally； holding up the dollar。
Everyone shouted at once in Spanish。 Out of the hubbub an older girl stepped forward。 〃Can I help you？〃 she said； with great poise and dignity。 She looked about thirteen and was pretty； wearing a tie…dyed T…shirt； a pair of shorts； and two gold earrings。 Thick brown braids went down her back。
Sally gave her the dollar。 A great ahhh of disappointment went up from the group； but they seemed to take it with good humor。 The ice； at least； was broken。
〃What is your name？〃
〃Marisol。〃
〃That's a nice name。〃
The girl smiled。
〃We are looking for Don Orlando Ocotal。 Can you take us to him？〃
〃He went away with the yanquis more than a week ago。〃
〃Which yanquis！〃
〃The tall angry gringo with the bites all over his face and the smiling one with the gold rings on his fingers。〃
Tom swore and looked at Sally。 〃Sounds like Philip got our guide first。〃 He turned back to the girl。 〃Did they say where they were going？〃
〃No。〃
〃Are there any grown…ups in town？ We're going upriver and we need a guide。〃
The girl said； 〃I will take you to my grandfather； Don Alfonso Boswas； who is the head of the village。 He knows everything。〃
They followed her。 She had about her an air of self…possession and petence； reinforced by her straight posture。 As they passed among the crooked huts； there was a smell of cooking that made Tom almost faint with hunger。 The girl led them to what looked like the worst hut in the village； a leaning pile of sticks with almost no mud remaining in the cracks。 It was built next to a muddy expanse that served as the town plaza。 In the middle of the plaza stood a bedraggled cluster of lemon and banana trees。
The girl stood aside at the door； and they stepped inside。 An old man sat in the center of the hut； on a stool too low for him； his bony knees sticking out of the great holes in his pants； a few wisps of white hair ing off his balding skull in random directions。 He was smoking a corncob pipe； which had filled the hut with a tarry smell。 A machete lay on the ground next to him。 He was small and wore glasses that magnified his eyes； giving him a wide…eyed look of surprise。 It was impossible to imagine he was the chief of the village； he looked； instead； like the village's poorest man。
〃Don Alfonso Boswas？〃 Tom asked。
〃Who？〃 The old man cried； picking up the machete and waving it about。 〃Boswas？ That scoundrel？ He's gone。 They ran him out of town long ago。 That good…for…nothing was living too long； and he just sat and smoked his pipe all day and looked at the girls passing his hut。〃
Tom stared at the man in surprise； then turned to look for the girl。 She stood in the doorway； suppressing a giggle。
The old man laid down the machete and laughed。 〃e in； e in。 I am Don Alfonso Boswas。 Sit down。 I'm just an old man who likes to tell a joke。 I have twenty grandchildren and sixty great…grandchildren； and they never e to visit me； so I must tell jokes to strangers。〃 He spoke a curiously formal； old…fashioned Spanish； using the usted form。
Tom and Sally took two rickety stools。 〃I'm Tom Broadbent；〃 he said； 〃and this is Sally Colorado。〃
The old man stood； bowed formally； and reseated himself。
〃We're looking for a guide to go upriver。〃
〃Humph；〃 he said。 〃All of a sudden these yanquis are all crazy to go upriver and get lost in the Meambar Swamp to be eaten by anacondas。 Why？〃
Tom hesitated； nonplussed by the unexpected question。
〃We're trying to find his father；〃 said Sally。 〃Maxwell Broadbent。 He came through here about a month ago with a group of Indians in dugout canoes。 They probably had a lot of boxes with them。〃
The old man looked at Tom； squinting。 〃e here； boy。〃 He reached out with a leathery hand and grasped Tom's arm in a viselike grip； drawing him closer。 He peered at him； his eyes magnified grotesquely by the glasses。
Tom felt as if the old man were peering right into his soul。
After a moment's scrutiny； he released him。 〃I see that you and your wife are hungry。 Marisol！〃 He spoke to her in an Indian language。 The girl left。 He turned back to Tom。 〃So that was your father who came through here； eh？ You don't look crazy to me。 A boy with a crazy father is usually crazy； too。〃
〃My mother was normal；〃 said Tom。
Don Alfonso laughed uproariously and slapped his knee。 〃That is good。 You are a joker； too。 Yes； they stopped here to buy food。 The white man was like a bear； and his voice carried half a mile。 I told him he was crazy to go on into the Meambar Swamp； but he did not listen。 He must be a great chief from America。 We had a good evening together with many laughs； and he gave me this〃
He reached over to where some burlap sacks were folded up； fumbled about with his hands； and held something toward them in the palm of his hand。 The sun struck it； and it glinted the color of pigeons blood； with a perfect star shining in it。 He placed it in Tom's hand。
〃A star ruby；〃 breathed Tom。 It was one of the gems in his father's collection； worth a small； perhaps even a large； fortune。 He felt a sudden rush of emotion： It was so like his father to make an extravagant gift to someone he liked。 He had once given a panhandler five thousand dollars because the man amused him with a witty remark。
〃Yes。 A ruby。 With it my grandchildren will go to America。〃 He carefully squirreled it away among the dirty burlap sacks。 〃Why is your father doing this？ He was as evasive as a coati when I tried to find out。〃
Tom glanced at Sally。 How could he possibly explain it？ 〃We're trying to find my father。 He's 。。。 sick。〃
At this Don Alfonso's eyes opened wide。 He removed his glasses； wiped them with a filthy rag； and put them back on； dirtier than before。 〃Sick？ Is it infectious？〃
〃No。 As you say； he's just a little loco； that's all。 It's a game he wanted to play with his sons。〃
Don Alfonso thought for a while； then shook his head。 〃I have seen the yanquis do many strange things； but this is more than strange。 There is something you're not telling me。 If I am to help you； you must tell me all。〃
Tom sighed and glanced at Sally。 She nodded。 〃He's dying。 He went upriver with all his possessions to be buried； and he issued a challenge to us that if we wanted our inheritance； we would have to find his tomb。〃
Don Alfonso nodded； as if this were the most natural thing in the world。 〃Yes； yes； this is something we Tawahka Indians once did。 We buried ourselves with our property； and it always made our sons angry。 But then the missionaries came and explained to us that Jesus would give u
