pdouglas.thecodex-第31部分

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　scarcely　believe　that　Don　Alfonso　knew　which　way　to　go。
　By　afternoon；　the　rain　ended　suddenly；　as　if　a　spigot　had　been　turned　off。　For　another　few　minutes　the　water　continued　running　down　the　tree　trunks；　with　a　noise　like　a　waterfall；　leaving　the　jungle　misty；　dripping；　and　hushed。
　〃The　bugs　are　back；〃　Sally　said；　slapping。
　〃Jejenes。　Blackflies；〃　said　Don　Alfonso；　lighting　up　his　pipe　and　surrounding　himself　with　a　foul　blue　cloud。　〃They　take　a　piece　of　your　meat　away　with　them。　They　are　formed　from　the　breath　of　the　devil　himself　after　a　night　of　drinking　bad　aguardiente！〃
　At　times　their　way　was　blocked　with　hanging　vines　and　aerial　roots　that　grew　down　from　above；　forming　thick　curtains　of　vegetation　that　hung　to　the　very　surface　of　the　water。　Pingo　remained　in　front；　hacking　them　down　with　his　machete　while　Chori　poled　from　the　back。　Every　blow　of　the　machete　dislodged　tree　frogs；　insects；　and　other　creatures　that　dropped　into　the　water；　providing　a　feast　for　the　piranhas　below；　which　thrashed　and　boiled　around　every　hapless　animal。　Pingo；　his　great　back　muscles　working；　slashed　left；　right；　then　left；　flicking　most　of　the　vines　and　hanging　flowers　into　the　water。　In　one　particularly　narrow　channel；　while　Pingo　was　slashing　away；　he　suddenly　gave　a　cry；　〃Heculu！〃
　〃Avispa！　Wasps！〃　Don　Alfonso　cried；　crouching　down　and　putting　his　hat　over　his　head。　〃Do　not　move！〃
　A　pact；　boiling　cloud　of　black　came　racing　out　of　the　hanging　vegetation；　and　Tom；　crouching　and　protecting　his　head；　immediately　felt　a　tattoo　of　fiery　stings　on　his　back。
　〃Don't　slap　them；〃　Don　Alfonso　cried。　〃It　will　make　them　madder！〃
　They　could　do　nothing　but　wait　until　the　wasps　had　finished　stinging　them。　The　wasps　left　as　quickly　as　they　had　e；　and　Sally　doctored　the　stings　with　more　sap　from　the　gumbo…limbo　tree。　They　pushed　on。
　Around　noon；　a　strange　sound　developed　in　the　canopy　above　them。　It　sounded　like　a　thousand　smacking；　gurgling　noises；　like　a　crowd　of　children　sucking　on　candies；　only　much　louder；　acpanied　by　a　rustling　in　the　branches　that　grew　in　volume　until　it　was　like　a　sudden　wind。　There　was　the　flashing　of　black　shapes；　just　seen　through　the　leaves。
　Chori　shipped　his　paddle；　and　instantly　a　small　bow　and　arrow　was　in　his　hand　and　pointed　skyward；　tensed　and　ready　to　go。
　〃Mono　chucuto；〃　Don　Alfonso　whispered　to　Tom。
　Before　Tom　could　say　anything；　Chori　had　loosed　his　arrow。　There　was　a　sudden　motion　above　and　a　black　monkey　came　falling　out　of　the　branches；　still　half　alive；　grasping　and　clutching　and　sliding　through　the　foliage　as　it　fell；　finally　landing　in　the　water　five　feet　from　the　dugout。　Chori　leapt　up　and　snatched　the　bundle　of　black　fur　out　of　the　water；　just　before　a　large　swirl　from　underneath　indicated　something　else　had　the　same　idea。
　〃Ehi！　Ehi！〃　he　said　with　a　vast　grin。　〃Uakaris！　Mmmm。〃
　〃There　are　two！〃　said　Don　Alfonso；　in　a　high　state　of　excitement。　〃This　was　a　very　lucky　strike；　Tomasito。　It　is　a　mother　and　her　baby。〃
　The　baby　monkey　was　still　clinging　to　the　mother；　squealing　in　terror。
　〃A　monkey？　You　shot　a　monkey？〃　Sally　said；　her　voice　high。
　〃Yes；　Curandera；　are　we　not　lucky？〃
　〃Lucky？　This　is　awful！〃
　Don　Alfonso's　face　fell。　〃You　do　not　like　monkey？　The　brains　of　this　monkey　are　truly　a　delicacy　when　roasted　lightly　in　the　skull。〃
　〃We　can't　eat　a　monkey！〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃Why；　it's　。。。　it's　practically　cannibalism。〃　She　rounded　on　Tom。　〃I　can't　believe　you　let　him　shoot　a　monkey！〃
　〃I　didn't　let　him　shoot　anything。〃
　Chori；　understanding　nothing　and　still　grinning　proudly；　dumped　the　monkey　on　the　floor　of　the　boat　in　front　of　them。　It　stared　up　at　them；　eyes　filming　over；　tongue　halfway　out。　The　baby　leapt　off　the　dead　body　of　its　mother　and　crouched　in　terror；　hands　over　its　head；　making　a　high…pitched　scream。
　〃Ehi！　Ehi！〃　Chori　said；　reaching　to　grab　the　baby　monkey　with　one　hand　while　raising　the　machete　with　the　other；　ready　to　deliver　the　coup　de　grace。
　〃No！〃　Tom　snatched　the　little　black　monkey　up　into　his　arms。　It　nestled　down　and　stopped　screaming。　Chori；　his　machete　half　raised；　stared　in　surprise。
　Don　Alfonso　leaned　forward。　〃I　do　not　understand。　What　is　this　about　cannibalism？〃
　〃Don　Alfonso；〃　Tom　said；　〃we　consider　monkeys　to　be　almost　human。〃
　Don　Alfonso　said　something　sharply　to　Chori；　whose　grin　vanished　in　a　look　of　disappointment。　Don　Alfonso　turned　back　to　them。　〃I　did　not　know　monkeys　were　sacred　to　North　Americans。　And　it　is　true　they　are　almost　human；　except　that　God　put　hands　on　their　feet。　I　am　sorry。　If　I　had　known；　I　would　not　have　allowed　it　to　be　killed。〃　He　said　something　sharply　to　Chori　and　the　boat　moved　on。　Then　he　picked　up　the　mother's　body　and　tossed　it　into　the　water；　there　was　a　swirl　and　it　was　gone。
　Tom　felt　the　monkey　nestling　more　vigorously　into　the　crook　of　his　arm；　whimpering　and　trying　to　burrow　into　the　warmth。　He　looked　down。　A　little　black　face　peeped　back　up　at　him；　eyes　wide；　and　a　tiny　hand　reached　out。　The　monkey　was　small…no　more　than　eight　inches　long　and　weighing　no　more　than　three　or　four　pounds。　His　hair　was　soft　and　short；　and　he　had　large　brown　eyes；　a　tiny　pink　nose；　little　human　ears；　and　four　miniature　hands　with　delicate　fingers　as　slender　as　toothpicks。
　Tom　found　Sally　looking　at　him　with　a　smile　on　her　face。
　〃What？〃
　〃Looks　like　you've　made　a　new　friend。〃
　〃Oh　no。〃
　〃Oh　yes。〃
　The　little　monkey　had　recovered　from　its　terror。　It　crawled　out　on　Tom's　arm　and　began　poking　around　his　chest。　Its　little　black　hands　went　scurrying　and　plucking　into　the　folds　of　his　clothing　while　it　made　a　smacking　sound　with　its　lips。
　〃He's　grooming　you；〃　said　Sally。　〃Looking　for　lice。〃
　〃I　hope　he's　disappointed。〃
　〃Look；　Tomás；〃　said　Don　Alfonso；　〃he　thinks　you　are　his　mother。〃
　〃How　could　you　eat　this　beautiful　creature？〃　Sally　asked。
　Don　Alfonso　shrugged。　〃All　the　creatures　of　the　forest　are　beautiful；　Curandera。〃
　Tom　could　feel　the　monkey　bing　and　picking　through　his　shirt。　The　monkey　crept　about；　using　his　buttons　as　handholds；　and　lifted　up　the　flap　of　his　giant；　explorer…style　vest　pocket。　He　rummaged　in　there　with　a　hand；　made　a　smacking　noise；　and　then　climbed　in　it　and　wriggled　himself　into　place。　He　sat　there；　his　arms　folded；　peering　around；　his　nose　slightly　elevated。
　Sally　clapped　her　hands　together　and　laughed。　〃Oh；　Tom；　he　really　likes　you　now。〃
　〃What　do　they　eat？〃　Tom　asked　Don　Alfonso。
　〃Everything。　Insects；　leaves；　grubs。　You　will　not　have　any　trouble　feeding　your　new　friend。〃
　〃Who　says　he's　my　responsibility？〃
　〃Because　he　chose　you；　Tomasito。　You　belong　to　him　now。〃
　Tom　looked　down　at　the　monkey；　who　was　now　peering　around　like　a　miniature　lord　surveying　his　domain。
　〃He's　a　hairy　little　bugger；〃　said　Sally　in　English。
　〃Hairy　Bugger。　That's　what　we'll　call　him。〃
　
　That　afternoon；　at　one　particularly　convoluted　maze　of　channels；　Don　Alfonso　stopped　the　boat　and　spent　more　than　ten　minutes　examining　the　water；　tasting　it；　dropping　spitballs　into　it　and　watching　them　drift　to　the　bottom。　Finally　he　sat　up。
　〃There　is　a　problem。〃
　〃Are　we　lost？〃　Tom　asked。
　〃No。　They　are　lost。〃
　〃Who？〃
　〃One　of　your　brothers。　They　took　that　channel　to　the　left；　which　leads　to　the　Plaza　Negra；　the　Black　Place；　the　rotten　heart　of　the　swamp　where　the　demons　live。〃
　The　channel　wound　between　enormous　tree　trunks　and　clumps　of　hanging　vines；　a　layer　of　greenish　mist　hanging　just　above　the　black　surface　of　the　water。　It　looked　like　a　watery　pathway　to　hell。
　It　must　be　Vernon；　Tom　thought。　Vernon　was　always　getting　lost；　literally　and　figuratively。　〃How　long　ago？〃
　〃At　least　a　week。〃
　〃Is　there　a　place　to　camp　near　here？〃
　〃There　is　a　small　island　a　quarter　mile　further。〃
　〃We'll　stop　there　and　unload；〃　said　Tom。　〃We'll　leave　Pingo　and　Sally　in　camp；　while　you　and　I　and　Chori　take　the　dugout　on　a　search　for　my　brother。　We've　no　time　to　lose。〃
　
　They　landed　on　a　sodden　mud…island　while　a　rain　of　such　intensity　that　it　was　more　like　a　waterfall　poured　down　on　them。　Don　Alfonso　gestured　and　shouted；　supervising　the　unloading　and　then　reprovisioning　of　the　boat；　holding　back　the　supplies　they　would　need　for　their　journey。
　〃We