pdouglas.thecodex-第33部分

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　〃We're　together。〃
　The　man　stared　up　at　Tom　fixedly。
　〃What's　wrong　with　him？〃
　〃He's　got　a　fever。　He　stopped　speaking　two　days　ago。
　Tom　pulled　the　medicine　chest　out　of　their　supplies　and　stepped　into　the　other　dugout。　The　Teacher　followed　his　every　movement　with　his　eyes。　Tom　bent　over　and　felt　the　man's　forehead。　It　was　burning　hot；　a　temperature　of　at　least　104　degrees。　The　pulse　was　thready　and　fast。　He　listened　with　a　stethoscope：　The　lungs　sounded　clear；　the　heart　was　beating　normally；　albeit　very　fast。　Tom　injected　him　with　a　broad…spectrum　antibiotic　and　an　antimalarial。　Without　access　to　any　kind　of　diagnostic　tests；　it　was　the　best　he　could　do。
　〃What　kind　of　fever　does　he　have？〃　Vernon　asked。
　〃Impossible　to　know　without　a　blood　test。〃
　〃Is　he　going　to　die？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃　Tom　switched　into　Spanish。　〃Don　Alfonso；　do　you　have　any　idea　what　disease　this　man　has？〃
　Don　Alfonso　climbed　into　the　boat　and　bent　over　the　man。　He　tapped　his　chest；　looked　into　his　eyes；　felt　his　pulse；　examined　his　hands；　then　looked　up。　〃Yes；　I　know　well　this　disease。〃
　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃It's　called　death。〃
　〃No；〃　said　Vernon；　agitated。　〃Don't　say　that。　He's　not　dying。〃
　Tom　was　sorry　he　had　asked　for　Don　Alfonso's　opinion。　〃We'll　bring　him　back　to　camp　in　the　dugout。　Chori　can　pole　that　dugout；　and　I'll　pole　ours。〃　Tom　turned　to　Vernon。　〃We　found　one　dead　guide　back　there。　Where's　the　other？〃
　〃A　jaguar　dropped　down　on　him　at　night　and　dragged　him　up　into　a　tree。〃　Vernon　shuddered。　〃We　could　hear　his　screams　and　the　crunching　of　his　bones。　It　was　。。。〃　The　sentence　finished　in　a　choking　sound。　〃Tom；　get　me　out　of　here。〃
　〃I　will；〃　Tom　said。　〃We'll　send　you　and　your　Teacher　back　down　to　Brus　with　Pingo。〃
　They　arrived　back　at　the　camp　just　after　nightfall。　Vernon　put　up　one　of　their　tents；　and　they　carried　the　Teacher　up　from　the　boat　and　put　him　inside。　He　refused　all　food　and　remained　silent；　staring　at　them　in　the　most　unsettling　way。　Tom　wondered　if　the　man　was　still　sane。
　Vernon　insisted　on　spending　the　night　with　him　in　the　tent。　The　next　morning；　as　the　sun　was　just　catching　the　treetops；　Vernon　roused　them　all　with　a　call　for　help。　Tom　was　the　first　to　arrive。　The　Teacher　was　sitting　up　in　his　sleeping　bag；　highly　agitated。　His　face　was　pale　and　dry；　and　his　eyes　glittered　like　chips　of　blue　porcelain；　darting　about　wildly；　focusing　on　nothing。　His　hands　were　grasping　at　the　air。
　All　at　once　he　spoke。　〃Vernon！〃　he　cried；　groping　about　with　his　hands。　〃Oh　my　God；　where　are　you；　Vernon？　Where　am　I？〃
　With　a　shock　Tom　realized　he　must　have　gone　blind。
　Vernon　grasped　his　hand　and　knelt。　〃I'm　here；　Teacher。　We're　in　the　tent。　We're　taking　you　back　to　America。　You're　going　to　be　fine。〃
　〃What　a　goddamn　fool　I　was！〃　the　Teacher　shouted；　his　mouth　twisting　with　the　effort　to　speak；　causing　spittle　to　fly。
　〃Teacher；　please。　Please　don't　excite　yourself。　We're　going　home；　back　to　Big　Sur；　back　to　the　Ashram　。。。〃
　〃I　had　everything！〃　the　Teacher　roared。　〃I　had　money。　I　had　teenage　girls　to　fuck。　I　had　a　house　by　the　sea。　I　was　surrounded　by　people　who　revered　me。　I　had　everything！〃　The　veins　were　popping　out　on　his　forehead。　Drool　ran　down　and　dangled　from　his　chin。　His　whole　frame　trembled　so　violently　that　Tom　fancied　he　could　hear　his　bones　rattling。　The　blind　eyes　roved　madly　in　his　head；　like　whirling　pinballs。
　〃We're　going　to　get　you　to　a　hospital；　Teacher。　Don't　talk；　everything's　going　to　be　all　right；　all　right　。。。〃
　〃So　what　did　I　do？　Ha！　It　wasn't　enough！　Like　a　fool　I　wanted　more！　I　wanted　a　hundred　million　dollars　more！　And　look　what　happened　to　me！〃　He　roared　out　these　last　words　and；　having　uttered　them；　fell　back　heavily；　his　body　making　the　sound　of　a　dead　fish　hitting　the　floor。　He　lay　there；　his　eyes　staring　wide　open；　but　the　glitter　was　gone。
　He　was　dead。
　
　Vernon　stared　in　horror；　unable　to　speak。　Tom　put　his　hand　on　his　brother's　shoulder　and　found　him　shaking。　It　had　been　an　ugly　death。
　Don　Alfonso　was　badly　shaken　as　well。　〃We　must　leave；〃　he　said。
　〃A　bad　spirit　came　and　took　that　man　away；　and　he　did　not　want　to　go。
　〃Prepare　one　of　the　boats　to　return；〃　Tom　said　to　Don　Alfonso。　〃Pingo　can　take　Vernon　back　to　Brus　while　we　go　on…if　you　don't　have　any　objections。〃
　Don　Alfonso　nodded。　〃It　is　better　this　way。　The　swamp　is　no　place　for　your　brother。〃　He　began　shouting　orders　to　Chori　and　Pingo；　who　rushed　about；　equally　terrified；　only　too　happy　to　be　leaving。
　〃I　can't　understand　it；〃　Vernon　said。　〃He　was　such　a　good　man。　How　could　he　die　like　that？〃
　Vernon　was　always　being　taken　in　by　swindlers；　Tom　thought…financial；　emotional；　and　spiritual。　But　now　wasn't　the　time　to　point　it　out。　He　said；　〃Sometimes　we　think　we　know　someone；　and　we　don't。〃
　〃I　spent　three　years　with　him。　I　knew　him。　It　must　have　been　the　fever。　He　was　delirious；　out　of　his　mind。　He　didn't　know　what　he　was　saying。〃
　〃Let's　bury　him　and　move　on。〃
　Vernon　went　to　work　on　digging　a　grave；　and　Tom　and　Sally　joined　in。　They　cleared　out　a　small　spot　behind　the　camp；　chopping　through　roots　with　Chori's　axe　and　digging　down　into　the　soil　underneath。　In　twenty　minutes　a　shallow　grave　had　been　hollowed　out　of　the　hard…clay　soil。　They　dragged　the　Teacher's　body　to　the　hole；　laid　him　in；　packed　a　layer　of　clay　on　top　of　him；　then　filled　the　grave　with　smooth　boulders　from　the　riverbank。　Don　Alfonso；　Chori；　and　Pingo　were　already　in　the　boats；　fretting；　waiting　to　go。
　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　Tom　asked；　putting　his　arm　around　his　brother。
　〃I've　made　a　decision；〃　Vernon　said。　〃I'm　not　going　back。　I'm　going　on　with　you。〃
　〃Vernon；　it's　all　arranged。〃
　〃What　have　I　got　to　go　back　to？　I'm　dead　broke；　and　I　don't　even　have　a　car。　I　certainly　can't　go　back　to　the　Ashram。〃
　〃You'll　figure　out　something。〃
　〃I've　already　figured　out　something。　I'm　ing　with　you。〃
　〃You're　in　no　condition　to　e　with　us。　You　almost　died　back　there。〃
　〃This　is　something　I　have　to　do；〃　said　Vernon。　〃I'm　all　right　now。〃
　Tom　hesitated；　wondering　if　Vernon　really　was　all　right。
　〃Please；　Tom。〃
　There　was　such　a　depth　of　pleading　in　Vernon's　voice　that　Tom　was　surprised…and；　despite　himself；　a　little　glad。　He　grasped　Vernon's　shoulder。　〃All　right。　We'll　do　this　together；　just　as　Father　wanted。〃
　Don　Alfonso　clapped　his　hands。　〃Enough　talking？　We　go　now？〃
　Tom　nodded；　and　Don　Alfonso　gave　the　order　to　push　off。
　〃Now　that　we　have　two　boats；〃　Sally　said；　〃I'll　do　my　share　of　the　poling。〃
　〃Puah！　Poling　is　a　man's　job。〃
　〃Don　Alfonso；　you　are　a　sexist　pig。〃
　Don　Alfonso　crinkled　his　brow。　〃Sexist　pig？　What　kind　of　animal　is　this？　Have　I　been　insulted？〃
　〃You　certainly　have；〃　said　Sally。
　Don　Alfonso　gave　his　boat　a　good　pole；　and　it　glided　forward。　He　grinned。　〃Then　I　am　happy。　To　be　insulted　by　a　beautiful　woman　is　always　an　honor。〃
　
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　Marcus　Aurelius　Hauser　examined　his　white　shirtfront；　and；　finding　a　small　beetle　making　its　laborious　way　up　it；　he　plucked　it　off；　crushed　it　between　spatulate　thumb　and　forefinger　with　a　satisfying　chitinous　crackle；　and　tossed　it　away。　He　turned　his　attention　back　to　Philip　Broadbent。　All　that　archness；　that　fey　effeteness；　was　gone。　Philip　squatted　on　the　ground；　shackled　hand　and　foot；　filthy；　bug　bitten；　unshaven。　It　was　disgraceful　how　some　people　just　could　not　maintain　their　personal　hygiene　in　the　jungle。
　He　glanced　over　to　where　the　guide；　Orlando　Ocotal；　was　being　held　by　three　of　his　soldiers。　Ocotal　had　caused　him　considerable　trouble。　He　had　almost　made　good　his　escape；　which　Hauser　had　only　prevented　by　the　most　dogged　pursuit。　A　whole　day　had　been　wasted。　Ocotal's　fatal　flaw　had　been　in　assuming　a　gringo；　a　yanqui；　would　not　be　able　to　track　him　in　the　swamp。　He　evidently　hadn't　heard　of　a　place　called　Vietnam。
　So　much　the　better。　Now　it　was　out　in　the　open。　They　were　almost　through　the　swamp　anyway；　and　Ocotal　had　outlived　his　usefulness。　The　lesson　he　would　teach　Ocotal　would　be　a　good　one　for　Philip；　too。
　Hauser　inhaled　the　fecund　jungle　air。　〃Do　you　remember；　Philip；　when　we　were　packing　the　boats？　You　wanted　to　know　what　we　were　going　to　do　with　these　manacles　and　chains？〃
　Philip　did　not　answer。
　Hauser　r