pdouglas.thecodex-第41部分

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　35
　
　They　spent　the　following　day　in　camp。　Don　Alfonso　cut　a　gigantic　stack　of　palm　fronds　and　sat　cross…legged　next　to　them　for　most　of　the　day；　pulling　them　into　fibrous　strips　and　weaving　palm…leaf　backpacks　and　more　hammocks。　Sally　hunted　and　brought　back　a　small　antelope；　which　Tom　dressed　and　smoked　over　the　fire。　Vernon　collected　fruits　and　manioc　root。　By　the　end　of　the　day　they　had　a　small　supply　of　food　for　their　journey。
　They　inventoried　their　supplies。　Between　them　they　had　several　boxes　of　waterproof　matches；　a　box　of　ammunition　with　thirty　rounds；　Tom's　daypack　containing　a　tiny　Svea　backpacking　stove　set　with　an　aluminum　pots…and…pans　set；　two　bottles　of　white　gas；　and　a　squeeze　bottle　of　insect　repellent。　Vernon　had　escaped　with　a　pair　of　binoculars　around　his　neck。　Don　Alfonso　had　a　pocketful　of　candy　bars；　three　pipes；　two　packs　of　pipe　tobacco；　a　small　whetstone；　and　a　roll　of　fishing　line　with　hooks；　all　of　which　had　been　in　his　greasy　leather　bag；　which　he　had　snatched　from　the　burning　dugout。　They　all　had　their　machetes；　which　they　had　been　carrying　tucked　in　their　belts　at　the　time　of　the　attack。
　The　next　morning　they　set　off。　Tom　cleared　the　trail　wielding　a　freshly　sharpened　machete；　while　Don　Alfonso　went　behind；　murmuring　which　way　he　was　to　go。　After　a　few　miles　of　bushwhacking　they　came　out　on　what　appeared　to　be　an　old　animal　trail　running　through　a　cool　forest　of　smooth…barked　trees。　The　light　was　dim；　and　there　was　almost　no　undergrowth。　A　hush　lay　over　the　forest。　It　was　like　walking　through　the　columned　interior　of　a　vast　green　cathedral。
　In　the　early　afternoon　the　trail　reached　the　base　of　a　mountain　range。　The　terrain　pitched　up　from　the　forest　floor；　being　a　tangled　slope　of　moss…covered　boulders。　The　trail　went　almost　straight　up。　Don　Alfonso　mounted　it　at　astonishing　speed；　and　Tom　and　the　others　struggled　to　follow；　surprised　at　the　old　man's　vigor。　As　they　gained　altitude　the　air　became　fresher。　The　stately　trees　of　the　jungle　gave　way　to　their　dwarfish；　twisted　cousins　of　the　mountains；　their　branches　hung　with　moss。　In　the　late　afternoon　they　came　out　on　a　flat　ridge；　which　ended　in　an　outcropping　of　leaf…shaped　rocks。　For　the　first　time　they　had　a　view　back　across　the　jungle　they　had　just　traversed。
　Tom　wiped　his　brow。　The　mountain　fell　away　from　them　in　one　fantastic　emerald　declivity；　plunging　three　thousand　feet　down　to　the　green　ocean　of　life　below。　Massive　cumulus　clouds　moved　above　their　heads。
　〃I　had　no　idea　we　were　so　high；〃　said　Sally。
　〃Thanks　to　the　Holy　Mother　we　have　journeyed　far；〃　said　Don　Alfonso；　his　voice　subdued；　setting　down　his　palm…leaf　backpack。　〃This　is　a　good　place　to　camp。〃　He　seated　himself　on　a　log；　lit　his　pipe；　and　began　to　give　orders。
　〃Sally；　you　and　Tom　go　hunting。　Vernon；　first　you　will　build　the　fire；　and　then　you　will　build　the　hut。　I　will　rest。〃
　He　leaned　back；　puffing　lazily；　his　eyes　half　closed。
　Sally　slung　the　gun　over　her　shoulder；　and　they　set　off；　following　what　appeared　to　be　an　animal　trail。　〃I　haven't　had　a　chance　to　thank　you　for　shooting　at　those　soldiers；〃　he　said。　〃You　probably　saved　our　lives。　You've　really　got　guts。〃
　〃You're　like　Don　Alfonso…you　seem　surprised　a　woman　might　be　handy　with　a　rifle。〃
　〃I　was　talking　about　your　presence　of　mind；　not　your　shooting…but　yes；　I　have　to　admit；　I　am　surprised。〃
　〃Allow　me　to　inform　you　that　it's　now　the　twenty…first　century；　and　women　are　doing　surprising　things。〃
　Tom　shook　his　head。　〃Is　everyone　in　New　Haven　so　prickly？〃
　She　turned　a　cool　pair　of　green　eyes　on　him。　〃Shall　we　get　on　with　the　hunting？　Your　chatter　is　scaring　the　game。〃
　Tom　suppressed　a　further　ment　and　instead　watched　her　slim　body　moving　through　the　jungle。　No；　she　was　nothing　like　Sarah。　Blunt；　prickly；　outspoken。　Sarah　was　smooth；　she　never　said　what　she　really　thought；　never　told　the　truth；　was　pleasant　even　to　people　she　couldn't　stand。　For　her；　it　was　always　so　much　more　fun　to　deceive。
　They　went　on；　their　footsteps　silent　in　the　wet；　springy　leaves。　The　forest　was　cool　and　deep。　Through　gaps　in　the　trees；　Tom　could　see　the　Macaturi　River　glinting　in　scimitarlike　curves　through　the　rainforest　far　below。
　A　cough　sounded　from　the　forested　slopes　above　them。　It　sounded　like　a　human　cough；　only　deeper；　throatier。
　〃That；〃　said　Sally；　〃sounds　feline。〃
　〃Feline；　as　in　jaguar？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　They　moved　side　by　side　through　the　foliage；　palming　the　leaves　and　ferns　out　of　the　way。　The　mountain　slopes　were　curiously　silent。　Even　the　birds　had　stopped　chittering。　A　lizard　skittered　up　a　trunk。
　〃It　feels　strange　up　here；〃　said　Tom。　〃Unreal。〃
　〃It's　a　cloudforest；〃　said　Sally。　〃A　high…altitude　rainforest。〃　She　moved　ahead；　the　rifle　at　the　ready。　Tom　fell　behind　her。
　There　was　another　cough：　deep　and　booming。　It　was　now　the　only　sound　in　a　forest　that　had　bee　unnaturally　silent。
　〃That　sounded　closer；〃　said　Tom。
　〃Jaguars　are　a　lot　more　frightened　of　us　than　we　are　of　them；〃　said　Sally。
　They　clambered　across　a　slope　covered　with　giant　fallen　boulders；　squeezing　through　moss…covered　faces　of　rock；　and　came　out　facing　a　thick　stand　of　bamboo。　Sally　moved　around　it。　Clouds　were　already　pressing　down　on　them；　and　tendrils　of　mist　drifted　through　the　trees。　The　air　smelled　like　wet　moss。　The　view　below　them　had　vanished　into　whiteness。
　Sally　paused；　raised　the　gun；　waited。
　〃What　is　it？〃　Tom　whispered。
　〃Up　ahead。〃
　They　crept　forward。　In　front　of　them　was　a　second　cluster　of　giant　mossy　boulders；　rolled　and　piled　together；　forming　a　honeyb　of　dark　holes　and　crawlspaces。
　Tom　stood　behind　Sally；　waiting。　The　mists　were　rolling　in　fast；　reducing　the　trees　to　silhouettes。　The　fog　sucked　the　fantastical　green　from　the　landscape；　turning　it　a　dull　bluish　gray。
　〃There's　something　moving　in　those　rocks。〃　she　whispered。
　They　waited；　crouching。　Tom　could　feel　the　mists　collecting　around　him；　soaking　into　his　clothes。
　After　ten　long　minutes；　a　head　appeared　at　a　rock　opening　with　two　bright　black　eyes；　and　an　animal　that　looked　like　a　giant　guinea　pig　came　sniffing　out。
　The　shot　rang　out　instantly；　and　the　animal　squiffed　loudly　and　rolled　belly　up。
　Sally　rose；　unable　to　suppress　a　grin。
　〃Nice　shooting；〃　Tom　said。
　〃Thanks。〃
　Tom　unsheathed　his　machete　and　went　to　examine　the　animal。
　〃I'll　go　on　ahead。〃
　Tom　nodded　and　turned　over　the　animal　with　his　shoe。　It　was　some　kind　of　large　rodent；　with　yellow　incisors；　round　and　fat　and　heavily　furred。　He　slid　out　his　machete；　not　at　all　looking　forward　to　his　job。　He　sliced　it　open；　scraped　and　pulled　out　the　guts　and　internal　organs；　cut　off　the　paws　and　head；　and　skinned　it。　There　was　a　strong　smell　of　blood。　As　hungry　as　he　was　he　began　to　lose　his　appetite。　He　wasn't　squeamish…as　a　vet　he'd　seen　plenty　of　blood…but　he　didn't　like　being　part　of　the　killing　as　opposed　to　the　healing。
　He　heard　another　sound；　this　time　a　very　low　growl。　He　paused；　listening。　It　was　followed　by　a　dainty　series　of　coughs。　It　was　hard　to　tell　where　they　were　ing　from…somewhere　upslope；　in　the　rocks　above　them。　He　sought　out　Sally　with　his　eyes　and　located　her　about　twenty　yards　away；　below　the　rockslide；　a　slender　silhouette　moving　silently　in　the　mist。　She　faded　from　view。
　He　quartered　the　animal　and　wrapped　it　up　in　palm　leaves。　It　was　depressing　how　little　meat　there　actually　was。　It　seemed　hardly　worth　it。　Maybe；　he　thought；　Sally　would　bring　down　something　bigger；　like　a　deer。
　As　he　finished　wrapping　the　meat　he　heard　another　sound；　a　soft　and　gentle　purr；　so　close　that　he　flinched。　He　waited；　listening；　his　whole　body　tense。　Suddenly　a　bloodcurdling　scream　split　the　forest；　trailing　off　into　a　hungry　growl。　He　jumped　up；　machete　in　his　hand；　trying　to　identify　where　it　came　from；　but　the　tree　branches　and　rocks　were　all　bare。　The　jaguar　was　well　hidden。
　Tom　looked　downslope　to　where　Sally　had　vanished　into　the　mists。　He　didn't　like　the　fact　that　the　jaguar　hadn't　gone　away　after　the　rifle　shot。　Picking　up　his　machete；　he　left　the　chopped…up　rodent　and　headed　toward　where　Sally　had　disappeared。
　〃Sally？〃
　The　jaguar　screamed　again；　and　this　time　it　seemed　to　be　right　above　him。　He　instinctively　d