pdouglas.thecodex-第42部分
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〃Sally？〃
The jaguar screamed again； and this time it seemed to be right above him。 He instinctively dropped to his knees； machete drawn； but all he could see were moss…draped rocks and disembodied tree trunks。
〃Sally！〃 he called out more loudly。 〃Are you all right？〃
Silence。
He began to run down the slope； his heart in a panic。 〃Sally！〃
A faint voice answered； 〃I'm down here。〃
He continued downhill； slipping and sliding on the wet leaves； sending pebbles rolling down the steep slope。 The mists were getting thicker by the minute。 He heard another set of grunting coughs； behind him； very humanlike in sound。 The animal was pursuing him。
〃Sally！〃
Sally emerged from the mists； carrying the gun； with a scowl on her face。 〃Your shouting caused me to miss a shot。〃
He pulled up short； then slid the machete back into his belt； embarrassed。 〃I was worried； that's all。 I don't like the sound of that jaguar。 It's hunting us。〃
〃Jaguars don't hunt people。〃
〃You heard what my brother said about what happened to his guide。〃
〃Frankly； I don't believe it。〃 She frowned。 〃We might as well go back。 I'm not going to get anything more in this fog anyway。〃
They climbed back to the spot where the body of the rodent had been。 The pieces were gone； leaving a few torn and bloody palm leaves behind。
Sally laughed。 〃That's all he was doing…chasing you away so he could eat our dinner。〃
Tom colored with embarrassment。 〃I wasn't chased away…I came looking for you。〃
〃Don't worry about it；〃 said Sally； 〃I probably would have run； too。〃
Tom noted with irritation the word probably but said nothing。 But he suppressed a tart reply。 He wasn't going to let her bait him anymore。 They started back toward camp； following the trail they had e in on。 As they approached the first rockpile； the jaguar screamed again； the sound oddly clear and crisp in the foggy forest。 Sally stopped； her gun raised。 They waited。 Water drops were collecting and falling off the leaves； filling the forest with a soft pattering sound。
〃He wasn't ahead of us before； Sally。〃
〃You still think he's hunting us？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Nonsense。 He wouldn't be making such a racket if he were。 And besides； he just ate。〃 She smirked at him。
They walked cautiously toward the rocks。 Empty； but with a lot of dark holes and crevasses。
〃Let's play it safe and skirt that rockfall；〃 Tom said。
〃All right。〃
They began climbing uphill； to go around it from above。 The mists were getting thicker。 Tom felt the wetness creeping through his only set of clothes。 He stopped。 There was a soft rustling sound。
Sally paused。
〃Sally； get behind me；〃 Tom said。
〃I've got the gun。 I should be in front。〃
〃Get behind me。〃
〃For heaven's sake。〃 But she got behind him。
He drew his machete and moved forward。 There were trees all around them； crooked trees with low branches hung with moss。 The mists were so thick he could not see their upper reaches。 Tom realized that they were now upwind of the jaguar。 It had moved around them so that it could scent them； even if it could not see them。
〃Sally； I can feel it hunting us。〃
〃It's just curious。〃
Tom froze。 There； about ten yards ahead； was the jaguar； suddenly exposing itself fully to their view。 It was standing on a branch above their path； calmly looking at them； twitching its tail。 Its magnificence took Tom's breath away。
Sally did not raise her gun to shoot； and Tom understood why。 It was impossible to contemplate destroying such a beautiful animal。
After a moment's hesitation the jaguar leapt effortlessly to another tree branch and walked along it； eyeing them the whole time； its muscles rippling under its golden pelt； moving like flowing honey。
〃Look at how beautiful it is；〃 Sally breathed。
It was beautiful。 With a movement of incredible lightness； the animal leapt to another branch； this one closer to them。 There it stopped； slowly sinking down onto its haunches。 It looked at them boldly； utterly unafraid； making no effort to hide； motionless except for the faintest twitching of the tip of its tail。 There was blood on its muzzle。 The look in its eye； Tom thought； was contemptuous。
〃It's not afraid；〃 said Sally。
〃That's because it's never seen a human being before。〃
Tom backed up slowly； and Sally followed suit。 The jaguar remained in its perch watching them； forever watching them； until it disappeared in the shifting mists。
When they got back to camp； Don Alfonso listened to their story about the jaguar； his brown face crinkling with concern。 〃We must be very careful；〃 he said。 〃We must not talk about this animal anymore。 Otherwise； he will follow us to hear what we say。 He is proud and does not like to be spoken ill of。〃
〃I thought that jaguars don't attack humans；〃 Sally said。
Don Alfonso laughed and whacked Sally's knee。 〃That is a good joke。 When he looks at us； what do you think he sees？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃He sees a weak； stupid； slow； perpendicular piece of meat without horns； teeth； or claws。〃
〃Why didn't he attack？〃
〃Like all cats； he likes to play with his food。〃
Sally shuddered。
〃Curandera； it is not pleasant to be eaten by a jaguar。 They eat the tongue first； and not always before you are dead。 Next time you have the opportunity to kill it； do it。〃
That night the forest was so quiet that Tom had trouble sleeping。 Sometime after midnight； hoping a little air would help； he crept out of his hammock and ducked out the door of the hut。 He was astonished at the sight that greeted him。 The forest all around him was aglow with phosphorescence； as if glowing powder had been dusted over everything； outlining rotting logs and stumps； dead leaves and mushrooms； a luminescent landscape that stretched off into the forest； merging into one misty glow。 It was as if the heavens had fallen to earth。
After five minutes he crept back into the makeshift hut and gave Sally a little shake。 She rolled over； her hair a tangle of heavy gold。 Like all of them； she was sleeping in her clothes。 〃What is it？〃 she said in a sleepy voice。
〃There's something you have to see。〃
〃I'm sleeping。〃
〃You've got to see this。〃
〃I don't have to do anything。 Go away。〃
〃Sally； just this once please trust me。〃
Grumbling； she got out of her hammock and stepped outside。 She halted and stood there in silence； staring。 Minutes passed。 〃My God；〃 she breathed。 〃I've never seen anything so beautiful。 It's like staring down at L。A。 from thirty thousand feet。〃
The glow cast a faint illumination on Sally's face； barely outlining it against the darkness。 Her long hair hung down her back like a cascade of light； silver instead of gold。
On an impulse； he took her hand。 She didn't withdraw it。 There was something amazingly erotic in just holding her hand。
〃Tom？〃
〃Yes？〃
〃Why did you want me to see this？〃
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃because I…〃 He hesitated。 〃I wanted to share it with you； that's all。〃
〃That's all？〃 She looked at him for a long time。 Her eyes seemed unusually luminescent…or maybe it was just a trick of the light。 Finally she said； 〃Thank you； Tom。〃
All at once； the jaguar's scream split the night。 A black shape slowly moved against the glowing background； like an absence of light itself。 As it turned its great head toward them； they saw the faint gleam of its eyes reflecting the millions of points in two orbs； like two tiny galaxies。
Tom slowly pulled Sally back by her hand； toward the dull heap of coals that had been their fire。 He reached down and heaped some brush on。 As the yellow flames licked upward； the jaguar disappeared。
A moment later Don Alfonso joined them at the fire。
〃He is still playing with his food；〃 the old man muttered。
36
The next morning when they set off； the mists were so thick they couldn't see more than ten feet in any direction。 They climbed farther up the mountain； still following the faint animal trail。 They topped a secondary ridge and began to descend。 Tom could hear the sound of roaring water at the bottom。 In a few moments they came out on the steep banks of a river tearing down the mountainside； bursting over boulders on its way。
〃We cut a tree；〃 said Don Alfonso。 He hunted around and found
