pdouglas.thecodex-第49部分
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〃You said we'd never get across the swamp。〃
〃Now we know they left their boats at the Macaturi Falls。 We go and steal them。〃
〃And then？〃 Sally asked。
〃I go back to Pito Solo and you go home。〃
〃And just leave Hauser up here； killing everyone？〃
〃Yes。〃
Sally was furious。 〃I don't accept that。 He's got to be stopped。 We'll contact the government； have them send in troops to arrest him。〃
Don Alfonso looked very tired。 〃Curandera； the government will do nothing。〃
〃How do you know？〃
〃This man has already made arrangements with the government。 We can do nothing except accept our powerlessness。〃
〃I don't accept it！〃
Don Alfonso gazed at her with old； sad eyes。 He carefully scraped out his pipe； knocked the crumbs out； filled it； and relit it with a stick from the fire。 〃Many years ago；〃 he said； 〃when I was a boy； I remember when the first white man came to our village。 He was a small man with a big hat and a pointed beard。 We thought he might be a ghost。 He took out these turdlike yellow lumps of metal and asked if we had seen anything like it。 His hands were shaking； and there was a crazy light in his eyes。 We were frightened and said no。 A month later in the annual flood his rotting boat floated back down the river； and there was nothing in it but his skull and his hair。 We burned the boat and pretended it had never happened。
〃The next year a man in a black dress and hat came up the river。 He was a kind man； and he gave us food and crosses and dunked us all in the river and said he had saved us。 He stayed with us for a few months and got a woman with child； and then he tried to cross the swamp。 We never saw him again。
〃After that came more of the men looking for the yellow shit； which they called oro。 They were even crazier than the first； and they molested our daughters and stole our boats and food and went upriver。 One came back； but he had no tongue； so we never knew what happened to him。 Then came new men with crosses； and each one said the other men's crosses were not the good kind； that theirs was the only good one； the rest were junk。 They dunked us in the river again； then the others redunked us saying the first ones had done it wrong； then others came and dunked us again； until we were thoroughly wet and confused。 Later； a white man came all by himself； lived with us； learned our language； and told us that all the men with crosses were deficients。 He called himself an anthropologist。 He spent a year prying into all our private business； asking us a lot of stupid questions about things like sex and who was related to who； what happened to us after we died； what we ate and drank； how we made war； how we cooked a pig。 As we talked he wrote it all down。 The wicked young men of the tribe； of which I was one； told him many outrageous falsehoods； and he wrote them all down with a serious face and said he was going to put them into a book that everyone in America would read and that would make us famous。 We thought that was hilarious。
〃Then men came upriver with soldiers； and they had guns and papers； and we all signed the papers； and then they said we had agreed to have a new chief； much bigger than the village chief； and that we had agreed to give him all the land and animals and trees and all the minerals and oil underground； if there was any； which we thought was very funny。 They gave us a picture of our new chief。 He was very ugly with a face as pockmarked as a pineapple。 When our real chief protested； they took him into the forest and shot him。
〃Then soldiers and men with briefcases came and said that there had been a revolution and that we had a new chief； that the old one had been shot。 They told us to make marks on more papers； and then more missionaries came and made schools and brought medicines； and they tried to catch the boys and take them away to school； but they never could。
〃In those days we had a very wise chief； my grandfather； Don Cali。 One day he called everyone together。 He said that we needed to understand these new people who acted like madmen but were as crafty as demons。 We had to learn who these people really were。 He asked for volunteers among the boys。 I volunteered。 The next time the missionaries came I let myself be captured and sent to boarding school in La Ceiba。 They cut my hair and put me in itchy clothes and hot shoes and beat me for speaking Tawahka。 I stayed there ten years； and I learned how to speak Spanish and English； and I saw with my own eyes who the white men were。 That was my job： to understand them。
〃I came back and told my people what I had learned。 They said； 'This is terrible； what can we do？' And I said； 'Leave it to me。 We will resist them by agreeing with them。'
〃After that； I knew what to say to the men who came to our village with briefcases and soldiers。 I knew how to read the papers。 I knew when to sign the papers and when to lose them and act the fool。 I knew what to say to the Jesus men to get medicine； food； and clothes。 Every time they brought a picture of the new chief and told me to throw away the picture of the old chief； I thanked them and hung the new picture up in my hut with flowers。
〃And that is how I came to be chief of Pito Solo。 And so you see； Curandera； I understand how things are。 There is nothing we can do to help the mountain Indians。 We will be throwing away our lives for nothing。〃
Sally said； 〃I； personally； can't just walk away。〃
Don Alfonso laid a hand on hers。 〃Curandera； for a woman you are the bravest I have ever met。〃
〃Don't start on that again； Don Alfonso。〃
〃You are even braver than most men I have known。 Do not underestimate the mountain Indians。 I would not want to be one of these soldiers in the hands of the mountain Indians； with my last sight on earth that of seeing my manhood spit…roasting on an open fire。〃
No one spoke for a few minutes。 Tom felt tired； very； very tired。 〃It's our fault； Don Alfonso； that this is happening。 Or rather； our father's fault。 We're responsible。〃
〃Tomás； none of this means anything； this business of your fault； his fault； my fault。 We can do nothing。 We are powerless。〃
Philip nodded in agreement。 〃I've had it with this crazy journey。 We can't save the world。〃
〃I agree；〃 said Vernon。
Tom found them all looking at him。 A vote of sorts was being taken； and he had to decide。 He found Sally looking at him with a certain curiosity。 He just couldn't see himself giving up。 He had e too far。 〃I'll never be able to live with myself if we just go back。 I'm with Sally。〃
But it was still three against two。 Even before the sun rose； Don Alfonso was up and breaking camp。 The usually inscrutable Indian was frightened out of his wits。
〃There was a mountain Indian not half a mile from our camp last night。 I saw his tracks。 I am not afraid of death myself。 But I have already caused Pingo's and Chori's deaths； and I do not want any more blood on my hands。〃
Tom watched Don Alfonso flinging together their meager belongings。 He felt sick。 It was over。 Hauser had won。
Sally said； 〃Wherever Hauser goes with that codex； whatever he does； I'm going to be on his trail。 He'll never escape me。 We may be returning to civilization； but I'm ing back。 This isn't over by any means。〃
Philip's feet were still infected； leaving him unable to walk。 Don Alfonso wove a carrying hammock； something like a stretcher with two short poles that went across the shoulders。 It didn't take long to pack。 When the time came to leave； Tom and Vernon hoisted him up。 They set off single file through the narrow corridor of vegetation； Sally in front wielding the machete； Don Alfonso taking up the rear。
〃Sorry to be such a nuisance；〃 said Philip； taking out his pipe。
〃You are a damn nuisance；〃 Vernon said。
〃Allow me to beat my breast with remorse。〃
Tom listened to his two brothers。 It had always been like this； a kind of half…joking banter。 Sometimes it stayed friendly； sometimes not。 Tom was glad； in a way； to see Philip well enough to start chaffing Vernon。
〃Gee； I hope I don't slip and drop you in a mudhole；〃 said Vernon。
Don Alfonso made one last pass among them； checking their packs。 〃We must be as silent as possible；〃 he said。 〃And no smoking； Philip。 T
