pdouglas.thecodex-第51部分

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　〃You　can't　know　that。〃
　〃My　death　was　foretold。〃
　〃I　don't　want　to　hear　any　more　absurdities。　You　can't　see　into　the　future。〃
　〃When　I　was　a　little　boy；　I　had　a　bad　fever；　and　my　mother　took　me　to　a　bruja；　a　witch。　The　bruja　told　me　that　my　time　of　dying　was　not　then；　but　that　I　would　die　far　from　home；　among　strangers；　within　sight　of　blue　mountains。〃　His　eyes　glanced　up　at　the　Sierra　Azul；　framed　in　the　gap　in　the　treetops。
　〃She　could　have　been　talking　about　any　blue　mountains。〃
　〃Curandera；　she　was　talking　about　those　mountains；　which　are　as　blue　as　the　great　ocean　itself。〃
　Sally　blinked　away　a　tear。　〃Don　Alfonso；　quit　talking　nonsense。〃
　At　this；　Don　Alfonso　smiled。　〃It　is　a　wonderful　thing　when　an　old　man　has　a　beautiful　girl　weeping　at　his　deathbed。〃
　〃This　isn't　your　deathbed；　and　I'm　not　crying。〃
　〃Do　not　worry；　Curandera。　This　is　no　surprise　to　me。　I　came　on　this　journey　knowing　it　would　be　my　last。　I　was　a　useless　old　man　back　in　Pito　Solo。　I　did　not　want　to　die　in　my　hut　a　weak；　foolish　old　person。　I；　Don　Alfonso　Boswas；　I　wanted　to　die　as　a　man。〃　He　paused；　drew　a　breath；　shuddered。　〃Only　I　did　not　think　I　would　die　under　a　rotten　log　in　the　stinking　mud；　leaving　you　alone。〃
　〃Then　don't　die。　We　love　you；　Don　Alfonso。　The　hell　with　that　bruja。〃
　Don　Alfonso　took　her　hand　and　smiled。　〃Curandera；　there　is　one　thing　the　bruja　got　wrong。　She　said　I　was　going　to　die　among　strangers。　This　is　not　true。　I　die　among　friends。〃
　He　closed　his　eyes　and　murmured　something；　and　then　he　died。
　
　45
　
　Sally　wept。　Tom　stood　up　and　looked　away；　feeling　his　unreasonable　anger　grow。　He　walked　a　little　way　into　the　forest。　There；　in　a　quiet　glade；　he　sat　on　a　log；　clenching　and　unclenching　his　fists。　The　old　man　had　no　right　to　leave　them。　He　had　abandoned　himself　to　his　superstitions。　He　had　talked　himself　into　dying…just　because　he　had　glimpsed　some　blue　mountains。
　Tom　thought　back　to　the　first　time　he　saw　Don　Alfonso；　sitting　on　the　little　stool　in　his　hut；　waving　his　machete　and　joking。　It　seemed　a　lifetime　ago。
　They　dug　a　grave　in　the　mucky　ground。　It　was　a　slow；　exhausting　process；　and　they　were　so　weak　they　could　barely　lift　the　shovel。　Tom　couldn't　help　thinking；　When　will　I　be　doing　this　for　Philip？　Tomorrow？　They　finished　the　grave　around　noon；　wrapped　Don　Alfonso's　body　in　his　hammock；　rolled　him　into　the　waterlogged　hole；　and　threw　some　damp　flowers　on　top。　Then　they　filled　in　the　hole　with　mud。　Tom　fashioned　a　rough　cross　lashed　with　vines　and　planted　it　at　the　head　of　the　grave。　They　stood　around　awkwardly　afterward。
　〃I'd　like　to　say　a　few　words；〃　said　Vernon。
　He　stood；　swaying　a　little。　His　clothes　hung　on　his　body；　and　his　beard　and　hair　were　wild。　He　looked　like　a　mendicant。
　〃Don　Alfonso　。。。〃　his　voice　trailed　off。　He　coughed。　〃If　you're　still　around　somewhere；　before　heading　up　to　the　Pearly　Gates；　stick　around　a　bit　and　help　us　out；　will　you；　old　man？　We're　in　a　bad　way。〃
　〃Amen；〃　Sally　said。
　Dark　clouds　began　to　roll　in；　ending　their　short；　sunny　respite。　There　was　a　roll　of　thunder　and　a　scattered　sound　of　drops　in　the　canopy　above。
　Sally　came　to　Tom。　〃I'm　going　hunting　again。〃
　Tom　nodded。　He　took　the　fishing　line　and　decided　to　try　his　luck　in　the　river　they　had　crossed　about　a　mile　back。　Vernon　stayed　to　take　care　of　Philip。
　They　returned　in　the　early　afternoon。　Sally　had　caught　nothing；　Tom　returned　with　a　single　fish　that　weighed　no　more　than　six　ounces。　While　they　were　gone　Philip　had　developed　a　high　fever　and　delirium。　His　eyes　were　open　and　glittered　with　heat；　and　he　moved　his　head　back　and　forth　in　a　ceaseless　pattern；　mumbling　disconnected　phrases。　Tom　felt　sure　his　brother　was　now　dying。　When　they　tried　to　get　him　to　drink　the　tea　Sally　made；　he　began　shouting　incoherently　and　knocked　the　cup　away。　They　boiled　the　fish　in　a　pot　with　some　manioc　root　and　spoon…fed　the　stew　to　Philip；　who　finally　accepted　it　after　more　shouting　and　thrashing。　They　divided　the　rest　among　themselves。　After　eating；　they　remained　under　the　log　as　the　rain　poured　down；　waiting　for　darkness　to　e。
　Tom　was　the　first　to　wake；　just　before　dawn。　Philip's　fever　had　worsened　over　the　night。　He　tossed　and　mumbled；　his　fingers　plucking　uselessly　at　his　collar；　his　face　looking　collapsed　and　emaciated。　Tom　felt　desperate。　They　had　no　medicine　and　no　diagnostic　tools；　not　even　a　medical　kit。　Sally's　herbal　medicines　were　ineffectual　in　the　face　of　this　raging　fever。
　Vernon　built　a　fire；　and　they　sat　around　it　in　a　devastated　silence。　The　dark　ferns　loomed　about　them　like　a　menacing　crowd；　nodding　their　heads　under　the　impact　of　the　rain；　casting　a　green　dimness　over　their　refuge。
　Tom　finally　spoke。　〃We're　going　to　have　to　stay　here　until　Philip　recovers。〃
　Sally　and　Vernon　nodded；　although　they　all　knew　Philip　was　not　going　to　recover。
　〃We'll　make　an　all…out　effort　to　hunt；　fish；　and　gather　edible　plants。　We'll　use　this　time　to　build　up　our　strength　and　get　ready　for　the　long　trip　home。
　Again　everyone　agreed。
　〃All　right；〃　said　Tom；　rising。　〃Let's　get　to　work。　Sally　will　go　hunting。　I'm　going　to　take　the　fishing　line　and　hooks。　Vernon；　you　stay　here　and　take　care　of　Philip。〃　He　looked　around。　〃No　giving　up。〃
　They　all　stood　up　shakily；　and　Tom　was　glad　to　see　a　rousing　of　energy　among　them。　He　collected　the　line　and　hooks　and　pushed　off　into　the　jungle。　He　went　in　a　straight　line　away　from　the　Sierra　Azul；　tearing　notches　in　the　sides　of　ferns　as　he　passed　to　mark　his　trail　and　keeping　an　eye　out　for　any　edible　plants。　The　rain　was　still　falling　steadily。　Two　hours　later　he　arrived；　exhausted；　at　a　muddy　cascade　of　water；　having　caught　a　small　lizard　to　use　as　bait。　He　hooked　the　struggling　reptile　on　the　hook　and　tossed　it　into　the　boiling　torrent。
　Five　hours　later；　with　just　enough　light　to　get　back　to　camp；　he　quit。　He　had　lost　three　of　six　hooks　and　a　good　portion　of　fishing　line　and　had　caught　nothing。　He　returned　to　camp　before　dark　to　find　Vernon　tending　the　fire。　Sally　was　still　out。
　〃How　is　Philip？〃
　〃Not　good。〃
　Tom　looked　in　on　Philip　and　found　him　tossing　in　a　restless　sleep；　drifting　in　and　out　of　a　dreamlike　state；　muttering　snatches　of　conversation。　The　slackness　in　his　face　and　lips　scared　Tom：　it　reminded　him　of　Don　Alfonso's　last　moments。　Philip　seemed　to　be　having　a　one…sided　conversation　with　their　father；　a　broken　series　of　grievances　and　accusations。　His　own　name　came　into　it；　and　Vernon's；　and　Philip's　mother；　whom　he　had　not　seen　in　twenty　years。　And　then　Philip　seemed　to　be　at　a　birthday　party；　a　child's　party。　It　was　his　fifth　birthday；　it　seemed；　and　he　was　opening　presents　and　exclaiming　with　joy。
　Tom　went　away　pained　and　saddened。　He　sat　down　next　to　Vernon　at　the　fire。　Vernon　put　his　arm　around　him。　〃He's　been　like　that　all　day。〃　He　handed　him　a　mug　of　tea。
　Tom　took　the　mug　and　drank。　His　own　hand　looked　like　the　hand　of　an　old　man；　veiny　and　splotched。　His　stomach　felt　hollow；　but　he　was　not　hungry。
　〃Sally　hasn't　e　back？〃
　〃No；　but　I　heard　a　couple　of　shots。〃
　As　if　on　cue；　they　heard　the　rustle　of　vegetation　and　Sally　appeared。　She　said　nothing；　just　slung　her　rifle　down　and　sat　by　the　fire。
　〃No　luck？〃　Tom　asked。
　〃Bagged　a　couple　of　stumps。〃
　Tom　smiled　and　took　her　hand。　〃None　of　the　stumps　in　the　forest　will　be　safe　as　long　as　the　great　hunter　Sally　stalks　her　prey。〃
　Sally　wiped　the　mud　off　her　face。　〃I'm　sorry。〃
　〃Tomorrow；〃　said　Tom；　〃if　I　leave　early　I　might　be　able　to　hike　back　to　the　river　where　we　found　Philip。　I'll　be　gone　overnight；　but　that　was　a　big　river；　and　I'm　sure　I'll　catch　a　mess　of　fish。〃
　〃Great　idea；　Tom；〃　said　Vernon；　his　voice　strained。
　〃We're　not　going　to　give　up。〃
　〃No；〃　said　Sally。
　Vernon　shook　his　head。　〃I　wonder　what　Father　would　think　if　he　saw　us　now。〃
　Tom　shook　his　head。　He　was　past　thinking　of　Maxwell　Broadbent。　If　he　knew　what　he'd　done；　sent　his　three　sons　to　their　deaths　。。。　It　didn't　bear　thinking　about。　They'd　failed　him　while　he　was　alive；　and　now　they'd　failed　him　after　his　death。
　Tom　stared　at　the　fire　for　a　while　and　then　asked；　〃Are　you　angry　at　Father？〃
　Vernon　hesitated。　〃Yes。〃
　Tom　made　a　helpless　gesture　with　his　hand。　〃Do　you　t