pdouglas.thecodex-第62部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ching　thirty。
　58
　After　ten　hours　of　hiking　into　the　mountains；　Tom　and　his　brothers　topped　a　bare；　windswept　ridge。　A　stupendous　view　of　mountains　greeted　their　eyes；　a　violent　sea　of　peaks　and　valleys；　layered　toward　the　horizon　in　deepening　shades　of　purple。
　Borabay　pointed。　〃Sukia　Tara；　the　White　City；〃　he　said。
　Tom　squinted　in　the　bright　afternoon　sun。　About　five　miles　away；　across　a　chasm；　rose　two　pinnacles　of　white　rock。　Nestled　between　them　was　a　flat；　isolated　saddle　of　land；　cut　off　on　both　sides　by　chasms　and　surrounded　by　jagged　peaks。　It　was　a　lone　patch　of　green；　a　lush　piece　of　cloudforest　that　looked　as　if　it　had　broken　off　from　somewhere　else　to　lodge　between　the　two　fangs　of　white　rock；　teetering　on　the　brink　of　a　precipice。　Tom　had　imagined　it　would　be　a　ruin　with　white　towers　and　walls。　Instead；　he　could　see　nothing　but　a　thick；　lumpy　carpet　of　trees。
　Vernon　raised　his　binoculars；　examined　the　White　City；　and　passed　them　to　Tom。
　The　green　promontory　leapt　into　magnification。　Tom　scanned　it；　slowly。　The　plateau　was　heavily　covered　in　trees　and　what　appeared　to　be　impenetrable　mats　of　vines　and　creepers。　Whatever　ruined　city　lay　in　that　strange　hanging　valley　was　well　covered　by　jungle。　But　as　Tom　scrutinized　it；　here　and　there；　rising　from　the　verdure；　he　could　make　out　whitish　outcrops　that　began　to　take　on　faint　patterns：　a　corner；　a　broken　stretch　of　wall；　a　dark　square　that　looked　like　a　window。　And　as　he　looked　further　at　what　he　thought　was　a　steep　hill；　he　realized　it　was　a　ruined　pyramid；　heavily　overgrown。　One　side　of　it　had　been　gashed　open；　a　white　wound　in　the　living　green。
　The　mesa　the　city　had　been　constructed　on　was；　truly；　an　island　in　the　sky。　It　hung　between　the　two　peaks；　separated　from　the　rest　of　the　Sierra　Azul　by　sheer　cliffs。　It　looked　cut　off　until　he　saw　a　thread　of　yellow　curving　across　one　of　the　chasms…a　crude　suspension　bridge。　As　he　examined　it　further　he　saw　that　the　bridge　was　well　guarded　by　soldiers　who　were　using　a　ruined　stone　fortress　evidently　built　by　the　original　inhabitants　to　protect　the　White　City。　Hauser　and　his　men　had　cut　down　a　large　swath　of　forest　at　the　foot　of　the　bridge　to　give　themselves　a　clear　field　of　fire。
　On　the　opposite　side　of　the　White　City；　not　far　from　the　bridge；　a　small　river　ran　down　from　the　mountains　and　poured　into　the　chasm；　turning　into　a　graceful　filament　of　white　and　disappearing　into　the　mists　below。　As　Tom　watched；　mists　billowed　up　from　the　chasm；　obscuring　the　suspension　bridge　and　then　blocking　their　view　of　the　White　City　itself。　The　mists　cleared；　then　rose　again；　then　cleared；　in　a　never　ending　ballet　of　darkness　and　light。
　Tom　shivered。　Their　father；　Maxwell　Broadbent；　had　probably　stood　in　the　same　place　forty　years　ago。　No　doubt　he　had　been　able　to　pick　out　the　faint　outlines　of　the　city　amid　the　chaos　of　vegetation。　Here　was　where　he　made　his　first　discovery　and　began　his　life's　work；　and　this　was　where　he　had　ended　up；　shut　up　alive　in　a　dark　tomb。　The　White　City　was　the　alpha　and　the　omega　of　Maxwell　Broadbent's　career。
　He　passed　the　binoculars　to　Sally。　She　examined　the　White　City　for　a　long　time。　Then　she　lowered　the　glasses　and　turned　to　Tom；　her　face　flushed　with　excitement。　〃It's　Maya；〃　she　said。　〃There's　a　central　ball　court；　a　pyramid；　and　some　multistoried　pavilions。　It's　High　Classic。　The　people　who　built　this　city　came　from　Copán；　I'm　sure　of　it…probably　this　is　where　the　Maya　retreated　after　the　fall　of　Copán　in　A。D。　900。　One　great　mystery　solved。〃
　Her　eyes　were　sparkling；　the　sun　shimmering　off　her　golden　hair。　He　had　never　seen　her　so　vital。　It　was　surprising；　he　thought；　considering　how　little　sleep　they　had　been　getting。
　She　turned　and　her　eyes　connected　with　his；　and　it　seemed　to　him　that　she　understood　what　he　was　thinking。　Her　face　flushed　slightly；　and　she　looked　away；　smiling　to　herself。
　Philip　took　the　binoculars　next　and　scanned　the　city。　Tom　heard　an　intake　of　breath。　〃There　are　men　down　there；〃　he　said。　〃Cutting　trees　at　the　base　of　the　pyramid。〃
　There　was　a　faint　crump　of　dynamite；　and　a　puff　of　dust　rose　up　from　the　city　like　a　small　white　flower。
　Tom　said；　〃We're　going　to　have　to　find　Father's　tomb　before　they　do。　Or　。。。〃　He　left　the　sentence　unfinished。
　
　59
　
　They　spent　the　rest　of　the　afternoon　in　the　cover　of　the　trees；　observing　Hauser　and　his　men。　One　group　of　soldiers　was　clearing　trees　from　a　stone　temple　at　the　base　of　the　pyramid　while　another　group　dug　and　blasted　into　a　smaller　pyramid　nearby。　The　shifting　winds　brought　them　the　faint　sounds　of　chainsaws　and；　every　half　hour　or　so；　the　distant　rumble　of　explosives；　followed　by　a　rising　cloud　of　dust。
　〃Where　is　Father's　tomb？〃　he　asked　Borabay。
　〃In　cliffs　below　city　on　far　side。　Place　of　dead。〃
　〃Will　Hauser　find　it？〃
　〃Yes。　Trail　down　is　hidden；　but　he　find　it　in　end。　Maybe　tomorrow；　maybe　two　weeks。〃
　As　night　fell；　a　pair　of　klieg　lights　went　on　in　the　White　City；　and　another　set　illuminated　the　suspension　bridge　and　the　area　around　it。　Hauser　was　taking　no　chances；　and　he　had　e　well　equipped　with　everything；　including　a　generator。
　They　ate　their　dinner　in　silence。　Tom　could　hardly　taste　the　frogs　or　lizards　or　whatever　dish　it　was　Borabay　had　cooked　for　them。　From　what　he　could　see　from　their　vantage　point　on　the　ridge；　the　White　City　was　well　defended　and　well…nigh　impregnable。
　At　the　conclusion　of　the　meal；　it　was　Philip　who　spoke　what　was　on　everyone's　mind。　〃I　think　we　better　get　the　hell　out　of　here　and　e　back　with　help。　We　can't　do　this　on　our　own。〃
　〃Philip；〃　said　Tom；　〃when　they　find　the　tomb　and　open　it；　what　do　you　think's　going　to　happen？〃
　〃They'll　rob　it。〃
　〃No；　the　first　thing　Hauser　will　do　is　murder　Father。〃
　Philip　didn't　answer。
　〃It's　going　to　take　us　at　least　forty　days　just　to　get　out　of　here。　If　we're　going　to　save　Father；　we've　got　to　act　now。〃
　〃I　don't　want　to　be　the　one　to　say　no　to　rescuing　Father；　but　Tom；　for　God's　sake；　we　have　an　old　rifle；　maybe　ten　rounds；　and　some　painted　warriors　with　bows　and　arrows。　They　have　automatic　weapons；　grenade　launchers；　and　dynamite。　And　they've　got　the　advantage　of　defending　an　incredibly　secure　position。〃
　Tom　said；　〃Not　if　there's　a　secret　way　into　the　city。〃
　〃No　secret　way；〃　said　Borabay。　〃Only　bridge。〃
　〃There　has　to　be　a　second　way；〃　said　Tom。　〃Otherwise；　how　did　they　originally　build　the　bridge？〃
　Borabay　stared　at　him；　and　Tom　felt　a　flush　of　triumph。
　〃Gods　build　bridge；〃　said　Borabay。
　〃Gods　don't　build　bridges。〃
　〃Gods　build　this　bridge。〃
　〃Damn　it；　Borabay！　The　gods　did　not　build　that　bridge；　people　built　it；　and　to　do　that　they　had　to　be　on　both　sides！〃
　〃You're　right；〃　said　Vernon。
　〃Gods　build　bridge；〃　Borabay　insisted。　〃But；〃　he　added　after　a　moment；　〃Tara　people　also　know　how　to　build　bridge　from　one　side　only。〃
　〃Impossible。〃
　〃Brother；　you　always　so　sure　you　right？　I　tell　you　how　Tara　build　bridge　from　one　side　only。　First；　Tara　shoot　arrow　with　rope　and　hook。　Get　it　stuck　on　tree　on　far　side。　Then　send　little　boy　across　in　basket　on　wheels。〃
　〃How　does　he　get　across？〃
　〃He　pull　himself。〃
　〃How　could　a　man　possibly　span　a　two…hundred…yard　gap　with　an　arrow　trailing　a　rope　and　hook？〃
　〃Tara　use　special　big　bow　and　special　arrow　with　feather。　Very　important　to　wait　for　day　with　strong　wind　in　right　direction。〃
　〃Go　on。〃
　〃When　little　boy　across；　man　shoot　second　arrow　with　rope。　Little　boy　tie　two　ropes　together；　put　rope　around　little　wheel…〃
　〃A　pulley。〃
　〃Yes。　Then　with　pulley　man　can　pull　across　many　things。　First　he　pull　across　heavy　cable　in　basket；　which　uncoil　as　it　go。　Boy　fix　heavy　cable　to　tree。　Now　man　can　e　across　on　heavy　cable。　Now　man　and　boy　on　far　side。　Man　use　second　pulley　to　pull　across　three　more　cables；　one　at　time。　Now　four　cables　across　canyon。　Now　more　men　cross　in　basket…〃
　〃That's　enough；〃　interrupted　Tom。　〃I　get　the　picture。〃
　They　fell　into　silence；　the　impossibility　of　their　situation　sinking　in。
　〃Have　the　Tara　warriors　tried　to　ambush　them　and　cut　the　bridge　yet？〃
　〃Yes。　Many　die。〃
　〃Have　they　tried　burning　arrows？〃
　〃Cannot　reach　bridge。〃
　〃Let's　keep　in　mind；〃　said　Philip；　〃that　if　the