pdouglas.thecodex-第63部分
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〃Yes。 Many die。〃
〃Have they tried burning arrows？〃
〃Cannot reach bridge。〃
〃Let's keep in mind；〃 said Philip； 〃that if the bridge is cut； Father's also trapped inside。〃
〃I'm well aware of it。 I'm just going over our options。 Maybe we can offer Hauser a deal： Let Father out and Hauser can keep the tomb and its riches。 We'll sign it all over to him and that's that。〃
Tom said： 〃Father would never agree。〃
〃Even if it meant his life？〃
〃He's dying of cancer。〃
〃Or our lives？〃
Philip looked at them。 〃Don't even think of trusting Hauser or making a deal with him。〃
〃All right；〃 said Vernon； 〃we've eliminated getting into the White City by some other route； and we've eliminated it by a frontal attack。 Anybody here know how to build a hang glider？〃
〃No。〃
〃That leaves only one course of action。〃
〃And what's that？〃
Vernon smoothed out a place in the sand near the fire and began to draw a map while he explained his plan。 When he was finished； Philip spoke first。
Philip shook his head。 〃This is a crazy plan。 I say we go back； get help； and return。 It may take them months to find Father's tomb。〃
Borabay interrupted。 〃Philip； maybe you no understand。 If we run away now； Tara people kill us。〃
〃Bosh。〃
〃We make promise。 Cannot break promise。〃
〃I didn't make any bloody promises； that was Tom。 Anyway； we can slip past the Tara village and be long gone before they even know we're missing。〃
Borabay shook his head。 〃That coward way； brother。 That leave Father die in tomb。 If Tara catch you； death for coward slow and ugly。 They cut off…〃
〃We've already heard what they do；〃 Philip said。
〃There not enough food and water in tomb to last much longer。〃
The fire crackled。 Tom glanced through the trees。 Below and almost five miles distant； he could see a trio of diamond lights clustered in the White City。 There was another faint explosion of dynamite。 Hauser and his men were working around the clock。 They really were up against the wall。 There were no good options and only one mediocre plan。 But it was the best they were going to get。
〃Enough talk；〃 said Tom。 〃We have a plan。 Who's in？〃
〃I'm in；〃 said Vernon。
Borabay nodded。 〃I'm in。〃
〃I'm in；〃 said Sally。
Now all eyes were on Philip。 He made an angry gesture as if to sweep them all away。 〃For heaven's sake； you already know what my answer's going to be！〃
〃Which is？〃 Vernon asked。
〃For the record； it's no； no； no！ This is a James Bond plan。 It'll never succeed in real life。 Don't do it。 For God's sake； I don't want to lose my brothers； too。 Don't do it。〃
〃We have to； Philip；〃 said Tom。
〃No one has to do anything！ Maybe this is blasphemy； but isn't it just a little bit true that Father brought this down on himself？〃
〃So we just let him die？〃
〃I'm just asking you； please； not to throw your lives away。〃 He threw up his hands and stomped off in the darkness。
Vernon was about to shout a reply； but Tom touched his arm and shook his head。 Perhaps Philip was right and it was a suicide mission。 But Tom personally had no choice。 If he didn't do something now； he wouldn't be able to live with himself later。 It was as simple as that。
Their faces flickered around the firelight； and there was a long； uncertain silence。
〃There's no reason to wait；〃 said Tom。 〃We leave tonight at two A。M。 It should take us a couple of hours to get down there。 Everyone knows what they have to do。 Borabay； you can explain to your warriors their role。〃 Tom glanced over at Vernon。 The plan had been his； Vernon's； the brother who never took the lead。 He reached out and grasped his brother's shoulder。 〃Good going；〃 he said。
Vernon smiled back。 〃I feel like we're in The Wizard of Oz here。
〃What do you mean？〃
〃I've found my brain。 Tom； you've found your heart。 Borabay's found his family。 The only thing is； Philip hasn't quite found his courage。〃
Tom said； 〃Somehow I don't think a bucket of water is going to take care of Hauser； either。〃
〃No；〃 murmured Sally； 〃that it won't。〃
60
Tom rose from his hammock at 1：00 A。M。 The night was black。 Clouds had blotted out the stars and a restless wind rustled and mumbled through the trees。 The only light came from the ruddy heap of embers in the fire ring； casting a reddish glow on the faces of the ten Tara warriors。 They were still sitting in a circle around the fire； not having moved or spoken all night。
Before waking the others Tom collected the binoculars and stepped out of the trees to take one more look at the White City。 The lights were still on at the suspension bridge； the soldiers in their ruined fort。 Tom thought of what lay ahead。 Perhaps Philip was right and it was suicide。 Perhaps Maxwell Broadbent was dead in his tomb and they were risking their lives for nothing。 All that was beside the point： He had to do it。
Tom went to wake the others only to find most of them up。 Borabay unbanked the fire； piled in fresh sticks； and put a pot on to boil。 Sally joined them soon afterward and began checking her Springfield by the light of the fire。 Her faced looked drawn； tired。 〃You remember what General Patton said was always the first casualty of a battle？〃 she asked Tom。
〃No。〃
〃The battle plan。〃
〃So you don't think our plan is going to work？〃 Tom asked。
She shook her head。 〃Probably not。〃 She looked away； then back down at the rifle； giving it an unneeded polish with the cleaning rag。
〃What do you think's going to happen？〃
She shook her head wordlessly； sending waves through her heavy gold hair。 Tom realized she was very upset。 He placed his hand on her shoulder。 〃We have to do this； Sally。〃
She nodded。 〃I know。〃
Vernon joined them at the fire； and the four of them drank their tea in silence。 When the tea was gone； Tom glanced at his watch。 Two o'clock。 He looked around for Philip； but his brother had not even e out of the hut。 He nodded to Borabay； and they all rose。 Sally threw the gun over her shoulder； and they shouldered small palm…leaf backpacks containing a supply of food； water； matches； camp stove； and other essentials。 They set off single file； Borabay in the lead； the warriors bringing up the rear； moving down through the grove of trees and out into the open。
Ten minutes down from the camp； Tom heard the sound of running from behind； and they all stopped and listened； the warriors with their arrows nocked and drawn。 In a moment Philip appeared； breathing hard。
〃Here to wish us luck？〃 Vernon asked； an edge of sarcasm in his voice。
Philip took a moment to catch his breath。 〃I don't know why I would even think of joining this harebrained scheme。 But damn it； I'm not going to let you go off to your deaths alone。〃
61
Marcus Aurelius Hauser felt in his musette bag for another Churchill and selected one； rolling it between thumb and forefinger before taking it out。 He went through the sacrament of trimming； moistening； and lighting it； and then he held it out in the dark so that he could admire the big fat glowing tip while allowing the aroma of fine Cuban longleaf to surround him like a cocoon of elegance and satisfaction。 Cigars； he mused； always seem to bee better； richer； deeper tasting in the jungle。
Hauser was well hidden at a strategic point above the suspension bridge in a thicket of ferns； where he had a good view of the bridge and the soldiers in their little stone fort on the far side。 He pushed aside some plants and raised a pair of binoculars to his eyes。 He had a strong feeling that the three Broadbent brothers were going to make their break to cross the bridge tonight。 They wouldn't wait； they couldn't wait。 They had to get to the tomb before he did； if they wanted any chance at all of saving some of the masterpieces for themselves。
He puffed contentedly； thinking back to Maxwell Broadbent。 He had lugged half a billion dollars' worth of fine art and antiquities up here； all on a whim。 As outrageous at it was； it was perfectly in character。 Max was the man of the big gesture； the spectacle； the show。 He lived large and he died large。
Hauser remembered back to that defining fifty…day trek in the jungle； those harrowing days that he would never forget as long as he lived。 They had heard there was a Ma
