pdouglas.thecodex-第76部分

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　It　was　over。　The　bridge　was　gone。
　Tom　looked　ahead　and　saw　Sally　stand　up　out　of　the　brush　in　front　and　run　toward　them。　They　moved　toward　her；　helping　their　father　along；　aided　by　Tara　warriors。　In　a　few　moments　they　had　reached　her。　Tom　folded　her　in　his　arms　and　they　hugged；　while　Hairy　Bugger；　now　safe　in　Tom's　pocket　again；　squeaked　his　displeasure　at　being　squeezed　in　the　middle。
　Tom　looked　back。　The　two　pieces　of　bridge　were　hanging　over　the　chasm；　still　burning。　A　half　dozen　men　had　been　left　trapped　in　the　white　city。　They　stood　on　the　edge　of　the　precipice；　staring　at　the　dangling　wreckage。　The　mists　began　to　rise　and；　bit　by　bit；　the　silent；　stupefied　figures　vanished。
　
　83
　
　The　hut　was　warm　and　faintly　perfumed　with　smoke　and　medicinal　herbs。　Tom　entered；　followed　by　Vernon；　Philip；　and　Sally。　Maxwell　Broadbent　was　lying　in　a　hammock　with　his　eyes　closed。　Frogs　peeped　outside　in　the　peaceful　night。　A　young　Tara　medicine　man　was　grinding　herbs　in　one　corner　of　the　hut；　under　the　watchful　eye　of　Borabay。
　Tom　laid　a　hand　on　his　father's　forehead。　His　temperature　was　climbing。　The　gesture　caused　his　father　to　open　his　eyes。　His　face　was　drawn；　his　eyes　glittering　with　fever　and　the　light　of　the　fire。　The　old　man　mustered　a　smile。　〃As　soon　as　I　get　better；　Borabay's　going　to　show　me　how　to　go　spearfishing　the　Tara　way。〃
　Borabay　nodded。
　Broadbent's　restless　eyes　moved　over　the　pany；　seeking　reassurance。　〃Eh；　Tom？　What　do　you　say？〃
　Tom　tried　to　say　something　but　couldn't　quite　get　the　sounds　out。
　The　young　medicine　man　stood　up　and　offered　Broadbent　a　clay　mug　filled　with　some　murky　brown　liquid。
　〃Not　another　of　these；〃　Broadbent　muttered。　〃This　is　worse　than　the　cod　liver　oil　my　mother　used　to　force　down　my　throat　every　morning。〃
　〃Drink；　Father；〃　said　Borabay。　〃Good　for　you。〃
　〃What　is　it？〃　Broadbent　asked。
　〃Medicine。〃
　〃I　know　that；　but　what　kind　of　medicine？　You　can't　expect　me　to　swallow　something　without　knowing　what　it　is。〃
　Maxwell　Broadbent　was　proving　a　difficult　patient。
　Sally　spoke。　〃It's　Una　de　gavilan；　Uncaria　tomentosa。　The　dried　root　is　an　antibiotic。〃
　〃I　suppose　it　can't　hurt。〃　Broadbent　took　the　mug；　swallowed。　〃We　seem　to　have　an　excess　of　doctoring　going　on　here。　Sally；　Tom；　Borabay；　and　now　this　young　witch　doctor。　You'd　think　I　had　something　serious。〃
　Tom　glanced　at　Sally。
　〃The　things　we're　going　to　do　together　when　I　get　better！〃　Broadbent　said。
　Tom　swallowed　again。　His　father；　seeing　his　disfort…nothing　ever　escaped　him…turned　to　him。　〃Well；　Tom？　You're　the　only　real　doctor　around　here。　What's　the　prognosis？〃
　Tom　tried　to　muster　a　smile。　His　father　looked　at　him　for　a　long　time　and　then　settled　back　with　a　sigh。　〃Who　am　I　kidding？〃
　There　was　a　long　silence。
　〃Tom？　I'm　already　dying　of　cancer。　You　can't　tell　me　anything　worse　than　that。〃
　〃Well；〃　Tom　began；　〃the　bullet　perforated　your　peritoneal　cavity。　You've　got　an　infection；　and　that's　why　you　have　a　fever。〃
　〃And　the　prognosis？〃
　Tom　swallowed　again。　His　three　brothers　and　Sally　were　all　looking　at　him　intently。　Tom　knew　his　father　would　settle　for　nothing　less　than　the　plain；　unadorned　truth。
　〃Not　good。〃
　〃Go　on。〃
　Tom　couldn't　quite　bring　himself　to　say　it。
　〃That　bad？〃　said　his　father。
　Tom　nodded。
　〃But　what　about　these　antibiotics　this　medicine　man's　giving　me？　And　what　about　all　those　marvelous　remedies　in　that　codex　you　just　rescued？〃
　〃Father；　the　kind　of　infection　you　have；　sepsis；　can't　be　reached　by　any　antibiotic。　Nothing　short　of　major　surgery　will　fix　it；　and　now　it's　probably　too　late　even　for　that。　Drugs　can't　do　everything。〃
　There　was　a　silence。　Broadbent　turned　and　looked　up。　〃Damn；〃　he　said　at　last；　to　the　ceiling。
　〃You　took　that　bullet　for　us；〃　said　Philip。　〃You　saved　our　lives。〃
　〃Best　thing　I　ever　did。〃
　Tom　laid　his　hand　on　his　father's　arm。　It　was　like　a　hot　stick。　〃I'm　sorry。〃
　〃So　how　long　do　I　have？〃
　〃Two　or　three　days。〃
　〃Christ。　That　short？〃
　Tom　nodded。
　He　lay　back　with　a　sigh。　〃The　cancer　would　have　gotten　me　in　a　few　months　anyway。　Although　it　would　have　been　damned　nice　having　those　months　with　my　sons。　Or　even　a　week。〃
　Borabay　came　over　and　laid　his　hand　on　his　father's　chest。　〃I　sorry；　Father。〃
　Broadbent　covered　the　hand　with　his。　〃I　sorry；　too。〃　He　turned　and　looked　at　his　sons。　〃And　I　can't　even　look　on　the　Lippi　Madonna　one　more　time。　When　I　was　in　that　tomb；　I　kept　thinking　about　how　if　I　could　only　look　on　that　Madonna　again；　everything　would　be　all　right。〃
　
　They　spent　the　night　in　the　hut　watching　over　their　dying　father。　He　was　restless；　but　the　antibiotics　were；　at　least　for　now；　holding　the　infection　at　bay。　When　dawn　broke　the　old　man　was　still　lucid。
　〃I　need　some　water；〃　he　said；　his　voice　hoarse。
　Tom　left　the　hut　with　a　jug；　heading　for　the　nearby　stream。　The　Tara　village　was　just　waking　up。　The　cooking　fires　were　being　lit；　and　the　beautiful　French　copper…　and　nickel…clad　pots　and　pans　and　tureens　were　making　their　appearance。　Smoke　spiraled　into　the　morning　sky。　Chickens　scratched　in　the　dirt　plaza；　and　mangy　dogs　prowled　about；　looking　for　scraps。　A　toddler　came　teetering　out　of　a　hut；　wearing　a　Harry　Potter　T…shirt；　and　took　a　pee。　Even　among　a　tribe　this　remote；　Tom　thought；　the　world　was　reaching　in。　How　long　would　it　be　before　the　White　City　yielded　up　its　treasures　and　its　secrets　to　the　world？
　As　Tom　walked　back　carrying　the　water；　he　heard　a　sharp　voice。　The　old　crone；　the　wife　of　Cah；　had　e　out　of　her　hut　and　was　gesturing　toward　him　with　a　crooked　hand。　〃Wakha！〃　she　said；　gesturing。
　Tom　paused　warily。
　Wakha！
　He　took　a　cautious　step　toward　her；　half　expecting　to　have　his　hair　yanked　or　his　balls　groped。
　Instead　the　woman　took　him　by　the　hand　and　pulled　him　toward　her　hut。
　Wakha！
　He　reluctantly　followed　her　bent　form　into　the　smoky　hut。
　And　there；　in　the　dim　light；　propped　up　against　a　post；　stood　the　Madonna　of　the　Crapes　by　Fra　Filippo　Lippi。　Tom　stared　at　the　Renaissance　masterpiece　and　took　an　uncertain　step　toward　it；　transfixed；　hardly　believing　it　could　be　real。　The　contrast　between　the　shabby　hut　and　the　painting　was　too　great。　Even　in　the　dark　it　fairly　glowed　with　internal　light；　the　golden…haired　Madonna；　barely　a　teenager；　holding　her　baby；　who　was　stuffing　a　grape　into　his　mouth　with　two　pink　fingers。　A　dove　floated　above　their　heads；　radiating　gold　leaf。
　He　turned　to　the　old　lady　in　astonishment。　She　was　looking　at　him　with　a　huge　grin　on　her　wrinkled　face；　her　pink　gums　gleaming。　She　went　over　to　the　painting；　picked　it　up；　and　thrust　it　in　his　arms。
　Wakha！
　She　gestured　for　him　to　take　it　to　his　father's　hut。　She　went　behind；　giving　him　little　pushes　with　her　hands。　〃Teh！　Teh！〃
　Tom　walked　into　the　damp　clearing　with　the　painting　cradled　in　his　arms。　Cah　must　have　kept　back　the　painting　for　himself。　It　was　a　miracle。　He　stepped　into　the　hut　and　held　the　painting　out。　Philip　glanced　over；　let　out　a　cry；　and　fell　back。　Broadbent　stared　at　it；　his　eyes　widening。　At　first　he　said　nothing；　and　then　he　lay　back　in　his　hammock；　a　look　of　fright　on　his　face。
　〃Damn　it；　Tom！　The　hallucinations　are　starting。〃
　〃No；　Father。〃　He　brought　the　painting　close。　〃It's　real。　Touch　it。〃
　〃No；　don't　touch　it！〃　cried　Philip。
　Broadbent　reached　out　a　trembling　hand　and　touched　the　painted　surface　anyway。
　〃Hello；〃　he　murmured。　He　turned　to　Tom。　〃I'm　not　dreaming。〃
　〃No；　you're　not　dreaming。〃
　〃Where　in　the　world　did　you　get　this？〃
　〃She　had　it。〃　He　turned　to　the　old　woman；　who　stood　in　the　doorway；　a　toothless　grin　on　her　face。　Borabay　began　asking　her　questions；　and　she　spoke　at　length。　Borabay　listened；　nodding。　Then　he　turned　to　his　father。
　〃She　say　her　husband　greedy；　keep　back　many　things　from　tomb。　Hide　them　in　cave　behind　village。〃
　〃What　things？〃　Broadbent　asked　sharply。
　They　spoke　some　more。
　〃She　not　know。　She　say　Cah　steal　almost　all　treasure　for　tomb。　He　fill　boxes　with　stones　instead。　He　say　he　not　want　to　put　white　man　treasure　in　Tara　tomb。〃
　〃Wouldn't　you　know　it；〃　said　Broadbent。　〃When　I　was　in　the　tomb；　there　were　some　crates　that　seemed　hollower　than　they　should　be；　almost　empty。　I　couldn't　get