pdouglas.thecodex-第77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！


　〃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　them　open　in　the　dark。　That's　what　I　was　doing　in　the　tomb　just　before　Hauser　showed　up；　checking　to　see　if　I　could　solve　the　mystery。　That　damned　tricky　old　Cah。　I　should　have　known。　He　planned　this　whole　thing　from　the　start。　Christ；　he　was　as　greedy　as　I　was！〃
　Broadbent　cast　his　eyes　back　on　the　painting。　It　reflected　the　light　of　the　fire；　the　flickering　glow　playing　over　the　Virgins　young　face。　There　was　a　long　silence　as　he　looked　at　it。　Then　he　closed　his　eyes　and　said；　〃Bring　me　a　pen　and　paper。　Now　that　I　have　something　to　leave　you；　I'm　going　to　make　out　a　new　will。〃
　
　84
　
　They　brought　a　pen　and　a　roll　of　bark　paper　to　Maxwell　Broadbent。
　〃Shall　we　leave　you？〃　asked　Vernon。
　〃No。　I　need　you　here。　You　too；　Sally。　e。　Gather　around。〃
　They　came　and　stood　around　his　hammock。　Then　he　cleared　his　throat。　〃Well；　my　sons。　And…〃　he　looked　at　Sally；　〃my　future　daughter…in…law。　Here　we　are。〃
　He　paused。
　〃And　what　fine　sons　I　have。　Pity　it　took　me　so　long　to　realize　it。〃　He　cleared　his　throat。　〃I　don't　have　a　lot　of　wind　left；　and　my　head　feels　like　a　pumpkin；　so　I'll　keep　this　short。〃
　His　eyes；　still　clear；　traveled　around　the　room。　〃Congratulations。　You　did　it。　You　earned　your　inheritance；　and　you　saved　my　life。　You　showed　me　what　a　goddamn　fool　of　a　father　I've　been…〃
　〃Father…〃
　〃No　interruptions！　I　have　some　parting　advice。〃　He　wheezed。　〃Here　I　am　on　my　deathbed；　how　can　I　resist？〃　He　took　a　deep　breath。　〃Philip；　of　all　my　sons；　you're　the　one　most　like　me。　I've　seen；　in　these　past　years；　how　the　expectation　of　a　large　inheritance　has　cast　a　shadow　over　your　life。　You're　not　naturally　greedy；　but　when　you're　waiting　for　half　a　billion　dollars；　it　has　a　corrosive　effect。　I've　seen　you　living　beyond　your　means；　trying　to　play　the　rich；　sophisticated　connoisseur　in　your　New　York　circle。　You've　got　the　same　disease　I　had：　needing　to　own　beauty。　Forget　it。　That's　what　museums　are　for。　Live　a　simpler　life。　You　have　a　deep　appreciation　for　art；　and　that　should　be　its　own　reward；　not　the　recognition　and　fame。　And　I've　heard　you're　one　hell　of　a　teacher。〃
　Philip　nodded　curtly；　not　altogether　pleased。
　Broadbent　took　a　couple　of　ragged　breaths。　Then　he　turned　to　Vernon。　〃Vernon。　You're　a　seeker；　and　now　I　finally　see　just　how　important　that　choice　is　for　you。　Your　problem　is　that　you　get　taken　in。　You're　an　innocent。　There's　a　rule　of　thumb　here；　Vernon：　If　they　want　money；　the　religion's　bullshit。　It　doesn't　cost　anything　to　pray　in　a　church。〃
　Vernon　nodded。
　〃And　now　Tom。　Of　all　my　sons　you're　the　most　different　from　me。　I　never　really　understood　you。　You're　the　least　materialistic　of　my　sons。　You　rejected　me　a　long　time　ago；　perhaps　for　good　reasons。〃
　〃Father…〃
　〃Quiet！　Unlike　me；　you're　disciplined　in　the　way　you　live　your　life。　I　know　what　you　really　wanted　to　do　was　bee　a　paleontologist　and　hunt　dinosaur　fossils。　Like　a　fool；　I　pushed　you　into　medicine。　I　know　you're　a　good　vet；　although　I've　never　understood　why　you're　wasting　your　tremendous　talents　doctoring　grade　horses　on　the　Navajo　Indian　reservation。　What　I've　finally　understood　is　that　I　must　respect　and　honor　your　choices　in　life。　Dinosaurs；　horses；　whatever。　You　do　what　you　want　with　my　blessing。　What　I　have　also　e　to　see　is　your　integrity。　Integrity　was　something　I　never　really　had；　and　it　upset　me　to　see　it　so　strongly　in　one　of　my　sons。　I　don't　know　what　you　would　have　done　with　a　big　inheritance；　and　I　expect　you　don't　know；　either。　You　don't　need　the　money　and　you　don't　really　want　it。〃
　〃Yes；　Father。〃
　〃And　now；　Borabay　。。。　you　are　my　oldest　and　yet　most　recent　son。　I've　only　known　you　briefly；　but　in　a　strange　way　I　feel　I　know　you　best　of　all。　I've　scoped　you　out；　and　I　realize　you're　a　little　greedy　like　me。　You　can't　wait　to　cut　out　of　here　and　go　to　America　and　enjoy　the　good　life。　You　don't　really　fit　in　with　the　Tara。　Well；　that's　fine。　You'll　learn　fast。　You　have　an　advantage　here　because　you　had　a　good　mother　and　didn't　have　me　for　a　father；　messing　you　up。〃
　Borabay　was　about　to　say　something；　but　Broadbent　raised　his　hand。　〃Can't　a　man　give　a　deathbed　speech　around　here　without　being　interrupted？　Borabay；　your　brothers　will　help　you　get　to　America　and　get　citizenship。　Once　there　you'll　bee　more　American　than　the　natives；　I　have　no　doubt。〃
　〃Yes；　Father。〃
　Broadbent　sighed　and　cast　an　eye　on　Sally。　〃Tom；　this　is　the　woman　I　never　met　but　wished　I　had。　You'd　be　a　fool　to　let　her　slip　away。〃
　〃I'm　not　a　fish；〃　said　Sally　sharply。
　〃Ah！　That's　just　what　I　mean！　A　little　prickly；　perhaps；　but　an　amazing　woman。〃
　〃You're　right；　Father。〃
　Broadbent　paused；　breathing　heavily。　It　was　an　effort　now　to　talk；　the　sweat　stood　out　on　his　brow。
　〃I　am　about　to　write　my　last　will　and　testament。　I　want　each　one　of　you　to　choose　one　thing　from　the　collection　in　that　cave。　The　rest；　if　you　can　get　it　out　of　the　country；　I'd　like　to　donate　to　whatever　museum　or　museums　you　choose。　We'll　go　from　oldest　to　youngest。　Borabay；　you　start。〃
　Borabay　said；　〃I　choose　last。　What　I　want　is　not　in　cave。〃
　Broadbent　nodded。　〃All　right。　Philip？　As　if　I　couldn't　guess。〃　His　eyes　strayed　to　the　Madonna。　〃The　Lippi　is　yours。〃
　Philip　tried　to　say　something　but　could　not。
　〃And　now：　Vernon？〃
　There　was　a　silence；　and　then　Vernon　said；　〃I'd　like　the　Monet。〃
　〃I　thought　that's　what　you'd　say。　I　imagine　you　could　get　fifty　million　or　more　for　it。　And　I　hope　you　do　sell　it。　But　Vernon；　please；　no　foundations。　Don't　give　any　money　away。　When　you　finally　find　what　you're　looking　for；　maybe　then　you'll　have　the　wisdom　to　give　a　little　bit　of　your　money　away；　a　little　bit。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Father。〃
　〃I'm　also　going　to　send　you　back　with　a　bagful　of　gems　and　coins　so　I　can　pay　Uncle　Sam。〃
　〃All　right。〃
　〃And　now；　Tom；　it's　your　turn。　What's　your　pick？〃
　Tom　glanced　at　Sally。　〃We'd　like　the　Codex。〃
　Broadbent　nodded。　〃Interesting　choice。　It's　yours。　And　now；　Borabay；　last　but　not　least。　What　is　this　mysterious　thing　you　want　that　isn't　in　the　cave？〃
　Borabay　came　over　to　the　bed　and　whispered　in　Broadbent's　ear。
　The　old　man　nodded。　〃Excellent。　Consider　it　done。〃　He　flourished　his　pen。　His　face　was　beaded　with　sweat；　his　breathing　rapid　and　shallow。　Tom　could　see　he　did　not　have　much　lucid　time　left。　And　he　knew　what　death　from　sepsis　was　like。
　〃Now；〃　he　said；　〃give　me　ten　minutes　by　myself　to　make　out　my　last　will　and　testament；　and　then　we　will　gather　witnesses　and　execute　it。〃
　
　85
　
　Tom　stood　with　his　brothers　and　Sally　in　a　cathedrallike　grove　of　trees；　watching　the　great　funeral　procession　winding　up　the　trail　toward　the　tomb；　which　had　been　freshly　chiseled　in　the　limestone　cliffs　far　above　the　village。　It　was　an　amazing　sight。　Maxwell　Broadbent's　body　came　at　the　head　of　the　procession；　borne　upon　a　litter　by　four　warriors。　It　had　been　embalmed　using　an　ancient　Mayan　process。　During　the　funeral　ceremony　the　new　chief　of　the　village　had　transformed　the　corpse　into　El　Dorado；　the　Gilded　One　of　Indian　legend…the　way　the　Maya　had　once　buried　their　emperors。　They　had　smeared　the　body　with　honey　and　then　sprinkled　it　with　gold　dust；　coating　it　pletely；　to　metamorphose　it　into　the　immortal　form　it　would　take　in　the　afterlife。
　Behind　their　father's　litter　came　a　long　procession　of　Indians　carrying　grave　goods　for　the　tomb…baskets　of　dried　fruits　and　vegetables；　nuts；　ollas　of　oil　and　water；　then　a　slew　of　traditional　Mayan　artifacts　such　as　jade　statues；　painted　pots；　beaten　gold　dishes　and　jugs；　weapons；　quivers　full　of　arrows；　nets；　spears；　everything　that　Maxwell　Broadbent　might　need　in　the　afterlife。
　After　that；　hobbling　around　the　bend；　came　an　Indian　carrying　a　painting　by　Picasso　of　a　naked　woman　with　three　eyes；　a　square　head；　and　horns；　followed　by　the　massive　Pontormo　scene　of　the　Annunciation；　carried　by　two　sweating　Indians；　then　the　Bronzino　portrait　of　Bia　de'　Medici；　a　pair　of　Roman　statues；　a　few　more　Picassos；　a　Braque；　two　Modiglianis；　a　Cézanne；　more　statues…twentieth…century　grave　goods。　The　bizarre　procession　wound　i