p&c.thunderhead-第32部分

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　Nora　unbuckled　the　hood　of　her　camera　and　walked　gingerly　along　the　facade；　photographing　the　exterior　of　the　dwelling。　Although　Sloane's　expertise　with　the　large　4x5　Graflex　made　her　the　expedition's　official　photographer；　Nora　liked　to　keep　her　own　record　of　all　the　sites　she　studied。　
　She　stopped　to　peer　more　closely　at　the　plastered　wall。　Here；　she　could　see　the　actual　handprints　of　the　person　who　had　smeared　the　adobe。　Raising　her　camera　again；　she　took　a　careful　closeup；　then　another　when　she　noticed　a　clear　set　of　fingerprints。　It　was　not　unusual　to　find　prints　preserved　in　Anasazi　plaster　and　corrugated　pottery；　but　she　always　liked　to　document　them　when　she　could。　They　helped　serve　as　a　reminder　that　archaeology　was　the　study；　ultimately；　of　people；　not　artifacts…something　she　felt　many　of　her　colleagues　seemed　to　forget。　
　There　was　the　usual　littering　of　potsherds　on　the　ground…mostly　Pueblo　III　Mesa　Verde　whiteware　and　some　late　Tusayan…style　corrugated　grayware。　A。D。　1240；　Nora　thought　without　surprise。　
　Sloane；　who　had　been　sketching　a　quick　plan　of　the　ruin；　now　removed　a　pair　of　tweezers　and　some　Ziploc　bags　from　her　rucksack。　Labeling　the　bags　with　a　marker；　she　moved　carefully　forward；　picking　up　a　sampling　of　potsherds　and　some　scattered　corncobs　with　the　tweezers。　She　placed　them　in　the　bags；　then　marked　their　positions　in　her　sketchbook。　She　worked　quickly　and　deftly；　and　Nora　watched　with　growing　surprise。　Sloane　seemed　to　know　exactly　what　to　do。　In　fact；　she　worked　as　if　she　had　been　on　many　professional　surveys　before。　
　Reaching　into　her　bag　again；　Sloane　pulled　out　a　small；　battery…powered　chrome　instrument　and　moved　to　a　viga　that　projected　from　one　of　the　roomblocks。　There　was　a　small　whining　sound；　and　Nora　realized　she　was　taking　a　core　from　the　roofbeam　for　tree…ring　dating。　By　studying　the　growth　pattern　of　the　rings；　a　specialist　in　dendrochronology　such　as　Black　could　tell　the　exact　year　the　tree　was　cut。　As　the　whining　ended　abruptly　and　silence　returned；　Nora　felt　a　sudden　annoyance　at　this　mechanized　disturbance　of　the　site…or；　perhaps；　with　the　fact　that　Sloane　had　done　it　so　blithely；　without　her　permission。　She　instinctively　moved　forward。　
　Looking　over；　Sloane　read　her　face　in　an　instant。　〃This　all　right？〃　she　asked；　raising　her　dark　eyebrows　inquiringly。　
　〃Next　time；　let's　discuss　something　like　this　first。〃　
　〃Sorry；〃　Sloane　said；　in　a　tone　even　more　annoying　for　its　apparent　lack　of　sincerity。　〃I　just　thought　it　might　be　useful…〃　
　〃It　will　be　useful；〃　Nora　said；　trying　to　moderate　her　voice。　〃That's　not　the　point。〃　
　Sloane　glanced　at　her　more　closely；　a　cool；　appraising　glance　that　bordered　on　insolence。　Then　the　lazy　grin　returned。　〃I　promise；〃　she　said。　
　Nora　turned　and　moved　to　the　doorway。　She　realized　her　irritation　was　partly　based　on　a　vague；　irrational　threat　she　felt　to　her　leadership。　She　hadn't　realized　Sloane　was　so　experienced　in　fieldwork；　spoiling　Nora's　earlier　assumption　that　she　would　be　leading　Goddard's　daughter　through　the　basics。　She　immediately　felt　sorry　for　showing　her　feelings；　she　had　to　admit　that　the　pencil…thin　core　probably　contained　the　most　useful　piece　of　information　they　would　take　from　the　ancient　ruin。　
　She　shined　a　penlight　inside　the　first　roomblock　and　found　the　interior　relatively　well　preserved。　The　walls　were　plastered；　still　showing　traces　of　painted　decoration。　She　angled　the　beam　toward　the　floor；　covered　with　sand　and　dust　that　had　blown　in　over　the　centuries。　In　one　corner　she　could　see　the　edge　of　a　metate…a　grinding　stone…protruding　from　the　dirt；　beside　a　broken　mano。　
　Opening　her　flash；　she　took　another　sequence　of　pictures　in　the　room　and　the　one　beyond；　which　was　exceptionally　dusty　and…very　unusually…seemed　at　one　time　to　have　been　painted　with　thick；　heavy　black　paint。　Or　perhaps　it　was　from　cooking。　Moving　through　a　low　doorway；　she　advanced　into　the　third　room。　It；　too；　was　empty；　save　for　a　hearth　with　several　firedogs　still　propping　up　a　al；　or　polished　cooking　stone。　The　sandstone　ceiling　was　blackened　with　crusted　smoke；　and　she　could　still　smell　the　faint　odor　of　charcoal。　A　series　of　holes　in　the　plaster　wall　might　have　been　the　anchor　for　a　loom。　
　Moving　back　through　the　rooms；　Nora　leaned　out　into　the　sudden　warmth　of　the　sun　and　beckoned　the　waiting　Holroyd　and　Smithback。　They　followed　her　into　the　roomblock；　stooping　through　the　low　doorways。　
　〃This　is　incredible；〃　Holroyd　said　in　a　reverential　whisper。　〃I've　never　seen　anything　like　it。　I　still　can't　believe　people　lived　up　here。〃　
　〃Neither　can　I；〃　said　Smithback。　〃No　cable。〃　
　〃There's　nothing　like　the　feeling　of　one　of　these　ancient　ruins；〃　Nora　replied。　〃Even　an　unremarkable　one　like　this。〃　
　〃Unremarkable　to　you；　maybe；〃　Holroyd　said。　
　Nora　looked　at　him。　〃You've　never　been　in　an　Anasazi　ruin　before？〃　
　Holroyd　shook　his　head　as　they　stepped　into　the　second　room。　〃Only　Mesa　Verde；　as　a　kid。　But　I've　read　all　the　books。　Wetherill；　Bandelier；　you　name　it。　As　an　adult；　I　never　had　the　time　or　money　to　travel。〃　
　〃We'll　call　it　Pete's　Ruin；　then。〃　
　Holroyd　flushed　deeply。　〃Really？〃　
　〃Sure；〃　said　Nora；　with　a　grin。　〃We're　the　Institute：　we　can　name　it　anything　we　want。〃　
　Holroyd　looked　at　her　a　long　moment；　eyes　gleaming。　Then　he　took　her　hand　and　pressed　it　briefly　between　his。　Nora　smiled　and　gently　withdrew　her　hand。　Maybe　that　wasn't　such　a　good　idea；　she　thought。　
　Sloane　came　from　the　back　of　the　ruin；　shouldering　her　rucksack。　
　〃Find　anything？〃　Nora　asked；　taking　a　swig　from　her　canteen　and　offering　it　around。　She　knew　that　most　rock　art　was　found　behind　cliff　dwellings。　
　Sloane　nodded。　〃A　dozen　or　so　pictographs。　Including　three　reversed　spirals。〃　
　Nora　looked　up　in　surprise　to　meet　the　woman's　glance。　
　Holroyd　caught　the　look。　〃What？〃　he　asked。　
　Nora　sighed。　〃It's　just　that；　in　Anasazi　iconography；　the　counterclockwise　direction　is　usually　associated　with　negative　supernatural　forces。　Clockwise　or　'sunwise'　was　considered　to　be　the　direction　of　travel　of　the　sun　across　the　sky。　Counterclockwise　was　therefore　considered　a　perversion　of　nature；　a　reversal　of　the　normal　balance。〃　
　〃A　perversion　of　nature？〃　Smithback　asked　with　sudden　interest。　
　〃Yes。　In　some　Indian　cultures　today；　the　reversed　spiral　is　still　associated　with　witchcraft　and　sorcery。〃　
　〃And　I　found　this；〃　Sloane　said；　lifting　one　hand。　In　it　she　held　a　small；　broken；　human　skull。　
　Nora　turned；　unprehending　at　first；　and　Sloane's　grin　widened　lazily。　
　〃Where　did　you　find　that？〃　Nora　asked　sharply。　
　Sloane's　smile　did　not　falter。　〃Back　there；　next　to　the　granary。〃　
　〃And　you　just　picked　it　up？〃　
　〃Why　not？〃　Sloane　asked；　her　eyes　narrowing。　The　slight　movement　reminded　Nora　of　a　cat　when　threatened。　
　〃For　one　thing；〃　Nora　snapped；　〃we　don't　disturb　human　remains　unless　it's　absolutely　critical　for　our　research。　And　you've　touched　it；　which　means　we　can't　do　bone　collagen　DNA　on　it。　Worst　of　all；　you　didn't　even　photograph　it　in　situ。〃　
　〃All　I　did　was　pick　it　up；〃　Sloane　said；　her　voice　suddenly　low。　
　〃I　thought　I　made　it　clear　we　were　to　discuss　these　things　first。〃　
　There　was　a　tense　silence。　Then　Nora　heard　a　scratching　sound　behind　her　and　she　glanced　at　Smithback。　〃What　the　hell　are　you　doing？〃　she　demanded。　The　journalist　had　his　notebook　out　and　was　scribbling　away。　
　〃Taking　notes；〃　he　said　defensively；　pulling　the　notebook　toward　his　chest。　
　〃You're　writing　down　our　discussion？〃　Nora　cried。　
　〃Hey；　why　not？〃　Smithback　said。　〃I　mean；　the　human　drama's　as　much　a　part　of　this　expedition　as…〃　
　Holroyd　advanced　and　snatched　the　notebook　away。　〃This　was　a　private　conversation；〃　he　said；　ripping　out　the　page　and　handing　the　notebook　back。　
　〃That's　censorship；〃　Smithback　protested。　
　Suddenly　Nora　heard　a　low；　throaty　purr　that　swelled　into　a　mellifluous　laugh。　She　turned　to　see　Sloane　still　holding　up　the　skull；　looking　at　the　three　of　them；　amusement　glittering　in　her　amber　eyes。　
　Nora　took　a　breath　and　ignored　the　laugh。　Don't　lose　your　cool。　〃Now　that　it's　been　disturbed；〃　she　said　in　a　quiet　voice；　〃we'll　bring　it　back　for　Aragon　to　analyze。　Being　a　ZST　type；　he　may　obj