p&c.thunderhead-第43部分

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　〃Let's　find　out。〃　Nora　retrieved　a　pot　from　her　daypack；　then　grabbed　the　small　packet　Bonarotti　had　thrust　into　her　hand。　She　unwrapped　it　curiously。　Inside　were　two　Ziploc　bags；　still　dry；　one　containing　what　looked　like　tiny　pasta　and　the　other　a　mix　of　herbs。　ADD　TO　BOILING　WATER　AND　COOK　SEVEN　MINUTES　was　written　on　the　first　bag　in　black　Magic　Marker；　REMOVE　FROM　HEAT；　DRAIN；　ADD　THIS　MIXTURE　was　written　on　the　second。　
　Ten　minutes　later；　they　pulled　the　simmering　mixture　from　the　fire；　drained　off　the　water；　and　added　the　second　packet。　Instantly；　a　wonderful　aroma　rose　from　the　pot。　
　〃Couscous　with　savory　herbs；〃　Sloane　whispered。　〃Isn't　Bonarotti　a　prince？〃　
　From　the　couscous；　they　moved　on　to　Sloane's　dish…lentils　with　sun…dried　vegetables　in　a　curried　beef　broth…then　cleared　away　the　dishes。　Nora　shook　her　bag　out　and　laid　it　in　the　soft　sand；　close　to　the　fire。　Then；　stripping　off　most　of　her　wet　clothes；　she　climbed　in　and　lay　back；　breathing　the　clean　air　of　the　canyon；　gazing　at　the　dome　of　stars　overhead。　Despite　the　words　of　encouragement　she'd　given　Sloane…despite　the　remarkable　meal…Nora　couldn't　entirely　escape　a　private　fear　of　her　own。　
　〃So　what'll　we　find　tomorrow；　Nora？〃　Sloane's　husky　voice；　surprisingly　close　in　the　near　darkness；　echoed　her　own　thoughts。　
　Nora　sat　up　on　one　shoulder　and　glanced　over。　Sloane　was　sitting　cross…legged　on　her　sleeping　bag；　bing　her　hair。　Her　jeans　were　drying　on　a　nearby　limb；　and　an　oversized　shirt　spilled　across　her　bare　knees。　The　flickering　light　threw　her　wide　cheekbones　into　sharp　relief；　giving　her　beautiful　face　a　mysterious；　exotic　look。　
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Nora　replied。　〃What　do　you　think　we'll　find？〃　
　〃Quivira；〃　came　the　reply；　almost　whispered。　
　〃You　didn't　seem　so　sure　an　hour　ago。〃　
　Sloane　shrugged。　〃Oh；　it'll　be　here；〃　she　said。　〃My　father　is　never　wrong。〃　
　The　woman's　face　wore　its　trademark　lazy　smile；　but　something　in　her　voice　told　Nora　it　wasn't　entirely　a　joke。　
　〃So　tell　me　about　your　father；〃　Sloane　went　on。　
　Nora　took　a　long　breath。　〃Well；　the　truth　is；　from　the　outside　he　was　a　traditional　Irish　screwup。　He　drank　too　much。　He　always　had　schemes　and　plans。　He　hated　real　work。　But　you　know　what？〃　She　looked　up　at　Sloane。　〃He　was　the　best　father　anyone　could　have　had。　He　loved　us。　He　told　us　he　loved　us　ten　times　a　day。　It　was　the　first　thing　he　said　to　us　in　the　morning　and　the　last　thing　at　night。　He　was　the　kindest　person　I　ever　knew。　He　took　us　on　almost　all　of　his　adventures。　We　went　everywhere　with　him；　looking　for　lost　ruins；　digging　for　treasure；　scouring　old　battlegrounds　with　metal　detectors。　Nowadays；　the　archaeologist　in　me　is　horrified　at　what　we　used　to　do。　We　packed　horses　into　the　Superstition　Mountains　trying　to　find　the　Lost　Dutchman　Mine；　we　spent　a　summer　in　the　Gila　Wilderness　looking　for　the　Adams　diggings…that　sort　of　thing。　I'm　amazed　we　survived。　My　mother　couldn't　stand　it；　and　she　eventually　took　steps　to　divorce　him。　As　a　way　to　win　her　back；　he　went　off　to　discover　Quivira。　And　we　never　heard　from　him　again…until　this　old　letter　arrived。　But　he's　the　reason　I　became　an　archaeologist。〃　
　〃You　think　he　could　still　be　alive？〃　
　〃No；〃　said　Nora。　〃That's　out　of　the　question。　He　would　never　have　abandoned　us　like　that。〃　
　She　breathed　the　fragrant　night　air　as　silence　settled　into　the　canyon。　〃You　have　a　pretty　remarkable　father　yourself；〃　she　went　on　at　last。　
　A　thin　trace　of　light　suddenly　lanced　across　the　dark　sky。　〃Shooting　star；〃　Sloane　said。　She　was　silent　for　a　moment。　〃You　said　the　same　thing；　back　on　the　trail。　I　suppose　it's　true。　He　is　a　remarkable　father。　And　he　expects　me　to　be　an　even　more　remarkable　daughter。〃　
　〃How　so？〃　
　Sloane　continued　to　stare　at　the　sky。　〃I　guess　you　could　say　he's　one　of　those　fathers　who　holds　his　child　to　an　almost　impossible　standard。　I　was　always　made　to　perform；　to　measure　up。　I　was　only　allowed　to　bring　home　friends　who　could　carry　on　an　intellectual　discussion　at　the　dinner　table。　But　nothing　I　did　was　ever　good　enough；　and　even　now　he　doesn't　trust　me　to　succeed。〃　
　She　shook　her　head。　〃I　still　remember　when　I　was　in　seventh　grade；　my　piano　teacher　made　all　us　students　attend　a　recital。　I'd　worked　up　this　really　difficult　Bach　three…part　invention；　and　I　was　very　proud　of　myself。　But　the　teacher　had　this　other　student；　Ursula　Rein；　who　was　a　true　prodigy。　She's　teaching　at　Juilliard　now。　Anyway；　she　played　right　before　me；　and　did　this　Chopin　waltz　at　about　twice　normal　speed。〃　Her　face　hardened。　〃When　my　father　heard　that；　he　made　me　get　up　and　leave　with　him。　I　was　so　angry；　so　embarrassed。　I'd　practiced　for　so　long；　and　I　thought　he'd　be　proud　of　me。　。　。　。　Oh；　he　made　up　some　excuse；　said　his　stomach　was　bothering　him　or　something。　But　I　knew　the　real　reason　was　he　couldn't　stand　for　me　to　e　in　second。〃　She　laughed。　〃I'm　still　amazed　he　wanted　me　on　this　expedition。〃　
　Nora　could　hear　the　bitter　undertone　in　the　laugh。　〃It　doesn't　seem　to　have　hurt　you；〃　she　replied。　
　〃Because　I　don't　let　it　hurt　me；〃　she　said；　looking　at　Nora　with　a　defiant　flip　of　her　hair。　
　Nora　realized　Sloane　might　have　taken　the　ment　the　wrong　way。　〃No；　that's　not　what　I　meant。　I　meant；　you're…〃　
　〃And　you　know　what？〃　Sloane　interrupted；　as　if　she　hadn't　heard。　〃I　don't　ever　remember　my　father　telling　me　he　loved　me。〃　
　She　looked　away。　Nora；　unsure　how　to　answer；　decided　to　change　the　subject。　〃I've　been　curious。　You've　got　the　money；　looks；　and　talent　to　be　anything。　So　why　are　you　an　archaeologist？〃　
　Sloane　turned　back　to　her；　the　grin　returning。　〃Why？　Are　archaeologists　supposed　to　be　poor；　ugly；　and　dumb？〃　
　〃Of　course　not。〃　
　Sloane　gave　a　low　laugh。　〃It's　the　family　business；　isn't　it？　The　Rothschilds　are　bankers；　the　Kennedys　are　politicians；　the　Goddards　are　archaeologists。　I'm　his　only　child。　He　raised　me　to　be　an　archaeologist　and　I　wasn't　strong　enough　to　deny　him。〃　
　The　father　again；　Nora　thought。　She　looked　into　Sloane's　face。　〃Don't　you　like　archaeology？〃　
　〃I　love　it；〃　came　the　reply；　a　brief　note　of　passion　sounding　in　the　rich　contralto。　〃I　never　stop　thinking　about　the　precious　things　and　the　secrets　that　lie　hidden　beneath　the　soil。　They're　waiting　to　teach　us　something；　if　only　we're　smart　enough　to　find　them。　But　I'll　never　be　a　good　enough　archaeologist　to　satisfy　him。〃　She　paused　a　moment；　then　spoke　more　briskly。　〃It's　funny；　Nora；　but　if　I　find　Quivira；　you　know　who's　going　to　be　remembered？　You　know　who's　going　to　go　down　in　the　history　books　like　Wetherill　and　Earl　Morris？　Not　me。　Him。〃　She　punctuated　this　with　a　short；　harsh　laugh。　〃Isn't　that　ironic？〃　
　Nora　could　not　find　an　answer　to　this。　
　Sloane　uncrossed　her　legs　and　lay　down　atop　her　sleeping　bag。　She　sighed；　teased　her　hair　back　with　one　finger。　〃Seeing　anyone？〃　
　Nora　paused　to　consider　this　abrupt　change　of　subject。　〃Not　really；〃　she　replied。　〃And　you？　Are　you　dating　someone？〃　
　〃Not　anybody　I　wouldn't　drop　in　a　second　if　the　right　person　came　along。〃　Sloane　was　silent　for　a　moment；　as　if　thinking　about　something。　〃So　what　do　you　think　of　the　men　in　this　group　of　ours？　You　know；　as　men。〃　
　Nora　hesitated　again；　not　feeling　entirely　fortable　talking　like　this　about　people　she　was　leading。　But　the　steamy　warmth　of　the　sleeping　bag；　and　the　brightness　of　the　stars；　somehow　conspiratorial　in　their　proximity；　relaxed　her　defenses。　〃I　hadn't　really　thought　about　them　as；　you　know；　potential　dating　material。〃　
　Sloane　gave　a　low　laugh。　〃Well；　I　have。　I'd　pegged　you　for　Smithback。〃　
　Nora　sat　up。　〃Smithback？〃　she　cried。　〃He's　insufferable。〃　
　〃He's　in　a　position　to　do　a　lot　for　your　career　if　this　all　works　out。　Funny；　too；　if　you　like　your　humor　dry　as　a　martini。　He's　led　a　pretty　interesting　life　these　last　couple　of　years。　Did　you　ever　read　that　book　of　his；　about　the　New　York　museum　murders？〃　
　〃He　gave　me　a　copy。　I　haven't　really　looked　at　it。〃　
　〃It's　a　hell　of　a　read。　And　the　guy's　not　bad　looking；　either；　in　a　citified　sort　of　way。〃　
　Nora　shook　her　head。　〃He's　about　as　full　of　himself　as　they　e。〃　
　〃Maybe。　But　I　think　part　of　that　is　just　facade。　The　guy　can　take　it　as　well　as　dish　it　out。〃　She　paused。　〃And　something　about　th