p&c.thunderhead-第44部分

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　〃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　that　mouth　tells　me　he's　a　great　kisser。〃　
　〃If　you　find　out；　let　me　know。〃　Nora　glanced　at　Sloane。　〃Got　your　eyes　on　anybody？〃　
　By　way　of　answering；　Sloane　fanned　herself　absently。　〃Black；〃　she　said　at　last。　
　It　took　a　moment　for　Nora　to　digest　this。　〃What？〃　she　asked。　
　〃If　I　had　to　choose　somebody；　I'd　choose　Black。〃　
　Nora　shook　her　head。　〃I　don't　get　it。〃　
　〃Oh；　I　know　he　can　be　obnoxious。　He's　terrified　of　being　away　from　civilization。　But　you　wait。　When　we　find　Quivira；　he'll　e　into　his　own。　It's　easy　to　forget　out　here　in　the　middle　of　nowhere　that　he's　one　of　the　most　prominent　archaeologists　in　the　country。　With　good　reason。　Talk　about　someone　who　could　do　a　lot　for　a　career。〃　She　laughed。　〃And　look　at　that　big…boned　frame　of　his。　I'll　bet　he's　hung　like　a　fire　hydrant。〃　
　And　with　that　she　stood　up；　letting　the　shirt　slide　off　her　arms　and　fall　away　to　the　ground。　〃Now　look　what　you've　done；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　going　down　to　the　stream　to　cool　off。〃　
　Nora　leaned　back。　As　if　at　a　distance；　she　heard　Sloane　down　at　the　stream；　splashing　softly。　In　a　few　moments　she　returned；　her　sleek　body　glistening　in　the　moonlight。　She　slid　noiselessly　into　her　sleeping　bag。　〃Sweet　dreams；　Nora　Kelly；〃　she　murmured。　
　Then　she　turned　away；　and　within　moments；　Nora　could　hear　her　breathing；　regular　and　serene。　But　Nora　lay　still；　eyes　open　to　the　stars；　for　a　long　time。　
　
　
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　NORA　AWOKE　WITH　A　START。　SHE　HAD　slept　so　deeply；　so　heavily；　that　for　a　moment　she　did　not　know　where　she　was。　She　sat　up　in　panic。　Dawn　light　was　just　bloodying　the　rimrock　above　her　head。　A　throbbing　at　the　ends　of　her　bandaged　fingers　quickly　brought　back　the　memories　of　the　previous　day：　the　terrible　struggle　on　the　hogback　ridge；　the　discovery　of　the　slot　canyon　and　this　hidden　valley　beyond；　the　lack　of　any　signs　of　a　ruin。　She　looked　around。　The　sleeping　bag　beside　her　was　empty。　
　She　rose；　sore　muscles　protesting；　and　stirred　the　ashes　of　the　fire。　Cutting　some　dry　grass　and　folding　it　into　a　packet；　she　shoved　it　in　the　coals。　A　thread　of　smoke　came　up；　then　the　grass　burst　into　flame。　She　quickly　added　sticks。　Rummaging　in　her　pack；　she　filled　a　tiny　two…cup　espresso　pot　with　grounds　and　water；　put　it　on　the　fire；　then　went　down　to　the　creek　to　wash。　When　she　returned；　the　pot　was　hissing。　She　poured　herself　a　cup　just　as　Sloane　walked　up。　The　perpetual　smile　was　gone。　
　〃Have　some　coffee；〃　Nora　said。　
　Sloane　took　the　proffered　cup　and　sat　down　beside　her。　They　sipped　in　silence　as　the　sun　crept　down　the　canyon　walls。　
　〃There's　nothing　here；　Nora；〃　Sloane　said　at　last。　〃I　just　spent　the　last　hour　going　over　this　place　inch　by　inch。　Your　pal　Holroyd　can　scan　this　ground　with　the　magnetometer；　but　I've　never　seen　a　ruin　under　the　sand　or　in　a　cliff　that　didn't　leave　some　trace　on　the　surface。　I　haven't　found　one　potsherd　or　flint　chip。〃　
　Nora　set　down　her　coffee。　〃I　don't　believe　it。〃　
　Sloane　shrugged。　〃Take　a　look　for　yourself。〃　
　〃I　will。〃　
　Nora　walked　to　the　base　of　the　cliffs　and　began　making　a　clockwise　circuit　of　the　valley。　She　could　see　the　welter　of　footprints　where　Sloane　had　scoured　the　ground　for　artifacts。　Nora；　instead；　took　out　her　binoculars　and　systematically　searched　the　cliffs；　setbacks；　and　rimrock　above　her。　Every　twenty　steps　she　stopped　and　searched　again。　The　morning　invasion　of　light　into　the　valley　continued；　each　minute　creating　fresh　angles　and　shadows　on　the　rock。　At　each　pause　she　forced　her　eyes　across　the　same　rock　faces；　from　different　angles；　straining　to　recognize　something…a　toehold；　a　shaped　building　block；　a　faded　petroglyph；　anything　that　indicated　human　occupation。　After　pleting　the　circuit；　she　then　crossed　the　valley　from　north　to　south　and　from　east　to　west；　heedlessly　wading　through　the　stream　again　and　again；　peering　up　at　the　walls；　trying　to　get　every　possible　view　of　the　towering　cliffs　above。　
　Ninety　minutes　later　she　came　back　into　camp；　wet　and　tired。　She　sat　down　beside　Sloane；　saying　nothing。　Sloane　was　also　silent；　her　head　bowed；　staring　into　the　sand；　idly　tracing　a　circle　with　a　stick。　
　She　thought　about　her　father；　and　all　the　terrible　things　her　mother　had　said　about　him　over　the　years。　Was　it　possible　that　she　could　have　been　right　all　this　time？　Was　he　untrustworthy　and　unreliable…just　a　fantasist；　after　all？　
　They　remained　beside　the　dying　fire；　wordlessly；　for　perhaps　ten　minutes；　perhaps　twenty；　as　the　full　weight　of　the　colossal　defeat　settled　upon　them。　
　〃What　are　we　going　to　tell　the　others？〃　Nora　said　at　last。　
　Sloane　tossed　her　short　hair　back　with　a　shake　of　her　head。　〃We'll　do　it　by　the　book；〃　she　said。　〃We　can't　turn　around　now　without　going　through　the　formalities。　Like　you　said　last　night；　we'll　bring　in　the　equipment；　do　an　archaeological　survey　of　the　valley。　And　then　we'll　go　home。　You　to　your　office。　And　me　。　。　。〃　She　paused。　〃To　my　father。〃　
　Nora　glanced　over　at　Sloane。　A　haunted　look　came　into　her　amber　eyes　as　she　spoke。　The　woman　looked　back　at　Nora。　As　she　did　so；　her　expression　softened。　
　〃But　here　I　am；　moping　like　a　selfish　schoolgirl；〃　she　said；　the　old　smile　returning。　〃When　you're　the　one　who　really　needs　consoling。　I　can't　tell　you　how　sorry　I　am；　Nora。　You　know　how　much　we　all　believed　in　your　dream。〃　
　Nora　looked　up　at　the　dark　encircling　cliffs；　the　smooth　sandstone　faces　that　showed　no　trace　of　a　trail。　There　had　been　no　other　ruins　in　the　entire　canyon　system；　and　this　was　no　exception。　〃I　just　can't　believe　it；〃　she　said。　〃I　can't　believe　I　dragged　you　all　out　here；　wasted　your　father's　money；　risked　lives；　killed　horses；　for　nothing。〃　
　Sloane　took　one　of　Nora's　hands　and　gave　it　a　reassuring　squeeze。　Then　she　stood　up。　
　〃e　on；〃　she　said。　〃The　others　are　waiting　for　us。〃　
　Nora　stowed　the　cooking　gear　and　sleeping　bag　into　her　pack；　then　shouldered　it　wearily。　Her　mouth　felt　painfully　dry。　The　thought　of　the　days　to　e…going　through　the　motions；　working　without　hope…was　almost　too　much　to　bear。　She　looked　up　yet　again　at　the　rock；　picking　out　the　same　landmarks　she　had　seen　yesterday。　The　morning　light　was　ing　in　at　a　different　angle；　raking　along　the　lower　cliffs。　Her　eyes　instinctively　scoured　the　rock　face；　but　it　remained　clear　and　barren。　She　raised　her　eyes　higher。　
　And　then　she　saw　something：　a　single；　shallow　notch　in　the　rock；　forty　feet　above　the　ground。　The　light　now　lay　at　a　perfect　raking　angle。　It　could　be　natural；　in　fact；　it　probably　was　natural。　But　she　found　herself　digging　into　her　pack　anyway　for　her　binoculars。　She　focused　and　looked　again。　There　it　was：　a　tiny　depression；　seemingly　floating　in　space　a　foot　or　so　below　a　narrow　ledge。　Magnified；　it　looked　a　little　less　natural。　But　where　was　the　rest　of　the　trail？　
　Angling　her　binoculars　down；　she　saw　the　answer：　below　the　lone　notch；　a　section　of　the　cliff　face　had　recently　peeled　off：　the　desert　varnish…that　layer　of　oxidation　built　up　on　sandstone　over　centuries…was　a　lighter；　fresher　color。　At　the　base　of　the　cliffs　was　the　proof…a　small　heap　of　broken　rubble。　Her　heart　began　to　pound。　She　turned　and　found　Sloane　staring　at　her　curiously。　
　She　handed　over　the　binoculars。　〃Look　at　that。〃　
　Sloane　examined　the　indicated　spot。　Suddenly；　her　body　tensed。　
　〃It's　a　moqui　step；〃　she　said　breathlessly。　〃The　top　of　a　trail。　The　rest　must　have　fallen　away。　Jesus；　look　at　that　pile　of　rubble　at　the　bottom。　How　could　I　be　so　stupid？　There　I　was；　so　busy　looking　for　sherds　that　I　never　thought　。　。　。〃　
　〃That　little　landslide　must　have　happened　since　my　father　saw　the　trail；〃　Nora　said。　But　Sloane　was　already　digging　into　her　pack；　pulling　out　a　rope　shot　through　with　black　fibers。　
　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　she　asked。　
　〃No　problem；〃　came　the　response。　〃It's　a　friction　climb。〃　
　〃You're　going　up　there？〃　
　〃Damn　right　I'm　going　up　there。〃　She　worked　frantically；　pulling　out　her　equipment；　kicking　off　her　hiking　boots　and　tugging　on　climbing　shoes。　
　〃What　about　me？〃　Nora　asked。　
　Sloane　glanced　up　at　her。　〃You？〃　
　〃There's　no　way　in　hell　you're　going　up　there　without　me