inca.gold-第62部分

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d　off　the　remaining　minutes　of　their　lives。　They　went　about　their　business　as　if　the　men　behind　the　ski　masks　did　not　exist。
　　　　Henry　labored　in　focused　dedication。　His　world　existed　in　just　one　narrow　hall　of　academia。　Like　most　university　professors　of　anthropology　and　archaeology；　he　labored　for　prestige；　because　financial　wealth　eluded　him。　He　had　pieced　together　potsherds　and　had　written　a　prodigious　number　of　books　that　few　read　and　even　fewer　paid　good　money　to　own。　Published　with　small　print　runs；　all　his　works　ended　up　gathering　dust　in　the　basements　of　college　libraries。　Ironically；　the　fame　and　the　honors　that　he　foresaw　would　be　heaped　upon　him　as　the　interpreter；　and　perhaps　discoverer；　of　Huascar's　treasure　meant　more　to　him　than　mere　monetary　returns。
　　　　At　first　the　Zolars　found　Micki　Moore　sexually　appealing。　But　soon　her　indifference　toward　them　became　imitating。　It　was　obvious　that　she　loved　her　husband　and　had　little　interest　in　anyone　else。　They　lived　and　worked　together　in　a　world　of　their　own　making。
　　　　Joseph　Zolar　would　suffer　little　remorse　over　their　termination。　He　had　dealt　with　disgusting　and　despicable　sellers　and　collectors　over　the　years；　and　hardened　criminals　as　well；　but　these　two　people　were　an　enigma　to　him。　He　no　longer　cared　what　form　of　execution　his　brothers　had　in　mind　for　them。　All　that　mattered　now　was　that　the　Moores　e　up　with　concise　and　accurate　directions　to　Huascar's　golden　chain。
　　　　Wearing　the　ski　masks　had　been　a　waste　of　time；　but　they　kept　them　on　during　the　entire　time　they　were　in　the　Moores'　presence。　It　was　obvious　the　Moores　did　not　intimidate　easily。
　　　　Zolar　looked　at　Henry　Moore　and　attempted　a　smile。　It　wasn't　very　successful。　〃Have　you　finished　decoding　the　symbols？〃　he　asked　hopefully。
　　　　Moore　winked　foxlike　at　his　wife　and　gave　her　a　smug　grin　before　turning　to　Zolar。　〃We　are　finished。　The　story　we　have　deciphered　is　one　of　great　drama　and　human　endurance。　Our　unraveling　of　the　images　and　successful　translation　greatly　expands　the　current　knowledge　of　the　Chachapoyas。　And　it　will　rewrite　every　text　ever　written　on　the　Inca。〃
　　　　〃So　much　for　modesty；〃　said　Samson　sarcastically。
　　　　〃Do　you　know　precisely　where　the　treasure　is　buried？〃　Charles　Oxley　asked。
　　　　Henry　Moore　shrugged。　〃I　can't　say　precisely。〃
　　　　Sarason　moved　forward；　tight…lipped　and　angry。　〃I'd　like　to　ask　if　our　illustrious　code　breakers　have　the　slightest　idea　in　hell　what　they're　doing？〃
　　　　〃What　do　you　want？〃　Moore　stated　coldly。　〃An　arrow　that　points　to　X　marks　the　spot？〃
　　　　〃Yes；　dammit；　that's　exactly　what　we　want！〃
　　　　Zolar　smiled　condescendingly。　〃Let's　get　down　to　the　hard　facts；　Dr。　Moore。　What　can　you　tell　us？〃
　　　　〃You'll　be　happy　to　learn；〃　Micki　Moore　answered　for　her　husband；　〃that；　incredible　as　it　sounds；　the　golden　chain　is　only　a　small　part　of　the　treasure's　stockpile。　The　inventory　my　husband　and　I　have　deciphered　records　at　least　another　forty　or　more　tons　of　ceremonial　ornaments　and　vessels；　headdresses；　breastplates；　necklaces；　and　solid　gold　and　silver　objects　that　each　took　ten　men　to　carry。　There　were　also　massive　bundles　of　sacred　textiles；　at　least　twenty　golden…cased　mummies；　and　over　fifty　ceramic　pots　filled　with　precious　gems。　If　given　more　time　we　can　give　you　a　plete　breakdown。〃
　　　　Zolar；　Sarason；　and　Oxley　stared　at　Micki；　their　eyes　unblinking　through　the　masks；　their　expressions　of　insatiable　greed　well　hidden。　For　several　moments　there　wasn't　a　sound　except　their　breathing　and　the　whir　of　the　printer。　Even　for　men　used　to　dealing　in　million…dollar　sums；　the　extent　of　Huascar's　golden　wealth　went　far　beyond　their　wildest　imaginings。
　　　　〃You　paint　a　glowing　picture；〃　said　Zolar　finally。　〃But　do　the　symbols　on　the　mummy's　case　tell　us　where　the　treasure　is　buried？〃
　　　　〃It's　not　buried　in　the　strict　sense　of　the　word；〃　said　Henry　Moore。
　　　　He　stared　at　Zolar；　waiting　for　him　to　react　to　his　statement。　Zolar　stood　there　impassively。
　　　　〃According　to　the　narrative　engraved　on　the　suit；〃　Moore　explained；　〃the　hoard　was　secreted　in　a　cavern　on　a　river〃

　　　　Sarason's　eyes　flashed　with　sudden　disappointment。　〃Any　cavern　by　a　well…traveled　river　would　have　been　discovered　long　before　now；　and　the　treasure　removed。〃
　　　　Oxley　shook　his　head。　〃It's　not　likely　a　golden　chain　that　took　two　hundred　men　to　lift　could　have　vanished　a　second　time。〃
　　　　〃Nor　an　inventory　as　vast　as　the　Moores　describe；〃　added　Zolar。　〃As　an　acknowledged　expert　on　Inca　antiquities　I'd　be　aware　of　any　artifacts　identified　as　belonging　to　Huascar　that　have　made　their　way　onto　the　market。　No　one　who　discovered　such　a　cache　could　keep　it　secret。〃
　　　　〃Maybe　we've　placed　too　much　trust　in　the　good　doctor　and　his　wife；〃　said　Sarason。　〃How　do　we　know　they're　not　leading　us　down　the　garden　path？〃
　　　　〃Who　are　you　to　talk　about　trust？〃　Moore　said　quietly。　〃You　lock　my　wife　and　me　inside　this　concrete　dungeon　without　windows　for　four　days；　and　you　don't　trust　us？　You　people　must　enjoy　childish　games。〃
　　　　〃You　have　no　grounds　for　plaint；〃　Oxley　told　him。　〃You　and　Mrs。　Moore　are　being　paid　extremely　well。〃
　　　　Moore　gave　Oxley　an　impassive　look。　〃As　I　was　about　to　say；　after　the　Incas　and　their　Chachapoyan　guards　deposited　Huascar's　vast　store　of　treasure　in　the　cavern；　they　covered　the　entrance　to　a　long　passageway　that　led　to　it。　Then　they　blended　the　soil　and　rocks　to　make　it　look　natural　and　planted　native　plants　over　the　area　to　make　certain　the　passage　to　the　cavern　was　never　found　again。
　　　　〃Is　there　a　description　of　the　terrain　around　the　entrance　to　the　cavern？〃　Zolar　asked。
　　　　〃Only　that　it　is　on　a　rounded　peak　of　a　steep…sided　island　in　an　inland　sea。〃
　　　　〃Wait　a　moment；〃　snapped　Oxley。　〃You　said　the　cavern　was　near　a　river。〃
　　　　Moore　shook　his　head。　〃If　you　had　listened；　you'd　have　heard　me　say；　the　cavern　was　on　a　river。〃
　　　　Sarason　stared　angrily　at　Moore。　〃What　ridiculous　myth　are　you　handing　us？　A　cavern　on　a　river　on　an　island　in　an　inland　sea？　Took　a　wrong　turn　in　your　translation；　didn't　you；　Doc？〃
　　　　〃There　is　no　mistake；〃　said　Moore　firmly。　〃Our　analysis　is　correct。〃
　　　　〃The　use　of　the　word　river　could　be　purely　symbolic；〃　suggested　Micki　Moore。
　　　　〃So　could　the　island；〃　Sarason　retorted。
　　　　〃Perhaps　you'd　get　a　better　perspective　if　you　heard　our　entire　interpretation；〃　offered　Henry　Moore。
　　　　〃Please　spare　us　the　details；〃　said　Zolar。　〃We're　already　familiar　with　how　Huascar　smuggled　his　kingdom's　treasury　from　under　the　collective　noses　of　his　brother　Atahualpa　and　Francisco　Pizarro。　Our　only　interest　is　the　direction　General　Naymlap　sailed　the　treasure　fleet　and　the　exact　location　where　he　hid　the　hoard。〃
　　　　The　Moores　exchanged　glances。　Micki　gave　Henry　an　affirmative　nod；　and　he　turned　to　Zolar。　〃A11　right；　since　we're　partners。〃　He　paused　to　scan　a　page　rolled　out　by　the　printer。　〃The　pictographs　on　the　suit　tell　us　that　the　treasure　was　carried　to　a　coastal　port　and　loaded　on　a　great　number　of　ships。　The　voyage　north　lasted　a　total　of　eighty…six　days。　The　final　twelve　days　were　spent　sailing　across　an　inland　sea　until　they　came　to　a　small　island　with　high；　steep　walls　that　rose　out　of　the　water　like　a　great　stone　temple。　There；　the　Incas　beached　their　ships；　unloaded　the　treasure　and　carried　it　down　a　passageway　to　a　cavern　deep　inside　the　island。　At　this　point；　however　you　interpret　it；　the　glyphs　claim　the　gold　hoard　was　stashed　beside　the　banks　of　a　river。〃
　　　　Oxley　unrolled　a　map　of　the　Western　Hemisphere　and　traced　the　sea　route　from　Peru　past　Central　America　and　along　the　Pacific　coast　of　Mexico。　〃The　inland　sea　must　be　the　Gulf　of　California。〃
　　　　〃Better　known　as　the　Sea　of　Cortez；〃　added　Moore。
　　　　Sarason　also　studied　the　map。　〃I　agree。　From　the　tip　of　Baja　to　Peru　it's　all　open　water。〃
　　　　〃What　about　islands？〃　asked　Zolar。
　　　　〃At　least　two　dozen；　maybe　more；〃　replied　Oxley。
　　　　〃It　would　take　years　to　search　them　all。〃
　　　　Sarason　picked　up　and　read　the　final　page　of　the　Moores'　translation　of　the　glyphs。　Then　he　stared　coldly　at　Henry　Moore。　〃You're　holding　out；　my　friend。　The　images　on　the　golden　suit　have　to　give　exact　guidelines　to　finding　the　treasure。　No　map　worth　the　paper　it's　printed　on　stops