inca.gold-第68部分

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y　friend；　there　are　five　other　collectors　waiting　in　the　wings　for　such　an　opportunity。〃
　　　　〃I'll　give　you　four　million　dollars　for　the　lot。〃
　　　　〃I　appreciate　the　richness　of　your　initial　offer。　But　you　know　me　well　enough　to　understand　I　never　haggle。　There　is　one　price；　and　one　price　only。〃
　　　　〃Which　is？〃
　　　　〃Six　million。〃
　　　　Vincente　cleared　several　artifacts；　making　an　open　space　on　one　table。　He　opened　the　briefcases　side　by　side；　one　at　a　time。　All　were　filled　with　closely　packed　stacks　of　high　denomination　bills。　〃I　only　brought　five　million。〃
　　　　Zolar　was　not　fooled　for　an　instant。　〃A　great　pity　I　have　to　pass。　I　can't　think　of　anyone　I'd　rather　have　sold　the　collection　to。〃
　　　　〃But　I　am　your　best　customer；〃　plained　Vincente。
　　　　〃I　can't　deny　that；〃　said　Zolar。　〃We　are　like　brothers。　I　am　the　only　man　who　knows　of　your　secret　activities；　and　you　are　the　only　one　outside　my　family　who　knows　mine。　Why　do　you　put　me　through　this　ordeal　every　time　we　deal？　You　should　know　better　by　now。〃
　　　　Suddenly　Vincente　laughed　and　gave　a　typically　Latin　shrug。　〃What　is　the　use？　You　know　I　have　more　money　than　I　can　ever　spend。　Having　the　artifacts　in　my　possession　makes　me　a　happy　man。　Forgive　my　bargaining　habits。　Paying　retail　was　never　a　tradition　in　my　family。〃
　　　　〃Your　reserve　supply　of　cash　is　still　in　your　aircraft；　of　course。〃
　　　　Without　a　word；　Vincente　exited　the　tent　and　returned　in　a　few　minutes　with　the　fourth　briefcase。　He　set　it　beside　the　others　and　opened　it。　〃Six　million；　five　hundred　thousand。　You　said　you　have　some　rare　religious　objects　from　the　American　Southwest。　Are　they　included　too？〃
　　　　〃For　the　extra　five　hundred　thousand　you　can　have　them；〃　answered　Zolar。　〃You'll　find　the　Indian　religious　idols　under　the　glass　case　in　the　corner。〃
　　　　Vincente　walked　over　and　removed　the　glass　dust　cover。　He　stared　at　the　strangely　shaped　gnarled　figures。　These　were　no　ordinary　ceremonial　idols。　Although　they　looked　as　if　they　had　been　carved　and　painted　by　a　young　child；　he　was　aware　of　their　significance　from　long　experience　of　collecting　objects　from　the　American　Southwest。
　　　　〃Hopi？〃　he　asked。
　　　　〃No；　Montolo。　Very　old。　Very　important　in　their　ceremonial　rituals。〃
　　　　Vincente　reached　down　and　began　to　pick　one　up　for　a　closer　look。　His　heart　skipped　the　next　three　beats　and　he　felt　an　icy　shroud　fall　over　him。　The　fingers　of　his　hand　did　not　feel　as　if　they　came　in　contact　with　the　hardened　root　of　a　long…dead　cottonwood　tree。　The　idol　felt　more　like　the　soft　flesh　of　a　woman's　arm。　Vincente　could　have　sworn　he　heard　it　utter　an　audible　moan。
　　　　〃Did　you　hear　that？〃　he　asked；　thrusting　the　idol　back　in　the　case　as　if　it　had　burned　his　hand。
　　　　Zolar　peered　at　him　questioningly。　〃I　didn't　hear　anything。〃
　　　　Vincente　looked　like　a　man　having　a　nightmare。　〃Please；　my　friend；　let　us　finish　our　business；　and　then　you　must　leave。　I　do　not　want　these　idols　on　my　property。〃
　　　　〃Does　that　mean　you　don't　wish　to　buy　them？〃　Zolar　asked；　surprised。
　　　　No；　no。　Spirits　are　alive　in　those　idols。　I　can　feel　their　presence。〃
　　　　〃Superstitious　nonsense。〃
　　　　Vincente　grasped　Zolar　by　the　shoulders；　his　eyes　pleading。　〃Destroy　them；〃　he　begged。　〃Destroy　them　or　they　will　surely　destroy　you。〃

　　　　Under　an　Indian　summer　sun；　two　hundred　prime　examples　of　automotive　builders'　art　sat　on　the　green　grass　of　East　Potomac　Park　and　glittered　like　spangles　under　a　theatrical　spotlight。
　　　　Staged　for　people　who　appreciated　the　timeless　beauty　and　exacting　craftsmanship　of　coach…built　automobiles；　and　those　who　simply　had　a　love　affair　with　old　cars；　the　annual　Capital　Concours　de　Beaux　Moteurcar　was　primarily　a　benefit　to　raise　money　for　child　abuse　treatment　centers　around　metropolitan　Washington。　During　the　weekend　the　event　was　held；　fifty　thousand　enthusiastic　old…car　buffs　swarmed　into　the　park　to　gaze　lovingly　at　the　Duesenbergs；　Auburns；　Cords；　Bugattis；　and　Packards；　products　of　automakers　long　since　gone。
　　　　The　atmosphere　was　heavy　with　nostalgia。　The　crowds　that　strolled　the　exhibit　area　and　admired　the　immaculate　design　and　flawless　detailing　could　but　wonder　about　an　era　and　lifestyle　when　the　well…to…do　ordered　a　chassis　and　engine　from　a　factory　and　then　had　the　body　custom　built　to　their　own　particular　tastes。　The　younger　onlookers　dreamed　of　owning　an　exotic　car　someday　while　those　over　the　age　of　sixty…five　fondly　recalled　seeing　them　driven　through　the　towns　and　cities　of　their　youth。
　　　　The　cars　were　classified　by　year；　body　style；　and　country　of　origin。　Trophies　were　awarded　to　the　best　of　their　class　and　plaques　to　the　runners…up。　〃Best　of　show〃　was　the　most　coveted　award。　A　few　of　the　wealthier　owners　spent　hundreds　of　thousands　of　dollars　restoring　their　pride　and　joy　to　a　level　of　perfection　far　beyond　the　car's　original　condition　on　the　day　it　rolled　out　of　the　factory。
　　　　Unlike　the　more　conservatively　dressed　owners　of　other　cars；　Pitt　sat　in　an　old…fashioned　canvas　lawn　chair　wearing　a　flowered　Hawaiian　aloha　shirt；　white　shorts；　and　sandals。　Behind　him　stood　a　gleaming；　dark　blue　1936　Pierce　Arrow　berline　（sedan　body　with　a　divider　window）　that　was　hitched　to　a　1936　Pierce　Arrow　Travelodge　house　trailer　painted　a　matching　color。
　　　　In　between　answering　questions　from　passersby　about　the　car　and　trailer；　he　had　his　nose　buried　in　a　thick　boater's　guide　to　the　Sea　of　Cortez。　Occasionally　he　jotted　notes　on　a　long　pad　of　legal　notepaper；　yellow　with　blue…ruled　lines。　None　of　the　islands　listed　and　illustrated　in　the　guide　matched　the　steeply　sided　slopes　of　the　monolithic　outcropping　that　Yaeger　had　gleaned　out　of　the　Drake　quipu。　Only　a　few　showed　sheer　walls。　A　number　of　them　inclined　sharply　from　the　surrounding　water；　but　instead　of　rising　in　the　shape　of　a　Chinese　hat　or　a　Mexican　sombrero；　they　flattened　out　into　mesas。
　　　　Giordino；　wearing　baggy　khaki　shorts　that　dropped　to　just　above　his　knees　and　a　T…shirt　advertising　Alkali　Sam's　Tequila；　approached　the　Pierce　Arrow　through　the　crowd。　He　was　acpanied　by　Loren；　who　looked　sensational　in　a　turquoise　jumpsuit。　She　was　carrying　a　picnic　basket　while　Giordino　balanced　an　ice　chest　on　one　shoulder。
　　　　I　hope　you're　hungry；〃　she　said　brightly　to　Pitt。　〃We　bought　half　ownership　in　a　delicatessen。〃
　　　　〃What　she　really　means；〃　Giordino　sighed　as　he　set　the　ice　chest　on　the　grass；　〃is　we　loaded　up　on　enough　food　to　feed　a　crew　of　lumberjacks。〃
　　　　Pitt　rolled　forward　out　of　the　lawn　chair　and　stared　at　a　sentence　printed　across　Giordino's　shirt。　〃What　does　that　say　about　Alkali　Sam's　Tequila？〃
　　　　〃If　your　eyes　are　still　open；〃　Giordino　recited；　〃it　ain't　Alkali　Sam's。〃
　　　　Pitt　laughed　and　pointed　toward　the　open　door　of　the　sixty…two…year…old　house　trailer。　〃Why　don't　we　step　into　my　mobile　palace　and　get　out　of　the　sun？〃
　　　　Giordino　hoisted　the　ice　chest；　carried　it　inside；　and　set　it　on　a　kitchen　counter。　Loren　followed　and　began　spreading　the　contents　of　the　picnic　basket　across　the　table　of　a　booth　that　could　be　made　into　a　bed。　〃For　something　built　during　the　Depression；〃　she　said；　gazing　at　the　wooden　interior　with　leaded　glass　windows　in　the　cupboards；　〃it　looks　surprisingly　modern。〃
　　　　〃Pierce　Arrow　was　ahead　of　its　time；〃　Pitt　explained。　〃They　went　into　the　travel　trailer　business　to　supplement　dwindling　profits　from　the　sales　of　their　cars。　After　two　years；　they　quit。　The　Depression　killed　them。　They　manufactured　three　models；　one　longer　and　one　shorter　than　this　one。　Except　for　updating　the　stove　and　the　refrigerator；　I　restored　it　to　original　condition。〃
　　　　〃I've　got　Corona；　Coors；　or　Cheurlin；〃　said　Giordino。　〃Name　your　poison。〃
　　　　〃What　kind　of　beer　is　Cheurlin？〃　asked　Loren。
　　　　〃Domaine　Cheurlin　Extra　Dry　is　a　brand　name　for　a　bubbly。　I　bought　it　in　Elephant　Butte。〃
　　　　〃A　champagne　from　where？〃
　　　　〃New　Mexico；〃　Pitt　answered。　〃An　excellent　sparkling　wine。　Al　and　I　stumbled　onto　the　winery　during　a　canoe　trip　down　the　Rio　Grande。〃
　　　　〃Okay。〃　Loren　smiled；　holding　up　a　flute…stemmed　glass。　〃Fill　it　up。〃
　　　　Pitt　smiled　and　nodded　at　the　glass。　〃You　cheated。　You　came　prepared。〃
　　　　〃I've　hung　around　you　long　enough　to　know　your　solemn　secret。〃　She　fetched　a　second　glass　and　passed　i