atlantis.found-第37部分

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　　　　　〃It　wasn't　as　expansive　as　I　thought；〃　he　murmured　sheepishly。
　　　　　Giordino　threw　off　his　safety　harness。　〃Do　you　have　a　route　to　the　chamber　figured　out？〃
　　　　　Gunn　held　up　the　aerial　photo　and　pointed　to　a　small　canyon　leading　up　from　the　shore。　〃This　is　the　only　way　a　hunting　party　could　have　penetrated　the　island　and　made　their　way　up　the　mountain。　Pitt　said　that　according　to　the　ship's　log；　the　colonel　and　his　party　climbed　halfway　up　the　mountain。　We're　about　at　that　level　now。〃
　　　　　〃What　direction　is　the　ravine？〃
　　　　　〃South。　And　to　answer　your　next　question；　we're　on　the　west　side　of　the　mountain。　With　a　little　luck；　we　won't　have　to　hike　more　than　three…quarters　of　a　mile；　provided　we　can　stumble　onto　the　ancient　walkway　the　colonel　mentioned。〃
　　　　　〃Thank　God　for　small　islands；〃　Giordino　murmured。　〃Can　you　detect　the　old　road　on　your　photo？〃
　　　　　〃No；　I　can't　see　any　sign　of　it。〃
　　　　　They　proceeded　to　untie　the　straps　containing　the　survival　gear　and　donned　their　backpacks。　The　rain　returned　in　sheets；　so　they　slipped　foul…weather　gear　on　over　their　clothes　and　boots。　When　ready；　they　threw　open　the　passenger　door　and　stepped　to　the　rocky　ground。　Beyond　the　ledge　was　the　sheer　drop；　and　beyond　the　drop；　nothing　but　the　Indian　Ocean　and　gray　pewter　waves。　As　a　safety　precaution；　they　tied　down　the　aircraft　to　several　huge　boulders。
　　　　　The　threatening　sky　made　the　island　seem　all　the　more　drab　and　desolate。　Gunn　squinted　through　the　rain　and　motioned　for　Giordino　to　lead；　pointing　in　the　direction　he　wanted　to　follow。　They　set　off　diagonally　across　the　slope　of　the　mountain；　staying　inside　the　larger　rocks　where　the　ground　was　flatter　and　firm　beneath　their　feet。
　　　　　They　struggled　across　small　ledges　and　narrow　crevices；　trying　to　walk　upright　without　resorting　to　mountain…climbing　gear；　a　skill　in　which　neither　was　proficient。　Giordino　seemed　impervious　to　fatigue。　His　thick；　powerful　body　took　the　climb　over　the　rocks　in　stride。　Gunn　had　no　problems；　either。　He　was　wiry　and　far　tougher　than　he　looked。　He　began　to　fall　back　from　the　unyielding　Giordino；　not　from　weariness　but　because　he　had　to　stop　every　twenty　yards　to　wipe　the　moisture　from　his　glasses。
　　　　　About　midway　across　the　west　side　of　the　mountain；　Giordino　came　to　a　halt。　〃If　your　reckoning　is　right；　the　stone　walkway　should　be　a　short　distance　above　or　below　us。〃
　　　　　Gunn　sat　down　with　his　back　to　a　smooth　lava　rock　and　peered　at　his　photo；　which　had　bee　dog…eared　and　soggy　from　the　damp。　〃Assuming　the　colonel　took　the　path　of　least　resistance　from　the　ravine；　he　should　have　worked　his　way　across　the　mountain　about　a　hundred　feet　below　us。〃
　　　　　Giordino　crouched；　placed　his　hands　on　slightly　bent　knees；　and　stared　down　the　slope。　He　seemed　entranced　for　several　moments　before　he　turned　back　and　looked　Gunn　full　in　the　face。　〃I　swear　to　God；　I　don't　know　how　you　do　it。〃
　　　　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　　　　　〃Not　thirty　feet　below　where　we　sit　is　a　narrow　road　paved　with　smooth　rocks。〃
　　　　　Gunn　peered　over　the　edge。　Almost　within　spitting　distance；　he　saw　a　road；　a　path　really；　four　feet　wide；　laid　with　stones　long　aged　by　the　weather。　The　path　traveled　in　both　directions；　but　landslides　had　carried　much　of　it　down　the　slope。　In　the　cracks　between　the　stones；　a　strange　looking　plant　was　sprouting。　It　had　lettuce…like　heads　and　grew　close　to　the　ground。　'
　　　　　〃It　must　be　the　road　described　by　the　British　colonel；〃　said　Gunn。
　　　　　〃What's　that　weird　stuff　growing　in　it？〃　asked　Giordino。
　　　　　〃Kerguelen　cabbage。　It　produces　a　pungent　oil　and　can　be　eaten　as　a　cooked　vegetable。〃
　　　　　〃Now　you　know　why　the　road　was　indistinguishable　on　the　photo。　It　was　hidden　by　cabbages。〃
　　　　　〃Yes；　I　can　see　that　now；〃　said　Gunn。
　　　　　〃How　did　it　get　established　on　such　a　godforsaken　island？〃
　　　　　〃Probably　by　its　pollen　that　was　carried　across　the　water　by　the　wind。〃
　　　　　〃Which　direction　do　you　want　to　follow　the　road？〃
　　　　　Gunn's　eyes　scanned　the　flat…laid　stones　as　far　as　he　could　in　both　directions　until　they　were　lost　to　view。　〃The　colonel　must　have　stumbled　onto　the　road　down　to　our　right。　Below　that　point　it　must　have　been　destroyed　by　erosion　and　slides。　Since　it　makes　no　sense　to　start　at　the　top　of　the　mountain　and　work　down；　the　chamber　must　be　hidden　farther　up　the　slope。　So　we　go　to　the　left　and　climb。〃
　　　　　Stepping　cautiously　on　the　loose　lava　rock；　they　quickly　reached　the　neatly　laid　stones　and　began　ascending　the　road。　The　flat　passage　was　a　wele　relief；　but　landslides　were　another　matter。　They　had　to　cross　two　of　them；　each　nearly　thirty　or　more　yards　wide。　It　was　slow　going。　The　lava　rock　was　jagged　and　knifelike。　One　slip　and　their　bodies　would　tumble　down　the　slope；　gathering　momentum　until　they　bounced　over　the　cliffs　far　below　into　the　sea。
　　　　　After　negotiating　the　last　hurdle；　they　sat　and　rested。　Giordino　idly　picked　a　cabbage　and　flipped　it　down　the　hill；　watching　it　bounce　and　shred　on　its　erratic　journey。　He　lost　sight　of　it　and　did　not　see　the　splash　as　it　shot　into　the　water　like　a　cannonball。　Instead　of　lessening；　the　atmosphere　chilled　and　thickened。　The　wind　gusts　strengthened　and　whipped　the　rain　against　their　faces。　Though　they　were　protected　by　foul…weather　gear；　the　water　found　ways　of　seeping　in　and　around　their　collars；　soaking　their　inner　clothing。
　　　　　Gunn　passed　him　a　thermos　of　coffee　that　had　gone　from　steaming　hot　to　lukewarm。　Their　lunch　consisted　of　four　granola　bars。　They　weren't　quite　in　the　realm　of　miserable　just　yet；　but　they　would　soon　enter　it。
　　　　　〃We　must　be　close；〃　said　Gunn；　gazing　through　binoculars。　〃There　is　no　hint　of　a　long　scar　continuing　across　the　mountain　beyond　that　big　rock　just　ahead。〃
　　　　　Giordino　stared　at　the　massive　boulder　that　protruded　from　the　side　of　the　slope。　〃The　chamber　better　be　on　the　other　side；〃　he　grunted。　〃I'm　not　keen　to　be　caught　up　here　when　it　gets　dark。〃
　　　　　〃Not　to　worry。　We've　got　almost　twelve　hours　of　daylight　left　in　this　hemisphere。〃
　　　　　〃I　just　thought　of　something。〃
　　　　　〃What's　that？〃　asked　Gunn。
　　　　　〃We're　the　only　two　humans　within　two　thousand　miles。〃
　　　　　〃That's　a　cheery　thought。〃
　　　　　〃What　if　we　have　an　accident　and　injure　ourselves　and　can't　fly　out　of　here？　Even　if　we　wanted　to；　I　wouldn't　dare　take　off　in　this　wind。〃
　　　　　〃Sandecker　will　mount　a　rescue　mission　as　soon　as　we　notify　him　of　our　status。〃　Gunn　reached　into　his　pocket　and　pulled　out　a　Globalstar　satellite　phone。　〃He's　as　close　as　a　dial　tone。〃
　　　　　〃In　the　meantime；　we'd　have　to　subsist　on　these　stupid　cabbages。　No；　thank　you。〃
　　　　　Gunn　shook　his　head　in　resignation。　Giordino　was　a　chronic　plainer；　and　yet　there　was　no　better　man　to　be　with　in　a　bad　situation。　Neither　man　had　a　sense　of　fear。　Their　only　concern　was　the　possibility　of　failure。
　　　　　〃Once　we　enter　the　chamber；〃　Gunn　said　loudly；　his　voice　carrying　above　the　wind；　〃we'll　be　out　of　the　storm　and　can　dry　out。〃
　　　　　Giordino　needed　no　coaxing。　〃Then　let's　move　on；〃　he　said；　rising　to　his　feet。　〃I'm　beginning　to　feel　like　a　mop　in　a　pail　of　dirty　water。〃
　　　　　Without　waiting　for　Gunn；　he　pushed　off　toward　the　rock　about　fifty　yards　up　the　ancient　road。　The　slope　steepened　and　became　a　cliff　towering　above　them。　Part　of　the　road　had　fallen　away；　and　they　were　forced　to　pick　their　way　carefully　past　the　rock。　Once　around；　they　encountered　the　entrance　to　the　chamber　under　a　man…made　archway。　The　opening　was　smaller　than　they　thought　about　six　feet　high　by　four　feet　wide　the　same　width　as　the　road。　It　yawned　black　and　portentous　from　inside。
　　　　　〃There　it　is；　just　as　the　colonel　described　it；〃　said　Gunn。
　　　　　〃One　of　us　is　supposed　to　shout　'Eureka；'　〃　exclaimed　Giordino；　happy　at　last　to　get　out　of　the　wind　and　rain。
　　　　　〃I　don't　know　about　you；　but　I'm　getting　rid　of　my　rain　gear　and　backpack　so　I　can　be　fortable。〃
　　　　　〃I'm　with　you。〃
　　　　　Within　minutes；　their　backpacks　were　removed　and　their　foul…weather　gear　laid　out　inside　the　tunnel　for　the　return　trip　to　the　aircraft。　They　removed　flashlights　from　their　backpacks；　took　a　final　swig　of　coffee；　and　stepped　deeper　into　the　subterranean　vault。　The　walls　were　smoothly　carved　without　bump