atlantis.found-第8部分

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shaft　and　spilled　over　into　the　main　tunnel；　spelling　the　end　of　his　gemstone…mining　operation。
　　　　　Marquez　set　his　mind　on　extracting　as　many　stones　as　he　could　in　the　brief　time　he　had　left。　His　days　became　longer　as　he　struggled　to　remove　the　red　crystals　with　nothing　but　his　miner's　pick　and　a　wheelbarrow　to　carry　the　ore　to　the　bucket　for　the　ride　up　to　the　mine's　entrance。
　　　　　As　he　walked　through　the　tunnel；　he　stepped　around　old　rusting　ore　cars　and　drills　left　by　the　miners　when　they　had　deserted　the　mine。　There　had　been　no　market　for　the　equipment；　since　nearby　mines　were　closing　down　one　by　one　at　the　same　time。　It　was　all　simply　cast　aside　and　left　where　it　was　last　used。
　　　　　Seventy…five　yards　into　the　tunnel；　he　came　to　a　narrow　cleft　in　the　rock　just　wide　enough　for　him　to　slip　through。　Twenty　feet　beyond　was　the　rhodochrosite　lode　he　was　mining。　A　light　bulb　had　burned　out　on　the　string　hanging　from　the　roof　of　the　cleft；　and　he　replaced　it　with　one　of　several　he　kept　in　a　backpack。　Then　he　took　his　pick　in　hand　and　began　to　attack　the　rock　that　was　embedded　with　the　gemstones。　A　dull　red　in　their　natural　state；　the　crystals　looked　like　dried　cherries　in　a　muffin。
　　　　　A　dangerous　overhang　of　rock　protruded　just　above　the　cleft。　If　he　was　to　continue　to　work　safely　without　being　crushed　by　a　rockfall；　Marquez　had　no　choice　but　to　blast　it　away。　Using　a　portable　pneumatic　drill；　he　bored　a　hole　into　the　rock。　Then　he　inserted　a　small　charge　of　dynamite　and　wired　it　to　a　handheld　detonator。　After　moving　around　the　corner　of　the　cleft　and　into　the　main　tunnel；　he　pushed　down　on　the　plunger。　A　dull　thump　echoed　through　the　mine；　followed　by　the　sound　of　tumbling　rock　and　a　blanket　of　dust　that　rolled　into　the　main　tunnel。
　　　　　Marquez　waited　a　few　minutes　for　the　dust　to　settle　before　carefully　entering　the　natural　cleft。　The　overhang　was　gone。　It　had　bee　a　pile　of　rocks　on　the　narrow　floor。　He　retrieved　the　wheelbarrow　and　began　removing　the　debris；　dumping　it　a　short　distance　up　the　tunnel。　When　the　cleft　was　finally　cleared；　he　looked　up　to　make　certain　that　no　threatening　section　of　the　overhang　remained。
　　　　　He　stared　in　wonder　at　a　hole　that　had　suddenly　appeared　in　the　roof　above　the　crystal　lode。　He　aimed　the　light　atop　his　hard　hat　upward。　The　beam　continued　through　the　hole　into　what　appeared　to　be　a　chamber　beyond。　Suddenly　consumed　by　curiosity；　he　ran　back　up　the　tunnel　for　fifty　yards；　where　he　found　the　rusty　remains　of　a　six…foot　iron　ladder　among　the　abandoned　mining　equipment。　Returning　inside　the　cleft；　he　propped　up　the　ladder；　climbed　the　rungs；　and　pried　loose　several　rocks　from　the　rim　of　the　hole；　widening　it　until　he　could　squeeze　through。　Then　he　thrust　his　upper　torso　inside　the　chamber　and　twisted　his　head　from　shoulder　to　shoulder；　sweeping　the　beam　of　his　hard　hat's　light　around　the　darkness。
　　　　　Marquez　found　himself　staring　into　a　room　hewn　in　the　rock。　It　looked　to　be　a　perfect　cube　approximately　fifteen　by　fifteen　feet；　with　the　same　distance　separating　the　floor　and　roof。　Strange　markings　were　cut　into　the　sheer；　smooth　walls。　This　definitely　was　not　the　work　of　nineteenth…century　miners。　Then；　abruptly；　the　beam　of　his　hard　hat's　light　struck　a　stone　pedestal　and　glinted　on　the　object　it　supported。
　　　　　Marquez　froze　in　shock　at　the　ungodly　sight　of　a　black　skull；　its　empty　eye　sockets　staring　directly　at　him。
　
　　　　　The　pilot　banked　the　United　Airlines　Beechcraft　twin…engine　plane　around　a　pair　of　cotton…fluffed　clouds　and　began　his　descent　toward　the　short　runway　on　a　bluff　above　the　San　Miguel　River。　Though　he　had　flown　in　and　out　of　the　little　Telluride　airport　a　hundred　times；　it　was　still　a　chore　for　him　to　keep　his　concentration　on　landing　the　aircraft　and　not　on　the　incredible　aerial　view　of　the　spectacular　snowcapped　San　Juan　Mountains。　The　serene　beauty　of　the　jagged　peaks　and　slopes；　mantled　with　snow　under　a　vivid　blue　sky；　was　breathtaking。
　　　　　As　the　plane　dropped　lower　into　the　valley；　the　slopes　of　the　mountains　rose　majestically　on　both　sides。　They　appeared　so　close　that　it　seemed　to　the　passengers　as　if　the　aircraft's　wings　would　brush　the　aspen　trees　on　the　rocky　outcroppings。　Then　the　landing　gear　dropped；　and　a　minute　later　the　wheels　thumped　and　screeched　as　they　touched　the　narrow　asphalt　runway。
　　　　　The　Beechcraft　carried　only　nineteen　passengers；　and　the　unloading　went　quickly。　Patricia　O'Connell　was　the　last　one　to　step　to　the　ground。　Taking　the　advice　of　friends　who　had　flown　into　the　resort　town　for　the　skiing；　she　had　asked　for　a　rear　seat　so　she　could　enjoy　the　fantastic　view　without　its　being　blocked　by　one　of　the　aircraft's　wings。
　　　　　At　9；000　feet　in　altitude；　the　air　was　thin　but　incredibly　pure　and　refreshing。　Pat　inhaled　deeply　as　she　walked　from　the　plane　to　inside　the　terminal　building。　As　she　passed　through　the　door；　a　short；　stocky　man　with　a　shaved　head　and　a　dark　brown　beard　walked　up　to　her。
　　　　　〃Dr。　O'Connell？〃
　　　　　〃Please　call　me　Pat；〃　she　replied。　〃You　must　be　Dr。　Ambrose。〃
　　　　　〃Please　call　me　Tom；〃　he　said；　with　a　warm　smile。　〃Did　you　have　a　good　flight　from　Denver？〃
　　　　　〃It　was　wonderful。　A　little　rough　ing　over　the　mountains；　but　the　beautiful　scenery　easily　offset　any　disfort。〃
　　　　　〃Telluride　is　a　lovely　spot；〃　he　said　wistfully。　〃There　are　times　I　wish　I　could　live　here。〃
　　　　　〃I　don't　imagine　there　are　many　archaeological　sites　to　study　for　a　man　of　your　experience。〃
　　　　　〃Not　this　high；〃　he　said。　〃The　ancient　Indian　ruins　are　at　much　lower　altitudes。〃
　　　　　Dr。　Thomas　Ambrose　may　not　have　fit　the　stereotype　of　an　eminent　anthropologist；　but　he　was　one　of　the　most　respected　people　in　the　field。　A　professor　emeritus　at　Arizona　State　University；　he　was　an　acplished　researcher；　meticulous　with　written　reports　of　his　on…site　investigations。　Now　in　his　late　fifties　Pat　guessed　him　to　be　ten　years　younger　he　could　boast　of　thirty　years　spent　on　the　trail　of　early　man　and　his　cultures　throughout　the　Southwest。
　　　　　〃Dr。　Kidd　was　very　mysterious　over　the　phone。　He　offered　almost　no　information　at　all　about　the　discovery。〃
　　　　　〃And　neither　will　I；〃　said　Ambrose。　〃It's　best　that　you　wait　and　see　for　yourself。〃
　　　　　〃How　did　you　bee　involved　with　this　find？〃　she　asked。
　　　　　〃The　right　place　at　the　right　time。　I　was　on　a　skiing　vacation　with　an　old　girlfriend　when　I　received　a　call　from　a　colleague　at　the　University　of　Colorado；　asking　if　I'd　take　a　look　at　the　artifacts　a　miner　reported　finding。　After　a　quick　study　of　the　site；　I　realized　that　I　was　in　over　my　head。〃
　　　　　〃I　find　that　hard　to　believe　of　a　man　with　your　reputation。〃
　　　　　〃Unfortunately；　my　area　of　expertise　does　not　include　epigraphy。　And　that's　where　you　e　in。　The　only　one　I　know　personally　who　specializes　in　deciphering　ancient　inscriptions　is　Dr。　Jerry　Kidd　at　Stanford。　He　wasn't　available；　but　remended　you　highly　to　take　his　place。〃
　　　　　Ambrose　turned；　as　the　outside　doors　to　the　luggage　drop　were　opened　and　the　terminal　ticket　ladies　who　doubled　as　luggage　handlers　began　throwing　suitcases　onto　a　sloping　metal　tray。　〃The　big　green　one　is　mine；〃　said　Pat；　thankful　a　man　was　there　to　tote　her　fifty…pound　bag；　which　was　packed　with　reference　books。
　　　　　Ambrose　grunted　but　said　nothing　as　he　manhandled　the　heavy　bag　out　to　a　jeep　Cherokee　that　he'd　parked　in　the　lot　outside　the　terminal。　Pat　hesitated；　before　entering　the　car；　to　absorb　the　magnificent　view　of　the　pine　and　aspen　forests　ascending　the　slopes　of　Mount　Wilson　and　Sunshine　Peak　across　the　valley。　As　she　stood　enthralled　with　the　panoramic　scene；　Ambrose　took　a　moment　to　study　her。　Pat's　hair　was　a　radiant　red　and　cascaded　to　her　waist。　Her　eyes　were　a　sage　green。　She　stood　as　if　sculptured　by　an　artist；　her　weight　on　her　right　leg　with　her　left　knee　turned　slightly　inward。　Her　shoulders　and　arms　suggested　a　build　more　muscular　than　most　women's；　no　doubt　fashioned　by　long　hours　of　exercise　in　a　gym。　Ambrose　guessed　her　height　at　five　feet　eight　inches；　her　weight　at　a　solid　135　pounds。　She　was　a　pretty　woman；　not　cute　or　strikingly　beautiful；　but　he　imagined　she'd　look　very　desirable　when　dressed　in　something　more　alluring　than　jeans　and　a　mannis