thillerman.theblessingway-第24章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃You　remember　Othello〃？〃　Ellen　asked　suddenly。
　〃Othello？〃　McKee　said；　surprised。
　〃Yes。　The　Moor　of　Venice。　We　studied　it　that　semester；　after　Hamlet。　You　remember　how　Desdemona　was　fascinated　by　Othello？〃
　〃I　remember；〃　McKee　said；　trying　to　remember。
　〃That　was　us；〃　Ellen　said。　〃That　was　our　private　joke。〃
　〃Remember　how　it　goes？〃　She　paused　a　moment。
　〃A　maiden　never　bold；
　Of　spirit　so　still　and　quiet　that　her　motion
　Blush'd　at　herself；　and　she…in　spite　of　nature；
　Of　years；　of　country；　credit；　everything…
　To　fall　in　love　with　what　she　fear'd　to　look　on！
　It　is　a　judgment　maim'd　and　most　imperfect。。。〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　McKee；　〃I　remember　it。〃　He　felt　immensely　sad。
　〃I　would　say　that；〃　Ellen　said；　〃and　Jim　would　say　Othello's　lines：
　〃It　was　my　hint　to　speak…such　was　the　process；
　And　of　the　Cannibals　that　each　other　eat。
　The　Anthropophagi；　and　men　whose　heads
　Do　grow　beneath　their　shoulders。　This　to　hear
　Would　Desdemona　seriously　incline。。。'〃
　Ellen　stopped　again。　And　when　she　continued　the　voice　was　shaky。
　〃I　loved　him　for　the　dangers　he　had　passed。
　And　he　loved　me　that　I　did　pity　them。〃
　McKee　reached　across　the　darkness　and　found　her　hand。　〃It's　going　to　be　all　right；〃　he　said。　〃We'll　get　out　of　here　and　find　him。〃
　〃Can't　you　understand？〃　she　asked；　and　her　voice　sounded　angry　now。　〃Why　should　I　pity　someone　like　Jim　Hall？　Why　should　anyone　pity　anybody　who　has　everything？〃
　McKee　couldn't　think　of　an　answer。
　〃Because　he　doesn't　know　he　has　everything？〃　Ellen　suggested。　〃Because　he　isn't　happy？
　〃Sometimes　he　is；　but　mostly　he　isn't。　He's　angry。　He　says　he's　caught　in　a　system　which　keeps　you　on　the　treadmill。　Forty　years　on　the　treadmill；　he　says。　He　talks　about　it　a　lot；　about　how　it　takes　a　million　dollars　to　beat　the　system；　to　pay　your　own　ransom；　to　buy　back　your　own　life。〃
　She　laughed　again；　a　bitter　sound。　〃I　guess　he。。。　Well；　I　guess　Jim　will　make　a　million　dollars；〃　she　said。
　〃Not　teaching　on　an　engineering　faculty；〃　McKee　said。
　〃Oh；　he's　not　going　to　do　that；〃　she　said。　〃He's　going　with　one　of　the　electronic　munications　products　panies　and　he's　bringing　along　one　of　his　patents；　so　it's　a　very　good　job。〃
　〃Is　that　what　he's　working　on　out　here？〃　McKee　asked。　〃Trying　it　out。〃
　〃Oh；　no。　This　is　another　one；　I　think。　I…well；　I　wish　I　understood　it　better。　Something　to　do　with　very　narrow…range　sound　transmission。　He　explained　it　to　me…quite　often…but　I　don't　really　understand　it。〃
　McKee　started　to　ask　her　why　she　was　looking　for　Dr。　Hall　and　bit　back　the　question。　The　answer　was　obvious；　and　none　of　his　business。　A　woman　who　loves　a　man　would　simply　want　to　see　him。
　〃Dr。　Canfield　was　nice；　he　was　nice；　a　nice　man；〃　Ellen　said。　〃But　he　was　too　polite　to　ask　why　I　was　chasing　after　Jim。　And　you've　been　nice；　too。　But　would　you　like　to　know？〃
　〃It's　your　private　business；〃　McKee　said。　〃No；　I　don't　want　to　know。〃
　〃I　want　to　tell　you。　I　have　to　tell　someone；〃　she　said。　〃I　came　because　I　wanted　to　tell　Jim…to　tell　him　that　I　think　he's　wrong；　and　he's　going　to　have　to　make　a　choice。　He's　got　to　quit　wanting　a　million　dollars。　He　has　to。　I've　e　all　the　way　out　here。　He　has　to　understand。〃
　It　sounded　utterly　feminine　to　McKee；　the　reverse　side　of　Sara's　logic；　and　a　simpler　assignment。　A　brilliant；　ambitious　man　could　easily　enough　fail　to　make　a　fortune。　But　how　could　a　Bergen　McKee；　a　natural　on　the　treadmill；　make　himself　rich？
　And；　thinking　that；　McKee；　after　forty　hours　without　rest；　was　suddenly　asleep。
　Now　he　was　fully　awake　again。　He　pushed　himself　to　his　feet　and　surveyed　the　room。　The　floor　was　covered　with　a　heavy　deposit　of　dust。　He　could　feel　it；　flourlike；　under　the　soles　of　his　shoes。　But　the　condition　of　the　room　was　surprising。　It　was　virtually　intact。　The　roof　sagged　only　at　one　corner；　where　the　ceiling　beams　had　snapped　with　rot；　and　plaster　still　clung　to　most　of　the　lower　portion　of　the　walls。
　McKee　flaked　off　a　section　of　plaster　with　his　thumbnail；　broke　it　and　examined　it。　Inside　it　was　almost　black…a　mixture　of　animal　blood　and　caliche　clay　used　by　the　pueblo…building　people。
　It　was　stone…hard　and　would　last　for　centuries；　and　so　would　the　cedar　poles　in　the　roof　when　protected　from　weather　under　a　cliff。　But　not　for　this　many　centuries。　Left　alone；　the　roof　would　have　crumbled　long　ago　and　the　top　of　the　walls　would　have　fallen　inward。　This　ruin　must　have　been　partially　rebuilt…restored　by　one　of　the　later　pueblo　people　who　used　the　canyon　before　the　Navajos　arrived　and　drove　them　out。
　It　was　then　he　saw　the　face。　He　stood　for　a　moment　staring　at　it；　putting　together　what　it　meant；　feeling　a　sense　of　excitement　building　within　him。　The　face　was　drawn　on　the　plaster　in　something　yellow…probably　ocher。　It　was　faded　now　and　partly　missing　where　chips　of　plaster　had　fallen　away。　A　roundish　outline　with　a　topknot；　long　ears；　and　a　collar。　The　figure　was　unquestionably　a　Hopi　Kachina…either　the　Dung　Carrier　or　the　Mud　Head　Clown。　And　below　it　to　the　right　were　two　more　stylized　outlines。
　From　the　Hopi　mythology　McKee　recognized　Chowilawu；　the　spirit　of　Terrible　Power；　with　four　black…tipped　feathers　rising　vertically　from　his　squarish　head　and　a　horizontal　band　of　red　bunding　his　eyes。　The　third　head　had　been　almost　erased　by　flaking。　Only　the　dim　outline　of　a　protruding　ear　and　the　double　vertical　cheek　stripes　signifying　a　warrior　spirit　remained。　Down　the　wall　there　were　other　markings…the　zigzag　of　lightning；　bird　tracks；　the　stair…stepped　triangles　of　clouds；　and　a　row　of　phallic　symbols。　Undoubtedly；　one　of　the　Hopi　clans　had　used　this　as　a　ceremonial　kiva。
　He　stood　absolutely　silent　a　moment；　thinking；　and　then　squatted　beside　Miss　Leon　and　put　his　hand　on　her　shoulder。
　Time　to　wake　up。〃
　She　rubbed　her　arm　across　her　eyes。
　〃Very　domestic；〃　McKee　said。
　She　looked　up　at　him　and　then　pushed　herself　up　against　the　wall；　trying　to　straighten　her　tousled　hair　with　her　fingers。　〃Oh。　What　time　is　it？〃
　〃About　four　forty…five；〃　McKee　said。　〃We　shouldn't　have　wasted　all　that　time。　We　need　to　get　out　of　here。〃
　〃Out　of　here？　But　I　don't　see　how　we　can。〃　Miss　Leon　looked　up　at　the　exit　hole　in　the　roof　and　then　at　McKee。　〃What　do　you　mean？　How　can　we？〃
　〃The　Hopis　lived　in　this。　They　rebuilt　it。　Have　you　read　anything　about　how　the　Hopis　build　their　pueblos？〃　It　occurred　to　McKee　as　he　said　it　that　he　was　showing　off　and　the　thought　embarrassed　him。　Ellen　looked　puzzled。
　〃They　always　built　an　escape　hatch　at　the　bottom　of　a　wall；〃　he　explained。　〃A　hole　into　the　next　room；　and　then　they　would　fill　it　in　with　rocks　that　could　be　easily　pulled　out。　Kept　them　from　being　penned　up　in　part　of　the　structure　if　they　were　under　attack。〃
　〃Oh；〃　Ellen　said。　〃You　think　there's　a　way　out；　then。〃
　〃I　think　so。　We　can　find　out。　It　would　be　in　one　of　the　inside　corners。〃
　And　most　likely；　McKee　thought；　in　the　corner　adjoining　the　cliff。　Bracing　over　the　escape　hole　would　have　been　easier　there。
　The　corner　was　littered　with　broken　cedar　sticks。　Above；　occasional　moisture　seeping　down　the　cliff　face　had　accelerated　the　slow　work　of　decay。　The　builders　had　cut　holes　into　the　soft　stone　to　support　the　ends　of　ceiling　beams　and　here　the　rot　had　started　first。
　McKee　selected　one　of　the　sticks　and　began　pushing　the　debris　away　from　the　corner。　He　worked　carefully；　trying　to　avoid　noise。　But　the　powdery　dust　rose　in　a　cloud　around　him。　Ellen　knelt　beside　him；　pushing　the　dust　back　carefully　with　her　hands。
　〃Don't　make　any　noise。〃
　〃Do　you　have　any　idea　what　this　is　all　about？〃　she　whispered。　〃Why　does　he　want　you　to　write　that　letter？〃
　〃I　don't　know　what's　going　on；〃　McKee　said。　〃Maybe　they're　crazy。〃
　〃I　think　you　know　about　the　letter；〃　Miss　Leon　said。　She　stopped　digging　and　looked　at　him。　Her　face　was　chalky　with　dust。　White　and　strained。　McKee　looked　away。
　〃He　explained　why　he　wanted　the　letter；〃　McKee　said。
　〃And　if　you　believed　him；　you　would　have　written　it；〃　Ellen　said。　She　sat　back　on　her　heels；　still　looking　at　him。　〃Why　don't　you　stop　treating　me　like　a　child？　You　know　as　well　as　I　do　that　if　they　were　going　to　turn　us　loose　they　wouldn't　need　the　letter。〃
　〃O。K。；〃　McKee　said。　〃I　think　you're　right。　They　want　the　letter　because　they　know　that　someday　there's　going　to　be　a　search　started　for　us　and　they　don't　want　the　search　to　be　in　here。　They　don't　want　the　search　to　be　in　this　canyon　ever…or　at　least　not　for　a　long；　long　time。〃
　〃But　why　not？　Do　you　know　why？〃
　〃No；〃　McKee　said。　〃Can't　even　make　a　good　guess　at　it。　But　it　has　to　be　right。〃
　He　leaned　back　against　the　cliff　and　wiped　the　dust　off　his　face。
　〃I　didn't　think　so　at　first。　I　thought　that；　whatever　they　were　doing　here；　it　was　making　them　wait　for　something；　and　they　didn't　know　how　long　the　wait　would　be；　so　they　didn't　want　interference。　But　that's　not　right；　because　it　seems　to　be　happening　today。　They　could　just　leave　us　here；　and　it　would　be　a　long　time　before　anyone　found　us。　A　lot　more　time　than　they　would　need　to　get　away。〃
　That's　what　I　thought　of；　too；〃　Ellen　said。
　〃Did　you　notice　how　they　camped？〃　McKee　asked。　〃No　garbage　hole。　Put　all　the　cans　and　stuff　in　gunny　sacks。　And　Eddie；　when　he　lit　the　stove；　he　put　the　burned　match　in　his　vest　pocket。〃
　〃I　didn't　notice。　I　guess　I　didn't　think　of　that。〃
　〃When　they　pull　out　of　here　there　won't　be　any　traces　left。　Not　after　the　August　rainy　season；　anyway。　Unless　there　was　some　reason　for　a　search；　no　one　could　ever　know　anyone　had　been　in　here。〃
　Beneath　the　pile　of　debris　in　the　corner；　the　plaster　looked　almost　new。　He　jabbed　it　with　his　stick　and　cursed　inwardly　when　the　rotten　wood　snapped。　For　this　he　needed　his　pocket　knife　and　the　Big　Navajo　had　taken　it　when　he　had　searched　him。　Or　had　he？
　McKee　suddenly　was　aware　of　the　weight　of　the　knife　in　his　shirt　pocket。　He　had　dropped　it　there　with　his　cigarette　pack　when　he　hurried　from　their　tent…hands　full　of　odds　and　ends…in　his　futile　race　to　escape。　It　was　a　ridiculous　place　to　carry　a　pocket　knife；　and　the　Navajo　had　overlooked　it。
　McKee　fished　it　out　and　pulled　open　the　blade…noticing　he　could　hold　it　between　the　thumb　and　forefinger　of　his　right　hand　with　little　pain。　With　the　knuckle　back　in　joint　the　swelling　must　be　going　down。　There　would　be　no　chance　now　of　persuading　the　Navajo　that　he　couldn't　write。
　The　plaster　chipped　away　in　sections；　revealing　a　rough　surface　of　stone　with　mud　mortar　chinking。　A　moment　later　a　yard…square　sheet　crumbled　and　McKee　saw　he　had　guessed　right。　The　fitted　stonework　ended　in　a　crude　half…arch　in　the　corner　two　feet　above　the　floor。　The　first　stone　he　pulled　on　was　jammed　tightly；　but　the　second　slipped　out　easily。
　McKee　rocked　back　on　his　heels；　looking　at　the　stone。　It　was　about　the　size　of　a　grapefruit　and　felt　clumsy　in　his　left　hand。　He　tried　to　shift　it　to　the　right；　but　it　fell　into　the　dust。
　Miss　Leon　looked　at　the　stone　and　then　at　him。
　〃I　think　we　can　get　out；〃　he　said。　〃We　can　if　the　room　on　the　other　side　hasn't　fallen　in　and　buried　this　crawl　hole　under　a　lot　of　big　rocks。〃
　〃What　do　we　do　if　we　get　out？〃　Her　voice　was　very　small。
　〃Did　you　hear　them　e　back　during　the　night？〃　McKee　said。
　〃No。　I　didn't　hear　any