p&c.icelimit-第34章
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McFarlane watched the boat slap its way from shore。 Beyond； he could make out a zinc…colored wall of bad weather ing toward them。 McFarlane hugged himself against the cold。 Although he knew the Rolvaag was less than a mile away； he nevertheless wished it was within eyesight。 Nestor was right； he thought。 This is the very edge of the world。
Well； Sam； we've got two hours；〃 Lloyd said with a broad grin。 〃Let's make the best of it。〃 He dug into his pocket and pulled out a small camera。 〃Let's get Puppup to take a picture of our first landfall。〃 He glanced around。 〃Now where did he get to？〃
McFarlane looked around the small beach。 Puppup was nowhere to be seen。
〃Puppup！〃 Lloyd cried。
〃Up here； guv！〃 came a faint cry from above。 Looking up； McFarlane made out his silhouette at the top of the ledge； framed by the darkening sky。 One skinny arm was waving； the other pointing at a nearby ravine that bisected the cliff face。
〃How'd he get up there so fast？〃 McFarlane asked。 〃He's a queer little fellow； isn't he？〃 Lloyd shook his head。 〃I hope to hell he remembers the way。〃
They walked up the shingles to the base of the ledge。 Chunks of ice； washed ashore by storms； littered the strand The air smelled sharply of moss and salt。 McFarlane squinted at the black basalt cliff。 He took a deep breath； then started up the narrow crevasse。 It was a tougher climb than it looked： the ravine was slick with packed snow； and the last fifteen feet was a treacherous scramble over icy boulders。 Beneath him； he could hear Lloyd puffing as he followed。 But he kept a good pace； fit for a man of sixty； and they soon found themselves clambering onto the top of the cliff。
〃Good！〃 cried Puppup； bowing and applauding。 〃Very good！〃
McFarlane bent forward； resting his palms on his knees。 The cold air seared his lungs； while the rest of him sweated beneath the parka。 Beside him； he could hear Lloyd catching his breath。 Nothing more was said about the camera。
Straightening up； McFarlane saw they were standing on a rock…strewn plain。 A quarter mile beyond lay the long snowfield that stretched back into the center of the island。 Clouds now covered the sky； and the falling snow grew heavier。
Without a word； Puppup turned and set off at a brisk pace。 Lloyd and McFarlane scrambled to keep up as they climbed the steady rise。 With remarkable speed； the snow developed into a flurry； shutting their world down into a circle of white。 Puppup was barely visible twenty feet ahead； a bobbing specter。 As they gained altitude the wind picked up； driving the snow horizontally across McFarlane's field of vision。 Now he was glad that Glinn had insisted on the subzero boots and Arctic parkas。
They crested the rise。 The snow flurries swept aside； giving McFarlane a glimpse into the valley beyond。 They were on the edge of a saddle overlooking the snowfield。 It looked much larger from up here： a great blue…white mass； almost glacial in its irresistibility。 It ran down the center of the valley； surrounded by low hills。 Beyond； the twin volcanic peaks thrust up like fangs。 McFarlane could see another snowsquall boiling up toward them from the valley： an unrelieved wall of white that swallowed the landscape as it approached。
〃Grand view up here； eh？〃 said Puppup。
Lloyd nodded。 The fringe of his parka was dusted with snow； and his goatee was flecked with ice。 〃I've been wondering about that large central snowfield。 Does it have a name？〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 said Puppup； bobbing his head several times； his wispy mustache swaying in time。 〃They call it the Vomit of Hanuxa。〃
〃How picturesque。 And those two peaks？〃
〃The Jaws of Hanuxa。〃
〃Makes sense；〃 said Lloyd。 〃Who is Hanuxa？〃
〃A Yaghan Indian legend；〃 Puppup replied。 He did not offer more。
McFarlane looked sharply at Puppup。 He remembered the mention of the Yaghan legends in Masangkay's journal。 He wondered if this was the legend that had led Masangkay down there。
〃I'm always interested in old legends；〃 he said casually。 〃Will you tell us about it？〃
Puppup shrugged； nodding his head again cheerfully。 〃I don't believe any of those old superstitions；〃 he said。 〃I'm a Christian。〃
Once again； he turned suddenly and began walking； setting a rapid pace down the hillside toward the snowfield。 McFarlane almost had to jog to keep up。 He could hear Lloyd laboring behind him。
The snowfield lay in a deep fold of the land； mounds of broken boulders and debris lining its edges。 As they came up to it； the fresh squall fell about them。 McFarlane bowed under the wind。
〃e on； you lot！〃 cried Puppup out of the storm。 They walked parallel to the snowfield； which rose steeply above them like the flank of a huge beast。 Now and then； Puppup stopped to examine it more closely。 〃Here；〃 he said at last； kicking at the vertical wall to make a toehold； pulling himself up； and kicking again。 Cautiously； McFarlane crawled up behind him； using Puppup's toeholds； keeping his face turned away from the wind。
The steep sides of the snowfield gradually leveled out； but the wind swirled around them ever more violently。 〃Tell Puppup to slow down！〃 Lloyd shouted from behind。 But if anything； Puppup walked faster。
〃Hanuxa；〃 he suddenly began in his strange； singsong accent； 〃was the son of Yekaijiz； god of the night sky。 Yekaijiz had two children： Hanuxa and his twin brother； Haraxa。 Haraxa was always the favorite of the father。 The apple of his eye； like。 As time went on； Hanuxa grew more and more jealous of his brother。 And he wanted his brother's power for himself。〃
〃Aha； the old story of Cain and Abel；〃 Lloyd said。
The snow in the center of the field had been scoured away； leaving blue ice。 It seemed impossibly strange somehow； McFarlane thought； to be trudging through the center of this nothingness； this child's snow globe of white； toward a huge mysterious rock and the grave of his former partner … while listening to this old man relate the legend of Isla Desolacion。
〃The Yaghans believe that blood is the source of life and power；〃 Puppup continued。 〃So one day； Hanuxa killed his brother。 Slit Haraxa's throat and drank his blood； he did。 And his own skin turned the color of blood； and he got the power。 But Yekaijiz； the father； found out。 He imprisoned Hanuxa inside the island； entombing him below the surface。 And sometimes； if people approach too close to the island after dark； on windy nights when the surf is up； they can see flashes of light； and hear howls of rage； when Hanuxa tries to escape。〃
〃Will he ever escape？〃 Lloyd asked。
〃Dunno； guv。 Bad news if he does。〃
The snowfield began to slope downward； ending at last in a six…foot cornice。 One at a time； they lowered themselves over the edge； sliding down onto harder ground。 The wind was gradually abating and the snow falling more softly now； big fat flakes that spun and fluttered to earth like ash。 Even so； the wind kept the barren plain scoured almost clean。 A few hundred yards ahead； McFarlane could see a large boulder。 He watched as Puppup began to jog toward it。
Lloyd strode over； McFarlane following more slowly。 A wrinkled piece of hide lay in the lee of the boulder。 Nearby was a scattering of animal bones and two skulls； a rotting halter still wrapped around one of them。 A frayed halter rope was tied around the boulder。 There were some scattered tin cans； a large piece of canvas； a sodden bedroll； and two broken packsaddles。 Something was underneath the canvas。 McFarlane felt a sudden chill。
〃My God；〃 said Lloyd。 〃These must be your old partner's mules。 They starved to death right here； tied to this rock。〃 He began to reach forward； but McFarlane raised a gloved hand and stayed him。 Then； he slowly approached the boulder himself。 He leaned over and gently grasped the edge of the frozen piece of canvas。 He gave it a shake to clear it of snow； then tossed it aside。 But it did not uncover Masangkay's body； only a welter of decaying belongings。 He could see old packs of ramen noodles and tin cans of sardines。 The tins had burst； spewing pieces of fish across the frozen surface。 Nestor always did favor sardines； he thought with a pang。
Suddenly； an old memory came back。 It was five years earlier； and several thousand miles to the n
