p&c.thunderhead-第31章

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nal　muttered　imprecations　from　Smithback　to　his　pack　horse。　
　〃Goddammit；　Elmer；〃　he　finally　cried；　〃get　your　hairy　lips　off　me！〃　
　〃He　likes　you；〃　Swire　said。　〃And　his　name's　Beetlebum。〃　
　〃Soon　as　we　get　back　to　civilization；　it's　going　to　be　Elmer；〃　Smithback　said。　〃I'm　going　to　personally　escort　this　nag　to　the　nearest　glue　factory。〃　
　〃Now　don't　go　hurtin'　his　feelings；〃　Swire　drawled；　punctuating　the　sentence　with　a　spit　of　tobacco　juice。　
　Their　route　branched　again　into　an　unnamed　canyon。　Here；　the　walls　were　narrower　and　well　scoured　by　flash　floods；　but　there　was　less　brush　and　the　riding　grew　a　little　easier。　At　one　broad　bend；　where　the　canyon　temporarily　widened；　Nora　reined　in　her　horse　and　waited　for　Sloane　to　catch　up。　Looking　around　idly；　she　suddenly　tensed；　pointing　toward　a　cutbank　on　the　inside　of　the　bend　where　flash　floods　had　sliced　through　the　old　streambed。　
　〃See　that？〃　she　asked；　indicating　a　long　thin　swale　of　stained　soil　beside　what　looked　like　a　linear　arrangement　of　stones。　
　〃Charcoal；〃　Sloane　nodded　as　she　rode　up。　
　They　dismounted　and　examined　the　layer。　Her　breath　ing　fast　with　excitement；　Nora　picked　up　some　tiny　fragments　of　charcoal　with　a　pair　of　tweezers　and　placed　them　in　a　test　tube。　〃Just　like　the　Great　North　Road　to　Chaco；〃　she　murmured。　
　Then　she　straightened　up　and　looked　at　Sloane。　〃I　think　we've　finally　found　it。　The　road　my　father　was　following。〃　
　Sloane　smiled。　〃Never　doubted　it。〃　
　They　moved　on。　Now；　wherever　the　canyon　took　a　sharp　bend　and　the　old　floor　was　exposed　as　a　bench　high　above　the　stream；　they　could　see　charcoal…stained　ground　and；　infrequently；　lines　of　stones。　Time　and　again；　Nora　found　herself　picturing　her　father：　riding　along　this　same　trail；　seeing　these　same　sights。　It　gave　her　a　feeling　of　connection　she　hadn't　felt　since　he　died。　
　Around　three　o'clock　they　stopped　to　rest　the　horses；　taking　refuge　under　an　overhang。　
　〃Hey；　look；〃　Holroyd　said；　pointing　to　a　large　green　plant　growing　out　of　the　sand；　covered　with　huge；　funnel…shaped　white　flowers。　〃Datura　meteloides。　Its　roots　are　saturated　with　atropine…the　same　poison　in　belladonna。〃　
　〃Don't　let　Bonarotti　see　it；〃　Smithback　said。　
　〃Some　Indian　tribes　eat　the　roots　to　induce　visions；〃　said　Nora。　
　〃Along　with　permanent　brain　damage；〃　replied　Holroyd。　
　As　they　sat　with　their　backs　to　the　rock；　eating　handfuls　of　dried　fruits　and　nuts；　Sloane　retrieved　her　binoculars　and　began　scanning　a　series　of　alcoves　in　a　blind　canyon　opposite　them。　
　After　a　minute　she　turned　to　Nora。　〃I　thought　so。　There's　a　small　cliff　dwelling　up　there。　First　one　I've　seen　since　we　started　out。〃　
　Taking　the　binoculars；　Nora　peered　at　the　small　ruin；　perched　high　on　the　cliff　face。　It　was　set　into　a　shallow　alcove；　oriented　to　the　south　in　the　Anasazi　way；　ensuring　shade　in　the　summer　and　warmth　in　the　winter。　She　could　see　a　low　retaining　wall　along　the　bottom　of　the　alcove；　with　what　looked　like　several　rooms　built　in　the　rear　and　a　circular　granary　to　one　side。　
　〃Let　me　see；〃　Holroyd　said。　He　gazed　at　the　ruin；　motionless。　〃Incredible；〃　he　breathed　at　last。　
　〃There's　thousands　of　little　ruins　like　that　in　the　Utah　canyon　country；〃　Nora　said。　
　〃How　did　they　live？〃　Holroyd　asked；　still　peering　up　with　the　binoculars。　
　〃They　probably　farmed　the　canyon　bottom…corn；　squash；　and　beans。　They　hunted　and　gathered　plants。　I'd　guess　it　housed　a　single　extended　family。〃　
　〃I　can't　believe　they　raised　kids　up　there；〃　Holroyd　said。　〃You　have　to　be　pretty　brave　to　live　in　a　cliff　face　like　that。〃　
　〃Or　nervous；〃　said　Nora。　〃There's　a　lot　of　controversy　over　why　the　Anasazi　suddenly　abandoned　their　pueblos　on　the　flats　and　retreated　into　those　inaccessible　cliff　dwellings。　Some　say　it　was　for　defense。〃　
　〃Looks　like　a　no…brainer　to　me；〃　Smithback　said；　grabbing　the　binoculars　from　Holroyd。　〃Who'd　live　up　there　if　they　didn't　have　to？　No　elevators；　and　Pizza　Hut　sure　as　hell　doesn't　deliver。〃　
　Nora　looked　at　him。　〃What　makes　it　strange　is　that　there's　no　overt　evidence　of　warfare　or　invasion。　All　we　really　know　is　that　the　Anasazi　suddenly　retreated　to　these　cliff　sites；　stayed　there　for　a　while；　and　then　abandoned　the　Four　Corners　area　entirely。　Some　archaeologists　think　it　was　caused　by　a　total　social　breakdown。〃　
　Sloane　had　been　scanning　the　cliffs　with　a　shaded　hand。　Now　she　took　the　binoculars　from　Smithback　and　examined　the　rock　more　carefully。　〃I　think　I　can　see　a　way　up；〃　she　said。　〃If　you　climb　that　talus　slope；　there's　a　hand…and…toe　trail　pecked　up　the　slickrock　which　goes　all　the　way　to　the　ledge。　From　there　you　can　edge　over。〃　She　lowered　the　binoculars　and　looked　at　Nora；　amber　eyes　lit　up　with　mild　excitement。　〃Do　we　have　time　to　try　it？〃　
　Nora　glanced　at　her　watch。　They　were　already　hopelessly　behind　schedule…one　more　hour　wouldn't　matter；　and　they　did　have　an　obligation　to　survey　as　many　ruins　as　they　could。　Besides；　it　might　revive　some　flagging　spirits。　She　gazed　up　at　the　little　ruin；　feeling　her　own　curiosity　aroused。　There　was　always　the　chance　her　father　had　explored　this　ruin；　maybe　even　left　his　scrawled　initials　on　a　rockface　to　record　his　presence。　〃All　right；〃　she　said；　reaching　for　her　camera。　〃It　doesn't　look　technical。〃　
　〃I'd　like　to　go；　too；〃　said　Holroyd　excitedly。　〃I　did　some　rock　climbing　in　college。〃　
　Nora　looked　at　the　flushed；　eager　face。　Why　not？　
　〃I'm　sure　Mr。　Swire　would　be　happy　to　give　the　horses　an　extra　rest。〃　Nora　looked　at　the　group。　〃Anybody　else　want　to　e？〃　
　Black　gave　a　short　laugh。　〃No　thanks；〃　he　said。　〃I　value　my　life。〃　
　Aragon　glanced　up　from　his　notebook　and　shook　his　head。　Bonarotti　had　gone　off　to　gather　mushrooms。　Smithback　pushed　away　from　the　rock　wall　and　stretched　luxuriously。　〃Guess　I'd　better　tag　along　with　you；　Madame　Chairman；〃　he　said。　〃It　wouldn't　do　to　have　you　find　an　Anasazi　Rosetta　stone　while　I　was　loafing　around　down　here。〃　
　They　crossed　the　stream；　scrambled　over　boulders　and　up　the　talus　slope；　loose　rocks　clattering　behind　them。　The　sandstone　ahead　sloped　upward　at　a　forty…five…degree　angle；　notched　with　a　series　of　eroded　dimples　set　into　the　rock。　
　〃That's　the　hand…and…toe　trail。〃　Nora　pointed。　〃The　Anasazi　pounded　them　out　with　quartzite　hammerstones。〃　
　〃I'll　go　first；〃　said　Sloane。　To　Nora's　surprise　she　shot　nimbly　upward；　limbs　tawny　in　the　sunlight；　hands　and　feet　finding　the　holds　with　the　instinctive　assurance　of　a　veteran　rock　climber。　〃e　on　up！〃　she　said　a　minute　later；　kneeling　on　the　ledge　above　their　heads。　Holroyd　followed。　Then　Nora　watched　Smithback　creep　cautiously　up　the　slickrock　face；　gangly　limbs　clutching　at　the　narrow　holds；　his　face　covered　with　sweat。　Something　about　him　made　her　smile。　She　waited　until　he　had　safely　pleted　the　climb；　then　brought　up　the　rear　herself。　
　In　a　few　moments　they　were　all　sitting　on　the　ledge；　catching　their　breath。　Nora　looked　at　the　camp　spread　out　below　their　feet；　the　horses　grazing　along　an　apron　of　sand；　the　humans　looking　like　splotches　of　color　resting　against　the　red　cliffs。　
　Sloane　rose。　〃Ready？〃　
　〃Go　for　it；〃　said　Nora。　
　They　crept　along　the　narrow　ledge。　It　was　about　two　feet　wide；　but　the　bottom　was　canted　slightly　and　scattered　with　fragments　of　sandstone；　which　rattled　off　into　space　as　they　inched　along。　After　a　short　distance　the　ledge　broadened　out；　curved　around　a　corner；　and　the　ruin　came　into　view。　
　Nora　made　a　quick　visual　inspection。　The　alcove　was　perhaps　fifty　feet　long；　ten　feet　high　at　its　highest　point；　and　about　fifteen　feet　deep。　A　low　masonry　retaining　wall　had　been　built　at　the　lip　of　the　alcove　and　filled　with　rubble；　leveling　the　surface。　Behind　were　four　small　roomblocks　of　flat　stones　mortared　with　mud；　one　with　a　keyhole　door；　the　rest　with　tiny　windows。　The　builders　had　used　the　natural　sandstone　roof　of　the　alcove　as　their　ceiling。　
　Nora　turned　to　Holroyd　and　Smithback。　〃I　think　Sloane　and　I　should　make　an　initial　survey。　You　wouldn't　mind　waiting　here　for　a　few　minutes？〃　
　〃Only　if　you　promise　not　to　find　anything；〃　Smithback　replied。　
　Nora　unbuckled　the　hood　of　her　camera　and　walked　gingerly　along　the　facade；　photographing　the　exterior　of　the　dwelling。　Although　Slo