p&c.thunderhead-第47章

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the　room。　As　Nora　stepped　forward；　she　saw；　hanging　on　a　peg　near　the　door；　a　pair　of　sandals　made　from　woven　yucca　fibers。　
　Sloane　switched　on　her　flashlight　and　played　its　beam　toward　a　dark　doorway　that　beckoned　on　the　far　wall。　Stepping　through；　Nora　saw　that　the　second　room　had　a　plicated　painted　design　running　like　a　border　around　the　plastered　walls。　〃It's　a　snake；〃　she　said。　〃A　stylized　rattlesnake。〃　
　〃Unbelievable。〃　Sloane　ran　the　beam　along　the　design。　〃As　if　it　was　painted　yesterday。〃　The　light　came　to　rest　in　a　niche　on　one　wall。　〃Look；　Nora；　there's　something　there。〃　
　Nora　stepped　over。　It　was　bundle　of　buckskin；　about　the　size　of　a　fist；　tightly　rolled　and　tied。　
　〃It's　a　medicine　bundle；〃　she　whispered。　〃A　mountain　soil　bundle；　from　the　look　of　it。〃　
　Sloane　stared　at　her。　〃Do　you　know　of　anyone　finding　an　intact　Anasazi　medicine　bundle？〃　she　asked。　
　〃No；〃　said　Nora。　〃I　think　this　is　the　first。〃　
　They　stood　in　the　room　for　a　few　moments；　breathing　in　the　ancient　air。　Then　Nora　found　her　eyes　drawn　to　a　third　doorway。　It　was　smaller　than　the　others；　and　appeared　to　lead　to　a　storage　room。　
　〃You　first；〃　Sloane　said。　
　Nora　dropped　to　her　hands　and　knees；　crawled　through　the　low　doorway；　and　stood　inside　a　stuffy　space。　Sloane　followed。　The　yellow　pool　of　light　moved　about；　stabbing　through　a　veil　of　dust　raised　by　their　entry。　Gradually；　objects　and　color　emerged　from　the　dimness；　and　Nora's　mind　began　to　make　sense　of　the　chaos。　
　Against　the　back　wall；　a　row　of　extraordinary　pots　was　arrayed：　smooth；　polished；　painted　with　fantastical　geometric　designs。　Sticking　out　of　the　mouth　of　one　pot　was　a　bundle　of　prayer　sticks；　carved；　feathered；　and　painted；　gleaming　with　color　even　in　the　dull　light。　Beside　them　was　a　long　stone　palette　shaped　like　a　huge　leaf；　on　which　had　been　placed　a　dozen　fetishes　of　different　animals　fashioned　from　semiprecious　stones；　each　with　an　arrowhead　tied　to　its　back　with　a　string　of　sinew。　Next　sat　a　bowl　filled　with　perfect；　tiny　bird　points；　all　flaked　out　of　the　blackest　obsidian。　Nearby　was　a　stone　banco；　on　which　a　number　of　artifacts　had　been　carefully　arranged。　As　Nora's　eyes　roamed　the　dimness　with　growing　disbelief；　she　could　see　a　rotten　buckskin　bag　from　which　spilled　a　collection　of　mirage　stones；　some　cradleboards；　and　several　exquisite　bags　woven　from　apocynum　fiber　and　filled　with　red　ochre。　
　The　silence；　here　in　the　bowels　of　the　ruined　city；　was　absolute。　There's　more　in　this　one　room；　Nora　thought；　than　the　greatest　museums　have　in　their　entire　collections。　
　She　followed　the　beam　of　light　as　it　revealed　ever　more　remarkable　objects。　The　skull　of　a　grizzly　bear；　decorated　with　blue　and　red　stripes　of　paint；　bundles　of　sweetgrass　stuffed　into　its　eye　sockets。　The　rattles　of　a　rattlesnake　tied　to　the　end　of　a　painted　stick；　human　scalp　attached。　A　large　sheet　of　mica；　cut　into　the　outline　of　a　hideously　grinning　skull；　its　teeth　inlaid　with　blood…red　carnelians。　A　quartz　crystal　carved　in　the　shape　of　a　corn　beetle。　A　delicately　woven　basket；　its　outside　feathered　with　hundreds　of　tiny；　iridescent　hummingbird　breasts。　
　Instinctively；　she　sought　out　Sloane's　face　in　the　dim　light。　Sloane　looked　back；　amber　eyes　wild。　The　posure　that　had　returned　so　quickly　was　gone　again。　
　〃This　must　have　been　the　storage　room　for　the　family　who　occupied　these　roomblocks；〃　Sloane　finally　said；　voice　trembling。　〃Just　one　family。　There　could　be　dozens　of　other　rooms　like　this　in　this　city。　Maybe　hundreds。〃　
　〃I　believe　it；〃　Nora　replied。　〃But　what　I　can't　believe　is　the　wealth。　Even　in　Anasazi　days；　this　would　represent　an　inconceivable　fortune。〃　
　The　dust　raised　by　their　entry　drifted　in　layers　through　the　cool；　heavy　air；　scattering　the　yellow　light。　Nora　took　a　deep　breath；　and　then　another；　trying　to　clear　her　mind。　
　〃Nora；〃　Sloane　murmured　at　last。　〃Do　you　realize　what　we've　found？〃　
　Nora　tore　her　eyes　away　from　the　clutter　of　dim　objects。　〃I'm　working　on　it；〃　she　said。　
　〃We've　just　made　one　of　the　greatest　archaeological　discoveries　of　all　time。〃　
　Nora　swallowed；　opened　her　mouth　to　reply。　But　no　sound　would　e；　and　in　the　end　she　simply　nodded。　
　
　
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　TWELVE　HOURS　LATER；　THE　CITY　OF　QUIVIRA　lay　in　shadow；　the　late　afternoon　sun　blazing　its　last　on　the　valley　cliffs　opposite　the　ruin。　Nora　rested　on　the　ancient　retaining　wall　below　what　they'd　e　to　call　the　Planetarium；　feeling　as　drained　as　she　had　ever　felt　in　her　life。　She　could　hear　the　excited　voices　of　the　rest　of　the　expedition　ringing　out　of　the　city；　distorted　and　magnified　by　the　vast　pregnant　hollow　of　rock　in　which　Quivira　stood。　She　glanced　down　at　the　rope　ladder　and　pulley　system；　rigged　by　Sloane　to　provide　quick　access　to　the　ruin。　Far　below；　in　the　grove　of　cottonwood　trees　where　they　had　made　their　camp；　she　could　see　the　smoke　of　Bonarotti's　campfire　and　the　gray　rectangle　that　was　his　folding　serving　table。　The　cook　had　promised　them　medallions　of　wild　javelina　with　coffee　barbecue　sauce　and…amazingly…two　bottles　of　Chateau　Pétrus　in　celebration。　It　had　been；　she　thought；　the　longest…and　greatest…day　of　her　life：　〃that　day　of　days；〃　as　Howard　Carter　had　described　it　when　he　first　entered　King　Tutankhamen's　tomb。　And　they　had　yet　to　enter　the　Great　Kiva。　That；　she　had　decreed；　would　be　delayed　until　they　had　made　a　rough　survey　and　recovered　some　sense　of　their　perspective。　
　From　time　to　time；　during　the　course　of　the　day；　Nora　had　found　herself　searching　among　the　sandy　ruins　for　footprints；　inscriptions；　excavations…anything　that　would　prove　her　father　actually　reached　the　city。　But　the　rational　part　of　her　knew　that　the　constant　currents　of　wind　and　animal　tracks　would　have　long　ago　erased　any　marks　of　his　passing。　And　it　could　well　be　that　he；　like　Nora　herself；　had　been　so　overwhelmed　by　the　majesty　of　the　city　as　to　feel　any　modern　inscription　to　be　a　sacrilege。　
　The　group　emerged　from　the　ruin；　Sloane　bringing　up　the　rear。　Swire　and　Smithback　came　toward　Nora　and　the　rope　ladder。　Swire　simply　slumped　down；　flushed　beneath　his　leathery　tan；　but　Smithback　remained　behind；　talking　animatedly。　〃Unbelievable；〃　he　was　saying；　his　voice　loud　and　grating　in　the　ruin's　stillness。　〃Oh；　God；　what　a　find。　This　is　going　to　make　the　discovery　of　King　Tut's　tomb　look　like　a　。　。　。〃　He　stopped；　temporarily　speechless。　Nora　felt　inexplicably　annoyed　that　his　thoughts　would　coincide　with　her　own。　〃You　know；　I　did　some　work　in　the　New　York　Museum　of　Natural　History；〃　he　began　again；　〃and　their　collection　couldn't　begin　to　hold　a　candle　to　this　place。　There's　more　stuff　here　than　in　all　the　museums　in　the　world；　for　chrissakes。　When　my　agent　hears　about　this；　she's　going　to　get　such　a…〃　
　Nora's　sudden　glare　silenced　the　writer。　
　〃Sorry；　Madame　Chairman。〃　Smithback　settled　back；　looking　only　momentarily　put　out。　He　whipped　out　a　small　spiral…bound　notebook　from　a　back　pocket　and　began　jotting　notes。　
　Aragon；　Holroyd；　and　Black　joined　them　along　the　wall；　followed　by　Sloane。　〃This　is　the　discovery　of　the　century；〃　Black　boomed。　〃What　a　cap　to　a　career。〃　
　Holroyd　sat　down　by　the　retaining　wall；　slowly　and　unsteadily；　like　an　old　man。　Nora　could　see　his　face　was　dirty　and　streaked；　as　if　he　had　wept　at　the　sight。　
　〃How　are　you　doing；　Peter？〃　she　asked　quietly。　
　He　looked　at　her　with　a　weak　smile。　〃Ask　me　tomorrow。〃　
　Nora　turned　to　Aragon；　glancing　curiously　at　his　face；　wondering　if　the　magnitude　of　the　discovery　would　break　his　usual　dour　reserve。　What　she　saw　was　a　face　covered　with　a　sheen　of　sweat；　and　a　pair　of　eyes　that　had　grown　as　dark　and　glittery　as　the　obsidian　the　city　was　full　of。　
　He　looked　back　at　Nora。　And　then…for　the　first　time　since　she'd　met　him　at　the　fire　circle…he　smiled；　widely　and　genuinely；　white　teeth　huge　in　the　brown　face。　〃It's　fantastic；〃　he　said　as　he　took　her　hand　and　pressed　it。　〃Almost　beyond　belief。　We　all　have　a　lot　to　thank　you　for。　Perhaps　myself　more　than　the　rest。〃　There　was　a　curious　force　in　his　low；　vibrant　voice。　〃Over　the　years　I'd　e　to　believe；　as　much　as　I　believed　anything；　that　the　secrets　of　the　Anasazi　would　never　be　ours。　But　this　city　holds　the　key。　I　know　it。　And　I　feel　fortunate　to　be　part