p&c.thunderhead-第54章
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But Nora wasn't looking at Holroyd。 She was gazing into the center of the room； where a section of floor had been removed； exposing a slab…lined cyst。 The enormous flat stone that had covered it lay tipped up carefully against one wall。
〃Who opened this grave？〃 she heard Aragon ask sharply。
Nora stepped forward； anger at this breach of authority flooding through her。 Then she looked down and stopped short。
Within the cyst was a double burial。 But it was no ordinary Anasazi burial； graced perhaps with a few pots and a turquoise pendant。 The two pletely disarticulated skeletons lay in the center of the grave； the broken bones of each arranged in a circular pattern in its own large painted bowl； surmounted by their broken skulls。 Over each bowl had been draped cotton mantles； which had rotted down to the warp。 Enough shreds remained； however； to see that they had once been extraordinarily fine； a pattern of grinning skulls and grimacing faces。 The scalps of both individuals had been laid in the grave on top of their skulls。 One had long white hair； beautifully braided and decorated with incised turquoise ornaments。 The other had brown hair； also braided； with two huge dishes of polished abalone fixed to the ends of each braid。 In both skulls； the front teeth had been drilled and inlaid with red carnelian。
Nora stared in astonishment。 The bodies were surrounded by an unheard…of wealth of grave goods： pots filled with salt； turquoise； quartz crystals； fetishes； and ground pigments。 There were also two small bowls； carved of quartz； filled to the brim with some kind of fine reddish powder…more red ochre； perhaps。 Nora's eyes moved over the cyst； picking out bundles of arrows； buffalo robes； soft buckskins； mummified parrots and macaws； elaborate prayer sticks。 The entire burial was covered with a thick layer of yellow dust。
〃I examined that dust under the stereozoom；〃 said Sloane。 〃It's pollen； from at least fifteen different species of flowers。〃
Nora stared at her in disbelief。 〃Why pollen？〃
〃The entire cyst was once filled with hundreds of pounds of flowers。〃
Nora shook her head in disbelief。 〃The Anasazi never buried their dead like that。 And I've never seen inlaid teeth like that before。〃
Suddenly； Aragon knelt by the grave。 At first； Nora had the odd notion he was going to pray。 But then he bent down； shining a flashlight over the bones； scrutinizing them from a very close distance。 As he probed the two pots of bones with his light； Nora noticed that many of the bones had been broken； and some showed signs of charring at their ends。 Then Nora heard a sharp intake of breath； and Aragon quickly straightened up。 His expression had suddenly changed。
〃I would like permission to temporarily remove several bones for examination；〃 he said； his voice coldly formal。
More than anything else； this request； ing from Aragon； capped Nora's mystification。 〃After we photograph and document everything； of course；〃 she heard herself say。
〃Naturally。 And I'd like to take a sample of that reddish powder。〃
He departed wordlessly； but Nora continued to stand at the edge of the cyst； staring down into the dark hole in the floor。 Sloane began setting up the 4x5 camera at the edge of the gravesite； while Holroyd powered down the magnetometer。 Then he came over to Nora。
〃Incredible； isn't it？〃 he murmured in her ear。
But Nora paid no attention to this； or to the excited undercurrent of Sloane's voice in the background。 She was thinking of Aragon； and the sudden look that had e over his face。 She felt it too： there was something odd； even wrong； about the burial。 In some ways； she thought； it wasn't like a burial at all。 True； some Pueblo IV cultures cremated their dead； and others dug up and reburied their dead in pots。 But this： the bones broken and burned； the thick flower dust； the grave goods ranged so carefully。
〃I wonder what Black will make of this burial；〃 came Sloane's voice； intruding on her reverie。
I don't think this is a burial at all； Nora thought to herself。 I think it's an offering。
* * *
As they stepped out onto the first…floor roof； its farthest edges tipped in noontime sun； Nora gently laid a hand on Sloane's arm。
〃I thought we had an agreement；〃 she said。
Sloane turned to look at her。 〃What are you talking about？〃
〃You shouldn't have opened that grave without consulting me first。 That was a major violation of the ground rules for this dig。〃
The amber color of Sloane's eyes seemed to deepen as she listened to Nora。 〃And you don't think opening the burial was a good idea？〃 she replied； her voice suddenly low； an almost feline susurrus。
〃No； I don't。 We have a whole city to survey and catalog； and burials are particularly sensitive。 But like I told you at Pete's Ruin； that's not the point。 This isn't how a professional archaeologist should work； simply digging up what interests her。〃
〃You're saying I'm not a professional？〃 Sloane asked。
Nora took a deep breath。 〃You're not as experienced as I thought you were。〃
〃I had to open that cyst；〃 said Sloane abruptly。
〃Why？〃 asked Nora； failing to keep the sarcasm from her voice。 〃Were you looking for something？〃
Sloane started to answer； then stopped short。 She moved closer； so close that Nora could feel the heat and anger radiating from her。 〃You； Nora Kelly； are a control freak。 You're just like my father。 You've been breathing down my neck； hoping for mistakes； ever since I first flew in。 I did nothing wrong in opening that burial。 The magnetometer showed a cavity and all I did was lift the stone。 I touched nothing。 It was no more invasive than walking through a doorway。〃
Nora struggled to maintain her posure。 〃If you can't abide by the rules；〃 she said as evenly as she could； 〃I'll place you under Aragon； where you can learn respect for the integrity of an archaeological site。 And obedience to the expedition director。〃
〃Director？〃 Sloane sneered。 〃By all rights； I should be the expedition director。 Don't forget who's paying for all this。〃
〃I haven't forgotten；〃 Nora said； voice steady despite the heat of her anger。 〃Just one more example of your father not trusting you； isn't it？〃
For a moment； Sloane stood before her speechlessly； limbs taut； face dark under the deep tan。 Then； wordlessly； she pivoted on her heel。 Nora watched her descend the ladder and walk deliberately away； erect and proud； her dark hair burned violet by the sun。
30
THE GROUP ASSEMBLED IN THE EARLY MORNING silence at the base of the rope ladder leading to the city。 Even Swire and Bonarotti were on hand。 The swallows； now acclimated to the human intrusion； no longer raised their usual clamor of indignation。 An unusually subdued Bill Smithback was fumbling with a cassette recorder。 Beside him stood Aragon； face gray and thoughtful。 Despite his preoccupation with the bone…filled crawlspace； he had left his work to join them。 This； more than anything； underscored the importance of what they were about to undertake。
A rough preliminary survey of the city had been pleted； and Holroyd had downloaded the location coordinates and field elevations established by his GPS equipment into a geographic information systems database。 It was time to enter the Great Kiva； the central religious structure of the city。 For much of the previous night； Nora had lain awake； wondering about what they might find。 In the end； her imagination had failed her。 The Great Kiva was equivalent to the cathedral of a medieval city： the center of its religious activity； the repository of the most sacred items； the locus of social life。
Black was resting on a rock； drumming his fingers with ill…disguised anticipation。 And chatting with him； oversized plant in his hand； was Peter Holroyd； loyal and unplicated。 The only person missing was Sloane； whom Nora had scarcely seen since the previous day's confrontation。
As if sensing her glance； Holroyd looked her way。 Then he stood and approached her； shaking the plant he was holding。 〃Have a look at this； Nora；〃 he said。
She took the plant： an oversized； bushy explosion of green stalks； with a tapered root at one end and a creamy flower at the other。
〃What
