michael crichton.congo-第31章

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　Kahega　laughed。　〃Wele　to　the　Congo；〃　he　said。
　Elliot　wiped　his　chin　and　said；　〃Where　is　Amy？〃
　A　moment　later　Munro　landed；　with　a　bleeding　ear　where　Amy　had　bitten　him　in　terror。　But　Amy　was　not　the　worse　for　the　experience；　and　came　running　on　her　knuckles　over　to　Elliot；　making　sure　that　he　was　all　right；　and　then　signing；　Amy　fly　no　like。
　
　〃Look　out！〃
　The　first　of　the　torpedo…shaped　Crosslin　packets　smashed　down；　exploding　like　a　bomb　when　it　hit　the　ground；　spraying　equipment　and　straw　in　all　directions。
　〃There's　the　second　one！〃
　Elliot　dived　for　safety。　The　second　bomb　hit　just　a　few　yards　away；　he　was　pelted　with　foil　containers　of　food　and　rice。　Overhead；　he　heard　the　drone　of　the　circling　Fokker　airplane。　He　got　to　his　feet　in　time　to　see　the　final　two　Crosslin　containers　crash　down；　and　Kahega's　men　running　for　safety；　with　Ross　shouting；　〃Careful；　those　have　the　lasers！〃
　It　was　like　being　in　the　middle　of　a　blitz；　but　as　swiftly　as　it　had　begun　it　was　over。　The　Fokker　above　them　flew　off；　and　the　sky　was　silent；　the　men　began　repacking　the　equipment　and　burying　the　parafoils；　while　Munro　barked　instructions　in　Swahili。
　Twenty　minutes　later；　they　were　moving　single…file　through　the　forest；　starting　a　two…hundred…mile　trek　that　would　lead　them　into　the　unexplored　eastern　reaches　of　the　Congo；　to　a　fabulous　reward。
　If　they　could　reach　it　in　time。
　
　2。Kigani
　
　ONCE　PAST　THE　INITIAL　SHOCK　OF　HIS　JUMP；　ELLIOT　enjoyed　the　walk　through　the　Barawana　Forest。　Monkeys　chattered　in　the　trees；　and　birds　called　in　the　cool　air；　the　Kikuyu　porters　were　strung　out　behind　them；　smoking　cigarettes　and　joking　with　one　another　iii　an　exotic　tongue。　Elliot　found　all　his　emotions　agreeable…the　sense　of　freedom　from　a　crass　civilization；　the　sense　of　adventure；　of　unexpected　events　that　might　occur　at　any　future　moment；　and　finally　the　sense　of　romance；　of　a　quest　for　the　poignant　past　while　omnipresent　danger　kept　sensation　at　a　peak　of　intense　feeling。　It　was　in　this　heightened　mood　that　he　listened　to　the　forest　animals　around　him；　viewed　the　play　of　sunlight　and　shadow；　felt　the　springy　ground　beneath　his　boots；　and　looked　over　at　Karen　Ross；　whom　he　found　beautiful　and　graceful　in　an　utterly　unexpected　way。
　Karen　Ross　did　not　look　back　at　him。
　As　she　walked；　she　twisted　knobs　on　one　of　her　black　electronic　boxes；　trying　to　establish　a　signal。　A　second　electronic　box　hung　from　a　shoulder　strap；　and　since　she　did　not　turn　to　look　at　him；　he　had　time　to　notice　that　there　was　already　a　dark　stain　of　sweat　at　her　shoulder；　and　'another　running　down　the　back　of　her　shirt。　Her　dark　blonde　hair　was　damp；　clinging　unattractively　to　the　back　of　her　head。　And　he　noticed　that　her　trousers　were　wrinkled；　streaked　with　dirt　from　the　fall。　She　still　did　not　look　back。
　〃Enjoy　the　forest；〃　Munro　advised　him。　〃This　is　the　last　time　you'll　feel　cool　and　dry　for　quite　a　while。〃
　Elliot　agreed　that　the　forest　was　pleasant。
　〃Yes；　very　pleasant。〃　Munro　nodded；　with　an　odd　expression　on　his　face。
　The　Barawana　Forest　was　not　virginal。　From　time　to　time；　they　passed　cleared　fields　and　other　signs　of　human　habitation；　although　they　never　saw　farmers。　When　Elliot　mentioned　that　fact；　Munro　just　shook　his　head。　As　they　moved　deeper　into　the　forest　Munro　turned　self…absorbed；　unwilling　to　talk。　Yet　he　showed　an　interest　in　the　fauna；　frequently　pausing　to　listen　intently　to　bird　cries　before　signaling　the　expedition　to　continue　on。
　During　these　pauses；　Elliot　would　look　back　down　the　line　of　porters　with　loads　balanced　on　their　heads；　and　feel　acutely　his　kinship　with　Livingstone　and　Stanley　and　the　other　explorers　who　had　ventured　through　Africa　a　century　before。　And　in　this；　his　romantic　associations　were　accurate。　Central　African　life　was　little　changed　since　Stanley　explored　the　Congo　in　the　1870s；　and　neither　was　the　basic　nature　of　expeditions　to　that　region。　Serious　exploration　was　still　carried　out　on　foot；　porters　were　still　necessary；　expenses　were　still　daunting…and　so　were　the　dangers。
　
　By　midday；　Elliot's　boots　had　begun　to　hurt　his　feet；　and　he　found　that　he　was　exceedingly　tired。　Apparently　the　porters　were　tired　too；　because　they　had　fallen　silent；　no　longer　smoking　cigarettes　and　shouting　jokes　to　one　another　up　and　down　the　line。　The　expedition　proceeded　in　silence　until　Elliot　asked　Munro　if　they　were　going　to　stop　for　lunch。
　〃No；〃　Munro　said。
　〃Good；〃　Karen　Ross　said；　glancing　at　her　watch。
　Shortly　after　one　o'clock；　they　heard　the　thumping　of　helicopters。　The　reaction　of　Munro　and　the　porters　was　immediate…they　dived　under　a　stand　of　large　trees　and　waited；　looking　upwards。　Moments　later；　two　large　green　helicopters　passed　overhead；　Elliot　clearly　read　white　stenciling：　〃FZA。〃
　Munro　squinted　at　the　departing　craft。　They　were　American…made　Hueys；　he　had　not　been　able　to　see　the　armament。　〃It's　the　army；〃　he　said。　〃They're　looking　for　Kigani。〃
　An　hour　later；　they　arrived　at　a　clearing　where　manioc　was　being　grown。　A　crude　wooden　farmhouse　stood　in　the　center；　with　pale　smoke　issuing　from　a　chimney　and　laundry　on　a　wash　line　flapping　in　the　gentle　breeze。　But　they　saw　no　inhabitants。
　The　expedition　had　circled　around　previous　farm　clearings；　but　this　time　Munro　raised　his　hand　to　call　for　a　halt。　The　porters　dropped　their　loads　and　sat　in　the　grass；　not　speaking。
　The　atmosphere　was　tense；　although　Elliot　could　not　understand　why。　Munro　squatted　with　Kahega　at　the　edge　of　the　clearing；　watching　the　farmhouse　and　the　surrounding　fields。　After　twenty　minutes；　when　there　was　still　no　sign　of　movement；　Ross；　who　was　crouched　near　Munro；　became　impatient。　〃I　don't　see　why　we　are…〃
　Munro　clapped　his　hand　over　her　mouth。　He　pointed　to　the　clearing；　and　mouthed　one　word：　Kigani。
　Ross's　eyes　went　wide。　Munro　took　his　hand　away。
　They　all　stared　at　the　farmhouse。　Still　there　was　no　sign　of　life。　Ross　made　a　circular　movement　with　her　arm；　suggesting　that　they　circle　around　the　clearing　and　move　on。　Munro　shook　his　head；　and　pointed　to　the　ground；　indicating　that　she　should　sit。　Munro　looked　questioningly　at　Elliot；　and　pointed　to　Amy；　who　foraged　in　the　tall　grass　off　to　one　side。　He　seemed　to　be　concerned　that　Amy　would　make　noise。　Elliot　signed　to　Amy　to　be　quiet；　but　it　was　not　necessary。　Amy　had　sensed　the　general　tension；　and　glanced　warily　from　time　to　time　toward　the　farmhouse。
　Nothing　happened　for　several　more　minutes；　they　listened　to　the　buzz　of　the　cicadas　in　the　hot　midday　sun；　and　they　waited。　They　watched　the　laundry　flutter　in　the　breeze。
　Then　the　thin　wisp　of　blue　smoke　from　the　chimney　stopped。
　Munro　and　Kahega　exchanged　glances。　Kahega　slipped　back　to　where　the　porters　sat；　opened　one　load；　and　brought　out　a　machine　gun。　He　covered　the　safety　with　his　hand；　muffling　the　click　as　he　released　it。　It　was　incredibly　quiet　in　the　clearing。　Kahega　resumed　his　place　next　to　Munro　and　handed　him　the　gun。　Munro　checked　the　safety；　then　set　the　gun　on　the　ground。　They　waited　several　minutes　more。　Elliot　looked　at　Ross　but　she　was　not　looking　at　him。
　There　was　a　soft　creak　as　the　farmhouse　door　opened。　Munro　picked　up　the　machine　gun。
　No　one　came　out。　They　all　stared　at　the　open　door；　waiting。　And　then　finally　the　Kigani　stepped　into　the　sunlight。
　Elliot　counted　twelve　tall　muscular　men　armed　with　bows　and　arrows；　and　carrying　long　pangas　in　their　hands。　Their　legs　and　chests　were　streaked　with　white；　and　their　faces　were　solid　white；　which　gave　their　heads　a　menacing；　skull　like　appearance。　As　the　Kigani　moved　off　through　the　tall　manioc；　only　their　white　heads　were　visible；　looking　around　tensely。
　Even　after　they　were　gone；　Munro　remained　watching　the　silent　clearing　for　another　ten　minutes。　Finally　he　stood　and　sighed。　When　he　spoke；　his　voice　seemed　incredibly　loud。　〃Those　were　Kigani；〃　Munro　said。
　〃What　were　they　doing？〃　Ross　said。
　〃Eating；〃　Munro　said。　〃They　killed　the　family　in　that　house；　and　then　ate　them。　Most　farmers　have　left；　because　the　Kigani　are　on　the　rampage。〃
　He　signaled　Kahega　to　get　the　men　moving　again；　and　they　set　off；　skirting　around　the　clearing。　Elliot　kept　looking　at　the　farmhouse；　wondering　what　he　would　se