p&c.thunderhead-第42章

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　〃So　much　for　ZST。　Find　anything？〃　
　There　was　a　long　pause。　〃Yes；〃　Aragon　repeated。　
　There　was　something　in　his　tone　that　silenced　the　pany。　
　〃Share　with　us；　brother；〃　intoned　the　oblivious　Smithback。　
　Aragon　set　his　cup　down　and　began　slowly；　deliberately；　almost　as　if　he　had　prepared　his　words　ahead　of　time。　〃As　I　told　Nora　when　I　first　discovered　it；　the　placement　of　the　bones　in　the　Crawlspace　is　exceedingly　odd。〃　There　was　a　pause　while　he　carefully　removed　from　his　coat　a　small　plastic　container。　He　placed　it　on　the　ground　and　gently　unbuckled　the　lid。　Inside　were　three　fragmentary　bones　and　a　portion　of　a　cranium。　
　〃Lying　sprawled　on　top　are　perhaps　fifty　or　sixty　articulated　skeletons；〃　he　continued。　〃Some　still　have　the　remains　of　clothing；　rich　jewelry；　and　personal　adornment。　They　were　well…fed；　healthy　individuals；　most　in　the　prime　of　their　lives。　They　all　seemed　to　have　died　at　the　same　time；　yet　there　is　no　sign　of　violence　on　the　bones。〃　
　〃So　what's　the　explanation？〃　Nora　asked。　
　〃It　seems　to　me　that　whatever　happened；　it　happened　so　suddenly　that　there　wasn't　time　to　give　the　bodies　a　proper　burial；〃　Aragon　replied。　〃My　analysis　turned　up　no　clear　disease　process；　but　many　diseases　leave　no　osteological　traces。　Apparently；　the　bodies　were　simply　dragged；　intact；　into　the　back　and　thrown　on　top　of　a　huge　existing　pile　of　bones。〃　His　expression　changed。　〃Those　bones　underneath　tell　a　very　different　story。　They　are　the　broken；　disarticulated　remains　of　hundreds；　even　thousands；　of　individuals；　accumulated　over　years。　Unlike　the　skeletons　on　top；　these　bones　e　from　individuals　who　clearly　died　of　violence。　Extreme　violence。〃　
　He　passed　his　dark　eyes　around　the　group。　Nora　felt　her　unease　grow。　
　〃The　bones　from　the　bottom　layer　display　several　unusual　characteristics；〃　Aragon　said；　wiping　his　face　with　a　soiled　bandanna。　He　pointed　with　a　pair　of　rubber…tipped　forceps　at　a　broken　bone　in　the　tray。　〃The　first　is　that　many　of　the　long　bones　have　been　broken；　perimortem；　in　a　special　way；　like　this　bone　here。〃　
　〃Perimortem？〃　asked　Smithback。　
　〃Yes。　Broken　not　before　death；　and　not　long　afterward；　but　about　the　time　of　death。〃　
　〃What　do　you　mean；　broken　in　a　special　way？〃　Black　asked。　
　〃It's　the　same　way　the　Anasazi　broke　deer　and　elk　bones。　In　order　to　extract　the　marrow。〃　He　pointed。　〃And　here；　in　the　cancellous　tissue　of　the　humerus；　they　actually　reamed　out　the　center　of　the　bone　to　get　at　the　marrow　inside。〃　
　〃Wait；〃　said　Smithback。　〃Hold　on。　You　mean　to　extract　the　marrow　for…？〃　
　〃Let　me　finish。　Second；　there　are　small　marks　on　the　bone。　I　have　examined　these　marks　under　the　microscope　and　they　are　consistent　with　the　marks　made　by　stone　tools　when　a　carcass　is　dismembered。　Butchered　and　defleshed；　if　you　will。　Third；　I　found　dozens　of　fractured　skulls　among　the　litter　of　bones；　mostly　of　children。　There　were　cut　marks　on　the　calvaria　that　are　made　only　by　scalping：　just　like　the　skull　we　found　at　Pete's　Ruin。　Furthermore；　the　children's　skulls　in　particular　showed　'anvil　abrasions。'　When　I　reexamined　the　Pete's　Ruin　skull；　I　found　anvil　abrasions　on　it；　as　well。　I　also　found　that　many　of　the　skulls　had　been　drilled；　and　a　circular　piece　of　bone　removed。〃　
　〃What　are　anvil　abrasions？〃　Nora　asked。　
　〃A　very　specific　kind　of　parallel　scratch　mark；　made　when　the　head　is　laid　on　a　flat　rock　and　another　rock　is　brought　down　on　it　to　break　open　the　brainpan。　You　normally　see　it　on　animal　skulls　whose　brains　have　been　extracted　for　food。〃　
　From　the　corner　of　her　eye；　Nora　saw　that　Smithback　was　furiously　taking　notes。　
　〃There's　more；〃　Aragon　said。　〃Many　of　the　bones　show　this。〃　He　picked　up　a　smaller　bone　with　the　forceps　and　turned　it　to　the　light。　〃Take　a　look　at　the　broken　ends　with　this　loup。〃　
　Nora　examined　it　under　magnification。　〃I　can't　see　anything　unusual；　except　maybe　for　this　faint　sheen　on　the　broken　ends；　as　if　they　used　the　bone　for　scraping　hides。〃　
　〃Not　scraping　hides。　That　sheen　has　been　called　'pot　polish。'〃　
　〃Pot　polish？〃　Nora　whispered；　the　coil　of　fear　growing　tighter　within　her。　
　〃It　only　occurs　to　bones　that　have　been　boiled　and　stirred　in　a　rough　ceramic　pot　for　a　long　time；　turned　around　and　around。〃　And　then　he　added；　unnecessarily：　〃It's　how　you　make　soup。〃　
　Aragon　reached　again　for　the　coffee　pot　and　found　it　empty。　
　〃Are　you　saying　they　were　cooking　and　eating　people？〃　Holroyd　asked。　
　〃Of　course　that's　what　he's　saying；〃　Black　snapped。　〃But　I've　found　no　evidence　of　human　bones　in　the　trash　mound。　Though　it　was　filled　with　animal　bones　that　had　clearly　been　consumed　for　food。〃　
　Aragon　did　not　respond。　
　Nora　looked　away　from　him；　turning　her　gaze　out　over　the　canyon。　The　sun　was　rising　above　the　rimrock；　gilding　the　clifftops　while　leaving　the　valley　below　in　Magritte…like　shadow。　But　the　beautiful　canyon　now　filled　her　with　apprehension。　
　〃There's　something　else　I　should　mention；〃　Aragon　said　in　a　low　voice。　
　Nora　looked　back。　〃More？〃　
　Aragon　nodded　to　Sloane。　〃I　don't　believe　the　tomb　you　found　was　a　burial　at　all。〃　
　〃It　seemed　like　an　offering；〃　Nora　heard　herself　say。　
　〃Yes；〃　said　Aragon。　〃But　even　more　than　that；　it　was　a　sacrifice。　From　the　marks　on　the　skeletons；　it　seems　the　two　individuals　had　been　dismembered…butchered…and　the　cuts　boiled　or　roasted。　The　cooked　meats　were　probably　arranged　in　those　two　bowls　you　found。　There　were　bits　of　a　brown；　dusty　substance　lying　with　the　bones：　no　doubt　those　were　the　mummified　pieces　of　meat　that　had　retracted　and　fallen　off　the　bone。〃　
　〃How　revolting；〃　Smithback　said；　writing　eagerly。　
　〃The　individuals　were　also　scalped；　and　their　brains　extracted　and　made　into　a　kind　of…how　does　one　say　it？…a　pote；　a　mousse；　spiced　with　chiles。　I　found　the　。　。　。　the　substance　placed　inside　each　of　the　skulls。〃　
　As　if　on　a　macabre　cue；　the　cook　emerged　from　his　tent；　fastidiously　zipped　up　the　flap；　then　approached　the　fire。　
　Black　shifted　restlessly。　〃Enrique；　you're　the　last　person　I　would　have　suspected　of　jumping　to　sensational　conclusions。　There　are　dozens　of　ways　bones　could　be　scratched　and　polished　other　than　cannibalism。〃　
　〃It　is　you　who　use　the　term　'cannibalism；'〃　Aragon　said。　〃I'll　keep　my　conclusions　to　myself　for　the　moment。　I　am　merely　reporting　what　I've　seen。〃　
　〃Everything　you've　said　has　hinted　at　that　conclusion；〃　Black　bellowed。　〃This　is　irresponsible。　The　Anasazi　were　a　peaceful；　agrarian　people。　There's　never　been　any　evidence　of　cannibalism。〃　
　〃That's　not　true；〃　Sloane　said　in　a　low　voice；　leaning　suddenly　forward。　〃Several　archaeologists　have　theorized　about　cannibalistic　practices　among　ancient　Native　Americans。　And　not　only　among　the　Anasazi。　For　example；　how　do　you　explain　Awatovi？〃　
　〃Awatovi？〃　Black　repeated。　〃The　Hopi　village　destroyed　in　1700？〃　
　Sloane　nodded。　〃After　the　villagers　of　Awatovi　were　converted　to　Christianity　by　the　Spanish；　the　surrounding　Indian　towns　massacred　them。　Their　bones　were　found　thirty　years　ago；　and　they　bear　the　same　kind　of　marks　Aragon　found　here。〃　
　〃They　may　have　been　facing　a　period　of　starvation；〃　said　Nora。　〃There　are　plenty　of　examples　of　starvation　cannibalism　in　our　own　culture。　And　anyway；　this　is　far　from　Awatovi；　and　these　people　are　not　related　to　the　Hopi。　If　this　was　cannibalism；　it　was　ritualized　cannibalism　on　a　grand　scale。　Institutionalized；　almost。　A　lot　like…〃　She　stopped　and　glanced　at　Aragon。　
　〃A　lot　like　the　Aztecs；〃　he　said；　finishing　the　sentence。　〃Dr。　Black；　you　said　Anasazi　cannibalism　is　impossible。　But　not　Aztec　cannibalism。　Cannibalism　not　for　food；　but　as　a　tool　of　social　control　and　terror。〃　
　〃What's　your　point？〃　Black　said。　〃This　is　America；　not　Mexico。　We're　digging　an　Anasazi　site。〃　
　〃An　Anasazi　site　with　a　ruling　class？　An　Anasazi　site　protected　by　a　god　with　a　name　like　Xochitl？　An　Anasazi　site　that　features　royal　burial　chambers；　filled　with　flowers？　An　Anasazi　site　that　may　or　may　not　display　signs　of　ritual　cannibalism？〃　Aragon　shook　his　head。　〃I　also　did　a　number　of　forensic　tests　on　skulls　from　both　the　upper　and　lower　set　of　bones　in　the　Crawlspace。　Differences　in　cranial　features；　variations　in　incisor　shoveling；　point　to　the　two　groups　of　skeletons　as　being　from　entirely　different　populations。　Anasazi　slaves　beneath；　Aztec　rulers　above。　All　the　evidence　I've　found　at　Quivira　demonstrates　one　thing：　a　group　of　Aztecs；　or　rather　their　Toltec　predecessors；　invaded　the　Anasazi　civilization　around　A。D。　950　and　established　themselves　here　as　a　priestly　nobility。　Perhaps　they　were　even　responsible　for　the　great　building　projects　at　Chaco　and　elsewhere。〃　
　〃I've　never　heard　anything　so　ridiculous；〃　Black　said。　〃There's　never　been　any　sign　of　Aztec　influence　on　the　Anasazi；　let　alone　enslavement。　It　goes　against　a　hundred　years　of　scholarship。〃　
　〃Wait；〃　Nora　said。　〃Let's　not　be　too　hasty　to　dismiss　it。　Nobody's　ever　found　a　city　like　this　before。　And　that　theory　would　explain　a　lot　of　things。　The　city's　strange　location；　for　one　thing。　The　annual　pilgrimages　you　discovered。〃　
　〃And　the　concentration　of　wealth；〃　Sloane　added；　in　a　low；　thoughtful　voice。　〃Maybe　trade　with　the　Aztecs　has　been　the　wrong　word　all　along。　These　were　foreign　invaders；　establishing　an　oligarchy；　maintaining　power　through　religious　ritual　and　sacrificial　cannibalism。〃　
　As　Smithback　began　to　ask　a　question；　Nora　heard　a　distant　shout。　In　unison；　the　group　turned　toward　the　sound。　Roscoe　Swire　was　running　down　the　canyon；　bashing　and　stomping　crazily　through　the　brush　as　he　approached　camp。　
　He　came　to　a　frantic　stop　before　them；　still　dripping　wet　from　the　slot　canyon；　breathing　raggedly。　Nora　stared　at　him　in　horror。　Bloody　water　dripped　from　his　hair；　and　his　shirt　was　stained　pink。　
　〃What　is　it？〃　she　asked　sharply。　
　〃Our　horses；〃　Swire　said；　gasping　for　air。　〃They've　been　gutted。〃　
　
　
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　NORA　RAISED　HER　HANDS　TO　SILENCE　THE　immediate　explosion　of　talk。　〃Roscoe；〃　she　said；　〃I　want　you　to　tell　us　exactly　what　happened。〃　
　Swire　sat　down　near　the　fire；　still　heaving　from　his　scramble　through　the　slot　canyon；　oblivious　to　a　nasty　gash　on　his　arm　that　was　bleeding　freely。　〃I　got　up　around　three　this　morning；　just　as　usual。　Reached　the　horses　about　four。　The　cavvy　had　drifted　over　to　the　northern　end　of　the　valley…looking　for　grass；　I　figured…but　when　I　reached　them；　I　found　they　were　all　lathered　up。〃　He　stopped　a　moment。　〃I　thought　maybe　a　mountain　lion　had　been　after　them。　A　couple　were　missing。　Then　I　saw　them　。　。　。　what　was　left　of　them；　anyway。　Hoosegow　and　Crow　Bait；　gutted　like　。　。　。〃　His　face　darkened。　〃When　I　catch　the　sons…a…bitches　that　did　this；　I'll…〃　
　〃What　makes　you　think　humans　did　it？〃　Aragon　asked。　
　Swire　shook　his　head。　〃It　was　done　all　scientific。　They　slit　open　the　bellies；　pulled　out　the　guts；　and…〃　He　faltered。　
　〃And？〃　
　〃Sort　of　made　them　into　a　display。〃　
　〃What？〃　Nora　asked　sharply。　
　〃They　unwound　the　guts　and　laid　them　out　in　a　spiral。　There　were　sticks　with　feathers；　shoved　into　the　eyes。〃　He　paused。　〃Other　stuff；　too。〃　
　〃Any　tracks？〃　
　〃No　footprints　that　I　could　see。　Must've　all　been　done　from　the　backs　of　horses。〃　
　At　the　mention　of　the　spirals；　the　feathers　shoved　into　the　eyes；　Nora　had　go