jefflong.yearzero-第7部分

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　〃And　yet　I　will　have　touched　it；　even　if　I　didn't　know　it。〃
　The　Egyptian　wasn't　sure　what　to　make　of　that。　Here　was　a　rational　man。　He　was　filled　with　worldly　skepticism；　but　seeking　some　hidden　moment。　〃You　contradict　yourself；〃　he　said　to　Nikos。
　The　Egyptian　knew　he　should　have　expected　something　like　this。　He　tried　to　recall　his　Homer；　or　was　it　Tennyson？　Odysseus　sets　off　with　an　oar　across　one　shoulder。　He　leaves　upon　a　quest　with　no　end。　He　looked　at　Nikos。　After　a　minute；　the　Egyptian　said；　〃I'm　cold。〃
　〃Ah；〃　said　Nikos；　angry　at　his　own　bad　manners。　〃Forgive　me。〃
　On　their　way　out　of　the　chamber；　Nikos　paused　beside　a　small　wooden　crate　by　the　door。　〃A　new　acquisition　arrived　two　days　ago。　Very　old。　Very　exciting。　I　took　one　look　and　decided　to　wait　before　trying　to　dissect　it。　It　might　interest　you。　Would　you　care　to　help　me？　In　the　outer　room；　where　it's　warm。〃
　The　Egyptian　was　touched　by　the　generosity。　He　held　the　door　while　Nikos　carried　the　crate。　The　last　rays　of　sunlight　felt　glorious。　Nikos　placed　the　crate　on　a　table　at　the　far　end　of　the　windows。　He　turned　on　a　lamp　and　they　each　sat　in　chairs。　A　drawer　held　his　tools　and　specimen　kit。　The　Egyptian　remarked　on　the　pleteness　of　his　outfit。
　Together　they　carefully　lifted　out　a　fourteen…inch　silver　and　gold　cross　with　a　hollow　interior。　Nikos　sprayed　off　the　dust　with　an　aerosol　can　for　cleaning　camera　lenses；　then　lay　the　cross　on　a　white　foam　sheet。　〃It　es　from　a　Serb　church　in　Kosovo　looted　by　the　KLA。　Their　asking　price　was　1。8　million　U。S。　My　agent　countered　with　125；000　and　they　grabbed　it。　They　had　no　idea　its　real　worth。　I　didn't　either。〃
　〃It　looks　magnificent；〃　mented　the　Egyptian。
　Nikos　appraised　it　more　coldly；　making　notes　on　a　legal　pad。　Each　arm　of　the　cross；　front　and　back；　displayed　a　different　holy　man　in　early　Byzantine　design。　They　were　two…dimensional；　verging　on　cartoons　with　halos　of　silver。　But　the　figures　stood　out　against　the　gold　background；　their　incised　lines　filled　with　niello；　a　black　enamel。　Judging　by　the　artwork；　Nikos　guessed　its　date　at　300C。E　。　He　was　unimpressed。　〃Let's　hope　the　contents　are　at　least　two　centuries　older　than　that；〃　he　said。
　Unlike　many　of　the　other　artifacts；　this　one　had　no　little　window　through　which　to　see　the　enclosed　relic。　The　Egyptian　weighed　it　in　his　hands　and　determined　the　cross　was　clearly　hollow。　〃What　if　there　is　nothing　inside？〃　he　asked。
　Nikos　laid　down　his　pencil。　〃Then　we　will　have　our　dinner　that　much　sooner；〃　he　said　cheerfully。　He　swivelled　a　magnifying　lens　over　the　artifact。　〃Now；〃　he　spoke　to　it；　〃how　do　we　enter　your　labyrinth？〃
　He　turned　the　cross　over　several　times。　In　the　center　of　the　back；　a　blot　of　red　seal　wax　carried　a　bishop's　imprint。　Nikos　did　not　recognize　the　imprint。　He　took　several　photos　with　a　small　camera；　then　pried　away　the　wax　in　chunks。　Underneath；　the　surface　was　blank。
　〃You　can　never　tell　where　the　door　to　the　house　might　be；〃　he　said。　〃Oftentimes　thedomo　is　hinged　on　one　side；　or　the　top　lifts　off　or　a　hidden　lid　is　nested　into　the　surface。　Others　simply　have　a　hollow　built　into　their　backs　that　is　threaded　shut。　But　some…especially　of　this　era　and　earlier…can　be　quite　elaborate。　They　are　puzzle　boxes　built　by　ancient　masters。〃
　Using　jeweler's　tools；　Nikos　touched　the　cross　in　various　places。　He　pressed　gems　studding　the　front　as　if　they　were　doorbells。　〃The　very　old　ones　sometimes　have　secret　lock　mechanisms；　hideaways；　even　false　capsules；〃　he　explained。　〃I've　learned　the　hard　way。　My　clumsiness　destroyed　several　of　the　oldest　relics。　One　must　be　patient　and　try　to　think　like　the　puzzle　maker。　It　is　a　game。　Him　against　us。〃
　He　raised　his　eyes　to　the　Egyptian。　〃Would　you　care　to　try？　Look　for　a　latch　or　dial　or　pressure　point。〃
　The　Egyptian　was　eager。　〃But　what　if　I　damage　it？〃　he　said。
　〃Then　I　surely　would　have　damaged　it。　You're　the　surgeon；　I'm　just　an　old　sailor。〃
　The　Egyptian　took　a　dental　pick　and　a　long　dissection　needle。　He　placed　his　hands　to　either　side　and　bent　over　the　magnifying　lens。　He　had　noticed　something　about　a　carbuncle　of　amethyst　at　the　center　of　the　cross's　upright。　It　had　a　bit　of　rust　around　the　edges；　quite　unlike　the　lead　solder　embedding　the　other　gems。　〃What　do　you　make　of　this？〃　he　asked。
　Nikos　peered　over　his　shoulder。　〃You're　a　natural；〃　he　said。　〃Something　is　there。〃
　〃Perhaps　you　should　take　over。〃
　〃Why？　It's　your　discovery。〃
　The　Egyptian　was　pleased。　He　reveled　in　the　investigation。　It　did　feel　like　a　game　of　chess　as　he　tried　to　decipher　the　reliquary。　He　pried　away　flakes　of　rust。　A　different　metal　had　to　lie　beneath　the　amethyst；　perhaps　some　kind　of　iron　mechanism。　He　gently　pressed　the　gem；　but　nothing　happened。　〃Am　I　doing　something　wrong？〃
　〃Who　knows？　These　boxes　can　be　plicated。　Some　are　more　like　machines　inside。　Keep　going。〃
　〃Marvelous；〃　breathed　the　Egyptian。　He　tried　a　jeweler's　tool；　teasing　at　the　purple　gem。　The　gem　refused　to　move。　He　gave　up。　He　would　never　forgive　himself　for　ruining　his　friend's　treasure。　〃Here；〃　he　said。　〃Please。〃
　〃We'll　do　this　together；〃　said　Nikos。　Nikos　took　a　syringe　filled　with　graphite　oil。　He　laid　a　delicate　beadwork　of　oil　drops　around　the　amethyst。　While　they　waited　for　the　oil　to　slowly　bleed　into　the　rusted　works；　Nikos　went　on　talking。
　〃As　you　may　know；　Jews；　like　Protestants；　adamantly　reject　the　practice　of　holy　relics。　And　yet　in　the　Book　of　Kings；　in　the　Old　Testament；　they　describe　the　miraculous　recovery　of　a　dead　soldier　when　his　body　touched　the　bones　of　the　prophet　Elisha。　Early　Israelites　were　attributing　magical　powers　to　their　dead　saints…their　prophets…centuries　before　Jesus　was　ever　born。　That　got　me　thinking。〃　He　paused　and　said；　〃try　again。〃
　The　Egyptian　set　the　dental　pick　on　a　rugosity　on　the　gem。　He　applied　pressure；　an　ounce；　no　more。　Nothing　happened。　Nikos　took　his　syringe　and　circled　the　stone　with　another　line　of　oil。　Nikos　continued　his　thought。
　〃All　art　is　derivative。〃　He　pointed　at　the　painting　on　the　wall。　〃Koons　borrowed　from　Rubens　who　borrowed　from　earlier　artists。　The　mortuary　arts　are　no　different。　I　realized　that　the　early　Christians　creating　these　miniature　tombs　had　a　context。　They　lived　during　the　Roman　empire。　Craftsmen　from　dozens　of　countries　were　being　brought　to　Rome。　Craftsmen　from　your　own　country；　as　well。　Their　ancient　skills　were　being　transported　to　the　very　place　Christians　were　being　persecuted。〃
　The　Egyptian　touched　the　cross。　〃You　think　one　of　my　ancestors　built　this？〃　It　was　an　astounding　notion。
　〃Perhaps　not　this　very　object；〃　said　Nikos。　〃But　the　Christians　learned　how　to　make　puzzle　boxes　from　someone。　Someone　highly　skilled　in　a　dying　art。　The　art　of　preserving　the　dead。　That　would　explain　why　some　of　these　very　earlydomos　are　so　plex。　Like　your　booby…trapped　tombs　and　pyramids；　they　are　meant　to　thwart　the　uninvited　visitor。〃
　The　Egyptian　looked　at　Nikos。　〃We　seem　to　have　forgotten　our　art；〃　he　said。　〃Your　box　is　beyond　me。〃
　Nikos　smiled。　Turning　his　pencil　upside　down；　he　gave　a　single　jab　at　the　amethyst。　The　pink　eraser　struck　its　center。　The　stone　sank　into　its　mount。　A　piece　of　metal　clicked　inside。　A　small　hatch　released　on　the　top　of　the　cross。　〃We're　in；〃　said　Nikos。
　They　were　like　two　small　boys　building　a　model　airplane；　only　here　they　were　unbuilding　it。　Neither　paid　attention　to　the　twilight　stealing　across　Homer's　wine…dark　sea。　Standing　the　cross　on　end；　they　removed　the　hatch　and　shined　a　light　inside。　At　the　base　of　a　tin　pit；　two　inches　square；　was　a　keyhole。　〃Now　what？〃　said　the　Egyptian。
　Nikos　produced　a　locksmith's　prong。　Ten　minutes　passed　as　he　tried　different　picks　and　angles。　After　another　injection　of　oil；　the　lock　gave　way。　A　second　lid　opened；　and　they　carefully　removed　that　with　tweezers。　It　seemed　a　dead　end　until　Nikos　inserted　a　dental　mirror　and　they　found　a　small　hook　hidden　under　a　concealed　shelf。
　Stage　by　stage；　they　dismantled　the　box。　It　was　an　ingenious　device。　Nikos　proved　himself　a　master；　overing　the　safeguards　and　odd　defenses。　After　an　hour；　they　heard　three　distinct　clicking　sounds。　〃Oh　no；〃　breathed　Nikos。　〃It　is　destroying　itself。　They　are　sometimes　rigged　to　crush　the　capsules　and　their　relic　material。〃
　But　as　it　turned　out；　the　sounds　were　of　latches　unfastening。　The　entire　front　rose　a　quarter　inch。　Nikos　exchanged　a　glance　with　his　friend；　then　took　the　invitation。　With　his　fingertips；　he　evenly　lifted　the　face　from　the　cross。
　The　interior　was　a　marvel。　The　artisan's　secrets　lay　exposed　like　metal　organs　and　veins；　the　wires　and　latches　and　levers。　There　was　more。　〃I've　never　seen　such　a　thing；〃　said　Nikos。　〃It　holds　not　one　capsule；　but　four。　What　an　extraordinary　find！〃
　In　each　corner　of　the　cross；　trapped　like　a　fly　in　spider　webbing；　a　glass　capsule　lay　bound　in　place　with　red　thread。　The　Egyptian　could　barely　contain　his　excitement。　Nikos　drew　a　rough　diagram　of　the　cross　and　labeled　each　corner　A　through　D。　Beneath　that；　he　wrote　〃A〃　and　set　down　his　pencil。
　Using　a　scalpel；　Nikos　severed　the　threads　securing　the　topmost　capsule。　Beneath　the　tightly…drawn　threads　was　an　oblong　ampule　with　marbled　swirls　of　blue　and　white。　〃Roman　glass；〃　said　Nikos。　〃The　Romans　learned　from　the　Greeks　the　technology　of　hermetically　sealing　objects　inside　of　glass　bubbles。〃
　〃What　do　you　suppose　is　in　there？〃
　〃It　could　be　almost　anything。　There　is　only　one　way　to　find　out。　We　must　crack　the　egg。〃
　The　Egyptian　took　him　literally　and　expected　a　hammer。　Instead　Nikos　mounted　the　capsule　in　a　padded　vise　and　reached　across　the　table　for　a　device　that　fitted　over　the　capsule。　〃A　glass　cutter；〃　Nikos　said；　setting　calibrations　for　its　height。　He　brought　the　diamond　tip　to　rest　on　the　glass。　Ever　so　delicately；　he　moved　it　in　a　circle　around　the　crown　of　the　capsule。　The　cutter　made　half　a　dozen　orbits；　scoring　deeper　each　time。
　Nikos　halted。　The　cutting　was　nearly　plete。　〃e　closer；〃　he　said。　〃There　is　an　unexpected　reward。　It　lasts　only　a　few　seconds；　once　I　breach　the　glass。　Make　yourself　ready。〃
　〃For　what？〃
　〃The　air　inside。　An　atmosphere　twenty　centuries　old。〃
　The　Egyptian　understood。　He　leaned　in。　Their　heads　were　touching。　〃Ready？〃　said　Nikos；　and　they　both　emptied