el.angeleyes-第37部分
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Big Ezoe looked off into the night。 There were fireflies out； and here beside the koi pool； beneath the maples； it was possible to forget all about Tokyo； the hypermodern superstructures； the official bribery and corruption； the race into the twenty…first century； which was the national task that the Japanese had set for themselves。 Now only the essence remained； the hard； cruel lessons of a far simpler time； the time of the warrior for which Yukio Mishima longed； about which Big Ezoe knew so much。
''It has nothing to do with what you think you are；〃 Big Ezoe said。 〃It is him。 What Eikichi Kansei is： a product of the times。 As Mama…san tried to tell you。 She knows your husband far better than you do。〃
Eikichi's sadistic invective echoed in her mind。 The humiliation of her pathetic lot in life overwhelmed her； and she thought she was going to be sick again。 She had been systematically beaten down at home； first by her father； and then by Eikichi； whom she could see now was the only kind of man she could have chosen to be her husband： rigid； brutal； repressive。 How could she have mistaken such inhumanity for honor？ Obedience had blinded her。
And as for her job？ Now she understood her role there； as well。 She served the same purpose as the wallpaper in the halls： she was elegant； soothing； ever obedient。 This was not only the definition of what she was； but what she would always be。 She had as much knowledge and schooling as the male executives beside whom she served daily。 But no one would listen to her opinions or ideas。 What place did a woman have in business？ Kunio Michita had given her the answer to that when he had ignored her idea for Tandom Polycarbon。 Again she had been betrayed by her sense of obedience。 And she realized in a thoroughly disheartening moment that she had always known what her place was in business； and at home。
Home？ What home？ Her childhood had been a cruel mockery； and her marriage an absolute sham。
She felt as if she had just awakened from a long dream； from a sojourn in a world where she must hold her tongue； underu…tilize her brain； instead look cool and beautiful； be the whipping girl for her bitter father； be an obedient automaton for Michita and a walking billboard for Eikichi。
Honno at last gathered the strength to look up at Big Ezoe。 〃Now I see there are worlds within worlds；〃 she said。 〃Like this private bower within the city。 And worlds within those worlds； like this koi pond within this bower。 Which is the real world？〃
Big Ezoe； sitting across the expanse of dark； lapping water； said； 〃You have just learned that lesson； Mrs。 Kansei。 There is no real world。 There is only your world。〃
FIVE
LLANO NEGRO
On a tree at the near edge of the llano negro； Tori discovered a series of carvings。 They were crude yet powerful。 They depicted a baby； a bent； old man； a man with no legs； a man nailed to a cross； a man with no eyes： a dead man。
〃What the hell does this mean？〃 Russell said。
〃Myth；〃 Estilo said。
〃I don't believe in myths；〃 Russell said； turning away。 He was scanning the immediate environment； a quadrant at a time。
Estilo said； ''Jorge Luis Borges； our most famous poet； wrote that myth is merely reality simplified to a point where it can be understood。〃
Russell turned around。 〃And you believe that？〃
Tori； ing up to Russell； said softly； 〃It's important to believe it here in the field。 Especially here in the jungle we don't know。 It's dangerous to assume that reality and myth are two separate entities； because out here they serve the same purpose。〃
〃Why do you always feel the need to show me how superior you are？'' Russell said。
〃Because；〃 Tori told him； 〃you're a man and I'm not。〃
〃So what？〃
〃So isn't that part of why you think I 'm unreliable？''
〃You're out of your mind。''
〃Am I ？〃
He looked at her for what seemed a long time。 〃It's getting late。〃
They pushed on past the carvings； through the trees and the encroaching underbrush； until they were swallowed up by llano negro； the black jungle。
Toward midday they paused for a break。 It was hideously hot and humid； and all of them were drenched in sweat。 They passed around food and water。 Russell said； 〃Estilo； what did those carvings signify？〃
Estilo grunted。 〃We are born； we age； are maimed； are punished for our sins； and die。〃 He chewed on some dried beans。 〃It was a warning； I suppose。 There is a great deal of superstition among the campesinos out here。 This is the edge of the world as they understand it。 The llano negro defines the boundary of what is known and what is unknown。〃
〃Who d'you think put the carvings there？〃 Russell said。
Estilo nodded in the direction they were headed。 〃Whoever this land belongs to。〃
〃Any idea who that might be？〃
〃Why speculate？〃 Estilo got up； dusted himself off。 〃We'll soon find out。〃
They set out again； and within the space of twenty minutes came to the bank of the Manacacias River。 It was brown； sluggish； muddy。 Downed trees； a forest of branches； clogged its flow； and it was not difficult； using these； to ford the water。
〃According to Cruz's flight jockey； the cocaine factory shouldn't be far now；〃 Russell said when they had gained the far shore。
〃Estilo；〃 Tori said quietly； 〃listen to me carefully。 Don't move。 And don't…don't…turn your head。'' She walked around so that Estilo could see her。 She could see Estilo's eyes opened wide with fear。 〃Look at me。 Look at me！ There's a stone beetle on you。〃
Estilo's lips barely moved。 〃Where？〃 He barely breathed it。
〃The base of your neck。〃
〃Tori。'' Estilo's eyes closed and a tiny tremor passed through him。
Tori could see he was praying。 She could also see； out of the corner of her eye； Russell walking up behind Estilo。 Without a word Tori reached out； caught him by the wrist just as he was about to pluck the stone beetle off Estilo。 It was very large； almost the length of her forefinger； blunt and ugly； its articulated carapace black and as shiny as chrome。
〃I'm just going to get it off him；〃 Russell said。
〃If you try it； Estilo will die。〃 Tori indicated the insect。 〃Do you see those forward pincers？ They're already buried in his flesh。 Even if you were fast enough； it would； at the point of death； reflexively release its poison。〃 She looked at him。 〃Do you know why this is called a stone beetle？ Its venom paralyzes the central nervous system of its prey。 It's as if they've turned to stone。〃
〃Just like Circe's gaze；〃 Russell said。 And when she did not answer； 〃I was thinking of the merging of myth and reality。〃 He looked at her。 〃What are we to do？ I have no experience with stone beetles。〃
〃There's only one way；〃 Tori said。 〃Don't move and； no matter what； don't make a sound。〃 She turned toward Estilo； contemplated the giant insect at the base of his neck。 It crouched there； dark and deadly。 She could see its pincers with their lethal poison embedded in Estilo。 She began to sweat。
She lifted her right hand and； separating her fingers； lowered the little finger toward the beetle's back。 When the long； curved nail was millimeters from the creature； she paused。 A tremor went through her； she knew she would have only one chance to paralyze the insect through the single chink in the armor of its carapace。 If she missed； if she used too little or too much force； Estilo would die。
Tori； too； said a little prayer。 She went into prana； extending her breathing； slowing down； allowing her wa； her intrinsic force； to expand； to explore the environment around her； and to wash away her apprehension and fear。 Then； with a soft exhalation； she slid her nail through the slit between the plates of the beetle's carapace。 There was some kind of obstruction； and she pushed on through it。 For an instant she panicked； thinking she had gone too far and； in its death spasm； the beetle would shoot its venom into Estilo's bloodstream。 Paralysis and death。 She took another deep breath。
In a moment she said； 〃Estilo； are you all right？〃
〃Get that thing off me； damnit！''
Tori almost laughed in relief。 The stone beetle was paralyzed。 She grasped its sides with her left hand and； making sure to keep her fingernail in place； pulled on the beetle。 She saw its pincers emerging from Estilo with agonizing slowness。 At last
the pincers were out。 In a blur Tori flung the insect away from them； into the underbrush。
〃It's gone。〃
〃Well done；〃 Estilo said； clapping Tori on the back。 Color was slowly returning to his face。 〃My God； that was too close by half。〃 He kissed Tori on both cheeks。
〃That was very impressive；〃 Russell said to Tori as they prepared to move out。
〃I didn't do it to impress you。''
〃Give it a break； okay？〃 he said。 〃What you did took a lot of guts； that's all I meant。〃
Russell walked away from her。 He took point。 He had gone over the terrain with Cruz's pilot； but he also must have pletely memorized the topographical map in the helicopter； because he had not needed to refer to it once they were on the ground。
〃This way；〃 he said； pointing into the emerald and black jungle； and they pushed on through the dense foliage。 Green light and darkness； shadows lying in layers； dense with mystery。 It was slow going because they needed silence more than speed now。 They could not afford to hack their way through with their machetes because the men guarding the factory would surely hear them ing。
They soon came to a huge tree。 Again there was a carving on it。 This time it was very large。 It showed a man bound upside down to what appeared to be some sort of circle。
〃The black wheel of death；〃 Estilo said。 〃Endless pain； eternal torment。〃
〃Another warning；〃 Russell said。 He took out his KA…BAR knife and； in three wide slices； gouged out the carving。 〃This time it's ours。〃
The first sign they had that they were close to their goal was a sight of an army patrol。 They were bivouacked in a small clearing in which a campesino's shack had been constructed。 There were twenty soldiers。
As the three of them crept closer to the perimeter they could see that groups of soldiers were taking turns going inside the shack。 It had been outfitted with a small generator； a TV and a VCR。 The soldiers were watching a videocassette of Apocalypse Now； absorbing several
