按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
cs； with some drawings of leaves and flowers in the margins。 It looked vaguely familiar。 Tom wondered where he had seen it before。
〃Writing was invented only three times independently in the history of the human race。 Mayan hieroglyphics was one of them。〃
〃My Mayan reading skills are a little rusty。 What does it say？〃
〃It describes the medicinal qualities of a certain plant found in the Central American rainforest。〃
〃What does it do？ Cure cancer？〃
Sally smiled。 〃If only。 The plant is called the K'ik'…te； or blood tree。 This page describes how you boil the bark； add ashes as an alkali； and apply the paste as a poultice to a wound。〃
〃Interesting。〃 Tom handed the sheet back to her。
〃It's more than interesting： It's medically correct。 There's a mild antibiotic in the bark。〃
They were now on the slickrock plateau。 A pair of coyotes howled mournfully in a distant canyon。 They had to go single file now。 Sally rode behind while Tom listened。
〃That page es from a Mayan codex of medicine。 It was probably written around 800 A。D。； at the height of the Classic Maya civilization。 It contains two thousand medical prescriptions and preparations； not just from plants but from everything in the rainforest…insects； animals； and even minerals。 There may in fact be a cure for cancer in there； or at least some types of cancer。 Professor Clyve asked me to locate the owner and see if I couldn't arrange for him to translate and publish the codex。 It's the only plete Mayan codex known。 It would be a stunning cap to his already distinguished career。〃
〃And for yours； too； I imagine。〃
〃Yes。 Here's a book that contains all the medicinal secrets of the rainforest； accumulated over centuries。 We're talking about the richest rainforest in the world； with hundreds of thousands of species of plants and animals…many still unknown to science。 The Maya knew every plant； every animal； everything in that rainforest。 And everything they knew went into this book！〃
She trotted her horse alongside him。 Her loose hair spilled and swung as she caught up。 〃Do you realize what this means？〃
〃Surely；〃 said Tom； 〃medicine has advanced a long way from the ancient Maya。〃
Sally Colorado snorted。 〃Twenty…five percent of all our drugs originally came from plants。 And yet； only one…half of one percent of the world's 265；000 plant species have been evaluated for their medicinal properties。 Think of the potential！ The most successful and effective drug in history…aspirin…was originally discovered in the bark of a tree used by natives to cure aches and pains。 Taxol； an important anti…cancer drug； also es from tree bark。 Cortisone es from yams； and the heart medication digitalis es from foxglove。 Penicillin was first extracted from mold。 Tom； this codex could be the greatest medical discovery ever。〃
〃I see your point。〃
〃When Professor Clyve and I translate and publish this codex； it will revolutionize medicine。 And if that doesn't convince you； here's something else。 The Central American rainforest is disappearing under the loggers' saws。 This book will save it。 The rainforest will suddenly be worth a lot more standing up than cut down。 Drug panies will pay those countries billions in royalties。〃
〃No doubt keeping a tidy profit themselves。 So what's this book got to do with me？〃
A full moon was now rising over the Hobgoblin Rocks； painting them silver。 It was a lovely evening。
〃The Codex belongs to your father。〃
Tom stopped his horse and looked at her。
〃Maxwell Broadbent stole it from a Mayan tomb almost forty years ago。 He wrote to Yale asking for help in translating it。 But Mayan script hadn't been cracked then。 The man who got the letter assumed it was a fake and shoved it in an old file without even answering。 Professor Clyve found it forty years later。 He instantly knew it was real。 No one could fake Mayan script forty years ago for the simple reason that no one could read it。 But Professor Clyve could read it： He's the only man on earth； in fact； who can read Mayan script fluently。 I've been trying to reach your father for weeks； but he seems to have dropped off the face of the earth。 So finally in desperation I tracked you down。〃
Tom stared at her in the gathering twilight； and then he began to laugh。
〃What's so funny？〃 she asked hotly。
Tom took a deep breath。 〃Sally； I've got some bad news for you。〃
When he had finished telling her everything； there was a long silence。 Sally said； 〃You've got to be joking。〃
〃No。〃
〃He had no right！〃
〃Right or not； that's what he did。〃
〃So what are you going to do about it？〃
Tom sighed。 〃Nothing。〃
〃Nothing？ What do you mean； nothing？ You're not giving up your inheritance； are you？〃
Tom didn't answer at once。 They had reached the top of the plateau； and they paused to look at the view。 The myriad canyons running down to the San Juan River were etched like dark fractals into the moonlit landscape； beyond； he could see the yellow cluster of lights of the town of Bluff and； at the edge of town； the cluster of buildings that made up his modest veterinary practice。 To the left the immense stone vertebrae of b Ridge rose up； ghostly bones in the moonlight。 It reminded him all over again of why he was here。 In the days following the shock of learning what his father had done with their inheritance； he had picked up one of his favorite books： Plato's Republic。 He read once again the passages on the myth of Er； in which Odysseus was asked what kind of existence he would choose in his next life。 What had the great Odysseus； warrior； lover； sailor； explorer； and king； chosen to be？ An anonymous man living in some out…of…the way corner； 〃disregarded by the others。〃 All he wanted was a life of peace and simplicity。
Plato had approved。 And so did Tom。
That； Tom reminded himself； was why he had originally e to Bluff。 Life with Maxwell Broadbent as a father was impossible： a never…ending drama of exhortation； challenge； petition； criticism； and instruction。 He had e here to escape； to find peace； to leave all that behind。 That； and of course； Sarah。 Sarah： His father had even tried to select their girlfriends…disastrously。
He ventured a glance at Sally。 A cool night breeze was stirring her hair； and her face was turned into the moonlight； her lips slightly parted in pleasure and awe at the stupendous view。 One hand lay on her thigh； her slender body resting lightly in the saddle。 God； she was beautiful。
He angrily pushed that out of his mind。 His life was now pretty much how he wanted it。 He hadn't managed to bee a paleontologist…his father had scotched that…but being a vet in Utah was the next best thing。 Why screw it up？ He'd been down that road before。 〃Yes；〃 he finally responded。 〃I'm giving it up。〃
〃Why？〃
〃I'm not sure I can explain it。〃
〃Try。〃
〃You have to understand my father。 All my life； he tried to control everything my two brothers and I did。 He managed us。 He had big plans for us。 But no matter what I did； what any of us did； it was never good enough。 We were never good enough for him。 And now this。 I'm not going to play his game any longer。 Enough is enough。〃
He paused； wondering why he was telling her so much。
〃Go on；〃 she sai