"And now, your answer, senor." "Do you realize you're a guest of Mexico?" "And still you are willing to abuse our hospitality with no explanation." " You are sure your name is Al Colby?" " Yes, I'm sure my name is Al Colby." "Resident of San Francisco, California." "Occupation, insurance adjuster... who made a big mistake of trying to collect a debt in Cuba." " And your business in Oaxaca?" " I was a tourist." "Does the tourist usually leave a trail of bodies throughout the country he visits?" " I wouldn't know." " And who does this gun belong to?" "And this one?" "Good afternoon, senores." " How do you do, Mr. Chavez?" " How do you do?" "Mr. Colby, we're from the United States Consul." "I understand that you've been refusing to discuss your recent activities." "Perhaps you'd rather talk to me about it first." "I have your permission, senores?" "Naturally, you can talk as much as you desire." "Thank you." "Suppose you start at the beginning, when you first came here." "You'd better, if you want any help." "All right." "Well, the whole thing started in Havana." "It seems like a long time ago." "Actually, it was only last week." "They say Havana is the Paris of the New World... but I was in no mood to appreciate the scenery... or the famous hotels." "And I was broke." " Any mail for me?" " No." " And you've been here five days." " Six, if you count today." "I'll settle for the $12.50 you owe me." "Manana, amigo." "The money." "Now!" "Maybe you didn't hear what I said." "Manana." "Without him, it's impossible to live." "Without him, I can't live." "His kisses..." "I can never forget." "And his laughter... will forever torment me." "It's useless... to try and resist." "Because without him, I can't live." " Juan." " Un momentito, Mr. Colby, it's coming." " Your boss around?" " No, he's at his own place." " Any mail for me?" " No, no mail." "The same old tired letter, that's all." "I'm getting a little tired myself." "Look, Juan, you don't suppose the boss might have lost it, do you?" "No, we lost a lot of customers here everyday, but we never lost a letter." " Too hot for me." "You want a drink?" " No, thanks, Juan." "Okay." " What's so funny?" " Your face, Mr. Colby." "A small child deprived of a toy." "It's not a toy, it's a check." "How did you know my name?" "Well, I could not help overhearing it." "Then you'll understand why I'm not offering you a drink." "Allow me to offer you one." " Juan?" " Senora." "The lady want you to have a drink with a big kick." "Something good for your nerves." " Not now." " Okay." "There are other things in Havana, Mr. Colby, that are... also good for the nerves." " Have you been here long?" " Long enough." "You don't like it?" "Yeah, well, I guess I'm supposed to, according to the travel folders." "Gateway to the Tropics, the turquoise blue, the Caribbean... the exotic scent of... whatever flowers have exotic scents." "Frangipani and night-blooming jasmine." "You've been reading the same guidebook." "That is about all." "I've been in Havana for three months, and I haven't been out after dark." " And what did you do before that?" " Does it matter?" "No, I guess not." "Well, if you have to know... my husband is an invalid, and he's very possessive." " But tonight he is out of the city and..." " I know." "You know, you're a very fast worker." "Yes, the trouble is, you got the wrong man." "I mean, you got the right man, it's the wrong time." "Well, would it be so wrong if I were to hire you as a guide?" "What's wrong with the local talent around here?" "And have them think I must hire escorts?" "Mr. Colby..." "I've been under lock and key for so long... and now at last I have a chance to do all the things I thought of." "Cocktails at the Nacional." "Dinner at El Patio." " Pelota at the Fronton." " That's quite a program." "I haven't even begun." "I would like to go dancing... and I'd like to visit the cantinas and see rumbas... like I've never seen them before, and then..." " if there is moonlight..." " Oh, there's moonlight." "In your head." "...a drive along the ocean." "You know, you're making it sound better and better." "Then what?" "Quién sabe?" "You know something?" "Quién sabe?" "That's what appeals to me most." "What did you say your name..." "You didn't..." " Anna Luz." " Anna Luz." " No last name?" " No." "You know I never thought I'd end up a gigolo." "But why not?" " When do we start?" " At once." "We will go home first." " So I can change my dress." " Oh." " That's the back door." " I know." "This is very nice, if you happen to be an Aztec mummy." "These are Zapotec relics." "Who's this, your husband?" "This is the great god Tacatecutla." "No wedding ring, no marks of one..." "Who are you?" "What is this?" " Look, whatever it is, I'm not buying." " Mr. Colby." "I wouldn't be so sure, not until you've heard my proposition." "I'll call you if I need you, Anna Luz." "You may go, too, José." "You must excuse me for arranging things this way, Mr. Colby... but I find it inconvenient to go out." "Well, maybe you can answer some questions I was asking your wife... or your daughter, or whoever she is." "Actually, Anna Luz is merely my nurse." "It was my fault she misled you." "I told her to persuade you to come here at whatever cost." "I have a business proposition for you." "I'm not interested." "I don't like the looks of this place... or you." "Would $1,000 alter your opinion of me?" "How did you know my name?" "I enquired of my friend, the proprietor of the bar you frequent." "He told me that you were reliable." "I must confess, he also told me that you were short of money." "Will you just drop the pedigree stuff and get down to business?" " Mr..." " Berrien." "Thomas Berrien." "Antiquarian." "I find your directness refreshing, so I will be equally direct." "A freighter, the Cinco de Mayo, leaves Havana for Mexico tomorrow." "I want you to take a small package onboard for me." "On landing, you will proceed immediately to... the Hotel del San Felipe... in the city of Oaxaca." "And there we will meet, and you will hand me back the package." "Here are the tickets, $100, and the package." "In Oaxaca, I will give you the other $900." " What's in the package?" " I am unable to tell you." " Well, don't you know?" " Yes, I know." " Narcotics, huh?" " Nothing of that kind." "I will tell you this much." "In the package is an antique." "It was exported illegally from Mexico and purchased by me." "I see." "You want me to smuggle it back and then you can say you found it there." "Exactly." "Why don't you do it yourself?" "I am too well known in Mexico." "My baggage and my person will be thoroughly searched." "But for you, an American tourist, there will be no trouble." "It must be pretty valuable for you to offer me $1,000." "Who can say?" " And what happens if I'm caught?" " It would be confiscated." "But you must not be caught, Mr. Colby." "You must not be caught." "It would mean the end of everything I..." "Will you do it, sir?" "Well, it's one way to get home." "Splendid." "I cannot tell you how much I..." "How much I..." "Let me do it." "Can I do something?" "I'm sorry." "I'll get the brandy." " These things happen very often?" " Too often." "One of them will kill me someday." "That is why I keep my mind occupied... with matters such as we were just discussing." " I have your promise to help me?" " I said I would." "There's one thing though." "I'm gonna need an advance of another $100." "There's a few debts I have to clear up here in Havana." " My proposition was $100, Mr. Colby." " And mine's $200." "And in 10 seconds it's going to be $300." "Very well." "Another $100." "See you onboard ship." "How about that evening we were discussing?" "That was not part of the bargain, Mr. Colby." "I'm sorry." "I'm sorry, too." "The next morning I traded the $200 for some traveler's checks... paid my bills... and found out that Berrien was almost what he said he was." "I packed my suitcase, and figured that the best way... to carry the package was to fasten it to my ribs with some adhesive tape." "After that, I boarded the freighter which was to take me to Mexico, as planned." "I was still short of breath... when she limped out of Havana at a fast eight knots." "Anna Luz, if that was her name... and my fat friend in the wheelchair were aboard." "But nobody seemed especially interested in me... except for the silken invitation to trouble who seemed to circle the deck... in search of shipboard trophies." "Raul." "Thank you." "You wouldn't like it." "Spoiled girl, too much dough." "Julie Barnes, by name." "Pittsburgh Steel, third generation." "That gent with her is Raul Cornejo." "On his way home from law school in the States." "He stopped by Havana to do a little rumba research with Miss Barnes." "You specialize in these thumbnail biographies?" "I had a drink with the purser this morning." "What do you have on me?" "Al Colby, San Francisco, period." "I'm Jefferson, an independent coffee broker, among other things." "What do you say to a drink?" "Yeah." "Why not?" "Turns out to be a small world, eh, Thomas?" "Much too small." "Would you like me to jump over the side, amigo?" "That's too much to expect." "Take me to my cabin." " Who was your friend?" " The name is Berrien." "He seemed kind of surprised to see you." "He should be." "It gave me a jolt to learn that Berrien and this character, Jefferson... knew each other and, apparently, hated each other's insides." "But that afternoon, I had another surprise coming." "Anna Luz with Jefferson." "What was her game?" "I like the English even better." ""For my heart, thy breast is enough" ""For thy liberty, my wings are enough"" "Go on." " Who is that?" " Colby." "Let him in." "Shut the door." "It was very unwise of you to come here, Mr. Colby." "I do a lot of unwise things." " You haven't lost the package?" " No." " You're sure?" " I'm sure." "Good, but you must be very careful." "There is a man onboard who would do anything to get it." "Jefferson?" " How did you know?" " Your face when you saw him." "I'm afraid of him." " Why?" " He is a crook." "Oh, really?" "Do you know something?" "Down in the bar, he said the same thing about you." " How much does she know about this?" " No more than you." "Then what was she doing talking to him all afternoon?" "Didn't you know?" "He asked me to have a drink, and I refused." "How come you took 10 minutes to turn him down?" "That will do, Mr. Colby." "Anna Luz is answerable only to me." "Look, this whole thing started out to be a very simple proposition, didn't it?" "Like me going down and putting a letter in the corner post-office box." "But now it appears somebody else is interested in this thing..." " and you don't bother to tell me about it." " I thought it better." "She spends all afternoon with this guy... you don't bother to tell me about that, either." " What else are you holding out on me?" " Nothing, Mr. Colby." "Come to my cabin." "I'm gonna turn that package back to you." " But your $800." " Keep it!" "$800." "I don't care if it's 10 times worth $800." "My neck's worth a lot more to me than that." "You and your penny-ante games." "Mr. Colby, you can't do this to me." "Even if I should succeed in evading Jefferson..." "I could never get the package through the customs." "You must help me." "I beg you." " How hard can you beg?" " What are your terms?" "Half of what the package brings." "But it's sheer robbery." "You can't be serious." " Aren't I?" " No, wait." "Twenty-five percent." "Fifty percent, and I'll give you the usual 10 seconds to make up your mind." "Well, it's blackmail, but..." "I have no choice, absolutely no choice." "We are partners in whatever the package brings." "Share and share alike." "Put it in writing." "Bring some paper, Anna Luz." "Al?" " What are you doing out here?" " Waiting for someone." " Want a taste?" " No, thanks." "Don't be stuffy." "It's wonderful." "It makes you feel so don't-careish." "I like well-built men." "I saw you sunbathing this afternoon." "Even with that bandage..." "You hurt me." "Raul!" "Help!" "For a while that night, I watched the ship tunnel a hole in the ocean." "It had been a good day." "I'd made three, maybe four bosom enemies... rejected a pass from a pretty blond... and latched onto a half-interest in a package that might contain... for all I know, some pages of an old Sears Roebuck catalog." "I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach that there was trouble ahead." "I went to my cabin, found that I was right." "I found something on the deck... a black hairpin." "I decided to parley a hairpin and a hunch into a little action." "What do you want?" "You have no business here." "Maybe not." "What do you got on under that robe?" "I said, what do you got on under that robe?" "Nothing." " Let's find out." " Are you crazy?" "This might be very embarrassing for both of us if I'm wrong." "Don't you touch me." "I figured you were dressed." "You've just been down searching my cabin." " Why would I go to your cabin?" " You wanted the package." "If I'd wanted the package, I would have taken it a long time ago." "Maybe you didn't know what it was a long time ago." "Maybe you just found out about it tonight." "I knew about it days ago." " All right, let's ask Berrien." " He's asleep." "Well, we'll wake him." "Berrien?" "Turn on the lights." "He's dead." "Go call the Captain." "I was afraid the body would spell trouble when we reached port... but the authorities knew about Berrien's bad-heart past." "They asked Anna Luz a couple of perfunctory questions... and let us go on into Oaxaca." "Berrien had told me to go to the Hotel San Felipe, and that's where I went." "I found a reservation had been made for me." "My immediate concern was to investigate the package thoroughly." "I wondered if it could be a diamond eye of an ancient idol... or maybe a Spanish treasure map." "There was one way of finding out." "But after I did, I didn't know any more than when I started." "Three pieces of parchment with some strange symbols... and a disk of carved jade." "Hello?" "Who?" "All right, I'll come over." "Mr. Colby." "How about a drink, amigo?" " No, thanks." " Well, at least let me introduce a friend." "He may prove useful to you." "Captain Bergman." "Mr. Colby." "Delighted, I'm sure." "Captain can get you anything you want in town, at a price." "You need something?" "Not now." " Senor Colby?" " Yes." "He says that the lady is waiting for you, amigo." "I know." " You want anything to drink?" " No." "Any food?" "No, thanks." "Maybe later on." "Thank you very much." "Is the package safe?" "I thought we'd agreed not to discuss the package." "I've come to pay you for it with the $800 you were promised." "Why should I give it to you?" "Because I am Mr. Berrien's daughter." "Can you prove it?" "I cannot prove it." "Why not?" "Because I..." "Because I'm illegitimate." "What's in the package?" " A manuscript." " How many pages?" "I was asking you how many pages are in the manuscript." " Twelve." " Anything else?" "No, nothing." "Now, please accept your money, and give it to me." "No, I don't think I should." "Because there weren't 12 pages, and there was something else." "It was a piece of carved jade." "And because you're a liar." "I must have it." "Please." "I'll give you $2,000." "It's all I have." " Still you won't tell me what it is." " I've told you, I cannot." "Well, I'm sorry." "The answer is still, "No."" "Can you tell me where it was found?" "No, my friend didn't say... but this was with it." "You see?" "Even more remarkable." "Also of the same era." "This writing is Zapotec." "Or, rather, a mixture of Zapotec and Spanish." "Dating, I would say, without reservation... from the time of the Spanish conquest." " Can you tell me what it says?" " The Spanish, perhaps." "But it would certainly take an expert or a specialist to decipher the other." "Well, do you know an expert or a specialist?" " You have more of these?" " No, this is the only one, right here." "If you would be willing to leave it here..." "No, I'm sorry." "You see, this only partially belongs to me." "There is a man who should be in Oaxaca today..." "Thomas Berrien." "Is he the only one?" "There is, of course, Ulbaldo Navarro." "He has the largest private collection in Mexico at the moment." "And where can I find him?" "If he is not at his house... you will probably find him working at the ruins of Monte Alban or Mitla." "Mitla, what's that?" "I see you're not an authority on our ancient civilizations." "We in Mexico are very proud of them." "But if you're interested..." "I advise to purchase a copy of Old Civilizations of Mexico... by the American archeologist, Marco S. Roberts." "You took your time in getting here." " Did I?" " Where have you been?" "I've been out buying a book." "Here it is, Old Civilizations of Mexico." "Good idea, because you're going to have plenty of leisure time... for reading from now on." " How did you get in here?" " That's a trade secret." "Where is the package?" "Package?" "What package?" "Come on now, pal." "Don't stall me." "You've got it." "I know, because it wasn't in Berrien's cabin." "Did you kill Berrien?" "Now that's a stupid question." "But it so happens that he was dead when I found him." "Either that or he passed out when you pointed that thing at him." "If you want to believe that, that's perfectly all right by me." "Come on, unload her." "And be careful with your hands." "Thanks." "Did you make anything of it?" "No, I figured I'd be able to find somebody who could." "You did." "You know, I should bounce you around a little bit... just in case you've got any ideas of trying to take it back." "But I'm a softhearted lug." "Softhearted, that is... till somebody tries to cross me." "Adiós, amigo." "I still didn't know what I'd inherited from Berrien... but it had all the earmarks of something stamped:" ""Dynamite." "Handle with care."" "I had to hang on to it long enough to find out what it said... and yet if I hung too long, somebody, Anna Luz or Jefferson... or maybe the government, was bound to snatch it away." "And the only solution seemed to be a roll of infrared film... and a couple of positive copies." "Bit of sightseeing, Mr. Colby?" "You seem to be doing some yourself." "Well, I did happen to notice you in Valentino's shop... and it occurred to me we might be of assistance to one another." "How?" "I am, to be frank, a bit hard-pressed at the moment." "Certain payments failed to arrive." "No, not a loan, my friend." "I haven't come to that, not yet." "An exchange." "Money for services rendered, now or later." "I don't need any services rendered, now or later." "Come now, no man is sufficient unto himself." "Says that in the Bible somewhere." "I suppose you are bound for the ruins." "Now how would you suppose that?" "Every visitor here goes to the ruins." "And to see them properly, you'll need a guide." "I've got one." "If you're interested in feminine companionship..." "Then I'll dig up my own." "No offense, Mr. Colby." "Just a thought." "But should you need a trustworthy friend in any line of endeavor..." " Captain Bergman, at your service." " Vamonos, Pedro." "I went first to the ancient city of Monte Alban." "I climbed the steps of the pyramids." "I walked through the courtyards and the temples." "I marveled at the fact that a cultured people had lived here... 1,500 years before the Christian era." "I looked into doorways where ancient kings and priests had trod." "I could feel the cold wind slide over my back." "A thousand unseen, hostile eyes watching me." "I felt like getting rid of the manuscript and running." "Maybe I should... while there was still time." "That's how those old temples hit me, the first time I saw them." "These were, literally, doorways into the past." "On my way to my room, I ran into a couple of other items from the past." "I wondered what they were doing sitting there so close to my door." "I was tempted to question them, but I didn't." "I had work to do." "It wasn't the brightest scheme in the world... but it was the best thing I could think of at the moment." "Two hundred and seventeen words in the manuscript." "I carved off each symbol with a razor blade... and listed them in their correct position in what I called a master list." "Then I put a fake number beside the real ones... so that only I'd be able to tell where they really belonged." "Maybe somebody could put them in their right order again... but without the master list... it would take a genius with a lot of time on his hands." "One set, I put in my shoe for safekeeping... and the other in an envelope." "I stuck the master list in with some writing paper in the desk drawer... acting on the old Edgar Allan Poe theory... that the safest hiding place was the most obvious." "Are you the senor that sent a message to Senor Navarro?" "Yeah, that's right." "Well, his boy says he won't come home until night." " Okay, thank you very much." " You're welcome." "Are you going to stay in your room all day?" "I didn't know you cared." "I decided to forgive and forget." "I didn't know it was that dull around here." "You don't know." "What about your boyfriend?" "Didn't you hear me?" "I said, "What about your boyfriend?"" "Well, that's a long story." "What've you got there?" "It's pictures of pretty girls in bathing suits." "You can do better than that." "Let me see." "That's the second time you've hurt me." "That's right." "I'll bet you beat your women." "When they need it." "Where are you going?" "Going down to the hotel office to put this in a safe place." "Then I might take a look at the ruins." "Let me go with you." "Please." "All right." "Yeah, they sure like to have the dredging concession around here." "Why?" "Here's one of their sacrificial wells." " So?" " See that platform up there?" "For about 500 years, the priests used to throw maidens right off the top... and they'd drop them in here." "I wouldn't like that." "Well, I don't think you'd have been in any danger." "What would you do with a dredged-up maiden?" "Probably strip all the jewelry off her." "They used to load them down... with gold and jade before they gave them the deep six." "That place is probably loaded with treasure." "How do you know all this?" "I used to watch them jump." "This is where they played a game sort of like basketball." "See, up along the sides there, that's were the people sat." " Are you really interested in all this?" " Why do you think I came here?" "I think you're up to something." "They'd have two teams and a rubber ball... and instead of a basket, they used a ring right in the center, there." "I saw you go into the nurse's cabin just before the old man died." "That makes it twice you saw me." "If one of the players scored... the others had to give him their clothes." "I bet you'd like to know who I saw her with today." "Who?" "I thought that would interest you." "Who was she with?" "At last I've got something you want, mystery man." "Which means you're going to be very nice to me." "Colby." "Colby." "What's that?" "Colby." "What do you want?" "I'd like to talk to you." "What about?" "Tell that female to beat it." "Tell her to get out of here first, then I'll talk to you." "I really will." "I've got something interesting to say to you." "Take the car and go back to the hotel." "I will not, just when things are getting interesting." "Will you do what I say?" " All right, if you'll promise to meet me." " I promise." "Come on, let's go." "How do you like the acoustics here?" "They tell me... that you can hear a pin drop from one end of the court to the other." "What do you want to talk about?" "I'm not going to waste any words." "Could you hand it over without a fuss, or do I have to take it from you?" "You know something?" "I forgot what I did with them." "Perhaps I can help you to remember." "You're playing with grownups now, junior." "How do you like that package you got?" "I see that I underestimated you, amigo." "Otherwise, I wouldn't have led with my right." "Let's make a deal, huh?" "I'll give you $5,000 for it." "It isn't mine to sell." "It isn't anybody's." " You just happen to have it." " Yeah, I still don't know what it is." "A manuscript." "Yeah, sure." "But of what?" "Turistas!" "Let's get away from these clowns." "Here." "Right here is where the warriors used to rip out their victims' hearts." "You seem to know an awful lot about this." "I was a sort of an archeologist once, but I got disbarred." "You know, there's a man in Oaxaca... who can decipher the writings they used to use around here." "Not Navarro." "You're not going to Navarro, are you?" "Why not?" "He's a worse crook than Berrien ever was." "He would tell you it's a recipe for apple strudel... or the laundry list of the high priest... and you would never even know the difference." "Yes, I will, the way I'm going to give it to him." "How are you going to give it to him?" "Well, that's a trade secret... like opening hotel doors." "He'll piece it together, no matter what you do." "Look, why don't you sell it to me, huh?" "Or come in with me, and I'll give you half." "Two days alone with that manuscript and I could lead you to..." "To what?" "Why should I tell you?" " I might cut you in on it." " Half?" "First, I'd want to know what half is." "Well, back in 1562... the Spaniards put a torch to every native manuscript... they could lay their hands on." "All, that is, except four codices." "Now, these are writings in which..." "Spanish letters are used to express native symbols." "Now, three of them have been found." "Here's more tourists." "Come on." "I'll take you over to Mitla." "This is the burying place of the Zapotecan kings and priests." "It was a city in itself and inhabited right up to the time of the conquistadores." "And here's the church the Spaniards built when they arrived." "Right on the ruins of a Zapotecan temple." " What happened to the Zapotecs?" " Nobody knows." "But because of these previous wars, they had built long tunnels underground." "Then, when they were defeated this last time, they took to these tunnels... sealing themselves up in a mass sacrifice... leaving everything behind them... their lives, their temples, their gods, their treasures." "Now, this fourth codice is the Book of the Tiger Priests." "A dozen pages listing... the hiding places of the treasure the Spaniards never found." " How many pages?" " Twelve." "You ought to know." "For 400 years, nobody ever heard of them... until some fool in Cuba wrote the museum in Oaxaca... saying that he'd come across a strange parchment... and a piece of carved jade which might interest them." "While the museum was fooling around trying to make up its mind..." "Berrien got wind of it and so did I, but too late." "The Cuban was sorry, but he'd already sold it for $5,000." "Well, that cinched it for me, because I knew right then... that there was only one manuscript that Berrien would give that much money for." "So I took out after him, followed him aboard the Cinco de Mayo... and the rest you know." "Yeah, the rest I know." "So you killed him?" "You asked me that question yesterday." "You still haven't told me what it's worth." "More that you and I could count in 1,000 years." "$10 million, $50 million, nobody knows how much." "Gold and silver and jade." "Make a deal with me, Colby." "Half, and I'm your man." "I can translate that manuscript... and I can get the stuff out of the country." "How about it?" "I'll think it over... carefully." "The thing didn't really hit me until I got back to the hotel." "The Book of the Tiger Priests." "Twelve pages of parchment suddenly bobbing up after 350 years." "They'd be after what I had, the three pages... a quarter of the total." "Suppose it was only $10 million, altogether." "A quarter of that was $2.5 million." "I tried to imagine what $1 million in gold looked like." " You said you'd be right back." " I did?" "You call two hours "right back"?" "I don't like being stood up." " I didn't stand you up." " Yes, you did." "You stood me up, because you think I'm a tramp." " I don't think you're a tramp." " Yes, you do... 'cause I am." "I'm a tramp and everybody knows it." "Julie the tramp." "What's a lady have to do to get a cigarette around here?" "That's better." "What were you talking to that fellow about?" "Nothing." "You can't kid Julie." "I listened." "Did you hear anything interesting?" " You've got something he wants." " What?" "I couldn't hear 'cause you moved away." "But I know where it is, mystery man." " Where?" " It's in the hotel safe." "I saw you put it there, remember?" "Give me another drink." " You don't want anything more to drink." " Yes, I do." "I want lots more." "Then we'll go out and have some fun." "Look, instead of that, suppose we go to your room, huh?" "What for?" "Well, for one thing, we can have a little privacy." "You can't kid Julie." " Privacy, period." " Yeah, sure, I know." "Come on, let's go." "Come on, let's go." "I always knew you went for me." "I need a man like you around." "I get lonely all by myself." "I've always been lonely." "Kiss me, mystery man." "Come here." "Now, take a good look at yourself." "Who'd wanna kiss that?" "Senor Colby." "I've been waiting a long time for you." "I'm sorry, the price has gone up a couple of thousand times." "I've offered all the money I have." "Hey, why did you lie to me about being Berrien's daughter?" "I did it because of my guardian." "You see, I am adopted." "Because of your guardian, you took a job as Berrien's nurse, is that it?" "Yes." "He wants the manuscript, too." "It is an obsession with him." "Who is your guardian?" "I am afraid I cannot tell you now." "If you're legally free of him, why don't you just leave him?" "Have you never had a debt... which was not legal, but which you felt you had to pay?" "He's been very kind to me, perhaps a little too kind... and now he wants me to marry his son." " And you don't want to?" " No." "That's why I want to try and help him get the manuscript." "I would like to repay him in some other way." "He's been so very good to me." "Do you know something?" "I don't know, but for the first time, I think you're telling me the truth." "Yes, I am." "Please believe me." "I believe you." " Then, please understand." " And I understand." "But it's still no sale." "Thank you." " Senor Navarro?" " Yes?" "What can I do for you, senor?" "The curator of the museum said you might be able to help me." "I have a Zapotec manuscript that I'd like to have translated." "I would be glad to look at it." "Now, there's only one thing I'll have to tell you." "You won't know what it says." " What do you mean?" " I don't have the original manuscript." "I just have the photographs of the words, out of order." "Impossible." "Without knowing the sentence structure, nobody could make a translation." "You could tell me what each word meant... without seeing the whole sentence, couldn't you?" " Possibly, but..." " Well, I'll put the words together myself." "Is the document so secret, then?" "A guide to lost treasure, perhaps?" "Perhaps." "There are hundreds of such documents, senor." "Any seller of antiques can sell you one for a few pesos." "Yes, I know, but I'd still like to have this one translated." "Now, how long would it take you to do it?" "By tomorrow evening." " And how much would you charge?" " Puzzles are another of my interests." "But perhaps you could do one thing." "I need some dollars to cover the cost of something I'm buying in the States." "It would save me a trip to the capital if you could sell me some." " How many would you need?" " The bill will be close to $100." "I don't carry that many American dollars with me." " No traveler's checks?" " Yes, I do have those." " I bring you the pesos." " All right." "I hope you know what you're doing with Navarro." " He's nobody's fool, you know." " So you told me." "You know, it's awfully decent of you to worry about me so much." "I got a piece of you, amigo." " That's what you think." " Look... why don't you take me in as a friendly partner?" "Whether you like it or not, I'm going to be your partner." " You hope." " I know." "The lady wishes to see you, senor." " Where?" " Over there." " You want a laugh?" " What about?" "The way you win friends." "Me, Raul, Jefferson." "How to Make Enemies and Disgust People." " What happened to your friend?" " He couldn't stand the sight of you." "You think you're so smart, don't you?" "So smart and so superior." "You're not smart, you're dumb." " All right, so I'm dumb." " You don't know how dumb." " Who do you think Raul is?" " Who?" "Navarro's son." "That got you, didn't it?" "I haven't even started yet." "Do you want to know something else?" "Your precious magazine and whatever was in it, is gone." "I'd like the envelope I left in the safe this afternoon." "But I gave it to your messenger not 20 minutes ago." " That was what your note said to do." " I didn't send any note." "But... this is your signature." "I compared it with the register." ""Please deliver to the bearer, the article you keep for me in the safe." "Al Colby."" "Your face." "I wish I had a mirror to show it to you." "You told Raul." "I would have told anybody, just to see your face." "You're wondering about the signature, aren't you?" "Remember the traveler's checks you signed?" "Remember?" "This makes up for everything." "Senor Colby." "I've come for my manuscript." " You can prove title to it?" " I can prove title to half of it... which is enough to charge you with theft and forgery." "You smuggled it out of one country and into another... twice breaking the law." "My father could, if he cared to... have the government confiscate it and jail you." "And, finally, you have forced your way into this house like a common felon." " I could shoot you now." " See how foolish you are, senor?" "I'll tell you how foolish I am." "I don't think for a minute... that you'd turn me or the manuscript over to the government... 'cause you want it for yourselves." "I'll tell you something else." "You can't afford to have a dead stranger lying around this place... somebody whose traveler's checks... have already been recorded as being sold to you." "And as for that gun you say you're carrying, I don't believe you..." "Senor Colby, I think you'd better leave now." "Well, I seem to be slightly outnumbered at the moment." "That was quite a story you fed me, Anna Luz." "It was the truth." " And I'm sorry we had to be enemies..." " Get out, Colby." "Well, don't think it hasn't been interesting." "Try his shoes." "Well, well." "If it isn't amigo, the India rubber man." "On the bounce again?" "Look, if it's a rematch you want... why don't you wait a couple of years, maybe you'll grow up." "Did you ever see that those... pieces you've got there..." "They're not gonna do you any good." "See, you gotta have the master list." " You see these numbers..." " Don't touch..." "How did you like the rematch, amigo?" " You had enough?" " Yeah." "How long will it take you to translate those pieces?" " Why?" " Navarro's got the original." " Damn it, I told you..." " Never mind what you told me." "We can still beat him if we work fast." "Half." "Yeah, half." "Okay." "Okay." "Send down for some coffee, about five gallons." " What time is it?" " Twenty to 12:00." "Fourteen hours and 10 minutes." " You finished?" " Yeah." "Yeah, but I sure wish I had the other nine pages." " That's no good." " Oh, it's good." "It's good, all right." "But it seems to be right out of the middle." "Inventory of stuff hidden in one place, but no directions... directions to another place, but no inventory." "What's in the inventory?" "It's here." "Here." ""Plate, to the extent of 50 arrobas." ""Silver, in bars and worked." ""Footwear and mantles of gold beads in the house of the high priest." ""lmages of the warrior gods in jade." ""lmages of the snakes, and lizards, and birds in gold." ""lmages of the maize plant in gold and silver." ""Flower pieces of gold and turquoise." ""Six heavy vases of gold embossed with serpents." ""All this from the report of the prince who was afterwards..." ""put to the torture by the Spaniards..." ""and died without speaking."" "No directions." "No directions." "Then comes this:" ""At Mitla..." ""in the burial place of the kings and the priests..." ""and in the chamber of the high priest..." ""11 paces in the direction faced by Ahua Can..." ""to the god of death." ""Then to where he watches on the wall of the tiger men..." ""there, the stone block will topple when the key is removed." ""In the chamber, 36 finely-wrought gold..."" " Go on." " That's all there is." "But it's enough." "If it's anything like the other list... we're going to make $1 million." "Then, there's the other nine pages..." " Are you sure Berrien didn't have them?" " No, he didn't take them out of Cuba." "Then we have to go back." "I'll talk to the Cuban and ask him where he found the other three pages he had." " Even with one more page..." " What about Navarro?" "Oh, yeah." "Yeah, Navarro." "We've got to move tonight to Mitla." "The snakes' tomb was there." "I don't remember any tiger men, though." "We'll have to search the place thoroughly." "How are we going to do that without somebody getting suspicious?" "Colby." "We got company, amigo." "Navarro's little boy and Julie." "What are they doing here?" "They're all right." "They're following the tourists." "Let's go." "This is the chamber of the high priest." "Let's see now." ""11 paces in the direction faced by Ahua Can, to the god of death."" "According to the book, Ahua Can is in the north wall." "Well, that'd be on this side, here." "What does this Ahua Can look like?" "Looks like a serpent." "This must be it, here, then." " Yeah, that's it." " Facing that way." "Let's see now, 11 paces." "One, two, three, four... five, six, seven, eight... nine, ten, eleven." " There's nothing here." " What about this, here?" " No, that's not it." " Maybe you made a mistake." "I didn't make any mistake." "Remarkable, isn't it?" "Of course, I can't understand a word of Spanish, you know." "But he sounds so lyrical." "Busy little people, weren't they?" "Wait a minute, maybe she's got something there." "Little people, little steps." "One, two, three... four, five, six... seven, eight, nine... ten, eleven." "Is that it?" "The god of death." ""Then to where he watches on the wall of the tiger men..." ""there, the stone block will topple when the key is removed."" " It's that wall over there." " Yeah." " I don't see anything, do you?" " No." " You've discovered this, too, have you?" " Discovered what?" "This room, of course, is the most interesting of all." "I simply must have a picture of this for Joe." "You know, Joe is my husband, and he gave me this new camera." "It's the kind that goes 'round curves." "I'm not too well-acquainted with it." "I think you'd look awfully good 'round a curve." "Now, let me see." "Yes, that's about right." "That's it." "Now, you don't really mind, do you?" "Yes." "Yes, I do." "Well, really." "Looks like this place is going to be crowded all day." "We'll come back later tonight." "I know a Nicaraguan who lives near here." "Tacho Barraza." "We'll get everything we want." "Pickaxes, shovels, burros..." "We need burros to get our stuff out of here." "Yeah, if we find it." "It's getting kind of late." "Tacho will be along any minute now." "I wonder what Julie and Raul were doing at the ruins." "If I were to tell you, I'd have to wash my mouth out with soap." "You know, that might not be such a bad idea, anyway." "All right, forget it." "I got the jitters, gold fever." "Gold butterflies in my stomach, gold spots in front of my eyes." "I'm ready, senor." ""Then to where he watches on the wall of the tiger men."" "Maybe this wall here, but there's no tiger men... no symbol of any kind." "You look for the tiger men, senor?" "That's right." "But they are gone." "Some men from Mexico City took them, about 10 or 15 years ago." "The whole block of stone?" "No, with chisel." "They chip all the front." " Where?" " Here, I'll show you." "Here." "Give me that crowbar." "It's kind of loose." "Iguana, solid jade." "They used to use them as watch dogs." "And look at this." "Worth $20,000 in any museum." "Come on, let's get it out of here." "Tacho." "Well, I guess this just about finishes it." "You're so right, smart guy." "It does." "Adiós, amigo." "At first, there was blackness... blackness of a grave with the weight of the entire earth on my chest." "And then came light... gray, fog-like streamers of light... that gave me glimpses of a world without sense... without time." "Berrien was there, laughing that fat laugh of his... and Julie, laughing... and Anna Luz..." "Was she trying to double-cross me?" "Navarro, what was his game?" "And Bergman, always repulsive." "And Jefferson, who had finally put it over on smart me." "And the mask... what did the mask have to do with it all?" "You are all right." "You are in Senor Navarro's house." "He asked you to stay here until you recovered." "Your wound is not bad... but you bled a lot... and you had several transfusions." "That mask you were carrying deflected two of the bullets." "Where's Jefferson?" "We do not know." "All we know is that he went back to Tacho's house... and could not start the car." "After that, he disappeared." "You must have made plans to take the treasure out of the country." "The only plans I had were... to turn the treasure over to the museum for the reward." "Senor... if you can help us in any way to recover the treasure..." "I can assure you Mexico will be grateful." "Now go back to sleep." "I will stay with you." "What are you doing here?" "I've been helping." "I know what you think of me, but that doesn't matter now." "After that awful afternoon, I wanted to get even with you." " But I didn't want you to get shot." " What's that?" "I gave a blood transfusion." " lf you need anything, just ring that bell." " Come back here." "Sit down." "Julie, I know I was a little rough with you... but I was just trying to show you something." "I haven't had a drink since." "A drink's all right... just so it doesn't take you in the wrong direction." "What's the right direction for me?" "Marrying the right guy." "I already picked him, but it won't work." "Who, Raul?" "Well, he does like me." "He's the kind of man I need, I think... somebody to boss me around." "But his father thinks I'm no good... and, besides, he wants him to marry Anna Luz." "But she doesn't want to marry him, and he doesn't want to marry her." "And I do want to marry him." "And he wants to marry me, I think." "But down here, they have to do what his father says... and it's all so mixed up and hopeless." "Maybe it isn't so hopeless." "I'll see about your lunch." "We are quite sure he's still around here." "He must know the police are watching all the roads." "Who notified the police?" "My father did." "I would have done anything, it is true, to have made the discovery." "And now Senor Navarro would give anything... to have the treasure where it really belongs:" "in the National Museum." "Well, I'm glad to hear that, 'cause you're going to have to give quite a lot." " What?" " Two things." "The discovery reward, and Anna Luz's freedom." "The reward is paid by the government... and I do not know what you mean by her freedom." "She knows that you want her to marry your son... and she'll do it, because she feels that she owes it to you." "Anna Luz... is my home and my son so hateful to you?" "No, not hateful at all." "But it's true that I do not want to marry Raul." "I have loved you as my daughter." "And I love you as a father." "I will do anything you wish... but Raul does not want to marry me, either." "Raul?" "It's true, Father." "You are free to do as you wish." "All right, now, in order to find Jefferson..." "I'm going to have to have some kind of an automobile." " We will get one." " Thank you." "No, no, senor." "Jefferson would not show himself, even if he was still in Oaxaca." "I'm not looking for Jefferson here." "Come on, let's go." "Senor... you have been asking for a certain man?" "That's right." "Then perhaps I could take you to him." "How much do you want?" "Fifty pesos." "That's the museum storehouse." "That's what I figured." " Jefferson." " Who is it?" "Bergman." "Let me in." "What happened to you?" "Colby tried to kill me." "Colby?" " You're out of your mind." " No." "He's alive." "He followed me everywhere." "That guy must have nine lives." "What's that?" "The electricity." "You know that always happens when we have a storm here." " Come on, tell me about Colby." " My shoulder." "I'm bleeding to death." "Okay, okay, I'll fix it." "If Colby's around..." "I better get those sacks out of here first." "Leave them alone, Jefferson." "They're right where they belong." "Well, you got to admit it was a good try, amigo." "That's right." "It was a good try." "$1 million... you're throwing it right into the lap of the government." "Turn around." "Well, I guess that's the whole story." "What do you think I'll get?" "Anything short of life, and you're in luck." " What happened to Bergman?" " He'll live." "Even though they don't bring a murder charge..." " there's a half a dozen other crimes..." " Senor Colby..." "I've just been given some documents bearing on your case." "Your archeological permit, dated five days ago." "Your discovery reward... a draft for $25,000... and a statement of Senor Navarro... of your doings together on behalf of Mexico." "You've been speaking to Senor Navarro?" "To Senor Navarro, and several others." "We have decided, in view of the documents, to release you." "Provided you are willing to leave Oaxaca." "Look, I'm willing to leave Oaxaca, just get me an airplane ticket out of here." "That's already been secured." "As well as a car to take you to the airport." "Will you come with us?" "Look, just one thing, though." "There's a couple of people I'd like..." " to look up if you don't mind, one in..." " You better go, Colby." "You see?" "I kept my word, Mr. Colby." " I'm grateful." " I'm pleased." "Because there is something I'd like to ask you." "Were there more than three pages of the manuscript?" "No, was there supposed to be more?" "I merely wondered." "Good luck, senor." "Where is Anna Luz?" "I would rather not discuss the matter." "Your plane is waiting, senor." "Hey, look, there's a phone booth right over there." "Do you mind if I make a very important call?" "I'm sorry." "Don't push your luck, Colby." "They might change their minds." "Yeah." "All right." " Su nombre, por favor, senor." " AI Colby." "What did Don Ulbaldo want?" "What are you doing here?" "I'm flying to Havana." "I'm going to try and find the man... who has the other nine pages to the manuscript." "You mean, you're willing to chase all over Cuba with me?" "She says to fasten your safety belt."