Read Online City of the Beasts by Isabel Allende - Free Book Online
Authors: Isabel Allende
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region and discussing preparations for the journey. Professor Leblanc, somewhat recovered from his exhaustion, was with them. He had covered himself from head to foot with insect repellent, and had hired an Indian named Karakawe to fan him constantly with a banana leaf. Leblanc demanded that the expedition set off for the Upper Orinoco the very next morning, because he could not waste time in this insignificant little village. He had only three weeks to trap the strange jungle creature, he said.
"For years now, no one has been able to do that, Professor," César Santos pointed out.
"It will have to show up soon, because I am scheduled to give a series of lectures in Europe," Leblanc replied.
"I am sure the Beast will respect your timetable," said the guide, but the professor showed no sign of having caught the irony.
Kate had told her grandson that the Amazon was a dangerous place for anthropologists, because they tended to lose their reason. They invented contradictory theories and fought among themselves with guns and knives. Some of them tyrannized tribes and ended up believing they were gods. One of them, totally mad, had to be taken back to his country in a straightjacket.
"I suppose you have been told that I am a member of the expedition, too, Professor Leblanc," said Dr. Omayra Torres, whom the anthropologist kept glancing at out of the corner of his eye, impressed by her beauty.
"Nothing would please me more, mam'selle, but—"
"It's
Dr
. Torres," the physician interrupted.
"You may call me Ludovic," offered Leblanc flirtatiously.
"And you may call me Dr. Torres," was her curt reply.
"We will not be able to take you, my most esteemed doctor. There is barely enough space for those sponsored by
International Geographic
. Our budget is generous, but it has limits," Leblanc replied.
"Then your team will not be going either, Professor. I am an employee of the National Health Service. I am here to protect the Indians. No foreigner may come in contact with them unless the necessary preventive measures are taken. They are extremely vulnerable to disease, especially those carried by Whites," said the doctor.
"An ordinary cold can be deadly for them. One whole tribe was wiped out by a respiratory infection three years ago when journalists came to film a documentary. One of them had a cough. He gave a puff of his cigarette to an Indian and that infected the whole tribe," added César Santos.
At that moment, there were new arrivals, Captain Ariosto, the commander of the local barracks, and Mauro Carías, the wealthiest of the local entrepreneurs. Nadia whispered to Alex that Carías was very powerful. He had business dealings with the presidents and generals of several South American countries. She added that the man didn't have a heart in his chest but carried it in a totebag, and pointed to the leather case Carías had in his hand. Ludovic Leblanc, however, was greatly impressed with Carías, because the expedition had been organized thanks to his international contacts. He was the one who had interested
International Geographic
in the legend of the Beast.
"This bizarre creature has all the good people of the Upper Orinoco terrified. No one wants to go into the triangle where it is thought to live," said Carías.
"I understand that the area has never been explored," said Kate.
"That is true."
"I suppose it must be very rich in minerals and precious stones," the writer added.
"The wealth of the Amazon is found principally in the soil and in its forests," he replied.
"And plants," Dr. Omayra Torres intervened. "We don't know even ten percent of the medicinal properties they contain. As the shamans and native healers disappear, we lose that knowledge forever."
"I imagine that the Beast interferes with your business interests in that area, Señor Carías, just as the tribes do," Kate continued, who, once she got her teeth into something, did not let go.
"The Beast is a problem for everyone. Even the soldiers are
"For years now, no one has been able to do that, Professor," César Santos pointed out.
"It will have to show up soon, because I am scheduled to give a series of lectures in Europe," Leblanc replied.
"I am sure the Beast will respect your timetable," said the guide, but the professor showed no sign of having caught the irony.
Kate had told her grandson that the Amazon was a dangerous place for anthropologists, because they tended to lose their reason. They invented contradictory theories and fought among themselves with guns and knives. Some of them tyrannized tribes and ended up believing they were gods. One of them, totally mad, had to be taken back to his country in a straightjacket.
"I suppose you have been told that I am a member of the expedition, too, Professor Leblanc," said Dr. Omayra Torres, whom the anthropologist kept glancing at out of the corner of his eye, impressed by her beauty.
"Nothing would please me more, mam'selle, but—"
"It's
Dr
. Torres," the physician interrupted.
"You may call me Ludovic," offered Leblanc flirtatiously.
"And you may call me Dr. Torres," was her curt reply.
"We will not be able to take you, my most esteemed doctor. There is barely enough space for those sponsored by
International Geographic
. Our budget is generous, but it has limits," Leblanc replied.
"Then your team will not be going either, Professor. I am an employee of the National Health Service. I am here to protect the Indians. No foreigner may come in contact with them unless the necessary preventive measures are taken. They are extremely vulnerable to disease, especially those carried by Whites," said the doctor.
"An ordinary cold can be deadly for them. One whole tribe was wiped out by a respiratory infection three years ago when journalists came to film a documentary. One of them had a cough. He gave a puff of his cigarette to an Indian and that infected the whole tribe," added César Santos.
At that moment, there were new arrivals, Captain Ariosto, the commander of the local barracks, and Mauro Carías, the wealthiest of the local entrepreneurs. Nadia whispered to Alex that Carías was very powerful. He had business dealings with the presidents and generals of several South American countries. She added that the man didn't have a heart in his chest but carried it in a totebag, and pointed to the leather case Carías had in his hand. Ludovic Leblanc, however, was greatly impressed with Carías, because the expedition had been organized thanks to his international contacts. He was the one who had interested
International Geographic
in the legend of the Beast.
"This bizarre creature has all the good people of the Upper Orinoco terrified. No one wants to go into the triangle where it is thought to live," said Carías.
"I understand that the area has never been explored," said Kate.
"That is true."
"I suppose it must be very rich in minerals and precious stones," the writer added.
"The wealth of the Amazon is found principally in the soil and in its forests," he replied.
"And plants," Dr. Omayra Torres intervened. "We don't know even ten percent of the medicinal properties they contain. As the shamans and native healers disappear, we lose that knowledge forever."
"I imagine that the Beast interferes with your business interests in that area, Señor Carías, just as the tribes do," Kate continued, who, once she got her teeth into something, did not let go.
"The Beast is a problem for everyone. Even the soldiers are
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