Chapter 34 13. Dark River

"This family has never been prosperous, and the heirs are as thin as a stream of water that may be disconnected at any time. In my generation, an illegitimate child is actually allowed to inherit the family business. I am the child of the Finnish piano teacher and Philip Hagrid. I survived a catastrophe, was rescued, and was fostered in a monastery on the top of the mountain to prevent further accidents. I had never left there before, and I learned to read and work with the priests. I was a carpenter, knew a lot of wood, and was born with the ability to smell The taste of the water. The food in the monastery is rarely rough, and I want to eat well and be full for myself, so I never share."

They are talking, the yellow moonlight hangs behind a white sand dune, and the night sky is a dark blue curtain. This is a monotonous and absolute picture, and the edge where every two colors meet is extremely clear.In front of them, the edge of the bonfire in the sand was gradually dying out, Huihui added some firewood to it, and Danny Hagrid looked at her face. "I knew these things from some family documents and a few words from my father, when I was young, like my mother, I already had a somewhat indifferent and mocking attitude towards these things. "Where does all this pain in the family come from?

"At that time, I thought, it was just because of that spring water. I don't know if you have seen that spring water coming out of the ground. It is very beautiful. The pure water source stored deep underground is under huge pressure. A weak link breaks through the ground, full of energy, rolling, bubbling, running out like a lively child, it has a smell, you know? Every mineral spring has a fresh and cold smell, And Hagrid water has a faint astringent sweetness. "I have become the master of this spring, which has brought me infinite wealth. "When I was squandering and experiencing a life that I never imagined when I was young, I felt a little disdain for the spring water.

"Do you remember when we went to Paris to participate in a cultural event for Miyazaki (Hayao Miyazaki)? He once told you that water is the most magical thing in the world, something magical, and I was I don't think so at all. It is a substance, a thing, and has no more magic power than any grain of wheat. If water has magic power, then wind, rain, thunder, and lightning are even more awe-inspiring. "The reason why my predecessors suffered those bad luck is because their hearts were driven by the desire to possess. They betrayed their lovers and killed others for the spring water. They deserve it. But the water itself has no magical powers.

"But most people don't think so. "Industrial pollution is becoming more and more serious. In France, they actually think that the water on the surface is undrinkable. What are you laughing at? Yes, it is a luxury concept in rich countries. Let them come here to have a look. I guess they can even drink rainwater when they go home. up. "So my mineral water produced from an altitude of 1,800 meters can be bought no matter how expensive it is, and the more expensive it is, the more sought after it is. "Women especially, don't think anything is special enough and I remember one woman saying 'Danny, why can't you send me a bottle of your water'. So why not? I've never given one. , because I don't think it's a respect, once I give it away, it will make people happy."

He laughed when he said this, and looked back at her: "There is only one person, and I never gave her Hagrid water." "..." "It's you, Huihui, I want to give you some really useful things, houses, cars, money, beautiful flowers, comfortable carpets, I don't like paintings, bottles and other works of art, but I think it's good Your beautiful ears and neck are well suited to your beautiful ears and neck. You see, this is my worldly taste, and I consider anything more substantial than water." Huihui lowered her head, his story finally came to her, she remembered those delicate and precious things, they also brought her so much joy and sense of security, she said slowly: "Danny, you gave me There's nothing I don't like."

Danny Hagrid looked at the bonfire and didn't speak. After a long time, he seemed to answer her words, but also seemed to say to himself: "But you only took a comb." "..." The surrounding area was very quiet, there was not even a sound of wind, the flame was beating and gradually extinguished, and everything else was solidified. Danny Haig said: "But something happened not long ago. I no longer dare to ignore the boundless magic power of water. This incident filled my heart with awe, and I was also afraid of my previous neglect and use of it. ...I feel that if I can help these Tunisians find a new source of water, it would be a kind of confession, which is why I must come alone. I don't want your gratitude, and you don't want to be wrong, I am here It's for my own purposes."

"Then, what is that?" "It's getting late, go to bed," he said. "Are you really trying to keep a close eye on this place?" she said. Danny Haig said: "I can tell the story up to here, of course I can tell you all, but it's not today, okay? Go to sleep." Huihui didn't insist, and went back to her tent, looking back at Danny Hagrid, who was burying the red bonfire with sand. There was a sandstorm the next morning, and the wind blew so hard that the white sand permeated the air and you couldn't see your fingers. Tunisians insist on hitting the road because they believe the morning sandstorm will bring good luck.

Danny Hagrid wrapped Huihui tightly again, and helped her get on the camel, and the sound of his camel bell was always in her ears. A group of people walked for a long time, the wind gradually weakened, and the people and camels in front and behind were gradually visible.Ah Sang urged the camel to come over and asked Danny Hagrid, "Where are you taking my people? How long are we going to go?" He took out the electronic map from his pocket: "In the same direction, if you walk one kilometer forward, it should be there." Asang's camel came around and walked to Huihui's side.Danny Hagrid looked into Huihui's eyes and smiled.

Ah Sang yelled from behind: "Go!" They crossed two sand dunes, and at noon the sun appeared brightly in the sky. The camel struggled to climb up to the high place, and in the basin surrounded by several sand dunes, Huihui saw an oasis. A long and narrow water pool is as quiet as a jewel, and the green grass and broad-leaved shrubs are lush beside the water pool.Huihui suddenly became excited. She pointed to the oasis and looked back at Danny Hagrid: "You really found it, water, there is water!" Danny Hagrid sat motionless on the camel. Ah Sang in front of them suddenly got off the camel, cursed bitterly, ran to Danny Hagrid in a few steps, pulled the long gun twice to load, put it on his arm, and aimed the gun at him: "follow You walked in the desert for two days and made you waste my water and food and this is where you found it? I tell you what I'm going to do now, I'm going to kill you with one shot, you liar."

Huihui rolled off her camel all of a sudden, fell, and buried her face in the sand.She immediately stood up again, ignoring other things, staggered a few steps, and stood in front of Ah Sang's gun with her outstretched hands: "You want water, but he found it for you, and now you want to kill people? What kind of guerrilla are you?" Team? You are a bandit! Bandit!" Asang raised his gun, pressed Huihui's forehead, and said through gritted teeth, "What are you doing? It's just you, you want to protect him? Don't worry, I'll finish him first, and then I'll kill you. Let's flirt in the sand!" Danny Hagrid got off the camel, pushed Ah Sang's muzzle away from Huihui's head, and said to Ah Sang: "It's not over yet. I said I could find water. My company has long been in this area." It has been found that there is large-scale underground water, even if it is not here, it will not be too far away. It is noon, let’s rest, if I haven’t found it within half a day, it’s not too late for you to kill me.” Ah Sang said, "I'll wait until it gets dark. If there's no water, you two won't be able to see the moon tonight." In order not to waste time and exhaust the camel's strength, they did not go down to the basin to rest by the oasis, but only sent two people to fetch water, and the rest ate some dry food in the shadow of the dune. Huihui asked Danny: "Isn't that water? Why doesn't it count?" He patiently explained to her: "The source of water and the water that nourishes the trees and grass are floating on the surface, and the reserves are low and unstable. This is an oasis today, and it may be covered by sand dunes in a year or two or a few months. source of water." "So where is the water source?" She frowned at him. Danny Hagrid removed a small crumb of bread from her lips: "Are you in a hurry? Are you afraid that I won't find it? Are you afraid that I will be killed here by the Tunisians?" "I'm anxious." Huihui took another bite of the cake and said while eating, "But I've never been afraid." Danny Hagrid looked at her and laughed: "You were so brave just now, are you really going to block the gun for me, Huihui?" "I'm not brave either." Huihui said, "They just want to threaten you to find the water, he doesn't really want to kill us." "I'll find it." In the afternoon, just as the sun was tilting, a strong wind blew up in the desert again. This wind was different from that in the morning. The wind was strong and fierce. If you didn't stay behind the camel, you would almost be swept away.They can't stay in one place, otherwise, within a few minutes, they will be buried in white sand. In the wind and sand all over the sky, she couldn't stop, and she was struggling to walk again and again. Huihui was anxious as if being ignited by the hot wind. If this continues, when will she find the water source? The wind blew for four hours. It wasn't until the sun slanted west that the wind died down.The surroundings gradually became clear, and Huihui found that they were only 20 meters away from the basin surrounded by those huge sand dunes. She saw Danny Hagrid standing on the edge of the basin and looking around. Huihui walked over and stood beside him. Danny asked her, "Look, has anything changed here?" The oasis is still in the center of the basin, surrounded by the surrounding sand dunes, and has not been greatly affected. It is still the same size, with green grass, and several sand dunes stand like the Buddha's Five Fingers Mountain, which is no different from before. Danny Hagrid pointed to the sand dune directly opposite them, which was exactly like a basin with the two of them at this time, and said: "All the sand dunes have been moved by the strong wind, except for this one." "What would that be?" "There are sand dunes outside, and rocks inside, and inside the rocks, it should be," Danny Hagrid squinted his eyes, "The dark river, that's the dark river, Huihui, I think we found it." He turned around and called Ah Sang loudly: "Let everyone come with me." They rode camels around the edge of the basin for five hundred meters to the base of the immovable sand dune.Danny Hagrid took a shovel from the camel carrying the tools, and scooped up the sand at the spot he chose, with all his strength and without reservation. Seeing this, Asan and the rest of the Tunisians also took up tools to work with him. More than a dozen shovels were inserted into the sand, making a cracking sound. I don’t know who touched a different substance, and there was a crisp bang. Everyone stopped, and then each shovel moved towards This place works hard.The sand was gradually pushed away, revealing half of the hole above the ground. Danny Hagrid went to touch and check, it was granite. The hole was dug bigger and bigger, and a gust of cold and wet wind blew out from inside. Huihui couldn't help but backed away, and Danny Hagrid asked behind her, "Do you smell the water?" At sunset, the entrance of this cave was finally stripped of its thick sand camouflage and appeared in front of everyone.The entrance of the cave is in the shape of an inverted half moon, eight meters wide and four meters high at the highest point. It is a cave of considerable scale. They walked in carefully with electric lights and torches to warn of hypoxia. Everyone was tied to a strong and thick nylon rope to prevent anyone from making mistakes or accidents. They walked farther and farther. Open, the more you walk, the more humid the air feels.When Huihui put the flashlight in her hand close to the granite wall, she suddenly noticed that there were some thick and thin dark red lines on it. A Tunisian who had been digging wells all the year round in the procession suddenly raised his hand, muttering happily, explaining something to his companions, and the rest of the people also became excited, discussing and admiring. Danny Hagrid asked, "What are you talking about?" "They said it might be the fabled 'swimmer's cave,'" Asan said. Danny Hagrid and Huihui carefully identified the well-preserved lines on the wall, and gradually realized that those simple wave shapes were water, and the round shape was a human head, with arms stretched in the waves.They were really some swimmers, big and small. I don’t know what era they lived in. They were recorded with red paint. After a long time, they stayed here, and the color was deposited, but they were still intact. This is evidence that there was once a lot of water here, but does it continue to flow today? The hard search and the sudden hope made people more uneasy. Huihui was afraid that it would be like an oasis and water source on the surface, another joy in vain.They soon knew the answer. The length of the safety rope showed that they had gone three hundred meters deep into the cave and could no longer move forward, with a river quietly blocking the way. There are no waves, but there is a slight blue light, and the cold air mixed with water slowly floats, condenses and hangs in the air. Huihui stretches out her hand, and her fingertips are slippery. The Tunisians were already very happy and danced. Huihui saw Danny Hagrid walk to the edge of the dark river, took a sip of water with both hands, then he turned his head and said to Ah Sang who threw away the gun: "That's right, the underground fresh water source is not polluted. , good quality, this is the water source I am looking for." The way Danny Hagrid drank water reminded her of the first time she met Ah Sang in her shop. She poured him a glass of water, and Ah Sang held the glass in both hands like a holy object. Danny Hagrid finally had the same awe and respect for water as Asan.