The Quest for Montezuma's Gold Prologue and Chapt. 1

The Quest for Montezuma’s Gold

Prologue

Tenochtitlan November 8, 1519

Montezuma studied the faces of the eleven men seated before him, his soul filled with unease. Whatever decision he made here tonight would determine the fate of his people, and it was not a decision he was comfortable making. In truth, he was overcome with doubt. 1

It had been three months since the arrival of the light-skinned strangers.  On that fateful day, he had consulted the oracles, but their answers had been cryptic and vague, leaving him uncertain how to proceed. In true fashion, he simply chose to watch-- and wait. But, just hours ago his spies informed him that the strangers were approaching the city, so now he sat, facing an assembly of his most trusted advisors, praying they would guide him toward a resolution.      2

“Tell me your thoughts,” Montezuma ordered, with a wave of his hand.3

Atlixcatzin was the first to speak. He cleared his throat. “My Lord, if I may, I believe it’s Quetzalcoatl returning to us at last.” Quetzalcoatl was the creator God who had been sent into exile by the evil deity, Tezcatlipoca. Legend foretold that he vowed to one day return.4

“I agree with Atlixcatzin,” Itzxuatzin said. “Their leader bears the same features as Quetzalcoatl, with his pale skin and dark beard.” Montezuma’s gaze settled on the war chief as he spoke. At forty-five, Itzxuatzin had a lifetime of experience in matters of conflict, and was an invaluable member of his council, as well as his oldest friend.5

“Where is your sense?” Cuitlahuac snorted.6

Montezuma's eyes shifted to his brother as he rose to address Itzxuahtzinl; he looked as fierce as a Jaguar. Cuitlahuac often reacted from the gut, while he preferred a more methodical approach. It was but one of many differences between them.7

“You are basing your opinion on the fact that he bears a resemblance to our God?” Cuitlahuac continued, “They slaughtered the people of Cholula, without mercy, including the women and children. Would our great God do such things?” 8

“Perhaps the Cholultecas had done something to anger Quetzalcoatl. Who are we to question the actions of the Gods?” argued Prince Totomotzin. “When they first arrived, these strangers were seen standing atop mountains that floated on the sea. Who but a God could do that?” 9

"I also believe it is Quetzalcoatl." Topantemoc, spoke up. “Think about it. Legend states that Quetzalcoatl shall return on year 1-Reed. We are approaching that date. And what about the weapons they carry? Our spies tell us that they are made from a metal far stronger than our own. One of them shoots out large balls of stone, and can shatter a tree with one shot. Surely these are the weapons of a God.”  10

“What do you know of these matters?” Cuitlahuac sneered. “You are the Chief Treasurer. Perhaps you should remain in the storehouse counting the gold, and not bother those of us who have the wisdom to resolve this dilemma.”11

Topantemoc clenched his fist, making a move toward Cuitlahuac, who immediately stood, prepare to fight; but Montezuma raised his hand, forestalling them.12

“That is enough from you both of you!” he shouted. “Keep your personal feelings out of the council chamber. We have bigger things to worry about than your bruised egos.”  13

It was no secret that the two men loathed each other. Topantemoc married the woman that Cuitlahuac had been in love with and, though that was ten years past, Cuitlahuac’s anger still burned.14

“Now, if you are done with your petty squabbling, we shall proceed.” Montezuma signalled for them to sit, and they had no choice but to obey.15

After a moment of awkwardness, Prince Hecateupatiltzin rose to speak. “I don’t know whether Quetzalcoatl has returned or not. Neither do you,’ he said, his hands gesturing around the room. “What I do know is that they slaughtered our friends from Cholula, and they are accompanied by our enemies, the Tlaxcaltecas . If they are working with our enemies, then I believe they are intending to wage war. We should not allow them access to the city.” Done speaking, he took his seat, his handsome face marred by a frown. 16

Murmurs of assent arose from some of the minor lords. 17

Cacama, stood up from the circle of men, his fists clenched. “Are we cowards?” He shook his head, disgusted. “If we deny them entrance to the city that is how we will appear.”18

Montezuma met his nephew's eyes, seeing the challenge in them. Cacama's fearlesness had long ago endeared him to the Aztec King.19

“It is not proper for our great Lord, Montezuma, to turn away the visitors. It is not our custom," Cacama said. "If the strangers make any demands that displease my uncle, then he can gather his warriors to punish them.” 20

Montezuma had heard enough. He motioned for Cacama to take his seat. “Thank you for your council, all of you. Your words weigh heavily on my mind. However, I agree with my nephew. Regardless of the stranger's intent toward us, we must not appear weak. We must greet them as honoured guests, and pray that it is truly our revered God returning to us.”21

“Montezuma, you must reconsider. These strangers mean us harm. They will overthrow you and seize your gold,” Cuitlahuac implored.22

Several of the other lords spoke up in agreement.23

But Montezuma had made his decision, for good or for ill. He held up his hand for silence. “Itzxuahtzin, I want you to organize two thousand men. Have them take the bulk of the treasure two moons north, to the place of the seven caves. Leave some of the gold behind -- with luck the strangers will believe that is all we have. ”  24

Itzxuahtzin nodded. 25

“We will greet these strangers as is our custom," Montezuma continued. "If they mean us ill we will either defeat them, or be defeated. With the wealth of our nation secure, at least we will have the means to rebuild.” He stood, ending the meeting. “The time of judgment is here, may the Gods protect us.”26

27

Chapter One

Present Day
28

Dr. Brooke Bennett held on tightly to the steering wheel as the 1984 Jeep Cherokee rattled and bounced along the dirt road.  Not that it was much of a road; it was barely more than a trail that snaked along the rugged terrain east of Apache Junction. The area was desolate and dry and the Jeep’s windshield wipers worked overtime to keep the swirling dust from obstructing her view.

She chided herself for being out here. Not because she was in the middle of nowhere; she was never more at ease than when she was trekking around some desert, or jungle, or any other remote setting. No, it was the reason she was out here that was crazy. She would probably come to regret it. But what choice did she have? There was no way she could pass up an opportunity like this.

The jeep hit a large rock that was especially jarring, prompting the brown- haired man in the passenger seat to shout: “For the love of God, Brooke, what’s with all the secrecy? When are you going to tell us why we’re being tossed around like a bunch of bobble-heads out here in the middle of no-man’s land?”

Brooke grinned at him, her teeth flashing white in her tanned face. “Well Josh, if you must know, we’re meeting Hunter.”

“Hunter Stevens—your arch enemy?” Josh raised his eyebrow. “The man you swore you would run over the next time you saw him.”

Brooke shrugged her shoulders and turned her attention back to the road just as they hit another nasty bump. “He’s not my arch enemy, so much as my rival. And in my defence, I happened to be angry with him when I said that. I wouldn’t actually run him over.”    

Brooke diverted her gaze from the road again as Andrew poked his red head between them from the back seat. 29

“Okay, this is too intriguing. Who is this guy?”30

Brooke sighed, “He’s a treasure hunter.”31

“Ah, so he’s just like you."32

Brooke looked at Josh, who raised his hands as if to say don’t look at me, I didn’t say it.33

“No, Andrew, he’s nothing like me.” Brooke glanced in the rear view mirror, her green eyes flashing as she scowled at the newest member of her team. “He finds ancient artefacts and then sells them to the highest bidder. I find them for museums, where they can be appreciated by everyone. They’re not meant to be hidden away in the homes of wealthy collectors.” 34

Brooke ran her own business in Tucson—Ancient Excavations. She worked exclusively for museums and governments around the world as an archaeologist, a consultant, and as a hunter of rare and ancient artefacts.35

Andrew sat back in his seat, chastised. “Of course -- you’re absolutely right. So does this Hunter guy recover a lot of ancient treasure?”36

“Yah, he’s pretty good,” Brooke admitted, grudgingly. 37

“But you’re better?” 38

Josh twisted around in his seat, his young face animated as he looked at Andrew. “Damn straight she’s better! Brooke’s got a lot of advantages over Hunter. He might be rich and have a lot of connections, but Brooke’s got the smarts. She’s got her PhD in archaeology and her Masters in anthropology. That kind of knowledge is a gold mine – literally – in this field. Of course her greatest asset is yours truly.” He pointed to himself.  “But seriously, Brooke, what possessed you to agree to meet with him? That’s it, isn’t it? You’re possessed,” Josh said. 39

She slapped his knee. “No, you goof. Hunter was contacted by an elder of the Hopi tribe who claims to have a treasure map, of sorts, that leads to Montezuma’s gold.”40

“Montezuma -- wasn’t he the last Aztec King? I thought the Spanish stole all of his gold when they attacked the city,” Josh said.41

“Technically Montezuma was not the last ruler. After he was killed his brother ruled briefly, before he died of small pox. Then Montezuma’s nephew ruled - also very briefly - until Hernando Cortes finally succeeded in conquering the city.  But despite defeating the Aztecs, Cortes wasn’t able to get his hands on all of the gold.” 42

Andrew leaned forward again from the back seat. “I know this story--Cortes lost some of the gold, right?”

“That’s right. On a day that was dubbed the Night of Sorrows the Aztecs retaliated against the Spanish. Cortes’ army was badly outnumbered and they fled the city. In the panic that ensued some of the gold was lost in the canal."

“But I read that Cortes finally recovered it all,” Andrew replied.

“He did. But what Cortes didn’t know was that the gold he stole was but a fraction of what Montezuma actually possessed. Before the Spanish reached the city, Montezuma instructed his men to take the bulk of his treasure north, supposedly to Chicomoztoc, the place of the seven caves.”    

“Where’s that?” Josh asked.      

She shrugged her shoulders. “No one really knows. The Aztecs believed that Chicomoztoc was the place of origin of several different tribes who eventually left the caves and migrated to various destinations. Most experts believe that the seven caves are purely mythical, and that Montezuma never ordered the gold to be taken out of Tenochtitlan.”

“What do you believe?” Andrew asked.

She smiled at him in the rear view mirror. “I’ve got more of an open mind than most.”

“So, what’s in it for Hunter—why would he tell you about this?” Josh frowned.

“Hunter can’t read the map—it’s written in Aztec glyphs. I’m going to help him decipher it and, in exchange, he has promised that he will keep only a few of the artefacts. The rest will be given to a museum of my choosing.”

“How do you know he won’t double cross you?” Josh asked.

 “I don’t.”43

                                                                                 

                                                                      ***
 

After several wrong turns down un-marked roads they finally pulled up to the small adobe house where Brooke had arranged to meet Hunter. A small porch hugged the front of the structure. Its paint-stripped boards buckled a little under the weight of the roof, and large cracks threaded across the faded pink stucco walls--yet none of that detracted from the serene beauty of the tiny home.

She hopped out of the jeep, followed by Andrew and Josh. Smiling to herself she watched them try to shake off the effects of the drive. Andrew moved his head side to side like a pendulum, stretching out the kinks, while Josh pulled at the sweat soaked t-shirt that clung to his skinny frame. Even with the windows cracked it had been warm in the vehicle - it hadn’t boasted air-conditioning since 1999 - but outside the scorching heat nearly stopped the breath in her lungs. Tiny beads of sweat were already collecting, causing little tendrils of hair to cling to the back of her neck. Reaching into her jeans’ pocket she pulled out an elastic and put her long, red hair into a ponytail. That’s better, she thought, as a slight breeze cooled her damp neck.

They walked to the house and Brooked knocked on its weathered door, taking a step backward when it suddenly opened.

"Hi. You must be Brooke. I’m Qalateqa." He extended a wrinkled hand.

She shook the hand he offered. “Qalateqa? Doesn’t that mean Guardian of the People?”

“You speak Hopi?”

“A little. I lived among the Hopi for a year during my graduate studies.”

    44

“I’m impressed.” He nodded to Andrew and Josh. “And who are your companions?     45

Introductions were made and he invited them in, directing them to the living room where Hunter was already waiting, a tall glass of lemonade clasped in his hand.  46

Hunter placed his glass on the coffee table and stood. “Brooke, you’re looking lovely as usual.” He smiled warmly, which only served to annoy her. A flash of amusement entered his blue eyes, and she knew he sensed her irritation.47

She raised her chin and returned his smile, because it was polite to do so. “Hello, Hunter."      “48

Who’s the new guy?” He nodded in Andrew’s direction. 49

She sighed. “This is Andrew. He’s worked for me three months now.” 50

Hunter shook hands with the burly man, and then he turned and clasped Josh on the shoulder. “Josh—good to see you again.” 51

Brooke planted her hands on her hips. This is ridiculous.  Does he think he can just smile at us and all would be forgiven?52

Josh fist-bumped him and grinned like he had just met Billy Idol. Then he glanced at Brooke, his expression guilty. She rolled her eyes at him. It was no secret to her that Josh hero-worshipped Hunter. If the man weren’t so dishonest, she probably would too. He was rich, good-looking, and he led a glamorous life-style—hob-knobbing with celebrities, politicians, and diplomats. Rumour had it that he once dated Princess Stephanie of Monaco.53

But Hunter also had dealings with some rather unsavoury characters, a necessity when selling antiquities on the black market. Brooke could not tolerate illegal antiquities dealing; it went against everything she stood for.  54

“If you’ll excuse me, I'll get the map,” Qalateqa spoke. “Please, sit—make yourselves comfortable.  Help yourself to lemonade.” He nodded in the direction of the pitcher and empty glasses laid out on the table. 55

The road weary trio eagerly poured themselves a glass, then sat back to wait. While Andrew and Josh made small talk with Hunter, Brooke looked around with interest. It was a small room, with a sofa and a large, overstuffed chair. Floating shelves held several pieces of pottery that were etched with traditional Hopi designs. The largest piece was a vase painted with images of Kokopelli,the humpbacked flute player and fertility god. Brooke noted the feathered headdress he wore, and the large phallus that was prominently displayed. There were also cups and bowls designed with images of ancestral spirits that the Hopi called kachinas. From where she sat she could see the blue corn maiden, the eagle kachina, and crow mother--who was considered by many to be the mother of all kachinas.
 56

Within minutes Qalateqa returned holding an intricately carved wooden box, which he set down in the middle of the coffee table. As he opened it, Andrew and Josh leaned forward expectantly. Inside lay a black stone tablet.57

Brooke looked at Qalateqa. “May I?”      58

He nodded. “Please do.”59

With practiced hands she reached into the box, carefully lifting out the stone tablet. She ran her fingers over the smooth obsidian and into the grooves of the carved glyphs. Her heart leapt. It’s authentic!60

“Well?” Hunter pressed.61

“It’s a genuine artefact." Her voice was a little breathy.62

“What does it say?” asked Josh. 63

“It’ll take me some time to decipher it. Qalataqa, do you mind my asking where you got this?”   64

“It’s a family heirloom. My ancestor, whose name was Yacotzin, was one of the two thousand men who carried the King’s treasure north, away from the invading Spanish army. He was Montezuma’s cousin, and a wizard of the Black House.”65

“Whoa....” Andrew sat back in his chair. 66

“I don’t mean to be rude, but if your family has been in possession of this, why didn’t they take the gold for themselves?” Brooke asked.

“Because the gold is cursed, Miss Bennett.”

67

Josh laughed nervously. Brooke frowned at him.68

“Most of the men that made the trek north died." Qalateqa continued. "The majority of them were slaves and were killed on the spot, to prevent word of the treasure leaking out. The rest were warriors, many of whom died from disease, others from warring with local Indian tribes. The Apache nearly wiped them out. The group of men that survived hid the gold and waited for word to come that the Aztec nation was rebuilding, at which time they would return. But word never came.”69

He paused, pouring himself a glass of lemonade. He took a sip and then continued: “Time passed and many of the survivors married into other tribes--the Navajo, Paiute, even the Hualapai. Their allegiance to the Aztec people diminished with their new associations with these other tribes. They began taking Montezuma’s gold for themselves. Yacotzin noticed the treasure was rapidly dwindling. Much of it had been stolen, and he feared there would be nothing left when the Aztecs re-built—for he always believed they would. So, ever loyal, he devised a series of deadly traps to protect the treasure. Then he conjured a spell that would curse anyone who managed to bypass the traps and steal the gold.”70

Brooke picked up her glass, absently swishing the contents as she sat, listening to the Hopi elder. She tried to appear calm and professional, but inside her heart was skipping as she realized she was on the verge of a major discovery! The tablet was authentic and so, she believed, was Qalateqa’s story. 71

“Eventually Yacotzin married a woman from the Hopi tribe,” he said. “He had a son to whom he passed on the legend, along with the responsibility that came with it. Each successive generation has kept the secret, protected the treasure until it could one day be returned to the Aztec people.”  72

Brooke snuck a look at Hunter. He looks like he just heard a fairy tale. She knew he didn’t believe in Native American mysticism. It was one of many things they disagreed on.73

“So, why call us? You wanna see if we can beat the booby traps and retrieve the gold for you?” Josh asked. 74

Qalateqa shook his head. “No—I’d have no use for it. I’m dying. The doctor’s say I have maybe six months. My soul will not rest if I leave the gold where it is. I have a great grandson--he's only twenty. I’m terrified that he will find this tablet and go in search of the treasure. I made a mistake telling him about the legend. I thought he would carry out the responsibility bestowed upon our family. But I saw the gleam in his eyes when I mentioned Montezuma’s gold. He’s young--he doesn’t believe in the curse, and he doesn’t have the sense of pride I had hoped......” 75

His voice trailed off and he looked down for a moment. When he lifted his head, Brooke saw that his eyes were moist, but he continued. “He doesn’t know about the map, but when I die he’ll surely find it. I must protect him from himself, and I must protect Montezuma’s treasure.  I want you to help me return the gold to its rightful home—Tenochtitlan, which is now Mexico City.” 76

"Okay—but this curse you mentioned—it’s not real, right? Just a way of scaring people off?” Josh said.77

“It is very real, young man—of that I have no doubt. My ancestor's skill in the black arts was unsurpassed. Legend still speaks of his power."     78

So...even if we manage to get through the traps, how will we survive the curse?" Brooke asked.79

“The curse will end once the gold is returned. That is what Yacotzin intended, that Montezuma’s treasure would return home.”   80

“But until the gold is returned, we’re at risk, right?” Andrew looked pale under his freckled skin.81

“I know a spell. It’s only temporary," Qalateqa said. "It won’t nullify the curse, but it will protect you long enough to return the treasure.”82

“What about the tablet—are you able to read any of it?” Brooke asked.83

He shook his head. “No, no-one in my family has been able to read the glyphs for generations. There was no need. We were determined to leave the gold where it was. It was better that no one knew where to find it.”84

“May I borrow it, or take an etching, so that I can decipher it?”85

“Yes, of course--take the tablet. I would prefer it not be in my possession....just in case,” he said. “So, you will go in search of the treasure?”86

“We’ll sure try,” Brooke promised. 87

As they prepared to leave, Qalateqa handed them each a necklace. Simple in design, they were essentially large, flat disks made from mother of pearl, with a black crystal set into the centre of each one.“I have placed a spell of protection upon these amulets,” he said. “Wear them at all times, and you’ll be safe. But remember – this protection is temporary, and will only work one time. It is imperative that you return Montezuma's treasure as quickly as you can.”88

“How long will this protection last?” asked Hunter.89

“I don’t know how long. But as the spell weakens, the gem will fade in colour until it is simply clear. At that point the amulets will be useless against the curse. "                                                       90

  ***

It was late by the time they reached Apache Junction, so the group, including Hunter, checked into a hotel for the night. Alone in her room, Brooke sat cross-legged on the bed, unable to sleep. Directly in front of her, resting on the floral bed-spread, was the tablet. Two little lines marked her forehead as she studied the ancient writing. It would take some time to decipher. Aztec glyphs were not literal, and the meaning of each symbol changed depending on the arrangement and context of the other symbols. Despite the heat, goose-bumps formed on her arms as she thought of the possibility of discovering Montezuma’s gold. It would be the greatest achievement of her career.91

But it wasn’t ambition that drove her. Whenever she unearthed an artefact-- releasing it from the dirt and clay that had imprisoned it for thousands of years--she would imagine the hands that moulded and shaped the ancient objects. Perhaps they belonged to a young girl who day-dreamed of her future husband as she lovingly crafted the artifact; or an old woman who had raised a family and lived a life full of love and laughter, pain and sorrow. Maybe they belonged to an old man, who carried the wisdom of the ages in every line on his face. Man, woman, young or old – these people who loved their children and dreamed their dreams were long forgotten, almost like they never existed at all. It was a horrible fate. When she discovered these relics, and shared them with the world, she knew their lives had not been in vain. And that fulfilled her.  92

Someone knocked on the door, jarring her from her reverie. She looked at her watch--1:15 a.m. Who could it be at this hour? It was probably Josh dropping by to brainstorm, something he often did when they were on the road, hunting down some clue or following a lead. He had no concept of time when they were working a job. 93

But then again, neither do I, she thought, smiling to herself as she got off the bed and walked toward the door.  94

She was still smiling as she opened the door, but it quickly faded when she saw Hunter standing there, his dark hair slightly tousled, and wearing a lopsided grin. She felt suddenly vulnerable in the tank top and shorts she was wearing. 95

“What the hell are you doing here?” she demanded, a little more harshly than intended.96

“Is that any way to greet your partner?”97

She crossed her arms and snorted. “Partner? Don’t get carried away, Hunter. I only agreed to work with you--we are definitely not partners.” 98

“That’s just semantics. Are you going to invite me in?”99

She sighed heavily. “Just a minute.” She shut the door, and then quickly changed into a tee shirt and jeans, before allowing him in. 100

He walked through the door, one eyebrow quirked. “You didn’t have to change on my account. I quite liked what you were wearing.” 101

Unsure of how to respond, she turned away abruptly and crossed the room to the mini bar. She pulled out two bottles of water, handing him one.  She sat on a chair adjacent to the mini bar and crossed her legs, while Hunter sat on the edge of the bed. They looked at each other awkwardly for a moment. 102

She twisted the cap off the bottle and took a sip. “I don’t mean to be rude, Hunter, but it's late. What do you want?” 103

“I just wanted to clear the air with you--to make sure there are no hard feelings. I mean we’ve both done some things to each other that we undoubtedly regret....”104

“Oh, so when we were in Venice you regret calling the police and reporting my car stolen?”105

He chuckled. “I just needed to slow you down a little. I can’t believe you’re still mad about that.” 106

“No? While you were getting away with Nero’s dagger, I was being interrogated by an angry, sweaty, police officer. That was no picnic, Hunter, my Italian is pretty bad.” 107

“Well despite the language barrier, you managed to talk yourself out of it. You always do.”108

“No thanks to you.”109

“Well, what about you? What about the time you paid that stewardess to--“110

“Flight attendant,” she interrupted.111

“--the time you paid that flight attendant to lure me up to my hotel room. She hand-cuffed me to the bed and stole the Torc of Boudicea. That was no picnic for me either ....on several levels.”112

“That doesn’t count, because the Torc turned out to be a fake. And so was most of that flight attendant, by the way.”113

He held up his hands. “okay, okay-you win. All I’m saying is that we’re both a little guilty of pulling some dirty tricks on one another. Now that we’re working together I want to put all that behind us.” 114

She raised her chin. “Good, so do I.”   115

“Good, we’re in agreement.” He slapped his hands on his knees. “So how are you coming along with the stone? How long do you think it will take to decipher?”116

“It's going to take a while. It isn’t exactly a map with coordinates directing us where to go. We have to piece together the clues from the stone along with the known facts, myths and legends associated with the gold. It won’t be easy.”117

“Let me know if I can help in any way.” 118

“I will.”119

After Hunter left, Brooke lay in bed thinking of all the potential difficulties of working with her rival. It was a recipe for disaster—she knew it—but there was no other option.  If Hunter hadn't asked for her help, she wouldn't be on the project at all.  She certainly wouldn’t know about the existences of the stone tablet. She yawned, her eyes beginning to close. I’ll just have to remain on guard at all times—watch for any signs that he might double-cross me, she thought,  just before she fell asleep.     120


                                                                         ***
121

It was late by the time he picked up the phone and dialled the number he knew by heart. It rang three times before he heard the familiar voice on the other end.  122

“Hello?” He’d worked for him for nearly three months now, yet he still found the man unnerving. But, then, he knew what he was capable of. And it chilled him.123

“It's me. I thought you should know she's after a big one,” he said. "What is it?"  124

"A map—that leads to Montezuma's gold."125

He heard a low whistle on the other end of the line. 126

“Fantastic. Are you able to gain access to it?"127

"Yes, but it's written in Aztec. I'll have to wait for her to decipher it." 128

"How long?" 129

“I don’t know for sure.”130

The man on the other end snorted. “What the hell am I paying you for, if not for information? I want regular updates—got it?”131

Fuck you, asshole. “Yah I got it."132

“Once the gold is found, I want you to dispose of all of them. No survivors. Understand?”  133

He rubbed his temple. This job was getting more and more complicated. “You're the boss.” 134

“Good—don’t fail me. You don’t want to find out what happens to those who do.”                                                          135