the.stainless.steel.rats.revenge-第2部分

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ame　to　the　crunch　she　was　still　the　old　Angelina。　I　sighed　and　mounted　the　stairs　with　leaden　feet。
　　　　And　I　felt　even　more　of　an　unthinking　fiend　when　I　saw　that　she　was　crying。　〃Jim；　you　don't　love　me！〃　A　classic　gambit　since　the　first　woman　in　the　garden；　but　still　unanswerable。
　　　　〃I　do；〃　I　protested；　and　I　meant　it。　〃But；　it's　just　。　。　。　reflex。　Or　something　like　that。　I　love　you；　but　marriage　is；　well；　like　going　to　prison。　And　in　all　my　crooked　years　I　have　never　been　sent　up。〃　
　　　　〃It　is　liberation；　not　captivity；〃　she　said　and　did　things　with　her　makeup　that　removed　the　ravages　of　the　tears。　I　noticed　for　the　first　time　that　she　had　white　lipstick　on　to　match　her　white　dress　and　a　little　white　lacy　kind　of　thing　in　her　hair。
　　　　〃This　is　just　like　going　swimming　in　cold　water；〃　she　said；　standing　and　patting　my　cheek。　〃Get　it　over　with　quickly　so　you　won't　feel　it。　Now　roll　down　your　pants　and　put　those　shoes　on。〃
　　　　I　did；　but　when　I　straightened　up　to　answer　this　last　fatuous　argument　I　saw　that　the　door　had　opened　and　that　a　Marriage　Master　and　his　two　witnesses　were　standing　in　the　next　room。　She　took　my　arm；　gently；　I'll　say　that　for　her；　and　at　the　same　time　the　recorded　strains　of　the　mighty　organ　filled　the　air。　She　tugged　at　my　elbow。　I　resisted　for　a　moment；　then　lurched　forward　as　a　gray　mist　seemed　to　fall　over　my　eyes。
　　　　When　the　darkness　lifted　the　organ　was　bloating　its　dying　notes；　the　door　was　closing　behind　the　drafting　backs　and　Angelina　stopped　admiring　her　ring…decorated　finger　long　enough　to　raise　her　lips　to　mine。　I　had　barely　enough　strength　of　will　left　to　kiss　her　first　before　I　groaned。
　　　　There　were　a　number　of　bottles　on　the　sideboard　and　my　twitching　fingers　stumbled　through　them　to　unerringly　find　a　knobby　flask　of　Syrian　Panther　Sweat；　a　potent　beverage　with　such　hideous　aftereffects　that　its　sale　is　forbidden　on　most　civilized　worlds。　A　large　tumbler　of　this　was　most　efficacious；　I　could　feel　it　doing　me　harm；　and　I　poured　a　second　one。　While　I　was　doing　this　and　immersed　in　my　numbed　thoughts　a　period　of　time　must　have　passed　because　Angelinamy　Angelina　（suppressed　groan）now　stood　before　me　dressed　in　slacks　and　sweater　with　our　bags　packed　and　waiting　at　her　side。　Tie　glass　was　plucked　from　my　fingers。
　　　　〃Enough　private　whoopee；〃　she　said；　not　unkindly。　〃We'll　celebrate　tonight　but　right　now　we　have　to　move。　The　marriage　record　will　be　filed　at　any　moment　and　when　our　names　hit　the　puter　it's　going　to　light　up　like　a　knocking　shop　on　payday。　By　now　the　police　will　have　tied　us　in　to　most　of　the　crimes　of　the　past　two　months　and　will　e　slavering　and　baying　after　us。〃　
　　　　〃Silence；〃　I　ordered；　swaying　to　my　feet。　〃The　image　is　a　familiar　one。　Get　the　car　and　we　will　leave。〃
　　　　I　offered　to　help　with　the　bags　but　by　the　time　I　municated　this　information　she　was　halfway　down　the　stairs　with　them。　With　this　encouragement　I　navigated　the　hazard　and　reached　the　door。　The　car　was　outside　humming　with　unleashed　power；　the　side　door　open　and　Angelina　at　the　wheel　tapping　her　foot　with　equally　unleashed　impatience。　As　I　stumbled　into　it　the　first　tentacles　of　reality　penetrated　my　numbed　cortex。　This　car；　like　all　otter　ground　cars　on　Kamata；　was　steam　powered　and　the　steam　was　generated　by　the　bustion　of　a　specie　of　peat　bricks　fed　to　the　furnace　by　an　ingenious　and　unnecessarily　plicated　device。　It　took　at　least　a　half　an　hour　to　raise　steam　to　get　moving。　Angelina　must　have　fired　up　before　the　wedding　and　planned　every　other　step　as　well。　My　solitary　contribution　to　all　this　was　a　private　drunk　which　had　been　very　little　aid　at　all。　I　shuddered　at　what　this　meant；　yet　was　still　driven　to　the　only　possible　conclusion。
　　　　〃Do　you　have　a　drive…right　pill？〃　I　asked；　hoarsely。
　　　　It　was　in　the　palm　of　her　hand　even　as　I　spoke。　Small；　round；　pink；　with　a　black　skull　and　crossbones　on　it。　A　sobering　invention　of　some　mad　chemist　that　worked　like　a　metabolic　vacuum　cleaner。　Short　minutes　after　hitting　the　hydrochloric　acid　pool　of　my　stomach　the　ingredients　would　be　doing　a　blitzkrieg　attack　through　my　bloodstream。　Not　only　does　it　remove　all　of　the　alcohol　but　strips　away　all　of　the　side　products　associated　with　drinking　as　well；　so　that　the　pitiful　subject　is　instantly　cold　sober　and　painfully　aware　of　it。
　　　　〃I　can't　take　it　without　water；〃　I　mumbled；　blinking　at　the　plastic　cup　in　her　other　hand。　There　was　no　turning　back。　With　a　last　happy　shudder　I　flipped　the　deadly　thing　into　the　back　of　my　throat　and　drained　the　cup。
　　　　They　say　it　doesn't　take　long；　but　that　is　an　objective　time。　Subjective　was　hours。　It　is　a　most　unusual　experience　and　difficult　to　describe。　Imagine　if　you　will　what　it　feels　like　to　take　the　nozzle　of　a　cold　water　hose　in　your　mouth　and　then　to　have　the　water　turned　on。　And　then；　an　instant　later；　to　have　the　water　gushing　in　great　streams　from　every　orifice　of　your　body；　including　the　pores；　until　you　are　flushed　pletely　clean。
　　　　〃Wow；〃　I　said　weakly；　sitting　up　and　dabbing　at　my　forehead　with　my　handkerchief。　The　houses　of　a　small　village　rushed　by　and　were　replaced　by　farmlands。　Angelina　drove　with　calm　efficiency　and　the　boiler　chunked　merrily　as　it　ate　another　brick　of　peat。
　　　　〃Feeling　better；　I　hope？〃　She　dived　into　a　traffic　circle　and　left　it　by　a　different　road　with　only　a　quick　glimpse　at　the　map。　〃The　alarm　is　out　for　us；　army；　navy；　everything。　I've　been　listening　to　their　mand　radio。〃　
　　　　〃Are　we　going　to　get　away？〃
　　　　〃I　doubt　itnot　unless　you　e　up　with　some　bright　idea　very　quickly。　They　have　a　solid　ring　with　aerial　cover　around　the　area　and　are　tightening　it。〃
I　was　still　recovering　from　the　heroic　treatment　of　the　drive…right　pill　and　had　not　collected　all　my　wits。　There　was　a　direct　connection　from　my　muddled　thoughts　to　my　vocal　cords　that　had　no　intervening　censor　of　intelligence。
　　　　〃A　great　start　to　marriage。　If　this　is　what　it　is　like　no　wonder　I　have　been　avoiding　it　all　these　years。〃
　　　　The　car　swung　off　the　road　and　shuddered　to　a　stop　in　the　deep　grass　under　a　row　of　blue…leaved　trees。　Angelina　was　out；　had　slammed　the　door　and　was　reaching　for　her　bag　before　I　had　time　to　react。　I　tried　to　tell　her。　
　　　　〃I'm　a　fool　。　。　。〃
　　　　〃Then　I'm　a　fool　too　for　marrying　you。〃　She　was　dry　eyed　and　cold　of　voice　with　all　of　her　emotions　strictly　under　control。　〃I　tricked　you　and　trapped　you　into　marriage　because　it　was　what　I　thought　you　really　wanted。　I　was　wrong；　so　it　is　going　to　end　right　now　before　it　really　gets　started。　I'm　sorry；　Jim。　You　made　an　entirely　new　life　for　me　and　thought　I　could　make　one　for　you。　It　has　been　fun　knowing　you。　Thank　you　and　good…by。〃　
　　　　By　the　time　she　had　finished；　my　thoughts　had　congealed　into　something　roughly　resembling　their　normal　shape　and　I　was　weak　but　ready。　I　was　out　of　the　car　before　she　had　finished　talking　and　standing　in　front　of　her；　blocking　her　way；　holding　her　most　gently　by　the　arms。
　　　　〃Angelina；　I　will　tell　you　this　but　once　and　probably　never　again　the　rest　of　my　life。　So　listen　well　and　remember。　At　one　time　I　was　the　best　crook　in　the　galaxy；　before　I　was　conned　into　the　Special　Corps　to　help　catch　other　erodes。　And　I　caught　you。　Not　only　were　you　a　crook　but　a　mastermind　criminal　as　well　and　a　cheerfully　sadistic　murderess。　〃　I　felt　her　body　shiver　in　my　hands　and　held　her　tighter。　〃It　has　to　be　said；　because　that　is　what　you　were。　You　aren't　any　more。　You　had　reasons　to　be　that　way　and　the　reasons　have　been　removed　and　some　unhappy　quirks　in　your　otherwise　pristine　cortex　have　been　straightened　out。　And　now　I　love　you。　But　I　want　to　remember　that　I　loved　you　even　then　during　your　unreconstructed　days；　which　is　saying　a　lot。　So　if　I　buck　at　the　harness　now；　or　am　difficult　to　deal　with　in　the　mornings；　just　remember　that　and　make　allowances。　Is　it　a　deal？〃
　　　　It　apparently　was。　She　dropped　the　bagon　my　toe；　but　I　dared　not　flinchand　wrapped　her　arms　around　me　and　was　kissing　me　and　knocked　me　over　into　the　deep　grass　and　I　had　a　jolly　time　kissing　her　right　back。　The　newlywed　effect　I　suppose　you　would　call　it；　great　fun　。　。　。
　　　　We　froze；　rigid；　as　a　pair　of　flywheel　cycles　moaned　and　skidded　to　a　stop　by　our　car。　Only　the　police　used　these　since　they　move　a　good　deal　faster　than　the　peat…powered　steamers。　They　are　tricycle　affairs　with　a　great　heavy　flywheel　encased　between　the　rear　wheels。　They　plugged　them　in　at　night　so　their　motor…generators　could　run　the　flywheel　up　to　top　speed。　During　the　day　the　flywheel　generated　electricity　to　drive　the　motors　in　each　wheel。　Very　efficient　and　smog…free。　Very　dangerous。
　　　　〃This　is　the　car；　Fodder！〃　one　of　the　police　shouted　out　over　the　constant　moan　of　the　flywheels。
　　　　〃I'll　call　it　in。　They　can't　have　gone　far。　We　sure　have　them　trapped　now！〃
　　　　Nothing　infuriates　me　like　the　bland　assurances　of　petty　officials。　Oh　yes；　really　trapped　now。　I　growled　deep　in　my　throat　as　the　other　uniformed　inpetent　poked　his　nose　around　the　car　and　gaped　at　our　cozy　cuddle　in　the　grass。　He　was　still　gaping　when　I　lunged　an　arm　up　and　around　his　neck　with　a　tight　squeeze　on　his　throat　and　pulled　him　down　to　join　us。　It　was　fun　to　watch　his　tongue　e　out　and　his　eyes　pop　and　his　head　turn　red　but　Angelina　spoiled　it。