bill_the_galactic_hero_v1.1-第16部分

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ted；　he　thought；　in　the　galaxy…famed　Palace　Gardens。　All　of　the　other　passengers　got　off　on　lower　levels；　and　the　robelevator　picked　up　speed　as　it　hurtled　up　to　the　topmost　level。　He　rose　into　the　air　as　it　braked　to　a　stop；　and　his　ears　popped　with　the　pressure　change；　and　when　the　doors　opened　he　stepped　out　into　a　snow…filled　wind。　He　gaped　about　with　unbelief　and　behind　him　the　doors　snicked　shut　and　the　elevator　vanished。　
　　The　doors　had　opened　directly　onto　the　metal　plain　that　made　up　the　topmost　layer　of　the　city；　now　obscured　by　the　swirling　clouds　of　snow。　Bill　groped　for　the　button　to　recall　the　elevator；　when　a　vagrant　swirl　of　wind　whipped　the　snow　away　and　the　warm　sun　beat　down　on　him　from　the　cloudless　sky。　This　was　impossible。
　　〃This　is　impossible；〃　Bill　said　with　forthright　indignation。
　　〃Nothing　is　impossible　if　I　will　it；〃　a　scratchy　voice　spoke　from　behind　Bill's　shoulder。　〃For　I　am　the　Spirit　of　Life。〃
　　Bill　skittered　sideways　like　a　homeostatic　robhorse；　rolling　his　eyes　at　the　small；　white…whiskered　man　with　a　twitching　nose　and　red…rimmed　eyes　who　had　appeared　soundlessly　behind　him。
　　〃You　got　a　leak　in　your　think…tank；〃　Bill　snapped；　angry　at　himself　for　being　so　goosy。
　　〃You'd　be　nuts；　too；　on　this　job；〃　the　little　man　sobbed；　and　knuckled　a　pendant　drop　from　his　nose。　〃Half…froze；　halfcooked　and　half…wiped　out　most　of　the　time　on　oxy。　The　Spirit　of　Life；〃　he　quavered；　〃mine　is　the　power　。　。　。〃
　　〃Now　that　you　mention　it；〃　Bill's　words　were　muffled　by　a　sudden　flurry　of　snow；　〃I　am　feeling　a　bit　high　myself。　Wheeee　。　。　。　！！〃　The　wind　veered　and　swept　the　occluding　clouds　of　snow　away；　and　Bill　gaped　at　the　suddenly　revealed　view。
　　Slushy　snow　and　pools　of　water　spotted　the　surface　as　far　as　he　could　see。　The　golden　coating　had　been　worn　away；　and　the　metal　was　gray　and　pitted　beneath；　streaked　with　ruddy　rivulets　of　rust。　Rows　of　great　pipes；　each　thicker　than　a　man　is　tall；　snaked　toward　him　from　over　the　horizon　and　ended　in　funnel　like　mouths。　The　funnels　were　obscured　by　whirling　clouds　of　vapor　and　snow　that　shot　high　into　the　air　with　a　hushed　roar；　though　one　of　the　vapor　columns　collapsed　and　the　cloud　dispersed　while　Bill　watched。
　　〃Number　eighteen　blown！〃　the　old　man　shouted　into　a　microphone；　grabbed　a　clipboard　from　the　wall；　and　kicked　his　way　through　the　slush　toward　a　rusty　and　dilapidated　walkway　that　groaned　and　rattled　along　parallel　with　the　pipes。　Bill　followed；　shouting　at　the　man；　who　now　pletely　ignored　him。　As　the　walkway；　clanking　and　swaying；　carried　them　along；　Bill　began　to　wonder　just　where　the　pipes　led；　and　after　a　minute；　when　his　head　cleared　a　bit；　curiosity　got　the　better　of　him　and　he　strained　ahead　to　see　what　the　mysterious　bumps　were　on　the　horizon。　They　slowly　resolved　themselves　into　a　row　of　giant　spaceships；　each　one　connected　to　one　of　the　thick　pipes。　With　unexpected　agility　the　old　man　sprang　from　the　walkway　and　bounded　toward　the　ship　at　station　eighteen；　where　the　tiny　figures　of　workers；　high　up；　were　disconnecting　the　seals　that　joined　the　ship　to　the　pipe。　The　old　man　copied　numbers　from　a　meter　attached　to　the　pipe；　while　Bill　watched　a　crane　swing　over　with　the　end　of　a　large；　flexible　hose　that　emerged　from　the　surface　they　were　standing　on。　It　was　attached　to　the　valve　on　top　of　the　spaceship。　A　rumbling　vibration　shook　the　hose；　and　from　around　the　seal　to　the　ship　emerged　puffs　of　black　cloud　that　drifted　over　the　stained　metal　plain。
　　〃Could　I　ask　just　what　the　hell　is　going　on　here？〃　Bill　said　plaintively。
　　〃Life！　Life　everlasting！〃　the　old　man　crowed；　swinging　up　from　the　glooms　of　his　depression　toward　the　heights　of　manic　elation。
　　〃Could　you　be　a　little　more　specific？〃
　　〃Here　is　a　world　sheathed　in　metal；〃　he　stamped　his　foot　and　there　was　a　dull　boom。　〃What　does　that　mean？〃
　　〃It　means　the　world　is　sheathed　in　metal。〃
　　〃Correct。　For　a　trooper　you　show　a　remarkable　turn　of　intelligence。　So　you　take　a　planet　and　cover　it　with　metal；　and　you　got　a　planet　where　the　only　green　growing　things　are　in　the　Imperial　Gardens　and　a　couple　of　window　boxes。　Then　what　do　you　have？〃
　　〃Everybody　dead；〃　Bill　said；　for　after　all；　he　was　a　farm　boy　and　up　on　all　the　photosynthesis　and　chlorophyll　bowb。
　　〃Correct　again。　You　and。　I　and　the　Emperor　and　a　couple　of　billion　other　slobs　are　working　away　turning　all　the　oxygen　into　carbon　dioxide；　and　with　no　plants　around　to　turn　it　back　into　oxygen　and　if　we　keep　at　it　long　enough　we　breathe　ourselves　to　death。〃
　　〃Then　these　ships　are　bringing　in　liquid　oxygen？〃
　　The　old　man　bobbed　his　head　and　jumped　back　。onto　the　slideway；　Bill　followed。　〃Affirm。　They　get　it　for　free　on　the　agricultural　planets。　And　after　they　empty　here　they　load　up　with　carbon　extracted　at　great　expense　from　the　CO；　and　whip　back　with　it　to　the　hickworlds；　where　it　is　burned　for　fuel；　used　for　fertilizer；　bined　into　numberless　plastics　and　other　products　。　。　。〃
　　Bill　stepped　from　the　slideway　at　the　nearest　elevator；　while　the　old　man　and　his　voice　vanished　into　the　vapor；　and　crouching　down；　his　head　pounding　from　the　oxy　jag；　he　began　flipping　furiously　through　his　floor　plan。　While　he　waited　for　the　elevator　he　found　his　place　from　the　code　number　on　the　door　and　began　to　plot　a　new　course　toward　the　Palace　Gardens。
　　This　time　he　did　not　allow　himself　to　be　distracted。　By　only　eating　candy　bars　and　drinking　carbonated　beverages　from　the　dispensers　along　his　route　he　avoided　the　dangers　and　distractions　of　the　eateries；　and　by　keeping　himself　awake　he　avoided　missing　connections。　With　black　bags　under　his　eyes　and　teeth　rotting　in　his　head　he　stumbled　from　a　gravshaft　and　with…　thudding　heart　finally　saw　a　florally　decorated　and　colorfully　illuminated　scentsign　that　said　HANGING　GARDENS　There　was　an　entrance　turnstile　and　a　cashier's　window。
　　〃One　please。〃
　　〃That'll　be　ten　imperial　bucks。〃
　　〃Isn't　that　a　little　expensive？〃　he　said　peevishly；　unrolling　the　bills　one　by　one　from　his　thin　wad。
　　〃If　you're　poor；　don't　e　to　Helior。〃
　　The　cashier…robot　was　primed　with　all　the　snappy　answers。　Bill　ignored　it　and　pushed　through　into　the　gardens。　They　were　everything　he　had　ever　dreamed　of　and　more。　As　he　walked　down　the　gray　cinder　path　inside　the　outer　wall　he　could　see　green　shrubs　and　grass　just　on　the　other　side　of　the　titanium　mesh　fence。　No　more　than　a　hundred　yards　away；　on　the　other　side　of　the　grass；　were　floating；　colorful　plants　and　flowers　from　all　the　worlds　of　the　Empire。　And　there！　Tiny　in　the　distance　were　the　Rainbow　Fountains；　almost　visible　to　the　naked　eye。　Bill　slipped　a　coin　into　one　of　the　telescopes　and　watched　their　colors　glow　and　wane；　and　it　was　just　as　good　as　seeing　it　on　TV。　He　went　on；　circling　inside　the　wall；　bathed　by　the　light　of　the　artificial　sun　in　the　giant　dome　above。
　　But　even　the　heady　pleasures　of　the　gardens　waned　in　the　face　of　the　soul…consuming　fatigue　that　gripped　him　in　iron　hands。　There　were　steel　benches　pegged　to　the　wall；　and　he　dropped　onto　one　to　rest　for　a　moment；　then　closed　his　eyes　for　a　second　to　ease　the　glare。　His　chin　dropped　onto　his　chest；　and　before　he　realized　it　he　was　sound　asleep。　Other　visitors　scrunched　by　on　the　cinders　without　disturbing　him；　nor　did　he　move　when　one　sat　down　at　the　far　end　of　the　bench。
　　Since　Bill　never　saw　this　man　there　is　no　point　in　describing　him。　Suffice　to　say　that　he　had　sallow　skin；　a　broken；　reddened　nose；　feral　eyes　peering　from　under　a　simian　brow；　wide　hips　and　narrow　shoulders；　mismatched　feet；　lean；　knobby；　dirty　fingers；　and　a　twitch。
　　Long　seconds　of　eternity　ticked　by　while　the　man　sat　there。　Then　for　a　few　moments　there　were　no　other　visitors　in　sight。　With　a　quick；　snakelike　motion　the　newer　whipped　an　atomic　arc…pencil　from　his　pocket。　The　small；　incredibly　hot　flame　whispered　briefly　as　he　pressed　it　against　the　chain　that　secured　Bill's　floor　plan　to　his　waist；　just　at　the　point　where　the　looped　chain　rested　on　the　metal　bench。　In　a　trice　the　metal　of　the　chain　was　welded　fast　to　the　metal　of　the　bench。　Still　undisturbed；　Bill　slept　on。　
　　A　wolfish　grin　flickered　across　the　man's　face　like　the　evil　rings　formed　in　sewer　water　by　a　diving　rat。　Then；　with　a　single　swift　motion；　the　atomic　flame　severed　the　chain　near　the　volume。　Pocketing　the　arc…pencil　the　thief　rose；　plucked　Bill's　floor　plan　from　his　lap；　and　strode　quickly　away。　

III

At　first　Bill　didn't　appreciate　the　magnitude　of　his　loss。　He　swam　slowly　up　out　of　his　sleep；　thickheaded；　with　the　feeling　that　something　was　wrong。　Only　after　repeated　tugging　did　he　realize　that　the　chain　was　stuck　fast　to　the　bench　and　that　the　book　was　gone。　The　chain　could　not　be　freed；　and　in　the　end　he　had　to　unfasten　it　from　his　belt　and　leave　it　dangling。　Retracing　his　steps　to　the　entrance；　he　knocked　on　the　cashier's　window。
　　〃No　refunds；〃　the　robot　said。
　　〃I　want　to　report　a　crime。〃
　　〃The　police　handle　crime。　You　want　to　talk　to　the　police。　You　talk　to　the　police　on　a　phone。　Here　is　a　phone。　The　number　is　111…11…111。〃　A　small　door　slid　open；　and　a　phone　popped　out；　catching　Bill　in　the　chest　and　knocking　him
back　on　his　heels。　He　dialed　the　number。
　　〃Police；〃　a　voice　said；　and　a　bulldog…faced　sergeant　wearing　a　Prussian　blue