bill_the_galactic_hero_v1.1-第7部分

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；　and　they　all　snapped　to　attention　until　he　was　gone。　The　other　troopers　looked　at　Tembo　oddly　and　did　not　feel　fortable　until　he　had　gone。　Bill　and　Eager　walked　slowly　back　to　their　quarters。
　　〃Turned　down　a　discharge　。　。　。　！〃　Bill　mumbled　in　awe。
　　〃Gee；〃　Eager　said；　〃maybe　he's。　nuts。　I　can't　think　of　any　other　reason。〃
　　〃Nobody　could　be　that　crazy；〃　Bill　said。　〃I　wonder　what's　in　there？〃　pointing　to　a　door　with　a　large　sign　that　read　ADMITTANCE　TO　AUTHORIZED　PERSONNEL　ONLY。
　　〃Gee…I　don't　know…maybe　food？〃
　　They　slipped　through　instantly　and　closed　the　door　behind　them；　but　there　was　no　food　there。　Instead　they　were　in　a　long　chamber　with　one　curved　wall；　while　attached　to　this　wall　were　cumbersome　devices　each　set　with　meters；　dials；
switches；　controls；　levers；　a　view　screen；　and　a　relief　tube。　Bill　bent　over　and　read　the　label　on　the　nearest　one。
　　〃Mark　IV　Atomic　Blaster…and　look　at　the　size　of　them！　This　must　be　the　ship's　main　battery。〃　He　turned　around　and　saw　that　Eager　was　holding　his　arm　up　so　that　his　wrist　watch　pointed　at　the　guns　and　was　pressing　on　the　crown　with　the　index　finger　of　his　other　hand。
　　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　Bill　asked。
　　〃Gee…just　seeing　what　time　it　was。〃
　　〃How　can　you　tell　what　time　it　is　when　you　have　the　inside　of　your　wrist　toward　your　face　and　the　watch　is　on　the　outside？〃
　　Footsteps　echoed　far　down　the　long　gun　deck；　and　they　remembered　the　sign　on　the　outside　of　the　door。　In　an　instant　they　had　slipped　back　through　it；　and　Bill　pressed　it　quietly　shut。　When　he　turned　around　Eager　Beager　had　gone　so　that　he　had　to　make　his　way　back　to　their　quarters　by　himself。　Eager　had　returned　first　and　was　busy　shining　boots　for　his　buddies　and　didn't　look　up　when　Bill　came　in。
　　But　what　had　he　been　doing　with　his　watch？

IV

　　This　question　kept　bugging　Bill　all　the　time　during　the　days　of　their　training　as　they　painfully　learned　the　drill　of　fuse　tending。　It　was　an　exacting；　technical　job　that　demanded　all　their　attention；　but　in　spare　moments　Bill　worried。　He　worried　when　they　stood　in　line　for　chow；　and　he　worried　during　the　few　moments　every　night　between　the　time　the　lights　were　turned　off　and　sleep　descended　heavily　upon　his　fatiguedrugged　body。　He　worried　whenever　he　had　the　time　to　do　it；　and　he　lost　weight。
　　He　lost　weight　not　because　he　was　worrying；　but　for　the　same　reason　everyone　else　lost　weight。　The　shipboard　rations。　They　were　designed　to　sustain　life；　and　that　they　did；　but　no　mention　was　made　of　what　kind　of　life　it　was　to　be。　It　was　a　dreary；　underweight；　hungry　one。　Yet　Bill　took　no　notice　of　this。　He　had　a　bigger　problem；　and　he　needed　help：　After　Sunday　drill　at　the　end　of　their　second　week；　he　stayed　to　talk　to　First　Class　Spleen　instead　of　joining　the　others　in　their　tottering　run　toward　the　mess　hall。
　　〃I　have　a　problem；　sir　。　。　。〃
　　〃You　ain't　the　only　one；　but　one　shot　cures　it　and　you　ain't　a　man　until　you've　had　it。〃
　　〃It's　not　that　kind　of　a　problem。　I'd　like　to　。　。　。　see　the　。　。　。　chaplain　。　。　。〃
　　Spleen　turned　white　and　sank　back　against　the　bulkhead。　〃Now　I　heard　everything；〃　he　said　weakly。　〃Get　down　to　chow；　and　if　you　don't　tell　anyone　about　this　I　won't　either。〃
　　Bill　blushed。　〃I'm　sorry　about　this；　First　Class　Spleen；　but　I　can't　help　it。　It's　not　my　fault　I　have　to　see；　him；　it　could　have　happened　to　anyone　。　。　。〃　His　voice　trailed　away；　and　he　looked　down　at　his　feet；　rubbing　one　boot　against　another。　The　silence　stretched　out　until　Spleen　finally　spoke；　but　all　the　radeliness　was　gone　from　his　voice。
　　〃All　right；　trooper…if　that's　the　way　you　want　it。　But　I　hope　none　of　the　rest　of　the　boys　hear　about　it。　Skip　chow　and　get　up　there　now…here's　a　pass。〃　He　scrawled　on　a　scrap　of　paper　then　threw　it　contemptuously　to　the　floor；　turning　and　walking　away　as　Bill　bent　humbly　to　pick　it　up。
　　Bill　went　down　dropchutes；　along　corridors；　through　passageways；　and　up　ladders。　In　the　ship's　directory　the　chaplain　was　listed　as　being　in　partment　362…B　on　the　89th　deck；　and　Bill　finally　found　this；　a　plain　metal　door　set　with　rivets。　He　raised　his　hand　to　knock；　while　sweat　stood　out　in　great　beads　from　his　face　and　his　throat　was　dry。　His　knuckles　boomed　hollowly　on　the　panel；　and　after　an　endlcss　period　a　muffled　voice　sounded　from　the　other　side。
　　〃Yeah；　yeah…c'mon　in…it's　open。〃
　　Bill　stepped　through　and　snapped　to　attention　when　he　saw　the　officer　behind　the　single　desk　that　almost　filled　the　tiny　room。　The　officer；　a　fourth　lieutenant；　though　still　young　was　balding　rapidly。　There　were　black　circles　under　his　eyes；　and　he　needed　a　shave。　His　tie　was　knotted　crookedly　and　badly　crumpled。　He　continued　to　scratch　among　the　stacks　of　paper　that　littered　the　desk；　picking　them　up；　changing　piles　with　them；　scrawling　notes　on　some　and　throwing　others　into　an　overflowing　wastebasket。　When　he　moved　one　of　the　stacks　Bill　saw　a　sign　on　the　desk　that　read　LAUNDRY　OFFICER。
　　〃Excuse　me；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　am　in　the　wrong　office。　I　was　looking　for　the　chaplain。〃
　　〃This　is　the　chaplain's　office　but　he's　not　on　duty　until　2300　hours；　which　is；　as　someone　even　as　stupid…looking　as　you　can　tell；　is　in　fifteen　minutes　more。〃
　　〃Thank　you；　sir；　I'll　e　back　。　。　。〃　Bill　slid　toward　the　door。　
　　〃You'll　stay　and　work。〃　The　officer　raised　bloodshot　eyeballs　and　cackled　evilly。　〃I　got　you。　You　can　sort　the　hanky　reports。　I've　lost　six　hundred　jockstraps；　and　they　may　be　in　there。　You　think　it's　easy　to　be　a　laundry　officer？〃　He　sniveled　with　self…pity　and　pushed　a　tottering　stack　of　papers　over　to　Bill；　who　began　to　sort　through　them。　Long　before　he　was　finished　the　buzzer　sounded　that　ended　the　watch。
　　〃I　knew　it！〃　the　officer　sobbed　hopelessly；　〃this　job　will　never　end；　instead　it　gets　worse　and　worse。　And　you　think　you　got　problems！〃　He　reached　out　an　unsteady　finger　and　flipped　the　sign　on　his　desk　over。　It　read　CHAPLAIN　on　the　other　side。　Then　he　grabbed　the　end　of　his　necktie　and　pulled　it　back　hard　over　his　right　shoulder。　The　necktie　was　fastened　to　his　collar　and　the　collar　was　set　into　ball　bearings　that　rolled　smoothly　in　a　track　fixed　to　his　shirt。　There　was　a　slight　whirring　sound　as　the　collar　rotated；　then　the　necktie　was　hanging　out　of　sight　down　his　back　and　his　collar　was　now　on　backward；　showing　white　and　smooth　and　cool　to　thefront。
　　The　chaplain　steepled　his　fingers　before　him；　lowered　his　eyes；　and　smiled　sweetly。　〃How　may　I　help　you；　my　son？〃
　　〃I　thought　you　were　the　laundry　officer；〃　Bill　said；　taken　aback。
　　〃I　am；　my　son；　but　that　is　just　one　of　the　burdens　that　must　fall　upon　my　shoulders。　There　is　little　call　for　a　chaplain　in　these　troubled　times；　but　much　call　for　a　laundry　officer。　I　do　my　best　to　serve。〃　He　bent　his　head　humbly。
　　〃But…which　are　you？　A　chaplain　who　is　a　part…time　laundry　officer；　or　a　laundry　officer　who　is　a　part…time　chaplain？〃
　　〃That　is　a　mystery；　my　son。　There　are　some　things　that　it　is　best　not　to　know。　But　I　see　you　arc　troubled。　May　I　ask　if　you　are　of　the　faith？〃
　　〃Which　faith？〃
　　〃That's　what　I'm　asking　you！〃　the　chaplain　snapped；　and　for　a　moment　the　Old　Laundry　Officer　peeped　through。　〃How　can　I　help　you　if　I　do　not　know　what　your　religion　is？〃
　　〃Fundamentalist　Zoroastrian。〃
　　The　chaplain　took　a　plastic…covered　sheet　from　a　drawer　and　ran　his　finger　down　it。　〃Z　。　。　。　Z　。　。　。　Zen　。　。　。　Zodomite　。　。　。　Zoroastrian；　Reformed　Fundamentalist；　is　that　the　one？〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　〃Well；　should　be　no　trouble　with　this；　my　son　。　。　。　21…52…05　。　。　。〃　He　quickly　dialed　the　number　on　a　control　plate　set　into　the　desk；　then；　with　a　grand　gesture　and　an　evangelistic　gleam　in　his　eye；　he　swept　all　the　laundry　papers　to　the　floor。　Hidden　machinery　hummed　briefly；　a　portion　of　the　desk　top　dropped　away　and　reappeared　a　moment　later　bearing　a　black　plastic…box　decorated　with　golden　bulls；　rampant。　〃Be　with　you　in　a　second；〃　the　chaplain　said；　opening　the　box。
　　First　he　unrolled　a　length　of　white　cloth　sewn　with　more　golden　bulls　and　draped　this　around　his　neck。　He　placed　a　thick；　leather…bound　book　next　to　the　box；　then　on　the　closed　lid　set　two　metal　bulls　with　hollowed…out　backs。　Into　one　of　them　he　poured　distilled　water　from　a　plastic　flask　and　into　the　other　sweet　oil；　which　he　ignited。　Bill　watched　these　familiar　arrangements　with　growing　happiness。
　　〃It's　very　lucky；〃　Bill　said；　〃that　you　are　a　Zoroastrian。　It　makes　it　easier　to　talk　to　you。〃
　　〃No　luck　involved；　my　son；　just　intelligent　planning。〃　The　chaplain　dropped　some　powdered　Haoma　into　the　flame；　and　Bill's　nose　twitched　as　the　drugged　incense　filled　the　room。　〃By　the　grace　of　Ahura　Mazdah　I　am　an　anointed　priest
of　Zoroaster。　By　Allah's　will　a　faithful　muezzin　of　Islam；　through　Yahweh's　intercession　a　circumcised　rabbi；　and　so　forth。〃　His　benign　face　broke　into　a　savage　snarl。　〃And　also　because　of　an　officer　shortage　I　am　the　damned　laundry　officer。〃　His　face　cleared。　〃But　now；　you　must　tell　me　your　problem　。　。　。〃
　　〃Well；　it's　not　easy。　It　may　be　just　foolish　suspicion　on　my　part；　but　I'm　worried　about　one　of　my　buddies。　There　is　something　strange　about　him。　I'm　not　sure　how　to　tell　it。。。〃
　　〃Have　confidence；　my　boy；　and　reveal　your　innermost　feelings　to　me；　and　do　not　fear。　What　I　hear　shall　never　leave　this　room；　for　I　a