hh.thessrat.sings.the.blues-第14部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃Unclean；〃　he　moaned；　〃unclean。〃
　〃Well　it　is　a　little　hard　to　have　a　bath　when　you're　on　the　trail；〃　I　told　him。　I　didn't　add　that　he　wasn't　that　spic　and　span　himself。
　〃Not　of　the　body…of　the　spirit。　Is　that　not　a　vessel　of　corruption　among　you？〃
　〃Could　you　spell　that　out　a　little　more　clearly？〃
　〃Is　that　。　。　。　person　a　。　。　。　woman？〃　He　still　had　his　arm　across　his　face。
　〃The　last　time　I　looked　she　was。〃　I　moved　sideways　a　bit；　closer　to　my　sword。　〃What's　it　to　you？〃
　〃Her　face　must　be　covered　to　conceal　impurity；　her　ankles　covered　lest　they　promote　lust　in　the　hearts　of　men。〃
　〃This　guy　is　a　bit　of　a　weirdo；〃　Madonette　said　disgustedly。　He　yiped。
　〃And　her　voice　silenced　lest　it　lure　the　blessed　into　sin！〃
　Steengo　nodded　to　Floyd　and　took　the　angry　girl　by　the　arm；　but　she　shrugged　him　off。　〃Jim；〃　he　said。　〃The　bunch　of　us　are　going　to　stroll　back　among　the　trees　and　have　a　break。　See　if　you　can　sort　this　out。〃
　〃Right。〃　I　watched　them　leave　and　when　they　were　out　of　sight　looked　back　at　the　three　nomads　who　were　emulating　their　leader；　all　with　their　arms　raised；　as　though　sniffing　their　armpits。　〃It's　safe　now。　Can　we　talk　about　this？〃
　〃Return；〃　Arroz　said　to　his　mates。　〃I　will　explain　the　Law　to　this　stranger。　Let　the　flock　graze。〃
　They　trotted　off　while　his　own　mount　chomped　away　on　the　grass。　He　sat　down　cross…legged　and　motioned　to　me。　〃Sit。　We　must　talk。〃
　I　sat。　But　upwind　of　him　because　it　had　been　a　long　time　since　he　or　his　clothes　had　been　near　soap　and　water。　And　he　talked　about　unclean！　He　rooted　about　under　his　robe；　had　a　good　scratch；　then　withdrew　a　book　and　held　it　up。
　〃This　book　is　the　font　of　all　wisdom；〃　he　intoned；　eyes　gleaming。
　〃That's　nice。　What　is　it　called？〃
　〃The　Book。　There　are　no　other　books。　All　that　men　need　to　know　is　in　here。　The　distillate　of　all　wisdom。〃　I　thought　that　it　looked　pretty　thin　for　that　job；　but　wisely　kept　my　mouth　shut。　〃It　was　the　great　Founder；　whose　name　may　not　be　spoken；　who　had　the　inspiration　to　read　all　of　the　Holy　books　of　all　of　the　ages；　who　saw　in　them　the　work　of　the　god　whose　name　may　not　be　spoken；　saw　which　passages　were　inspired　and　which　were　untrue。　From　all　the　books　He　distilled　the　true　Book…then　burned　all　of　the　others。　He　went　forth　into　the　world　and　His　followers　were　many。　But　others　were　jealous　and　tried　to　destroy　Him　and　His　followers。　That　has　been　told。　And　it　is　told　that　to　avoid　this　senseless　persecution　He　and　His　followers　came　to　this　world　where　they　could　worship　untroubled。　That　is　why　I　asked…are　you　unclean？　Or　do　you　also　follow　the　Way　of　the　Book？〃
　〃Most　interesting。　I　follow　a　slightly　different　way。　But　my　way　believes　in　respecting　your　way；　so　don't　worry　too　much　about　me。〃
　He　frowned　at　this　and　shook　an　admonitory　finger　at　me。　〃There　is　only　one　Way；　only　one　Book。　All　who　think　differently　are　damned。　Now　is　your　chance　to　be　cleansed　for　I　have　shown　you　the　true　Way。〃
　〃Thanks　a　lot…but　no　thanks。〃
　He　stood　up　and　stabbed　an　accusatory　finger　in　my　direction。　〃Unclean！　Profane！　Leave…for　you　soil　me　with　your　presence。〃
　〃Well　each　to　their　own　opinion。　Good…by　and　good　luck　with　your　sheot　shearing。　May　all　your　fleeces　be　giant　ones。　But　an　indulgence　please…before　you　go　would　you　take　a　look　at　this。〃　I　pulled　the　photograph　of　the　alien　artifact　from　my　pocket　and　held　it　out。
　〃Unclean；〃　he　muttered　and　put　his　hand　behind　his　back　so　he　wouldn't　touch　it。
　〃I'm　sure　it　is。　I　just　want　to　know　if　you　have　seen　this　thing　in　the　picture　before。〃
　〃No；　never。〃
　〃Been　nice　talking　to　you。〃
　He　did　not　return　my　friendly　wave　as　he　walked　over　to　his　mount；　kicked　it　in　the　leg　until　it　sat　down；　climbed　aboard　and　galloped　off。　I　pulled　my　sword　out　of　the　ground　and　went　to　join　the　others。　Madonette　was　still　simmering。
　〃Hypocritical　narrow…minded　bigoted　moron。〃
　〃That　and　a　lot　more。　At　least　I　got　one　bit　of　negative　information　from　him。　He　never　saw　the　artifact。　It　must　have　been　taken　by　another　one　of　the　tribes。〃
　〃Are　we　going　to　have　to　talk　to　all　of　them？〃
　〃Unless　you　have　any　better　ideas。　And　nineteen　days　to　go。〃
　〃I　don't　trust　him；〃　Madonette　said。　〃And　don't　sneer　and　say　female　intuition。　Aren't　these　the　same　kind　as　the　bunch　that　attacked　the　archeologists'　ship？〃
　〃You're　right…and　isn't　that　the　clatter　of　hundreds　of　hooves　ing　this　way？〃
　〃It　is！〃　Floyd　shouted；　pointing。　〃What　do　we　do…run？〃
　〃No！　Out　of　the　trees　and　onto　the　plain。　Instruments　at　the　ready。　We　are　going　to　give　these　guys　a　concert　that　they　will　never　forget！〃
　Arroz　had　gone　back　to　rally　the　troops　and　at　least　thirty　of　them；　with　plenty　of　sword　waving　and　maniac　baaing；　came　charging　down。　I　turned　the　amplification　on　the　sound　up　until　it　would　not　go　any　higher。
　〃Earplugs　in；　get　ready；　on　the　count　of　three　we　give　them　old　number　thirteen；　‘The　Rockets　Go　Rumbling　On。'　One；　two　。　。　。　On　the　count　of　three　the　explosion　of　unbearable　sound　blasted　out。　The　lead　riders　were　tossed　to　the　ground　as　the　sheots　recoiled　in　fear。　I　flipped　some　smoke　bombs　among　them；　just　to　keep　the　action　going；　and　hit　them　with　holographed　lightning　bolts。
　It　was　pretty　good。　Before　we　got　to　the　second　chorus　the　stampede　was　over；　the　last　terrorized　sheots　galloped　away　out　of　sight。　The　last　black…robed　Fundamentaloid　crawled　over　the　horizon；　the　trampled　grass　dotted　with　discarded　swords；　gobbets　of　fleece　and　myriad　eightballs　of　dung。
　〃Victory　is　ours！〃　I　whooped　happily。
　And　only　nineteen　days　to　go　I　thought　depressedly。　This　just　would　not　do。　I　had　the　awful　feeling　that　we　could　spend　nineteen　days　or　nineteen　weeks　stumbling　about　this　planet　and　be　no　wiser　about　the　alien　artifact　we　were　seeking。
　There　had　to　be　a　change　of　plan…and　now？　I　walked　away　from　the　others；　then　bit　down　three　times；　so　hard　that　I　almost　cracked　a　tooth。
　〃Captain　Tremearne　here。〃
　〃And　dismal　Jim　diGriz　on　this　end。　Have　you　been　following　all　this？〃
　〃Yes；　and　watching。　I　heard　you　ask　him　to　identify　the　photograph。　I　assume　that　he　did　not。〃
　〃You　assume　right；　distant　and　disembodied　voice。　Now　listen；　there　has　got　to　be　a　change　of　plan。　When　I　came　up　with　the　idea　for　this　present　operation　I　assumed　that　there　was　some　kind　of　imitation　of　civilization　on　this　dismal　world。　Where　we　could　stroll　from　gig　to　gig　and　do　our　snooping　at　the　same　time。　I　was　wrong。〃
　〃I　regret　that　all　the　facts　were　not　supplied　to　you　at　the　time。　But　as　you　are　now　aware　there　is　a　plete　ban　on　information　being　circulated　about　this　particular　planet。〃
　〃I　know　that　now…and　it　won't　wash。　We　would　have　been　a　lot　better　if　we　came　here　disguised　as　a　squad　of　bat　marines。　So　far　every　bunch　we　have　met　has　tried　to　kill　us。　The　whole　thing　is　that　hard…nosed　Admiral　Benbow's　fault。　He　lied　to　me　about　what　we　would　find　here。　Right？〃
　〃As　a　serving　military　officer　I　cannot　discuss　the　conduct　of　my　superiors。　But　I　can　agree　that　whoever　briefed　you　was；　I　must　say；　economical　with　the　truth。〃
　〃Do　you　also　know　that　he　was　economical　with　my　health？　And　that　in　nineteen　days　I　am　going　to　keel　over　from　time　released　poison。〃
　〃Regrettably；　I　have　been　informed　that　that　is　the　case。　And　you　have　eighteen　days　left　now；　You　appear　to　have　lost　track　of　one　day　during　the　past　period。〃
　〃Eighteen？　Thanks　much。　That　only　makes　what　I　have　to　say　even　more　imperative。　I　need　some　help；　some　transportation。〃
　〃All　contact　with　the　planet　is　forbidden。〃
　〃I　just　changed　the　rules。　You　yourself　told　me　that　you　are　heading　a　mittee　to　bring　about　major　improvements　here。　The　first　change　will　be　to　get　one　of　the　ship's　launches　down　here。　With　that　I　can　get　around　to　the　various　bands　of　sheot　shaggers　before　my　personal　deadline　runs　out。〃
　〃If　1　do　that　I　will　be　disobeying　orders　and　it　could　end　my　career。
　〃Well？〃
　The　silence　inside　my　head　went　on　and　on。　I　waited。　Until　I　heard　what　could　only　have　been　a　sigh。
　〃I　suppose　there　are　plenty　of　job　opportunities　for　skilled　civilians　these　days。　The　launch　will　land　after　dark。　If　it　is　not　seen　by　anyone　on　the　ground　there　is　just　a　chance　that　my　career　change　can　be　postponed。〃
　〃You're　a　good　guy；　Tremearne。　My　heartiest　thanks。〃
　I　hummed　a　bar　or　two　from　〃The　Swedish　Monster〃　as　I　walked　back　to　inform　my　panions。
　〃Jim；　you're　wonderful！〃　Madonette　said；　grabbed　and　kissed　me。　〃I　much　prefer　flying　to　walking。〃
　Floyd　nodded　happy　agreement　and　reached　for　me。
　〃Away！〃　I　shouted。　〃Girls；　okay；　but　I　don't　kiss　guys　with　beards。　What　we　do　now　is　put　a　little　distance　between　us　and　those　religious　nuts　in　case　they　want　to　e　back　for　seconds。　Then　rest　up　until　dark。　I　have　a　feeling　that　it　is　going　to　be　a　very　busy　night。〃
　
　CHAPTER　11
　〃Wake　up；　Jim…it's　almost　dark。〃
　Madonette's　gentle　hand　was　most　wele；　since　it　drew　me　up　out　of　a　really　repulsive　nightmare。　Tentacles；　bulging　eyeballs；　yukk。　The　eighteen…day　dead　deadline　must　be　getting　to　my　subconscious。　I　sat　up；　yawned　and　stretched。　With　great　reluctance　the　sun　had　finally　dropped　behind　the　horizon　leaving　behind　a　slowly　fading　band　of　light。　The　stars　were　ing