hh.thessrat.sings.the.blues-第19部分

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　Iron　John　sat　down　again　and　crossed　his　legs。　He　either　painted　his　toenails　or　they　were　naturally　rusty。　I　let　it　pass　since　there　were　a　lot　more　things　I　would　like　to　know　first。
　〃All　here　in　Paradise　were　possessed　of　a　great　depression　when　you　were　arrested；〃　he　said。　〃Falsely　of　course？〃
　〃Of　course！〃
　〃I　thought　so。　But　the　galaxy's　loss　is　our　gain。　We　are　pleased　since　we　now　have；　you　might　say；　a　monopoly　on　your　talents。〃
　This　had　an　ominous　sound　which　I　ignored　for　the　moment；　cocking　an　ear　as　he　rumbled　on。
　〃The　galaxy　is　so　filled　with　guilt；　sorrow　and　wrongheadedness　that　we　chose；　out　of　disgust；　not　to　watch　most　of　what　is　disseminated　by　television。　I　am　sure　that　it　will　cheer　you　to　know　that；　since　your　arrest　and　incarceration；　we　have　canceled　normal　programming　and　have　been　running　recordings　of　your　numbers；　day　and　night。　Now；　soon；　we　will　be　happily　blessed　with　the　originals　themselves！〃
　This　was　greeted　by　cries　of　enthusiasm　and　we　replied　with　nods；　grins　and　handshakes　over　our　heads。　When　the　shouts　had　died　away　old　Rusty　boomed　out　what　they　all　wanted　to　hear。
　〃It　is　our　hope　that　you　will　now　…　play　for　us！〃　More　shouts。　〃What　a　pleasure　to　hear　live　our　favorite　favorite　‘Nothing's　Too　Bad　For　the　Enemy。'　But　while　you　are　setting　up　we　will　broadcast　a　recording　to　warm　up　our　nation…wide　audience；　to　prepare　them　for　your　first　live　performance。〃
　Which　was　not　a　bad　idea　since；　although　we　could　get　going　fast；　their　TV　technicians　were　another　thing　altogether；　Very　much　on　the　antique　side。　They　dragged　in　arm…thick　Cables；　antique…looking；　homemade　cameras　and　lights　and　other　gear　that　belonged　in　a　museum。　While　this　was　happening　a　screen　dropped　down　from　the　ceiling　and　lit　up　with　lively　color　when　the　back　projector　came　on。
　The　recorded　program　did　not　have　what　might　be　called　the　galaxy's　most　inspiring　opening。　About　a　thousand　suntanned　bodybuilders　drove　heavy　stakes　into　the　ground　with　sledgehammers；　backed　by　the　thud　of　a　beating　drum。　The　drum　died　away　but　the　hammers　kept　hammering　silently　as　the　voice…over　spoke。
　〃Gentlemen　of　Paradise…we　now　bring　you　the　special　occasion　that　was　announced　a　few　minutes　ago。　I　know　that　all　of　you；　right　across　the　land；　are　riveted　to　your　sets。　I　think　that　we　are　going　to　get　a　hundred…percent　rating　on　this　one！　So　while　The　Stainless　Steel　Rats　are　warming　up　for　their　first　ever　live　performance　here；　we　are　privileged　to　play　for　you　their　special　version　of…‘The　Spaceship　Way'！〃
　And　it　really　was　special。　We　watched　ourselves　attacking　the　song　with　our　usual　gusto；　listened　once　again　to　those　lovely　lyrics　。　。　。
　Working　on　the　engines；　in　the　engine　room；　
Wirin'　and　firm'　an'　waitin'　for　the　boom。　
When　the　cannons　blast　like　the　sound　of　doom；　
You　know　you're　a…sweatin'　in　the　engine　room。　
Captain　on　the　bridge　his　fingers　on　the　triggers　
All　the　guns　loaded　by　the　spaceship　riggers。　
Swoopin'　on　the　enemy；　million　miles　an　hour　
Callin'　to　the　engine　room　for　power；　power；　power。　
Power；　Power；　Power　make　the　electrons　whirl；　
Power；　Power；　Power…hear　them　protons　swirl！　
Power；　Power；　Power　will　win　the　day　
Power；　Power；　Power；　that's　the　SPACESHIP　WAY。'
　We　nodded　and　smiled　with　fixed　grins。　Good…quality　picture；　good　sound　as　well。　The　audience　was　looking　at　the　screen　instead　of　at　us　for　the　moment。　Floyd　looked　at　me；　then　raised　his　extended　index　finger　to　the　side　of　his　head　and　rotated　it　in　a　quick　little　circle。　The　universal　hand　signal　for　insanity。　I　nodded　glum　agreement。　I　couldn't　understand　it　either。
　There　we　were　on　the　screen　playing　on　a　familiar　set；　wearing　our　regular　concert　costumes。　Only　one　thing　was　wrong。
　Until　this　moment　none　of　us　had　ever　seen　the　tenor　who　was　right　there　with　us；　singing　the　song。
　Tenor？
　It　had　always　been　sung　in　sensuous　contralto　by　Madonette。
　
　CHAPTER　14
　After　the　TV　intro　we　played　our　number；　pretty　mechanically　I　must　say。　Not　that　our　audience　noticed；　they　were　too　carried　away　simply　by　being　in　the　Presence。　They　swayed　and　waved　their　hands　in　the　air　and　fought　to　keep　silent。　But　when　Iron　John　joined　us　in　the　〃Power〃　chorus　they　cheered　and　howled　and　sang　right　along　with　him。　When　the　last　power　had　been　overpowered　they　broke　into　lusty　shouted　applause　that　went　on　for　a　long；　long　time。　Iron　John　smiled　beneficently　at　this　and　finally　stopped　it　with　a　raised　russet　finger。　There　was　instant　silence。
　〃I　join　you　in　your　enthusiasm　for　our　honored　guests。　But　we　must　give　them　time　to　rest　after　their　strenuous　day。　We　will　surely　hear　them　sing　for　us　again。　You　must　remember　they　are　with　us　now　forever。　It　is　their　rare　privilege　to　be　admitted　to　Paradise　as　full　citizens；　to　live　until　the　end　of　time　in　our　fair　land。〃
　More　cries　of　masculine　joy。　We　concealed　our　overwhelming　pleasure　at　this　life　sentence　and　kept　our　silence　as　we　packed　up　our　instruments　and　handed　them　to　the　waiting　servants。　Our　audience　moved　out；　still　throbbing　slightly　with　musical　passion。
　〃A　moment　please；〃　Iron　John　said；　waiting　for　the　others　to　leave。　When　we　were　alone　he　touched　a　button　at　his　side　and　the　tall　doors　swung　silently　closed。　〃A　fine　song。　We　all　enjoyed　it。〃
　〃The　Stainless　Steel　Rats　aim　only　to　please；〃　I　said。
　〃Wonderful。〃　His　smile　vanished　and　he　stared　at　us　grimly。　〃There　is　one　more　thing　you　must　do　to　please　me。　Your　stay　here　will　be　a　long　one　and　we　want　you　to　be　happy。　You　will　make　us　all　happy；　yourselves　included；　if　you　show　a　certain　selection　in　topics　of　conversation。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　I　asked…although　I　had　a　good　notion　of　what　he　was　leading　up　to。
　〃We　are　very　satisfied　here。　Adjusted　and　secure。　I　do　not　wish　to　see　that　security　threatened。　You　gentlemen　e　to　our　land　from　a　very　troubled　outside　world。　The　galaxy　is　at　peace…or　so　you　say。　While　ignoring　the　eternal　war　without　end。　The　conflict　of　duality　that　we　are　free　of　here。　You　are　the　products　of　a　society　that　is　ego　destroying　instead　of　being　ego　building。　You　suffer　from　the　negativity　that　blights　lives；　weakens　cultures；　sickens　even　the　strongest。　Do　you　know　what　I'm　talking　about？〃
　Neither　Floyd　nor　Steengo　answered　so　it　was　up　to　me。　I　nodded。
　〃We　do。　Although　we　might　quibble　with　some　of　your　conclusions　the　object　of　your　attentions　is　quite　clear。　I　can　promise　you　that　while　we　are　enjoying　your　hospitality；　neither　I　nor　my　associates　will　talk　to　anyone　about　the　other　sex。　That　is　girls；　women；　females。　It　is　a　taboo　topic。　But；　since　you　raised　the　issue　I　assume　that　you　can　discuss　it　。　。　。〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Right；　answer　enough。　We　will　therefore　enjoy　your　hospitality　and　not　spoil　it。〃
　〃You　are　wise　beyond　your　years；　young　Jim；〃　he　said；　and　a　trace　of　a　smile　returned。　〃Now　you　must　be　tired。　You　will　be　shown　to　your　quarters。〃
　The　doors　opened；　he　turned　away。　End　of　interview。　We　strolled　out　as　nonchalantly　as　we　could。　Old　Goldy　led　us　out　as　he　had　led　us　in；　to　some　pretty　luxurious；　although　still　red　brick；　quarters。　He　turned　on　the　TV；　checked　that　the　faucets　worked　in　the　bathroom；　raised　and　lowered　the　curtains；　then　bowed　himself　out　and　closed　the　door。　I　touched　my　finger　to　my　lips。　Floyd　and　Steengo　waited　in　twitching　silence　while　I　used　the　detector；　borrowed　from　Tremearne；　to　sweep　the　room　for　bugs。　After　what　we　had　seen　on　TV　I　had　a　great　admiration　for　the　electronics　in　this　place。
　〃Nothing；〃　I　said。
　〃No　women；〃　Steengo　said。　〃And　we　can't　even　talk　about　them。〃
　〃I　can　live　with　that　for　awhile；〃　Floyd　cut　in。　〃But　who　was　that　singing　our　number？〃
　〃That；〃　I　said；　〃was　a　very　nifty　example　of　some　first…class　electronic　dubbing。〃
　〃But　where　did　that　joker　e　from？〃　Floyd　said。　〃There　I　am　playing　right　beside　him…and　I　swear　that　I　have　never　seen　him　before。　Maybe　we　really　did　blow　baksheesh　and　this　whole　planet　is　a　drug…inspired　nightmare！〃
　〃Keep　cool；　keep　calm。　That　guy　was　nothing　but　a　bunch　of　electronic　bytes　and　bits。　Some　really　good　techs　digitalized　that　entire　song；　with　all　of　us　playing　it。　Then　they　animated　a　puter…generated　male　singer　to　follow　all　of　Madonette's　movements。　Wrote　her　image　out；　wrote　his　in…then　re…recorded　the　whole　thing　just　as　if　it　were　going　out　live。　Only　with　a　him　instead　of　a　her。〃
　〃But　why？〃　Steengo　asked；　dropping　wearily　into　one　of　the　deep　lounges。
　〃Now　you　have　asked　the　right　question。　And　the　answer　is　obvious。　This　side　of　Paradise　is　for　men　only。　Not　only　haven't　we　seen　any　women　here…but　pretty　obviously　they　have　been　edited　out　of　TV　and　presumably　everything　else　going。　It's　a　real　man's　world。　And　don't　say　why　again　because　I　don't　know。　You　saw　how　high　that　wall　is　when　we　were　on　our　way　here。　And　we　know　from　views　of　the　thing　from　space　that　the　city　is　on　both　sides　of　the　wall。　So　the　women…if　there　are　any　women…might　very　well　be　on　the　other　side。〃
　No　one　said　why　again　but　that　was　the　only　thing　on　our　minds。　I　stared　at　their　worried　faces　and　tried　to　think　of　something　nice。　I　did。　〃Madonette；'；'　I　said。
　〃What　about　her？〃　Steengo　asked。
　〃We've　got　to　tell　her　what　has　ha