hh.thessrat.sings.the.blues-第28部分

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e　could　be　acplished。　With　our　intelligence　and　knowledge　of　science；　and　their　muscles；　two　separate　societies　were　born。　In　the　beginning　there　was　much　hatred　and　clashes　between　the　groups。　This　died　away　when　it　was　decided　that　only　the　male　leaders　knew　of　our　existence。　This　suited　the　leaders　to　perfection。〃
　〃That　was　when　the　two　cities　were　built…and　the　wall？〃
　〃Correct。　This　planet　is　rich　in　red　clay　and　fossil　fuel　so　the　males　soon　became　manic　brick　makers。　After　we　showed　them　how　to　build　kilns；　of　course。　There　were　contests　to　see　who　could　mold　the　most　bricks；　or　fire　the　greatest　number；　or　carry　the　most。　The　champion　was　named　brickie　of　the　month　and　achieved　great　renown。　This　went　on　until　you　couldn't　see　the　trees　for　the　mountains　of　bricks。　We　quickly　researched　brick　laying　in　our　data　bases　and　put　the　men　to　work　on　that。〃
　She　sipped　her　wine　delicately　and　waved　her　hand　in　a　circle。　〃Here　are　the　results…and　quite　attractive　they　are　too。　While　our　physical　scientists　were　sorting　the　males　out　this　way；　our　cultural　engineers　were　looking　at　the　sloppy　mucho　…　macho　theories　that　had　been　keeping　them　going　up　to　this　point。　The　Iron　Hans　myth　was　only　a　part　of　their　pantheon。　We　simplified　and　altered　it。　Then　used　genetic　biology　to　modify　the　physical　structure　of　their　leader；　so　he　is　as　you　see　him　now。　At　first　he　was　grateful；　although　gratitude　has　long　since　vanished。〃
　〃How　long？〃
　〃Hundreds　of　years。　Cellular　longevity　was　part　of　the　treatment。〃
　I　was　beginning　to　catch　on。　〃And　I'll　bet　that　you　remember　this　firsthand…since　you　and　the　other　lady　leaders　have　had　the　same　treatments？〃
　She　nodded；　pleased。　〃Very　adroit；　James。　Yes；　the　authorities　on　both　sides　of　the　wall　have　had　the　treatments。　This　makes　for　continuity　of　leadership…〃
　〃And　the　need　for　secrecy　of　each　other's　existence　that　keeps　the　powerful　in　power？〃
　Mata　shook　her　head　in　wonder。　〃You　are　indeed　most　perspicacious。　How　I　wish　you　were　in　charge　next　door　rather　than　that　hairy　halfwit。〃
　〃Thanks　for　the　job　offer…but　no　thanks。　So　the　men　beyond　the　wall　don't　know　that　you　women　are　here。　The　same　must　be　true　of　your　women…〃
　〃Not　at　all。　They　know　about　the　males…and　just　don't　care。　We　have　a　plete　and　satisfactory　society。　Childbearing　for　those　who　wish　it；　a　fulfilling　intellectual　life　for　all。〃
　〃And　religion？　Do　you　have　a　female　equivalent　of　Iron　John？〃
　She　laughed　merrily　at　the　thought；　as　did　all　the　other　women　who　were　listening　to　our　conversation。　Even　Marionette　was　smiling　until　she　saw　my　glare；　turned　away。
　〃That's　it；〃　I　snapped。　〃Enjoy　yourself。　And　when　you　are　through；　if　you　ever　are；　you　might　kindly　let　me　know　the　joke。〃
　〃I　am　sorry；　James；〃　Mata　said；　laughter　gone　and　really　quite　serious。　〃We　were　being　rude　and　I　apologize。　The　answer　to　your　question　is　a　simple　one。　Women　don't　need　myths　to　justify　their　femininity。　All　of　the　myths　about　Iron　Hans；　Iron　John；　Barbarossa；　Merlin　and　other　mythological　men　with　their　salvation　myths　are　all　purely　male。　Just　think　about　it。　I　am　not　making　a　value　judgment；　just　an　observation。　Such　as　the　observation　that　men　are　basically　bative；　confrontational；　insecure　and　unstable…and　appear　to　need　these　myths　to　justify　their　existence。〃
　There　was　a　lot　to　argue　with　there；　maybe　not　a　lot　but　some。　A　good　deal　of　jumping…to…conclusions　and　more　than　a　bit　of　rationalization。　I　sidestepped　for　the　moment；　until　I　knew　more　about　how　this　society　ticked。　I　raised　a　finger。
　〃Nov；　let　me　see　if　I　have　this　straight。　You　ladies　have　a　fortable　existence　on　this　side　of　the　wall。　You　provide　the　scientific　backup　to　the　males　on　the　other　side。　To　keep　them　chuntering　along　in　their　locker…room　paradise。　Correct？〃
　〃Among　other　things。　That　is　basically　correct。〃
　〃Dare　I　ask　what　they　supply　in　return？〃
　〃Very　little；　if　the　truth　be　known。　Fresh　meat　from　the　nomads。　Who　not　only　won't　trade　with　us　but　now　heartily　deny　our　existence；　though　they　secretly　would　love　to　wipe　us　out。　Then　there　is　an　occasional　supply　of　sperm　to　top　up　our　cryogenic　sperm　bank。　Little　else。　We　watch　them　and　keep　them　going　mostly　by　habit…and　for　our　own　safety。　If　the　man　in　the　street　doesn't　know　that　we　exist　he　can't　cause　us　any　trouble。　The　men　also　get　a　lot　of　pleasure　in　bashing　the　nomads　when　they　start　bothering　us。　Altogether　a　satisfactory　relationship。〃
　〃It　certainly　sounds　that　way。〃　I　finished　the　glass　of　wine　and　realized　that　I　was　beginning　to　feel　the　effects　of　the　alcohol。　Which　was　better　than　feeling　the　bruises　and　sore　ribs。　Which　should　be　looked　at　soon…but　not　too　soon。　The　unfolding　drama　of　cultural　mish…mash　was　just　too　interesting。　〃If　you　please…a　question　or　two　before　we　call　in　the　medics。　First　is　the　most　important　question。　You　mention　sperm　banks　so　I　assume　that　pregnancy　and　motherhood　still　exist？〃
　〃They　certainly　do！　We　would　never　consider　depriving　women　of　their　hormonal；　psychological　and　physical　rights。　Those　who　wish　to　bee　mothers　bee　mothers。　Simple　enough。〃
　〃Indeed　it　is。　And　looking　around　I　see　that　they　are　lucky　enough　to　all　have　female　babies。〃
　For　the　first　time　I　saw　Mata　less　than　pletely　relaxed　and　calm。　She　looked　away；　looked　back…took　up　her　glass　and　sipped　some　more　wine。
　〃You　must　be　tired；〃　she　finally　said。　〃We　can　finish　this　discussion　some　other　time　。　。　。〃
　〃Mata！〃　Madonette　gasped。　〃I　think　that　you　are　avoiding　the　topic。　This　cannot　be。　I　have　so　admired　you　and　your　people　here。　You　are　not　going　to　tell　me　that　I　am　wrong？〃
　〃No；　never！〃　Mata　said　reaching　out　and　taking　Madonette's　hands　in　hers。　〃It　has　just　been　so　long　since　we　discussed　these　things。　Decisions　were　taken　that　seemed　excellent　at　the　time。　Some　of　us　have　had　reservations　since；　but；　well　nothing　much　can　really　be　done　at　this　point　。　。　。〃
　Her　voice　ran　down　and　she　emptied　her　wineglass。　She　was　upset　and　I　felt　sorry　for　pinning　her　down　like　that。　I　yawned。
　〃You're　right；〃　I　said。　〃I　think　rest　and　recuperation　e　first。〃
　Mata　shook　her　head　in　a　firm　no。　〃Madonette　is　right。　These　decisions　must　be　faced；　discussed。　Approximately　half　of　the　pregnancies　are　male；　male　fetuses。　This　is　determined　in　the　first　few　weeks。〃　She　saw　Madonette's　worried　expression　and　shook　her　head　again。
　〃No…please　hear　me　out　and　don't　think　the　worst。　All　healthy　pregnancies　are　brought　to　term。　In　the　case　of　the　males　the　bottle　banks　are　used…〃
　〃Bottle　banks！　Isn't　that　an　unfortunate　term？〃
　〃Perhaps　in　your　society；　Jim。　But　here　it　simply　signifies　highly　perfected　artificial　wombs。　Technically　superior　if　truth　be　known。　There　are　no　spontaneous　miscarriages；　no　effects　of　bad　diet　and　so　forth。　And　at　the　end　of　nine　months　the　healthy　male　babies　are…〃
　〃Decanted？〃
　〃No；　born。　As　soon　as　they　are　viable　the　men　take　over。　Specially　trained　nursemen　who　supervise　the　healthy　growth　of　the　boys。　Their　education　and　assimilation　into　their　society。〃
　〃Very　interesting；〃　I　said；　for　it　certainly　was。　I　hesitated　about　the　next　question；　but　curiosity　was　gnawing　away　and　could　not　be　suppressed。　〃Even　more　interesting　is　where　do　the　men　think　the　babies　e　from？〃
　〃Why　don't　you　ask　them？〃　Mata　said　coldly　and　I　realized　that　this　interview　was　at　an　end。
　〃Now　I　really　am　tired…to　be　continued；〃　I　breathed；　dropping　back　into　the　couch。　〃Is　there　a　doctor　in　the　house？〃
　This　kicked　a　lot　of　maternal　instinct　into　gear　and　extracted　a　great　deal　of　attention。　I　didn't　feel　the　injection　that　knocked　me　out。　Or　the　one　that　brought　me　to　much　later。　The　women　were　gone　and　we　were　alone。　Madonette　was　holding　my　hand。　Which　she　dropped　with　slow　deliberation　when　she　saw　that　my　eyes　were　open。
　〃The　good　news；　stalwart　Jim；　is　that　none　of　your　bones　are　broken。　Just　a　lot　of　bruising。　Better　news　is　that　the　treatment　for　the　bruises　is　under　way。　Best　news　is　that　Steengo　is　in　pretty　good　shape；　all　things　considered；　and　wants　to　see　you。〃
　〃Bring　him　in。〃
　〃In　a　moment。　While　you　were　sleeping　I　talked　to　Mata。　She　told　me　a　lot　more　about　how　things　work　around　here。〃
　〃Did　you　find　out　about　the　babies？〃
　〃She　really　is　a　nice　person；　Jim。　Everyone　here　has　been　very　nice　to　me　and　。　。　。〃
　〃But　you　are　beginning　to　have　some　reservations？〃
　She　nodded。　〃More　than　a　few。　Things　look　so　nice　on　the　surface…and　maybe　they　are。　But　it　is　the　babies　that　bother　me。　I　am　sure　that　they　are　well　taken　care　of　physically；　even　mentally。　But　to　believe　a　stupid　myth！〃
　〃Which　one　of　the　stupid　myths　going　about　is　the　one　that　bothers　you？〃
　〃Spontaneous　creation　would　you　believe！　All　the　males　gather　around　Iron　John's　pool　for　a　ceremony　of　life。　The　golden　balls　drift　up　through　the　water　and　are　seized。　And　each　one　contains　a　healthy　happy　baby！　And　grown　men　believe　that　nonsense！〃
　〃Grown　men…and　women…have　believed　worse　nonsense　down　through　the　ages。　This　myth　was　a　mon　one　for　the　so…called　lower　forms　of　life。　Flies　being　spontaneously　created　in　manure　heaps。　Because　no　one　bothered　making　the　connection　between　grubs　growing　there　and　flies　laying　eggs。　All　of　the　creation　my