gs.earthabides-第15章
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On the first two days； he had felt the fear； on the third； he had speeded wildly in reaction。 But today； again in reaction； he felt a great calm and restfulness。 The quiet of everything impressed him。 In spite of having spent so much time in the mountains； he had just taken it for granted that mountains were quiet； and had not realized how much of the noise in the world was man…caused。 There had been many definitions of Man； he would make another： 〃The noise…producing animal。〃 Now there was only the nearly imperceptible murmur of his own engine。 He had no need to blow the horn。 There were no back…firing trucks； no snorting trains； no pounding planes overhead。 In the little town no whistles blew or bells rang or radios blared or people talked。 Even if it was the peace of death； still that was a kind of peace。
He drove slowly； though not from fear。 When he wished； he stopped to look at something。 At every halt he made it a game to discover what he could hear。 Often； after he had turned off the engine； he heard nothing at all； even in a town。 Sometimes there was the chirp of a bird or the faint humming of an insect； sometimes the wind made a little rustling。 Once he heard with a sense of relief the muffled pounding of a far…off thunderstorm。
By that time it was afternoon； and he had e into a higher country of tall pines with a snow…capped peak looming up to the north。 At Williams a shiny strean…dined train stood in the stationyard； just as the engineer had left it； he saw no one。 At Flagstaff； much of the town had been burned； he saw no one。
Just beyond Flagstaff he came around a bend of the road and some distance ahead saw two crows leave something in the road and flap heavily away。 He feared a little to e up and see what they had been eating； but it was only a sheep。 The body lay fight upon the concrete of the highway； a red smear of blood showing from the torn throat。 When he looked around； he saw that there were other bodies of sheep lying close to the road； and on both sides he could see still more。 He walked a little way off the road； and counted twenty…six。
Dogs or coyotes？ He could not tell； but he could easily reconstruct the scene…the harried sheep driven across the meadow； those on the outside pulled down or separated from those who clung closely toward the center of the flock。
Soon afterwards； out of whim； he turned in at the little Toad which led toward Walnut Canyon National Monument。 He came to the neatly built Superintendent's house which looked down into the deep canyon with its ruined houses of the Cliff Dwellers。 There was an hour's daylight left； and he found a grim amusement in walking around the narrow path； looking at what was left of those houses of that old people。 He came back； and slept the night in the house at the lip of the canyon。 Already there had been a summer thunderstorm； and a little water had run under the door。 Since no one had cleaned it up； it had lain in a pool there and damaged the floor。 Other rains would e； year by year； their effect would increase until after a while the neat house at the lip of the canyon would fall into ruins； and be not much different from those old houses sheltering along the cliffs。 Here the ruin of one civilization would pile up on the ruin of another。
For a while the flocks； too； will remain。 Even though the killers kill merely in the rage of the blood…lust； nevertheless millions of sheep are not to be wiped out in a day； or in a month； and thousands of new…born lambs will be dropped。 What are fifty or one hundred slain out of millions？ Yet not without reason； as symbol of a perishing people； men have said 〃sheep without a shepherd。〃 In the end they will vanish。。。。
They wander helplessly in the blizzards of the winter； and in the summer they stray far from water and are too stupid to find their way back； they are caught in the springfloods； and the bodies wash down by the hundreds； they stampede stupidly over cliffs； and lie in corrupting masses in the depths of the ravines； and always there are more of the killers…the dogs run wild； the wolves and coyotes； the mountain…lions； the bears。 After a while； the great flocks are broken into a few frightened scurrying fragments； in the end； there will be no more sheep。
Thousands of years ago they accepted the protection of the shepherd and lost their agility and sense of independence。 Now； when the shepherd has gone； they too must go。
On the next day he was crossing the wide high plains of the continental divide。 This was rich sheep country； and again he saw more bodies where coyotes had harried the flocks。 Once； on a far…off hillside； he saw what seemed to be scattered sheep running wildly； but he could not be sure。
Again； however； he saw an even stranger sight； in the rich meadow along a stream； he saw a flock of sheep grazing peacefully。 He looked around； half expecting to see the wagon and the sheepherder himself…； but instead； he saw only two dogs。 The shepherd was gone； but by long habit the dogs were continuing their task； keeping the sheep together； maintaining them in the good pasture along the water of the stream； doubtless fighting off the marauders that came sniffing in the night。 He stopped the car and watched； keeping Princess beside him on the seat； so that she would not disturb the situation。 The two sheep…dogs grew excited when they noticed the car； they barked excitedly； and rounded up a few stragglers。 They kept their distance； a quarter…mile away； and seemed hostile。 Just as in the cities the electric power was still pulsating through the wires after man had passed； so here upon the far stretches of the grass lands； the dogs watched the sheep for a little while。 But； he thought； it could not be for long。
The road led on across the wide spaces； U。S。 66 read the signs beside the pavement。 It had been a great highway； he remembered； in the old days； the road of the Okies to California； there had been a popular song about it； now； it lay empty。 No bus roared by with Los Angeles imprinted on its front； no truck came from east or west； no jalopy piled high with the household goods of some migrating fruitpicker； no sleek car of tourists going to the Indian dances； not even a Navaho wagon with a bony horse pulling it by the side of the pavement。
He dropped into the valley of the Rio Grande； crossed the bridge； and went up the long street of Albuquerque。 This was the largest town he had seen since leaving California； he honked his horn as he went； and waited for a response。 He heard nothing； and he did not wait long。
He slept that night at a tourist…court on the eastern edge of Albuquerque； from which he could look back down the long slope toward the town。 It was all in darkness； here the power had failed already。
In the morning he went on through the mountains； and came out on the other side into a country of scattered buttes with broad plains between。 A frenzy of speed came upon him again； and he drove the car at its limit on the straight roads。 The buttes fell away behind； he crossed the state line； and was in Texas； in the flat country of the Panhandle。 The day was suddenly blazing hot； and around him lay endless stubble fields from which the wheat had already been cut before the death fell upon the harvesters。 That night he slept on the outskirts of Oklahoma City。
In the morning he skirted the city by a by…pass； and went on。 He followed 66 toward Chicago； but after a few miles a tree across the road blocked him。 He got out to consider the situation。 There had obviously been one of those sudden wind storms which sweep the plains country。 A tall poplar standing before a farm house had tipped and gone over； hiding the whole highway in a clutter of leaves and branches。 It would be a labor of a half a day to chop any kind of passage through the tangle。 Then suddenly he realized that here was a significant scene in that great drama which he had set himself to watch。 Highway 66； that famous road！ Here it was； blocked by the chance falling of a tree！ A man might cut his way through this Obstruction； but there were； or would soon be； others。 In the thunderstorms； mud would wash across the road and earth Slide from the cuts； a b
