gs.earthabides-第33章
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s the rats and because their breeding rate was even faster。 He never learned the answer； but merely had to suppose that some control of which he knew nothing had acted to prevent the rapid increase of mice。
Both Ish and Em took a little while to recover from the horror with which the rats had filled them。 But after a while they decided that Princess had not contracted hydrophobia。 They loosed her； and life became more normal； and they forgot about the constant crawling of the gray bodies。
The fables were wrong。 Not the Lion； but Man； was the King of Beasts。 Throughout his reign the rule was heavy； often harsh。
But though the cry rise up； 〃The Kind is dead！〃 it shall not go on： 〃Long live the King！〃
As in the old days when some conqueror died； leaving no tall son； and the captains strove together for the scepter and none proved strong enough and the realm fell apart； so it shall be again； for neither the ant nor the rat nor the dog nor the ape is wise enough above his fellows。 For a little while there will be jostlings； quick rises and sudden falls； then； a quiet and a peace such as the earth has not known in twenty thousand years。
Again her head lay in the crook of his arm； and he looked down into the dark eyes。 She spoke。 〃Well； you'd better get busy at that book…work now。 I guess it's happened。〃
And then suddenly before he could say anything； he felt her tremble and she was crying。 He had not thought this of her…this fear！ He felt the sudden weakness of his own terror。 What if she collapsed？
〃Oh； darling；〃 he cried out。 〃Maybe we can still do something！ There are ways。 You mustn't try to go through with it！〃
〃Oh； it's not that！ It's not that！〃 she cried out； still trembling。 〃I lied。 Not what I said； what I didn't say！ But it's all the same。 You're just a nice boy。 You looked at my hands； and said they were nice。 You never even noticed the blue in the half…moons。〃
He felt the shock； and he knew that she felt the shock mi him。 Now everything came together in his mind…brunette plexion； dark liquid eyes； full lips； white teeth； rich voice； accepting temperament。
Then she spoke again； scarcely in more than a whisper； 〃It didn't matter at first； of course。 No man cares then about that。 But my mother's people never had much luck in the world。 Maybe when things are starting out again； it shouldn't be with them。 But mostly； I guess； I think it wasn't right with you。〃
Then suddenly he heard nothing more； for the whole vast farce of everything broke in upon him； and he laughed； and all he could do was to laugh and laugh more； and then he found that she； too； had relaxed and was laughing with him and holding him all the closer。
〃Oh； darling；〃 he said； 〃everything is smashed and New York lies empty from Spuyten Duyvil to the Battery； and there's no government in Washington。 The senators and the judges and the governors are all dead and rotten； and the Jewbaiters and the Negro…baiters along with them。 We're just two poor people； picking at the leavings of civilization for our lives； not knowing whether it's to be the ants or the rats or something else will get us。 Maybe a thousand years from now people can afford the luxury of wondering and worrying about that kind of thing again。 But I doubt it。 And now there are just the two of us here； or maybe three； now。〃
He kissed her while she still was weeping quietly。 And he knew that for once he had seen more clearly and more deeply and been stronger than she。
Chapter 8
On the day after she had told him； he drove to the University campus； and parked in front of the Library。 He had never entered it since the Great Disaster； although he had often gone to the city library for books。 The great building stood undisturbed。 Its surrounding bushes and trees had not； in the few months； grown appreciably taller。 The drain pipes all seemed to b6 functioning perfectly； and no stain of water showed on the white granite walls。 There was only a general impression of dirt and litter and disuse。
He did not want to force an entrance by breaking a window； thus giving access to animals and also to the rain。 In the end； however； he could find no other way。 He tapped gently with his hammer； and managed to break only a part of a pane； reaching through； he unlocked the window and raised it。 After all； he told himself； he could bring some boards and patch the window again； so that it would still be rat…proof and weatherproof。
He had been in the Library hundreds of times before； as a matter of course； during his years at the University。 But now under the changed conditions； he felt a strange new sense of awe。 Here rested in storage the wisdom by which civilization had been built； and could be rebuilt。 Now that he knew himself soon to be a father； he had suddenly …a new attitude； a feeling for the future。 The child should not grow up to be a parasite； scavenging forever。 And it would not need to。 Everything was here。 All the knowledge！
He had e to hunt up some books on obstetrics； but after looking into the main reading…room and then wandering through two levels of the stacks； he became so excited that he left the building in a frenzy of imagination。 He did not need to worry about the obstetrics today。 There was plenty of time still for that。
He drove home in a kind of trance。 Books！ Most of the knowledge was in books； and yet he soon saw that they were not all。 First of all； there must be people who could read； who knew how to use the books。 He must also save other things。 Seeds； for instance。 He must see to it that the more important domestic plants did not vanish from the earth。
Suddenly he felt that all civilization depended not only upon men but also upon these other things which had marched with him like kinsmen and friends and panions。 If Saint Francis had hailed the sun as brother； might not we also say； 〃Oh； Brother Wheat！ Oh； Sister Barley！〃 He smiled to himself。 Yes； one could go on： 〃Oh； Grandfather Wheel！ Oh； Cousin pass！ Oh； Friend Binomial Theorem！〃 All the discoveries of science and philosophy also might be imagined as standing shoulder to shoulder with man； even though the putting of the matter into words made it all sound a little ridiculous。
He hurried； still hot with boyish enthusiasm； to tell it all to Em。 He found her trying； not at all successfully； to teach Princess to retrieve。 Em。 was not as enthusiastic as he had expected。 〃Civilization！〃 she said。 〃Oh； you …mean airplanes going higher and higher； and faster and faster。 That kind of thing！〃
〃Oh； yes。 But art； too； you know。 Music； literature； culture。〃
〃Yes； mystery…stories and those funny Negro jazz bands that always made my ears hurt。〃
He was crestfallen； even though he knew she was having a little fun with him。
〃Another thing； though； about civilization；〃 she said。 〃There's this matter of time。 We don't really know what month it is。 We'll want to be sure when his birthday es； so that we can celebrate it； something less than two years from now。〃
Perhaps； he felt in his mind； that was the difference！ That was the difference between woman and man。 She felt only in terms of the immediate； and was more interested in being able to spot her child's birthday than in all the future of civilization。 Again； he felt superior to her。 。One thing I didn't do； though；〃 he said； 〃was to read any of those obstetrics books today。 I'm sorry…but there's no hurry； is there？〃
〃Oh； no。 Maybe not even any use of it at all。 Don't you remember that even in the Old Times babies were always being born in taxis and hospital lobbies？ Once they're started； nobody can stop them。〃
Later； when he had thought things ovet； he could not but admit that she had made a suggestion of something important。 The more he thought about it； the more fundamental he considered her idea of keeping track of time。 After all； time was history； and history was tradition； and tradition was civilization。 If you'lost the continuity of time； you lost something that might never be recovered。 Probably it had already been lost unless some of the other survivors had been more careful about the matter than he had been。 Take the seven…day week；
