gs.earthabides-第43章
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Yet； he felt doubts。 You used to have the jokes about never fixing the roof until it rained。 People were undoubtedly the same now； or worse。 They might well wait until something happened that forced them to act； that something would almost certainly be unpleasant…most likely； serious。
Yet he drank the toast with the others； and with half his mind he listened to the talk。 With the other half； nevertheless； he still kept to his own thoughts。 This had been a good day； yes； on this day he had carved 21 into the smooth surface of the rock； and the Year 22 had begun； on this day； also； partly because the year had been named as it was； he had bee more conscious of the possibilities in his youngest son。
He glanced to where Joey was sitting； and caught in return a quick bright glance； full of the small boy's admiration for his father。 Yes； perhaps； there was one at least who could understand fully。
In all that immense and plex system of dams and tunnels； aqueducts and reservoirs； by which water was brought from the mountains to the cities； one particular section of steel pipe in the main aqueduct supplied the fatal flaw。 Even at the time of its manufacture certain imperfections had been apparent。 It had happened； however； to go past the inspector just at the close of a day； when his senses were dulled and his judgment impaired。
No great harm resulted。 The section of pipe was set into place by the workmen； and fiinctioned without difficulty。 Shortly before the Great Disaster； a foreman had noticed that this section had developed a slight leak。 By the welding of a patch upon it； however； it would be made as good as new； or even stronger than the average。
Then through the years no man passed that way again。 A little trickle of water from the faulty section of pipe grew very gradually larger。 Even in the dry summers a small patch Of green showed by the dripping pipe； birds and small animals came there to drink。 And still rust ate from the outside； and from the inside the corrosive action of the water itself slowly bored outward to meet the rust pits； piercing pinprick after pinprick in the tough skin of steel。
Five years； ten years…now a dozen jets of fine spray played from the surface of the pipe。 Now the puddle was a drinking…place for cattle。
In five more years a little stream ran off from beneath； the only summer stream in all that dry foothill region。 By now the pipe was beginning to be honey…bed with rust； its actual structure grown weak。
Beneath the pipe the ground had long been soft and muddy； and the tramping of animals had aided the erosion of a little gully。 Finally； the erosion was sufficient to start a mudflow in the soft wet soil on which the concrete pier rested； the one which supported the pipe with its heavy load of water。 As the pier settled； the weight of the water was thrown upon the weakened pipe。 A long rent opened in its rust…riddled steel； and a broad stream of water poured out and gushed down into the gully。 This torrent soon undermined thefooting still more； and it shifted again。 Once more the pipe tore； and the stream of water issuing from it became like a small river。
Just as Ish had crawled into bed that evening the sharp crack of a rifle shot brought him sitting full upright； tense。 Another resounded； and then a fusillade began popping in the night。
He felt the bed shaking gently； as Em laughed quietly beside him。 He relaxed。 〃Same old trick！〃 he said。
〃Fooled you badly this time！〃
〃I've been thinking too much about all the future today； I suppose。 Yes； I suppose my nerves are stirred up a little too much today。〃
The fusillade was still popping in a good imitation of guerrilla warfare； but he lay down and tried to relax。 He knew now what had happened。 After everyone had left the bonfire； one of the boys had sneaked back and thrown a few boxes of cartridges into the hot ashes。 As soon as the boxes were burned through and things became hot enough； the cartridges had let loose。 Like most practical jokes it involved a certain element of risk； but at this time of year the grass was green； and there was no danger of starting a fire。 Also； most of the people had been warned in advance or knew what was likely to happen and so would be sure to keep a long way from the hot ashes。 Indeed； Ish reconsidered； he himself might have been the particular object of this joke； and everyone else might have known about it。
All right！ If so； he was successfully baited。 He felt a sense of irritation； but for more serious reasons； he thought； than because he had been fooled。 〃Well；〃 he said to Em； 〃there they go again…more boxes of cartridges popping off uselessly； and no one left in the world who knows how to make cartridges！ And here we are in a country overrun with mountain…lions and wild bulls； and cartridges the only way we have of keeping them under control； and for food we don't know how to kill cattle or rabbits or quail except by shooting them。〃
Em seemed to have nothing to say； and in the pause his mind ranged petulantly over the events of the bonfire itself。 That fire had been built up largely out of sawed timber brought from a lumber…yard； interspersed with cartons of toilet paper； which burned beautifully because of the holes through the middle。 In addition； boxes of matches had been scattered through the fire because they went up with fine flares； and there had also been cans of alcohol and cleaning…fluid to give further zest。 Doubtless； if you had had to buy all those materials with money； the bonfire would have cost ten thousand dollars in the Old Times； now； those materials might be considered even more valuable； because they had e to be pletely irreplaceable。
〃Don't worry； dearest；〃 he heard her say now。 〃It's time to go to sleep。〃
He settled down beside her； his head close against her breast； seeming as always to draw strength and confidence from her。
〃I'm not worrying much； I suppose；〃 he said。 〃Maybe I really enjoy all this； feeling a little lugubrious about the future； as if we were living dangerously。〃
He lay still for a moment more； and she said nothing； and then he went on with his thinking aloud。
〃Do you remember I've been saying this a long time now； that we have to live more creatively； not just as scavengers？ It's bad for us； I think； even psychologically。 Why； I was saying this way back even at the time when Jack was going to be born。〃
〃Yes； I remember。 You've said it a great many times； and yet； some way or other； it still seems easier just to keep on opening cans as long as there are plenty of cans in the grocery stores and warehouses。〃
〃But the end will e some time。 Then； what will people do？〃
〃Well； I suppose； whatever people there are then…they will just have to solve that problem for themselves。。。。 And； dear； I've always wished you wouldn't worry so much about it。 Things would be different if you had a lot of people who were like you； that thought about things a long way off。 But all you have are usual people like Ezra and George and me。 And we don't think that way。 Darwin…wasn't that his name？…said that we all came from apes or monkeys or something； and I suppose apes and monkeys and things like that never thought much about the future。 If we'd e from bees or ants； we might have planned out things ahead； or even if we had been trained like squirrels to store up nuts for the winter。〃
〃Yes； maybe。 But in the Old Times people thought about the future。 Look at the way they built up civilization。〃
〃And they had Dotty…what was her name？…and Charlie McCarthy； just like Ezra says。〃 Then suddenly she went off on another tangent。 〃And about all this scavenging business that worries you so much！ Is it so very different from what people used to do？ If you want some copper now； you go down to one of the hardware stores； and find a little copper wire； and take that and hammer it up。 In the Old Times； they just went and dug some copper out of a hill somewhere。 It maybe was copper ore and not just copper； but still they were scavenging in a way； for it was there all the time。 And as far as the food goes； they grew it by using up what was stored in the ground； and changing th
