gs.earthabides-第87章

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e　were　not　only　three　young　men　but　also　two　dogs。　He　did　not　remember　having　seen　the　dogs　before。　They　were　ordinary　dogs　of　the　kind　used　for　hunting…not　large；　long　haired；　mostly　black　with　some　white　on　them；　a　kind　of　sheep　dog；　he　supposed　they　would　have　been　called　in　the　Old　Times。　They　were　intelligent　dogs；　and　even　well…mannered。　They　lay　quietly　now　in　the　cave…like　overhang　of　the　rocks；　and　did　not　make　any　excitement　of　barking。　
　　Then　Ish　looked　at　the　young　men。　Since　now；　all　at　once；　he　seemed　to　see　the　past　and　the　future　as　well　as　the　present；　he　could　look　more　clearly　at　the　young　men　for　the　mixture　of　the　past；　present　and　future　that　they　really　were。　Their　clothing　was　like　Jack's。　They　had　soft；　well…fashioned　moccasin…like　footgear　of　deer…hide；　they　also　wore　blue　jeans　with　bright　copper　rivets　in　them。　Above　their　waists　they　had　only　the　tawny　lion…skins　with　the　dangling　paws　and　the　claws　still　attached。　Each　one　of　them　had　his　bow　and　quiver　Of　arrows；　and　each　wore　a　knife　at　his　belt；　although　they　could　not　make　knives。　One　of　them　had　a　spear　with　a　shaft　as　tall　as　himself；　and　extending　above　the　shaft；　a　spear…head。　When　Ish　looked　at　it　more　carefully；　he　saw　that　it　was　really　an　old　butcher…knife　with　an　eighteen…inch　blade。　The　blade　had　been　socketed　into　the　end　of　the　spear…shaft；　and　since　the　blade　was　very　sharp…pointed；　this　was　a　formidable　weapon　for　the　close　fighting。　
　　Then　at　last　Ish　looked　at　the　faces　of　the　young　men；　and　he　saw　that　they　were　different　from　the　faces　of　the　men　of　long　ago。　These　faces　were　young；　but　also　they　were　calm；　and　they　seemed　to　bear　on　them　few　lines　of　strain　and　worry　and　fear。　
　　〃See！〃　said　one　of　them。　and　he　was　nodding　in　the　direction　of　Ish。　〃See…he　is　better　now！　He　is　looking　around。〃　Ish　realized　that　the　voice　was　kindly；　and　he　felt　a　great　love　for　the　young　man　even　though　a　little　while　ago　he　had　been　afraid　that　that　particular　one　would　be　the　first　to　pinch　him。　
　　Something　else　that　was　strange　also；　Ish　thought　now；　was　that　after　all　these　years　the　young　men　still　talked　a　language　which　people　had　once　called　English。　
　　Only；　as　he　considered　more　carefully；　he　realized　that　the　language　too　had　changed。　When　the　young　man　had　said　the　word　〃see；〃　the　sound　was　not　quite　as　it　should　be。　Instead　it　sounded　more　as　if　it　were　〃tsee；〃　or　perhaps；　〃tchee。〃　
　　Some　smoke　was　drifting　in　between　the　rocks　now；　so　that　they　coughed　a　little。　Outside；　there　was　a　great　crackle　of　flame；　a　clump　of　trees　or　a　near…by　house　must　be　burning。　The　dogs　whined　a　little。　Yet　the　air　remained　cool　enough；　so　that　Ish　was　not　afraid。　
　　He　wondered　what　had　bee　of　all　the　others。　There　must　be　several　hundred　people　in　The　Tribe　now。　The　labor　of　asking　questions　seemed　too　much；　and　he　could　tell　from　the　calmness　of　the　young　men　that　there　could　have　been　no　disaster。　Most　likely；　he　thought；　the　others　had　left　at　the　first　threat　of　fire；　and　perhaps　only　at　the　last　moment　Jack　had　remembered　the　old　man…who　was　also　a　god…who　was　sleeping　alone　in　the　house。　
　　Yes；　now　it　was　easier　merely　to　sit　and　look　and　think；　without　asking　questions。　So　he　looked　at　the　faces　again。　
　　Now　one　of　the　young　men　was　playing　with　a　dog。　He　put　out　his　hand；　and　then　jerked　it　away　quickly；　and　the　dog　snapped　playfully　and　growled。　The　dog　and　the　young　man　seemed　almost　to　meet　at　the　same　level；　and　both　seemed　happy。　One　of　the　others　was　carving　a　piece　of　wood。　The　sharp　knife　bit　deeply　into　the　soft　wood；　and　a　figure　took　shape　as　Ish　watched。　Ish　smiled　quietly　to　himself；　for　he　saw　that　the　figure　had　wide　hips　and　generous　breasts；　and　he　realized　that　young　men　had　not　changed　altogether。　Though　he　did　not　even　know　their　names；　except　for　Jack；　yet　they　must　all　be　his　grandsons　or　great…grandsons。　Here　they　sat　in　the　cave…like　gap　between　two　high　rocks；　and　they　played　with　a　dog　or　carved　lusty　little　images　while　outside　the　fire　crackled。　Civilization　had　gone　years　ago；　and　now　the　last　of　the　city　was　burning　around　them；　and　yet　the　young　men　were　happy。　
　　Was　it　all　for　the　best？　From　the　cave　we　e　and　to　the　cave　we　go！　If　that　other　one　had　lived；　if　there　had　been　others　like　him；　it　might　have　been　different。　Again　he　thought　of　Joey…Joey！　And　yet　would　that　have　been　better？　He　wished　suddenly　that　he　could　live　for　a　long　time　still…for　a　hundred　years　more；　or　even　a　hundred　after　that。　All　his　life　now　he　had　observed　the　ways　of　the　peoples　on　the　earth；　and　he　wished　that　he　could　still　observe　in　the　future。　The　next　century　and　the　next　millennium　would　be　interesting。　
　　And　then　for　a　while；　in　the　way　of　very　old　men；　he　merely　sat　quietly；　not　sleeping；　and　yet　not　quite　thinking　either。　
　　Again；　in　that　day　each　little　tribe　will　live　by　itself　and　to　itself　and　go　its　own　way；　and　their　differences　will　soon　be　more　than　they　were　even　in　the　first　days　of　Man；　according　to　the　accidents　of　survival　and　of　place。。。。　
　　Here　they　live　always　in　awe　of　the　Other…world；　and　scarcely　dare　make　water　without　a　prayer。　They　have　skill　with　boats　among　tidal　channels。　To　eat；　they　catch　fish　and　dig　clams；　and　gather　seeds　of　wild…grasses。。。。　
　　Here　they　are　darker…skinned　and　talk　another　language；　and　worship　a　dark…skinned　mother　and　child。　They　keep　horses　and　turkeys；　and　grow　corn　in　the　flat　by　the　river。　Thev　catch　rabbits　in　snares；　but　have　no　bows。。。。　
　　Here　they　are　still　darker。　They　speak　English；　but　say　no　r's；　and　their　speech　is　thick。　They　keep　pigs　and　chickens；　and　raise　corn。　Also　they　raise　cotton；　but　make　no　use　of　it；　except　to　offer　a　little　to　their　god；　knowing　it　from　of　old　to　be　a　thing　of　power。　Their　god　has　the　form　of　an　alligator；　and　they　call　him　Olsaytn。。。。　
　　Here　they　shoot　with　the　bow；　skillfully；　and　their　hunting…dogs　are　trained　to　give　tongue。　They　love　assembly　and　debate。　Their　womenfolk　walk　proudly。　The　symbol　of　their　god　is　a　hammer；　but　they　pay　him　no　great　reverence。。。。　
　　Many　others　there　are　too；　each　differing。　In　the　distant　years　after　these　first　years；　the　tribes　will　grow　more　numerous　and　e　together；　and　cross…fertilize　in　body　and　in　mind。　Then；　doubtless；　blindly　and　of　no　one's　planning；　will　e　new　civilizations　and　the　new　wars。　
　　After　a　while　they　grew　hungry　and　very　thirsty。　Since　the　fire　had　now　died　down　in　places；　one　of　the　young　men　sallied　out。　When　he　came　back；　he　was　carrying　an　old　aluminum　tea…kettle。　Ish　recognized　it　as　the　one　which　had　been　kept　at　the　near…by　spring。　The　young　man　offered　it　first　to　Ish；　and　he　took　a　long　drink　of　the　cool　water。　Then　the　others　drank。　
　　Afterwards　the　same　young　man　pulled　a　flat　tin　can　out　of　the　hip…pocket　of　his　blue　jeans。　The　label　had　long　since　fallen　away　from　the　can；　and　the　metal　was　well　rusted。　The　three　discussed　vigorously　among　themselves　whether　they　should　eat　whatever　might　be　in　the　can。　Some　people　had　died；　one　of　them　argued；　from　eating　out　of　cans。　They　argued　vigorously；　but　did　not　ask　Ish's　advice。　If　there　was　a　picture　of　a　fish　or　some　fruit　on　the　outside　of　the　can；　then　you　knew　that　that　kind　of　food　was　inside。　But　even；　one　of　them　declared；　a　rusty　can　might　be　dangerous　when　you　knew　what　was　in　it；　for　in　some　way；　if　the　rust　went　clear　through　the　can；　then　what　was　inside　might　be　spoiled。　
　　As　Ish；　who　was　not　in　the　argument；　could　have　told　them；　the　obvious　thing　to　do　was　to　open　the　can　and　see　in　what　condition　the　food　inside　might　be。　But　being　a　very　old　man　and　having　gained　some　wisdom　with　life；　he　realized　that　they　were　arguing　merely　for　the　fun　of　it；　and　that　eventually　they　would　get　around　to　a　decision。　
　　After　a　while；　indeed；　they　hacked　the　can　open　with　one　of　the　knives；　and　inside　was　some　reddish　brown　material。　To　Ish　it　was　obviously　a　can　of　salmon。　They　smelled　at　it　inquisitively；　and　decided　that　it　was　not　spoiled。　Also　they　inspected　the　inside　of　the　can；　and　found　that　no　rust　had　penetrated　through　it。　They　divided　the　salmon；　and　gave　a　share　to　Ish。　
　　Ish　had　not　seen　or　eaten　any　canned　salmon　for　a　long　ti