hh.thessrat.sings.the.blues-第26章

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〃But　instead　of　oars　they　are　grinding　away　at　gears　or　some　such；　to　turn　the　wheels。〃
　〃No　plaints；〃　Steengo　said；　sipping　at　his　wine。　〃Not　after　the　Chariots　of　Fire。〃
　We　rolled　ponderously　between　the　buildings；　nodding　at　the　bystanders　and　occasionally　giving　a　royal　flick　of　the　hand　at　some　of　our　cheering　fans。　We　moved　on　through　what　appeared　to　be　a　residential　quarter　and　beyond　it　into　a　park…like　countryside。　Our　road　wove　between　the　trees；　past　a　row　of　ornamental　fountains　to　ponderously　stop　before　an　immense　glass…walled　building。　A　party　of　elegantly　dressed　ancients　awaited　us。　Led　by　the　most　ancient　of　them　all；　white…clad　and　standing　firmly　erect。　But　his　face　was　wrinkled　beyond　belief。　I　clambered　down　the　ladder　and　dropped　before　him。
　〃Do　I　address　the　noble　Heimskur？〃
　〃You　do。　And　of　course　you　are　Jim　of　the　Rats。　Wele；　wele　all。〃
　There　was　plenty　of　handshaking　and　glad　cries　of　joy　before　Heimskur　broke　off　the　reception　and　led　me　into　the　glass　building。
　〃Wele；〃　he　said；　〃doubly　wele。　To　the　College　of　Knowledge　from　whence　all　good　things　flow。　If　you　will　follow　me　I　will　explain　our　labors　to　you。　Since　you　gentlemen　e　from　the　surging；　mongrel　worlds　outside　our　peaceful　boundaries　you　will　surely　appreciate　how　the　application　of　intelligence　makes　our　society　such　a　happy　and　peaceful　world。　No　strife；　no　differences；　a　place　for　everyone　and　everyone　in　their　place。　Down　this　way　are　the　Phases　of　Physics；　the　Caverns　of　Chemistry。　There　the　Avenues　of　Agriculture；　next　to　them　the　Meadows　of　Medicine；　while　just　beyond　is　the　Museum　of　Mankind。〃
　〃Museum？〃　I　inquired　offhandedly。　〃I　simply　love　museums。〃
　〃Then　you　must　see　ours。　It　charts　the　difficulties　through　which　we　passed　before　ing　here；　a　rite　of　passage　and　of　cleansing；　before　we　found　safe　haven　on　this　world。　Here　we　grew　and　prospered　and　the　record　is　clear　for　all　to　see。〃
　And　pretty　boring　if　not　just　downright　preposterous。　Cleaner　than　clean；　whiter　than　white。　The　only　thing　missing　were　the　halos　on　the　saints　who　had　acplished　so　much　good。
　〃Inspirational；〃　I　said　when　we　finally　reached　the　end　of　the　exhibition。
　〃It　is　indeed。〃
　〃And　down　this　way？〃
　〃The　museum　for　students。　Biologists　can　examine　the　plant　life　of　our　planet；　geologists　the　strata　and　the　schist。〃
　〃Archeologists？〃
　〃Alas；　very　little。　The　crudest　of　artifacts　left　by　the　long…dead　indigenes　who　first　settled　here。〃
　〃May　we？〃
　〃By　all　means。　You　see…fire　sticks　and　crude　pottery。　A　hand　ax；　a　few　arrow　points。　Scarcely　worth　preserving　were　we　not　so　faithful　to　our　role　as　recorders　and　archivists。〃
　〃Nothing　more？〃
　〃Nothing。〃
　I　dug　the　photograph　from　an　inside　pocket；　took　a　deep　breath…and　passed　it　over。
　〃You　may　have　heard　that　the　warders　in　the　Pentagon　promised　us　favors　if　we　helped　them　find　this？〃
　〃Did　they　indeed？　I　would　believe　nothing　they　said。〃
　He　took　the　photograph　and　blinked　at　it；　handed　it　back。　〃Just　like　them　to　lie　and　cause　trouble　for　no　reason。〃
　〃Lie？〃
　〃About　this。　It　was　brought　here。　I　examined　it　myself。　Not　indigenous　at　all；　couldn't　possibly　be。　Probably　something　broken　off　an　old　spaceship。　Meaningless　and　worthless。　Gone　now。〃
　〃Gone？〃　I　fought　to　keep　the　despair　from　my　voice。
　〃Discarded。　Gone　from　Paradise。　Non…existent。　Men　have　no　need　of　such　rubbish　therefore　it　is　gone　forever。　Forget　the　worthless　item　Jim　and　we　shall　talk　of　far　more　interesting　things。　Music。　You　must　tell　me…do　you　write　your　own　lyrics　。　。　。　？〃
　
　CHAPTER　17
　We　were　very　silent　on　our　return　trip；　scarcely　aware　of　the　manifold　pleasures　that　rode　with　us　in　our　Transport　of　Delight。　Only　behind　the　closed　doors　of　our　quarters　did　we　let　go。　I　nodded　appreciatively　as　I　listened　while　Floyd　swore　blasphemously　and　scatologically；　he　had　a　fine　turn　of　phrase　and　went　on　for　a　long　time　without　repeating　himself。
　〃And　I　double　that；〃　I　said　when　lack　of　breath　forced　him　to　subside。　〃We　have　indeed　been　hard　done　by。〃
　〃We　have；〃　Steengo　agreed。　〃But　we　have　also　been　lied　to。
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃I　mean　that　Heimskur　was　selling　us　a　line　of　old　camel　cagal。　More　than　half　of　his　so…called　history　of　science　and　nature　was　pure　propaganda　for　the　troops。　If　we　can't　believe　him　about　that…how　can　we　believe　him　when　he　shovels　a　lot　of　bushwah　about　the　artifact？　Do　you　remember　his　last　words？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Neither　do　I。　But　I　hope　someone　does。　I　imagine　that　you　didn't　notice　it…but　I　was　doing　a　lot　of　head…scratching　and　nose…picking　while　we　were　doing　that　tour。〃
　Floyd　wasn't　being　bright　today　and　gaped　at　the　news。　I　smiled　and　put　my　index　finger　into　my　ear。　〃e　in　ear　in　the　sky。　Do　you　read　me？〃
　〃No　but　I　hear　you；〃　Captain　Tremearne　said　through　my　fingernail。
　〃Good。　But　more　important…did　you　listen　in　to　our　guided　tour？〃
　〃All　of　it。　Very　boring。　But　I　recorded　it　anyway；　the　way　you　asked。〃
　〃The　way　Steengo　asked…credit　where　credit　is　due。　Would　you　be　so　kind　as　to　play　back　the　last　speech　about　the　artifact。〃
　〃ing　up。〃　After　some　clattering　and　high…pitched　voices　whizzing　by　our　aged　guide　sounded　forth。
　〃Discarded。　Gone　from　Paradise。　Non…existent。　Men　have　no　need　of　such　rubbish　therefore　it　is　gone　forever。〃
　I　copied　it　down　and　got　it　right　after　a　couple　of　repeats。　〃That's　it。　Thanks。〃
　〃There；〃　Steengo　said；　tapping　the　paper。　〃Weasel　wording。　That　tricky　old　devil　was　playing　with　us；　knowing　that　we　had　some　reason　to　be　interested　in　the　thing。　He　never　said　destroyed；　not　once。　Discarded？　That　means　it　might　be　still　around　someplace。　Gone　from　Paradise…could　be　anywhere　else　on　this　planet。　But　I　particularly　like　the　bit　about　men　having　no　need　for　the　thing。〃　He　smiled　a　smile　like　a　poker　player　laying　down　five　Aces。
　〃If　men　have　no　need　for　it…what　about　women？〃
　〃Women？〃　I　felt　my　jaw　hanging　open　and　closed　it　with　a　clack。　〃What　about　them？　There　are　only　men　here？〃
　〃How　right　you　are。　And　right　on　the　other　side　of　the　town　wall　is…what？　I'm　betting　on　women。　Either　that　or　an　awful　lot　of　cloning　is　going　on　in　this　place。　I'll　bet　on　nature　and　some　kind　of　connection　through　the　wall。〃
　My　jawphone　buzzed　and　Tremearne's　voice　echoed　inside　my　sinuses。　〃I　agree　with　Steengo。　And　so　does　Madonette。　She's　already　on　her　way　along　the　wall　to　the　city　and　will　report　as　soon　as　she　finds　out　anything。　〃
　I　started　to　protest；　realized　the　futility；　kept　my　mouth　shut。　〃It　figures；〃　I　said。　〃The　gang　in　charge　here　lie　about　everything　else…so　lying　about　the　artifact　just　es　naturally。　We'll　have　to　wait　。　。　。〃
　I　shut　up　as　Veldi　knocked　quietly；　then　opened　the　door。　〃Good　news！〃　he　announced；　eyes　glowing　with　passion。　〃Iron　John　has　chosen　to　speak　to　The　Stainless　Steel　Rats…in　the　Veritorium　itself。　An　honor　above　all　other　honors。　Hurry；　gentlemen。　But　first　brush　your　clothing　and；　with　the　exception　of　heroically…bearded　Floyd；　diple　the　five　o'clock　shadow　now　gracing　your　musical　jaws。　What　pleasures　do　await　you！〃
　Pleasures　better　lived　without。　But　this　was　a　royal　mand　and　no　way　to　get　around　it。　I　took　a　bit　of　diple…fast　and　rubbed　my　jaw　smooth；　bed　my　hair　and　tried　not　to　scowl　at　myself　in　the　mirror。　I　was　the　last　to　emerge　and　we　boarded　the　Transport　of　Delight　in　silence；　rolled　ponderously　to　our　destiny。
　〃I　wonder　why　all　three　of　us？〃　Steengo　said；　sipping　his　glass　of　chilled　wine。　〃Last　time　it　was　you　alone　at　the　training…film　session；　wasn't　it；　Jim？〃
　〃I　have　no　idea；〃　I　said；　wanting　to　change　the　subject。　Nor　was　I　too　pleased　with　his　light…hearted　attitude。　I　tried　to　think　about　Madonette　going　in　alone　to　the　other　city；　but　my　thoughts　kept　trundling　back　to　Iron　John。　What　was　going　to　happen　now？
　When　we　entered　the　Veritorium　I　was　surprised　at　how　big　it　really　was。　It　was　better　lit　now　and　I　saw　that　rows　of　seats　reached　up　in　a　semicircle。　They　were　all　filled　now　with　the　oldest　collection　of　Paradisians　I　had　seen　so　far。　Bald　heads　and　gray　hair；　wrinkles　and　toothless　jaws。
　Iron　John　himself　stepped　forward　to　greet　us。　〃You　are　all　truly　wele　here…and　these　seats　are　for　you。〃　They　were　thr