bill_the_galactic_hero_v1.1-第22章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


sions　that　rose　from　the　floor　and　vanished　into　the　ceiling　above。　There　were　numbers　stenciled　onto　each　pipe；　and　Litvok　pointed　to　them。
　　〃We　gotta　find　kl…9256…B；〃　he　said。　〃Let's　go。〃
　　Bill　found　the　pipe　quickly。　It　was　about　as　big　around　as　his　wrist；　and　be　had　just　called　to　the　bunch　leader　when　a　shrill　whistle　sounded　down　the　hall。
　　〃Outside！〃　Litvok　said；　and　pushed　Bill　before　him；　then　closed　the　door　and　stood　so　that　his　body　covered　the　broken　lock。　There　was　a　growing　rumbling　and　swishing　noise　that　came　down　the　hall　toward　them　as　they　cowered　in　the　alcove。　Litvok　held　his　hammer　behind　his　back　as　the　noise　increased；　and　a　sanitation　robot　appeared　and　swiveled　its　binocular　eyestalk　toward　them。　
　　〃Will　you　kindly　move；　this　robot　wishes　to　clean　where　you　are　standing；〃　a　recorded　voice　spoke　from　the　robot　in　firm　tones。　It　whirled　its　brushes　at　them　hopefully。
　　〃Get　lost；〃　Litvok　growled。
　　〃Interference　with　a　sanitation　robot　during　the　performance　of　its　duties　is　a　punishable　crime；　as　well　as　an　antisocial　act。　Have　you　stopped　to　consider　where　you　would　be　if　the　Sanitation　Department　wasn't　。　。　。〃
　　〃Blabbermouth；〃　Litvok　snarled　and　hit　the　robot　on　top　of　its　brain　case　with　the　hammer。　〃WONKITY！！〃　the　robot　shrilled；　and　went　reeling　down　the　hall　dribbling　water　incontinently　from　its　nozzles。　〃Let's　finish　the　job；〃　Litvok
said；　throwing　the　door　open　again。　He　handed　the　hammer　to　Bill；　and　drawing　a　hacksaw　from　a　place　of　concealment　in　his　ragged　clothes　he　attacked　the　pipe　with　frenzied　strokes。　The　metal　pipe　was　tough；　and　within　a　minute　he　was
running　with　sweat　and　starting　to　tire。
　　〃Take　over；〃　he　shouted　at　Bill。　〃Go　as　fast　as　you　can；　then　I　take　over　again。〃　Turn　and　turn　about　it　took　them　less　than　three　minutes　to　saw　all　the　way　through　the　pipe。　Litvok　slipped　the　saw　back　into　his　clothes　and　picked　up　the　hammer。　〃Get　ready；〃　he　said；　spitting　on　his　hands　and　then　taking　a　mighty　swing　at　the　pipe。
　　Two　blows　did　it；　the　top　part　of　the　severed　pipe　bent　out　of　alignment　with　the　bottom；　and　from　the　opening　began　to　pour　an　endless　stream　of　linked　green　frankfurters。　Litvok　grabbed　the　end　of　the　chain　and　threw　it　over　Bill's　shoulder；　then　began　to　coil　loops　of　the　things　over　his　shoulders　and　arms；　higher　and　higher。　They　reached　the　level　of　Bill's　eyes　and　he　could　read　the　white　lettering　stamped　all　over　their　grass…green　forms。　CHLORA…FILLIES　they　read；　and　THERE'S　SUNSHINE　IN　EVERY　LINK！　and　THE　EQUINE　WURST　OF　DISTINCTION；　and　TRY　OUR　DOBBIN…BURGERS　NEXT　TIME！
　　〃Enough　。　。　。　〃　Bill　groaned；　staggering　under　the　weight。　Litvok　snapped　the　chain　and　began　twining　them　over　his　own　shoulders；　when　the　flow　of　shiny　green　forms　suddenly　ceased。　He　pulled　the　last　links　from　the　pipe　and　pushed
out　the　door。
　　〃The　alarm　went；　they're　onto　us。　Get　out　fast　before　the　cops　get　herel〃　He　whistled　shrilly；　and　the　lookouts　came　running　to　join　them。　They　fled；　Bill　stumbling　under　the　weight　of　the　wursts；　in　a　nightmare　race　through　tunnels；　down　stairs；　ladders；　and　oily　tubes；　until　they　reached　a　dusty；　deserted　area　where　the　dim　lights　were　few　and　far　between。　Litvok　pried　a　manhole　up　from　the　floor；　and　they　dropped　down　one　by　one；　to　crawl　through　a　cable　and　tube　tunnel　between　levels。　Schmutzig　and　Sporco　came　last　to　pick　up　the　sausages　that　fell　from　Bill's　aching　back。　　inally；　through　a　pried…out　grill；　they　reached　their　coal…black　destination；　and　Bill　collapsed　onto　the　rubble…covered　floor。　With　cries　of　greed　the　others　stripped　Bill　of　his　cargo；　and　within　a　minute　a　fire　was　crackling　in　a　metal　wastebasket　and　the　green　redhots　were　toasting　on　a　rack。
　　　The　delicious　smell　of　roasting　chlorophyll　roused　Bill；　and　he　looked　around　with　interest。　By　the　flickering　firelight　he　saw　that　they　were　in　an　immense　chamber　that　vanished　into　the　gloom　in　all　directions。　Thick　pillars　supported　the　ceiling　and　the　city　above；　while　between　them　loomed　immense　piles　and　heaps　of　all　sizes。　The　old　man；　Sporco；　walked　over　to　the　nearest　heap　and　wrenched　something　free。　When　he　returned　Bill　could　see　that　he　had　sheets　of　paper　that　he　began　to　feed　one　by　one　into　the　fire。　One　of　the　sheets　fell　near　Bill　and　he　saw；　before　he　stuffed　it　into　the　flames；　that　it　was　a　government　form　of　some　kind；　yellow　with　age。　
　　Though　Bill　had　never　enjoyed　Chlora…fillies；　he　relished　them　now。　Appetite　was　the　sauce；　and　the　burning　paper　added　a　new　taste　tang。　They　washed　the　sausages　down　with　rusty　water　from　a　pail　kept　under　a　permanent　drip　from　a　pipe　and　feasted　like　kings。　This　is　the　good　life；　Bill　thought；　pulling　another　filly　from　the　fire　and　blowing　on　it；　good　food；　good　drink；　good　panions。　A　free　man。　
　　Litvok　and　the　old　one　were　already　asleep　on　beds　of　crumpled　paper　when　the　other　man；　Schmutzig；　sidled　over　to　Bill。
　　　〃Have　you　found　my　ID　card？〃　he　asked　in　a　hoarse　whisper；　and　Bill　realized　the　man　was　mad。　The　flames　reflected　eerily　from　the　cracked　lenses　of　his　glasses；　and　Bill　could　see　that　they　had　silver　frames　and　must　have　once　been　very　expensive。　Around　Schmutzig's　neck；　half　hidden　by　his　ragged　beard；　was　the　cracked　remains　of　a　collar　and　the　tom　shard　of　a　once　fine　cravat。
　　〃No　I　haven't　seen　your　ID　card；〃　Bill　said；　〃in　fact　I　haven't　seen　mine　since　the　first　sergeant　took　it　away　from　me　and　forgot　to　give　it　back。〃　Bill　began　to　feel　song　for　himself　again；　and　the　foul　frankfurters　were　sitting　like　lead　in　his　stomach。　Schmutzig　ignored　his　answer；　immersed　as　he　was　in　his　own　far　more　interesting　monomania。　
　　〃I'm　an　important　man；　you　know；　Schmutzig　von　Dreck　is　a　man　to　be　reckoned　with；　they'll　find　out。　They　think　they　can　get　away　with　this；　but　they　can't。　An　error　they　said；　just　a　simple　error；　the　tape　in　the　records　section　broke；　and　when　they　repaired　it　a　little　weensy　bit　got　snipped　out；　and　that　was　the　piece　with　my　record　on　it；　and　the　first　I　heard　about　it　was　when　my　pay　didn't　arrive　at　the　end　of　the　month　and　I　went　to　see　them　about　it　and　they　had　never　heard　of　me。　But　everyone　has　heard　of　me。　Von　Dreck　is　a　good　old　name。　I　was　an　echelon　manager　before　I　was　twenty…two　and　had　a　staff　of　356　under　me　in　the　Staple　and　Paper　Clip　Division　of　the　89th　Office　Supply　Wing。　So　they　couldn't　make　believe　they　never　heard　of　me；　even　if　I　had　left　my　ID　card　home　in　my　other　suit；　and　they　had　no　reason　clearing　everything　out　of　my　apartment　while　I　was　away　just　because　it　was　rented　to　what　they　said　was　an　imaginary　person。　I　could　have　proven　who　I　was　if　I　had　my　ID　card　。　。　。　have　you　seen　my　ID　card？〃
　　This　is　where　I　came　in；　Bill　thought；　then　aloud；　〃That　sure　sounds　rough。　I'll　tell　you　what　I'll　do；　I'll　help　you　look　for　it。　I'll　go　down　here　and　see　if　I　can　find　it。〃
　　Before　the　softheaded　Schmutzig　could　answer　Bill　had　slipped　away　between　the　mountainous　stacks　of　old　files；　very　proud　of　himself　for　having　outwitted　a　middle…aged　nut：　He　was　feeling　pleasantly　full　and　tired　and　didn't　want　to　be　bothered　again。　What　he　needed　was　a　good　night's　rest；　then　in　the　morning　he　would　think　about　this　mess；　maybe　figure　a　way　out　of　it。　Feeling　his　way　along　the　cluttered　aisle　he　put　a　long　distance　between　himself　and　the　other　deplanned　before　climbing　up　on　a　tottering　stack　of　paper　and　from　that　clambering　to　a　still　higher　one。　He　sighed　with　relief；　arranged　a　little　pile　of　paper　for　a　pillow　and　closed　his　eyes。　
　　Then　the　lights　came　on　in　rows　high　up　on　the　ceiling　of　the　warehouse　and　shrill　police　whistles　sounded　from　all　sides　and　guttural　shouts　that　set　him　to　shivering　with　fear。
　　〃Grab　that　one！　Don't　let　him　get　away！〃　
　　〃I　got　the　horse　thief！〃
　　〃You　planless　bowbs　have　stolen　your　last　Chlora…filly！　It's　the　uranium…salt　mines　on　Zana…2　for　you！〃　Then；　〃Do　we　have　them　all…？〃　and　as　Bill　lay　clutching　desperately　at　the　forms；　with　his　heart　thudding　with　fear；　the　answer　finally　came。　
　　〃Yeah；　four　of　them；　we　been　watching　them　for　a　long　time；　ready　to　pull　them　in　if　they　tried　anything　like　this。〃　　　〃But　we　only　got　three　here。〃
　　〃I　saw　the　fourth　one　earlier；　getting　carried