wt.theyearofthequietsun-第14章

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　to　be　built　and　they　did　not　traffic；　the　cities　fell　poor　and　made　war　on　one　another；　and　the　sun　was　not　quiet。
　　A　plague　came　down　from　the　muck　above　Har…Magedon；　a　dropping　from　the　dragons　to　cover　the　land　like　a　foul　mist　before　dawn。　The　plague　was　a　vile　sickness　of　the　eye；　of　the　nose；　of　the　throat；　of　the　head；　of　the　heart　and　the　soul　of　a　man；　and　his　skin　fell；　the　plague　did　make　men　over　into　a　likeness　of　the　four　beasts；　and　they　were　loathsome　in　their　misery　and　their　brothers　fled　in　terror　before　them。
　　And　with　this　the　voice　of　Micah　cried　out；　saying；　this　was　the　end　of　the　days；　and　the　voice　of　Elisha　cried　out；　saying；　this　was　the　end　of　the　days；　and　the　spirit　and　ghost　of　Ezekiel　cried　out；　and　was　seen　within　the　gates　of　the　city；　telling　the　lamentations　and　mourning；　for　this　was　the　end　of　the　days。
　　And　it　was　so。
　　（The　following　line　of　text　consisted　of　but　a　single　word；　an　Aramaism　indicating　darkness；　or　time；　or　generation。　It　could　be　translated　as　Interregnum。）
　　The　man　who　was　two　men　rose　up　from　his　bed　（tomb？）　in　the　underworld；　and　was　angry　at　what　he　found　in　the　land。　He　broke　the　earth　of　the　Temple　（emerged　from　his　tomb　below？　or　within？）　and　came　forth　in　fury　to　banish　the　dragons　from　the　mountain。　He　raised　up　his　rod　and　struck　the　walls；　bidding　the　families　to　go　free　and　live；　he　gave　food　and　fort　to　the　traveler　and　counseled　him；　and　guided　his　hand　to　the　tent　rope；　he　bade　his　kinsman　enter　his　（room？　house？）　and　take　rest；　he　labored　without　stop　to　undo　the　sore　misery　on　the　land。
　　When　the　sun　was　quiet　again；　the　man　who　was　two　men　worked　to　refill　the　well　（cistern）　and　he　swept　the　skies　clear　of　debris。　The　dragons　fled　from　their　foul　nests；　and　the　plague　fled　with　them　to　another　part　of　the　world。　The　man　turned　his　eye　up　to　the　Temple　and　there　was　a　great；　blinding　yellow　light　filling　the　heavens　from　the　rim　of　the　world　to　the　rim：　and　it　was　a　sign　and　a　promise　from　the　holy　prophets　to　the　laborer　that　the　world　was　made　new　again；　and　was　at　peace　with　itself。　Flowers　bloomed　and　there　was　fruit　on　the　vine。　The　sun　was　quiet。
　　The　man　who　was　two　men　rested　in　his　earth…place　（tomb？）　and　was　content。
　　
　　
　　Brian　Chaney　pulled　himself　from　his　reverie　to　look　down　the　table　at　his　panions。
　　Arthur　Saltus　was　reading　the　photo…copied　pages　in　a　desultory　manner；　his　interest　barely　caught　by　the　narrative。　Major　Moresby　was　scribbling　in　a　notebook…　his　only　support　to　a　retentive　memory…and　had　gone　back　to　the　beginning　of　the　translation　to　read　it　a　second　time。　Chaney　suspected　he　was　hooked。　Kathryn　van　Hise　was　across　the　table　from　him；　sitting　motionless　with　her　fingers　interlaced　on　the　tabletop。　The　young　woman　had　been　surreptitiously　watching　him　while　he　day…dreamed；　but　turned　her　glance　down　when　he　looked　directly　at　her。
　　Chaney　wondered　what　she　really　thought　of　all　this？　Apart　from　her　superior's　opinions；　apart　from　the　stance　officially　adopted　by　the　Bureau；　what　did　she　think？　At　breakfast　she　had　exhibited　some　embarrassment…it　may　have　been　alarm…at　the　prospect　of　filming　the　alternate　target；　fikning　the　Crucifixion；　but　other　than　that　he'd　found　no　sign　of　her　personal　beliefs　or　attitudes　toward　the　future　survey。　She　had　revealed　pride　and　triumph　in　the　engineers'　acplishments　and　she　was　fanatically　loyal　to　her　employer…but　what　did　she　think？　Did　she　have　any　mental　reservations？
　　He　failed　utterly　to　understand　Seabrooke's　interest　in　the　second　scroll。
　　Every　scholar　recognized　it　as　midrash；　there　had　been　no　controversy　over　the　second　scroll　and　had　it　been　published　alone　he　would　have　escaped　the　notoriety。　He　thought　Gilbert　Seabrooke　something　of　a　lunatic　to　even　introduce　it　into　the　briefing　room。　There　was　no　meat　here　for　the　survey。　There　was　nothing　in　the　Eschatos　relating　to　the　ing　probe　of　the　turn　of　the　century；　the　story　was　firmly　rooted　in　the　first　century　before　Christ　and　did　not　look　or　hint　beyond　70　A。D。　Actually　it　didn't　peer　beyond　its　own　century。　It　made　no　claim　or　pretense　to　genuine　prophecy　as　did；　say；　the　Book　of　Daniel…whose　scribe　pretended　to　be　alive　about　five　hundred　years　before　he　was　born；　only　to　betray　himself　by　his　faulty　grasp　of　history。　Gilbert　Seabrooke　was　reading　imaginary　lines　between　the　lines；　grabbing　at　rays　of　yellow　light　and　the　droppings　of　dragons。
　　One　of　the　three　telephones　rang。
　　Kathryn　van　Hise　jumped　from　her　chair　to　answer　and　the　three　men　turned　to　watch　her。
　　The　conversation　was　short。　She　listened　carefully；　said　Yes；　sir　three　or　four　times；　and　assured　the　caller　that　the　studies　were　proceeding　at　a　satisfactory　pace。　She　said　Yes；　sir　a　final　time　and　hung　up　the　instrument。　Moresby　was　half　out　of　his　chair　in　anticipation。
　　Saltus　said：　〃Well；　e　on；　Katrina！〃
　　〃The　engineers　have　concluded　their　testing　and　the　vehicle　is　now　on　operational　status。　Field　trials　will　begin　very　soon；　gentlemen。　Mr。　Seabrooke　suggested　that　we　take　the　day　off　as　a　token　of　celebration。　He　will　meet　us　at　the　pool　this　afternoon。〃
　　Arthur　Saltus　yelled；　and　was　halfway　to　the　door。
　　Brian　Chaney　dropped　his　copy　of　the　Eschatos　scroll　into　a　wastebasket　and　prepared　to　follow　him。
　　He　looked　to　the　woman　and　said：　〃Last　one　in　is　a　wandering　Egyptian。〃
　　
　　
　　SIX
　　
　　Brian　Chaney　came　up　from　a　shallow　dive　and　paddled　to　the　edge　of　the　pool；　he　clung　to　the　tiled　rim　for　a　space　and　attempted　to　wipe　the　gentle　sting　of　chlorine　from　his　eyes。　The　sun　was　hot；　and　the　air　warmer　than　the　water。　Two　of　his　panions　played　in　the　water　behind　him　while　a　third…the　Major…sat　in　the　shade　and　stared　solemnly　at　a　chess　board；　waiting　for　anyone　to　e　along　and　challenge　him。　The　pieces　were　set　out。　The　recreation　area　held　a　few　others　beside　themselves　but　none　seemed　interested　in　chess。
　　Chaney　glanced　over　his　shoulder　at　the　pair　playing　in　the　water；　and　felt　the　smallest　pain　of　jealousy。　He　climbed　from　the　pool　and　reached　for　a　towel。
　　Gilbert　Seabrooke　said：　〃Afternoon；　Chaney。〃
　　The　Director　of　Operations　sat　nearby　under　a　gaudy　beach　umbrella；　sipping　a　drink　and　watching　the　bathers。　It　was　his　first　appearance。
　　Chaney　stretched　the　towel　over　his　back　and　ran　across　the　hot　tiles。　〃Good　afternoon。　You're　the　red　telephone。〃　They　shook　hands。
　　Seabrooke　smiled　briefly。　〃No；　that's　our　line　to　the　White　House。　Please　don't　pick　it　up　and　call　the　President。〃　A　wave　of　the　hand　extended　an　invitation　to　the　other　chair　beneath　the　umbrella。　〃Refreshments？〃
　　〃Not　just　yet；　thanks。〃　He　studied　the　man　with　an　open　curiosity。　〃Has　someone　been　carrying　tales？〃　His　glance　went　briefly　to　the　woman　in　the　water。
　　Seabrooke's　smooth　reply　attempted　to　erase　the　sting。　〃I　receive　daily　reports；　of　course；　I　try　to　keep　on　top　of　every　activity　on　this　station。　And　I'm　quite　used　to　people　misunderstanding　my　motives　and　actions。〃　Again　the　smallest　of　stingy　smiles。　〃I　make　it　a　practice　to　explore　every　possible　avenue　to　attain　whatever　goal　is　in　view。　Please　don't　be　upset　。by　my　interest　in　your　outside　activities。〃
　　〃They　have　no　relation　to　this　activity。〃
　　〃Perhaps；　and　perhaps　not。　But　I　refuse　to　ignore　them　for　I　am　a　methodical　man。〃
　　Chaney　said：　〃And　a　persistent　one。〃
　　Gilbert　Seabrooke　was　tall；　thin；　taut；　and　looked　like　that　well…known　fellow　in　the　State　Department…or　perhaps　it　was　that　other　fellow　who　sat　on　the　Supreme　Court。　He　wore　the　carefully　cultivated　statesman　image。　His　hair　was　silver　gray　and　parted　precisely　in　the　middle；　with　the　ends　brushed　backward　at　a　conservative　angle；　his　eyes　appeared　gray；　although　upon　closer　inspection　they　were　an　icy　blue…green；　the　lips　were　firm；　not　used　to　laughter；　while　the　chin　was　strong　and　clean　with　no　hint　of　a　double　on　the　neckline。　He　carried　his　body　as　rigidly　erect　as　a　military　man；　and　his　pipe　jutted　out　straight　to　challenge　the　world。　He　was　Establishment。
　　Chaney　had　vague　knowledge　of　his　political　history。
　　Seabrooke　had　been　governor　of　one　of　the　Dakotas…memory　refused　to　reve