el.angeleyes-第47节

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！


　〃Viktor；〃　Mars　said。　〃We　must　talk。〃
　〃All　right。〃　The　Hero　stared　up　at　Mars。　〃But　why　must　you　insist　on　calling　me　Viktor？　I　told　you　not　to　use　any　of　those　names。〃
　It　was　clear　that　he　had　once　been　exceedingly　handsome。　But　something　inexplicable　had　happened　to　him　up　there　in　the　heavens。　Mars　had　seen　photos　of　the　Hero　before　he　had　been　fitted　into　the　Odin…Galaktika　II　spacecraft　and　was　launched　into　space。　This　was　not　the　same　man。　Oh；　surely；　the　configuration　of　skull　and　skeleton　were　the　same；　although　he　was　far　thinner　now；　and　walked…when　he　could　walk　at　all；　rather　than　being　confined　to　his　special　motorized　wheelchair…with　the　lack　of　assurance　and　the　brittleness　of　a　man　of　ninety。　In　fact；　that　is　what　Mars　would　have　suspected　happened　to　him　up　there…the　answer　to　the　mystery：　an　unnaturally　rapid　aging…had　it　not　been　for　the　fact　that　the　Hero's　mind　had　not　deteriorated　one　iota。　It　merely　had　been　altered。　And　so　the　enigma　continued　to　unfold　like　a　plex　origami　in　front　of　Mars。
　〃I　call　you　Viktor；〃　Mars　said；　〃because　I　must。　I　have　orders　to　do　so。〃　He　shifted　to　keep　the　floating　man　in　sight。　〃If　it　helps；　I　don't　think　of　you　as　Viktor；　but　as　the　Hero；　with　a　capital　H。〃
　〃A　generic；〃　the　Hero　said。　〃Like　a　military　rank。〃
　〃I　don't　see　it　that　way。　I　don't　think　of　you　as　the　Cosmonaut。〃
　〃What　can　I　do　for　you　today；　Volkov？〃　The　Hero　seemed　to　have　had　enough　of　light　banter；　and　his　change　in　tone　put　the　dolphin　on　guard。　She　was；　so　Mars　had　been　informed；　extremely　reactive　to　changes　in　the　Hero's　mental　and　emotional　states。　Arbat　swam　away　from　Lara　and　her　fish；　popped　up　beside　the　Hero。　She　started　her　incessant　clicking。
　Mars　had　to　keep　a　rein　on　his　temper。　Basic　interrogation　techniques　called　for　a　rhythm　to　be　established。　Once　you　got　the　subject　used　to　answering　questions…no　matter　how　innocuous…it　was　a　much　smaller　step　to　get　him　to　give　you　the　answers　you　sought。
　It　was　one　thing　to　be　interrupted　by　a　colleague；　but　to　deal　with　the　interference　of　an　animal　was　too　much。　He　was　about　to　shout　when；　looking　into　the　Hero's　bland　upturned　face；　he　began　to　suspect　that　this　kind　of　disturbance　was　just　what　the　Hero　had　in　mind。　The　Hero　was　not　unaware　of　the　principles　of　interrogation；　and　it　would　be　in　character　for　him　to　use　every　method　at　his　disposal　to　deflect　his　questions。
　〃Actually；〃　Mars　said；　〃I　came　here　today　to　tell　you　that　I'm　tired　of　this　little　play　we've　been　in。　It's　like　being　consigned　to　act　in　No　Exit　for　eternity。　Some　kind　of　bizarre　purgatory。　I'm　willing　to　call　a　beet　a　beet。　You've　been　put　here　more　or　less　against　your　will；　but　so　have　I。I　didn't　ask　for　this　assignment；　and　I　haven't　been　happy　with　it。　As　lousy　as　you　feel　day　to　day；　I　feel　almost　as　bad　watching　you　suffer。〃
　〃Do　you　actually　expect　me　to　believe　that　shit？　〃
　〃I'd　be　naive　if　I　did。〃　Mars　rose　and；　walking　about　the　room；　methodically　disabled　every　listening；　watching；　and　monitoring　device。　Lara　stared　at　him　with　a　kind　of　terror；　but　the　Hero's　face　was　as　bland　as　ever。
　Within　thirty　seconds　they　heard　shoes　pounding　on　the　stairs；　and　a　clutch　of　the　building　personnel…two　of　them　armed　guards…burst　into　the　room。
　〃It's　nothing；〃　Mars　said。　〃I　turned　everything　off。　Go　back　to　your　posts。〃
　〃But　with　the　machines　down；〃　one　of　the　scientists　plained；　〃we　have　nothing　to　do。〃
　〃Go　have　lunch；〃　Mars　said。　〃Take　a　walk。　Do　what　you've　never　done　before；　enjoy　the　sunshine　and　the　spring　day　with　nothing　on　your　minds。''
　〃I　hope　you　have　clearance　for　this；〃　another　scientist　said。　〃What　you've　done　has　serious　implications。〃
　〃Get　the　hell　out　of　my　sight！〃　Mars　bellowed　in　an　uncharacteristic　display　of　temper；　and　the　clot　of　men　disappeared。
　In　the　silence　that　followed；　the　Hero　said；　〃I　want　Lara　to　stay。〃
　〃As　you　wish。〃
　〃And　I　want　to　e　out　of　the　water。〃
　Lara　moved　toward　him；　but　Mars　motioned　her　back。　He　bent　down；　gripped　the　Hero　under　his　arms；　brought　him　up　over　the　coping　of　the　pool。　Lara　went　to　get　the　wheelchair　while　Mars　propped　the　Hero　up；　began　to　pat　him　dry　with　one　of　a　pile　of　enormous　towels。
　The　Hero　wore　no　bathing　suit　when　he　was　in　the　water；　and　Mars　looked　interestedly　at　his　body。　His　hairlessness　was　somehow　fascinating；　and　though　he　had　to　be　pulled　like　a　rag　doll　out　of　the　damaged　spacecraft　upon　landing；　his　subsequent　muscular　rehabilitation　had　been　remarkable。　（It　was　his　bones　that　had　been　irreparably　damaged。）　And　the　color　of　his　sleek　skin；　which　could　only　be　described　as　a　kind　of　pale　silver；　like　a　star；　glowed　in　the　indirect　lights。　For　the　first　time　Mars　could　sense　why；　bent　back　or　no　bent　back；　Lara　and　Tatiana　found　the　Hero　sexually　attractive。
　Together　Mars　and　Lara　maneuvered　the　Hero　into　the　wheel…chair。　Lara　draped　a　fresh　towel　over　his　loins。　The　Hero　disliked　clothes；　perhaps；　Mars　surmised；　because　they　had　bee　so　damned　inconvenient　to　get　in　and　out　of。　And　they；　more　than　anything　else　in　his　daily　life；　reminded　him　of　his　disabilities。
　〃What　name　would　you　like　me　to　use？〃　Mars　asked；　beginning　the　interrogation　rhythm　all　over　again。
　〃I　don't　know。　But　not　Viktor。　I'm　not　Viktor。〃
　〃Of　course　you're　not。〃
　''How　about　Odysseus？〃　That　blank　face。　''I　promise　I　won't　call　you　Polyphemus。〃
　Mars　waited　a　moment；　unsure　whether　this　was　a　concession　or　another　joke　at　his　expense。　〃All　right。　How　are　you　sleeping；　Odysseus？〃
　〃I　don't　sleep；〃　the　Hero　said　at　once。　This　was　a　subject　he　liked。　〃I　dream。　It's　not　the　same　thing。　When　you　dream　continuously；　you're　not　sleeping；　you're　living；　but　in　an　entirely　different　way。　You're　in　another　state　of　consciousness。〃
　Mars　had　bee　used　to　this　kind　of　talk。　〃And　your　dreams？〃
　〃Are　filled　with　the　wonder　of　space；〃　the　Hero　said；　〃and　of　the　stars。　I　dream　of　the　color　I　saw　out　there；　the　color　between　the　stars。〃
　〃What　color？　Red；　green；　blue？〃
　〃I　can't　tell　you；〃　the　Hero　said；　〃because　it's　impossible　to　find　words　to　describe　it。　It's　not　even　as　ephemeral　a　color　as　you　know　it。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃There's　。。。　I　don't　know；　a　substance　to　it。〃
　〃A　substance　such　as　what？　Like　your　spacecraft　had　substance？〃
　〃No；　not　like　that　at　all。〃
　There　was　a　long　pause　during　which　Mars　glanced　at　Lara。　She　was　sitting　with　her　wrists　on　her　knees；　gazing　into　the　Hero's　eyes。　Mars　wondered　whether　her　loyalties　were　wavering。　Then　he　immediately　dismissed　the　thought。　He　had　chosen　Lara　and　Tatiana　himself。　He　knew　their　backgrounds　intimately；　so　he　knew　where　their　loyalties　lay。　It　was　just　that　he　was　paid　to　be　paranoid。　Nevertheless；　he　told　himself；　he　mustn't　allow　the　business　of　paranoia　to　bee　an　obsession。　That　would　clearly　undermine　his　current　work。
　The　Hero　cleared　his　throat。　〃I've　thought　about　this　ever　since　I　first　awoke；〃　he　said　after　a　long　time；　〃and　I　believe　that　what　I　saw　out　there　was　the　color　of　God。〃
　Mars　was　interested　in　this。　〃Why　do　you　think　that？〃
　〃Because　it's　what　the　dreams　tell　me；　over　and　over；　in　as　many　different　ways　as　there　are　faces　on　the　people　of　this　planet。〃
　〃Lara；〃　Mars　said；　〃do　you　believe　him？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　The　Hero　looked　at　her。　〃Tell　Volkov　what　you　would　tell　him　if　this　was　one　of　your　weekly　debriefings。''
　Lara　was　clearly　stunned；　and　Mars　only　a　bit　less　so。　How　did　the　Hero　know　about　the　debriefings？
　The　Hero　gave　Mars　a　canny　look：　〃Let's　call　a　beet　a　beet；　yes？〃
　Mars　considered　this　challenge。　Then　he　nodded　at　Lara。　〃Tell　me。〃
　Lara　looked　from　the　Hero　to　him。''I　believe　him；''　she　said；　her　voice　echoing　out　over　the　gently　lapping　pool　where　Arbat　was　watching　them。
　Mars　took　some　time　to　work　this　through。　〃Perhaps；〃　he　said　to　the　Hero；　〃your　dreams　tell　you　that　you　are　God。〃
　A　smile　spread　slowly　from　the　ers　of　the　Hero's　mouth。　When　it　reached　his　eyes　he　said；　〃I'm　not　mad；　Volkov。　To　intimate　so　is　futile　and；　worse　for　you；　foolish。〃
　〃I　withdraw　the　intimation；〃　Mars　said　immediately；　accepting　this　little　defeat　as　gracefully　as　he　was　able。　〃You　understand　it　was　something　I　felt　pelled　to　ask。〃
　〃And　I　ask　myself　why？〃　The　Hero　regarded　him。　〃It's　not　such　a　great　secret；　although　I'll　bet　anything　you　think　it　is。　There's　only　one　thing　that　makes　this　discussion　meaningful；　Volkov；　and　it's　that；　like　me；　you　believe　in　God。　No；　don't　bother　to　deny　it…1　know　you're　doing　it　for　Lara's　sake。　You　needn't　bother。　For　one　thing；　Lara；　too；　believes　in　God。　So　does　Arbat；　so　for　once　we're　all　agreed　on　one　matter。　And　a　monumental　one　it　is；　too。　For　another　thing；　Lara　belongs　to　you；　hook；　line；　and　soul。　Now　isn't　that　ironic；　in　a　country　that　professes　to　put　no　value　on　the　capitalistic　notion　of　possessions。　I　see　your　lips　moving；　Volkov。　What's　that？　Speak　up！　Heresy；　you　say？　All　right。　Then　we　both　have　heretical　thoughts。　You　see？　You're　no　better　than　I　am；　though　I　can　hardly　expect　you　to　agree　with　me。〃
　Mars　glared　at　the　Hero；　as　if　with　his　gaze　he　could　burn　out　the　mysterious　alterations　the　void　of　space　had　worked　on　that　mind。
　''The　presence　of　God；''　said　the　Hero；　〃is　something　we　all　f