gs.earthabides-第56节

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　happened　to　be　made？〃　
　　The　answer　came　quickly。　Weston　was　the　spokesman；　although　apparently　any　of　the　children　could　have　answered：　〃Why；　the　Americans　made　everything。〃　
　　Ish　caught　his　breath。　Yet；　immediately；　he　saw　how　the　idea　had　arisen。　After　all；　if　a　child　asked　who　made　the　houses　or　the　streets　or　the　canned　food；　any　of　the　older　ones　would　have　said　naturally　that　the　Americans　did。　He　followed　up　with　another　question。　
　　〃And　the　Americans…what　about　them？〃　
　　〃Oh；　the　Americans　were　the　old　people。〃　
　　This　time　Ish　found　it　a　little　harder　to　adjust　quickly。　In　〃the　old　people〃　he　sensed　not　merely　a　reference　to　time；　but　also　something　close　to　superstition。　〃The　old　people〃…that　had　once　meant　fairies；　people　of　the　Other…world。　That　might　be　its　meaning　now　again。　Here　was　something　he　should　work　to　counteract。　
　　〃I　was。。。〃　He　began　simply。　Then　he　paused　and　corrected　himself；　seeing　no　reason　to　use　the　past　tense。　
　　〃I　am　an　American。〃　
　　When　he　spoke；　though　they　were　the　simplest　of　words；　he　had　a　curious　feeling　of　pride　e　over　him；　as　if　flags　were　flying　and　bands　playing。　It　had　been　a　great　thing；　in　those　Old　Times；　to　be　an　American。　You　had　been　deeply　conscious　of　being　one　of　a　great　nation。　It　was　no　mere　matter　of　pride；　but　also　there　went　with　it　a　profound　sense　of　confidence　and　security　in　life；　and　a　radeship　of　millions。　Yet　now　he　had　hesitated　to　speak　in　the　present　tense。　
　　In　the　silence　of　his　pause　he　saw　the　children　looking　at　him；　and　then　suddenly　he　sensed　that　his　explanation　had　missed　fire。　He　had　merely　been　trying　to　explain　that　there　was　nothing　supernatural　in　those　old　people　who　had　been　the　Americans。　He　had　tried　merely　to　say；　〃Look　at　me；　I'm　Ish；　father　of　some　of　you；　granddad　of　one。　I've　rolled　on　the　floor　with　you。　You've　mussed　my　hair。　Yes；　I'm　only　Ish。　And　now　when　I　say；　'I'm　an　American；'　I　mean　that　there　is　nothing　supernatural　about　Americans。　They　were　only　people　too。〃　
　　This　was　what　he　had　thought　they　would　understand；　but　it　had　gone　the　other　way　round。　When　he　had　said；　〃I　am　an　American；〃　they　had　nodded　inwardly；　interpreting；　〃Yes；　naturally；　you　are　an　American。　You　have　many　strange　knowledges　which　we　simple　ones　do　not　have。　You　teach　us　reading　and　writing。　You　tell　tales　about　the　world　being　round。　You　talk　about　numbers。　You　carry　the　hammer。　Yes；　it　is　plain　that　people　like　you　made　all　the　world；　and　you　are　merely　one　who　lingers　over　from　the　Old　Times。　You　are　one　of　the　Old　People。　Yes；　naturally　you　are　an　American！〃　
　　As　he　looked　about；　almost　wildly　at　this　new　thought；　the　silence　was　deep；　and　he　saw　Joey　smiling　at　him。　It　was　a　knowing　smile；　as　if　Joey　was　saying；　〃We　two　have　something　in　mon。　I　am　like　one　of　the　Old　People　who　has　been　left　over。　I　can　read；　I　understand　those　things。　Without　being　hurt；　I　carry　the　hammer。〃　
　　Ish　was　glad　that　he　had　had　the　foresight　to　ask　his　question　just　before　noon。　There　was　nothing　he　could　muster　now；　either　for　question　or　reply。　〃School　dismissed；〃　he　said。　〃School　dismissed！〃　
　　
　　Chapter　6
　　One　late　afternoon　Ish　was　talking　with　Joey；　or　actually　they　were　continuing　Joey's　education　by　means　of　playschool。　Ish　had　collected　some　money；　and　was　teaching　Joey　a　little　about　history　and　the　old　economics。　Joey　liked　the　bright　jingly　nickels　with　the　figure　of　the　strange　humped　animal。　As　a　young　child　would　have　done　even　in　the　Old　Times；　he　preferred　the　nickels　to　the　uninteresting　bills　with　their　picture　of　a　bearded　man　who　looked　something　like　Uncle　George。　Ish　was　trying　to　find　ways　to　explain。　
　　Just　as　he　thought　he　had　put　the　point　across；　he　heard　a　strange　and　yet　old　and　familiar　sound。　He　lifted　his　head　and　waited　tensely；　mouth　open　to　listen。　It　came　again；　much　closer…the　toot…a…toot…toot　of　a　horn！　
　　〃Hey；　Em！〃　he　yelled。　〃They're　back！〃　He　jumped　up；　letting　the　bills　scatter　from　his　hand　to　the　floor。　
　　He　and　Em　and　the　children　all　came　rushing　out；　and　there　was　a　universal　running　and　yapping　of　dogs；　just　as　the　jeep　came　down　the　road。　It　was　dirty　and　travel…worn　and　banged…about；　but　it　had　got　through。　Ish　had　still　a　moment　of　tension。　Then　the　boys　jumped　out；　yelling　loudly；　obviously　alive　and　well。　A　sudden　sense　of　profound　relief　let　him　know　how　much　he　had　really　been　worrying　about　them。　
　　The　boys　stood　there；　surrounded　by　a　little　mob　of　yelling　children。　Ish　held　back；　almost　diffident。　Then　his　eyes　caught　another　movement。　There　must　be　someone　else　in　the　jeep。　Yes；　now　the　person　was　starting　to　get　out。　Ish　had　a　sharp　sensation　of　alarm；　of　resentment；　at　the　intruder。　
　　First；　as　the　head　was　thrust　out　from　the　low　door；　Ish　saw　a　bald　crown　and　a　brown　beard；　which　would　have　been　handsome　if　it　had　not　been　stained　with　tobacco　and　dirty…looking；　and　scraggly　around　the　edges　where　it　had　been　haggled　with　scissors。　The　man　stepped　out；　and　slowly　straightened　up。　
　　Ish；　almost　in　panic；　appraised　him。　A　big　fellow…tall　and　large…framed　and　heavy！　He　was　powerful；　and　yet　there　had　been　little　vigor　in　his　movement　as　he　straightened　up。　Yes；　powerful；　but　with　some　inner　trouble；　and　too　heavy！　The　pudgy　fat　of　the　thick…featured　face　had　squeezed　in　upon　the　eyes；　narrowing　them。　
　　〃Pig…eyes！〃　thought　Ish；　still　in　resentment。　
　　The　children　were　milling　around；　and　the　man　stood　in　their　midst；　just　as　he　had　stepped　down　from　the　car。　He　looked　up；　and　saw　Ish；　and　their　glances　met。　The　man's　little　fat…encroached　eyes　were　bright　blue。　He　smiled　at　Ish。　
　　Ish　smiled　back；　though　he　raised　the　corners　of　his　mouth　only　by　conscious　effort。　〃Should　have　smiled　first；〃　he　was　thinking。　〃He　put　me　at　my　ease。　I　should　have　done　it　with　him。　He's　powerful；　even　though　his　fat　looks　soft　and　unhealthy。　〃　
　　Ish　broke　up　the　situation　by　striding　forward　to　grasp　Bob's　hand。　But　even　as　he　did　so；　the　newer　was　still　in　his　mind…〃About　my　age；〃　he　was　thinking。　Now　Bob　was　making　the　introduction。　
　　〃This　is　our　friend　Charlie！〃　he　said　simply；　and　he　slapped　Charlie　on　the　back。　
　　〃Glad　to　see　you！〃　Ish　managed　to　say；　but　even　the　old　meaningless　words　did　not　slide　out　naturally。　He　looked　straight　at　the　narrow　blue　eyes；　and　in　the　tenseness　of　his　look　there　was　perhaps　a　conscious　defiance。　No；　those　others　were　not　pig…eyes。　Boar's　eyes！　Strength　and　ferocity　behind　the　baby…blue。　As　they　shook　hands；　Ish　felt　his　own　grasp　the　weaker。　The　other　could　have　squeezed　and　hurt　him　if　he　had　wished。　
　　Now　Bob　had　taken　Charlie　away；　to　introduce　him　to　the　others。　Ish　felt　his　resentment　growing；　not　decreasing。　〃Careful！〃　he　thought。　
　　But　he　had　imagined　the　return　as　a　reunion　with　no　discordant　elements。　And　here　was　Charlie！　
　　Handsome；　no　doubt…in　a　way！　A　good　panion…so　the　actions　of　the　boys　seemed　to　testify！　But…yes…Charlie　was　dirty。　That　thought　gave　a　background　of　rationality　to　the　unreasoning　dislike。　Charlie　was　dirty；　and　from　inner　reaction　Ish　felt　himself　going　on　to　think　that　Charlie　must　be　in　some　way　dirty　inside；　through　and　through；　as　well　as　outside。　
　　Dirt…the　ever…present　dirt　of　the　earth…that　was　something　which　bothered　Ish　no　more　than　it　bothered　anyone　else　these　days。　But　the　impression　of　dirt　that　Ish　gained　from　Charlie　was　something　different。　Perhaps；　he　analyzed　quickly；　it　was　the　clothes。　Charlie　was　wearing　what　had　in　late　years　bee　a　rarity；　a　business　suit。　He　was　even　wearing　the　vest；　because　the　afternoon　was　cold　with　low…drifting　clouds。　But　the　suit　seemed　greasy；　and　you　would　have　said　that　it　was　egg…spotted；　if　there　had　been　possibility　of　a　man's　having　had　eggs　to　eat　recently。　
　　They　all　went　trooping　up　to　the　house　suddenly；　Ish　with　them；　not　leading。　The　living…room　was　jammed。　The　two　boys；　and　Charlie；　held　the　center。　The　children　looked　marveling　at　the　boys；　as　explorers　returned　from　a　far　expedition；　and　they　eyed　Charlie　with　as　much　wonder；　because　they　were　unused　to　seeing　any　stranger。　It　was　one　of　the　biggest　occasions　that　anyone　could　well　imagine。　Ish　thought　to　himself　it　was　a　time　to　open　champagne；　if　he　had　any　ice。　Then　he　wondered　why　the　idea　seemed　ironic。　
　　〃Did　you　make　it？〃　everyone　was　asking　at　once。　〃How　far　did　you　get？　What　about　that　big　city…what's　its　name？〃　
　　Yet　in　the　midst　of　all　the　excitement；　Ish　felt　himself　sliding　sidelong　looks　at　the　greasy　beard　and　spotted　vest；　and　gradually　resenting　Charlie　more　than　ever。　
　　〃Watch　your　step；〃　he　thought　to　himself。　〃You're　just　being　the　provincial；　resenting　the　intrusion　of　anyone　else　who　may　have　different　manners　and　ideas。　You　keep　saying　that　the　munity　needs　the　stimulation　of　new　thoughts；　and　yet　when　someone　else　es　in；　you　start　resenting　him；　and　rationalizing　to　yourself；　because　you　say；　'He's　dirty　on　the　outside；　and　so　must　have　something　dirty　about　him　on　the　inside。'　Relax…this　is　a　great　day！〃　Nevertheless；　all　thought　of　its　being　a　great　day　went　sour　inside　him。　
　　〃No；〃　Bob　was　saying；　〃we　never　got　to　New　York。　We　got　to　that　other　big　city…Chicago。　But　past　there　the　roads　kept　get