deathworld-第20节

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　 His　legs　were　still　numb　and　hardly　usable。　The　bearded　ma　snorted　in　disgust　and　hauled　him　to　his　feet；　propping　him　against　di　outer　wall。　Jason　clutched　the　knobby　bark　of　the　logs　when　he　w~　left　alone。　He　looked　around；　soaking　up　impressions。
　 It　was　the　first　time　he　had　been　on　a　farm　since　he　had　run　awa　from　home。　A　different　world　with　a　different　ecology；　but　the　simila：
　ity　was　apparent　enough　to　him。　A　new…sown　field　stretched　down　di　hill　in　front　of　the　shack。　Ploughed　by　a　good　farmer。　Even；　well…ca~　furrows　that　followed　the　contour　of　the　slope。　Another；　larger　lc　building　was　next　to　this　one；　probably　a　barn。
　 There　was　a　snuffling　sound　behind　him　and　Jason　turned　quicldyand　froze。　His　hand　called　for　the　missing　gun　and　his　finger　tightene　down　on　a　trigger　that　wasn't　there。
　 It　had　e　out　of　the　jungle　and　padded　up　quietly　behind　him。　had　six　thick　legs　with　clawed　feet　that　dug　into　the　ground。　The　tw　meter…long　body　was　covered　with　matted　yellow…and…black　fur；　all　e：
　cept　the　skull　and　shoulders。　These　were　covered　with　overlapping　horny　plates。　Jason　could　see　all　this　because　the　beast　was　that　close。
　 He　waited　to　die。
　 The　mouth　opened；　a　frog…like　division　of　the　hairless　skull；　revealing　double　rows　of　jagged　teeth。
　 〃Here；　Fido；〃　the　bearded　man　said；　ing　up　behind　Jason　and　snapping　his　fingers　at　the　same　time。　The　thing　bounded　forward；　brushing　past　the　dazed　Jason；　and　rubbed　his　head　against　the　man's　leg。　〃Nice　doggie；〃　the　man　said；　his　fingers　scratching　under　the　edge　of　the　carapace　where　it　joined　the　flesh。
　 The　bearded　man　had　brought　two　of　the　riding　animals　out　of　the　barn；　saddled　and　bridled。　Jason　barely　noticed　the　details　of　smooth　skin　and　long　legs　as　he　swung　up　on　one。　His　feet　were　quickly　lashed　to　the　stirrups。　When　they　started；　the　skull…headed　beast　followed　them。
　 〃Nice　doggie！〃　Jason　said；　and　for　no　reason　started　to　laugh。　The　bearded　man　turned　and　scowled　at　him　until　he　was　quiet。
　 By　the　time　they　entered　the　jungle；　it　was　dark。　It　was　impossible　to　see　under　the　thick　foliage；　and　they　used　no　lights。　The　animals　seemed　to　know　the　way。　There　were　scraping　noises　and　shrill　calls　from　the　jungle　around　them；　but　it　didn't　bother　Jason　too　much。　Perhaps　the　automatic　manner　in　which　the　other　man　undertook　the　journey　reassured　him。　Or　the　presence　of　the　〃dog〃　that　he　felt　rather　than　saw。　The　trip　was　a　long　one；　but　not　too　unfortable。
　 The　regular　motion　of　the　animal　and　his　fatigue　overcame　Jason　and　he　dozed　into　a　fitful　sleep；　waking　with　a　start　each　time　he　slumped　forward。　In　the　end；　he　slept　sitting　up　in　the　saddle。　Hours　passed　this　way；　until　he　opened　his　eyes　and　saw　a　square　of　light　before　them。　The　trip　was　over。
　 His　legs　were　stiff　and　galled　with　saddle　sores。　After　his　feet　were　untied；　getting　down　was　an　effort　and　he　almost　fell。　A　door　opened　and　Jason　went　in。　It　took　his　eyes　some　moments　to　get　used　to　the　light；　until　he　could　make　out　the　man　on　the　bed　before　him。
　 〃e　over　here　and　sit　down。〃　The　voice　was　full　and　strong；　accustomed　to　mand。　The　body　was　that　of　an　invalid。　A　blanket　covered　him　to　the　waist；　above　that　the　flesh　was　sickly　white；　spotted　with　red　nodules；　and　hung　loosely　over　the　bones。　There　seemed　to　be　nothing　left　of　the　man　except　skin　and　skeleton。
　 〃Not　very　nice；〃　the　man　on　the　bed　said；　〃but　I've　grown　used　to　it。〃　His　tone　changed　abruptly。　〃Naxa　said　you　were　from　off…world。　Is　that　true？〃
　 Jason　nodded　yes；　and　his　answer　stirred　the　living　skeleton　to　life。
　The　head　lifted　from　the　pillow　and　the　red…rimmed　eyes　sought　h　with　a　desperate　intensity。
　 〃My　name　is　Rhes　and　I'm　a。　。　。　grubber。　Will　you　help　me？〃
　 Jason　wondered　at　the　intensity　of　Rhes's　question；　all　out　of　propc　tion　to　the　simple　content　of　its　meaning。　Yet　he　could　see　no　reason　give　anything　other　than　the　first　and　obvious　answer　that　sprang　to　Ii　lips。
　 〃Of　course　I'll　help　you；　in　whatever　way　I　can。　As　long　as　it　involv　no　injury　to　anyone　else。　What　do　you　want？〃
　 The　sick　man's　head　had　fallen　back　limply；　exhausted；　as　Jasc　talked。　But　the　fire　still　burned　in　the　eyes。
　 〃Feel　assured…I　want　to　injure　no　others；〃　Rues　said。　〃Quite　the　~　posite。　As　you　see；　I　am　suffering　from　a　disease　that　our　remedies　w~　not　stop。　Within　a　few　more　days　I　will　be　dead。　Now　I　have　seen。　the　city　people　。　。　。　using　a　device；　they　press　it　over　a　wound　or　~　animal　bite。　Do　you　have　one　of　these　machines？〃
　 〃That　sounds　like　a　description　of　the　medikit。〃　Jason　touched　ti　button　at　his　waist　that　dropped　the　medikit　into　his　hand。　〃I　have　mu　here。　It　analyzes　and　treats　most。　。　。〃
　 〃Would　you　use　it　on　me？〃　Rhes　broke　in；　his　voice　suddenly　urger　〃I'm　sorry；〃　Jason　said。　〃I　should　have　realized。〃　He　stepped　forwa　and　pressed　the　machine　over　one　of　the　inflamed　areas　on　Rhes's　che~　The　operation　light　came　on　and　the　thin　shaft　of　the　analyzer　prol　slid　down。　When　it　withdrew　the　device　hummed；　then　clicked　thr~　times　as　three　separate　hypodermic　needles　lanced　into　the　skin。　Thi　the　light　went　out。
　 〃Is　that　all？〃　Rhes　asked；　as　he　watched　Jason　stow　the　medikit　ba　in　his　belt。
　 Jason　nodded；　then　looked　up　and　noticed　the　wet　marks　of　tears　the　sick　man's　face。　Rhes　became　aware　at　the　same　time　and　brush　at　them　angrily。
　 〃When　a　man　is　sick；〃　he　growled；　〃the　body　and　all　its　senses　becon
　traitor。　I　don't　think　I　have　cried　since　I　was　a　child…but　you　must　i
　alize　it's　not　myself　I'm　crying　for。　It's　the　untold　thousands　of　my　pe
　ple　who　have　died　for　lack　of　that　little　device　you　treat　so　casuall）
　 〃Surely　you　have　medicines；　doctors　of　your　own？〃
　 〃Herb　doctors　and　witch　doctors；〃　Rues　said；　consigning　them　all　oblivion　with　a　chop　of　his　hand。　〃The　few　hard　working　and　honc　men　are　hampered　by　the　fact　that　the　faith　healers　can　usually　cu　better　than　their　strongest　potion。〃
　 The　talking　had　tired　Rhes。　He　stopped　suddenly　and　closed　his　ey~　On　his　chest；　the　inflamed　areas　were　already　losing　their　angry　col
　as　the　injections　took　effect。　Jason　glanced　around　the　room；　looking　for　clues　to　the　mystery　of　these　people。
　 Floor　and　walls　were　made　of　wood　lengths　fitte？l　together；　free　of　paint　or　decoration。　They　looked　simple　and　crude；　fit　only　for　the　savages　he　had　expected　to　meet。　Or　were　they　crude？　The　wood　had　a　sweeping；　flame…like　grain。　When　he　bent　close　he　saw　that　wax　had　been　rubbed　over　the　wood　to　bring　out　this　pattern。　Was　this　the　act　of　savages…or　of　artistic　men　seeking　to　make　the　most　of　simple　materials？　The　final　effect　was　far　superior　to　the　drab…paint　and　riveted…steel　rooms　of　the　city　dwelling　Pyrrans。　Wasn't　it　true　that　both　ends　of　the　artistic　scale　were　dominated　by　simplicity？　The　untutored　aborigine　made　a　simple　expression　of　a　clear　idea；　and　created　beauty。　At　the　other　extreme；　the　sophisticated　critic　rejected　overelaboration　and　decoration　and　sought　the　truthful　clarity　of　uncluttered　art。　At　which　end　of　the　scale　was　he　looking　now？
　 These　men　were　savages；　he　had　been　told　that。　They　dressed　in　furs　and　spoke　a　slurred　and　broken　language；　at　least　Naxa　did。　Rhes　admitted　he　preferred　faith　healers　to　doctors。　But；　if　all　this　were　true；　where　did　the　municator　fit　into　the　picture？　Or　the　glowing　ceiling　that　illuminated　the　room　with　a　soft　light？
　 Rhes　opened　his　eyes　and　stared　at　Jason；　as　if　seeing　him　for　the　first　time。　〃Who　are　you？〃　he　asked。　〃And　what　are　you　doing　here？〃
　 There　was　a　cold　menace　in　his　words　and　Jason　understood　why。　The　city　Pyrrans　hated　the　〃grubbers〃　and；　without　a　doubt；　the　feeling　was　mutual。　Naxa's　axe　had　proved　that。　Naxa　had　entered　silently　while　they　talked；　and　stood　with　his　fingers　touching　the　haft　of　this　same　axe。　Jason　knew　his　life　was　still　in　jeopardy；　until　he　gave　an
　answer　that　satisfied　these　men。 …
　 He　couldn't　tell　the　truth。　If　they　once　suspected　he　was　spying　among　them　to　aid　the　city　people；　it　would　be　the　end。　Nevertheless；　he　had　to　be　free　to　talk　about　the　survival　problem。
　 The　answer　hit　him　as　soon　as　he　had　stated　the　problem。　All　this　had　only　taken　an　instant　to　consider；　as　he　turned　back　to　face　the　invalid；　and　he　answered　at　once。　Trying　to　keep　his　voice　normal　and　unconcerned。
　 〃I'm　Jason　dinAh；　an　ecologist；　so　you　see　I　have　the　best　reasons　in　the　universe　for　visiting　this　planet…〃
　 〃What　is　an　ecologist？〃　Rhes　broke　in。　There　was　nothing　in　his　voice　to　indicate　whether　he　meant　the　question　seriously；　or　as　a　trap。　All　traces　of　the　ease　of　their　earlier　conversation　were　gone；　his　voice　had　the　deadliness　of　a　stingwing's　poison。　Jason　chose　his　words　carefully。
　 〃Simply　stated；　it　is　that　branch　of　biology　that　considers　the　relatior　between　organisms　and　their　environment。　How　climatic　and　othc　factors　affect　the　life　forms；　and　how　the　life　forms　in　turn　affect　eac　other　and　the　environment。〃　That　much　Jason　knew　was　true…but　11　really　knew　very　little　more　about　the　subject；　so　he　moved　on　quickl~
　 〃I　heard　reports　of　this　planet；　and　finally　came　here　to　study　it　firs　hand。　I　did　what　work　I　could　in　the　shelter　of　the　city；　but　it　wasn　enough。　The　people　t