deathworld-第21节

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there　think　I'm　crazy；　but　they　finally　agreed　let　me　make　a　trip　out　here。〃
　 〃What　arrangements　have　been　made　for　your　return？〃　Nas　snapped。
　 〃None；〃　Jason　told　him。　〃They　seemed　quite　sure　that　I　would　F　killed　instantly　and　had　no　hope　of　me　ing　back。　They　refused　t　let　me　go　on　my　own　and　I　had　to　break　away。〃
　 This　answer　seemed　to　satisfy　Rhes　and　his　face　cracked　into　a　mirti　less　smile。　〃They　would　think　that；　those　junkmen。　Can't　move　a　met~　outside　their　walls　without　an　armor…plated　machine　big　as　a　ban　What　did　they　tell　you　about　us？〃
　 Again　Jason　knew　a　lot　depended　on　his　answer。　This　time　ii　thought　carefully　before　speaking。
　 〃Well；　perhaps　I'll　get　that　axe　in　the　back　of　my　neck　for　sayin　this…but　I　have　to　be　honest。　You　must　know　what　they　think。　Thc　told　me　you　were　filthy　and　ignorant　savages…who　smelled。　And　youwell；　had　curious　customs　~u　practiced　with　the　animals。　In　exchan~　for　food；　they　traded　you　beads　and　knives。　。　。
　 Both　Pyrrans　broke　into　a　convulsion　of　laughter　at　this。　Rh~　stopped　soon；　from　weakness；　but　Naxa　laughed　himself　into　a　coug＇　ing　fit　and　had　to　splash　water　over　his　head　from　a　gourd　jug。
　 〃That　I　believe　well　enough；〃　Rhes　said。　〃It　sounds　like　the　stupidii　they　would　talk。　Those　people　know　nothing　of　the　world　they　live　ii　I　hope　the　rest　of　what　you　said　is　true；　but　even　if　it　is　not；　you　ai　wele　here。　You　are　from　off…world；　that　I　know。　No　junkman　won＇　have　lifted　a　finger　to　save　my　life。　You　are　the　first　off…worlder　my　pe　ple　have　ever　known　and　for　that　you　are　doubly　wele。　We　wi　help　you　in　any　way　we　can。　My　arm　is　your　arm。〃
　 These　last　words　had　a　ritual　sound　to　them　and；　when　Jason　r　peated　them；　Naxa　nodded　at　the　correctness　of　this。　At　the　same　tim　Jason　felt　that　they　were　more　than　empty　ritual。　Interdependenc　meant　survival　on　Pyrrus；　and　he　knew　that　these　people　stood　togeth　to　the　death　against　the　mortal　dangers　around　them。　He　hoped　ti　ritual　would　include　him　in　that　protective　sphere。
　 〃That　is　enough　for　tonight；〃　Rhes　said。　〃The　spotted　sickness　h：
　weakened　me；　and　your　medicine　has　turned　me　to　jelly。　You　will　stay　here；　Jason。　There　is　a　blanket；　but　no　bed；　at　least　for　now。〃
　 Enthusiasm　had　carried　Jason　this　far；　making　him　forget　the　two…G　exertions　of　the　long　day。　Now　fatigue　hit　him　a　physical　blow。　He　had　dim　memories　of　refusing　food　and　rolling　in　the　blanket　on　the　floor。　After　that；　oblivion。
　17
　 Every　square　inch　of　his　body　ached　where　the　doubled　gravity　hi　pressed　his　flesh　to　the　unyielding　wood　of　the　floor。　His　eyes　we　gummy　and　his　mouth　was　filled　with　an　indescribable　taste　that　can　off　in　chunks。　Sitting　up　was　an　effort　and　he　had　to　stifle　a　groan　as　h　joints　cracked。
　 〃Good　day；　Jason；〃　Rhes　called　from　the　bed。　〃If　I　didn't　believe　i　medicine　so　strongly；　I　would　be　tempted　to　say　there　is　a　miracle　i　your　machine　that　has　cured　me　overnight。〃
　 There　was　no　doubt　that　he　was　on　the　mend。　The　inflamed　patch　had　vanished　and　the　burning　light　was　gone　from　his　eyes。　He　sa　propped　up　on　the　bed；　watching　the　morning　sun　melt　the　night's　hai　storm　into　the　fields。
　 〃There's　meat　in　tb~　cabinet　there；〃　he　said；　〃and　either　water　or　vi~　to　drink。〃
　 The　visk　proved　to　be　a　distilled　beverage　of　extraordinary　poten　that　instantly　cleared　the　fog　from　Jason's　brain；　though　it　did　leave　slight　ringing　in　his　ears。　And　the　meat　was　a　tenderly　smoked　joisi　the　best　food　he　had　tasted　since　leaving　Darkhan。　Taken　together；　thi　restored　his　faith　in　life　and　the　future。　He　lowered　his　glass　with　relaxed　sigh　and　looked　around。
　 With　the　pressures　of　immediate　survival　and　exhaustion　remove　his　thoughts　returned　automatically　to　his　problem。　What　were　the：
　people　really　like…and　how　had　they　managed　to　sur~ive　in　the　dead　wilderness？　In　the　city　he　had　been　told　they　were　savages。　Yet　the　was　a　carefully　tended　and　repaired　municator　on　the　wall。　Ar　by　the　door　a　crossbow　that　fired　machined　metal　bolts；　he　could　see　ti　tool　marks　still　visible　on　their　shanks。　The　one　thing　he　needed　w　more　information。　He　could　start　by　getting　rid　of　some　of　his　nii　information。
　 〃Rhes；　you　laughed　when　I　told　you　what　the　city　people　said；　aboi　trading　you　trinkets　for　food。　What　do　they　really　trade　you？〃
　 〃Anything　within　certain　limits；〃　Rhes　said。　〃Small　manufactun
　items；　such　as　electronic　ponents　for　our　municators。　Rustless　alloys　we　can't　make　in　our　forges；　cutting　tools；　atomic…electric　convertens　that　produce　power　from　any　radioactive　element；　Things　like　that。　Within　reason　they'll　trade　anything　we　ask　that　isn't　on　the　forbidden　list。　They　need　the　food　badly。〃
　 〃And　the　items　on　the　forbidden　list…？〃
　 〃Weapons　of　course；　or　anything　that　might　be　made　into　a　powerful　weapon。　They　know　we　make　gunpowder　so　we　can't　get　anything　like　large　casting　or　seamless　tubing　we　could　make　into　heavy　gun　barrels。　We　drill　our　own　rifle　barrels　by　hand；　though　the　crossbow　is　quiet　and　faster　in　the　jungle。　Then　they　don't　like　us　to　know　very　much；　so　the　only　reading　matter　that　gets　to　us　are　tech　maintenance　manuals；　empty　of　basic　theory。
　 〃The　last　banned　category　you　know　about…medicine。　This　is　the　one　thing　I　cannot　understand；　that　makes　me　burn　with　hatred　with　every　death　they　might　have　prevented。〃
　 〃I　know　their　reasons；〃　Jason　said。
　 〃Then　tell　me；　because　I　can　think　of　none。〃
　 〃Survival…it's　just　that　simple。　I　doubt　if　you　realize　it；　but　they　have　a　decreasing　population。　It　is　just　a　matter　of　years　before　they　will　be　gone。　Whereas　your　people　at　least　must　have　a　stable…if　not　slightly　growing　population…to　have　existed　without　their　mechanical　protections。　So　in　the　city　they　hate　you　and　are　jealous　of　you　at　the　same　time。　If　they　gave　you　medicine　and　you　prospered；　you　would　be　winning　the　battle　they　have　lost。　I　imagine　they　tolerate　you　as　a　necessary　evil；　to　supply　them　with　food；　otherwise　they　wish　you　were　all　dead。〃
　 〃It　makes　sense；〃　Rhes　growled；　slamming　his　fist　against　the　bed。　〃The　kind　of　twisted　logic　you　expect　from　junkmen。　They　use　us　to　feed　them；　give　us　the　absolute　minimum　in　return；　and　at　the　same　time　cut　us　off　from　the　knowledge　that　will　get　us　out　of　this　hand　to　mouth　existence。　Worse；　far　worse；　they　cut　us　off　from　the　stars　and　the　rest　of　mankind。〃　The　hatred　on　his　face　was　so　strong　that　Jason　unconsciously　drew　back。
　 〃Do　you　think　we　are　savages　here；　Jason？　We　act　and　look　like　animals　because　we　have　to　fight　for　existence　on　an　animal　level。　Yet　we　know　about　the　stars。　In　that　chest　over　there；　sealed　in　metal；　are　over　thirty　books；　all　we　have。　Fiction　most　of　them；　with　some　history　and　general　science　thrown　in。　Enough　to　keep　alive　the　stories　of　the　settlement　here　and　the　rest　of　the　universe　outside。　We　see　the　ships　land　in　the　city　and　we　know　that　up　there　are　worlds　we　can　only　dream　about　and　never　see。　Do　you　wonder　that　we　hate　these　beasts　that　call　themselves　men；　and　would　destroy　them　in　an　instant　if　we　could？　They
　are　right　to　keep　weapons　from　us…for　sure　as　the　sun　rises　in　the　moi　ing　we　would　kill　them　to　a　man　if　we　were　able；　and　take　over　t　things　they　have　withheld　from　us。〃
　 It　was　a　harsh　condemnation；　but　essentially　a　truthful　one。　At　le　from　the　point　of　view　of　the　outsiders。　Jason　didn't　try　to　explain　to　t　angry　man　that　the　city　Pyrrans　looked　on　their　attitude　as　being　t　only　possible　and　logical　one。　〃How　did　this　battle　between　your　ti　groups　ever　e　about？〃　he　asked。
　 〃I　don't　know；〃　Rhes　said；　〃I've　thought　about　it　many　times；　F　there　are　no　records　of　that　period。　We　do　know　that　we　are　all　scended　from　colonists　who　arrived　at　the　same　time。　Somewhere；　some　time；　the　two　groups　separated。　Perhaps　it　was　a　war；　I've　re　about　them　in　the　books。　I　have　a　partial　theory；　though　I　can't　prove　that　it　was　the　location　of　the　city。〃
　 〃Location…I　don't　understand。〃
　 〃Well；　you　know　the　junkmen；　and　you've　seen　where　their　city　They　managed　to　put　it　right　in　the　middle　of　the　most　savage　spot　this　planet。　You　know　they　don't　care　about　any　living　thing　excc　themselves；　shoot　and　kill　is　their　only　logic。　So　they　wouldn't　consic　where　to　build　their　city；　and　managed　to　build　it　in　the　stupidest　sj　imaginable。　I'm　sure　my　ancestors　saw　how　foolish　this　was　and　tn　to　tell　them　so。　That　would　be　reason　enough　for　a　war；　wouldn't　i
　 〃It　might　have　been…if　that's　really　what　happened；〃　Jason　sa　〃But　I　think　you　have　the　problem　turned　backward。　It's　a　war　betwe　native　Pyrran　life　and　humans；　each　fighting　to　destroy　the　other。　T　life　forms　change　continually；　seeking　that　final　destruction　of　t　invader。〃
　 〃Your　theory　is　even　wilder　than　mine；〃　Rhes　said。　〃That's　not　in　at　all。　I　admit　that　life　isn't　too　easy　on　this　planet…if　what　I　have　re　in　the　books　about　other　planets　is　true…but　it　doesn't　change。　You　hr　to　be　fast　on　your　feet　and　keep　your　eyes　open　for　anything　big~　than　you；　but　you　can　survive。　Anyway；　it　doesn't　really　matter　wi　The　junkmen　always　look　for　trouble　and　I'm　happy　to　see　that　tF　have　enough。〃
　 Jason　didn't　try　to　press　the　point。　The　effort　of　forcing　Rhes　change　his　basic　attitudes　wasn't　worth　it…even　if　possi