wt.theyearofthequietsun-第8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！



　　The　cold　water　was　cold　but　the　hot　water　was　only　a　few　degrees　warmer…barely　enough　to　feel　a　difference。　Chaney　came　out　of　the　shower；　wrapped　a　towel　about　his　middle　and　began　rubbing　lather　on　his　face。
　　〃Stop！〃　Arthur　Saltus　was　in　the　doorway；　pointing　an　accusatory　finger。　〃Put　down　the　razor；　civilian。〃
　　Startled；　Chaney　dropped　the　razor　into　the　bowl　of　tepid　water。　〃Good　morning；　mander。〃　He　recovered　his　wits　and　the　razor　to　begin　the　shave。　〃Why？〃
　　〃Secret　orders　came　in　the　middle　of　the　night；〃　Saltus　declared。　〃All　the　people　of　the　future　wear　long　beards；　like　old　Abe　Lincoln。　We　must　be　in　character。〃
　　〃Nudists　with　bushy　beards；〃　Chaney　mented。　〃That　must　be　quite　a　sight。〃　He　kept　on　shaving。
　　〃Well；　you　bit　hard　yesterday；　civilian。〃　Saltus　put　an　exploratory　hand　under　the　shower　and　turned　on　the　water。　He　had　anticipated　the　result。　〃This　hasn't　changed　since　boot　camp；〃　he　told　Chaney。　〃Every　barracks　is　allotted　ten　gallons　of　hot　water。　The　first　man　in　uses　it　all。〃
　　〃I　thought　this　was　a　barracks。〃
　　〃This　building？　It　must　have　been　at　one　time　or　another；　but　the　station　wasn't　always　a　military　post。　I　spotted　that　ing　in。　Katrina　said　it　was　built　as　an　ordnance　plant　in　1941…you　know；　during　that　war。〃　He　stepped　under　the　shower。　〃That　was…what？　Thirty　seven　years　ago？　Time　flies　and　the　mice　have　been　at　work。〃
　　〃That　other　building　is　new。〃
　　〃The　lab　building　is　brand　new。　Katrina　said　it　was　built　to　house　that　noisy　machine…built　to　last　forever。　Reinforced　concrete　all　the　way　down；　a　basement；　and　a　sub…basement；　and　other　things。　The　vehicle　is　down　there　somewhere　hauling　monkeys　back　and　forth。〃
　　〃I'd　like　to　see　that　damned　thing。〃
　　〃You　and　me　together；　civilian。　You　and　me　and　the　Major。〃　His　head　popped　out　of　the　shower　and　his　voice　dropped　to　a　stage　whisper。　〃But　I've　got　it　figured。〃
　　〃You　have？　What？〃
　　〃Promise　you　won't　tell　Katrina？　You　won't　tell　the　man　in　the　White　House　I　broke　security？〃
　　〃Cross　my　heart；　spit　at　the　moon　and　everything。〃
　　〃All　right：　all　this　is　a　plot；　a　trick　to　be　ahead　of　everybody　else。　Katrina　has　been　misleading　us；　We're　not　going　up　to　the　turn　of　the　century…we're　going　back　down；　back　into　history！〃
　　〃Back？　Why？〃
　　〃We're　going　back　two　thousand　years；　civilian。　To　grab　those　old　scrolls　of　yours；　pirate　them；　as　if　they　were　classified　or　something。　We're　going　to　sneak　in　there　some　dark　night；　find　a　batch　of　them　in　some　cave　or　other　and　copy　them。　Photograph　them。　That's　why　we're　using　cameras。　And　meanwhile；　you'll　be　using　a　recorder；　making　tapes　of　the　location　and　the　like。　Maybe　you　could　unroll　a　parchment　or　two　and　read　off　the　titles；　so　we'll　know　if　we　have　anything　important。〃
　　〃But　they　seldom　have　titles。〃
　　Saltus　was　stopped。　〃Why　not？〃
　　〃Titles　just　weren't　important　at　the　time。〃
　　〃Well…no　matter；　we'll　make　do；　we'll　just　copy　everything　we　can　find　and　sort　them　out　later。　And　when　we're　finished　we'll　put　everything　back　the　way　we　found　it　and　make　our　escape。〃　Saltus　snapped　his　fingers　to　indicate　a　job　well　done　and　went　back　into　the　shower。
　　〃Is　that　all？〃
　　〃That's　enough　for　us…we've　scooped　the　world！　And　a　long　time　afterward…you　know；　whatever　year　it　was…some　shepherd　will　stumble　into　the　cave　and　find　them　in　the　usual　way。　Nobody　but　us　will　be　the　wiser。〃
　　Chaney　wiped　his　face　dry。　〃How　do　we　get　into　the　Palestine　of　two　thousand　years　ago？　Cross　the　Atlantic　in　a　canoe？〃
　　〃No；　no；　we　don't　ride　backwards　first；　civilian…not　here；　not　in　Illinois。　If　we　did　that　we'd　have　to　fight　our　way　though　Indians！　Look；　now：　the　Bureau　of　Standards　will　ship　the　vehicle　over　there　in　a　couple　of　weeks；　after　we've　had　our　field　trials。　They'll　pack　it　in　a　box　marked　Agricultural　Machinery；　or　some　such　thing；　and　smuggle　it　in　like　everybody　else　does。　How　do　you　think　the　Egyptians　got　that　baby　bomb　into　Israel？　By　sending　it　parcel　post？〃
　　Chaney　said：　〃Fantastic。〃
　　A　face　emerged　from　the　shower。　〃Are　you　being　disagreeable；　civilian？〃
　　〃I'm　being　skeptical；　sailor。〃
　　〃Spoil…sport！〃
　　〃Why　would　we　want　to　copy　the　scrolls？〃
　　〃To　be　first。〃
　　〃Why　that？〃
　　Saltus　stepped　all　the　way　out　of　the　shower。
　　〃Well…to　be　first；　that's　all。　We　like　to　be　first　in　everything。　Where's　your　patriotism；　civilian？〃
　　〃I　carry　it　in　my　pocket。　How　do　we　copy　the　scrolls　in　the　dark；　in　a　cave？〃
　　〃Now　that's　my　department！　Infra…red　equipment；　of　course。　Don't　fret　about　the　technical　end；　mister。　I'm　an　old　cameraman；　you　know。〃
　　〃I　didn't　know。〃
　　〃Well；　I　was　a　cameraman；　a　working　cameraman；　when　I　was　an　EM。　Do　you　remember　the　Gemini　flights　about　thirteen　or　fourteen　years　ago？〃
　　I　remember。
　　〃I　was　right　there　on　deck；　mister。　Photographer's　apprentice；　stationed　on　the　Wasp　when　the　flights　began；　I　manned　the　deck　cameras　on　some　of　those　early　flights　in　1964；　but　when　the　last　one　splashed　down　in　1966；　I　was　riding　the　choppers　out　to　meet　them；〃　A　disparaging　wave　of　the　hand。　〃Now；　would　you　believe　it；　I'm　riding　a　desk。　Operations　officer。〃　His　face　mirrored　his　dissatisfaction。　〃I'd　rather　be　behind　the　camera；　the　enlisted　men　have　the　fun　with　that　job。〃
　　Chaney　said：　〃I've　learned　something　new。〃
　　〃What　s　that？'
　　〃Why　you　and　I　were　brought　in　here。　I　map　and　structure　the　future；　you　will　film　it。　What's　the　Major's　specialty？〃
　　〃Air　Intelligence。　I　thought　you　knew。〃
　　〃I　didn't。　Espionage？〃
　　〃No；　no…he's　another　desk　man；　and　he　hates　it　as　much　as　I　do。　Old　William　is　a　brain：　interrogation　and　interpretation。　He　briefs　the　pilots　before　they　fly　out；　tells　them　where　to　find　the　targets；　what　is　concealing　them；　and　what　is　defending　them；　and　then　he　quizzes　the　hell　out　of　them　when　they　e　back　to　learn　what　they　saw；　where　they　saw　it；　how　it　behaved；　how　it　smelled；　and　what　was　new　firing　at　them。〃
　　〃Air　Intelligence；〃　Chaney　mused。　〃A　sharpie？〃
　　〃You　can　bet　your　last　tax　dollar；　civilian。　Do　you　remember　those　maps　Katrina　gave　us　yesterday？〃
　　〃I'm　not　likely　to　forget　them。　Top　secret。〃
　　〃Read　that　literally　for　the　Major：　he　memorized　them。　Mister；　if　you　could　show　him　another　map　today　with　one　small　Illinois　town　shifted　a　quarter　of　an　inch　away　from　yesterday's　location；　old　William　would　put　his　long　finger　on　the　spot　and　say；　'This　town　has　moved。'　He's　good。〃　Saltus　was　grinning　with　high　humor。　〃The　enemy　can't　hide　a　water　tank　or　a　missile　launcher　or　an　ammo　bunker　from　him…not　from　him。〃
　　Chaney　nodded　his　wonder。　〃Do　you　see　what　kind　of　team　Katrina　is　putting　together？　What　kind　the　mystery　man　Seabrooke　has　recruited？　I　wish　I　knew　what　they　really　expect　us　to　find　up　there。〃
　　Arthur　Saltus　left　his　room　and　crossed　the　corridor　to　stand　at　Chaney's　door；　dressed　for　a　summer　day。
　　〃Hey…how　do　you　like　our　Katrina？〃
　　Chaney　said：　〃Let　us　consider　beauty　a　sufficient　end。〃
　　〃Mister；　did　you　swallow　a　copy　of　Bartlett？〃
　　A　grin。　〃I　like　to　prowl　through　old　cultures；　old　times。　Bartlett　and　Haakon　are　my　favorites；　each　in　his　way　offers　a　rich　storehouse；　a　treasury。〃
　　〃Haakon？　Who　is　Haakon？〃
　　〃A　latter…day　Viking；　he　was　born　too　late。　Haakon　wrote　Pax　Abrahamitica；　a　history　of　the　desert　tribes。　I　would　say　it　was　more　of　a　treasury　than　a　history：　maps；　photographs；　and　text　telling　one　everything　he　would　want　to　know　about　the　tribes　five　to　seven　thousand　years　ago。〃
　　〃Photographs　five　thousand　years　ago？〃
　　〃No；　photographs　of　the　remains　of　tribal　life　five　thousand　years　ago：　Byzantine　dams；　Nabataean　wells；　old　Negev　water　courses　still　holding　water；　still　serving　the　people　who　live　there　today。　The　Nabataeans　built　things　to　last。　Their　wells　are　water…tight　today；　they're　still　used　by　the　Bedouin。　Several　good　photographs　of　them。〃
　　〃I'd　like　to　see　that。　May　I　borrow　the　book？〃
　　Chaney　nodded。　〃I　have　it　with　me。〃　He　stared　at　a　closed　door　and　listened　to　the　snores。　〃Wake　him　up？〃
　　〃No！　Not　if　we　have　to　live　in　the　same　room　with　him　all　day。　He's　a　bear　when　he's　routed　out　of　his　cave　before　he's　ready…and　he　doesn't　eat　breakfast。　He　says　he　thinks　and　fights　well　on　an　empty　stomach。〃
　　Chaney　said：　〃The　pany　is　Spartan；　see　all　their　wounds　on　the　front。〃
　　〃I　give　up！　Let's　go　to　breakfast。〃
　　They　quit　the　converted　barracks　and　struck　off　along　the　narrow　concrete　sidewalk；　walking　north　toward　the　missary。　A　jeep　and　a　staff　car　moved　along　the　street；　while　in　the　middle　distance　a　cluster　of　civilian　cars　were　parked　about　a　large　building　housing　the　missary。　They　were　the　only　ones　who　walked。
　　Chaney　asked：　〃This　is　swimming　weather。　Is　there　a　pool　here？〃
　　〃There　has　to　be…Katrina　didn't　get　that　beautiful　tan　under　a　sun　lamp。　I　think　it's　over　that　way…over　on　E　Street；　near　the　Officers'　Club。　Want　to　try　it　this　afternoon？〃
　　〃If　she　will　permit　it。　We　may　have　to　study。〃
　　〃I'm　already　tired　of　that！　I　don't　care　how　many　million　voters　with　plastic　stomachs　affiliated　with　Party　A　will　be　living　in　Chicago　twenty　years　from　now。　Mister；　how　can　you　spend　years　p