hh.thessrat.sings.the.blues-第17部分

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　〃Well　how　do　you　think　I　got　these　electronic　eyeballs？　It　will　be　entertaining　to　do　a　bit　of　work　again。〃
　I　had　no　choice　but　to　agree。　The　Captain　was　proving　to　be　an　excellent　ally。　Working　this　way　would　be　certainly　a　lot　faster　than　me　crawling　around　on　my　own。　If　he　could　do　as　he　said。　I　had　my　doubts　but　kept　them　to　myself。　He　was　a　gray…haired　desk　jockey　with　electric　eyesight　who　might　very　well　be　past　his　sell…by　date。
　He　wasn't。　After　we　landed　he　stepped　out　the　door　and　vanished　silently　in　the　darkness。　Not　thirty　seconds　later　he　called　to　me　quietly。
　〃Over　here。　You　can　use　your　light　now。〃
　I　turned　on　the　handlight；　it　was　really　black　under　the　almost　starless　sky；　and　saw　two　forms　standing　close　together。
　The　light　revealed　a　bulging…eyed　shepherd　seized　in　an　unbreakable　grip；　a　hand　on　his　throat　keeping　him　silent。　I　waggled　the　light　under　his　nose。
　〃Listen；　oh　shepherd　who　failed　his　duty。　The　hand　that　holds　you　could　just　as　easily　have　killed　you。　Then　we　could　rustle　all　your　woolly　flock　and　eat　sheot　shashlik　until　the　end　of　time。　But　I　will　be　merciful。　The　hand　will　be　removed　from　your　filthy　throat　and　you　will　not　shout　or　you　really　will　be　dead。　You　will　speak　to　me　softly　and　answer　my　questions。　You　may　now　speak。〃
　He　coughed　and　groaned　when　the　pressure　was　released。　〃Demons　in　the　darkness！　Release　me；　do　not　kill　me；　tell　me　what　you　wish　of　me　then　go　back　to　the　pit　from　which　you　have　escaped　。　。　。〃
　I　reached　out　and　tweaked　his　nose　sharply。　〃Shut　up。　Open　your　eyes。　Look　at　this　photograph。　Let　me　know　if　you　have　ever　seen　it　before。〃
　I　held　the　photo　close；　shone　the　light　on　it。　Tremearne　gave　a　twitch　of　emphasis　to　his　arm　and　the　captive　moaned　his　answer。　〃Never；　no；　such　a　thing　I　would　remember；　no…〃　His　voice　gurgled　into　silence　and　he　dropped　unconscious　to　the　ground。
　〃Don't　these　sheot　shepherds　ever　wash？〃　Tremearne　asked。
　〃Only　on　alternate　years。　Let's　get　to　the　next　one。〃
　We　quickly　worked　out　a　routine。　We　would　land　and　he　would　be　away。　Usually；　by　the　time　I　had　exited　the　launch；　he　would　be　calling　me。　Many　a　terrified　shepherd　slept　soundly　this　night。　But　only　after　looking　at　the　picture　of　the　artifact。　I　dozed　between　visits　and　the　back　of　the　launch　echoed　with　snores　and　heavy　breathing。　Only　the　Captain　was　unsleeping　and　tireless；　seemingly　as　fit　on　the　eleventh　visit　as　he　had　been　on　the　first。　It　was　a　long；　long　night。
　I　was　getting　groggy　by　the　time　we　hit　thirteen。　Unlucky　thirteen；　get　it　over　with　and　on　to　fourteen。　Another　set　of　bulging　eyes　peeking　over　the　top　of　another　matted　beard。
　〃Look！〃　I　snarled。　〃Speak！　And　moaning　does　not　count　as　speaking。　Ever　seen　this　thing？〃
　This　one　gurgled　instead　of　moaning；　then　yiped　as　his　arm　got　twisted　a　bit　further。　It　looked　as　though　even　the　stolid　Captain　was　beginning　to　lose　his　patience。
　〃Imp　of　Satan　。　。　。　work　of　the　devil　。　。　。　I　warned　them；　but　they　wouldn't　listen　。　。　。　the　grave；　the　grave！〃
　〃Do　you　have　any　idea　of　what　he　is　babbling　about？〃　Tremearne　asked。
　〃There　may　be　hope；　Captain。　If　he　is　not　bonkers　he　might　have　seen　it。　Look…see！　Ever　see　before？〃
　〃I　told　him　not　touch　it…death　and　damnation　were　sure　to　follow。〃
　〃You　have　seen　it。　All　right；　Cap；　you　can　let　up　on　the　arm…but　stand　ready。〃　I　rooted　in　my　pocket　and　took　out　a　handful　of　silver　cylinders；　the　local　money；　let　the　light　shine　on　them。　〃Hey　you；　Smelly；　look…fedha…and　all　for　you。　All　yours。〃
　This　got　his　attention　all　right　and　I　closed　my　fist　tight　as　he　groped　for　them。　〃Yours　if　you　answer　some　simple　questions。　You　will　not　be　hurt…but　only　if　you　answer　truthfully。　You　have　seen　this　thing？〃
　〃They　fled。　We　found　it　in　their　skyship。　I　touched　it；　unclean；　unclean。〃
　〃You're　doing　fine。〃　I　shook　half　of　the　coins　into　his　waiting　hand。　〃Now　the　ten…thousand…fedha　question。　Where　is　it　now？〃
　〃Sold；　sold　to　them。　The　Paradisians。　May　they　be　cursed　by　it；　cursed　forever　。　。　。〃
　It　wasn't　easy；　but　we　finally　worked　all　the　details　out　of　him。　Stripped　of　all　the　curses　and　blasphemy　it　was　a　simple　tale　of　larceny　and　chicanery。　The　spacer　had　landed…and　been　attacked　as　soon　as　the　door　had　been　opened。　During　the　fracas　the　Fundamentaloids　had　trundled　through　the　ship　and　grabbed　everything　portable；　including　the　container　with　the　alien　artifact。　They　had　carried　the　whole　thing　away　with　them　because　they　had　a　job　opening　it。　When　they　eventually　succeeded　they　could　not　understand　what　it　was。　And　ignorance　meant　fear。　So　they　had　unloaded　it　in　the　market　in　Paradise　where　almost　anything　could　be　sold。　End　of　story。
　We　let　the　shepherd　keep　the　money　when　we　lowered　him；　unconscious；　to　the　ground。　〃This　calls　for　consultation；〃　I　said。
　〃Yes；　but　not　this　close　to　the　flock。　Let's　get　up　to　the　plateau　where　the　air　is　fresher。〃
　The　others　were　awake　when　we　landed　this　time；　listening　closely　to　what　we　had　discovered。
　〃Well　this　narrows　the　field　a　bit；〃　Madonette　said。
　〃Does　it？〃　I　asked。　〃How　big　is　the　population　of　this　paradisaical　nation？〃
　〃Around　one　hundred　thousand；〃　Tremearne　admitted。　〃It　may　not　be　the　best　society　on　this　planet　but　it　appears　to　be　the　most　successful　one。　I　know　very　little　about　it；　just　photographs　and　observation。〃
　〃Doesn't　anyone　in　the　Pentagon　know　more？〃
　〃Probably。　But　the　information　is　classified　and　they　aren't　talking。〃
　I　cracked　my　knuckles；　scowled　and　jabbed　my　finger　at　him。　〃That's　really　not　good　enough…is　it？〃
　Tremearne　looked　as　unhappy　as　I　did。　〃No；　Jim；　it　is　not。　I　don't　know　why　all　that　information　is　classified　while　your　group　is　actually　operating　here　on　the　planet。　I　have　tried　to　get　the　information　and　have　been　not　only　rebuffed　but　warned　off。〃
　〃Who　is　doing　this？　Any　idea？〃
　〃None…other　than　that　it　is　at　the　very　highest　level。　The　people　I　have　been　in　contact　with　understand　your　problems　and　want　to　help。　But　any　requests　that　they　pass　on　are　turned　down　instantly　and　with　prejudice。〃
　〃Am　I　paranoid…or　is　there　someone　in　the　chain　of　mand　who　doesn't　like　this　operation？　Who　wants　it　to　fail？〃
　It　was　Tremearne's　turn　now　to　crack　his　knuckles　and　look　glum。
　〃I've　told　you…I　am　a　career　officer。　But　I'm　not　fond　of　the　situation　here　on　this　planet。　Not　only　the　way　your　group　is　being　treated；　but　the　whole　ugly　business。　Well；　I　feel　that　it　is　getting　away　from　me。　At　first　I　thought　I　could　get　some　reform　here　by　working　through　channels。　It's　not　good　enough。　I　am　being　blocked　just　as　pletely　as　you　are。
　〃Who…and　why？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　But　I　am　doing　my　best　to　find　out。　About　this　city　and　the　Paradisians　I　guess；　basically；　I　know　absolutely　nothing。〃
　〃An　honest　answer；　Captain；　and　I　thank　you　for　it。〃
　〃If　you　don't　know…why　then　we'll　just　have　to　find　out　for　ourselves；〃　Steengo　said。　〃Play　a　gig　or　two　and　keep　our　eyes　open。
　〃May　it　be　so　easy；〃　I　muttered　under　my　breath。　〃Roll　out　the　maps。〃
　It　looked　as　though　the　largest　part　of　the　population　was　located　in　the　single　straggling　city。　Roads　led　from　it　to　not…too…distant　villages　and　there　were　scatterings　of　other　buildings　that　might　be　farms。　The　only　really　puzzling　thing　about　the　3D　map　was　what　looked　like　a　wall　that　appeared　to　cut　the　city　in　two。　There　were　no　walls　around　the　city；　just　this　single　one　in　the　middle。　I　pointed　to　it。
　〃Any　idea　what　this　is…or　what　it　means？〃
　Tremearne　shook　his　head。　〃No　idea。　Looks　like　a　wall；　that's　all。　But　there　is　a　road　alongside　it。　Which　appears　to　be　the　only　road　leading　in　from　the　plain。〃
　I　poked　my　finger　into　the　holomap。
　〃Here。　Where　the　road　fades　and　runs　out　in　the　grass。　That's　where　we　have　to　go。　Unless　anyone　has　a　better　idea？〃
　〃Looks　good　to　me；〃　Tremearne　said。　〃I'll　land　you　on　this　bit　of　plateau；　beyond　this　ridge　where　we　won't　be　seen。　Then　I'll　take　the　launch　out　of　there　and　stay　in　touch　with　you　by　radio。〃
　We　unloaded。　〃Sleep　first；〃　Floyd　yawned。　〃It's　been　a　long　night。〃
　It　was　even　longer　than　that；　what　with　the　longer　days　here。　Tremearne　took　off　and　we　settled　down　to　sleep。　We　slept；　and　woke　up　and　i