hh.thessrat.sings.the.blues-第24部分

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　〃I　heard　the　same　thing。　Grab　Floyd；　He　must　be　recovering　because　I　saw　him　looking　at　the　fermented　sheot…milk　stand。　Bring　him　here　before　he　makes　a　mistake　that　he　will　long　remember。〃
　Sjonvarp　was　easy　enough　to　find；　with　countless　fingers　pointing　us　the　way。　He　was　a　tall　and　solidly…built　man　with　iron…gray　hair。　His　stern　face　broke　into　a　smile　when　he　turned　to　see　who　had　called　out　his　name。
　〃The　Stainless　Steel　Rats　in　the　flesh！　I　am　trebly　blessed！〃
　We　hummed　two　bars　of　〃All　Alone〃　followed　by　a　brisk　buck　and　wing。　Which　elicited　a　round　of　applause　from　the　spectators　and　a　broader　smile　from　Sjonvarp。
　〃Such　rhythm　and　beauty！〃　he　said。
　〃We　sing　'em　the　way　you　like　it；〃　I　said。　〃It　is　told　in　the　market　that　you　are　the　master…trader　in　these　parts。〃
　〃I　am。　Pleased　to　make　your　acquaintances；　Jim；　Floyd　and　Steengo。〃
　〃Likewise。　If　you　have　a　moment　I　have　a　picture　here　I　would　like　you　to　look　at。〃　I　hit　the　high　points　of　our　spiel　as　I　passed　the　pic　over。　He　only　half　listened；　but　did　put　all　of　Isis　attention　on　the　photo。　Turning　it　around　at　arm's　length；　squinting　farsightedly　to　make　it　out。
　〃Of　course'。　I　thought　so。〃　He　handed　it　back　to　me。　〃Some　markets　ago；　I　forget　exactly　how　many；　one　of　these　odorous　simpletons　traded　it　to　one　of　my　assistants。　We　buy　anything　that　might　be　of　scientific　interest　for　the　specialists　to　examine。　It　didn't　look　like　much。　But　I　gave　it　to　old　Heimskur　anyway。〃
　〃Well　that　takes　care　of　that　then；〃　I　said；　tearing　the　photo　up　and　dropping　the　pieces。　〃We're　doing　our　concert　tonight…I　can　get　you　a　ticket　if　you　want　one。〃
　The　artifact　was　instantly　forgotten…as　I　hoped；　although　it　took　some　time　for　us　to　extract　ourselves　from　the　attentive　embrace　of　our　fans。　Only　by　saying　that　it　was　rehearsal　time　did　we　manage　to　break　away。
　〃Don't　we　look　for　the　thing　any　more？〃　Floyd　asked　worriedly。　A　good　musician；　but　I　think　drink　was　eroding　his　brain　cells。
　〃We　have　the　man's　name；〃　Steengo　said。　〃That's　what　we　look　into　next。〃
　〃How？〃　Floyd　asked；　still　suffering　from　semi…paralysis　of　the　neural　network。
　〃Any　way　we　can；〃　I　told　him。　〃Make　friends。　Drop　names。　Drop　Heimskur's　name　among　the　others。　We　find　out　who　he　is　and　what　he　does。　Now；　as　we　stroll；　I'll　report　in。〃
　Tremearne　and　Madonette　listened　carefully　to　my　report。　He　overed　and　outed　but　she　stayed　to　chat。
　〃Jim；　it's　time　I　left　my　hole　in　the　wall　and　visited　the　other　half　of　the　city。　It　must　be　safe　。　。　。〃
　〃We　hope　that…but　we　don't　know　that。　And　there　is　no　point　in　your　taking　any　chances　as　long　as　the　thing　we　are　looking　for　is　here。　Enjoy　the　break。　And　don't　do　a　thing　until　we　find　out　more　here。〃
　We　found　lunch　waiting　in　our　quarters。　Fruit　and　slices　of　cold　meatloaf　on　silver　plates；　covered　with　crystal　domes。
　〃Great！〃　Floyd　said；　chomping　down　a　slice。
　〃Probably　minced　sheot　shank；〃　Steengo　said；　suddenly　gloomy。
　〃Food's　food　and　I　never　consider　the　source。〃　Floyd　reached　for　another　slice　just　as　our　golden　greeter　appeared。
　〃A　pleasure　to　see　you　musical　Rats　enjoying　yourself。　When　you　have　eaten　your　fill　I　have　a　request　for　the　presence　of　Rat　Jim。〃
　〃Who　wants　me？〃　I　asked　suspiciously　through　a　mouthful　of　sweet　pulp。
　〃All　will　be　revealed。〃　He　put　his　index　finger　along　his　nose；　winked　and　rolled　his　eyes。　Which　silent　munication　I　assumed　meant　something　like　you'll　find　out　soon　enough。　I　had　no　choice。　And　I　had　lost　my　appetite。　I　wiped　my　fingers　on　a　damp　cloth　and　followed　him　yet　another　time。
　Iron　John　was　waiting　for　me　at　the　door　of　the　Veritorium　where　we　had　all　seen　the　puzzling　holoflic。
　〃e　with　me；　Jim；〃　he　said　with　a　deep　voice　like　distant　thunder。　〃Today　you　will　see　and　understand　all　of　the　revelation。〃
　〃I'll　get　the　others　。　。　。〃
　〃Not　this　time；　Jim。〃　His　hand　closed　gently　but　firmly　onto　my　shoulder　and　I　had　little　choice　but　to　go　along　with　him。　〃You　are　wise　beyond　your　years。　An　old　head　on　a　young　body。　Therefore　you　are　the　one　who　will　be　helped　the　most　by　your　understanding　of　this　mystery　that　is　no　mystery。　e。〃
　He　sat　me　down　but　did　not　join　me；　yet　I　was　aware　of　his　presence　close　by　me　in　the　darkness。　The　mist　roiled　and　cleared　and　I　was　once　again　by　the　lake。
　There　was　only　silence　in　the　forest　around　the　ducky　pond。　As　the　last　ripple　died　away　the　young　man　turned　crud　left　without　looking　back。　Trod　the　dead　leaves　beneath。　the　trees　until　he　emerged　and　saw　the　king　before　him。
　〃There　is　something　I　must　do；〃　he　told　the　king；　nor　would　he　say　any　more。　The　king　saw　that　the　man's　dog　was　gone　…　the　man　himself　was　unharmed。　He　had　many　questions　but　；　did　not　know　how　to　speak　them。　Instead　he　followed　the　young　man　back　to　the　castle。　In　the　courtyard　the　young　man　looked　around；　then　spotted　a　large　leathern　bucket。
　〃I　need　that；〃　he　said。
　〃Take　it。〃　The　king　dismissed　him　with　a　wave　of　his　hand。　〃Remember　I　have　helped　you。　One　day　you　must　tell　me　what　you　found　in　the　woods。〃
　The　young　man　turned　in　silence　and　made　his　way；　alone；　back　to　the　dark　pond。　There　he　dipped　the　bucket　into　the　water　and　hurled　its　contents　into　the　ditch　nearby。　Another　and　another。　He　did　not　stop　but　worked　steadily　at　bailing　out　the　pond。　It　was　hard；　slow　work。　Yet　the　sun　never　set；　the　light　never　changed；　the　young　man　never　stopped。
　After　a　great　period　of　time　the　water　was　almost　gone　and　something　large　was　revealed　lying　in　the　mud　on　the　bottom　of　the　pond。　The　young　man　kept　emptying　the　water　until　he　revealed　a　tall　man　who　was　covered　with　reddish　hair；　like　rusty　iron；　from　head　to　foot。　The　large　man's　eyes　opened　and　he　looked　at　the　young　man。　Who　beckoned　to　him。　With　a　heaving　shake　the　rusty　man　rose　from　the　pond's　bottom　and　followed　the　young　man　away　from　the　pond　and　through　the　woods。
　To　the　castle　of　the　king。　All　of　the　soldiers　and　retainers　fled　when　they　appeared　and　the　king　alone　stood　before　them。
　〃This　is　Iron　John；〃　the　young　man　said。　〃You　must　imprison　him　in　an　iron　cage　here　in　the　courtyard。　If　you　lock　the　cage　and　give　the　key　to　your　queen　the　forest　will　be　safe　again　for　those　who　walk　through　it。〃
　Mist　rose　and　darkened　the　scene。　It　was　the　end。
　The　red…furred　hand　was　heavy　on　Jim's　shoulder…but　it　did　not　bother　him。
　〃Now　you　understand；〃　Iron　John　said；　newfound　warmth　in　his　voice。　〃Now　you　can　release　Iron　John。　Wele；　Jim；　wele。〃
　I　wanted　to　say　that　I　felt　more　confusion　than　prehension。　That　I　was　experiencing　something；　yet　not　understanding　it。　Instead　of　speaking　my　feelings　aloud　I　suddenly　found　that　my　eyes　were　brimming　with　tears。　I　did　not　know　why　although　I　knew　that　they　were　nothing　to　be　ashamed　of。
　Iron　John　smiled　at　me　and；　with　a　great　finger；　wiped　the　tears　from　my　damp　cheeks。
　
　CHAPTER　16
　〃What　was　all　that　about？〃　Floyd　asked　when　I　returned　to　our　quarters。　He　was　jazzing　with　his　trombonio；　a　plex　and　gleaming　collection　of　golden　tubes　and　slides；　which　made　some　very　interesting　sounds　indeed。　Most　of　them；　regrettably；　of　an　ear…destroying　nature。
　〃More　training　film；〃　I　said；　as　nonchalantly　as　I　could。　I　was　surprised　to　hear　a　certain　quaver　in　my　voice　as　I　spoke。　Floyd　tootled　on；　unaware　of　it；　but　Steengo　who　appeared　to　be　asleep　on　the　couch　opened　one　eye。
　〃Training　film？　You　mean　more　about　the　pool　in　the　forest？〃
　〃You　got　it　in　one。〃
　〃Did　you　find　out　what　was　in　the　pool？　The　thing　that　dragged　the　dog　down？〃
　〃A　stupid　story；〃　Floyd　said；　and　tootled　a　little　fast　riff。　〃Although　I　do　feel　sorry　for　the　dog。〃
　〃It　wasn't　a　real　dog；〃　Steengo　said。　He　looked　at　me；　seemed　to　be　waiting　for　me　to　speak；　but　I　clamped　my　jaw　shut　and　turned　away。　〃Nor　was　it　a　real　pool。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　I　asked；　looking　at　him。
　〃Mythology；　my　dear　Jim。　And　rites　of　passage。　It　was　Iron　John　at　the　bottom　of　the　pool；　wasn't　it？〃
　I　jumped　as　though　I　had　been　zapped　with　an　electric　shock。　〃It　was！　But…how　did　you　know　that？〃
　〃I　told　you　I　read　my　mythology。　But　the　thing　that　really　disturbs　me…not　this　training　film　as　you　call　it…is　the　fact　that　Iron　John　is　here　in　the　flesh；　so