hh.thessrat.sings.the.blues-第25部分

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　call　it…is　the　fact　that　Iron　John　is　here　in　the　flesh；　solid　and　hairy。〃
　〃You've　lost　me；〃　Floyd　said；　looking　from　one　to　the　other　of　us。　〃A　little　explanation　is　very　much　in　order。〃
　〃It　is；〃　Steengo　said；　swinging　his　feet　around　so　he　sat　up　straight　on　the　couch。　〃Mankind　invents　cultures…and　cultures　invent　myths　to　justify　and　explain　their　existence。　Prominent　among　these　are　the　myths　and　ceremonies　of　the　rites　of　passage　for　boys。　The　passage　from　boyhood　to　manhood。　This　is　the　time　when　the　boy　is　separated　from　his　mother　and　the　other　women。　In　some　primitive　cultures　the　boys　go　and　live　with　the　men…and　never　see　their　mothers　again。〃
　〃No　big　loss；〃　Floyd　muttered。　Steengo　nodded。
　〃You　heard　that；　Jim。　In　all　cultures　mothers　try　to　shape　sons　in　their　female　image。　For　their　own　good。　The　boys　resist　…and　the　rite　of　passage　helps　this　resistance。　There　is　always　symbolism　involved；　because　symbols　are　a　way　to　represent　the　myths　that　underlie　every　culture。〃
　I　thought　about　this；　my　head　hurt。　〃Sorry；　Steengo；　but　you　left　me　behind　pletely　with　that　one。　Explanation？〃
　〃Of　course。　Let's　stay　with　Iron　John。　You　have　just　said　that　you　didn't　understand　it…yet　I　think　that　it　affected　you　emotionally。〃
　I　started　to　protest；　to　lie…then　stopped。　Why　lie？　I　tried　not　to　lie　to　myself；　ever。　This　was　a　good　moment　to　apply　that　rule。
　〃You're　right。　It　got　to　me…and　I　don't　know　why　。　。　。〃
　〃Myths　deal　with　emotions；　not　facts。　Let's　look　at　the　symbols。　Did　the　young　man　bail　out　the　pool　and　find　Iron　Hans；　or　Iron　John　at　the　bottom？〃
　〃That's　exactly　what　happened。〃
　〃Who　do　you　think　Iron　John　is？　In　the　story　I　mean；　not　the　one　walking　around　here。　But　before　you　answer　that…who　do　you　think　the　young　man　in　the　story　was？〃
　〃That's　not　too　hard　to　figure　out。　Whoever　the　story　was　aimed　at；　whoever　was　watching　it。　In　this　case；　since　I　was　there　alone；　I　guess　it　must　have　been　me。〃
　〃You　are　correct。　So　in　the　myth　you；　and　every　other　young　man；　are　looking　for　something　in　the　pool；　and　have　to　work　very　very　hard　with　the　bucket　to　find　it。　Now　we　e　to　Iron　John；　the　hairy　man　at　the　bottom　of　the　pool。　Is　it　a　real　man？〃
　〃No；　of　course　it　couldn't　be。　The　man　at　the　bottom　of　the　pool　has　to　be　a　symbol。　Part　of　a　myth。　A　symbol　of　manhood；　maleness。　The　primitive　male　that　lies　beneath　the　surface　in　all　of　us。〃
　〃Bang…on；　Jim；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice。　〃The　story　is　trying　to　tell　you　that　when　a　man；　not　a　boy；　looks　deep　inside　himself；　if　he　looks　far　down　and　for　long　enough；　works　hard　enough；　he　will　find　the　ancient　hairy　man　within　himself。〃
　Floyd　stopped　playing　and　his　jaw　gaped。　〃You　guys　been　smoking　something　I　don't　know　about。〃
　〃Not　smoking；〃　Steengo　said。　〃Sipping　at　the　font　of　ancient　wisdom。〃
　〃Do　you　believe　this　myth？〃　I　asked　Steengo。　He　shrugged。
　〃Yes　and　no。　Yes；　the　process　of　growing　up　is　a　difficult　one　and　anything　that　helps　the　process　is　a　good　thing。　Yes；　myths　and　ing…of…age　ceremonies　help　prepare　boys；　giving　them　the　assurances　they　need　in　the　transition　from　boy　to　man。　But　that　is　as　far　as　I　will　go。　I　say　no　resoundingly　to　a　myth　manifest　as　reality。　Iron　John　alive　and　well　and　leading　the　pack。　This　is　a　fractured　society　here；　without　women　and　without　even　the　knowledge　of　women。　Not　good。　Quite　sick。〃
　I　was　uneasy　at　this。　〃I　don't　agree　all　the　way。　I　was　affected　very　strongly　by　watching　that　story。　And　I　am　a　very　hard　guy　to　con。　This　got　to　me。〃
　〃It　should　have…because　it　was　dealing　with　the　very　stuff　of　personality　and　self。　I　have　a　feeling；　Jim；　that　yours　was　not　the　happiest　of　childhoods　。　。　。〃
　〃Happy！〃　I　laughed　at　the　thought。　〃You　try　growing　up　on　a　porcuswine　farm　surrounded　by　bucolic　peasants　who　are　not　much　brighter　than　their　herds。〃
　〃And　that　includes　your　father　and　mother？〃
　I　started　to　answer　warmly；　saw　what　he　was　doing　and　where　this　was　going。　I　shut　up。　Floyd　shook　the　spittle　from　his　so…called　musical　instrument　and　broke　the　silence。
　〃I　still　feel　sorry　for　the　dog；〃　he　said。
　〃Not　a　real　dog；〃　Steengo　said；　turning　away　from　me。　〃A　symbolic　dog　like　everything　else　you　saw。　The　dog　is　your　body；　the　thing　you　order　around；　sit　up；　beg。〃
　Floyd　shook　his　head　in　amazement。　〃Too　deep　for　me。　Like　that　pool。　If　I　could　change　the　subject　from　theory　to　fact　for　just　a　moment…what's　next　on　the　agenda？〃
　〃Finding　Heimskur；　of　course；　so　we　can　find　out　if　he　still　has　the　artifact；〃　I　said；　happily　putting　this　other　matter　aside。　〃Any　suggestions？〃
　〃Brain　empty；〃　Floyd　said。　〃Sorry。　That　hangover　never　really　went　away。〃
　〃I'm　glad　some　of　us　didn't　drink；〃　Steengo　said；　a　sudden　edge　of　irritation　to　his　voice。
　For　personal　reasons　I　was　happy　to　hear　it；　glad　that　he　was　still　human；　he　came　on　pretty　strong　with　the　myth　stuff。　Forget　this　for　awhile。　I　ticked　off　on　my　fingers。　〃We　have　only　two　choices。　Hint　around　about　him　and　gather　what　information　we　can。　Or　blurt　right　out　that　we　want　to　see　him。　Personally；　I'm　all　for　the　blurting　since　there　is　a　kind　of　time　limit　on　this　investigation。〃　Like　ten　days　to　the　grim　reaper。　〃Let's　ask　Goldy；　our　majordomo。　He　seems　to　know　everything　else。〃
　〃Let　me　do　it；〃　Steengo　said；　standing　and　stretching。　〃I'll　talk　to　him　like　an　old　buddy　and　work　the　conversation　around　to　science　and　scientists。　And　Heimskur。　Be　right　back。〃
　Floyd　watched　him　go；　tootling　a　little　march　in　time　with　his　footsteps。　〃This　Iron　John　stuff　sort　of　gets　to　you；〃　he　said　after　the　door　had　closed。
　〃Yes…and　that's　the　worst　part。　I　don't　know　why　I'm　bothered。〃
　〃Women。　I　had　six　sisters　and　there　were　two　aunts　who　lived　with　us。　I　had　no　brothers。　I　never　think　about　women　except　one　at　a　time　in　the　right　situation。〃
　Before　I　had　to　listen　to　one　more　boring　macho　tale　about　the　right　situation　I　excused　myself　and　went　for　a　jog。　Returned　sweating　nicely；　did　some　pushups　and　situps；　then　went　for　a　wash。　Steengo　was　there　when　I　came　out。　Shaking　his　joined　hands　over　his　head　when　I　lifted　a　quizzical　eyebrow。
　〃Success。　Heimskur　is　head　of　the　bunch　who　Labor　in　the　Cause　of　Science；　or　so　Veldi　says。〃
　〃Veldi　。　。　。　？〃
　〃The　doorman　here。　He　does　have　a　name　after　all。　From　what　he　says　I　get　the　feeling　that　this　is　a　pretty　stratified　society　with　everyone　in　their　correct　place。　Great　respect　is　given　to　the　scientist。　Veldi　was　more　than　respectful　when　he　talked　about　them　because　they　appear　to　be　the　ones　pretty　much　in　charge。〃
　〃Great。　How　do　we　get　to　meet　Heimskur？〃
　〃We　wait　patiently；〃　Steengo　said　and　looked　at　his　watch。　〃Because　any　moment　our　transportation　will　be　here　to　take　us　to　his　august　presence。〃
　〃Not　the　Chariots　of　Fire　again？〃　Floyd　groaned。
　〃No。　But　something　that　sounds　just　as　ominous。　A　Transport　of　Delight　。　。　。〃
　Before　we　had　time　to　dwell　too　long　on　that　thought　there　was　a　brisk　knocking　and　gold…clad　Veldi　threw　the　door　open。
　〃Gentlemen…this　way　if　you　please。〃
　We　walked　heads　high　and　strong。　Hiding　any　qualms　we　might　have　had。　Though　we　shuddered　to　a　halt　when　we　saw　what　was　awaiting　us。
　〃Your　Transport　of　Delight；〃　Veldi　said　proudly；　waving　magnanimously　in　the　direction　of　what　could　only　be　a　landlocked　lifeboat。
　It　was　snow…white；　clinker…built；　with　a　stub　mast　festooned　with　flags；　white　wheels　just　visible　tucked　under　the　keel　below。　A　uniformed　officer　looked　down　from　the　rail　above；　saluted；　gave　a　signal…and　the　rope　ladder　clattered　down　to　our　feet。
　〃All　aboard；〃　I　said　as　I　led　the　way。
　Cushioned　divans　awaited　us　while　attendants　beckoned　and　held　out　jars　of　cool　drink。　As　soon　as　we　were　seated　the　officer　signaled　again　and　the　drummer　in　the　bow　whirred　his　sticks　in　a　rapid　drumroll　…　then　shifted　to　his　bass　drum。　As　the　first；　methodical　boom　boomed　out　the　Transport　of　Delight　shuddered。　Then　began　to　roll　slowly　forward。
　〃A　galley…without　slaves　or　oars；〃　Floyd　said。
　〃Plenty　of　slaves；〃　I　said　as　a　wave　of　masculine　perspiration　wafted　up　from　the　funnel…shaped　vent　beside　me。　〃But　instead　of　oars　they　are　grinding　away　at　gears　or　some　such；　to　turn　the　wheels。〃
　〃No　plain