gs.earthabides-第22部分

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　apathy；　except　when　they　laughed　hysterically　or　giggled。　Some　of　them　were　obviously　approachable；　but　always　he　felt　desire　wither　away　within　him。　This；　he　realized；　might　be　the　particular　form　that　shock　took　with　him。　But　there　was　no　need　to　force　matters；　in　the　end　he　might　change。　
　　All　across　the　blazing　plains　of　Nebraska　the　wheat　had　not　been　harvested。　Now　it　stood；　losing　its　golden　color；　turning　brown。　The　grains　were　already　dropping　from　the　heads。　Next　year　there　would　be　a　volunteer　crop；　but　all　around　the　edges　other　kinds　of　grass　would　also　sprout　up；　grass　that　could　grow　more　readily　when　the　sod　was　not　disturbed。　Soon；　he　knew　these　native　grasses　would　form　a　sod　and　crowd　out　the　wheat。　
　　Estes　Park　was　restful　after　the　heat　of　the　plains。　He　stayed　there　for　a　week。　The　trout　had　not　struck　at　a　hook　all　summer；　and　the　fishing　was　excellent。　
　　Next　came　the　high　mountains；　and　then　the　desert　again　and　the　sagebrush。　Then　he　was　pressing　his　foot　hard　and　steering　round　the　curves　of　U。S。　40　toward　the　summit　of　Donner　Pass。　
　　On　the　other　side　of　the　Pass　he　suddenly　sensed　that　the　country　all　ahead　was　palled　in　smoke。　〃What　month　is　it；　anyway？〃　he　thought；　〃August？　Early　September；　more　likely。　Bad　forest…fire　season。〃　And　he　remembered　that　now　there　would　be　no　one　to　battle　against　the　fires　which　lightning　would　still　start。　
　　By　Yuba　Gap　he　suddenly　came　to　the　fire。　It　was　burning　low　on　both　sides　of　the　road；　and　he　chanced　running　through　it。　The　highway　was　wide；　and　things　were　not　too　hot；　until　on　rounding　a　curve　he　came　squarely　upon　a　snag；　fallen　and　blocking　the　way　pletely；　blazing　along　its　whole　length；　fierce　with　heat。　Suddenly　he　again　felt　the　old　fear　which　he　had　shaken　off　（years　ago；　it　seemed）　that　morning　in　the　desert…the　utter　loneliness　to　face　an　emergency　or　recover　from　any　accident。　
　　There　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　turn　the　car　around　on　the　highway。　He　shuttled　back　and　forth　twice；　killing　the　engine　in　his　panicky　haste。　It　started　again；　and　he　swung　on　the　back　trail　out　of　the　flames。　
　　Once　more　in　safety；　he　recovered　his　calm。　He　drove　back　to　the　junction　with　California　20；　and　decided　to　make　another　try。　There　was　some　fire　along　this　road；　too；　but　generally　it　had　swept　past　already。　He　drove　carefully；　avoiding　a　few　chunks　of　fallen　tree　on　the　road；　and　managed　to　get　through。　He　was　appalled；　however；　as　he　gained　the　ridge　beyond；　and　saw　fire　seemingly　everywhere。　He　was　lucky　to　make　it。　
　　He　had　planned　to　camp　that　night　in　the　cool　of　the　mountains；　instead；　to　escape　being　fiirther　blocked　by　fire；　he　drove　on；　and　unrolled　his　sleeping…bag　in　the　little　park　of　a　foothill　town。　No　lights　were　burning。　He　was　disappointed；　for　he　had　hoped　to　find　lights　in　California。　The　forest…fire；　however；　would　undoubtedly　have　burned　out　the　power　lines；　at　least　locally。　
　　As　he　lay；　trying　to　sleep；　hot　and　unfortable；　the　dryness　of　smoke　in　his　nostrils；　he　had　the　feeling　that　now　he　was　trapped。　Even　though　the　fires　would　burn　themselves　out；　the　roads　across　the　Sierra　would　be　permanently　blocked　by　many　fallen　trees　and　by　landslides　and　washouts　upon　the　denuded　slopes。　
　　In　the　morning；　as　usual；　he　felt　more　cheerful。　If　he　was　trapped；　California　was　a　fortably　large　place　to　be　trapped　in；　and　even　though　the　Sierra　would　be　impassable；　the　southern　road　through　the　desert　might　remain　open　for　a　long　time。　He　was　just　ready　to　start；　but　Princess；　with　her　usual　perverseness；　suddenly　gave　tongue；　and　disappeared　on　a　trail。　Irritated；　he　waited　for　her；　and　when　she　did　not　return；　he　changed　his　plans；　and　spent　most　of　the　day　lolling；　half　naked；　in　the　shade　of　some　trees。　In　the　late　afternoon；　he　started。　
　　At　twilight　he　came　to　the　crest　of　the　hill；　and　looked　out　again　over　the　broad　expanse　of　all…the　Bay　cities。　With　a　sudden　start　of　pleasure　he　saw　that　most　of　the　street…lights　were　still　burning。　There　had　been　no　electric　lights　for　such　a　long　time　that　he　could　really　not　remember　where　he　had　last　seen　them。　All　the　steam…driven　power…plants　must　have　failed　almost　immediately；　and　even　the　smaller　hydro…electric　systems　had　not　lasted　long。　He　felt　a　curious　local　pride　mingling　with　his　pleasure；　perhaps　these　were　the　last　electric　lights　left　burning　in　the　whole　world。　
　　At　the　moment　he　could　almost　think　that　it　had　all　been　some　wild　vagary　of　the　imagination；　and　that　he　had　now　returned　to　a　normally　functioning　city。　
　　The　long　empty　highway　ahead　of　him　gave　the　lie　to　such　thoughts。　He　looked　more　carefully。　A　few　sections；　he　decided；　had　blacked　out　through　local　failure　of　power　since　he　had　been　away　The　lights　on　the　Golden　Gate　Bridge　were　either　extinguished；　or　else　he　could　not　see　them　because　of　the　smoke　drift　upon　the　Bay。　
　　He　turned　into　San　Lupo　Drive。　As　far　as　he　could　see　from　the　street…lights　and　the　headlight　glare；　everything　looked　just　the　same　as　when　he　had　last　left　it。　〃There'll　always　be　a　San　Lupo　Drive！〃　he　thought；　and　then　he　realized　that　at　least　he　was　enough　like　all　the　other　survivors　to　pick　out　some　particular　familiar　spot；　and　though　he　went　away；　to　return　to　it　again　like　the　homing　pigeon。　
　　He　opened　the　front　door；　snapped　the　lights　on　and　looked。　Nothing　was　changed。　He　had　known　that　it　in　be　so；　and　yet　there　had　always　been　hope。　He　felt　no　active　sorrow；　but　only　dullness。　
　　〃The　sere　and　yellow　leaf；〃　he　thought；　saying　a　line　he　had　heard　on　the　stage；　but　not　knowing　what　play。　〃There　would　have　been　a　time。。。。〃　
　　Princess　made　a　sudden　dash　into　the　kitchen；　slipped　on　the　linoleum；　skidded；　yelped　ically；　and　recovered。　Thankful　to　her　again　for　breaking　the　tension；　he　followed　her。　She　was　sniffing　along　the　baseboard；　but　he　failed　to　discover　what　had　excited　her。　
　　〃Well；〃　he　thought；　walking　back　to　the　living…room；　〃if　I　have　no　feelings　left；　that　is　perhaps　strange；　but　at　least　there　is　no　one　now　to　whom　I　can　pretend。　It　is　probably　all　part　of　what　I　am　passing　through。　〃　
　　The　note　which　he　had　left　posted　on　the　desk　was　still　there；　undisturbed；　looking　remarkably　fresh。　He　took　it；　crumpled　it；　threw　it　into　the　fireplace；　scratched　a　match。　He　hesitated　a　moment。　Then　he　touched　the　match　to　the　paper；　and　watched　the　flame　blaze　up。　That　was　finished！　
　　In　that　generation　there　will　be　neither　father　nor　mother；　nor　wife；　nor　child；　nor　friend。　But　it　will　be　as　in　the　ancient　tales　when　the　gods　reared　up　a　new　people　from　stones　or　dragons'　teeth；　and　they　were　all　strangers　with　strange　faces；　and　no　man　knew　his　fellow's　face。　
　　The　next　morning　he　settled　down　to　establish　his　life。　Food；　he　knew　already；　was　no　problem　at　all。　In　the　nearest　business　district　he　began　looking　into　store…windows。　Rats　and　mice　were　making　a　mess　of　everything；　and　the　floors　were　littered　with　gnawed　cartons　and　spilled　food。　Through　one　window；　however；　he　was　startled　to　see　the　gaily　colored　piles　of　fruit　and　vegetables　as　fresh　and　lovely　as　ever。　He　stared　incredulously；　peering　through　the　dust…coated　glass。　Then；　first　with　irritation　and　then　with　amusement；　he　realized　that　the　bright　colors　were　merely　from　the　papier…maché　oranges；　apples；　tomatoes；　and　avocados　which　the　store　in　the　old　days　had　used　for　a　permanent　front…window　display。　
　　After　a　while　he　saw　through　the　windows　a　grocery　which　was　unlittered。　Apparently　it　must　be　rodent…proof。　Carefully　jimmying　a　window；　he　got　into　the　store。　
　　The　bread　was　inedible；　and　weevils　were　at　work　even　in　some　of　the　carefully　sealed　boxes　of　crackers。　But　the　dried　fruit　and　everything　inside　of　tin　and　glass　was　as　good　as　ever。　As　he　was　picking　out　some　cans　of　olives；　he　heard　an　electric　motor　start。　Curiously；　he　opened　the　refrigerator；　and　found　that　the　butter　was　still　perfectly　preserved。　Next　he　investigated　the　deep…freeze　units；　and　found　fresh　meat；　frozen　vegetables；　ice…cream；　and　even　materials　for　a　green　salad。　When　he　left　with　his　loot；　he　closed　the　window　carefully　behind　him；　to　keep　at　least　that　one　store　free　of　rats。　
　　After　he　had　retur