gs.earthabides-µÚ6²¿·Ö
°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡û »ò ¡ú ¿É¿ìËÙÉÏÏ·ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉ쵀 Enter ¼ü¿É»Øµ½±¾ÊéĿ¼ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡ü ¿É»Øµ½±¾Ò³¶¥²¿£¡
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªÎ´ÔĶÁÍꣿ¼ÓÈëÊéÇ©ÒѱãÏ´μÌÐøÔĶÁ£¡
s¡¡where¡¡each¡¡one¡¡showed¡¡the¡¡red¡¡flag¡¡of¡¡a¡¡violation¡£¡¡It¡¡might¡¡have¡¡been¡¡some¡¡Sunday¡¡morning¡¡with¡¡many¡¡cars¡¡parked¡¡overnight¡¡and¡¡the¡¡stores¡¡not¡¡yet¡¡open¡¡or¡¡people¡¡beginning¡¡to¡¡circulate¡£¡¡But¡¡it¡¡was¡¡not¡¡early¡¡morning£»¡¡for¡¡now¡¡the¡¡sun¡¡was¡¡almost¡¡overhead¡£¡¡Then¡¡he¡¡saw¡¡what¡¡had¡¡made¡¡him¡¡pause£»¡¡and¡¡what¡¡gave¡¡the¡¡place¡¡an¡¡illusion¡¡of¡¡animation¡£¡¡In¡¡front¡¡Of¡¡a¡¡restaurant¡¡called¡¡The¡¡Derby¡¡a¡¡neon¡¡sign¡¡was¡¡still¡¡in¡¡full¡¡activity¡a¡¡little¡¡horse¡¡galloping¡¡hard£»¡¡its¡¡legs¡¡still¡¡going¡¡as¡¡actively¡¡as¡¡ever¡£¡¡In¡¡the¡¡full¡¡sunlight¡¡the¡¡faint¡¡pink¡¡glow¡¡was¡¡scarcely¡¡visible¡¡except¡¡for¡¡its¡¡motion¡£¡¡He¡¡looked£»¡¡and¡¡as¡¡he¡¡looked£»¡¡he¡¡caught¡¡the¡¡rhythm¡one£»¡¡two£»¡¡three¡£¡¡£¨And¡¡at¡¡three¡¡the¡¡feet¡¡of¡¡the¡¡little¡¡horse¡¡were¡¡close¡¡tucked¡¡up¡¡under¡¡its¡¡body¡¡as¡¡if¡¡it¡¡were¡¡clear¡¡in¡¡the¡¡air¡££©¡¡Four¡they¡¡came¡¡back¡¡to¡¡the¡¡half¡¡position£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡legs¡¡stretched¡¡out¡¡as¡¡if¡¡the¡¡body¡¡were¡¡low¡¡along¡¡the¡¡ground¡£¡¡One£»¡¡two£»¡¡three£»¡¡four£»¡¡it¡¡went¡£¡¡One£»¡¡two£»¡¡three£»¡¡four¡£¡¡It¡¡galloped¡¡in¡¡a¡¡frenzy¡¡of¡¡activity¡¡still£»¡¡and¡¡yet¡¡in¡¡all¡¡its¡¡galloping¡¡it¡¡arrived¡¡nowhere£»¡¡and¡¡now¡¡even¡¡for¡¡most¡¡of¡¡its¡¡time¡¡it¡¡galloped¡¡with¡¡no¡¡eye¡¡to¡¡observe¡£¡¡As¡¡he¡¡looked£»¡¡it¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡him¡¡a¡¡gallant¡¡little¡¡horse£»¡¡though¡¡a¡¡futile¡¡and¡¡a¡¡foolish¡¡one¡£¡¡The¡¡horse£»¡¡suddenly¡¡he¡¡thought£»¡¡was¡¡like¡¡that¡¡civilization¡¡of¡¡which¡¡man¡¡had¡¡been¡¡so¡¡proud£»¡¡galloping¡¡so¡¡hard¡¡and¡¡yet¡¡never¡¡arriving¡¡anywhere£»¡¡and¡¡sometime¡¡destined£»¡¡when¡¡once¡¡the¡¡power¡¡failed£»¡¡to¡¡grow¡¡still¡¡forever¡£¡£¡£¡¡
¡¡¡¡He¡¡saw¡¡smoke¡¡rising¡¡against¡¡the¡¡sky¡£¡¡His¡¡heart¡¡leaped¡¡up£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡turned¡¡quickly¡¡off¡¡on¡¡a¡¡side¡¡road£»¡¡and¡¡drove¡¡toward¡¡the¡¡smoke¡£¡¡But¡¡even¡¡before¡¡he¡¡reached¡¡it£»¡¡he¡¡knew¡¡that¡¡he¡¡would¡¡find¡¡no¡¡one¡¡there£»¡¡and¡¡his¡¡spirit¡¡fell¡¡again¡£¡¡He¡¡drove¡¡up¡¡to¡¡the¡¡smoke£»¡¡and¡¡saw¡¡then¡¡that¡¡it¡¡was¡¡a¡¡small¡¡farmhouse¡¡quietly¡¡beginning¡¡to¡¡burn¡¡up¡£¡¡There¡¡were¡¡many¡¡reasons£»¡¡he¡¡decided£»¡¡why¡¡a¡¡fire¡¡might¡¡start¡¡thus¡¡without¡¡people¡£¡¡A¡¡pile¡¡of¡¡greasy¡¡rags¡¡might¡¡ignite¡¡spontaneously£»¡¡or¡¡some¡¡electric¡¡apparatus¡¡might¡¡have¡¡been¡¡left¡on£»¡¡or¡¡a¡¡motor¡¡in¡¡a¡¡refrigerator¡¡might¡¡jam¡¡and¡¡begin¡¡to¡¡burn¡£¡¡The¡¡little¡¡house¡¡was¡¡obviously¡¡doomed¡£¡¡There¡¡was¡¡nothing¡¡he¡¡could¡¡do£»¡¡and¡¡no¡¡special¡¡reason¡¡why¡¡he¡¡should¡¡do¡¡it¡¡if¡¡he¡¡could¡£¡¡He¡¡turned¡¡around£»¡¡and¡¡headed¡¡back¡¡to¡¡the¡¡highway¡¡¡£¡£¡£¡¡
¡¡¡¡He¡¡did¡¡not¡¡drive¡¡fast£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡stopped¡¡often¡¡to¡¡investigate£»¡¡rather¡¡half¡heartedly¡£¡¡Here¡¡and¡¡there¡¡he¡¡saw¡¡bodies£»¡¡but¡¡in¡¡general¡¡he¡¡found¡¡only¡¡emptiness¡£¡¡Apparently¡¡the¡¡onset¡¡of¡¡the¡¡disease¡¡had¡¡been¡¡slow¡¡enough¡¡so¡¡that¡¡people¡¡were¡¡not¡¡usually¡¡struck¡¡down¡¡in¡¡the¡¡streets¡£¡¡Once¡¡he¡¡passed¡¡through¡¡a¡¡town¡¡where¡¡the¡¡smell¡¡of¡¡corpses¡¡was¡¡thick¡¡in¡¡the¡¡air¡£¡¡He¡¡remembered¡¡what¡¡he¡¡had¡¡read¡¡in¡¡the¡¡newspaper£»¡¡apparently¡¡there¡¡had¡¡been¡¡concentrations¡¡at¡¡the¡¡last¡¡upon¡¡certain¡¡areas£»¡¡and¡¡in¡¡these¡¡the¡¡corpses¡¡were¡¡now¡¡to¡¡be¡¡found¡¡most¡¡thickly¡£¡¡There¡¡was¡¡all¡¡too¡¡much¡¡evidence¡¡of¡¡death¡¡in¡¡that¡¡town¡¡and¡¡none¡¡of¡¡rife¡£¡¡He¡¡saw¡¡no¡¡reason¡¡to¡¡stop¡¡to¡¡investigate¡£¡¡Surely¡¡no¡¡one¡¡would¡¡linger¡¡there¡¡longer¡¡than¡¡necessary¡£¡¡
¡¡¡¡In¡¡the¡¡late¡¡afternoon¡¡he¡¡came¡¡across¡¡the¡¡crest¡¡of¡¡the¡¡hills£»¡¡and¡¡saw¡¡the¡¡Bay¡¡lie¡¡bright¡¡beneath¡¡the¡¡westering¡¡sun¡£¡¡Smokes¡¡rose¡¡here¡¡and¡¡there¡¡from¡¡the¡¡vast¡¡expanse¡¡of¡¡city£»¡¡but¡¡they¡¡did¡¡not¡¡look¡¡like¡¡smokes¡¡rising¡¡from¡¡chimneys¡£¡¡He¡¡drove¡¡on¡¡toward¡¡the¡¡house¡¡where¡¡he¡¡had¡¡lived¡¡with¡¡his¡¡parents¡£¡¡He¡¡had¡¡no¡¡hope¡£¡¡Miracle¡¡enough¡¡it¡¡was¡¡that¡¡he¡¡himself¡¡had¡¡survivedmiracle¡¡upon¡¡miracle¡¡if¡¡the¡¡plague¡¡had¡¡also¡¡spared¡¡the¡¡others¡¡of¡¡his¡¡own¡¡family£¡¡¡
¡¡¡¡From¡¡the¡¡boulevard¡¡he¡¡turned¡¡into¡¡San¡¡Lupo¡¡Drive¡£¡¡Every¡¡thing¡¡looked¡¡much¡¡the¡¡same£»¡¡although¡¡the¡¡sidewalks¡¡were¡¡not¡¡as¡¡well¡¡swept¡¡as¡¡the¡¡standard¡¡of¡¡San¡¡Lupo¡¡Drive¡¡required¡£¡¡It¡¡had¡¡always¡¡been¡¡a¡¡street£»¡¡of¡¡eminent¡¡respectability£»¡¡and¡¡even¡¡yet£»¡¡he¡¡reflected£»¡¡it¡¡preserved¡¡decorum¡£¡¡No¡¡corpse¡¡lay¡¡on¡¡the¡¡street£»¡¡that¡¡would¡¡b¡¡e¡¡unthinkable¡¡in¡¡San¡¡Lupo¡¡Drive¡£¡¡He¡¡saw¡¡the¡¡Hatfields'¡¡old¡¡gray¡¡cat¡¡sleeping¡¡on¡¡their¡¡porch¡step¡¡in¡¡the¡¡sun£»¡¡as¡¡he¡¡had¡¡seen¡¡her¡¡¡a¡¡hundred¡¡times¡¡before¡£¡¡Aroused¡¡by¡¡the¡¡sound¡¡of¡¡the¡¡car¡¡as¡¡he¡¡drove¡¡by£»¡¡she¡¡rose¡¡up¡¡and¡¡stretched¡¡luxuriously¡£¡¡
¡¡¡¡He¡¡let¡¡the¡¡car¡¡roll¡¡to¡¡a¡¡stop¡¡in¡¡front¡¡of¡¡the¡¡house¡¡where¡¡he¡¡had¡¡lived¡¡so¡¡long¡£¡¡He¡¡blew¡¡two¡¡blasts¡¡on¡¡the¡¡horn£»¡¡and¡¡waited¡£¡¡Nothing£¡¡¡He¡¡got¡¡out¡¡of¡¡the¡¡car£»¡¡and¡¡walked¡¡up¡¡the¡¡steps¡¡into¡¡the¡¡house¡£¡¡Only¡¡after¡¡he¡¡had¡¡entered¡¡did¡¡he¡¡think¡¡it¡¡a¡¡little¡¡strange¡¡that¡¡the¡¡door¡¡was¡¡not¡¡even¡¡locked¡£¡¡
¡¡¡¡Inside£»¡¡things¡¡were¡¡in¡¡good¡enough¡¡order¡£¡¡He¡¡glanced¡¡about£»¡¡apprehensively£»¡¡but¡¡there¡¡was¡¡nothing¡¡at¡¡which¡¡a¡¡man¡¡would¡¡hesitate¡¡to¡¡look¡£¡¡He¡¡searched¡¡around¡¡the¡¡living¡room¡¡for¡¡some¡¡note¡¡left¡¡behind¡¡to¡¡tell¡¡him¡¡where¡¡they¡¡had¡¡gone¡£¡¡There¡¡was¡¡no¡¡note¡£¡¡
¡¡¡¡Upstairs¡¡also¡¡everything¡¡looked¡¡much¡¡as¡¡usual£»¡¡but¡¡in¡¡his¡¡parents'¡¡bedroom¡¡both¡¡the¡¡beds¡¡were¡¡unmade¡£¡¡Perhaps¡¡it¡¡was¡¡that¡¡which¡¡made¡¡him¡¡begin¡¡to¡¡feel¡¡giddy¡¡and¡¡sick¡£¡¡He¡¡walked¡¡out¡¡of¡¡the¡¡room£»¡¡feeling¡¡himself¡¡unsteady¡£¡¡
¡¡¡¡Holding¡¡by¡¡the¡¡rail£»¡¡he¡¡made¡¡it¡¡downstairs¡¡again¡£¡¡¡¨The¡¡kitchen£¡¡¨¡¡he¡¡thought£»¡¡and¡¡his¡¡mind¡¡cleared¡¡a¡¡trifle¡¡at¡¡the¡¡thought¡¡of¡¡something¡¡definite¡¡to¡¡do¡£¡¡
¡¡¡¡As¡¡he¡¡opened¡¡the¡¡swinging¡¡door£»¡¡the¡¡fact¡¡of¡¡motion¡¡within¡¡the¡¡room¡¡struck¡¡his¡¡senses¡£¡¡Then¡¡he¡¡saw¡¡that¡¡it¡¡was¡¡only¡¡the¡¡second¡¡hand¡¡of¡¡the¡¡electric¡¡clock¡¡above¡¡the¡¡sink£»¡¡steadily¡¡moving¡¡on¡¡past¡¡the¡¡vertical£»¡¡beginning¡¡its¡¡long¡¡swoop¡¡toward¡¡six¡¡again¡£¡¡At¡¡that¡¡moment¡¡also¡¡he¡¡started¡¡wildly¡¡at¡¡a¡¡sudden¡¡noise£»¡¡only¡¡to¡¡realize¡¡that¡¡the¡¡motor¡¡of¡¡the¡¡electric¡¡refrigerator£»¡¡as¡¡if¡¡disturbed¡¡by¡¡his¡¡ing£»¡¡had¡¡begun¡¡to¡¡whir¡£¡¡In¡¡quick¡¡reaction¡¡he¡¡was¡¡deathly¡¡ill£»¡¡and¡¡found¡¡himself¡¡vomiting¡¡into¡¡the¡¡sink¡£¡¡
¡¡¡¡Recovered£»¡¡he¡¡went¡¡out¡¡again£»¡¡and¡¡sat¡¡in¡¡the¡¡car¡£¡¡He¡¡was¡¡no¡¡longer¡¡ill£»¡¡but¡¡he¡¡felt¡¡weak¡¡and¡¡utterly¡¡despondent¡£¡¡If¡¡he¡¡made¡¡a¡¡detective¡like¡¡investigation£»¡¡searching¡¡in¡¡cupboards¡¡and¡¡drawers£»¡¡he¡¡could¡¡probably¡¡discover¡¡something¡£¡¡But¡¡of¡¡what¡¡use¡¡thus¡¡to¡¡torture¡¡himself£¿¡£¡¡The¡¡main¡¡part¡¡of¡¡the¡¡story¡¡was¡¡clear¡£¡¡There¡¡were¡¡no¡¡bodies¡¡in¡¡the¡¡house£»¡¡of¡¡that¡¡at¡¡least¡¡lie¡¡could¡¡be¡¡thankful¡£¡¡Neither£»¡¡he¡¡believed£»¡¡would¡¡there¡¡be¡¡any¡¡ghosts¡although¡¡the¡¡faithful¡¡clock¡¡and¡¡refrigerator¡¡were¡¡rather¡¡too¡¡ghost¡like¡£¡¡
¡¡¡¡Should¡¡he¡¡go¡¡back¡¡into¡¡the¡¡house£»¡¡or¡¡go¡¡somewhere¡¡else£¿¡¡At¡¡first¡¡he¡¡thought¡¡that¡¡he¡¡could¡¡not¡¡enter¡¡again¡£¡¡Then¡¡he¡¡realized¡¡that¡¡just¡¡as¡¡he¡¡had¡¡e¡¡here£»¡¡so¡¡his¡¡father¡¡and¡¡mother£»¡¡if¡¡by¡¡any¡¡chance¡¡they¡¡still¡¡lived£»¡¡would¡¡also¡¡return¡¡here¡¡looking¡¡for¡¡him¡£¡¡After¡¡half¡¡an¡¡hour£»¡¡overing¡¡repugnance£»¡¡he¡¡went¡¡back¡¡into¡¡the¡¡house¡£¡¡
¡¡¡¡Again¡¡he¡¡wandered¡¡through¡¡the¡¡empty¡¡rooms¡£¡¡They¡¡spoke¡¡with¡¡all¡¡the£»¡¡pathos¡¡of¡¡any¡¡dwelling¡place¡¡left¡¡without¡¡people¡£¡¡Now¡¡and¡¡then¡¡some¡¡little¡¡thing¡¡cried¡¡out¡¡to¡¡him¡¡more¡¡poipantly¡his¡¡father's¡¡new¡¡encyclopedia¡¡£¨purchased¡¡with¡¡qualms¡¡as¡¡to¡¡the¡¡expense£©£»¡¡his¡¡mother's¡¡potted¡¡pelargoniums¡¡£¨now¡¡needing¡¡water£©£»¡¡the¡¡barometer¡¡that¡¡his¡¡father¡¡used¡¡to¡¡tap¡¡each¡¡morning¡¡when¡¡he¡¡came¡¡down¡¡to¡¡breakfast¡£¡¡Yes£»¡¡it¡¡was¡¡a¡¡simple¡¡house¡what¡¡you¡¡would¡¡expect¡¡of¡¡a¡¡man¡¡who¡¡had¡¡taught¡¡history¡¡in¡¡high¡¡school¡¡and¡¡liked¡¡books£»¡¡and¡¡of¡¡a¡¡woman¡¡who¡¡had¡¡made¡¡it¡¡into¡¡a¡¡home¡¡for¡¡him¡¡and¡¡served¡¡on¡¡the¡¡Y¡£W¡£C¡£A¡£¡¡board£»¡¡and¡¡of¡¡their¡¡only¡¡child¡¡¨He¡¡always¡¡does¡¡so¡¡well¡¡in¡¡his¡¡studies£¡¡¨¡for¡¡whom¡¡they¡¡had¡¡cherished¡¡ambitions¡¡and¡¡for¡¡whose¡¡education¡¡they¡¡had¡¡made¡¡sacrifices¡£¡¡
¡¡¡¡After¡¡a¡¡while¡¡he¡¡sat¡¡down¡¡in¡¡the¡¡living¡room¡£¡¡Looking¡¡at¡¡the¡¡familiar¡¡chairs¡¡and¡¡pictures¡¡and¡¡books£»¡¡he¡¡gradually¡¡came¡¡to¡¡feel¡¡less¡¡despondent¡£¡¡
¡¡¡¡As¡¡twilight¡¡fell£»¡¡he¡¡realized¡¡that¡¡he¡¡had¡¡not¡¡eaten¡¡since¡¡morning¡£¡¡He¡¡was¡¡not¡¡hungry£»¡¡but¡¡his¡¡weakness¡¡might¡¡be¡¡partly¡¡the¡¡result¡¡of¡¡lack¡¡of¡¡food¡£¡¡He¡¡rummaged¡¡around¡¡a¡¡little£»¡¡and¡¡opened¡¡a¡¡can¡¡of¡¡soup¡£¡¡He¡¡found¡¡only¡¡the¡¡stub¡¡of¡¡a¡¡loaf¡¡of¡¡bread£»¡¡and¡¡it¡¡was¡¡mouldy¡£¡¡The¡¡refrigerator¡¡supplied¡¡butter¡¡and¡¡stale¡¡cheese¡£¡¡He¡¡located¡¡crackers¡¡in¡¡a¡¡cupboard¡£¡¡The¡¡gas¡pressure¡¡at¡¡the¡¡kitchen¡¡stove¡¡was¡¡very¡¡low£»¡¡but¡¡he¡¡managed¡¡to¡¡warm¡¡up¡¡the¡¡soup¡£¡¡
¡¡¡¡Afterwards¡¡he¡¡sat¡¡on¡¡the¡¡porch¡¡in¡¡the¡¡dark¡£¡¡In¡¡spite¡¡of¡¡his¡¡meal¡¡he¡¡felt¡¡unsteady£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡realized¡¡that¡¡he¡¡was¡¡suffering¡¡from¡¡shock¡£¡¡
¡¡¡¡San¡¡Lupo¡¡Drive¡¡was¡¡high¡¡enough¡¡on¡¡the¡¡slope¡¡of¡¡the¡¡hills¡¡to¡¡be¡¡proud¡¡of¡¡its¡¡view¡£¡¡As¡¡he¡¡sat¡¡there¡¡looking¡¡out£»¡¡everything¡¡seemed¡¡just¡¡about¡¡the¡¡same¡£¡¡Apparently¡¡the¡¡processes¡¡behind¡¡the¡¡production¡¡of¡¡electricity¡¡must¡¡be¡¡almost¡¡pletely¡¡automatic¡£¡¡In¡¡the¡¡hydro¡electric¡¡plants¡¡the¡¡flow¡¡of¡¡water¡¡was¡¡still¡¡keeping¡¡the¡¡generators¡¡in¡¡motion¡£¡¡Moreover£»¡¡when¡¡things¡¡had¡¡started¡¡to¡¡go¡¡to¡¡pieces£»¡¡someone¡¡must¡¡have¡¡ordered¡¡that¡¡the¡¡street¡lights¡¡be¡¡left¡¡turned¡¡on¡£¡¡Now¡¡he¡¡saw¡¡beneath¡¡him¡¡all¡¡the¡¡intricate¡¡pattern¡¡of¡¡the¡¡lights¡¡in¡¡the¡¡East¡¡Bay¡¡cities£»¡¡and¡¡beyond¡¡that¡¡the¡¡yellow¡¡chains¡¡of¡¡lights¡¡on¡¡the¡¡Bay¡¡Bridge£»¡¡and¡¡still¡¡farther¡¡through¡¡the¡¡faint¡¡evening¡¡mist£»¡¡th