gs.earthabides-第72部分
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but he explained to Joey that parched corn had been a regular food on the American frontier and that his ancestors must often have depended largely upon it。
The big eyes； bright in the thin little face； showed that Joey appreciated the story。
〃I wish；〃 thought Ish； 〃that he might grow stronger； and be something firmer to count on。 Well； I have wasted two dozen of them； but perhaps in Joey's mind I have planted a more important seed。〃
Wheat and corn…they too； like dog and horse； marched and shared with man； friends and helpers on the long way。。。
Far in some dry corner of the Old World the little spiked grass sprouted more thickly around the edges of the campsites where the disturbing and enrichment of the soil gave it ground to its liking。 So first； perhaps； it adopted man； but soon man adopted it。 The more it repaid his care； the more he coddled it。 With his fostering it grew taller and stronger； yielding more seed； but also it came to demand the tilled soil and the seedbed free of the petition of the wilder grasses。
The first Year after there were no more plowed fields； the volunteer wheat sprang up on thousands of acres； but soon there was less of it and then still less。 Like wolves upon the sheep； the fierce native grasses returned。 They formed tough sod； year after year； they grew from the same roots； thriving the better for lack of cultivation。
After a while there was no more wheat； except that far off in the dry lands of Asia and Africa； here and there； the little spiked grass still was growing； as it had grown before an incident called Agriculture。。。。 So also with the maize。 From the tropics of America； it too journeyed far with man。 Like the sheep it traded its freedom for a fat and pampered life。 It could no longer even shed its own seeds； held tight within the tough husk。 Even sooner than the wheat； the maize vanished。 Only； on the Mexican High lands； in thick clumps the wild teosinte still pushed up tasseled tops against the high sun。。。。
So it will go； unless here and there a few men still linger。 For if man cannot prosper without the wheat and the corn； still less can they prosper without man。
Although George and Maurine kept track of the months and the days of the months （or thought they did）； all the rest went more by the position of the sun and the state of the vegetation。 Ish took pride in being able to estimate the time of the year； and when he pared notes with George's calendar； he was generally pleased to see that he was not more than a week or so wrong…if indeed he might not be right and George wrong； for Ish had no strong faith in George's accuracy。
In any case； a week or two made no difference when it came to planting the corn。 Obviously the season was too far advanced。 The cold weather would arrive before the corn was more than well sprouted。 Next year they would try it。
In the next few days； however； Ish spent some time scouting about in the vicinity； trying to locate a good spot for the patch。 He took Joey along with him； and the two were soon talking learnedly about exposures； soil； and possibilities for keeping the wild cattle out。 Actually； Ish realized； their particular region was about the worst place in the United States for …growing。 A variety which was adapted to the dry and hot Rio Grande valley might not even mature at all in the chilly and fog…blanketed summers near San Francisco Bay。 Moreover； he himself was not a farmer； and had never even had a green thumb for gardening。 His knowledge of plants and soils was mostly theoretical； gained from his studies in geography。 He remembered how podzols and chernozems were formed and he thought he might even recognize them when he saw them； but that did not make him a farmer。 No one else in The Tribe had been one either； although Maurine had grown up on a farm。 This accident； so you might call it； that they had no one who was close to the soil； had already been of much importance in determining their munal outlook on life。
One day…more than a week had passed； and the memory of Charlie and the oak tree had faded somewhat…Ish and Joey came back to the house after having located what seemed the most favorable site they had yet seen。 Em came out on the porch to meet them； and Ish knew immediately that something had happened。 〃What's the matter？〃 he asked quickly。
〃Oh； nothing much；〃 she said； 〃I hope anyway。 Bob seems to be sick； a little。〃 Ish stopped dead on the porch； and looked at her。
〃No； I don't think so；〃 she said。 〃I'm no doctor； but I don't think it's anything like that。 I don't even see how it could be。 e and take a look at him。 He says he's felt a little bad for the last few days。〃
During the years Ish had usually taken the responsibility of doctoring。 He had developed some skill at treating cuts and bruises and sprains； and had once set a broken arm。 But he had gained practically no experience with disease； because there were only the two that seemed to exist in The Tribe。
〃Bob hasn't just got a case of that sore throat？〃 he asked。 〃I can fix that soon enough！〃
〃No；〃 she said； as he had known she would…she would not be so obviously worrying about the sore throat。 〃No；〃 she repeated； 〃he hasn't got a sore throat at all。 He just seems laid out； flat。〃
〃Sulfa will probably do the job anyway；〃 said Ish； cheerfully。 〃As long as there are thousands of pills in the drug stores； and still good； we're lucky！ And if sulfa won't work； I'll take a chance with penicillin。〃
He went upstairs quickly。 Bob was lying in bed； lying very still with his face turned away from the light。
〃Oh； I'm all right！〃 he said； irritably。 〃Mother gets excited！〃
Proof enough to the contrary； thought Ish； lay in his taking to bed。 A sixteen…year…old did not go to bed； before he was too sick to stand。
Ish looked around and saw Joey； peering curiously at his brother。
〃Joey； get out of here！〃 he snapped。
〃I'd like to see。 I want to know about being sick！〃
〃No； you keep your nose out of this。 When you get bigger and stronger； I'll show you； and teach you。 But we don't want you getting sick too。 The first thing to learn about sickness is that it may go from one person to another。〃
Joey backed out reluctantly； his curiosity stronger than any theoretical fear of being sick。 The Tribe had had so little experience with disease that the children had no respect for it。
Bob plained of a headache； and a general sense of unlocalized disfort。 He kept very still in bed； obviously prostrated。 Ish took his temperature and found it just under 101； not too good or too bad。 He prescribed two sulfa pills and a full glass of water。 Bob gagged over the pills； he was not used to swallowing such things。
Telling Bob to get some sleep； Ish went out； and closed the door。
〃What is it？〃 Em asked him。
He shrugged his shoulders。 〃Nothing that sulfa won't cure； I guess。〃
〃I don't like it； though。 So soon。。。〃
〃Yes。 There's such a thing； however； as coincidence； you remember。〃
〃I know that。 But you're the one that will be worrying。〃
〃I'll give the pills every four hours； overnight at least； before I begin。〃
〃That's fine； if it's so！〃 she said as a last word； and went off。
And Ish； before even he had got all the way downstairs； knew that her skepticism was justified。 After all； why should a man not worry？ In the Old Times when you lived with all the protection of doctors and public…health services； even then the mysterious and sudden onset of disease was terrifying。 How much more so； now！
Now； just as man lacked the all…embracing power of a nation around him； so also he felt himself bare and exposed and helpless for lack of that age…old tradition of medical skill。
〃It's my fault！〃 he thought。 〃All these years of grace！ I should have been studying the medical books。 I should have made myself into a doctor。〃
Yet the study of medicine had never appealed to him； even far back in the Old Times when he had been thinking about a profession。 And a man couldn't be a universal genius！ Besides； there had been no pressure； when nearlv all the diseases seemed to have died out。
That fact； when he thought o
