deathworld-第22部分

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glin　to　move。　WThen　his　hands　finally　obeyed　him；　he　lifted　them　to　his　fac　and　stripped　away　the　covering；　a　sack　of　thick　fur。　Light　blinded　hij　as　he　sucked　in　breath　after　breath　of　clean　air。
　 Blinking　against　the　glare；　he　looked　around。　He　was　lying　on　a　flo　of　crude　planking；　the　setting　sun　shining　into　his　eyes　through　th　doorless　entrance　of　the　building。　There　was　a　ploughed　field　outsid　stretching　down　the　curve　of　hill　to　the　edge　of　the　jungle。　It　was　tc　dark　to　see　much　inside　the　hut。
　 Something　blocked　the　light　of　the　doorway；　a　tall　animal…like　figure。　On　second　look　Jason　realized　it　was　a　man　with　long　hair　and　thick　beard。　He　was　dressed　in　furs；　even　his　legs　were　i？~rapped　in　fur　leggings。　His　eyes　were　fixed　on　his　captive；　while　one　hand　fondled　an　axe　that　hung　from　his　waist。
　 〃Who're　you？　What　y'want？〃　the　bearded　man　asked　suddenly。
　 Jason　picked　his　words　slowly；　wondering　if　this　savage　had　the　same　hairtrigger　temper　as　the　city　dwellers。
　 〃My　name　is　Jason。　I　e　in　peace。　I　want　to　be　your　friend。　。　。　。〃　〃Lies！〃　the　man　grunted；　and　pulled　the　axe　from　his　belt。　〃Junkman　tricks。　I　saw　y'hide。　Wait　to　kill　me。　Kill　you　first。〃　He　tested　the　edge　of　the　blade　with　a　horny　thumb；　then　raised　it。
　 〃Wait！〃　Jason　said　desperately。　〃You　don't　understand。〃
　 The　axe　swung　down。
　 〃I'm　from　off…world　and…〃
　 A　solid　thunk　shook　him　as　the　axe　buried　itself　in　the　wood　next　to　his　head。　At　the　last　instant；　the　man　had　twitched　it　aside。　He　grabbed　the　front　of　Jason's　clothes　and　pulled　him　up　until　their　faces　touched。
　 〃S'true？〃　he　shouted。　〃Y'from　off…world？〃　His　hand　opened　and　Jason　dropped　back　before　he　could　answer。　The　savage　jumped　over　him；　toward　the　dim　rear　of　the　hut。
　 〃Rhes　must　know　of　this；〃　he　said　as　he　fumbled　with　something　on　the　wall。　Light　sprang　out。
　 All　Jason　could　do　was　stare。　The　hairy；　fur…covered　savage　was　operating　a　municator。　The　calloused；　dirt…encrusted　fingers　deftly　snapped　open　the　circuits；　dialed　a　number。
　16
　 It　made　no　sense。　Jason　tried　to　reconcile　the　modem　machine　wit＇　the　barbarian　and　couldn't。　Who　was　he　calling？　The　existence　of　on　municator　meant　there　was　at　least　another。　Was　Rhes　a　person　o　a　thing？
　 With　a　mental　effort；　he　grabbed　hold　of　his　thoughts　and　brake　them　to　a　stop。　There　was　something　new　here；　factors　he　hadn　counted　on。　He　kept　reassuring　himself　there　was　an　explanation　fc　everything；　once　you　had　your　facts　straight。
　 Jason　closed　his　eyes；　shutting　out　the　glaring　rays　of　the　sun　wher　it　cut　through　the　treetops；　and　reconsidered　his　facts。　They　separate　evenly　into　two　classes：　those　he　had　observed　for　himself；　and　those　h　had　learned　from　the　city　dwellers。　This　last　class　of　〃facts〃　he　woul　hold；　to　see　if　they　fitted　with　what　he　learned。　There　was　a　goo　chance　that　most；　or　all；　of　them　would　prove　false。
　 〃Get　up；〃　the　voice　jane~into　his　thoughts。　〃W're　leaving。〃
　 His　legs　were　still　numb　and　hardly　usable。　The　bearded　ma　snorted　in　disgust　and　hauled　him　to　his　feet；　propping　him　against　di　outer　wall。　Jason　clutched　the　knobby　bark　of　the　logs　when　he　w~　left　alone。　He　looked　around；　soaking　up　impressions。
　 It　was　the　first　time　he　had　been　on　a　farm　since　he　had　run　awa　from　home。　A　different　world　with　a　different　ecology；　but　the　simila：
　ity　was　apparent　enough　to　him。　A　new…sown　field　stretched　down　di　hill　in　front　of　the　shack。　Ploughed　by　a　good　farmer。　Even；　well…ca~　furrows　that　followed　the　contour　of　the　slope。　Another；　larger　lc　building　was　next　to　this　one；　probably　a　barn。
　 There　was　a　snuffling　sound　behind　him　and　Jason　turned　quicldyand　froze。　His　hand　called　for　the　missing　gun　and　his　finger　tightene　down　on　a　trigger　that　wasn't　there。
　 It　had　e　out　of　the　jungle　and　padded　up　quietly　behind　him。　had　six　thick　legs　with　clawed　feet　that　dug　into　the　ground。　The　tw　meter…long　body　was　covered　with　matted　yellow…and…black　fur；　all　e：
　cept　the　skull　and　shoulders。　These　were　covered　with　overlapping　horny　plates。　Jason　could　see　all　this　because　the　beast　was　that　close。
　 He　waited　to　die。
　 The　mouth　opened；　a　frog…like　division　of　the　hairless　skull；　revealing　double　rows　of　jagged　teeth。
　 〃Here；　Fido；〃　the　bearded　man　said；　ing　up　behind　Jason　and　snapping　his　fingers　at　the　same　time。　The　thing　bounded　forward；　brushing　past　the　dazed　Jason；　and　rubbed　his　head　against　the　man's　leg。　〃Nice　doggie；〃　the　man　said；　his　fingers　scratching　under　the　edge　of　the　carapace　where　it　joined　the　flesh。
　 The　bearded　man　had　brought　two　of　the　riding　animals　out　of　the　barn；　saddled　and　bridled。　Jason　barely　noticed　the　details　of　smooth　skin　and　long　legs　as　he　swung　up　on　one。　His　feet　were　quickly　lashed　to　the　stirrups。　When　they　started；　the　skull…headed　beast　followed　them。
　 〃Nice　doggie！〃　Jason　said；　and　for　no　reason　started　to　laugh。　The　bearded　man　turned　and　scowled　at　him　until　he　was　quiet。
　 By　the　time　they　entered　the　jungle；　it　was　dark。　It　was　impossible　to　see　under　the　thick　foliage；　and　they　used　no　lights。　The　animals　seemed　to　know　the　way。　There　were　scraping　noises　and　shrill　calls　from　the　jungle　around　them；　but　it　didn't　bother　Jason　too　much。　Perhaps　the　automatic　manner　in　which　the　other　man　undertook　the　journey　reassured　him。　Or　the　presence　of　the　〃dog〃　that　he　felt　rather　than　saw。　The　trip　was　a　long　one；　but　not　too　unfortable。
　 The　regular　motion　of　the　animal　and　his　fatigue　overcame　Jason　and　he　dozed　into　a　fitful　sleep；　waking　with　a　start　each　time　he　slumped　forward。　In　the　end；　he　slept　sitting　up　in　the　saddle。　Hours　passed　this　way；　until　he　opened　his　eyes　and　saw　a　square　of　light　before　them。　The　trip　was　over。
　 His　legs　were　stiff　and　galled　with　saddle　sores。　After　his　feet　were　untied；　getting　down　was　an　effort　and　he　almost　fell。　A　door　opened　and　Jason　went　in。　It　took　his　eyes　some　moments　to　get　used　to　the　light；　until　he　could　make　out　the　man　on　the　bed　before　him。
　 〃e　over　here　and　sit　down。〃　The　voice　was　full　and　strong；　accustomed　to　mand。　The　body　was　that　of　an　invalid。　A　blanket　covered　him　to　the　waist；　above　that　the　flesh　was　sickly　white；　spotted　with　red　nodules；　and　hung　loosely　over　the　bones。　There　seemed　to　be　nothing　left　of　the　man　except　skin　and　skeleton。
　 〃Not　very　nice；〃　the　man　on　the　bed　said；　〃but　I've　grown　used　to　it。〃　His　tone　changed　abruptly。　〃Naxa　said　you　were　from　off…world。　Is　that　true？〃
　 Jason　nodded　yes；　and　his　answer　stirred　the　living　skeleton　to　life。
　The　head　lifted　from　the　pillow　and　the　red…rimmed　eyes　sought　h　with　a　desperate　intensity。
　 〃My　name　is　Rhes　and　I'm　a。　。　。　grubber。　Will　you　help　me？〃
　 Jason　wondered　at　the　intensity　of　Rhes's　question；　all　out　of　propc　tion　to　the　simple　content　of　its　meaning。　Yet　he　could　see　no　reason　give　anything　other　than　the　first　and　obvious　answer　that　sprang　to　Ii　lips。
　 〃Of　course　I'll　help　you；　in　whatever　way　I　can。　As　long　as　it　involv　no　injury　to　anyone　else。　What　do　you　want？〃
　 The　sick　man's　head　had　fallen　back　limply；　exhausted；　as　Jasc　talked。　But　the　fire　still　burned　in　the　eyes。
　 〃Feel　assured…I　want　to　injure　no　others；〃　Rues　said。　〃Quite　the　~　posite。　As　you　see；　I　am　suffering　from　a　disease　that　our　remedies　w~　not　stop。　Within　a　few　more　days　I　will　be　dead。　Now　I　have　seen。　the　city　people　。　。　。　using　a　device；　they　press　it　over　a　wound　or　~　animal　bite。　Do　you　have　one　of　these　machines？〃
　 〃That　sounds　like　a　description　of　the　medikit。〃　Jason　touched　ti　button　at　his　waist　that　dropped　the　medikit　into　his　hand。　〃I　have　mu　here。　It　analyzes　and　treats　most。　。　。〃
　 〃Would　you　use　it　on　me？〃　Rhes　broke　in；　his　voice　suddenly　urger　〃I'm　sorry；〃　Jason　said。　〃I　should　have　realized。〃　He　stepped　forwa　and　pressed　the　machine　over　one　of　the　inflamed　areas　on　Rhes's　che~　The　operation　light　came　on　and　the　thin　shaft　of　the　analyzer　prol　slid　down。　When　it　withdrew　the　device　hummed；　then　clicked　thr~　times　as　three　separate　hypodermic　needles　lanced　into　the　skin。　Thi　the　light　went　out。
　 〃Is　that　all？〃　Rhes　asked；　as　he　watched　Jason　stow　the　medikit　ba　in　his　belt。
　 Jason　nodded；　then　looked　up　and　noticed　the　wet　marks　of　tea