deathworld-第24部分

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　thing　he　needed　w　more　information。　He　could　start　by　getting　rid　of　some　of　his　nii　information。
　 〃Rhes；　you　laughed　when　I　told　you　what　the　city　people　said；　aboi　trading　you　trinkets　for　food。　What　do　they　really　trade　you？〃
　 〃Anything　within　certain　limits；〃　Rhes　said。　〃Small　manufactun
　items；　such　as　electronic　ponents　for　our　municators。　Rustless　alloys　we　can't　make　in　our　forges；　cutting　tools；　atomic…electric　convertens　that　produce　power　from　any　radioactive　element；　Things　like　that。　Within　reason　they'll　trade　anything　we　ask　that　isn't　on　the　forbidden　list。　They　need　the　food　badly。〃
　 〃And　the　items　on　the　forbidden　list…？〃
　 〃Weapons　of　course；　or　anything　that　might　be　made　into　a　powerful　weapon。　They　know　we　make　gunpowder　so　we　can't　get　anything　like　large　casting　or　seamless　tubing　we　could　make　into　heavy　gun　barrels。　We　drill　our　own　rifle　barrels　by　hand；　though　the　crossbow　is　quiet　and　faster　in　the　jungle。　Then　they　don't　like　us　to　know　very　much；　so　the　only　reading　matter　that　gets　to　us　are　tech　maintenance　manuals；　empty　of　basic　theory。
　 〃The　last　banned　category　you　know　about…medicine。　This　is　the　one　thing　I　cannot　understand；　that　makes　me　burn　with　hatred　with　every　death　they　might　have　prevented。〃
　 〃I　know　their　reasons；〃　Jason　said。
　 〃Then　tell　me；　because　I　can　think　of　none。〃
　 〃Survival…it's　just　that　simple。　I　doubt　if　you　realize　it；　but　they　have　a　decreasing　population。　It　is　just　a　matter　of　years　before　they　will　be　gone。　Whereas　your　people　at　least　must　have　a　stable…if　not　slightly　growing　population…to　have　existed　without　their　mechanical　protections。　So　in　the　city　they　hate　you　and　are　jealous　of　you　at　the　same　time。　If　they　gave　you　medicine　and　you　prospered；　you　would　be　winning　the　battle　they　have　lost。　I　imagine　they　tolerate　you　as　a　necessary　evil；　to　supply　them　with　food；　otherwise　they　wish　you　were　all　dead。〃
　 〃It　makes　sense；〃　Rhes　growled；　slamming　his　fist　against　the　bed。　〃The　kind　of　twisted　logic　you　expect　from　junkmen。　They　use　us　to　feed　them；　give　us　the　absolute　minimum　in　return；　and　at　the　same　time　cut　us　off　from　the　knowledge　that　will　get　us　out　of　this　hand　to　mouth　existence。　Worse；　far　worse；　they　cut　us　off　from　the　stars　and　the　rest　of　mankind。〃　The　hatred　on　his　face　was　so　strong　that　Jason　unconsciously　drew　back。
　 〃Do　you　think　we　are　savages　here；　Jason？　We　act　and　look　like　animals　because　we　have　to　fight　for　existence　on　an　animal　level。　Yet　we　know　about　the　stars。　In　that　chest　over　there；　sealed　in　metal；　are　over　thirty　books；　all　we　have。　Fiction　most　of　them；　with　some　history　and　general　science　thrown　in。　Enough　to　keep　alive　the　stories　of　the　settlement　here　and　the　rest　of　the　universe　outside。　We　see　the　ships　land　in　the　city　and　we　know　that　up　there　are　worlds　we　can　only　dream　about　and　never　see。　Do　you　wonder　that　we　hate　these　beasts　that　call　themselves　men；　and　would　destroy　them　in　an　instant　if　we　could？　They
　are　right　to　keep　weapons　from　us…for　sure　as　the　sun　rises　in　the　moi　ing　we　would　kill　them　to　a　man　if　we　were　able；　and　take　over　t　things　they　have　withheld　from　us。〃
　 It　was　a　harsh　condemnation；　but　essentially　a　truthful　one。　At　le　from　the　point　of　view　of　the　outsiders。　Jason　didn't　try　to　explain　to　t　angry　man　that　the　city　Pyrrans　looked　on　their　attitude　as　being　t　only　possible　and　logical　one。　〃How　did　this　battle　between　your　ti　groups　ever　e　about？〃　he　asked。
　 〃I　don't　know；〃　Rhes　said；　〃I've　thought　about　it　many　times；　F　there　are　no　records　of　that　period。　We　do　know　that　we　are　all　scended　from　colonists　who　arrived　at　the　same　time。　Somewhere；　some　time；　the　two　groups　separated。　Perhaps　it　was　a　war；　I've　re　about　them　in　the　books。　I　have　a　partial　theory；　though　I　can't　prove　that　it　was　the　location　of　the　city。〃
　 〃Location…I　don't　understand。〃
　 〃Well；　you　know　the　junkmen；　and　you've　seen　where　their　city　They　managed　to　put　it　right　in　the　middle　of　the　most　savage　spot　this　planet。　You　know　they　don't　care　about　any　living　thing　excc　themselves；　shoot　and　kill　is　their　only　logic。　So　they　wouldn't　consic　where　to　build　their　city；　and　managed　to　build　it　in　the　stupidest　sj　imaginable。　I'm　sure　my　ancestors　saw　how　foolish　this　was　and　tn　to　tell　them　so。　That　would　be　reason　enough　for　a　war；　wouldn't　i
　 〃It　might　have　been…if　that's　really　what　happened；〃　Jason　sa　〃But　I　think　you　have　the　problem　turned　backward。　It's　a　war　betwe　native　Pyrran　life　and　humans；　each　fighting　to　destroy　the　other。　T　life　forms　change　continually；　seeking　that　final　destruction　of　t　invader。〃
　 〃Your　theory　is　even　wilder　than　mine；〃　Rhes　said。　〃That's　not　in　at　all。　I　admit　that　life　isn't　too　easy　on　this　planet…if　what　I　have　re　in　the　books　about　other　planets　is　true…but　it　doesn't　change。　You　hr　to　be　fast　on　your　feet　and　keep　your　eyes　open　for　anything　big~　than　you；　but　you　can　survive。　Anyway；　it　doesn't　really　matter　wi　The　junkmen　always　look　for　trouble　and　I'm　happy　to　see　that　tF　have　enough。〃
　 Jason　didn't　try　to　press　the　point。　The　effort　of　forcing　Rhes　change　his　basic　attitudes　wasn't　worth　it…even　if　possible。　He　had　succeeded　in　convincing　anyone　in　the　city　of　the　lethal　mutations　ev　when　they　could　observe　all　the　facts。　Rhes　could　still　supply　inforri　tion　though。
　 〃I　suppose　it's　not　important　who　started　the　battle；〃　Jason　said　the　other　man's　benefit；　not　meaning　a　word　of　it。　〃But　you'll　have　agree　that　the　city　people　are　permanently　at　war　with　all　the　local　ii
　Your　people；　though；　have　managed　to　befriend　at　least　two　species　that　I　have　seen。　Do　you　have　any　idea　how　this　was　done？〃
　 〃Naxa　will　be　here　in　a　minute；〃　Rhes　said；　pointing　to　the　door；　〃as　soon　as　he's　taken　care　of　the　animals。　Ask　him。　Fle's　the　best　talker　we　have。〃
　 〃Talker？〃　Jason　asked。　〃I　had　the　opposite　idea　about　him。　He　didn't　talk　much；　and　what　he　did　say　was；　well…a　little　hard　to　understand　at　times。〃
　 〃Not　that　kind　of　talking；〃　Rhes　broke　in　impatiently。　〃The　talkers　look　after　the　animals。　They　train　the　dogs　and　doryms；　and　the　better　ones　like　Naxa　are　always　trying　to　work　with　other　beasts。　They　dress　crudely；　but　they　have　to。　I've　heard　them　say　that　the　animals　don't　like　chemicals；　metal　or　tanned　leather；　so　they　wear　untanned　furs　for　the　most　part。　But　don't　let　the　dirt　fool　you；　it　has　nothing　to　do　with　his　intelligence。〃
　 〃Doryms？　Are　those　your　carrying　beasts…the　kind　we　rode　ing　here？〃
　 Rhes　nodded。　〃Doryms　are　more　than　pack　animals；　they're　really　a　little　bit　of　everything。　The　large　males　pull　the　plows　and　other　machines；　while　the　younger　animals　are　used　for　meat。　If　you　want　to　know　more；　ask　Naxa；　you'll　find　him　in　the　barn。〃
　 〃I'd　like　to　do　that；〃　Jason　said；　standing　up。　〃Only　I　feel　undressed　without　my　gun…〃
　 〃Take　it；　by　all　means；　it's　in　that　chest　by　the　door。　Only　watch　out　what　you　shoot　around　here。〃
　 Naxa　was　in　the　rear　of　the　barn；　filing　down　one　of　the　spade…like　toenails　of　a　dorym。　It　was　a　strange　scene。　The　fur…dressed　man　with　the　great　beast…and　the　contrast　of　a　beryllium…copper　file　and　electroluminescent　plates　lighting　the　work。　The　dorym　opened　its　nostrils　and　pulled　away　when　Jason　entered。　Naxa　patted　its　neck　and　talked　softly　until　it　quieted　and　stood　still；　shivering　slightly。
　 Something　stirred　in　Jason's　mind；　with　the　feeling　of　a　long　unused　muscle　being　stressed。　A　hauntingly　familiar　sensation。
　 〃Good　morning；〃　Jason　said。　Naxa　grunted　something　and　went　back　to　his　filing。　Watching　him　for　a　few　minutes；　Jason　tried　to　analyze　this　new　feeling。　It　itched　and　slipped　aside　when　he　reached　for　it；　escaping　him。　Whatever　it　was；　it　had　started　when　Naxa　had　talked　to　the　dorym。
　 〃Could　you　call　one　of　the　dogs　in　here；　Naxa？　I'd　like　to　see　one　closer　up。〃
　 Without　raising　his　head　from　his　work；　Naxa　gave　a　low　whistle。　Jason　was　sure　it　couldn't　have　been　heard　outside　of　the　barn。　Yet
　within　a　minute　one　of　the　Pyrran　dogs　slipped　quietly　in。　The　talk　rubbed　the　beast's　head；　mumbling　to　it；　while　the　animal　looked　i　tently　into　his　eyes。
　 The　dog　became　restless　when　Naxa　turned　back　to　work　on　t＇　dorym。　It　p