deathworld-第32部分

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r。　He　would　find　that　out　after　he　arrived。　Getting　there　had　first　priority。
　 On　the　debit　side　there　stood　the　planet　Pyrrus。　Strength…sapping　gravity；　murderous　weather；　and　violent　animals。　Could　he　survive？　As　if　to　add　emphasis　to　his　thoughts；　the　sky　darkened　over　and　rain　hissed　into　the　forest；　marching　toward　him。　Jason　scrambled　to　his　feet　and　took　a　bearing　before　the　rain　closed　down　visibility。　A　jagged　chain　of　mountains　stood　dimly　on　the　horizons；　he　remembered　crossing　them　on　the　flight　out。　They　would　do　as　a　first　goal。　After　he　had　reached　them；　he　would　worry　about　the　next　leg　of　the　journey。
　 Leaves　and　dirt　flew　before　the　wind　in　quick　gusts；　then　the　rain　washed　over　him。　Soaked；　chilled；　already　bone…tired；　he　pitted　the　tottering　strength　of　his　legs　against　the　planet　of　death。
　 When　nightfall　came；　it　was　still　raining。　There　was　no　way　of　being　sure　of　the　direction；　and　no　point　in　going　on。　If　that　wasn't　enough；　Jason　was　on　the　ragged　edge　of　exhaustion。　It　was　going　to　be　a　wet　night。　All　the　trees　were　thick…boled　and　slippery；　he　couldn't　have　climbed　them　on　a　one…G　world。　The　sheltered　spots　that　he　investi
　gated；　under　fallen　trees　and　beneath　thick　bushes；　were　just　as　wet　as　the　rest　of　the　forest。　In　the　end　he　curled　up　on　the　leeward　side　of　a　tree；　and　fell　asleep；　shivering；　with　the　water　drippjng　off　him。
　 The　rain　stopped　around　midnight　and　the　temperature　fell　sharply。　Jason　woke　sluggishly　from　a　dream　in　which　he　was　being　frozen　to　death；　to　find　it　was　almost　true。　Fine　snow　was　sifting　through　the　trees；　powdering　the　ground　and　drifting　against　him。　The　cold　bit　into　his　flesh；　and　when　he　sneezed　it　hurt　his　chest。　His　aching　and　numb　body　only　wanted　rest；　Jut　the　spark　of　reason　that　remained　in　him　forced　him　to　his　feet。　If　he　lay　down　now　he　would　die。　Holding　one　hand　against　the　tree　so　he　wouldn't　fall；　he　began　to　trudge　around　it。　Step　after　shuffling　step；　around　and　around；　until　the　terrible　cold　eased　a　bit　and　he　could　stop　shivering。　Fatigue　crawled　up　him　like　a　muffling；　grey　blanket。　He　kept　on　walking；　half　the　time　with　his　eyes　closed；　opening　them　only　when　he　fell　and　had　to　climb　painfully　to　his　feet　again。
　 The　sun　burned　away　the　snow　clouds　at　dawn。　Jason　leaned　against　his　tree　and　blinked　up　at　the　sky　with　sore　eyes。　The　ground　was　white　in　all　directions；　except　around　tie　tree　where　his　stumbling　feet　had　churned　a　circle　of　black　mud。　His　back　against　the　smooth　trunk；　Jason　sank　slowly　down　to　the　ground；　letting　the　sun　soak　into　him。
　 Exhaustion　had　him　light…headed；　and　his　lips　were　cracked　from　thirst。　Almost　continuous　coughing　tore　at　his　chest　with　fingers　of　fire。　Though　the　sun　was　still　low；　it　was　hot　already；　burning　his　skin　dry。　Dry　and　hot。
　 It　wasn't　right。　This　thought　kept　nagging　at　his　brain　until　he　admitted　it。　Turned　it　over　and　over　and　looked　at　it　from　all　sides。　What　wasn't　right？　The　way　he　felt。
　 Pneumonia。　He　had　all　the　symptoms。
　 His　dry　lips　cracked　and　blood　moistened　them　when　he　smiled。　He　had　avoided　all　the　animal　perils　of　Pyrrus；　all　the　big　carnivores　and　poisonous　reptiles；　only　to　be　laid　low　by　the　smallest　beast　of　them　all。　Well；　he　had　the　remedy　for　this　one　too。　Rolling　up　his　sleeve　with　shaking　fingers；　he　pressed　the　mouth　of　the　medikit　to　his　bare　arm。　It　clicked　and　began　to　drone　an　angry　whine。　That　meant　something；　he　knew；　but　he　just　couldn't　remember　what。　Holding　it　up　he　saw　that　one　of　the　hypodermics　was　projecting　halfway　from　its　socket。　Of　course。　It　was　empty　of　whatever　antibiotic　the　analyzer　had　called　for。　It　needed　refilling。
　 Jason　hurled　the　thing　away　with　a　curse；　and　it　splashed　into　a　poo1　and　was　gone。　End　of　medicine；　end　of　medikit；　end　of　Jason　dinAlt。
　Singlehanded　battler　against　the　perils　of　deathworld。　Stronghearted　stranger　who　could　do　as　well　as　the　natives。　It　had　taken　him　all　of　one　day　on　his　own　to　get　his　death　warrant　signed。
　 A　choking　growl　echoed　behind　him。　He　turned；　dropped　and　fired　in　the　same　motion。　It　was　all　over　before　his　conscious　mind　was　aware　it　had　happened。　Pyrran　training　had　conditioned　his　reflexes　on　the　precortical　level。　Jason　gaped　at　the　ugly　beast　dying　not　a　meter　from　him　and　realized　he　had　been　trained　well。
　 His　first　reaction　was　unhappiness　that　he　had　killed　one　of　the　grubber　dogs。　When　he　looked　closer　he　realized　this　animal　was　slightly　different　in　markings；　size　and　temper。　Though　most　of　its　forequarters　were　blown　away；　blood　pumping　out　in　dying　spurts；　it　kept　trying　to　reach　Jason。　Before　the　eyes　glazed　with　death；　it　had　struggled　its　way　almost　to　his　feet。
　 It　wasn't　quite　a　grubber　dog；　though　chances　were　it　was　a　wild　relative。　Bearing　the　same　relation　as　dog　to　wolf。　He　wondered　if　there　were　any　other　resemblances　between　wolves　and　this　dead　beast。　Did　they　hunt　in　packs　too？
　 As　soon　as　the　thought　hit　him　he　looked　up…not　a　moment　too　soon。　The　great　forms　were　drifting　through　the　trees；　closing　in　on　him。　When　he　shot　two；　the　others　snarled　with　rage　and　sank　back　into　the　forest。　They　didn't　leave。　Instead　of　being　frightened　by　the　deaths；　they　grew　even　more　er~raged。
　 Jason　sat　with　his　ba~k　to　the　tree　and　waited　until　they　came　close　before　he　picked　them　off。　With　each　shot　and　dying　scream；　the　outraged　survivors　howled　the　louder。　Some　of　them　fought　when　they　met；　venting　their　rage。　One　stood　on　his　hind　legs　and　raked　great　strips　of　bark　from　a　tree。　Jason　aimed　a　shot　at　it；　but　he　was　too　far　away　to　hit。
　 There　were　advantages　to　having　a　fever；　he　realized。　Logically　he　knew　he　would　live　only　to　sunset；　or　until　his　gun　was　empty。　Yet　the　fact　didn't　bother　him　greatly。　Nothing　really　mattered。　He　slumped；　relaxed　pletely；　only　raising　his　arm　to　fire；　then　letting　it　drop　again。　Every　few　minutes　he　had　to　move　to　look　in　back　of　the　tree；　and　kill　any　of　them　that　were　stalking　him　in　the　blind　spot。　He　wished　dimly　that　he　were　leaning　against　a　smaller　tree；　but　it　wasn't　worth　the　effort　to　go　to　one。
　 Sometime　in　the　afternoon；　he　fired　his　last　shot。　It　killed　an　animal　he　had　allowed　to　get　close。　He　had　noticed　he　was　missing　the　longer　shots。　The　beast　snarled　and　dropped；　the　others　that　were　close　pulled　back　and　howled　in　sympathy。　One　of　them　exposed　himself　and　Jason　pulled　the　trigger。
　 There　was　only　a　slight　click。　He　tried　again；　in　case　it　was　just　a　misfire；　but　there　was　still　only　the　click　The　gun　was　empty；　as　was　the　spare　clip　pouch　at　his　belt。　There　were　vague　memories　of　reloading；　though　he　couldn't　remember　how　many　times　he　had　done　it。
　 This；　then；　was　the　end。　They　had　all　been　right；　Pyrrus　was　a　match　for　him。　Though　they　shouldn't　talk。　It　would　kill　them　all　in　the　end　too。　Pyrrans　never　died　in　bed。　Old　Pyrrans　never　died；　they　just　got　et。
　 Now　that　he　didn't　have　to　force　himself　to　stay　alert　and　hold　the　gun；　the　fever　took　hold。　He　wanted　to　sleep　and　he　knew　it　would　be　a　long　sleep。　His　eyes　were　almost　closed　as　he　watched　the　wary　carnivores　slip　closer　to　him。　The　first　one　crept　close　enough　to　spring；　he　could　see　the　muscles　tensing　in　its　leg。
　 It　leaped。　Whirling　in　midair　and　falling　before　it　reached　him。　Blood　ran　from　its　gaping　mouth　and　the　short　shaft　of　metal　projected　from　the　side　of　his　head。
　 The　two　men　walked　out　of　the　brush　and　looked　down　at　him。　Their　mere　presence　seemed　to　have　been　enough　for　the　carnivores；　because　they　had　all　vanished。
　 Grubbers。　He　had　been　in　such　a　hurry　to　reach　the　city　that　he　had　forgotten　about　the　grubbers。　It　was　good　that　they　were　here　and　Jason　was　very　glad　they　had　e。　He　couldn't　talk　very　well；　so　he　smiled　to　thank　them。　But　this　hurt　his　lips　too　much　so　he　went　to　sleep。
　24
　 For　a　strange　length　of　time　after　that；　there　were　only　hazy　patches　of　memory　that　impressed　themselves　on　Jason。　A　sense　of　movement　and　large　beasts　around　him。　Walls；　woodsmoke；　the　murmur　of　voices。　None　of　it　meant　very　much　and　he　was　too　tired　to　care。　It　was　easiet　and　much　better　just　to　let　go。
　
　 〃About　time；〃　Rhes　said。　〃A　couple　more　days　lying　there　like　that　and　we　would　hav