bill_the_galactic_hero_v1.1-第14部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　crackled　inches　above　his　head。　It　died　away　as　suddenly　as　it　had　e；　leaving　behind　nothing　but　smoke；　heat；　the　scorched　smell　of　roasted　flesh；　destruction；　and　death；　death；　death。　Bill　crawled　painfully　for　the　hatchway；　and　nothing　else　moved　down　the　blackened　and　twisted　length　of　the　fuse　room。
　　The　partment　below　seemed　just　as　hot；　its　air　as　bereft　of　nourishment　for　his　lungs　as　the　one　he　had　just　quitted。　He　crawled　on；　barely　conscious　of　the　fact　that　he　moved　on　two　lacerated　knees　and　one　bloody　hand。　His　other　arm　just　hung　and　dragged；　a　twisted　and　blackened　length　of　debris；　and　only　the　blessings　of　deep　shock　kept　him　from　screaming　with　unbearable　pain。　
　　He　crawled　on；　over　a　sill；　through　a　passageway。　The　air　was　clearer　here　and　much　cooler：　he　sat　up　and…　inhaled　its　blessed　freshness。　The　partment　was　familiar…yet　unfamiliar…he　blinked　at　it；　trying　to　understand　why。　Long　and　narrow；　with　a　curved　wall　that　had　the　butt　ends　of　immense　guns　projecting　from　it。　The　main　battery；　of　course；　the　guns　Chinger　spy　Eager　Beager　had　photographed。　Different　now；　the　ceiling　closer　to　the　deck；　bent　and　dented；　as　if　some　gigantic　hammer　had　beat　on　it　from　the　outside。　There　was　a　man　slumped　in　the　gunner's　seat　of　the　nearest　weapon。
　　〃What　happened？〃　Bill　asked；　dragging　himself　over　to　the　man　and　clutching　him　by　the　shoulder。　Surprisingly　enough　the　gunner　only　weighed　a　few　pounds；　and　he　fell　from　the　seat；　light　as　a　husk；　with　a　shriveled　parchment　face　as　though　not　a　drop　of　liquid　were　left　in　his　body。
　　〃Dehydrator　Ray；〃　Bill　grunted。　〃I　thought　they　only　had　them　on　TV。〃　The　gunner's　seat　was　padded　and　looked　very　fortable；　far　more　so　than　the　warped　steel　deck：　Bill　slid　into　the　recently　vacated　position　and　stared　with　unseeing　eyes　at。　the　screen　before　him。　Little　moving　blobs　of　light。
　　In　large　letters；　just　above　the　screen；　was　printed：　GREEN　LIGHTS　OUR　SHIPS；　RED　LIGHTS　ENEMY。　FORGETTING　THIS　Is　A　COURTS…MARTIAL　OFFENSE。　〃I　won't　forget；〃　Bill　mumbled；　as　he　started　to　slide　sideways　from　the　chair。　To　steady　himself　he　grabbed　a　large　handle　that　rose　before　him；　and　when　he　did　a　circle　of　light　with　an　X　in　it　moved　on　the　screen。　It　was　very　interesting。　He　put　the　circle　around　one　of　the　green　lights；　then　remembered　something　about　a　courtsmartial　offense。　He　jiggled　it　a　bit；　and　it　moved　over　to；a　red　light；　with　the　X　right　over　the　light。　There　was　a　red　button　on　top　of　the　handle；　and　he　pressed　it　because　it　looked　like　the　kind　of　button　that　is　made　to　be　pressed。　The　gun　next　to　him　went　wh　f　f　le　。　。　。　in　a　very　subdued　way；　and　the　red　light　went　out。　Not　very　interesting；　he　let　go　of　the　handle。　
　　〃Oh；　but　you　are　a　fighting　fool！〃　a　voice　said；　and；　with　some　effort；　Bill　turned　his　head。　A　man　stood　in　the　doorway　wearing　a　burned　and　tattered　uniform　still　hung　with　shreds　of　gold　braid。　He　weaved　forward。　〃I　saw　it；〃　he　breathed。　〃Until　my　dying　day　I　won't　forget　it。　A　fighting　fooll　What　guts！　Fearless！　Forward　against　the　enemy；　no　holds　barred；　don't　give　up　the　ship　。　。　。〃
　　〃What　the　bowb　you　talking　about？〃　Bill　asked　thickly。
　　〃A　hero！〃　the　officer　said；　pounding　Bill　on　the　back；　this　caused　a　great　deal　of　pain　and　was　the　last　straw　for　his　conscious　mind；　which　let　go　the　reins　of　mand　and　went　away　to　sulk。　Bill　passed　out。

VIII

　　〃Now　won't　you　be　a　nice　trooper…wooper　and　drink　your　dinner。。。〃
　　The　warn　notes　of　the　voice　insinuated　themselves　into　a　singularly　repulsive　dream　that　Bill　was　only　too　glad　to　leave；　and；　with　a　great　deal　of　effort；　he　managed　to　heave　his　eyes　open。　A　quick　bit　of　blinking　got　them　into　focus；　and　he　saw　before　him　a　cup　on　a　tray　held　by　a　white　hand　attached　to　a　white　arm　connected　to　a　white　uniform　well　stuffed　with　female　breasts。　With　a　guttural　animal　growl　Bill　knocked　the　tray　aside　and　hurled　himself　at　the　dress。　He　didn't　make　it；　because　his　left　arm　was　wrapped　up　in　something　and　hung　from　wires；　so　that　he　spun　around　in　the　bed　like　an　impaled　beetle；　still　uttering　harsh　cries。　The　nurse　shrieked　and　fled。
　　〃Glad　to　see　that　you　are　feeling　better；〃　the　doctor　said；　whipping　him　straight　in　the　bed　with　a　practiced　gesture　and　numbing　Bill's　still　flailing　right　arm　with　a　neat　judo　blow。　〃I'll　pour　you　some　more　dinner；　and　you　drink　it　right　down；　then　we'll　let　your　buddies　in　for　the　unveiling；　they're　all　waiting　outside。〃
　　The　tingling　was　dying　from　his　arm；　and　he　could　wrap　his　fingers　about　the　cup　now。　He　sipped。　〃What　buddies？　What　unveiling？　What's　going　on　here？〃　he　asked　suspiciously。
　　Then　the　door　was　opened；　and　the　troopers　came　in。　Bill　searched　their　faces；　looking　for　buddies；　but　all　he　saw　were　ex…welders　and　strangers。　Then　he　remembered。　〃Bowb　Brown　cooked！〃　he　screamed。　〃Tembo　broiled！　First　Class　Spleen　guttedl　They're　all　dead！〃　He　hid　under　the　covers　and　moaned　horribly。
　　〃That's　no　way　for　a　hero　to　act；〃　the　doctor　said；　dragging　him　back　onto　the　pillows　and　tucking　the　covers　under　his　arms。　〃You're　a　hero；　trooper；　the　man　whose　guts；　ingenuity；　integrity；　stick…to…itiveness；　fighting　spirit；　and　deadly　aim　saved　the　ship。　All　the　screens　were　down；　the　power　room　destroyed；　the　gunners　dead；　control　lost；　and　the　enemy　dreadnaught　zeroing　in　for　the　kill　when　you　appeared　like　an　avenging　angel；　wounded　and　near　to　death；　and　with　your　last　conscious　effort　fired　the　shot　heard　round　the　fleet；　the　single　blast　that　disemboweled　the　enemy　and　saved　our　ship；　the　grand　old　lady　of　the　fleet；　Christine　Keeler。〃　He　handed　a　sheet　of　paper　to　Bill。　〃I　am　of　course　quoting　from　the　official　report；　me　myself；　I　think　it　was　just　a　lucky　accident　。
　　You're　just　jealous；〃　Bill　sneered；　already　falling　in　love　with　his　new　image。
　　〃Don't　get　Freudian　with　me！〃　the　doctor　screamed；　then　snuffled　pitifully。　〃I　always　wanted　to　be　a　hero；　but　all　I　do　is　wait　hand　and　foot　on　heroes。　I'm　taking　that　bandage　off　now。〃
　　He　unclipped　the　wires　that　held　up　Bill's　arm　and　began　to　unwind　the　bandages　while　the　troopers　crowded　around　to　watch。
　　〃How　is　my　arm；　Doc？〃　Bill　was　suddenly　worried。
　　〃Grilled　like　a　chop。　I　had　to　cut　it　off。〃
　　〃Then　what　is　this？〃　Bill　shrieked；　horrified。
　　〃Another　arm　that　I　sewed　on。　There　were　lots　of　them　left　over　after　the　battle。　The　ship　had　over　42　per　cent　casualties；　and　I　was　really　cutting　and　chopping　and　sewing；　I　tell　you。〃
　　The　last　bandage　fell　away　and　the　troopers　ahhhed　with　delight。
　　〃Say；　that's　a　mighty　fine　arm！〃
　　〃Make　it　do　something。〃
　　〃And　a　damn　nice　seam　there　at　the　shoulder…look　how　neat　the　stitches　are！〃
　　〃Plenty　of　muscles；　too；　and　good　and　long；　not　like　the　crummy　little　short　one　he　has　on　the　other　side。〃
　　〃Longer　and　darker…that's　a　great　skin　color！〃
　　〃It's　Tembo's　arm！〃　Bill　howled。　〃Take　it　away！〃　He　squirmed　across　the　bed　but　the　arm　came　after　him。　They　propped　him　up　again　on　the　pillows。
　　〃You're　a　lucky　bowb；　Bill；　having　a　good　arm　like　that。　And　your　buddy's　arm　too。〃
　　〃We　know　that　he　wanted　you　to　have　it。〃
　　〃You'll　always　have　something　to　remember　him　by。〃
　　It　really　wasn't　a　bad　arm。　Bill　bent　it　and　flexed　the　fingers；　still　looking　at　it　suspiciously。　It　felt　all　right。　He　reached　out　with　it　and　grabbed　a　trooper's　arm　and　squeezed。　He　could　feel　the　man's　bones　grating　together　while　he　screamed　and　writhed。　Then　Bill　looked　closer　at　the　hand　and　began　to　shout　curses　at　the　doctor。
　　〃You　stupid　sawbones！　You　thoat　doctorl　Some　big　jobthis　is　a　right　arms〃
　　〃So　it's　a　right　arm…so　what？〃
　　〃But　you　cut　off　my　left　arml　Now　I　have　two　right　arms　。　。　。〃
　　〃Listen；　there　was　a　shortage　of　left　arms。　I'm　no　miracle　worker。　I　do　my　best　and　all　I　get　are　plaints。　Be　happy　I　didn't　sew　on　a　leg。〃　He　leered　evilly。　〃Or　even　better　I　didn't　sew　on　a　。　。　。〃
　　〃It's　a　good　arm；　Bill；〃　said　the　trooper　who　was　rubbing　his　recently　crushed　forearm。　〃And　you're　really　lucky　too。　Now　you　can　salute　with　either　arm；　no　one　else　can　do　that。〃
　　〃You're　right；〃　Bill　said　humbly。　〃I　never　thought　of　that。　I'm　really　very　lucky。〃　He　tried　a　salute　with　his　left…right　arm；　and　the　elbow　whipped　up　nicely　and　the　fingertips　qui