一无所有-第18部分
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— and replaced it with external motivation and coercion； he would bee a lazy and careless worker。 But no careless workers kept those lovely farmlands； or made the superb cars and fortable trains。 The lure and pulsion of profit was evidently a much more effective replacement of the natural initiative than he had been led to believe。
He would have liked to talk to some of those sturdy； selfrespectinglooking people he saw in the small towns； to ask them for instance if they considered themselves to be poor； for if these were the poor； he had to revise his understanding of the word。 But there never seemed to be time； with all his guides wanted him to see。
The other big cities of AIo were too distant to be reached in a day's tour； but he was taken to Nio Esseia； fifty kilometers from the University； frequently。 A whole series of receptions in his honor was held there。 He did not enjoy these much； they were not at all his idea of a party。 Everyone was very polite and talked a great deal； but not about anything interesting； and they smiled so much they looked anxious。 But their clothes were geous； indeed they seemed to put all the lightheartedness their manner lacked into the clothes； and their food； and all the different things they drank； and the lavish furnishings and ornaments of the rooms in the palaces where the receptions were held。
He was shown the sights of Nio Esseia： a city of five million — a quarter the population of his whole pla。 They took him to Capitol Square and showed him the high bronze doors of the Directorate； the seat of the Government of AIo； he was permitted to witness a debate in the Senate and a mittee meeting of the Directors。 They took him to the Zoo； the National Museum； the Museum of Science and Industry。 They took him to a school； where charming children in blue and white uniforms sang the national anthem of AIo for him。 They took him through an electronic parts factory； a fully automated steel mill； and a nuclear fusion plant； so that he could see how efficiently a propertarian economy ran its manufacturing and power supply。 They took him through a new housing development put up by the government so that he could see how the state looked after its people。 They took him on a boat tour down the Sua Estuary； crowded with shipping from all over the pla； to the sea。 They took him to the High Courts of Law； and he spent a whole day listening to civil and criminal cases being tried； an experience that left him bewildered and appalled； but they insisted that he should see what there was to be seen； and be taken wherever he wanted to go。 When he asked； with some diffidence； if he might see the place where Odo was buried； they whisked him straight to the old cemetery in the TransSua district。 They even allowed newsmen from the disreputable papers to photograph him standing there in the shade of the great old willows； looking at the plain； wellkept tombstone：
Laia Asieo Odo
698769
To be whole is to be part；
true voyage is return。
He was taken to Rodarred； the seat of the Council of World Governments； to address the plenary council of that body。 He had hoped to meet or at least see aliens there； the ambassadors from Terra or from Hain； but the schedule of events was too tightly planned to permit thqat。 He had worked hard on his speech； a plea for free munication and mutual recognition between the New Worid and the Old。 It was received with a tenminute standing ovation。 The respectable weeklies mented on it with approval； calling it a 〃disinterested moral gesture of human brotherhood by a great scientist；〃 but they did not quote from it； not did the popular papers。 In fact； despite the ovation； Shevek had the curious feeling that nobody had heard it。
He was given many privileges and entrees： to the Light Research Laboratories； the National Archives； the Nuclear Technology Laboratories； the National Library in N10； the Accelerator in Mealed； the Space Research Foundation in Drio。 Though everything he saw on Urras made him want to see more； still several weeks of the tourist life was enough： it was all so fascinating； startling； and marvelous that at last it became quite overwhelming。 He wanted to settle down at the University and work and think it all over for a while。 But for a last day's sightseeing he asked to be shown around the Space Research Foundation。 Pae looked very pleased when he made this request。
Much that he had seen recently was awesome to him because it was so old； centuries old； even millennia。 The Foundation； on the contrary； was new： built within the last ten years； in the lavish； elegant style of the times。 The architecture was dramatic。 Great masses of color were used。 Heights and distances were exaggerated。 The laboratories were spacious and airy； the attached factories and machine shops were housed behind splendid NeoSaetan porticos of arches and columns。 The hangars were huge multicolored domes； translucent and fantastic。 The men who worked there were； in contrast； very quiet and solid。 They took Shevek away from his usual escorts and showed him through the whole Foundation； including every stage of the experimental interstellar propulsion system they were working on； from the puters and the drawing boards to a halffinished ship； enormous and surreal in the orange； violet； and yellow light within the vast geodesic hangar。
〃You have so much；〃 Shevek said to the engineer who bad taken charge of him； a man named Oegeo。 〃You have so much to work with； and you work with it so well。 This is magnificent — the coordination； the cooperation； the greatness of the enterprise。〃
〃Couldn't swing anything on this scale where you e from； eh？〃 the engineer said； grinning。
〃Spaceships？ Our space fleet is the ships the Settlers came in from Urras — built here on Urras — nearly two centuries ago。 To build just a ship to carry grain across the sea； a barge； it takes a year's planning； a big effort of our economy。〃
Oegeo nodded。 〃Well； we've got the goods； all right。 But you know； you're the man who can tell us when to scrap this whole job — throw it all away。〃
〃Throw it away？ What do you mean？〃
〃Faster than light travel；〃 Oegeo said。 〃Transilience。 The old physics says it isn't possible。 The Terrans say it isn't possible。 But the Hainish； who after all invented the drive we use now； say that it is possible； only they dont know how to do it； because they're just learning temporal physics from us。 Evidently if it's in anybody's pocket； anybody in the known worlds。 Dr。 Shevek； it's in yours。〃
Shevek looked at him with a distancing stare； his light eyes hard and dear。 〃I am a theoretician； Oegeo。 Not a designer。〃
〃If you provide the theory； the unification of Sequency and Simultaneity in a general field theory of time； then we'll design the ships。 And arrive on Terra； or Hain； or the next galaxy； in the instant we leave Urras！ This tub；〃 and he looked down the hangar at the looming framework of the halfbuilt ship swimming in shafts of violet and orange light； 〃will be as outdated as an oxcart。〃
〃You dream as you build； superbly；〃 Shevek said； still withdrawn and stern。 There was much more that Oegeo and the others wanted to show him and discuss with him； but before long he said； with a simplicity that precluded any ironic intention； 〃I think you had better take me back to the keepers。〃
They did so； they bade farewell with mutual warmth。 Shevek got into the car； and then got out again。 〃I was fetting；〃 he said； 〃is there time to see one other thing in Drio？〃
〃There isn't anything else in Drio；〃 Pae said； polite as ever and trying hard to hide his annoyance over Shevek's fivehour escapade among the engineers。
〃I should like to see the fort〃
〃What fort； sir？〃
〃An old castle； from the times of the kings。 It was used later as a prison。〃
〃Anything like that would have been torn down。 The Foundation rebuilt the town entirely。〃
When they were in the car and the chauffeur was closing the doors； Chifoilisk （another probable source of Pae's ill humor） asked； 〃What did you want to see another castle for； Shevek？ Should have thought you'd had enough old ruins to hold you for a while。〃
〃The Fort in Drio was where Odo spent nine years；〃 Shevek replied。 His
