一无所有-第29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！




〃What's　the　mattery

〃I　want　to　know　whether　you　know　what　you're　doing　here。〃

After　a　pause　Shevek　said；　〃I　think　I　do。〃

〃You　are　aware；　then；　that　you've　been　bought？〃

〃Bought？〃

〃Call　it　coopted；　if　you　like。　Listen。　No　matter　how　intelligent　a　man　is；　he　can't　see　what　he　doesn't　know　how　to　see。　How　can　you　understand　your　situation；　here；　in　a　capitalist　economy；　a　plutocraticoligarchic　State？　How　can　you　see　it；　ing　from　your　little　mune　of　starving　idealists　up　there　in　the　sky？〃

〃Chifoilisk；　there　aren't　many　idealists　left　on　Anarres；　I　assure　you。　The　Settlers　were　idealists；　yes；　to　leave　this　world　for　our　deserts。　But　that　was　seven　generations　ago！　Our　society　is　practical。　Maybe　too　practical；　too　much　concerned　with　survival　only。　What　is　idealistic　about　social　cooperation；　mutual　aid；　when　it　is　the　only　means　of　staying　alive？〃

〃I　can't　argue　the　values　of　Odonianism　with　you。　Not　that　I　havent　wanted　to！　I　do　know　something　about　it；　you　know。　We're　a　lot　closer　to　it；　in　my　country；　than　these　people　are。　We're　products　of　the　same　great　revolutionary　movement　of　the　eighth　century　—　we're　socialists；　like　you。〃

〃But　you　are　archists。　The　State　of　Thu　is　even　more　centralized　than　the　State　of　AIo。　One　power　structure　controls　all；　the　government；　administration；　police；　army；　education；　laws；　trades；　manufactures。　And　you　have　the　money　economy。〃

〃A　money　economy　based　on　the　principle　that　each　worker　is　paid　as　he　deserves；　for　the　value　of　his　labor　—　not　by　capitalists　whom　he's　forced　to　serve；　but　by　the　state　of　which　he's　a　member！〃

〃Does　he　establish　the　value　of　his　own　labor？〃

〃Why　dont　you　e　to　Thu　and　see　how　real　socialism　functions？〃

〃I　know　how　real　socialism　functions；〃　Shevek　said。　〃I　could　tell　you；　but　would　your　government　let　me　explain　it；　in　Thu？〃

Chifoilisk　kicked　a　log　that　had　not　yet　caught。　　His　expression　as　he　stared　down　into　the　fire　was　bitter；　the　lines　between　the　nose　and　the　ers　of　his　lips　cut　deep。　He　did　not　answer　Shevek's　question。　He　said　at　last；　〃I'm　not　going　to　try　to　play　games　with　you。　It's　no　good；　anyhow　I　won't　do　it。　What　I　have　to　ask　you　is　this：　would　you　be　willing　to　e　to　Thu？〃

〃Not　now；　Chifoilisk。〃

〃But　what　can　you　acplish　—　here？〃

〃My　work。　And　also；　here　I　am　near　the　seat　of　the　Council　of　World　Governments—〃

〃The　CWG？　They've　been　in　AIo's　pocket　for　thirty　years。　Don't　look　to　them　to　save　you！〃

A　pause。　〃Am　I　in　danger；　then？〃

〃You　didn't　realize　even　that？〃

Another　pause。

〃Against　whom　do　you　warn　me？〃　Shevek　asked。

〃Against　Pae；　in　the　first　place。〃

〃Oh；　yea；　Pae。〃　Shevek　leaned　his　hands　against　the　ornate；　goldinlaid　mantelpiece。　〃Pae　is　a　pretty　good　physicist。　And　very　obliging。　But　I　don't　trust　him。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃Well。。。　he　evades。〃

〃Yes。　An　acute　psychological　Judgment。　But　Pae　isn't　dangerous　to　you　because　he's　personally　slippery；　Shevek。　He's　dangerous　to　you　because　he　is　a　loyal；　ambitious　agent　of　the　loti　Government。　He　reports　on　you；　and　on　me；　regularly　to　the　Department　of　National　Security　—　the　secret　police。　I　don't　underestimate　you。　God　knows；　but　don't　you　see；　your　habit　of　approaching；　everybody　as　a　person；　an　individual；　won't　do　here；　it　won't　work！　You　have　got　to　understand　the　powers　behind　the　individuals。〃

While　Chifoilisk　spoke；　Shevek's　relaxed　posture　had　stiffened；　he　now　stood　straight；　like　Chifoilisk；　looking　down　at　the　fire。　He　said；　〃How　do　you　know　that　about　Pae？〃

〃By　the　same　means　I　know　that　your　room　contains　a　concealed　microphone；　just　as　mine　does。　Because　it's　my　business　to　know　it。〃

〃Are　you　also　an　agent　of　your　government？〃

Chifoilisk's　face　closed　down；　then　he　turned　suddenly　to　Shevek；　speaking　softly　and　with　hatred；　〃Yes；〃　by　said；　〃of　course　I　am。　If　I　weren't　I　wouldn't　be　here。　Everyone　knows　that。　My　government　sends　abroad　only　men　whom　it　can　trust。　And　they　can　trust　me！　Because　I　haven't　been　bought；　like　all　these　damned　rich　loti　professors。　I　believe　in　my　government；　in　my　country。　I　have　faith　in　them。〃　He　forced　his　words　out　in　a　kind　of　torment。　〃You've　got　to　look　around　you；　Shevek！　You're　a　child　among　thieves。　They're　good　to　you；　they　give　you　a　nice　room；　lectures；　students；　money；　tours　of　castles；　tours　of　model　factories；　visits　to　pretty　villages。　All　the　best。　All　lovely；　fine！　But　why？　Why　do　they　bring　you　here　from　the　Moon；　praise　you；　print　your　books；　keep　you　so　safe　and　snug　in　the　lecture　rooms　and　laboratories　and　libraries？　Do　you　think　they　do　it　out　of　scientific　disinterest；　out　of　brotherly　love？　This　is　a　profit　economy；　Shevek！〃

〃I　know；　I　came　to　bargain　with　it〃

〃Bargain　—　what？　For　what？〃

Shevek's　face　had　taken　on　the　cold；　grave　look　it　had　worn　when　he　left　the　Fort　in　Drio。　〃You　know　what　I　want；　Chifoilisk。　I　want　my　people　to　e　out　of　exile。　I　came　here　because　I　don't　think　you　want　that；　in　Thu。　You　are　afraid　of　us；　there。　You　fear　we　might　bring　back　the　revolution；　the　old　one；　the　real　one；　the　revolution　for　justice　which　you　began　and　then　stopped　halfway。　Here　in　AIo　they　fear　me　less　because　they　have　fotten　the　revolution。　They　don't　believe　in　it　any　more。　They　think　if　people　can　possess　enough　things　they　will　be　content　to　live　in　prison。　But　I　will　not　believe　that。　　I　want　the　walls　down。　I　want　solidarity；　human　solidarity。　I　want　free　exchange　between　Urras　and　Anarres。　I　worked　for　it　as　I　could　on　Anarres；　now　I　work　for　it　as　I　can　on　Urras。　There；　I　acted。　Here；　I　bargain。〃

〃With　what？〃

〃Oh；　you　know；　Chifoilisk；〃　Shevek　said　in　a　low　voice；　with　diffidence。　〃You　know　what　it　is　they　want　from　me。〃

〃Yes；　I　know；　but　I　didn't　know　you　did；〃　the　Thuvian　said；　also　speaking　low；　his　harsh　voice　became　a　harsher　murmur；　all　breath　and　fricatives。　〃You've　got　it；　then　—　the　General　Temporal　Theory？〃

Shevek　looked　at　him；　perhaps　with　a　touch　of　irony。

Chifoilisk　insisted：　〃Does　it　exist　in　writing？〃

Shevek　continued　to　look　at　him　for　a　minute；　and　then；　answered　directly；　〃No。〃

〃Good！〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because　if　it　did；　they'd　have　it。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃Just　that。　Listen；　wasn't　it　Odo　who　said　that　where　there's　property　there's　theft？〃

〃'To　make　a　thief；　make　an　owner；　to　create　crime；　create　laws。'　The　Social　anism。〃

〃All　right。　Where　there　are　papers　in　locked　rooms；　there　are　people　with　keys　to　the　rooms！〃

Shevek　winced。　〃Yes；〃　he　said　presently；　〃this　is　very　disagreeable。〃

〃To　you。　Not　to　me。　I　haven't　your　individualistic　moral　scruples；　you　know。　I　knew　you　didn't　have　the　Theory　down　in　writing。　If　I'd　thought　you　had；　I　would　have　made　every　effort　to　get　it　from　you；　by　persuasion；　by　theft；　by　force　if　I　thought　we　could　abduct　you　without　bringing　on　a　war　with　AIo。　Anything；　so　that　I　could　get　it　away　from　these　fat　loti　capitalists　and　into　the　hands　of　the　Central　Presidium　of　my　country。　Because　the　highest　cause　I　can　ever　serve　is　the　strength　and　welfare　of　my　country。〃

〃You　are　lying；〃　Shevet　said　peaceably。　〃I　think　you　are　a　patriot；　yes。　But　you　set　above　patriotism　your　respect　for　the　truth；　scientific　truth；　and　perhaps　also　your　loyalty　to　individual　persons。　You　would　not　betray　me。〃

〃I　would　if　I　could；〃　Chifoilisk　said　savagely。　He　started　to　go　on；　stopped；　and　finally　said　with　angry　resignation；　〃Think　as　you　please。　I　cant　open　your　eyes　for　you。　But　remember；　we　want　you。　If　you　finally　see　what's　going　on　here；　then　e　to　Thu。　You　picked　the　wrong　people　to　try　to　make　brothers　of！　And　if　—　I　have　no　business　saying　this。　But　it　doesn't　matter。　If　you　won't　e　to　us　in　Thu；　at　least　don't　give　your　Theory　to　the　loti。　Don't　give　the　usurers　anything！　Get　out。　Go　home。　Give　your　own　people　what　you　have　to　give！〃

〃They　don't　want　it；〃　Shevek　said；　expressionless。　〃Do　you　think　I　did　not　try？〃

Pour　or　five　days　later　Shevek；　asking　after　Chifoilisk；　was　informed　that　he　had　gone　back　to　Thu。　〃To　stay？　He　didn't　tell　me　he　was　leaving。〃

〃A　Thuvian　never　knows　when　he's　going　to　get　an　order　from　his　Presidium；〃　Pae　said；　for　of　course　it　was　Pae　who　told　Shevek。　〃He　just　knows　that　when　it　es　he'd　better　hop。　And　n