一无所有-第44部分

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ssion。　He　was　a　little　frightened。

He　had　vaguely　imagined　wandering　about　the　city　and　getting　into　conversation　with　people；　members　of　the　unpropertied　class；　if　there　still　was　such　a　thing；　or　the　working　classes；　as　they　called　them。　But　all　these　people　hurried　along；　on　business；　wanting　no　idle　talk；　no　waste　of　their　valuable　time。　Their　hurry　infected　him。　He　must　go　somewhere；　he　thought；　as　he　came　out　into　the　sunlight　and　the　crowded　magnificence　of　Moie　Street。　Where？　The　National　Library？　The　Zoo？　But　he　did　not　want　to　sightsee。

Irresolute；　he　stopped　in　front　of　a　shop　near　the　station　that　sold　newspapers　and　trinkets。　The　headline　of　the　paper　said　THU　SENDS　TROOPS　TO　AID　BENBILI　REBELS；　but　he　did　not　react　to　it　He　looked　at　the　color　photographs　in　the　rack；　instead　of　tfae　newspaper。　It　occurred　to　him　that　he　had　no　mementos　of　Urras。　When　one　traveled　one　ought　to　bring　back　a　souvenir。　He　liked　the　photographs；　scenes　of　AIo；　the　mountains　he　had　climbed；　the　skyscrapers　of　Nio；　the　university　chapel　（almost　the　view　out　his　window）；　a　farm　girl　in　pretty　provincial　dress；　the　towers　of　Rodarred；　and　the　one　that　had　first　caught　his　eye；　a　baby　sheep　in　a　flowered　meadow；　kicking　its　legs　and；　apparently；　laughing。　Little　Pilun　would　like　that　sheep。　He　selected　one　of　each　card　and　took　them　to　the　counter。　〃And　five's　fifty　and　the　lamb　makes　it　sixty；　and　a　map；　right　you　are；　sir；　one　forty。　Nice　day；　spring's　here　at　last；　isn't　it；　sir？　Nothing　smaller　than　that；　sir？〃　Shevek　had　produced　a　twentyunit　bank　note。　He　fumbled　out　the　change　he　had　received　when　he　bought　his　ticket；　and；　with　a　little　study　of　the　denominations　of　the　bills　and　coins；　got　together　one　unit　forty。　〃That's　right；　sir。　Thank　you　and　have　a　pleasant　day！〃

Did　the　money　buy　the　politeness；　as　well　as　the　postcards　and　the　map？　How　polite　would　the　shopkeeper　have　been　if　he　had　e　in　as　an　Anarresti　came　in　to　a　goods　depository：　to　take　what　he　wanted；　nod　to　the　registrar；　and　walk　out？

No　use；　no　use　thinking　this　way。　When　in　the　Land　of　Property　think　like　a　propertarian。　Dress　like　one；　eat　like　one；　act　like　one；　be　one。

There　were　no　parks　in　downtown　Nio；　the　land　was　far　too　valuable　to　waste　on　amenity。　He　kept　getting　deeper　into　the　same　great；　glittering　streets　that　he　had　been　taken　through　many　times。　He　came　to　Saemtenevia　Street　and　crossed　it　hurriedly；　not　wanting　a　repetition　of　the　daylight　nightmare。　Now　he　was　in　the　mercial　district。　Banks；　office　buildings；　government　buildings。　Was　all　Nio　Esseia　this？　Huge　shining　boxes　of　stone　and　glass；　immense；　ornate；　enormous　packages；　empty；　empty。

Passing　a　groundfloor　window　marked　Art　Gallery；　he　turned　in；　thinking　to　escape　the　moral　claustrophobia　of　the　streets　and　find　the　beauty　of　Urras　again　in　a　museum。　But　all　the　pictures　in　the　museum　had　price　tickets　attached　to　their　frames。　He　stared　at　a　skillfully　painted　nude。　Her　ticket　read　4；000　IMU。　〃That's　a　Fei　Feite；〃　said　a　dark　man　appearing　noiselessly　at　his　elbow。　〃We　had　five　a　week　ago。　Biggest　thing　on　the　art　market　before　long。　A　Feite　is　a　sure　investment；　sir。〃

〃Four　thousand　units　is　the　money　it　costs　to　keep　two　families　alive　for　a　year　in　this　city；〃　Shevek　said。

The　man　inspected　him　and　said　drawling；　〃yes；　well；　you　see；　sir；　that　happens　to　be　a　work　of　art。〃

〃Art？　A　man　makes　art　because　he　has　to。　Why　was　that　made？〃

〃You're　an　artist；　I　take　it；〃　the　roan　said；　now　with　open　insolence。

〃No；　I　am　a　man　who　knows　shit　when　he　sees　it！〃　The　dealer　shrank　back。　When　he　was　out　of　Shevek's　reach；　he　began　to　say　something　about　the　police。　Shevek　grimaced　and　strode　out　of　the　shop。　Halfway　down　the　block　he　stopped。　He　couldn't　go　on　this　way。

But　where　could　he　go？

To　someone　。。。　to　someone；　another　person。　A　human　being。　Someone　who　would　give　help；　not　sell　it　Who？　Where？

He　thought　of　Oiie'g　children；　the　little　boys　who　liked　him；　and　for　some　time　could　think　of　no　one　else。　Then　an　image　rose　in　his　mind；　distant　smau；　and　clear：　Oiie's　sister。　What　was　her　name？　Promise　you'll　call；　she　had　said；　and　since　then　she　bad　twice　written　him　invitations　to　dinner　parties；　in　a　bold　childish　hand；　on　thick；　sweetscented　paper。　He　had　ignored　them；　among　all　the　invitations　from　strangers。　Now　he　remembered　them。

He　remembered　at　the　same　time　the　other　message；　the　one　that　had　appeared　inexplicably　in　his　coat　pocket：　Join　with　us　your　brothers。　But　he　could　not　find　any　brothers；　on　Urras。

He　went　into　the　nearest　shop。　It　was　a　sweetshop；　all　golden　scrolls　and　pink　plaster；　with　rows　of　glass　rases　full　of　boxes　and　tins　and　baskets　of　candies　and　confections。　pink；　brown；　cream；　gold。　He　asked　the　woman　behind　the　cases　if　she　would　help　him　find　a　telephone　number。　He　was　now　subdued；　after　his　fit　of　bad　temper　in　the　art　dealer's；　and　so　humbly　ignorant　and　foreign　that　the　woman　was　won　over。　She　not　only　helped　him　look　up　the　name　in　the　ponderous　directory　of　telephone　numbers；　but　placed　the　call　for　him　on　the　shop　phone。

〃Hello？〃

He　said；　〃Shevek。〃　Then　he　stopped。　The　telephone　to　him　was　a　vehicle　of　urgent　needs；　notifications　of　deaths；　births；　and　earthquakes。　He　had　no　idea　what　to　say。

〃Who？　Shevek？　Is　it　really？　How　dear　of　you　to　call！　I　don't　mind　waking　up　at　all　if　it's　you。〃

〃You　were　sleeping？〃

〃Sound　asleep；　and　I'm　still　in　bed。　It's　lovely　and　warm。　Where　on　earth　are　you？〃

〃On　Kae　Sekae　Street；　I　think。〃

〃Whatever　for？　e　on　out。　What　time　is　it？　Good　Lord；　nearly　noon。　I　know；　I'll　meet　you　halfway。　By　the　boat　pool　in　the　Old　Palace　gardens。　Can　you　find　it？　Listen；　you　must　stay；　I'm　having　an　absolutely　paradisial　party　tonight。〃　She　rattled　on　awhile；　he　agreed　to　all　she　said。　As　he　came　out　past　the　counter　the　shopwoman　smiled　at　him。　〃Better　take　her　a　box　of　sweets；　hadn't　you；　sir？〃

He　stopped。　〃Should　I？〃

〃Never　does　any　harm；　sir。〃

There　was　something　impudent　and　genial　in　her　voice。　The　air　of　the　shop　was　sweet　and　warm；　as　if　all　the　perfumes　of　spring　were　crowded　into　it。　Shevek　stood　there　amidst　the　cases　of　pretty　little　luxuries；　tall；　heavy；　dreamy；　like'the　heavy　animals　in　their　pens；　the　rams　and　bulls　stupefied　by　the　yearning　warmth　of　spring。

〃I'll　make　you　up　just　the　thing；〃　the　woman　said；　and　she　filled　a　little　metal　box；　exquisitely　enameled；　with　miniature　leaves　of　chocolate　and　roses　of　spun　sugar。　She　wrapped　the　tin　in　tissue　paper；　put　the　packet　in　a　silvered　cardboard　box；　wrapped　the　box　in　heavy　rosecolored　paper；　and　tied　it　with　green　velvet　ribbon。　In　all　her　deft　movements　a　humorous　and　sympathetic　plicity　could　be　sensed；　and　when　she　handed　Shevek　the　pleted　package；　and　he　took　it　with　muttered　thanks　and　turned　to　go；　there　was　no　sharpness　in　her　voice　as　she　reminded　him；　〃That's　ten　sixty；　sir。〃　She　might　even　have　let　him　go；　pitying　him；　as　women　will　pity　strength；　but　he　came　back　obediently　and　counted　out　the　money。

He　found　his　way　by　subway　train　to　the　gardens　of　the　Old　Palace；　and　to　the　boat　pool；　where　charmingly　dressed　children　sailed　toy　ships；　marvelous　little　craft　with　silken　cordage　and　brasswork　like　jewelry。　He　saw　Vea　across　the　broad；　bright　circle　of　the　water　and　went　around　the　pool　to　her；　aware　of　the　sunlight；　and　the　spring　wind；　and　the　dark　trees　of　the　park　putting　forth　their　early；　palegreen　leaves。

They　ate　lunch　at　a　restaurant　in　the　park；　on　a　terrace　covered　with　a　high　glass　dome。　In　the　sunlight　inside　the　dome　the　trees　were　in　full　leaf；　willows；　hanging　over　a　pool　where　fat　white　birds　paddled；　watching　the　diners　with　indolent　greed；　awaiting　scraps。　Vea　did　not　take　charge　of　the　ordering；　making　it　clear　that　Shevek　was　in　charge　of　her；　but　skillful　waiters　advised　him　so　smoothly　that　he　thought　he　had　managed　it　all　himself；　and　fortunately　he　had　plenty　of　money　in　his　pocket。　The　food　was　extraordinary。　He　had　never　tasted　such　subtleties　of　flavor。　Used　to　two　meals　a　day；　he　usually　skipped　the　lunch　the　Urrasti　ate；　but　today　he　ate　right　through　it；　while　Vea　delicately　picked　and　pecked。　He　had　to　stop　at　last；　and　she　laughed　at　his　rueful