一无所有-第45部分

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h　it；　while　Vea　delicately　picked　and　pecked。　He　had　to　stop　at　last；　and　she　laughed　at　his　rueful　look。

〃I　ate　too　much。〃

〃A　little　walk　might　help。〃

It　was　a　very　little　walk：　a　slow　tenminute　stroll　over　the　grass；　and　then　Vea　collapsed　gracefully　in　the　shade　of　a　high　bank　of　shrubs；　all　bright　with　golden　flowers。　He　sat　down　by　her。　A　phrase　Takver　used　came　into　his　mind　as　he　looked　at　Vea's　slender　feet；　decorated　with　little　white　shoes　on　very　high　heels。　〃A　body　profiteer；〃　Takver　called　women　who　used　their　sexuality　as　a　weapon　in　a　power　struggle　with　men。　To　look　at　her；　Vea　was　the　body　profiteer　to　end　them　all。　Shoes；　clothes；　cosmetics；　jewels；　gestures；　everything　about　her　asserted　provocation。　She　was　so　elaborately　and　ostentatiously　a　female　body　that　she　seemed　scarcely　to　be　a　human　being。　She　incarnated　all　the　sexuality　the　loti　repressed　into　their　dreams；　their　novels　and　poetry；　their　endless　paintings　of　female　nudes；　their　music；　their　architecture　with　its　curves　and　domes；　their　candies；　their　baths；　the　mattresses。　She　was　the　woman　in　the　table。

Her　head；　entirely　shaven；　had　been　dusted　with　a　talc　containing　tiny　flecks　of　mica　dust；　so　that　a　faint　glitter　obscured　the　nakedness　of　the　contours。　She　wore　a　filmy　shawl　or　stole；　under　which　the　forms　and　texture　of　her　bare　arms　showed　softened　and　sheltered。　Her　breasts　were　covered：　loti　women　did　not　go　outside　with　naked　breasts；　reserving　their　nudity　for　its　owners。　Her　wrists　were　laden　with　gold　bracelets；　and　in　the　hollow　of　her　throat　a　single　jewel　shone　blue　against　the　soft　skin。

〃How　does　that　stay　there？〃

〃What？〃　Since　she　could　not　see　the　jewel　herself　she　could　pretend　to　be　unaware　of　it；　obliging　him　to　point；　perhaps　to　bring　his　hand　up　over　her　breasts　to　touch　the　jewel。　Shevek　smiled；　and　touched　it。　〃It　is　glued　on？〃

〃Oh；　that。　No；　I've　got　a　tiny　little　mag　set　in　there；　and　it's　got　a　tiny　little　bit　of　metal　on　the　back；　or　is　it　the　other　way　round？　Anyhow；　we　stick　together。〃

〃You　have　a　mag　under　your　skin？〃　Shevek　inquired　with　unsophisticated　distaste。

Yea　smiled　and　removed　the　sapphire　so　he　could　see　that　there　was　nothing　but　the　tiniest　silver　dimple　of　a　scar。　〃You　do　disapprove　of　me　so　totally　—　it's　refreshing。　I　feel　that　whatever　I　say　or　do；　I　can't　possibly　lower　myself　in　your　opinion；　because　I've　already　reached　bottom！〃

〃That　is　not　so；〃　he　protested。　He　knew　she　was　playing；　but　knew　few　of　the　rules　of　the　game。

〃No；　no；　I　know　moral　horror　when　I　see　it。　Like　this。〃　She　put　on　a　dismal　scowl；　they　both　laughed。　〃Am　I　so　different　from　Anarresti　women；　really？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　really。〃

〃Are　they　all　terribly　strong；　with　muscles？　Do　they　wear　boots；　and　have　big　flat　feet；　and　sensible　clothing；　and　shave　once　a　month？〃

'They　don't　shave　at　all。〃

〃Never？　Not　anywhere？　Oh；　Lord！　Let's　talk　about　something　else。〃

〃About　you。〃　He　leaned　on　the　grassy　bank；　near　enough　to　Vea　that　he　was　surrounded　by　the　natural　and　artificial　perfumes　of　her　body。　〃I　want　to　know；　is　an　Urrasti　woman　content　to　be　always　inferior？〃

〃Inferior　to　whom？〃

〃To　men。〃

〃Oh　—　that！　What　makes　you　think　I　am？〃

〃It　seems　that　everything　your　society　does　is　done　by　men。　The　industry；　arts；　management；　government；　decisions。　And　all　your　life　you　bear　the　father's　name　and　the　husband's　name。　The　men　go　to　school　and　you　don't　go　to　school；　they　are　all　the　teachers；　and　judges；　and　police；　and　government；　aren't　they？　Why　do　you　let　them　control　everything？　Why　don't　you　do　what　you　like？〃

〃But　we　do。　Women　do　exactly　as　they　like。　And　they　don't　have　to　get　their　hands　dirty；　or　wear　brass　helmets；　or　stand　about　shouting　in　the　Directorate；　to　do　it。〃

〃But　what　is　it　that　you　do？〃

〃Why；　run　the　men；　of　course！　And　you　know；　it's　perfectly　safe　to　tell　them　that；　because　they　never　believe　it。　They　say；　'Haw　haw；　funny　little　woman！'　and　pat　your　head　and　stalk　off　with　their　medals　jangling；　perfectly　selfcontent。〃

〃And　you　too　are　selfcontent？〃

〃Indeed　I　am。〃

〃I　don't　believe　it。〃

〃Because　it　doesn't　fit　your　principles。　Men　always　have　theories；　and　things　always　have　to　fit　them。〃

〃No；　not　because　of　theories；　because　I　can　see　that　you　are　not　content。　That　you　are　restless；　unsatisfied；　dangerous。〃

〃Dangerous！〃　Vea　laughed　radiantly。　〃What　an　utterly　marvelous　pliment！　Why　am　I　dangerous；　Shevek？〃

〃Why；　because　you　know　that　in　the　eyes　of　men　you　are　a　thing；　a　thing　owned；　bought；　sold。　And　so　you　think　only　of　tricking　the　owners；　of　getting　revenge—〃

She　put　her　small　hand　deliberately　on　his　mouth。　〃Hush；〃　she　said。　〃I　know　you　don't　intend　to　be　vulgar。　I　five　you。　But　that's　quite　enough。〃

He　scowled　savagely　at　the　hypocrisy；　and　at　the　realization　that　he　might　really　have　hurt　her。　He　could　still　feel　the　brief　touch　of　her　hand　on　his　lips。　〃I　am　sorry！〃　he　said。

〃No；　no。　How　can　you　understand；　ing　from　the　Moon？　And　you're　only　a　man；　anyway。　。　。　。　I'll　tell　you　something；　though。　If　you　took　one　of　your　'sisters'　up　there　on　the　Moon；　and　gave　her　a　chance　to　take　off　her　boots；　and　have　an　oil　bath　and　a　depilation；　and　put　on　a　pair　of　pretty　sandals；　and　a　belly　jewel；　and　perfume；　she'd　love　it。　And　you'd　love　it　too！　Oh；　you　would！　But　you　won't；　you　poor　things　with　your　theories。　All　brothers　and　sisters　and　no　fun！〃

〃You　are　right；〃　Shevek　said；　〃No　fun。　Never。　All　day　long　on　Anarres　we　dig　lead　in　the　bowels　of　the　mines；　and　when　night　es；　after　our　meal　of　three　holum　grains　cooked　in　one　spoonful　of　brackish　water；　we　antiphonally　recite　the　Sayings　of　Odo；　until　it　is　time　to　go　to　bed。　Which　we　all　do　separately；　and　wearing　boots。〃

His　fluency　in　lotic　was　not　sufficient　to　permit　him　the　word　flight　this　might　have　been　in　his　own　language；　one　of　his　sudden　fantasies　which　only　Takver　and　Sadik　had　heard　often　enough　to　get　used　to；　but；　lame　as　it　was；　it　startled　Vea。　Her　dark　laugh　broke　out；　heavy　and　spontaneous。　〃Good　Lord；　you're　funny；　too！　Is　there　anything　you　aren't？〃

〃A　salesman；〃　he　said。

She　studied　him；　smiling。　There　was　something　professional；　actresslike；　in　her　pose。　People　do　not　usually　gaze　at　one　another　intently　at　very　close　range；　unless　they　are　mothers　with　infants；　or　doctors　with　patients；　or　lovers。

He　sat　up。　〃I　want　to　walk　more；〃　he　said。　She　reached　up　her　hand　for　him　to　take　and　help　her　rise。　The　gesture　was　indolent　and　inviting；　but　she　said　with　an　uncertain　tenderness　in　her　voice；　〃You　really　are　like　a　brother。。。。　Take　my　hand。　I'll　let　you　go　again！〃

They　wandered　along　the　paths　of　the　great　garden。　They　went　into　the　palace；　preserved　as　a　museum　of　the　ancient　times　of　royalty；　as　Vea　said　she　loved　to　look　at　the　jewelry　there。　Portraits　of　arrogant　lords　and　princes　stared　at　them　from　the　brocadecovered　walls　and　the　carven　chimneypieces。　The　rooms　were　full　of　silver；　gold；　crystal；　rare　woods；　tapestries；　and　jewels。　Guards　stood　behind　the　velvet　ropes。　The　guards'　black　and　scarlet　uniforms　consorted　well　with　the　splendors；　the　hangings　of　spun　gold；　the　counterpanes　of　woven　feathers；　but　their　faces　did　not　match；　they　were　bored　faces；　tired；　tired　of　standing　all　day　among　strangers　doing　a　useless　task。　Shevek　and　Vea　came　to　a　glass　case　in　which　lay　the　cloak　of　Queen　Teaea；　made　of　the　tanned　skins　of　rebels　flayed　alive；　which　that　terrible　and　defiant　woman　had　worn　when　she　went　among　her　plaguestricken　people　to　pray　God　to　end　the　pestilence；　fourteen　hundred　years　ago。　〃It　looks　awfully　like　goatskin　to　me；〃　Vea　said；　examining　the　discolored；　timetattered　rag　in　the　glass　case。　She　glanced　up　at　Shevek。　〃Are　you　all　right？〃

〃I　think　I　would　like　to　go　outside　this　place。〃

Once　outside　in　the　garden　his　face　became　less　white；　but　he　looked　back　at　the　palace　walls　with　hatred。　〃Why　do　you　people　cling　to　your　shame？〃　he　said。

〃But　it's　all　just　history。　Things　like　that　couldn't　happen　now！〃

She　took　him　to　a　matinee　at　the　theater；　a　edy　about　young　married　people　and　their　mothersinlaw；　full　of　jokes　about　copulation　which　never　mentioned　copulation。　Shevek　attempted　to　laugh　when　Vea