一无所有-第60部分

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was　sympathetic　yet　detached。

〃Different　from　all　that　where　you　e　from；〃　Efor　said。

〃Very　different。〃

〃Nobody　ever　out　of　work；　there。〃　There　was　a　faint　edge　of　irony；　or　question；　in　his　voice。　　〃And　nobody　hungry？〃

〃Nobody　goes　hungry　while　another　eats。〃

〃Ah。〃

〃But　we　have　been　hungry。　We　have　starved。　There　was　a　famine；　you　know；　eight　years　ago。　I　knew　a　woman　then　who　killed　her　baby；　because　she　had　no　milk；　and　there　was　nothing　else；　nothing　else　to　give　it。　It　is　not　all　milk　and　honey　on　Anarres；　Efor。〃

〃I　don't　doubt　it；　sir；〃　Efor　said　with　one　of　his　curious　returns　to　polite　diction。　Then　he　said　with　a　grimace；　drawing　his　lips　back　from　his　teeth；　〃All　the　same　there's　none　of　them　there！〃

〃Them？〃

〃You　know；　Mr。　Shevek。　What　you　said　once。　The　owners。〃

The　next　evening　Atro　called　by。　Pae　must　have　been　on　the　watch；　for　a　few　minutes　after　Efor　admitted　the　old　man；　he　came　strolling　in；　and　inquired　with　charming　sympathy　after　Shevek's　indisposition；　〃You've　been　working　much　too　hard　these　last　couple　of　weeks；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃you　mustn't　wear　yourself　out　like　this。〃　He　did　not　sit　down；　but　took　his　leave　very　soon；　the　soul　of　civility。　Atro　went　on　talking　about　the　war　in　Benbili；　which　was　being；　as　he　put　it；　〃a　largescale　operation。〃

〃Do　the　people　in　this　country　approve　of　this　war？〃　Shevek　asked；　interrupting　a　discourse　on　strategy。　He　had　been　puzzled　by　the　absence　of　moral　judgment　in　the　birdseed　papers　on　this　subject。　They　had　given　up　their　ranting　excitement；　their　wording　was　often　exactly　the　same　as　that　of　the　telefax　bulletins　issued　by　the　government。

〃Approve？　You　don't　think　we'd　lie　down　and　let　the　damned　Thuvians　walk　all　over　us？　Our　status　as　a　world　power　is　at　stake！〃

〃But　I　meant　the　people；　not　the　government　The　。　。　。　the　people　who　must　fight。〃

〃What's　it　to　them？　They're　used　to　mass　conscriptions。　It's　what　they're　for；　my　dear　fellow！　To　fight　for　their　country。　And　let　me　tell　you；　there's　no　better　soldier　on　earth　than　the　loti　man　of　the　ranks；　once　he's　broken　in　to　taking　orders。　In　peacetime　he　may　spout　sentimental　pacifism；　but　the　grit's　there；　underneath。　The　mon　soldier　has　always　been　our　greatest　resource　as　a　nation。　It's　how　we　became　the　leader　we　are。〃

〃By　climbing　up　on　a　pile　of　dead　children？〃　Shevek　said；　but　anger　or；　perhaps；　an　unadmitted　reluctance　to　hurt　the　old　man's　feelings；　kept　his　voice　muffled；　and　Atro　did　not　hear　him。

〃No；〃　Atro　went　on；　〃you'll　find　the　soul　of　the　people　true　as　steel；　when　the　country's　threatened。　A　few　rabblerousers　in　Nio　and　the　mill　towns　make　a　big　noise　between　wars；　but　it's　grand　to　see　how　the　people　close　ranks　when　the　flag's　in　danger。　You're　unwilling　to　believe　that；　I　know。　The　trouble　with　Odonianism；　you　know；　my　dear　fellow；　is　that　it's　womanish。　It　simply　doesn't　include　the　virile　side　of　life。　'Blood　and　steel；　battle's　brightness；'　as　the　old　poet　says。　It　doesn't　understand　courage　—　love　of　the　flag。〃

Shevek　was　silent　for　a　minute；　then　he　said；　gently；　〃That　may　be　true；　in　part。　At　least；　we　have　no　flags。〃

When　Atro　had　gone；　Efor　came　in　to　take　out　the　dinner　tray。　Shevek　stopped　him。　He　came　up　close　to　him；　saying；　〃Excuse　me；　Efor；〃　and　put　a　slip　of　paper　down　on　the　tray。　On　it　he　had　written；　〃Is　there　a　microphone　in　this　room？〃

The　servant　bent　his　head　and　read　it；　slowly；　and　then　looked　up　at　Shevek；　a　long　look　at　short　range。　Thea　his　eyes　glanced　for　a　second　at　the　chimney　of　the　fire　place。

〃Bedroom？〃　Shevek　inquired　by　the　same　means。

Efor　shook　his　head；　put　the　tray　down；　and　followed　Shevek　into　the　bedroom。　He　shut　the　door　behind　him　with　the　noiselessness　of　a　good　servant。

〃Spotted　that　one　first　day；　dusting；〃　he　said　with　a　grin　that　deepened　the　lines　on　his　face　into　harsh　ridges。

〃Not　in　here？〃

Efor　shrugged。　〃Never　spotted　it。　Could　run　the　water　in　there；　sir；　like　they　do　in　the　spy　stories。〃

They　proceeded　on　into　the　magnificent　gold　and　ivory　temple　of　the　shitstool。　Efor　turned　on　the　taps　and　then　looked　around　the　walls。　〃No；〃　he　said。　〃Don't　think　so。　And　spy　eye　I　could　spot。　Got　onto　them　when　I　work　for　a　man　in　Nio　once。　Can't　miss　'em　once　you　get　onto　'em。〃

Shevek　took　another　piece　of　paper　out　of　his　pocket　and　showed　it　to　Efor。　〃Do　you　know　where　this　came　from？〃

It　was　the　note　he　had　found　in　his　coat；　〃Join　with　us　your　brothers。〃

After　a　pause　—　he　read　slowly；　moving　his　closed　lips　—　Efor　said；　〃I　don't　know　where　it　e　from。〃

Shevek　was　disappointed。　It　had　occurred　to　him　that　Efor　himself　was　in　an　excellent　position　to　slip　something　into　his　〃master's〃　pocket。

〃Know　who　it　e　from。　In　a　manner。〃

〃Who？　How　can　I　get　to　them？〃

Another　pause。　〃Dangerous　business；　Mr。　Shevek。〃　He　turned　away　and　increased　the　rush　of　water　from　the　taps。

〃I　dont　want　to　involve　you。　If　you　can　just　tell　me　—　tell　me　where　to　go。　What　I　should　ask　for。　Even　one　name。〃

A　still　longer　pause。　Efor's　face　looked　pinched　and　hard。　〃I　don't—〃　he　said；　and　stopped。　Then　he　said；　abruptly；　and　very　low；　〃Look；　Mr。　Shevek；　God　knows；　they　want　you；　we　need　you；　but　look；　you　don't　know　what　it's　like。　How　you　going　to　hide？　A　man　like　you？　Looking　like　you　look？　This　a　trap　here；　but　it's　a　trap　anywhere。　You　can　run　but　you　can't　hide。　I　don't　know　what　to　tell　you。　Give　you　names；　sure。　Ask　any　Nioti；　he　tell　you　where　to　go。　We　had　about　enough。　We　got　to　have　some　air　to　breathe。　But　you　get　caught；　shot；　how　do　I　feel？　I　work　for　you　eight　months；　I　e　to　like　you。　To　admire　you。　They　approach　me　all　the　time。　I　say；　'No。　Let　him　be。　A　good　man　and　he　got　no　part　of　our　troubles。　Let　him　go　back　where　he　e　from　where　the　people　are　free。　Let　somebody　go　free　from　this　God　damned　prison　we　living　in！〃

〃I　can't　go　back。　Not　yet。　I　want　to　meet　these　people。〃

Efor　stood　silent。　Perhaps　it　was　his　life's　habit　as　a　servant；　as　one　who　obeys；　that　made　him　nod　at　last　and　say；　whispering；　〃Tuio　Maedda；　he　who　you　want。　In　Joking　Lane；　in　Old　Town。　The　grocery。〃

〃Pae　says　I　am　forbidden　to　leave　the　campus。　They　can　stop　me　if　they　see　me　take　the　train。〃

Taxi；　maybe；〃　Efor　said。　〃I　call　you　one；　you　go　down　by　the　stairs。　I　know　Kae　Oimon　on　the　stand。　He　got　sense。　But　I　don't　know。〃

〃All　right　Right　now。　Pae　was　just　here；　he　saw　me；　he　thinks　I'm　staying　in　because　I'm　ill。　What　time　is　it？〃

〃Half　past　seven。〃

〃If　I　go　now；　I　have　the　night　to　find　where　I　should　go。　Call　the　taxi；　Efor。〃

〃I'll　pack　you　a　bag；　sir—〃

〃A　bag　of　what？〃

〃You'll　need　clothes—〃

〃I'm　wearing　clothes！　Go　on。〃

〃You　can't　just　go　with　nothing；〃　Efor　protested。　This　made　him　more　anxious　and　uneasy　than　anything　else。　〃You　got　money？〃

〃Oh　—　yes。　I　should　take　that。〃

Shevek　was　on　the　move　already；　Efor　scratched　his　head；　looked　grim　and　dour；　but　went　off　to　the　hall　phone　to　call　the　taxi。　He　returned　to　find　Shevek　waiting　outside　the　hall　door　with　his　coat　on。　〃Go　downstairs；〃　Efor　said；　grudgingly。　〃Kae　be　at　the　back　door；　five　minutes。　Tell　him　go　out　by　Grove　Road；　no　checkpoint　there　like　at　the　main　gate。　Don't　go　by　the　gate；　they　stop　you　there　sure。〃

〃Will　you　be　blamed　for　this；　Efor？'*

They　were　both　whispering。

〃I　don't　know　you　gone。　Morning；　I　say　you　don't　get　up　yet。　Sleeping。　Keep　'em　off　a　while。〃

Shevek　took　him　by　the　shoulders；　embraced　him；　shook　his　hand。　〃Thank　you；　Eforl〃

〃Good　luck；〃　the　man　said；　bewildered。　Shevek　was　already　gone。

Shevek's　costly　day　with　Vea　had　taken　most　of　his　ready　cash；　and　the　taxi　ride　in　to　Nio　took　ten　units　more。　He　got　out　at　a　major　subway　station　and　by　using　his　map　worked　his　way　by　subway　into　Old　Town；　a　section　of　the　city　he　had　never　seen。　Joking　Lane　was　not　on　the　map；　so　he　got　off　the　train　at　the　central　stop　for　Old　Town。　When　he　came　up　from　the　spacious　marble　station　into　the　street　he　stopped　in　confusion。　This　did　not　look　like　Nio　Esseia。

A　fine；　foggy　rain　was　falling；　and　it　was　quite　dark；　there　were　no　street　lights。　The　lampposts　were　there；　but　the　lights　were　not　turned　on；　or　were　broken。　Yellow　gleams　slitted　from　aroun