一无所有-第61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！



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　around　shuttered　windows　here　and　there。　Down　the　street；　light　streamed　from　an　open　doorway；　around　which　a　group　of　men　were　lounging；　talking　loud。　The　pavement；　greasy　with　rain；　was　littered　with　scraps　of　paper　and　refuse。　The　shopfronts；　as　well　as　he　could　make　them　out；　were　low；　and　were　all　covered　up　with　heavy　metal　or　wooden　shutters；　except　for　one　which　had　been　gutted　by　fire　and　stood　black　and　blank；　shards　of　glass　still　sticking　in　the　frames　of　the　broken　windows。　People　went　by；　silent　hasty　shadows。

An　old　woman　was　ing　up　the　stairs　behind　him；　and　he　turned　to　her　to　ask　his　way。　In　the　light　of　the　yellow　globe　that　marked　the　subway　entrance　he　saw　her　face　clearly：　white　and　lined；　with　the　dead；　hostile　stare　of　weariness。　Big　glass　earrings　bobbed　on　her　cheeks。　She　climbed　the　stairs　laboriously；　hunched　over　with　fatigue　or　with　arthritis　or　some　deformity　of　the　spine。　But　she　was　not　old；　as　he　had　thought；　she　was　not　even　thirty。

〃Can　you　tell　me　where　Joldng　Lane　is；〃　he　asked　her；　stammering。　She　glanced　at　him　with　indifference；　hurried　her　pace　as　she　reached　the　top　of　the　stairs；　and　went　on　without　a　word。

He　set　off　at　random　down　the　street。　The　excitement　of　his　sudden　decision　and　flight　from　leu　Eun　had　turned　to　apprehension；　a　sense　of　being　driven；　hunted。　He　avoided　the　group　of　men　around　the　door；　instinct　warning　him　that　the　single　stranger　does　not　approach　that　kind　of　group。　When　he　saw　a　man　ahead　of　him　walking　alone；　he　caught　up　and　repeated　his　question。　The　man　said；　〃I　don't　know；〃　and　turned　aside。

There　was　nothing　to　do　but　go　on。　He　came　to　a　betterlighted　cross　street；　which　wound　off　into　the　misty　rain　in　both　directions　in　a　dim；　grim　garisaoess　of　lighted　signs　and　advertisements。　There　were　many　wineshops　and　pawnshops；　some　of　them　still　open。　A　good　many　people　were　in　the　street；　jostling　past；　going　in　and　out　of　the　wineshops。　There　was　a　man　tying　down；　lying　in　the　gutter；　his　coat　bunched　up　over　his　head；　lying　in　the　rain；　asleep；　sick；　dead。　Shevek　stared　at　him　with　horror；　and　at　the　others　who　walked　past　without　looking。

As　he　stood　there　paralyzed；　somebody　stopped　by　him　and　looked　up　into　his　face；　a　short；　unshaven；　wrynecked　fellow　of　fifty　or　sixty；　with　redrimmed　eyes　and　a　toothless　mouth　opened　in　a　laugh。　He　stood　and　laughed　witlessly　at　the　big；　terrified　man；　pointing　a　shaky　hand　at　him。　〃Where　you　get　all　that　hair；　eh；　en；　that　hair；　where　you　get　all　that　hair；〃　he　mumbled。

〃Can　—　can　you　tell　me　how　to　get　to　Joking　Lane？〃

〃Sure；　joking；　I'm　joking；　no　joke　I'm　broke。　Hey　you　got　a　little　blue　for　a　drink　on　a　cold　night？　Sure　you　got　a　little　blue。〃

He　came　closer。　Shevek　drew　away；　seeing　the　open　hand　but　not　understanding。

〃e　on；　take　a　joke　mister；　one　little　blue；〃　the　man　mumbled　without　threat　or　pleading；　mechanically；　his　mouth　still　open　in　the　meaningless　grin；　his　hand　held　out。

Shevek　understood。　He　groped　in　his　pocket；　found　the　last　of　his　money；　thrust　it　into　the　beggar's　hand；　and　then；　cold　with　a　fear　that　was　not　fear　for　himself；　pushed　past　the　man；　who　was　mumbling　and　trying　to　catch　at　his　coat；　and　made　for　the　nearest　open　door。　It　was　under　a　sign　that　read　'Tawn　and　Used　Goods　Best　Values。〃　Inside；　among　the　racks　of　womout　coats；　shoes；　shawls；　battered　instruments；　broken　lamps；　odd　dishes；　canisters；　spoons；　beads；　wrecks　and　fragments；　every　piece　of　rubbish　marked　with　its　price；　he　stood　trying　to　collect　himself。

〃Looking　for　something？〃

He　put　his　question　once　more。

The　shopkeeper；　a　dark　man　as　tall　as　Shevek　but　stooped　and　very　thin；　looked　him　over。　〃What　you　want　to　get　there　for？〃

〃I'm　looking　for　a　person　who　lives　there。〃

〃Where　you　from？〃

〃I　need　to　get　to　this　street。　Joking　Lane。　Is　it　far　from　here？〃

〃Where　you　from；　mister？〃

〃I　am　from　Anarres；　from　the　Moon；〃　Shevek　said　angrily。　〃I　have　to　get　to　Joking　Lane；　now；　tonight。〃

〃You're　him？　The　scientist　fellow？　What　the　hell　you　doing　here？〃

〃Getting　away　from　the　police！　Do　you　want　to　tell　them　I'm　here；　or　will　you　help　me？〃

〃God　damn；〃　the　man　said。　〃God　damn。　Look—〃　He　hesitated；　was　about　to　say　something；　about　to　say　something　else；　said；　〃You　just　go　on；〃　and　in　the　same　breath　though　apparently　with　a　plete　change　of　mind；　said；　〃All　right。　I'm　closing。　Take　you　there。　Hold　on。　God　damn！〃

He　rummaged　in　the　back　of　the　shop；　switched　off　the　light；　came　outside　with　Shevek；　pulled　down　metal　shutters　and　locked　them；　padlocked　the　door；　and　set　off　at　a　sharp　pace；　saying；　〃e　on！〃

They　walked　twenty　or　thirty　blocks；　getting　deeper　into　the　maze　of　crooked　streets　and　alleys　in　the　heart　of　Old　Town。　The　misty　rain　fell　softly　in　the　unevenly　lit　darkness；　bringing　out　smells　of　decay；　of　wet　stone　and　metal。　They　turned　down　an　unlit；　unsigned　alley　between　high　old　tenements；　the　ground　floors　of　which　were　mostly　shops。　Shevek's　guide　stopped　and　knocked　on　the　shuttered　window　of　one：　V。　Maedda；　Fancy　Groceries。　After　a　good　while　the　door　was　opened。　The　pawnbroker　conferred　with　a　person　inside；　then　gestured　to　Shevek；　and　they　both　entered。　A　girl　had　let　them　in。　〃Tuio's　in　back。　e　on；〃　she　said；　looking　up　into　Shevek's　face　in　the　weak　light　from　a　back　hallway。　〃Are　you　him？〃　Her　voice　was　faint　and　urgent；　she　smiled　strangely。　〃Are　you　really　him？〃

Tuio　Maedda　was　a　dark　man　in　his　forties；　with　a　strained；　intellectual　face。　He　shut　a　book　in　which　he　had　been　writing　and　got　quickly　to　his　feet　as　they　entered。　He　greeted　the　pawnbroker　by　name；　but　never　took　his　eyes　off　Shevek。

〃He　e　to　my　shop　asking　the　way　here；　Tuio。　He　say　he　the；　you　know；　the　one　from　Anarres。〃

〃You　are；　aren't　you？〃　Maedda　said　slowly。　〃Shevek。　What　are　you　doing　here？〃　He　stared　at　Shevek　with　alarmed；　luminous　eyes。

〃Looking　for　help。〃

〃Who　sent　you　to　me？〃

〃The　first　man　I　asked。　I　don't　know　who　you　are。　I　asked　him　where　I　could　go；　he　said　to　e　to　you。〃

〃Does　anybody　else　know　you're　here？〃

〃They　don't　know　I've　gone。　Tomorrow　they　will。〃

〃Go　get　Remeivi；〃　Maedda　said　to　the　girl。　〃Sit　down；　Dr。　Shevek。　You'd　better　tell　me　what's　going　on。〃

Shevek　sat　down　on　a　wooden　chair　but　did　not　unfasten　his　coat。　He　was　so　tired　he　was　shaking。　〃I　escaped；〃　he　said。　〃From　the　University；　from　the　jail。　I　don't　know　where　to　go。　Maybe　it's　all　jails　here。　I　came　here　because　they　talk　about　the　lower　classes；　the　working　classes；　and　I　thought；　that　sounds　like　my　people。　People　who　might　help　each　other。〃

〃What　kind　of　help　are　you　looking　for？〃

Shevek　made　an　effort　to　pull　himself　together。　He　looked　around　the　little；　littered　office；　and　at　Maedda。　〃I　have　something　they　want；〃　he　said。　〃An　idea。　A　scientific　theory。　I　came　here　from　Anarres　because　I　thought　that　here　I　could　do　the　work　and　publish　it。　I　didn't　understand　that　here　an　idea　is　a　property　of　the　State。　I　don't　work　for　a　State。　I　can't　take　the　money　and　the　things　they　give　me。　I　want　to　get　out。　But　I　can't　go　home。　So　I　came　here。　You　don't　want　my　science；　and　maybe　you　don't　like　your　government　either。〃

Maedda　smiled；　〃No。　I　don't。　But　our　government　don't　like　me　any　better。　You　didn't　pick　the　safest　place　to　e；　either　for　you　or　for　us。　。。。　Don't　worry。　Tonight's　tonight；　well　decide　what　to　do。〃

Shevek　took　out　the　note　he　had　found　in　his　coat　pocket　and　handed　it　to　Maedda。　〃This　is　what　brought　me。　Is　it　from　people　you　know？〃

〃　'Join　with　us　your　brothers。　。。　。〃　I　don't　know。　Could　be。〃

〃Are　you　Odonians？〃

〃Partly。　Syndicalists；　libertarians。　We　work　with　the　Thuvianists；　the　Socialist　Workers　Union；　but　we're　anticentralist。　You　arrived　at　a　pretty　hot　moment；　you　know。〃

'The　war？〃

Maedda　nodded。　〃A　demonstration's　been　announced　for　three　days　from　now。　Against　the　draft；　war　taxes；　the　rise　in　food　prices。　There's　four　hundred　thousand　unemployed　in　Nio　Esseia；　and　they　jack　up　taxes　and　prices。〃　He　had　been　watching　Shevek