一无所有-第80部分

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　spoken　of　the　possibility。　We　discussed　it　with　our　ambassadors　before　we　left。　Their　feeling　ade；　since　your　people's　policy　is　to　forbid　foreigners　to　land。〃

〃Hmm；〃　Shevek　said；　nonmittal。　He　went　over　to　the　far　wall　and　stood　for　a　while　in　front　of　a　picture；　a　Hainish　landscape；　very　simple　and　subtle；　a　dark　river　flowing　among　reeds　under　a　heavy　sky。　〃The　Terms　of　the　Closure　of　the　Settlement　of　Anarres；〃　he　said；　〃do　not　permit　Urrasti　to　land；　except　inside　the　boundary　of　the　Port。　Those　terms　still　are　accepted。　But　you're　not　an　Urrasti。〃

〃When　Anarres　was　settled；　there　were　no　other　races　known。　By　implication；　those　terms　include　all　foreigners。〃

〃So　our　managers　decided；　sixty　years　ago；　when　your　people　first　came　into　this　solar　system　and　tried　to　talk　with　us。　But　I　think　they　were　wrong。　They　were　just　building　more　walls。〃　He　turned　around　and　stood；　his　hands　behind　his　back；　looking　at　the　other　man。　〃Why　do　you　want　to　land；　Ketho？〃

〃I　want　to　see　Anarres；〃　the　Hainishman　said。　〃Even　before　you　came　to　Urras；　I　was　curious　about　it。　It　began　when　I　read　Odo's　works。　I　became　very　interested。　I　have—〃　He　hesitated；　as　if　embarrassed；　but　continued　in　his　repressed；　conscientious　way；　〃I　have　learned　a　little　Pravic。　Not　much　yet〃

〃It　is　your　own　wish。　then　—　your　own　initiative？〃

〃Entirely。〃

〃And　you　understand　that　it　might　be　dangerous？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Things　are　。。。　a　little　broken　loose；　on　Anarres。　That's　what　my　friends　on　the　radio　have　been　telling　me　about。　It　was　our　purpose　all　along　—　our　Syndicate；　this　journey　of　mine　—　to　shake　up　things；　to　stir　up；　to　break　some　habits；　to　make　people　ask　questions。　To　behave　like　anarchists！　All　this　has　been　going　on　while　I　was　gone。　So；　you　see；　nobody　is　quite　sure　what　happens　next。　And　if　you　land　with　me；　even　more　gets　broken　loose。　I　cannot　push　too　far。　I　cannot　take　you　as　an　official　representative　of　some　foreign　government　That　will　not　do；　on　Anarres。〃

〃I　understand　that。〃

〃Once　you　are　there；　once　you　walk　through　the　wall　with　me；　then　as　I　see　it　you　are　one　of　us。　We　are　responsible　to　you　and　you　to　us；　you　bee　as　Anarresti；　with　the　same　options　as　all　the　others。　But　they　are　not　safe　options。　Freedom　is　never　very　safe。〃　He　looked　around　the　tranquil；　orderly　room；　with　its　simple　consoles　and　delicate　instruments；　its　high　ceiling　and　windowless　walls；　and　back　at　Ketho。　〃You　would　find　yourself　very　much　alone；〃　he　said。

〃My　race　is　very　old；〃　Ketho　said。　〃We　have　been　civilized　for　a　thousand　millennia。　We　have　histories　of　hundreds　of　those　millennia。　We　have　tried　everything。　Anarchism；　in　all　its　forms；　with　the　rest。　But　I　have　not　tried　it。　They　say　there　is　nothing　new　under　any　sun。　But　if　each　life　is　not　new；　each　single　life；　then　why　are　we　born？〃

〃We　are　the　children　of　time；〃　Shevek　said；　in　Pravic。　The　younger　man　looked　at　him　a　moment；　and　then　repeated　the　words　in　lotic：　〃We　are　the　children　of　time。〃

〃All　right。〃　Shevek　said；　and　laughed。　〃All　right；　all　right。　You　had　better　call　Anarres　on　the　radio　again　—　the　Syndicate；　first　。。。　I　said　to　Keng；　the　ambassador；　that　I　had　nothing　to　give　in　return　for　what　her　people　and　yours　have　done　for　me；　well；　maybe　I　can　give　you　something　in　return。　An　idea；　a　promise；　a　risk。。。。〃

〃I　shall　speak　to　the　mander；〃　Ketho　said；　as　grave　as　ever；　but　with　a　very　slight　tremor　in　his　voice　of　excitement；　of　hope。

Very　late　on　the　following　ship　night；　Shevek　was　in　the　Davenanfs　garden。　The　lights　were　out；　there；　and　it　was　illuminated　only　by　starlight。　The　air　was　quite　cold。　A　nightblooming　flower　from　some　unimaginable　world　had　opened　among　the　dark　leaves　and　was　sending　out　its　perfume　with　patient；　unavailing　sweetness　to　attract　some　unimaginable　moth　trillions　of　miles　away；　in　a　garden　on　a　world　circling　another　star。　The　sunlights　differ；　but　there　is　only　one　darkness。　Shevek　stood　at　the　high；　cleared　view　port；　looking　at　the　night　side　of　Anarres；　a　dark　curve　across　half　the　stars。　He　was　wondering　if　Takver　would　be　there；　at　the　Port。　She　had　not　yet　arrived　in　Abbenay　from　PeaceandPlenty　when　he　last　talked　with　Bedap；　so　he　had　left　it　to　Bedap　to　discuss　and　decide　with　her　whether　it　would　be　wise　for　her　to　e　out　to　the　Port。　〃You　don't　think　I　could　stop　her　even　if　it　wasn't？〃　Bedap　had　said。　He　wondered　also　what　kind　of　ride　she　might　have　got　from　the　Sorruba　coast；　a　dirigible；　he　hoped；　if　she　had　brought　the　girls　along。　Train　riding　was　hard；　with　children。　He　still　recalled　the　disforts　of　the　trip　from　Chakar　to　Abbenay；　in　'68；　when　Sadik　had　been　trainsick　for　three　mortal　days。

The　door　of　the　garden　room　opened；　increasing　the　dim　illumination。　The　mander　of　the　Davenant　looked　in　and　spoke　his　name；　he　answered；　the　mander　came　in；　with　Ketho。

〃We　have　the　entry　pattern　for　our　landing　craft　from　your　ground　control；〃　the　mander　said。　He　was　a　short；　ironcolored　Terran；　cool　and　businesslike。　〃If　you're　ready　to　go；　we'll　start　launch　procedure。〃

〃Yes。〃

The　mander　nodded　and　left。　Ketho　came　forward　to　stand　beside　Shevek　at　the　port。

〃You're　sure　you　want　to　walk　through　this　wall　with　me；　Ketho？　You　know；　for　me；　it's　easy。　Whatever　happens；　I　am　ing　home。　But　you　are　leaving　home。　True　Journey　is　return。　。。〃

〃I　hope　to　return；〃　Ketbo　said　in　his　quiet　voice。　〃In　time。〃

〃When　are　we　to　enter　the　landing　craft？〃

〃In　about　twenty　minutes。〃

〃I'm　ready。　I　have　nothing　to　pack。〃　Shevek　laughed；　a　laugh　of　clear；　unmixed　happiness。　The　other　man　looked　at　him　gravely；　as　if　he　was　not　sure　what　happiness　was；　and　yet　recognized　or　perhaps　remembered　it　from　afar。　He　stood　beside　Shevefc　as　if　there　was　something　he　wanted　to　ask　him。　But　he　did　not　ask　it　〃It　will　be　early　morning　at　Anarres　Port；〃　he　said　at　last；　and　took　his　leave；　to　get　his　things　and　meet　Shevek　at　the　launch　port。

Alone；　Shevek　turned　back　to　the　observation　port；　and　saw　the　blinding　curve　of　sunrise　over　the　Temae；　just　ing　into　sight。

〃I　will　lie　down　to　sleep　on　Anarres　tonight；〃　he　thought。　〃I　will　lie　down　beside　Takver。　I　wish　I'd　brought　the　picture；　the　baby　sheep；　to　give　Pilun。〃

But　he　had　not　brought　anything。　His　hands　were　empty；　as　they　had　always　been。






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