gs.earthabides-第15部分

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　　The　surviving　people；　he　found；　were　generally　singles；　occasionally　couples。　They　were　anchored　firmly　in　their　own　places。　Sometimes　they　seemed　to　wish　that　he　would　stay　there　with　them；　but　they　never　wished　to　acpany　him。　He　still　did　not　find　any　of　them　with　whom　he　wished　to　share　the　future。　If　necessary；　he　thought；　he　could　return。　
　　The　country　in　some　ways　showed　more　change　than　the　towns；　although　one　would　hardly　have　imagined　so　to　begin　with。　But　in　the　country　the　crops　were　growing　up　rankly　with　weeds。　In　this　part；　the　wheat　had　not　been　cut　at　the　time　of　the　disaster；　and　now　it　was　heavy　in　the　head　and　the　grains　in　some　places　had　started　to　fall。　The　cattle　and　horses　wandered　about；　and　fences　were　obviously　starting　to　go。　Here　and　there　a　field　of　　would　remain　undisturbed　when　the　fence　was　tight；　but　more　often　the　animals　had　forced　an　entrance。　
　　Then；　one　morning；　he　crossed　the　Delaware　River　into　New　Jersey；　and　realized　that　he　could　reach　New　York　by　early　afternoon。　
　　
　　Chapter　4
　　He　came　to　the　Pulaski　Skyway　about　noon。　Once　before；　as　a　boy　of　fifteen；　he　had　driven　there　with　his　father　and　mother。　Then　the　streaming　traffic　had　half　terrified　him；　trucks　and　cars　had　e　roaring　in；　seeming　to　converge　from　all　directions；　and　then　suddenly　to　drop　out　of　sight　again　as　they　went　off　onto　the　down…ramps。　He　remembered　his　father　gazing　anxiously；　this　way　and　that；　to　watch　the　traffic…signs；　and　his　mother　nervously　giving…advice。　But　now；　Princess　slept　on　the　front　seat　beside　him；　and　he　speeded　along　the　Skyway　by　himself。　
　　Far　ahead　now　he　saw　the　high　towers　of　the　sky…scrapers；　pearl…gray　against　a　cloudy　sky；　there　had　been　a　shower；　and　the　day　was　cool　for　mid…summer。　
　　When　he　saw　those　towers；　his　feelings　were　strangely　stirred。　Now　he　knew；　what　he　would　not　have　been　quite　able　to　explain　before；　why　he　had　headed　for　New　York；　even　unconsciously。　This；　to　every　American；　was　the　center　of　the　world。　According　to　what　happened　in　New　York；　so　in　the　long　run；　he　could　only　think；　it　must　happen　elsewhere…〃Falls　Rome；　falls　the　world。〃　
　　When　he　came　to　the　clover…leaf　above　Jersey　City；　he　stopped　in　the　middle　of　the　Skyway　to　read　the　signs。　No　brakes　squealed　suddenly　behind　him；　no　horns　blared；　no　truck…drivers　bawled　obscenities　at　him　for　blocking　the　road；　no　policemen　shouted　through　loud…speakers。　〃At　least；〃　he　thought；　〃life　is　quieter。〃　
　　From　far　off；　he　just　caught　the　sound；　some　bird　squawked　twice…a　seagull　probably。　The　only　other　sound　was　the　nearly　imperceptible　murmur　of　his　own　idling　engine；　as　drowsy　as　the　hum　of　bees。　There　at　the　last　moment　he　flinched　from　trying　either　of　the　tunnels。　Untended；　they　might　have　gradually　filled　with　water；　and　he　had　a　vague　fear　of　being　trapped。　He　swung　north；　and　at　last　crossed　by　the　empty　George　Washington　Bridge；　and　came　to　Manhattan。　
　　Stretched　out　between　its　rivers；　the　city　will　remain　for　a　long　time。　Stone　and　brick；　concrete　and　asphalt；　glass…time　deals　gently　with　them。　Water　leaves　black　stains；　moss　shows　green；　a　little　grass　springs　up　in　the　cracks。　（That　is　only　the　surface。）　A　window…pane　grows　loose；　vibrates；　breaks　in　a　gusty　wind。　Lighming　strikes；　loosening　the　tiles　of　a　cornice。　A　wall　leans；　as　footings　yield　in　the　long　rains；　after　years　have　passed；　it　falls；　scattering　bricks　across　the　street。　Frost　works；　and　in　the　March　thaw　some　flakes　of　stone　scale　off。　（It　is　all　very　slow。）　The　rain　washes　quietly　through　the　gutters　into　the　storm…drains；　and　if　the　storm…drains　clog；　the　rain　runs　still　through　the　gutters　into　the　rivers。　The　snow　piles　deep　in　the　long　canyons；　drifting　at　the　street　corners；　no　one　disturbs　it。　In　the　spring；　it　too　runs　off　through　the　gutters。　As　in　the　desert；　a　year　is　like　an　hour　in　the　night；　a　century；　like　a　day。　
　　Indeed　the　city　is　much　like　the　desert。　From　the　asphalt　and　concrete…coated　soil　the　rain　runs　off　both　ways　into　the　rivers。　Here　and　there　in　a　crack　the　subtle　grass　and　the　hardy　weeds　grow　up　a　little；　but　no　tree　or　vine　or　tall　grass　takes　root。　The　very　shade　trees　by　the　avenues；　lacking　man's　care；　die　in　their　shallow　pockets。　The　deer　and　the　rabbits　shun　the　empty　streets；　after　a　while　even　the　rats　go　away。　Only　the　flying　creatures　find　there　a　refuge…the　birds　nest　on　the　high　ledges；　and　at　morning　and　evening　the　bats　fly　out　and　in　through　the　few　broken　windows。　It　will　remain　a　long　time；　a　very　long　time。　
　　He　turned　south　on　Broadway；　thinking　to　follow　it　clear　to　the　Battery。　At　170th　Street；　however；　he　came　to　a　very　official…looking　STREET　CLOSED　sign　with　an　arrow　directing　him　to　detour　eastward。　He　could　have　driven　past　the　sign　and　ahead；　but　he　felt　a　caprice　to　yield　docilely　to　instructions。　He　drove　over　to　Amsterdam　Avenue；　and　then　went　south　again。　His　nostrils　let　him　know　that　the　Medical　Center　must　have　been　one　of　the　last　points　of　concentration；　and　that　the　detour　sign　had　been　put　up　to　give　directions　around　it。　
　　Amsterdam　Avenue　was　vacant　too。　Somewhere　in　these　vast　accumulations　of　concrete　and　brick　and　mortar　and　plaster；　somewhere　in　all　these　cave…like　holes　that　men　called　rooms；　somewhere　certainly；　some　people　must　be　living。　The　catastrophe　had　been　nearly　universal；　and　in　overcrowded　Manhattan　the　disease　had　probably　raged　even　more　severely　than　elsewhere。　Also；　he　thought；　what　he　had　e　to　call　the　Secondary　Kill　might　have　been　more　severe　in　a　wholly　urbanized　population。　Nevertheless；　he　had　already　learned；　that　a　few　people　had　survived　elsewhere；　and　surely　among　the　millions　of　Manhattan　there　would　be　some。　But　he　did　not　bother　to　blow　his　horn；　a　mere　straggler　here　and　there　he　had　found　to　be　of　little　interest　to　him　now。　
　　He　drove　on；　block　after　block。　Everything　was　quiet　and　motionless。　The　clouds　had　broken；　and　the　sun　stood　high　overhead；　but　the　sidewalks　were　as　empty　as　if　the　sun　had　been　the　moon　and　the　hour　had　been　three　in　the　morning。　Even　then　he　would　have　seen　a　beat…walking　policeman　or　have　met　a　night…hawk　cab。　He　passed　an　empty　playground。　
　　A　few　cars　were　parked　along　the　curbs。　He　remembered　that　his　father　had　driven　him　through　downtown　Manhattan　on　a　Sunday　when　even　Wall　Street　lay　deserted。　This　was　much　the　same；　but　worse。　
　　At　last；　near　Lewisohn　Stadium；　nuzzling　around　an　entryway；　two　thin…looking　dogs　supplied　the　first　sign　of　life。　In　the　next　block　he　saw　a　few　pigeons　fluttering　about；　not　many。　
　　He　drove　on；　passed　the　red…brick　buildings　of　Columbia'　University；　and　stopped　in　front　of　the　high；　still　unfinished　cathedral。　It　was　unfinished　now；　and　so　it　would　remain。　
　　He　pushed　at　the　door；　it　swung　open；　he　entered。　Momentarily　he　had　a　horrible　thought　that　he　might　find　the　nave；　Piled　with　the　bodies　of　those　who　at　the　last　hour　had　gathered　there　to　pray。　But　there　was　no　one。　He　walked　down　a　side　aisle；　and　went　into　the　little　chapels　of　the　apse；　one　after　another…those　where　the　English　and　the　French　and　the　Italians　and　all　the　others　of　that　teeming　polyglot　city　had　been　invited　to　kneel　and　worship。　The　sunlight　streamed　in　at　the　stained…glass　windows；　it　was　all　as　beautiful　as　he　remembered　from　before。　He　had　a　wild　desire　to　throw　himself　on　his　knees　before　one　of　the　altars。　〃There　are　no　atheists　in　fox　holes；〃　he　remembered；　but　the　whole　world　now　was　nothing　but　a　huge　fox　hole！　But　certainly　what　had　happened　did　not　inspire　one　to　think　that　God　was　particularly　interested　in　the　human　race；　or　in　its　individuals。　
　　He　walked　back　along　the　main　aisle。　Turning；　he　looked　up　the　nave；　and　let　its　grandeur　beat　in　upon　him。　He　felt　a　little　choking　in　the　throat。　This；　then；　was　the　end　of　all　man's　highest　striving　and　aspiration。。。。　He　went　out　to　the　empty　street；　and　got　into　the　car　again。　
　　At　Cathedral　Parkway　he　swung　east；　and　defying　traffic　signs　entered　Central　Park　and　went　south　along　the　East　Drive；　thinking　that　on　a　summer　day　people　might　go　to　the　Park　as　they　would　have　done　ordinarily。　But　he　saw　no　one。　From　his　previous　visit　as　a　boy　he　remembered　squirrels；　but　he　saw　no　squirrels　either；　starving　dogs　and　cats　had　apparendy　accounted　for　them　already。　On　a　meadow　he　saw　a　bison　bull　grazing；　not　far　off；　a　horse。　He　passed　the　back　of　the　Metropolitan　Museum；　and　saw　Cleopatra's　Needle；　now　doubly　orphaned。　At　Sherman's　statue　he　swung　into　Fifth　Avenue；　and　a　tag…end　of　verse　popped　into　his　mind：　〃Now　all　your　victories　are　in　vain。〃　
　　An　island　within　an　island；　the　green　oblong　of　the　Park　will　remain。　It　has　open　soil　where　the　rain　penetrates。　The　sun　shines　upon　it。　In　the　first　season　the　grass　grows　tall；　the　seeds　fall　from　the　trees　and　bushes；　the　birds　bring　in　more　seeds。　Give　it　two　seasons；　three　seasons；　and　the　eager　saplings　are　sprouting。　Give　it　twenty　years；　and　it　is　a　jungle　of　second　growth　with　each　tree　straining　upward　to　gain　light　above　itsfellows；　and　the　hardy　natives；　fast…growing　ash　and　maple；　crowding　out　the　soft　exotics　which　man　once　planted　there。　You　hardly　see　the　bridle　path　any　more；　leaf…litter　lies　thick　on　the　narrow　roads。　Give　it　a　hundred　years；　and　you　walk　in　full…grown　forest；　scarcely　knowing　that　man　was　ever　there　except　where　the　stone　arch　still　spans　the　under…pass；　making　a　strange　cave。　The　doe　walks　in　the　woods；　and　the　wild…cat　leaps　upon　the　rabbit；　and　the　bass　jumps　in　the　lake。　
　　In　the　tall　windows　of　the　fashion　shops；　the　mannequins　still　postured　strangely　in　gay　costumes；　their　jewelry　flashing。　But　Fifth　Avenue　lay　before　him　empty；　as　quiet　as　Main　Street　of　Podunk　on　a　Sunday　morning。　The　windows　of　one　great　jewelry　store　had　been　smashed。　〃I　hope；〃　thought　Ish；　〃he　found　the　diamonds　good　eating；　poor　guy。　No；　I　hope　he　was　somebody　who　liked　pretty　stones　because　they　were　pretty；　like　a　child　picking　them　up　on　the　beach。　Perhaps；　with　his　diamonds　and　rubies；　he　really　died　happier。〃　On　the　whole；　however；　there　was　little　disturbance　along　Fifth　Avenue。　〃The　corpse　is　laid　out　in　good　condition；〃　he　thought。　〃Yes；　Fifth　Avenue　makes　a　beautiful　corpse。〃　
　　A　few　pigeons　fl