gs.earthabides-第22部分

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ything。〃）　But；　this　side　of　death；　the　two　halves　of　the　equation　tried　always　to　be　in　balance。　If　the　x　side　changed　and　he　Ish　felt　within　him　the　pressure　of　some　gland　or　if　he　suffered　shock　or　if　there　was　even　something　so　simple　as　that　he　grew　bored；　then　he　did　something；　and　that　changed　the　other　side　of　the　equation；　if　only　a　little；　and　then　there　was　again　a　temporary　balance。　But　if　on　the　other　hand；　the　world　outside　changed；　if　there　was　a　catastrophe　wiping　out　the　human　race；　or　if　merely　it　should　stop　raining；　then　the　x　side；　being　Ish；　would　also　have　to　change；　and　that　would　mean　more　action；　and　then　there　would　be　again　a　temporary　balance。　
　　And　who　could　say　whether　in　the　long　run　one　side　or　the　other　side　of　the　equation　began　more　of　the　actions？　
　　Then；　before　he　really　thought　what　he　was　doing；　he　had　risen　to　his　feet；　and　on　second　thought　he　knew　that　he　had　done　so　because　again　a　feeling　of　desire　had　stirred　within　him。　The　equation　had　got　out　of　balance；　and　he　had　risen　restlessly　to　set　it　right　again；　and　already　he　was　affecting　the　world　because　Princess　had　leaped　up　at　his　rising　and　was　wandering　about　the　room。　Yet　at　the　same　time　he　heard　the　rain　beat　a　little　harder　against　the　window。　Then　he　looked　up　at　it　to　see　what　was　happening。　And　so　the　world　had　also　pressed　in　upon　him　and　caused　him　to　do　something。　And　after　that　he　set　out　to　get　himself　some　supper。　
　　The　almost　plete　removal　of　man；　though　in　some　ways　an　unprecedented　earthly　catastrophe；　had　not　in　the　slightest　affected　the　earth's　relation　to　the　sun；　or　the　sizes　and　locations　of　the　oceans　and　continents；　or　any　other　factor　influencing　the　weather。　Therefore；　the　first　autumn　storm　which　swept　down　from　the　Aleutians　upon　the　coast　of　California　was　ordinary　and　conventional。　Its　moisture　extinguished　the　forest…fires；　its　raindrops　washed　fi…om　the　atmosphere　the　particles　of　smoke　and　dust。　Behind　it　a　brisk　wind　swept　down　cool　and　crystal…clear　and　air　from　the　northwest。　The　temperature　dropped　sharply。　
　　Ish　stirred　in　his　sleep；　and　gradually　came　to　consciousness。　He　was　cold。　〃The　other　side　has　changed；〃　he　thought；　and　pulled　up　another　blanket。　He　grew　warm。　〃O　prince's　daughter！〃　he　thought　dreamily；　〃Thy　breasts　are　like　two。。。〃　And　he　drifted　to　sleep。　
　　In　the　morning　the　house　was　chilly。　He　wore　a　sweater　as　he　got　himself　his　breakfast。　He　considered　building　a　fire　in　the　fireplace；　but　the　cooler　weather　had　also　made　him　feel　more　active；　and　so　he　thought　that　he　would　not　stay　indoors　much　that　day。　
　　After　breakfast　he　stood　on　the　front　porch　to　drink　in　the　view。　As　always　after　one　of　these　storms；　the　air　was　clear。　The　wind　had　died　down。　The　red　towers　of　the　Golden　Gate　Bridge；　miles　away；　stood　against　the　blue　sky；　as　if　close　enough　to　touch。　He　turned　a　little　toward　the　north　to　look　at　the　peak　of　Tamalpais；　and　suddenly　started。　Between　him　and　the　mountain；　on　this　side　of　the　Bay；　a　thin　column　of　smoke　rose　straight　up　through　the　calm　air；　a　slight　wisp；　the　kind　of　smoke…column　that　should　e　from　a。small　fire；　particularly　from　one　burning　in　a　fireplace　and　ascending　through　a　chimney。　It　might；　he　realized；　have　been　rising　there　a　hundred　times　before　when　he　had　looked　out；　but　in　the　smoky　and　misty　atmosphere　he　would　not　have　noticed　it。　Now　it　was　like　a　signpost。　
　　Of　course　it　might　be　a　fire　burning　from　some　natural　cause　without　any　human　being　in　its　vicinity。　He　had　investigated　many　smokes　like　that　with　no　results。　But　that　was　not　so　likely　now；　because　the　rain　would　have　smothered　such　fires。　
　　In　any　case　it　could　not　be　more　than　a　couple　of　miles　off；　and　his　first　thought　was　to　jump　into　the　station…wagon　and　investigate。　That　would　cause　no　more　harm　than　the　loss　of　a　few　minutes　for　which　he　had　no　particular　use　anyway。　But　something　stopped　him。　His　attempts　to　establish　human　contact　had　not　been　rewarding。　That　old　shyness　rose　up　within　him；　as　it　had　sometimes　in　the　old　days　when　the　thought　of　attending　a　dance　would　put　him　into　a　sweat。　He　began　to　temporize；　just　as　he　used　to　do　when　he　said　that　he　had　a　great　deal　of　work　to　do　and　so　buried　himself　in　a　book　instead　of　going　to　the　dance。　
　　Did　Crusoe　really　want　to　be　rescued　from　his　desert　island　where　he　was　lord　of　all　that　he　surveyed？　That　was　a　question　that　people　had　asked。　But　even　if　Crusoe　had　been　the　kind　of　man　who　wanted　to　escape；　to　renew　contacts　with　other　people；　that　would　not　mean　that　he　himself；　Ish；　was　such　a　person。　Perhaps　he　would　cherish　his　island。　Basically；　perhaps；　he　feared　human　entanglements。　
　　Almost　in　panic；　as　if　fleeing　from　a　temptress；　he　called　Princess；　got　into　the　car；　and　drove　off　in　the　opposite　direction。　
　　He　spent　most　of　the　day　wandering　restlessly　through　the　hills。　At　times　he　observed　what　the　rain　had　done　to　the　roads。　By　now　there　was　no　longer　that　hard　and　fast　line　between　road　and　what　was　not　road。　Leaves　had　dropped　from　the　cold　of　the　autumn　and　the　high　winds。　Little　dead　branches　had　blown　off；　and　fallen　on　the　pavement。　Here　and　there　a　washing　stream　of　water　had　left　a　delta…like　deposit　of　dirt　and　gravel。　Once；　very　far　off；　he　heard…or　thought　he　heard…the　bay　of　a　pack　of　dogs。　But　he　did　not　see　them；　and　before　the　end　of　the　afternoon　he　was　back　home　again。　
　　When　he　looked　out　toward　the　mountain；　he　could　see　no　smoke　against　the　sky。　He　had　a　certain　sense　of　relief；　and　yet　an　even　stronger　sense　of　disappointment；　now　that　he　had　a　chance　to　think　it　over。　
　　That　was　the　way。　When　the　opportunity　was　at　your　hand；　you　did　not　dare　to　seize　it。　When　the　opportunity　was　lost；　it　became　precious。　The　other　side　of　the　equation　had　changed；　and　he　had　adjusted　by　running　away。　Of　course；　he　might　see　the　smoke　again　the　next　morning；　but　then　again　he　might　not。　Perhaps　that　human　being；　whoever　it　was；　had　merely　been　passing　through　that　way；　and　could　never　be　found　again。　
　　He　felt　a　quick　rebound　of　excitement；　at　opportunity　regranted；　when　he　looked　out　in　the　early　darkness　after　supper；　and　suddenly　saw　a　faint　but　unmistakable　light。　He　hesitated　no　longer。　Now；　instead　of　temporizing；　he　called　Princess；　got　into　the　car；　and　drove　in　that　direction。　
　　It　was　a　slow　process。　His　seeing　the　light　must　mean　merely　that　the　windows　of　that　house　happened　to　face　his　porch；　probably　he　could　not　have　seen　it　at　all　before　the　storm　had　blown　down　most　of　the　leaves。　As　soon　as　he　left　the　house；　he　could　no　longer　see　the　light。　He　drove　back　and　forth　along　the　streets　for　half　an　hour；　finally　relocated　it；　drove　slowly　down　the　right　street　and　past　the　proper　house。　The　shades　had　been　pulled；　but　there　was　light　shining　through；　even　illun…finating　the　street　a　little。　It　was　bright；　probably　from　a　gasoline　lamp。　
　　He　brought　the　car　to　a　stop　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　street；　and　waited　a　moment。　Apparently；　whoever　was　inside　the　house　had　not　heard　the　motor。　For　a　moment　still　he　hesitated；　almost　ready　now　to　put　the　car　into　gear　again　and　slide　off　undiscovered。　Yet；　from　some　deeper　drive　within　him；　he　leaned　forward；　and　half　opened　the　car　door　as　if　to　get　out。　Suddenly　Princess　leaped　by　him；　and　ran　toward　the　house　with　a　fury　of　barking。　She　must　have　scented　whoever　was　there。　With　a　sudden　curse；　he　got　out；　and　started　…　to　walk　after　her。　She　had　tipped　his　hand；　this　time；　for　certain。　He　hesitated　again；　suddenly　realizing　he　was　unarmed。　Yet　to　advance　against　the　house　carrying　a　gun　was　not　a　good　opening。　Without　much　thought　he　reached　back　into　the　car；　and　grabbed　his　old　hammer。　Holding　it　in　his　hand；　he　advanced　after　the　dog。　In　the　window　of　the　house　he　saw　a　shadow　move。　
　　When　he　had　gained　the　sidewalk；　the　house…door　opened　a　few　inches；　and　suddenly　the　beam　of　a　flashlight　caught　him。　He　could　see　nothing　beyond　it。　He　stopped；　waiting　for　what　the　other　person　would　have　to　say。　Princess　scuttled　back；　suddenly　silent。　Ish　had　the　unfortable　feeling　that　whoever　was　keeping　him　covered　with　the　flashlight　had　him　covered　also　with　a　gun　held　in　the　other　hand。　With　the　light　in　his　eyes；　he　was　blinded。　This　had　been　a　crazy　thing　to　do；　he　thought；　an　approach　under　cover　of　darkness　always　looked　suspicious；　and　made　people　nervous。　At　least　he　was　glad　that　he　had　shaved　that　morning；　and　that　his　clothes　looked　moderately　clean。　
　　There　was　a　long　pause。　He　stood　waiting　for　the　sharply　barked　question…the　inevitable；　if　slightly　ridiculous；　〃Who　are　you？〃　or　else　for　that　curt　order；　〃Put　up　your　hands！〃　That　was　why　he　had　a　sudden　gasp　of　surprise　when　a　woman's　voice　came　with　an　affirmation：　〃That's　a　beautiful　dog！〃　
　　There　was　a　momentary　silence；　the　memory　of　the　voice　in　his　ears　was　gentle　and　low；　with　a　touch　of　some　soft　accent　in　it。　At　the　sound　he　felt　warm　feelings　rise　up　within　him。　
　　Now　the　light　fell　from　his　eyes；　illuminating　a　path　ahead　of　him；　and　Princess　bounded　up　through　the　beam　of　light；　her　tail　wagging　in　joy。　The　door　of　the　house　moved　open　wide；　and　against　the　dim　light　behind　her；　he　saw　a　woman　on　her　knees　patting　the　dog。　He　walked　up　toward　her；　still　with　the　hammer　dangling　ridiculously　but　fortably　from　his　hand。　
　　Then　Princess；　in　a　sudden　flurry　of　excitement；　burst　away　and　went　tearing　into　the　house。　The　woman　leaped　up　with　an　exclamation；　half…screamed；　half…laughed；　and　also　dashed　in。　〃My　God；　she　must　have　a　cat！〃　thought　Ish；　and　rushed　after　her。　
　　But　when　he　arrived　in　the　living…room；　Princess　was　merely　dashing　around　the　table　and　smelling　at　the　chairs　and　the　woman　was　standing　erect　beside　a　gasoline　lamp　sheltering　it　against　being　overthrown　by　the　excited　dog。　
　　She　was　above　middle　height；　brunette；　not　very　young…no　mere　girl；　certainly；　but　a　fully　developed　woman。　
　　She　glanced　at　the　antics　of　the　scampering　dog　and　laughed；　and　the　sound　of　laughter　was　like　something　remembered　from　Paradise　long　ago。　She　turned　to　him；　and　he　saw　the　flash　of　white　teeth　in　the　dark　face。　Then　suddenly　a　barrier　burst　within　him；　and　he　laughed　joyously。　
　　After　a　mome