deathworld-第31部分

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　 They　drew　back　automatically　when　he　said　it。　Because　they　knew
　that　stingwing　was　synonymous　with　death。　Past；　present　and　future　You　don't　change　a　natural　law。　Meta　spoke　for　all　of　them。
　 〃We…can't。　This　man　lives　in　the　jungle；　like　an　animal　himsell　Somehow　he's　learned　to　get　near　them。　But　you　can't　expect　us　to。〃
　 Jason　spoke　quickly；　before　the　talker　could　react　to　the　insult。　〃C
　
　course　I　expect　you　to。　That's　the　whole　idea。　If　you　don't　hate　the　bea~　and　expect　it　to　attack　you…why　it　won't。　Think　of　it　as　a　creature　fror
　
　a　different　planet；　something　harmless。〃
　 〃I　can't；〃　she　said。　〃It's　a　stingwing！〃
　 As　they　talked；　Bnicco　stepped　forward；　his　eyes　fixed　steadily　o　the　creature　perched　on　the　glove。　Jason　signaled　the　bowmen　to　hol　their　fire。　Brucco　stopped　at　a　safe　distance　and　kept　looking　steadily　c　the　stingwing。　It　rustled　its　leathery　wings　uneasily　and　hissed。　drop　of　poison　formed　at　the　tip　of　each　great　poison　claw　on　its　wing　The　control　room　was　filled　with　a　deadly　silence。
　 Slowly　he　raised　his　hand。　Carefully　putting　it　out；　over　the　anima　The　hand　dropped　a　little；　rubbed　the　stingwings　head　once；　then　fe。　back　to　his　side。　The　animal　did　nothing　except　stir　slightly　under　th　touch。
　 There　was　a　concerted　sigh；　as　those　who　had　been　unknowingl　holding　their　breath；　breathed　again。
　 〃How　did　you　do　it？〃　Meta　asked　in　a　hushed　voice。
　 〃Hmm；　what？〃　Brucco　said；　apparently　snapping　out　of　a　daze。　〃01　touching　the　thing。　Simple；　really。　I　just　pretended　it　was　one　of　di　training　aids　I　use；　a　realistic　and　harmless　duplicate。　I　kept　my　mm　on　that　single　thought　and　it　worked。〃　He　looked　down　at　his　ham　then　back　to　the　stingwing。　His　voice　was　quieter　now；　as　if　he　spol　from　a　distance。　〃It's　not　a　training　aid；　you　know。　It's　real。　Deadl：
　The　off…worlder　is　right。　He's　right　about　everything　he　said。〃
　 With　Brucco's　success　as　an　example；　Kerk　came　close　to　the　anima　He　walked　stiffly；　as　if　on　the　way　to　his　execution；　and　runnels
　sweat　poured　down　his　rigid　face。　But　he　believed　and　kept　his　though　directed　away　from　the　stingwing　and　he　could　touch　it　unharmed。
　Meta　tried　but　couldn't　fight　down　the　horror　it　raised　when　si　came　close。　〃I　am　trying；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　do　believe　you　now…hi　I　just　can't　do　it。〃
　 Skop　screamed　when　they　all　looked　at　him；　shouted　it　was　all　a　tric＇
　and　had　to　be　clubbed　unconscious　when　he　attacked　the　bowmen。　Understanding　had　e　to　Pyrnis。
　28
　 〃What　do　we　do　now？〃　Meta　asked。　Her　voice　was　troubled；　questioning。　She　voiced　the　thoughts　of　all　the　Pyrrans　in　the　room；　and　the　thousands　who　watched　in　their　screens。
　 〃What　will　we　do？〃　They　turned　to　Jason；　waiting　for　an　answer。　For　the　moment　their　differences　were　forgotten。　The　people　from　the　city　were　staring　expectantly　at　him；　as　were　the　crossbowmen　with　half…lowered　weapons。　This　stranger　had　confused　and　changed　the　old　world　they　had　known；　and　presented　them　with　a　newer　and　stranger　one；　with　alien　problems。
　 〃Hold　on；〃　he　said；　raising　his　hand。　〃I'm　no　doctor　of　social　ills。　I'm　not　going　to　try　and　cure　this　planet　full　of　musclebound　sharpshooters。　I've　just　squeezed　through　up　to　now；　and　by　the　law　of　averages　I　should　be　ten　times　dead。〃
　 〃Even　if　all　you　say　is　true；　Jason；〃　Meta　said；　〃you　are　still　the　only　person　who　can　help　us。　What　will　the　future　be　like？〃
　 Suddenly　weary；　Jason　slumped　into　the　pilot's　chair。　He　glanced　around　at　the　circle　of　people。　They　seemed　sincere。　None　of　them　even　appeared　to　have　noticed　that　he　no　longer　had　his　hand　on　the　pump　switch。　For　the　moment；　at　least；　the　war　between　city　and　country　was　forgotten。
　 〃I'll　give　you　my　conclusions；〃　Jason　said；　twisting　in　the　chair；　trying　to　find　a　fortable　position　for　his　aching　bones。　〃I've　been　doing　a　lot　of　thinking　the　last　day　or　two；　searching　for　the　answer。　The　very　first　thing　I　realized；　was　that　the　perfect　and　logical　solution　wouldn't　do　at　all。　I'm　afraid　the　old　ideal　of　the　lion　lying　down　with　the　lamb　doesn't　work　out　in　practice。　About　all　it　does　is　make　a　fast　lunch　for　the　lion。　Ideally；　now　that　you　all　know　the　real　causes　of　your　trouble；　you　should　tear　down　the　perimeter　and　have　the　city　and　forest　people　mingled　in　brotherly　love。　Makes　just　as　pretty　a　picture　as　the　one　of　lion　and　lamb。　And　would　undoubtedly　have　the　same　result。　Someone　would　remember　how　really　filthy　the　grubbers　are；　or　how　stupid　junkmen　can　be；　and　there　would　be　a　fresh　corpse　cooling。　The　fight　would
　spread　and　the　victors　would　be　eaten　by　the　wildlife　that　swarmed　over　the　undefended　perimeter。　No；　the　answer　isn't　that　easy。〃
　 As　the　Pyrrans　listened　to　him；　they　realized　where　they　were　and　glanced　around　uneasily。　The　guards　raised　their　crossbows　again　and　the　prisoners　stepped　back　to　the　wall　and　looked　surly。
　 〃See　what　I　mean？〃　Jason　asked。　〃Didn't　take　long；　did　it？〃　They　al＇　looked　a　little　sheepish　at　their　unthinking　reactions。
　 〃If　we're　going　to　find　a　decent　plan　for　the　future；　we'll　have　to　takc　inertia　into　consideration。　Mental　inertia；　for　one。　Just　because　you　know　a　thing　is　true　in　theory；　doesn't　make　it　true　in　fact。　The　barbaric　religions　of　primitive　worlds　hold　not　a　germ　of　scientific　fact；　though　they　claim　to　explain　all。　Yet　if　one　of　these　savages　has　all　the　logica＇　ground　for　his　beliefs　taken　away；　he　doesn't　stop　believing。　He　theii　calls　his　mistaken　beliefs　'faith'　because　he　knows　they　are　right。　Aml　he　knows　they　are　right　because　he　has　faith。　This　is　an　unbreakablc　circle　of　false　logic　that　can't　be　touched。　In　reality；　it　is　plain　menta＇　inertia。　A　case　of　thinking　'what　always　was'　will　also　'always　be。'　Anc　not　wanting　to　blast　the　thinking　patterns　out　of　the　old　rut。
　 〃Mental　inertia　alone　is　not　going　to　cause　trouble…there　is　culturai　inertia　too。　Some　of　you　in　this　room　believe　my　conclusions　and　woulc　like　to　change。　But　will　all　your　people　change？　The　unthinking　ones；　the　habit…ridden；　reflex…formed　people　who　know　what　is　now；　will　al　ways　be。　They'll　act　like　a　drag　on　whatever　plans　you　make；　whatevei　attempts　you　undertake　to　progress　with　the　new　knowledge　you　have。'
　 'Then　it's　useless；　there's　no　hope　for　our　world？〃　Rhes　asked。
　 〃I　didn't　say　that；〃　Jason　answered。　〃I　merely　mean　that　your　trouble　won't　end　by　throwing　some　kind　of　mental　switch。　I　see　three　course　open　for　the　future；　and　the　chances　are　that　all　three　will　be　going　ox　at　the　same　time。
　 〃First…and　best…will　be　the　rejoining　of　city　and　country　Pyrran　into　the　single　human　group　they　came　from。　Each　is　inplete　now
　and　has　something　the　other　one　needs。　In　the　city　here　you　have　scieno　and　contact　with　the　rest　of　the　galaxy。　You　also　have　a　deadly　war。　Ou　there　in　the　jungle；　your　first　cousins　live　at　peace　with　the　world；　bu　lack　medicine　and　the　other　benefits　of　scientific　knowledge；　as　well　a　any　kind　of　cultural　contact　with　the　rest　of　mankind。　You'll　both　hay　to　join　together　and　benefit　from　the　exchange。　At　the　same　time　you'＇　have　to　forget　the　superstitious　hatred　you　have　of　each　other。　This　wil　only　be　done　outside　of　the　city；　away　from　the　war。　Every　one　of　yoi　who　is　capable　should　go　out　voluntarily；　bringing　some　fraction　of　th　knowledge　that　needs　sharing。　You　won't　be　harmed　if　you　go　in　goo　faith。　And　you　will　learn　how　to　live　with　this　planet；　rather　thai
　against　it。　Eventually　you'll　have　civilized　munities　that　won't　be　either　'grubber'　or　'junkman。'　They'll　be　Pyrran。〃
　 〃But　what　about　our　city　here？〃　Kerk　asked。
　 〃It'll　stay　right　here…and　probably　won't　change　in　the　slightest。　In　the　beginning　yOu'll　need　your　perimeter　and　defenses　to　stay　alive；　while　the　people　are　leaving。　And　after　that　it　will　keep　going　because　there　are　going　to　be　any　number　of　people　here　who　you　won't　convince。　They'll　stay　and　fight　and　eventually　die。　Perhaps　you　will　be　able　to　do　a　better　job　in　educating　their　children。　What　the　eventual　end　of　the　city　will　be；　I　have　no　idea。〃
　 They　were　silent　as　they　thought　about　the　future。　On　the　floor；　Skop　groaned　but　did　not　move。　〃Those　are　two　ways；〃　Meta　said。　〃What　is　the　third？〃
　 〃The　third　possibility　is　my　own　pet　scheme；〃　Jason　smiled。　〃And　I　hope　I　can　find　enough　people　to　go　along　with　me。　I'm　going　to　take　my　money　and　spend　it　all　on　outfitting　the　best　and　most　modern　spacer；　with　every　weapon　and　piece　of　scientific　equipment　I　can　get　my　hands　on。　Then　I'm　going　to　ask　for　Pyrran　volunteers　to　go　with　me。〃
　 〃What　in　the　world　for？〃　Mete　frowned。
　 〃Not　for　charity。　I　expect　to　make　my　investment　back；　and　more。　You　see；　after　these　past　few　months；　I　can't　possibly　return　to　my　old　occupation。　Not　only　do　I　have　enough　money　now　to　make　it　a　waste　of　time；　but　I　think　it　would　be　an　unending　bore。　One　thing　about　Pyrrus…if　you　live…is　that　it　spoils　you　for　the　quieter　places。　So　I'd　like　to　take　this　ship　that　I　mentioned　and　go　into　the　business　of　opening　up　new　worlds。　There　are　thousands　of　planets　where　men　would　like　to　settle；　only　getting　a　foothold　on　them　is　too　rough　or　rugged　for　the　usual　settlers。　Now　can　you　imagine　a　planet　a　Pyrran　couldn't　lick　after　the　training　you've　had　here？　And　wouldn't　you　enjoy　doing　it？
　 〃There　would　be　more　than　pleasure　involved；　though。　In　the　city；　your　lives　have　been　geared　for　continual　deadly　warfare。　Now　you're　faced　with　the　choice　of　a　fairly　peaceful　future；　or　staying　in　the　city　to　fight　an　unnecessary　and　foolish　war。　I　offer　the　third　alternative　of　the　occupation　you　know　best；　that　would　let　you　acplish　something　constructive　at　the　same　time。
　 〃Those　are　the　choices。　Whatever　you　decide　is　up　to　each　of　you　personally。〃
　 Before　anyone　could　answer；　livid　pain　circled　Jason's　throat　Skop　had　regained　consciousness　and　surged　up　from　the　floor。　He　pulled　Jason　from　the　chair　with　a　single　motion；　holding　him　by　the　neck；
　throttling　him。　The　bowmen　tried　to　shoot；　but　held　their　fire　becaus　Jason　was　in　the　way。
　 〃Kerk！　Meta！〃　Skop　shouted　hoarsely。　〃Grab　guns！　Open　the　lod
　…our　people'll　be　here；　kill　the　damn　grubbers　and　their　lies！〃
　 Jason　tore　at　the　fingers　that　were　choking　the　life　out　of　him；　but　was