time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第16部分

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　　those　days。…'
　　
　　But　the　unceasing　barrage　of　questions　did　not　bother　David　save　for　the　possibility　of　starving　to　death　at　meal　times…　and　he　learned　to　shovel　it　in　fast　while　sitting　rigidly　at　attention　and　still　ans。　Some　were
　　
　　trick　questions？　such　as；　〃Mister；　are　you　a　virgin？〃　Either　way　a　plebe　answered　he　was　in　trouble…if　be　gave　a　straight　ans；wer。　In　those　days　some　importance　was　placed　on　virginity　or　the　lack　of　it；　I　can't　say　why。
　　
　　But　trick　questions　called　for　trick　answers；　Dave　found　that　an　acceptable　answer　to　that　one　was：　〃Yes；　sir！…in　my　left　ear。〃　Or　possibly　his　belly　button。
　　
　　But　most　trick　questions　were　intended　to　trap　a　plebe　into　giving　a　meek　answer…and　meekness　was　a　mortal　sin。　Say　a　first　classman　said；　〃Mister；　would　you　say　I　was　handsome？〃
　　
　　…an　acceptable　answer　would　be；　〃Perhaps　your　mother　would　say　so；　sir…but　not　me。〃　Or　〃Sir；　you　are　the　handsomest　man　I　ever　saw　who　was　intended　to　be　an　ape。〃
　　
　　Such　answers　were　chancy…they　might　ifick　a　first　classman　on　the　raw…but　they　were　safer　than　meek　answers。　But　no　matter　how　carefully　a　plebe　tried　to　meet　impossible　standards；　about　once　a　week　some　first　classman　would　decide　that　he　needed　punishment…arbitrary　punishment　without　trial。　This　could　run　from　mild；　such　as　exercises　repeated　to　physical　collapse…which　David　disliked　as　they　reminded　him　of　〃honest　work〃…up　to　paddling　on　the　buttocks。　This　may　strike　you　as　nothing　much；　Ira；　but　I'm　not　speaking　of　paddling　children　sometimes　receive。　These　beatings　were　delivered　with　the　flat　of　a　sword　or　with　a　worn…out　broom　that　amounted　to　a　long；　heavy　club。　Three　blows　delivered　by　a　grown　man　in　perfect　health　would　leave　the　victim's　bottom　a　mass　of　purple　bruises　and　blood　blisters；　acpanied　by　excruciating　pain。
　　
　　David　tried　hard　to　avoid　incidents　likely　to　result　in　this　calculated　torture；　but　there　was　no　way　to　avoid　them　entirely；　short　of　quitting；　as　some　first　classmen　awarded　such　blows　through　sheer　sadism。　David　gritted　his　teeth　and　accepted　them　when　he　had　to；　judging…correctly…that　he　would　be　run　out　of　school　if　he　defied　the　supreme　authority　of　a　first　classman。　So　he　thought　about　the　south　end　of　that　mule　and　endured　it。
　　
　　There　was　a　much　greater　hazard　to　his　personal　safety　and　future　prospects　of　a　life　free　from　〃honest　ilitary　service　included　the　idea　that　a　prospective　officer　must　excel　in　athletic　sports。　Do　not　ask　why；　it　was　no　more　subject　to　rational　explanation　than'　is　any　other　branch　of　theology。
　　
　　Plebes　in　particular　had　to…no　choice！…go　out　for　〃sports。〃　Two　hours　each　day　which　were　nominally　free　David　could
　　
　　not　spend　napping　or　dreaming　in　the　quiet　Of　the　school's　library；　but　must　perforce　spend　in　sweaty　exercise。
　　
　　Worse　still；　some　〃sports〃　were　not　only　excessively　energetic　but　also　involved　hazards　to　David's　favorite　skin；　〃Boxing〃
　　
　　…this　is　a　long　forgotten；　utterly　useless；　stylized　mock　bat　in　which　two　men　batter　each　other　for　a　preset　period　or　until　one　is　beaten　unconscious。　〃La　Crosse〃…this　is　a　mock　battle　taken　over　from　the　savages　who　had　formerly　inhabited　that　continent。　In　it　mobs　of　men　fought　with　clubs。　There　was　a　hard　missile　with　which　points　were　scored…but　it　was　the　prospect　of　being　sliced　open　or　having　bones　broken　with　these　clubs　that　aroused　our　hero's　distaste。
　　
　　There　was　a　thing　called　〃water　polo〃　in　which　opposing　swimmers　attempted　to　drown　each　other。　David　avoided　that　one　by　not　swimming　more　than　well　enough　to　stay　in　school
　　
　　…a　required　skill。　He　was　an　excellent　swimmer；　having'　learned　at　the　age　of　seven　through　being　chucked　into　a　creek　by　two　older　cousins…but　he　concealed　his　skill。
　　
　　The　sport　with　highest　prestige　was　a　thing　called　〃foot　ball〃
　　
　　…and　first　classmen　sized　up　each　new　group　of　victims　for　candidates　who　might　be　expected　to　excel；　or　learn　to　excel；　in　this　organized　mayhem。　David　had　never　seen　it…but　now　he　saw　it　and　it　filled　his　peaceful　soul　with　horror。
　　
　　As　well　It　might。　It　involved　two　gangs　of　eleven　men　facing　each　other　on　a　field　and　trying　to　move　an　ellipsoid　bladder　down　the　field　against　the　opposition　of　the　other　gang。　There　were　rituals　and　an　esoteric　terminology；　but　that　was　the　idea。
　　
　　It　sounds　harmless　and　rather　foolish。　？oolish　it　was；　harmless　it　was　not…as　the　rituals　permitted　the　opposing　gang　to　attack　a　man　attempting　to　move　the　bladder　in　a　variety　of　violent　ways；　the　least　of　which　was　to　grab　him　and　cause　him　to　hit　the　ground　like　a　ton　of　brick。　Often　three　or　four　hit　him　at　once；　and　sometimes　inflicted　indignities　and　mayhems　not　permitted　by　the　rituals　but　concealed　hy　the　pile　of　bodies。
　　
　　Death　was　not　supposed　to　result　from　this　activity　but　sometimes　did。　Injuries　short　of　death　were　monplace。
　　
　　Unfortunately　David　had　the　ideal　physique　for　success　in　this　〃feet　ball〃~…height；　weight；　eyesight；　fleetness　of　foot；　speed　of　reflex。　He　was　certain　to　be　spotted　by　the　first　classmen　on　their　return　from　mock　sea　battles　and　〃volunteered〃　as　a　sacrificial　victim。
　　
　　It　was　time　for　evasive　action。
　　
　　The　only　posSible　way　to。　avoid　〃foot　ball〃　was　to　be　acceptably　occupied　with　some　other　sport。　He　found　one。
　　
　　Ira；　do　you　know　what　〃swordsmanship〃　is？　Good…I　can。　speak　freely。　This　was　a　time　in　Earth's　history　when　the　sword　had　ceased　to　be　a　weapon…after　having　been　prominent　for　more　than　four　millennia。　But　swords　still　existed　in　fossil　form　and　retained　a　shadow　of　their　ancient　prestige。　A　gentleman　was　presumed　to　know　how　to　use　a　sword　and…　〃Lazarus；　what　is　a　'gentleman'？〃
　　
　　What？　Don't　interrupt；　boy；　you　confuse　me。　A　〃gentleman〃　is；　uh…Well；　now　let　me　see。　A　general　definition…　My；　you　can　think　up　some　hard　ones。　Some　said　it　was　an　accident　of　birth…that　being　a　disparaging　way　of　saying　it　was　a　trait　geically　inherited。　But　that　doesn't　say　what　the　trait　is。　A　gentleman　was　supposed　to　prefer　being　a　dead　lion　to　being　a　live　jackal。　Me；　I've　always　preferred　to　be　a　live　lion；　so　that　puts　me　outside　the　rules。　Mmm　。　。　you　could　say　in　all　seriousness　that　the　quality　tagged　by　that　name　represents　the　slow　emergence　in　human　culture　of　an　ethic　higher　than　simple　self…interest……damn　slow　in　emerging　in　my　opinion；　you　still　can't　rely　on　it　jn　a　crunch。
　　
　　As　may　be；　military　officers　were　presumed　to　be　gentlemen　and　wore　swords。　Even　fliers　wore　swords；　although　Allah　'alone　could　guess　why~
　　
　　These　cadets　were　not　only　presumed　to　be　gentlemen；　there　was　a　national　law　which　stated　that　they　were　gentlemen。　So　they　were　taught　a　bare　minimum　about　how　to　handle　a　sword；　just　enough　to　keep　them　from　slicing　their　fingers　or　stabbing　bystanders…not　enough　to　fight　with　them；　just　to　keep　them　from　looking　too　silly　　to　wear　swords。
　　
　　But　swordsmanship　was　a　recognized　sport；　called　〃fencing。〃　It　had　none　of　the　prestige　of　foothall；　or　boxing；　or　even　water　polo…but　it　was　on　the　list；　a　plebe　could　sign　up　for　it。
　　
　　David　spotted　this　as　a　way　out。　Under　a　simple　physical　law；　if　he　was　up　in　the　fencing　loft；　then　he　was　not　down　on　the　football　field；　with　sadistic　gorillas　in　hobnailed　boots　jumping　up　and　down　on　him。　Long　before　the　upper　classmen　returned　to　school　Plebe　Cadet　Lamb　had　established　himself　as　a　member　of　the　fencing　squad；　with　a　record　of　never　missing　a　day；　and　was　trying　hard　to　look　like　a　〃good　prospect〃　for　the　team。
　　
　　At　that　time　and　place　three　forms　of　fencing　were　taught：
　　
　　saber；　dueling　sword；　and　foil。　The　first　tw&'used　full…sfred　weapons。　True；　edges　were　dulled　and　points。　were　bated；　nevertheless　a　man　could　get　hurt　with　them…even　fatally；　though　that　was　very　rare。　But　the　foil　was　a　lightweight　toy；　a~　fake　swcrd　with　a　limber　blade　that　bent　at　the　slightest　pressure。　The　stylized　imitation　swordplay　that　used　the　foil　was　about　as　dangerous　as　tiddlywinks。　This　was　the　〃weapon〃　；David　selected。
　　
　　It　was　made　f9r　him。　The　highly　artificial　rules　of　foil　fencing　gave　great　advantage　to　fast　reflexes　and　a　sharp　brain；　both　of　which　he　had。　Some　exertion　was　necessary…but　not　much　pared　with　football；　lacrosse；　or　even　tennis。　Best　of　all；　it　required　no　body…against…body　pounding　that　David　found　so　distasteful　in　the　rough　games　he　was　avoiding。　David　applied　himself　single…mindedly　to　acquiring　skill　so　that　his？。haven　would　be　secure。
　　
　　So　diligent　was　he　in　protecting　his　sanctuary　that；　before　his　plebe　year　was　over；　he　was　National　Novice　Foil　Champion。　This　caused　his　squad　leader　to　smile　at　him；　an　expression　that　hurt　his　face。　His　cadet　pany　mander　noticed　him　for　the　first　time　and　congratulated　him。
　　
　　Success　with　the　foil　even　got　him　out　of　some　〃punishment〃　beatings。　One　Friday　evening；　when　he　was　about　to　be　beaten　for　some　imaginary　dereliction。；　David　said；　〃Sir；　if　it's　the　same　to　you；　I'd　rather　have　twice　as　many　swats　on　Sunday…because　tomorrow　we're　fencing　the　Princeton　plebe　team　and；　if　you　do　the　job　I　know　you　can　do；　i~　might　slow　me　up　tomorrow。〃
　　
　　The　first　classman　was　impressed　by　this　because　having　the　Navy　win；　at　any　time　and　for　any　purpose　and　in　anything；　took　precedence　by　Sacred　Law　over　anything　else；　even　the　righteous　pleasure　of　beating　a　〃smart　ass〃　plebe。　He　answered；　〃Tell　you　what；　mister。　Report　to　my　room　after　supper　on　Sunday。　If　you　lose　tomorrow；　you　get　a　double　dose　of　the　medicine　you've　got　ing　to　you。　But　if　you　win；　we'll　cancel　it。〃
　　
　　David　won　all　three　of　his　matches。
　　
　　Fencing　got　him　through　his　perilous　plebe　year　with　his　precious　skin　unmarked　save　for　scars　on　his　bottom。　He　was　safe　now；　with　three　easy　years　ahead　of　him；　fo~　only　a　plebe　was　subject　to　physical　punishment；　only　a　plebe　could　be　ordered　to　take　part　in　orga。nized　mayhem。
　　
　　（Omitted）
　　
　　One　body…contact　sport　David　loved；　one　of　ancient　popu
　　
　　lazily；　which　he　had　learned　back　n　Those　bills　he　had　fled　from。　But　it　was　played　with　girls　and