gs.earthabides-第17章

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　window　carefully　behind　him；　to　keep　at　least　that　one　store　free　of　rats。　
　　After　he　had　returned　to　the　house；　he　reflected　upon　his　position　again；　and　decided　that　as　yet　the　mere　maintenance　of　life　would　be　easy；　indefinitely。　Food；　clothing…the　shops　were　full；　and　he　had　only　to　help　himself！　Water　still　gushed　from　the　faucets　at　full　pressure。　Gas　had　failed；　and　if　it　had　been　a　country　of　bitterly　cold　winters；　he　might　have　had　to　consider　laying　in　some　kind　of　fuel　supply。　But　his　gasoline　stove　served　excellently　for　cooking；　if　the　fireplace　was　not　sufficient　in　the　winter；　he　could　round　up　a　battery　of　such　stoves　and　supply　himself　with　all　the　heat　he　needed。　In　fact；　he　soon　began　to　feel　so　pleasantly　self…sufficient　that　he　feared　he　was　turning　into　a　hermit　like　the　old　man　he　had　once　seen。　
　　In　those　days　when　there　had　been　death　even　in　the　air　and　civilization　tottered　toward　its　end…in　those　days；　the　men　who　controlled　the　flow　of　the　water　looked　at　one　another　and　said；　〃Even　though　we　fall　sick　and　die；　still；　the　people　must　have　water。〃　And　they　thought　of　plans　that　they　had　laid　carefully　in　those　times　when　men　feared　that　bombs　would　fall。　Then　they　set　the　valves　and　opened　the　channels；　so　that　the　water　flowed　freely　all　the　way　from　the　great　dams　in　the　mountains　and　through　the　long　siphons　and　into　the　tunnels　and　finally　to　the　reservoirs　from　which　it　would　flow；　all　at　the　pull　of　the　earth；　through　all　the　faucets。　〃Now；〃　they　said；　〃when　we　are　gone；　the　water　will　flow　on…yes；　until　the　pipes　rust　out；　and　that　will　be　the　time　of　a　generation！〃　Then　they　died。　But　they　died　as　men　who　have　finished　their　work　and　lie　down　quietly；　secure　in　their　honor。　
　　So　at　the　end；　there　was　still　the　blessing　of　water；　and　no　one　thirsted。　And　even　when　only　a　few　wanderers　walked　through　the　city　streets；　the　water　still　flowed。　
　　Ish　had　feared　at　first　that　he　would　suffer　from　mere　boredom；　but　he　soon　found　himself　as　busy　as　he　wished　to　be。　The　desire　for　activity　which　had　expressed　itself　in　his　eastern　trip　had　now　faded　out。　He　slept　a　great　deal。　He　also　found　himself　sitting　for　long　periods；　conscious　but　in　sheer　apathy。　Such　lapses；　however；　frightened　him；　and　he　always　tried　to　force　himself　into　some　kind　of　activity。　
　　Fortunately；　though　the　mechanics　of　living　were　not　plicated；　they　took　up　an　appreciable　part　of　his　time。　
　　He　had　to　prepare　his　food；　and　he　soon　found　that　unless　he　washed　the　dishes　promptly；　a　stream　of　ants　appeared；　to　make　everything　twice　as　difficult。　He　was　forced；　for　the　same　reason；　to　wrap　up　the　garbage　and　carry　it　somewhere　away　from　the　house。　He　had　to　feed　Princess；　since　she　was　getting　smelly；　he　even　bathed　her；　over　her　loud　protests。　
　　One　day；　wanting　to　shake　himself　out　of　his　apathy；　he　went　to　the　Public　Library；　smashed　a　lock　with　his　hammer；　and　after　some　browsing　found　himself　（a　little　to　his　own　amusement）　walking　out　with　Robinson　Crusoe　and　The　Swiss　Family　Robinson。　
　　These　books；　however；　did　not　interest　him　greatly。　Crusoe's　religious　preoccupations　seemed　boring　and　rather　silly。　As　for　the　Robinsons；　he　felt　（as　he　had　felt　when　a　boy）　that　the　ship　remained　for　the　family　a　kind　of　infinite　grab…bag　from　which　at　any　time　they　might　take　exactly　what　they　wanted。　
　　Although　the　radio　was　dead；　he　still　had　the　family's　record…player　and　collection　of　records。　After　a　while　he　located　in　a　music　store　a　better　record…player。　It　was　heavy；　but　he　was　just　able　to　get　it　home　on　the　station…wagon　tailgate；　and　set　it　up　in　the　fiving…room。　He　also　took　all　the　records　he　wanted。　Feeling　the　need　of　something　more　too；　he　helped　himself　to　a　fine　accordion。　With　the　aid　of　an　instructionbook；　he　managed　to　make　some　very　soul…satisfying　noises　on　it；　although　Princess　objected　at　times　with　loud　howls。　He　also　supplied　himself　with　drawing…materials；　but　never　got　round　to　using　them。　
　　His　chief　interest　remained　the　careful　observation　of　what　was　happening　to　the　world　after　the　removal　of　man's　controls。　He　drove　around　through　all　parts　of　the　city；　and　into　the　near…by　country。　At　other　times；　carrying　his　field…glasses；　he　took　long　walks　through　the　hills；　with　Princess　trailing　now　behind　him　and　now　dashing　off　in　wild　pursuit　of　that　perpetual　unseen　rabbit。　
　　Once　he　searched　for　the　old　man　whom　he　had　found　storing　up　all　those　supplies　of　miscellaneous　goods。　After　some　trouble　he　located　the　house；　and　found　the　rat's　nest　of　materials　which　had　been　piled　in　it。　But　the　old　man　was　not　in　the　house；　and　there　was　no　evidence　as　to　where　he　had　gone　or　whether　he　was　still　alive。　Aside　from　this；　Ish　made　no　effort　to　find　people；　remembering　how　unsatisfactory　had　been　the　results　of　his　previous　attempts。　
　　The　look　of　the　streets　was　changing　a　little。　The　drought　of　summer　had　not　yet　been　broken；　but　the　winds　had　blown　dust　and　leaves　and　trash；　and　deposited　them　in　little　piles　here　and　there。　Over　most　of　the　city　he　saw　no　animals　at　all；　neither　dogs　nor　cats　nor　rats。　In　certain　areas；　however；　particularly　near　the　water…front；　he　saw　a　good　many　dogs；　although　only　of　a　certain　kind。　They　were　small　and　active　ones；　terriers　or　terrier…like　mongrels。　By　watching；　he　saw　that　they　marked　the　establishment　of　some　new　cycle　of　life。　They　scavenged　in　the　supplies　which　they　found　in　the　stores；　perhaps　having　learned　this　from　the　rats。　Where　the　rats　pawed　open　a　carton　of　crackers；　the　dogs　came　in　and　ate。　But　also　the　dogs　apparently　lived　largely　upon　the　rats。　This　accounted　for　their　concentration　in　the　areas　where　rats　had　been　somewhat　abundant　even　before　the　catastrophe。　The　dogs　had　also　apparently　driven　away　or　killed　off　the　cats；　doubtless　getting　scratched　in　the　process；　but　also　achieving　some　desperately　needed　meals。　
　　These　dogs　amused　Ish。　They　seemed　almost　to　swagger；　cocky　still；　as　terriers　were　supposed　to　be。　Though　dirty　and　thin；　they　exuded　vigor　and　self…confidence；　as　if　knowing　that　they　had　solved　the　problem　of　life。　Temperamentally　they　must　represent　the　individuals　who　had　always　lived　more；　or　less　on　their　own；　taking　care　of　themselves　as　they　wished　and　paying　scant　attention　to　man。　They　showed　no　interest　in　Ish；　keeping　distance；　not　trying　either　to　make　friends　or　to　escape　from　him。　After　Princess　had　tangled　in　a　rough…and…tumble　fight　with　one　of　the　bitches；　he　took　the　precaution　of　keeping　her　on　a　leash　or　in　the　car　whenever　he　drove　through　such　districts。　
　　In　parks　and　on　the　edges　of　the　city；　wherever　there　was　a　good　growth　of　bushes；　he　occasionally　saw　a　cat。　They　kept　mostly　to　the　branches；　apparently　fearing　the　dogs　and　at　the　same　time　ready　to　prey　upon　birds。　
　　During　his　walks　in　the　hills　he　had　never　seen　any　dogs　until　one　day　he　was　surprised　to　hear　a　medley　of　yaps　and　deeper　bays。　Gaining　a　point　from　which　he　could　look　out；　he　saw　a　half　dozen　cattle；　on　what　had　once　been　the　golf　course；　closely　pursued　and　being　harried　by　some　eight　or　ten　dogs。　Focusing　the　field…glasses；　he　saw　that　the　dogs　were　of　different　varieties；　but　none　of　them　of　the　short…legged　ratter　type。　There　was　a　magnificent　Dane；　a　collie；　a　spotted　Dalmatian　and　others　which　had　more　the　mongrel　look　but　were　all　long　of　leg　and　moderately　powerful。　They　were　obviously　a　hunting　pack；　spontaneously　formed　and　already　experienced　at　their　business。　They　were　trying　to　cut　out　one　of　the　calves。　But　the　cattle　fought　back；　vigorously；　homs　toward　the　pack；　or　kicking　out　from　behind。　They　gradually　made　their　way　out　of　the　open　stretches　of　grass。　When　they　reached　the　shelter　of　some　bushes　at　the　edge　of　the　golf　course；　they　seemed　to　gain　the　advantage；　and　the　dogs　drew　off。　
　　Since　the　show　was　over；　Ish　called　Princess；　and　they　started　to　walk　back　a　mile　toward　where　he　had　left　the　car。　In　a　few　minutes　he　heard　the　bay　of　the　pack　again。　It　came　closer；　and　suddenly　he　knew　that　they　were　on　his　own　trail。　
　　Panic　struck　at　him。　He　started　to　run。　But　after　a　few　yards　he　realized　that　running　would　be　of　no　use　and　only　an　invitation。　He　stilled　his　panic；　gathered　up　a　few　stones；　and　selected　a　fallen　branch　to　serve　for　a　club。　He　continued　to　walk　toward　the　car。　The　baying　came　closer；　then　suddenly　it　stopped；　and　he　knew　that　the　dogs　must　have　sighted　him。　He　hoped　that　the　long…ingrained　respect　for　mankind　had　survived；　but　also　he　suddenly　began　to　wonder　what　had　happened　to　the　old　man　and　the　other　people　whom　he　had　once　seen　in　this　region。　Now　one　of　the　dogs；　an　ugly　black　mongrel；　came　out　on　the　road　right　in　front　of　him。　Fifty　yards　off；　it　stopped；　sat　down；　and　looked　at　him。　As　he　drew　closer；　he　raised　his　arm；　and　made　a　gesture　of　throwing　a　stone。　By　age…old　reaction　the　dog　jumped　up。　It　loped　to　the　side　of　the　road；　and　disappeared　into　the　bushes。　Ish　could　hear　movement　elsewhere　in　the　brush；　as　if　the　dogs　were　circling　about。　Princess　was　behaving　in　her　usual　irritating　and　uncertain　fashion。　Now　she　cringed；　tail　between　legs；　brushing　against　him。　Again　she　made　short　provocative　dashes　with　loud　barks；　this　direction　and　that；　as　if　challenging　one　and　all　to　bat　with　her　and　her　man。　
　　Now　he　could　see　the　car　far　ahead；　he　walked　steadily；　husbanding　his　stones；　looking　backward　only　now　and　then；　depending　upon　Princess　to　give　warning；　if　a　sudden　attack　should　e　from　behind。　He　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　Dane　standing　in　a　gap　between　bushes；　a　magnificent　dog；　heavy　as　a　man。　With　a　loud　yap　Princess　made　a　suicidal　dash　at　the　great　。　He　sprang　toward　her；　and　at　the　same　time　the　collie　dashed　out　of　the　bushes　on　the　left。　But　Princess　doubled　with　the　agility　of　a　rabbit；　and　the　two　larger　dogs　collided　in　their　rush；　and　caromed　off　each　other；　snarling。　Princess　came　back　again　to　brush　against　his　legs；　her　tail　drooping。　Now　the　Dalmatian　crossed　into　the　road　ahead　and　stood　there；　red　tongue　lolling　out。　Ish　continued　his　steady　pace。　The　Dalmatian　was　the　least　fiercesome　looking　of　the　dogs；　and　Ish　felt　that　he　might　brave　that　one。　A　handsome　collar　still　circled　the　spotted　neck；　a　metal　dogtag　dangling　from　it。　Uneasily；　Ish　saw　that　it　was　thin；　with　ribs　showing；　and　yet　did　not　look　in　too　bad　condition。　Evidently　on　rabbits　or　calves　or　on　whatever　the　pack　might　run　down　or　find　as　carrion；　the　dogs　were　managing　to　get　along。　He　hoped　that　they　had　not　yet　been　driven　into　cannibalism；　…and　that　their　interest　in　Princess　might　be　somewhat　playful…not　to　mention　their　interest　in　a　stray　man。　At　twenty　feet　distance；　without　slacking　his　steady　pace；　Ish　raised　his　arm；　threatening。　The　Dalmatian　suddenly　dropped　tail　between　legs；　and　slunk　off。　The　car　was　close　now；　and　Ish　relaxed。　
　　He　got　to　the　car；　opened　the　door　for　Princess　to　jump　in；　and　stilling　a　last…moment　panicky　impulse　to　scramble；。　he　himself　stepped　in　behind　her　with　dignity。　As　the　door　clicked　shut；　he　had　an　immediate　feeling　of　safety。　He　let　his　hand　close　fortably　around　the　solid　handle　of　the　hammer　which　lay　at　his　feet。　He　felt　sick　with　the　reaction。　
　　Looking　out　from　the　car；　he　saw　only　the　han