gs.earthabides-第34章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　The　bridge…lamps　did　not　work；　because　there　was　no　electricity；　and　the　hands　of　the　electric　clock　always　stood　at　12：17。　The　magazines　were　at　least　twenty…one　years　old。　There　were　no　programs　on　the　air　for　the　radio　to　pick　up；　even　if　there　had　been　any　electric　current　by　which　the　radio　and　the　phonograph　could　run。　
　　Yet　all　these　things　were　the　symbols　of　prosperity。　George　had　been　a　carpenter　in　the　Old　Times。　Maurine　had　then　been　married　to　a　man　who　must　have　been　about　the　social　and　financial　equal　of　George。　Such　people　always　wanted　to　have　fine　bridge…lamps　and　electric　clocks　and　radios　and　all　the　rest；　and　now　that　it　was　possible　to　have　all　these　things；　they　had　merely　gone　out　and　got　them　and　put　them　into　the　house。　Their　not　working　was　secondary。　In　the　evening　Maurine　merely　brought　in　a　kerosene　lamp；　and　stood　it　on　the　table　and　they　got　their　light　from　it　instead　of　from　the　bridge…lamps；　and　they　had　a　wind…up　phonograph　for　actual　use。　It　was　ridiculous；　and　also　a　little　pitiful。　Yet；　when　Ish　considered　the　matter；　he　always　remembered　Em's　first　reaction　to　it。　
　　〃Well；〃　she　had　said；　〃don't　you　remember　in　the　Old　Times　people　would　have　a　piano；　maybe　a　grand　piano；　in　the　living…room；　even　though　nobody　could　play　it？　And　they　had　a　set　of　those　books…what　did　they　call　them？…the　Harvard　Classics；　though　they　never　read　them。　And　maybe　they　had　a　fireplace　that　never　even　…had　a　chimney　attached　to　it。　All　those　things　were　just　to　show　off　that　you　could　afford　them。　They　were　proof　that　you　had　arrived。　So　I　don't　see　much　difference　now　if　George　and　Maurine　want　to　have　their　bridge…lamps；　even　if　they　can't　get　any　light　from　them。〃　
　　They　heard　George　ing　in　from　the　back；　and　then　his　bulky　form　filled　the　doorway。　He　held　a　pipe…wrench　in　one　hand；　and　was　wearing　his　usual　costume　of　carpenter's　overalls；　rather　dirty　and　well　stained　with　paint　smears。　He　could　have　used　new　overalls　every　day；　but　apparently　he　felt　more　fortable　in　ones　that　were　well　broken　in。　
　　〃Hi；　George；〃　said　Ezra；　who　usually　managed　to　say　the　first　word。　
　　〃G'morning；　George；〃　said　Ish。　
　　George　seemed　to　chew　his　tongue　for　a　moment；　as　if　really　considering　what　the　situation　demanded。　Then　he　said：　〃Morning；　Ish。。。。　Morning；　Ezra。〃　
　　〃Say；　George；〃　said　Ish。　〃No　water　over　at　Jean's　or　at　our　place　this　morning。　How　about　here？〃　There　was　a　pause。　
　　〃None　here；　neither；〃　said　George。　
　　〃Well；〃　said　Ish；　〃what　do　you　make　of　it？〃　
　　George　hesitated；　working　his　mouth　and　lips；　as　if　he　were　chewing　the　end　of　an　imaginary　cigar。　Ish　felt　a　sense　of　irritation　at　George's　lumpishness。　Yet　he　reflected；　controlling　himself；　that　George　was　a　solid　person　and　a　very　good　one　to　have　around。　
　　〃Well；〃　he　repeated；　〃what　do　you　make　of　it；　George？〃　
　　George　made　a　motion　as　if　to　put　the　imaginary　cigar　into　one　er　of　his　mouth；　and　then　he　replied。　〃Well；　if　she's　off　over　there　too；　I　guess　there's　no　use　looking　any　more　for　some　block　in　my　pipes　around　here；　way　I　was。　I　guess　she's　broke　or　clogged　up　somewheres　on　the　main　pipe　that　es　to　all　these　houses。〃　
　　Ish　caught　a　sidelong　glance　from　Ezra；　and　a　ghost　of　a　smile　on　his　face　as　much　as　to　say　that　after　all　any　of　them　might　have　figured　that　out　and　that　George's　pronouncement　was　not　exactly　the　word　of　a　mental　giant。　
　　〃I　guess　you　must　be　right；　George；〃　Ish　said。　〃But　what　are　we　going　to　do　about　it？〃　
　　George　shifted　the　imaginary　cigar　again；　and　then　spoke：　〃Well；　I　dunno。〃　
　　Like　Em；　George　obviously　considered　this　to　be　out　of　his　province。　Give　him　a　dripping　faucet　or　a　plugged　toilet；　and　he　would　be　happy　taking　care　of　it　for　you。　But　he　was　no　mechanic；　and　certainly　no　engineer。　So；　as　it　always　happened；　Ish　had　to　fake　the　lead。　
　　〃Where　did　all　this　water　e　from　anyway？〃　he　asked　on　the　impulse。　
　　The　others　both　were　silent。　It　was　curious。　Here　they　had　been　for　twenty…one　years　merely　using　water　that　continued　to　flow；　and　yet　they　had　never　given　any　real　consideration　to　where　the　water　came　from。　It　had　been　a　gift　from　the　past；　as　free　as　air；　like　the　cans　of　beans　and　bottles　of　catsup　that　could　be　had　just　by　walking　into　a　store　and　taking　them　from　the　shelves。　Ish　indeed　had　vaguely　thought　about　the　matter　sometimes；　and　wondered　how　long　the　water　would　continue　to　run；　and　even　considered　vaguely　what　they　should　do　to　develop　another　supply。　But　he　had　never　got　round　to　doing　anything。　Water　which　had　already　run　for　many　years　might　well　continue　to　run　for　many　years　more；　and　so　there　was　no　pressure　for　action。　In　all　those　years　there　had　never　been　one　single　day；　until　this　one；　when　there　had　been　any　immediate　reason　why　he　should　say　to　himself。　〃Today　I　must　do　something　about　the　water…supply。〃　
　　So　now　Ish　glanced　from　George　to　Ezra；　and　had　no　response　to　his　question。　George　merely　stood；　shifting　weight　from　one　foot　to　the　other。　Ezra　had　a　little　twinkle　in　his　eyes；　to　indicate　that　this　was　not　his　department。　Ezra　knew　people。　When　he　had　clerked　in　that　liquor…store　he　must　have　been　good　at　jollying　his　customers　along　and　making　tie…in　sales。　But　when　it　came　to　handling　ideas　and　things；　Ish　was　better　than　Ezra。　Ish　saw　that　he　would　have　to　answer　his　own　question。　
　　〃This　water　must　e　from　the　old　city　water…system；　somewhere；〃　he　said。　〃Must　have　e；　I　mean。　The　old　pipes　are　still　there。　I　think　the　best　thing　for　us　to　do　would　be　to　go　up　to　the　reservoir　and　see　whether　there　is　any　water　in　that。〃　
　　〃O。K。；〃　said　Ezra；　agreeable　as　ever。　〃Maybe；　though；　we　should　see　what　the　boys　think　about　it。〃　
　　〃No；〃　said　Ish。　〃They　won't　know　anything　about　it。　If　it　was　a　question　of　hunting　or　fishing；　we　could　ask　the　boys。　But　the　boys　wouldn't　know　anything　about　this。〃　
　　They　went　out　and　began　calling　the　dogs；　and　getting　ready　to　harness　up　the　teams　to　the　wagons。　The　reservoir　was　not　more　than　a　mile　away；　but　ever　since　he　had　been　mauled　by　the　mountain…lion；　Ish　was　not　good　at　long　walks；　and　George　was　beginning　to　suffer　from　the　stiffness　of　old　age　in　his　legs。　Getting　the　dogs　together　and　making　everything　ready　always　took　some　time。　At　moments　like　these；　Ish　regretted　that　horse…taming　had　e　to　be　a　lost　art。　There　were　no　wild　horses　left　in　the　immediate　vicinity；　but　he　was　sure　that　they　could　find　plenty　of　them　farther　east　in　the　open　plains　country　of　die　San　Joaquin　Valley。　But　the　trouble　really　was　that　all　three　men　had　been　city…people　who　were　used　to　driving　automobiles；　not　one　of　them　really　knew；　anything　about　horse…keeping　or　horse…managing；　and　so　they　had　never　made　the　effort　to　keep　horses。　Actually；　the　dogs　were　in　many　ways　more　convenient　because　they　demanded　little　care；　and　fed　on　the　less　choice　cuts　of　the　many　cattle　which　could　be　killed　easily　in　the　surrounding　country。　But　to　have　horses；　you　would　have　had　to　see　that　they　were　kept　on　good　pasture；　and　protected　from　wolves　and　lions。　So　on　the　whole；　now　that　automobiles　were　difficult　to　keep　running；　the　dog…teams　were　probably　the　simplest　answer　to　their　modest　requirements　for　transportation；　and　George　was　very　happy　to　make　the　little　wagons　and　keep　them　in　repair。　It　had　taken　Ish　years　to　get　over　the　feeling；　when　he　was　driving　in　one　of　the　wagons　behind　four　dogs；　that　he　was　acting　in　some　kind　of　ridiculous　pageant；　and　made　a　ludicrous　spectacle。　But；　of　course；　no　one　else　felt　the　same；　and　he　had　gradually　e　to　accept　the　situation。　After　all；　people　had　thought　it　natural　to　have　dogs　pull　sleds。　Why　not　wagons？　
　　They　left　the　dog…teams　at　the　foot　of　the　final　slope；　and　climbed　up　along　the　old　path；　breaking　their　way　through　thick　blackberry　bushes。　They　stood　at　the　edge　of　the　reservoir；　and　looked　across　its　empty　expanse。　There　was　a　little　skim　of　water　in　two　or　three　low　spots；　but　the　outlet…pipe　stood　up　into　the　air。　They　took　a　long　look；　and　it　was　Ezra　who　spoke　at　last：　
　　〃That's　that！〃　
　　They　discussed　the　possibilities　a　little；　but　without　much　interest　or　conviction。　They　were　already　half　way　through　the　rainy　season；　so　that　there　was　little　possibility　that　rainfall　would　put　water　into　the　reservoir　again。　They　went　down　the　path；　picked　up　the　dog…teams；　and　started　home。　
　　As　they　neared　the　houses；　the　dogs　began　to　bark；　and　the　house…dogs　barked　back　at　them。　Everyone　had　time　to　assemble　at　Ish's　house　to　hear　the　news。　When　they　had　heard　it；　the　older　people　looked　so　glum　that　the　children　caught　the　infection；　and　one　little　fellow；　who　was　probably　too　young　to　understand　anything　actually；　began　to　cry。　In　the　babble　of　conversation　it　soon　became　evident　that　no　one　was　much　worried　about　actual　thirst；　but　that　the　women　were　greatly　concerned　that　the　toilets　would　no　longer　work。　They　did　not　mind　this　one　day；　but　it　was　the　thought　that　they　would　never　work　again！　It　seemed　that　all　life　had　taken　a　step　backward。　
　　Only　Maurine　accepted　the　situation　philosophically。　〃I　growed　up　my　first　eighteen　years　on　the　old　farm　in　South　Dakota；〃　she　said。　〃I　run　out　to　the　outhouse；　all　kinds　of　weather；　and　I　never　seen　a　flusher　except　maybe　when　we　was　in　town　on　Saturdays。　That　was　one　of　the　things　I　liked　best　when　pappy　piled　us　into　the　old　Chevy　and　we　went　to　California。　But　I　always　felt　it　wouldn't　last；　and　I'd　end　up；　a…runnin'　out　in　all　weathers；　way　I　began。　Rushers　was　nice。　But　it's　all　over　now；　and　I　say；　'Thank　the　good　Lord　the　weather　ain't　so　cold　here　as　in　South　Dakota。'〃　
　　The　older　men　were　more　concerned　with　the　problem　of　drinking…water。　At　first；　like　the　confirmed　city…dwellers　that　they　had　been；　they　thought　in　terms　of　finding　where　supplies　of　bottled　water　had　been　left　in　the　stores　and　warehouses。　But　soon　they　saw　that　even　in　the　approaching　dry　season；　there　could　be　no　real　lack　of　water。　In　spite　of　the　long　rainless　summer；　the　area　was　not　a　desert；　and　the　little　streams　in　the　gullies；　though　no　one　had　ever　paid　much　attention　to　them；　must　actually　be　supplying　the　water　for　all　the　cattle　and　the　other　animals　which　wandered　in　the　region。　
　　Just　at　this　point；　a　distinction　between　the　older　generation　and　the　younger　began　to　show　itself。　Ish；　in　spite　of　having　been　a　geographer；　could　not　have　told　off…hand　where　there　was　a　single　spring　or　dependable　stream　in　the　neighborhood；　although　he　could　still　locate　positions　by　names　of　streets　and　intersections。　The　youngsters；　on　the　other　hand；　could　quickly　tell　him　where　there　was　a　stream　of　running　water　at　this　season　of　the　year；　or　where　there　would　be　pools　of　water；　or　where　there　were　springs。　They　could　not　locate　these　places　by　reference　to　streets；　but　they　could　tell　in　general　where　they　were；　and　could　go　to　them　without　hesitation。　Ish　suddenly　found　himself　being　instructed　by　his　own　son　Walt；　who　assured　him　that　at　this　season　of　year　there　would　be　running　water　in　a　little　gully　which　Ish　had　scarcely　ever　noticed　because　it　flowed　through　under　San　Lupo　Drive　by　means　of　a　storm　drain。　
　　Before　long；　the　original　consternation　changed　to　a　kind　of　warm　excite