生命不能承受之轻-第38章

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d　a　hall　in　the　tavern　where　a　band　played　on　Saturdays　and　the　villagers　danced。
Under　Communism；　however；　village　life　no　longer　fit　the　age…old　pattern。　The　church　was　in　the　neighboring　village；　and　no　one　went　there；　the　tavern　had　been　turned　into　offices；　so　the　men　had　nowhere　to　meet　and　drink　beer；　the　young　people　nowhere　to　dance。　Celebrating　church　holidays　was　forbidden；　and　no　one　cared　about　their　secular　replacements。　The　nearest　cinema　was　in　a　town　fifteen　miles　away。　So；　at　the　end　of　a　day's　work　filled　with　boisterous　shouting　and　relaxed　chatter；　they　would　all　shut　themselves　up　within　their　four　walls　and；　surrounded　by　contemporary　furniture　emanating　bad　taste　like　a　cold　draft；　stare　at　the　refulgent　television　screen。　They　never　paid　one　another　visits　besides　dropping　in　on　a　neighbor　for　a　word　or　two　before　supper。　They　all　dreamed　of　moving　into　town。　The　country　offered　them　nothing　in　the　way　of　even　a　minimally　interesting　life。
Perhaps　it　was　the　fact　that　no　one　wished　to　settle　there　that　caused　the　state　to　lose　its　power　over　the　countryside。　A　farmer　who　no　longer　owns　his　own　land　and　is　merely　a　laborer　tilling　the　soil　forms　no　allegiance　to　either　region　or　work；　he　has　nothing　to　lose；　nothing　to　fear　for。　As　a　result　of　such　apathy；　the　countryside　had　maintained　more　than　a　modicum　of　autonomy　and　freedom。　The　chairman　of　the　collective　farm　was　not　brought　in　from　outside　（as　were　all　high…level　managers　in　the　city）；　he　was　elected　by　the　villagers　from　among　themselves。
Because　everyone　wanted　to　leave；　Tereza　and　Tomas　were　in　an　exceptional　position：　they　had　come　voluntarily。　If　the　other　villagers　took　advantage　of　every　opportunity　to　make　day　trips　to　the　surrounding　towns；　Tereza　and　Tomas　were　content　to　remain　where　they　were；　which　meant　that　before　long　they　knew　the　villagers　better　than　the　villagers　knew　one　another。
The　collective　farm　chairman　became　a　truly　close　friend。　He　had　a　wife；　four　children；　and　a　pig　he　raised　like　a　dog。　The　pig's　name　was　Mefisto；　and　he　was　the　pride　and　main　attraction　of　the　village。　He　would　answer　his　master's　call　and　was　always　clean　and　pink；　he　paraded　about　on　his　hoofs　like　a　heavy…thighed　woman　in　high　heels。
When　Karenin　first　saw　Mefisto；　he　was　very　upset　and　circled　him；　sniffing；　for　a　long　time。　But　he　soon　made　friends　with　him；　even　to　the　point　of　preferring　him　to　the　village　dogs。　Indeed；　he　had　nothing　but　scorn　for　the　dogs；　because　they　were　all　chained　to　their　doghouses　and　never　stopped　their　silly；　unmotivated　barking。　Karenin　correctly　assessed　the　value　of　being　one　of　a　kind；　and　I　can　state　without　compunction　that　he　greatly　appreciated　his　friendship　with　the　pig。
The　chairman　was　glad　to　be　able　to　help　his　former　surgeon；　though　at　the　same　time　sad　that　he　could　do　nothing　more。　Tomas　became　the　driver　of　the　pickup　truck　that　took　the　farm　workers　out　to　the　fields　and　hauled　equipment。
The　collective　farm　had　four　large　cow　sheds　as　well　as　a　small　stable　of　forty　heifers。　Tereza　was　charged　with　looking　after　them　and　taking　them　out　to　pasture　twice　a　day。　Because　the　closer；　easily　accessible　meadows　would　eventually　be　mowed；　she　had　to　take　her　herd　into　the　surrounding　hills　for　grazing；　gradually　moving　farther　and　farther　out　and；　in　the　course　of　the　year；　covering　all　the　pastureland　round　about。　As　in　her　small…town　youth；　she　was　never　without　a　book；　and　the　minute　she　reached　the　day's　pasture　she　would　open　it　and　read。
Karenin　always　kept　her　company。　He　learned　to　bark　at　the　young　cows　when　they　got　too　frisky　and　tried　to　go　off　on　their　own；　he　did　so　with　obvious　zest。　He　was　definitely　the　happiest　of　the　three。　Never　before　had　his　position　as　keeper　of　the　clock　been　so　respected。　The　country　was　no　place　for　improvisation；　the　time　in　which　Tereza　and　Tomas　lived　was　growing　closer　to　the　regularity　of　his　time。
One　day；　after　lunch　（a　time　when　they　both　had　an　hour　to　themselves）；　they　took　a　walk　with　Karenin　up　the　slope　behind　their　cottage。
I　don't　like　the　way　he's　running；　said　Tereza。
Karenin　was　limping　on　a　hind　leg。　Tomas　bent　down　and　carefully　felt　all　along　it。　Near　the　hock　he　found　a　small　bump。
The　next　day　he　sat　him　in　the　front　seat　of　the　pickup　and　drove；　during　his　rounds；　to　the　neighboring　village；　where　the　local　veterinarian　lived。　A　week　later；　he　paid　him　another　visit。　He　came　home　with　the　news　that　Karenin　had　cancer。
Within　three　days；　Tomas　himself；　with　the　vet　in　attendance；　had　operated　on　him。　When　Tomas　brought　him　home；　Karenin　had　not　quite　come　out　of　the　anesthesia。　He　lay　on　the　rug　next　to　their　bed　with　his　eyes　open；　whimpering；　his　thigh　shaved　bare　and　the　incision　and　six　stitches　painfully　visible。
At　last　he　tried　to　stand　up。　He　failed。
Tereza　was　terrified　that　he　would　never　walk　again。
Don't　worry；　said　Tomas。　He's　still　under　the　anesthetic。　
She　tried　to　pick　him　up；　but　he　snapped　at　her。　It　was　the　first　time　he'd　ever　tried　to　bite　Tereza！
He　doesn't　know　who　you　are；　said　Tomas。　He　doesn't　recognize　you。　
They　lifted　him　onto　their　bed；　where　he　quickly　fell　asleep；　as　did　they。
At　three　o'clock　that　morning；　he　suddenly　woke　them　up；　wagging　his　tail　and　climbing　all　over　them；　cuddling　up　to　them；　unable　to　have　his　fill。
It　was　the　first　time　he'd　ever　got　them　up；　too！　He　had　always　waited　until　one　of　them　woke　up　before　he　dared　jump　on　them。
But　when　he　suddenly　came　to　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　he　could　not　control　himself。　Who　can　tell　what　distances　he　covered　on　his　way　back？　Who　knows　what　phantoms　he　battled？　And　now　that　he　was　at　home　with　his　dear　ones；　he　felt　compelled　to　share　his　overwhelming　joy；　a　joy　of　return　and　rebirth。

2
The　very　beginning　of　Genesis　tells　us　that　God　created　man　in　order　to　give　him　dominion　over　fish　and　fowl　and　all　creatures。　Of　course；　Genesis　was　written　by　a　man；　not　a　horse。　There　is　no　certainty　that　God　actually　did　grant　man　dominion　over　other　creatures。　What　seems　more　likely；　in　fact；　is　that　man　invented　God　to　sanctify　the　dominion　that　he　had　usurped　for　himself　over　the　cow　and　the　horse。　Yes；　the　right　to　kill　a　deer　or　a　cow　is　the　only　thing　all　of　mankind　can　agree　upon；　even　during　the　bloodiest　of　wars。
The　reason　we　take　that　right　for　granted　is　that　we　stand　at　the　top　of　the　hierarchy。　But　let　a　third　party　enter　the　game—a　visitor　from　another　planet；　for　example；　someone　to　whom　God　says；　Thou　shalt　have　dominion　over　creatures　of　all　other　stars　—and　all　at　once　taking　Genesis　for　granted　becomes　problematical。　Perhaps　a　man　hitched　to　the　cart　of　a　Martian　or　roasted　on　the　spit　by　inhabitants　of　the　Milky　Way　will　recall　the　veal　cutlet　he　used　to　slice　on　his　dinner　plate　and　apologize　（belatedly！）　to　the　cow。
Walking　along　with　her　heifers；　driving　them　in　front　of　her；　Tereza　was　constantly　obliged　to　use　discipline；　because　young　cows　are　frisky　and　like　to　run　off　into　the　fields。　Karenin　kept　her　company。　He　had　been　going　along　daily　to　the　pasture　with　her　for　two　years。　He　always　enjoyed　being　strict　with　the　heifers；　barking　at　them；　asserting　his　authority。　（His　God　had　given　him　dominion　over　cows；　and　he　was　proud　of　it。）　Today；　however；　he　was　having　great　trouble　making　his　way；　and　hobbled　along　on　three　legs；　the　fourth　had　a　wound　on　it；　and　the　wound　was　festering。　Tereza　kept　bending　down　and　stroking　his　back。　Two　weeks　after　the　operation；　it　became　clear　that　the　cancer　had　continued　to　spread　and　that　Karenin　would　fare　worse　and　worse。
Along　the　way；　they　met　a　neighbor　who　was　hurrying　off　to　a　cow　shed　in　her　rubber　boots。　The　woman　stopped　long　enough　to　ask；　What's　wrong　with　the　dog？　It　seems　to　be　limping。　He　has　cancer；　said　Tereza。　There's　no　hope。　And　the　lump　in　her　throat　kept　her　from　going　on。　The　woman　noticed　Tereza's　tears　and　nearly　lost　her　temper：　Good　heavens！　Don't　tell　me　you're　going　to　bawl　your　head　off　over　a　dog！　She　was　not　being　vicious；　she　was　a　kind　woman　and　merely　wanted　to　comfort　Tereza。　Tereza　understood；　and　had　spent　enough　time　in　the　country　to　realize　that　if　the　local　inhabitants　loved　every　rabbit　as　she　loved　Karenin；　they　would　be　unable　to　kill　any　of　them　and　they　and　their　animals　would　soon　starve　to　death。　Still；　the　woman's　words　struck　her　as　less　than　friendly。　I　understand；　she　answered　without　protest；　but　quickly　turned　her　back　and　went　her　way。　The　love　she　bore　her　dog　made　her　feel　cut　off；　isolated。　With　a　sad　smile；　she　told　herself　that　she　needed　to　hide　it　more　than　she　would　an　affair。　People　are　indignant　at　the　thought　of　someone　loving　a　dog。　But　if　the　neighbor　had　discovered　that　Tereza　had　been　unfaithful　to　Tomas；　she　would　have　given　Tereza　a　playful　pat　on　the　back　as　a　sign　of　secret　solidarity。
Be　that　as　it　may；　Tereza　continued　on　her　path；　and；　watching　her　heifers　rub　against　one　another；　she　thought　what　nice　animals　they　were。　Calm；　guileless；　and　sometimes　childishly　animated；　they　looked　like　fat　fifty…year…olds　pretending　they　were　fourteen。　There　was　nothing　more　touching　than　cows　at　play。　Tereza　took　pleasure　in　their　antics　and　could　not　help　thinking　（it　is　an　idea　that　kept　coming　back　to　her　during　her　two　years　in　the　country）　that　man　is　as　much　a　parasite　on　the　cow　as　the　tapeworm　is　on　man：　We　have　sucked　their　udders　like　leeches。　Man　the　cow　parasite　is　probably　how　non…man　defines　man　in　his　zoology　books。
Now；　we　may　treat　this　definition　as　a　joke　and　dismiss　it　with　a　condescending　laugh。　But　since　Tereza　took　it　seriously；　she　found　herself　in　a　precarious　position：　her　ideas　were　dangerous　and　distanced　her　from　the　rest　of　mankind。　Even　though　Genesis　says　that　God　gave　man　dominion　over　all　animals；　we　can　also　construe　it　to　mean　that　He　merely　entrusted　them　to　man's　care。　Man　was　not　the　planet's　master；　merely　its　administrator；　and　therefore　eventually　responsible　for　his　administration。　Descartes　took　a　decisive　step　forward：　he　made　man　maitre　et　proprietaire　de　la　nature。　And　surely　there　is　a　deep　connection　between　that　step　and　the　fact　that　he　was　also　the　one　who　point…blank　denied　animals　a　soul。　Man　is　master　and　proprietor；　says　Descartes；　whereas　the　beast　is　merely　an　automaton；　an　animated　machine；　a　machina　animata。　When　an　animal　laments；　it　is　not　a　lament；　it　is　merely　the　rasp　of　a　poorly　functioning　mechanism。　When　a　wagon　wheel　grates；　the　wagon　is　not　in　pain；　it　simply　needs　oiling。　Thus；　we　have　no　reason　to　grieve　for　a　dog　being　carved　up　alive　in　the　laboratory。
While　the　heifers　grazed；　Tereza　sat　on　a　stump　with　Karenin　at　her　side；　his　head　resting　in　her　lap。　She　recalled　reading　a　two…line　filler　in　the　papers　ten　or　so　years　ago　about　how　all　the　dogs　in　a　certain　Russian　city　had　been　summarily　shot。　It　was　that　inconspicuous　and　seemingly　insignificant　little　article　that　had　brought　home　to　her　for　the　first　time　the　sheer　horror　of　her　country's　oversized　neighbor。
That　little　article　was　a　premonition　of　things　to　come。　The　first　years　following　the　Russian　invasion　could　not　yet　be　characterized　as　a　reign　of　terror。　Because　practically　no　one　in　the　entire　nation　agreed　with　the　occupation　regime；　the　Russians　had　to　ferret　out　the　few