the jacket (the star-rover)-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！



that　rose　invulnerable；　triumphant；　above　all　his　tortures。　　I　sit

here　in　Folsom；　in　Murderers'　Row；　awaiting　my　execution；　Warden

Atherton　still　holds　his　political　job　and　is　king　over　San　Quentin

and　all　the　damned　within　its　walls；　and　yet；　in　his　heart　of

hearts；　he　knows　that　I　am　greater　than　he。



In　vain　Warden　Atherton　tried　to　break　my　spirit。　　And　there　were

times；　beyond　any　shadow　of　doubt；　when　he　would　have　been　glad　had

I　died　in　the　jacket。　　So　the　long　inquisition　went　on。　　As　he　had

told　me；　and　as　he　told　me　repeatedly；　it　was　dynamite　or　curtains。



Captain　Jamie　was　a　veteran　in　dungeon　horrors；　yet　the　time　came

when　he　broke　down　under　the　strain　I　put　on　him　and　on　the　rest　of

my　torturers。　　So　desperate　did　he　become　that　he　dared　words　with

the　Warden　and　washed　his　hands　of　the　affair。　　From　that　day　until

the　end　of　my　torturing　he　never　set　foot　in　solitary。



Yes；　and　the　time　came　when　Warden　Atherton　grew　afraid；　although　he

still　persisted　in　trying　to　wring　from　me　the　hiding…place　of　the

non…existent　dynamite。　　Toward　the　last　he　was　badly　shaken　by　Jake

Oppenheimer。　　Oppenheimer　was　fearless　and　outspoken。　　He　had　passed

unbroken　through　all　their　prison　hells；　and　out　of　superior　will

could　beard　them　to　their　teeth。　　Morrell　rapped　me　a　full　account

of　the　incident。　　I　was　unconscious　in　the　jacket　at　the　time。



〃Warden；〃　Oppenheimer　had　said；　〃you've　bitten　off　more　than　you　can

chew。　　It　ain't　a　case　of　killing　Standing。　　It's　a　case　of　killing

three　men；　for　as　sure　as　you　kill　him；　sooner　or　later　Morrell　and

I　will　get　the　word　out　and　what　you　have　done　will　be　known　from

one　end　of　California　to　the　other。　　You've　got　your　choice。　　You've

either　got　to　let　up　on　Standing　or　kill　all　three　of　us。

Standing's　got　your　goat。　　So　have　I。　　So　has　Morrell。　　You　are　a

stinking　coward；　and　you　haven't　got　the　back…bone　and　guts　to　carry

out　the　dirty　butcher's　work　you'd　like　to　do。〃



Oppenheimer　got　a　hundred　hours　in　the　jacket　for　it；　and；　when　he

was　unlaced；　spat　in　the　Warden's　face　and　received　a　second　hundred

hours　on　end。　　When　he　was　unlaced　this　time；　the　Warden　was　careful

not　to　be　in　solitary。　　That　he　was　shaken　by　Oppenheimer's　words

there　is　no　doubt。



But　it　was　Doctor　Jackson　who　was　the　arch…fiend。　　To　him　I　was　a

novelty；　and　he　was　ever　eager　to　see　how　much　more　I　could　stand

before　I　broke。



〃He　can　stand　twenty　days　off　the　bat；〃　he　bragged　to　the　Warden　in

my　presence。



〃You　are　conservative；〃　I　broke　in。　　〃I　can　stand　forty　days。

Pshaw！　　I　can　stand　a　hundred　when　such　as　you　administer　it。〃　　And；

remembering　my　sea…cuny's　patience　of　forty　years'　waiting　ere　I　got

my　hands　on　Chong　Mong…ju's　gullet；　I　added：　　〃You　prison　curs；　you

don't　know　what　a　man　is。　　You　think　a　man　is　made　in　your　own

cowardly　images。　　Behold；　I　am　a　man。　　You　are　feeblings。　　I　am　your

master。　　You　can't　bring　a　squeal　out　of　me。　　You　think　it

remarkable；　for　you　know　how　easily　you　would　squeal。〃



Oh；　I　abused　them；　called　them　sons　of　toads；　hell's　scullions；

slime　of　the　pit。　　For　I　was　above　them；　beyond　them。　　They　were

slaves。　　I　was　free　spirit。　　My　flesh　only　lay　pent　there　in

solitary。　　I　was　not　pent。　　I　had　mastered　the　flesh；　and　the

spaciousness　of　time　was　mine　to　wander　in；　while　my　poor　flesh；　not

even　suffering；　lay　in　the　little　death　in　the　jacket。



Much　of　my　adventures　I　rapped　to　my　two　comrades。　　Morrell

believed；　for　he　had　himself　tasted　the　little　death。　　But

Oppenheimer；　enraptured　with　my　tales；　remained　a　sceptic　to　the

end。　　His　regret　was　naive；　and　at　times　really　pathetic；　in　that　I

had　devoted　my　life　to　the　science　of　agriculture　instead　of　to

fiction　writing。



〃But；　man；〃　I　reasoned　with　him；　〃what　do　I　know　of　myself　about

this　Cho…Sen？　　I　am　able　to　identify　it　with　what　is　to…day　called

Korea；　and　that　is　about　all。　　That　is　as　far　as　my　reading　goes。

For　instance；　how　possibly；　out　of　my　present　life's　experience；

could　I　know　anything　about　kimchi？　　Yet　I　know　kimchi。　　It　is　a

sort　of　sauerkraut。　　When　it　is　spoiled　it　stinks　to　heaven。　　I　tell

you；　when　I　was　Adam　Strang；　I　ate　kimchi　thousands　of　times。　　I

know　good　kimchi；　bad　kimchi；　rotten　kimchi。　　I　know　the　best　kimchi

is　made　by　the　women　of　Wosan。　　Now　how　do　I　know　that？　　It　is　not

in　the　content　of　my　mind；　Darrell　Standing's　mind。　　It　is　in　the

content　of　Adam　Strang's　mind；　who；　through　various　births　and

deaths；　bequeathed　his　experiences　to　me；　Darrell　Standing；　along

with　the　rest　of　the　experiences　of　those　various　other　lives　that

intervened。　　Don't　you　see；　Jake？　　That　is　how　men　come　to　be；　to

grow；　how　spirit　develops。〃



〃Aw；　come　off；〃　he　rapped　back　with　the　quick　imperative　knuckles　I

knew　so　well。　　〃Listen　to　your　uncle　talk　now。　　I　am　Jake

Oppenheimer。　　I　always　have　been　Jake　Oppenheimer。　　No　other　guy　is

in　my　makings。　　What　I　know　I　know　as　Jake　Oppenheimer。　　Now　what　do

I　know？　　I'll　tell　you　one　thing。　　I　know　kimchi。　　Kimchi　is　a　sort

of　sauerkraut　made　in　a　country　that　used　to　be　called　Cho…Sen。　　The

women　of　Wosan　make　the　best　kimchi；　and　when　kimchi　is　spoiled　it

stinks　to　heaven。　　You　keep　out　of　this；　Ed。　　Wait　till　I　tie　the

professor　up。



〃Now；　professor；　how　do　I　know　all　this　stuff　about　kimchi？　　It　is

not　in　the　content　of　my　mind。〃



〃But　it　is；〃　I　exulted。　　〃I　put　it　there。〃



〃All　right；　old　boss。　　Then　who　put　it　into　your　mind？〃



〃Adam　Strang。〃



〃Not　on　your　tintype。　　Adam　Strang　is　a　pipe…dream。　　You　read　it

somewhere。〃



〃Never；〃　I　averred。　　〃The　little　I　read　of　Korea　was　the　war

correspondence　at　the　time　of　the　Japanese…Russian　War。〃



〃Do　you　remember　all　you　read？〃　Oppenheimer　queried。



〃No。〃



〃Some　you　forget？〃



〃Yes；　but〃



〃That's　all；　thank　you；〃　he　interrupted；　in　the　manner　of　a　lawyer

abruptly　concluding　a　cross…examination　after　having　extracted　a

fatal　admission　from　a　witness。



It　was　impossible　to　convince　Oppenheimer　of　my　sincerity。　　He

insisted　that　I　was　making　it　up　as　I　went　along；　although　he

applauded　what　he　called　my　〃to…be…continued…in…our…next；〃　and；　at

the　times　they　were　resting　me　up　from　the　jacket；　was　continually

begging　and　urging　me　to　run　off　a　few　more　chapters。



〃Now；　professor；　cut　out　that　high…brow　stuff；〃　he　would　interrupt

Ed　Morrell's　and　my　metaphysical　discussions；　〃and　tell　us　more

about　the　ki…sang　and　the　cunies。　　And；　say；　while　you're　about　it；

tell　us　what　happened　to　the　Lady　Om　when　that　rough…neck　husband　of

hers　choked　the　old　geezer　and　croaked。〃



How　often　have　I　said　that　form　perishes。　　Let　me　repeat。　　Form

perishes。　　Matter　has　no　memory。　　Spirit　only　remembers；　as　here；　in

prison　cells；　after　the　centuries；　knowledge　of　the　Lady　Om　and

Chong　Mong…ju　persisted　in　my　mind；　was　conveyed　by　me　into　Jake

Oppenheimer's　mind；　and　by　him　was　reconveyed　into　my　mind　in　the

argot　and　jargon　of　the　West。　　And　now　I　have　conveyed　it　into　your

mind；　my　reader。　　Try　to　eliminate　it　from　your　mind。　　You　cannot。

As　long　as　you　live　what　I　have　told　will　tenant　your　mind。　　Mind？

There　is　nothing　permanent　but　mind。　　Matter　fluxes；　crystallizes；

and　fluxes　again；　and　forms　are　never　repeated。　　Forms　disintegrate

into　the　eternal　nothingness　from　which　there　is　no　return。　　Form　is

apparitional　and　passes；　as　passed　the　physical　forms　of　the　Lady　Om

and　Chong　Mong…ju。　　But　the　memory　of　them　remains；　shall　always

remain　as　long　as　spirit　endures；　and　spirit　is　indestructible。



〃One　thing　sticks　out　as　big　as　a　house；〃　was　Oppenheimer's　final

criticism　of　my　Adam　Strang　adventure。　　〃And　that　is　that　you've

done　more　hanging　around　Chinatown　dumps　and　hop…joints　than　was

good　for　a　respectable　college　professor。　　Evil　communications；　you

know。　　I　guess　that's　what　brought　you　here。〃



Before　I　return　to　my　adventures　I　am　compelled　to　tell　one

remarkable　incident　that　occurred　in　solitary。　　It　is　remarkable　in

two　ways。　　It　shows　the　astounding　mental　power　of　that　child　of　the

gutters；　Jake　Oppenheimer；　and　it　is　in　itself　convincing　proof　of

the　verity　of　my　experiences　when　in　the　jacket　coma。



〃Say；　professor；〃　Oppenheimer　tapped　to　me　one　day。　　〃When　you　was

spieling　that　Adam　Strang　yarn；　I　remember　you　mentioned　playing

chess　with　that　royal　souse　of　an　emperor's　brother。　　Now　is　that

chess　like　our　kind　of　chess？〃



Of　course　I　had　to　reply　that　I　did　not　know；　that　I　did　not

remember　the　details　after　I　returned　to　my　normal　state。　　And　of

course　he　laughed　good…naturedly　at　what　he　called　my　foolery。　　Yet

I　could　distinctly　remember　that　in　my　Adam　Strang　adventure　I　had

frequently　played　chess。　　The　trouble　was　that　whenever　I　came　back

to　consciousness　in　solitary；　unessential　and　intricate　details

faded　from　my　memory。



It　must　be　remembered　that　for　convenience　I　have　assembled　my

intermittent　and　repetitional　jacket　experiences　into　coherent　and

consecutive　narratives。　　I　never　knew　in　advance　where　my　journeys

in　time　would　take　me。　　For　instance；　I　have　a　score　of　different

times　returned　to　Jesse　Fancher　in　the　wagon…circle　at　Mountain

Meadows。　　In　a　single　ten…days'　bout　in　the　jacket　I　have　gone　back

and　back；　from　life　to　life；　and　often　skipping　whole　series　of

lives　that　at　other　times　I　have　covered；　back　to　prehistoric　time；

and　back　of　that　to　days　ere　civilization　began。



So　I　resolved；　on　my　next　return　from　Adam　Strang's　experiences；

whenever　it　might　be；　that　I　should；　immediately；　I　on　resuming

consciousness；　concentrate　upon　what　visions　and　memories。　　I　had

brought　back　of　chess　playing。　　As　luck　would　have　it；　I　had　to

endure　Oppenheimer's　chaffing　for　a　full　month　ere　it　happened。　　And

then；　no　sooner　out　of　jacket　and　circulation　restored；　than　I

started　knuckle…rapping　the　information。



Further；　I　taught　Oppenheimer　the　chess　Adam　Strang　had　played　in

Cho…Sen　centuries　agone。　　It　was　different　from　Western　chess；　and

yet　could　not　but　be　fundamentally　the　same；　tracing　back　to　a

common　origin；　probably　India。　　In　place　of　our　sixty…four　squares

there　are　eighty…one　squares。　　We　have　eight　pawns　on　a　side；　they

have　nine；　and　though　limited　similarly；　the　principle　of　moving　is

different。



Also；　in　the　Cho…Sen　game；　there　are　twenty　pieces　and　pawns　against

our　sixteen；　and　they　are　arrayed　in　three　rows　instead　of　two。

Thus；　the　nine　pawns　are　in　the　front　row；　in　the　middle　row　are　two

pieces　resembling　our　castles；　and　in　the　back　row；　midway；　stands

the　king；　flanked　in　order　on　either　side　by　〃gold　money；〃　〃silver

money；〃　〃knight；〃　and　〃spear。〃　　It　will　be　observed　that　in　the　Cho…

Sen　game　there　is　no　queen。　　A　further　radical　variation　is　that　a

captured　piece　or　pawn　is　not　removed　from　the　board。　　It　becomes

the　property　of　the　captor　and　is　thereafter　played　by　him。