bill_the_galactic_hero_v1.1-第26节

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crowd　standing　there；　and　there　was　plenty　of　room　for　all　of　them　because　the　building　was　not　there。　Bill　could　see　now　that　the　building　was　just　a　front　made　out　of　cardboard　with　a　door　handle　on　it　and　was　secured　by　wooden　supports　to　the　front　of　an　atomic　tank。　Grouped　around　the　armorplated　side　and　treads　of　the　tank　were　a　number　of　heavily　armed　soldiers　and　G。B。I。　agents　as　well　as　an　even　larger　number　of　revolutionaries；　their　clothes　singed　and　pitted　by　sparks　from　the　torches。　Standing　next　to　Bill　was　the　android；　Ghoulem。
　　　〃You！〃　Bill　gasped；　and　the　android　curled　its　lips　in　a　carefully　practiced　sneer。　
　　〃That's　right…and　keeping。　an　eye　on　you　for　the　G。B。I。　Nothing　is　left　to　chance　in　this　organization。〃　　　Pinkerton　was　peeking　out　through　a　hole　in　the　false　store　front。　〃I　think　the　agents　are　clear　now；〃　he　said；　‘but　maybe　we　better　wait　a　little　longer。　At　last　count　there　were　agents　of　sixty…five　spy；　intelligence；　and　counter…intelligence　outfits　involved　in　investigating　this　operation。　These　　revolutionaries　don't　stand　a　chance　。　。　。〃
　　A　siren　blasted　from　the　power　plant；　apparently　a　prearranged　signal；　because　the　soldiers　battered　at　the　cardboard　store　front　until　it　came　loose　and　fell　flat　into　the　square。
　　Chauvinistisk　Square　was　empty。　　　Well；　not　really　empty。　Bill　looked　again　and　saw　that　one　man　was　left　in　the　square；　he　hadn't　noticed　him　at　first。　He　was　running　their　way　but　stopped　with　a　pitiful　screech　when　he　saw　what　was　hidden　behind　the　store。
　　　〃I　surrender！〃　he　shouted；　and　Bill　saw　that　he　was　the　man　called　X。　The　power　plant　gates　opened；　and　a　squadron　of　flamethrower　tanks　rumbled　out。
　　　〃Coward！〃　Pinkerton　sneered；　and　pulled　back　the　slide　on　his　gun。　〃Don't　try　to　back　out　now；　X；　at　least　die　like　a　man。〃
　　〃I'm　not　X…that。　is　just　a　nom…de…espionage。〃　He　tore　off　his　false　beard　and　mustache；　disclosing　a　twitching　and　uninteresting　face　with　pronounced　underbite。　〃I　am　Gill　O'Teen；　M。A。　and　LL。D。　from　the　Imperial　School　of　Counter…Spying　and　Double…Agentry。　I　was　hired　by　this　operation；　I　can　prove　it；　I　have　documents；　Prince　Microcephil　payed　me　to　overthrow　his　uncle　so　he　could　bee　Emperor　。　。　。　〃
　　〃You　think　I'm　stupid；〃　Pinkerton　snapped；　aiming　his　gun　〃The　Old　Emperor；　may　he　rest　in　eternal　peace；　died　a　year　ago；　and　Prince　Microcephil　is　the　Emperor　now。　You　can't　revolt　against　the　man　who　hired　you！〃
　　〃I　never　read　the　newspapers；〃　O'Teen　alias　X　moaned。　
　　〃Fire！〃　Pinkerton　said　sternly；　and　from　all　sides　washed　a　wave　of　atomic　shells；　gouts　of　flame；　bullets；　and　grenades。　Bill　hit　the　dirt；　and　when　he　raised　his　head　the　square　was　empty　except　for　a　greasy　patch　and　a　shallow　hole　in　the　pavement。　Even　while　he　watched；　a　street…cleaning　robot　buzzed　by　and　swabbed　up　the　grease。　It　hummed…　briefly；　backed　up；　then　filled　in　the　shallow　hole　with　a　squirt　of　repair　plastic　from　a　concealed　tank。　When　it　rolled　on　again　there　was　no　trace　of　anything　whatsoever。　
　　〃Hello　Bill　。　。　。　〃　said　a　voice　so　paralyzingly　familiar　that　Bill's　hair　prickled　and　stood　up　from　his　head　like　a　toothbrush。　He　spun　and　looked　at　the　squad　of　MPs　standing　there；　and　especially　he　stared　at　the　large；　loathsome　form　of　the　MP　who　led　them。
　　〃Deathwish　Drang　。　。　。〃　he　breathed。　
　　〃The　same。〃
　　〃Save　me！〃　Bill　gasped；　running　to　G。B。I。　agent　Pinkerton　and　hugging　him　about　the　knees。
　　〃Save　you？〃　Pinkerton　laughed；　and　kneed　Bill　under　the　jaw　so　that　he　sprawled　backward。　〃I'm　the　one　who　called　them。　We　checked　your　record；　boy；　and　found　out　that　you　are　in　a　heap　of　trouble。　You　have　been　AWOL　from　the
troopers　for　a　year　now；　and　we　don't　want　any　deserters　on　our　team。〃
　　　〃But　I　worked　for　you…helped　you…〃
　　〃Take　him　away；〃　Pinkerton　said；　and　turned　his　back。
　　〃There's　no　justice；〃　Bill　moaned；　as　the　hated　fingers　sank　into　his　arms　again。
　　〃Of　course　not；〃　Deathwish　told　him；　〃you　weren't　expecting　any；　were　you？〃
　　　They　dragged　him　away。
　　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　E=mc2　OR　BUST　
　
I
　〃I　want　a　lawyer；　I　have　to　have　a　lawyer！　I　demand　my　rights！〃　Bill　hammered　on　the　bars　of　the　cell　with　the　chipped　bowl　that　they　had　served　his　evening　meal　of　bread　and　water　in；　shouting　loudly　for　attention。　No　one　came　in　answer　to　his　call；　and　finally；　hoarse；　tired；　and　depressed；　he　lay　down　on　the　knobbed　plastic　bunk　and　stared　up　at　the　metal　ceiling。　Sunk　in　misery；　he　stared　at　the　hook　for　long　minutes　before　it　finally　penetrated。　A　hook？　Why　a　hook　here？　Even　in　his　apathy　it　bothered　him；　just　as　it　had　bothered　him　when　they　gave　him　a　stout　plastic　belt　with　a　sturdy　buckle　for　his　shoddy　prison　dungarees。　Who　wears　a　belt　with　one…piece　dungarees？　They　had　taken　everything　from　him　and　supplied　him　only　with　paper　slippers；　crumpled　dungarees；　and　a　fine　belt。　Why？　And　why　was　there　a　sturdy　great　hook　penetrating　through　the　unbroken　smoothness　of　the　ceiling？
　　〃I'm　saved！〃　Bill　screamed；　and　leaped　up；　balancing　on　the　end　of　the　bunk　and　whipping　off　the　belt。　There　was　a　hole　in　the　strap　end　of　the　belt　that　fitted　neatly　over　the　hook。　While　the　buckle　made　a　beautiful　slip　knot　for　a　loop　on　the　other　end　that　would　fit　lovingly　around　his　neck。　And　he　could　slip　it　over　his　head；　seat　the　buckle　under　his　ear；　kick　off　from　the　bunk　and　strangle　painfully　with　his　toes　a　full　foot　above　the　floor。　It　was　perfect。
　　　〃It　is　perfect！〃　he　shouted　happily；　and　jumped　off　the　bunk　and　ran　in　circles　under　the　noose；　going　yeow…yeow…yeow　by　flapping　his　hand　in　front　of　his　mouth。　〃I'm　not　stuck；　cooked；　through；　and　finished。　They　want　me　to　knock　myself　off　to　make　things　easy　for　them。〃
　　This　time　he　lay　back　on　the　bunk；　smiling　happily；　and　tried　to　think　it　out。　There　had　to　be　a　chance　he　could　wriggle　out　of　this　thing　alive；　or　they　wouldn't　have　gone　to　all　this　trouble　to　give　him　an　opportunity　to　hang　himself。　Or　could　they　be　playing　a　double；　subtle　game？　Allowing　him　hope　where　none　existed？　No；　this　was　impossible。　They　had　a　lot　of　attributes：　pettiness；　selfishness；　anger；　vengefulness；　superiority；　power…lust；　the　list　was　almost　endless；　but　one　thing　was　certain…subtlety　was　not　on　it。　They？　For　the　first　time　in　his　life　Bill　wondered　who　they　were。　Everyone　blamed　everything　on　them；　everyone　knew　that　they　would　cause　trouble。　He　even　knew　from　experience　what　they　were　like。　But　who　were　they？　A　footstep　shuffled　outside　the　door；　and　he　looked　over　to　see　Deathwish　Drang　glowering　in　at　him。
　　〃Who　are　they？〃　Bill　asked。　　　〃They　are　everyone　who　wants　to　be　one　of　them；〃　Deathwish　said　philosophically　twanging　a　tusk。　〃They　are　both　a　state　of　mind　and　an　institution。〃
　　〃Don't　give　me　any　of　that　mystical　bowb！　A　straight　answer　to　a　straight　question　now。〃
　　〃I　am　being　straight；〃　Deathwish　said；　reeking　of　sincerity。　〃They　die　off　and　are　replaced；　but　the　institution　of　theyness　goes　on。〃　　
　〃I'm　sorry　I　asked；〃　Bill　said；　sidling　over　so　he　could　whisper　through　the　bars。　〃I　need　a　lawyer；　Deathwish　old　buddy。　Can　you　find　me　a　good　lawyer？〃　
　　〃They'll　appoint　a　lawyer　for　you。〃　　　Bill　made　the　rudest　noise　he　possibly　could。　〃Yeah；　and　we　know　just　what　will　happen　with　that　lawyer。　I　need　a　lawyer　to　help　me。　And　I　have　money　to　pay　him…〃
　　〃Well　why　didn't　you　say　that　sooner？〃　Deathwish　slipped　on　his　gold…rimmed　spectacles　and　flipped　slowly　through　a　small　notebook。　〃I　take　a　10　per　cent　mission　for　handling　this。〃
　　〃Affirm。〃　
　　〃Well…do　you　want　a　cheap　honest　lawyer　or　an　expensive　crooked　one？〃
　　〃I　have　17；000　bucks　hidden　where　no　one　can　find　it〃　
　　〃You　should　have　told　me　that　first。〃　Deathwish　closed　the　book　and　put　it　away。　〃They　must　have　suspected　this；　that's　why　they　gave　you　the　belt　and　the　cell　with　the　hook。　With　money　like　that　you　can　hire　the　absolute　best。〃　　　〃Who　is　that？〃
　　〃Abdul　O'Brien…Cohen。〃
　　　〃Send　for　him。〃
　　And　no　more　than　two　bowls　of　soggy　bread　and　water　had　passed　before　there　was　a　new　footstep　in　the　hall　and　a　clear　and　penetrating　voice　bounced　from　the　chill　walls。
　　〃Salaam　there；　boyo；　faith　and　I've　had　a　gesundt　shtik　trouble　getting　here。〃
　　〃This　is　a　general　court…martial　case；〃　Bill　told　the　mild；　unassuming　man　with　the　ordinary　face　who　stood　outside　the　bars。　I　don't　think　a　civilian　lawyer　will　be　allowed。〃
　　〃Begorrah；　landsman…it　is　Allah's　will　that　I　be　prepared　for　all　things。〃　He　whipped　a　bristling　mustache　with　waxed　tips　out　of　his　pocket　and　pressed　it　to　his　upper　lip。　At　the　same　time　he　threw　his　chest　back　and　his　shoulders　seemed　to　widen　and　a　steely　glint　came　to　his　eye　and　the　planes　of　his　face　took　on　a　military　stiffness。　〃I'm　pleased　to　meet　you。　We're　in　this　together；　and　I　want　you　to　know　that　I　won't　let　you　down　even　if　you　are　an　enlisted
man。〃
　　　〃What　happened　to　Abdul　O'Brien…Cohen？〃
　　〃I　have　a　reserve　mission　in　the　Imperial　Barratry　Corps。　Captain　A。　C。　O'Brien　at　your　service。　I　believe　the　sum　of　17；000　was　mentioned？〃
　　　〃I　take　10　per　cent　of　that；〃　Deathwish　said；　sidling　up。　Negotiations　were　opened　and　took　a　number　of　hours。　All　three　men　liked；　respected；　and　distrusted　each　other；　so　that　elaborate　safeguards　were　called　for。　W