bill_the_galactic_hero_v1.1-第31节

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！


ckless　swamp　he　did　not　consider　at　the　time。　Survive；　his　shivering　little　ego　screamed；　and　he　ran　on。　
　　Running　became　difficult　when　the　ground　turned　to　mud；　and　even　more　difficult　when　the　mud　gave　way　to　open　water。　After　paddling　desperately　for　an　interminable　length　of　time　Bill　came　to　more　mud。　The　first　hysteria　had　now
passed；　the　firing　was　only　a　dull　rumble　in　the　distance；　and　he　was　exhausted。　He　dropped　onto　the　mudbank　and　instantly　sharp　teeth　sank　deep　into　his　buttocks。　Screaming　hoarsely；　he　ran　on　until　he　ran　into　a　tree。　He　wasn't　going　fast　enough　to　hurt　himself；　and　the　feel　of　rough　bark　under　his　fingers　brought　out　all　of　his　eoanthropic　survival　instincts：　he　climbed。　High　up　there　were　two　branches　that　forked　out　from　the　trunk；　and　be　wedged　himself　into　the　crotch；　back　to　the　solid　wood　and　gun　pointed　straight　ahead　and　ready。　Nothing　bothered　him　now。　The　night　sounds　grew　dim　and　distant；　the'　blackness　was　plete；　and　within　a　few　minutes　his　head　started　to　nod。　He　dragged　it　back　up　a　few　times；　blinked　about　at　nothing；　then　finally　slept。
　　It　was　the　first　gray　light　of　dawn；　when　he　opened　his　gummy　eyes　and　blinked　around。　There　was　a　little　lizard　perched　on　a　nearby　branch　watching　him　with　jewellike　eyes。
　　〃Gee…you　were　really　sacked　out；〃　the　Chinger　said。
　　　Bill's　shot　tore　a　smoking　scar　in　the　top　of　the　branch；　then　the　Chinger　swung　back　up　from　underneath　and　meticulously　wiped　bits　of　ash　from　his　paws。
　　〃Easy　on　the　trigger；　Bill；〃　it　said。　〃Gee…I　could　have　killed　you　anytime　during　the　night　if　I　had　wanted　to。〃
　　〃I　know　you；〃　Bill　said　hoarsely。　〃You're　Eager　Beager；　aren't　you？〃
　　　〃Gee…this　is　just　like　old　home　week；　isn't　it？〃　A　centipede　was　scuttling　by；　and　Eager　Beager　the　Chinger　grabbed　it　up　with　three　of　his　arms　and　began　pulling　off　legs　with　his　fourth　and　eating　them。　〃I　recognized　you　Bill；　and　wanted　to　talk　to　you。　I　have　been　feeling　bad　ever　since　I　called　you　a　stoolie；　that　wasn't　right　of　me。　You　were　only　doing　your　duty　when　you　turned　me　in。　You　wouldn't　like　to　tell　me　how　you　recognized　me；　would　you　。　。　。　？〃　he　asked；　and　winked　slyly。
　　〃Why　don't　you　bowb　off；　Jack？〃　Bill　growled；　and　groped　in　his　pocket　for　a　bottle　of　cough　syrup。　Eager　Chinger　sighed。
　　　〃Well；　I　suppose　I　can't　expect　you　to　betray　anything　of　military　importance；　but　I　hope　you　will　answer　a　few　questions　for　me。〃　He　discarded　the　delimbed　corpse　and　groped　about　in　his　marsupial　pouch　and　produced　a　tablet　and　tiny　writing　instrument。　〃You　must　realize　that　spying　is　not　my　chosen　occupation；　but　rather　I　was　dragooned　into　it　through　my　speciality；　which　is　exopology…　perhaps　you　have　heard　of　this　discipline　。　。　。　？〃
　　　〃We　had　an　orientation　lecture　once；　an　exopologist；　all　he　could　talk　about　was　alien　creeps　and　things。〃
　　〃Yes…well；　that　roughly　sums　it　up。　The　science　of　the　study　…of　alien　life　forms；　and　of　course　to　us　you　homo　sapiens　are　an　alien　form　。　。　。〃　He　scuttled　halfway　around　the　branch　when　Bill　raised　his　gun。
　　〃Watch　that　kind　of　talk；　bowb！〃
　　　〃Sorry；　just　my　manner　of　speaking。　To　put　it　briefly；　since　I　specialized　in　the　study　of　your　species　I　was　sent　out　as　a　spy；　reluctantly；　but　that　is　the　sort　of　sacrifice　one　makes　during　wartime。　However；　seeing　you　here　reminded　me　that　there　are　a　number　of　questions　and　problems　still　unanswered　that　I　would　appreciate　your　help　on；　purely　in　the　matter　of　science　of　course。〃
　　〃Like　what？〃　Bill　asked　suspiciously；　draining　the　bottle　and　flinging　it　away　into　the　jungle。
　　〃Well…gee…to　begin　simply；　bow　do　you　feel　about　us　Chingers？〃
　　　〃Death　to　all　Chingers！〃　The　little　pen　flew　over　the　tablet。　　　〃But　you　have　been　taught　to　say　that。　How　did　you　feel　before　you　entered　the　service？〃
　　　〃Didn't　give　a　damn　about　Chingers。〃　Out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye　Bill　was　watching　a　suspicious　movement　of　the　leaves　in　the　tree　above。　
　　〃Fine！　Then　could　you　explain　to　me　just　who　it　is　that　hates　us　Chingers　and　wants　to　fight　a　war　of　extermination？〃
　　〃Nobody　really　hates　Chingers；　I　guess。　It's　just　that　there　is　no　one　else　around　to　fight　a　war　with；　so　we　fight　with　you。〃　The　moving　leaves　had　parted　and　a　great；　smooth　head　with　slitted　eyes　peered　down。
　　〃I　knew　it！　And　that　brings　me　to　my　really　important　question。　Why　do　you　homo　sapiens　like　to　fight　wars？〃
　　Bill's　hand　tightened　on　his　gun　as　the　monstrous　head　dropped　silently　down　from　the　leaves　behind　Eager　Chinger　Beager；　it　was　attached　to　a　foot　thick　and　apparently　endless　serpent　body。
　　〃Fight　wars？　I　don't　know；〃　Bill　said；　distracted　by　the　soundless　approach　of　the　giant　snake。　〃I　guess　because　we　like　to；　there　doesn't　seem　to　be　any　other　reason。〃
　　〃You　like　to！〃　the　Chinger　squeaked；　hopping　up　and　down　with　excitement。　〃No　civilized　race　could　like　wars；　death；　killing；　maiming；　rape；　torture；　pain；　to　name　just　a　few　of　the　conitant　factors。　Your　race　can't　be　civilized！〃
　　The　snake　struck　like　lightning；　and　Eager　Beager　Chinger　vanished　down　its　spine…covered　throat　with　only　the　slightest　of　muffled　squeals。　
　　〃Yeah　。　。　。　I　guess　we're　just　not　civilized；〃　Bill　said；　gun　ready；　but　the　snake　kept　going　on　down。　At　least　fifty　yards　of　it　slithered　by　before　the　tail　flipped　past　and　it　was　out　of　sight。　〃Serves　the　damn　spy　right；〃　Bill　grunted　happily；　and　pulled　himself　to　his　feet。
　　Once　on　the　ground　Bill　began　to　realize　just　how　bad　a　spot　he　was　in。　The　damp　swamp　had　swallowed　up　any　marks　of　his　passage　from　the　night　before　and　he　hadn't　the　slightest　idea　in　which　direction　the　battle　area　lay。　The　sun　was　just　a　general　illumination　behind　the　layers　of　fog　and　cloud；　and　he　felt　a　sudden　chill　as　he　realized　how　small　were　his　chances　of　finding　his　way　back。　The　invasion　area；　just　ten　miles　to　a　side；　made　a　microscopic　pinprick　in　the　hide　of　this　planet。　Yet　if　he　didn't　find　it　he　was　as　good　as　dead。　And　if　he　just　stayed　here　he　would　die；　so；　picking　what　looked　like　the　most　likely　direction；　he　started　off。
　　〃I'm　pooped；〃　he　said；　and　was。　A　few　hours　of　dragging　through　the　swamps　had　done　nothing　except　weaken　his　muscles；　fill　his　skin　with　insect　bites；　drain　a　quart　or　two　of　blood　into　the　ubiquitous　leeches；　and　deplete　the　charge　in　his　gun　as　he　killed　a　dozen　or　so　of　the　local　life　forms　that　wanted　him　for　breakfast。　He　was　also　hungry　and　thirsty。　And　still　lost。　　　The　rest　of　the　day　just　recapitulated　the　morning；　so　that　when　the　sky　began　to　darken　he　was　close　to　exhaustion；　and　his　supply　of　cough　medicine　was　gone。　He　was　very　hungry　when　he　climbed　a　tree　to　find　a　spot　to　rest　for　the　night；　and　he　plucked　a　luscious…looking　red　fruit。
　　　〃Supposed　to　be　poison。〃　He　looked　at　it　suspiciously；　then　smelled　it。　It　smelled　fine。　He　threw　it　away。
　　　In　the　morning　he　was　much　hungrier。　〃Should　I　put　the　barrel　of　the　gun　in　my　mouth　and　blow　my　head　off？〃　he　asked　himself；　weighing　the　atomic　pistol　in　his　hand。　〃Plenty　of　time　for　that　yet。　Plenty　of　things　can　still　happen。〃　Yet　he　didn't　really　believe　it　when　he　heard　voices　ing　through　the　jungle　toward　him；　human　voices。　He　settled　behind　the　limb　and　aimed　his　gun　in　that　direction。
　　　The　voices　grew　louder；　then　a　clanking　and　rattling。　An　armed　Venian　scuttled　under　the　tree；　but　Bill　held　his　fire　as　other　figures　loomed　out　of　the　fog。　It　was　a　long　file　of　human　prisoners　wearing　the　neck　irons　used　to　bring　Bill　and　the　others　to　the　labor　camp；　all　joined　together　by　a　long　chain　that　connected　the　neck　irons。　Each　of　the　men　was　carrying　a　large　box　on　his　head。　Bill　let　them　stumble　by　underneath　and　kept　a　careful　count　of　the　Venian　guards。　There　were　five　in　all　with　a　sixth　bringing　up　the　rear；　and　when　this　one　had　passed　underneath　the　tree　Bill　dropped　straight　down　on　him；　braining　him　with　his　heavy　boots。　The　Venian　was　armed　with　a　Chinger…made　copy　of　a　standard　atomic　rifle；　and　Bill　smiled　wickedly　as　he　hefted　its　familiar　weight。　After　sticking　the　pistol　into　his　waistband　he　crept　after　the　column；　rifle　ready。　He　managed　to　kill　the　fifth　guard　by　walking　up　behind　him　and　catching　him　in　the　back　of　the　neck　with　the　rifle　butt。　The　last　two　troopers　in　the　file　saw　this　but　had　enough　brains　to　be　quiet　as　he　crept　up　on　number　four。　Some　stir　among　the　prisoners　or　a　chance　sound　warned　this　guard　and　he　turned　about；　raising　his　rifle。　There　was　no　chance　now　to　kill　him　silently；　so　Bill　burned　his　head　off　and　ran　as　fast　as　he　could　toward　the　head　of　the　column。　There　was　a　shocked　silence　when　the　blast　of　the　rifle　echoed　through　the　fog　and　Bill　filled　it　with　a　shout。　
　　〃Hit　the　dirt…FAST！〃　　　The　soldiers　dived　into　the　mud　and　Bill　held　his　atomic　rifle　at　his　waist　as　he　ran；　fanning　it　back　and　forth　before　him　like　a　water　hose　and　holding　down　the　trigger　on　full　automatic。　A　continuous　blast　of　fire　poured　out　a　yard　above　the　ground　and　he　squirted　it　in　an　arc　before　him。　There　were　shouts　and　screams　in　the　fog；　and　then　the　charge　in　the　rifle　was　exhausted。　Bill　threw　it　from　him　and　drew　the　pistol。　Two　of　the　remaining　guards　were　down；　and　the　last　one　was　wounded　and　got　off　a　single　badly　aimed　shot　before　Bill　burn