the stainless steel rat-第15节

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　　　　　The　voice　went　on　and　on＇；　but　I　wasn't　listening。　I　was　cursing　myself　for　being　caught　unaware　by　this　joker　with　the　long…playing　voice。　He　was　riding　in　a　small　boat　just　off　shore；　the　thing　was　low　in　the　water　with　bales　and　bundles；　and　the　man's　head　stuck　above　the　top　of　everything。　While　his　jaw　kept　moving　I　had　a　chance　to　look　at　him　and　draw　my　sleep…sodden　wits　together。　He　had　a　wild　and　bristly　beard　that　stuck　out　in　all　directions；　and　tiny　dark　eyes　hidden　under　the　most　decrepit　hat　I　had　ever　seen。　Some　of　my　startled　panic　ebbed　away。　If　this　oddball　wasn't　a　plant；　the　accidental　meeting　might　be　turned　to　my　benefit。
　　　　　When　mattress…face　stopped　to　drag　in　a　long　overdue　breath　I　accepted　his　offer　and　reached　for　the　gunwale　of　the　boat　and　drew　it　closer。　I　picked　up　my　bundle…getting　my　hand　on　my　gunbutt　as　I　did　it…and　jumped　in。　There　didn't　seem　to　be　any　need　for　caution。　Zug…that　was　his　name；　I　plucked　it　out　of　the　flowing　stream　of　his　monologue…bent　over　an　outboard　motor　clamped　to　the　stem　and　coaxed　it　to　life。　It　was　a　tired　looking　atomic　heat　exchanger；　simple　but　efficient。　No　moving　parts；　it　simply　sucked　in　cold　lake　water；　heated　it　to　a　boil　and　shot　it　out　through　an　underwater　jet。　Made　almost　no　sound　while　running；　which　was　how　the　rig　had　slid　up　without　wakening　me。
　　　　　Everything　about　Zug　seemed　normal…I　still　wasn't　pletely　convinced　and　kept　the　gun　close　to　my　hand…but　if　it　was　normal　I　had　hit　a　piece　of　luck。　His　cataract　of　words　washed　over　me　and　I　began　to　understand　why。　Apparently　he　was　a　hunter；　bringing　his　pelts　to　market　after　months　of　solitude　and　silence。　The　sight　of　a　human　face　had　induced　a　sort　of　verbal　diarrhea　which　I　made　no　attempt　to　stop。　He　was　answering　a　lot　of　questions　for　me。
　　　　　One　thing　that　had　been　a　worry　were　my　clothes。　I　had　finally　decided　to　wear　a　one…piece　ship　suit；　done　in　neutral　gray。　You　see　this　kind　of　outfit；　with　minor　variations；　on　planets　right　across　the　galaxy。　It　had　passed　unnoticed　by　Zug；　which　wasn't　really　saying　much　since　he　was　anything　but　a　clothes　fancier。　He　must　have　made　his　jacket　himself　out　of　the　local　fur。　It　was　purplish…black　and　must　have　been　very　fine　before　the　grease　and　twigs　had　been　rubbed　in。　His　pants　were　made　of　machine…woven　cloth　and　his　boots　were　the　same　as　mine；　of　eternene　plastic。　If　he　was　allowed　to　walk　around　loose　in　this　outfit；　mine　would　surely　never　be　noticed。
　　　　　What　I　could　see　of　Zug's　equipment　bore　out　the　impression　gained　from　his　clothes。　The　old　and　new　mixed　together。　A　world　like　Freibur；　not　too　long　in　the　League；　would　be　expected　to　be　like　that。　The　electrostatic　rifle　leaning　against　a　bundle　of　steel　bolts　for　the　crossbow　made　a　typical　picture。　Undoubtedly　the　Voice　of　The　Wilderness　here　could　use　both　weapons　with　equal　facility。　I　settled　down　on　the　soft　bundles　and　enjoyed　the　voyage　and　the　visual　pleasures　of　the　misty　dawn；　bathed　continually　in　a　flow　of　words。
　　　　　We　reached　Freiburbad　before　noon。　Zug　had　more　of　an　ambition　to　talk　than　to　be　talked　to；　and　a　few　vague　remarks　of　mine　about　going；　to　the　city　satisfied　him。　He　greatly　enjoyed　the　food　concentrates　from　my　pack　and　reciprocated　by　producing　a　flask　of　some　noxious　home　brew　he　had　distilled　in　his　mountain　retreat。　The　taste　was　indescribably　awful　and　left　the　mouth　feeling　as　if　it　had　been　rasped　by　steel　wool　soaked　in　sulphuric　acid。　But　the　first　few　drinks　numbed　and　after　that　we　enjoyed　the　trip…until　we　tied　up　at　a　fish…smelling　dock　outside　the　city。　We　almost　swamped　the　boat　getting　out　of　it；　which　we　thought　hysterically　funny；　and　which　will　give　you　some　indication　of　our　mental　state　at　the　time。　I　walked　into　the　city　proper　and　sat　in　a　park　until　my　head　cleared。
　　　　　The　old　and　the　new　pressed　shoulders　here；　plastic　fronted　buildings　wedged　in　between　brick　and　plaster。　Steel；　glass；　wood　and　stone　all　mixed　with　plete　indifference。　The　people　were　the　same；　dressed　in　a　strange　mixture　of　types　and　styles。　I　took　more　notice　of　them　than　they　did　of　roe。　A　news　robot　was　the　only　thing　that　singled　me　out　for　attention。　It　blatted　its　dull　offerings　in　my　ear　and　waved　a　board　with　the　printed　headlines　until　I　bought　a　paper　to　get　rid　of　it。　League　currency　was　in　circulation　here；　as　well　as　local　money；　and　the　robot　made　no　protest　when　I　slipped　a　credit　in　its　chest　slot；　though　it　did　give　me　change　in　Freibur　gilden…undoubtedly　at　a　ruinous　rate　of　exchange。　At　least　that's　the　way　I　would　have　done　it　if　I　were　programming　the　thing。
　　　　　All　of　the　news　was　unimportant　and　trivial…the　advertisements　were　of　much　more　interest。　Looking　through　the　big　hotels　I　pared　their　offered　pleasures　and　prices。
　　　　　It　was　this　that　set　me　to　trembling　and　sweating　with　terror。　How　quickly　we　lose　the　ingrained　habits　of　a　lifetime。　After　a　month　on　the　side　of　law　and　order　I　was　acting　like　an　honest　man！
　　　　　〃You're　a　criminal；〃　I　muttered　through　clenched　teeth；　and　spat　on　a　NO　SPITTTNG　sign。　〃You　hate　the　law　and　live　happily　without　it。　You　are　a　law　unto　yourself；　and　the　most　honest　man　in　the　galaxy。　You　can't　break　any　rules　since　you　make　them　up　yourself　and　change　them　whenever　you　see　fit。〃　
　　　　　All　of　this　was　true；　and　I　hated　myself　for　forgetting　it。　That　little　period　of　honesty　in　the　Corps　was　working　like　a　blight　to　destroy　all　of　my　best　anti…social　tendencies。
　　　　　〃Think　dirty！〃　I　cried　aloud；　startling　a　girl　who　was　walking　by　on　the　path。　I　leered　to　prove　that　she　had　heard　correctly　and　she　hurried　quickly　away。　That　was　better。　I　left　myself　at　the　same　time；　in　the　opposite　direction；　looking　for　an　opportunity　to　do　bad。　I　had　to　reestablish　my　identity　before　I　could　even　consider　finding　Angelina。
　　　　　Opportunity　was　easy　to　find。　Within　ten　minutes　I　had　spotted　my　target。　I　had　all　the　equipment　I　might　need　in　my　sack。　What　I　would　use　for　the　job　I　stowed　in　my　pockets　and　waist　wallet；　then　checked　my　bag　in　a　public　locker。
　　　　　Everything　about　the　First　Bank　of　Freibur　begged　to　be　cracked。　It　had　three　entrances；　four　guards　and　was　busily　crowded。　Four　human　guards！　No　bank　in　existence　would　pay　all　those　salaries　if　they　had　electronic　protection。　It　was　an　effort　not　to　hum　with　happiness　as　I　stood　in　line　for　one　of　the　human　clerks。　Fully　automated　banks　aren't　hard　to　rob；　they　just　require　different　techniques。　This　mixture　of　man　and　machine　was　the　easiest　of　all。
　　　　　〃Change　a　League　ten…star　for　gilden；〃　I　said；　slapping　the　shiny　coin　on　the　counter　before　him。
　　　　　〃Yessir；〃　the　cashier　said；　only　glancing　at　the　coin　and　feeding　it　into　the　accounting　machine　next　to　him。　His　fingers　had　already　set　up　the　amount　for　me　in　gilden；　even　before　the　currency　valid　signal　blinked　on。　My　money　rattled　down　into　the　cup　before　me　and　I　counted　it　slowly。　This　was　done　mechanically；　because　my　mind　was　really　on　the　ten…credit　coin　now　rolling　and　clinking　down　inside　the　machine's　innards。　When　I　was　sure　it　had　finished　its　trip　and　landed　in　the　vault　I　pressed　the　button　on　my　wrist　transmitter。
　　　　　It　was　beautiful；　that　was　the　only　word　for　it。　The　kind　of　thing　that　leaves　a　warm　glow　lodged　in　the　memory；　that　produces　a　twinge　of　happiness　for　years　after　whenever　it　is　nudged。　That　little　ten…credit　coin　had　taken　hours　to　construct　and　every　minute　was　worth　it。　I　had　sliced　it　in　half；　hollowed　it　out；　loaded　it　with　lead　back　to　its　original　weight；　built　in　a　tiny　radio　receiver；　a　fuse　and　a　charge　of　burmedex；　which　now　went　off　with　an　incredibly　satisfactory　explosion。　A　grinding　thump　deep　in　the　bank's　entrails　was　followed　by　a　tremendous　amount　of　clanking　and　banging。　The　rear　wall…containing　the　vault…split　open　and　disgorged　a　torrent　of　money　and　smoke。　Some　last　effort　of　the　expiring　accounting　machine　gave　me　an　unexpected　dividend。　The　money　dispensers　at　every　cashier's　station　burst　into　frantic　life。　A　torrent　of　large　and　small　coins　poured　out　on　the　startled　customers　who　quickly　mastered　their　surprise　and　began　grabbing。　Their　moment　of　pleasure　was　brief　because　the　same　radio　cue　had　set　off　the　smoke　and　gas　bombs　I　had　thoughtfully　dropped　in　all　the　wastebaskets。　Unnoticed　in　the　excitement；　I　threw　a　few　more　gas　bombs　in　with　the　cashiers。　This　gas　is　an　effective　mixture　of　my　own　concoction；　a　sinister　brew　of　regurgitants　and　lachrymatories。　Its　effect　was　instantaneous　and　powerful。　（There　were　of　course　no　children　in　the　bank；　since　I　don't　believe　in　being　cruel　to　those　too　young　to　protect　themselves。）　Within　seconds　the　clients　and　employees　found　themselves　unable　to　see；　and　too　preoccupied　to　take　any　notice　of　me。
　　　　　As　the　gas　rolled　towards　me　I　lowered　my　head　and　slipped　the　goggles　over　my　eyes。　When　I　looked　up　I　was　the　only　person　in　the　bank　that　was　able　to　see。　I　was　of　course　careful　to　breathe　through　the　filter　plugs　in　my　nose；　so　I　could　enjoy　the　continued　digestion　of　my　last　meal。　My　teller　had　vanished　from　sight　and　I　did　a　neat　dive　through　the　opening；　sliding　across　the　counter　on　my　stomach。
　　　　　After　this　it　was　just　a　matter　of　pick　and　choose；