gs.earthabides-第28节

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g　females；　in　turn；　would　begin　to　breed　before　they　reached　the　age　of　two　months。　There　must　be　some　casualties；　of　course；　and　he　had　no　way　of　determining　just　how　many　of　the　rats　would　live　to　maturity　But；　c：ertainly　the　increase　must　be　prodigious　under　the　circumstances。　His　mathematics　broke　down。　
　　But　even　if　the　rats　should　only　be　increasing　at　the　rate　of　doubling　their　numbers　every　month；　an　estimate　which　seemed　ridiculously　conservative；　there　should　by　this　time　be　already　somewhere　in　the　neighborhood　of　fifty　million。　If　they　were　increasing　threefold　each　month；　an　estimate　which　still　seemed　conservative；　there　would　now　be　in　the　area　approximately　one　billion　rats。　
　　As　he　considered　the　problem；　he　saw　no　reason　at　all　why。　the　rats；　with　unlimited　food；　might　not　possibly　quadruple　their　numbers　every　month。　In　the　Old　Times　man　had　been　the　only　important　natural　enemy　of　the　city　rats；　and　even　man　had　had　to　maintain　constant　war　against　them　to　keep　their　numbers　under　control。　With　man　gone；　their　only　enemies　would　have　been　the　small　number　of　dogs　whose　instinct　led　them　to　catch　rats；　and　somewhat　larger　number　of　cats。　But　here　a　secondary　result　must　have　influenced　the　situation　in　favor　of　the　rats。　As　he　had　noticed；　the　rat…catching　dogs　seemed　to　hold　the　ground　alone　without　the　help　of　any　cats。　Probably　the　dogs　had　killed　the　cats　as　much　as　they　had　the　rats；　and　so　had　eliminated　the　chief　control。　And　in　the　end；　the　dogs　themselves　had　probably　been　overwhelmed　in　the　mere　increase　of　numbers。　Now　he　no　longer　saw　any　dogs。　It　seemed　unlikely　that　they　had　actually　been　killed　by　the　rats；　although　the　rats　may　very　well　have　cleaned　out　many　litters　of　puppies。　Probably；　the　dogs　had　merely　retreated　before　the　swarms　of　rats；　and　were　still　hanging　around　on　the　outskirts；　now　having　been　driven　from　the　city　into　the　suburbs。　
　　Whether　there　were　a　billion　rats　or　only　fifty　million　made　very　little　difference。　There　certainly　were　too　many　rats；　and　Ish　and　Em　felt　themselves　in　a　state　of　siege。　They　watched　all　the　doors　carefully。　Nevertheless；　one　rat　appeared　in　the　kitchen　from　some　unknown　quarter；　and　they　had　a　mad　scurry　as　Ish　pursued　it　with　a　broom。　Cornered；　it　leaped　viciously　at　the　broom…handle；　and　left　teeth　marks　in　the　hard　wood　before　he　was　able　to　crush　it　against　the　floor。　
　　After　a　few　days；　moreover；　they　began　to　see　a　kind　of　difference；　both　in　the　appearance　and　in　the　behavior　of　the　rats。　Apparently；　the　supplies　of　food；　vast　though　they　were；　had　at　last　begun　to　yield　before　the　attack　of　an　ever…pyramiding　number　of　rats。　The　rats　now　appeared　thinner；　and　they　ran　around　even　more　feverishly　in　search　of　food。　They　began　to　burrow　in　the　ground。　They　dug　up　the　tulip　bulbs；　first　of　all；　seeming　particularly　fond　of　them。　Then　they　attacked　the　less　palatable　bulbs　and　roots。　They　ran　along　the　branches　of　the　trees；　apparently　eating　any　insects　they　could　find　or　any　remains　of　seeds　or　fruit。　They　even；　at　last；　began　to　gnaw　the　bark　of　young　trees；　like　rabbits。　
　　Ish　parked　the　car　as　close　to　the　house　as　he　could　now；　and　made　a　dash　for　it；　wearing　high　boots。　But　actually　the　rats　never　made　any　attempt　at　an　attack。　Ish　kept　Princess　in　the　house　mostly；　although　the　rats　had　offered　her　no　violence　either。　
　　Still　driving　about　to　investigate；　Ish　became　more　and　more　accustomed　to　the　soft　squash　beneath　his　tires。　He　began　to　feel　as　if　he　were　plastering　the　streets　with　a　continuous　line　of　crushed　rats。　In　the　angle　of　two　walls；　as　he　drove　slowly　by；　a　small　white　object　caught　his　attention。　Stopping　the　car　and　looking　carefully；　he　saw　that　it　was　the　skull　of　some　small　dog。　The　long　teeth；　still　shining　white；　indicated　that　it　had　probably　been　a　terrier。　Apparently；　the　rats　had　cornered　the　dog　in　the　angle　of　the　walls；　or　else；　the　dog　'　fighting　for　its　life；　had　retreated　there。　Whether　the　rats　had　dared　attack　a　strong　and　healthy　dog；　Ish　could　not　know。　Perhaps　it　had　suffered　an　accident　or　had　been　chewed　up　in　a　fight　with　another　dog。　Perhaps　it　was　old　or　sick。　But　apparendy'　for　once；　the　swarm　of　rats　had　been　too　much　even　for　the　ratter。　Ish　saw　only　a　few　of　the　larger　bones；　4he　rest　had　apparently　either　been　gnawed　to　pieces　or　dragged　away。　In　the　vicinity；　he　saw　also　the　skulls　of　several　rats；　indicating　that　the　terrier　had　gone　down　fighting。　He　tried　to　imagine　the　scene。　The　swarrning　gray　bodies　clambering　all　over　the　struggling　dog；　the　dog　unable　to　attack　those　which　hung　to　its　back。　Others　must　have　slashed　at　the　hamstrings　like　wolves　attacking　an　old　bison…bull。　Though　the　dog　might　kill　a　dozen　or　fifty；　in　the　end　the　mad；　hunger…frenzied　rodents　must　have　gnawed　through　the　skin　and　tendons　until　the　dog　collapsed。　Ish　drove　away　from　the　spot　feeling　definitely　sober；　and　deciding　that　they　must　keep　an　even　more　careful　watch　on　Princess。　
　　He　remembered；　hopefully；　that　the　ants　had　vanished　almost　overnight；　and　he　kept　expecting　that　something　like　that　also　might　happen　to　the　rats。　But　there　was　no　indication　of　it。　
　　〃Are　the　rats　going　to　take　over　the　world？〃　Em　asked。　〃Now　that　men　are　gone；　are　the　rats　going　to　be　next？〃　
　　〃Of　course　I　don't　know　for　sure；〃　said　Ish；　〃but　I　hardly　think　so。　They've　got　a　head…start　because　they　know　how　to　use　the　food…supplies　in　the　city　and　because　they　breed　fast。　But　once　they　get　away　from　the　city　they'll　have　to　forage　on　their　own；　and　the　foxes　and　snakes　and　owls　are　going　to　build　up　too　because　man　is　gone　and　because　they'll　have　lots　of　rats　to　feed　on。〃　
　　〃I　never　thought　of　that！〃　she　said。　〃You　mean　rats　are　kind　of　domestic　animals　because　people　supply　them　food　and　kill　off　their　enemies。〃　
　　〃More　like　parasites　on　man；　I　suppose　really。〃　And　then；　just；　to　be　saying　something　to　keep　her　interest；　he　ran　on：　〃And　speaking　of　parasites；　of　course　rats　have　them　too。　Just　like　the　ants！　When　anything　gets　too　numerous　it's　likely　to　get　hit　by　some　plague…I　mean…〃　（Something　had　suddenly　exploded　in　his　mind　at　the　word。）　He　coughed　to　cover　up　his　hesitation；　and　then　went　on；　without　making　a　point　of　it。　〃Yes；　some　plague　is　likely　to　hit　them。〃　
　　Em；　to　his　relief；　did　not　seem　to　have　noticed。　
　　〃All　we　can　do　then；〃　she　said；　〃I　guess；　is　to　sit　around　and　cheer　for　the　rat's　parasites。〃　
　　Ish　did　not　tell　her　what　had　disturbed　him。　It　was　the　realization　that　not　just　plague　in　the　general　sense；　but　bubonic　plague　was　a　mon　epidemic　among　rats。　It　was　spread；　he　knew；　by　fleas；　and　those　infected　fleas　readily　hopped　from　dead　rats　to　living　people。　The　thought　of　being　among　the　new　people　left　in　an　area　inhabited　by　millions　of　rats　being　killed　off　by　bubonic　plague　was　a　horrible　situation　to　contemplate。　
　　He　began　to　deluge　the　house　with　DDT　and　spray　it　upon　his　clothing　and　Em's。　Naturally　then　she　became　suspicious；　and　he　had　to　tell　her。　
　　She　was　not　disturbed。　Her　natural　courage　rose　superior　to　even　the　thought　of　plague；　and　perhaps　there　was　a　vein　of　fatalism　in　her　too。　The　simplest　and　safest　thing　would　have　been　to　hurry　out　of　the　city；　and　get　to　some　place…the　desert；　perhaps…where　few　rats　could　live。　
　　But　each　of　them　had　already　decided　independently　that　life　was　not　to　be　lived　on　the　basis　of　fear。　Her　courage　indeed　was　stronger　than　his；　and　the　horror　of　the　rats　pressed　in　more　closely　upon　him。　Occasionally　he　even　felt　panic　and　was　ready　to　force　her　into　the　car　for　flight。　But　always　in　such　times　her　courage　seemed　to　flow　out　from　her　and　sustain　him。　
　　As　the　days　passed；　he　watched　individual　rats　carefully　to　see　if　they　seemed　sickly。　On　the　contrary；　they　seemed　more　active　than　ever。　
　　Then　Em　called　to　him　one　morning　from　the　window。　
　　〃Look；　they're　fighting！〃　He　went　to　look；　quickly；　but　without　too　much　interest。　Probably；　he　thought；　it　was　merely　whatever　kind　of　sex…play　rats　indulged　in。　But　it　was　not。　
　　He　saw　a　large　rat　definitely　attacking　a　smaller　one。　The　small　one　fought　back；　and　dodged　desperately；　and　seemed　just　about　to　make　its　escape　through　a　hole　which　might　be　too　small　for　the　larger　one。　Then　suddenly　a　third　and　still　larger　rat　appeared；　and　sprang　also　upon　the　small　one。　The　little　pool　of　blood　spread　out　from　the　torn　throat；　and　then　the　largest　rat　dragged　the　body　away；　the　one　who　had　made　the　original　attack　scurrying　close　after。　
　　In　high　boots；　well　gloved；　carrying　a　stout　stick　in　his　hand；　Ish　made　an　expedition　to　the　nearest　business…center　and　foraged　for　some　more　food。　Curiously；　to　him；　he　found　very　few　rats　in　the　stores；　and　when　he　investigated；　he　found　that　everything　which　a　rat　could　get　and　eat　had　been　pletely　wiped　out。　The　stores　were　a　great　disgusting　litter　of　torn　papers；　and　chewed　cartons　and　rat…droppings。　They　had　even　chewed　the　labels　on　the　cans　and　bottles；　so　that　sometimes　it　was　difficult　even　to　tell　what　was　contained　in　them。　Certainly；　as　yet；　starvation　and　not　disease　was　c　losing　in　upon　the　hordes。　He　took　the　news　back　to　Em。　
　　Next　morning　they　let　Princess　out　for　her　dail