gs.earthabides-第46节

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　interesting　conversation。　there　was　talk　back　and　forth；　and　a　good　deal　of　easygoing　fun…making；　with　a　little　horse…play　among　the　younger　people。　Everybody　seemed　to　agree；　in　general；　that　they　ought　to　get　to　work　again；　but　nobody　was　in　a　special　huffy　to　begin。　Ile　delay　chafed　Ish；　especially　when　George　in　his　slow　way　began　again　to　bring　up　the　old　question　of　the　gas…refrigerator。　
　　At　last；　however；　Ezra　and　the　three　younger　men　with　an　acpanying　rag…tag　of　little　boys　and　girls　moved　off　to　begin　work。　As　soon　as　they　had　really　started；　a　kind　of　enthusiasm　fell　upon　them。　Everyone；　even　Ezra；　suddenly　began　to　run；　trying　to　see　who　would　be　the　first　one　there　to　start　digging。　Ish　could　see　Evie　running　with　the　rest…although　she　could　not　know　what　was　happening…her　blond　hair　streaming　wildly　behind　her。　Who　got　there　first；　he　could　not　tell；　but　in　a　moment　dirt　started　to　fly　in　all　directions。　He　did　not　know　whether　to　be　amused　or　perturbed。　Everyone　seemed　to　be　turning　serious　work　into　a　kind　of　play；　as　if　unable　to　distinguish　between　work　and　play。　That　might　sound　fine；　but　you　could　not　acplish　much；　he　thought；　without　settling　down　to　labor。　As　it　was；　the　playful　enthusiasm　would　wear　out　in　half　an　hour；　and　the　dirt　would　move　more　slowly；　then；　children　first；　older　ones　soon　afterward；　everyone　would　probably　drift　off　to　something　else。　
　　When　once　they　stalked　the　deer；　or　crouched　shivering　in　the　mud　for　the　flight　of　ducks　to　alight；　or　risked　their　lives　on　the　crags　after　goats；　or　closed　in　with　shouts　upon　a　wild　boar　at　bay…that　was　not　work；　though　often　the　breath　came　hard　and　the　limbs　were　heavy。　When　the　women　bore　and　nursed　children；　or　wandered　in　the　woods　for　berries　and　mushrooms；　or　tended　the　fire　at　the　entrance　to　the　rock…shelter…that　was　not　work　either。　
　　So　also；　when　they　sang　and　danced　and　made　love；　that　was　not　play。　By　the　singing　and　dancing　the　spirits　offorest　and　water　might　be　placated…a　serious　matter；　though　still　one　might　enjoy　the　song　and　the　dance。　And　as　for　the　making　of　love；　by　that…and　by　the　favor　of　the　gods…the　tribe　was　maintained。　
　　So　in　the　first　years　work　and　play　mingled　always；　and　there　were　not　even　the　wordsfor　one　against　the　other。　
　　But　centuries　flowed　by　and　then　more　of　them；　and　many　things　changed。　Man　invented　civilization；　and　was　inordinately　proud　of　it。　But　in　no　way　did　civilization　change　life　more　than　by　sharpening　the　line　between　work　and　play；　and　at　last　that　division　came　to　be　more　important　than　the　old　one　between　sleeping　and　waking。　Skep　came　to　be　thought　a　kind　of　relaxation；　and　〃sleeping　on　the　job〃　a　heinous　sin。　The　turning　out　of　the　light　and　the　ringing　of　the　alarm…clock　were　not　so　much　the　symbols　of　man's　dual　life　as　were　the　punching　of　the　time…clock　and　the　blowing　of　the　whistle。　Men　marched　on　picket…lines　and　threw　bricks　and　exploded　dynamite　to　shift　an　hourfrom　one　classification　to　the　other；　and　other　men　fought　equally　hard　to　prevent　them。　And　always　work　became　more　laborious　and　odious；　and　play　grew　more　artificial　and　febrile。　
　　Only　Ish　and　George　were　left　standing　there　by　Ezra's　porch…steps。　Ish　knew　that　George　was　getting　ready　to　say　something。　Funny；　Ish　thought；　you　wouldn't　think　anyone　could　pause　until　he　had　said　something；　George　paused　before　he　said　anything。　
　　〃Well；〃　said　George；　and　then　he　paused　again。　〃Well。。。。　I　guess　I　better　go　get　some　planks　。。。　so　I　can　wall　in　the　sides　。。。　after　she　gets　deeper。〃　
　　〃Fine！〃　said　Ish。　George　at　least；　Ish　knew；　would　get　the　work　done。　He　had　carried　the　habit　of　work　over　so　strongly　from　the　Old　Times　that　he　perhaps　could　never　really　play。　
　　George　went　off　after　his　planks；　and　Ish　went　to　find　Dick　and　Bob；　who　had　been　collecting　and　harnessing　the　dogteams。　
　　He　found　the　two　boys　in　front　of　his　own　house。　Three　dog…teams　were　ready。　A　rifle…barrel　was　sticking　out　from　one　wagon。　
　　Ish　considered　for　a　moment。　Was　there　anything　else　he　should　take　along？　He　felt　a　lack。　
　　〃Oh；　say；　Bob；〃　he　said；　〃run　in；　please；　and　get　my　hammer。11　〃Aah；　why　do　you　want　thatT'　
　　〃Oh；　well；　nothing　in　particular；　I　guess。　It　might　e　in　handy　for　breaking　a　lock。〃　
　　〃You　can　always　use　a　brick；〃　said　Bob；　but　he　went。　
　　Ish　used　the　momentary　delay　to　pick　up　the　rifle　and　check　that　the　magazine　was　full。　This　was　pure　routine；　but　Ish　himself　was　the　one　who　insisted　on　it。　There　was　only　a　very　small　chance　of　meeting　a　rambunctious　bull　or　a　she…bear　with　cubs；　but　you　took　the　rifle　along　for　insurance。　Ish；　at　times　when　he　woke　up　in　the　night；　still　…remembered　very　vividly　the　occasion　when　the　dogs　had　trailed　him。　
　　Bob　came　back；　and　at　once　handed　the　hammer　to　his　father。　As　Ish　gripped　the　handle；　he　felt　a　strange　little　sense　of　security。　The　familiar　weight　of　the　dangling　four…pound　head　brought　him　fort。　It　was　the　same　old　hammer　that　he　had　picked　up　long　ago；　just　before　the　rattlesnake　bit　him。　The　handle　had　been　weathered　and　cracked　then；　and　it　still　was。　He　had　often　thought　of　choosing　a　new　handle　in　some　hardware　store　and　fitting　it　to　the　head。　As　a　matter　of　fact　he　could　just　as　well　have　picked　out　a　whole　new　tool。　Actually；　however；　he　had　very　little　use　for　the　harnmer。　By　tradition　he　took　it　along　every　New　Years　Day　when　he　cut　the　numerals　into　the　rock；　but　that　was　about　its　only　practical　value；　and　even　for　that　purpose　a　lighter　one　might　have　been　better。　
　　So　now　he　stuck　the　hammer　into　the　wagon　by　his　feet；　and　felt　fortable。　〃All　ready？〃　he　called　to　Dick　and　Bob；　and　just　then；　something　caught　his　eye。　
　　A　small　boy　was　standing；　half…hidden　in　the　bushes；　looking　out　at　the　wagons。　Ish　recognized　the　slight　figure。　〃Oh；　Joey！〃　he　called　on　impulse。　〃Want　to　go　along？〃　
　　Joey　stepped　out　from　the　bushes；　but　hung　back。　
　　〃I　have　to　help　digging　the　well；〃　he　said。　
　　〃Oh；　never　mind；　they'll　get　the　well　dug　without　you　or〃　＇he　added　to　himself＇　〃they　more　likely　won't　get　it　either　with　or　without　you。〃　
　　Joey　took　no　more　urging。　Obviously　this　was　what　he　really　been　hoping。　He　ran　to　Ish's　wagon；　and　climbed　snugly　at　his　father's　feet　where　he　could　just　find　room。　He　held　the　hammer　in　his　lap。　
　　Then　the　dogs　were　off　with　a　furious　rush　and　an　outburst　of　barking；　as　they　always　liked　to　start　out。　The　two　other　teams　followed；　with　the　excited　boys　yelling　and　their　dogs　barking　too。　The　dogs　around　the　houses　barked　back。　It　made　a　fair　imitation　of　a　riot。　As　always；　hunched　in　the　little　wagon　behind　six　dogs；　Ish　felt　ridiculous；　as　if　he　were　acting　in　some　silly　pageant。　
　　Once　the　dogs　had　started；　they　stopped　wasting　breath　barking；　and　settled　to　a　slower　pace。　Ish　collected　thoughts；　and　went　over　his　plans。　
　　He　made　his　first　stop　at　what　had　once　been　a　station。　The　door　was　open。　Inside　the　little　office；　though　it　was　walled　in　glass；　the　sunlight　filtered　through　in　subdued　yellow。　Twenty…one　years　of　fly…specks　and　blown　dust　had　coated　the　windows　thickly。　
　　He　saw　the　old　telephone　directory　hanging　from　its　book　beside　the　long…dead　telephone。　As　he　took　the　book　and　opened　it；　bits　of　brittle　yellowed　paper　broke　off　from　the　pages　and　went　fluttering　to　the　floor。　He　found　the　address　of　what　had　once　been　the　local　agency　for　jeeps。　Yes；　with　the　roads　in　the　condition　they　were；　a　jeep　would　be　the　thing。　
　　Half　an　hour　later；　when　they　came　to　the　proper　streeter；　Ish　looked　through　the　dirty　display…window；　and　his　heart　jumped　with　boyish　excitement　at　seeing　a　jeep　actually　standing　there。　
　　The　boys　tied　up　the　teams；　and　the　dogs；　well…trained；　lay　down　in　orderly　fashion　without　snarling　the　tram。　Dick　tried　the　door；　it　was　locked。　
　　〃Here；〃　said　Ish；　〃take　the　hammer；　and　smash　the　lock。〃　
　　〃Oh；　here's　a　brick！〃　said　Dick；　and　then　went　running　off　down　the　street　toward　the　remains　of　a　chimney　that　had　fallen　in　the　earthquake。　Bob　went　with　him。　
　　Ish　had　a　feeling　of　irritation。　What　was　wrong　with　those　boys？　At　best　a　brick　was　not　as　good　as　the　hammer　for　smashing　a　door　in。　He　ought　to　know；　he　had　smashed　a　lot　of　them。　
　　He　stepped　three　strides　across　the　sidewalk；　and　swinging　with　the　hammer　on　the　rhythm　of　his　last　stride；　he　sent　the　door　crashing　inwards。　That　would　show　them！　After　a；　there　had　been　sense　in　bringing　the　hammer！　
　　The　jeep　that　was　standing　there　in　the　display…room　had　four　flat　tires；　and　showed　a　thick　layer　of　dust；　but　under　the　dust　the　red　paint　was　shiny。　The　speedometer　showed　a　total　of　nine　miles。　Ish　shook　his　head。　
　　〃No；〃　he　said；　〃this　one's　too　new。　I　mean；　she　was　too　new！　One　that　was　better　broken　in　will　be　easier　for　us。〃　
　　In　the　garage　behind　the　display…room；　there　were　several　others。　All　their　tires　were　flat；　extremely　flat。　One　had　its　hood　up　and　various　of　its　parts　were　scattered　around。　It　must　have　been　in　for　a　repair…job。　Ish　passed　that　one　by。　
　　There　seemed　little　to　choose　between　the　others。　The　speedometer　of　one　of　them　stood　at　six　thousand；　and　Ish　decided　to　try　that　one。　
　　The　boys　looked　at　hi