gs.earthabides-第48节

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aked　beans；　sardines；　salmon；　liver　loaf；　ed　beef；　olives；　peanuts；　and　asparagus。　Such　a　meal；　Ish　knew；　ran　high　in　proteins　and　fats　and　low　in　carbohydrates；　but　there　were　few　carbohydrates　that　had　been　canned　or　bottled；　and　the　few　that　you　could　find；　like　hominy　and　macaroni；　called　for　heating。　For　drink；　they　had　tomato　juice。　They　ate　a　desert　of　canned　nectarines　and　pineapple。　
　　When　they　had　finished；　they　wiped　off　the　spoons　and　can…openers　and　put　them　back　into　their　pockets。　The　halfempty　cans　they　merely　left　lying。　There　was　so　much　litter　in　the　street　already　that　something　more　did　not　matter。　
　　The　boys；　Ish　was　glad　to　notice；　were　in　a　hurry　to　get　back　to　work　at　the　car。　They　had　apparently　begun　to　feel　a　little　of　the　intoxication　that　was　likely　to　e　from　a　mastery　over　power。　He　himself　was　a　little　tired；　and　a　new　idea　was　shaping　in　his　mind。　
　　〃Say；　boys；〃　he　said；　〃Bob　and　Dick；　I　mean。　Do　you　think　you　can　go　back　and　shift　those　wheels　by　yourselves？〃　
　　〃Sure；〃　said　Dick；　but　he　looked　puzzled。　
　　〃What　I　mean　is…well；　Joey　is　too　little　to　be　much　use；　and　I'm　tired。　It's　only　four　blocks　to　the　City　Library　from　here。　Joey　can　go　with　me。　Want　to；　Joey？〃　
　　Joey　was　already　on　his　feet　with　the　excitement　of　the　idea。　The　other　boys　were　happy　to　get　back　to　the　tires。　
　　As　they　walked　toward　the　Library；　Joey　ran　ahead　in　his　eagerness。　It　was　ridiculous；　thought　Ish；　that　he　had　never　taken　Joey　there　before。　But　all　this　matter　of　Joey's　reading　and　intellectual　interests　had　developed　very　rapidly。　
　　Because　of　his　policy　of　saving　the　great　University　Library　as　a　reserve；　Ish　had　been　using　this　library　for　his　own　purposes　for　many　years；　and　had　long　since　forced　the　lock　on　the　main　entrance。　Now　he　pushed　the　heavy　door　open；　and　entered　proudly　with　his　youngest　son。　
　　They　stood　in　the　main　reading…room；　and　then　wandered；　through　the　stacks。　Joey　said　nothing；　but　Ish　could　see　his　eyes　drink　the　titles　in　as　he　passed。　They　came　out　from　the　stacks　again；　and　stood　in　the　main　lobby　by　the　entrance　looking　back。　Then　Ish　had　to　break　the　silence。　
　　〃Well；　what　do　you　think　of　it？〃　
　　〃Is　it　all　the　books　in　the　world？〃　
　　〃Oh；　no！　Just　a　few　of　them。〃　
　　〃Can　I　read　them？〃　
　　〃Yes；　you　can　read　any　you　want　to。　Always　bring　them　back；　and　put　them　in　place　again；　so　they　won't　get　lost　and　scattered。〃　
　　〃What's　in　the　books？〃　
　　〃Oh；　something　of　pretty　near　everything。　If　you　read　them　all；　you　would　know　a　lot。〃　
　　〃I'll　read　them　all！〃　
　　Ish　felt　a　sudden　warning　shadow　fall　on　the　happiness　of　his　mind。　
　　〃Oh；　no；　Joey！　You　couldn't　possibly　read　them　all；　and　you　wouldn't　want　to。　There　are　dull　ones　and　stupid　ones　and　silly　ones；　and　even　bad　ones。　But　I'll　help　you　pick　out　the　good　ones。　Now；　though；　we'd　better　go。〃　
　　He　was　actually　glad　to　get　Joey　away。　The　stimulation　of　seeing　so　many　books　so　suddenly　seemed　almost　more　than　was　good　for　the　frail　little　boy。　Ish　was　glad　that　he　had　not　taken　him　to　the　University　Library。　In　due　time　now　he　could　take　him　there。　
　　As　they　walked　toward　the　garage；　Joey　did　not　run　ahead。　This　time　he　kept　close　to　his　father；　he　was　thinking。　Finally　he　spoke：　
　　〃Daddy；　what　is　the　name　of　those　things　that　are　on　the　ceilings　of　our　rooms…like　shiny　white　balls？　You　said　once　they　used　to　make　light。〃　
　　〃Oh；　those　are　called　'electric　lights。'〃　
　　〃If　I　read　the　books；　could　I　make　them　make　light　again？〃　
　　Ish　felt　a　sudden　intoxication　of　pleasure；　and　immediately　after　it　a　sense　of　fear。　This　must　not　go　too　fast！　
　　〃Well；　Joey；　I　don't　know；〃　he　said；　trying　to　speak　with　unconcern。　〃Maybe　you　could；　maybe　not。　Things　like　that　take　time；　and　a　lot　of　people　working　together。　You've　got　to　go　slow。〃　
　　Then　they　walked　without　speaking。　Ish　was　proud　and　triumphant　that　Joey　had　absorbed　so　much　of　his　own　feeling；　and　yet　he　was　fearful。　Joey　was　moving　even　too　fast。　The　intellect　should　not　run　ahead　of　the　rest　of　the　personality。　Joey　needed　physical　strength　and　emotional　solidity。　Still；　he　was　going　far！　
　　Ish　came　out　of　his　thoughts　to　the　sound　of　retching；　and　saw　that　Joey　was　vomiting　upon　a　pile　of　rubble。　
　　〃That　lunch！〃　thought　Ish　guiltily。　〃I　let　him　eat　too　much　mixture。　He's　done　this　before。〃　Then　he　realized　that　the　excitement　had　probably　been　more　a　factor　than　the　lunch。　
　　When　Joey　felt　better；　and　they　finally　got　back　to　the　garage；　they　found　that　the　boys　had　finished　the　work　of　shifting　tires　and　pumping　them　up。　Ish　felt　his　old　curiosity　about　the　car　and　the　expedition　rising　up　again。　
　　He　got　into　the　car；　and　once　more　started　the　engine。　He　nursed　it　lovingly；　and　then　raced　it　a　little　to　let　it　grow　warm。　Well；　the　engine　was　running　and　the　tires　were　hold…；　ing；　at　least　temporarily。　But　there　were　a　lot　of；　questions　about　clutch　and　transmission　and　steering…gear　and　brakes；　besides　all　those　mysterious　but　vital　things　which　lurked　somewhere　in　the　make…up　of　automobiles　and　of　which　he　scarcely　even　knew　the　names。　They　had　filled　the　radiator；　but　the　water…circulation　might　well　be　clogged　somewhere；　and　even　that　was　enough　to　render　a　car　of　no　value。　But　here　we　are　again　worrying　about　the　future！　
　　〃All　right！〃　he　said。　〃Let's　go！〃　
　　The　engine　was　muttering　contentedly。　He　threw　the　clutch　out；　and　worked　the　stiff　transmission　into　low　gear。　He　let　the　clutch　in；　and　the　car　lurched　forward　heavily；　as　if　its　bearings　were　almost　too　stiff　to　be　started　again；　as　if　their　fine　steel　balls　like　the　rubber　tires；　had　flattened　from　long　stand。！；　ing　in　one　position。　Yet　the　car　moved；　and　he　felt　it　respond　to　the　stiff　steering　gear。　He　pressed　upon　the　brake；　and　the　car　came　to　a　stop；　having　moved　only　six　feet。　Yet　it　had　moved；　and　（of　equal　importance）　it　had　stopped。　
　　He　had　a　sudden　feeling　of　more　than　pleasure；　reaching　to；　the　height　of　exaltation。　It　was　not　all　a　dream！　If；　in　one　day'　work　a　man　and　three　boys　could　get　a　jeep　to　running　again。；　what　could　not　a　whole　munity　acplish　in　the　course　of　a　few　years？　
　　The　boys　unloosed　the　dogs　from　one　of　the　wagons　to　home　by　themselves。　They　hitched　the　wagon　behind　one　the　others。　Then　Dick　drove　one　team；　and　Bob　the　ther。　Ish；　with　Joey　beside　him；　started　out　bravely。　
　　Fallen　buildings　had　left　heaps　of　debris　in　the　street。　blowing　winds　had　drifted　leaves　and　dust　upon　the　bricks　and　the　winter　rains　had　washed　the　whole　into　semblances　natural　banks　and　hillocks。　Grass　was　growing　thickly；　on　o　little　mound　there　was　even　a　fair　stand　of　bushes。　Ish　stiffly　hither　and　thither；　finding　a　way　along　the　clogged　streets。　He　was　nearing　home　when　he　sharply　over　a　brick　and　heard　a　bang　as　the　left　rear　tire　out。　He　ended　the　day　driving　home　on　one　flat　tire；　badly；　but　taking　it　slowly　and　making　the　last　grade　successfully；　a　little　ahead　of　the　dog…teams。　In　spite　of　this　final　mishap；　he　felt　that　he　had　done　well。　
　　He　let　the　jeep　roll　to　a　stop　in　front　of　the　house；　leaned　back　in　triumphant　relief。　At　least　he　had　got　it　home。　
　　Then　he　pressed　the　horn…button；　and　after　these　years　of　silence　it　responded　wonderfully…TOOT…A…TOOT…TOOT！　
　　He　expected　children；　and　older　people　too；　to　e　hurrying　from　all　directions　at　the　unaccustomed　sound；　but　there　was　no　one。　Only　a　sudden　barking　of　dogs　sprang　up　from　everywhere。　Then　the　team…dogs　joined　in　the　chorus；　as　they　now　came　up　the　hill；　and　the　boys　joined　him。　Ish　felt　a　sudden　emptiness　of　fear　inside　him。　Once　before；　long　ago；　he　had　e　into　a　strangely　empty　town；　and　blown　the　horn　of　his　car；　and　now　it　was　easy　enough　to　think　that　something　might　have　happened　when　your　whole　universe　consisted　of　only　some　thirty　more　or　less　defenseless　people。　But　that　was　only　for　a　moment。　
　　Then　he　saw　Mary；　her　baby　on　her　arm；　e　unconcernedly　out　of　the　house　down　the　street；　and　wave　to　him。　〃They've　all　gone　bull…dodging！〃　she　called。　
　　The　boys　were　suddenly　excited　to　join　the　sport。　They　loosed　the　dogs　from　the　carts；　and　were　off；　not　even　asking　permission　of　Ish。　Even　Joey；　now　wholly　recovered　from　his　illness；　rushed　off　with　the　others。　Ish　felt　suddenly　left　alone　and　neglected；　his　triumph　at　restoring　transportation　gone　suddenly　sour　in　his　mouth。　Only　Mary　came　to　look　at　the　jeep。　She　stared　with　big　enough　eyes；　but　was　as　untalkative　as　the　baby；　who　also　stared。　
　　Ish　got　out　of　the　jeep；　and　stretched。　His　long　legs　were　cramped　from　its　close　quarters；　and　his　bad　loin　ached　from　even　this　small　amount　of　bumping。　
　　〃Well；〃　he　said　with　a　little　pride　in　his　voice；　〃what　do　you　think　of　it；　Mary？〃　Mary　was　his　own　daughter；　but　she　was　not　much　like　either　of　her　parents；　and　her　stolidity　often　bothered　him。　
　　〃Good！〃　she　said　with　a　Choctaw…like　imperturbability。　
　　Ish　felt　that　there　was　not　much　to　follow　up　along　that　line。　〃Where's　the　bull…dodging？〃　he　asked。　
　　〃Down　by　the　big　oak　tree。〃　
　　Just　then　they　heard　the　loud　sound　of　yelling；　and　Ish　knew　that　someone　had　made　a　good　maneuver　at　dodging。　
　　〃Well；　I　guess　I　might　as　well　go