time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第74部分

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d　Helen　ever　tell　you　stories　about　the　first　winter　here？〃
　　
　　〃No。　She　said　I　didn't　need　to　know。〃
　　
　　〃Could　be　she　was　mistaken。　I'll　tell　you　one　of　the　less
　　
　　grisly　ones。　We　placed…i　placed…a　heel…and…toe　watch　over　the　seed　grain；　with　orders　to　shoot　'to　kill。　And　one　guard　did。　A　drumhead　court…martial　exonerated　the　guard；　the　man　he　killed　was　clearly　stealing　seed　grain…his　corpse　had　halfchewed　grain　in　its　mouth。　Not　Helen's　husband；　by　the　way；　he　died　like　a　gentleman…malnutrition　and　some　fever　I　never　identified。〃
　　
　　Smith　added；　〃Buck's　got　us　hauled　around。　Let's　get　busy。〃　He　jumped　down；　reached　up　to　help　her。　〃And　smile；　baby；　smile！…this　show　is　being　'transmitted　back　to　Earth　to　show　those　poor　crowded　people　how　easy　it　is　to　take　a　new　pla…courtesy　of　DuBarry's　Delicious　Deodorants；　of　which　I　need　a　bucketful。〃
　　
　　She　smiled。　〃I　stink　worse　than　you　…　do；　my　lcive。〃
　　
　　〃That's　better；　darling；　we'll　make　it。　it's　just　the　first　step　that's　a　dilly。　Oh；　yes！　No　cooking　fire。〃
　　
　　〃'No　f……'　Yes；　sir。〃　…
　　
　　〃Nor　any　until　we　get　out　of　this　dry　stuff。　Don't　strike　a　light　for　any　reason…even　if　you've　dropped　your　rubies　and　can't　find　them。〃　'　…
　　
　　〃'Rubies…'　Woodrow；　it　was　wonderful　of　you　'to　give　me　rubies。　But　right　now　I　would　swap　them　for　another　barrel　of　water。〃
　　
　　〃No；　you　wouldn't；　dearest；　because　rubies　don't　weigh　anythin？　and　I　took　every　barrel　the　mules　could　haul。　I　was　delighted　that　Zack　had　those　rubies　along　and　I　could　give　them　to　you。　A　bride　should　be　cherished。　Let's　take　care　of　these　tired　mules。〃　…
　　
　　After　they　turned　the　mules　loose；　Dora　tried　to　figure　out　what　she　could　feed　her　husband　without　the　use　of　fire　while　Smith　got　busy　on　the　fence。　The　fence　was　not　much；　but　having　only　two　wagons；　they　could　not　form　a　proper　defensive　circle；　the　best　that　could　be　done　was　to　angle　the　wagons　as　far　as　the　front　axle　of　the　second　wagon　permitted；　then　surround　the　bivouac　with　a　fence…　of　sorts…sharpened　stakes　of　brasswood；　each　two　meters　long；　and　held　together　and　spaced　by　what　passed　for　rope　in　New　Pittsburgh。　The　result；　when　held　up　on　two　sides　by　wagons　and　braced　to　the　ground　along　the　hypotenuse；　constituted　a　high　and　fairly　nasty　picket　fence。　It　would　not　slow　up　a　dragon；　but　this　was　not　dragon　country。　Lopers　did　not　like　it。
　　
　　Smith　did　not　like　it　much；　either；　but　it　was　made　on　New　Beginnings　of　all…native　materials；　could　be　repaired　by…a　man
　　
　　who　was　handy；　did'　not　weigh　much；　could　be　abandoned　with　no　great　'oss…and　contaii！ed　no　metal。　Smith　had　been　able　to　buy　two　sturdy；　boat…bodied；　Conestoga…type　wagons　in　New　Pittsburgh　only　by　offering　in　part　payment　plete　hardware　for；　two　other　wagons…hardware　imported　across　the　light…years　in　the　Andy　I。　New　Pittsburgh　was　far　more　〃New〃　than　〃Pittsburgh〃；　there　was　iron　ore　there　and　coal；　but　its　metals　industry　was　still　primitive。
　　
　　The　chickens；　the　sow；　the　goats；　and　even　the　humans　were　tasty　temptations　to　wild　lopers；　but　with　the　goats　and　kids　shooed　inside　the　kraal；　two　alert　watchdogs；　and　sixteen　mules　grazing　on　all　sides；；　Smith　felt　reasonably　secure　at　night。　True；　a　loper　might　get　a　mule；　but　it　was　much　more　likely　that　the　mule　would　get　the　loper…especially　as　'other　mules　would　close　in　and　help　stomp　the　carnivore。　These　mules　dd　not　run　from　a　'loper；　they　struck　out　at　him。　Smith　thought　that；　in　time；　mules　might　clean　out　the　varmints　even　more　than　men　did；　make　them　as　scarce　as　mountain　lions　had　been　in　his　youth。
　　
　　A　mule…stomped　loper　was　readily　converted　into　loper　steak；　loper　stew；　loper　jerky…and　dog　and　cat　food；　and　Mrs。　Porky　the　sow　enjoyed　the　offal…all　at　no　loss　to　the　mules。　Smith　did　not　care　much　for　loper　in　any　form；　the　meat　was　too　strongly　flavored　for　his　taste…but　it　was　better　than　nothing　and　kept　them　from　digging　too　deeply　into　food　they　had　hauled　along。　Dora　did　not　share　her　husband's　distaste　for　loper　meat；　born　there　and　having　eaten　it　now　and　then　since　earliest　childhood；　it　seemed　to　her　a　normal　food。
　　
　　But　Smith　wished　that　he；　had　time　to　hunt　one　of　the　herbivores　that　were　the　loper's　natural　prey…six…legged　like　the　loper　but　otherwise　resembling　a　misshapen　okapi…　their　meat　was　much　milder。　They　were　called　〃prairie　goats；〃　which　they　were　not；　but　systematic　taxonomy　of　fauna　and　flora　on　…New　Beginnings　had　not　gone　far；　there　had　been　as　yet　no　time　for　such　intellectual　luxuries。　Smith　had　shot　a　prairie　goat　from　the　seat　of　the　wagon　a　week　earlier　（now　only　a　memory；　bittersweet；　of　tasty　tender　meat）。　Smith　did　not　feel　justified　in　taking　a　day　off　to　bunt　until　they　had　conquered　Hopeless　Pass。　But　he　kept　hoping　for　another　chance　shot。
　　
　　Maybe　now…　〃Fritz！　Lady　Macbeth！　Here！〃　The　dogs　trotted　up　and　waited。　〃High　sentry。　Loper！　Pr'airie　goat！　Up！〃　The　dogs　immediately　got　on　the　very　top　of　the　lead　wagon；　…
　　
　　making　it　in　two　jumps　and　a　scramble；　step；　seat；　and　curved　top。　；There　th~y　split　the　duty；　nigh　side　and　off　side…　and　there　they　would　stay　until　told　to　get　down。　Smith　had　paid　a　stiff　price　for　the　pair；　but　he　had　known　they　were　good　dogs；　he　had　picked　their　ancestors　on　Earth　and　had　fetched　them　with　the　first　wave。　Smith　was　not　a　〃doggie〃　man　in　any　fanatic　sense；　he　simply　believed　that　a　partnership　that　had　lasted　so　long　on　Earth　would　serve　men　equally　well　on
　　
　　strange　plas。
　　
　　Dora　was…　sobered　by　her　husband's　words；？but　once　she　got　busy　working；　she　cheered　up。　Shortly；　while　trying　to　plan　a　menu　from　little　choice　and　without　acooking　fire；　she　came　across　something　that　vexed　her…good　for　her　as　it　displ~aced　her　worrisome　thoughts。　Besides；　she　did　not　really　believe　that　her　husband　could　fail　at　anything。
　　
　　She　came　around　the　end　of　the　second　wagon；　crossed　the　little　kraal　to　where　her　husband　was　making　sure　that　his　fence　was　tight。　〃Oh；　that　pesky　little　rooster！〃
　　
　　Woodrow　looked　around。　〃Hon；　you　look　cute　in　just　a　sunbon。〃
　　
　　。〃Not　just　a　sunbon；　I'm　wearing　boots；　too。　Don't　you　want　to　hear　what　that　nasty　little　rooster　did？〃
　　
　　〃I　would　rather　discuss　how　you　look。　Adorable；　that　is。　Nevertheless；　I'm　not　pleased　with　the　way　you　are　dressed。〃
　　
　　〃What？　But　it's　so　hot；　dear。　Since　I　can't　wash；　I　thought　an　air　bath　might　make　me　smell　better。〃
　　
　　〃You　smell　good　to　me。　But　an　air　bath　is　a　good　idea；　I'll　peel　down；　too。　Your　gun；　dear…where's　your　belt　with　your　knife　and　gun？〃　He　started　shucking　his　overalls。
　　
　　〃You　want　me　to　wear　my　gun　belt　now？　Inside　the　fence？　With　you　here　to　protect　me？〃　…
　　
　　…　〃As　self…discipline　and　a　standard　precaution；　my　lovely　one。〃　He　hitched　his　own　gun…and…knife　belt　back　into　place　as　he　stepped　out　of　his　overalls；　then　pulled　off　boots　and
　　
　　shirt　and　got　bare　save　for　the　belt　and　three　other　weapons　that　did　not　show　when　he　was　dressed。　〃In　more　years　than
　　
　　I　like　to　think　about　I　have　never　been　unarmed　except　when　locked　in　somewhere　sale。　I　want　you　to　acquire　the　habit。　Not　just　sometimes。　Always。〃
　　
　　〃All　right。　I　left　my　belt　on　the　seat；　F！！　get　it。　But；　Woodrow；　I'm　not　much　of　a　fighter　at　best。〃
　　
　　〃You're　fairly　accurate　with　that　needle　…　gun　up　to　fifty　meters。　And　you're　going　to　get　better　and　better　the　longer
　　
　　you　live　with　me；　Not　just　with　it　but　with　anything　that　shoots；　cuts；　burns；　or　even　makes　nasty　bruises；　from　your　bare　bands　to　a　blaster。　See　over　there；　Dorable？〃　He　pointed　to　nothing　but　flatness。　〃In　just　seven　seconds　a'　horde　of　hairy　savages　will　e　pouring　over　the　top　of　that　rise　and　attack。　I　get　a　spear　through　my　thigh　and　go　down　。　。　then　you　have　to　fight　them　off　for　both　of　us。　What　are　you　going　to　do；　you　poor　little　girl；　with　your　gun　clear　over　there　on　the　seat　of　that　wagon？〃
　　
　　〃Why〃…。she　set　her　feet　apart；　put　her　hands　back　of　her　head；　and　gave　a　wiggle　that　was　invented　in　the　Garden　of　Eden；　or　perhaps　just　outside…〃I'll　go　this　way　at　'em！〃
　　
　　〃Yes；〃　Lazarus　agreed　thoughtfully；　〃that　should　work。　If　they　were　human。　But　they　aren't。　Their　only　interest　in　tall；　beautiful；　brown…eyed　girls　is　to　eat　them。　Bones　and　all。　Silly　of　~them；　but　that's　how　they　are。〃
　　
　　第39节
　　
　　〃Yes；　dear；〃　she　said　docilely。　〃I'll　go　put　on　my　gun　belt。　Then　I'll　kill　the　one　who　speared　you。　Then　I'll　see　how　many　more　I　can　get　before　they　eat　me。〃
　　
　　〃That's　right；　durable　Dorable。　Always　take　an　honor　guard　with　you。　If　you　have　to　go；　go　down　fighting。　Thesize　of　your　guard　of　honor　determines　your　status　in　hell。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　dear。　I'm　sure　I'll　enjoy　hell　if　you're　there；　too~〃　She　turned　to　fetch　her　weapons。　…
　　
　　〃Oh；　I'll　be　there！　They　wouldn't　take　me　anywhere　else。　Dora！　When　you　put　on　your　gun　belt；　take　off　your　sunbon　and　boots…and　put　on　your　rubies；　all　of　them。〃
　　
　　She　paused　with　a　foot　on　the　step　of　the　wagon。　〃My。　rubies；　dear？　Out　here　on　the　prairie？〃
　　
　　〃Rangy　Lil；　I　bought　those　rubies　for　you　to　wear　a