mc.theandromedastrein-第31部分

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　　　Jackson　peered　over　at　the　bundle　of　blankets。　〃Who's　that？　〃
　　　〃A　baby。〃
　　　〃Baby？　Must　be　the　Ritter　child。　Jamie　Ritter。　Real　young；　is　it？〃
　　　〃About　two　months。〃
　　　〃Yep。　That's　him。　A　real　little　heller。　Just　like　the　old　man。　Old　Ritter　likes　to　kick　up　a　storm；　and　his　kid's　the　same　way。　Squalling　morning；　noon；　and　night。　Family　couldn't　keep　the　windas　open；　on　account　of　the　squalling。
　
　　　〃Is　there　anything　else　unusual　about　Jamie？〃
　　　〃Nope。　Healthy　as　a　water　buffalo；　except　he　squalls。　I　remember　he　was　squalling　like　the　dickens　that　night。
　　　Hall　said；　〃What　night？〃
　　　〃The　night　Charley　Thomas　brought　the　damned　thing　in。　We　all　seen　it；　of　course。　It　came　down　like　one　of　them　shooting　stars；　all　glowing；　and　landed　just　to　the　north。　Everybody　was　excited；　and　Charley　Thomas　went　off　to　get　it。　Came　back　about　twenty　minutes　later　with　the　thing　in　the　back　of　his　Ford　station　wagon。　Brand…new　wagon。　He's　real　proud　of　it。〃　
　　　〃Then　what　happened？〃
　　　〃Well；　we　all　gathered　around；　looking　at　it。　Reckoned　it　must　be　one　of　those　space　things。　Annie　figured　it　was　from　Mars；　but　you　know　how　Annie　is。　Lets　her　mind　carry　her　off；　at　times。　The　rest　of　us；　we　didn't　feel　it　was　no　Martian　thing；　we　just　figured　it　was　something　sent　up　from　Cape　Canaveral。　You　know；　that　place　in　Florida　where　they　shoot　the　rockets？〃
　　　〃Yes。　Go　on。〃
　　　〃So；　once　we　figured　that　out　good　and　proper；　we　didn't　know　what　to　do。　Nothing　like　that　ever　happened　in　Piedmont；　you　know。　I　mean；　once　we　had　that　tourist　with　the　gun；　shot　up　the　anche　Chief　motel；　but　that　was　back　in　'48　and　besides；　he　was　just　a　GI　had　a　little　too　much　to　drink；　and　there　were　exterminating　circumstances。　His　gal　run　out　on　him　while　he　was　in　Germany　or　some　damn　place。　Nobody　gave　him　a　bad　time；　we　understood　how　it　was。　But　nothing　happened　since；　really。　Quiet　town。　That's　why　we　like　it；　I　reckon。〃
　　　〃What　did　you　do　with　the　capsule？〃
　　　〃Well；　we　didn't　know　what　to　do　with　it。　Al；　he　said　open　'er　up；　but　we　didn't　figure　that　was　right；　especially　since　it　might　have　some　scientific　stuff　inside；　so　we　thought　awhile。　And　then　Charley；　who　got　it　in　the　first　place；　Charley　says；　let's　give　it　to　Doc。　That's　Doc　Benedict。　He's　the　town　doctor。　Actually；　he　takes　care　of　everybody　around；　even　the　Indians。　But　he's　a　good　fella　anyhow；　and　he's　been　to　lots　of　schools。　Got　these　degrees　on　the　walls？　Well；　we　figured　Doc　Benedict　would　know　what　to　do　with　the　thing。　So　we　brought　it　to　him。
　　　〃And　then？〃
　　　〃Old　Doc　Benedict；　he's　not　so　old　actually；　he　looks　'er　over　real　careful；　like　it　was　his　patient；　and　then　he　allows　as　how　it　might　be　a　thing　from　space；　and　it　might　be　one　of　ours；　or　it　might　be　one　of　theirs。　And　he　says　he'll　take　care　of　it；　and　maybe　make　a　few　phone　calls；　and　let　everybody　know　in　a　few　hours。　See；　Doc　always　played　poker　Monday　nights　with　Charley　and　Al　and　Herb　Johnstone；　over　at　Herb's　place；　and　we　figured　that　he'd　spread　the　word　around　then。　Besides；　it　was　getting　on　suppertime　and　most　of　us　were　a　bit　hungry；　so　we　all　kind　of　left　it　with　Doc。〃
　　　〃When　was　that？〃
　　　〃Bout　seven…thirty　or　so。〃
　　　〃What　did　Benedict　do　with　the　satellite？〃
　　　〃Took　it　inside　his　house。　None　of　us　saw　it　again。　It　was　about　eight；　eight…thirty　that　it　all　started　up；　you　see。　I　was　over　at　the　gas　station；　having　a　chat　with　Al；　who　was　working　the　pump　that　night。　Chilly　night；　but　I　wanted　a　chat　to　take　my　mind　off　the　pain。　And　to　get　some　soda　from　the　machine；　to　wash　down　the　aspirin　with。　Also；　I　was　thirsty；　squeeze　makes　you　right　thirsty；　you　know。〃
　　　〃You'd　been　drinking　Sterno　that　day？〃
　　　〃Bout　six　o'clock　I　had　some；　yes。〃
　　　〃How　did　you　feel？〃
　　　〃Well；　when　I　was　with　Al；　I　felt　good。　Little　dizzy；　and　my　stomach　was　paining　me；　but　I　felt　good。　And　Al　and　me　were　sitting　inside　the　office；　you　know；　talking；　and　suddenly　he　shouts；　'Oh　God；　my　head！'　He　ups　and　runs　outside；　and　falls　down。　Right　there　in　the　street；　not　a　word　from　him。
　　　〃Well；　I　didn't　know　what　to　make　of　it。　I　figured　he　had　a　heart　attack　or　a　shock；　but　he　was　pretty　young　for　that；　so　I　went　after　him。　Only　he　was　dead。　Then　。。。　they　all　started　ing　out。　I　believe　Mrs。　Langdon；　the　Widow　Langdon；　was　next。　After　that；　I　don't　recall；　there　was　so　many　of　them。　Just　pouring　outside；　it　seemed　like。　And　they　just　grab　their　chests　and　fall；　like　they　slipped。　Only　they　wouldn't　get　up　afterward。　And　never　a　word　from　any　of　them。〃　
　　　〃What　did　you　think？〃
　　　〃I　didn't　know　what　to　think；　it　was　so　damned　peculiar。　I　was　scared；　I　don't　mind　telling　you；　but　I　tried　to　stay　calm。　I　couldn't；　naturally。　My　old　heart　was　thumping；　and　I　was　wheezin'　and　gaspin'。　I　was　scared。　I　thought　everybody　was　dead。　Then　I　heard　the　baby　crying；　so　I　knew　not　everybody　could　be　dead。　And　then　I　saw　the　General。〃　
　　　〃The　General？〃
　　　〃Oh；　we　just　called　him　that。　He　wasn't　no　general；　just　been　in　the　war；　and　liked　to　be　remembered。　Older'n　me；　he　is。　Nice　fella；　Peter　Arnold。　Steady　as　a　rock　all　his　life　and　he's　standing　by　the　porch；　all　got　up　in　his　military　clothes。　It's　dark；　but　there's　a　moon；　and　he　sees　me　in　the　street　and　he　says；　'That　you；　Peter？'　We　both　got　the　same　name；　see。　And　I　says；　'Yes　it　is。'　And　he　says；　'What　the　hell's　happening？　Japs　ing　in？　And　I　think　that's　a　mighty　peculiar　thing；　for　him　to　be　saying。　And　he　says；　'I　think　it　must　be　the　Japs；　e　to　kill　us　all。'　And　I　say；　'Peter；　you　gone　loco？'　And　he　says　he　don't　feel　too　good　and　he　goes　inside。　Course；　he　must　have　gone　loco；　'cause　he　shot　himself。　But　others　went　loco；　too。　It　was　the　disease。〃
　　　〃How　do　you　know？〃
　　　〃People　don't　burn　themselves；　or　drown　themselves；　if　they　got　sense；　do　they？　All　them　in　that　town　were　good；　normal　folks　until　that　night。　Then　they　just　seemed　to　go　crazy。〃
　　　〃What　did　you　do？〃
　　　〃I　thought　to　myself；　Peter；　you're　dreaming。　You　had　too　much　to　drink。　So　I　went　home　and　got　into　bed；　and　figured　I'd　be　better　in　the　morning。　Only　about　ten　o'clock；　I　hear　a　noise；　and　it's　a　car；　so　I　go　outside　to　see　who　it　is。　It's　some　kind　of　car；　you　know；　one　of　those　vans。　Two　fellers　inside。　I　go　up　to　them；　and　damn　but　they　don't　fall　over　dead。　Scariest　thing　you　ever　saw。　But　it's　funny。〃
　
　　　〃What's　funny？〃
　　　〃That　was　the　only　other　car　to　e　through　all　night。　Normally；　there's　lots　of　cars。〃
　　　〃There　was　another　car？〃
　　　〃Yep。　Willis；　the　highway　patrol。　He　came　through　about　fifteen；　thirty　seconds　before　it　all　started。　Didn't　stop；　though；　sometimes　he　doesn't。　Depends　if　he's　late　on　his　schedule；　he's　got　a　regular　patrol；　you　know；　he　has　to　stick　to。〃
　
　　　Jackson　sighed　and　let　his　head　fall　back　against　the　pillow。　〃Now；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　don't　mind；　I'm　going　to　get　me　some　sleep。　I'm　all　talked　out。〃
　
　　　He　closed　his　eyes。　Hall　crawled　back　down　the　tunnel；　out　of　the　unit；　and　sat　in　the　room　looking　through　the　glass　at　Jackson；　and　the　baby　in　the　crib　alongside。　He　stayed　there；　just　looking；　for　a　long　time。
　
　　　23。　Topeka
　
　　　THE　ROOM　WAS　HUGE；　THE　SIZE　OF　A　FOOTBALL　field。　It　was　furnished　sparsely；　just　a　few　tables　scattered　about。　Inside　the　room；　voices　echoed　as　the　technicians　called　to　each　other；　positioning　the　pieces　of　wreckage。　The　post　team　was　reconstructing　the　wreck　in　this　room；　placing　the　clumps　of　twisted　metal　from　the　Phantom　in　the　same　positions　as　they　had　been　found　on　the　sand。
　
　　　Only　then　would　the　intensive　examination　begin。
　
　　　Major　Manchek；　tired；　bleary…eyed；　clutching　his　coffee　cup；　stood　in　a　corner　and　watched。　To　him；　there　was　something　surrealistic　about　the　scene：　a　dozen　men　in　a　long；　white…washed　room　in　Topeka；　rebuilding　a　crash。
　
　　　One　of　the　biophysicists　came　up　to　him；　holding　a　clear　plastic　bag。　He　waved　the　contents　under　Manchek's　nose。
　
　　　〃Just　got　it　back　from　the　lab；〃　he　said。
　　　〃What　is　it？〃
　　　〃You'll　never　guess。〃　The　man's　eyes　gleamed　in　excitement。
　　　All　right；　Manchek　thought　irritably；　I'll　never　guess。　〃What　is　it？〃
　　　〃A　depolymerized　polymer；〃　the　biochemist　said；　smacking　his　lips　with　satisfaction。　〃Just　back　from　the　lab。〃
　　　〃What　kind　of　polymer？〃
　
　　　A　polymer　was　a　repeating　molecule；　built　up　from　thousands　of　the　same　units；　like　a　stack　of　dominos。　Most　plastics；　nylon；　rayon；　plant　cellulose；　and　even　glycogen　in　the　human　body　were　polymers。
　
　　　〃A　polymer　of　the　plastic　used　on　the　air　hose　of　the　Phantom　jet。　The　face　mask　to　the　pilot。　We　thought　as　much。〃
　　　Manchek　frowned。　He　looked　slowly　at　the　crumbly　black　powder　in　the　bag。　〃Plastic？〃
　　　〃Yes。　A　polymer；　depolymerized。　It　was　broken　down。　Now　that's　no　vibration　effect。　It's　a　biochemical　effect；　purely　organic。〃
　　　Slowly；　Manchek　began　to　understand。　〃You　mean　something　tore　the　plastic　apart？〃
　　　〃Yes；　you　could　say　that；〃　the　biochemist　replied。　〃It's　a　simplification；　of　course；　but〃
　　　〃What　tore　it　apart？〃
　　　The　biochemist　shrugged。　〃Chemical　reaction　of　some　sort。　Acid　could　do　it；　or　intense　heat；　or。。。〃
　　　〃Or？〃
　　　〃A　microorganism；　I　suppose。　If　one　existed　that　could　eat　plastic。　If　you　know　what　I　mean。〃
　　　〃I　think；〃　Manchek　said；　〃that　I　know　what　you　mean。〃
　
　　　He　left　the　room　and　went　to　the　cable　transmitter；　located　in　another　part　of　the　building。　He　wrote　out　his　message　to　the　Wildfire　group；　and　gave　it　to　the　technician　to　transmit。　While　he　waited；　he　said；　〃Has　there　been　any　reply　yet？〃
　
　　　〃Reply；　Sir？〃　the　technician　asked。
　　　〃From　Wildfire；〃　Manchek　said。　It　was　incredible　to　him　that　no　one　had　acted　upon　the　news　of　the　Phantom　crash。　It　was　so　obviously　linked。。。
　　　〃Wildfire；　Sir？〃　the　technician　asked。
　
　　　Manchek　rubbed　his　eyes。　He　was　tired：　he　would　have　to　remember　to　keep　his　big　mouth　shut。
　
　　　〃Forget　it；〃　he　said。
　
　　　***
　
　　　After　his　conversation　with　Peter　Jackson；　Hall　went　to　see　Burton。　Burton　was　in　the　autopsy　room；　going　over　his　slides　from　the　day　before。
　
　　　Hall　said；　〃Find　anything？〃
　　　Burton　stepped　away　from　the　microscope　and　sighed。　〃No。　Nothing。〃
　　　〃I　keep　wondering；〃　Hall　said；　〃about　the　insanity。　Talking　with　Jackson　reminded　me　of　it。　A　large　number　of　people　in　that　town　went　insane　or　at　least　became　bizarre　and　suicidal　during　the　evening。　Many　of　those　people　were　old。〃　
　　　Burton　frowned。　〃So？〃
　　　〃Old　people；〃　Hall　said；　〃are　like　Jackson。　They　have　lots　wrong　with　them。　Their　bodies　are　breaking　down　in　a　variety　of　ways。　The　lungs　are　bad。　The　hearts　are　bad。　The　livers　are　shot。　The　vessels　are　sclerotic。〃　
　　　〃And　this　alters　the　disease　process？〃
　　　〃Perhaps。　I　keep　wondering。　What　makes　a　person　bee　rapidly　insane？〃
　　　Burton　shook　his　head。
　　　〃And　there's　something　else；〃　Hall　said。　〃Jackson　recalls　hearing　one　victim　say；　just　before　he　died；　'Oh；　God；　my　head。'　〃
　　　Burton　stared　away　into　space。　〃Just　before　death？〃
　　　〃Just　before。〃
　　　〃You're　thinking　of　hemorrhage？〃
　　　Hall　nodded。　〃It　makes　sense；〃　he　said。　〃At　least　to　check。〃　
　
　　　If　the　Andromeda　Strain　produced　hemorrhage　inside　the　brain　for　any　reason；　then　it　might