Chapter 51 Chapter 50

Dawn is approaching, and the eastern sky has been stained with a touch of rose red.Stu Redman and Glenn Bateman are halfway up Flagstaff Mountain, west of Boulder.The hills belong to the Rocky Mountains, and they seem to rise from the flat plains, presenting a prehistoric scene.The exposed rocks are covered with pine trees, and in the morning light they look like bulging veins on the arms of giants.Not far to the east, at last Nadina Cross was slowly falling asleep. Grant: "By afternoon I'm going to have a headache. I haven't been drinking like this since college." Stu: "It's worth watching the sunrise."

"That's right. Look at how beautiful it is. Have you ever been to the Rocky Mountains?" "No, but I'm very happy to be able to come this time." Stu lifted up the bottle and took a sip, and then said, "I'm a little bit in the air." He pondered for a while facing the scenery in front of him, and had a lot of meaning for Gran With a smile, "Do you know what's going to happen next?" "what happened?" "Of course there's something going on, that's why I brought you here, remember Frannie said 'I'm going to get him drunk and he'll say anything if I ask him.' She was right."

"The wine in the bottle is almost dry." "That's okay, she told me about the jobs you've had in the past. It's about networking, PR." "Then you bribe me with money, you inquisitive fellow." "What's the money? I'll take you to the First National Bank tomorrow and get you a million. What do you think?" "Seriously, Stu, what the hell do you want to know?" "This is what the dumb Andros wants to know. I don't know how to express it clearly." "We're going to build a society," Gran said slowly, "what will it be like? I can't tell now, we have about 400 people now, and they keep coming here, and it's getting bigger and bigger every day." More than a day, I estimate that by September 1st, we can reach 1,500 people, by October 1st, we can reach 4,500 people, and when the roads are closed in November when the snowflakes are flying, we will have 8,000 people. Write down the first prophecy."

Stu really took out a small notebook from the back pocket of his trousers and memorized it quickly. Stu found it very interesting. "We've worked our way through the country and we haven't seen 100 people in total." "But they're coming here in twos and threes." Gran didn't hear clearly, "What's the matter?" "In twos and threes, um, they must be on the way. Ralph is in contact with five or six groups. It is estimated that they will come over the weekend, and there will be 500 people by then." Gran laughed again: "By the way, Mama Abagil is sitting with him on the radio, but she will never speak to the civilian radio, she is afraid of electric shock."

"Frannie likes this old lady very much. It may be that she knows a lot about giving birth, or it may be——she just likes her anyway, and you know that." "Yeah, everyone feels the same." "We will have 8,000 people in winter, so many people." Stu returned to the original topic. "It's just a math concept, let's say this flu kills 99% of people, of course it might not be that bad, let's use that number to argue that if the flu kills 99% of people, it's fucking dead Lost 218 million, just this one country.” He looked at Stu’s surprised expression, and nodded grimly: “Maybe it’s not that bad, but I think it’s about the same, and the Nazis are nothing compared to that.” Big witch, isn't it?"

Stu responded dryly, "My God!" "But there would still be over 2 million people left, equivalent to 1/5 of the pre-plague population of Tokyo, 1/4 of New York, and just in this one country. Today, I think 1/10 of those 2 million will be in the flu just like people die in the aftershocks of an earthquake, like poor Mark with acute appendicitis. Of course there are accidents, suicides, homicides. These will bring the number down to 1.8 million. But we There is another opponent, the man in black, somewhere in our west, and if he really exists, the seven states in the west will become his legal territory."

"I think he does exist." "I feel the same way, but does he rule the people there? I don't think so. It's not that Mama Abagil automatically rules the remaining 41 states on the continent. I think things are going on. A slow change that is coming to an end. We first discussed this when we were in New Hampshire, and I foresaw dozens of societies. I didn't think about it because I didn't know. The irresistible attraction of two dreams is something no one could have predicted." "Then you mean we'll have 900,000 and he'll have 900,000?" "No, first of all, the coming winter will cause a certain death. It will be difficult for those who have not arrived here when the snow falls in winter. Have you noticed? In the free state, our medical workers only have A veterinarian, and Mama Abgail herself, I think she has forgotten more prescriptions than you and I have learned in all. If you fall, they pretend to put a piece on your head Steel plate, and then take something and hit it hard."

Stu thought, "That old boy Rolf Camnemont might pull out his Remington and give mine a shot." "My estimate that by next spring the population of the United States will be down to 1.6 million. That's just an estimate. If there are that many people, we'll be at 1 million here." "One million, it's simply unbelievable." He looked at the sparsely populated town of Boulder in the distance, and the sun slowly rising on the eastern horizon diluted the darkness over the town. "It's unbelievable that this town will be overcrowded." "Of course Boulder can't house that many people. I know people have hesitation when walking on the empty streets of the city. It's not up to you. We have to build a community cluster around it, which means forming a huge community here. And left the entire East area empty."

"Then how can you be sure that we can gather so many people?" Grann fiddled with his hair to cover his baldness. "This is an unscientific reason. I am willing that most people are good people. No matter who goes to the West, they are really bad people. But I have a hunch..." He Lowered his voice. "Say it, why don't you say it?" "I'll say it because I'm drunk, but it's only between you and me, can you promise?" "I promise," Stu said. "I think he's going to get most of the technical staff, you don't ask why, just a hunch, mainly the technical staff like to work in a disciplined environment with immediate goals and they all want the trains to run on time. And here in Boulder, it's a mess, my students describe us as a big piece of shit. But that guy keeps the trains on time and his men like ducks. The technicians, like us, want the best they can get Go where it's cheap. I think if the guy wants it, he can get it. Hell, he'll soon have someone who can shoot missiles, and someone who can fly a tank, a chopper, and a B-52 or two to We're here to show off. I doubt he's done it now - I believe he has. I believe he's working on taking power and rebuilding the community - maybe he'll have to purge the cowards and freeze the three feet Cold day, he knows that. He has time. I watch the sun go down at dusk, and honestly, I'm kind of scared. Just thinking about people over there on the other side of the mountain being as busy as bees is enough to give me nightmares .”

"Then what should we do?" "Do you still need me to make a list for you?" Gran smiled. Stu pointed to the cover of the broken notebook, on which two jumping little figures could be vaguely seen. "Of course," he said. "Are you kidding me?" "Wrong, you said, we're going to pile this shit together, and I agree. It's not time for people, we can't just enjoy it here, and if we do, we'll wake up some morning Under the guidance of tanks and under the cover of aircraft, powerful enemies can easily drive under our noses." "Of course not tomorrow."

"What about next May?" "Maybe." Gran lowered his voice, "It's really possible." "What will happen to us then?" Gran didn't speak, he just made a trigger movement with his finger, and then drank the rest of the wine in one gulp.After that, he closed his eyes.At this time, the sky was gradually getting brighter, and his cheeks and forehead shone in the morning light. "Okay, let's get started, first step: re-establish America, a small America. Using fair and unfair means. First establish organizations and governments. If we start now, we can form the forms we need government. If we wait until the population triples again, we're in big trouble." "How about we have a meeting in one week, that is, in. Everyone should attend. A special organizing committee is formed before the meeting. It consists of 7 people, that is, you and me, Andros, Franny, Hello De Lauder, maybe someone will be added. The task of the committee is to set an agenda for the convention, and now I'll tell you what the agenda should contain." "Speak quickly!" Stu felt anxious. "First the Declaration of Independence is read and passed, then the Constitution is read and passed, and the third step is the Bill of Powers read and passed, all by voice vote." "My God, Gran, we're all Americans—" Grann opened his eyes suddenly, their sockets were sunken and bloodshot "No, you haven't figured it out yet, we are a group of survivors of no government at all, of all ages, of all religions, classes and A hodgepodge of races. Government is an ideal that you get once you get out of government shit like that. It's an indoctrination at a deeper level, it's just a memory path through the brain. We're going to It's this cultural deposit that's exploited. Most people still believe in representative government - a republic - what they believe in democracy. But the cultural deposit doesn't last long. After a while, they start to have an instinctive reaction: the president is dead , the Pentagon is empty, the Senate and the House of Representatives are no longer debated, only termites and cockroaches are making noise. People here will soon find that the old ways are outdated, and they will reorganize society and build the old ways they hope ; all we want to do is control them before they come to their senses and do something big." He pointed his finger at Stu and continued. "If someone had come forward on the day of the convention and suggested that Mama Abagil should have absolute authority, with you, me and Andros as her advisors, people would have cheered that suggestion through without realizing it They just elected the first dictatorship in America since Huey Long." "But I still can't believe that there are college students, lawyers, and political activists among them..." "Maybe they were, and now they're just a bunch of tired, scared people who don't know what's going to happen. Some might argue, but if you tell them Mama Abagil and her counselors are going to Get the power back in 60 days and they'll shut up. No, Stu, it's important that we affirm the old spirit of society first, and that's what I call rebuilding America. As long as we're under immediate threat from our enemies Now, we have to do this.” "Go on." "Okay, the next step on the agenda is a government that works like a New England city-state. A perfect democracy. As long as we're relatively small, it'll work just fine. Only instead of a committee of picks, there's seven -- councilors, Congress of the Free State, how does that sound?" "good." "I feel the same way. And we're going to see people elect the same people that are on the select committee. We're going to win people over before they can advocate for their friends, and we're going to be able to find people to nominate us , and agree with us. The election will be as clean as shit." "It's great." Stu said enviously. "Of course, if you want to shorten the democratic process, ask a sociologist." "So what's the next step?" "This step would be nice to have, and the terms are: Pass, Mama Abagil will have veto power on any motions brought by the committee." "My God, will she agree?" "It's not a big deal, but she's not going to get used to a veto in any situation that I can foresee. If we can't make her a figurehead, we can't expect an effective government. She's ours, we all have it. Sensing a supernatural experience in her, and having a halo around her head, people all use the same adjectives to describe her: friendly, kind, intelligent, sophisticated, kind. They all have the same horrible nightmares, Also had dreams that kept them safe, made them cherish and depend on the good times more because of those scary scenes. And we can make her understand that she is our titular leader, I think she will be happy, after all she Old and tired. Stu shook his head and said: "She is old and tired, but she sees the problem of the man in black as a crusade, Gran, you must know that she is not alone in thinking this way. " "Then you think she won't cooperate with us?" "Maybe it's not that bad, after all we're here for her, not a committee." "No, I can't accept our role as pawns in this great duel between good and evil, without even thinking about it, it's absurd." Stu shrugged: "Okay, let's stop arguing. I think your idea of ​​giving her the right of veto is very good. It's not too much. We let her propose and let her cancel it." "However, it should not have absolute power over candidates." "Yes, her opinion must be approved by the committee." Stu added in a low voice, "And we can only act as her rubber stamp, not the other way around." After being silent for a while, Gran rested her forehead with her hand, and finally said, "You're right, she can't just be in name, at least we have to accept the possibility that she has her own opinion. In East Texas , I looked at the crystal ball and realized that she managed the society according to the will of others." "Who are the others referring to?" "God? It doesn't matter who it is, that is, what she says is not necessarily what the society needs, or what the society must become. She will listen to a certain voice, like Joan of Arc. What you're asking me to see is what we can get here with our two hands." "What do you want to be a god?" "Journey to God." Grant didn't seem overjoyed, "When you were a kid, did you ever dream about a 108-year-old black woman from Nebraska with seven priests? " Stu stared at him, and finally asked, "Is there any more wine?" "Finished." "Oh shit." "That's right." The two looked at each other, and finally burst out laughing. Sitting in front of the screened porch, it was undoubtedly the nicest house Mama Abagil had ever lived in, and she thought back to the salesman she had met in Hemingford in 1936 and 1937.He was probably the best talking chap she had ever met in her life; he could talk a bird in a tree down to the ground.She asked what business the young man, Kim, was doing with Abby Freemantle.He replied: "My business is happiness, your happiness. Do you like to read books? And listen to the radio once in a while? Or do you like to put your snoozing old dog at your feet and listen to the world spinning in the cosmic firmament?" " She admits she loves all of those things, except that she sold Motorola to pay for 90 bales. "Okay, these are the things I sell." The articulate peddler finally got down to business. "This thing is called a tube vacuum cleaner, plus accessories. But it's actually equal to free time. Plug it in and you can free it." It’s free and easy, and the price is extremely cheap.” It was the height of the Depression, and she didn't even have 20 cents to buy a headband for her granddaughter's birthday, let alone a vacuum cleaner.Anyway, this King from Indiana could talk.She never saw him again.But she never forgot him, and she was sure he was off to conquer some white woman.She didn't have her own vacuum cleaner until the end of World War II.People seemed to be able to afford everything all of a sudden, even white bums with Mercury hidden in their shacks. Nick told her that the house was now in the Mapleton Hill section of Boulder, (Mama Abgail guessed there weren't any Negroes living here before the Great Plague), and that there were things she'd heard and Not heard of all devices.Dishwasher, two vacuum cleaners, one of which is dedicated to the upstairs, scum cleaner in the sink, microwave, washing machine, dryer.There is something like an iron box in the kitchen. Nick's good friend Ralph told him that it is called a debris shredder. You put 100 pounds of swill in, and only 1-foot-square pieces of garbage come out.Humans are always so amazing.In retrospect, it was true. Lying in the rocking chair on the porch, her eyes just met the electrical outlet on the wall, and it reminded her of a summer day with singing, listening to the radio, and watching a baseball game on TV.There is nothing more ordinary than these plugs.She even recalls being in the cottage in Hemingford, where you don't think about electricity unless you don't have it, and here you realize how much people need it.All free time, including the happiness that Kim said long ago brought her, is tied up with these things nailed to the wall, without which a microwave or a crumb shredder is nothing more than a coat rack to use. Just because of these useless sockets, this place is not as good as her own hut.People have to fetch water from the creek and boil it before drinking it for safety, but at home she has a small water pump.Here, Nick and Ralph found her a device called P-O-S and put it in the backyard, while at home, she had a special toilet.At home she has a second-hand washing machine, but here she can only use the washboard and laundry soap that Kitchener found.They probably thought I had something to hide and needed to do it myself, fuck it, she'd never been out doing laundry herself like the peasants, and now that's all. They had to restore power quickly, which was God's instruction in the dream.She knew many things about to happen, some from her dreams, others from her common sense, and the two categories were so intertwined that it was hard to separate them. Soon people will no longer be like headless flies, but will gather together.She's not a sociologist like Glenn, but she knows that what goes together always comes together.Human beings are both good and bad from this intimacy.If six people were sitting on the roof of a church that was flooded into the Mississippi River, as long as the roof was stranded on the sand, they would start playing bingo. First, what they're going to do is form some kind of government, maybe with her at the head.In any case, she wouldn't agree, because that's not God's will.Just let them do what has to be done - restore power?Great, gotta get something like a shredder to work first.To restore the gas supply, don't let the winter freeze your ass off.Let them decide, make a plan, and she will work hard to execute it.She was going to insist on Nick getting a seat in the government, and maybe Ralph, the dude who knew to shut up when his brains didn't work.She thought that if the fat Harold joined, she would not stop him, even though she didn't like him, he made her nervous.He was always grinning, but never grinning, and he was charming and well-spoken, but his eyes were as cold as two flints standing up. She thought Harold must be hiding some secret, something dirty, ugly inside of him.But she couldn't tell what it was. God didn't let her see through it, so she didn't care about it.But in the end it was her uneasiness to have a fat man on the Supreme Council.But she won't say anything either. Lying in the rocking chair, she thought about her job, her position in the committee and how to deal with the man in black. He didn't have a name, and from the time he started out, he liked being called Flagg.On the far side of the mountain, he had already started working.She didn't know what kind of plan it was. In her eyes, it was as unknown as fat Harold's secret.She didn't need to know the details, because there was only one purpose: to destroy them. Her understanding of him was amazingly detailed.People from the Free State would come here to see her, and though she was tired sometimes, she insisted on seeing them—they all told her about her dreams with the men in black, of whom they were terrified.She tried to comfort them as best she could, but she thought that if Flagg met everyone in the street, you wouldn't recognize him unless he wanted to be recognized.They could feel his presence—an extreme cold, or a sudden heat, or a sharp stabbing pain in their ears or temples.But he is no different from the milkman or the messenger. She envisions that behind the conscious devil lies an unconscious darkness that is different from the darkness seen by children: they do not create but only destroy.The Creator created man in his own image, which means that human beings are creators in a certain sense. People all have a desire to transform the world according to their own ideas.And the man in black thought, all he could do was break things apart.An anti-God, or what might be called an anti-creation.He would have his followers, nothing new, he was a liar and his father was the father of lies.He hopes that he is a signboard illuminated by colorful lights, hanging high in the air, and using colors to confuse people. Some people only notice these colors. It will disappear without a sound and nothing will remain. Some may have come to the conclusion only then that there had never been peace in his kingdom, that his borders were filled with sentries and barbed wire, and that those who recognized him once in, could never come out again. Can he win? She couldn't guarantee that he couldn't win, she knew very well that just as he knew her, so did he.Nothing would please him more than hanging her from a pole for the crows to peck at.She knew that people around her had also dreamed of crosses.But none of that answers the question: Can he win? That's not what she should know, God likes to let his own way do things.He made his believers and people, including his beloved son, suffer a lot. He even hung his only son on a tree and wrote "joke" on his forehead.God is a gambler, he is willing to regard the red as black, and the white as black—she also thought that she had overestimated the man in black?Although the age of retirement is long past, she still defends the Lord. "You can do it!" With that, she took out a bag of peanuts from her pocket.Her last doctor had told her not to eat salty food, but he didn't expect that she would live longer than any of her doctors.The peanuts cracked my gums like hell, but it was really good. While chewing, Ralph came in, his feathered hat straight on his head.He knocked on the door, "Mom, are you awake?" "Wake up, come in, I'm chewing peanuts, my gums are hurting like hell." Ralph reported: "Some newcomers want to come in to greet you, and if you're not tired I think you'd better meet them. They arrived an hour ago and they're all nice people, led by a long man named Underwood. The lad with the hair." "Okay, let them in." Just as he was about to go out, he heard another question: "Where did Nick go? I haven't seen him for almost two days." "He went to the reservoir, and he went to the power plant with an electrician named Brad Kitchener." He rubbed his nose, "I figured when I went out in the morning that each chief should have a servant or two at his disposal. " Mama Abagil laughed. She really liked Ralph. He was straightforward, but very capable, and he had a sense of what he did. He was the one who made this radio station called the Free State work.He always showed his skills in critical moments.He knows what kind of tire valve to use, or why the stove makes weird noises, just by looking at it, and he knows how to add pig manure to make the crops grow better, and how to pick cucumbers, but he just can't figure out cars For things like the loan agreement, it is impossible to calculate how much the seller will deduct from him.A job application that Ralph had filled out looked like it was picked up in the trash, with misspellings, folded pages, ink marks, fingerprints, tattered as if it had traveled around the world.But when the world cracked open, Ralph would say, without fear, "Put some glue on it, stick it on." More often than not. "Ralph, you're such a good fellow, you know you're..." "Oh, you too, Mom. By the way, Redman came over while we were working, and he wanted to talk to Nick about some committee." "What did Nick say?" "He wrote a few pages, but in the end it was saying that Mama Abagil thought it was okay, so we would." "Well, what can an old woman like me say?" Ralph suddenly became serious, and said excitedly: "It is because of you that we can come here, and we will do as you said." "If I were to speak, I would think about continuing our American life in freedom." "Yes, you would say so." "Does anyone else feel the same way?" "You're sure they will." Ralph said, "Well, here I go, and Nick and Stu asked if I could get a print shop to print something if they provided electricity. I said I don't need electricity, as long as I go to the middle school and get the biggest A mimeograph will do. They want to use me as a flywheel and they want 700 copies, oh my god, I can only get 400 copies." "There are 19 other people outside. They are patronizing and chatting. They may be suffering from heat stroke. Can you bring them in?" "Okay," Ralph turned and left. "Yes, Ralph?" He looked back. "A thousand copies will be printed," she said. When Ralph opened the gate and people filed in, she felt her own guilt, the so-called mother of sin.The father of evil is stealing. Each of the Ten Commandments boils down to "Thou shalt not steal." Murder is to steal another's life, adultery is to steal another's wife.The desire for secrets is the theft of the heart, and the blasphemy is the theft of the name of God, from the parliamentarian down to the whore.She had never stolen herself, at best a petty theft. The mother of all evil is pride. Pride is the feminine side of the devil in the human heart and the root of sin. Pride kept Moses from Canaan, which was rich in grapes, because the children of Israel asked him: Who gives us water when we are thirsty? Water from the rock, Moses replied, I am. She has always been a proud woman, proud that she can scrub the floor with her own hands, proud that her children have grown up healthily, and no one has been imprisoned, no one has become the dregs of society, and no one has been stained.She is also proud of her life.Pride is a curse to the will, and like a woman she has her temptations.At such an advanced age, she still cannot understand all of it and overcome its temptation. As people poured through the gate, she thought: They are coming to see me.All kinds of irreverent thoughts about God came to her mind again: they came in one by one like church members, the young chief kept his eyes down, and beside him stood a fair-haired woman and a dark-haired woman. The woman led a dark-eyed child, and the others lined up behind. The young man stepped up the steps, but the woman stopped. He had long hair but was neat, with a big reddish-brown beard, and on his resolute face, there were shallow wrinkles at the corners of his mouth and forehead. "Is it really you?" "Of course, I have always been like this. I am Abagal Freemantle. People here call me Mama Abagil. You are welcome." "Thank you!" She could feel him holding back tears. "I...we're happy to be here, my name is Larry Underwood." He gently took her outstretched hand, full of awe, and she felt that pride and persistence again, like a fire burning. "I've been yearning for you," he said awkwardly. She smiled and nodded, and he almost fell and turned around.He's so nervous, and when he gets here, he'll find he doesn't have to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders.A person who lacks confidence should not work too hard for a long time, that will have to wait until he matures, he is still a little tender.But she still prefers him. Next came his woman, a pretty little woman with purple eyes.She was brave but not reckless in front of Abagal's mother. "Nice to meet you, my name is Lucy Swan." Despite her trousers, she curtseyed. "If you don't mind, I... want to..." Embarrassment appeared on her face, "I've always yearned for you." After finishing speaking, she suddenly backed away. The woman with black eyes led the child forward. The child's face was full of innocence and curiosity, but the woman's eyes were deep and unsteady, and she could feel the coolness from the woman's body. "It must be him, and he has come in the form of a woman. He can appear to people in many forms—a wolf, a crow, or a snake!" She didn't feel fear, and for a moment she felt that this woman would rush forward and grab her by the neck.In this moment of hesitation, Mama Abagil imagined the woman's face disappearing, and she looked into the hole of time and space, where two dark, malevolent eyes were staring at her, full of loss, hopelessness and emaciation. . But this is just a woman, not him, the man in black dare not appear here even in the form of a woman, this is just a woman - very beautiful - with a very distinctive face, with one hand still on the on the shoulders of little boys.She was daydreaming, for sure. For Nadina Cross, it was a moment of bewilderment too.She was fine when she came in, and she was fine when Larry was talking to the old lady.Then, a strong sense of disgust and fear weighed on her body, what could this old lady... what could she do? Can see through. Yes, she was afraid that the old lady could see into the depths of her heart where darkness had grown.She was afraid the old lady would get up from the porch and beat her up and order her to leave Joe and go to the people over there. Both looked at each other suspiciously, staring at each other.It was a short time, but it felt like a long time to both of them. Abbie Freemantle thought: "He's in her—the devil's bud." They put all their strength in it, and Nadina thought: Maybe they have other ideas, but this one is their everything. Jo moved around, shaking her hand. "Hello, I'm Nadina Cross," said the voice, high-pitched but lifeless. "I know who you are." The words hang in the air like a knife.People look here to see what's going on. "Really?" said Nadina softly, and suddenly it occurred to her that Jo was her only protection.She slowly moved the child in front of her, like a hostage.Jo's clear, watery eyes looked up at Mama Abagil. "This is Joe. Do you know him too?" Mama Abagil stared intently into the eyes of the woman who claimed to be Nadina Cross, but a thin layer of sweat had already emerged from the back of her neck. "I don't believe his name is Joe any more than I believe my name is Cassandra, and I don't believe you are his mother." Unable to overcome the uneasy feeling that the other has the upper hand, the woman looks away from the child. It was she who pushed the child between the two of them, but that prevented her from carrying out her mission.Ah, it was all so sudden, I wasn't ready yet. "What's your name, kid?" The boy's throat was stuffed with bone and he struggled to speak, when Nadina said, "He won't tell you." She put a hand on the boy's shoulder "He won't Told you, he couldn't remember." 乔好像突然冲破阻碍，洪亮而清晰地说道：“利奥，利奥·罗克威，我的名字，我是利奥。”然后他一下扑到阿巴盖尔妈妈的怀里笑起来。这引起人群的一片笑声和掌声。纳迪娜最终不被注意了，阿比感觉到生死攸关的时刻已经过去了。 纳迪娜的脸又恢复正常，她冷漠地叫着乔。 小孩从阿巴盖尔妈妈怀里脱离出来看着她。 “过来，”纳迪娜现在又目光摇晃地看着阿比而不是小孩说道。“她老了，你会伤着她的，她很老了，身体也不结实。” “噢，我还能结实到爱护一个小孩子。”阿巴盖尔妈妈说道，但即使是自己听来，语气也显得不那么肯定。“看上去他走了很长的路。” “好了，他是累了，看起来你也一样。乔，过来。” “我爱她，”乔并没有动。 纳迪娜显得非常恼火，声音突然变得尖起来：“乔，快过来。” “那不是我的名字，利奥，利奥才是我的名字。” 这一小伙人又恢复了平静，意识到发生了不该发生的事情，只是不知道到底是什么。 两个女人又如决斗般地死死盯着对方。 阿比的眼神像是在说：“我知道你是谁。” 纳迪娜也不示弱：“是，我也知道。” 最终还是纳迪娜先垂下了眼睛。“好了，利奥，不管你叫什么，咱们走吧，别再累人了。” 他极不情愿地离开阿巴盖尔妈妈的怀抱。 “你们随时可以回来看我。”但她的眼睛并没有包括这个叫纳迪娜的女人。 小孩吻了她一下，但纳迪娜的脸如石头般没有动声色。在他们退到台阶下的时候，纳迪娜放在孩子肩上的手臂倒更像一条粗绳了。 目送着他们离开，阿巴盖尔妈妈感到精力又集中不起来了，她开始不能确信自己的感觉，她也许只是一个女人，不是吗？ 那个叫安德伍德的青年立在台阶之下，脸沉得如同一片乌云。 “你怎么能这样。”尽管声音压得很低，阿巴盖尔妈妈还是很清楚地听到了。但此时却是女人控制了局势，她背起孩子走开了。 这一段时间气氛很沉寂，她想把它填补上，可又觉得没有这个必要。 把它填补上也是我的工作吗？ 一个声音轻轻响起，是你的责任吗？上帝不就是为此把你带到这里的吗？不就是让你当这个自由之邦的使者吗？ 我想不清楚了，那女人说得对，我确实是累了。 内心中的那个声音又响起，他能以多种化身出现，狼，乌鸦，蛇——还有女人。 What does it mean?What happened?God! 我就坐在这里想着，等着——是的，我就这么等着，否认也无济于事——现在那个女人来了，事情已经发生了，我却不知道是怎么一回事，但这事与那个女人有关——有这事吗？are you sure?你到底能确定吗？ 又是一阵沉默，所有的人好像都在看着她，等着她来证明什么。但她并没有那么做，那个女人和孩子已经走出人们的视线，他们走了，似乎他们才是真正的信徒，而她似乎被他们看透了，只不过是一个……噢，我已经上了年纪，这太不公平了！ 紧接着响起另一个声音，这声音很小很低，但很理智，这不是她自己的声音，还没老到知道那女人是…… 这时另一个男人向她走过来，显得有些犹豫，“你好，阿巴盖尔妈妈，我叫塞尔曼，马克·塞尔曼，从纽约劳维尔来，我一直想见到您。” 面对着这突然的选择，这种选择使她一直思索的大脑得到了片刻的休息。她也可以接受这男人的问候，与他交谈，并让他自在些，然后再走到他们每个人面前，接受他们的敬意，如同接受棕榈叶一样，她也可全然不去理会他，顺着思想的线索到达她自己的思想深处，寻找上帝意欲让她知道的所有一切。 那女人是…… ……what? Does it matter?那女人已经走了。 “我有一个重孙子，曾在纽约住过一段时间，”她轻松地与马克·塞尔曼交谈着，“他那个镇子叫罗斯波因特，在查普莱恩湖边，也许你从没听说过那地方。” 马克说他确实听说过那，并像纽约人一样了解那地方。他曾去过那吗？他的表情无情地泄了密，他从没到过那里，但一直想去。 “罗尼来信说，你并不怎么想念那里。”马克听了她的话，满面笑容地走开了。 其他的人也走上前来表示友好，后来的几周里，还有更多的人效仿着做着。这些人中有机械师、有眼镜商，有少年、有青年也有老年人，其中的一个老人大家都叫他法官。她和大家说着话，点着头，微笑着。但她在过去那些日子里所感到的愉悦在今天已经消失得无影无踪，她只觉得手腕、手指和膝盖在隐隐作痛。还有那令人心烦的猜疑。 所有这些，还有她已错过了特别重要事情的感觉（晚上会彻底消失）到后来可能就会成真的。 他在写字的时候能够更好地思考，所以他用一支两色笔记下了所有重要的东西。尼克·安德罗斯坐在与拉尔夫·布伦特纳及拉尔夫的女人合住的书房里。it's getting dark. 这所房子建得很漂亮，由于是在弗拉格斯塔夫山下，使得它与城里的房子相比显得更为安静一些。同时，透过起居室的窗子，可把如一块巨大棋盘一样的街道看得一清二楚。窗子的外层玻璃用了一种银色的反光物质处理过，所以人能看到外面而路人却看不到里面。尼克猜想这所房子大概要值45万到50万美元，而房子主人却神秘地消失了。 在他从硕尤到博尔德的长途跋涉中——先是自己走，以后是与汤姆·科伦及其他人，他经过了上百个城镇，所有的城镇都是臭气冲天的停尸房。博尔德不应该与其他的城镇有什么不同，但实际却是不同。当然这里也有尸体，而且是成千上万，在炎热干燥的日子过去，秋天雨季到来之前，还有好多事情要做，雨季时尸体会加快腐烂，可能会引起疾病。不过这里的尸体不算多。尼克不清楚除了他和斯图·雷德曼，别的人是否也注意到了，可能劳德会的，他总是比较细心的。 你去查看每一个堆放尸体的房间或公共建筑物，其中有十所是完全空的。在上一次瘟疫发作时，绝大多数博尔德的居民，不管身体如何，都躲开了，这又是怎么一回事？假设这没有什么，也许他们永远也不会知道这个令人敬畏的事实，这个看不清什么的阿巴盖尔妈妈领导着的这个美国小城市已经不受瘟疫的侵扰。这就足够使他这个不可知论者怀疑她是从哪里得到的消息了。 尼克在地下室里占了三个屋子，都是用松木装修的，为了不打扰拉尔夫，他便来开拓自己的生存空间——他已感觉自己像个电灯泡，但他也是喜欢他们。直到完成从硕尤到赫明福德的院子的行程，他才意识到他是多么怀念生活的其他方面，他需要满足这些方面的需求。 房子的确是他住过的最好的。在后门边上他建了一个入口，把他自己的那辆十速车停放在门边挂起来，那里及膝的落叶发着阵阵腐烂的香气。 他已经开始收集图书，这是他几年前就有但一直没能实现的愿望，在那些日子里，他曾是读书的衷心爱好者（尽管他很少有时间能一次读个够），书架上的书（书架的大部分都还空着）都是他的老朋友了，大部分书是他过去每天花2分钱从图书馆借来的，还有一些从未看过，也是从图书馆借来的。他摆好纸笔，坐在桌子前面，有一本威廉·斯蒂伦写的书就放在桌子右手边。他用了一张从街上捡来的10元钱钞票作了书签。街上有许多钱，都在风中飘着。他对仍有许多人，包括他自己，还会停下来捡钱感到吃惊。Why bother?书也不用花钱买了，什么都不用花钱了。有时他对这种想法感到高兴，有时又令他恐惧。 他写字的纸是从电话本上撕下来的封面。纸的一半记着日记，一半列着清单。他发现自己对列清单有着极大的爱好，有时也想自己的前世可能是名会计。在他思绪不清的时候，列一个单子通常能帮助打开思路。他又撕了一页，漫不经心地撕着边边角角。 对他来说，似乎人们所需的一切便是沉寂在东博尔德的发电厂，就如同灰土中的珍珠一样要人挖掘出来。聚集在博尔德的人们普遍存在着一种悲观的情绪，只是这种情绪没有表面化——天一黑，人们就如同一群吓坏的孩子蜷缩在房子里，这里简直就像一座鬼城，人们都感觉在这里只是一种权宜之计。有一个名叫英彭宁的伙计，曾在ＩＢＭ公司设在博尔德的工厂里工作，他似乎在有意制造不安，他四处对人讲在1984年的时候，9月14日下了一场大雪，到了11月就冷得恨不得能冻掉母猴的奶子。通常尼克遇到这种情况总是迅速打断他，如果是在军队，他可以把他就地正法，但这并不符合逻辑，重要的是要有电，如果人们一按电纽，电灯就亮了，炉子就能吹出热风来，那英彭宁的话就真的都是废话，可如果第一阵寒冷的空气到来之时，电还不能发出来，那人们就只有溜之大吉了。一切什么会议啊，代表啦，通过方案啦都是扯淡的事了。 在拉尔夫看来，发电厂那边并没有什么错。电厂的员工已关闭了一些机器，其他机器也自己停了下来。三台中的两台已经烧坏了。拉尔夫说需要更换一些线圈，这项工作由他，布拉德·基切纳和其他十几个人干就足够了。但更重的活是把烧黑的铜丝从涡轮机组上拆下来，然后一米一米地再安上新铜丝。在德里佛的供需仓库里放着足够的铜丝，前几天拉尔夫和布拉德已经亲自检查过了，只要有足够的人，到劳动节前就能让电灯亮起来。 “也让他妈的这些人看一看。”布拉德说道。 法律和秩序是另外让他发愁的事情。也不知斯图·雷德曼收到那份特别包裹没有？他不想得到那个位置，但他想应该劝说斯图去争取，如果不成功，可以让斯图的朋友格兰作为候选人。真正使他难受的是那份记忆还时常鲜明地出现在眼前，刺痛他的心，那时他是硕尤的监牢看守，文斯和比利要死了，迈克·奇尔德雷斯晚餐时又蹦又跳，嘶哑而绝望地叫着：“绝食，我要他妈的绝食。” 一想到也许需要法庭和监狱，他就感到心痛，也许还得有行刑人。天啊，他们都是阿巴盖尔妈妈的子民，不是黑衣人的子民。但他猜想黑衣人不会为法庭和监狱而愁，他的惩罚必是迅速而有力的。可以把死尸挂在电线杆上任由鸟儿来啄，他根本就不需要以监狱来威胁别人。 尼克希望那些摩擦都是很小的。已经发生了几起酗酒和违纪事件，一个小得不应去驾车的小孩，开着一台大型拖拉机在百老汇大街上横行直撞，吓坏了路人。最后撞到了一辆停着的面包车上，撞破了前额，以尼克看来，这样就放他走真是太便宜他了，人们可能是觉得他太年轻了，没有一个人想到自己有权力去制止他。 权威，组织。他把这两个词记在小本子上，又画了两个圈在上面。作为阿巴盖尔妈妈的子民并不能使人们能具有对弱点、愚昧和对坏人的免疫力，不管他们是否是上帝的信徒，他们都会犯错误。 权威，组织，他又在这两个词上划了一个圈，现在它们看起来像是个身受三重枷锁的犯人了。如果两者合二为一就好了——可他们又会发出多么令人遗憾的声音。 不久，拉尔夫走了进来：“明天会有更多的人来，后天又会有一伙，大约30人。” “那么，不久我们就能有一个医生了，普通法是这样规定的。” “太对了，我们要成为信奉上帝之城了。” “我和今天这批人的首领谈过了，他叫拉里·安德伍德，一个厉害角色，鬼精鬼精的。” 尼克抬了抬眼皮，在空气中划了一个问号。 拉尔夫知道问号的含意，就是需要更多的情况。“他比你大六七岁，也许比雷德曼小八九岁。是属于那种你说过要小心的那种人，他问问题能问到点子上。” “一个问题是谁在负责，”拉尔夫接着说，“然后将会有什么事，第二个问题是谁来做。” 尼克点点头，确实是问到点子上了。但他就是关键的人吗？他也可能不是。 “我明天倒要会会他。” “应该的，他还行。”拉尔夫挪了挪脚，“在引见他们之前，我和妈妈谈了谈，也正如你所希望的。” “她说我们应该走在前面，行动起来，她说人越来越多，得有人能负起管理职责，能告诉他们该往何处去。” 尼克靠在椅背上微微笑了笑：“我当然知道她会那么想，明天我和斯图与格兰谈，你把海报印了吗？” “噢，他妈的，你不说我倒给忘了，今天干了一下午。”他拿出一张样品给尼克看，样品还散发着强烈的油墨味。海报比较大也比较引人注目，是拉尔夫自己编的词。 群众大会 提名并选举代表委员会 1990年上午8点30分 地点：坎永大道公园 大会之后将提供茶点 再下面是为新来的人及没有熟悉地形的人准备的街道简图，再下面清楚地印着一些名字，也就是他与斯图、格兰在今天早些时候讨论过的名单。 特别委员会 尼克·安德罗斯 格兰·贝特曼 拉尔夫·布伦特纳 理查德·埃利斯 法兰妮·戈德史密斯 斯图尔特·雷德曼 苏珊·斯特恩 尼克指着写着茶点的那一行，又挑了挑眉毛。 “对了，法兰妮过来时说如果我们能提供些东西，人们会比较容易相处，她和她朋友帕蒂·克罗格会解决的。” “但这里有一个问题，”拉尔夫变得严肃起来，“那就是你们这帮小子把我放进委员会，我知道这意味着什么。祝贺你，祝贺你做了所有困难工作，当然了，我不会介意的，我干了一辈子难事。但委员会是应该要有主意的人，我可不太有主意。” 尼克在他的小本子上迅速画了一张图，背景是一座无线电发射塔，几朵电火花从顶上传下来。 “那就不太一样了。”拉尔夫灿烂地笑了。 “你行的，要相信自己。”尼克写道。 “你这么说，我就试一试，我始终觉得你应和安德伍德保持距离。” 尼克摇了摇头，又拍拍拉尔夫的肩头，拉尔夫道声晚安就上楼去了。 尼克久久盯着这份海报陷入沉思。如果斯图和格兰看到了副本，他们肯定拿到了——而他们又知道他是单方面反对把劳德列入特别委员会名单。他不知道他们是如何看待的。但他们到现在仍未出现，这不能不说是个好迹象。他们可能想让他单枪匹马地干：如果不得不这样，他会干的，为了把哈罗德排除在最高层外，如果必须的话，他会把拉尔夫交给他们。拉尔夫并不真正想得到那个位置。尽管他具有天生的智慧和周到考虑问题的能力。呆在常务委员会中他会很合适的，他已感到斯图和格兰把亲信都安插到委员会中了。如果他尼克想要排除劳德，他们就不得不跟着办，要顺利进行领导层改变，就不能在他们中间传出反对的声音。就如同孩子问，妈，那人是怎么把兔子从帽子里面变出来的？儿子，我也不太清楚，可能是用小饼或胡萝卜这些东西把它引出来的吧。这种东西通常是很有效的。 他又取出在拉尔夫进来时放起来的那张纸，看着用三个圈圈起来的那两个词，权威，组织。他突然又在下面的空间填了一个词。刚刚有一点儿地方。他读道：权威，组织，政治。 但他不会把劳德踢出局，因为他感到斯图和格兰·贝特曼正在试图抢他脚底下的球，他确实感到有点不满。如果他没有不满那倒是怪事了。毕竟是他，阿巴盖尔妈妈，拉尔夫创立了这个博尔德自由之邦，现在有成千的人，而路上有更多的人还在向这里赶。他用笔敲着这几个词，越看这几个词就越感到时间的紧迫。回想当初我，妈妈，汤姆及我们这伙里其他的人来这里的时候，博尔德有的只是从国家公园里跑出来的野猫和鹿，它们甚至跑到泰伯梅萨的超级市场里面。看它们怎么出来吧，简直像是疯子一样，把东西撞得满地都是。 当然了，我们到这里也只有短短的一个月，可我们是最早来的。所以我有些呕气，可并不是呕气才排斥哈罗德的。我是因为不信任他，他总是微笑，可又是皮笑肉不笑的那种。 因为法兰妮，他和斯图之间有些小过节，三个人都说事情过去了，可从法兰妮看他的眼神里可以看出事情远远没有结束。 尼克摇了摇头，这还不是全部。不只一次他曾想哈罗德·劳德是不是一个疯子。 他那咧开嘴的样子真让人难受，就好像晚上没有睡觉一样，我不会同这样的人说任何秘密的事情。 不能要劳德。人们必须接受这种现实。 尼克合上他的电话本，放在抽屉的最底层，然后站起来脱衣服。他实在是太脏了，应该冲个澡。 经过这次超级流感，这个勇敢的新世界呈现在人们面前，对他来说，这个世界倒也并不是特别的勇敢，就如同有人在玩具箱子里面放了一颗炸弹，砰地一声，玩具被炸得满屋子都是。有些东西可以修复，但所有的东西都散落着，有些东西仍然很热，还不能拿起，但一旦它们凉下来就好了。 同样还有些分类的工作。不能用的东西就要扔掉，把能修的东西放在一起，清点一下那些还能用的，然后找一个新的玩具箱，把东西装进去。要一个好的，结实的箱子。把这些东西分开的方法固然很具吸引力，但却不易实现，把东西集在一起也是困难的。分类，修理，清点，当然也包括把不好的东西扔掉。 除非——你从来都能把不好的东西扔掉吗？ 尼克光着身子，挟着衣服，洗了半截就停了下来。 夜晚是如此之静——但并不是所有的夜晚都静而和谐，为什么他的身体突然冒起了鸡皮疙瘩？ 因为他突然感到自由之邦委员会负责拾起来的并不是玩具。他突然感到他是加入了一个缝合人类精神的行业里——有他，雷德曼，阿巴盖尔妈妈，贝特曼甚至还有拉尔夫，他用他的电台和宣传设备把自由之邦的信号播过广阔的死气沉沉的大陆。他们每个人都有一根针，要全力做一条温暖的毯子，驱走冬天的寒意——或许是经过短暂的停顿之后，他们开始了为人类建造遮掩场所的工程，一切从头开始。 做完爱之后，斯图沉入梦乡，最近他太缺乏睡眠了。昨天晚上他和格兰·贝特曼整个晚上都在喝酒，盘算着未来。法兰妮披上睡袍，走到外面的阳台上。 他们住的楼房处在市区，是珍珠大街和百老汇街的拐角处。他们的公寓在三楼，她可以看到下面的十字路口，东西向的珍珠大街大街和南北向的百老汇街。她喜欢这里，就如同是住在装指北针的盒子里面。今天的夜晚温暖而无风，如黑色岩石的天空上镶嵌着以百万计的星星，在他们微弱的寒光中，她能见到启明星从西方升起。 她的手划过脖颈一直到大腿。她穿的罩衣是丝质的，而且里面没有穿内衣。她的手轻轻划过乳房，然后并不是直接到私处，她的手停留在微微隆起的肚子上，直到两个星期前她才宣布了这一消息。 她已经开始显露出来，只是不明显而已，但斯图今天晚上还评论了一下。他的问题很随意，甚至有些玩笑的意味：“要多长时间不让我做这事，会不会挤着他？” “也许是个丫头，4个月怎么样，酋长？” “好吧。”说着，他就贪婪地进入到她的身体内。 这之前的谈话就显得严肃多了，刚到博尔德的时候，斯图告诉她，他与格兰讨论过孩子的问题。格兰很谨慎地提出：超级流感的病菌或病毒可能就在周围，如果是这样，孩子可能会死掉。有一个不确定的想法（她想到，你总可以从格兰·贝特曼那里得到一两个不确定的想法）是否可以肯定，如果妈妈是免疫的，那孩子…… 已经有好多人的孩子都丧生于瘟疫了。 但这就意味着…… mean what? 这可能意味着一件事，所有在这里的人对于整个人类来说是劫后余生，是简短的结局，她不想也不相信这一点。但如果这是真的呢？ 有一个人正沿着大街走，转到人行道上，穿过一辆垃圾车与餐馆墙壁的夹道。他的肩头搭着一件浅色的夹克，一只手里拿着一个像是酒瓶又像是长管枪的东西，另一只手拿着一页纸，从他一边走一边查看街道门牌号的样子看，可能是写着地址。最后他在他们的楼前停了下来，盯着门好像是在下什么决心似的。法兰妮觉得他很像旧时电视剧中的私人侦探。她就在他顶上不到20尺的地方，好像自己也成了剧情的一部分。如果喊他，可能会吓着他，如果不喊他，他也许会敲门而惊动了斯图尔特。万一他手里有一把枪那该怎么办呢？ 他突然仰起了脖子，也许是想看看楼上有没有亮着的灯。法兰妮还在向下看，两个人一下子对视起来。 “天，”那人叫了一声，不由自主地向后退了一步，正好掉到路边的沟里，一下子跌坐在地上。 在阳台上的法兰妮嗯了一声，同时也退了一步，正好碰到身后的花盆上，花盆不倒翁似地晃了两下，然后碰到阳台的护栏上裂开了。 卧室斯图呢喃了一声，翻个身又不动了。 法兰妮忍不住格格笑起来，她赶紧用手捂住，可笑仍是止不住。她这样强忍着，肚子都疼起来了。 一句嘲弄的话从底下传了上来，“喂，阳台上的那个小妞。” “小妞，”法兰妮小声自语道，“小妞，真有意思。” 她想自己一定要在像驴子那样叫出声之前赶出去，否则她就再也止不住了。她轻手轻脚地穿过昏暗的卧室，靠着浴室的墙快步向前走，紧绷着，生怕笑出声来，就像戴了一幅面具，冲到楼梯口又冲下一段楼梯，她终于笑了出来。 那个男人，她现在所见的这个人从地上站了起来，拍拍身上的土。他身材削瘦，但却很结实，脸上长满了半黄半红的胡须，眼睛下面显出黑圈，正露出一副苦笑。 “你刚才碰到什么了，听起来像是一架钢琴。” “是花盆，它……”她又说不下去了，格格地笑起来。她只好用手指指他，摆了一下，然后捂住发疼的肚子，眼泪止不住从脸上落下。“你真好笑……哈哈……我……一样东西……你……” “如果是在过去，”他咧了咧嘴，“我就要控告你，尊敬的法官大人，这个女人朝我看，还向我做鬼脸，我要求赔偿。可怜的孩子，我支持你的起诉，现在休庭10分钟。” 他们一起笑起来，年轻男人穿着一条褪色的干净牛仔裤，深蓝色衬衣。夏日的晚上和暖、舒服，现在法兰妮很庆幸自己能溜出来了。 “你不会就是法兰妮·戈德史密斯吧？” “正是在下，可我不认识你啊。” “拉里·安德伍德，我今天才到，实际上我是在找一个叫哈罗德·劳德的人，有人告诉我他住在珍珠大街261号，与斯图·雷德曼及戈德史密斯住在一起。” 说话时，她已止住了笑：“我们刚到博尔德时，哈罗德是住在这里，但他已经搬了出去一段时间了。他现在在阿拉帕赫，在城西边。如果你想要，我给你地址。告诉你怎么走。” “太感谢了，不过我还是等到明天再去，我可不能再这么冒失了。” “你认识哈罗德？” “认识他也不认识他，就如同跟你一样，尽管，坦率地讲，你与我的想象不太一样，在我的印象中，你应该是弗兰克·弗拉塞塔笔下的那种金发碧眼，屁股两边各挂一支0．45口径手枪的女人。不过，还是很高兴认识你。”说着，他伸出手与法兰妮粗犷地握了一下。 “可我一点也不清楚你在讲什么。” “在路边坐一下，让我来对你说。” 一阵风在街上吹过，有些碎纸片浮在空中。 “我给哈罗德·劳德带来一些人，想着能给他一个惊喜，所以如果你在我之前见到他的话，一个字也不要提这事。” “好吧，”法兰妮觉得更加神秘了。 他拿出那把长筒枪，其实那根本不是枪，而是一只长颈酒瓶。在星光下她依稀辨出几个大字——上面是波尔多，下面是日期：1947。 “本世纪最好的波尔多葡萄酒。”他说道，“至少是一个老朋友曾经说过，他叫鲁迪，愿主让他安息吧。” “但是1947年……也就是43年前，难道它就不过期吗？” “鲁迪曾说过好的波尔多酒从不过期，另外，我是不辞辛苦从俄亥俄州带来的，如果它是坏酒，也是经过好一番跋涉的坏酒。” “是给哈罗德的吗？” “还有几枚这个。”说着，他从口袋里拿出一样东西递给她，她不用看得很清楚就知道这是什么：是巧克力棒棒糖糖，哈罗德最