白噪音(White Noise) (英文版)作者:唐·德里罗(Don DeLillo)-第26章

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and　lost　to　history　just　a　couple　of　hours　ago；　was　an　oddly　agreeable　place　right　now；　filled　with　an　eagerness　of　munity　and　voice。
　　Seekers　of　news　moved　from　one　cluster　of　people　to　another；　tending　to　linger　at　the　larger　groups。　In　this　way　I　moved　slowly　through　the　barracks。　There　were　nine　evacuation　centers；　I　learned；　including　this　one　and　the　Kung　Fu　Palace。　Iron　City　had　not　been　emptied　out；　nor　had　most　of　the　other　towns　in　the　area。　It　was　said　that　the　governor　was　on　his　way　from　the　capitol　in　an　executive　helicopter。　It　would　probably　set　down　in　a　bean　field　outside　a　deserted　town；　allowing　the　governor　to　emerge；　square…jawed　and　confident；　in　a　bush　jacket；　within　camera　range；　for　ten　or　fifteen　seconds；　as　a　demonstration　of　his　imperishability。
　　What　a　surprise　it　was　to　ease　my　way　between　people　at　the　outer　edges　of　one　of　the　largest　clusters　and　discover　that　my　own　son　was　at　the　center　of　things；　speaking　in　his　new…found　voice；　his　tone　of　enthusiasm　for　runaway　calamity。　He　was　talking　about　the　airborne　toxic　event　in　a　technical　way；　although　his　voice　all　but　sang　with　prophetic　disclosure。　He　pronounced　the　name　itself；　Nyodene　Derivative；　with　an　unseemly　relish；　taking　morbid　delight　in　the　very　sound。　People　listened　attentively　to　this　adolescent　boy　in　a　field　jacket　and　cap；　with　binoculars　strapped　around　his　neck　and　an　Instamatic　fastened　to　his　belt。　No　doubt　his　listeners　were　influenced　by　his　age。　He　would　be　truthful　and　earnest；　serving　no　special　interest；　he　would　have　an　awareness　of　the　environment；　his　knowledge　of　chemistry　would　be　fresh　and　up…to…date。
　　I　heard　him　say；　〃The　stuff　they　sprayed　on　the　big　spill　at　the　train　yard　was　probably　soda　ash。　But　it　was　a　case　of　too　little　too　late。　My　guess　is　they'll　get　some　crop　dusters　up　in　the　air　at　daybreak　and　bombard　the　toxic　cloud　with　lots　more　soda　ash；　which　could　break　it　up　and　scatter　it　into　a　million　harmless　puffs。　Soda　ash　is　the　mon　name　for　sodium　carbonate；　which　is　used　in　the　manufacture　of　glass；　ceramics；　detergents　and　soaps。　It's　also　what　they　use　to　make　bicarbonate　of　soda；　something　a　lot　of　you　have　probably　guzzled　after　a　night　on　the　town。〃　People　moved　in　closer；　impressed　by　the　boy's　knowledgeability　and　wit。　It　was　remarkable　to　hear　him　speak　so　easily　to　a　crowd　of　strangers。　Was　he　finding　himself；　learning　how　to　determine　his　worth　from　the　reactions　of　others？　Was　it　possible　that　out　of　the　turmoil　and　surge　of　this　dreadful　event　he　would　learn　to　make　his　way　in　the　world？
　　〃What　you're　probably　all　wondering　is　what　exactly　is　this　Nyodene　D。　we　keep　hearing　about？　A　good　question。　We　studied　it　in　school；　we　saw　movies　of　rats　having　convulsions　and　so　on。　So；　okay；　it's　basically　simple。　Nyodene　D。　is　a　whole　bunch　of　things　thrown　together　that　are　byproducts　of　the　manufacture　of　insecticide。　The　original　stuff　kills　roaches；　the　byproducts　kill　everything　left　over。　A　little　joke　our　teacher　made。〃
　　He　snapped　his　fingers；　let　his　left　leg　swing　a　bit。
　　〃In　powder　form　it's　colorless；　odorless　and　very　dangerous；　except　no　one　seems　to　know　exactly　what　it　causes　in　humans　or　in　the　offspring　of　humans。　They　tested　for　years　and　either　they　don't　know　for　sure　or　they　know　and　aren't　saying。　Some　things　are　too　awful　to　publicize。〃
　　He　archied　his　brows　and　began　to　twitch　ically；　his　tongue　lolling　in　a　corner　of　his　mouth。　I　was　astonished　to　hear　people　laugh。
　　〃Once　it　seeps　into　the　soil；　it　has　a　life　span　of　forty　years。　This　is　longer　than　a　lot　of　people。　After　five　years　you'll　notice　various　kinds　of　fungi　appearing　between　your　regular　windows　and　storm　windows　as　well　as　in　your　clothes　and　food。　After　ten　years　your　screens　will　turn　rusty　and　begin　to　pit　and　rot。　Siding　will　warp。　There　will　be　glass　breakage　and　trauma　to　pets。　After　twenty　years　you'll　probably　have　to　seal　yourself　in　the　attic　and　just　wait　and　see。　I　guess　there's　a　lesson　in　all　this。　Get　to　know　your　chemicals。〃
　　I　didn't　want　him　to　see　me　there。　It　would　make　him　self…conscious；　remind　him　of　his　former　life　as　a　gloomy　and　fugitive　boy。　Let　him　bloom；　if　that's　what　he　was　doing；　in　the　name　of　mischance；　dread　and　random　disaster。　So　I　slipped　away；　passing　a　man　who　wore　snow　boots　wrapped　in　plastic；　and　headed　for　the　far　end　of　the　barracks；　where　we'd；　earlier　made　camp。
　　We　were　next　to　a　black　family　of　Jehovah's　Witnesses。　A　man　and　woman　with　a　boy　about　twelve。　Father　and　son　were　handing　but　tracts　to　people　nearby　and　seemed　to　have　no　trouble　finding　willing　recipients　and　listeners。
　　The　woman　said　to　Babette；　〃Isn't　this　something？〃
　　〃Nothing　surprises　me　anymore；〃　Babette　said。
　　〃Isn't　that　the　truth。〃
　　〃What　would　surprise　me　would　be　if　there　were　no　surprises。〃
　　〃That　sounds　about　right。〃
　　〃Or　if　there　were　little　bitty　surprises。　That　would　be　a　surprise。　Instead　of　things　like　this。〃
　　〃God　Jehovah's　got　a　bigger　surprise　in　store　than　this；〃　the　woman　said。
　　〃God　Jehovah？〃
　　〃That's　the　one。〃
　　Steffie　and　Wilder　were　asleep　in　one　of　the　cots。　Denise　sat　at　the　other　end　engrossed　in　the　Physicians'　Desk　Reference。　Several　air　mattresses　were　stacked　against　the　wall。　There　was　a　long　line　at　the　emergency　telephone；　people　calling　relatives　or　trying　to　reach　the　switchboard　at　one　or　another　radio　call…in　show。　The　radios　here　were　tuned　mainly　to　just　such　shows。　Babette　sat　in　a　camp　chair；　going　through　a　canvas　bag　full　of　snack　thins　and　other　provisions。　I　noticed　jars　and　cartons　that　had　been　sitting　in　the　refrigerator　or　cabinet　for　months。
　　〃I　thought　this　would　be　a　good　time　to　cut　down　on　fatty　things；〃　she　said。
　　〃Why　now　especially？〃
　　〃This　is　a　time　for　discipline；　mental　toughness。　We're　practically　at　the　edge。〃
　　〃I　think　it's　interesting　that　you　regard　a　possible　disaster　for　yourself；　your　family　and　thousands　of　other　people　as　an　opportunity　to　cut　down　on　fatty　foods。〃
　　〃You　take　discipline　where　you　can　find　it；〃　she　said。　〃If　I　don't　eat　my　yogurt　now；　I　may　as　well　stop　buying　the　stuff　forever。　Except　I　think　I'll　skip　the　wheat　germ。〃
　　The　brand　name　was　foreign…looking。　　I　picked　up　the　jar　of　wheat　germ　and　examined　the　label　closely。
　　〃It's　German；〃　I　told　her。　〃Eat　it。〃
　　There　were　people　in　pajamas　and　slippers。　A　man　with　a　rifle　slung　over　his　shoulder。　Kids　crawling　into　sleeping　bags。　Babette　gestured；　wanting　me　to　lean　closer。
　　〃Let's　keep　the　radio　turned　off；〃　she　whispered。　〃So　the　girls　can't　hear。　They　haven't　gotten　beyond　déjà　vu。　I　want　to　keep　it　that　way。〃
　　〃What　if　the　symptoms　are　real？〃
　　〃How　could　they　be　real？〃
　　〃Why　couldn't　they　be　real？〃
　　〃They　get　them　only　when　they're　broadcast；〃　she　whispered。
　　〃Did　Steffie　hear　about　déjà　vu　on　the　radio？〃
　　〃She　must　have。〃
　　〃How　do　you　know？　Were　you　with　her　when　it　was　broadcast？〃
　　〃I'm　not　sure。〃
　　〃Think　hard。〃
　　〃I　can't　remember。〃
　　〃Do　you　remember　telling　her　what　déjà　vu　means？〃
　　She　spooned　some　yogurt　out　of　the　carton；　seemed　to　pause；　deep　in　thought。
　　〃This　happened　before；〃　she　said　finally。
　　〃What　happened　before？〃
　　〃Eating　yogurt；　sitting　here；　talking　about　déjà　vu。〃
　　〃I　don't　want　to　hear　this。〃
　　'The　yogurt　was　on　my　spoon。　I　saw　it　in　a　flash。　The　whole　experience。　Natural；　whole…milk；　low…fat。〃
　　The　yogurt　was　still　on　the　spoon。　I　watched　her　put　the　spoon　to　her　mouth；　thoughtfully；　trying　to　measure　the　action　against　the　illusion　of　a　matching　original。　From　my　squatting　position　I　motioned　her　to　lean　closer。
　　〃Heinrich　seems　to　be　ing　out　of　his　shell；〃　I　whispered。
　　〃Where　is　he？　I　haven't　seen　him。〃
　　〃See　that　knot　of　people？　He's　right　in　the　middle。　He's　telling　them　what　he　knows　about　the　toxic　event。〃
　　〃What　does　he　know？〃
　　〃Quite　a　lot；　it　turns　out。〃　〃Why　didn't　he　tell　us？〃　she　whispered。　〃He's　probably　tired　of　us。　He　doesn't　think　it's　worth　his　while　to　be　funny　and　charming　in　front　of　his　family。　That's　the　way　sons　are。　We　represent　the　wrong　kind　of　challenge。〃　〃Funny　and　charming？〃
　　〃I　guess　he　had　it　in　him　all　the　while。　It　was　a　question　of　finding　the　right　time　to　exercise　his　gifts。〃　She　moved　closer；　our　heads　almost　touching。　〃Don't　you　think　you　ought　to　go　over　there？〃　she　said。　〃Let　him　see　you　in　the　crowd。　Show　him　that　his　father　is　present　at　his　big　moment。〃
　　〃He'll　only　get　upset　if　he　sees　me　in　the　crowd。〃　〃Why？〃
　　〃I'm　his　father。〃
　　〃So　if　you　go　over　there；　you'll　ruin　things　by　embarrassing　him　and　cramping　his　style　because　of　the　father…son　thing。　And　if　you　don't　go　over；　he'll　never　know　you　saw　him　in　his　big　moment　and　he'll　think　he　has　to　behave　in　your　presence　the　way　he's　always　behaved；　sort　of　peevishly　and　defensive；　instead　of　in　this　new；　delightful　and　expansive　manner。〃　〃It's　a　double　bind。〃　〃What　if　I　went　over？〃　she　whispered。　〃He'll　think　I　sent　you。〃　〃Would　that　be　so　awful？〃
　　〃He　thinks　I　use　you　to　get　him　to　do　what　I　want。〃　〃There　may　be　some　truth　in　that；　Jack。　But　then　what　are　stepparents　for　if　they　can't　be　used　in　little　skirmishes　bet